BLACK SCREENThe sounds of a surgery in progress are heard. Metal tools clink and clank as they’re tossed into metal pans. An EKG machine beeps steadily, monitoring the patient’s heart rate.DR. GRAINE, a man with child-like enthusiasm in his voice, fires off rapid instructions to a frazzled NURSE.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Now inject the LMH serum.

NURSE (V.O.)Yes, Doctor.

The EKG beeps faster. The patient groans.NURSE (V.O.)

The LMH has fully cycled his bloodstream.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Attach the probes and start the electric current.

A switch gets flipped before the hum and crackle of flowing electrical current is heard. The EKG beeps rapidly. The patient groans louder. He starts thrashing on the operating table.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)We don’t have much time.

NURSE (V.O.)Almost done.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Hurry!

The thrashing stops. The patient flatlines.

NURSE (V.O.)Oh, god.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Finish attaching those probes, goddamnit!

NURSE (V.O.)Alright! They’re attached!

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Stand back!

A machine whirs as electricity builds up then jolts loudly. The patient screams back to life, panting and disoriented.Metal pans and tools crash to the floor. Equipment is knocked over. It’s chaos in the operating room.

MALCOLM (V.O.)WHAT THE HELL!? WHERE AM I!?

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Malcolm. Malcolm! Calm down. My name is Dr. Graine. I’m part of--

MALCOLM (V.O.)GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!

A crackling, electric zap is heard. The nurse screams.MALCOLM (V.O.)

How did I do that? What the hell did you do to me!?

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)That was remarkable! It worked!

Malcolm can be heard getting off the operating table, shoving people out of his way and equipment to the floor.

DR. GRAINE (V.O.)Where is he--Where are you going!?

The patter of Malcolm’s barefoot running away are heard.DR. GRAINE (V.O.)

Stop him! Guards! Guards!!FADE IN:

INT. LABORATORY HALLWAY - NIGHTMALCOLM LEE, late 20s, African-American, bursts through a set of doors and bolts down a white hallway toward the nearest exit. He’s wearing nothing but underwear and electrical wires tapped to his skin. They dangle and drag with each heavy stride. He rips them off one by one as he looks back.Two rugged guards emerge from the doors in pursuit.

2.

Malcolm stumbles when he sees them but recovers and keeps hauling ass toward the exit doors. He looks down at his hands. Panic consumes his face. Electricity is lacing through his fingers.

EXT. LABORATORY - NIGHTMalcolm rams through the exit doors, gasping for air. He frantically tries to get his bearings. He looks back and sees the guards closing in.Malcolm slams the doors shut and holds onto the metal handles. He stares down at them for a moment. He gets an idea. He concentrates hard and begins electrifying the handles. He grits his teeth from the pain of doing this.The guards reach the doors and grab the handles to open them. Through the window Malcolm can see them shaking violently from the electroshock.Malcolm grits his teeth harder, his face filled with rage. He keeps the current flowing. The guards’ screams of excruciating pain crescendo with each passing second until:

CUT TO:

TITLE CARD: “CHARGED”

INT. BLACK SEDAN - DAYA well-built man wearing a black suit and a steely expression sits in the driver’s seat. This is X4. He checks the time on his smartphone before securing it to his belt clip.A similarly dressed, slender man wearing glasses approaches the sedan. He’s carrying a metal briefcase. This is N7. He enters the car and barely acknowledges X4’s presence.

N7X4, this is your target.

N7 hands X4 a photo of Malcolm.N7 (CONT’D)

We’d like him alive.

3.