Our Last Cold Hope : Our Last Best Hope

5/10/2014

"Our Last Cold Hope"

Our Last Best Hope

Snow has taken over the world.  Three men attempt to locate the three Scientists who can save the world and reactive the Weatherman, a machine that can return the climate back to normal.



Engineer Howard Scott
Brought with him a medicinal kit. Left behind his girlfriend.
Felt Callum helped him stay sane.  Found Sam to be a source of crazy.
Fear: Dying of starvation.
Secret: Killed the fourth scientist who sent them on the mission.

Scientist Sam Walls
Brought with him a map of the Weatherman facility.  Left behind his chance at getting married to the one he loves.
Found Howard to be a source of sanity.  Hated Callum for making him feel crazy.
Fear: Being left alone.
Secret: Was also in on the murder of the 4th Scientist.

Doctor Callum Wick
Brought with him his Bible.  Left behind a multi-millionaire lifestyle.
Found Walls to be a source of sanity.  Despised Howard for being a source of crazy.
Fear: Dogs and Wolves
Secret: Sold scientist secrets to get rich.

The group had the following assets: Lucy, the snowmobile, Survival gear, and the super satellite phone they use to contact M.I.M.I.C.

Act One

The scene opens with the group heading towards the first destination where M.I.M.I.C. detected one of the scientists.  Howard is asleep.  Callum notices a distress beacon and tracks it to a bunker that is owned by a doom prepper Clad Owen.  He is listed as deceased ten years ago.  Callum doesn't like this but Sam reminds him that M.I.M.I.C.  is usually wrong when it concerns people.  Sam feels it is worth checking out.  Callum admits meeting the doom prepper in the past, that they were role-playing game buddies.  He did like playin a game about the end of the world.  The guy was meticulous and might be O.C. enough to have the supplies they need.  Sam warns he might also be crazy enough to have defenses from intruders.  Callum admits they weren't quite friends since he killed around four of his characters back then.  As they get closer to the bunker, there comes the sound of firearms.  Guns are firing.  Callum laments not having someone who can use guns with them.  The bullets pings the snowmobile a few times.  The bunker has been taken by raiders and has set traps around it.  M.I.M.I.C.  detects at least four raiders present.  Callum ops to run them over with Lucy.  "Thank god you're here, Sam.  God knows how crazy I'd be if you weren't here to help me out," Callum admits.  They run over two of the raiders and Callum cheers happily as he kills the attackers.  Sam spies one raider with a rocket launcher! "MOVE!  MOVE TO THE LEFT!"  Callum turns instead to the right to run him over!

With the bunker open, Howard and Sam opt to investigate it.  Inside, they find a massive ravine that has broken the passageway of the underground bunker.  Creating a makeshift pulley-system, the two cross the gap and find a dog on the other side.  The dog has been dragging a body with it.  The body isn't of the doom prepper instead, it is one of the dead scientists!    The dead body has been ravaged by the cold.  His skin has been frozen for a few days.  The body is surprisingly in good condition, having been strapped to the dog by mistake.  The dog must have been dragging it all the time.  Howard asks what M.I.M.I.C. will need from Doctor Takana.  Howard hacks away the hand to use for the security system.  Sam finds himself remembering the fated night with the 4th scientist.  Him attacking the scientist and yelling, "This is all your fault!" over and over as he savagely attacks.  "Howard?" Sam tells Howard to calm down.  They pack the parts in ice.  The dog whimpers, wanting to go with them, but its leg is broken.  Howard kills the dog to take it out of its misery.

The snowmobile's horn is blaring.   The two hurry out, without having enough time to grab the supplies.

The two then rush back as quickly as they can when Callum starts warning them that a super blizzard is closing in, freezing everything in its path!  As the two emerge just in the nick of time, Callum swings by to pick them up!  LUCY drives up a nearby ramp that allows it to bypass the bunker and get close enough to pick them up before the while wall covers them and instantly freezes them cold.

"Callum, it is a good thing you can read my mind as to where we could get out fast," Howard sighs.

Howard starts panicking about his fear of starvation.  He isn't too happy that Sam insisted there was not enough time to grab the supplies in the bunker.  Callum tries asking about what they found.  Howard proudly shows off the severed parts of the doctor.  Callum is confused why M.I.M.I.C. didn't identify him.  Howard explains it is because he was already dead.  Sam remains silent the whole time.

Act Two 

Disaster strikes.
The satellite phones are dead.  LUCY is totaled.  The snow mobile falls into a ravine and crashes in.  The three survive with minor wounds, but with less assets on their end, things are not looking too good.  Just when they thought things would not get worse all communications with GPS satellites have ceased as well.
M.I.M.I.C. is unable to give clear directions anymore.  With one of the biometrics needed, the group has a chance in saving the world.  But the question now is, can they find a way to get back?

As they wait for the blizzard to end, Callum allows Sam to get some sleep.  He talks to Howard about the situation.  Howard complains about how they should have stayed in the bunker where there's food and supplies.  Callum flares up on Howard about always questioning him, and reminds him of what M.I.M.I.C. has told them.  They have to just find their way home to the Weatherman.  They took shelter in a cave to find shelter from the storm.  Callum complains about the life he used to live, being wealthy and happy.  Howard flares up too about hoping to care for Sandra, his girlfriend.  It was all he wanted from George, the fourth scientist.    Callum starts tearing up the bible to help grow the fire.   He laughs as the page he burns talks about the flames of hell.

Something jolts away from the sudden fire.  M.I.M.I.C. informs them it is still processing.  Howard grabs the hatchet to be ready. Wolves emerge, staring at them.  Callum feels his fear of wild animals kick in.  His heart pounds in his chest!  "Callum, damn it, I guess I have to face this threat alone.." Howard growls.

That's when Callum digs into his pocket, pulls out a bunch of pills and swallows them, and tells Howard, "I can do this!  Howard, listen to me.  Wake Sam up and find your way to the Weatherman."  Howard tries to convince Callum he can do it, but Callum ignores the hatchet Howard tries to hand to him.  Callum remembers watching how Howard killed the 4th Scientist and was thinking that unlike Howard, he does not have the strength to kill a person.  If Sam and he will have to face the defenses of the Weatherman, they may have to kill someone.  Callum cannot do that.  He rushes forward to lure the wolves away.  "Over here!  Fresh meat!"  He throws them his medicinal pills to buy the others time.

The wolves tear into Callum.

Sam and Howard by some miracle finds their way back to the Weatherman.  The survival gear and the compass were enough to help them find their way back.  Tired and hungry and weak, they finally reach the entrance to the Weatherman.    While the systems are functional, the defenses however are still a danger.  Howard hacks into the Weatherman systems while Sam distracts the artificial intelligence that protects the Weatherman, a digital intelligence that manifests as a red-glowing young woman.  Thankfully, Howard's hacking skills works in time and the system reboots.  The security disengages to allow them inside.

They get to the machine.  With the biometrics, they know they can turn the machine on.  The two talk about how they both worked together to kill Doctor George Tanaka in the past.  There's even some question if this is some kind of karmic act of balance.  However, a gunshot suddenly cracks and the two discover that one of the scientists has actually been in the Weatherman all this time! He was protecting his own family by staying in the Weatherman.  He has overheard the confessions and sees the two only as threats to his family's safety.  Howard rushes forward, even as a shot is fired through him, and grabs the doctor's hand.  He keeps pressing the hand until the gun runs out of bullets!  Howard dies by his own hand, but knows he has given Sam the chance he needs.  With the gun, now empty, the doctor stares at Sam Walls, fearful of what the man who killed Dr. George Tanaka will do.

The doctor and his family stare at Sam in utter fear.

Ending

Sam implants the biometrics to activate the Weatherman.  The machine is switched on.    The doctor stares at him.  The mother covers her children's eyes.  With the Weatherman started, it cannot be stopped.  The doctor walks up to Sam and stars helping him activate the machine fully.

As the world thaws, the word spreads of the heroic actions of Sam Walls and Doctor Haqim.  There is no word of Dr. Callum and his ill-gotten wealth.  The future Mrs. Scott never sees her fiance.