MEET THE AUTHOR 

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ALIEN DOMINION - DARK MATTERS - ACT I

EXT. APPLETON INTL AIRPORT - DAY

Establishing shot.

SUPR - APPLETON, WISCONSON

INT. APPLETON INTL AIRPORT - DAY

Jon Hart leaves baggage area past people holding signs. He is looking for his name. He sees it in all CAPS on a sign with picture of Valentine heart, held by African American woman.

JON

I’m Jon Hart, you are my contact?

ADARA smiles.

ADARA

I was hoping you would see my artwork - if nothing else.

JON

Someone as pretty as you I couldn’t miss.

She ignores his comment and presses on to business.

ADARA

My father’s heard your name, from Mr. Bronfman, who has funded some of our research. There have been strange goings on lately, and my ESP is up. I am worried. Thank you for coming.

JON

That’s a unique way to express one’s anxiety.

ADARA

I’m quite serious, my Esper levels are documented near the top of the scale. But let’s talk more when we get to my car, too many people listening.

As they leave there is a man on a phone who seems to be watching.

INT. ADARA’S SUV - DAY

They drive out of parking lot.

ADARA

When my ESP is active things happen. And so many things have happened lately that I’m afraid, afraid for my father’s life.

They turn onto highway.

JON

Well I’m glad your ESP prodded you to suggest picking me up, I could not find the location on the map. When I punch in the name of the site I get a large question mark.

ADARA

Oh we’re cloaked in extreme secrecy, based on the revolutionary nature of my father’s physical research.

JON

What is it? What’s he working on?

ADARA

Possibly the greatest breakthrough in Cosmological research in the history of man. But, I’ll let him tell you about that.

Hold on, I’m going to make a hard U-turn, I think we are being followed.

Adara takes a hard left crossing double yellow lines, traffic swerves, HORNS sounding.

Jon turns his head witnesses a car going in the other direction several cars behind slam on breaks, as if they were following.

EXT. PHYSICS RESEARCH CENTER - DAY

Adara drives through woods down dirt road to low standing building.

ADARA

We are here, almost diner time, father is probably in the lab, lost track of time again.

JON

Can’t wait to meet him.

INT. ALEX’S APARTMENT - DAY

Sophia alone on living room couch with her laptop. Her phone rings. It is SERGHEI.

SERGHEI (V.O.)

(Russian accent)

Hello Sasha, how are you today?

SOPHIA

Oh, what do you want now? It started out as such a fine day.

SERGHEI (V.O.)

I need your help. Lost directions. A couple of friends, on pleasure trip mind you, cannot find Department of Energy lab in Appleton, Wisconsin.

SOPHIA

Oh you beast! What do I get in return?

SERGHEI (V.O.)

All incriminating evidence of your participation in CIA leak. Da?

SOPHIA

Done. Don’t call me again.

 

INT. PHYSICS RESEARCH CENTER LABORATORY - DAY

Elderly African American professor (think aging Boris Karloff) sits in a lab filled with Physics apparatus, pouring over latest results of an experiment.

ADARA

Father, you are still working. I’ve brought Mr. Hart to see you. Maybe he can help ferret out the cause of my unease.

Jon moves to shake hands with seated figure.

JON

Pleased to meet you. Your daughter tells me her ESP has been acting up.

Dr. SELASSIE MAKONNEN, looks up with humorless eyes.

DR. MAKONNEN

Her unease is not to be taken lightly, we come from a long line with pronounced extraordinary perception in the females.

We have a proud heritage. I can trace my lineage back through the Dogon in Mali, back to ancient Egypt. The name Makonnen is ancient Egyptian.

JON

Quite impressive. I have seen some of her concerns validated already.

ADARA

Someone was following us from the airport, father.

Dr. Makonnen gives his daughter complete attention.

DR. MAKONNEN

 

Really? I wonder how they found out, the only person I’ve discussed his coming with is Harold.

JON

Who’s Harold?

ADARA

My father’s assistant.

Dr. Makonnen calls on his intercom to assistant HAROLD.

DR. MAKONNEN

Harold. Could you step in here for just a moment?

HAROLD (V.O.)

Certainly doctor, I’ll be right there.

A thin, lanky assistant (mid 30’s) enters the room. Quickly looks to center lab table where party is convened.

DR. MAKONNEN

Harold, this is Mr. Hart the gentlemen I’ve told you about. He will be staying a few days to help decipher nonlinear random events that have plagued us recently. 

You haven’t advised anyone of his arrival have you?

HAROLD 

Why no-sir, I’ve not communicated your intentions to anyone. As you specified.

DR. MAKONNEN

Good boy, please go and see to arrangements in the guest room, now.

Harold leaves the room and conversation begins again.

DR. MAKONNEN

Your reputation precedes you Mr. Hart. Your alien busting investigations for Edgar are well known to me. Plus some recent antics of which my daughter’s enlightened.

She shows a video of Jon at the Alien convention on her phone. Jon blushes and looks embarrassed.

JON

It was not one of my better days.

ADARA

See father, he does not deny it. I told you it was him. On that stage with the Merman.

JON

So you know of them? Believe in their existence?

DR. MAKONNEN

Yes certainly. They feature prominently in Dogon historiography. But let’s leave further discussions for dinner, my daughter is correct, it is time for a respite from my investigations. She worries about me like a mother hen. 

INT. GUESTROOM - NIGHT

Jon takes time to call Alex.

JON

Well, I’ve arrived. Quite a pair this father and daughter.

ALEX (V.O.)

So you’re in the Vault, good. No trouble.

JON

Well, someone followed us from the airport but Adara gave them the slip. Said her ESP was acting up, she could “Feel” their presence.

ALEX (V.O.)

Don’t knock it, her powers of Sensory Perception and Telekinesis practically top the charts, and like daughter like father. He’s one of the top Physicists and Cosmologists of this or any other century. His current work is bridging the gaps in Einstein’s Grand Unified Theory.

Jon WHISTLES.

JON

What’s he working on that has Edgar so interested?

ALEX (V.O.)

Not sure, when he pitched, he wasn’t quite clear either a new form of power generation and locomotion...or a revolutionary weapon.

JON

How revolutionary?

ALEX (V.O.)

Like fire was. It involves Dark Matter, that’s all I can say. But you can see why everyone wants it.

JON

So why doesn’t he have better security?

ALEX (V.O.)

Jon, you’re in a Department of Energy complex nicknamed the Vault but still there have been things out of place, files copied, dark imagings, maybe aliens have gotten wind of his experiments, we just don’t know. You’re there to find out everything you can and safeguard Dr. Makonnen and his daughter.

JON

Oh, before I forget, thanks for the care package, what’s the useful range?

ALEX (V.O.)

Full effect about ten feet. Partial paralysis about twenty. Use with caution, but don’t worry it won’t bore holes in walls. See you later.

Jon opens nightstand drawer takes laser out turns it over and over in his hands.

FADE