BOOK 16
CHAPTER 1: THE CHOICE
The walls of Gardenia were quieter than Cherry remembered.
No welcoming committee.
No whispers of forgiveness.
No trace of Eve’s voice calling her back.
Just the sound of boots on stone.
A rush of hands.
And the sting of a weapon drawn too quickly.
They treated her like a criminal the moment she stepped off the transport.
Like she hadn’t once saved their Council from collapsing under its own lies.
Like she hadn’t bled for the same cause that now cast her in shadow.
High Chi got her halfway through the perimeter.
But even her reflexes couldn’t outrun a net of frequency suppressors.
She hit the ground hard. Didn’t cry out.
By the time they dragged her underground,
her hair was tangled, her shirt torn,
and her pulse had slowed to something calm.
Too calm.
She wasn’t here to resist.
The cell they threw her into was cool and dim, carved into ancient stone.
There was no bed. Just a bench, a drain, and a light that flickered like it wasn’t sure if this soul deserved clarity.
But someone else was already there.
A girl.
Thin, barefoot.
Eyes like soft lanterns in a collapsing world.
She didn’t speak at first.
Just looked at Cherry like she already knew everything.
And maybe she did.
Because when she finally spoke, it wasn’t a greeting.
It was recognition.
CHERRY
I chose to come here.
CHRIS
We both did.
CHERRY
This place is full of angels.
CHRIS
You’re letting more love in now.
(smiling)
They’re so happy about that.
CHERRY’S INNER THOUGHTS
I don’t know how she’s doing this—
how she’s sitting there in this dungeon,
still smiling.
Like she’s already forgiven the world for everything.
Like she isn’t afraid of what’s coming next.
I want to believe her.
That I’m softening.
That these watchers—if they really are angels—
are celebrating that shift.
But I still feel cracked open.
Like I’m walking barefoot across broken glass
and pretending it’s petals.
She reminds me of who I was
before the spotlight,
before the holodeck punishments,
before I started making choices
that scared even me.
She’s not just a girl.
She’s… the next.
And if I came here for anything,
maybe it was to remember that.
CHRIS
Your choice to bring Maximillian to truth—
it wasn’t made from fear.
It was part of a larger plan.
To give more freedom
to Eve.
To Lisa.
You love them.
It was love that moved you.
But now…
you’re afraid it hurt others too.
Afraid that who you are—
just being who you are—
hurts people.
CHERRY’S INNER THOUGHTS
God.
She says it like she’s been living in the knot
I’ve been trying to untangle.
I wanted them free.
I wanted to break the chain
before it snapped around someone else’s neck.
But now I feel like the blade.
Not the hand.
Not the forge.
Just the thing that cuts—
even when I mean well.
Do I love too hard?
Too fast?
Or is it just that the moment I move from love,
the world panics—
like it can’t trust someone like me
to hold power
without someone bleeding?
CHRIS
Who are you, Cherry—
to decide when it’s time to hurt others
in order to free the ones you love?
CHERRY (softly, trembling)
No one.
I’m no one.
(beat)
Just someone who saw the lock—
and had the key.
And I knew…
if I didn’t turn it,
Eve would keep choosing the cage.
(beat)
Lisa would stay half-lit—
like a candle trying not to offend the dark.
I didn’t plan to hurt anyone.
But I saw the pain coming anyway.
Like a wave.
And I thought—
maybe if I moved first,
if I did it from love,
it would sting less.
(beat, breaking)
But I don’t know if that’s true anymore.
CHRIS
Love doesn’t erase pain.
But the kind of love you carry—
it changes things.
Not because it’s wrong.
But because it threatens the laws
others live by.
It flips their coin.
And suddenly—
they have to look at the side
they’ve spent their lives avoiding.
Where they operate in fear,
you surrender.
Where they hold tight,
you let go.
Where they control—
you set free.
And that terrifies them.
They lash out
not because your love is flawed—
but because it reflects a truth
they’re not ready to live by.
INT. DUNGEON CELL – EVENING
The walls hum with quiet tension, flickering with unseen watchers. A soft glow halos Chris as she stands across from Cherry, calm, radiant, watching her.
CHRIS
Ask me what you really want to know, Cherry.
CHERRY
(softly)
Who am I?
Chris doesn’t answer with words. She begins to slowly circle Cherry, who is seated on the ground, bruised, cautious, but alert.
CHRIS
You don’t remember volunteering to come here?
Eve was there. Lisa too.
All of you chose this path. Together.
Chris comes to stand directly behind her, resting a hand lightly at the crown of her head, then slowly crouches until she is level with Cherry’s ribs.
CHRIS
Do you want your ribs healed?
She holds out her hand.
CHERRY’S THOUGHTS
Everything in me tightens.
Not from fear—
but from the terrifying softness of what surrender might mean.
Her hand isn’t glowing.
It’s not pulsing with power.
It’s just… waiting.
I don’t even realize I’ve reached for it
until our palms meet.
And something opens.
A breath.
A warmth.
The pain in my side—the sharp edge I’d been bracing against.
dissolves.
I can breathe.
And for the first time in forever, it doesn’t hurt.
Chris smiles gently, eyes still locked with hers.
CHRIS
There was a song you wrote—about friends. Do you remember writing it?
CHERRY(remembering)
That was a long time ago.
CHRIS
Can you sing it for me?
Cherry blinks, startled. But her lips part.
She begins singing—softly, like an echo from the past.
🎵 CHERRY (singing) – “Come In, Friend”
(barely above a whisper)
There’s a child on the edge of the garden,
Scuffing dust with the side of their shoe.
No one calls them in for supper,
No one asks what they’ve been through…
(Chris hums along — gently, on pitch)
They wear a coat stitched out of silence,
Buttoned tight from chin to chest.
Every glance they throw is armor,
Every joke a quiet test.
(Cherry’s voice rises slightly, a thread of light piercing the dungeon air)
CHERRY & CHRIS
But I see you standing there,
Hands in pockets, wild-eyed stare.
I won’t ask you to pretend—
Just come in, friend…
Come in, friend.
INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS – INTERCOMS LIVE
—In the underground Guardian control room, a technician frowns as the feed flickers.
—In Eve and Lisa’s home, the intercom crackles. Honey stirs in his sleep.
—On the street near the prison gates, someone’s comm blinks to life. The song streams through.
All across Gardenia, the melody spreads.
Some freeze.
Some listen.
Some… record.
INT. DUNGEON – CONTINUED
Cherry’s voice builds, fragile and strong all at once.
CHERRY (singing, final chorus)
I see you in the garden light,
Looking for a place to land tonight.
No more need to defend—
Just come in, friend…
…come in, friend.
The last note floats from her lips like breath—and then, silence.
Cherry looks up, eyes shimmering with something raw and new.
CHERRY
I can live… in this song?
CHRIS
(smiling)
That’s who you are, Cherry.
You wrote the song of your own homecoming.
Chris rises, arms outstretched wide, as if welcoming something unseen.
CHRIS
I tell you the truth—
this is more real
than the dungeon you see with your human eyes.
A tremor rolls through the air.
CRASH!
The door slams open—guards storm in, weapons drawn.
CHERRY’S THOUGHTS
No—
They’ll take her—
They’ll rip this moment apart—
But a flash of light explodes through the chamber.
Not violent.
Blinding.
A beat passes.
The guards freeze—blinking, disoriented.
The light fades.
Chris is gone.
No trace.
Only Cherry remains, breathless and blinking, as if the entire room has tilted on its axis.
She looks at her hands.
Then toward the empty space where Chris stood.
CHERRY’S THOUGHTS
She’s not gone.
She just went home.
And maybe…
maybe I can go too.
INT. HOME – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
A quiet tension settles in the room.
Lisa leans against the back of the couch, arms folded. Eve paces near the window. Sapphire and Rex sit nearby, mid-discussion—until the intercom flickers to life.
A soft melody drifts out—fragile, haunting, pure.
Cherry’s voice.
They freeze.
EVE’S THOUGHTS
That voice—
God. I know that voice even when it’s breaking.
Even when it’s half a whisper from the edge of something she never meant to fall into.
She’s singing.
She’s singing from inside the walls.
My knees go weak.
Not from fear—but from the unbearable beauty of it.
She’s alive.
She’s… remembering.
I feel it in my chest like thunder beneath skin.
LISA’S THOUGHTS
I’ve only ever heard her sing like that once.
In secret. In a moment she thought no one saw.
She’s not performing now.
She’s revealing.
God, Cherry… you found the thread.
The world might not deserve it—but you wove it anyway.
SAPPHIRE’S THOUGHTS
There it is.
The frequency they feared.
Not a weapon.
Not power.
A homecoming.
She just changed everything.
I knew she would.
They all do, eventually. But she did it in a song.
REX’S THOUGHTS
I don’t believe in miracles.
Not like the others do.
But if I did…
That sound—
the way the air itself held its breath—
That would be it.
That would be her.
They sit in stunned silence as the last note fades into the stillness.
Then—
SAPPHIRE
(quietly)
They heard that in every quadrant.
EVE
(voice shaking)
She’s still her. They didn’t break her.
LISA
They never had her to begin with.
REX
Then now is the time.
Whatever move we make…
We make it now.
EVE
(quietly, still shaken by the song)
Yeah. Let’s go.
(glances at the intercom, then toward the door, resolute)
The people are going to want to hear from someone who’s not afraid to speak plain.
(picking up a wrap and reaching for Honey’s carrier)
I’ll bring him. Let them see what kind of love she left behind that’s still growing.
(turns to Lisa)
Just find out when we can see her. We’re not asking for favors—we’re asking for what’s right.
(to Sapphire, a flicker of gratitude)
Watch her back, yeah? You two together… they’ll listen.
(beat)
And Rex—thank you.
If they know something about Chris and kept it from us—
I want names. And I want reasons.
(heading for the door)
Let’s go meet our city.
INT. GUARDIAN COUNCIL BUILDING – KLAUS’S OFFICE – DAY
A cold, angular space of polished stone and silent surveillance. Klaus stands near the tall window, hands behind his back. Rex and Sapphire enter, urgent but composed.
REX
Let me remind you, Klaus—
It was Cherry who found Sapphire. My wife.
It was Cherry who uncovered an obviously fraudulent fight game on Earth.
And for that… she was imprisoned?
KLAUS
(flatly, without turning)
She also appears—based on your own footage—to have ties to Chris.
An unknown entity who may pose a direct threat to our way of life.
SAPPHIRE
(sharply)
You have no evidence of danger.
You didn’t even notify us.
You dare imprison my family—without a word—on suspicion?
I’m not asking. I’m demanding:
A formal meeting to review the charges.
And her release—until you can prove what you’re accusing.
KLAUS
(turning slowly)
Chris vanished.
In front of Cherry.
Until we understand how or why—
we will continue to hold her.
REX
(firm)
You don’t speak for all of us.
And you certainly don’t speak for me.
(beat)
I’m calling a full Council meeting.
Tonight.
(Sapphire nods, stepping closer.)
SAPPHIRE
And if you try to block it—
you’ll find out exactly how many Guardians still listen to me.
KLAUS
(smiling thinly)
I look forward to their input.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – GUARDIAN DETENTION CENTER – NIGHT
Cherry is cuffed to the table, wearing the same dirt-smudged clothes from her arrest. Her hair is matted. But her eyes—when they open—are steady. Calm. Dangerous in their stillness.
KLAUS
(sitting across from her, flicking on the recorder)
You’re right. We’re recording this.
So let’s keep it simple.
Just answer the questions.
(pauses)
You’ve refused to bathe. To change clothes.
The guards are saying you’re making things harder than they need to be.
Why?
CHERRY
(eyes closed at first, then slowly opening)
I’m not here to call you out, Klaus.
Maybe you shouldn’t record this first part—just to save face.
(she opens her eyes and meets his directly)
Because I’ve got your back, brother.
KLAUS
(sits back, unnerved but keeping his tone flat)
You said that before.
But what I see is someone refusing basic cooperation.
So explain it.
CHERRY
I didn’t want to put the guards in a compromising position.
I know what they were told.
I know they were instructed to humiliate me during a bath or a clothing change—
softly, subtly.
Just enough to fracture something.
(she leans forward)
But I won’t be a wedge between someone’s conscience and their paycheck.
If you want, Klaus—
I’ll strip right here.
Right now.
You can let the whole Council watch.
But I won’t participate in quiet abuse.
I have surrendered.
But not to you.
(she softens, voice nearly reverent)
I surrendered to a loving frequency.
One you don’t understand.
And maybe never will—
because love doesn’t serve your version of power.
KLAUS
(turns off the recorder, voice cold)
I can take this to another level.
(leans forward)
You want to be noble? Brave?
Then tell me everything about this… frequency.
Or I can bring in your precious Eve.
I can order the guards to forcibly shower you.
Strip away whatever illusions you’re hiding behind.
CHERRY
(speaking steadily)
I’ve told you everything.
And your lie detectors proved I was telling the truth.
But you can’t fathom a world where people aren’t forced—
where choice isn’t coerced into the shape you prefer.
And yet here we are.
You may become the very thing you claim to protect your people from—
just to keep them from choosing a frequency of peace.
One that threatens your version of order.
(beat)
Do what you’re going to do.
I’m ready.
And so are Eve… Sapphire… and Rex.
KLAUS
(still, eyes narrowing)
You already know what I’m going to do?
CHERRY
(gently)
No.
You could go either way.
(she looks up, eyes soft but unwavering)
Klaus…
I’m on your side.
KLAUS
(silent, then rises to leave without another word)
INT. HALLWAY – MOMENTS LATER
Klaus walks out of the interrogation room. The door hisses shut behind him. His pace slows. No one else is around.
KLAUS’S INTERNAL THOUGHTS
She looked me in the eye and said she was on my side.
With her hair matted.
Her hands cuffed.
Her future uncertain.
She said it with peace in her voice.
No fear.
No manipulation.
Just truth.
And that terrifies me more than anything I’ve seen.
Because if she’s telling the truth—
If that frequency really exists…
Then I’ve spent my life fighting the wrong war.
And I don’t know who I am…
without an enemy.
EXT. GARDENIA COMMONS – EARLY EVENING
The air hums with celebration. Lanterns swing from posts. Music plays. Children run barefoot. EVE is dancing, barefoot herself, laughing as she spins with villagers and touches shoulders with strangers like old friends.
HONEY, glowing with energy, hops through the grass—first like a frog, then flutters like a bird, flapping his arms and chirping.
LISA approaches, out of breath but smiling.
LISA
The meeting’s happening. They’re all gathering now.
(softly)
I’ll take Honey. You go.
EVE
(turning to her, grateful)
Thanks, babe.
(she kisses Lisa, then leans down to Honey)
And let me kiss that toad.
(she plants a kiss on his cheek—Honey croaks in reply, giggling)
INT. GUARDIAN COUNCIL CHAMBER – LATER
The chamber is full. Members seated. KLAUS stands at the front. EVE, SAPPHIRE, and REX arrive and take their places. But Cherry’s seat remains empty.
KLAUS
(somberly)
Unfortunately, Cherry will not be joining us today.
Not until she complies with standard hygiene protocols and agrees to shower.
EVE
(cutting in, sharp)
You interviewed her.
Let us see it, Klaus.
KLAUS
(flat)
There was a change of plan.
No interview will be shown.
SAPPHIRE
(standing, voice strong)
If you recorded anything,
we want to see it.
Let her voice be part of these proceedings—
or I will insist on interviewing her myself.
Right now.
REX
(steely)
My wife is right.
This meeting was called to assess whether there’s any valid reason to keep her here.
COUNCIL MEMBER 1
My understanding is you did record her, Klaus.
(looks around)
I move we obtain and view the recording.
COUNCIL MEMBER 2
All in favor—raise your hand.
(hands go up across the chamber)
COUNCIL MEMBER 2
It passes.
(beat)
A hush falls. The screen lights up.
CHERRY’S INTERROGATION BEGINS.
Her voice is clear. Her words cut. The room listens.
And when the screen finally fades to black—
Eve rises slowly. She steps into the center of the room.
EVE
(quiet at first, then steady)
Well.
There it is.
That’s the voice you tried to keep from this room.
(beat)
That is not a threat.
That is not a criminal.
That is not someone unraveling.
That is a woman who has faced more tests than half of you ever will—
and she still chose love.
(she walks a few steps, her tone rising)
You say she’s uncooperative.
But she’s protecting the dignity of your own guards.
She won’t let anyone be broken—not even the ones following orders.
And somehow that is what scares you.
Not her fists.
Not her fame.
But her restraint.
Her power to forgive you before you hurt her.
(turns toward Klaus)
You tried to paint her silence as rebellion.
But it was mercy.
And now the whole room has seen what mercy looks like in chains.
(voice steady, almost breaking)
She’s already free.
You just haven’t figured it out yet.
(beat)
Now I ask—no, I demand:
Bring her here.
Let her stand in this room without cuffs.
Let her speak for herself.
Because if you don’t—
this Council won’t be protecting Gardenia.
It will be burying it.
KLAUS
I personally never gave such orders to the guards.
That’s a dangerous accusation to make, Eve.
But to prove I am not who she says I am…
I’ll allow you to go to her yourself.
You may assist in helping her clean—if she’ll let you.
EVE
(turning to Klaus, eyes sharp)
You never gave the order?
Then maybe you should take a good look at the climate you’ve created—
where no one needs to say the words,
because everyone already knows what pleases you.
(steps forward, unwavering)
You didn’t have to tell them to humiliate her.
You just had to make space for it to happen.
(beat)
But if this offer is real—
if you’re letting me in without shackles, without guards, without a camera—
then I accept.
I’ll clean her hands myself.
Not because she needs it.
(softly, but with steel)
Because I do.
(pauses, voice deepens)
Because I was there, Klaus.
(beat)
I heard her sing.
The song that swept through every quadrant.
The one that reached a child in his sleep…
and shook an entire city awake.
You didn’t hear it—
but I did.
And I knew in that moment…
she wasn’t trying to escape.
She was returning.
(steps forward, slower now)
And I’m still here.
Still standing with her.
Still listening.
(beat)
So let me through.
And for once—
don’t make it a trap.
SAPPHIRE
This isn’t over.
She should be released.
REX
My wife is right.
This meeting was meant to determine if there was any evidence to justify her imprisonment.
So far, there isn’t.
KLAUS
(smoothing his tone)
One step at a time, my friends.
Let her clean up.
Then we’ll reconvene. Soon.
SAPPHIRE
Tomorrow.
And I’ll be visiting her too.
KLAUS
That’s fine. During visiting hours.
COUNCIL CHAIR
Let it be noted—vote carried.
The Council affirms visitation and follow-up.
SAPPHIRE
(turning to Eve, voice quiet but steady)
I’ll get you clothes.
Clean things.
Something to wash and groom her.
Give me a few minutes.
EVE
(softly, touched)
Thank you.
(she places a steady hand on Sapphire’s arm)
Bring whatever you can—soft, simple.
Something that feels like choice, not punishment.
(beat, voice gentling)
She’s been holding the line alone in there.
She needs to know—we’re still here.
Still reaching.
(softer)
And… bring something warm for her hair.
A towel, maybe a wrap.
And lotion—
She acts like she doesn’t care.
But she’ll notice.
(then firmer, grounded)
When I go in there…
I don’t want to be her rescuer.
I want to be her witness.
(pauses, then looks Sapphire in the eye)
Thank you for not flinching.
You and Rex—
You stood when it counted.
(quietly)
I’ll make this count too.
INT. DUNGEON CORRIDOR – NIGHT
A heavy door slides open. Cold light spills across the stone floor. EVE steps through slowly, carrying a small bundle: soft clothes, warm towels, lotion, and a brush wrapped in cloth.
Inside the cell, CHERRY stands as she did in the recording—
wrinkled shirt, matted hair, cuffs now gone but dignity intact.
She doesn’t speak. Just rises, steady and still, eyes watching.
EVE
(quietly, almost a whisper)
Hey, love.
(she sets the bundle down, then looks up at her fully)
I’m not here to tell you what to do.
I’m here because you sang the walls open…
and I couldn’t stay on the other side of them.
(beat, voice low and sincere)
They said you were unclean.
But I saw the tape.
You’re cleaner than the whole system.
You were cleaner in silence than most people are in celebration.
(she softens, stepping closer)
So I brought water.
Warmth.
And whatever you want to do with it—
I’ll follow your lead.
(beat)
But first—can I hug you?
No strings.
Just presence.
CHERRY
(stepping into Eve’s arms, holding tight)
You smell so good.
(she pulls back just enough to meet her eyes, vulnerable but clear)
I need a shower.
Will you go with me… to supervise?
EVE
(smiling gently, voice barely above a breath)
Yeah.
Of course I will.
(brushes a strand of hair back from Cherry’s cheek)
I won’t let anyone near you who isn’t safe.
I’ll be right there—start to finish.
(soft laugh)
And I brought lotion.
The one you like but pretend you don’t.
(beat, her voice catching slightly)
You held the line.
Now let me hold the room.
Let’s get you clean, sweetheart.
Not because they asked—
but because you did.
INT. DUNGEON CELL – NIGHT
CHERRY
(softly, voice cracking as she exhales)
Oh God… your hands feel so good.
(she begins to tear up, letting her body melt into Eve’s lap, wrapped in the towel)
EVE
(voice hushed, grounded)
Shhh… I’ve got you.
(she rubs lotion into Cherry’s back with slow, steady movements—anchoring, tender)
Just breathe.
Let it land.
Let yourself be soft… for once.
(pauses, her voice thick with emotion)
You held so much for so long, baby.
You didn’t just survive it—
you transfigured it.
And now you’re here…
in my lap, in my arms—
and no one’s taking that from you.
(she leans down, whispering close to Cherry’s ear)
This isn’t lotion.
This is a love letter,
written in touch.
(beat)
You’re safe.
You’re loved.
And you are not alone anymore.
(tears roll silently down Eve’s cheeks)
You gave us your frequency.
Now let me give you mine.
A quiet knock at the door. A soft voice through the intercom:
GUARD (O.S.)
Ten minutes until lights out.
EVE
(softly, steady)
Okay, love… they said I’ve got ten minutes left.
(she gently adjusts the towel around Cherry’s shoulders)
Let’s get you dressed.
One piece at a time.
No rush—just presence.
(she lifts the shirt she brought, worn-soft cotton with a faint scent of home)
Arms up for me?
(Cherry lifts her arms slowly. Eve slips the shirt over her, smoothing it down)
There we go…
This one’s soft. Thought you’d like how it feels.
(she reaches for the pants)
One leg… now the other.
That’s it.
(sliding them up carefully, then kneeling again)
You’re gonna smell like cedar and real things again.
(she gently runs her fingers through Cherry’s damp hair)
You’re radiant.
Even now.
Especially now.
(beat, looks into Cherry’s eyes)
I wish I could sleep beside you tonight.
I wish I could keep singing to you
until you drift off.
But I’ll be back first thing tomorrow.
Me. And Sapphire.
And you won’t be alone in here much longer.
I promise.
(pauses, hand tender on Cherry’s cheek)
You gave me everything today.
Let this room hold that—
until I return.
(she leans in and kisses her forehead)
I’ll carry you with me until morning.
(stands, breath shaking slightly but eyes clear)
Rest now, okay?
You’re not behind bars.
You’re between heartbeats.
INT. HOME – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The lights are low. A mug of tea steams on the table. SAPPHIRE and LISA sit curled on the couch. EVE enters, closing the door behind her gently, her shoulders still carrying the weight of the cell.
LISA
Tell us everything. How was she?
SAPPHIRE
Yes, come sit down, Eve.
Honey’s asleep.
EVE
(quietly, as she lowers herself into the couch)
She…
She was her.
Not the version they’re trying to box up.
Not broken.
Just… stripped down.
Unvarnished.
(She takes a breath)
She stood to greet me. Still in that towel.
And when she hugged me—
God, I felt like I’d walked through a thousand timelines just to get to that moment.
(She blinks quickly, holding back tears)
She asked me to go with her.
To supervise her shower.
Like it was sacred.
And it was.
(She looks at them both, raw but glowing)
I washed her hair.
Put lotion on her back while she lay in my lap—
and she started crying.
Not loud. Just… tears.
Like the kind you only let fall when someone’s finally holding the part of you
that’s been screaming in silence.
(She exhales, voice soft)
She let me dress her.
Trusted me with every fold of fabric.
Every breath.
(pauses)
And when they told me ten minutes left—
I didn’t rush.
I just slowed time.
Held her with my hands and my words
like she was something I’d been entrusted to protect.
(turns to Lisa)
She’s so tired, Lis.
But she’s still in there.
Still burning.
(turns to Sapphire)
She’s clean now.
Not just her body—her spirit feels like it cracked open just enough
to let the light seep back in.
(beat, voice a whisper)
She didn’t ask to be rescued.
She just needed a witness.
And I got to be that.
SAPPHIRE
Do you think she still has a plan to get herself out of there…
or are those days over, Eve?
(pauses)
I mean—how far does this love actually go here on Gardenia?
Do you understand what I’m asking?
EVE
(pauses, leans back, eyes distant)
Yeah…
I understand what you’re asking.
Chris brought a frequency that doesn’t play chess but becomes the board or changes the whole game. How long can she carry it? I don’t know. But it’s a gift to be received I know that. And she received it. I know that too.
You’re not supposed to be her, Sapphire.
You’re you.
And believe me—
she sees that clearer than any of us.
(turns toward the window, voice quieter now)
The thing about her song…
it didn’t ask for worship.
It didn’t demand belief.
It just opened a door.
Some people walked through.
Some stood at the edge.
Some turned away—because it was too raw.
And all of that…
was okay with her.
(she turns back, gaze warm and tired)
She doesn’t need us to catch up.
She just needs us to stay.
(beat)
Real love makes room for that.
Even in a cell.
Even in a Council chamber.
Even in us.
INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER – SECOND MEETING
CHERRY is brought in. Her wrists are cuffed, but her face is serene. She walks on her own, spine straight, gaze steady. A quiet ripple moves through the room. She sits without resistance.
KLAUS
(stepping forward)
Let’s begin with the facts.
The first charge is clear:
Cherry evaded detainment when ordered to report for an interview upon arrival in Gardenia.
This is a chargeable offense under Guardian code.
She has since refused to comply with basic protocols while in custody—
including hygiene procedures, which, regardless of motive, still fall under standard compliance.
She has not submitted to our authority, and that alone poses a risk.
Let us not forget—Cherry is trained in High Chi and has demonstrated remarkable power.
In the past, that power has disrupted entire sectors.
Now she openly admits to a relationship with Chris—
a being who vanished from a secure holding cell.
I propose a medical and frequency scan.
Not to punish her—
but to determine whether her biology or resonance has changed.
I hope this Council sees I’m acting in good faith—
seeking scientific clarity to protect our people.
SAPPHIRE
(eyes narrowing)
You had time to scan her.
You chose instead to interrogate her.
You found no threat, no resistance—only a refusal to be humiliated.
And yet you persist.
Why?
To intimidate?
To force compliance where it’s not warranted?
KLAUS
(stiffly)
She was held because she avoided arrest.
That’s not intimidation.
That’s law.
EVE
(slow, composed, piercing)
You say she “avoided capture.”
What she did was survive—
using the very reflexes you authorized her to train.
She didn’t strike anyone.
Didn’t destabilize the field.
She let herself be taken once it was clear no one was there to listen—
only to subdue.
(beat)
This isn’t about High Chi.
It’s about control.
You didn’t like the way she bowed.
Now, because she knew someone who disappeared without explanation—
you want to treat her like a ticking weapon?
Like an infection?
(turns to the Council)
She didn’t fracture this city.
She stitched it.
She sang, and half of Gardenia felt it.
You’re not afraid of what she did.
You’re afraid she did it without your permission.
KLAUS
(sitting forward, voice tight)
Laws are laws.
We didn’t teach her to use High Chi to avoid lawful detainment.
COUNCILMAN #1
I’d like to hear what she has to say about that.
KLAUS
(slight pause)
Very well.
Cherry, you may speak.
CHERRY
(peaceful, clear)
You’re right.
I tried to avoid being taken.
Not out of disrespect—
but because I didn’t feel safe with the people who claimed to protect me.
(beat)
After what I went through with the mirror sentencing—
after nearly being broken, slowly, methodically—
my body responded.
My instincts took over.
I ran.
But you don’t care about that, do you, Klaus?
Not the human part.
Not the why.
Not right now.
Maybe others here do.
Maybe they still hear me.
(turns to the full room)
You’ve seen the record.
You’ve heard the testimony.
You know the risks I took—
not just for myself, but for all of you.
For Sapphire.
For the second mission.
For something bigger than fear.
And now, you want to study me?
Go ahead.
I have nothing to hide.
But be honest about what you’re choosing.
Because if you’re calling non-resistance dangerous—
what you’re really uncovering is how far we’ve drifted from love…
and how deeply we’ve worshipped fear.
(beat)
You honored us once—by letting us into your world.
We honored you back—by treating you as people to cherish.
That’s why we came.
That’s why I stayed.
That’s why I bled.
I tell you the truth—
You don’t have to follow us.
You don’t have to believe in us.
But you also don’t have to be afraid of what we stir in you.
If our presence brings up something raw—
that’s not a threat.
It’s a feeling.
You still get to choose what to do with it.
But ask yourselves…
are you really choosing?
Or are you just reacting
to something that reminds you
you still have hearts under those robes?
KLAUS
(stern, voice raised slightly)
This isn’t about emotion.
This is about order.
The law does not exist to validate your trauma.
It exists to preserve balance.
You avoided capture.
You used Guardian-level training to resist.
That demands consequence—
even if your motives were pure.
COUNCILMAN #1
(leans forward)
And yet… she didn’t lie.
Didn’t hide.
Didn’t deflect.
She gave us the truth—calmly.
She reminded us why we trusted her in the first place.
COUNCILWOMAN #2
(reserved, thoughtful)
There has to be accountability—
but not at the cost of being a guardian
Not at the cost of everything we claim to stand for.
COUNCIL ELDER
(softly)
I’ve heard many speak in this chamber—
but few as free as the one in cuffs.
That should mean something.
COUNCIL CHAIR
(rising slowly)
This Council will deliberate and return tomorrow with a vote.
In the meantime—
Cherry will be relocated to a guest residence in the North Hall.
Not a prison.
She will be treated with dignity, pending further review.
Her cuffs will be removed.
This meeting is adjourned.
INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER – DAY
The Council is seated. Rex stands before them, composed.
COUNCILMAN 1
Isn’t it possible that Cherry—whom we’ve already regarded as an asset—has become even more so with her new non-resistant way of being?
I fail to see the downside.
We should be pulling her in, using her insight for well-intentioned goals.
KLAUS
(challenging)
That’s an interesting proposal.
But what would her popularity do to Gardenia… and to us, as a Council?
REX
(sits forward, calm but certain)
Her popularity isn’t the threat.
Our insecurity about it is.
You’re asking the wrong question, Klaus.
It’s not what her influence might do to Gardenia—
It’s what it might finally do for it.
(beat)
Cherry isn’t campaigning.
She’s not vying for power.
She’s resonating with people because she let herself be seen.
Not polished. Not perfect.
Not powerful in the way we’re used to—
but open.
That kind of transparency isn’t a disruption.
It’s a correction.
(turns to the full council)
You’ve read the reports.
Since the song—
civilian requests for hearings have dropped.
Volunteerism in the outer quadrants is up.
Mediation rates rose briefly—then resolved faster than expected.
We’re witnessing a cultural shift
because one girl chose to surrender resistance
instead of wield control.
And what did we do?
We shackled her.
Out of fear that love, unchecked, might outshine authority.
(quiet, firm)
We need to start asking ourselves—
Is the Council’s job to manage peace…
or to embody it?
KLAUS
(flatly)
We were given authority—even if she doesn’t want it.
I take that job seriously.
I’m not here to spend all my energy on self-reflection.
COUNCILMAN 1
There’s a middle ground.
Something wise.
We observe more—especially about these humans.
COUNCILMAN 2
I say we put Cherry to work.
Like Lisa.
Consult her. Let her compete in the High Chi games.
That’ll satisfy the public.
KLAUS
(firm)
I’m fine with that.
But all of them should be scanned thoroughly.
Including the older version of Honey.
COUNCILMAN 2
(leaning forward, intrigued)
Imagine what we could do with her aligned.
If she’s having such an influence unconsciously—
REX
(grim)
Exactly my point.
You don’t “put her to work” like you did Lisa.
You ask her.
You invite her.
If you try to control her,
this whole thing is going to unravel.
KLAUS
(steely)
And what if she says no?
REX
(quiet, but firm)
Then we figure out how to say thank you anyway.
INT. LIVING ROOM – EVENING
Sapphire and Rex arrive with Cherry. The moment the door opens, Cherry is pulled into an embrace by both Lisa and Eve.
SAPPHIRE
When you all are ready, we can talk about what the Council decided.
Right now, Rex and I just thought you needed each other more than anything.
EVE
(softly, pulling back just enough to look into Cherry’s eyes)
You’re home. That’s all I care about right now.
She brushes Cherry’s hair behind her ear, her voice trembling with layered emotion.
I don’t know what they said. I don’t know what they want from you.
But I know what I want.
Pulls her into another embrace.
I want you safe. I want you here.
And I want you to know… no matter what they say—
You don’t have to prove a damn thing to be ours.
(beat)
Let’s sit. Or curl up. Or throw pillows. I don’t care.
Just don’t leave the room. Not yet.
CHERRY
God, I think I just want to lay down on my own bed until tomorrow.
Then we can talk.
Sapphire said I’m free to be here now.
That means so much.
LISA
Unfortunately, I’m expected at the holodeck.
I’ll see you both tonight.
EVE
(nods, gently cupping Cherry’s cheek)
Then go rest, baby. You don’t have to say a word more tonight.
(voice softens, protective warmth)
And yeah, you’re free to be here now.
But you’ve always been home to me.
She leans in and kisses Cherry’s forehead.
I’ll be right out here when you wake up.
You want tea? A blanket? A playlist of me singing badly into your comm?
Tries to coax a smile, voice teasing.
Or I can just sit guard at your door like a loyal hound.
Whatever you need.
(beat, more serious)
Just don’t shut the door on your heart, okay?
Not to me. Not tonight.
CHERRY
What? (laughing) I thought you would come with me.
Duh? Okay I’m not a guru, alright everybody.
SAPPHIRE
We were wondering.
EVE
(raises an eyebrow, teasing)
Come with you? To your nap nest of twisted sheets and mumbling dreams?
She smiles, then her eyes soften with affection.
Okay, guru-lite. If the mighty one commands it.
But don’t blame me if I start preaching bedtime parables halfway through.
She gets up and offers her hand.
Let’s go, Cherry.
And for the record… you don’t have to be the guru.
You just already are.
(beat, eyes locked)
Even if you don’t want to be.
CHERRY
Just get your poetic butt in here with me.
Bye Lisa. See you tonight. Bye sis. Love you.
You too, Rex. Love you.
CHERRY
I love you, the poet.
Now make a poem out of my bedroom homecoming.
I missed you.
EVE
(quietly, from the doorway, eyes locked on Cherry)
You think I can make a poem out of that?
My muse just pulled back the covers and told me to prove it.
(soft breath)
God, Cherry—
I missed you like a storm misses thunder.
Like rhythm misses skin.
She walks slowly into the room, voice low, teasing and reverent.
EVE (CONT’D)
You call it a bedroom—
but I see a battlefield where you’ve shed doubt,
a temple where you’ve bled truth.
And that bed?
That’s where you dared to believe love might actually stay.
She steps closer, fingertips brushing the edge of the mattress.
I don’t know if I’m worthy.
But I came.
You called me your poet, and I came.
Her eyes shimmer with heat and something older than desire.
So tell me where to start, Cherry.
Because this time…
I want to write the poem on you.
CHERRY
I’m still me, Eve.
But you’re right—everything feels like poetry.
I want you to touch me and tell me your thoughts.
And if you wanna be touched…
I will open my mouth and see what comes forth.
EVE
(quiet at first, trying to steady her breath)
God, Cherry…
You say things like that and it hits me in places I didn’t even know were holding on.
Like my ribs forgot how to open.
She steps closer, pulled forward by something magnetic.
You still being you is the only thing keeping me from unraveling.
But this—this poetry you’re walking in—
it’s doing something to me.
It makes me want to…
She lifts her hand, gently cups Cherry’s jaw.
…to tell you things I’ve buried so deep I forgot I knew them.
And to touch you like I’m writing scripture on your skin.
Not for the world—
just for us.
Just so your body remembers what mine can’t always say.
Her fingers linger there, barely moving.
You wanna open your mouth and see what comes forth?
Chuckles softly.
I’m scared of what might come out of mine.
But I think I want to find out anyway.
With you.
Here.
Now.
CHERRY
kisses her long and deep, then takes her hand, leading her to the bed
Undress me… or would you rather me undress you first?
EVE
(her breath catches, voice husky but steady)
Cherry…
She lets herself be led, fingers tightening slightly.
You’re the storm and the shelter all at once, you know that?
She steps closer, her other hand grazing Cherry’s hip.
Let me undress you.
Not because I need control—
but because I want to savor every layer,
like I’m reading a story I’ve waited my whole life to understand.
Leans in, her mouth brushing Cherry’s ear.
And then maybe…
you can undress what’s left of me.
She moves behind her, slow and reverent, fingers sliding beneath fabric.
One piece at a time.
No rush.
Just revelation.
INT. BEDROOM – SOFT LIGHT, LATE EVENING
The glow from a single lamp casts a golden hush over the room. The air is still, charged. Cherry stands at the edge of the bed, watching Eve with eyes that hold both fire and surrender.
EVE steps forward slowly, not like a lover rushing toward hunger—but like someone walking into sacred ground.
She lifts Cherry’s hand first, kissing the palm.
Then she reaches for the hem of Cherry’s shirt, her fingertips brushing against her stomach, light as breath.
EVE
(whispering, like confession)
You wear defiance like armor…
But beneath it…
God, you’re so tender.
She lifts the shirt slowly, dragging her fingers up as the fabric rises, baring Cherry’s ribs, her chest, her heart.
She pauses.
Kisses the spot just below her breast.
Then the shirt is gone.
She steps around behind Cherry, trailing a hand along her spine, then down to her waistband.
EVE
You’re shaking.
She kisses the back of Cherry’s neck—then unbuttons her pants, sliding them down with a slow, reverent rhythm.
Her hands stay on Cherry’s thighs for a moment, grounding her.
EVE
You don’t have to be anyone else right now.
She stands and presses her front to Cherry’s bare back, holding her, steadying her breath.
She unclasps the last garment with a soft murmur—her fingers sure, her mouth brushing Cherry’s shoulder.
EVE
Now you’re just you.
And I am… so damn lucky to see you like this.
She turns Cherry gently, eyes never leaving hers.
EVE
Lie down, baby. I want to follow your rhythm now.
And Cherry does—slowly, gracefully—like a poem being written by breath.
INT. BEDROOM – CONTINUOUS
Cherry lies on her side, her bare back facing Eve. Her breathing is slow but audible, grounding herself in the moment—not rushing, just being.
Eve watches her for a long, quiet beat before moving.
She slips into bed behind her—careful, intentional—her body aligning naturally with the curve of Cherry’s.
She doesn’t touch her yet.
Instead, she lets the warmth of her presence speak first.
Then, slowly, Eve reaches out, resting one hand gently on Cherry’s waist. Her palm settles there like it belongs.
EVE
(softly, against Cherry’s hair)
You didn’t turn away from me.
You just needed a different kind of closeness.
I get that now.
Cherry’s breathing catches—just slightly—but she doesn’t speak. Her body softens under Eve’s hand.
Eve’s other hand rises, brushing a strand of hair from Cherry’s cheek, then tucking it behind her ear. She leans in, her lips grazing the curve of Cherry’s shoulder.
EVE
I missed your silence as much as your voice.
Both of them tell me the truth.
She presses a kiss between Cherry’s shoulder blades—slow, anchoring.
EVE
Say nothing if you want.
Or tell me everything.
I’m here for all of it.
She wraps her arm around Cherry more fully now, holding her close—not to claim, but to stay.
Cherry turns, her body gliding over Eve’s—settling against her. She kisses her ear and neck, pelvis pressing with slow urgency. A moan escapes her lips—raw, aching.
Eve’s hands slide to the small of Cherry’s back, her own moan rising as her legs part slightly, welcoming the curve of Cherry’s hips.
CHERRY
(whispering)
You got me?
Eve’s breath caught. Cherry’s body on hers was heat and rhythm and memory. That moan—God, that moan—wasn’t just desire. It was surrender.
Her hands slid down, reverent, tracing over Cherry’s hips—guiding, grounding.
Then—swift and certain—Eve flipped her.
Cherry landed on her back with a surprised, delighted gasp, curls fanning across the pillow.
Eve hovered above her, eyes dark with something deeper than lust—something sacred.
EVE
(whispers)
I’ve always got you.
Even when you don’t know where you are—
Even when you’re fire and fog.
You’re home now.
She lowered herself. A kiss beneath Cherry’s jaw. Another at her collarbone. Each one deliberate. Claiming nothing. Promising everything.
Cherry laughed—breathless, shaky.
CHERRY
(laughing, soft)
Oh God, it’s really you.
Show me. Don’t hold back.
Eve didn’t.
She cupped Cherry’s face—fully, with both hands—like anchoring something too sacred to drift.
Then she kissed her.
Slow, at first—just to taste the truth of the invitation.
And it was there.
In the tilt of Cherry’s head, the rise of her chest, the unguarded rhythm of her breath.
She wanted to be seen.
She wanted Eve—all of her.
The kiss deepened.
Eve’s hands traced down Cherry’s arms, over her ribs, then lower—pausing only to meet her gaze.
EVE
(whispers)
I’ve held back for too long.
Not tonight.
She rolled her hips into Cherry’s, body finding rhythm, breath syncing like memory and music.
No part of her was distant now.
This was presence.
This was poetry.
This was Eve—unchained.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
The room is dim now, their breath the only sound.
Cherry lies on her back, flushed and stunned, her hand still loosely tangled with Eve’s. She turns her head, searching Eve’s eyes in the hush that follows their lovemaking.
CHERRY
(low, awed)
The way you turned me over…
and kissed my lower back—and below…
That felt different, babe.
Am I right?
She lets out a shaky laugh, but her tone is reverent.
CHERRY (CONT’D)
God, I could barely take it all in.
You set me up to explode in a way I never have before.
She reaches out, resting her hand over Eve’s heart.
CHERRY (soft)
It wasn’t just the touch.
It was the way you were in it—like…
you weren’t trying to own me or tame me.
You were just… with me.
She draws a breath, more grounded now, more sure.
CHERRY (CONT’D)
That made everything inside me feel safe.
Like I could open all the way.
And when I did—
I swear, Eve, something lit up inside me.
(beat)
Like you unlocked it.
EVE
(softly, brushing Cherry’s hair back)
I felt it too.
Something in the way you yielded—
not like giving up, but like trusting me to carry it with you.
(she swallows, eyes shimmering)
When I turned you over,
I wasn’t just trying to give you pleasure, Cherry.
I was listening.
To your breath… your rhythm… your ache.
(she touches Cherry’s lower back, tenderly)
Right here—
I felt you open before I even touched you.
Like your body was saying,
“I’m not afraid anymore.”
(beat)
And I just followed that whisper all the way through.
(she leans in, kisses Cherry’s temple)
It was holy to me.
(then, lower, with heat)
And I’m not done showing you.
Not if you’ll keep opening like that.
CHERRY
Did it feel like I was more open than I’ve ever been?
EVE
(softly, not breaking eye contact)
Yes.
More open than I’ve ever felt you.
Not just your body—
Your energy, your heart… even the grief.
You let it all rise, and you didn’t flinch.
(she moves closer, voice low)
I felt your walls fall like petals in the rain.
Not shattered—just… surrendered.
Like you trusted the storm would carry you gently.
(she cups Cherry’s cheek, breath trembling)
And it wasn’t just openness, Cherry.
It was… devotion.
Like you weren’t just giving yourself to me—
you were letting me give something back.
That broke me open too.
(beat)
You felt it, didn’t you?
Something changed in us.
CHERRY
I mean, you are Eve, and you went there with me.
It’s hard for me to take it in.
In that meeting when you spoke—
I saw how everyone looked at you.
With awe and respect.
You always put your best forward.
You rise above them all.
It’s like a fucking orgasm to them.
You could be the most wanted female on the planets.
And you—Eve—decided to go to another layer of me.
I mean, you probably don’t see yourself like that.
EVE
(quiet, close behind her)
I don’t.
I never have. Not like that.
They see… strategy. Authority. Power.
The part of me I honed to survive—
not the part I give when I’m home.
When I’m here. With you.
But when you say it like that…
God, Cherry.
You make me feel like more than I’ve ever dared admit I am.
You open something in me I didn’t even know was locked.
(soft laugh)
I don’t think I went to another layer of you.
I think you let me in.
You gave me permission to show up—
not as a leader, not as a symbol—
but as your lover.
And that…
that’s more than anything they see in me.
(pauses, then touches her side gently)
And what I found in you…
Cherry, it’s so fucking vast.
You’re not just the one who stirs me.
You’re the one who undoes me.
CHERRY
I’m sure you were taught to think
that’s what they see from people like Ben—
strategy, authority, power.
I really don’t think that’s a true lens at all.
They feel wonder. Surprise. Expansion.
Because they allow it when it comes from you.
Chris told you something like that, didn’t she?
EVE
(pauses, breath catching at the mention)
Yeah… she did.
She said—
“They don’t follow you because you’re strong.
They follow you because you remind them they are.”
And I didn’t believe her.
Not really. Not until lately.
Not until you.
(soft smile)
When I see you walk into a room—
messy, radiant, wild with truth—
no strategy in the world could compete with that.
And still, you choose me.
(she leans in, kisses Cherry’s shoulder)
So maybe you’re right.
Maybe I wasn’t meant to lead through power.
Maybe I was meant to be with someone
who would dare me to lead through presence.
CHERRY
You’ve always been that presence,
no matter how it was coming out.
Because you were always yourself—
no matter how it sounded.
EVE
(soft laugh, tears behind her eyes)
You always say things like that—
like it’s obvious.
Like it’s some kind of truth I’ve already earned just by breathing.
But the truth is,
I spent years trying to be what they needed.
Trying to sound right.
Fit the room.
Hide the static in my head and the shake in my voice.
But you—
you saw through all of it.
And you stayed.
That presence you say I always had…
maybe it only showed up
because someone like you had the guts to meet it.
To call it out.
(she touches Cherry’s hand)
So if I’ve always been myself—
maybe it’s because you were always brave enough
to see me that way.
INT. MEMORY SEQUENCE /
CHERRY
I was there, remember? When we had to deceive what’s-his-name in the second mission. Jeezus. We kissed to turn him on. We undressed to turn him on.
(laughing hard)
Oh my God, what were you really thinking? I was just your friend trying to help you out.
EVE
(sotto, through a smile)
I swear to God, Cherry… that was not in the original plan.
CHERRY
(grinning)
It was always in the plan, babe. You just didn’t want to admit it.
EVE
We kissed. In front of him. With tongue.
CHERRY
Strategic tongue. Tactical seduction. You’re welcome.
EVE
And when we undressed?
CHERRY
Oh, that was for your benefit.
(flashing a wicked grin)
I had to make sure you didn’t blow the whole mission by combusting on the spot.
EVE
(mock horror)
I almost did! I was just trying to be your wingwoman—and then suddenly I’m the entrée.
CHERRY
(laughing)
You were! You looked like a deer in headlights when he said, “Is this a package deal?”
EVE
Because you said yes before I could blink!
CHERRY
You’re welcome. Again.
(beat)
Honestly though? I was just your friend. Trying to help you out.
EVE
(leaning back, laughing)
You helped me right off a moral cliff. And I liked it. God help us both.
CHERRY
(coming down from laughing, voice softening)
You liked it.
(beat)
You never said that before.
Thanks for admitting it.
EVE
(smiling faintly)
It wasn’t exactly strategy on my end either. I wanted to kiss you. I just didn’t know what it meant yet.
CHERRY
I did.
But I told myself it was just to help. That I could handle it.
You—you were like fire under my ribs.
EVE
And you… were the only one who didn’t flinch when I burned.
(A quiet pause. A weight lifts. Something else settles between them.)
CHERRY
Yeah, I didn’t flinch—until later. When I went full psycho on your ass.
(laughing again)
When you didn’t let me into your bed after the mission!
EVE
(bursting out laughing)
Oh my God—you stormed out like I’d stabbed you in the heart.
CHERRY
You had! With your cold little blanket fort of boundaries.
EVE
(snickering)
It was one night. I was trying to think clearly.
CHERRY
Exactly. Thinking. That was your first mistake.
EVE
Okay, psycho.
CHERRY
You loved it. Don’t even lie.
EVE
(grinning, giving in)
I really did.
CHERRY
(quietly now)
So how long were you thinking about kissing me?
I told you I was straight. You didn’t have to worry about me crushing on you.
You were trying to protect me.
But were you crushing on me even back then?
EVE
(pauses, eyes narrowing)
Define “crushing.”
CHERRY
(smirking)
Come on.
EVE
(sighs, gives in)
I was fascinated. You were like a live wire in a storm. I couldn’t stop watching you—but I was too busy trying not to touch the electricity.
CHERRY
So that’s a yes.
EVE
That’s a strategic yes. I didn’t let myself want you… but yeah. I felt it.
CHERRY
Did it scare you?
EVE
It made me gentle. Which scared me. Because I didn’t know if I had that gear anymore.
CHERRY
Remember the scan they gave me? The one you insisted on doing yourself—so Evelyn would follow your lead.
When you scanned me… you saw my young, shy body.
(beat)
What did you think?
EVE
(softly)
I thought you were brave. Trying not to flinch. And so painfully beautiful I had to look away sometimes.
CHERRY
But you didn’t.
EVE
No. I didn’t.
CHERRY
You saw me before I even knew what I was.
Before I knew I could make someone look like that.
EVE
You didn’t try to. That’s what wrecked me.
CHERRY
And now?
EVE
Now I see a woman who knows exactly what she’s doing. And it still wrecks me.
CHERRY
You really thought I was beautiful?
(She blushes. Vulnerable. But smiling.)
EVE
Especially back then.
You were standing there trying so hard to be strong. Your fists were clenched. Your lips were trembling. But you didn’t back down.
(beat)
I thought you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. And the most dangerous.
CHERRY
Dangerous?
EVE
Because you made me feel everything. When I was still trying to feel nothing.
CHERRY
You know I saw your body too.
(beat)
You don’t care to know what I felt? That’s so like you.
EVE
(softly)
Maybe I didn’t ask because I was afraid of the answer. Or maybe I didn’t want to make it about me.
(she touches Cherry’s shoulder)
But I care. I want to hear it. All of it.
CHERRY
Maybe you didn’t ask because you were actually confident in how you looked naked. Not like me. I had nada. No real compliments at the time.
EVE
I wasn’t confident. I just got good at pretending.
(pause)
You think I didn’t notice how you looked at me? How careful you were?
(softly)
Even then, you saw me. And I saw you.
The way you held your breath like you didn’t deserve to be witnessed.
I should’ve said something.
CHERRY
You tried to in your way. You just don’t remember.
You said I didn’t have to worry. That I’d make some guy happy.
But back to you.
How did I feel when I saw my friend naked?
Female goddess.
Statue-worthy.
EVE
(swallows, stunned by the honesty)
God, Cherry.
(quiet beat)
Thank you for seeing me. Even back then.
CHERRY
It was crazy shit after that. You catching me with another guy. I had to strip in front of you. No panties. And you had to ask, didn’t you?
Why did you ask me if I left them in the house with him? Why, Eve?
EVE
(grinning)
Because I had to know. You came out of that house barefoot, dress rumpled, hair wild, no panties in sight. You looked me dead in the eye like you were bluffing your way past a Guardian.
I panicked. I needed to know if you’d left a piece of yourself with him. Literally.
And maybe… I was already in deeper than I knew.
CHERRY
You were quick to help me out of my dress. Was that because we were in such a hurry?
EVE
(laughing softly)
Sure. Let’s go with that.
CHERRY
I mean, I peeked at you getting dressed.
Did you peek at me?
EVE
(smirking, fingers grazing Cherry’s hip)
Oh, absolutely not. I was far too noble for that.
(pauses, eyes glinting)
Except… maybe once. Or twice.
Okay—maybe more than that.
You were all hips and chaos, tripping over your boots, muttering curses under your breath.
And that towel barely stayed up half the time.
What was I supposed to do—not look?
(she leans in, brushing her lips near Cherry’s ear)
You were a masterpiece in motion, even then.
I just hadn’t let myself admit it yet.
CHERRY
Okay, we have to go there now.
When you first swatted me for holding information from you and Lisa…
I know I fully consented. You gave me an out, but I didn’t take it. That was on me.
But you said we were just friends—
That it wasn’t sexual between us.
Okay, now tell the truth.
Because I admitted it was sexual for me.
EVE
(gaze soft but unwavering, fingers brushing Cherry’s forearm)
Yeah. I said it wasn’t sexual.
I told myself that because I needed it to feel clean—needed it to be about truth, not want.
But that wasn’t the whole truth, was it?
(pauses, breath catching)
You let me swat you with all that trust…
And when I touched you—Cherry—it was like brushing fire I’d spent months pretending I didn’t feel.
So yeah.
It was sexual.
And it was emotional.
And it was sacred.
I just didn’t have the language for all that back then.
I only knew I didn’t want to hurt you or take what wasn’t mine.
But you—
You gave it. Willingly.
And I’ve never forgotten that.
(Cherry touches her face, gazes into her eyes.)
CHERRY
Thank you for saying it.
I love you so much.
Please hold me.
Touch me.
I love you so much.
EVE
(already wrapping her arms around her, voice caught in her throat)
God, Cherry.
(quietly, into her hair)
I love you too.
So much, I sometimes forget how to be anything but scared I’ll mess it up.
(she touches Cherry’s back, grounding them with slow, steady movement)
You’re not just some force that crashed into my life—
You’re the rhythm I didn’t know I needed.
You’re… home.
(she tilts her head back, meets Cherry’s gaze, eyes wide with devotion)
Come here.
I’ve got you.
I’m not letting go.
INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY
Lisa, Eve, and Sapphire sit on the couch, the Council’s sealed verdict packet resting on the table.
The door opens.
Cherry walks in, flushed from her run. Her shorts ride just high enough to draw attention. Her tank top clings in all the right places.
Eve lifts her eyes—slowly.
EVE
You’re late.
(She eyes Cherry’s legs, then casually swats her hip as Cherry walks by.)
EVE
And clearly asking for attention.
CHERRY
(smirking)
Or just cardio. You know—self-care?
Lisa leans in as Cherry passes and delivers a quick swat of her own, lower and more teasing.
LISA
Mmm, that’s what we’re calling it now?
CHERRY
(catching her breath, looking back at both of them)
You two better be careful. Keep that up and I’ll forget I’m on trial.
SAPPHIRE
(smiling, unbothered)
And yet, somehow still guilty.
(She gestures toward the envelope.)
SAPPHIRE
Verdict’s waiting.
Cherry grabs a towel off the back of the chair and drapes it over herself with exaggerated flair.
CHERRY
Happy now?
EVE
Only slightly.
CHERRY
Okay, let’s get this over with.
Though I think I already know what the verdict is, Sapphire.
EVE
Yeah, same here.
That’s why I’ve been avoiding it.
SAPPHIRE
Okay, loves. Me and Rex fought hard.
The Council deliberated without us and handed down their decision.
LISA
Yeah, just say it, Sapphire.
SAPPHIRE
They’re willing to embrace you—if you work for them.
Kind of like Lisa does now.
That means they want you to compete in the High Chi games.
They want your consultation, your instincts, your insight.
And you’ll be as “free” as Lisa and Eve.
That’s the good news.
Now for the part where I need all of you to brace yourselves.
CHERRY
Jeezus. I knew it.
EVE
Tell us.
SAPPHIRE
Because of your “disciplinary history,” they’re claiming the right to punish you if you break a rule or law.
You’ll be given a choice:
Imprisonment for a time… or corporal punishment.
It’s part of the new wayward program.
It’s administered by a robot.
And it’s painful.
CHERRY
(stands abruptly)
Jeezus. I’m on parole in a Catholic school for wayward girls?
(She looks directly at Eve.)
EVE
(stands too, voice low but steady)
No. You’re not.
(She steps closer to Cherry, locking eyes.)
EVE
You’re not some schoolgirl under their thumb.
And you’re not alone anymore, Cherry.
(Jaw tightens.)
EVE
I don’t care what they call it—discipline problem, corporal punishment, consult.
What I hear is they want your power, but they still fear your fire.
So they’re trying to chain it.
(She softens, hand reaching for Cherry’s arm.)
EVE
But you’re not going back to that world.
Not on my watch.
(Beat.)
EVE
And if they want to test what happens when they hurt someone I love…
Let them.
(Her eyes darken with fury and loyalty.)
EVE
We didn’t come this far to let them rebrand control as opportunity.
(Quieter now, intense.)
EVE
You don’t have to be okay with this.
And you sure as hell don’t have to take it lying down.
(She cups Cherry’s cheek gently.)
EVE
But if you stay…
We fight smart.
Together.
CHERRY
(looking down)
It’s psychological warfare.
They knew corporal punishment would trigger me.
They want to see me squirm while I give them my goodness.
They want to test me.
My weaknesses.
This is just the start.
And the scans?
SAPPHIRE
All of you have appointments.
EVE
(quietly, with a sharp edge)
Of course we do.
(She steps in front of Cherry again—grounded, fierce.)
EVE
They want the data.
Our scans. Our rhythms. Our loyalty.
But they forget—we’ve already bled for this place.
(Eyes flick to Sapphire—not accusing, just tired.)
EVE
Fine. I’ll do the scan.
But not because I trust them.
Because I trust her.
(Turns to Cherry again, voice softening.)
EVE
If they think putting us under glass will make us easier to control…
They’ve learned nothing.
(She brushes Cherry’s arm, grounding her.)
EVE
Let them test me too.
Let them watch.
I’m not squirming.
(She leans in, whispers for Cherry alone.)
EVE
I’ll remind them what happens when they wake the storm.
(Straightens, facing the room again.)
EVE
Schedule the scan.
Then we talk to our people.
We are not walking into this blind.
Not again.
INT. HOLODECK – LISA’S WORKSPACE – DAY
Cherry steps inside, still flushed from a run. Lisa looks up, surprised.
LISA
Hi. I wasn’t expecting you. Are you okay?
CHERRY
Can we talk in private?
LISA
It’s safe here. I mean—no cameras.
CHERRY
You’re thinking about having an affair.
It’s because of my relationship with Eve.
Lisa, don’t do this.
(beat)
I’ve made up my mind. The trio is most important.
I came in and complicated everything.
I’m leaving anyway.
I’m not like you.
I have to escape.
Take care of Eve.
She turns to go, but Lisa catches her gently by the arm.
LISA
(stepping forward, firm but shaken)
Cherry—wait. No.
You don’t get to walk out after dropping that on me like a bomb.
(voice softening)
First of all, I’m not having an affair. I’m human. I’m tired. And yeah—I’ve had thoughts.
But that’s because I miss you.
I miss us.
The way we used to move together like a current.
(beat)
Don’t reduce it to some jealousy over Eve.
This isn’t about sides.
It’s about rhythm—and how off it’s felt since you started pulling away.
(she gestures around the quiet holodeck space)
You say the trio matters most—but then you say you’re leaving.
That doesn’t add up.
You think running away protects us?
It doesn’t.
It just creates a Cherry-shaped hole we can’t patch.
(she steps closer, voice trembling with emotion)
You think you’re not like me?
Maybe you’re right.
But don’t you dare say I’m the one who’s breaking this.
You want to escape? Fine.
But do it with your eyes open.
We still love you.
I still love you.
And Eve—despite everything—
She fights for you more than she fights for herself.
(quietly)
So ask yourself, Cherry—
Are you leaving because it’s what you really want?
Or because you’re scared we might still want you too much?
(she lets go of Cherry’s arm, giving her the choice)
CHERRY
You don’t understand.
I figured out a plan that will give you all your freedom on Earth.
But I’m not in it.
You will make it without me.
You, Eve, Artimus, and Honey.
LISA
(voice cracking, stepping forward again)
Cherry… no.
(she searches her face)
You’re acting like you’re the burden.
Like we need freedom from you.
But what if the truth is—
We only found freedom with you?
(beat)
You’re not the problem.
You’re the pulse.
The reason Eve softened.
The reason Artimus got brave.
The reason I—God, the reason I stopped just existing and started feeling again.
(she takes Cherry’s hands, gently but firmly)
You think we’ll make it without you?
Maybe.
Maybe we’d survive.
But we’d be ghosts of what we could’ve been.
(tears forming)
You’re in it, Cherry.
Whether you believe it or not.
You’re in every single one of us now.
(soft)
So if you walk away…
Don’t tell yourself it’s to set us free.
Tell the truth.
It’s because you don’t believe you’re worthy of staying.
(beat)
But I do.
I always have.
Now you just have to catch up.
CHERRY
If I stay…
They’re gonna hurt me, Lisa.
LISA
(eyes wet, voice low and fierce)
Then they’ll have to go through me first.
(she pulls Cherry into a tight, grounding hug)
You think I’d let anyone lay a hand on you without consequence?
Cherry—
I’ve seen what you’ve survived.
And I swear on everything—
We’re not going to let them drag you back through that.
(she leans back, gripping Cherry’s shoulders)
You don’t have to choose between love and safety anymore.
You’re not alone in that room.
Not ever again.
(soft but solid)
If you stay—we fight together.
We shield together.
And if they try to beat you—
They’ll learn real fast what it means to wake the other two-thirds of a storm.
CHERRY
Lisa, I want you.
You know that, right?
Just me and you.
Name the time and place.
They’ll give me a flat, so I’ll have the space.
LISA
(smiling, voice breaking into playful rhythm)
I’m there, chick.
In a flash. In a dash.
CHERRY
Can we have a crash?
LISA
Crash into me, baby.
I’m definitely gonna rear-end you.
CHERRY
Cause some whiplash?
LISA
Damn right.
INT. KRAUS’S OFFICE – EVENING
Cherry steps through the door, confident but cool. Kraus sits behind his sleek desk, the light behind him casting long shadows.
CHERRY
Hey, Kraus.
I read your plan. I’ll sign the contract.
Just two things—your word of honor.
KRAUS
(leans back, steepling his fingers)
What’s that?
CHERRY
Evelyn does the scans on all of us.
And I want a flat of my own to live.
(pause)
Also… I’ll enter the High Chi competition on my own.
No oversight. No control around it.
I’ll give my word—I’ll do my best every time.
KRAUS
(leans back further, considering her)
You want Evelyn on the scans? Done.
She’s precise—and loyal, which matters more than people think.
And the flat? Consider it yours.
Keycard will be ready tonight.
(eyes narrowing, voice quieter)
But the competition… that’s the crown jewel of this whole initiative.
You going in without oversight? No coordination?
(leans forward)
You sure that’s the hill you want to plant your flag on?
(beat)
You understand what you’re stepping into, don’t you?
This isn’t just some tournament. It’s a political platform.
If you take that stage—you’re speaking for all of us.
One wrong move, and they’ll crucify you.
(sits back again, thoughtful)
Still… if you give me your word, I’ll take it.
You’ve got that look—the kind people bet on when everything’s at stake.
(beat)
So go ahead, Cherry. Burn bright.
Just don’t burn us down with you.
CHERRY
If I start to…
Your robot will hurt me, right?
KRAUS
(smoothly)
Don’t make me out to be the villain, Cherry.
The robot only acts when someone breaks their word.
You’re not planning on doing that… are you?
CHERRY
No, but I may make a mistake in your eyes
just by telling the truth. No?
KRAUS
(chuckling, steepling fingers again)
Cherry, mistakes aren’t punishable.
Defiance is.
If you tell the truth and it destabilizes the program,
that’s not a mistake—it’s sabotage.
(leans in)
So be honest, sure. But be strategic.
The people watching you now…
they’re not just curious. They’re hungry.
For a hero. Or a scapegoat.
CHERRY
The song I sang…
That’s the deepest truth I know.
Would that get me beat by your robot?
KRAUS
(smooth, measured)
A song can move the masses, Cherry.
But if it moves them in the wrong direction—
if it makes them ask questions I’m not ready to answer—
then yes.
Even truth sung beautifully has consequences.
(beat)
So sing.
But understand—some notes are sharp enough to cut.
CHERRY
Jeezus.
Can I see a video of someone getting hurt by that robot.
I’m positive you wouldn’t mind that.
INT. GUARDIAN TRAINING HALL – DIMMED
Kraus leads Cherry through a narrow corridor into a soundproof viewing chamber. The lights are low. A clear glass wall reveals a white, sterile room beyond. A single Guardian stands at a sleek console. The air hums faintly with energy.
KRAUS
You wanted to see.
He gestures to the window.
CHERRY
I want to understand.
A volunteer enters the room—calm, barefoot, dressed in loose training garments.
The machine—a fusion of old-world ritual and modern tech—hums to life. The volunteer nods, then steps into place: feet apart, hands gripping forward handles, back exposed.
A scanning beam sweeps across their body, mapping tension zones, calculating angles. A padded mechanical arm aligns with clinical precision.
KRAUS
They choose their implement.
The system guarantees no lasting damage.
Precision targeting. Measured force.
No emotion—just accountability.
The arm strikes. One sharp echo reverberates. The volunteer exhales but does not flinch. A green light flashes overhead. Session complete.
CHERRY
(quietly)
One strike
KRAUS
For a truth delivered too late.
One impact—just enough to reinforce the line.
CHERRY
And if the truth is too early? Or too much?
KRAUS
Then it’s not truth.
It’s strategy. Or seduction. Or chaos.
Timing is the essence of all power.
Cherry watches the volunteer walk out calmly. No shame. No theatrics.
CHERRY
So it’s not the pain that matters.
It’s the willingness to face it.
KRAUS
Exactly.
A long beat. Cherry crosses her arms, gaze steady.
CHERRY
Okay. I’ve seen enough.
Kraus nods, that unnerving calm still wrapped around him like armor.
KRAUS
Good.
Now let’s talk about the choices ahead of you.
INT. LIVING ROOM – EVENING
The door opens. Cherry steps inside—still wind‑flushed from the day.
Eve’s already standing, arms folded, a storm in her eyes.
EVE
(quiet, measured)
So. You talked to Lisa.
(She waits, eyes locked on Cherry.)
EVE (cont’d)
She told me everything.
(A beat. Eve draws a slow breath, grounding herself.)
EVE (cont’d)
You were going to leave.
To protect us.
(Another beat. Her voice cracks, but she doesn’t back down.)
EVE (cont’d)
Why didn’t you tell me first?
(Then, softer—almost trembling.)
EVE (cont’d)
Did you think I’d just let you go?
CHERRY
No.
But I wasn’t going to do nothing while Lisa does something to kill you.
I’m not going to cause your trio harm.
I’ll leave to prevent that.
That’s why I got my own flat after talking to Klaus.
Lisa will visit sometimes. I think that’s important.
Don’t you?
EVE
(faltering)
You… talked to Klaus?
(She shakes her head slowly—disbelief, not anger. The pieces click.)
EVE (cont’d)
You really thought this was the only way.
(She steps forward, closing the distance.)
EVE (cont’d)
Lisa doesn’t want to kill me. You know that, right?
(Pauses. Searches Cherry’s face.)
EVE (cont’d)
But you were willing to disappear anyway. Quietly. Again.
(soft, sharp)
You think that doesn’t kill me?
(Eve exhales—no longer angry, just raw.)
EVE (cont’d)
You’re not the cause of harm here, Cherry.
You’re the reason there’s still something to fight for.
(She lets that sit, then gestures faintly.)
EVE (cont’d)
So yeah… maybe Lisa should visit you.
But what about me?
Do I get to see you too—
or am I just the one you’re protecting from the outside?
CHERRY
Eve, you know it would kill you if Lisa had an affair.
It would kill you—and that would kill me.
We’d all be the walking dead!
EVE
(quietly, like she’s been punched)
Then don’t say you’ll leave.
(She steps closer, voice trembling with something fierce and fragile.)
EVE (cont’d)
Don’t talk about getting your own flat like it’s a noble act of sacrifice.
You think I want to wake up and realize I drove you away because I was scared?
(She grabs Cherry’s hands—firm, not rough—grounding herself.)
EVE (cont’d)
Yes. It would kill me.
If Lisa turned away.
If you did.
(beat)
But what kills me faster is you doing this alone again—
making choices in the name of protecting me like I’m a porcelain doll.
(beat)
You want truth? Here’s mine.
You leaving doesn’t save us.
It unthreads us.
CHERRY
Lisa scolded me about that already.
But it wasn’t just that driving me.
You think I wanna be in Gardenia when I could be beaten at any time?
Okay—I had a moment! Jeezus.
EVE
(voice drops to a whisper)
Don’t you know my worst fear isn’t being hurt?
It’s losing you while you’re still alive.
(snaps, then softens)
Yeah, you had a moment—
but I have moments too, Cherry. Every day. Every hour. And I’m still here.
(her breath catches, eyes never leaving Cherry’s)
EVE (cont’d)
I’m scared too.
Scared I’m not enough—or too much.
Scared I’ll screw it up again.
But I stay.
(voice cracks)
I stay because I believe in us. Even when it’s ugly. Even when it hurts.
Even when you’re halfway out the door calling it mercy.
(beat)
Don’t act like this is just about protecting me.
You’re scared.
And you should be.
But running isn’t the brave choice, Cherry.
Staying is.
CHERRY
Well, I had a plan that would get all three of you back to Earth.
And me not beaten into submission.
But I guess that’s not what you want. I hear you.
EVE
(firm)
No—don’t twist it like that.
You think I don’t want you safe?
You think I wouldn’t give everything to keep you from harm?
(her voice softens, trembling)
But don’t sell me a plan that starts with you disappearing.
You think the trio survives if you’re gone?
That we’re stronger without you?
(shakes her head)
We’re not whole when you vanish.
We’re not us when you’re just some ghost with a good excuse.
(beat, eyes locked)
So yeah, maybe I’m angry.
Not because you had a plan—
but because your best idea of saving us
was cutting yourself out.
CHERRY
Okay, I get it now.
I’m not at my best today. .
I’m surprised you didn’t spank me.
(looks down, starting to break)
I need to meditate or something.
EVE
(softening, stepping closer)
Hey…
(she lifts Cherry’s chin)
EVE (cont’d)
You think I want to punish you right now?
You’re okay —you’re just overwhelmed.
(she wipes a tear from Cherry’s cheek)
You don’t need meditation.
You need to land.
Let me be that someone—just for a minute.
No trio. No mission.
Just you and me. Right here.
(quiet)
Will you let me?
CHERRY
Will you ground me like you do?
I need to connect with Chris.
INT. BEDROOM – MOMENTS LATER
Eve leads Cherry to the bed, sitting first.
Cherry lies face‑down across her lap—wordless, trusting.
EVE
You’re not in trouble.
You’re overwhelmed.
And I know what helps.
(she starts patting Cherry’s bottom softly, rhythmic, grounding)
EVE (cont’d)
There you go.
One touch at a time.
You’re safe. You’re with me.
(calm, steady voice)
You’re not gonna disappear.
You’re not alone in your body.
You’re allowed to feel this and still be held.
CHERRY
It’s working… She’s near.
EVE
Good. Let her come through.
Let the love come back in.
(pat… pat… pause)
EVE (cont’d)
We’re not lost, Cherry.
You’re still ours.
CHERRY
Don’t get mad. I talked to Klaus.
He told me what he expects.
Evelyn will do our scans.
I’ll have the flat.
He showed me what the punishment was.
I saw someone receiving it.
EVE
(steady, low)
You what?
You talked to Klaus behind our backs?
You watched someone get punished and didn’t tell me?
(beat; she exhales, control returning)
You know that’s not how we do things. Not anymore.
(Eve sits, guiding Cherry gently over her lap again.)
EVE (cont’d)
You want to connect to Chris? Then breathe.
You’re safe. You’re home.
(she resumes patting, slow and rhythmic)
EVE (cont’d)
We’ll figure this out together.
Minutes go by.
CHERRY
(sitting up)
I’m surprised you haven’t asked about the punishment.
What I saw.
But I’m glad.
I’m hungry. Let’s eat something.
EVE
(studying her)
You really don’t want to talk about it?
(softly)
Okay. No pressure.
I’m glad you’re hungry.
(smiles faintly)
Come on—eggs or that oat‑pancake thing you’ve been making?
You know, the one that makes the kitchen smell like cinnamon and trouble?
(half‑smile)
I’ll make the coffee the way you like it.
Just… stay close today, okay?
CHERRY
(smiling, teasing)
Okay, but I didn’t want to out your girl Lisa just for thoughts, right?
You understand that.
Though she came right over here and outed me, didn’t she?
Right from my mouth to your ears.
You’ve got her trained, alright.
EVE
(lets out a low laugh, shaking her head)
Trained? Please.
Lisa doesn’t take orders from anyone.
(she pulls Cherry into her arms again)
She just loves you too much to let you sink without a flare.
(softer)
She was worried. And yeah, she told me fast—
but not to punish you.
To protect you.
(meets Cherry’s eyes)
And if you think for one second I’m picking sides between you two—
you’re both insane.
(smiling faintly)
You’re my girls.
When one’s hurting, the other’s not gonna stay quiet.
That’s not betrayal.
That’s love, Cherry.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The kitchen hums quietly behind them. The air is heavy but tender; two women standing in the half‑light, bound by worry and love.
EVE
(leaning against the counter, eyes soft but tired)
Cherry’s got Honey tonight. He wanted to stay. She’s been working out there like a machine.
(pauses)
You going over later?
LISA
Yeah, but you’ll be alone. Honey should really come home.
EVE
(shrugging)
No, I want the quiet. Maybe I’ll call Artimus.
(half‑smile)
See if we can turn it into a little long‑distance therapy.
LISA
(laughs)
Ha. I know you can.
(her smile fades)
But I’m worried, Eve.
It’s like we’re pretending—like if we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen.
EVE
You mean… if they decide to punish her.
LISA
(nods)
They’ll just take her. And she’ll be alone.
EVE
(quiet, voice tightening)
Yeah… I know.
That’s what keeps me up. The idea that they’d just—
take her. No warning. No one there to hold her hand through it.
(she shakes her head, eyes distant)
She acts so strong, but I see the cracks.
The way she flinches when someone says obedience,
or when the word protocol slips into a briefing.
(beat)
I tell myself Kraus wouldn’t dare.
That he wants her brilliance, not her pain.
But Gardenia’s never been kind to people who don’t kneel right.
(she meets Lisa’s gaze)
And Cherry’s never knelt right a day in her life.
(softer)
You’re right to be worried.
But if they touch her—if they even try—
we won’t just sit here.
(she straightens, fierce calm in her eyes)
We go get her. Whatever it takes.
LISA
(shakes her head quickly)
No, we won’t, Eve. It’s off‑limits.
She said that robot doesn’t hit you too hard.
You think that’s true?
EVE
(snickers, humorless)
She said that to keep us calm. You know that.
(voice low)
The machine’s built for control, not mercy.
It reads pulse, resistance, adrenaline—
knows the exact moment a person’s about to break.
Then it backs off just enough to keep them conscious.
That’s not gentle. That’s engineered fear.
(she exhales hard, jaw tight)
If it were me, I’d rather face a person.
People hesitate. Machines don’t.
(looks back at Lisa)
No, Lis. It’s not too hard.
It’s exactly as hard as they need it to be.
And that’s what scares me.
LISA
(quietly)
She’s meditating, and her first fight’s this weekend.
Maybe she can move beyond the threat.
Maybe Kraus knew it would throw a wrench in ascension.
You think she can get beyond it?
EVE
(crosses her arms, thinking)
Yeah… that sounds like him.
Kraus doesn’t punish—he plants fear.
Lets it grow until it starts making choices for you.
He wants her second‑guessing every breath.
(she exhales through her nose)
But Cherry’s not built like that.
She eats fear, turns it into energy.
You’ve seen it—when others freeze, she rises.
(smiles faintly)
That’s what makes her terrifying and beautiful all at once.
(beat, softens)
But ascension doesn’t come from proving you’re not afraid.
It comes from not needing to prove anything at all.
If she remembers that—if she lets the fear move through her instead of fighting it—
then yeah, she’ll transcend it.
(quiet, almost proud)
Maybe that’s what Kraus forgot.
You can’t control someone who’s already survived the worst you could do.
LISA
(smiling a little, blinking back emotion)
Then maybe she’s closer than any of us think.
EVE
(half‑smile, eyes shining)
Yeah. She’s already halfway there.
EXT. GARDENIA PALACE COURTYARD – DAY
The grand courtyard pulses with anticipation. Banners shimmer with Guardian sigils. Gardenian citizens, diplomats, and off-world guests fill the arena. At the center, a polished High Chi circle glows faintly with embedded light-code, responsive to frequency shifts.
SAPPHIRE stands at a raised podium in her royal robe, radiant and poised.
SAPPHIRE
(voice amplified by resonance tech)
Welcome, Gardenia. You gather here not for war, but for witnessing.
Today’s match opens the season of High Chi.
Frequency. Focus. Flow.
Step forward when you are called.
(beat)
Fighter One: Cherry of Earth. Guardian Witness. High Chi Initiate.
The crowd erupts — some cheering, some whispering. Cherry steps out slowly.
She wears layered black silk pants and a cropped fitted top with fluid gold threading. Her long braid is tied with a red cord — the color of ignition.
MUSIC BEGINS — not a standard drumbeat. This is bass-heavy, swagger-filled. Synths, layered percussion, a sensual undercurrent.
Cherry dances her way in.
But this isn’t light or flirtatious. It’s power. Swagger. Rhythmic control. The audience falls silent, stunned.
Her hips roll — sharp, confident. Her gaze is level. Her expression unreadable.
There’s humor in it, and also something blatantly sexual, even subversive. She flaunts — not for approval, but as a kind of defiance. Yet nothing feels performative. It is her.
The music shifts as she reaches the circle.
SAPPHIRE
(announcing)
Fighter Two: Jorek of My’La. Three-year High Chi finalist. Champion of the East Dome.
JOREK enters with traditional stillness. He bows to Sapphire, then to Cherry.
Cherry doesn’t bow. She smiles faintly — then tilts her head in acknowledgment, one hand raised palm-forward. A nonverbal signal: I’m not here to disrespect you. But I don’t play by your rules.
SAPPHIRE
(raising hand)
Begin.
The moment the signal drops—
CHERRY MOVES.
A blur of kinetic grace. She sidesteps Jorek’s opening lunge, spins, crouches low — and sweeps his legs.
He hits the ground with a controlled fall — but Cherry is already there, palm at his chest. Her body hovers just above his. Her braid drapes across his arm.
The tech ring flares gold.
Fight over.
Fifteen seconds.
Gasps ripple through the arena.
Cherry leans down — and hugs him.
Full, sincere. No theatrics.
JOREK blinks, stunned. He stiffens, unsure how to respond.
CHERRY
(quietly, for him alone)
Thank you for standing in front of me. You gave me exactly what I needed.
She helps him to his feet.
The crowd is frozen — unsure whether to clap, cheer, or process what they just saw.
LISA, from the side:
She didn’t just win. She made it art.
EVE
(voice low)
And no one will forget it.
SAPPHIRE
(resonant, calm)
The ring recognizes Cherry of Earth. The signal is acknowledged. This round is complete.
Cherry bows — once — to Sapphire, then walks away without looking back.
INT. GUARDIAN ARENA – PRESS PODIUM – DAY
Cherry stands at a sleek black podium, still in her post-fight attire. Her hair is pulled back, her breathing calm. Cameras flash. The Guardian insignia glows behind her.
Three interviewers step forward — one by one — each permitted a single question.
INTERVIEWER 1
This match was more of a spectacle than a traditional bout.
Was that your intention—and if so, why?
CHERRY
(shaking her head gently)
No.
A spectacle was never my intention.
I saw space. Space to be creative.
I danced—purely—what came from my heart.
It’s a frequency. My frequency.
The bout wasn’t a bout.
I touched someone today… and I felt love. I felt compassion.
I gave my word to do my best each time—and I did.
Fully. From my being.
(She pauses. No ego, only resonance.)
INTERVIEWER 2
You seemed to shift the energy mid-match.
From offense to stillness.
Was that strategy—or surrender?
CHERRY
(voice low, honest)
It was listening.
Something in him changed, so I did too.
I don’t fight to win. I meet people.
Sometimes we meet in power.
Sometimes we meet in mercy.
But either way—
I don’t show up with armor. I show up to see who someone really is.
And if they’re brave enough to meet me there…
I stay.
INTERVIEWER 3
(final question, with an edge)
You didn’t bow to your opponent.
That’s traditionally a sign of respect.
Some say you don’t respect your opponents.
Would you like to respond?
CHERRY
(quietly at first, then stronger)
I bow when I mean it.
And I have bowed—many times—before, during, after.
In spirit, if not by gesture.
Today, I offered him something else.
I offered my full self.
No mask. No pretense. No war behind the eyes.
I don’t perform respect. I feel it.
And if he felt it…
in my rhythm,
in my restraint,
in the way I stayed—
then he knows I bowed a hundred times
without lowering my head once.
If others didn’t see that,
maybe they were watching for the wrong thing.
(She steps back from the podium. Flashbulbs echo like aftershocks. Cherry stands still, centered, unshaken.)
INT. CHERRY’S FLAT – NIGHT – AFTER-FIGHT PARTY
The room hums with energy — laughter, glasses clinking, light bouncing off metal and silk.
Board members, High Chi fighters, and curious officials mingle among banners and low music.
In the center of it all: Cherry, on the floor, doing one‑arm pushups while a group of children watch, enthralled.
Her tattoos ripple in the lamplight — stories written across muscle. She dips low, presses up again, effortless, grinning.
CHERRY
(cheerful)
Balance is about bananas, remember that!
If you can peel one slow, you can do anything.
The kids giggle, mimicking her stance.
Across the room, Eve moves through the crowd — quiet, observant, glass in hand.
EVE’S THOUGHTS (V.O.)
She’s unreal.
One arm. Full extension. No shaking.
Cherry’s on the floor like gravity flirts with her but never quite wins.
The kids adore her — eyes wide, open‑mouthed, like they’re watching a superhero.
And maybe they are.
Her tattoos catch the light — sharp black lines over skin she’s carved with discipline and fury.
But it’s more than strength. It’s intention. Radiance.
And joy. God, she’s actually having fun.
Cherry laughs between reps, teasing, shining — being.
No performance. No mask. Just her.
And she doesn’t see me yet.
For a moment, I get to watch her like this — free.
Owning the room. Commanding warriors and children alike.
That’s Cherry: all heart, all fire, all real.
(beat)
I don’t know what I did — in this life or the last — to be part of her orbit.
But watching her tonight, I know this much:
She’s not the girl we rescued.
She’s the force we were sent to meet.
And I’m not sure whether I want to protect her…
or admit she’s the one protecting us.
(softer)
God, I love her.
Even when I don’t understand her — especially then.
And when she finally looks up and sees me…
I hope she can feel everything I didn’t say.
Eve moves on, scanning the room — until she spots Kraus, surrounded by Guardian men, laughing too easily.
She approaches, her presence immediately shifting the air.
KRAUS
Eve. Hello.
EVE
(smooth, composed)
Kraus. Enjoying the party?
(she glances at his drink, then back — polite smile with razor edges)
Didn’t think you frequented celebrations that didn’t end in policy drafts or veiled threats.
(beat)
Then again, Cherry did steal the show.
You’d be a fool not to show face.
KRAUS
Now, Eve — you know when you show your teeth, it excites all the Guardian men in a half‑mile radius.
(chuckling, mock‑bowing)
Respectfully.
EVE
(smiling coolly, eyes lit with danger)
Is that so?
Funny — whenever I bare my teeth, it’s usually a warning.
(she steps closer, voice lower)
Respectfully, of course.
(glances toward Cherry, then back)
You here to offer congratulations… or take notes on how she dismantled your fear machine in fifteen seconds flat?
KRAUS
Now, Eve — you’ve got my heart rate going.
Fear machine? He wasn’t a machine, was he?
I hoped some disciplined punishment might be your style.
That’s what I hear anyway.
(The Guardians smirk. Kraus smiles wider.)
EVE
(tilts her head, voice like velvet wrapped around a blade)
Careful, Kraus.
You’re confusing discipline with cruelty — common mistake among men who’ve never learned the difference.
(she steps in closer, smirk gone, eyes locked on his)
What I hear is that you like to dress up control and call it order.
(beat, lower)
Cherry didn’t just win tonight — she reminded everyone what real power looks like when it isn’t afraid to feel.
(she leans in, voice soft, deadly)
That’s what excites you, isn’t it?
Not punishment — freedom.
(she straightens, tone cool and casual — loud enough for the Guardians nearby)
Don’t worry, Kraus.
I’m not here to discipline anyone.
Unless, of course… they beg for it.
(The men laugh nervously. Kraus hides his reaction behind a practiced grin.)
KRAUS
Beautiful. Smart as a whip. Words just as captivating.
You and Cherry — you both unhinge me.
You forget my intention to keep you around in your element doesn’t trump my intention to keep the house from burning down.
I’m not trying to start a war here.
Don’t burn the person who feeds you and keeps the lights on.
I know what you’re concerned about — and you know how to prevent it.
EVE
(smiling faintly, tone steady, dangerous)
You always did love your metaphors — fires, houses, wolves.
Almost poetic… if I didn’t know what they meant.
(she leans closer, low)
You don’t feed us, Kraus.
We built the light you keep bragging about.
And Cherry?
She’s not your matchstick — she’s the reason anyone believes in this place at all.
(pauses, eyes narrowing)
You say you’re not trying to start a war?
Then stop acting like peace is something you own.
(she leans back, smile returning — soft, disarming)
You want to keep the house from burning down?
Then maybe stop standing so close to the spark.
INT. CHERRY’S FLAT – NIGHT – POST‑FIGHT PARTY
Cherry comes up behind Eve and touches her back.
CHERRY
Hey, are you okay?
(turns to Kraus)
Kraus.
EVE
(turning slightly, softening at Cherry’s touch)
Hey.
(she looks at Cherry—her guard drops, warmth rising)
Yeah, I’m okay. Just… doing that dance we always seem to do.
(she casts one last glance at Kraus, then back to Cherry, her tone lightening)
He thinks he’s the fire marshal. I keep reminding him we’re the ones who built the flame.
(she touches Cherry’s arm briefly, grounding herself)
You did good tonight. Better than good. You lit up the whole room.
(she smirks, just for her)
Even the ones who pretend they don’t have hearts—they felt it.
(beat, glancing between them)
You two officially met, or are we still pretending we don’t see through each other’s games?
KRAUS
She’s right about one thing. Good job.
Come by tomorrow.
(looks at Eve)
Don’t worry—this is about consulting with you on some things.
But it’s confidential.
If I find out Eve, Lisa, or any of your friends know what we consult about—
that’s a serious offense.
(beat, deliberate)
And remember, we have ways of downloading memory.
(smiles faintly)
See you tomorrow. Have a good rest of your evening.
Kraus walks away.
Eve and Cherry exchange a loaded glance.
CHERRY
Don’t let this be a thing and it won’t.
EVE
(steadies her voice, eyes locked on Cherry’s)
Alright. I won’t make it a thing—not if keeping quiet protects all of us.
(beat, softer)
But go in there ready, Cherry. The same way you walked into that ring—
unshakable, breathing your own rhythm.
(she steps closer, hands gently on Cherry’s arms)
Whatever he throws at you, meet it like you did today.
You didn’t flinch. You didn’t fight his way. You redefined it.
(beat, more firmly)
That’s what I’m here for—to make sure you walk in steady, not scared.
(quietly, almost a whisper)
You face him tomorrow the way you faced the fight tonight—
and remember who the hell you are.
INT. STRATEGY ROOM – DAY
A sleek, high-tech room. Holograms flicker across a central map table. A handful of GUARDIAN OFFICIALS and MILITARY COMMANDERS stand in focused silence.
The door opens.
CHERRY steps in—composed, alert, quietly commanding.
KRAUS
(into the room)
Gentlemen. This is Cherry.
(Nods all around. A few offer brief greetings. No one wastes time.)
KRAUS
(to Cherry)
So—here’s the situation.
(gestures toward the table)
A terrorist group we’re calling Mandalie has one of our operatives. We’ve tried every frequency trace available, but they’ve got tech scrambling the signal.
COLONEL
(stepping forward)
It’s like they’ve put her behind a wall. No digital footprint, no energetic trace.
KRAUS
We were hoping you could… tune in. See what we can’t.
CHERRY
(nods)
Do you have a picture of the hostage?
(The Colonel immediately steps forward and hands her a physical photo. She studies it for a moment.)
CHERRY
Alright. Just give me some privacy.
KRAUS
Of course. Whatever you need.
(He gestures toward a nearby glass-walled room. Cherry walks to it without another word, enters, and gently closes the door behind her.)
KRAUS
(to the room)
She’s the real deal. You’ll see.
COLONEL
(low, skeptical)
I hope so. Time is running out.
INT. PRIVATE ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
Cherry sits cross-legged on the floor. She holds the photo in her lap, eyes closed, breathing slow and deep. A faint shimmer dances across her skin—subtle, but real.
INT. STRATEGY ROOM – 30 MINUTES LATER
The door opens. Cherry steps out, her expression calm but intense. She walks directly to the central map and points at a district.
CHERRY
You were right—they’re using a field to scramble all frequencies. But that’s alright. I got through.
(The group straightens, alert now.)
CHERRY
There’s a storefront—looks like it sells novelty sunglasses. A lot of shade variations in the window. But in the back, there’s a kind of panic room. She’s in there.
(She taps a location on the map.)
COLONEL
Is she…?
CHERRY
She’s alive.
(A breath of relief moves through the room.)
SOLDIER
(pulling up data)
We’ve got the store. Locking coordinates. We’ll deploy a team now.
(The room kicks into motion. Maps zoom. Troops mobilize.)
KRAUS
(to Cherry, quietly)
Well done.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Soft lamplight glows over tangled sheets. LISA and EVE lie together, half-asleep, tangled in warmth.
KNOCK KNOCK.
EVE bolts upright, grabbing a shirt.
EVE
(muttering)
I’ll see who it is.
She throws on pants and a shirt, pads barefoot to the door.
INT. FRONT DOOR – CONTINUOUS
EVE opens it. Two GUARDIAN POLICE officers stand stiffly in uniform.
EVE
(confused but steady)
Is everything okay? What happened?
OFFICER 1
Are you Eve?
EVE
Yes. What is this about?
They step forward without a word, cuffing her wrists behind her.
EVE
(stern but not panicked)
Hey—what the hell?
LISA appears in the hallway, pulling on a robe.
LISA
What’s going on? Where are you taking her?!
OFFICER 2
(avoiding eye contact)
We’re authorized to detain. That’s all we can say.
They lead Eve out.
INT. POLICE VEHICLE – NIGHT
EVE sits calmly in the back seat, cuffed but composed. She watches the city blur past the window.
EVE
(flatly, with edge)
Just another Thursday night, huh?
(beat)
Terrorizing families. Arresting people for nothing. Hope it looks good on the playback.
The officers say nothing. One shifts uncomfortably. Cameras are clearly rolling.
INT. KRAUS’S QUARTERS – NIGHT
The door is pounded.
KRAUS opens it, face half-sleep, half-annoyed.
CHERRY barrels in.
CHERRY
Why did you take Eve?
KRAUS
(stiff)
She was caught remote viewing a classified meeting.
CHERRY
(flat)
Sometimes it just happens. We can’t control it when it hits.
KRAUS
It’s late. And you’re out of line. There’s a process, and you’re not helping by storming in.
CHERRY
Oh I’m helping. Just not the way you like.
(she glares, eyes bright with heat)
All this drama with Eve? It’s clouding my spidey sense.
Sometimes when this crap happens, I go months without being able to pick up anything psychic—except a fight. That, I win. And the public? They still love me.
(She turns, walking away.)
KRAUS
(waiting, quieter)
Cherry—wait.
CHERRY
(still walking)
Nope. I’m off duty.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
The Chief enters, calm and warm. Eve sits at the metal table, guarded but exhausted.
CHIEF
Whew. This has been quite a night.
(extends a hand)
Hi—I’m the Chief here.
Nice to finally meet you in person.
I guess you could say… I’m a fan.
EVE
(surprised, but guarded)
A fan, huh? That’s a new one—usually people cuff me first and ask questions never.
(sits back, scanning him)
But… thank you. For not starting with accusations.
EVE
(sincere, tired)
Look, I know this whole thing is a mess.
But I wasn’t spying. I didn’t even know where Cherry was. I was making tea. And then—
(gestures vaguely)
—I was just there. In the room.
Hearing it like it was my own memory.
(leans forward)
I don’t even want to know half the things I pick up sometimes.
I spent years trying not to feel everything. To shut it off.
But when someone’s in danger—especially someone tied to her—it’s like my body just bypasses permission.
(pauses, then gently)
If I could’ve controlled it, I would’ve.
I didn’t mean to break protocol.
I didn’t even mean to see.
(beat)
But now that I have—I can’t un-know it either.
CHIEF
I hear you. And I’m not judging.
But here in Gardenia… gollee, we always have to do something to keep this from happening again.
That’s protocol, and that’s my job, ma’am.
I do wish I could let this slide. I do.
I hope you see that.
The best thing you can do right now is just accept responsibility, receive the slap on the wrist, and make sure this doesn’t happen again.
EVE
(sighs, voice calm)
I get it. Really—I do.
And I’m not trying to squirm out of it. I just… I needed to explain.
Not to defend myself—just to be seen clearly.
(pauses, then nods)
If taking the hit helps us move forward, then fine.
Slap away. I can take it.
But I also hope—just hope—you’ll remember I didn’t do this to harm anyone.
(softer)
Especially not her.
(beat)
What happens now?
CHIEF
You have two choices.
The discipline machine… or incarceration for a few days.
Both are on record. Both satisfy protocol.
Up to you, ma’am.
EVE
(low, controlled)
You want me to choose between humiliation and a cell?
(beat)
I didn’t even mean to see it. I was walking to my damn desk and it just—
(she swallows, trying to stay calm)
You people treat this like I hacked in. Like I planned it.
(she steps forward)
You can detect when someone sees something…
but can you detect why?
Because if you could, you’d know I didn’t do this to spy.
I didn’t even want to know.
(beat)
But I do.
And now you want to punish me for being tuned in?
(a flicker of pain)
I didn’t ask to be built like this.
CHIEF
I understand.
And unfortunately… it doesn’t make any difference.
(shrugs lightly)
I used to know a human before.
I kinda— (points to his head) figured out a real difference.
We Guardians… we don’t take offense too much to a little pain, even if it’s just redirection.
But humans… they feel a lot more about it.
But I know you’re a strong woman. I mean that.
I saw what you did during the Mirror Scandals.
And I do call it scandalous what happened.
(beat)
Look—I promise you can get this done today.
And I’ll set that machine on the lowest level it can go for this kind of infraction.
There’s no shame in it.
You can go in alone, or I can be there if you want.
I promise I’ll do everything I can to protect your dignity.
But you will feel some pain.
EVE
(cool, direct)
I don’t need you to respect me.
(holds his eyes)
But I’ll remember that you said you did.
(she takes a breath)
You’re right. Humans feel things differently.
Sometimes too much. Sometimes not soon enough.
(she steps forward)
So let me feel this one. Let me take the machine.
Alone.
(pauses, quieter now)
You want to prove there’s no shame in it?
Then keep your eyes to yourself.
I’ll walk in, walk out, and still be me.
(beat)
Don’t turn it up. Don’t make it soft.
Just make it count.
CHIEF
(smiling, slightly blushing)
You got it.
(quietly hands her a slip of paper)
And ma’am… if there’s ever anything I can do for you—
Here’s my number.
Let’s get this over with, shall we?
INT. DISCIPLINE ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
Eve walks in through a side door with the Chief. The room is clinical, cold, with the hum of tech in the walls. The machine stands in the center like a silent sentinel.
CHIEF
(speaking gently as he operates the panel)
Machine’s pre-set for Level One. Just one correction—enough to register the offense.
You’ll stand still. It’ll position you. Then it’s over.
Door unlocks when it’s done. I’ll be waiting outside.
(Eve nods once.)
He opens the machine’s panel. She steps in.
The door closes behind her. She’s alone.
The lights shift.
Hydraulic arms move gently. A brace clicks around her waist—firm but not harsh. A targeting lens glows behind her.
She braces.
THWACK.
Sharp, clean—like electricity licking bone through skin.
A single snap of impact across her back, through her jacket.
Her teeth grit, and her hands curl into fists—but she doesn’t cry out.
A five-second countdown begins for a second strike.
It halts at two.
HISS. The door opens.
The Chief steps forward, holding a datapad.
The Chief stands there, eyes wide with surprise and a touch of relief.
CHIEF
(softly, almost smiling)
Colonel called.
(pauses)
Said to stop it. He didn’t want you touched at all.
(sincere)
I didn’t know he’d intervene like that. Not at this hour.
Eve steps out slowly, rubbing her back, but standing tall.
EVE
(quiet)
I was scheduled for three.
CHIEF
(nods)
He said zero.
But… I didn’t get the call in time.
(beat)
I’m sorry, ma’am.
(pause)
Said to tell you something too.
(leans in)
“You’re military now. Keep your mouth shut about their business.”
EVE
(smiling faintly, dry)
That sounds about right.
(beat)
But tell him thanks.
The Chief watches her with new regard. He gives a nod, then offers a hand.
CHIEF
You held your ground.
EVE
(gripping it)
Just one of the perks of being human.
(beat)
We feel everything. But we still get up.
She walks out the door without another word.
The Chief watches her go, impressed.
FADE OUT.
EXT. DISCIPLINE BUILDING – NIGHT
Eve steps through the double doors, eyes adjusting to the outside light.
Lisa, Rex, Sapphire, and Brad are waiting nearby, tense.
LISA
Eve—
Eve walks straight into her arms.
EVE
(gruff, quiet)
Hey. I’m okay.
She holds Lisa tight. Then lets her go and gives Rex a firm hug, then Sapphire.
EVE
(small smile)
Thanks for being here.
SAPPHIRE
Cherry went to the Colonel’s home. I don’t know what she said, but… it worked.
EVE
(quietly)
Of course she did.
(beat, voice sharpening)
Where is she now?
LISA
She went home. Didn’t say much. Just… slipped out after the call came through.
EVE
(squints)
You guys don’t even know where they took me?
REX
Shit, Eve. They didn’t tell us anything. Just that the Colonel overrode the sequence and had you released. That’s all we got.
EVE
(beat, voice low)
They didn’t take me to a cell.
(looks between them)
They gave me a choice—discipline machine or holding.
I picked the machine.
LISA
(softly)
Did it hurt?
EVE
(nods, but shrugs)
Just one hit. Was supposed to be three.
(pauses)
He stopped it. At two seconds left on the second strike.
SAPPHIRE
You think Cherry convinced him?
EVE
(turns toward the horizon)
I don’t know what she said.
(beat)
But if he stopped it mid-countdown… she must’ve said something that mattered.
REX
(sincere)
She went to bat for you, Eve.
EVE
(quietly)
She always does. Even when I don’t deserve it.
(beat, then with a dry smile)
I owe her a hell of a conversation.
LISA
We’ll come with you if you want.
EVE
(shakes her head gently)
No. Let me go first.
(looks over shoulder)
I need to see her face.
I need to know what she gave up to protect mine.
INT. CHERRY’S DOORWAY – NIGHT
Eve knocks. Cherry opens the door. Eve immediately pulls her into a tight hug, tears in her eyes.
CHERRY
One hit
(whispers, guilt-laced)
I tried so hard to stop it before then.
I’m sorry.
EVE
(arms still around her, voice cracking)
You stopped it, Cherry.
You did stop it.
(she pulls back just enough to meet Cherry’s eyes)
I don’t care that it landed.
I care that you went.
(tears falling again, gentler now)
You weren’t even supposed to fix this.
It wasn’t your mess to clean up.
But you still ran straight into the fire.
(beat)
That’s what got me more than the hit.
Knowing you were out there fighting for me while I was strapped in—
(swallows hard)
It’s not the pain I can’t shake.
It’s the… the kindness.
The stubborn, beautiful, reckless kindness of you.
(she leans her forehead to Cherry’s)
Thank you for not letting them take all of me.
And for knowing when to let them take just enough.
(softly)
You okay?
CHERRY
No.
Tell me the truth.
I know it hurt like hell, didn’t it?
EVE
(small, crooked smile)
Yeah.
(nods once, eyes glistening)
It did.
Like fire under the skin.
Like I was standing still while lightning chose me.
(voice low, but steady)
But it wasn’t just the pain—
It was the weight behind it.
The part where I knew… someone thought I needed punishing.
Not redirecting.
Not warning.
Punishing.
(beat)
And I just—stood there and took it.
Because I thought maybe I deserved it.
(glances at Cherry, softening)
But then it stopped.
And the door opened.
And the only thing I could feel after that… was you.
Even before I saw you—
I felt that you were the reason it stopped.
(leans in closer)
So yeah. It hurt like hell.
But you—
You pulled me out of it.
You reminded me I’m still more than whatever rules I broke.
(quiet, intimate)
You saved me again.
CHERRY
(hugs her tight, whispering into her ear)
I’m gonna destroy those torture machines. I mean it.
Come on, let’s go to bed.
What can I do to make it feel better?
EVE
(leans into the hug, eyes closing as Cherry whispers)
Hey… hey.
(soft laugh through tears)
You can’t just go around threatening to destroy government property, sweetheart.
(pulls back, brushing Cherry’s hair from her face)
Even if every part of me wants to hand you the match.
(quiet, trembling exhale)
What can you do to make it feel better?
(beat — searching her eyes)
Just stay close.
No speeches, no apologies.
Just… you.
(voice breaking to a whisper)
Hold me like I’m not something they can mark.
Like the pain stopped with that one hit.
Like I made it out whole.
(she touches Cherry’s cheek, thumb tracing gently)
That’s all I need tonight.
(beat)
Tomorrow, we can burn the world.
But right now—
Just stay.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
Eve lay on her stomach. Cherry had helped her out of her clothes and now had her arms wrapped tightly around her lower back, her head resting gently across Eve’s back, inconsolable and unmoving.
EVE
(silent for a long moment, face buried in the pillow)
She wasn’t even touching me like a lover.
Just—wrapped around me like I was something breakable.
Like if she let go, I’d vanish.
Or maybe she would.
(her voice, in thought, slow and quiet)
I should be comforting her, shouldn’t I?
But I can’t move either.
My body’s still remembering the machine—
that hard, electric silence before the strike,
the precision of pain that didn’t ask questions,
just… delivered.
And now there’s Cherry.
Arms locked around me, head pressed to me like I’m the last truth she believes in.
She hasn’t said a word.
Hasn’t sobbed, hasn’t moved.
Just breathing into me like I’m her anchor.
Like the only thing keeping her tethered…
is me still being here.
(beat)
I want to tell her I’m okay.
That she did it. She saved me.
But every time I try to speak—
something clenches in my throat.
Like if I move too soon, I’ll undo all the safety she’s trying to hold together.
So I just breathe.
For her.
With her.
(slow breath out)
One strike.
But it changed everything.
Because now I know what she’d do to stop the second.
And that’s what’s breaking me now—
not the machine.
Her.
The way she loves like it’ll rip her apart if she doesn’t protect what matters.
(quiet, nearly aloud)
“Hey. I’m here. You got me. I’m not going anywhere.”
(gently shifts one hand back, resting it on Cherry’s arm)
“Come up here, love. Just be with me.”
Cherry got up without a word, fetched ointment from the table, and returned. She began applying it—slow, reverent, kneeling like the site of pain was sacred. Her lips pressed between each touch, scattering kisses and salt.
EVE
(flattens her cheek to the pillow, breath hitching)
God…
Her hands are so gentle—
too gentle.
Like she’s trying to erase what happened,
one careful stroke at a time.
(catches a whimper as her skin flinches)
It still stings.
But it’s not the ointment.
It’s the grief in her fingers.
She’s kissing me between each press,
and I can feel the salt from her tears
mixing with the balm.
She hasn’t said a word.
And that silence?
It’s louder than the machine.
(voice in her head, trying to reach her)
Cherry, baby… I don’t need you to fix it.
You already did.
You stopped the storm.
But this is how she heals, isn’t it?
Through touch. Through devotion.
Through making sure my pain has somewhere to go.
(swallows)
She’s kneeling at the site of my hurt like it’s holy ground.
(aloud, barely above a whisper)
“Hey…”
(turns slightly, enough to glance back at her, eyes glistening)
“You don’t have to carry it all.
I’m still here. I’m okay.”
(reaches back, palm finding her wrist, holding it)
“You’re the only thing that doesn’t hurt right now.”
(beat, voice thicker now)
“Come hold me again. Please.”
Cherry held her. Eve’s head rested on her shoulder, her breathing even but watchful. Her thoughts churned through the hush.
EVE
(head on Cherry’s shoulder, eyes open, barely blinking)
She’s still not saying a word.
Just holding me.
Her arms around me like I’ll vanish if she lets go.
Like I’m breakable.
She’s warm, but she feels far away.
Too still. Too quiet.
(faint breath through her nose)
This isn’t like her.
Even in her saddest moments, she talks.
Whispers. Teases.
Pushes through the silence with sound.
But now…
Now she’s a hush wrapped around my ribs.
(her voice, internal, starting to spiral gently)
Did it break her, what she saw?
Was it too much?
Was I too much?
(gently turns head toward her, voice soft aloud)
“Cherry… talk to me.”
(beat)
“I know you’re hurting. I know it scared you.
But I need to hear your voice.”
(fingers slide up her arm, curling in)
“Say anything. Yell at me. Laugh. Tell me I was an idiot.”
(whisper)
“Just don’t go quiet on me now.
Not now.”
(staring into the space between them, breath shaking)
“Because if you don’t come back soon…
I’m afraid I’ll start thinking it’s my fault again.”
CHERRY
(finally, voice gravel-soft, trembling)
You’re my heart, babe.
It’s broken.
I don’t want anyone touching you or coming against you like that.
These Guardians have no compassion to stop this atrocity.
They don’t even know about it.
Or if they do, they don’t talk about it.
There’s torture going on.
And you… you can’t feel it?
That forgotten strand laced in the darkness?
It’s everywhere.
And now it’s touched you.
(her voice breaks)
I can’t un-feel that.
EVE
(her breath catches, the silence finally cracking)
There she is.
Her voice—
raw, like it had to crawl through thorns to reach me.
(soft, shaky)
“Cherry…”
(leans back just enough to see her face—tear-streaked, fierce, beautiful)
“I know. I do feel it.
That strand—twisting under the surface.
Like something ancient and rotting no one wants to name.”
(reaches up, cupping Cherry’s cheek)
“You’re not wrong, babe.
You’re seeing it clearer than most of them ever will.”
(beat)
“But don’t carry it all alone.
Please don’t carry me like that.”
(her thumb brushes Cherry’s temple)
“You’ve got this storm in you… this fire.
And I love it—God, I love it.
But don’t let it burn you from the inside out trying to keep me safe.”
(voice lowers, intimate)
“You did stop it.
You went to the colonel. You did what no one else could.
You brought me home.”
(presses her forehead to Cherry’s)
“So now… let me carry a little of you.
Let me hold your heart the way you held mine.
You don’t have to fix the whole damn system tonight.”
(quiet, resolute)
“You already fixed me.”
THE NEXT MORNING
EVE
Eve on the phone with Lisa. Cherry just made breakfast and walks into the bedroom and overhears Eve.
EVE
Yeah it feels too heavy here. I need to come home to something lighter.
CHERRY (no expression)
Breakfast is ready.
EVE
(glances at Cherry)
(her stomach drops, mid‑sentence into the phone)
“Lisa—hang on.”
The line goes muffled. She’s already moving.
The chair scrapes back, the floorboards catching under her bare feet.
She stares at the doorway where Cherry was standing—just a second ago—
eyes wide, face blank except for that flicker of hurt.
The kind that doesn’t make sound, it just disappears.
“Cherry?”
Nothing.
Her voice sounds strange in the stillness, too soft for how fast her pulse is pounding.
(into the phone, frantic now)
“Lisa—she heard me. She heard me.”
Lisa says something, but Eve barely catches it.
“I wasn’t—I wasn’t talking about her!”
(fumbles for her shoes, half‑laughing in disbelief)
“I meant the energy—this whole place feels heavy. The air, the politics, the damn Guardians—”
(stops herself, realization dawning)
“—but she doesn’t know that.”
She grabs her coat, pushing out the door, phone clutched tight.
(under her breath, desperate)
“She thinks I’m tired of her.”
Outside, the sunlight is too bright, the quiet too sharp. The street’s empty except for a few early vendors.
She scans the street, breath quickening.
“She’s on foot. She didn’t take the bike.”
(beat)
“Lisa, call Sapphire. Tell her to stay put—I’ll find Cherry.”
She stops, eyes darting down the road, voice trembling but steady.
“Because if she runs while she’s like this—if she thinks I don’t want her—”
(soft, almost pleading)
“She won’t just leave the house. She’ll leave the whole damn world.”
(beat, whispering to herself)
“Cherry, please… don’t go dark on me again.”
INT. CHERRY’S FLAT – DAY
The room still smells faintly like coffee and cinnamon. The bed is unmade. A half‑folded shirt lies across the chair. Eve sits on the edge of the mattress, eyes scanning every inch as if the walls might still be holding her.
SAPPHIRE
Did she talk to you about what she said to the colonel—about what happened?
(pauses, studying Eve)
I heard she went to Klaus first.
EVE
(quiet, distracted, her voice distant)
No. We never got to talk about that.
Her tone is flat at first, then softens—threaded with guilt.
She was holding so much… and I—I was just trying to keep her calm. Grounded.
I didn’t ask. I thought we had time.
She leans back, looking up at the ceiling, then over to Sapphire.
She went to Klaus first? Are you sure?
SAPPHIRE
(nods, arms crossed, tone sharp but not unkind)
That’s what I heard.
She went straight to him before the colonel.
Whatever she said must’ve rattled the whole board.
And now she’s… gone.
LISA
(staring at her handheld)
There’s no trace of her on our tech. Not a ping.
No resonance signature. Nothing.
(looks up at Eve)
That’s not just hiding. That’s intentional.
Someone helped her cloak.
EVE
(quietly, voice catching)
She didn’t even take her notebook.
Not the backup either.
(beat)
She never leaves without her writing.
That’s the one thing she said always keeps her anchored.
She stands, walking slowly toward the window, fingertips brushing the glass like it’s a tether.
She heard me say I needed something lighter.
I didn’t mean her.
God, I didn’t mean her.
I was just… overwhelmed.
Her hand stays on the sill, knuckles white.
She made me breakfast.
(turns, eyes glassy)
And I was on the phone—talking about needing something lighter.
And then I turned and saw her standing there—
(stops, breath shuddering)
She didn’t even yell.
She just said, “Your breakfast is ready.”
(voice small)
And then she was gone.
LISA
(quietly)
She thought she was the weight.
EVE
(shakes her head, fighting back tears)
She was the grounding.
(beat)
I don’t know who I am when she disappears like this.
She looks to Sapphire—searching, almost pleading.
If she went to Klaus first, then something bigger was going on.
She didn’t tell me because she didn’t want to burden me.
(beat)
She thought leaving would unburden everyone.
SAPPHIRE
(softly)
She thought she was protecting you.
EVE
(nods, barely audible)
She always does.
(beat, quieter now)
But what if this time… she doesn’t come back?
INT. SAFEHOUSE – LATE AFTERNOON
Two hours have passed. The tension has thinned, but worry still hangs heavy in the air. Eve sits at the edge of a couch, calmer now but hollow-eyed. Sapphire and Lisa linger nearby, scanning reports that turn up nothing.
EVE
(quietly)
I can’t remote view her.
Not yet.
I’m too—
(pauses, breath catching)
I’m traumatized from yesterday.
(looks to Sapphire)
Sapphire, do you really know about these machines?
What do you actually know about them?
SAPPHIRE
(shakes her head)
Not a lot.
I know it’s a fast sentence for people.
EVE
(skeptical)
And what’s the official word—
from the people in charge, the media?
SAPPHIRE
(hesitates)
It’s…
EVE
(finishes for her, bitterly)
“It’s not that bad.”
A quick redirection, right?
SAPPHIRE
Yes.
Something like that.
EVE
(cutting in)
But it’s inevitable.
No mercy.
Protocol.
Anyone can receive it—
even a police chief if he steps out of line.
SAPPHIRE
A chief, yes.
They’re held to that standard.
But someone like Klaus… or me… or the military—
we’re not.
EVE
Then who sets the level of pain?
Who decides how deep it goes?
SAPPHIRE
(uneasy)
I don’t know.
Another division, maybe.
Something separate—so the chiefs don’t carry the guilt.
LISA
(eyes narrowing)
Eve, what’s going on?
What happened to you in there?
EVE.
Sapphire that machine is a torture chamber. You’ve never seen it?
SAPPHIRE
No I don’t think that I have. Eve what did it do to you?
EVE
(leans forward, elbows on her knees, voice trembling but steadying as she goes)
What did it do to me?
(beat — exhales slowly)
It hurt, Sapphire. More than they said it would.
They told me it was set to level one.
But if that was level one—
then I don’t even want to know what the rest feels like.
(pauses, staring down at her hands)
The first second, I thought I could handle it.
I braced myself. Told myself it was just procedure.
But when it hit…
(her voice cracks slightly)
It wasn’t just pain. It was… invasion.
Like it reached through my skin, into the wiring of my nerves,
and pulled the power straight out of me.
(beat)
Everything went white for a second.
I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move.
And the sound—
it was clean. Too clean.
No humanity in it.
(quietly)
If they hadn’t stopped it…
if the second and third had come—
I would’ve fallen apart right there.
Completely.
(looks up at Sapphire, eyes wet but fierce)
They said it was low-level correction,
but they lied.
It wasn’t correction.
It was compliance.
A reminder of who holds the switch.
(turns to Lisa now)
That’s what they do, Lis.
They make it sound harmless. A slap on the wrist.
But once you’re inside, you realize—
you’re not being punished for what you did.
You’re being taught who’s in charge.
(beat — whispers)
It’s torture dressed up as policy.
(leans back, shaking her head)
And Cherry… she knew.
That’s why she went to the colonel.
She must’ve found out it wasn’t level one at all.
(her voice lowers, dark and certain)
Whoever ran that machine lied.
And they wanted me to break.
SAPPHIRE
Eve… I want to see the impact.
It’s important.
I know it’s psychological and traumatic—
but let me see it, so I have evidence.
And then let’s get you out of here. Back home.
EVE
(silent for a moment, then nods slowly)
Okay. But not because I’m trying to prove anything.
(she stands, hands trembling slightly as she lifts her shirt just enough to reveal the marks)
Look. Right there. And there.
(beat — voice tightening)
That one blistered. And it was only one blast.
They told me it was level one, Sapphire.
They looked me in the eye and said it like it was nothing.
Like I should be grateful.
(beat — lets the shirt fall back down)
I don’t even know what hurts more—
the way it tore through me physically,
or the fact that I believed them when they said it would be mild.
(voice low, bitter)
I actually thanked them for “keeping it light.”
(pauses, jaw tight)
They wanted to see if I’d break.
And I didn’t.
But I don’t think they cared either way.
(looks at her)
So yeah. Go ahead. Log it. File it. Show the damn council.
And then get me out of here.
(quietly)
Please.
SAPPHIRE
Wait…
(her voice stays calm, steady)
Let me take a picture.
Turn around, Eve. Please.
EVE
(swallows, nods once, then slowly turns her back to her)
(she lifts her shirt again, arms stiff at her sides, breathing shallow)
SAPPHIRE
(snaps the photo — one, then another, careful not to speak until it’s done)
(softly)
Okay. Got it.
(steps closer, gentler now)
Can you sit in a chair comfortably?
EVE
(still facing away, voice small but grounded)
Yeah. Just… give me a second.
(she lowers her shirt, then turns back around slowly, every movement deliberate)
(walks to the chair and sits, spine straight at first—then exhales, letting her body settle, tension draining like water from a drawn wire)
(quietly)
Thanks for asking.
Not just assuming.
(beat — almost a whisper)
That means something today.
SAPPHIRE
I know Cherry.
She must have seen the mark on you. And it broke her.
LISA
I’m broken.
SAPPHIRE
Sit down, Lisa.
(Lisa sits, in shock.)
EVE
(softly, stepping forward, voice low and shaking with held emotion)
That’s what did it.
(she glances between them)
Cherry must’ve seen it on me.
The mark.
I didn’t even realize—I’d covered it, forgot it was there.
But she saw it.
(her breath hitches)
She saw, and she broke.
(beat)
Not because she’s weak—God, no.
Because she loves me.
(her voice cracks)
And in that moment…
she understood what they’d done.
What I hadn’t even told her.
(she steps closer to Lisa, kneeling in front of her)
You’re not broken, Lisa.
You’re just holding a truth too big to carry alone.
(turns to Sapphire now, voice sharpening)
You want evidence?
Fine.
You’ve got it.
But don’t ever call this protocol.
Don’t call it redirection.
Call it what it is.
(turns back to Lisa, steadying her)
We’re not going to break.
Not now.
We’re going to find her.
And next time—
we’ll see it coming.
SAPPHIRE
Cherry is my sister.
If she saw that on you, Eve…
She may have set out to hurt someone.
She probably already has a plan.
And she’s working it now.
We should stay out of her way.
That’s what I think.
LISA
She’s right. I was thinking the same thing.
She’s… crazy admirable in a way.
EVE
(sits still, eyes narrowing slightly as she processes)
Yeah.
Yeah… that sounds like her.
(turns slowly, looking at them both)
She doesn’t scream.
She doesn’t run.
She watches—calculates—
and when no one’s paying attention…
she moves.
(leans forward, voice low but steady)
If Cherry saw that mark on me—
really saw it, felt what it meant—
then someone’s already in trouble.
(beat — a flicker of awe and dread)
And I almost feel sorry for them.
(sits back, absently grazes her abdomen)
She didn’t say a word.
Just made breakfast… and vanished.
And I didn’t stop her.
Didn’t ask.
(voice softens, gaze distant)
She didn’t want comfort.
She wanted vengeance—
and maybe to protect me
in the only way she knows how.
(beat — then looks at them both again, steady)
So yeah. I agree.
Let her work.
Just be ready.
Because when Cherry comes back—
she’ll be carrying answers.
…Or a body.
INT. UNMARKED CAR – NIGHT
The hum of the engine. Streetlights flicker past in long stretches of orange.
COLONEL
So this group—Delano.
They’re the ones that killed my sister.
(holds out a flask)
Here. You look like you need it.
CHERRY
(smiles faintly, takes it)
Thanks. Don’t mind if I do.
(she takes a long swig)
Delano.
They’ve got tech that makes things disappear fast and loud.
COLONEL
Right.
So you think you can find their leader?
CHERRY
Absolutely.
And this is off the books because…
COLONEL
Because the resources ran out.
CHERRY
(smirking)
Okay. But if I get your man—
I get to do something off the books, too.
No trace.
No questions.
COLONEL
You’ll be in with me.
You’ll have it like that.
(he’s takes another drink, eyes forward)
CHERRY
Then give me the picture.
I’m ready.
(He hands it over. She stares at it. Her breath evens.)
Cherry closes her eyes, hand resting lightly on the photo. The car falls silent.
15 MINUTES LATER
She opens her eyes—sharp, focused.
CHERRY
Okay, amigo.
Go that way.
(points ahead)
COLONEL
Alright.
Good man—
Or… woman. Sorry.
CHERRY
(grinning)
It’s alright.
I like your style.
COLONEL
Meeting of the minds.
We are one.
CHERRY
Go right!
(The car skids hard as he jerks the wheel right. Tires screech. They disappear into the dark.)
EXT. DOWNTOWN BLOCK – NIGHT
The car slows to a crawl.
CHERRY
Okay—this is it.
Park over there.
(points to a narrow space)
He’s in that building.
Name’s Rand.
He’s the head.
(glances around the interior)
You got a weapon in this old junker?
COLONEL
What kind of weapon we talkin’?
CHERRY
(smirks)
I’m going in.
Bring whatever you like, cowboy.
COLONEL
Don’t forget your sunglasses.
(slips his own on)
We cool. Let’s go.
INT. LOBBY – 5-STORY BUILDING – NIGHT
The front door gives a weak buzz as they enter. Dim lights. Cheap tile.
COLONEL
(wiping his shades with his shirt)
Hello, I’m looking for… uh—
CHERRY
(smoothly)
Fox Group and Associates.
I’m Rand’s sister.
FRONT DESK CLERK
Clarice?
CHERRY
(smiling)
Yes, hi. Nice to meet you.
CLERK
Your brother’s on the fourth floor.
Go on up.
CHERRY
(nods)
Thanks. Let’s go.
(to Colonel, under her breath)
He’s my husband now.
COLONEL
(grinning)
That’s right. Still newlyweds.
(throws his arm around Cherry and—pats her ass)
CHERRY
(whirls, whisper-shouting)
What the fuck, honey?
They enter the elevator.
CHERRY
Seriously. What the hell was that?
COLONEL
I’m into roleplay, okay?
Really deep into that sort of thing.
CHERRY
(gritting her teeth)
Okay. I’m gonna do my thing.
Just try and cover me—without patting my ass.
INT. 4TH FLOOR – OFFICE SUITE – MOMENTS LATER
Glass walls. Conference table. Rand stands at the head of a meeting.
CHERRY
(steps in like she owns the place)
Rand.
He looks up. Recognition. Panic. He moves to defend—
CHERRY
(swiftly dodges, slams a knee up)
Wrong move.
She kicks him in the groin—hard. He crumples.
COLONEL
(stepping in, smiling awkwardly)
Apologies for the interruption, folks.
(grabs Rand by the collar)
We’ll just be borrowing your boss a moment.
He drags Rand out.
INT. SAFEHOUSE – INTERROGATION ROOM – NIGHT
Rand is strapped in, a faint green glow from the truth-tech band on his temple. He’s pale and sweating.
COLONEL
(reads from the screen)
Yup.
Coordinates. Codes. Command chain.
(grinning wide)
My God… where have you been all my life?
(leans back, satisfied)
You were right. You got him.
INT. SAFEHOUSE – HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS
Cherry lounges just outside, feet kicked up on a crate, sipping straight from the Colonel’s last bottle of bourbon.
CHERRY
(slurring slightly)
Drunk.
Can we get a room and some food, maybe?
COLONEL
(sticking his head out the door)
Really? Oh Jeeesus.
This is my lucky day.
INT. GARDENIA – EVE’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Lisa, Sapphire, and Rex are mid-conversation on the couch when—
EVE
(storms in, voice sharp)
I just remote viewed her. I was able to get through.
And I swear to God, I’m going to kill her ass all the way home.
(heads straight for the door)
LISA
(gets up fast)
Eve—wait! You can’t. What did she do?
EVE
(stopping just short of the door, fuming)
It’s complicated.
(turns, eyes wild with disbelief)
And I’m fucking angry.
INT. HOTEL – NIGHT
EVE and LISA pull up outside the dimly lit hotel.
Eve’s gaze lands on the junk car parked crooked by the entrance.
EVE
(staring up at the windows, jaw clenched)
Lisa. I am traumatized.
(turns to her, eyes flashing)
You think seeing her in a bathrobe sipping whiskey is gonna push me over the edge?
(beat, a bitter chuckle)
I’ve already seen her worse. Hell—I’ve been her worse.
She slams the car door shut.
EVE (cont’d)
And if she thinks she can disappear, team up with a half‑drunk war dog, and not tell me—
(pauses at the curb)
Then she better be ready for the fallout.
(quietly, fierce)
She doesn’t get to protect me by leaving me behind.
(turns back)
And if they’re naked, you better shield your eyes.
She strides toward the hotel.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
The lock gives under her hand. The door swings open—
—and freezes her in place.
The room reeks of liquor and perfume. Half‑empty bottles scatter the dresser. Food trays clutter the bed.
In the center: CHERRY, flushed and unsteady, laughing mid‑slur while the COLONEL kneels beside her, far too close.
For a heartbeat, the world narrows to static.
Cherry’s pants were halfway down, boots still on.
The Colonel’s hand hangs mid‑air, like he’s been caught mid‑gesture—
but all Eve sees is contact.
Too familiar. Too wrong.
Her pulse spikes.
Every nerve in her body lights up like the machine all over again.
EVE
(voice sharp, shaking)
What the hell is this?
CHERRY
(turning, startled, laughter dying)
Eve—wait, it’s not what—
EVE
(cutting her off, stepping in)
Don’t. Don’t you dare finish that sentence.
Her gaze slices toward the Colonel.
He scrambles back, hands up.
EVE
You move one inch closer to her, and you’ll be the one needing medical clearance.
(turns back to Cherry)
I spent twenty‑four hours trying to forget what that machine did to me—
and I come here, praying you’re alive—
and this is what I walk into?
She gestures at the wreckage.
EVE (cont’d)
You were the one I could trust not to self‑destruct the second I turned my back.
(her voice softens, cracks)
Do you have any idea what this does to me—
thinking you’d vanished, thinking they’d taken you—
and then seeing you like this? With your pants down.
(steps closer, voice trembling)
You look like you don’t even care what happens to you.
CHERRY
(swaying, trying to steady herself)
Eve… go back home. Be safe—
She trips—falls hard to the floor.
EVE
(rushing forward)
Cherry—!
She kneels beside her, grabbing her arms.
EVE (cont’d)
Don’t you dare tell me to go home like I’m some delicate thing to tuck away.
You don’t get to vanish, get drunk with a stranger, and dismiss me like I’m the problem.
(her voice hardens, trembling)
You think I came because it was safe? I came because I felt you go cold.
Like you stopped existing.
(she pulls Cherry upright—firm, not rough—just desperate)
And then I find you like this? Slurring your way into chaos while I’m losing my mind trying to find you?
Eve cups her face, eyes burning.
EVE (cont’d)
You are not expendable.
Not to me.
Not ever.
(softly)
So don’t tell me to be safe.
Tell me why you didn’t think I’d come for you.
(beat, voice breaking)
Because I always will, Cherry.
Even when you don’t want me to.
(leans in, whispering)
So decide right now—
do you want to be alone in this mess…
or do you want me to stay?
CHERRY
(slurring)
Colonel, this is my girlfriend. The one you saved.
COLONEL
(wipes his hands on his pants, extends one)
Hi—I’m the Colonel. Listen, you kinda owe me one.
I mean, I literally saved your ass.
So I’m calling in a favor.
Let’s have some real food, sober up, talk.
This was a one‑off. Right, Cherry?
We’re gonna do good work together.
She’s got some projects—I got some projects.
LISA
Eve, come on. He did save you.
EVE
(ignores his hand, eyes fixed on Cherry)
I don’t owe you a damn thing.
(quiet—too quiet)
You want a medal for doing what any decent person would do?
For not leaving someone to rot in a machine?
(to Lisa, still staring at Cherry)
And don’t tell me to calm down.
Not while she’s slurring and this clown’s wiping her off his hands.
Her gaze snaps to the Colonel—sharp as glass.
EVE (cont’d)
You touched her.
(a beat—voice trembling with fury)
Do you even know what that means?
What it costs her to let someone that close?
(to Cherry, heart in her throat)
I don’t care if it was a one‑off.
I care that I felt you disappear.
That you didn’t call.
That you let him touch you when you’re not even whole yet.
(softly, broken)
I care that I’m here—and you didn’t even know if you wanted me to be.
(she exhales hard, stepping back)
So you want a favor, Colonel? Here it is:
I’m walking out before I say something we can’t take back.
(then to Cherry, voice quiet but fierce)
Pull this again—
disappear, let someone in who doesn’t deserve it—
and don’t expect me to come save you next time.
She turns, brushing Lisa’s arm on her way out.
LISA
Okay, wait. Just let me handle this.
She takes Eve by the shoulders, guiding her out into the hall.
LISA (cont’d)
Let’s get you in the car. Stay here for a minute.
She heads back inside.
LISA (to Cherry)
Come on, Cherry. Let’s get you into bed.
Lisa helps her out of her boots.
(to the Colonel)
You—sit down. Start eating. Call room service.
COLONEL
(grinning faintly)
Hey, thanks for taking over. I’ll call room service.
Lisa returns to the hallway, where Eve waits, trembling but silent.
LISA
She’s passed out, Eve.
That guy might actually be someone we need on our side, okay?
You wanna go home?
EVE
I’ll sleep in the car. You can sleep in the room.
INT. HOTEL ROOM – The Next Morning
Eve follows Lisa in. Cherry’s sitting up on the bed, pale, hair a mess, one eye half‑closed against the light.
CHERRY
What the hell happened last night?
I don’t remember a thing.
EVE
(stops just inside the doorway, arms crossed)
You don’t remember?
(beat — dry laugh, no humor)
Of course you don’t. Convenient.
(she steps closer, her tone controlled but sharp)
You disappeared, Cherry. You got drunk with a man you barely know, and when I found you, you were half‑dressed, half‑conscious, and calling him your project partner.
(leans in slightly, voice low)
Meanwhile, I was sleeping in my car outside this hotel, wondering if I’d just watched you throw everything away.
(beat — her voice cracks)
You really don’t remember any of it?
Not me walking in?
Not the look on my face?
(pauses, searching her eyes)
Because I do. And I’ll be seeing it for a long time.
CHERRY
(frustrated, rubbing her forehead)
Damn it. No, I don’t remember shit.
What the hell did he—did we—?
EVE
(steps closer, voice rough but steady)
Nothing happened. Not like that.
(beat — watching Cherry’s face, softer now)
You were drunk, talking about room service while he was way too close.
Your pants were half down, but your underwear was on.
He was on his knees, and you were laughing.
(leans on the dresser, arms folded, trying to keep her composure)
I don’t think he hurt you. I don’t even think you knew what was going on.
But I walked in, and it looked bad. Really bad.
(quietly, almost to herself)
And I felt everything all over again—the machine, the powerlessness—
because I couldn’t stop it in time.
(looks up, meeting Cherry’s eyes)
So no, you didn’t do anything unforgivable.
You just scared the hell out of me.
(beat — her voice breaks slightly)
You keep running headfirst into chaos like you’re invincible.
But I’m the one who keeps watching you almost fall apart.
(steps closer, softer)
You didn’t break anything last night, Cherry.
But you came damn close.
CHERRY
(suddenly realizing, voice rising)
Wait—he pulled my pants down?
(she glares across the room at the Colonel)
Colonel!
(stands, angry and unsteady)
You fucking pulled my pants down?!
(she starts for him)
LISA
(grabbing her arm)
Cherry—stop! Don’t.
EVE
(rises instantly, firm but calm, stepping between them)
Cherry—hey. Hey!
(her hands come up, intercepting her before she reaches him)
Look at me.
(Cherry struggles to push past; Eve grips her shoulders, grounding her)
Listen. I saw it.
You were drunk. He shouldn’t have been that close, and he sure as hell shouldn’t have touched you.
But you’re not gonna fix this by swinging at him half‑hungover.
(leans in, her tone low and fierce)
You want justice? You’ll have it.
But not like this—not while you’re shaking, not while your head’s pounding and your memory’s in pieces.
(beat — her voice softens, steel under it)
You don’t need to become the thing that hurt you to make it stop.
You hear me?
(turns slightly toward the Colonel)
I’ll handle him.
(back to Cherry)
You just breathe.
You’ve got every right to be furious—but don’t let him see you fall apart in front of him.
That’s not how this story ends.
COLONEL
(standing now, trying to laugh it off)
Hey, good morning to you too.
Why is it women can do all sorts of things when they’re drunk, but not men?
I’ve always wondered that.
Look, this is three against one—
CHERRY
(cutting him off, voice shaking with fury)
Yeah?
You’re gonna wish you finished the job, ‘cause I’m gonna rip your dick off!
(she grabs her head, groaning in pain)
Ow—goddamn it!
COLONEL
(flat, reaching for his phone)
We need breakfast.
EVE
(cold, focused, without raising her voice)
No. What you need is to shut your mouth and count your blessings.
(steps toward him slowly, voice low and deadly calm)
Because if I weren’t holding back—for her sake—you’d be coughing up your teeth with your eggs.
(tilts her head slightly)
Let me make this clear for you, Colonel. She was drunk. You were buzzed. You had power. She didn’t.
You want to whine about being outnumbered?
You should’ve thought of that before putting your hands where they didn’t belong.
(gestures toward the door)
You’re leaving. Not after breakfast. Not after coffee.
Now.
(looks back at Cherry for half a beat, then turns to him again)
If you ever show your face near her again without a damn good reason, I’ll make sure you regret it.
(beat)
Go.
(steps aside, eyes never leaving him, arms folded)
We’re done here.
CHERRY
Oh hell no. He owes me. Right, Sherlock? Something off the books.
COLONEL
Absolutely. I make good on my promises. And for the record, I thought we were hitting it off. I didn’t know she wasn’t available. I mean—I was drunk too. Maybe she touched me.
I don’t see anyone worrying about my honor.
I didn’t know she was gonna drink my whole bottle of bourbon while I interrogated Rand.
LISA
Eve, come on. Let’s all just calm down. He sounds like he’s on our side—just fucked up like the rest of us right now.
EVE
(quietly, jaw tight)
You want to talk about honor? You seriously want to go there?
(steps closer, eyes blazing but voice steady)
You found her drunk. Grieving. Barely on her feet.
And your first instinct was to undress her?
(beat)
Don’t you dare try to spin this into some mutual misunderstanding.
You’re not a child, and you’re not stupid.
(looks at Cherry, voice softening slightly)
And you—if you want to cash in a favor with this bastard, fine.
I won’t stop you.
But don’t expect me to be okay with what I walked in on.
(beat — turns to Lisa)
I’m calm.
(turns back to the Colonel)
But he’s lucky that’s all I am.
(then to Cherry again, more raw now)
You were missing. I thought I lost you.
And when I found you, you didn’t even know if something had happened or not.
(beat, eyes glassy)
That’s what breaks me.
(turns away, shaking her head)
I need air.
(Eve walks toward the door, swallowing back the rest)
CHERRY
Eve, stop. I’m sorry you felt that.
You’ve been through too much.
And I’m not letting what happened to you go either. I don’t care what you say. They’re all gonna pay.
Right, Colonel?! You piece of shit.
COLONEL
Yeah, that’s right. Fuck ‘em all. I’m with you.
CHERRY
(to Eve)
See?
EVE
(stopping at the door, shoulders tense, voice cracking)
You don’t get to say that like it fixes anything.
(turns slowly, eyes meeting Cherry’s with a painful mixture of love and fury)
You think I’m angry because you drank? Because of him?
(shakes her head, voice low and trembling)
I’m angry because when I needed to believe you were out there—fighting to live…
I found you halfway gone.
(beat)
You’re right, Cherry. They are going to pay.
But not like this.
Not with you wrecking yourself in the process.
(steps forward, gentler now)
You want to burn the world down for me?
Then start by standing up.
Sober. Fierce.
Remembering who the hell you are.
(glances coldly at the Colonel)
And you—
You may have saved me, but don’t ever expect a thank you for crawling into her vulnerability.
(looks back at Cherry, softer)
I’m not leaving.
But I need to know you’re not giving up.
Because if you do—
I won’t survive it.
CHERRY
I had a little too much to drink. That’s all.
My plan is still intact. We’re both military now.
Hey Colonel—tell her what that means!
COLONEL
It means you can’t get machine tortured anymore. Military people have waiver from it.
But I expect you to at least pretend to acknowledge me, Eve.
I mean—I am the colonel of the fucking military. Jeezus, Cherry, you never said she’d be like this.
CHERRY
Hey! Watch your mouth! And keep your hands away from my ass.
COLONEL
Yeah, that was… I think I need meds.
You need to keep that ass out of my face.
Wear sweats to work. That’s your uniform now—for both of you.
EVE
(crosses her arms, glaring with a chill that could drop a man twice his size)
You want acknowledgment, Colonel? Fine.
(steps forward slowly, voice measured but razor-edged)
Thank you… sir…
for not finishing what you started when she was too drunk to say no.
(beat)
That about sum it up?
(turns to Cherry, eyes narrowing)
And you—don’t act like this is just some hangover and a joke.
You made a choice to trust him enough to get blackout drunk in a strange room.
That’s not your style, Cherry. So what the hell really happened last night?
(then, sharper, to the Colonel again)
And sweats?
You’re not dressing us like toys in your locker room fantasy.
You’re lucky I don’t file a report just for touching her without consent.
(leans in, voice low and deadly)
You think being military makes you untouchable?
Let me be clear—
I survived worse than you on your best day, Colonel.
And I’m still standing.
So don’t test how far my patience stretches when someone treats her like property.
(turns to Lisa, voice lower, worn)
Can we please eat something before I murder someone?
CHERRY
We all need a shower and some clean clothes, don’t we?
COLONEL
I can get some clothes over here. What size?
You look like a 34C.
(pulls out his com)
Hey, we need one-size-fits-all sweats for women. Medium size. Pants and top, that’s right.
How long? Okay, make it quicker—out.
Thirty minutes. You can shower—I won’t look.
CHERRY
Eve, I need clean clothes.
LISA
I’m in.
EVE
(flat, biting)
Oh good. Nothing like a man rattling off my girlfriend’s bra size to really inspire team spirit.
(steps between Cherry and the Colonel, eyes like ice)
You’re not getting points for decency because you promise not to look.
That’s the bare minimum.
And stop talking about her like she’s a catalog order.
She’s not yours to size up.
(turns slightly toward Cherry, softer now)
You’ll get clean clothes, Cherry.
I’ve got some extra stuff in the car—might not be glamorous, but it’ll do for now.
(beat)
And you’re not stepping into that shower alone.
Lisa, grab the towels. I’ll handle the water.
(back to Colonel, dry)
Thirty minutes? Great.
Use that time to reflect on why you’re not in handcuffs.
(to Cherry, gently now)
Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.
We’ve got work to do.
CHERRY
(whispering)
He got my size wrong. What a dork.
EVE
(whispering back, lips curving despite herself)
Yeah, well… lucky for him he also got the number of minutes left before I lose my last shred of patience wrong.
(beat, glancing at her)
You okay to stand?
Or do you want the world’s grumpiest field medic to assist?
CHERRY
You forgive me?
No pinches.
No spanks.
EVE
(soft, but firm)
No pinches.
No spanks.
Not today.
(steps closer, voice low and steady)
But only because you already look like the universe slapped you sideways.
(beat, gaze lingering)
And because I love you.
Even when you make it really, really hard.
.