Dominion Page #3

A fortified nondescript building stands in the center of

town, heavily guarded. Forty-story AGRI-TOWERS, each level a

different crop, abundantly grow the food that easily feeds

VEGA. Animals are bred and housed below ground, in

artificial environments.

There are a number of murals, paintings and statues of a

BABY. One mural is 100 feet tall on the side of what was

BALLY’S; some are modern representations, others look like

they could be Michelangelo’s work. And all are different, no

one baby alike.

Strange RUNE SYMBOLS, like a language, are painted below the

baby and on walls all over the city.

INT. CAESAR’S PALACE COMPOUND - SAME

As we pull into the heavily fortified CAESAR’S PALACE we see

that the city is broken down into fiefdoms, techno feudal,

with the symbol on Alex’s jacket emblazoned all over the

former casino, CAESAR’S LAUREL LEAF CROWN.

Soldiers in blue uniforms guard and patrol, everyone carries

the short sword we saw on Alex. More dogs everywhere.

Down the strip the MGM GRAND is the same... another fortified

castle, another symbol: the GOLD LION flying on flags, its

soldier’s wear the black uniforms.

INT. CAESAR’S PALACE COMPOUND -NIGHT

Alex waits, hands tied behind him, in an interrogation

holding area. Two imposing GUARDS with the WHITE WINGS on

their arm stand by the door.

10.

A SENIOR OFFICER (45), JOHN, also with the wings (they are

all part of an elite force within Rysen’s blue guard), stares

at Alex, a whip on his desk. John is calm eyed, has the look

of special forces.

JOHN:

Exiting the city with a vehicle is

a realigning offence. You’re gonna

get purged down to v-0, an

Untouchable.

ALEX:

I can live with that... better than

making a home in Michael’s ass to

be a v-3 like you.

He’s too disciplined to take the bait...

JOHN:

How’d you do it? Did you reprogram

one of the gates? Hack the

surveillance?

(Alex isn’t talking)

You’ve got no mulligans left

Alex... Michael’s going to peck

your eyes out for this.

Speaking of eyes, Alex’s track over John’s shoulder to

MICHAEL, now dressed in a long BLACK coat, two swords on his

back, who has just appeared out of nowhere. He does that a

lot.

Michael stares at Alex, shakes his head, disappointed. John

follows Alex’s stare to Michael, promptly shits his pants.

Alex can’t help but smile... he never liked John. Michael

says nothing, just points for John to leave. He can’t get

out fast enough.

MICHAEL:

Leave the whip.

John hands it to Michael, nervous. Alex looks at the angel,

knows what that means. There may be no love lost between

these two, but there’s respect. Michael snaps off Alex’s

bindings, showing his strength, lets him stand up.

MICHAEL:

You know the rules and why they

exist. Everything in Vega has a

purpose. It’s how this city

survives. Founding law: “...for

the protection and good of all...

gates are inviolable...”

11.

ALEX:

(cuts him off)

We have a right to leave. We all

do.

MICHAEL:

No... you don’t.

(poker faced)

Tell me about the angels.

ALEX:

There were four, all Eight-Balls,

but something about them was

different. One of them could

change her body... a child... she

could leap like some kind of

insect.

If this surprises Michael he doesn’t show it.

MICHAEL:

Where were they?

ALEX:

A couple miles down the strip.

MICHAEL:

What were they doing?

ALEX:

Playing Texas Hold ‘Em.

Off Michael’s look.

ALEX:

Not kidding.

MICHAEL:

And what were you doing out there?

That Alex won’t say... he just stares at Michael.

MICHAEL:

(sighs)

You know the punishment for going

outside the walls.

ALEX:

I’m going to be purged?

MICHAEL:

No. You’re Archangel Corp, but if

you ever do anything like this

again, I won’t spare you.

12.

MICHAEL (CONT'D)

Do you understand me?

(beat)

Turn around.

Alex takes off his shirt and turns. Eyes burning. Michael

cracks the whip across Alex’s back, taking no joy in it.

Alex swallows the pain, hating Michael and the system that

governs this place more with every lash. Michael slashes him

again.

VOICE OS:

That’s enough.

RYSEN (65) has entered, the beloved supreme leader of Vega.

He’s a shell of a man, tired, and worn, seeming older than

his years. He walks with a cane, in constant pain.

RYSEN:

He’s learned his lesson. Right

boy?

Alex painfully nods.

RYSEN:

Tell no one what you saw. Not a

word about the Eight-Balls. To

anyone. Now go report for duty.

Shooting Michael a bitter look, Alex exits.

MICHAEL:

He shouldn’t be outside the walls.

He needs discipline.

RYSEN:

The boy’s been sneaking outside

since he was a child, he’s just

never been caught. He knows Vega

better than anyone, he’s one of

your best... and after what he did

for Claire... I owe him.

Michael disagrees, but is more concerned about the attack.

MICHAEL:

The Eight-Ball brazenly came right

up to the gate. They’re back.

RYSEN:

The planet was crawling with them

during the Extermination. There

are bound to be stragglers left

over from the wars.

13.

Michael stares at Rysen, seeing age and time getting the

better of him.

MICHAEL:

Then why haven’t we seen them in

five years?

Rysen can’t answer that...

INT. RYSEN’S COMPOUND – NIGHT

A blonde, green-eyed beauty, CLAIRE RYSEN (25) stands in

front of a class of OLDER CHILDREN. She’s a strong willed

woman and the closest thing to a princess that Vega has.

And she’s our narrator from the beginning. We see the MURAL

from the prologue, one of those modern ceiling frescos

painted to look much older; Claire refers to the mural as she

speaks to her group. It’s the same history lesson we heard

in the prologue.

Three UNIFORMED GUARDS in BLUE UNIFORMS stand in back

watching her. Claire’s personal guard.

ALEX runs up late for his shift. He taps one of the GUARD’S

shoulders, nods for him to go. The Guard throws him a look.

GUARD:

(whispers)

You’re late, A**hole.

ALEX:

Sorry, got... held up.

Alex takes his place. Claire watches the exchange with

interest then goes back to her class and dismisses the

children.

INT. RYSEN TOWER – NIGHT

Claire leaves one guard at the elevator to her floor. ALEX

follows her to her quarters, leaving the third guard by the

door. Her security detail moves with military precision.

INT. CLAIRE’S PRIVATE QUARTERS – RYSEN TOWER – NIGHT

Claire enters with Alex. The large suite was once the

epitome of Casino opulence and bad taste. Now only the view

is the same, in a homey, very large apartment with books,

chairs, a beautiful kitchen.

Alex makes a sweep of her apartment. Claire’s tired, but

waits patiently for him to finish. He does.

14.

ALEX:

Is there anything else you need

tonight ma’am?

Claire grins, grabs him and pulls him into her arms. They

embrace, kissing passionately, hungry. She notes a small cut

on the back of his head with her fingers.

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