Barrett

Spec Movie and series. With alternative endings. A convoy of former Navy Seals now working as military contractors escort a high ranking CIA officer through a busy market place in Baghdad. The convoy comes to a screeching halt when a large crowd blocks their path. A group of militants standing next to a pickup truck loaded with rockets and grenade launchers creates a menacing site.

The crowd surrounds the convoy, the American security team exits their SUVs to clear the road. All hell breaks loose. The insurgents shot indiscriminately into the crowd killing and wounding women and children. Mayhem ensues, the crowd disperses, and the truck loaded with bad guys and weapons begins chasing the convoy. As the convoy heads toward the U.S. Military Green Zone the finger pointing begins. Colonel Brad Barrett, the leader of the Special Ops contracting team is furious with the CIA officer, Allen Markus. Markus was clearly responsible for directing the disastrous route through the heart of Baghdad. The incident made world headlines, and Markus brought Barrett's team up for charges before a select Senate Committee. Barrett’s company is blamed for the event and is discharged from doing business with the U.S. government.

Barrett's “golden parachute” of twenty five million dollars from the Senate Armed Services Committee shows their appreciation and overcompensates for Barrett's contractors. Flash forward, Barrett’s severance package becomes seed money for his next endeavor, a private air force. Armored “crop dusters” flying unmanned missions will make Barrett’s air-force a threat to American Aircraft companies. Barrett is traveling around the world pitching small nations looking for inexpensive ways to thwart insurgencies. Markus still heads the CIA but is in the pockets of three military contractors and is bent on ceasing Barrett’s activities. Markus makes Barrett enemy number one! Enemy Number One Logline After a disastrous ambush in Baghdad leaves civilians dead, a decorated private military leader and a manipulative CIA officer become lifelong enemies. When one builds a rogue private air force and the other weaponizes Washington politics, the world becomes their battlefield.

FADE IN: EXT. BAGHDAD MARKETPLACE – DAY A CONVOY of blacked-out SUVs weaves through a maze of vendors and stalls. The soundscape is a symphony of HONKING, SHOUTING, and the distant CALL TO PRAYER. INT. LEAD SUV – MOVING – DAY COLONEL BRAD BARRETT (40s, broad-shouldered, ex-Navy SEAL) grips the wheel, eyes darting. Beside him, CIA OFFICER ALLEN MARKUS (50s, pressed suit, smug composure) checks his phone. BARRETT This route’s a choke point. Too many civilians. We should’ve taken the highway. MARKUS The highway's predictable. This is faster. Trust me. Barrett’s jaw tightens. He doesn’t. EXT. BAGHDAD MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The convoy pushes forward. STALLS are packed tight with families, children, livestock. The road narrows. SUDDENLY — a SEA OF PEOPLE floods into the street. The SUVs SCREECH to a halt. DRIVER (O.S.) We’re boxed in! Barrett throws open the door, rifle slung. Contractors spill out of the vehicles, scanning rooftops, alleyways.

ANGLE ON — a beat-up PICKUP TRUCK ahead. Its bed is stacked with ROCKETS and RPGs. A half-dozen MILITANTS glare, fingers twitching over triggers. BARRETT Weapons free! Clear the road! INT. BACK SUV – CONTINUOUS A YOUNG CONTRACTOR nervously aims into the crowd. His hands shake. MARKUS (O.S.) Hold your fire— A SINGLE SHOT cracks the air. Chaos erupts. EXT. BAGHDAD MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS Militants UNLEASH HELL. GUNFIRE tears through the market. PANICKED CIVILIANS scream, trampled in the stampede. WOMEN and CHILDREN drop in the crossfire. The contractors return fire, but it’s impossible to distinguish militants from civilians. Smoke. Blood. Screams.​ BARRETT drags a CHILD out of the line of fire, barking orders. BARRETT Form a perimeter! Move the civilians! The pickup truck ROARS forward, militants firing RPGs. A NEARBY STALL EXPLODES, showering debris. INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Markus crouches low, terrified but clutching his briefcase like it’s sacred. MARKUS Get us to the Green Zone! NOW!

EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The convoy forces its way through the chaos, crushing stalls, scattering the wounded. Contractors leap back into their SUVs, returning fire as they retreat. The pickup gives chase, a rolling arsenal of death on their tail. SMASH CUT TO: EXT. GREEN ZONE CHECKPOINT – BAGHDAD – DAY The convoy bursts through, battered and smoking. Barrett’s face is caked with dust and blood, fury burning in his eyes. BARRETT (to Markus) This is on you. Markus says nothing. The sound of distant EXPLOSIONS echoes as the scene FADES OUT. FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN: EXT. BAGHDAD – AERIAL SHOT – DAY The sun blazes over the city. A DRONE POV glides over a sea of concrete rooftops, satellite dishes, and narrow streets teeming with life. A BLACK CONVOY of armored SUVs snakes through the chaos below. RADIO (V.O.) Convoy Bravo, status check? BARRETT (V.O.) Bravo One, all good. Moving to checkpoint Alpha. INT. LEAD SUV – MOVING – DAY COLONEL BRAD BARRETT, 40s, a weathered Navy SEAL turned contractor, keeps his eyes on the road. His hands are steady, but his jaw is clenched. CIA OFFICER ALLEN MARKUS, 50s, sits comfortably in the back. Expensive suit. Designer sunglasses. He’s calm in a place where no one should be. BARRETT We should cut east. Highway’s clear. MARKUS Highway’s watched. Predictable. This is shorter. Quicker. BARRETT It’s also a goddamn bazaar. MARKUS You hired me for intel, Colonel. Trust it. Barrett bites his tongue, glances at the rearview. Three more SUVs follow. Contractors inside—alert, armored, keyed up. EXT. BAGHDAD MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The convoy rolls into the thick of the bazaar. FRUIT VENDORS shout. GOATS bleat. CHILDREN weave between stalls. Traffic honks and stalls out. The SUVs push slowly through.

CLOSE ON – a pair of MILITANTS, hidden among shoppers. They watch the convoy pass. One whispers into a radio. Suddenly, a CROWD swells around the vehicles. The SUVs are trapped, hemmed in by PEOPLE on all sides. INT. SECOND SUV – CONTINUOUS A YOUNG CONTRACTOR (20s) grips his rifle too tightly. Sweat beads on his temple. He scans the crowd—faces blur together, any of them could be hostile. YOUNG CONTRACTOR We’re boxed. We’re boxed— His older teammate slaps his shoulder. TEAMMATE Breathe. Eyes sharp.

EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS A beat-up PICKUP TRUCK rolls into view. Its bed is loaded with RPGs and rocket tubes. Six MILITANTS hop out, faces wrapped in scarves, rifles slung. They stand brazenly in the middle of the road. The CROWD hushes. A ripple of fear. Barrett bursts from the SUV, rifle up. His team fans out, weapons trained. BARRETT Clear the road! MOVE! Now! INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Markus stays inside, watching through tinted glass, unshaken. He sips water from a bottle, as if this is expected. MARKUS (MUTTERING) Right on time.

EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The militants RAISE THEIR WEAPONS. Barrett tenses. His contractors lock in. A SHOT cracks—no one knows who fired first. ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. The militants open up with AUTOMATIC FIRE. Bullets shred stalls, tear through the crowd. WOMEN scream. CHILDREN fall. The convoy erupts in RETURN FIRE. Contractors push civilians out of the line of fire, shouting commands. BARRETT Push them back! Protect the civvies! The YOUNG CONTRACTOR panics, firing wildly. Civilians scatter. A MOTHER clutches her bleeding child, screaming. An RPG WHOOSHES— BOOM! A fruit stand EXPLODES, raining mangos and fire.

INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Markus ducks, clutching his briefcase like it’s his lifeline. MARKUS (into earpiece) Get us to the Green Zone! NOW! EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS Barrett sees Markus inside, untouched, calm. Rage flashes across his face. Barrett drags the SCREAMING MOTHER and her child behind cover, shielding them with his own body. BARRETT (to his men) Perimeter! Perimeter! The contractors form a moving wall, shepherding civilians toward safety while holding off militants. The pickup truck’s engine REVVS— It LUNGES forward, militants firing from the bed. SUVs RAM through stalls, clearing a path. A CONTRACTOR is SHOT, collapsing in the street. His teammate hauls him up, blood streaming. EXT. ALLEYWAY – CONTINUOUS A LOCAL BOY, 10, crouches with a VIDEO PHONE. He records everything—the militants, the contractors, the civilians cut down. His frightened eyes capture HISTORY.

CUT TO – HIS POV: Barrett pulling civilians to safety. Markus’s convoy mowing through the crowd. Bodies in the street. EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The convoy barrels out, engines roaring. The pickup truck CHASES, militants firing RPGs. One slams into the rear SUV—BOOM! It flips, skids across pavement, crushing stalls. Barrett leaps from his vehicle, returns fire, covering survivors crawling from the wreck. BARRETT Get up! Get up! Go, go, GO! The convoy keeps moving, battered, smoking. EXT. GREEN ZONE CHECKPOINT – BAGHDAD – DAY The surviving SUVs BLAST through fortified gates. U.S. SOLDIERS wave them in, chaos trailing behind. INT. LEAD SUV – GREEN ZONE – DAY Barrett, covered in dust and blood, glares at Markus. His men are wounded, shaken. Civilians are dead. BARRETT That route. That was you. Markus adjusts his cufflinks, calm. MARKUS History is written by the survivors, Colonel. You survived. Be grateful. Barrett’s fist clenched tight. His men look at him, betrayed, furious. SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. NEWS MONTAGE – VARIOUS GRAINY FOOTAGE of the ambush. Screaming civilians. Explosions. Contractors firing. A mother holding her dead child. TV ANCHORS deliver breaking news: ANCHOR (V.O.) —civilian deaths in Baghdad spark outrage— —contractor negligence— —Senate Armed Services Committee calls emergency hearing— INT. SENATE HEARING ROOM – DAY FLASHBULBS. Barrett sits in uniform, stone-faced. Markus testifies confidently, painting the convoy as reckless, Barrett’s leadership as criminal. Senators nod gravely. Barrett’s eyes burn. He knows the truth. CUT TO: EXT. PRIVATE AIRSTRIP – NIGHT Barrett watches as an old CROP DUSTER lifts off, refitted with armor and unmanned controls. A DRONE WARSHIP in disguise. BARRETT (V.O.) You tried to bury me, Markus. But I just grew wings. The drone disappears into the night sky.

FADE OUT. TITLE CARD: ENEMY NUMBER ONE INT. U.S. CAPITOL – HALLWAY – DAY Media frenzy. REPORTERS swarm. FLASHES pop. A door marked “SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE – HEARING ROOM” stands guard-like at the end of the corridor. BARRETT strides in full dress uniform. Unflinching. His TEAM trails: LT. CASSIDY (30s, counsel), SGT. NIX (40s, wounded arm), and two CONTRACTORS in suits. From the opposite side, ALLEN MARKUS arrives in a perfect suit. He isn’t swarmed; he parts the press like a blade. He smiles with the confidence of someone who writes outcomes. INT. SENATE HEARING ROOM – DAY A domed, wood-paneled arena. The COMMITTEE dais curves above the witness table. At center: CHAIR SENATOR EVELYN HARDING (60s, steely). To her right: RANKING MEMBER SENATOR TOM RIDLEY (50s, smooth, political athlete). Members flank them in judgement. Name plates. Pitchers of water. Microphones. The room buzzes. HARDING gavels down. HARDING Order. This hearing will come to order. We will examine the tragic events in the Al-Kifah market, civilian casualties, and the conduct of private military contractors under U.S. government contract authority. Barrett sits at the witness table with Cassidy. Across, Markus sits alone, expression neutral. HARDING Colonel Brad Barrett — and Director Allen Markus — please rise to be sworn. They rise. The ROOM stands on tip-toe. HARDING Do you swear that the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? BARRETT I do. MARKUS I do. They sit. A red ON-AIR LIGHT glows. This is theater for the world. HARDING Director Markus, we’ll begin with you. Markus adjusts the mic, unhurried.

MARKUS Madam Chair, members — I recommended the urban route based on the latest deconfliction reports and on-ground assets. My guidance was to move swiftly and reduce exposure time. The insurgent attack Harding nods once — the kind of nod that says: I’ve seen combat reports. was unprovoked and indiscriminate. We were ambushed. Any allegation of negligence is… unfounded. He lets that hang. RIDLEY For the record — did you instruct Colonel Barrett’s team to dismount into a civilian crowd? MARKUS Absolutely not. Cassidy passes Barrett a yellow legal pad: “He’ll deny everything. Watch timing.” SENATOR VERA MARTINEZ Director, had there been prior intel that militants were stockpiling RPGs in that district? MARKUS Fragmentary. Nothing operationally actionable. HARDING Colonel Barrett, your opening statement. Barrett slides a folder forward. He doesn’t read. BARRETT My team followed the route under protest. The marketplace is a bottleneck. Civilians were exposed. The first shots came from militants next to a technical loaded with rockets. We returned fire to prevent massacre — and still failed to prevent one. That’s on me. But the route selection was not. A murmur. Harding studies him.

HARDING Director Markus, did you overrule Colonel Barrett’s route recommendation? MARKUS I made a recommendation, not an order. Contractors decide their own force protection. BARRETT With respect — a “recommendation” from the CIA lead on scene reads like an order when you’re seconds from a kill box. RIDLEY Colonel, did your men discharge weapons toward civilians? Beat. Barrett’s jaw tightens. BARRETT We engaged combatants firing from within a crowd. We held fire as long as possible. We pulled civilians out under fire. We took casualties doing it. RIDLEY That isn’t a “no.” BARRETT It’s war in a market, Senator. There aren’t clean answers. HARDING Counsel for Colonel Barrett requested to introduce Exhibits A through E. Without objection? RIDLEY No objection.

HARDING So entered. Exhibit A? Monitors flicker to life behind the dais. Grainy PHONE VIDEO — the LOCAL BOY’S POV from the cold open. A trembling frame: militants beside the pickup truck; the crowd shrinking back; the crack of the first shot. Screams. Freeze-frame: A militant raises his rifle ABOVE THE CROWD — fire flashes. HARDING Who supplied this footage? CASSIDY A local minor. Redacted for protection. Chain of custody will be filed in chambers. MARKUS (measured) With respect, phone video is notoriously unreliable under duress. BARRETT Sir, the bullets aren’t. The video continues: Barrett pulling a mother and child behind cover. A contractor dragging a wounded teammate. An RPG streak — explosion. Freeze-frame.

MARTINEZ Director Markus, you described the intel as “fragmentary.” Exhibit B — thirty-six hours before the ambush. Read the highlighted line, please. An internal memo appears: “EXPECT RPG STOCKPILES / AL-KIFAH BAZAAR – DO NOT TRANSIT AT PEAK HOURS.” The highlight glows like a wound. Markus leans in. His eyes flick up, cool. MARKUS A raw lead. Not vetted. HARDING And yet your route recommendation followed peak movement? MARKUS Because the alternative highway had IED reports from the previous day. This is judgment under uncertainty. RIDLEY Colonel, did you log a formal objection to the route? BARRETT I logged a “route deviation risk” at 0902. (beat) I was told to “make best speed.” A hush. Markus steeples his fingers.

MARKUS I did not issue that phrase. Cassidy slides another document to the clerk. CASSIDY Exhibit C: radio transcript. 09:02:13 — “make best speed.” The speaker is identified by call sign ALPHA-ONE. HARDING Director Markus, were you ALPHA-ONE that day? MARKUS (tiny smile) That call sign rotates. I don’t recall. BARRETT I do. A ripple of laughter that isn’t humor. Harding raps the gavel. HARDING Director, this committee will not tolerate studied amnesia. RIDLEY Madam Chair, let’s be precise. We’ve got civilians dead, competing narratives, and ninety seconds of shaky video. MARTINEZ We also have a route pushed over a command objection, a market at peak density, and an intel note that reads “DO NOT TRANSIT.” RIDLEY Colonel Barrett profits from murk. He sells solutions to problems he’s paid to manage. BARRETT I profit from keeping my people alive. The dead don’t spend money. Silence. Even Ridley blinks. HARDING Director Markus, please address your relationships with the contractors listed in Appendix J. Do you have financial interests in OrdnanceCore, TitanAero, or Vexis Solutions?

MARKUS No personal equity. The Agency maintains vendor relationships. My role is purely oversight. HARDING “Oversight” that placed a convoy into a civilian bottleneck. MARKUS “Oversight” that attempted to reduce exposure time. Madam Chair, if we had lingered on the highway, we might be discussing a crater. Cassidy leans to Barrett, whispers: “He’s building an uncertainty box. Don’t bite.” HARDING We’ll recess for ten minutes. Director Markus, please remain available to the committee. Gavel. INT. HEARING ROOM – SIDE ALCOVE – MINUTES LATER Low hum. Staffers refill water. Reporters tweet. Barrett stands alone at a window, staring at the Capitol dome. A woman approaches: LILA KHOURY (30s, State Department desk officer, nerves of steel). She speaks without greeting. LILA If I hand you a grenade, will you throw it? BARRETT Depends who’s standing there. She slips a thumb drive into Cassidy’s palm as Cassidy steps over.

LILA (to Cassidy) This never touched State. You got it from “an ally.” (to Barrett) If they ask — you’ve never seen me. She’s gone before they can thank her. INT. HEARING ROOM – DAY – RESUMED Gavel. Cameras. The great American stage is back on. HARDING Back on the record. Colonel Barrett, your counsel has a request? CASSIDY Yes, Madam Chair. We have additional material. It is relevant to witness credibility and route selection. RIDLEY Objection to surprise exhibits — HARDING Overruled. Show us. Monitors fill with a SCREEN RECORDING: a private messaging thread. Timestamps two days before the ambush. Names redacted — but one user icon reads “AM/Director.” Text bubbles: “—route optics matter.” “We need a decisive show of confidence downtown.” “Fast. In and out. Cameras love stable ops.” New line: “OrdnanceCore is panicking. Close this and I’ll lock their bridge award.” A beat. The room breathes in.

HARDING Director Markus, is that your account? MARKUS Manufactured. Out of context. We don’t negotiate awards in chat. MARTINEZ But you negotiate optics. MARKUS The word “optics” isn’t a crime. BARRETT It is when it kills kids. RIDLEY Colonel — HARDING Colonel Barrett will be allowed to respond. Barrett’s eyes never leave Markus. BARRETT We plan routes to avoid killing innocents. We don’t drive through them so a camera sees a convoy “stable.” HARDING Director, answer the allegation that you leveraged procurement to influence operational decisions. MARKUS Categorically false. CASSIDY

Exhibit E — audio. Chain-of-custody affidavit provided to counsel. Voice analysis confirms a 91% match to the Director. A waveform pulses. Markus’s voice — unmistakable. MARKUS (RECORDED) If Barrett wants to be a hero, fine. He’ll be a broke one. We go downtown. Best speed. Get the shot. OrdnanceCore stays whole. Silence so complete it hisses. RIDLEY (recovering) Audio can be fabricated — MARTINEZ So can testimony. Harding’s gaze hardens to diamond. HARDING Director Markus, did you order “best speed” into Al-Kifah market? Markus stares at the monitor, then at the committee — then at Barrett. MARKUS (measured) I recommended a decisive route. The phrase is jargon. We all use it. HARDING Not an answer. MARKUS My answer is on the record. HARDING It will be — one way or another. Cassidy slides Barrett a final sheet: “Perjury trap sprung. Don’t gloat.” HARDING Colonel Barrett, final statement. Barrett adjusts the mic. He looks older than he did this morning.

BARRETT I’ve buried men. I’ve written letters to mothers. I’ve told kids their fathers were heroes because I wanted it to be true. We were sent into a cul-de-sac full of civilians to make a picture. We fought to save whoever we could. We failed too many. If you want my head, take it. But don’t lie to yourselves about why we were there. He slides a folded CHILD’S SCARF onto the table — singed, blood-browned. It detonates the room without a sound. HARDING This committee will recess pending review of Exhibits C through E. Director Markus — you are reminded you remain under oath. Colonel Barrett — you are excused subject to recall. Gavel. CHAOS. Reporters explode into motion. INT. CAPITOL HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS Barrett exits into a hurricane of microphones. Questions barrage. He keeps moving. Markus emerges from a different door. Aides cocoon him. A REPORTER calls out — REPORTER Director Markus — did you threaten to pull a bridge award if the convoy didn’t go downtown? Markus doesn’t break stride. MARKUS We fight terrorists. We do not negotiate with smear campaigns. He disappears into a waiting elevator. The doors close. His reflection stares back at him in gold steel — expression blank, eyes calculating.

INT. BARRETT’S WAR ROOM – NIGHT A cheap D.C. hotel suite converted into a command post. Whiteboards. Photos from Baghdad. The Exhibits paused on a laptop. Cassidy, Nix, and the two CONTRACTORS circle the table. CASSIDY He’ll lawyer up. They’ll attack chain-of-custody, bury the audio under “national security.” NIX So we go public. The boy’s video, the chat, the audio. All of it. BARRETT No. Not yet. They look at him, surprised.

BARRETT We make it impossible to bury. We don’t leak. We launch. He taps the screen — a schematic of an UNMANNED ARMORED CROP DUSTER, call sign “GLEANER.” BARRETT We fly proof. Cassidy exhales — a mix of dread and awe. CASSIDY Brad… that’s war with the Agency. BARRETT (quiet) No. It’s truth, with air support. OFF Barrett, already committed to the next move. FADE OUT.

EXT. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN – NIGHT A moonlit cargo ship pushes through black water. Its hold brims with CRATES stenciled in Cyrillic: “AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT.” But pry one open — inside: SHOULDER-FIRED SAMS, anti-air missiles. INT. CIA OPS ROOM – LANGLEY – SAME A bank of monitors glows. ALLEN MARKUS stands behind operators. A SHIP TRACKER pulses across the Med. MARKUS Next stop — Tripoli. Our friends collect their toys, and Barrett’s little crop-dusters don’t exist anymore. He smirks, sipping bourbon. EXT. SKY ABOVE THE MED – NIGHT A SHADOW sweeps the moon. LOW, FAST. A PLANE that looks like a crop-duster on steroids. Sleek armor. Angled wings. Barrett’s prototype drone: **GLEANER-1**.

INT. BARRETT’S MOBILE OPS VAN – CYPRUS – NIGHT Barrett and his team hunch over ruggedized laptops. LIVE FEEDS stream: thermal silhouettes, ship deck cams. NIX Target in sight. SAM crates on deck. BARRETT Eyes sharp. No civvies aboard? Cassidy scans infrared feeds. Empty but for armed CREW. CASSIDY All combatants. Confirmed. BARRETT Send it. EXT. ABOVE THE SHIP – NIGHT GLEANER-1 banks hard. Its belly opens. Two MICRO-MUNITIONS drop — hissing through the dark. BOOM! The stern ERUPTS in fire. CRATES of SAMs ignite, chain-reaction. CREW scramble. INT. CIA OPS ROOM – LANGLEY – SAME ALARMS. Markus watches as live satellite feed shows the explosion. His operators flail. OPERATOR Sir — that’s not one of ours. MARKUS (tight) No. That’s Barrett.

EXT. CARGO SHIP – NIGHT The vessel burns. Secondary blasts light the sea. A CREW MEMBER aims a shoulder-fired missile skyward. WHOOSH — it streaks toward GLEANER-1. INT. OPS VAN – NIGHT Alarms. Barrett’s monitor flashes: “MISSILE LOCK.” NIX He’s painted! BARRETT Evasive! Dump flares! EXT. SKY – CONTINUOUS GLEANER-1 kicks FLARES. The missile veers, detonates harmlessly in open air. The drone dives low, strafing with 20mm cannons. Deck guns are shredded. The ship is crippled. INT. OPS VAN – NIGHT Barrett leans close to the monitor. Smoke and fire roll. The CIA’s shipment is sinking. BARRETT (quiet) We just proved him dirty. In 4K. Cassidy nods grimly. CASSIDY The whole world’s watching.

--- ### Branch Point – Alternative Endings **ENDING A – The Tragedy (Feature Film Tone)** - CIA intercepts Barrett’s comms. A second missile battery hidden on the ship fires. - GLEANER-1 takes a direct hit. The drone plunges flaming into the sea. - In Langley, Markus smiles coldly: *“Barrett just declared war on his own country. And lost.”* - In Cyprus, Barrett stares at blank screens, his dream in ashes. - Final shot: Barrett alone, opening blueprints for an even deadlier drone fleet. **ENDING B – The Reckoning (Series Setup)** - Barrett streams the op live. The footage of CIA-tied weapons bound for insurgents floods news feeds worldwide. - Senate launches a criminal probe. Markus storms out of Langley, stripped of clearance, but already plotting in the shadows. - Barrett’s drones circle overhead, intact and victorious. - Final shot: Markus in exile, whispering into a sat phone: *“Barrett will never fly again.”*

--- ACT I — Setup (Pages 1–30) Opening Image (p. 1–3) Drone aerial shot of Baghdad — life, chaos, danger. Convoy of ex-Navy SEAL contractors escorting CIA officer Allen Markus. Inciting Incident (p. 4–15) Baghdad Market Ambush (your cold open). Civilians slaughtered. Barrett saves some, but chaos dominates. Markus untouched, calm, collecting “optics.” Aftermath video leaks online — world outrage. Debate / Fallout (p. 16–30) Senate hearings (expanded sequence we wrote). Barrett scapegoated. Markus emerges “clean.” Barrett’s company blacklisted — but he receives a $25M golden parachute. Barrett at lowest point: branded reckless, blamed for deaths. He vows: “Never again on their terms.”

ACT II — Confrontation (Pages 31–85) Break Into Two (p. 31–35) Barrett reinvents himself: builds a private air force. GLEANER drones (armored crop dusters, unmanned). Tests them in Africa — devastatingly effective against insurgents. Fun & Games (p. 36–55) Barrett’s team trains and refits his fleet. Montage of small nations buying drones as cheap deterrents. Barrett cast as both visionary and outlaw. Markus, threatened by defense contractors, quietly declares Barrett “Enemy Number One.” Midpoint (p. 55–60) Markus orchestrates sabotage: Barrett’s drones blamed for a civilian strike they didn’t commit. Media brands Barrett a “terrorist.” Barrett nearly loses contracts, reputation. Stakes double. Bad Guys Close In (p. 61–75) Markus unleashes covert ops: assassination attempts, cyberattacks. Barrett’s allies peel away. His team shrinks to loyal core. Barrett suspects Markus has personal financial ties to contractors. A young source provides evidence: memos, chat logs, damning recordings. All Is Lost (p. 76–80) Barrett’s prototype base is raided. One drone destroyed, men killed. Barrett stands in the wreckage, convinced Markus is untouchable. “Maybe he already won.” Dark Night of the Soul (p. 81–85) Barrett questions his mission. Cassidy pushes him: “Then make it impossible to bury. We don’t leak. We fly proof.” Barrett decides to intercept Markus’s dirty shipment.

ACT III — Resolution (Pages 86–110) Break Into Three (p. 86–90) Barrett launches his drones against the CIA-linked cargo ship. The action set-piece we wrote: missiles, explosions, global broadcast. Barrett finally seizes control of the narrative. Finale (p. 91–105) Option A – Tragedy Ending (Standalone Film): Barrett’s drone is destroyed. His proof is suppressed. Markus spins victory in the Senate. Barrett disappears into exile — blueprinting an even deadlier fleet. Final shot: “Enemy Number One lives in the shadows.”

Option B – Reckoning Ending (Series Launch): Barrett streams live proof. Media, Senate, and allies erupt. Markus stripped of power, but retreats into the intelligence underworld. Barrett emerges infamous: outlaw hero to some, terrorist to others. Final shot: Markus whispering into a sat phone: “Barrett will never fly again.” Closing Image (p. 106–110) Barrett on a runway at dawn. His drones lined up like silent hawks. VO (Barrett): “You tried to bury me. But I just grew wings.” Camera tilts skyward — the hum of unseen drones above. CUT TO BLACK.

Themes Carried Through Truth vs. Optics — Who controls the narrative? The battlefield or the media? Profit vs. Principle — Markus sells lies for contractors; Barrett risks everything for proof. Hero vs. Enemy — Barrett is both. Depending on who tells the story. Next step, I can expand this into a scene-by-scene treatment (about 8–10 pages) — so you have every sequence mapped for writing the full script. Would you like me to build that? You said: yes

ACT I — Setup (Pages 1–30) 1. Aerial Opening (p. 1–3) Drone POV over Baghdad rooftops. Establish chaos, density, tension. Convoy of SUVs snakes through streets. 2. Convoy Banter (p. 4–6) In the lead SUV: COLONEL BRAD BARRETT vs. CIA OFFICER ALLEN MARKUS. Barrett warns about the marketplace route. Markus insists: “Shorter. Faster.” 3. Marketplace Ambush (p. 7–15) The convoy stalls in the crowded bazaar. Pickup truck of militants appears. A single shot triggers full-blown firefight. Civilians slaughtered, chaos, RPGs. Barrett saves a mother and child. Markus hides in SUV, untouched. 4. Chaotic Escape (p. 16–18) SUVs ram through stalls, smashing a path out. A contractor SUV is hit by RPG — flips. Barrett rescues survivors. The convoy limps into the Green Zone.

5. Fallout Montage (p. 19–22) News footage: civilian deaths, screaming mothers. Media frenzy, images of Barrett’s men firing in crowd. Hashtags, headlines: “MARKET MASSACRE.” 6. Senate Committee Setup (p. 23–30) Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Barrett grilled, Markus polished and untouchable. Exhibits shown: phone footage, memos, transcripts. Markus slippery; Barrett passionate but scapegoated. Verdict: Barrett discharged, banned from contracts. Markus untouched. Barrett receives $25M “golden parachute” severance. Final image of Act I: Barrett alone in his quarters, watching combat footage on loop, muttering: “Never again on their terms.”

ACT II — Confrontation (Pages 31–85) 7. Reinvention (p. 31–35) Barrett tours an old airfield, buys crop-dusters. Montage: mechanics retrofit them with armor, remote control. First test flight of “GLEANER-1.” 8. Building a Market (p. 36–42) Barrett travels to Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia. Demonstrates drones in live-fire ops against insurgents. Small nations buy in; Barrett gains traction. 9. Markus Responds (p. 43–47) Markus meets with defense contractors OrdnanceCore, TitanAero, Vexis. They pressure him: Barrett threatens their billion-dollar contracts. Markus vows to make Barrett “Enemy Number One.” 10. Drone Success Montage (p. 48–52) Barrett’s drones smash insurgencies. Global headlines: “Cheap Drones Save Village.” Barrett becomes both praised and vilified.

11. Midpoint Twist (p. 55–60) Markus engineers a false-flag op: insurgents use “Barrett-style” drones to hit a wedding convoy. Media explodes. Barrett branded a terrorist. His contracts dry up. 12. Closing In (p. 61–70) Markus launches covert ops: Cyberattacks against Barrett’s systems. Saboteurs torch a drone hangar. An assassin fails to kill Barrett in a hotel. Barrett’s allies begin abandoning him. He realizes Markus is in bed with defense contractors. 13. Breakthrough Evidence (p. 71–75) Lila Khoury (State Dept. ally) delivers memos, chat logs, incriminating Markus. Audio recording: Markus pressuring for “optics.” Barrett now has proof — but it’s easily suppressed. 14. All Is Lost (p. 76–80) Barrett’s forward base bombed. One prototype destroyed. Dead contractors. Barrett broken, almost gives up. He mutters: “Maybe he already won.” 15. Dark Night of the Soul (p. 81–85) Cassidy reminds him: “Then make it impossible to bury. Don’t leak. Fly proof.” Barrett stares at drone blueprints. He decides to intercept Markus’s dirty shipment.

ACT III — Resolution (Pages 86–110) 16. CIA Shipment Setup (p. 86–90) Cargo ship in the Mediterranean. “Agricultural Equipment” crates filled with SAMs. Markus watches live feeds in Langley. Confident. 17. Barrett Strikes (p. 91–96) GLEANER-1 drones launch from Cyprus. Dogfight-style assault on cargo ship. Explosions. SAM crates ignite. Barrett streams footage live to global networks. 18. Markus Exposed (p. 97–100) CIA ops room erupts in panic. News broadcasts expose CIA complicity. Senate announces criminal probe. Markus furious, but plotting escape. 19. Alternative Endings Tragedy Ending (Feature Standalone): Hidden missile battery destroys Barrett’s drone. Proof suppressed. Barrett disappears into exile, blueprinting new fleet. Markus survives, reputation intact. Barrett becomes a ghost. Reckoning Ending (Series Setup): Footage goes viral. Markus disgraced, stripped of power. Barrett infamous — hailed as outlaw hero abroad, terrorist at home. Markus retreats into the intelligence underworld, vowing revenge. 20. Closing Image (p. 106–110) Barrett at a remote airstrip at dawn. A line of drones sits waiting. Barrett whispers: “You tried to bury me. But I just grew wings.” Camera tilts to sky — unseen drones HUM overhead. FADE OUT.

Narrative Rhythm Act I: Moral betrayal (Baghdad + Senate). Act II: Reinvention, rise, false-flag, persecution. Act III: Truth vs. optics showdown. Tragedy or reckoning ending.

FADE IN: EXT. BAGHDAD – AERIAL – DAY A DRONE POV glides over a sprawl of sun-blasted rooftops, alleys, satellite dishes. The CALL TO PRAYER rides hot wind. Below, a BLACK CONVOY of armored SUVs snakes through traffic. RADIO (V.O.) Convoy Bravo, status check. BARRETT (V.O.) Bravo One. Green across. Moving to checkpoint Alpha. INT. LEAD SUV – MOVING – DAY COLONEL BRAD BARRETT (40s, ex-Navy SEAL, composed under fire) drives. Next to him: HAWK-EYED DRIVER. In back, CIA OFFICER ALLEN MARKUS (50s, immaculate suit), thumbs a secure phone. BARRETT We cut east, hit the highway—low civvies, clean sightlines. MARKUS Predictable is deadly. Across the market is faster. BARRETT It’s also a choke point. MARKUS So don’t choke. Barrett kills the argument with silence. INT. SECOND SUV – MOVING – DAY A YOUNG CONTRACTOR (20s) white-knuckles his rifle. His mentor, SGT. NIX (40s, calm) watches the street through ballistic glass. NIX Breathe. Muzzle down till you’re sure.

EXT. BAGHDAD STREETS – DAY The convoy pushes into tighter lanes. Vendors. Mopeds. Kids with kites. A GOAT patrols like it owns the block. Two MEN in plain clothes watch the convoy pass. One murmurs into a radio. The other slips into an alley. EXT. BAGHDAD MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS A sea of stalls. Fruit pyramids. Fabric canopies. People everywhere. The SUVs crawl. Horns. Shouts. Then—THE CROWD THICKENS—like a tide boxing them in. DRIVER (O.S.) We’re getting pinched. Barrett’s eyes cut ahead— A BEAT-UP PICKUP TRUCK idles crosswise. In the bed: ROCKET TUBES, RPGs. Six MILITANTS, faces wrapped, hands near triggers. Barrett throws open his door, steps out—rifle slung, palms out. BARRETT Clear the road! Move! MOVE! Contractors spill from SUVs, establishing an arc. Markus remains inside, expression unreadable.

ANGLE — ROOFTOPS: TWO GUNMEN slip into shadow. INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Markus sips bottled water. Calm as a surgeon. MARKUS (INTO MIC) Maintain pace. Best speed when it breaks. EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS The world holds its breath. A SHOT CRACKS. No one sees from where. THEN—AUTOMATIC FIRE ERUPTS. CHAOS. Civilians SCREAM. Stalls SPLINTER. The pickup’s militants open up, bullets sawing the air. An RPG WHOOSHES— BOOM! A fruit stand vaporizes. Mangos rain fire. Contractors return fire. The YOUNG CONTRACTOR panics, jerks the trigger high. Nix slams his barrel down. NIX Combatants only! Find the launchers! Barrett vaults a toppled cart, drags a MOTHER and CHILD behind a concrete lip. BARRETT (into radio) Perimeter! Keep them off us—push civilians east! A MILITANT on the pickup shoulders an RPG—locks on the rear SUV. BARRETT RPG! Back truck! RPG LAUNCH—The rear SUV swerves—TOO LATE—IT’S HIT—corkscrews, crushes a line of stalls—lands on its side, smoking. INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Markus ducks. Still clutching the briefcase like a life vest. MARKUS Get us to the Green Zone. Now.

EXT. MARKETPLACE – CONTINUOUS Barrett and two contractors sprint to the flipped SUV. Inside—TWO MEN—bleeding, dazed. Rounds stitch the asphalt around them. Barrett fires controlled bursts—drops a flanker—yanks the first man free. BARRETT (to second) I got you. Eyes on me. A BULLET nicks Barrett’s sleeve. He doesn’t flinch. A LOCAL BOY (10) crouches behind a crate, filming on a cracked phone—tiny hands shaking. His camera sees everything: militants firing over civilians, Barrett pulling people to cover, explosions ripping color from the market. A MILITANT pivots, sees the boy. Raises his rifle— Nix drops the militant with a clean shot. NIX Move! Move! The PICKUP GUNNER rakes the line. Contractors stagger. A WOMAN SCREAMS—her CHILD limp in her arms. Barrett runs through fire, throws his body over them— BARRETT (to team) Punch a hole! East alley! Go! SUV ENGINES ROAR. Bumpers ram carts, tables, a steel rack of pots that clatters like thunder. Space opens. DRIVER (O.S.) We’ve got a lane! BARRETT Mount up! Mount up! Barrett shoves the mother and child into the second SUV. Slams the door, turns— The PICKUP LURCHES after them, militants in the bed blaring fire. INT. SECOND SUV – CONTINUOUS The Young Contractor gasps, tries to steady his breathing. The CHILD in the back wheezes. The Mother sobs silently. YOUNG CONTRACTOR (to child) Stay low, buddy. Stay low.

EXT. MARKET/ALLEY MOUTH – CONTINUOUS The convoy slashes through, shredding canopy cloth and fruit nets. Bullets chew masonry inches from faces. An RPG trails smoke—MISS—detonates a water barrel—GEYSER—drenching the alley in steam. INT. LEAD SUV – MOVING – CONTINUOUS Barrett floors it, eyes flicking mirrors—pickup in pursuit. BARRETT (into radio) Bravo Two, keep that kid’s head down. We’re taking the lane. MARKUS (O.S.) Stay on planned route. Best speed. BARRETT Planned route is a grave. We’re adjusting. Silence from Markus. Then— MARKUS (O.S.) Negative. Maintain. Barrett’s jaw knots. He guns it anyway.

EXT. ALLEY / OLD CITY BLOCKS – DAY The convoy rockets through tight turns. Locals flatten against walls as steel blurs by. The PICKUP fishtails, clips a curb—regains—still coming. ROOFTOP GUNMEN reappear—firing down. A contractor pops the hatch, returns fire in controlled two-round bursts. One rooftop shooter tumbles out of frame. EXT. NARROW BRIDGE – DAY A narrow canal bridge—one lane. Barrett angles first SUV across—BLOCKS the pickup’s line of fire—signals the others through. BARRETT Go! Go! An RPG smashes stone behind them. Dust swallows the frame.

EXT. AVENUE TO GREEN ZONE – DAY The convoy blasts into a wider artery—blast walls and razor wire in the distance. The GREEN ZONE looms. The PICKUP spills out behind, still firing, now eating their dust. Two IRAQI POLICE TRUCKS swing into the avenue, sirens wailing—confusion, no coordination—one truck sideswipes the pickup—both spin out—metal shrieks. The path ahead opens—if briefly. DRIVER (O.S.) Gate in thirty seconds! INT. LEAD SUV – CONTINUOUS Barrett’s forearms are bands of steel on the wheel. A thin line of blood on his cheek he hasn’t registered. In back, Markus recalibrates—slick again. MARKUS Cameras at the gate. Do not look rattled. Barrett’s eyes flick to him in the mirror. He says nothing.

EXT. GREEN ZONE CHECKPOINT – DAY HESCO barriers. CONCERTINA WIRE. HEAVY GATES. U.S. MARINES on guard. The convoy barrels in. Guards peel back gates. SUVs slide through—brakes screaming to a halt inside the safe zone. The last SUV skids, smoking, door kicked open—Nix tumbles out, hauling the wounded. The pickup, crippled, limps to a stop two blocks back. Militants scatter. INT. LEAD SUV – INSIDE GREEN ZONE – CONTINUOUS Everything is suddenly, shockingly quiet. Barrett turns to Markus. Filthy, bleeding, incandescent. BARRETT That route was a kill box. That was you. MARKUS We’re all alive. You’re welcome. Barrett starts to climb out—stops—leans back in. BARRETT (low) The dead aren’t. He’s gone. Markus smooths his tie. Checks his reflection. Composed.

EXT. GREEN ZONE – TRIAGE AREA – DAY Makeshift triage. Corpsmen work the wounded. The Mother sobs over her child—alive, barely—medic hands moving fast. Barrett stands at the edge, useless hands, jaw clenched. Nix approaches, bandaged, holding— —a CHILD’S SCARF, singed and blood-browned. Barrett takes it. The world goes quiet.

INT. U.S. CAPITOL – HEARING ROOM – DAY Wood. Brass. Cameras. The ON-AIR light glows. Senators in formation. Barrett sits in dress uniform, eyes forward. Next table: Markus, immaculate, notes stacked. HARDING (O.S.) Please rise to be sworn. They rise. HARDING (O.S.) Do you swear the testimony you give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? BARRETT I do. MARKUS I do. They sit. The country holds its breath. HARDING Director Markus, your statement. MARKUS (perfectly modulated) The urban route reduced exposure time. The attack was unprovoked and indiscriminate. Any allegation of negligence is unfounded. Monitors behind the dais flare to life—EXHIBIT A: PHONE VIDEO freeze-frame—militant muzzle flash above civilians. HARDING Colonel Barrett? BARRETT We objected to the route. We entered a market at peak. We fought to protect civilians. We failed too many. RIDLEY Did your team fire toward civilians, Colonel? BARRETT We fired at combatants firing from within a crowd. RIDLEY So that’s a yes. BARRETT It’s war in a market, Senator. Cassidy, Barrett’s counsel, slides a transcript card to the clerk. CASSIDY Exhibit C: 0902 hours, radio traffic. “Make best speed.” Speaker: ALPHA-ONE. HARDING Director Markus, were you ALPHA-ONE? A fractional smile from Markus. MARKUS That call sign rotates. I don’t recall. BARRETT I do. A ripple of suppressed reaction. Gavel taps. HARDING Director, the committee will not abide selective memory. Another monitor—the INTEL MEMO: “EXPECT RPG STOCKPILES / AL-KIFAH BAZAAR — DO NOT TRANSIT AT PEAK HOURS.” MARTINEZ This is thirty-six hours before the ambush. MARKUS (smooth) Fragmentary, non-actionable. Barrett’s gaze never leaves Markus. A SIDE DOOR cracks. LILA KHOURY (State, 30s) slips a thumb drive to Cassidy. Ghosts out. CASSIDY Madam Chair, additional exhibits—credibility and route influence. RIDLEY Objection to surprise—

HARDING Overruled. Screens switch—A PRIVATE CHAT THREAD (user “AM/Director”): “—route optics matter.” “—decisive show of confidence downtown.” “—close this and I’ll lock their bridge award (OrdnanceCore).” Gasps. Flashbulbs. Markus studies the screen like a painting that offends him. HARDING Director, is that you? MARKUS Fabrication. CASSIDY Audio, Exhibit E. A waveform pulses. Markus’s voice fills the room: MARKUS (RECORDED) If Barrett wants to be a hero, fine. He’ll be a broke one. We go downtown. Best speed. Get the shot. OrdnanceCore stays whole. The room freezes. HARDING Director Markus—did you order “best speed” into Al-Kifah? MARKUS I recommended a decisive route. HARDING Not the question. A beat where careers die. MARKUS My answer stands. Harding’s jaw sets. Barrett places the singed CHILD’S SCARF on the witness table. It lands like a charge.

BARRETT If you want my head, take it. But don’t lie about why we were there. Gavel—HARD. HARDING This committee will recess pending review of Exhibits C through E. CUT TO:

INT. CHEAP D.C. HOTEL – NIGHT A room converted into a war room. Whiteboards, maps, drone schematics. Barrett, Nix, Cassidy, the core team. CASSIDY They’ll bury chain-of-custody and call the audio national security. NIX So we leak it all. BARRETT No leaks. He taps a blueprint: a re-skinned armored crop-duster—**GLEANER-1**. BARRETT We don’t leak the truth. We fly it. They stare—understand.

EXT. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN – NIGHT A cargo ship knifes through black. Crates branded “AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT.” Pry one—SHOULDER-FIRED SAMs. INT. CIA OPS ROOM – LANGLEY – SAME Monitors everywhere. Markus behind operators. A tracker pulses. MARKUS Next stop Tripoli. And Barrett’s toys stop flying. EXT. CYPRUS – REMOTE STRIP – NIGHT GLEANER-1 crouches on tarmac—mean and quiet. In the ops van, Barrett checks feeds. Cassidy verifies a live syndication pane: “FEEDS ARMED.” BARRETT All civvies clear? CASSIDY (eyes on IR) Combatants only. BARRETT Send it.

EXT. SKY / OVER WATER – CONTINUOUS GLEANER-1 lifts, low and fast. The sea a black mirror. BARRETT (V.O.) Let’s tell the world a story no one can bury. The drone banks toward the ship—silent, predatory—then drops two micro-munitions— BOOM—BOOM—The stern ERUPTS—inferno.

INT. CIA OPS – SAME Operators jolt. Markus’s bourbon sloshes. OPERATOR Not ours, sir. MARKUS No. It’s his. EXT. SHIP – NIGHT Crew scramble; a MAN shoulders a SAM—fires—MISSILE streaks toward GLEANER-1— IN THE SKY—FLARES BLOSSOM—MISSILE VEERS—detonates harmlessly. GLEANER-1 strafes—20MM tears deck guns apart. SECONDARY BLASTS ripple the hold; contraband cooks off. INT. OPS VAN – NIGHT Barrett watches the LIVE FEED montage: ship, thermal silhouettes, deck explosions—plus a lower-third: “LIVE.” CASSIDY You’re broadcasting to every outlet that ever ghosted you. BARRETT Good. Let them ghost this. On screen, a crate tumbles, bursts open—SAMs glitter under firelight—a smoking confession. Barrett leans closer. Calm as a surgeon now. BARRETT Allen, you watching? SMASH CUT TO:

INT. CIA OPS – SAME Markus stands very still. The room reflects in his eyes. Calculation replaces outrage. MARKUS Cut their uplink. OPERATOR He’s bouncing through a dozen relays. We can’t get ahead of it. A long beat. Markus smiles without warmth. MARKUS Then we get ahead of him. HOLD on the smile—the smile of a man who redefines “war.” CUT TO BLACK.