Calvin
Hey — got my phone back. Figured this would be easier than the burner phone I was using.
Calvin
The government found me. They’re bringing me back. I’ve got one chance to fix things. If I don’t…
Calvin
Just know how sorry I am and how much I love you.
Calvin
They showed me footage on a tablet. The destruction…it’s just feeding the virus.
Calvin
I need to put an end to this.
Calvin
I don’t want to…but I have no choice.
Calvin
Keira, are you there?
Calvin
What are you talking about? What lady?
Calvin
How do you have Keira’s phone?
Calvin
Can you send me a picture so I can see if she’s safe?
Lily sends a picture of Keira. Calvin barely keeps from throwing up.
His wife is bloodied and battered. He knows he needs to hurry.
Ten minutes later, Calvin arrives on the scene and is escorted out of a van by government officials.
He sees a sea of dead and injured people.
He studies their bodies and notices that a few have frothed at the mouth.
The virus must have spread — that same frothing appeared in the most violent children.
As he walks through, he spots a glimmer of something gold.
He bends over and picks it up, and then drops it as if it were on fire.
It’s a cufflink he gave Doug for his birthday.
But he doesn’t have time to grieve. He texts his contact at the FBI.
Agent Barrs
Are you certain?
Calvin
That means we need to keep working on an anti-virus to protect people.
Agent Barrs
You need our help?
Agent Barrs
This catastrophe is a national disaster.
Agent Barrs
And now you’re telling us it was preventable?
Agent Barrs
That means it’s your fault.
Calvin
Wouldn’t it be better to stop this thing once and for all?
Agent Barrs
You’re walking on thin ice, Mr. Piper—
Agent Barrs
I suggest you stick to your assignment.
Agent Barrs
You are to corral the remaining children. Understood?
Calvin
Understood. I will as soon as I find my wife.
Agent Barrs
You have one hour.
Calvin uses one of the secret tunnels to get in the basement. He hears humming—
Almost like a lullaby — and follows it, creeping towards the room with the cages.
Keira is in one of the cages and Lily is outside, opening a can of food.
She’s trying to help Keira…
So maybe there is a cure after all. Lily is showing empathy—
Even though her test scores proved she was one of the most dangerous children in the program.
Cautiously, Calvin approaches them. He speaks softly.
Lily glares at Calvin, holding a can opener in front of her as a weapon.
Keira groans and Calvin jerks to attention.
Keira
It’s okay. He’s trying to help.
Calvin
I am. And you did a great job helping also, Lily. Can you keep helping us?
Lily’s lips twist by the corner. She still holds the can opener in front of her.
Calvin hesitates. Without the help of a cage, their odds of survival aren’t high.
Calvin
No cages. I promise.
Lily thinks before setting down the can opener.
Lily
I’ll get my friends.
Calvin smiles. She called the other children her friends—
He scrambles to the cage, opens the door, and pulls Keira out.
Calvin
I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.
Keira
Cal, I’m sorry too. What’s going to happen now?
Calvin
Truthfully, I don’t know. I guess it’s up to Lily.
In the hallway, there is noise.
Calvin helps Keira to her feet, putting an arm around her waist for support.
He leads her towards the mouth of the boiler room.
Lily is there with the other children—
They’re cut, dirty, and some are covered in blood.
Calvin
I’m going to get you help.
Calvin
No cages. I promise.
With Lily in the lead, they walk behind the children down one of the tunnels.
At the end, they can see the back of an open truck.
Militia line the walls in full riot gear.
Lily hesitates before looking at Keira.
Lily nods and then climbs into the truck.
Behind her, the rest of the children board.
Calvin rubs the back of his neck, watching them.
Calvin
There’s something that’s been worrying me even more than this.
Calvin
Did you ever figure out who was texting you from that restricted number?
Keira
No. Does that mean it wasn’t your contact who was supposed to pick me up?
Calvin
No. It wasn’t. So…should we worry about this guy?
Keira
Considering he pretended he was you?
Keira
Yeah, I think we should be concerned.
Calvin
I don’t get it though. Why would anyone pretend to be me?
Keira
I have no idea, but he’s good.
Keira
I really thought it was you. If you hadn’t texted me when you did…
She takes a shaky breath.
Keira
Well, that doesn’t matter. You did text me.
Keira
It’s just scary having no idea who he is, or what his endgame is.
Calvin
At least we’re here with each other. We can face our fears together.
Keira
Yeah, and look what we’re doing.
Keira gestures with her free hand to the truck as militia start to close the back door.
Lily stares at her, blatantly scared although her expression is trusting.
Keira
We’re just like the Pied Piper.
Calvin pulls Keira tightly against his chest.
He rests his chin on the top of her head.
As the taillights flash on and the truck starts to move, he speaks to her softly.
Out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glint of gold.
Doug’s cufflink — the same one he found before.
She follows Calvin's gaze.
Calvin
He didn’t deserve this.
Keira
Calvin…he was really quick to throw you under the bus.
Calvin
That wasn’t throwing me under the bus.
Keira
Look at the texts he sent me.
Calvin
I don’t need to look. In our line of work there are layers of deception.
Keira
So you knew he’d betray you?
Calvin
It’s not betrayal. It’s survival for the cause. I might have done the same if I were in his shoes.
As Calvin stoops over to pick up the cufflink, and then takes a closer look at the truck.
Army troops are following it on foot.
One soldier looks over his shoulder and smiles at them.
Like one of the allies Doug introduced him to.
“You can trust him,” he remembers Doug saying. “He’s just like us.”
Calvin pulls Keira to his chest, squeezing her tighter than he had before.
Calvin
I swear, Keira, we’ll make sure these children actually go home.
