Vanguard

Characters

Detective Thomas Bermuda- A grizzled old private detective; 50-years-old;  trained to mental perfection; spent most of his career trying to discover the identity of his wife’s killer

Detective Haley Harrington-Bermuda’s young partner; mid-twenties; new graduate from police academy; highly intelligent; expert marksman

Gabriel- serial killer murdering high school students in bizarre ways; 18-years-old; possesses abnormal speed and strength due to genetic testing; leaves cryptic clues and riddles on victims; has a sadistic and warped view on life; believes Bermuda to be his mental equal and possible ally

Taylor Hollander- Murder victim’s girlfriend; 18-years-old; knows truth about Gabriel and his motives; believes Gabriel will seek her out and kill her; placed under Bermuda’s protection

Richard “Ricky” Lane- First murder victim; 18-years-old; friends with Gabriel until he discovers the truth

Greg Bernard- Ricky’s best friend; 18-years-old; competitive athlete

Osmond- Head of the Roswell Corporation; 60-years-old; plans to rewrite humanity’s future using a mind-altering drug known as PANDORA

Victoria Mason- Taylor’s best friend; 18-years-old; dancer

Police Chief Mullands- Police chief of ParidgumCity; 50 years old

Brittney Wick- Murder victim #2

Patricia Hammell- Murder victim #3

Michael Laurent- Murder victim #4

Medical Examiner

Students

Teachers

Parents

Set Locations

Paridgum High School; inside and out; day and night

“Offices of Bermuda and Harrington P.I.”

Medical Examiner’s Office

Home of Richard Lane

Interrogation Room

Rooftop of high school

Dark “Silhouette” room

Run Time

100 Minutes

Scene 1

Paridgum High School; 8:30 PM

            Main titles appear. Titles fade out to a shot of ParidgumHigh School at nighttime. It is mainly quiet. Cut to camera panning and following RICKY LANE as he descends down a flight of stairs, slightly nervous and agitated. Cut to RICKY heading towards the front door, as a shadow passes in front of the camera. RICKY stops at the door; he feels a chill and shivers. After looking around he shrugs and tries to open the door. It won’t budge; it’s been locked. RICKY remembers that the janitor’s office has a key and goes there. The camera follows him as he walks; small sounds are heard in the background which makes him turn around. He doesn’t see anything but continues; he stops and looks down. The camera zooms in on a red spot on his shirt. RICKY lifts up his sleeve and finds a deep cut on his arm, blood freshly oozing out. Thinking it odd he rips of a piece of his sleeve and wraps it around the cut to stop the bleeding.

            Upon reaching the janitor’s office, he finds that that is locked to. Realization hits him; he remembers that there is an emergency exit in the theater. Cut to a shot of him opening the door to the theater and sighing in relief. He begins the walk to the exit, but stops. He feels a chill again and he can’t figure out where it’s coming from. He looks down and sees now that his other arm is bleeding. Panicking now, RICKY bolts for the emergency exit. He is almost there when an unseen force grabs him and flings him onto the stage. Getting up as quickly as he can, he prepares himself for a fight.

Ricky

What are you?!

            There is no response to the question. The camera swivels to follow RICKY’S point of view but nothing is seen. Camera switches to a side view of his face as it turns to shock. There is a close-up of RICKY’S ear as a mouth moves towards it, covered in a black bandana. The bandana is removed to show the attacker’s lips.

Attacker

I am the vanguard of the coming Storm Ricky. Your feeble human attempts to stop us are laughable. You shall be the example set for you all.

            The attacker grabs RICKY and throws him up towards the ceiling. As he falls the attacker steps aside to let him hit the stage. He then picks up RICKY with one hand and throws him against a wall, then again. Finally he slams him down upon the stage. During this whole incident we never see the attacker’s face or most of his body. As RICKY lies horribly broken, a black boot steps on his chest.

Attacker

Pathetic.

            Fade to opening title.

End Scene

Scene 2

Outside the Offices of Bermuda and Harrington, P.I.; 10:00 PM

            After blackout, a cut to a zooming shot of a door with the words “Bermuda and Harrington, P.I.” labeled on the window. A phone is heard ringing loudly from the other side. Cut to a panning direction from the inside; start from the door to around the room. The panning stops at a low angled view of someone asleep on a couch. The person’s cell phone is loudly ringing on the end table next to them. Slowly the person turns over, revealing DETECTIVE THOMAS BERMUDA barely awake. BERMUDA grabs his cell phone then sighs.

Bermuda

(Groggily) Hello..? Yes this is Bermuda. (Annoyed) Yes of “Bermuda and Harrington P.I.” now unless you have something important to say…  The PCPD? I’m sorry I have no involvement with-. My wife, but why-? (Sitting upright now) Are you absolutely sure? And who is asking this of me? The commissioner? (Sighs) Alright… give me and my partner around… 10 to 15 minutes ok? Thanks bye.

            BERMUDA sits up and sighs to himself, shaking his head. Cut to a shot of the door opening and DETECTIVE HALEY HARRINGTON entering with two cups of coffee.

Harrington

Oh Tom I didn’t expect you to be up. (Seeing his face) Are you ok? You look pale.

Bermuda

We got a call from the PCPD Haley.

Harrington

Really? And what did they want?

Bermuda

(Sighs) For me to open a case that I haven’t touched in twenty-five years.

Harrington

(Shocked) Not that case!

Bermuda

Yes.

Harrington

So… it’s started again? The crimes? After all this time?

Bermuda

The police want us at the ParidgumHigh School. We won’t no the full details until we get there.

            Cut to a shot outside of BERMUDA’S car pulling up to the high school with police cruisers stationed outside. Cut to BERMUDA and HARRINGTON entering the school; an OFFICER stops them.

Officer

Identification please.

Bermuda

Thomas Bermuda and Haley Harrington, private eyes.

Harrington

We were asked for by the commissioner personally.

Officer

(Pointing to a door) Go through there; he’s waiting for you in the auditorium.

            BERMUDA and HARRINGTON go through to the auditorium. Cut to a shot of several police officers examining seats and surrounding areas with flashlights for evidence. There are a few forensic investigators taking photos around the area around a body, covered with a cloth. COMMISSIONER FRANK MULLANDS is seen examining the body then arises to greet BERMUDA and HARRINGTON.

Mullands

Tom

Bermuda

(Shakes his hand) Frank. It’s been a while.

Mullands

(Somewhat bitter) Not long enough I suppose. I see you got yourself a new partner.

Harrington

Detective Haley Harrington at your service Commissioner.

Mullands

(Gives a small laugh) Good to know she’s polite.

Bermuda

Introductions aside Frank.

Mullands

(Gruff) Of course. Victim’s name is Richard Lane, 18 years old. We got a call from his girlfriend around 9 pm. She said that he was do to meet her at her house about 8:30 or so. When he didn’t arrive she got worried. We arrived about 9:05 and found him here. (HARRINGTON goes to lift up the cloth) I wouldn’t…

Harrington

I’ve seen a body before Commissioner. I’m pretty sure I can handle this. (MULLANDS looks at BERMUDA worriedly, who shrugs. MULLANDS nods. HARRINGTON lifts up the cloth then drops it quickly.) Jesus… (Walks to the other side of the stage and covers her mouth.)

Bermuda

(Lifting up the cloth himself.) My God.

Mullands

Well Tom, is it just like Amanda?

Bermuda

In some ways. An incredible stab wound right through the stomach, severe trauma to the cranium. But this is different. This looks like he was… thrown around like against a very solid object. Looks like every bone in his body was broken. There are also deep cuts on his forearms. Indicates there must have been a struggle of some sort before he made his way in here. My guess the lobby doors must have been locked so he started looking for a way out. Whoever did this… must have hated this kid very much.

Harrington

(Regaining her composure) To do something like that to a kid… Tom there’s no way this is-.

Bermuda

It is him. The Angel of Death.

Mullands

See how he posed the boy? Spread eagle, like wings. Earning him his nickname. Christ I had hoped he was gone.

Bermuda

(Kneeling next to body) It doesn’t make sense. Angel usually leaves some form of a clue or message on his victims. But I see nothing here.

Harrington

Who was Amanda? A friend?

Mullands

My daughter-.

Bermuda

(Interrupts) My wife. But why he would resurface after all this time… it’s all very strange.

Mullands

That’s why you’re here Tom. I want you to reopen the case. If we work quickly we can finally put this guy away. The renown… well that will be tremendous.

Bermuda

(Bitterly) This isn’t about fame Frank.

Mullands

Oh right revenge is so much sweeter.

Bermuda

At least I’m doing something to preserve Amanda’s memory, instead of trying to make a name for myself.

Mullands

You think you’re the only one with a moral stake in this?

Girl

NO!!

            MULLANDS and the two detectives turn. Camera cuts to show TAYLOR HOLLANDER and GREG BERNARD standing in the threshold blocked by cops. GREG punches the nearest cop to create an opening for TAYLOR to run through. HARRINGTON tries to stop her, but she runs right past her. BERMUDA catches the girl before she can get close enough to the body.

Bermuda

Easy girl. You don’t want to see this.

Taylor

Is it him?! Is it Ricky?!

            BERMUDA says nothing; instead he lets go of TAYLOR and allows her to run to the body.  MULLANDS steps out of the way as TAYLOR lifts up the cloth, revealing RICKY’s body. She screams.

Taylor

NOOO!!! RICKY!!

            GREG jumps up on the stage, takes one look at the body, then tries to pull TAYLOR away. She struggles but he gets a hold of her in tears. He looks at BERMUDA with disgust.

Greg

What the hell happened to him cop?!

Bermuda

Come with us. We’ll explain everything to you on the way. We’ve got a job to do.

            BARMUDA and HARRINGTON lead the shocked teens out of the theater as MULLANDS orders nearby cops to finish their work.

END SCENE