INT. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - FOREST EDGE - DAY
Dense pine forest meets open moorland. Morning mist clings
to the heather. DAN MORRISON (late 30s, weathered, military
bearing) moves through the undergrowth with practiced
silence.
He wears gamekeeper's tweeds, but his movements are
tactical—checking sight lines, noting cover positions. He
carries a small trail camera.
Dan stops at a tree with clear view of a distant dirt track.
He secures the camera to the trunk, adjusting the angle. His
hands are steady, efficient.
He pulls out a small notebook, sketches the location, marks
coordinates. The page is filled with similar sketches—a map
of surveillance positions.
Dan pockets the notebook, takes one last look at the camera,
then melts back into the forest.
EXT. GLENMORE ESTATE - EQUIPMENT SHED - NIGHT
A large Victorian hunting estate. Moonlight illuminates
manicured grounds. Dan approaches a weathered shed, picks
the lock with practiced ease.
Inside, he uses a small flashlight. Shelves of
equipment—more trail cameras, batteries, SD cards. He takes
what he needs, methodical, leaving no obvious gaps.
A SOUND outside. Dan freezes, kills the light.
Through a gap in the door: ESTATE SECURITY GUARD passes,
radio crackling. Dan waits, motionless, until the guard
disappears.
He slips out, locks the door behind him, vanishes into
darkness.
EXT. HIGHLAND ROAD - DAY
Dan's Land Rover is parked in a lay-by. He sits inside,
binoculars trained on the road ahead.
A WHITE VAN appears in the distance. Unmarked, dirty,
windows tinted. Dan tenses, raises a camera with telephoto
lens.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. He captures the license plate, the
driver's face.
The van passes. Dan starts his engine, follows at a
distance.
EXT. FOREST TRACK - CONTINUOUS
The van turns onto a narrow forest track. Dan stops, watches
it disappear into the trees.
He marks the location on a GPS unit, takes more photos of
the turnoff, then drives away.
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
A Pint of Secrets
INT. THE STAG'S HEAD PUB - EVENING
Dan sits in his usual spot, nursing a pint.
The pub is busier tonight. A darts game in the corner.
Laughter.
Detective Sergeant Maeve Kerr, red hair, late 30's enters,
off-duty, orders a drink at the bar.
She spots Dan, considers, then walks over.
MAEVE
Mind if I sit?
Dan glances up, neutral.
DAN
Not at all
She sits, sips her drink.
MAEVE
You're the new gamekeeper. Up at the
Drummond estate.
DAN
That's right.
MAEVE
How are you finding it?
DAN
Quiet.
MAEVE
That's what you wanted, I imagine.
He doesn't answer. She smiles, not unkindly.
MAEVE (cont'd)
I'm Maeve. Detective Sergeant Kerr,
technically, but I'm not working
right now.
DAN
Dan.
MAEVE
Army?
He looks at her more carefully.
DAN
What makes you say that?
MAEVE
The way you sit. The way you watch
the room. My dad was Army.
DAN
It's been a while.
MAEVE
Never really leaves you, does it?
A beat.
He takes a drink.
MAEVE (cont'd)
You settling in alright? People
around here can be... wary of
outsiders.
DAN
I keep to myself.
MAEVE
I've noticed.
She says it lightly, but there's an edge of curiosity.
MAEVE (cont'd)
Seen anything unusual up on the
estate?
DAN
Like what?
MAEVE
Poachers, trespassers?. We've had
reports of odd activity. Vehicles at
strange hours.
DAN
Forestry trucks, mostly. Contractors.
MAEVE
Right.
She watches him. He gives nothing away.
MAEVE (cont'd)
Well, if you do see anything, let me
know. We're a small station. We rely
on people keeping an eye out.
DAN
I will.
She finishes her drink, stands.
MAEVE
Good to meet you, Dan.
She leaves. Dan watches her go, then returns to his pint.
But his mind is working.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Unseen Connections
INT. UK MILITARY BASE - DAY (FLASHBACK)
A sparse office. CALLUM, black, slim build mid 40s, sharp-
eyed, intelligence officer. He sits at his computer monitor.
He uses an encypted channel to call Dan in Albania.
A file sits on the desk. Callum hasn't opened it yet.
Dan appears on the screen
CALLUM
You look like shit, mate.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Thanks.
CALLUM
How long has it been?
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Six weeks.
Callum nods, understanding.
CALLUM
And the Albanian police?
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Nothing. They stopped returning
calls.
CALLUM
I'm sorry mate.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
You said you had something.
Callum hesitates, then opens the file.
CALLUM
This doesn't leave this room.
Officially, I never showed you this.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Understood.
Callum sends a blurred screenshot from a dark web forum.
Text in multiple languages. Thumbnail images, faces
obscured.
CALLUM
This is from an ongoing
investigation. Multi-agency,
international. They're tracking a
network that moves children through
Eastern Europe into Western markets.
Dan stares at the screen, jaw tight.
CALLUM (cont'd)
Albania is a known source country.
Kids are taken, moved through safe
houses, then sold at private
auctions. Online, mostly, but some
are in-person.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Where?
CALLUM
All over. France. Germany. UK.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
UK?
Callum nods, sends another page: a map with red circles.
CALLUM
Yes and most of the abductees from
that region of Albania seem to end up
in the UK.
All we've git is Suspected nodes.
Rural locations. Isolated. Hard to
monitor.
Dan scans the map. One circle is in northern Scotland.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
What do you know about this one?
CALLUM
Not much. Recent intelligence picked
up encrypted traffic in that area.
Could be nothing. Could be a relay
point.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Or a holding site.
CALLUM
Maybe. But there's no warrant, no
evidence. Just... suspicion.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
So no one's looking.
CALLUM
Not actively. Resources are
stretched. And witheen)
Understood.
CALLUM (cont'd)
And if they found something, they'd
need to be very careful how they
reported it. Chain of evidence.
Legality.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Right.
Callum closes the file.
CALLUM
I can't help you, Dan. Not
officially.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
I know.
CALLUM
But if you were looking for a
six∄month career break… there’s a job
in that area. There’s an estate
hiring — gamekeeper position. Remote.
Massive estate. Good cover.
He sends Dan the job listing.
Dan saves it.
CALLUM (cont'd)
You’re going to need a new ID.
Passport, driver’s licence, National
Insurance number for the job. A
sergeant in Special Ops died last
week. He was a Dan — Dan Fletcher.
Keeps it simple.
Not too dissimilar to you in
appearance, but you’ll need to grow a
beard and buy some glasses, keep him
talking when he's checking them. Once
they're photocopied ,I'll need then
back ASAP.
DAN
Cheers, mate. I owe you.
CALLUM
No problem. And remember — we’ve got
your prints on record, so be
methodical. Everything clean.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Understood
CALLUM
And Dan, be careful, these people...
they're not amateurs.
DAN (ON SCREEN)
Neither am I
CUT TO:
INT. DAN'S COTTAGE - NIGHT
A small, sparse gamekeeper's cottage. One room serves as
living space. But one wall is covered with a MAP—hand-drawn,
detailed.
Red pins mark locations. Photos of the white van, license
plates, timestamps. String connects the pins—a web of
surveillance.
Dan sits at a small table, downloads photos from his camera
to a laptop. He studies each image, adds notes to a
spreadsheet.
Dan stares at the map.
On the table: a worn photograph. A LITTLE GIRL, 7 years old,
dark hair, bright smile. ARIA.
Dan's hand hovers over the photo, doesn't touch it.
He returns to the laptop, adds another entry to his log.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
A Chance Encounter in Tirana
EXT. TIRANA MARKET - ALBANIA -DAY (FLASHBACK - 8 YEARS AGO)
A bustling open-air market. Dan, cleaner-shaven, more
relaxed, browses vegetable stalls.
ELIRA (late 20s, Albanian, warm smile) runs a small produce
stand. Dan approaches, attempts Albanian.
DAN
(badly accented)
Sa kushton? How much?
Elira laughs, charmed by his effort.
ELIRA
(in English)
For you? Double price. Tourist tax.
DAN
(smiling)
I'm not a tourist. I work here.
ELIRA
Doing what?
DAN
Security consulting.
ELIRA
(teasing)
Ah. A mercenary.
DAN
A contractor.
She bags tomatoes for him, their hands touch briefly.
ELIRA
I'm Elira.
DAN
Dan.
A moment between them. Connection.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Building Dreams
INT. DAN'S APARTMENT - TIRANA - NIGHT (FLASHBACK - SEVEN
YEARS AGO)
A modest apartment. Dan assembles a wooden crib, instruction
manual spread out. He's terrible at it.
ELIRA, visibly pregnant, watches from the doorway, amused.
ELIRA
You can disarm a bomb but you can't
build a crib?
DAN
Bombs make sense. This is chaos, in
Albanian.
She sits beside him, takes over. Together they work, her
hands guiding his.
ELIRA
Aria will love it.
DAN
Aria?
ELIRA
It means 'lioness' in Albanian.
Strong. Like her father.
Dan looks at her, something softening in his face.
DAN
I'm not going anywhere. You know
that, right?
ELIRA
I know.
They continue building. A moment of peace.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
A Mother's Despair
EXT. TIRANA STREET - BUS STOP - DAY (FLASHBACK - 4 MONTHS
AGO)
A busy street corner. Buses rumble past. Pedestrians jostle.
Elira stands with ARIA, now 7 years old, bright-eyed,
clutching the rag doll. They're waiting in a large crowd.
Aria swings the doll by one arm, humming to herself.
ELIRA (cont'd)
Stay close, zemra. The bus will be
here soon.
ARIA
(in Albanian,
subtitled)
Can we get ice cream after?
ELIRA
If you're good.
Aria grins, satisfied.
Behind them, a COMMOTION: someone lets off a firework,
causing screams. Elira is knocked over as the crowd surges
forward.
It takes only seconds.
When Elira turns back, Aria is gone.
The doll lies on the pavement.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(panicked)
Aria? ARIA!
She spins, searching faces. Strangers. No one notices.
Across the street, a dark sedan pulls away into traffic.
Unremarkable. Anonymous.
Elira runs into the street, shouting. A bus horn BLARES. She
stumbles back.
She picks up the doll, clutches it to her chest, and screams
her daughter's name.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Desperation in the Police Station
INT. TIRANA POLICE STATION - DAY (FLASHBACK)
A cramped, bureaucratic space. Flickering fluorescent
lights. Peeling paint.
Dan and Elira sit across from a POLICE OFFICER, 50s, weary,
filling out forms by hand.
Elira is hollow-eyed, the doll still in her lap. Dan sits
rigid, controlled, but his hands are clenched.
POLICE OFFICER
(in Albanian,
subtitled)
And you saw no one suspicious?
ELIRA
(in Albanian,
subtitled)
There was a man... I don't know.
Maybe. It happened so fast.
POLICE OFFICER
Description?
Elira shakes her head, helpless.
DAN
(in English, tight)
What are you doing to find her?
The officer looks at him, unimpressed.
POLICE OFFICER
(switching to broken
English)
We do what we can. We put out alert.
We check hospitals, shelters.
DAN
That's it? What about CCTV cameras,
there must be some in the the Town
Square?
POLICE OFFICER
We will check but many are not
working. Many children go missing.
Most come back. Some...
He doesn't finish. He doesn't need to.
DAN
(leaning forward)
I want to speak to someone in charge.
Someone who handles trafficking.
POLICE OFFICER
You think this is trafficking?
DAN (cont'd)
She's been abducted.I think you
should treat it like it is.
The officer sighs, makes a note.
POLICE OFFICER
We will investigate. Go home. We call
you.
Dan stares at him. Elira touches his arm, a silent plea:
don't make this worse.
They leave.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Desperate Resolve
INT. SMALL APARTMENT - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
The same cozy apartment, now suffocating. Silence.
Elira sits on an armchair, holding the doll, rocking
slightly.
Dan sits at the small table, a notebook open in front of
him. He writes methodically: times, locations, names of
officers, details.
His handwriting is precise, controlled. This is how he
processes.
ELIRA
(quiet, in Albanian,
subtitled)
What are you doing?
DAN
Making sure we don't forget anything.
ELIRA
The police will find her.
He doesn't answer. He doesn't believe it.
ELIRA (cont'd)
Dan. Look at me.
He does. Her face is streaked with tears.
ELIRA (cont'd)
Promise me you won't do something
stupid.
DAN
I won't.
ELIRA
You're lying.
He looks back at the notebook.
DAN
I'm going to find her.
ELIRA
How? You don't even know where to
start.
DAN
Then I'll learn.
She stares at him, realizing: he's already gone.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Silent Surveillance in the Highlands
EXT. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - FOREST - DAY (PRESENT)
Dan moves through dense forest, following the track where
the white van disappeared. He's in full reconnaissance
mode—silent, alert.
He spots something: a BLACK FIBER OPTIC CABLE running along
the ground, partially concealed by leaves.
Dan kneels, examines it. The cable is professional-grade,
recently installed. He follows it with his eyes—it runs
deeper into the forest.
He pulls out his camera, photographs the cable from multiple
angles. Takes GPS coordinates.
In the distance: the white van is parked near a STONE
BUILDING, partially hidden by trees. Two MEN unload boxes.
Dan raises binoculars. Through the building's up stairs
window: movement inside. CHILDREN. His breath catches.A girl
walks past the window, her profile matches Aria's but he
can't be certain.
One of the men looks in his direction. Dan freezes,
perfectly still.
The man turns away. Dan slowly retreats, memorizing every
detail.
He follows the fiber optic cable back toward the road,
photographing its route. This is intelligence. This is the
way in.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Unraveling the Mystery
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT (WEEK 8)
The map wall dominates the small space. Surveillance photos
pinned in clusters. String connecting sightings. The shaded
'dead zone' at the center.
Dan sits at his laptop, SD card inserted. On screen: trail
camera footage time-stamped from the past week.
He clicks through:
- A red deer crossing at dawn
- Forestry truck, legitimate logo visible
- The WHITE VAN, same dent, different plates
He pauses, zooms in on the plate. Takes a screenshot. Adds
it to his spreadsheet.
Next clip: A CLEAN LIVESTOCK TRAILER being towed by a dark
4X4. Pristine. Wrong for these roads.
Dan freezes the frame. Studies it. Screenshots.
He opens his photo library—pulls up the images from today's
reconnaissance. The fiber optic cable. The cellular antenna
mounted on a tree. The motion sensors.
His fist tightens. This isn't amateur hour.
He opens a secure messaging app. Types
DAN
Need to talk. Have photos. Tomorrow
2100 hrs?
The message shows 'Delivered.' Then, seconds later: 'Read.'
A reply appears:
CALLUM (TEXT)
Understood. Secure line. Be ready.
Dan closes the laptop. Looks at the wall. At the photo of
Aria, still propped against a mug.
He's close. But something about that cable, those
sensors—it's military-grade security.
He needs help.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
High Stakes and Hard Choices
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - FOLLOWING NIGHT
2100 hours. Dan sits at his laptop. A secure video call
connects. The screen shows CALLUM in a nondescript room.
CALLUM
Good to see you mate.
DAN
Wish it was under better
circumstances.
CALLUM
Show me what you've got.
Dan screen-shares. Pulls up the photographs: the fiber optic
cable, partially buried. The cellular antenna. Motion
sensors. The farmhouse in the distance.
CALLUM (cont'd)
(studying intently)
Christ. They're not messing about.
DAN
The cable—it's fiber optic.
Professional installation. What am I
looking at?
CALLUM
Primary comms line. That's how
they're running their operation. Live
feeds, encrypted traffic, probably
auction streams.
DAN
If I cut it—
CALLUM
They'll know immediately. And here's
the problem—
Callum leans closer to his camera.
CALLUM (cont'd)
See that antenna? That's a cellular
backup system.
(MORE)
CALLUM (cont'd)
The moment you cut the fiber, they
switch to 4G. Redundancy. Classic
counter-surveillance.
Dan's face darkens.
DAN
So cutting the cable does nothing.
CALLUM
Not nothing. It'll disrupt their
primary system, buy you maybe thirty
seconds before backup kicks in. But
if you want them truly blind? You
need to hit both systems
simultaneously.
DAN
How?
CALLUM
You cut the fiber and jam the
cellular. At the same time.
DAN
Jam it with what?
CALLUM
(hesitates)
A military-grade jammer. Something
powerful enough to block all
frequencies—4G, 5G, sat phone. Total
blackout.
DAN
Where do I get one?
CALLUM
You don't. They're restricted.
Possession alone is a terrorism
charge in the UK.
Silence. Dan stares at the screen.
DAN
But you know someone.
CALLUM
(long pause)
I know someone who might. Ex-
Regiment. He's... not official
anymore. Freelance. Grey market.
DAN
I need a name.
CALLUM
Dan, listen to me. If you go down
this road—
DAN
Callum. Please.
Callum exhales, conflicted.
CALLUM
MacLeod. Operates out of Glasgow.
Industrial district. I'll send you
coordinates.
DAN
What's it going to cost?
CALLUM
For a Sentinel-4? Three grand. Maybe
more.
Dan's face doesn't change, but we see the weight of it.
That's Aria's college fund. The money he and Elira saved.
DAN
I'll get it.
CALLUM
Dan. You understand what you're
doing? This isn't reconnaissance
anymore. This is direct action.
Illegal action.
DAN
I saw children in that building,
Callum. I briefly saw a girl by the
window, looked like Aria's profile
She might be one of them.
CALLUM
(quietly)
And if it's not?
DAN
Then I'm still saving someone's
daughter.
Callum nods slowly. Respect and worry in his eyes.
CALLUM
I'll send MacLeod's details. Be
careful. He's reliable, but paranoid.
One meeting, cash only. And Dan—
DAN
Yeah?
CALLUM
The jammer's battery lasts twenty to
thirty minutes, max. After that,
you're exposed. Plan accordingly.
DAN
Understood.
CALLUM
Good luck, mate.
The screen goes dark. Dan sits in silence, the weight of the
decision settling over him.
He opens his laptop, checks his bank account. £5,400.
Everything he has.
He looks at Aria's photo again.
No choice. There never was.
CUT TO:
Dan stares at the blank screen where Callum's face had been.
The man who'd risk everything to help him.
Again.
His mind drifts back...
DISSOLVE TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Ambush in Helmand: A Desperate Retreat
EXT. AFGHAN DESERT - RURAL OUTPOST - DAY (9 YEARS AGO)
SUPER: "HELMAND PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN
Harsh sunlight. Dust and heat shimmer over a barren
landscape. A British Army patrol of eight soldiers moves
through a narrow valley between mud-brick compounds.
DAN (early 30s, clean-cut, focused) and CALLUM walk point,
weapons ready. Both wear desert camouflage and full tactical
gear.
Behind them: SGT. HARRIS (40s, weathered) and five other
soldiers.
HARRIS
Eyes sharp. Intel says Taliban been
active in this sector.
Dan scans rooftops through his rifle scope. Callum checks
left flank.
CALLUM
(to Dan, quietly)
Too quiet.
DAN
Yeah. I don't like it either.
They advance. Thirty meters. Fifty.
Then—
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Gunfire erupts from rooftops and windows. AK-47s. RPK
machine gun. Muzzle flashes from multiple positions.
HARRIS
CONTACT! CONTACT RIGHT!
The patrol returns fire. Chaos. Bullets kick up dust. A
soldier goes down—leg wound. Harris drags him to cover
behind a low wall.
Dan fires controlled bursts. Drops one insurgent on a
rooftop.
Callum engages targets on the left.
CALLUM
They're flanking us!
More gunfire. An RPG streaks overhead—EXPLODES against a
compound wall. Debris rains down.
HARRIS
FALL BACK! FALL BACK TO THE TRUCK!
The patrol retreats under covering fire. Dan and Callum lay
down suppressive bursts.
But in the chaos, Callum becomes separated—he's pinned
behind a compound wall, cut off from the patrol.
CALLUM
Dan! I'm cut off!
Dan sees him—twenty meters away. Insurgents closing in.
DAN
Hold position! I'm coming—
HARRIS
Fletcher! We gotta move NOW!
Dan hesitates—torn between orders and his friend.
But the volume of fire intensifies. Harris physically pulls
Dan back.
HARRIS (cont'd)
We can't help him if we're dead!
MOVE!
Dan watches helplessly as THREE TALIBAN FIGHTERS converge on
Callum's position. A brief struggle. Callum is overwhelmed,
disarmed, dragged away.
Dan's face—pure anguish.
DAN
NO!
But Harris drags him away. The patrol retreats to their
vehicles under heavy fire.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["War","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Defiance in the Night
INT. MILITARY BASE - COMMAND TENT - NIGHT
Harsh fluorescent lights. Maps on tables. Radio chatter in
background.
Dan stands before MAJOR THORNTON (50s, hard face, regulation
haircut). Harris stands nearby. Dan's uniform is still
dusty, face streaked with sweat.
DAN
Sir, I'm requesting permission to
mount a rescue operation.
THORNTON
Denied.
DAN
Sir—
THORNTON
Corporal, I understand your
frustration, but we don't have
actionable intelligence. We don't
know where they took him. We don't
know how many hostiles we're dealing
with. And I will NOT risk more men on
a blind operation.
DAN
Then let me gather intel. I can—
THORNTON
You will stand down. That's an order.
We've contacted command. They're
working diplomatic channels.
Dan's jaw clenches.
DAN
Diplomatic channels take weeks.
They'll kill him in days. Maybe
hours.
THORNTON
We have protocols, Corporal. We
follow them. Dismissed.
Dan doesn't move.
THORNTON (cont'd)
I said dismissed.
Dan salutes stiffly. Turns. Walks out.
Harris follows him outside.
EXT. MILITARY BASE - OUTSIDE COMMAND TENT - CONTINUOUS
Harris catches up to Dan.
HARRIS
Dan. Don't do anything stupid.
DAN
Would you leave me behind?
Harris has no answer. He knows the truth.
HARRIS
(quietly)
Just... be smart about it.
Harris walks away. Dan stands alone, decision made.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Desperate Plea in the Night
EXT. LOCAL VILLAGE - NIGHT
A small village, three kilometers from base. Dan, in
civilian clothes but wearing a sidearm, moves through narrow
alleys.
He reaches a modest house. Knocks quietly.
An OLD MAN opens the door—HABIB (60s), weathered face,
cautious eyes. Dan has clearly dealt with him before.
DAN
(in Pashto, subtitled)
Habib. I need your help.
HABIB
(Pashto, subtitled)
You should not be here. Alone. At
night. Dangerous.
DAN
(Pashto)
My friend. Captured. This afternoon.
Three men took him.
Habib's expression shifts. He knows something.
HABIB
(Pashto)
You ask dangerous questions.
Dan pulls out a roll of money. Five hundred dollars.
DAN
Please.
Habib looks at the money. Then at Dan's face—desperation
mixed with determination.
HABIB
(Pashto)
Abandoned compound. Two kilometers
east. Near the old well. Six
fighters. They keep prisoners there
before... before executions.
Dan's face hardens.
DAN
How long do I have?
HABIB
Maybe one day. Maybe less.
Dan hands him the money. Habib takes it reluctantly.
HABIB (cont'd)
You go alone, you die.
DAN
(quiet)
Maybe.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Silent Infiltration
EXT. ABANDONED COMPOUND - NIGHT
0200 hours. Moonless night. A crumbling mud-brick compound
in the desert.
Dan approaches from the north, moving like a shadow. Full
tactical gear: night vision goggles, suppressed pistol,
combat knife, assault rifle.
He observes from 50 meters out.
Through his NVGs: TWO GUARDS at the main entrance, smoking.
Both armed with AKs.
A third guard patrols the perimeter.
Dan times the patrol. Finds a pattern. Waits.
When the patrol guard turns his back, Dan moves—silent,
fast.
He scales the compound's rear wall. Drops silently into the
courtyard.
INT. COMPOUND - COURTYARD - CONTINUOUS
Dan presses against the wall. Listens.
voices inside the main building. Low conversation in Pashto.
The patrol guard completes his circuit—walks past Dan's
position, oblivious.
Dan steps out behind him. One swift movement—knife to
throat. The guard collapses silently.
Dan drags the body into shadows.
He moves to a window. Peers inside.
Through the gap: FOUR FIGHTERS in a main room, sitting
around a kerosene lamp. Playing cards. AKs leaning against
walls.
And in an adjacent room—visible through a doorway—CALLUM,
bound to a chair, beaten and bloodied but conscious.
Dan's grip tightens on his rifle.
He circles to a side entrance. The door is unlocked.
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Silent Assault
INT. COMPOUND - SIDE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Dan enters. Empty room. Supplies stacked against walls—ammo
crates, RPG rounds.
He moves toward the room where Callum is held.
But—
A FIGHTER emerges from a doorway. Face-to-face with Dan.
One second of mutual shock.
Dan fires—PHFT PHFT—suppressed rounds to the chest. The
fighter drops.
But the sound carries.
FIGHTER #2
(O.S.) (Pashto)
What was that?
Footsteps approaching.
Dan moves fast—into the main room. Two fighters rising from
their card game, reaching for weapons.
Dan fires—double-tap, double-tap. Both go down.
The third fighter dives for an AK. Gets his hands on it.
Spins—
Dan's faster. Three rounds center mass.
Silence.
But from outside—SHOUTING. The two entrance guards heard the
gunfire.
Dan runs to the room where Callum is held.
Genres:
["Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Desperate Escape
INT. COMPOUND - HOLDING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Callum looks up—eyes widening in disbelief.
CALLUM
Dan? What the hell—
DAN
Shut up. We're leaving.
Dan cuts Callum's bonds with his knife. Callum tries to
stand—stumbles. Dan catches him.
CALLUM
Can't—my leg—
Callum's left leg is injured—deep laceration, makeshift
bandage soaked with blood.
DAN
You can. You will. Come on.
Dan hauls Callum up, supporting his weight.
BANG! The door to the compound bursts open. The two entrance
guards rush in, firing.
Dan shoves Callum down behind a wall. Returns
fire—controlled bursts.
One guard goes down. The second takes cover, firing blind.
Bullets punch through mud walls. Dust and debris fill the
air.
Dan pulls a fragmentation grenade from his vest. Pulls pin.
Tosses it.
BOOM!
The explosion rocks the compound. Silence follows.
Dan checks—the last guard is down.
DAN (cont'd)
Move. Now.
Genres:
["Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Desperate Escape
EXT. COMPOUND - CONTINUOUS
Dan half-drags, half-carries Callum into the courtyard.
Callum's bleeding heavily, barely conscious.
CALLUM
You... you disobeyed orders.
DAN
Yeah.
CALLUM
You're an idiot.
DAN
I know.
They reach the wall. Dan boosts Callum up and over, then
follows.
In the distance—vehicle lights approaching. More Taliban,
alerted by the explosion.
DAN (cont'd)
Can you run?
CALLUM
Can I do anything else?
They run—staggering through the dark desert, Dan supporting
Callum.
Behind them: headlights, shouts, distant gunfire.
But they disappear into the darkness.
FADE TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Echoes of Valor
INT. MILITARY BASE - MEDICAL TENT - DAY
Callum lies on a cot, leg bandaged, IV in his arm. He's
alive. Battered, but alive.
Dan stands nearby, clean uniform, exhausted.
Major Thornton enters, face like stone.
THORNTON
Corporal. Outside. Now.
EXT. MEDICAL TENT - CONTINUOUS
Thornton rounds on Dan.
THORNTON
You directly disobeyed my orders.
DAN
Yes, sir.
THORNTON
You went into hostile territory.
Alone. Unauthorized.
DAN
Yes, sir.
THORNTON
You killed at least six enemy
combatants and extracted a captured
soldier against explicit command.
DAN
Yes, sir.
Thornton stares at him. A long silence.
THORNTON
You're a goddamn liability, Brave,
Skilled. But you don't follow orders
when they conflict with your personal
code.
Dan says nothing.
THORNTON (cont'd)
You're being recommended for
commendation. Valor under fire. But
you're also being written up for
insubordination. Command will decide
what happens next.
Thornton turns to leave, then pauses.
THORNTON (cont'd)
(quietly)
For what it's worth... I'm glad
Callum's alive. But I can't have
soldiers who don't follow orders. You
understand that.
DAN
I understand, sir.
Thornton walks away.
Dan stands alone, the weight of the consequences settling
in.
But inside the tent, Callum is alive.
And that's all that matters.
DISSOLVE TO:
BACK TO PRESENT
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT
Dan blinks, pulled from the memory. He's still sitting at
his laptop, staring at the dark screen.
The parallel is clear: Once again, he's going against all
rules and reason to save someone.
Once again, Callum is helping him do it.
Some debts can never be repaid. Only honored.
Dan closes the laptop. Opens his phone. Checks his bank
account one more time.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
The Red Door
EXT. GLASGOW - INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT - DAY - ONE WEEK LATER
A grey, rain-slicked industrial area. Warehouses, shipping
containers, chain-link fences. Dan's Land Rover pulls into
an empty lot.
He parks, scans the area. Quiet. Too quiet.
A text arrives:
TEXT
"Red door. North side. Knock three
times."
Dan gets out, walks toward a warehouse with a faded red
door. He knocks: three deliberate raps.
A pause. Then the door opens a crack.
MACLEOD (50s, scarred face, cold eyes) appears.
MACLEOD
You Dan?
DAN
That's right.
MACLEOD
Callum vouched for you. Otherwise,
you'd be walking away with nothing.
Come inside.
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
The Deal in the Warehouse
INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Sparse. A workbench. Crates. A single overhead light. On the
bench: a black case.
MacLeod opens it. Inside: the SENTINEL-4 JAMMER. Compact,
matte black, military-spec.
MACLEOD
Sentinel-4. Israeli manufacture.
Full-spectrum jamming—cellular, GPS,
sat. Effective radius: three hundred
meters.
Dan studies it, doesn't touch.
DAN
Battery life?
MACLEOD
Twenty-eight minutes at full power.
Thirty if you're lucky. After that,
it's a paperweight.
DAN
How do I activate it?
MACLEOD
Two switches. Red arms it. Green
activates. Once it's on, everything
in range goes dark. No signals in, no
signals out.
Dan nods.
DAN
Three thousand?
MACLEOD
Three-two. And I never saw you.
Dan pulls an envelope from his jacket. Cash. MacLeod counts
it quickly, professionally.Dan hands him the additional two
hundred.
MACLEOD (cont'd)
Pleasure doing business.
Dan closes the case, tucks it under his arm.
DAN
One question. Can it be traced?
MACLEOD
Not unless you leave it behind. Which
I strongly advise against.
Dan turns to leave.
MACLEOD (cont'd)
Dan.
Dan stops.
MACLEOD (cont'd)
Whatever you're planning—make sure
it's worth it.
DAN
It is.
Dan walks out.
Genres:
["Thriller","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Ambushed Escape
EXT. INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT - CONTINUOUS
Dan crosses the lot toward his Land Rover. Slides the case
onto the passenger seat.
He starts the engine—then freezes.
In his rear view mirror: a DARK SUV with tinted windows has
pulled into the lot. Blocking his exit.
Two MEN get out. Thirties, fit, shaved heads and hard faces.
One speaks into a radio. Glaswegian accent, unlikely to be
connected to the trafficking ring. More likely local
mobsters checking out why he's trespassing, possibly aware
of his newly acquired high value asset.
Dan's hand moves to the gear shift.
The men advance.
Dan slams the Rover into reverse, wheels spinning. The SUV
tries to block him, but Dan cuts the wheel hard, fishtails
around it.
The SUV gives chase.
Genres:
["Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
High-Speed Escape in Glasgow
EXT. GLASGOW STREETS - CONTINUOUS
A high-speed pursuit. Dan weaves through narrow streets,
takes a corner hard. The SUV stays close.
Dan's jaw is set, focused. He knows these aren't cops.
He accelerates through a red light, barely misses a bus. The
SUV follows, relentless.
Dan spots an alley—narrow, tight. He cuts into it. The SUV
hesitates, then follows.
EXT. ALLEY - CONTINUOUS
Brick walls on both sides. Dan floors it, emerges onto a
main road. The SUV is seconds behind.
Dan takes a sharp left, then another. Loses himself in the
maze of industrial blocks.
He checks the mirror. The SUV is gone.
He doesn't slow down.
EXT. HIGHWAY - LATER
Dan's Rover merges onto the M8, heading north. Rain streaks
the windshield.
He checks the mirror obsessively. Nothing.
On the passenger seat: the black case with the jammer.
Evidence of how deep he's in.
He exhales slowly, hands tight on the wheel.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Suspicion at the Estate
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY (WEEK 5)
A small station. Desks cluttered with files. Maeve sits
across from the ESTATE MANAGER (50s, efficient, annoyed).
ESTATE MANAGER
I'm telling you, something's not
right with those cameras.
MAEVE
The serial numbers match the
inventory. They're accounted for.
ESTATE MANAGER
But they're not where they should be.
Three cameras were supposed to be on
the north boundary. They're not
there.
MAEVE
Could the gamekeeper have relocated
them?
ESTATE MANAGER
He says he did. For 'better
coverage.' But he didn't log it. And
he's always out at odd hours. Says
he's checking for poachers, but—
MAEVE
But what?
ESTATE MANAGER
(hesitates)
He never brings anyone in. Never
reports anything. It's like he's...
looking for something else.
Maeve makes a note.
MAEVE
What's his name again?
ESTATE MANAGER
Dan Fletcher. Ex-Army, I think.
Maeve's interest sharpens.
MAEVE
You have a file on him?
ESTATE MANAGER
Just his employment records.
References checked out.
MAEVE
I'd like a copy.
The Estate Manager nods.
INT. MAEVE'S DESK - LATER
Maeve sits alone, reviewing Dan's file.
Employment history: Royal Marines. Honorable discharge.
She remembers the conversation in the pub, he said he was ex
army?
Gamekeeper position: six months contract.
She runs his name through the system. Clean record. No red
flags.
But something nags at her.
MAEVE
(to herself)
What are you up to?
She sits back, thinking.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Mystery","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Urgent Call to Safety
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT (WEEK 5)
Dan sits at the table, the jammer case open in front of him.
He tests the switches. Red. Green. Familiarizes himself with
it.
His burner phone buzzes. A number he recognizes.
He answers immediately.
DAN
Elira?
INTERCUT - INT. TIRANA APARTMENT - NIGHT
Elira sits in the dim apartment, phone pressed to her ear.
She looks thinner, haunted.
ELIRA
(in Albanian,
subtitled)
Dan. I needed to hear your voice.
DAN
Are you safe?
ELIRA
I... I don't know. Something
happened.
Dan tenses.
DAN
What happened?
ELIRA
Three days ago. A phone call. A man.
He knew my name. He knew about Aria.
He told me to stop talking to the
other families. To stop looking.
DAN
(controlled fury)
Did he threaten you?
ELIRA
Not directly. But the message was
clear. He knows where I live, Dan.
He's been watching.
Dan's fists clench.
DAN
Listen to me. You need to leave
Tirana. Today. Now.
ELIRA
Leave? And go where?
DAN
Here. Come to the UK. Use the savings
account. Take everything. Buy a
ticket. I'll send you my address.
ELIRA
Dan, what's happening? Have you found
something?
A pause. Dan looks at the jammer, at the map wall.
DAN
I'm close. Very close. But I need you
safe first.
ELIRA
Is she there? Is Aria there?
DAN
I think so. I can't be sure. But I
saw children, Elira. And the people
holding them—they're part of the
network.
Elira's breath catches. Hope and terror.
ELIRA
When should I come?
DAN
ELIRA (cont'd)
Soon. A few days max. But you have to
be safe. Promise me you'll leave.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(voice breaking)
I promise. But Dan—bring her home.
Please.
DAN
I will.And change your SIM Card after
this call.
ELIRA
I will. Te dua.
DAN
(softly)
Te dua, Elira.
He ends the call. Removes the SIM card, snaps it in half.
He sits in the dark cabin, the broken SIM in his palm.
The clock is ticking.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Tension on the Estate
EXT. ESTATE LAND - DAY (WEEK 5)
Dan is repairing a fence post, hammer in hand. Focused,
methodical.
A car approaches. Maeve's unmarked police vehicle.
Dan sees it, doesn't stop working. But his posture
shifts—wary.
Maeve gets out, walks over.
MAEVE
Morning, Dan.
DAN
Detective.
MAEVE
Got a minute?
Dan sets down the hammer, wipes his hands.
DAN
Sure.
MAEVE
The estate manager says some cameras
have been relocated. Without being
logged.
DAN
That's right. Better coverage. I
thought I'd logged it, but I'll do it
today.
MAEVE
You're out here a lot. Late nights.
DAN
Part of the job. Poachers don't keep
office hours.
MAEVE
Funny thing—you never seem to catch
any.
Dan meets her gaze. Neutral.
DAN
Because I'm here with a rifle.
Deterrent effect.
Maeve studies him.
MAEVE
I did some checking, Dan. You're ex-
Royal Marines. Good record. Honorable
discharge. But I thought you said you
were in the army.
DAN
That's right. I requested a transfer
during the Afghan war. It's perfectly
legit and dealt with on a case by
case basis.I just wanted to
contribute to where the action was.
MAEVE
Dan, if you're looking for something
out here, you should let us help.
That's what we do.
DAN
I'm not looking for anything. I'm
just doing my job.
MAEVE
Dan—
DAN
I appreciate your concern. But I'm
fine. I used to come to the Highlands
as a kid. I just need to get back to
my roots... to remember.
He picks up the hammer, turns back to the fence.
Conversation over.
Maeve watches him for a moment, then pulls out a business
card. Sets it on the fence post.
MAEVE
In case you change your mind.
She walks back to her car, gets in, drives away.
Dan waits until she's out of sight. Then he picks up the
card, stares at it.
For a moment, he considers calling her. Telling her
everything.
Then he pockets the card and puts it in his back pocket.
He can't risk it. Not now.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Silent Witness
EXT. FOREST NEAR FARMHOUSE - NIGHT (WEEK 6)
Dan lies in cover, 150 meters from the farmhouse. Night
vision goggles on. The jammer case beside him—still
inactive.
The farmhouse is lit. Activity inside. Shadows moving past
windows.
A vehicle arrives: a dark Mercedes four wheel drive. Dan
tenses.
Three men get out. Well-dressed. Not locals. One carries a
briefcase.
VIKTOR (40s, cold eyes) emerges from the farmhouse, greets
them. They shake hands, enter together.
Dan raises a parabolic microphone—a small dish that
amplifies distant sound. He aims it at an open window.
VOICES drift through, faint but audible:
VIKTOR (V.O.)
(in English, accented)
Everything is prepared. The auction
is scheduled for next week.
MAN 1 (V.O.)
How many items?
VIKTOR (V.O.)
Six. High quality. Ages seven to
thirteen.
Dan's blood runs cold. Items. Children reduced to inventory.
MAN 2 (V.O.)
And the buyers?
VIKTOR (V.O.)
Confirmed. Two from London, one from
Brussels, one from Dubai. Very
serious bidders.
MAN 1 (V.O.)
Security?
VIKTOR (V.O.)
Tight. No one knows this location.
After the auction, we move them. This
site is burned.
Dan lowers the microphone. His face is stone, but his hands
shake.
Next week. The auction is next week.
This is his window.
He takes photographs of the SUV's license plate. The
visitors. The farmhouse.
Then he retreats into the forest, silent as a ghost.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
One Week to Prepare
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT - LATER
Dan sits at his table, the weight of what he heard pressing
down on him.
He opens his laptop, types a message to Callum:
DAN (TEXT)
"Auction scheduled. One week. Need to
move soon. Are you ready?"
The reply comes fast:
CALLUM (TEXT)
"As ready as I'll ever be. Be smart,
Dan. No heroics."
Dan stares at the screen.
He opens a drawer, pulls out the Glock pistol. Checks the
magazine. seventeen rounds.
He sets it on the table beside the jammer.
One week to plan. One chance to get it right.
He looks at Aria's photo.
DAN
(whispered)
I'm coming, zemra ime. Hold on.
He closes the laptop. The cabin goes dark except for the
embers in the stove.
FADE TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Pursuit of Shadows
EXT. KOSOVO VILLAGE - RURAL ROAD - DAY (FLASHBACK - 10 YEARS
AGO)
A dirt road cuts through barren hills. Grey sky. Wind-bent
trees.
Three MILITARY HUMVEES roll to a stop. Dust settles.
A younger DAN (early 30s, sharper, less worn) climbs out in
full combat gear. British Army insignia visible. He's
leaner, more certain.
Four other SOLDIERS disembark, weapons ready. Among them:
LIEUTENANT HARRIS, 40s, weathered and cynical.
HARRIS
Intel says they were here three days
ago. Moved six children through.
Albanian, Kosovar, maybe Syrian.
Dan scans the area. Abandoned farmhouse ahead. Broken
windows. No movement.
DAN
Any vehicles spotted?
HARRIS
One van. Left yesterday morning. Too
late for an intercept.
Dan signals the team forward.
They move in tactical formation, covering angles.
Professional. Practiced.
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Echoes of Captivity
INT. ABANDONED FARMHOUSE - KOSOVO - CONTINUOUS
The team enters. Weapons up. Flashlights cutting through dim
light.
Empty. But signs of recent occupation.
- Mattresses on the floor, stained and thin.
- Empty water bottles scattered.
- A child's SHOE, too small, left behind.
Dan kneels, picks up the shoe. Studies it.
Harris moves to a back room. Finds something. Stops.
HARRIS (cont'd)
Dan. In here.
Dan enters. The room is darker. Bars on the window. Locks on
the outside of the door.
On the floor: RESTRAINTS. Cable ties. Duct tape. A small rag
doll with button eyes, filthy and torn.
Dan picks it up. His expression hardens.
DAN
How long were they here?
HARRIS
A week, maybe more. Long enough to
break them in before moving them.
Dan looks around. Scratches on the wall. Tally marks.
Someone counting days.
DAN
Where do they go from here?
HARRIS
West. Probably Serbia, then Hungary.
Then... anywhere with money.
A FEMALE VOICE from outside, in Albanian. Shouting.
Frightened.
Dan and Harris move to the window.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
A Moment of Distrust
EXT. KOSOVO FARMHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
A LOCAL WOMAN, 50s, wrapped in a shawl, stands at a
distance. One of the soldiers tries to approach, but she
backs away.
Dan steps out. Raises a hand in peace.
DAN
(in Albanian)
Nuk do t'ju dëmtojmë. Ne jemi këtu
për të ndihmuar.
The woman hesitates. Then steps closer.
WOMAN (SUBTITLED)
You're too late. They're always one
step ahead. Always.
DAN
(in Albanian)
Do you know where they went?
WOMAN (SUBTITLED)
I know nothing. If I knew, I wouldn't
tell. They kill people who talk. They
kill families.
Dan holds her gaze. She's terrified but also angry.
WOMAN (SUBTITLED) (cont'd)
You come with your guns and your
trucks. But when you leave, they come
back. And we suffer.
She spits on the ground and walks away.
Dan watches her go. The weight of it settling on him.
HARRIS
(approaches)
Can't save them all, Dan.
Dan looks back at the farmhouse. At the shoe in his hand.
DAN
Doesn't mean we stop trying.
HARRIS
Trying gets you killed. Or worse—gets
your family killed.
Dan says nothing. But the words land. Prophetic.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Testing the Sentinel-4 Jammer
EXT. REMOTE HIGHLAND LOCATION - DAY (WEEK 7 - PRESENT)
A desolate stretch of moorland. No roads. No people. Just
heather and rock.
Dan stands beside his Land Rover, the Sentinel-4 jammer on
the hood. He's wearing tactical gloves.
He checks his watch. 1:37 PM.
He takes out his phone. Full signal. Four bars.
He opens a GPS app. Location pinned perfectly.
Dan sets the phone on the hood beside the jammer. Takes a
breath.
He flips the jammer's power switch. A low HUM. LED
indicators light up: green, yellow, red.
Within seconds, the phone screen flickers. 'Searching for
signal...'
Then: 'No Service.'
The GPS app fails. 'Location Unavailable.'
Dan watches, timing it. The jammer's battery indicator shows
100%.
He pulls out a SECOND burner phone from his pocket. Same
result. Dead signal.
He takes out a small TABLET. Opens a network scanner app.
All Wi-Fi and cellular frequencies show as jammed.
Dan nods. Satisfied.
He lets the jammer run. Watches the battery indicator slowly
drop.
1%. 2%. 3%.
He starts a stopwatch on a non-networked device.
Time passes. Wind howls. Dan stands motionless, focused.
At 27 minutes, the jammer beeps. Battery at 10%. Warning
light flashes.
At 29 minutes, it shuts down. Battery depleted.
Dan stops the stopwatch. 29 minutes, 14 seconds.
He writes it in a small notebook: '29:14. Full power. Clear
conditions.'
His phones reconnect. Signal restored.
DAN
(to himself)
Twenty-nine minutes. Better make them
count.
He packs the jammer carefully into a padded case. Loads it
into the Land Rover.
He looks east, toward the farmhouse location. Miles away but
pulling at him.
He climbs into the vehicle and drives.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Silent Vigil
EXT. FOREST NEAR FARMHOUSE - NIGHT (WEEK 7)
Dan moves through the trees like a shadow. Full camouflage.
Face paint. Night vision monocular.
He's 200 meters from the farmhouse perimeter. Closer than
before.
He stops. Kneels. Takes out a RANGE FINDER. Measures
distances to key points.
- Front gate: 183 meters.
- Side door: 201 meters.
- Guard post: 167 meters.
He records each measurement in his notebook.
Through the night vision, he watches the farmhouse.
TWO GUARDS patrol the perimeter. One with a rifle. One with
a flashlight.
Dan times them. Counts their steps.
Guard 1 reaches the north corner. Stops. Lights a cigarette.
42 seconds.
Guard 2 continues around the east side. 1 minute, 18 seconds
to complete the loop.
They don't overlap. Gap in coverage.
DAN (cont'd)
(whispered)
Sloppy.
He sketches the patrol pattern in his notebook. Arrows.
Timing notes.
A DOOR opens. Light spills out. A THIRD MAN exits—VIKTOR.
Even from this distance, Dan recognizes him.
Viktor speaks to the guards in a language Dan can't fully
hear. But the tone is clear: authority, impatience.
The guards straighten. Nod. Viktor goes back inside.
Dan focuses his monocular on the windows. Second floor. Bars
on one window.
Movement behind the bars. Small shapes. Children.
Dan's breath catches. His hand tightens on the monocular.
One shape moves closer to the window. Small. Dark hair.
Dan zooms in as much as he can. The child's face is obscured
by shadow. But...
DAN (cont'd)
(whispered)
Aria...
He can't be certain. But he feels it.
The child moves away. Window goes dark.
Dan lowers the monocular. His jaw set. Eyes burning.
Behind him, a TWIG SNAPS.
Dan freezes. Listens.
Footsteps. Light. Deer? Or human?
He slowly turns. Reaches for the knife on his belt.
A DEER steps into view. Young. Spooked. It sees him. Bolts.
Dan exhales. But stays still. Waiting.
No alarm from the farmhouse. No response. He's still unseen.
He melts back into the forest. Silent as he came.
FADE TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
A Misty Reunion
EXT. INVERNESS TRAIN STATION - MORNING (WEEK 7)
Grey sky. Rain misting down. The Highland Line train pulls
in with a hiss.
Passengers disembark. Locals with shopping bags. Tourists
with backpacks.
And then: ELIRA.
She's thinner than in the flashbacks. Worn. Dark circles
under her eyes. She carries a single battered suitcase and a
canvas bag.
She scans the platform. Nervous. Afraid.
In the distance, near the parking lot: Dan. He's in civilian
clothes. Cap low. Watching.
Their eyes meet.
For a moment, neither moves. Months apart. A lifetime of
pain between them.
Then Elira's face crumbles. She drops the suitcase and runs.
Dan moves toward her.
They collide in the middle of the platform. Arms around each
other. Holding on like drowning people.
Elira SOBS into his chest. Dan's face is buried in her hair.
His shoulders shake.
Around them, people move past. Politely ignoring the scene.
Finally, Dan pulls back. Cups her face.
DAN (cont'd)
(in Albanian)
Ju jeni këtu. Ju jeni të sigurt.
(You're here. You're safe.)
ELIRA
(in Albanian)
Ku është ajo? Ku është vajza jonë?
(Where is she? Where is our
daughter?)
Dan's face hardens. But also: hope.
DAN
(in Albanian)
E di ku është. Dhe do ta sjell në
shtëpi.
(I know where she is. And I'm
bringing her home.)
Elira searches his face. Sees the determination. The danger.
ELIRA
When?
DAN
Soon.
He picks up her suitcase. Leads her to the Land Rover.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Heart of the Hunt
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - DAY
Elira enters. Stops. Stares.
The map wall. The surveillance photos. The strings
connecting sightings.
And in the center: ARIA'S PHOTO. The one from Tirana. Her
smile. Her rag doll.
Elira moves to it. Touches the photo with trembling fingers.
ELIRA
(whispered, in
Albanian)
Zemra ime...
(My heart...)
Dan stands back. Watching her.
Elira turns. Looks at the maps. The photos of the white van.
The farmhouse perimeter shots.
ELIRA (cont'd)
This is... this is what you've been
doing? For eight weeks?
DAN
Yes.
ELIRA
Alone?
DAN
Yes.
She looks at him. Really looks. Sees the weight he's
carrying.
ELIRA
You found her.
DAN
I found where they're keeping her. I
haven't... I haven't seen her
clearly. But I know she's there.
ELIRA
How do you know?
DAN
Because I've been watching them.
They're traffickers, Elira. A
network. They take children. Move
them. Sell them.
The word 'sell' lands like a punch. Elira steadies herself
against the table.
ELIRA
And the police?
DAN
They don't have a clue. I've had to
cross the lines to find her. I could
go to prison
ELIRA
So what are you going to do?
Dan looks at her. Then at the map. He points at the gear in
the corner: the jammer, the tactical vest, the bolt cutters.
DAN
I'm going to get her out.
ELIRA
When?
DAN
Two nights from now. There's an
auction. After that, they'll move the
children. We'll lose her.
ELIRA
An auction?
Her voice breaks. Dan moves to her. Takes her hands.
DAN
I won't let them take her again. I
promise you.
ELIRA
I'm coming with you.
DAN
No.
ELIRA
She's my daughter—
DAN
Which is why you need to stay here.
If something goes wrong, if I don't
come back, you need to be here for
her. To take her somewhere safe.
Elira pulls her hands away. Angry. Terrified.
ELIRA
You're going to die. You're going to
die and leave me alone again.
DAN
I'm not going to die.
ELIRA
You don't know that.
DAN
I was trained for this. I've done
this before.
Elira stares at him. Then collapses into a chair. Head in
her hands.
ELIRA
Te dua. You stubborn, foolish man. Te
dua.
Dan kneels beside her. Takes her hand.
DAN
Te dua. And I will bring her home. I
swear it.
She nods. Doesn't let go of his hand.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Unraveling Connections
INT. POLICE STATION - MAEVE'S DESK - NIGHT (WEEK 7)
Maeve sits at her desk, surrounded by files. Computer screen
glowing.
She's digging. And she's found something.
On her screen: MILITARY RECORDS. Partially redacted. But
enough.
- Name: DANIEL CARRICK
- Rank: SERGEANT, BRITISH ARMY
- Service: KOSOVO, AFGHANISTAN, ALBANIA (MILITARY ATTACHÉ)
- Status: HONORABLY DISCHARGED (MEDICAL - CLASSIFIED)
She clicks through. Finds a PHOTO. Younger Dan in uniform.
Harder. Sharper.
MAEVE
(to herself)
There you are.
She cross-references. Searches news archives. Albanian
databases.
And finds: A MISSING CHILD REPORT. Tirana. Eight months ago.
- Name: ARIA CARRICK
- Age: 7
- Father: DANIEL CARRICK (BRITISH)
- Mother: ELIRA HOXHA (ALBANIAN)
A photo attached. Aria. Smiling. The same photo Dan has on
his wall.
Maeve sits back. The pieces clicking into place.
MAEVE (cont'd)
Dan. What are you planning?
Her phone RINGS. She answers.
MAEVE (cont'd)
DS Kerr.
On the other end: Her superior, DCI MORROW.
MORROW (V.O.)
Maeve. Just got a flag from Border
Force. An Elira Hoxha entered the UK
yesterday. Train to Inverness.
Maeve's eyes widen.
MORROW (V.O.) (cont'd)
Albanian national. No prior travel to
UK. Flagged because her name came up
in a trafficking investigation in
Tirana. Victim's family.
MAEVE
Trafficking?
MORROW (V.O.)
Her daughter went missing. Case went
cold. Mother was harassed by unknown
parties. We're monitoring in case
she's being targeted here.
Maeve looks at her screen. At Dan's file. At Aria's photo.
MAEVE
Do we have an address for her?
MORROW (V.O.)
No. She didn't declare accommodation.
Could be staying with friends.
(MORE)
MORROW (V.O.) (cont'd)
Keep an eye out. If she turns up in
our area, let me know.
MAEVE
Will do.
She hangs up. Sits in silence.
She pulls up a MAP. Marks Dan's cottage location. Marks the
'dead zone' where cameras and phones don't work.
She overlays MISSING PERSONS REPORTS from the past two
years. Nothing.
Then she overlays SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE SIGHTINGS. White vans.
Dark sedans.
A cluster appears. Right in the dead zone.
MAEVE (cont'd)
Bloody hell.
She grabs her coat. Heads for the door.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
A Night of Fear and Defiance
INT. LOCKED ROOM - FARMHOUSE - NIGHT (WEEK 7)
Six children. Huddled on thin mattresses. Cold. Frightened.
ARIA (8 years old, dark hair, hollow eyes) sits with her
back against the wall. She's the oldest. The longest held.
Beside her: A YOUNG BOY, 5, trembling. Albanian.
Aria wraps a blanket around him. Whispers in Albanian.
ARIA
(in Albanian)
Shh. It's okay. They won't hurt us
tonight.
BOY
(in Albanian)
I want my mama.
ARIA
(in Albanian)
I know. Me too.
She pulls him close. He clings to her.
Across the room: A GIRL, 6, Romanian. She stares at the
barred window.
GIRL
(in broken English)
We leave here?
Aria looks at her. Wants to lie. Can't.
ARIA
I don't know.
The door's lock CLUNKS. Everyone freezes.
The door opens. VIKTOR enters. Cold eyes. Expensive suit.
The children shrink back. Aria stands. Protective.
VIKTOR
Sit down, little one.
Aria doesn't move.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
I said sit.
Aria sits. But her eyes stay on him. Defiant.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
Good. Tomorrow, you all get cleaned
up. New clothes. You'll meet some
important people. Be polite. Be
quiet. And maybe, just maybe, you'll
go somewhere better than this.
He smiles. It's a predator's smile.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
Or maybe not. Depends on how much
they're willing to pay.
He looks at Aria.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
You've been here the longest. You
know the rules. Make sure they
behave.
Aria says nothing. Just stares.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
No? Nothing to say?
Still nothing.
Viktor laughs. Leaves. Locks the door.
The children exhale.
The Romanian girl looks at Aria.
GIRL
You are brave.
Aria shakes her head.
ARIA
I'm not brave. I'm just... waiting.
GIRL
For what?
Aria looks at the barred window. At the darkness beyond.
ARIA
For someone to find us.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Night Reconnaissance
EXT. FOREST EDGE - NEAR FARMHOUSE - NIGHT (WEEK 7)
Dan moves through the forest. Quiet. Careful.
He's doing one last recon. Final measurements. Confirming
his entry point.
He reaches the fence line. 150 meters from the farmhouse.
Kneels. Takes out his RANGE FINDER.
HEADLIGHTS.
Dan drops flat. Freezes.
A DARK SUV approaches the farmhouse. Not the usual van.
Something new.
The vehicle stops. THREE MEN exit. Well-dressed. Not guards.
Buyers.
Viktor emerges from the farmhouse. Greets them. Handshakes.
All smiles.
They speak in Russian. Dan can't hear details. But the tone
is clear: business.
One of the men gestures toward the farmhouse. Toward the
second floor.
Viktor nods. Leads them inside.
Dan watches. His fists clenched.
THEN: A GUARD appears from the side of the farmhouse.
Walking the perimeter. Directly toward Dan's position.
Dan doesn't move. Barely breathes.
The guard is 30 meters away. Then 20. Then 10.
Flashlight beam sweeps the trees.
Dan presses into the ground. Covered by undergrowth. But
exposed.
The beam passes over him. Stops. Sweeps back.
The guard STOPS. Looks directly at Dan's position.
GUARD
(in Russian)
What's that?
He steps closer. Hand on his radio.
Dan's hand moves to his knife. Slowly. Silently.
The guard is 5 meters away. 4. 3.
A DEER BOLTS from the trees. Crashes through the underbrush.
Panicked.
The guard JUMPS. Swings his flashlight toward the sound.
GUARD (cont'd)
(laughs, in Russian)
Fucking deer.
He lowers his radio. Continues his patrol. Walks away.
Dan doesn't move for a full minute. Listening. Watching.
Finally, he melts back into the forest. Silent.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Preparation and Reflection
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT (WEEK 7)
The cabin is lit by a single lamp.
Elira sleeps on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Exhausted.
Dan sits at the table. Gear spread before him.
- Tactical vest (dark, no insignia)
- Glock 19 pistol (cleaned, loaded)
- Two extra magazines
- Bolt cutters
- Lock pick set
- Sentinel-4 jammer
- Fiber optic cable cutter
- Night vision monocular
- First aid kit
- Zip ties (for restraining guards)
- Burner phone (for emergency)
He methodically checks each item. Tests. Secures.
He puts on the vest. Adjusts the straps. Loads the pouches.
Takes off the vest. Folds it.
He looks at his phone. A MESSAGE from Callum:
CALLUM (TEXT)
Weather clear tomorrow night. Full
moon. Be careful.
Dan types a reply:
DAN (TEXT)
If I don't contact you by 0400, send
police to coordinates. Evidence in
office.
He sends it. Then opens the phone. Removes the SIM card.
Crushes it. Pockets the phone (still useful for the jammer
timing).
He opens a drawer. Pulls out a LETTER. Sealed. Addressed to
Elira.
He sets it on the table where she'll find it.
Then he looks at Aria's photo. The rag doll beside it.
He picks up the doll. Studies it. Remembers.
DAN
(whispered)
Tomorrow night, zemra ime. I'm
coming.
He sets the doll down gently.
Looks at the gear. At the map. At the path he's chosen.
No turning back now.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Determined Resolve
EXT. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - RIDGE OVERLOOKING VALLEY - DAWN
(WEEK 7)
Dan stands on a high ridge. Wind whipping. The valley below
shrouded in mist.
Somewhere in that mist: the farmhouse. Aria. The end of
everything.
He's dressed for the day: gamekeeper clothes. But the
tactical vest is hidden in his pack.
Dan looks at his watch. 6:47 AM.
In 36 hours, the auction begins. In 37 hours, the children
will be gone.
He takes out his NOTEBOOK. Reviews his notes. The patrol
patterns. The timing. The entry point.
Every detail memorized. Every contingency planned.
He closes the notebook. Takes a breath.
His phone BUZZES. A final message from Callum:
CALLUM (TEXT)
Asset tracking shows increased
security at target. Four guards now.
Possibly more inside. Abort?"
Dan reads it. Deletes it.
Types a reply:
DAN
(TEXT)
No. Tomorrow night. 2200 hours. One
way or another.
He sends it. Then powers off the phone, then back at the
valley.
DAN (cont'd)
(to himself)
Tomorrow night.
He climbs back into the Land Rover. Starts the engine.
Drives back toward the cabin. Toward preparation. Toward the
point of no return.
FADE TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Tension and Farewell
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - DAY (WEEK 7)
The day of the raid.
Afternoon light filters through the small windows, casting
long shadows across the worn wooden floor. The cabin is
quiet, oppressively so. The kind of silence that precedes
violence.
Dan sits at the scarred table, staring at his tactical gear
laid out with military precision: black vest, Glock 19,
suppressor, extra magazines, the Sentinel-4 jammer (a black
box with LED display), bolt cutters, zip ties, flashlight,
knife. Everything has been checked, double-checked, arranged
in the exact order he'll need it.
His hands rest on the table, fingers spread. They're steady.
Too steady. The stillness of a man who's made peace with
what's coming.
Elira stands at the small stove, her back to him. She's
making tea, but her movements are mechanical, distracted.
The kettle begins to whistle. She doesn't seem to hear it at
first.
Finally, she lifts it, pours two cups. Her hands shake
slightly, rattling the cup against the saucer.
She brings both cups to the table. Sets one in front of Dan
with exaggerated care. The other she places across from him.
Sits down heavily.
Between them on the table: Aria's photograph, edges worn
from handling. The rag doll, one button eye loose, dress
faded. Silent witnesses to seven weeks of planning.
They sit in silence. Outside, wind whistles through the
eaves. A crow calls.
ELIRA
You're really going.
Not a question. She's known this moment was coming.
DAN
Yes. 2200 hours. Twenty minutes after
they start the auction.
His voice is calm, professional. Mission briefing voice.
Elira nods slowly. Her eyes move to the gear. The weapons.
ELIRA
How many?
DAN
Four guards on the perimeter. At
least two more inside. Viktor runs
the operation. He'll be there during
the auction.
His fist tightens when he says Viktor's name.
ELIRA
Seven men. Against one.
She looks at him directly now, searching his face.
DAN
I'll have surprise. They'll be
distracted by the auction. And I've
been training for this my entire
adult life.
ELIRA
Training to rescue your own daughter
from traffickers in a foreign
country?
A flash of fear, anger in her eyes. She stands abruptly,
paces to the window, arms wrapped around herself.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(cont'd)
I'm sorry. I don't mean to—
DAN
You're scared. I know.
ELIRA
Scared? I'm terrified, Dan. I'm
terrified that tonight I'll lose both
of you. That you'll go into that
place and never come out.
That I'll wait here, alone, and the
sun will come up and you won't be
here and neither will she and I'll
be—
Her voice breaks. She turns away, hand covering her mouth.
Dan stands, crosses to her. Gently places his hands on her
shoulders, turns her to face him.
DAN
Look at me.
She does. Her eyes are red, wet with tears.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd)
Both of us are coming back. I promise
you.
ELIRA
You can't promise that.
DAN
I can. And I do. I've spent seven
weeks preparing for this. Every
approach, every contingency, every
possible failure point. I know that
building better than they do. I know
their routines, their patterns, where
they're vulnerable.
He speaks with absolute conviction.
DAN (cont'd)
Tonight, when that auction starts,
they'll be focused on the money, on
the buyers. They won't see me coming
until it's too late.
ELIRA
And if something goes wrong? If there
are more guards than you think? If
they catch you?
Dan moves back to the table. Picks up a sealed envelope.
Hands it to her.
DAN
If I don't come back by dawn—0600
hours—open this. There are
instructions. Money. Callum's number.
He'll help you disappear, get you
somewhere safe.
Elira stares at the envelope like it's a live grenade.
ELIRA
I don't want this.
DAN
I know. But take it anyway.
She takes it with trembling hands. Sets it on the table
beside Aria's photograph.
Silence falls again. Heavy, suffocating. The wind rattles
the window.
After a long moment, Elira goes to the kitchen. Takes out
bread, cheese, olives, cold meat. Brings it to the table.
ELIRA
Eat. You need your strength.
They sit. Begin to eat slowly, methodically. Neither has
much appetite, but they go through the motions.
Dan watches her as he eats. Memorizing the curve of her
cheek, the way her hair falls across her forehead, the small
scar on her knuckle. Storing these details. Just in case.
Elira does the same. Her eyes trace his face, the lines
around his eyes that weren't there when they met, the grey
at his temples.
ELIRA (cont'd)
Do you remember the first time you
made me dinner?
Dan looks up, surprised.
DAN
Burned rice and undercooked chicken.
How could I forget?
ELIRA
You tried so hard. You'd written out
the recipe, had all the ingredients
measured. And then you got distracted
showing me photos of your unit and
everything burned.
A ghost of a smile crosses her face.
ELIRA (cont'd)
We ended up ordering pizza.
DAN
Best pizza I ever had.
ELIRA
The restaurant owner thought we were
crazy. Eating pizza at midnight,
laughing like children.
The memory hangs between them. A glimpse of who they were
before.
DAN
We'll have nights like that again.
When this is over. All three of us.
Elira reaches across the table. Takes his hand. Her grip is
tight, desperate.
ELIRA
Promise me something else.
DAN
Anything.
ELIRA
When you find her... when you see
her... tell her I never stopped
looking. Tell her that every single
day, every moment, I've been trying
to find her. Tell her I love her more
than life itself.
Her voice cracks. Tears spill down her cheeks.
DAN
She knows. She's always known that.
ELIRA
She's eight years old, Dan. She's
been alone with monsters for seven
weeks. She might think we stopped
trying. That we abandoned her.
DAN
I'll tell her. I'll make sure she
knows.
He squeezes her hand. They sit like that for a long moment,
hands clasped, food forgotten.
Finally, Dan stands. Begins checking his gear one final
time.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd, to himself)
Vest. Secure. Glock, loaded, one in
the chamber. Spare mags. Suppressor.
Jammer, battery full. Bolt cutters.
Zip ties. Med kit. Flashlight...
Elira watches him transform. The man she loves receding, the
soldier emerging.
When he's finished, he turns to her. They look at each
other.
Elira crosses to him. Wraps her arms around him from behind.
Holds him tight, face pressed against his back. He can feel
her tears soaking through his shirt.
ELIRA
(whispered, in
Albanian)
Te dua. Te dua me gjithë zemër. Come
back to us. Both of you. Please.
Dan turns in her arms. Holds her close, one hand cradling
the back of her head. She's shaking.
DAN
(in Albanian)
Te dua. Always. Forever. No matter
what.
He kisses her forehead. Her cheeks. Her lips. Soft, then
deeper, like he's trying to memorize the taste of her.
When they finally pull apart, both have tears on their
faces.
Dan picks up Aria's photograph. Studies it one last time.
Then carefully folds it and tucks it into his vest pocket,
right over his heart.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd)
Tonight, no matter what happens, stay
inside. Keep the door locked. If you
hear vehicles, hide. If anyone comes
asking about me, you don't know where
I've gone.
ELIRA
I'll be here. Waiting.
DAN
If I'm not back by dawn, follow the
instructions in the letter. Don't
wait. Don't try to find me. Just go.
Callum will take care of you.
She nods, unable to speak.
Dan looks around the cabin one last time. This place that's
been his base for seven weeks. Tomorrow, one way or another,
he'll never see it again.
He moves to the door. Stops. Turns back.
DAN (cont'd)
I love you. However this ends,
remember that I love you.
ELIRA
I know. Now go. Before I change my
mind and chain you to the bed.
A small, sad smile crosses his face. Then he's gone, the
door closing softly behind him.
Elira stands alone. She moves to the window, watches him
drive away across the moor, his car growing smaller against
the vast landscape.
She places her hand against the cold glass. Whispers
something too quiet to hear.
And waits.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Silent Preparations
EXT. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS - DUSK TO NIGHT (WEEK 8)
RAID NIGHT.
The sky bleeds from purple to indigo to black. The sun sinks
behind distant mountains, leaving only a thin line of fire
on the horizon. Then even that fades, consumed by night.
Dan moves through the heather like a shadow given purpose.
Black tactical gear. Face darkened with camouflage paint in
irregular patterns. Glock 19 holstered. Knife strapped to
his belt. The Sentinel-4 jammer secured in his pack.
He moves with absolute silence. Each footstep placed
carefully, avoiding dry branches, testing ground before
committing weight. The muscle memory of a thousand patrols.
Behind him, now distant: the cabin. A single light in the
window. Elira. He doesn't look back.
He climbs a ridge, boots finding purchase on loose scree.
Drops into a valley. Crosses a stream by stepping on rocks.
The landscape darkens around him. Shadows merge, consume.
Stars appear overhead, cold and distant.
As he walks, memories intrude:
FLASH - Kosovo. Dan's unit breaching a door. Inside: an
empty room. Chains on the wall. Children's clothes
scattered. Too late.
FLASH - Tirana. The market. Aria's hand slipping from
Elira's. The scream.
FLASH - The rag doll on the pavement. Trampled.
BACK TO PRESENT:
Dan's jaw clenches. He forces the memories down. Focus.
Mission first.
He reaches the familiar ridge overlooking the farmhouse.
Below: lights burning. Two guards visible outside. Smoke
from the chimney.
Dan takes out binoculars. Studies the building.
THROUGH BINOCULARS:
Guard 1: Eastern European, early 30s, AK-47, professional
bearing. Former military.
Guard 2: Younger, mid-20s, smoking by the door. Nervous. The
weak link.
Inside: shadows moving. Voices. Activity. The auction is
starting soon.
Vehicles: The white van. The 4x4. The trailer. And two
additional cars. Buyers.
Dan lowers the binoculars. Checks his watch: 2000 hours. Two
hours until the cable cut.
He settles into position. Takes out a protein bar, forces
himself to eat. Hydrates. Checks his gear again.
His breathing is slow, controlled. His mind clear. This is
what he was trained for.
The sky darkens further. Temperature drops. His breath fogs.
He doesn't move, doesn't shiver. Perfectly still.
More vehicles arrive. Another car. Then an SUV. Five buyers.
Maybe six. All here to bid on children.
His hand drifts to the photo in his vest pocket. Touches it
briefly. Then back to his weapon.
2100 hours. One hour to go.
Inside, more lights come on. The generator's hum increases.
They're powering up servers, cameras, encrypted connections.
Dan's eyes never leave the building. Tracking every
movement, every change.
2130 hours. Thirty minutes.
Guards change positions. The nervous one goes inside. A new
guard comes out. Older, more professional. Checking the
perimeter.
Dan marks him as a priority threat.
2145 hours. Fifteen minutes.
Last buyer arrives. A Mercedes. Expensive. Two men in suits.
One carries a briefcase. Greeted at the door like VIPs.
Dan's throat tightens with rage. He forces it down. Rage
makes mistakes.
2155 hours. Five minutes.
He stands slowly. Stretches. Rolls his shoulders. Flexes his
hands.
Checks his weapon. Chamber loaded. Safety off. Suppressor
secured.
2200 hours.
Time to move.
Dan begins his descent toward the forest. Silent. Deadly.
Tonight, it ends.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
The Cut
EXT. FOREST - FIBER CABLE LOCATION - NIGHT (2200 HOURS)
Full darkness now. The forest is black, silent except for
wind in the branches. Somewhere distant, an owl calls.
Dan kneels beside the exposed fiber optic cable. He found
this location three weeks ago, mapped it, planned for this
exact moment. The orange conduit glows faintly in his red-
filtered flashlight.
He takes out the bolt cutters. Heavy-duty. Military grade.
Positions them on the cable.
Pauses. This is it. The point of no return. Once he cuts
this cable, alarms will sound. Guards will investigate. The
countdown begins.
He thinks of Aria. Somewhere in that building. Waiting. Not
knowing her father is coming.
He squeezes.
SNAP.
The cable severs cleanly. He can almost feel the network
dying, signals cutting off, connections dropping.
He doesn't wait. Moves immediately into the trees, melting
into shadow.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Technical Difficulties
INT. FARMHOUSE - MAIN ROOM - SAME TIME
A large room transformed into a makeshift command center.
Laptops on tables. Servers humming. Security monitors.
Blackout curtains. The air thick with cigarette smoke and
tension.
Viktor (50s, scarred, dangerous) stands over a laptop. On
screen: a video feed of a locked room. Six children visible,
huddled together. Below the video: a chat interface.
Bidders. Numbers climbing.
Suddenly: the screen goes BLACK.
VIKTOR
(in Russian,
subtitled)
What the fuck?
He slams the laptop. Tries to refresh. Nothing.
Dmitri (30s, guard) checks his phone.
DMITRI
(in Russian,
subtitled)
Internet's down. Completely.
The buyers, seated around the room, start talking. Confused.
Annoyed. One stands, reaches for his coat.
VIKTOR
(in Russian,
subtitled)
Sit down! Everyone sit down. It's
just a technical issue. We'll have it
fixed in minutes.
But his eyes say otherwise. He turns to Dmitri.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
(in Russian)
Check the cable. Now!
Dmitri signals to another guard, Alexei. Both grab
flashlights and head for the door.
DMITRI
(to Alexei)
Come on.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Silent Disruption
EXT. FOREST - PERIMETER - NIGHT (2202 HOURS)
Dan crouches behind a fallen tree, watching the two guards
emerge from the farmhouse. Flashlights sweeping. Heading
toward the cable location.
He takes out the Sentinel-4 jammer. Black box, military-
grade. LED display glowing red in the darkness.
He flips the power switch.
The LED glows red. Then green.
ACTIVE. RADIUS: 500M. BATTERY: 29:00.
The countdown begins: 28:59... 28:58...
He has twenty-nine minutes. After that, the jammer dies and
communications return.
Twenty-nine minutes to get in, find Aria, get out.
CUT TO:
EXT. CABLE LOCATION - SAME TIME
Dmitri and Alexei reach the cable. See the clean cut.
DMITRI (cont'd)
(in Russian,
subtitled)
Fuck. It's cut. Someone cut it.
Alexei looks around nervously, hand moving to his weapon.
ALEXEI
(in Russian,
subtitled)
Call Viktor.
Dmitri pulls out his radio. Presses the button.
DMITRI
Viktor, the cable's been—
Static. Dead.
He tries again. Nothing.
Checks his phone. NO SIGNAL.
ALEXEI
Mine's dead too. No bars.
They look at each other. Uneasy. Something's very wrong.
DMITRI
We need to get back. Now.
They start back toward the farmhouse. Fast. Weapons ready.
Behind them, unseen: Dan, already moving toward the
building.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Silent Infiltration
EXT. FARMHOUSE - PERIMETER - NIGHT (2205 HOURS)
Dan approaches from the east side. Low. Silent. Using every
piece of cover.
He reaches the first motion sensor he mapped during recon. A
small box mounted on a post. He takes out a bypass device.
Clips it to the sensor. The LED goes dark.
Disabled.
He moves to the next. Repeats. Three sensors down.
Near the side of the building: TWO ROTTWEILERS chained to
posts. They see him. Begin to growl, hackles rising.
Dan takes out a tranquilizer gun. Two darts. Fires.
PFFT. PFFT.
Both dogs yelp softly. Stagger. Collapse within seconds.
Dan waits, listening. No alarm. No shouts.
He checks his watch: 27 minutes left.
He reaches the side door. Takes out his lock pick set. Works
the lock. Fifteen seconds. CLICK.
The door opens.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Silent Infiltration
INT. FARMHOUSE - SIDE CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Dan slips inside. Closes the door silently behind him.
A narrow corridor. Dim lighting. Peeling wallpaper. The
smell of cigarettes, mold, fear.
Voices from deeper in the building. Russian. Angry.
Confused.
Dan draws his Glock. Suppressor attached. Moves forward on
the balls of his feet.
He passes a door. Peers through the crack.
INSIDE: Cots. Blankets. Children's shoes. Empty now.
He Keeps moving.
Another door. A medical area. Syringes. Restraints. Evidence
of abuse.
His hand clenches on the pistol grip.
Ahead: a guard (Yuri, 40s, heavy) emerges from a room.
Lighting a cigarette. He sees Dan.
His eyes widen. Reaches for his radio.
Dan fires. PFFT.
The suppressed round hits Yuri in the chest. He drops.
Cigarette rolling across the floor.
Dan drags the body into the medical room. Closes the door.
Checks his watch: 24 minutes left.
Keeps moving.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Silent Rescue
INT. FARMHOUSE - VARIOUS ROOMS - NIGHT (2210 HOURS)
Dan moves through the building like a ghost. Room by room.
Methodical.
He finds the SERVER ROOM. Computers dark. Useless without
internet. Hard drives stacked. Ledgers. Evidence.
Dan makes a mental note. Keeps moving.
A STAIRCASE. He climbs. Silent. Weapon raised.
UPSTAIRS HALLWAY. Another guard (Sergei, 30s) stands outside
a heavy door. Smoking. AK-47 slung over his shoulder.
Dan approaches from behind. Knife drawn. Flowing from shadow
to shadow.
Sergei hears something. Turns.
Too late.
Dan's knife flashes. Sergei's throat opens. He gurgles.
Tries to scream. Can't.
Dan catches him. Lowers him quietly to the floor.
Wipes the blade on Sergei's shirt. Sheathes it.
A SOUND from downstairs. Footsteps. Voices.
DMITRI
(O.S., in Russian)
Viktor! The cable's cut! And we have
no signal!
Dan moves to the top of the stairs. Looks down through the
railing.
Dmitri and Alexei enter the main room below.
VIKTOR
(O.S.)
What do you mean, no signal?
ALEXEI
Phones, radios, everything. Dead.
Silence. Then:
VIKTOR
We're being jammed. Someone's here.
Find them. Kill them.
The sound of weapons being readied. Safeties clicking off.
Dan pulls back from the stairs. Thinks fast.
Three guards left plus Viktor. And somewhere: the children.
He checks his watch: 21 minutes.
He moves down the hallway. Tries doors. Locked. Locked.
Locked.
The last door: HEAVY. Reinforced. Padlock.
From inside: faint sounds. Whimpering. A child crying
softly.
Dan's heart pounds. His hands shake.
He takes out the bolt cutters.
CUT TO:
INT. FARMHOUSE - LOCKED CORRIDOR - NIGHT (2215 HOURS)
Dan positions the bolt cutters on the padlock. Squeezes with
both hands.
SNAP.
The padlock falls. Clatters on the floor. Loud in the
silence.
DOWNSTAIRS:
DMITRI
What was that?
VIKTOR
Upstairs. Go!
Footsteps pounding up the stairs.
Dan opens the door.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
A Father's Promise
INT. LOCKED ROOM - NIGHT (2217 HOURS)
A small, windowless room. Six children huddled together on
thin mattresses. Two boys (6, 7 years old). Three girls (5,
6, 8 years old). Terrified. Traumatized.
And ARIA (8 years old). Standing in front of the others.
Protective. Defiant. She's thin, pale, but her eyes are
fierce.
Dan steps into the doorway. Aria tenses. Ready to fight.
Ready to protect the younger ones.
She sees: A man. Armed. Dressed in black. Face painted.
Dangerous.
Dan sees: His daughter. After seven weeks. Alive. Changed.
Harder. But alive.
For a moment, neither moves.
Then Dan speaks. Soft. Gentle. In Albanian.
DAN
(in Albanian, soft)
Mos u frikëso, zemra ime.
Don't be afraid, my heart.
Aria freezes. That voice. That phrase.
She hasn't heard those words in seven weeks. But she
remembers. A lifetime ago. A voice reading her stories.
Strong arms holding her. Safety.
Her eyes widen. Disbelief. Hope. Fear of hoping.
ARIA
(whispered)
Baba?
The word almost breaks him. Dan's throat tightens. Tears
threaten. He forces them down.
He nods.
DAN
Yes. Atë. It's me. I'm here.
Aria's face crumples. Tears stream down her cheeks. All the
fear, all the pain, all the loneliness of seven weeks
crashes over her.
She takes a step toward him. Then another. Slowly. Like
she's afraid he'll disappear.
Dan kneels. Opens his arms.
DAN (cont'd)
Come here, zemra.
Aria runs to him. Crashes into him. Clings to him with
desperate strength.
Dan holds her. Tight. One hand cradling her head, the other
around her thin body. His own tears falling now.
DAN (cont'd)
I found you. I found you. I'm so
sorry. I'm so sorry it took so long.
ARIA
(sobbing)
I knew you'd come. I knew it. I told
them you'd come.
The other children watch. Silent. Hopeful. Maybe this man
can save them too.
FOOTSTEPS in the hallway. Close. Getting closer.
Dan pulls back gently. Looks at Aria. Wipes her tears with
his thumb.
DAN
Listen to me. We have to go. Now.
There are bad men coming. Can you be
brave for me? Can you help me get
everyone out?
Aria wipes her eyes. Nods. She's been brave for seven weeks.
She can be brave a little longer.
ARIA
Yes.
Dan looks at the other children.
DAN
(in English, then
Russian)
I'm getting all of you out. Stay
close. Stay quiet. When I say run,
you run. Understand?
The children nod. Terrified but trusting.
Dan moves to the door. Peers out.
Dmitri and Alexei at the top of the stairs. Weapons raised.
Searching the hallway.
Dan turns back to the children.
DAN (cont'd)
Stay here. Don't make a sound. I'll
come back for you. I promise.
ARIA
(frightened)
No! Don't leave!
DAN
I won't leave you. Never again. Two
minutes. Trust me.
He steps into the hallway. Closes the door behind him.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Silent Precision
INT. FARMHOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT (2220 HOURS)
Dan moves down the hallway toward Dmitri and Alexei. They
see him.
DMITRI
There!
They raise their weapons. Dan dives into a side room as
bullets tear through the wall. Plaster and wood exploding.
GUNFIRE. Deafening in the narrow space.
Dan rolls. Comes up firing. PFFT. PFFT.
Alexei takes a round to the shoulder. Spins. Falls.
Screaming.
Dmitri fires back. Controlled bursts. Professional.
Dan ducks behind a doorframe. Counts shots. Seven. Eight.
Nine.
Magazine empty.
Dan steps out. Fires. PFFT.
Dmitri drops. Dead before he hits the floor.
Silence. Except for Alexei's whimpering.
Dan reloads. Moves to Alexei. Finishes it. Quick. Almost
merciful.
He checks his watch: 18 minutes left.
Moves to the stairs.
DOWNSTAIRS:
VIKTOR
(O.S.)
You think you've won? You think this
changes anything?
Dan descends. Slow. Weapon raised.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Confrontation in the Farmhouse
INT. FARMHOUSE - MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS
A large room. Furniture overturned. Laptops smashed on the
floor. The buyers have fled. Chaos.
Viktor stands in the center. Pistol in hand. Calm.
Dangerous. He's older, scarred, gray at the temples. A
survivor of a hundred conflicts.
He sees Dan descending the stairs. Weapon trained on him.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
(in accented English)
The gamekeeper. I should have known.
Dan enters. Keeps his distance. Ten meters. Weapon raised.
DAN
It's over. The children are leaving.
You're done.
VIKTOR
(laughs)
Done? You have no idea how deep this
goes. I'm one man. One operation.
(MORE)
VIKTOR (cont'd)
There are dozens more. Hundreds. In
every country. Every city.
DAN
Then I'll find them too.
VIKTOR
No, you won't. Because you'll be
dead. And those children upstairs?
They'll be sold to someone else.
Maybe someone worse than me.
DAN
Not if you're dead first.
VIKTOR
You think you're a hero? You think
you're different from me? You're just
a killer. Like me. We're the same.
DAN
I'm nothing like you.
VIKTOR
No? How many men have you killed
tonight? Three? Four? You enjoyed it.
I can see it in your eyes. The rush.
The power. You're alive for the first
time in years.
Dan's finger tightens on the trigger.
DAN
They deserved it.
VIKTOR
And who decides that? You? God? Some
politician in a comfortable office
who's never held a gun?
He gestures around the room.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
You think this is evil? This is just
business. Supply and demand. The
world is full of people with...
particular tastes. I provide a
service.
DAN
They're children.
VIKTOR
They're products. And if not me,
someone else will provide them. At
least I keep them fed. Clean. Some of
my competitors? They're animals.
DAN
You're a monster.
VIKTOR
Maybe. But I'm a rich monster. And
I'll die a rich monster. Can you say
the same? What do you have? A missing
daughter? A woman who'll leave you
when she realizes what you've become?
A sound from upstairs. The children. Crying.
Viktor's eyes flick toward the stairs. A split second of
distraction.
He raises his pistol. Fires.
Dan dives. The bullet grazes his shoulder. Pain flares. Hot.
Sharp.
Dan fires back. Misses. Viktor already moving.
Viktor runs. Through a doorway. Into the kitchen.
Dan follows. Blood seeping from his shoulder. Adrenaline
pushing through the pain.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Kitchen Showdown
INT. FARMHOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT (2222 HOURS)
A large, industrial kitchen. Stainless steel counters. Pots
hanging from hooks. Knives on magnetic strips. Weapons
everywhere.Dan picks up a large frying pan, using it as a
shield.
Viktor backs into the room. Dan follows. Predators circling.
Viktor fires. Dan ducks. The bullet hits the frying pan.
CLANG. Deafening.
Dan returns fire. Viktor dodges. The bullet shatters a
window. Cold night air rushes in.
Viktor charges. Tackles Dan. They crash to the floor. Hard.
Dan's pistol skitters away across the tiles.
Viktor punches. Fast. Brutal. Connects with Dan's jaw. Stars
explode.
Dan blocks the next punch. Counters with an elbow to
Viktor's jaw. Bone on bone.
Viktor reels. Grabs a knife from the counter. Eight-inch
blade. Slashes.
Dan rolls. The blade misses by inches. Sparks as it hits the
floor.
Dan kicks. Connects with Viktor's knee. Something cracks.
Viktor stumbles.
Dan scrambles up. Grabs a cast-iron pan. Swings.
Viktor ducks. Stabs. The knife catches Dan's side. Shallow
but painful. Dan grunts.
Dan swings again. The pan connects with Viktor's head. THUD.
Solid.
Viktor drops the knife. Staggers. Blood running from his
scalp.
Dan drops the pan. Draws his own knife. Seven-inch blade.
Military issue.
They face each other. Both bleeding. Both exhausted. Both
beyond retreat.
VIKTOR (cont'd)
(breathing hard)
You can't save them all. You know
that, right? For every child you
rescue, ten more are taken.
DAN
I can save these.
VIKTOR
For how long? A year? Two? Then what?
They'll remember. They'll be damaged
forever. You think you're saving
them? You're just delaying the
inevitable.
Your daughter. The Albanian girl. You
think she'll ever be normal again?
You think she'll ever forget what
happened here? What she saw? What was
done to her?
Rage floods through Dan. White-hot. Overwhelming.
DAN
Time to die.
Viktor lunges. Desperate. Reckless.
Dan sidesteps. Grabs Viktor's arm. Twists. Hard. The joint
pops.
Viktor screams.
Dan drives his knife into Viktor's chest. Between the ribs.
Into the lung.
Viktor gasps. Blood bubbles from his lips. His eyes wide.
Disbelieving.
VIKTOR
(whispered)
There are... others... you can't stop
them all...
DAN
I stopped you.
Viktor's eyes glaze. He collapses. Dead.
Dan stands over him. Breathing hard. Blood dripping from his
wounds. His shoulder. His side.
He wipes his knife on Viktor's shirt. Sheathes it.
Checks his watch: 15 minutes left.
He retrieves his pistol. Heads back upstairs. As he passes
Victors office ne notices a suitcase on the desk. Dan opens
it. It's full of money. He pauses and for the first time
thinks of the reality of being on the run with his wife and
daughter. This will take care of them. He grabs it.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
A Promise of Safety
INT. FARMHOUSE - LOCKED ROOM - NIGHT (2225 HOURS)
Dan opens the door. The children look up. Terrified by the
gunfire.
Aria sees him. Runs to him.
ARIA
You came back!
DAN
I promised. Come on. All of you.
We're leaving. Now.
The children stand. Hesitant. Scared.
Dan kneels. Looks at each of them.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd)
I know you're afraid. But I'm going
to get you somewhere safe. You have
to trust me. Can you do that?
The oldest girl (8 years old, ELENA) nods.
ELENA
(in Russian)
We trust you.
Dan stands. Leads them out.
CUT TO:
EXT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT (2227 HOURS)
Dan leads the children out the side door. Into the cold
night. They move quickly.
Dan's shoulder and side bleeding. Adrenaline fading. Pain
setting in.
Aria stays close. Helps guide the younger children.
They reach the forest. Dan looks back at the farmhouse.
Dark. Silent.
He checks his watch: 11 minutes left on the jammer.
They push into the trees.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Urgent Escape
EXT. FOREST TO VAN - NIGHT (2230 HOURS)
Dan leads the children through darkness. They stumble. Cry.
But they keep moving.
Dan's breathing is labored. Pain radiating from his wounds.
His vision blurring.
Aria notices.
ARIA
You're hurt.
DAN
I'm fine. Keep moving.
They reach a clearing. Dan's van hidden under camouflage
netting.
He pulls off the netting. Opens the back doors.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd)
Get in. Quickly.
The children climb in. Dan helps them. Gives them blankets.
Water.
Aria moves to climb in with the others.
DAN (cont'd)
(cont'd)
You come in the front with me.
She looks at him. Gets in the front passenger seat.
Dan checks his watch: 7 minutes left.
He starts the engine. Drives.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Escape in the Night
EXT. HIGHLAND ROAD - NIGHT (2235 HOURS)
The van speeds down a narrow road. Headlights cutting
through darkness.
Dan's hands grip the wheel. White-knuckled. Blood soaking
through his shirt.
In the back: the five children huddle together. Silent.
Traumatized.
In the front: Aria watches Dan. Her father. After all this
time.
ARIA
Where are we going?
DAN
Somewhere safe. I promise.
Behind them: the jammer's battery dies. 00:00. Cellular
signals return.
But they're already gone.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
A Desperate Departure
EXT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT (2245 HOURS)
A small Highland police station. Lights on. Quiet.
Dan's van pulls up to the entrance. Engine running.
Dan gets out. Opens the back door.
The five children look at him. Confused. Scared.
DAN (cont'd)
(in Russian, then
English)
This is where you get out. Go inside.
Tell them what happened. You're safe
now.
ELENA
What about you?
DAN
I have to go. But you're safe. I
promise.
Elena nods. Climbs out. The other four follow.
They stand on the pavement. Small. Vulnerable.
Dan points to the door.
DAN (cont'd)
Go. Now.
Elena takes the hand of the youngest child. Leads them to
the door. Bangs on it. Loud. Desperate.
Dan gets back in the van. Aria in the passenger seat.
The police station door opens. An OFFICER appears.
OFFICER
What the—
He sees the children. His eyes widen.
Dan drives away. Fast.
In the rearview mirror: the officer ushering the children
inside.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Rescue and Revelation
INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT (2250 HOURS)
The five children sit wrapped in blankets. Drinking hot
chocolate. Officers swarm around them. Questions. Confusion.
Detective MAEVE KERR arrives. She sees the children. Her
face hardens with understanding and horror.Realizing the
children are not english speaking, she calls translation
services.Within minutes there is a Russian translator on the
phone.
MAEVE
What happened?
OFFICER
They just appeared. Someone dropped
them off. A man in a van.
Maeve kneels in front of Elena.
MAEVE
(gentle)
Can you tell me what happened? Who
brought you here?
ELENA
(in Russian,
translated)
A man. He saved us. From the bad
place.
MAEVE
What did he look like?
ELENA
Beard, black paint on his face. Dark
clothes. He spoke Albanian to one of
the girls.
Maeve's eyes narrow. Albanian.
She stands. Pulls out her phone. Scrolls through files.
Finds it: DAN CARRICK. Former military. Daughter missing in
Albania.
She looks at the children. Counts. Six were taken according
to intelligence. Only five here.
One is missing. The Albanian girl.
Maeve knows where she is.
MAEVE
(to officers)
This is Detective Kerr. I need units
at the old farmhouse.
(MORE)
MAEVE (cont'd)
North of Glenmore. Now. And get
forensics ready.
She hangs up. Looks at the children again. Then at the door.
At the empty street outside.
MAEVE (cont'd)
(cont'd, to herself)
Dan Carrick. You son of a bitch.
But there's something in her voice. Not anger.
Understanding. Maybe even respect.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
A Night of Reunion and Resolve
INT. GAMEKEEPER'S CABIN - NIGHT (2315 HOURS)
The cabin door bursts open. Dan enters with Aria beside him.
Elira stands by the window. She's been pacing for hours.
Terrified. Exhausted. She turns at the sound.
Time stops.
Elira sees them. Her hand goes to her mouth. Her knees
buckle.
She can't breathe. Can't speak. Can't believe what she's
seeing.
ELIRA
(whispered)
Aria?
Aria stands frozen in the doorway. Staring at the woman she
hasn't seen in seven weeks. The woman she thought she'd
never see again.
Elira looks different. Thinner. Older. Worn by grief.
But it's her. It's Mama.
ARIA
(whispered)
Mama?
Elira collapses to her knees. Sobbing. Great, wrenching sobs
that shake her entire body.
ELIRA
(through tears, in
Albanian)
Aria. Aria. Oh God. Oh my God.
Aria runs. Crashes into her mother's arms. They collide with
desperate force.
Elira holds her. Crushing her. One hand cradling Aria's
head, the other wrapped around her back. Never letting go.
Never again.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(cont'd, in Albanian)
My baby. My baby. You're here. You're
real. I can feel you. You're here.
ARIA
(sobbing)
Mama. I missed you. I missed you so
much. I thought... I thought...
ELIRA
Shh. I'm here. I'm here now. You're
safe. You're home.
They hold each other. Crying. Shaking. Seven weeks of hell
dissolving in this moment.
Dan stands in the doorway. Watching. His own tears falling
freely now. His hands trembling.
Elira looks up at him. Her face wet with tears. She reaches
out a hand.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(cont'd)
Dan. Come here.
Dan crosses to them. Kneels. Wraps his arms around both of
them.
The three of them. Together. Finally. A family reunited.
Aria between them. One hand holding her mother, the other
holding the rag doll Dan kept for her.
ARIA
(looking at the doll)
You kept it. You kept my doll.
DAN
Always. Every day. It was with me
every day.
Aria presses her face into Elira's shoulder. Her body
shaking with sobs.
They hold each other for a long time. The world outside
forgotten. Just this moment. This impossible, precious
moment.
After a while, Elira pulls back. Cups Aria's face in her
hands. Studies her. Memorizing every detail.
ELIRA
Let me look at you. Let me see you.
She runs her hands over Aria's face, her hair, her
shoulders. Checking for injuries. For signs of what was done
to her.
Aria is thinner. Bruises on her arms. Dark circles under her
eyes. But alive. Whole.
ELIRA (cont'd)
(cont'd)
Did they... did they hurt you?
Aria looks down. Nods slightly.
ARIA
Sometimes. When we didn't do what
they said. But not... not like some
of the others.
Elira's face hardens. Rage and pain warring in her eyes.
ELIRA
Those men. The ones who took you.
Where are they?
She looks at Dan. Sees the blood on his shirt. The
exhaustion in his eyes. The answer written on his face.
DAN
They can't hurt her anymore.
Elira nods. Holds him tighter.
ELIRA
Good.
She stands. Notices Dan's wounds properly now.
ELIRA (cont'd)
You're bleeding.
DAN
I'm fine.
ELIRA
You're not fine. Sit. Let me look.
Dan sits at the table. Elira gets the first aid kit. Aria
watches, silent, as Elira tends to Dan's wounds.
The bullet graze on his shoulder. The knife cut on his side.
She cleans them. Bandages them. Her hands steady despite
everything.
ARIA
(quietly)
Baba? The other children. The ones
who were with me. Are they safe?
DAN
Yes. They're with the police now.
They're going home.
ARIA
And the bad men? The ones with the
guns?
Dan looks at her. Doesn't lie to her. She's seen too much to
be protected by lies.
DAN
They're gone. They'll never hurt
anyone again.
Aria nods. Understands. And in her eyes: not fear. Not
horror. Relief.
Elira finishes bandaging Dan. Sits back.
ELIRA
What happens now?
DAN
We run.
ELIRA
Where?
DAN
I don't know yet. Somewhere they
can't find us. Callum has arranged
new identities. We leave tonight.
ELIRA
Tonight? But Aria just got here. She
needs rest. She needs—
DAN
She needs to be safe. The police will
come. They'll have questions.
Questions we can't answer. Not if we
want to stay together.
Elira looks at Aria. Then at Dan. Understanding dawns.She
leads him into the bedroom.
ELIRA
You killed them. All of them.
DAN
Yes.
ELIRA
The police will call it murder.
DAN
Probably.
ELIRA
Even though you saved those children.
DAN
The law doesn't work that way. I took
justice into my own hands. That makes
me a vigilante. A killer.
Elira stands. Starts gathering things. Clothes. Documents.
Money.
ELIRA
Then we run. All three of us.
Together.
ARIA
Where will we go?
Dan and Elira look at each other. Then at their daughter.
DAN
Somewhere safe. Somewhere we can be a
family. That's all that matters.
They pack quickly. Everything they need. Nothing they don't.
Dan takes Aria's photograph from the wall. Folds it. Puts it
in his pocket.
Elira holds Aria close. Whispering to her. Comforting her.
They're ready. Three people. One family. Running toward an
uncertain future.
But together.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
A Choice for Justice
INT. POLICE STATION - MAEVE'S OFFICE - DAY (LATER)
Maeve sits at her desk, surrounded by reports.
Colleagues suggest putting out a strong bulletin: armed,
dangerous, wanted for multiple homicides.
Maeve hesitates.
She thinks of:
The kids alive at the station.
The farmhouse evidence that will dismantle a trafficking
ring.
The fact that without this ghost, none of it would exist.
She makes a decision.
MAEVE
(to her team)
We have an unknown party who
neutralized the on-site offenders and
delivered victims to safety. Our main
target now is the larger network.
Prioritize sharing this evidence with
the NCA and Europol.
She pauses.
MAEVE (cont'd)
Make sure that case doesn't get
buried.
But she doesn't pour energy into an aggressive manhunt.
She quietly allows time and distance to work in his favor.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Action","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
Silent Departure
EXT. FOREST - TRAIL CAMERA POV - DAY
A trail camera strapped to a tree. One of Dan's cameras he
never took down.
The IR LED blinks. Motion detected.
Below, on a narrow forest track: Dan's car passes.
Through the windscreen: Aria, visible in the passenger
seat,sat on her mothers lap, profile only. The doll in her
hands.
The vehicle dwindles, disappearing into the trees.
The camera's IR LED flickers once more.
Then the footage cuts out.
Battery dies.
CUT TO BLACK.
THE END