The Things We Protect FADE IN: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT A flashlight shines across shipping containers. The light illuminates reflects off each one. DONOVAN PAULSEN, (30) walks through a dim warehouse, a flashlight in hand. He has an AR slung around the front of him. He wears a pair of jeans. A tan plate carrier sits over a white button up shirt. The bags on Don's eyes show through the dim light. He wears an earpiece. The radio comes to life as MARCUS MATTHEWS, (34) keys his microphone. MARCUS (earpiece) All teams, report. TIGER 1 Alpha one, all clear. TIGER 2 Alpha two, all clear. Marcus lets off a sigh into the earpiece. Don fumbles with his microphone. DON Alpha three, all clear. CONRAD MILLER, (28) keys his microphone. CONRAD Tiger four, all clear. Don yawns. He meets back up with Conrad. CONRAD (CONT’D) How you liking the job so far? DON About what I expected. Another narrow conex hallway in front of them. CONRAD You want to switch? Don gives a chuckle. DON It's the same damn thing here, dude! Conrad gives a shrug. DON (CONT’D) Fuck it. The two switch sides. The same setup sits in front of Don. DON (CONT’D) (muttering) Told him. Don walks forward, light forward. A thud. MARCUS (earpiece) All units, report. TIGER 1 Tiger one, all clear. TIGER 2 Tiger 2, all clea... Don takes out his ear piece and listens again. A louder and more noticeable thud. Don puts his earpiece back in. MARCUS (earpiece) Paulsen, report, damn it. DON Tiger three reporting, I got something here. Don slings his rifle forward. DON (CONT’D) WHO'S THERE?! He checks the safety on his rifle. DON (CONT’D) Fuck. He flicks it off, and moves forward. Louder bangs- Something metallic. His heart races as he moves forward. Don slows down and begins to control his breaths. More bangs come from next to him. DON (CONT’D) Who the fuck is in the container? He looks to both sides of him. Nothing. DON (CONT’D) (into earpiece) Be advised, found the source of the sound. MARCUS Copy that, don't open that till we- DON Fuck that. Don takes out a pair of bolt cutters and cuts the locks off the shipping container. He keeps his hand on his rifle, turns on its light, and keeps it trained at the door. Don swings the door open. INT. SHIPPING CONTAINER - NIGHT His once tired eyes change to those of shock. DON Oh, fuck. Children lay on cots inside the container. One bucket sits on each end of the container. Don covers his mouth and tries to mask the stench of the container. At the very front, a child stands there. CHILD Mama? Это ты? DON What?! Don looks past him and shines his light on the others. DON (CONT’D) English? The child's eyes give Don a blank stare. CHILD Это ты? DON I don't... Marcus walks into the container. MARCUS Hey, buddy... Don lowers his weapon. DON Hey man, we gotta go to the feds about this Behind Don, two of the security guys appear behind him. Marcus gets closer and holds something sharp in his hand. DON (CONT’D) Hey what the fuck are you- Marcus stabs the child in the shoulder with the syringe and takes it out. DON (CONT’D) Motherfucker! Don raises his handgun only for one to put him in a head lock. The other pulls the gun out of his hand. The child falls in front of him. Don struggles to get out of their grasp as one kicks the back of his leg and brings him to his knees. He falls forward and lets off a cry of pain as he falls forward. Marcus picks the child up and sets him down in an empty cot. Marcus walks over to Don. His demeanor is calm, casual. MARCUS Donovan Paulsen. (smiles) You live with your daughter, formerly Ashley Wren Jackson, now Ashley Paulsen at 4333 West Bell Road, apartment 2043 in Phoenix. Don looks up at him with anger. DON These are god damn kids! MARCUS Donny, Donny, Donny. Don tries to struggle only to get held back as he looks up at Marcus. MARCUS (CONT’D) Always the pessimist, aren't you? Don's eyes widen as he looks behind Marcus at the children on cots. DON They're in fucking shipping containers... MARCUS You are standing in front of a moving train, Don. I'm just protecting that our bottom line. Now. You get in our way. He reaches into a holster and pulls out a suppressed Ruger Mark 2 and chuckles. MARCUS (CONT’D) I'm going to kill your daughter and make you watch. He reaches into Don's vest pocket and takes out a picture of Ash. MARCUS (CONT’D) I've known you awhile buddy. Don just watches this. MARCUS (CONT’D) Honestly, capping four of your guys isn't a very heroic thin- DON FUCK YOU! Marcus just laughs. MARCUS Can you believe this fucking guy? A "hero". At least the chicks I'm with don't cheat. Don lunges forward but gets pulled back by the two that hold his arms. MARCUS (CONT’D) You're so cute when you get like that. Now, what's it gonna be? Don goes silent as the anger on his face subsides. His face changes to that of disgust. DON I won't talk. Marcus reaches into another vest pocket. He takes Don's wallet. Marcus takes out Don's license snaps a photo of it. He puts it all back and throws his wallet down. MARCUS Pick your shit up and get back to it. The two agents let him go. DON Yeah... Sure. The three walk out. Don still looks at the container, shock in his eyes. The kids in cots line the shipping container as Don stands back up and walks out. The light inside the crate goes away as Don closes it. CUT TO: INT. CORPORATE OFFICE - DAY SENTINEL SECURITIES, is visible against a wall. DON I can't believe they actually took me. Don walks through a corridor. He wears a suit, the jacket open. DAWN "MICHELLE" PAULSEN, (34) walks beside him. MICHELLE Well, a lot of things tend to when you're the "Hero of Houston". Big damn hero you are. Don shrugs. DON If it's just that, then I don't really deserve it now, do I? Michelle rolls her eyes then stops. MICHELLE Honestly? You don't, Mikey. DON Excuse me? Michelle pulls out a security card and opens a door for him. MICHELLE First door to the right. Make sure not to kill anyone along the way. Don raises his arms as anger registers on his face. DON You weren't there, sis! She motions for him to enter. Don walks inside. The door closes behind him. He takes a deep breath. DON (CONT’D) Motherfucker. Don walks forward and enters MEETING ROOM - DAY MARCUS MATTHEWS, (30) gives Don a warm smile. MARCUS Just wanted to congratulate you, Mr. Paulsen. You're going to great on our team. Don shakes his hand and shoots a nervous grin. DON So, what am I going to be doing exactly? I wasn't really clued in on that. MARCUS Just security on high value cargo from the Ukraine. Don nods. DON Anything I'll need? MARCUS Just everything you used during the course, no real preference. It's all you. Marcus shoots a warm smile to him. DON Sounds good then. Marcus puts his hand out and offers a handshake. The two shake hands. MARCUS How's tomorrow sound for your first day? DON I don't see an issue. Marcus shoots him a grin. MARCUS See you tomorrow then. INT. HALLWAY - DAY Don steps out of the room and closes the door behind him. He closes his eyes then takes a sigh. DON Fuck. Don walks down as Michelle approaches him. MICHELLE How'd it go, Mikee? Don shrugs and walks with her. DON Okay, given the circumstances. MICHELLE He seems to like you. DON Yeah, well a lot of people seem to like me- Never seems to do me any god damn favors. Michelle shrugs. MICHELLE Why can't you be positive Don? Don just shoots a look of confusion at her. DON Why can't you see things for how they are? It's always the same with you- Gunshots ring out as people start to run away through the hall. An alarm rings out. LOUDSPEAKER (over building) Code silver, all personnel evacuate immediately. The world slows. Michelle starts to tug on Don's shoulder, with a frantic look on her face. The world comes back. MICHELLE WE NEED TO GO, NOW! Don's face changes to anger as screams grow louder. DON Get outta here! MICHELLE Fine, be that way then! Don pushes her away as he moves down the hall way. He makes a turn as the gun shots continue to ring out. DON I'm gonna die, I'm gonna fucking die, I'm gonna fucking die... Don stops and looks at an armed security guard. The guard holds his leg as his blood pools around him. In the other, he holds a Beretta and trains it in the direction people run from. He slumps over and drops his gun. Don makes his way over to him and looks at his belt. A tourniquet sits on it. He takes it out and cuts off the bleeding gunshot wound. DON (CONT’D) This guy's gonna make it. I'm not. Just shoot me, dude. Be done with it. Don takes the gun and chamber checks it. Sweat runs down Don's brow. DON (CONT’D) Oh, I'm so fucking dead. Gunshots ring out behind him. People flee behind him. DON (CONT’D) Oh fucking christ. Don takes a deep breath and charges in. INT. OFFICE - DAY Everyone in the room is gone. Dead bodies lie around. Some in front of the door as if they'd tried to escape. Two men stand in the room. CRAIG, (mid-40s) holds a gun to the other one's chest. BILL, (mid-30s) has his hands up. Blood stains his shirt. His nose bleeds. CRAIG You were banging my wife you son of a bitch. BILL Craig, it wasn't like that, she was throwing herself on- CRAIG DON'T tell me that, I know you slimey son of a bitch, I know how you- Don gets into position and trains his Beretta on him. DON Hey! Craig turns the gun on Don. Don fires two shots at him, the deafening sound of gunfire echoing through the halls office The office window behind Don breaks as he crawls forward. DON (CONT’D) (muttering) Well, fuck. CRAIG You got no part in this, get the fuck out of here! Craig's gun dry clicks as Don stands up. Craig loads a magazine and rides it forward. The two take aim at each other. Don squeezes the trigger, firing one shot into Craig's throat. Craig manages to get a shot off, hitting Don in the shoulder. Silence. Don bleeds from his shoulder as two officers, Parks and Hawkins walk in. He throws the gun on the ground, his hands up. He looks down at his shoulder and blacks out. FADE TO BLACK. Don is wheeled out on a stretcher. JACQUELINE "JACKIE" PAULSEN, (28) places her hand on his face above him. JACKIE (O.S.) I love you Donovan Paulsen. She holds his hand. DON (mouthing) ...Jackie, don't leave... Blood runs down the side of his arm. Michelle stabs something into his arm. Don lets out a scream of pain as he sucks in air. His pulse begins to race as she shouts something. Don's breathing begins to normalize as he looks at his arm, covered in blood. His hearing returns. MICHELLE GET UP! Don stands up, his pulse guns it once more. He feels his arm. DON I thought I was shot here...