Scene
1 -
A Day in the Desert: The Mechanic's Solitude
Left Behind
By: Joe Murkijanian
Joe Murkijanian
Phone: 323-253-6402
FADE IN:
EXT. ARIZONA SKY — DAY
AERIAL SHOT — ENDLESS BLUE. A lone CONTRAIL streaks across
the cloudless sky. Below, the sun-baked Arizona desert
stretches for miles — scorched earth, winding two-lane
highways, rusted rooftops, and sun-faded American flags flap
weakly on poles.
As we descend — the outline of a modest town, surrounded by
industrial yards, mobile homes, and dry brush.
EXT. RAMIREZ AUTO REPAIR — DAY
From above: A small, dusty garage tucked behind a gas
station. Faded letters on the roof:
RAMIREZ AUTO — HONEST. FAST. LOCAL.
Pulling in close now — MIGUEL RAMIREZ (40s), under the hood
of a Chevy truck. Sweat on his brow, grease on his hands, his
body lean from hard labor. The quiet type. His movements are
precise, methodical — this is a man who fixes things.
A car radio plays faintly nearby:
NPR ANCHOR (V.O.)
(through static)
...debate continues over the
administration’s enforcement
protocols, as immigrant detention
centers come under renewed
scrutiny...
Miguel shuts the hood with a soft clunk.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Morning Reflections
INT. SMALL APARTMENT – KITCHEN – EARLY MORNING
A cramped, sunlit kitchen with peeling cabinets and
mismatched mugs. A pot of black coffee bubbles on the stove.
Spanish-language radio hums softly in the background.
Miguel flips a tortilla in a pan.
Sofia shuffles in, hoodie over her head, still half-asleep.
MIGUEL
¡Buenos días, dormilona!
(singing softly)
The princess emerges from her royal
cave...
SOFIA (14) – Quietly strong, watchful, and brave. A child
shaped by love and loss, clinging to hope. Sofia grunts and
slumps into a chair.
SOFIA
I’m not a princess. I’m a prisoner
of the state.
MIGUEL
Then I better feed you well before
your trial.
He places a small plate of eggs and warm tortilla in front of
her.
Sofia pokes at the food.
SOFIA
Jenny said her cousin got picked up
last week. She didn’t even get a
phone call.
MIGUEL
(quietly)
That won’t happen to us.
SOFIA
How do you know?
Miguel sits beside her. Takes her hand. His tone shifts.
MIGUEL
Because I’m careful. And because
I’ve been doing this dance since
before you were born.
SOFIA
That’s what scares me.
Beat.
Miguel reaches into his pocket, pulls out a small, folded
photo — a snapshot of Sofia at 6 years old, missing a tooth,
holding a balloon.
He places it in front of her.
MIGUEL
When things got bad before — back
when we crossed — I kept this in my
boot.
No matter where they sent me, I remembered who I was.
Your father. Always.
Sofia stares at the photo.
SOFIA
I remember that balloon. You yelled
when I let it go.
MIGUEL
I didn’t yell. I begged gravity to
show mercy.
She smiles, faintly.
He ruffles her hair.
MIGUEL (CONT'D)
You get straight A’s, beat the
system, and buy me a house one day,
sí?
SOFIA
Only if it has a rooftop taco
stand.
MIGUEL
Deal.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
A Tender Goodbye
INT. APARTMENT DOORWAY – MOMENTS LATER
Miguel picks up his thermos and lunch sack. Sofia stands
behind him, chewing her last bite.
MIGUEL
I’ll be home by six. Stay out of
trouble.
SOFIA
Only if you do.
They exchange a quick hug.
Miguel opens the door. A ray of sun spills in.
He takes one step out. Then pauses.
Turns back. Kisses her forehead.
MIGUEL (SOFTLY)
Te amo, mija.
He closes the door behind him.
CUT TO:
INT. AUTO GARAGE OFFICE — DAY
Miguel enters, washes up in a stained sink. On the wall: a
framed photo of his late wife, holding their daughter as a
baby. Next to it, a hand-drawn map of the U.S. with colored
pins scattered across it. Sofia’s work.
He checks his watch.
Dries his hands.
Grabs a set of keys.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Navigating Seriousness
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY – MORNING
A tide of students moves through a graffiti-tagged corridor.
Bell ringing. Backpack zippers. Slammed lockers.
Sofia navigates it all like a pro — hoodie half-zipped, one
earbud in, notebook clutched to her chest.
She stops at her locker. Opens it. Stuffs in a slightly
squashed breakfast burrito wrapped in foil.
JENNY (15, chola-lite, hilarious) sidles up next to her.
JENNY
Girl. You know that thing’s been in
your backpack since Tuesday.
SOFIA
(innocent)
So? Fermented eggs are the new
thing.
Jenny mock-gags. They share a quiet laugh.
CUT TO:
INT. AP GOV CLASSROOM – MOMENTS LATER
A worn whiteboard reads: CURRENT EVENTS — Immigrant
Detentions in the News.
MR. DONNELLY (40s), overworked and tenured, paces with a
stack of handouts.
MR. DONNELLY
Pick a headline. I want a short
analysis on the impact of policy
vs. politics. Due Monday.
Groans ripple through the room.
Sofia opens her notebook. At the top corner: a doodle of a
bird breaking out of a cage.
She scribbles her headline in sharp pencil: FAMILY SEPARATION
HEARINGS DELAYED AGAIN.
JENNY
Why can’t you just do TikTok bans
like a normal girl?
Sofia gives her a look — dry but warm.
SOFIA
Because I’m not a normal girl.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Coming-of-age"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Facing Fear
INT. CAFETERIA – LUNCH
Plastic trays clatter. Sofia sits across from Jenny. Their
usual table. A third chair is empty.
JENNY
You hear about Sara?
SOFIA
What?
JENNY
Gone. ICE showed up at her cousin’s
house. Poof.
Sofia’s stomach turns.
SOFIA
She was on track to graduate early.
Jenny shrugs — used to this by now.
Sofia pokes at her food. Suddenly small and quiet.
CUT TO:
INT. GIRLS’ BATHROOM – LATER
Sofia stares at herself in the mirror.
For a second — just a flicker — she looks scared.
Then she squares her shoulders.
SOFIA (TO MIRROR)
You’re not going anywhere.
She pulls her hoodie back on. Tucks in her braid.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Coming-of-age"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
A Joyful Departure with Ominous Shadows
EXT. SCHOOL GATES – END OF DAY
Sofia exits the building as the bell rings.
She starts walking.
Half a block away, Miguel’s battered truck turns the corner.
She smiles — reflexive, honest.
She runs toward it.
She doesn't know this will be the last time she sees that
truck pull up for her.
EXT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL — DAY CONTINUOUS
Miguel pulls up to the curb just as Sofia runs out of the
building, backpack bouncing. Her glasses are too big for her
face, and she clutches a small notebook labeled:
“Sofia’s Mega Map Quest.”
She jumps in the truck.
SOFIA
Did you know South Dakota has more
cows than people?
MIGUEL
Then maybe the cows should run for
mayor.
She laughs. A private language of bad jokes.
SOFIA
Did you remember the scavenger hunt
this weekend?
MIGUEL
I remember. We're going all the way
to the river bend this time.
As they pull away, a pair of unmarked black SUVs turn onto
the same road.
CONTINUOUS
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Shattered Security
EXT. INTERSECTION — MOMENTS LATER
The light turns red. Miguel stops. The SUVs stop beside and
behind them. Miguel eyes his rearview mirror. The driver in
the first SUV gives a slight nod.
SOFIA
Dad?
MIGUEL
Just stay calm.
Suddenly — FLASHING LIGHTS. ICE AGENTS exit the vehicles.
ICE AGENT (O.S.)
Miguel Ramirez! Step out of the
vehicle now!
Miguel hesitates. Looks at Sofia — confused, scared.
MIGUEL
Stay in the truck.
He opens the door. Agents immediately grab him, slam him to
the ground. Sofia screams.
SOFIA
DAD!
MIGUEL
I didn’t do anything!
ICE AGENT
You’re being detained under federal
jurisdiction.
Sofia opens the door — tries to run to him. Another agent
blocks her.
ICE AGENT 2
She’s a minor. We’ll notify child
services.
Miguel thrashes.
MIGUEL
She’s my daughter! She’s a citizen!
I have papers!
They drag him to the SUV. Sofia watches, frozen. Her world
falls apart in a single moment — and the camera holds on her
wide, tear-filled eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT. INTERSECTION — DAY
SIRENS FADE.
The SUVs disappear around the corner with Miguel inside.
MOVE TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Shattered Trust
EXT. LOS ANGELES INTERSECTION – LATE AFTERNOON
The sun hangs low. Heat ripples off the pavement.
Sofia stands at the corner, shell-shocked, clutching her
backpack and the coffee her dad never got to drink. Cars
whoosh by. A CROSSING GUARD in a neon vest eyes her with
concern.
CROSSING GUARD
You okay, sweetie? You waiting for
someone?
Sofia doesn't respond. Her eyes stay locked on the street
where the unmarked ICE SUV disappeared.
A white county CHILD SERVICES VAN pulls up. It idles by the
curb. A woman in khakis and a floral blouse steps out — MS.
LIN (40s), calm and rehearsed.
She approaches slowly.
MS. LIN
Sofia Rivera?
Sofia turns her head slightly, instinctively stepping back.
MS. LIN (CONT'D)
I’m from Child Protective Services.
You’re not in trouble.
We’re just here to help, okay?
Sofia doesn’t move. Her eyes well up, but she blinks hard,
holding them back.
SOFIA
Where’s my dad?
MS. LIN
They... they’ve taken him into
custody. We’re trying to—
SOFIA
No! You took him! You stole him
from me!
Ms. Lin gently extends a hand, but Sofia slaps it away.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
Get away from me!
CROSSING GUARD
(softly, to Ms. Lin)
Maybe she needs a minute.
But Ms. Lin has done this before. She nods to the driver, who
steps out to open the van’s sliding door.
MS. LIN
We have a foster placement already
arranged. You can bring your
things. We’ll call you every step
of the way.
SOFIA
I don’t have “things.” Everything I
had was him.
She starts backing into the crosswalk.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
Don’t touch me!
(Screaming)
DON’T TOUCH ME!
Cars are stopping. People look.
The crossing guard raises her hand to hold traffic.
Ms. Lin follows, hands low and non-threatening.
MS. LIN
Sofia, please. You’re not alone.
This isn’t forever.
Sofia’s voice cracks.
SOFIA
That’s what they always say right
before they disappear.
The CPS driver steps forward to assist.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!
She swings her backpack at him, furious, eyes wild with
grief. The driver recoils. The coffee cup hits the ground —
shattering like glass.
Sofia stands over the puddle of coffee. It seeps into the
white lines of the crosswalk like spilled blood.
Tears stream down her cheeks. She shakes with rage.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
He was just going to work...
A long, agonizing beat.
The traffic light changes.
Sofia collapses to her knees — not from force, but
exhaustion. She gives in to the weight of it all.
Ms. Lin kneels beside her, gently places a hand on her
shoulder. This time, Sofia doesn’t pull away.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Separated by Fate
INT. CHILD SERVICES VAN – MOMENTS LATER
The van pulls away from the intersection.
Through the window, Sofia watches the crosswalk disappear
behind her, the same one she and Miguel walked together every
morning.
A single tear slides down her cheek.
She hugs her knees to her chest.
The coffee stain still clings to her backpack strap.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE TRANSPORT BUS – DUSK
MIGUEL (40s) sits shackled to a bench seat. Rows of detainees
flank him. The bus bumps down a remote desert highway — cold,
impersonal.
A GUARD tapes a new manifest to a clipboard.
Miguel stares out the window — passing nothing but fence
posts and emptiness.
In his hand: a crumpled school permission slip he never
signed. It’s Sofia’s. He grips it tight.
INT. COUNTY HOUSING CENTER – DUSK
SOFIA steps hesitantly into a small bedroom.
Neutral walls. No pictures. A generic teddy bear on the
pillow.
She still clutches her backpack — dirt-smudged and soaked at
the bottom from the spilled coffee.
MS. LIN
You can shower if you want. There’s
clothes in the drawer. I’ll be just
down the hall, okay?
Sofia nods — barely.
Ms. Lin leaves, gently closing the door.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE TRANSPORT BUS – NIGHT
The bus turns down a gravel road. Ahead, floodlights and a
barbed-wire fence loom — a black site compound with no
signage.
Miguel lifts his head. Alarm rising in his eyes.
MIGUEL
(to seatmate, whispering)
Where is this?
No answer. Just the sound of the brakes hissing.
CUT TO:
INT. FOSTER ROOM – NIGHT
Sofia opens a drawer. Sees folded clothes — jeans, t-shirts,
underwear.
She doesn’t touch them.
Instead, she curls up on top of the blanket, fully dressed,
clutching the teddy bear like a life preserver.
Her phone sits dead beside her. No charger. No contact.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Echoes of Separation
EXT. SITE THETA – NIGHT
Miguel is led off the bus by two ARMED GUARDS. His hands are
zip-tied now.
Ahead: the detention complex, bleak and faceless.
One detainee asks in Spanish:
DETAINEE
¿Dónde estamos?
No one answers.
Miguel scans the horizon. Blackness all around. No cities. No
roads back.
CUT TO:
INT. FOSTER ROOM – SAME TIME
Tears begin to leak from Sofia’s closed eyes as the camera
slowly pushes in.
She whispers, barely audible:
SOFIA
Please... don’t forget me.
CUT TO:
INT. HOLDING CELL – SAME TIME
Miguel sits alone on a metal cot. No window. No clock.
He stares at his hands.
And then, quietly — almost instinctively — he hums a lullaby.
Their lullaby.
The same one he used to sing when Sofia couldn’t sleep as a
child.
His voice cracks. But he keeps going.
Darkness surrounds them both.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Social Issues"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
A New Beginning
INT. SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE – LATER
A cold, fluorescent-lit room. Sofia sits on a vinyl chair.
Her notebook is clutched tightly in her hands.
A SOCIAL WORKER (50s, tired but kind) types on a keyboard.
SOCIAL WORKER
We’re trying to find a relative,
honey. But we may need to place you
in temporary care tonight.
Sofia stares forward. Her gaze flickers to a government
poster behind the woman:
A smiling cartoon kid under big letters that read: “EVERY
CHILD MATTERS.”
She looks away.
CUT TO:
INT. FOSTER HOUSE – NIGHT
A modest home with a large family. Kids shout from other
rooms. The foster mother smiles tightly as she hands Sofia a
towel.
FOSTER MOTHER
Bathroom’s down the hall. Dinner’s
in the fridge.
You’re safe here, okay?
Sofia nods, then closes the guest room door behind her.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Sofia's Night of Reflection
INT. GUEST ROOM – NIGHT
The walls are bare. Sofia sits on the edge of the bed,
staring at her notebook. Her fingers flip it open:
“SOFIA’S MEGA MAP QUEST”
Inside: maps, clues, lists of “places I want to visit with
Dad.”
One page reads:
“Secret mission: Find Mom’s old letter.”
She tears it out. Flips to a hidden pocket in her backpack —
a small, wrinkled photo of her parents at the border wall,
holding baby Sofia.
She wipes her tears. Then something clicks.
SOFIA (V.O.)
Dad said: if anything ever
happened… look under the truck
seat.
CUT TO:
INT. FOSTER HOUSE – EARLY MORNING
Sofia sneaks out in the pre-dawn hours. Backpack on.
Determined.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Desperate Measures
EXT. IMPOUND LOT — MORNING
She crouches outside the fence, staring at their impounded
truck.
A security guard walks past. Sofia quietly slips through a
gap in the chain-link.
She makes it to the truck. Slides under.
Her fingers reach under the seat — and pull out a folded
envelope wrapped in a plastic bag. Inside:
* A photocopy of Miguel’s green card
* A list of emergency contacts
* A small, faded business card that reads:
CASSIDY REED — JOURNALIST / PODCASTER
Truth is what you fight for.
(917) 555-0420
Sofia clutches the card. Her eyes flick toward the sun rising
over the city skyline.
She doesn’t cry.
She maps her next move.
CUT TO:
INT. PRIVATE DETENTION CENTER – HOLDING INTAKE — NIGHT
Harsh fluorescent lights. Bleak, echoing walls.
Miguel stands in a line of detainees, hands zip-tied, his
face bruised from the arrest. An ICE GUARD barks orders as
they’re shuffled through processing like cattle.
ICE GUARD
Step forward! State your name
clearly!
MIGUEL
Miguel Ramirez.
ICE GUARD
Country of origin?
MIGUEL
Mexico.
ICE GUARD
Legal documentation?
MIGUEL
It’s in my wallet. I’m a green card
holder. My daughter—
ICE GUARD
You’ll have your chance to speak.
Miguel’s eyes burn with rage. But he swallows it.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Behind Bars: A Father's Despair
INT. DETENTION DORM – LATER
Metal bunk beds. A hum of fluorescent lights that never turn
off.
Miguel lies on a top bunk. Around him, dozens of other men
and teenagers sleep restlessly. Some cough. Some whisper in
Spanish, Tagalog, Dari.
Across from him, an older man — JORGE (60s) — smokes a
contraband cigarette and watches Miguel.
JORGE
You look too clean to be here.
MIGUEL
I wasn’t supposed to be here.
JORGE
None of us were.
Miguel stares at the peeling ceiling. He whispers—
MIGUEL
They took my daughter.
JORGE
Then you better survive this place,
amigo. Because if you don’t, nobody
will care what they took.
CUT TO:
INT. DETENTION CENTER – DAY (MONTAGE)
Miguel stands in a long line for food — watery beans, dry
bread.
He fills out endless forms in English he barely understands.
A young detainee, LEO (18), asks if he’s heard about a girl
outside looking for someone named “Migs.”
Miguel’s ears perk up.
A female ICE supervisor calls roll from a clipboard,
ignoring personal pleas.
A cell door slams behind Miguel — another day, another shift
in his hope.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
A Journey Begins
INT. DETENTION CENTER – REC ROOM — NIGHT
Miguel sits at a communal table, sketching a rough map of the
U.S. into the margins of a pamphlet. Tracing routes. Guessing
where Sofia would go. He circles D.C.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
(soft, to himself)
Please be smarter than me, mija…
CUT TO:
EXT. BUS STATION — NIGHT
Sofia boards a Greyhound alone. Her backpack clutched
tightly.
She sits by the window and opens her scavenger map notebook.
On the first page:
THE QUEST BEGINS HERE.
OBJECTIVE: Find Cassidy Reed. Bring Dad Home.
She draws a star on Washington, D.C.
The bus pulls out into the dark highway.
CUT TO:
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. – BUS TERMINAL – DAY
The Greyhound pulls in under gray skies.
SOFIA steps off, small against the city’s chaos. Horns blare.
People rush past her. She clutches her backpack like armor.
She glances at her notebook, then the business card:
CASSIDY REED — JOURNALIST / PODCASTER
Scribbled below:
“Mount Pleasant, NW”
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Adventure"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Desperate Search
INT. DINER – DAY
Sofia sits at a corner booth, sipping a $2 soda to earn Wi-
Fi.
She opens a busted Chromebook. Types into a search bar:
“Cassidy Reed Podcast”
“Cassidy Reed D.C.”
“Where is Cassidy Reed now?”
Results come up:
Podcast host goes silent after immigration controversy
Ex-journalist sues ICE… and loses
Last known address: Adams Morgan P.O. Box
Sofia clicks through — no phone number. Just a fan email:
My dad Miguel Ramirez is in ICE jail and he says you can
help.
He didn’t do anything wrong.
Please write back.
From,
Sofia (his daughter)
She hits send.
Watches the screen. Nothing.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS OF D.C. – MONTAGE
Sofia walks the street asking strangers:
"Do you know Cassidy Reed?"
Blank stares. One man shrugs:
"She disappeared years ago."
She stops at a local library. Searches local voter records.
Finds an old P.O. Box in Mount Pleasant.
She goes to the post office — it’s closed.
She slips a handwritten note into the box:
"Cassidy Reed,
My name is Sofia Ramirez.
You knew my dad. Please help us.
I can wait here every day until you come."
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Bureaucratic Barriers
INT. SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE – DAY
A sea of fluorescent lights, plastic chairs, and numbered
kiosks. Everyone looks half-defeated.
SOFIA waits at the back of the line, wearing a hoodie two
sizes too big. Her backpack sits at her feet. A small paper
number — B402 — is clutched in her hand.
She approaches a plexiglass window where a disinterested
SOCIAL SECURITY CLERK (50s, badge: DORIS) pecks at a
keyboard, chewing a cinnamon toothpick.
SOFIA
Hi... I’m looking for someone named
Cassidy Lowe. She used to work at
that nonprofit down on 3rd—The Path
Group? I think she’s in the system?
DORIS
Social Security isn’t a directory,
sweetheart.
SOFIA
I know. But... I’m trying to find
her. I need help. She helps people
like—
DORIS
We can’t give out private
information. That’s a federal
violation. You think I wanna get
fired for someone I don’t know?
SOFIA
I’m not asking for her number.
Just... an address? A city even?
Doris sighs theatrically.
DORIS
Do you have a notarized request? A
subpoena? A custody order?
Didn’t think so.
SOFIA
There has to be something you can
do.
Doris gestures toward a stack of forms.
DORIS
You can file a "Request for Inquiry
Into Active Recipient Placement" —
but it takes 12 to 16 weeks. That’s
if the system doesn’t “eat it.”
SOFIA
Twelve to sixteen weeks?
DORIS
Hey, you wanna talk to someone
faster, try death benefits. We move
real quick when someone’s dead.
She chuckles. Sofia doesn’t.
SOFIA
This is a joke.
DORIS
No, honey. This is America.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Social Justice"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Silent Despair
INT. SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE – MOMENTS LATER
Sofia exits, defeated. She walks past a poster of smiling
families under the slogan: “Working for YOU!”
She kicks the base of the sign — hard.
People glance. She doesn’t care.
EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS
Sofia stands outside the building, staring out at the cars
zipping past. She pulls her phone — no signal. Dead battery.
She sinks onto a nearby bus bench. Alone.
Just then, a woman walks by pushing a stroller. A little girl
inside drops her juice cup. Her father — laughing — picks it
up and hands it back.
Sofia watches. Her lip trembles.
She curls into herself and whispers:
SOFIA
This can’t be it...
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
EXT. POST OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON –
A squat beige building with faded flags flapping above.
Sofia steps outside, her face pale and tight. Her fingers
clutch a rejection slip — a coldly stamped “RETURN TO
SENDER.” It’s the third envelope she’s tried to mail to ICE.
She stumbles to the curbside bench just beyond the mailboxes.
The sound of traffic hums in the background — distant,
indifferent.
She sits down, slowly, like her body’s giving out.
Her backpack drops at her feet.
The envelope flutters to the sidewalk.
Sofia stares at the building across the street. People come
and go. Buying stamps. Carrying packages. Laughing on the
phone. Life continues.
She doesn't move.
Her breathing grows shallow.
Then comes the first tear — soft and slow.
SOFIA
(whispering)
Why won’t anyone help me?
She wipes her face, but more tears follow. Her breath
quickens — a stifled sob caught in her throat.
And then it hits her — the collapse.
She breaks down completely. Shoulders shaking. Silent tears
turning into guttural sobs.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
Daddy...
(whispers)
I don’t know what to do...
No one stops. A few people glance. Most look away. One
passerby offers a polite, awkward smile. Another crosses the
street.
The sun begins to dip behind the buildings.
Sofia curls into herself, knees to chest, right there on the
bench.
She hugs her backpack like it’s the only thing left.
The streetlights flicker on as her sobs slow... and
eventually fade into quiet exhaustion.
She slumps to her side on the bench.
Tears still on her cheeks, she drifts into sleep, surrounded
by the sounds of delivery trucks, muffled radios, and the
never-ending hum of a city that never noticed her pain.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Shadows of Connection
EXT. POST OFFICE – SUNSET
Sofia sits on the steps eating trail mix. The city hums
around her. Her stomach growls.
Her eyes grow heavy. She lays back on her backpack. Fades
into sleep.
A shadow moves across her.
She jolts awake.
A woman stands over her — tired eyes, hoodie, headphones half-
around her neck. CASSIDY REED (30s).
Worn down, but watching. Not unkind.
CASSIDY
Sofia?
Sofia scrambles up.
SOFIA
Are you…?
CASSIDY
Yeah. You sent the email. And the
note.
I’ve been avoiding people for a long time.
But you… you showed up.
SOFIA
Please. My dad’s in trouble.
Cassidy looks at her — weighing things. Old wounds rising.
CASSIDY
Okay, kid. Let’s talk.
They walk into the shadows of the city together.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
A Warning in the Commissary
INT. DETENTION CENTER — COMMISSARY — DAY
Miguel eats alone. Fork scraping at beans and rice on a
stained tray.
Across the room, LEO (18) — a wiry, quick-talking detainee —
paces by the table, glancing around.
LEO
Psst. Ramirez. You got people on
the outside?
MIGUEL
I have a daughter.
LEO
Then you better start listening.
ICE ain’t processing us — they’re
stalling. Holding us past the legal
limit. You seen the files?
MIGUEL
What files?
LEO
The ones they keep “losing.” You
think it’s an accident?
Miguel pushes his tray away.
LEO (CONT'D)
You look like a man with something
to lose. Maybe it’s time to stop
waiting and start acting.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Whispers of Truth
INT. DETENTION CENTER — DORM — LATER
Miguel sits on his bunk, eyes scanning the room. The tension
is mounting — detainees whisper more, guards shout louder.
He pulls out a pen cap he’s been hiding and starts scratching
notes into a Bible page margin.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
If I don’t come home… at least let
someone know the truth.
CUT TO:
INT. CASSIDY’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Sofia sits on a beat-up couch, still wearing her backpack.
Cassidy types furiously on a laptop, pulling up folders,
waveforms, old interviews.
SOFIA
Are you going to help him?
CASSIDY
I tried once. They silenced me. Got
me fired.
ICE buried my source and blacklisted my podcast.
SOFIA
So that’s it?
CASSIDY
That’s how it works, Sofia. Power
wins.
Sofia pulls something from her backpack: a crumpled family
photo. Miguel, Sofia, and her mom in front of their garage.
She hands it to Cassidy.
SOFIA
Please don’t let them erase us.
Cassidy stares at the photo. Something shifts.
She exhales.
CASSIDY
Alright. Let’s open some wounds.
She pulls open a hard drive and plugs it in.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
There’s one file they missed. I
never uploaded it.
It names a private contractor ICE used to detain people for
profit.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Operation Exposure
INT. DETENTION CENTER — UTILITY CLOSET — NIGHT
Miguel follows Leo and JORGE (60s) into a utility closet. One
holds the door. Miguel pulls out a torn ventilation map of
the center.
LEO
There’s a USB. One of the guards
logs incident reports from the
camera room.
Get it, and we prove ICE has been faking release dates.
JORGE
They’re moving us out in 48 hours.
Quietly. Black site transfer.
MIGUEL
Then we move tonight.
CUT TO:
INTERCUT – MONTAGE
MIGUEL — sneaking through vents, peering down into offices.
SOFIA & CASSIDY — recording a podcast episode in the dark:
Cassidy’s voice raw, vulnerable.
CASSIDY (V.O.)
They called it “administrative
hold.” What they meant was
“disappearance.”
MIGUEL — finding the computer, plugging in a flash drive.
SOFIA — uploading images to social media.
Cassidy hits POST.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – OFFICE – LATER
AGENT HAWTHORNE watches as his screen floods with
notifications. Viral tweets. Podcasts. News alerts.
He scrolls down and sees a post:
“ICE took my dad. He’s innocent. Please help.”
– Sofia Ramirez, age 11. Washington D.C.
Hawthorne exhales — haunted.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Echoes of Duty
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – HAWTHORNE’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Dimly lit. Cluttered. File folders stacked like sandbags. A
fluorescent light flickers overhead, unresolved.
AGENT HAWTHORNE (50s), sharp-featured but weathered, sits
alone.
His badge sits next to an untouched cup of cold coffee.
A framed photo of him in uniform — younger, decorated, proud
— rests beneath a family photo: an estranged daughter, maybe
mid-20s, who hasn’t called in months.
On his screen: the viral post.
SOFIA RAMIREZ, AGE 14.
ICE took my dad. Please help. #FreeMiguelRamirez
A cursor blinks at the end of her name like a heartbeat.
He minimizes it. Opens a detainee database.
Types: RAMIREZ, MIGUEL
Status: Processing Hold — Location: Transferred
His brow furrows.
He clicks again. The record glitches.
“TRANSFERRED” but no destination listed.
HAWTHORNE (SOFT)
No chain of custody? That’s not
protocol.
He picks up his phone. Calls Internal Records.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
This is Agent Hawthorne. I need
verification on a detainee
transfer. Miguel Ramirez.
(beat)
No—don't redirect me. I’ve got a
minor posting online, and the
optics are about to explode.
The line clicks. He’s put on hold.
Elevator music plays, cheerful and ironic.
CUT TO:
NT. CASSIDY’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Dimly lit. Boxes stacked in corners. Papers strewn across a
table — maps, case files, post-it notes scribbled with ICE
codes and bus routes.
Sofia sits on the couch, still damp from the rain. Cassidy
moves through the small kitchen, making tea.
SOFIA
How do you know all this stuff?
CASSIDY
I read a lot. Obsessively.
SOFIA
That’s not what I mean.
Cassidy pauses, hands tightening around the mug.
SOFIA (CONT'D)
You’re not just doing this because
it’s right. You hate them. ICE.
DHS. All of it.
Cassidy sets the mug down. Sits across from her.
A long beat.
CASSIDY
I was a field officer.
Voluntary repatriation unit. That’s the polite term for
“deportation specialist.”
Sofia’s eyes widen slightly.
SOFIA
You worked for them?
CASSIDY
Eight years. I carried out raids.
Did the paperwork. Signed people
away like it was routine.
(scoffs)
I used to believe I was protecting
the country.
SOFIA
What changed?
Cassidy stares off for a moment.
CASSIDY
My brother married a woman from El
Salvador. No papers. But she was
good. Kind. She volunteered at
shelters. Taught Sunday school.
One day, she and my niece were pulled over — busted tail
light. They sent her to Louisiana. I didn’t even know until
it was too late.
SOFIA
They took your family?
Cassidy nods slowly. Her voice tightens.
CASSIDY
They separated them in the
processing center. My niece was
four.
They lost her for five days.
SOFIA
What happened to her?
CASSIDY
(swallows hard)
She came back... different. Quiet.
She used to love drawing. Now she doesn’t touch crayons.
Silence. Heavy. Sofia looks down, suddenly understanding the
weight behind Cassidy’s fire.
SOFIA
I thought you were just angry.
CASSIDY
I am. But I’m also guilty.
And you can’t undo guilt — you can only outwork it.
Sofia nods.
SOFIA
So now you help people like her.
Like me.
CASSIDY
No. I help people like you because
I couldn’t help her.
Beat.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
And I won’t fail again.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Breaking the Hold
INT. ICE HALLWAY – LATER
Hawthorne walks briskly past other agents. Eyes follow him.
Whispers behind badge clips.
He enters the Evidence & Surveillance Room.
Inside, a tech guy — MALIK (30s) — looks up.
HAWTHORNE
Pull up camera footage from last
night — Detention Center 27.
(MORE)
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
Dorm access, commissary, and
incident reports.
MALIK
Supervisor said we’re not sharing
those anymore. Legal hold.
HAWTHORNE
I am legal hold. Now move.
Malik hesitates, then clicks through.
Footage loads: Miguel slipping through a side vent.
MALIK
That’s your guy?
HAWTHORNE
He wasn’t a flight risk. He had a
green card. A job. A daughter.
He leans closer.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
And we made him disappear.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Unopened Letters and Rising Tensions
INT. HAWTHORNE’S OFFICE – NIGHT (LATER)
He opens a drawer. Pulls out an old letter.
Unopened. From his daughter. Postmarked last year.
He stares at it.
Then dials a number.
HAWTHORNE
This is Agent Hawthorne. Internal
Request Code 289-B.
I want eyes on Cassidy Reed. She’s resurfaced.
(pause)
And find me that girl. Sofia Ramirez.
But don’t bring her in — not yet.
CUT TO:
INT. SAFEHOUSE – NIGHT (INTERCUT)
Cassidy and Sofia huddle over the laptop.
The podcast is gaining traction. They watch a live map of
listeners light up like fireflies across the country.
Sofia looks tired. But hopeful.
Cassidy turns to her.
CASSIDY
You did it. People are listening.
SOFIA
Now we just have to find him.
Cassidy looks out the window, uneasy. Something in the wind
has shifted.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
The Move
INT. DETENTION CENTER – DORM – NIGHT
Dark. Silent. Most detainees are asleep or faking it.
Miguel lies awake, staring at the ceiling, his thumb rubbing
the edge of the Bible where he’s hidden his notes.
Suddenly — click. Thud.
The door bursts open. Armed private security contractors —
not ICE agents — enter, faces obscured by masks and visors.
They’re Paramount Holdings — the private contractor ICE
offloaded detainees to in past scandals.
CONTRACTOR #1
Ramirez. Let’s go.
MIGUEL
Where?
CONTRACTOR #2
You’re being moved. Now.
LEO (O.S.)
(to Miguel)
This is it. The black site.
Miguel looks to Jorge. Jorge gives a faint nod — not in
approval, in warning.
JORGE
You go quiet, you disappear. You
fight, you disappear faster.
Miguel steps down from his bunk slowly, clutching his Bible.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Reflections of Conflict
INT. SAFEHOUSE – NIGHT
Low light. A map of California ICE detention centers is
spread across the table. CassIDY marks a route with a red
marker. Sofia watches quietly.
SOFIA
Why are you even helping me?
Cassidy doesn’t respond right away. She stares at the map —
then closes her eyes.
BEGIN FLASHBACK – INT. ICE DETENTION INTAKE CENTER – YEARS
EARLIER – NIGHT
Cassidy (mid-20s, in uniform) stands stiffly at a processing
desk. Her badge is shiny. Her face is unreadable,
professional — but her eyes betray uncertainty.
A HISPANIC MAN in his early 30s, wearing a dirty white T-
shirt, is being fingerprinted. He pleads — softly, in
Spanish.
HISPANIC MAN (SUBTITLED)
Please… my daughter is waiting
outside. Please don’t separate us…
Cassidy flinches slightly.
She turns away — locking eyes with her supervisor, Agent
Mathers.
MATHERS
Don’t get involved, Lowe. Run his
prints and move him.
Cassidy nods. Robotically. She logs into the terminal. Her
fingers hesitate.
INT. DETENTION HOLDING ROOM – LATER
Cassidy stands outside a window, staring into a holding cell.
Inside: the man from earlier sits on a bench, face in his
hands.
In the far corner — a young girl (8, maybe 9) is curled in a
ball on a cot, clutching a pink backpack.
Cassidy watches.
She walks away… but stops. Looks back.
Her reflection overlaps the girl’s in the window.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Haunted by the Past
INT. ICE INTAKE CENTER – WAITING ROOM – SAME NIGHT
A younger Cassidy, this time not in uniform, sits next to her
teenage brother in an old sweatshirt. ICE agents lead him
away in handcuffs.
He glances back at her — and smiles sadly.
She can’t speak. Can’t move. Just watches.
Back then, she was powerless.
END FLASHBACK – INT. SAFEHOUSE – NIGHT (PRESENT)
Cassidy’s eyes are red. She blinks away the memory. The
silence hangs heavy.
Sofia watches her.
SOFIA
Who was it?
Cassidy doesn’t answer. She just circles the next location.
CASSIDY
If they moved him like I think they
did, there’s only one place left
that fits the profile.
She folds the map.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
Let’s go.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Invisible Chains
INT. DETENTION CENTER – HALLWAY – NIGHT
Miguel is marched down a fluorescent-lit corridor. The center
is oddly quiet — no staff, no buzz, just echoing footsteps.
At the end of the hall: a freight elevator.
He turns to the guard.
MIGUEL
I want to speak to a lawyer. You
can’t move me without paperwork.
CONTRACTOR #1
You don’t exist in the system
anymore.
They shove him forward.
CUT TO:
INT. TRANSPORT VAN – NIGHT
Metal box. No windows. Miguel sits in shackles, chained to a
bolt on the floor. Opposite him, two other detainees — both
silent, both terrified.
Above them, a dim red light glows. Cameras in every corner.
Miguel notices something scratched into the wall in Spanish:
“They bury us where no one will find us.”
He stares at it.
Then grips the Bible tighter.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – HAWTHORNE’S OFFICE – NIGHT
Hawthorne sits at his desk. A cup of black coffee steams next
to a blinking notification on his screen.
DATABASE ALERT:
“Miguel Ramirez – TRANSFER COMPLETE.”
New Location: CLASSIFIED / CONTRACT FACILITY
Admin: O. Burchell / Paramount Holdings
Hawthorne leans back, eyes narrowing.
HAWTHORNE (SOFTLY)
Classified, my ass.
He picks up the phone.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
Get me the Reed file. And find the
driver manifest for last night’s
transfer.
I want to know who moved Miguel Ramirez, and where the hell
they took him.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Dawn of Urgency
INT. SAFEHOUSE – DAWN
Cassidy is on her second cup of coffee. Sofia’s asleep,
curled up with her backpack.
“You have less than 48 hours before he disappears for good.”
No signature.
Just a link:
/paramountblack
Cassidy blinks.
CASSIDY (V.O.)
He’s in the wind.
She wakes Sofia gently.
CASSIDY
Get up, kiddo. We have to move.
Now.
CUT TO:
INT. SAFEHOUSE – MORNING
Sofia watches as Cassidy flips open a burner laptop and boots
into a secure OS.
SOFIA
Are we hacking them?
CASSIDY
No. We’re asking rude questions in
the right rooms until someone tries
to shut us up.
She types quickly. Pulls up Paramount Holdings’ internal
contractor site, hidden behind layers of dummy companies.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
They don’t run detention centers.
Officially. They do “logistical
intake and civilian relocation.”
SOFIA
That’s the creepiest way to say
“kidnapping” I’ve ever heard.
Cassidy finds an employee access badge template online.
CASSIDY
We’ll need disguises, access tags,
and fake roles. And one hell of a
story.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
The Disguise Operation
INT. THRIFT STORE – MONTAGE
Cassidy holds up a Paramount-blue blazer.
Sofia finds a pair of ID clip lanyards and cheap sunglasses.
Cassidy sharpens her look in the mirror — cuts her hair
shorter, changes her posture. She becomes someone else.
CUT TO:
INT. PARAMOUNT CONTRACTOR LOBBY – DAY
Sterile, corporate. No logos. Just numbers on glass doors.
Cassidy, in disguise as a “regional operations auditor”,
flashes a badge at the desk clerk.
Sofia follows, dressed in business-casual kid clothes,
holding a tablet and clipboard — like an intern.
CASSIDY
Angela Corday. Field compliance
audit. We're supposed to observe a
rotation out of Site B before the
contractor briefing.
The clerk blinks, half-convinced.
CLERK
I wasn’t told—
Cassidy cuts him off.
CASSIDY
Want me to call Legal?
He shrinks.
CLERK
Conference room’s down the hall.
Sit tight.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Data Heist at Site Theta
INT. PARAMOUNT HALLWAY – MOMENTS LATER
Cassidy and Sofia walk quickly.
SOFIA
Do you think he’s here?
CASSIDY
No. But this system will tell us
where he’s going.
They enter an unmarked side room — a server hub.
Cassidy plugs in a small USB stick. A script auto-launches.
Data begins downloading. Sofia keeps watch at the door.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
Come on, come on...
A document opens:
TRANSFER LOG: Ramirez, Miguel — ROUTE: Site Theta, WV.
SOFIA
Site Theta?
CASSIDY
Undisclosed location. That means
it’s off-books.
She unplugs the drive.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
We got what we came for. Now we
vanish.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Race Against Discovery
INT. PARKING GARAGE – MINUTES LATER
Cassidy and Sofia rush to the car, toss their badges,
jackets.
CASSIDY
They’ll know in five minutes that
someone accessed the Theta
manifest.
SOFIA
So what do we do?
Cassidy stares at the windshield — then turns to Sofia.
CASSIDY
We go find Site Theta. And this
time, we don’t go around.
We go straight through the front gate.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD – DAY (MONTAGE)
Cassidy and Sofia drive fast through winding forest roads.
Cassidy flips through maps and blueprints found on the USB.
Sofia studies them like a battlefield commander.
SOFIA
There’s a maintenance road here. If
it’s still open, we can get within
a mile of the perimeter.
Cassidy nods.
CASSIDY
You’d make a hell of a journalist.
CUT TO:
Aerial drone shot.
A fortress of concrete and chain-link fencing deep in the
West Virginia woods, camouflaged from satellites and hidden
from the outside world.
No signage. No records. No laws.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Silent Connections
INT. SITE THETA – PROCESSING BAY – NIGHT
Floodlights buzz overhead. MIGUEL is unloaded from the back
of the transport van. Shackled. Shivering.
Guards in black tactical gear greet him with silence.
One of them snaps a photo of Miguel with a handheld camera —
no explanation.
Another removes Miguel’s shoelaces and belt.
GUARD #1
Welcome to the end of your story.
CUT TO:
INT. SITE THETA – CELLBLOCK 3 – NIGHT
Miguel is escorted down a corridor of bare concrete and
isolation units. Inside each cell: a detainee curled up on a
cot, silent.
Miguel is shoved into a narrow solo cell with no toilet, no
light switch. Just a drain and four walls.
The door slams. Silence.
He touches the wall. It’s ice-cold.
He breathes in — and slowly exhales.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
If I disappear, Sofia must not.
CUT TO:
INT. CELLBLOCK – LATER THAT NIGHT
A faint tapping.
Miguel hears it again — rhythmic. Morse code?
He taps back. Pauses. Listens.
A muffled voice from the next cell whispers through the
vents.
VOICE (O.S.)
Are you the mechanic?
MIGUEL
Who’s asking?
VOICE
Someone who’s not planning to stay
here forever.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Desperate Alliances
INT. SITE THETA – CAFETERIA – NEXT DAY
Miguel eats silently under surveillance.
Across the room: a woman in her 50s, CARMEN, thin, sharp-
eyed. A former immigration lawyer turned detainee after a
raid on her pro bono clinic.
She approaches Miguel carefully.
CARMEN
They say you escaped before. From
27.
MIGUEL
I didn’t escape. I survived.
CARMEN
You survived long enough for your
daughter to make noise.
Miguel looks up.
CARMEN (CONT'D)
A podcast. Social media. A map.
You’ve become dangerous.
MIGUEL
I’m a father. That’s all.
CARMEN
Exactly. That’s why they’ll bury
you here.
Unless… we move first.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Plans and Memories
INT. LAUNDRY ROOM – NIGHT
Miguel, Carmen, and a quiet young man named OMAR, formerly a
data clerk for DHS, meet under the guise of folding laundry.
CARMEN
There’s a way into the internal
network — Omar’s old clearance
might give us access.
We broadcast. Evidence. Names. Faces. GPS.
OMAR
But the moment we upload, they’ll
cut the power.
We need help on the outside to receive the signal.
MIGUEL
Sofia.
He looks at the ductwork above them.
MIGUEL (CONT'D)
Give me 24 hours.
INT. ICE HOLDING CELL – NIGHT
Dim. Silent.
A single fluorescent light buzzes above. Flickers.
MIGUEL lies on a narrow cot, arms folded across his chest.
His eyes are wide open, unblinking.
The cell is concrete and airless. There's no window. Just a
dull metal toilet in the corner and the smell of bleach.
He turns to face the wall, clutching his fingers like a
rosary.
The hum of the overhead light starts to change — like a low
vibration building in his skull.
CLOSE ON Miguel’s eye — it dilates, and we begin to dissolve
into—
FLASHBACK – INT. SMALL FAMILY KITCHEN – NIGHT (WARM LIGHT)
A tiny home, humble but full of life. A steaming pot on the
stove. Music plays softly — romantic, old-fashioned.
MIGUEL’S WIFE, early 30s, glowing and playful, is dancing in
her socks, making tamales.
She looks up as Miguel (younger, relaxed) enters the kitchen.
WIFE
You’re late.
MIGUEL
(pulls her into a hug)
I missed my girls.
She laughs as they spin in place. The music swells.
WIFE
You’re not allowed to be tired on
Friday. It’s family night.
MIGUEL
Then I’m not tired. Just... full.
He kisses her.
From down the hall, we hear SOFIA’S CHILDHOOD VOICE:
SOFIA (O.S.)
Daddy! Daddy, look what I drew!
Miguel turns — the light begins to flicker, the music warps —
and suddenly—
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Nightmare in the Courtroom
DREAM SEQUENCE – INT. COURTROOM – UNREAL
Miguel now stands in a surreal courtroom.
He’s in shackles. A massive judge's bench looms overhead.
His wife and young Sofia are beside him, crying — but no
sound comes from their mouths.
The judge slams a gavel, but instead of a voice, we hear a
burst of static.
Suddenly, ICE agents flood the room. They grab Miguel.
MIGUEL
No! Wait! Please!
He reaches for Sofia as the floor stretches — she grows
smaller, farther — like falling through a tunnel in reverse.
Her voice breaks through the static:
SOFIA (V.O.)
Papi... don’t give up...
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HOLDING CELL – NIGHT – BACK TO PRESENT
Miguel jolts awake, breath ragged. Sweat on his brow.
He sits up, blinks, trying to orient himself. He puts his
hand to his chest — it trembles.
He slowly leans forward and kisses his fingers, pressing them
to the concrete wall.
MIGUEL (SOFTLY, IN SPANISH)
Te prometo… no rendirme.
(I promise… not to give
up.)
He lies back down. Eyes to the
ceiling. The flickering fluorescent
buzzes on.
CUT TO BLACK.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Signal in the Shadows
INT. CASSIDY’S SUV – MOVING – NIGHT
Intercut:
Cassidy and Sofia drive toward the mountains.
Sofia pulls out a walkie-talkie radio and turns to Cassidy.
SOFIA
You said Site Theta was a cold
spot, right?
No signal in or out?
CASSIDY
Yeah. It’s air-gapped.
SOFIA
What if we brought the signal to
them?
Cassidy glances at her. Smiles.
CASSIDY
You thinking what I’m thinking?
SOFIA
Pirate antenna, baby.
CUT TO:
BACK AT SITE THETA — INT. CELLBLOCK VENTS – NIGHT
Miguel climbs silently through ductwork, using tools smuggled
from laundry detail. His hands bleed. His breathing is tight.
Every move is risky.
He reaches a panel marked SERVER VAULT.
Takes a deep breath.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Signal in the Mist
INT. ICE FIELD OPERATIONS CENTER – DC SUBSTATION – NIGHT
Humming with energy. Satellite feeds. Rows of agents at
terminals.
AGENT HAWTHORNE stands at a private station, eyes locked on a
geofence alert:
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS ATTEMPT – PARAMOUNT DATA NODE: RAMIREZ
FILE
He taps the desk. A young analyst approaches.
HAWTHORNE
Run a sweep on Site Theta’s
vicinity.
Look for any mobile relays, signal jumps, or bursts near the
perimeter.
ANALYST
You think someone’s trying to
extract from a black site?
HAWTHORNE
No. I think someone’s trying to
broadcast out.
(beat)
And if we don’t get there first,
this whole damn operation goes
public.
CUT TO:
INT. HAWTHORNE’S SUV – MOVING – NIGHT
Hawthorne drives through a stretch of mountain highway,
headlights cutting through mist.
He has a manila folder open on the passenger seat.
Inside:
A photo of Cassidy Reed
A printed transcript from her old podcast titled “Ghost
Papers”
A still image of Sofia, pulling a hood over her head at the
bus station.
Hawthorne dials.
HAWTHORNE
This is Agent Hawthorne.
I want drones in the air over the Theta zone, and I want
access to everything Paramount's been hiding from us.
(pause)
And if anyone leaks this… I’ll burn them myself.
He hangs up, jaw clenched.
CUT TO:
FLASHBACK – INT. COURTROOM – FIVE YEARS AGO
Quick insert. A younger Hawthorne stands in uniform as his
daughter testifies against the agency.
DAUGHTER (O.S.)
He told me to keep quiet.
To stop asking questions.
To obey the chain of command.
Bang of the gavel.
Back to:
INT. HAWTHORNE’S SUV – NIGHT
He tosses the photo of his daughter onto the dash.
Breathes deep.
Then floors the gas.
HAWTHORNE (V.O.)
I was loyal long enough.
CUT TO:
EXT. BACKROAD OFF-RAMP – NIGHT
Hawthorne pulls into a rural truck stop, parks, and walks
toward a satellite relay terminal in the woods.
He opens a locked case. Pulls out an old radio scanner and
tunes to a band marked “THETA—PRIVATE.”
Static.
Then—
A PING. A low-band pulse.
A signal spike.
HAWTHORNE
Got you.
He dials again.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
They’re going live within 24 hours.
Send backup. But I’m going in first.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Operation Under the Stars
EXT. NATIONAL FOREST – MOUNTAIN ROAD – NIGHT
Cassidy’s SUV winds along a narrow, tree-lined fire road.
Headlights off. Only the moon lights their way.
They pull into a clearing surrounded by pine trees and moss-
covered rocks.
The car stops. Engine off.
SOFIA
This is it?
CASSIDY
Site Theta is about a mile through
those trees.
Cassidy opens the back of the SUV, revealing:
A folding radio tower kit
A solar battery pack
Modified laptop wired to a signal scrambler
And a plastic tub filled with energy bars and caffeine pills
SOFIA
You always carry all this?
CASSIDY
Only when I’m about to piss off the
government.
FADE OUT:
INT. MAKESHIFT CAMPSITE – LATER THAT NIGHT
They’ve set up a low-tent tarp, a fireless camp. Cassidy
configures the laptop while Sofia assembles the mini antenna
using scavenged parts: a satellite dish, old CB radio, copper
wire strung between tree branches.
Sofia crawls into the cabling like it’s a jungle gym,
expertly connecting the leads.
SOFIA
This should give us about a
kilometer radius. If he pings the
signal, we’ll catch it.
CASSIDY
We’ll have maybe 20 minutes of
bandwidth before they detect it.
Sofia nods. Nervous. She clutches her map notebook.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
You okay?
SOFIA
Just thinking.
CASSIDY
About what?
SOFIA
What if we fail?
Cassidy looks at her. Then pulls out a flash drive.
CASSIDY
This auto-uploads the moment the
file hits the drive.
To three different journalists, two watchdogs, and one very
pissed-off senator I used to date.
SOFIA (GRINNING)
That’s the most hardcore ex I’ve
ever heard of.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Into the Shadows
EXT. RIDGELINE OVERLOOK – NIGHT
Cassidy scans the distance with binoculars. A faint glow in
the valley: Site Theta, partially obscured by trees, fencing,
and motion lights.
CASSIDY
Perimeter’s lit like a prison yard.
No way we’re getting inside. But if
Miguel’s near the main server
vault…
She traces her finger across a blueprint printout.
CASSIDY (CONT'D)
...the vault faces this direction.
If he pings the antenna, we’ll have a direct line.
SOFIA
Then we wait.
CUT TO:
INT. TENT – LATE NIGHT
Sofia lies in a sleeping bag, wide awake. She looks over at
Cassidy, who’s typing softly.
SOFIA
Do you think he’s scared?
CASSIDY
Probably. But I think he’s proud,
too.
Sofia hugs her knees.
SOFIA
He used to call me “his compass.”
Said I always pointed him home.
Cassidy looks over.
CASSIDY
Then let’s make sure he finds his
way back.
CUT TO:
INT. SITE THETA – UTILITY TUNNEL – NIGHT
TIGHT ON: Miguel’s face. Sweating. Focused.
He crawls through a narrow concrete shaft barely wide enough
for his shoulders. The light on his makeshift headlamp
flickers.
Each movement echoes. A clank. A breath. A heartbeat.
Behind him, a coil of wire snakes from a laundry-room breaker
box. His only lifeline to the outside.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Desperate Measures
INT. SERVER VAULT HALLWAY – NIGHT
Miguel emerges into a tight corridor — sterile, humming with
static electricity. One red-lit camera rotates slowly
overhead.
He pulls out a spray bottle from his jumpsuit. Mist.
STATIC POP. The lens fizzles — blind.
Miguel slips forward. Approaches a metal door marked:
DATA ARCHIVE – RESTRICTED
He pulls a stolen clearance card from his waistband.
Swipe.
ACCESS DENIED.
Shit.
He tries again — slower this time.
ACCESS GRANTED.
The door clicks. Opens just enough to slip in.
CUT TO:
INT. SERVER VAULT – NIGHT
Rows of humming servers. Blue LED lights glow like stars.
Miguel shuts the door. Seals it with a screwdriver across the
lock. He has minutes. Maybe seconds.
He kneels. Unzips a laundry bag. Pulls out a modified radio
modem, wired to a salvaged USB transmitter.
He plugs it into the console.
A small screen flashes:
RECEIVING SIGNAL…
CUT TO:
EXT. RIDGELINE – NIGHT (INTERCUT)
Cassidy and Sofia hunch over the laptop, watching lines of
data begin to crawl across the screen.
CASSIDY
He’s in. He’s actually doing it.
INT. SERVER VAULT – NIGHT
Miguel watches as the upload begins.
5%... 12%...
Suddenly—
BANG!!
A vent behind him explodes open.
A GUARD DROPS THROUGH — armored, fast, gun drawn.
Miguel stumbles back, slamming into the server stack. Sparks
fly.
GUARD
ON THE GROUND! NOW!
Miguel raises his hands — then lunges for the spray bottle,
launches it like a grenade.
SSSSHHHTTT!!
Misty fog erupts — the guard stumbles, blinded.
Miguel dives under the desk.
The laptop’s at 48%...
He fumbles. Grabs a server blade from the open rack — and
hurls it like a boomerang.
CRACK!
Hits the guard in the faceplate.
The guard fires — BLAM BLAM!!
One shot hits the wall near Miguel’s head.
Suddenly—
THE LIGHTS CUT OUT.
Darkness. Silence.
Emergency red strobes click on.
Then—
A SECOND FIGURE enters the room. Slowly. Calmly.
We hear his voice before we see him:
HAWTHORNE (O.S.)
That’s enough, Ramirez.
Miguel freezes.
From the shadows: Agent Hawthorne, gun lowered, eyes locked
on Miguel.
But…
He doesn’t shoot.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
Give me the drive. And I’ll let
your daughter walk free.
Miguel hesitates. Breathing hard. Hand inches toward the
upload console.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
It’s your choice, but time’s
running out.
Miguel stares at him… then slowly reaches…
FOR THE SHUTDOWN BUTTON.
SOFIA (V.O.) — RADIO STATIC
Don’t stop. I see you, Papi. You’re
almost home.
Miguel’s hand hovers. Trembles.
Then—
JUMP SCARE: THE FIRST GUARD — BLOODIED — LUNGES BACK INTO
FRAME!!
He grabs Hawthorne from behind — misidentifying him as
Miguel.
BLAM!
A gunshot. Chaos.
Hawthorne spins, disarms him brutally.
Miguel uses the moment to slam the ENTER key.
UPLOAD COMPLETE. AUTO-SEND INITIATED.
Red lights spin faster.
Hawthorne looks up.
HAWTHORNE
You did it.
Miguel holds up the Bible.
MIGUEL
My daughter did.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Truth Unleashed
EXT. RIDGELINE – NIGHT
The laptop chimes.
Cassidy and Sofia stare as their screen flashes:
UPLOADED.
SENT.
STREAMING.
CASSIDY (BREATHLESS)
We got it.
SOFIA
Now let’s tell the world.
CUT TO:
INT. PARAMOUNT BLACK SITE – SERVER VAULT – NIGHT
Miguel and Hawthorne stand in silence as sirens wail.
The screen glows with a message:
BROADCASTING LIVE – 1.2 MILLION VIEWERS
A still frame of Miguel’s face appears…
…and then the screen cuts to body cam footage, security cams,
and hidden angles Miguel, Carmen, and Omar compiled:
MONTAGE – THE TRUTH GOES PUBLIC
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Voices of Distress
INT. NEWSROOM – LIVE BROADCAST
An anchor stares at her monitor in disbelief.
ANCHOR
We are interrupting regular
programming with breaking,
disturbing footage from a live data
dump allegedly leaked from a
federal detention contractor known
as Paramount Holdings...
SCREEN WITHIN
SCREEN – RAW
FOOTAGE:
Children sleeping on concrete floors under aluminum
blankets, crying softly.
A guard dragging a teenage boy by the arm, yelling in
Spanish:
"You’re not even supposed to be here!"
Carmen, behind bars, speaking into a smuggled phone:
"I was a lawyer. I helped immigrants get their green cards.
They came for me anyway."
A clipboard zoomed in: “TARGET: Clean Sweep – All Hold Over
6 Mo. – No Paper Trail.”
A teenager records their mother reacting to seeing Miguel's
photo. She sobs.
A Mexican-American teacher tweets:
"My father was detained like this in 2019. No lawyer. No
call. Just gone. #FreeThemAll"
Side-by-side photos:
“MIGUEL RAMIREZ: Father. Mechanic. Not a criminal.”
“HOLDING CELL 3B – NO TOILET. NO WINDOW. NO NAME.”
CUT TO:
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM – DAY
A teacher quietly wipes tears from her eyes as the class
watches the footage.
On the screen: Sofia’s video, intercut with her voice.
SOFIA (V.O.)
My dad fixes things. He didn’t
break any laws.
But they tried to break him. And me.
Please… help him come home.
Students begin filming their reactions. Posting.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Social Issues"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Desperate Pursuit
EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY – PRE-DAWN
A long, desolate two-lane road. A light dust fog rolls across
the scrub. Headlights in the distance — a black ICE convoy:
three SUVs, a military-style van in the middle.
Inside that van:
INT. ICE PRISONER TRANSPORT – MOVING – SAME
MIGUEL is shackled, wedged between two silent detainees. The
guard across from him grips his taser, eyes forward,
unreadable.
Miguel's eyes flicker — alert, but trying not to show it.
He’s been moved again. Another ghost transfer.
INT. CASSIDY’S SUV – MOVING – SAME
Cassidy drives like she’s threading a needle. SOFIA rides
shotgun, her leg bouncing.
Cassidy speaks into a police scanner app, phone propped on
the dash.
CASSIDY
Convoy crossed 14 North twenty
minutes ago. They’re making a
detour. Theta’s not on this route.
SOFIA
They’re hiding him again.
CASSIDY
We stick to the intercept. Trust
the source.
Genres:
["Thriller","Action","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Tension at the Threshold
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – LOS ANGELES – SAME
HAWTHORNE stands before a bank of monitors. Mathers looms
beside him.
MATHERS
Press is tracking the Theta story.
If this gets out, we lose control
of the narrative.
Hawthorne doesn’t answer. He sees Miguel’s face on the
screen. His gut twists.
MATHERS (CONT'D)
I don’t care what you do. Just make
sure no one knows what’s in that
van.
INT. CABLE NEWSROOM – DOWNTOWN LA – SAME
Live coverage feeds flash: “ICE EXPOSURE SPARKS
INVESTIGATION”
JOURNALIST 1
We have unconfirmed reports of a
detainee transport moving without
standard routing...
JOURNALIST 2
Could this be connected to Site
Theta?
The newsroom pulses with heat. Phones ring. Reporters argue.
EXT. DESERT RIDGE OVERLOOK – SAME
Cassidy’s SUV pulls off-road, climbing onto a bluff. Sofia
stares down the highway with binoculars.
Nothing.
Suddenly — headlights emerge in the distance.
SOFIA
There. That’s them!
INT. ICE PRISONER TRANSPORT – SAME
Miguel notices something outside: a drone shadow passes
overhead.
Then — something changes in the guard’s face. A flicker of
doubt.
Miguel knows that look.
MIGUEL (SOFTLY, IN SPANISH)
What are you afraid of?
The guard doesn’t respond
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
High Stakes Maneuver
INT. CASSIDY’S SUV – SAME
Cassidy slams it into gear.
CASSIDY
They changed the route. It’s a
shell game.
SOFIA
What do we do?
CASSIDY
We get in front of it.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HQ – SAME
Alarms on a monitor: UNAUTHORIZED DRONE DETECTED.
TECH
We’ve got eyes in the sky.
Someone’s watching the convoy.
MATHERS
Shut it down. Scramble jammers.
Pull all non-clearance comms.
HAWTHORNE
(quietly, to himself)
You’re making it worse...
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Chase and Outcry
EXT. HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE – MINUTES LATER
Cassidy races parallel to the convoy now visible on a lower
tier road.
SIRENS FLASH IN THE DISTANCE. Police? Or ICE counter-
surveillance?
Cassidy grips the wheel.
CASSIDY
They’re throwing up shadows. Trying
to block us in.
SOFIA
Then we go faster.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – WAR ROOM – NIGHT
Panic. Phones ringing. Screens glowing red. Multiple federal
departments on the line.
OFFICIAL #1
The video’s everywhere.
The State Department’s getting
calls from Mexico City and
Brussels.
OFFICIAL #2
Shut it down.
AGENT
It’s too late. It’s mirrored across
200 servers.
This isn’t just damage control.
OFFICIAL #1
This is a reckoning.
CUT TO:
EXT. LOS ANGELES – MEXICAN CONSULATE – NIGHT
Hundreds of people gather, holding photos of family members
lost in the system.
Candles. Posters.
One boy holds a sign:
“MY DAD IS A GOOD MAN. BRING HIM BACK.”
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
A Homecoming Amidst Chaos
EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. – CAPITOL HILL – DAY
Reporters swarm.
Senators demand hearings.
Whistleblowers come forward.
The logo of Paramount Holdings is taken down from a corporate
building and loaded into a truck.
CUT TO:
INT. SAFEHOUSE – NIGHT
Cassidy watches the coverage, exhausted but emotional.
Sofia stares at the screen — her dad’s face everywhere.
She turns to Cassidy.
SOFIA
They’re listening now.
Cassidy nods, eyes glassy.
CASSIDY
Yeah. But we’re not done.
INT. SITE THETA – HOLDING BAY – DAWN
Doors open. A chain of detainees is uncuffed, one by one.
ICE agents retreat, faces blank.
Miguel steps forward, disoriented, unsure if this is real.
Carmen smiles faintly at him.
CARMEN
You lit the match.
MIGUEL
My daughter lit the fire.
CUT TO:
EXT. SITE THETA – MOMENTS LATER
A group of released detainees walks out into daylight.
Helicopter cameras circle above.
Reporters begin to arrive. Families cheer. Cry. Embrace.
Sofia pushes through the crowd — her eyes scanning — then
locking on…
MIGUEL.
They run.
And crash into each other. Father and daughter. Finally home.
CLOSE-UP: MIGUEL
He kisses Sofia’s forehead,
whispering in Spanish:
MIGUEL
Mi brújula… siempre me llevaste a
casa.
(My compass… you always
brought me home.)
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
A Glimpse of Despair
INT. ICE FIELD OFFICE – HAWTHORNE’S OFFICE – NIGHT
AGENT HAWTHORNE (50s) sits alone in his fluorescent-lit
office, watching bodycam footage on a government laptop.
The footage plays: a child in a detention cage, sobbing
uncontrollably as a guard throws away her drawing.
GUARD (ON VIDEO)
We’re not running a daycare.
The child screams for her mother in Spanish.
Hawthorne freezes the frame.
Close on his face — emotion stirring beneath the surface. He
clenches his jaw.
INT. DETENTION CENTER – OBSERVATION AREA – NEXT DAY
Hawthorne tours the facility with a junior agent. They pass
rows of children in thermal blankets. A toddler rocks back
and forth.
JUNIOR AGENT
New arrivals from the Arizona
corridor. They’ll process out to
Alabama in 48 hours.
Hawthorne stops in front of one cell. Inside: a boy with a
black eye. Eight years old.
HAWTHORNE
Why the hell is he alone?
JUNIOR AGENT
He bit someone. Protocol says
isolate.
Hawthorne looks through the plexiglass. The boy looks back.
No fear — just hollow.
Something breaks.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
A Stand in the Shadows
INT. HAWTHORNE’S CAR – NIGHT
Parked outside a suburban home. Hawthorne drinks from a small
flask, phone in his lap.
RING.
The screen lights up: CALL FROM: MADDY (DAUGHTER)
He answers.
HAWTHORNE
Hey, kiddo.
MADDY (V.O.)
Dad, I saw your name in the
article. The one about the convoy.
Hawthorne exhales.
MADDY (V.O.)
Are you the bad guy in this story?
Beat.
HAWTHORNE
No. But I think... I might be
working for them.
She stays silent.
MADDY (V.O.)
Then stop.
INT. ICE FIELD OFFICE – RECORDS ROOM – MIDNIGHT
Hawthorne sneaks in. Darkness. He inserts a USB drive into
the master terminal.
He searches: “Miguel Rivera – Detainee ID 447ZX.”
Files pop up — site transfers, medical logs, surveillance
summaries.
He copies everything.
Then types a note:
“FOR THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE”
He hits send.
INT. ICE DETENTION CENTER – DAWN
Hawthorne stands outside the entrance.
He lights a cigarette. Looks out at the sunrise over the
razor wire.
Behind him, chaos stirs — news crews outside the fence.
INT. SAFEHOUSE – DAY
SOFIA watches footage on a cracked TV.
A newscaster announces:
“...leak confirmed by DHS whistleblower. Allegations include
child mistreatment, unlisted sites, and unlawful detainment…”
Miguel reads Hawthorne’s name on the chyron.
MIGUEL
He did it.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Shadows of Betrayal
INT. CABLE NEWS STUDIO – NIGHT
A blistering live debate.
ANCHOR:
Breaking tonight — confirmation
that Agent Jonathan Hawthorne, a
veteran ICE field leader, was the
source behind this week’s explosive
leak...
Split screen: a former ICE spokesperson vs. a civil rights
attorney.
SPOKESPERSON
This leak endangers national
security and undermines the
integrity of our immigration
system.
ATTORNEY
This isn’t about borders — it’s
about morality. Children were
caged. Families destroyed. Someone
had to say no.
CUT TO:
INT. HAWTHORNE’S HOUSE – SAME NIGHT
Hawthorne sits in the dark. He’s taken off his badge. His gun
sits on the table.
His daughter, MADDY, stands in the kitchen doorway, still
wearing her college sweatshirt.
MADDY
You’re trending on Twitter.
Hawthorne chuckles without joy.
HAWTHORNE
Finally famous. Just had to betray
my country.
MADDY
Or save it.
Beat.
She crosses the room and hugs him. For the first time, he
breaks — the weight of years slamming down.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
A Badge of Conscience
INT. DOJ HEARING ROOM – DAY
Cameras flash. The world is watching.
AGENT HAWTHORNE, now in a suit, sits at a panel table before
a bipartisan committee. A silver whistleblower plaque stands
before him.
He looks tired. Resigned. But firm.
HAWTHORNE
This system wasn’t broken. It was
built this way.
And I upheld it — until I saw a six-year-old in chains.
A ripple of murmurs.
HAWTHORNE (CONT'D)
I’m not asking you to pardon me.
I’m asking you to stop it.
CUT TO:
Sofia and Miguel, watching live from a crowded café. Other
patrons nod. Some wipe away tears.
CUT TO:
INT. ICE HEADQUARTERS – NIGHT
Chaos.
Boxes packed. Offices cleared.
A giant “Site Theta Closed by Federal Order” seal slapped
across a metal door.
CUT TO:
INT. FIELD OFFICE – NIGHT
Hawthorne stands outside the ICE building one last time. Same
cigarette. Same sunrise.
He drops his badge in a padded envelope and leaves it on the
reception desk.
CLOSE ON
ENVELOPE:
“To the next good man who finds himself on the wrong side of
justice.”
He turns. Walks away. Doesn’t look back.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Hope on the Horizon
EXT. HIGHWAY – SUNSET
Miguel, Sofia, and Maddy ride together in a beat-up car —
windows down, wind in their hair.
On the radio: a reporter announces a Senate bill to regulate
all private detention centers.
MADDY
You think it’ll pass?
SOFIA
Maybe not today. But one day.
Miguel looks out the window. For the first time — he smiles.
MIGUEL
That’s the long way home.
CUT TO:
INT. SAFEHOUSE – EARLY MORNING
A rare moment of stillness.
Sofia quietly brews coffee. Miguel, bruised but stronger,
sits across the table — sketching on a napkin.
SOFIA
Couldn’t sleep?
MIGUEL
Too quiet. I got used to alarms and
shouting.
Sofia sets down a steaming mug. She notices the napkin
sketch: a little girl and a garden.
SOFIA
Is that me?
MIGUEL
The day you planted your first
tomato. You cried when it died.
She laughs softly.
SOFIA
You told me, “Life’s a garden, not
a fence.”
MIGUEL
And look at you now. Tearing down
walls.
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Political","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Voices of Resilience
INT. GRASSROOTS LEGAL CLINIC – DAY
A dusty storefront in East LA now buzzes with energy.
Cassidy flips through documents. Niko sets up a livestream.
Sofia welcomes a crowd of newly released families — weary,
hopeful.
VOLUNTEER
What’s this place called again?
SOFIA
“Puentes.” Bridges.
We help people cross — to freedom, to reunification, to
healing.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVE COMMUNITY BROADCAST – NIGHT
A bare-bones podcast setup. Sofia, Miguel, Cassidy, and Niko
sit together under string lights.
SOFIA
We’re not experts. We’re not
politicians.
We’re just survivors who refused to shut up.
MIGUEL
I spent months thinking I’d die
without anyone knowing my name.
He holds up a letter from a child.
MIGUEL (CONT'D)
Now kids send me drawings of
butterflies. That’s enough for me.
NIKO
But it’s not enough for us.
Niko turns to the camera.
NIKO (CONT'D)
If you or someone you know was held
in an unregistered facility — reach
out. We’re building a case. A
public one. With names. Photos.
Truth.
Genres:
["Drama","Social Justice"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Voices of Humanity and Shadows of Control
INT. PRESS ROOM – DAY
Sofia steps to a podium. Miguel stands behind her — proud but
quiet.
Behind her: a giant image of a shuttered Site Theta and a
banner: People Before Profit.
SOFIA
We are not threats. We are not
cases.
We are families. And we are home.
Flashes erupt. A standing ovation. She locks eyes with
Miguel.
FADE TO BLACK:
EXT. ROOFTOP – NIGHT
Later, just the two of them.
Miguel lights a candle and places it by a row of paper
butterflies — one for every detainee still missing.
SOFIA
You think they’ll ever find them?
MIGUEL
Not all. But maybe… they’ll stop
losing more.
They hold hands.
Above them, fireworks from a nearby protest-turned-
celebration light the sky.
CUT TO:
INT. CAPITOL HILL – CLOSED HEARING ROOM – DAY
Wood-paneled and shadowy. No cameras.
A handful of powerful SENATORS and INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS
huddle in whispered urgency.
On the screen behind them:
“Miguel Rivera. Sofia Rivera. Cassidy Lowe. ‘Puentes’
Activity – Monitored.”
SENATOR #1
They’ve weaponized compassion. The
public thinks they’re heroes.