INT. CLASSROOM – DAY
Jason and Daniel are seated near the back of the classroom. Daniel stares at Jason suspiciously.
DANIEL: Sooo we got another drill today, I hope you are ready...
JASON: You kidding? I was born ready
DANIEL (teasing): Righttt, just don't fall on your a** again
JASON (rolling his eyes): Oh haha
DANIEL: "Okay sorry, Soooo…are You gonna tell me what you really saw yesterday at the maze?"
JASON (low tone voice): "Its nothing serious man."
DANIEL (concern): "Bro. Come on we are friends."
JASON: "Yeah you are my friend, not my therapist."
DANIEL (serious): "Exactly. That's why we shouldn't keep secrets from each other."
JASON: "Fair. But didn't you hide that mini blaster incident from me in 6th grade?"
DANIEL (nervous): "That was different! That was personal!"
Jason laughs. Daniel reluctantly joins.
JASON (calmly): Alright, I promise to tell you when the time is right.
DANIEL (almost yelling): WHEN HAS THE TIME EVER BEEN WRONG!!!
MRS. HAWKIN: Mr. Parker…
She gives Daniel a death stare and Daniel Nervously say
DANIEL: Sorry, Ms. Hawkin…I'll lower my voice next time
Ms. Hawkins looks at Daniel for awhile before walking off
Daniel sighs of relief and Jason is just quietly whistling while pretending to write notes
DANIEL (quietly to Jason): don't you say it…
JASON (writing on his notes, quietly): I told you so…
Daniel is livid (not that serious though) but can't say anything
INT. HALLWAY – ON THE WAY TO TRAINING GROUNDS
Jason and Daniel walk in, joking.
They spot Amanda and Lysa doing stretches and drills. Daniel freezes for a beat, staring at Amanda.
JASON (grinning): "Staring too much?"
DANIEL (Awkward): "No! I was—uh—just checking her form."
JASON: For what? Last time I checked, She's not even in the MLF fantasy league.
Then Amanda spots Daniel staring at him and he nervously looks away all embarrassed with Amanda walking away while grinning
JASON (whispering): "Hey D, just a heads up—she likes chocolate milk."
DANIEL (suspicious): "How do you even know that?"
JASON (sweating a little): "Lucky guess?"
DANIEL (suspicious): "Jason…"
JASON: Ok I talked to her friend Lysa yesterday
DANIEL: Are we talking about the same Lysa Rodrigo here? Double braids, sleeper build, Could and would fold an adult in less than 10secs?
JASON: Exactly, she seem surprisingly nice for someone who looks like Ronda Rousey
Viktor bumps into Jason hard.
JASON: HEY! Watch where you're going
VIKTOR: Or what Martinez?
DANIEL (nervous): He- Hey Jason didn't mean--
VIKTOR (Interrupts, Yelling at Daniel): PIPE DOWN, BLONDE!!
DANIEL (walking away awkwardly): yeah ok
VIKTOR (Turns to Jason, gets in his face, smirking): "Well…you wanna go Tinez?."
JASON (squares up, fists ready, gets in his face): Do you need to ask?
Before thing could escalate…
LOUDSPEAKER (PATRICIA'S VOICE):
"ALRIGHT YOUNG CADETS! TRAINING DRILL—NOW!"
VIKTOR (smirks): "Watch your back, Martinez."
Viktor shoves Jason aside and walks off.
Jason was about to go back at him but Travis places his hand on his shoulder stopping him.
TRAVIS (calmly): "Don't…, that only encourages him and besides, as long as I'm here, that guy's not laying a finger on you."
JASON (Taking his hands off of him): "Thanks, but like I said before, I can take care of myself."
TRAVIS: "Yeah, sure you can big man. anyways see you out there.."
He pats Jason's back and runs off.
THE TRAINING MONTAGE
We get a montage of Jason during the training drills:
He fails wall climbs and almost dangles from it
He is gasping during some sprinting exercises while the others run pass him
He falls off a monkey gym exercise because he was exhausted
He face-planting during combat training with an AI Advanced fighting bots
Meanwhile, Travis, Lysa, Viktor and Bennett are dominating
Daniel is shown in a lab coat, working with the tech team behind the scenes and all of them seem to love his mini gadgets he made.
INT. PATRICIA'S OFFICE – LATER
Patricia is on the phone, smiling gently.
PATRICIA: "Yes, Ryan. Mommy will be there after work, okay? Be good for Grandma….love you too"
Jason walks in. Patricia quickly hangs up and straightens her posture.
PATRICIA (sharply): "Martinez. Sit."
JASON (sits, nervous): You wanted to see me General?.
PATRICIA: "Yeah yeah umm... your Performance…You're not doing too well kid. Your Performance is well… average. And in the Shadow Elite, average aren't gonna cut it."
Jason gulps.
JASON: "But I'm trying my best. What am I doing wrong?"
She turns her tablet around and shows his score reports—he's below the curve.
PATRICIA (calmly): "You've got heart kid. But that's not enough for a place like this. If you don't improve soon… you wont be eligible for the Junior or even THE shadow elites."
JASON (quietly): "I understand."
PATRICIA (calmly): Am sorry for telling you this, I just wanted you to know--
JASON (cuts in): No no no its fine, But I need to go…You know I gonna go work on my cardio and stuff hehe, thank you once again General.
PATRICIA (smiling): It's my pleasure.
JASON salute before leaving with PATRICIA having a worried look on her face
Meanwhile behind her One of WHITE RANKS (A young woman with glasses, who's a blonde): I don't think he took the news very well.
PATRICIA (Low tone, palm to the face): Shut up, Maddie.
SIDE NOTE: The shadow elites has 3 ranks (Black, Gray and The White ranks)
BLACK RANKS
being the lowest of the ranks {mostly given to the Junior Elites and/or low ranked shadow elite soldiers}
GRAY RANKS
being the Advanced ranks {Mostly given to experienced shadow elite soldier and hardly given to a junior elite recruit}
WHITE RANKS
These are the absolute best of the ranks, hardly anyone can be white rank due to the intense work ethic (Only given to the shadow elites best soldiers turn commanders, currently only 5 soldiers hold this rank (Patricia Davis being one of them))
Jason walks through the training yard.
Everyone watches him silently.
He enters the locker room, sits down, and starts to breakdown—sobbing in silence, hands covering his face.
Then a voice from behind
THE VOICE: You okay?
Jason gets jump scared and he realizes that…
It's Lysa, leaning against the wall and he tries to look…manly I guess?
JASON (forcing a smile): Yeah of course I am wh-- why wouldn't I be?
LYSA: "I know a bad liar when I see one and plus your eyes are reds."
JASON (Looks at her): "Oh...Is it that noticeable?."
LYSA (deadpan): "Extremely."
She sits beside him.
LYSA: "It's okay to be sad. Just don't be sad for too long, okay?"
JASON (looks down, almost defeated): "But how can I keep up with you guys? I mean You... Amanda... that a**hole Viktor…the squad… you're all amazing."
LYSA (hand on his back): "Everyone has something unique. I mean Amanda is athletic, Daniel is a tech guy and You? You've got guts. But if you want to stay—you've gotta level up your game man. Especially in the abs department."
JASON: "Oh yeah? Well I… I got some strong calves abs. I…got them for coming late for my PE classes."
Lysa bursts into giggles.
LYSA (Gets in his face): "I really want to see you get in. You better not screw it up—or next time, I'll do more than a judo takedown."
JASON (nervous): "Yes ma'am."
LYSA (with a smile): Good…
As soon she walks out, she turns.
LYSA: "Oh, tell your friend Daniel… Amanda kinda has a crush on him. But don't tell him I told you."
JASON: Loud and clear
LYSA (nonchalant): It better be, Anyways, get yourself cleaned up *tosses him a small towel*, you look like a mess. Bye Crybaby
She winks and exits. Jason smiles like an idiot then snot starts running down his nose and he blows into the small towel.
INT. JASON'S HOME – EVENING
JESSICA (walking into the living room): Hey buttface…
Jason slumps onto the couch groaning as Jessica pours tea.
JESSICA (Teasing then serious): You look like mess, what happen? how was training today?
JASON (low tone): "Training sucked. General Patricia said I might not make the cut, if I don't improve soon."
Jessica's eyes widen.
JESSICA: "Well… what if you trained with someone who can actually teach you how to improve your skills?"
JASON: "Like who?"
JESSICA (dramatic): "Uncle Ken."
JASON (confused): "Uncle Ken? didn't mom tell us to avoid him?"
JESSICA: "Yup. But hey, you need a trainer right? And plus its free"
JASON: "I guess, but mom did say we should avoid him after his last visit remember? ."
JESSICA: Do you want to be in the Elites or not?
JASON: I DO!! *sigh* Alright Fine, Let's meet him tomorrow.
JESSICA: "Can't. I got work tomorrow."
JASON (dramatic): "ON A SATURDAY?!"
JESSICA (sipping tea): "Jobs, am I right?"
JASON: "Well...When will you be back?"
JESSICA: "Maybe By four or five am not sure. But don't worry I'll take you there and no going alone, okay?"
She gets oddly serious.
JASON (sarcastic): "Yeah... sure."
JESSICA: "Good… *long sigh* I gonna go to bed. Good Night, butt face."
JASON: "Good Night, tea goblin."
EXT. KEN'S FARM – NEXT DAY
Jason and Jessica walk up a long dirt path.
JASON (pinching his nose in disgust): "Uhhh…What is that smell?"
JESSICA: "That smell is called country life, city boy."
JASON (still pinching his nose, whispers to himself): More like horse sh*t and fertilizer.
JESSICA knock on the door but no answer
JESSICA (stroking her chin): That's strange, the door isn't even locked and he's not answering
JASON (confused): Wait, how do you know the door isn't locked?
JESSICA (teasing): You wouldn't get it, city boy
JASON gets mad with steam coming out from his head but doesn't say anything
JESSICA knock on the door again then…
The door swings open. But it's not Uncle Ken.
It's…Travis?
JASON & TRAVIS (overlapping):
"Travis? Jason?"
As they both stare at each other all shocked & confused.