INT. TOLSON’S BEDROOM - MORNING
A digital clock reads 7:00. We see ALEGRA and DONOVAN TOLSON, a young African American couple, in bed sound asleep. Four children run into the room and jump on the bed, awaking the parents. The children are excited, wanting desperately for the parents to wake up. Jumping on the bed are the TOLSON’s four oldest children: TAIGE (6) and twins XAVIER and XANDER (5) and JORDAN (4).


INT. TOLSON’S LIVING ROOM - MORNING
The family is sitting around a grand, well lit Christmas tree. The children are tearing through wrapping on countless gifts. Donovan is holding Quincey (2) in a brand new red, blue, and yellow Big Wheel. Alegra watches, worried Quincey is going to fall out. Donovan is holding him in the ride and pushing him around the room. Taking joy in the children’s excitement over their gifts, Donovan and Alegra smile at each other. Alegra turns towards the kitchen to start breakfast.


INT. TOLSON’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The family is together sitting in front of a television. Donovan and Alegra are sitting on the couch. Taige and Xander are sitting on the floor. Xavier is laying on the floor, knocked out asleep. Jordan is asleep in Alegra’s lap and Quincey is asleep in Donovan’s arms. The countdown to the new year is seen on the TV. The family joins in the count. Muted pops and bangs can be heard outside the house as the city of Inglewood, brings in the new year. The parents hug the children and then each other.
DONOVAN
Happy New Year Alegra.
ALEGRA
Happy New Year Don.
(They embrace again.)


EXT. TOLSON’S HOUSE - LATE NIGHT
Establishing shot of the Tolson home.


INT. TOLSON’S LIVING ROOM - LATE NIGHT
The house is quiet. The doorbell rings. No answer. The doorbell rings again. The ring is followed by knocking. Donovan turns on a light in the living room.
DONOVAN
Somebody better be dead.
(The knocking continues.)
I’m coming! Hold on, gonna wake up my children and then you’re gonna have a REAL fight on your hands.
(Donovan gets to the door. Irritated)
Who is it?
ELI (O.S.)
It’s me, Don.
DONOVAN
(unbolting the door)
Me? Me, it’s three in the morning!
(Donovan opens the door for ELI JENSEN, black man about 30 years old.)
ELI
Man, I’d be in bed asleep too, but Messeck got to me at two in the morning.
(Eli walks past Donovan and into the living room.)
DONOVAN
Yeah, well...just come on in. It’s just my whole family you’re gonna wake up.
(Eli takes off his coat.)
And get comfortable too. I wasn’t doing anything but sleeping.
ELI
Don, Messeck Corp want to see the kids. Tomorrow.
ALEGRA
Tomorrow.
(No one heard Alegra enter the room.)
ELI
Oh, hey Alegra. Yeah, tomorrow. Well, actually later today.
DONOVAN
Why so sudden? I mean, they didn't call us to...
ELI
They called me! At two in the morning they called, reminding me of how much money they are putting into Project Gen-Z.
ALEGRA
I hate that name.
ELI
Well, come up with a better...
(Quincey is heard crying in the bedroom.)
It's almost like he knows I'm here.
ALEGRA
I got him.
(Alegra leaves the room.)
DONOVAN
Eli, we have only begun work with the kids. We don’t know how they’ll perform with strangers just yet.
ELI
We don’t have anymore time. I’ve worked all the time and money out of these people that I can. What are you two afraid of? You’ve been working on this for over a year already. It’s time.


EXT. TOLSON’S DRIVEWAY - MORNING
The children are getting into the family station wagon. They each have backpacks and lunch boxes. They look like some of the other kids who are walking down the sidewalk. Alegra notices her children looking at the other kids walking down the sidewalk.
ALEGRA
Come on, kids. Let’s hop in.


INT. TOLSON’S CAR - MORNING
Donovan is driving. Alegra is in the passenger seat. The children see other children walking to school or getting off a school bus in front of the nearby elementary school.
TAIGE
Why can’t we go to that school?
DONOVAN
You go to a special school, made just for you.
TAIGE
That’s the problem. There are no other kids there. It’s just us.
XAVIER
I don’t want to go to a special school.
XANDER
(whispers)
I don’t want to be special.
XAVIER
(mimic Xander)
I don’t want to be special.
XANDER
Shut up!
XAVIER
Shut up!
XANDER
Stop it!!
XAVIER
Stop it!!
(Xavier contorts his face and sticks out his tongue at Xander.)
XANDER
MOM! Make Xavier stop! He’s making faces at me!
(Xavier makes another face. Xander screams out again..and louder.)
MOM!!! Make him stop!
XAVIER
I’m not hurting you!
DONOVAN
I swear I’ll reach back there at tear someone’s face off if ya’ll don’t stop that noise!
(The car is instantly quiet. Alegra looks at Donovan.)
What?
ALEGRA
Rip someone’s face off?
DONOVAN
It’s an expression.
ALEGRA
Umhum...


EXT. LAB BUILDING - DAY
The station wagon pulls into the parking lot of an ordinary white building.


INT. LAB HALLWAY - DAY
Donovan and Alegra shuttle the children down a long hallway. Donovan is wearing a chest harness with Quincey in it.
ELI
Where have you all been? The Messeck people are here and you pick today to show up on CP time?!
DONOVAN
Eli, in case you haven’t noticed, we have five children to dress, feed, and load into our car.
(Alegra continues down the hall with Taige, Xander, Xavier, and Jordan.)
We have to drive past that same elementary school every morning, where we hear the same question: “Why don’t we go to school with the other kids.”
ELI
Well take a different route. There is a lot of money sitting in that room and they certainly don’t care about your excuses or the raggedy school you have to drive by to get here.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY
Donovan, Eli, Alegra, AMANDA MESSECK and ASA MESSECK are is standing in front of a large glass wall that overlooks the entire lab area. Asa is in a wheelchair. From the observation deck, we SEE Taige reading a book cube. Jordan is playing with a butterfly mobile. Xavier and Xander are playing with each other.
DONOVAN
I’m surprised to see your father this morning. I thought his health was too...
AMANDA
Yeah, well, he apparently didn’t want to miss today. Nothing’s gotten him out of the manor for years. It is a priority to him.
DONOVAN
And to you?
AMANDA
I’ve come to see how my money...
DONOVAN
Your father’s money...
AMANDA
Our money...is being spent.
(Looking at the children)
And this is what they do all day? Read, play with a butterfly mobile, and...
(Asa tries to focus his eyes to get a better look at what the twins are doing. )


INT. MAIN LAB - DAY
Xander has her back to Xavier. Xavier puts his right hand behind his back, creates a small water ball in his hand. Just as he throws the ball to hit Xander in the back of her head, Xander turns quickly and creates a small wall of fire in front of her which evaporates the water ball. Xander retaliates with two smaller fire balls. The fire balls land on Xavier’s shoes, igniting them. Xavier extinguishes the flames with a splash of water that comes directly from his fingers.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY
We SEE Asa's reaction.
ASA
Oh my God.
(smiling)
Marvelous.


INT. MAIN LAB - DAY
Donovan leads the group to the children.
DONOVAN
In accordance with the mission of our project, we are preparing for the day when the earth’s resources will be depleted by the consumptive nature of human beings. So, in order to make humans and the earth itself more compatible, we figured out a way to give humans, the ability to connect with the four major elements of the earth. With these four elements, humans would be able to restore water supplies, create energy sources without impacting the planet, and preserve many if not all the natural resources currently in existence. We’ve essentially given our children the ability to repair the earth and restore its resources.
(Silence.)
AMANDA
Um-hum...what can she do?
DONOVAN
This is our oldest daughter Taige. She is six. Very bright. She takes after her mother the most, a leader, nurturing to the others.
ASA
Taige.
AMANDA
What can she do?
ELI
She can move plants.
AMANDA
What?
DONOVAN
We have given Taige the power to connect with the earth....it’s greenery, it land, it’s soil.
(Amanda looks at Donovan blankly. Eli looks around the lab and spots a near dead plant sitting next to a group of lush, green plants. He places the plant in front of Taige. Taige looks at the plant. She just sits there.)
ELI
(whispers)
Donovan, do something.
(Taige looks up at Donovan.)
DONOVAN
Taige...touch the plant.
(All eyes are on Taige. She sits still and does nothing.)
ELI
(under his breath)
For God sake, touch the damn plant.
DONOVAN
Taige...baby...touch the plant.
(Taige remains still looking at her father. Alegra approaches Taige.)
ALEGRA
Taige. It’s OK. Heal the plant.
(Taige looks at her mother.)
Make the plant better, baby.
(Taige still does not move. Alegra does not move her mouth. We HEAR Alegra telepathically say to Taige:)
ALEGRA (V.O.)
Heal the plant, Taige.
(Taige looks down at the near dead potted plant. She raises her hands above the dry leaves. Small chills bumps grow on her hands and arms. She then takes both hands and cradle the dry leaves. With that touch, the leaves slowly grow from a dry brown to a lush green. The plant even grows three inches and stands straight up. A slight smile grows on Taige’s face. She quickly looks up at her mother who is smiling back with approval. Donovan looks a little hurt at first, but then smiles at Taige. Taige turn to the other children.)
TAIGE
It’s ok.
(Xander, Xavier, and Jordan step forward and display their powers. Xavier cups his hands together and when he parts his hands from the top, a small water balls forms and grows as he parts his hands further. Xander does the exact same motion as Xavier to create a fire ball. Without warning, Xavier throws his water ball directly at Eli. Eli ducks to avoid the ball but before it reaches him, Xander throws her fire ball, hitting the water ball, both evaporating into the air. The twins roll around on the floor laughing at Eli. Alegra and Donovan both try to hide their amusement.)
ELI
(again under his breath)
Bad ass kids.
(Jordan begins spinning a small tornado on her right index finger, like one would a basketball. Jordan is running the fingers on her left hand through the tornado and appears to be talking softly to it.)
AMANDA
What is she saying?
DONOVAN
Jordan is very private.
ALEGRA
We believe that of all the children, Jordan loves her gift the most. She sings to her wind. It keeps her company.
AMANDA
And what does he do?
(Amanda is looking at Quincey riding around in Donovan’s chest harness.)
DONOVAN
This is our little man, Quincey.
ALEGRA
We’ve opted not to give him any special abilities.
ELI
Not yet.
(Alegra and Donovan look at Eli.)
We are still testing the capabilities...
ALEGRA
We have decided not to...
(Amanda raises her hand to silence Alegra.)
ELI
We are still testing the capabilities to connect little Quincey to our elaborate computer system and upload him with all the information and knowledge his little body can hold.
ALEGRA
We’ve not agreed to this procedure...
AMANDA
And why not. This, to me, could prove to be the greatest advancement in human research. Do you realize by being able to upload countless amount of information in a child, you effectively erase learning disabilities? You can give a child in Compton the same knowledge as a child in Cambridge. You eliminate the very nature of what’s left of discrimination in America.
ASA
Dr. Tolson, Amanda lacks the appropriate vocabulary or tact to sell a used car. However, I do believe she has an extraordinary point to consider. You will bring man...and woman...further than any of our great schools and universities...You will be the mother of the world’s new child. The most brilliant child.
ALEGRA
Dr. Messeck, with all due respect, the world’s most brilliant child isn’t delivered knowledge. The world’s most brilliant child discovers it.
ASA
Yes. Yes. How right you are. Your care here reminds me of the days you and Amanda sat in the Tusk Ward during the syphilis experiments, caring for the sick and dying men.
ALEGRA
They need someone to care for them.
ASA
Think of what these gifts can do for all of mankind. Just...think about it.
(beat)
Good work. I look forward to more.
(To Amanda)
Let’s leave the Tolson’s to their work.
(Asa and Amanda leave.)
ELI
Amanda, wait.


INT. LAB HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
ELI
Amanda...
AMANDA
Ms. Messeck.
ELI
Ms. Messeck.
AMANDA
And I don’t appreciate being told how my money...
ELI
Your father’s money...
AMANDA
You get that woman on board with the upload or not only will I shut down this whole project, I’ll burn every shred of your work to the ground.
ELI
And completely destroy your father’s investment?
AMANDA
My father is a day away from dying. I run this show. Get that woman in line. And call me Amanda outside of the bedroom and I’ll have your small pair toasting in that fire. Do I make myself clear?
ELI
Yes.
(Amanda waits.)
Yes, Ms. Messeck.
AMANDA
Secure the boy for the upload.


EXT. MESSECK MANSION - NIGHT
Establishing shot of the Messeck estate.


INT. MESSECK’S STUDY - NIGHT
Asa is sitting in front of his fireplace. His back is to the door. Amanda enters the room.
AMANDA
The Tolson’s are moving forward with the upload on the boy. She...
ASA
Alegra...
AMANDA
...Dr. Tolson resisted by I made my position clear.
ASA
And Alegra complied?
AMANDA
Dr. Tolson complied.
ASA
Excellent. Give her anything she wants. These children, these beautiful children, are my future. ..the world’s future. Today, heal the plant. Tomorrow, they’ll heal the earth...beginning with me.


INT. TOLSON’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Alegra is asleep. She turns over in bed and reaches for Donovan. The bed empty.


INT. TOLSON GIRL’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Alegra looks in on the sleeping daughters.


INT. XAVIER’S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Alegra looks in on a sleeping Xavier. She looks over at Quincey’s crib. He is not there.


INT. MAIN LAB - NIGHT
A baby high chair made of metal and wires is in the middle of the lab. On the ends of each wire are small white circular electrode pads to monitor Quincey’s upload. Donovan enters with Quincey. Donovan stares at the chair. Amanda speaks over the PA system in the lab.
AMANDA (O.S.)
It’s was especially made for Quincey...by Dr. Jensen.
ELI (O.S.)
Hello Donny.
(Donovan looks up at the observation booth. Eli and Amanda are watching him.)
Join us when Q’s all strapped in.
(Donovan’s jaw tightens. He watches as Amanda kisses Eli in the booth. Donovan places Quincey in the chair.)
DONOVAN
I love you Quincey. This is your destiny. You will be greater and far wiser than any man on earth. My gift to you, is the world. I’m proud of you son.
(Donovan kisses Quincey.)


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
Donovan enters the lab observation room.
DONOVAN
Eli, prepare the main server for download. I’ll set all the local bays to record Quincey’s physical progress and internal functions. I want to monitor his heart rate, his blood pressure, brain wave activity and nervous system response.


INT. MAIN LAB - CONTINUOUS
The video cameras placed all around the lab light up as they begin recording.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
A series of television monitors light up, displaying the experiment from different angles.
ELI
The chair itself should ground him for the electrical current that will course through his body.
AMANDA
Wow...a baby electric chair. This should be fun.
ELI
Donny, man, focus. That’s your boy in that chair. Let’s get this right. Forget about her.
AMANDA
Yeah, forget about me, Donny.
DONOVAN
Activate Gen-Z upload master.
ELI
We’re all set to go.
DONOVAN
Hold on tight Quincey.
(Donovan hits the “enter” button. The upload begins. We HEAR the sound of a grand machine gaining power. The lights throughout the lab begin to dim and flicker as the computer is draining the power from the rest of the building.)


INT. LAB HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Alegra is walking down the hallway to the main lab. The lights in the hallway continue to flicker. She runs towards the observation room.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The various monitors in the observation room show a slow and steady stream of data being downloaded into Quincey. Alegra enters. She doesn’t look at any of the monitors. She is only watching Quincey.
ALEGRA
Donovan, what have you done?
(As the upload continues, the data on the monitors begin to race faster and faster up the various screens. The electrodes monitoring Quincey’s vitals are all showing dangerous increases.)
Donovan, turn it off! It’s too much for him!
AMANDA
Don’t, you’ll kill him!
ELI
She’s right Donny. A partial upload will kill him.
ALEGRA
THIS IS GOING TO KILL HIM!


INT. MAIN LAB - CONTINUOUS
Quincey’s entire body begins trembling. The trembling grows to a violent seizure. As the upload continues, so does the convulsions. Quincey’s eyes rolls back into his head. He creates fists with both his tiny hands. At the rate at which the computers are consuming energy in the building, it is too much for the electrical unit n the lab. Lights begin to blow up.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Amanda’s cell phone rings.
AMANDA
Yeah?
(The voice on the other side speaks.)
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
Ms. Messeck? This is Dr. Grant. We need you to come home as soon as possible.
AMANDA
Dr. Grant, I’m busy with my father’s work.
(Pause)
Is there something wrong with my father?
(There is a short pause on the phone.)
MALE VOICE
I’m sorry, but your father has passed away in his sleep.
AMANDA
Thank you Dr. Grant. I’m sure my father would want me to continue on in his honor.
(Amanda abruptly hang up the phone.)
ALEGRA
Donovan, you are killing him!
(Donovan tries to shut down the upload, but nothing is working.)
AMANDA
I had Eli make some changes that would fail safe the upload. You can’t stop it Donovan.
(Alegra bangs on the window calling out to Quincey.)
You’ve been working here, how long now? You know he can’t hear you.


INT. TOLSON’S CAR - NIGHT
The four children are sitting in the car. Xander, Xavier, and Jordan are asleep, but Taige is awake. She presses the button to unlock the doors.
TAIGE
Wake up. Come on, wake up.


INT. LAB HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Xavier, Xander, and Jordan follow Taige down the hallway.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Alegra sees the children enter the lab.
ALEGRA
Oh my God. Taige, get out of there!
(She begins banging on the window and shouting.)
Kids!! Get out of there!


INT. MAIN LAB - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Alegra and Donovan banging on the window, screaming for the kids to get out of the room. The window is sound proof. Taige, Xavier, Xander and Jordan all stand in front of Qunicey. They watch Quincey’s little body continue to shake. CU on Quincey’s body. He tightens his fist, drawing blood in the palms of his hands. He brings his arms closer to his body. A flash of light and energy flashes from Quincey’s body. That flash is followed by another, and then another and another. The energy pulses increase in speed from his body. The energy pulses hit the children. It looks as though the kids are hit with short gusts of wind.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
ALEGRA
What’s happening in there?! We’ve got to stop this! We are going to kill all the children!


INT. MAIN LAB - CONTINUOUS
The pulses increase to a constant stream of white light beaming from Quincey and into each of the other four children. With a slight pump of his arms away from his body, every electrode explodes off his body. The force of the explosion blows glass in every direction in the lab. The glass front to the observation deck also explodes. All the adults fall to the floor. In slow motion, a wall of shattered glass fly towards the children. None of the children move out of the path of the flying glass. As the glass reaches Xavier, a water geyser forms in front of him. The glass bounce off the water wall. Jordan forms a tornado around her, sending the shards of glass away from her. Xander forms an orb of fire around her. The glass melts as it strikes the protective fire. Taige’s body is instantly wrapped in leaves and thick vines, protecting her from glass as it nearly strikes her. Pieces of the glass lodge into the thick vines. The shower of glass stops ends.


INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The observation room is littered with broken glass. Alegra and Donovan run out of the observation room to children.


INT. MAIN LAB - CONTINUOUS
Donovan clear the glass from Quincey. Alegra check all the other children. They are all without a single scratch.
ALEGRA
What happened?
DONOVAN
I don’t know. It was almost like he protected himself. We couldn’t shut the program off. He ended it himself.
ALEGRA
The explosion sent glass everywhere. The kids...
DONOVAN
I know.
ALEGRA
That’s it Donovan. When a two year has to protect himself, we have gone too far. No more test. No more experiments. It’s over.
Amanda and Eli enters the lab.
AMANDA
You want out? You can have out. The children stay.
ALEGRA
No.
AMANDA
I own the children now. I paid for them. I will make them what I want.
(Alegra lunges towards Amanda. Donovan grabs Alegra. Eli pulls a gun on Alegra and Donovan.)
I guess you could say I’m the mother now.
ALEGRA
Eli, what are you doing?
ELI
Securing my future.
ALEGRA
You’re going to kill us both.
ELI
No, just you.
(Donovan stands next to Eli and Amanda.)
ALEGRA
Donovan?
DONOVAN
You’re right. This work is over...for you.
AMANDA
Shoot her.
ALEGRA
Eli wait!
DONOVAN
Yes. Wait.
(pause)
Let me.
(Eli hands Donovan the gun.)
AMANDA
Shoot her.
ALEGRA
Donovan, what are you doing?
DONOVAN
The work has to continue Alegra. You are in the way.
AMANDA
Shoot her already!
ALEGRA
Donovan. Choose your family...
(Amanda grabs the gun and...BANG! BANG! Taige whips two vines around Alegra, pulling her out of the line of fire. Jordan throws a gust of wind at the first bullet, deflecting it and then a gust at the second in a different direction. Xander shoots a stream of fire at Amanda’s hand holding the gun. Xavier shoots a powerful water blast that sends Eli, Amanda and Donovan across the floor on their backs. Eli crashes into a metal tank marked “Liquid Nitrogen”. The first bullet hits that tank and the liquid washes all over Eli. He screams as the liquid is freezing portions of the right side of his body. Amanda and Donovan crash into a far wall, across the lab from Alegra and the children. The second bullet goes in the direction of a natural gas tank. The bullet strikes the tank. The tank explodes. Taige’s vines grab Quincey out of his high chair. Alegra catches Quincey in her arms and shields him. The fire ball is heading in Alegra and the children’s direction. They all crouch to shield themselves. A translucent shield forms around the family, protecting them from the blast. On the other side of the room, the fire ball reaches Amanda, Eli and Donovan. They crouch to hide from the fire but are burned. Alegra discovers she and the kids are safe from the fire. She sees the shield surrounding them.)
ALEGRA (CONT’D)
Which one of you is doing this?
(Xander, Taige, Xavier, and Jordan all look at Alegra. Quincey is the only one looking at the shield.)
Quincey?
(Quincey looks at Alegra and smiles.)
OK. Let’s get out of here. When Quincey releases the shield, I need you all to run as fast as you can towards the door and out of the building, ok?
(They all nod yes.)
OK. Ready? Let it go Quincey.
(The shield disappears.)
Go! Run!
(Taige, Xander, Xavier, and Jordan all run for the door. Alegra, still holding Quincey, turns to follow the children out. WHOOSH! Through the fires leaps a badly burned Amanda. She grabs at Alegra, causing Alegra to fall.)
AMANDA
He’s mine! Give him to me!
(Amanda is clawing at Alegra, pulling her back into the room and closer to the fire. Alegra screams)
ALEGRA
TAIGE!!! Taige, take Quincey! TAIGE!!
(Taige stops at the lab swing doors. She sends two vines towards the pile and grabs Alegra.)
No, just get Quincey out of here!!
(Taige continues to pull at Alegra but can’t get her away from Amanda.)
Taige, No!! Please, take the baby!!
(Taige’s vines releases Alegra and pulls Quincey out.)
Now run!!! Get out of here!


EXT. LAB PARKING LOT - NIGHT
The children all run out of the front entrance of the building. Neighbors begin to show up. One of the neighbors see the children running out the building. The small crowd run to the rescue them. The fire trucks begin to arrive. The people are trying to get the children away from the burning building. The building explodes!

Black out.