THE WILL
By: Marc Adrian Reyes
Chapter 1 · Episode 10 - "THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY"
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EXT. ENEMY CAMP - YARD - DAY
JOMARI'S TEAM is on their knees in the dirt. ENEMY SOLDIERS circle them, rifles aimed at their heads.
LEADER
(smiling coldly)
Thank you for doing the work for us.
JOMARI
(gritting his teeth)
Who the hell are you people?
LEADER
We? We're the victims of the corrupt government you blindly followed.
JOMARI
We're not one of them-
The LEADER slams the butt of his gun into JOMARI's face.
LEADER
Shut up. I'm not allowing you to speak.
LEADER'S LIEUTENANT
(pleading)
Please... I know him.
LEADER
Who cares?!
He shoves the LIEUTENANT aside.
Suddenly, another GROUP OF MASKED MEN drags in more HOSTAGES with sacks over their heads.
MASKED MAN
(pushing the hostages forward)
Here are the others.
The group is forced to kneel. Fear trembles through everyone - except MARC, who stays frighteningly calm.
LEADER
Who's the leader?
A MAN steps forward and yanks the sack off MARC's head. The others follow suit, revealing the squad.
The LIEUTENANT gasps.
LEADER'S LIEUTENANT
(shocked)
Marc?!
MARC hears the familiar voice and freezes.
MARC
(confused)
Do I... know you?
The LIEUTENANT removes her mask.
MARC
(whispers)
Elizabeth?
YNA
You know her?
JUSTINE & JOMARI
(overlapping, stunned)
It can't be...
YNA
(to the guys)
Wait - you all know this girl too?
MARC
You know her, babe. I told you about her before...
YNA
What? I don't-
JUSTINE
Elizabeth. Captain's first love.
YNA's jaw drops.
YNA
That's her?
JOMARI
Captain would've turned the whole world upside down just to find her... until she got married.
MARC lowers his eyes, glassy.
MARC
Before I met you...
ELIZABETH's tears spill.
ELIZABETH
I didn't know you were still looking for me...
LEADER
(grabbing Elizabeth)
Enough! She's mine, remember?
He rips off his own mask - revealing ALJON - then pulls ELIZABETH close and kisses her roughly.
ALJON
(mocking)
She belongs to me. She chose me.
YNA points at him, shaken.
YNA
Then who is that?
JUSTINE
Aljon...
ALJON
(smirking)
Yeah. Elizabeth's one and only love. She follows everything I say.
(turning to Elizabeth)
Do the honors, babe. Shoot Marc in the head for me.
ELIZABETH trembles, raising the gun. Her eyes blur with tears.
ELIZABETH
(shaking)
No... I-I can't-
ALJON
(growling)
Do it.
ELIZABETH hesitates - gun wavering toward MARC.
JUSTINE
(crying out)
No, Eli... don't do it!
ALJON snaps. He grabs her gun.
ALJON
What's so hard about shooting someone, huh?!
He fires.
The gunshot shatters the silence.
The bullet SLAMS into YNA's chest.
YNA collapses, staring at MARC in shock and pain.
MARC's world stops.
MARC
(screams)
NOOOOOOO!!!
Silence.
The squad's eyes fill with tears as YNA falls limp.
Elizabeth freezes, shocked.
ELIZABETH
(voice breaking)
Why would you... do that?
Marc drops to his knees beside Yna, shaking.
MARC
No... no, babe... babe, please. Please don't close your eyes...
ELIZABETH
Why? Why would you do this?!
ALJON
(cold)
Shut up.
Marc lifts his head, glaring at Aljon through tears.
MARC
You...
ALJON
What? Don't worry-
(smirk)
-you're next.
ELIZABETH
What's wrong with you?!
Yna struggles to breathe, tears flowing.
YNA
(weak, choking)
Please... take care of our princess... don't let anything bad happen to her... you promised me that...
Marc's voice collapses.
MARC
(crying hard)
No. No... babe, fight. Please... fight...
Yna inhales one last time-then goes still.
Eyes open. Tears frozen on her cheeks.
Marc's squad is in shock. Marc bends over her, pressing his forehead to her chest, sobbing.
ALJON
(smiling)
First, I took Elizabeth from you. I won.
Second, I took your wife's life.
Now there's only one thing left-
(raises gun to Marc's head)
-finish you off.
Marc doesn't move. He stares straight at death.
Elizabeth's eyes widen.
ELIZABETH
NO!!!
She lunges, shoving Aljon's arm. The shot MISSES.
Justine, Arnel, Jomari, and Sophia seize the moment-
They break free, grab weapons, and open fire.
The enemies scramble for cover.
Elizabeth dives behind debris, helping free Marc. Marc clutches Yna tightly.
JUSTINE
(shouting)
CAPTAIN!!!
Gunfire echoes.
Elizabeth watches Marc grieving over Yna-broken, silent.
ELIZABETH
(whispers, guilty)
I'm sorry...
Marc doesn't look at her.
He slowly stands, picking up a rifle, eyes burning with rage.
MARC
(voice shaking with fury)
You'll pay for this... ALJON!!!
Marc unleashes a burst of gunfire.
Justine sprints to a tank, throws a grenade inside-
BOOM! The tank erupts in flames.
The enemies scatter.
Elizabeth is left behind. Agatha restrains her as Marc's group retreats down the road.
Marc keeps talking softly to Yna's lifeless body.
Elizabeth watches, devastated.
ELIZABETH
(whispering, broken)
I... I'm so sorry...
Marc never answers.