COLD OPEN
INT. UNKNOWN LAB – NIGHT
Dim red emergency lights flicker. Glass tubes filled with mutated hybrids and human experiments hum softly. Liquid bubbles. Some tubes are cracked. There's a low, steady ALARM in the background.
Footsteps echo on metal. LIV KABANERI enters a woman in her late 30s. Her hair is tied loosely, and her lab coat is marked with age. She stands before a giant monitor.
ON SCREEN:
SUBJECT IDENTIFIED: CITRUS — LOCATION: W36 SUBURBAN. STATUS: RELOCATED.
She places her hand softly against the screen.
LIV
My little fox… you strayed far, didn't you?
A VESSEL in black armour with a blank, glowing mask stands silently at her side.
LIV (CONT'D)
Go retrieve him. Replace what needs replacing.
(pauses)
This time… no mess.
Her face hardens. The vessel nods and vanishes into the dark.
SMASH TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD – "LIV KABANERI"
Episode 1: "FALSE NIGHT"
ACT ONE
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL – LATE AFTERNOON
Students pour out of the building. Among them is KRIS MINIKAN (15), quiet, reserved, snow-white hair lightly rustled by the wind. Backpack slung lazily over his shoulder.
He walks alone, headphones in, face blank. A group of classmates wave to each other in the background, but Kris doesn't notice—or care.
INT. SIDEWALK / RESIDENTIAL STREET – SUNSET
Kris walks past rows of houses. Trees sway slightly. There's a sense of emptiness in his path.
He checks his phone. Messages from "CLASS GROUP CHAT" flash in.
TEXT MESSAGE 1:
"Hey don't forget about the Math+Phys project due tomorrow!"
TEXT MESSAGE 2:
"Dude it's like 40% of the grade."
Kris rolls his eyes and tucks his phone away. He mutters to himself.
KRIS
Maybe I do want to fail something for once.
INT. MINIKAN HOUSE – NIGHT
The house is modest but warm. Kris drops his bag by the door and heads upstairs without saying a word.
INT. KRIS'S BEDROOM – NIGHT
A semi-messy room with game posters, a laptop open on the desk, and glowing LED strips under shelves. Kris flops onto his chair and boots up Hollow Knight on his PC.
MONTAGE:
Kris slashing through enemies.
Quiet music plays as hours pass.
Kris leans in, absorbed.
A notification DINGS on the screen—an email from his teacher.
EMAIL SUBJECT:
"URGENT: PHYSICS/MATHS COMBO PROJECT DUE – 8AM TOMORROW."
Kris sighs and lets his head fall back against the chair.
KRIS
Why do I even care?
INT. KRIS'S ROOM – LATER NIGHT
Kris is watching asdfmovie clips now. Laughs at first. Then just stares as the jokes repeat.
KRIS
...I wish I was the muffin…
He blinks slowly. His eyes are heavy. He leans back in his chair.
ACT THREE
INT. MINIKAN HOUSE – NIGHT
SILENCE. Then—
BANG!
The front door SLAMS open. Footsteps. Multiple. Mechanical. Sharp.
Kris jolts awake in his room. Confused. The hall light flickers.
INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT
Kris opens the door to peek—
Figures in full black armor flood in. Their helmets gleam with an eerie glow. No words. Just motion. A few head upstairs.
Kris panics. He slams the door shut, grabs a nearby lamp for defense. It's hopeless.
The door is kicked open. A VESSEL grabs him. He thrashes—
KRIS
What the hell?! LET GO!
They snap a COLLAR DEVICE around his neck. It scans rapidly.
DEVICE VOICE
"IDENTITY: CITRUS – CONFIRMED."
The device glows. Kris is injected with something. He weakens. His vision blurs.
Behind him, another Vessel constructs a CLONE of Kris—rapidly formed from stored material. Identical in appearance, but still.
Without hesitation, the Vessel drives a rod through the clone's skull. Blood splashes. The clone collapses dead. A false scene is complete
ACT FOUR
INT. MINIKAN HOUSE – EARLY MORNING
CHARLES MINIKAN enters the house in full police uniform. He looks tired—but then freezes.
ANGLE: A body lies in the hallway. Kris's body. Blood pooled.
Charles runs to it. Drops to his knees. Checks for a pulse—none.
At the door, Amber drops her grocery bag. She screams.
AMBER
KRIS?! No, no—KRIS!!
She collapses to the floor. Charles catches her, eyes locked on the clone.
[ Silent. ]
Fade To Black
To Be Continued.....