Athena & Lucifer In The 21st Century

GENRE: Thriller.

STATUS: Script written.

LOGLINE: Athena, a young woman enjoying her summer before going to college, suspects her creepy neighbor is somehow tied to the disappearance of her friend and so starts to investigate.

COMPANY NOTES: Jon Brekke wrote this thriller that takes place at the end of a street featuring a few houses and a crossing railroad junction that is situated in Simi Valley, California. It pits a beautiful and well educated young woman, on the verge of going to college, against a sadistic madman whose latest kidnap and torture victim might be her missing friend. It is a script Jon intentionally wrote as a pitch to MarVista Entertainment, an independent entertainment studio with a mission to produce, acquire, and distribute premium film and television programming worldwide; and for which the script has been presented to them. This project remains open to investor interest.

Script Treatment

Security GuardOn a typical week day during the summer, Athena Fernandez, a 17-year old who has been accepted to Yale in the fall sleeps in. Mom and Dad wake her. “Morning Attie!” Cheerful Dad calls out. Mom asks “Attie” what she’s going on this today. Under her covers, Athena doesn’t know and doesn’t care. “What’s my name?” Athena asks, for she is after all bound for college and someday she’ll emerge from her childhood cocoon. Mom and Dad smile, “Athena.” As they rush out of the living room, Dad finishes his orange juice and shoots a basket for the trash can, but it bounces off of its filled contents. Later, as she watches her parents drive off to work, Dad tells Athena to remember to take out the trash. Athena nods and notices the neighbor drive past her father and into the driveway of his house. Athena goes back in and collects the garbage, puts it in the city trash can, and rolls it out to the curb. As she does, her neighbor, Luke, a man dressed in an official security outfit, complete with badge, a loaded utility belt, a large flashlight, taser, radio, and numerous leather compartments snapped shut across his body, does the same. He greets Athena and they talk. Athena mentions that she doesn’t think she’s ever seen him during the day. Luke responds that it’s because Athena’s usually in school by now and he works the graveyard shift. Athena offers a quote from Teddy Roosevelt about work ethic. Luke recognizes it and offers one back. They smile. Luke turns and says, “Until we meet again my lady.”

Athena, lounging in her bikini, gets some sun in the backyard of her house by the swimming pool. She pulls a travel book out from her bag and is reading when she receives an incoming message on her phone. It is from Dallas Triton. Her message reads: “1st day off, what are you doing?” Athena responds, “Fun in the sun” and adds a bright emoji of the sun. Dallas responds, “What? You’re beaching it without me? You swine!” Her emoji is of a hand giving her the middle finger. Athena can’t help but laugh as she types away. “I’m in my backyard, now leave me alone!” She adds an original emoji of her likeness in a karate outfit cartoon, kicking her foot up and into the air while wearing the traditional black belt. As her emoji appears we hear a karate kick sound effect. Another message comes in. It reads from Oliver: “Are you beaching it in your bikini today?” Athena gets up and walks about the backyard to see who’s watching her. She peeks over the front of the backyard fence and sees the mailman deliver the mail into the mailbox across the street and then approach neighbor Luke’s house. Luke greets him at his mailbox but now has changed his attire. He wears a classic red velvet Hugh Hefner robe over a pair of black slacks, with fancy black slippers. His entire outfit is nearly over the top, and yet he looks amazing! Athena is impressed and watches on. The two men exchange words from afar. As they complete their talk Luke senses Athena’s gaze and looks to her. Athena quickly dips her head below the fence. She thinks of merely crouching and going back to her chair but after a few moments she slowly peeks back up and finds that Luke is gone. As she looks around for him another text jolts her out of her thoughts. It is from Oliver again. “Well?” While she reads it an emoji appears with two dramatic eyes. They stare up at her. She types a message into her phone: “Where are you?” As she scans around her entire backyard again, looking as if to catch someone looking in her direction ,the next message from Oliver comes in. “Home, aren’t you?” Athena is not happy at all. She grows angry and types into the phone, “Yes! Now leave me alone and stop stalking me!” She adds her karate kick emoji with sound effect and turns the power off.

Athena - GateLater, back at lounging by the pool, Athena hears the sound of a flute and orchestra from the sound system of Luke’s house. As she looks over and cannot see him, the sound of the wind and the hanging chimes that are in the back yard, unnerves her slightly. It is then that she hears someone walking up the side to her back gate. She grabs a rock and crouches behind the gate. As the presumed intruder gets closer, she readies to use it. The door opens. Athena hears, “Athena? What are you?” Athena quickly lowers the rock down beside her, shaking off the fright. Dallas is an 18-year old who is a beautiful, blonde Californian. She wears tight shorts and an even tighter top that reveals her cleavage. She looks at Athena and the rock in her hand and says, “Home Alone part three, Athena, get a grip!” Athena responds, “Next time, call before you just break into my home.” As Dallas joins Athena by the pool we get an angle whereby we know they are being watched by someone. She places Athena’s beach hat on and asks if she received any text messages. Athena tells her she did. Two. From her and her stalker. Dallas looks at Athena, “Oliver.” “Uh huh,” confirms Athena. Dallas looks around and says Athena, in her bikini, has everything except the “beach,” and tells her she will take her there the next day. Athena takes a sip of water from her cup and realizes that it leaks through a hole. “This is so strange,” she says as she inspects the cup. Dallas gets up, tells Athena to be ready by 9 a.m., and starts to leave. Athena asks for her hat back. Dallas realizes this but takes a selfie of herself first before giving it back. She finishes a text and posts her selfie. “Do not let that stalker boy control your every move.” Dallas says, ” Make sure your phone is on tomorrow morning.” She leaves and Athena tries to smile through it. As she walks to the back of the yard her cell phone begins to ring. It is Oliver. As it just won’t stop, she finally answers. Oliver asks her out. Athena asks if he’s watching her. Oliver denies this and explains the only thing he is guilty of is that he likes her. He asks again if they can go out somewhere the next day. Athena responds that she can’t because she’s going to the beach with Dallas and hangs up.

At night Athena talks with her parents about an upcoming trip they’ll take to see the Heart Castle and the Redwoods. Outside Luke drives in his car. He is dressed in his security outfit and checks his rear view mirror. At the end of the street, Oliver, a 16-year old, is on his motorcycle and looks like he knows what he’s doing. He drives towards Athena’s house and passes Luke’s car and they look at each other before Oliver parks in the empty lot across from Athena’s house and Luke turns and parks under a tree at the end of the street. He watches as Oliver walks up to Athena’s house with a bouquet of yellow sun flower daises. He sets them on the front porch with a note and hurries away. As Oliver gets on his bike and motors his way, Luke drives at a moderate speed to avoid being noticed. As Luke approaches the crossing guard it begins to alarm that a train is fast approaching. Red lights blink. Luke waits. Oliver quickly pulls up behind Luke and appears in his rear view mirror. Oliver revs his engine, unknowingly, annoying Luke. He then walks and motors his bike around and in front of Luke, who grows angry. The passing train adds emotional tension inside of Luke’s head as Oliver takes out his cell phone and texts Athena. Luke revs his engine ever so slightly and then backs up. Oliver is finishes his text that reads “Athena, check your front door!” He presses send. Luke stops moving backwards, and changes his gears again into the forward position. As the train passes by, Oliver places the cell phone into his pocket. Luke slams on the gas pedal and drives directly toward Oliver. Suddenly, the train is gone. The gates open as Luke swerves his car around Oliver, driving past him and right over the train tracks. He watches Oliver in his rear view mirror fading into the distance and smiles. Oliver does not quite know what just happened, except that the driver drove a bit crazy.

Athena opens the front door with her phone in hand, and looks down to see the bouquet of yellow sun flower daises laying upon the porch. She picks them up and smells the flowers. An incoming message reads, “Don’t worry, I’m not stalking you!” Athena walks out onto the road, carrying her flowers and phone. There is not a person or thing in sight. She walks towards Luke’s house which is at the dead end of the street. She looks back at her flowers as her fear lightens. She pulls out her phone and types “Thank You” and adds a emoji with a happy face in the middle of a sunflower when suddenly a hand reaches up and onto her shoulder. She screams, drops her phone and flowers, and gets into a fighting stance. But it’s her dad. “Athena, what are you doing out here in the dark?” Athena, relieved yet angered, picks up her stuff as Dad comments, “Nice to see those karate lessons paying off.” They walk back to their house. Athena looks at her composed text and reluctantly presses send. At his job at the medical research building, Luke says to the security guard he’s relieving, “Looks like you’ll be home again in time to tuck the little one into bed yet again!” The other security guard returns an irritated look and comments that Luke is always on time and that he’s always home in time so that he can tuck in his daughter. They share a tense and awkward moment. As the other security guard drives away, Luke watches him through his binoculars which he flips over to night vision.

Athena - TextingDuring another frantic morning, Athena watches her parents leave while she yawns and grabs one of the pillows for comfort atop her lap. They wish her well at the beach and remind her about sunscreen. As they start their engines Athena notices her father’s briefcase. Athena runs out into the road, yelling loudly for her father. He stops his car midway down the road and Athena runs to his car. She hands the case into the car window. “Thank you Athena!” he says, “Have a great day at the beach, you deserve it!” “Thanks Daddy.” She leans into the window and kisses her dad on the cheek. He drives down the road as Luke passes by driving towards Athena who is walking back home. Luke slows the car and rolls down his window. “Good morning Athena.” Athena turns back around. “Good morning sir.” “Please,” Luke smiles, “I’ve been called sir enough for ten life times. Please, call me Luke.” They proceed to talk idle conversation which centers around why each is named as they are. Athena acknowledges that she knows Athena is a Greek goddess and Luke mentions that she invented the flute. Athena innocently says that Luke is named after Lucifer the devil. An awkward moment arises and Luke tells Athena that no, “Luke” is the only name on his birth certificate. He seems to change his personality, saying, “My job is to maintain a high visibility presence in order to deter illegal and inappropriate actions.” Athena can sense the weirdness and attempts to make amends. She calls him “Sir Luke” for a name and does a curtsy. This seems to do the trick. He tips his hat and says, “My lady,” and drives off into his driveway and disappears. Athena watches him and then gets a text from Dallas, “Running late, more like 10 a.m.” Athena walks back toward her home when another message from Oliver reads, “I Know What You Did Last Summer!” It comes with a knife emoji. She ignores it as she walks when another message comes in, “Just Kidding.” She texts back “duh” and adds a stupid emoji. She hears the stereo from Luke’s house as the flute and orchestra rise up into the air. She stands frozen in the direction of his house, listening to the flute solo. She begins to enjoy the music. After a while she enters her house.

Athena opens her closet and pulls out her flute case. She opens the case. The flute stares back at her. She picks up the flute, and presses two of the keys down. She notices her reflection in the mirror as she holds the flute in her hands. Feeling and hearing the music next door, she raises the flute and begins to play along with the composition. She plays well, and after a moment, she changes from playing the exact same notes, to harmonizing with the solo flute in another key. Just when everything seems perfect, she blows a long and sustained note, while also catching her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks are blown out like a blowfish, and quite unattractive. Her notes hit a series of off key sounds and trickle her emotion down with them. While looking at herself in the mirror, her cheeks shrink back to normal, and she lowers her flute out of view. She quickly closes the case upon the flute. She returns the case deep into the back of the closet when she hears a knock at the front door. Athena opens the door to find Oliver who tells her he knows Dallas is picking her up soon so he thought she’d enjoy a breakfast burrito for the drive. Athena, noticing two, one for her and one for Dallas, tells Oliver this is his lucky day and invites him in for breakfast. She invites him into the backyard where she becomes the perfect hostess, and unwraps and shares the burritos with him. Oliver is mesmerized, and tells her she is the most beautiful woman on Earth. Athena can’t help but smile But while this is happening, from his property, Luke watches. Dallas pulls up in her red mustang convertible, with the top down, and parks it. She gets out, leaves the car running, and rushes towards Athena’s front door. “Nice car!” she hears. She turns to see Luke in his red robe standing in the driveway. Dallas, feeling awkward, thanks Luke. “I’m Luke, Athena’s neighbor.” Dallas tries to be pleasant in order to leave but Luke tells her that she has a problem. Dallas is confused. Until Luke tells her that she has a flat. She comes around and sees that she in fact… doesn’t. But before she can say so, Luke comes behind her and covers her mouth with a red handkerchief which causes her to pass out. Luke puts her back in the passenger seat of her car and goes around to the driver’s side and reverses it out and into his driveway. “I don’t think that the beach is good for Athena.” Luke gleefully says, “Do you want to know why? Well Dallas, those with fair skin are most susceptible to skin cancer. Taking Athena into direct sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is frankly irresponsible. Why? 300 nanometers of harmful rays, that’s why.”

Athena sees Oliver constantly smiling at her which makes her uncomfortable, so she reaches for her phone. It’s past 10:30 a.m. and she types in her text: “Where are you?” She presses the send button. A message is returned, “Sorry, flat tire, maybe tomorrow?” Athena frowns, hesitates, and then types in the message, “Sure.” Oliver asks, and Athena explains that her and Dallas postponed their trip to the beach until the next day. Oliver offers to take her on his motorcycle. Athena uses her phone to show that driving a motorcycle is way more dangerous than driving a car. But then tells Oliver she agrees. At first he doesn’t know what to think but then realizes she means it. They get on his bike and he puts his helmet on. “You only have one helmet?” Oliver and Athena look to see Luke standing in his robe. Athena waves, “Hi Luke!” Luke returns a half-hearted wave. Oliver notices Luke’s concern for Athena and takes his helmet off and hands it to Athena. Luke asks what beach they’re heading for? Athena and Oliver look at each and realize Athena hasn’t said. Athena puts her helmet on and says, “Topanga!” Luke nods, “Be safe.” Luke places his outgoing mail into the mailbox and raises the flag as Oliver and Athena drive away. Luke watches them and grows angry.

Athena - Hole PuncherDriving to the beach Oliver packs Athena and they enjoy the drive through Topanga Canyon. In Luke’s guest room, Dallas sits tied up in a chair stripped down to her bikini. The handkerchief is still in her mouth and a white scarf ties it around the back of her head to keep it secure. Blinding lights shine upon her strong enough to give her a tan. Dallas begins to awake but is still groggy and not aware of where she is. Luke talks with her and it is apparent that he is deranged and sadistic. Regaining a sense of herself Dallas struggles against her restraints. At the beach Athena lies on her stomach in her bikini. Oliver is dressed in his street clothes. She asks him to at least take off his jacket and apply sunscreen on her back. Oliver follows her orders, swallows his spit and carefully does so, covering her shoulders, her back, her spine and the rim above her bikini bottom with lotion. She thanks him. He knee jerks “Thank YOU” back in a Freudian slip and Athena laughs. She asks him to untie her bikini top. He is stunned. Too scared to both do and not do what she says, he unties her bikini top like he was a surgeon. Athena laughs as she’s having fun with him and tells him he needs to stop placing her atop a pedestal as if she were the real Athena. This relaxes Oliver a bit until she asks for him to put sunscreen on the back of her legs. From afar Luke spies on them through his binoculars. He notices that the lotion they use is SPF 15 and he says this to himself. Anger builds inside of him but he breaks to greet two women in bikinis who pass by him. But then he goes back to watching Athena and Oliver and his blood boils. He gets up and leaves. Back at Luke’s house, Dallas is sweating and running out of energy. She struggles to free herself from the chair she is bound to amidst the heat from the blinding lights which has made her black mascara run down from her eyes. Back at the beach, as the sun is beginning to set, only Athena and Oliver are left lying on the beach, asleep. But across the empty beach strides Luke who stands over them and then bends down to punch a hole in the top of Athena’s bikini bottom with a hand held hole puncher. He walks away. After awhile, Athena awakes and wakes Oliver, who sleeps with his shirt off but yet still wears his jeans. They get up and pack up to leave and Oliver can’t help but look at the hole that is in Athena’s bikini bottom. “Stop staring at my butt!” Athena says. And Oliver has to divert his attention. From afar, through the perspective of Luke, we see them prepare to leave.

Later, Oliver and Athena ride back on the roads back to Athena’s house. Luke follows them in his car, though Oliver is not paying attention to his approach. Just at the point where he could run into Luke’s motorcycle, Luke turns and drives onto Old Topanga Canyon Junction Road. Back at his house, Luke takes newly purchased bulbs out of their packages, and replaces some bulbs in the lights that glare upon Dallas. He offers her some water. She has to maneuver her head in order to fit the straw into her mouth in spite of the handkerchief being stuffed in her mouth. Luke discusses the high costs of water and electricity in a manner to cast partial blame for these costs back on Dallas. He takes out a bunch of punch circles, including what he got from Athena’s drinking cup and her bikini bottom, and puts it all into a cognac glass and sets it to the side.

At night, from the perspective of the road fronting their house, Athena talks with her parents through the window. They notice the tan she has and asks if she went to the beach with Dallas. Athena says no, Dallas has been hard to get a hold of, but that she went to the beach with Oliver on his motorcycle. Her parents express their concern about the dangers of her riding with Oliver on his motorcycle. But Mom also mentions that she likes Oliver and that Athena should stop calling him her “stalker.” As they talk, Luke’s car slowly pulls into view and idles to a stop. He watches them from his car for a moment and then drives off. At his job, Luke searches the empty streets fronting the medical research building for any activity but no one is around. A beep goes off on his phone. He takes a look at his large mobile phone. A security image from outside his house shows a small animal in his front yard. He pinches the image to enlarge it and we see a wild rabbit hopping into the bushes. He presses an icon and the view transforms into a multi camera screen inside and outside of his home. He presses where Dallas sits hostage and sees that she is sleeping. Luke takes a breath, exhales in delight, and looks up toward the moon.

In the morning, Athena is awakened by the sound of the closing front door. She gets her phone and calls Dallas and leaves her a half joking message about being stood up the day before. But seriously, she tells Dallas to call her for she’s worried and hangs up. Later in the living room she receives a text and excitedly she picks up her phone hoping it is Dallas. But it’s not. It’s Oliver. “Breakfast Burrito?” She texts back, “Why not?” Then she hears a distant thumping, like a foot stomping a floor. She again hears the thumps repeat in a cadence of one, two, three, and she starts walking toward the backyard. She walks out onto the grass, listening. The thumping sounds continue to come from Luke’s house and she walks toward the fence and peaks over. She hears the engine of Luke’s car approaching and turns her head to see Luke’s car enter his driveway. The thumping repeats, one… two… then stop. His car stops. She watches him get out of his car, as she lowers her head down behind the fence. After Luke enters his house she returns to hers. Back in the living room she is surprised by a knock at the front door. It is Mrs. Sterling, a woman she recognizes. She is Dallas’ mother. Athena greets her at the door. She is looking for Dallas. Athena tells her she was supposed to take her to the beach but never showed, and then remembers that Dallas texted her that her tire was flat. As they talk Luke goes to his mailbox to put mail inside and looks over and watches them. Athena notices this. Mrs. Sterling tells her she is going to the police station and drives off. Athena walks out and watches her car drive away. Luke inquires and Athena explains that her friend is missing. Luke expresses his concern but also says, “If you choose bad companions, no one will believe that you are anything but bad yourself.” As he returns to his house, Athena studies his every move, and suspects that he and something in his house is very wrong.

Athena - Scrambled EggsThe next morning Luke cooks breakfast like a chef. He takes his scrambled eggs into his tanning torture chamber. He brings the food tantalizingly close to Dallas and she laps at it. He tells her that her mother and Athena has been asking for her and also inquires about her boyfriend and what’s his name? Dallas says they broke up. Unsatisfied with the answer, Luke withholds her food until she says it’s Zack Thomas. He then lets her eat from the bowl ravenously like an animal and pets her head and hair as if she were a pet dog. He places the bowl just out of reach of her gagged mouth and leaves. Oliver comes to the door of Athena with his sack of breakfast burritos just as Luke drives off. Athena sees him leave and after he turns the corner she tells Oliver to follow her. She tells him that she suspects Luke is somehow tied to Dallas’ disappearance. They trespass onto his property and try to look into his garage and failing to pry the door open, they go to the side and try to look into his basement. Oliver worries about them breaking the law and goes back out to the front to check if anyone, particularly Luke possibly returning, is watching. As he drives away, Luke is alerted by his phone about a security breach at his house. He sees Oliver looking around. He thinks and then takes Dallas’ phone and types a text message. At Luke’s house, while lying on the ground trying to open the basement window, Athena gets a text from Dallas telling her that she met a new boyfriend, that he’s hot, and she’s has to go. As Oliver returns, she texts back “Really,” and “Call your mother!” She gets up and sighs both her relief and frustration. Oliver holds up the burrito bag and they go back to her house. Luke, later in “Zack’s” bedroom, cuts out all photos of him and Dallas while singing The Grass Roots’ “Sooner Or Later.”

Back at her house Athena and Oliver enjoy their burritos and she asks him why he is there. After pressing for the truth, Oliver again tells her she is the most beautiful girl in the world, and Athena realizes that he really does think that and is finally won over. They kiss in that first kiss, love breakout moment, and when it concludes, they are in fact in love. Oliver tells her he’ll see her later and upon Athena’s inquiry he explains that he’s just done something he’s thought of for a long time and doesn’t want to blow it. She smiles. He leaves. But when he gets out front he realizes that his motorcycle is gone. Luke is at the mailbox again, putting mail inside. Oliver asks him if he saw anything. Luke tells him no, but offers to give him a ride home. Oliver, flustered by his bike being gone, accepts. He follows Luke to his house. Athena, watching Oliver from inside her house squints concern. Luke leads Oliver to his garage where his handkerchief and taser lie ready to be used. He is about to add Oliver to his collection when Athena arrives and asks Oliver what is happening. Luke has to back off and hide his own disappointment and frustration. He pushes the taser and handkerchief to the side. Oliver explains about his car being missing. Athena suggests calling the police, and Luke agrees. Athena calls them and makes a report. Luke says since they seem to have it under control he’ll get to sleep. Oliver talks with Athena about him, what does she know, how long, etc. Athena explains that she only found about him only recently. They both feel something is uneasy about Luke.

Later, Luke stuffs his garden hose into the basement from the outside. Inside he turns on the water full blast and sadistically shoots Dallas at close range, giving her a “bath” that batters her. The force of the blast is so strong that the scarf that is bound around her mouth is blasted off and as Luke leaves, not thinking of the consequences, Dallas screams “Help.” But Luke is quick to return and his red handkerchief is soaked with fluid from a flask and its placement atop her mouth and nose has her passing out again. Luke puts the gag and binding back on and hears a knock at the door. He answers to find two policemen who question him about Oliver’s stolen motorcycle, with Athena and Oliver standing in his driveway. Athena tells Oliver to make like he’s talking as she listens in on the conversation. Luke tells the policemen that he hadn’t heard or seen anything but will do so if he sees anything suspicious. As she listens in Athena finds an earring on the street which makes her wonder. Back at her house Athena vents frustration. Oliver interprets this as pent up passion and attempts to kiss her but then realizes her attention is about Luke. Athena says there’s still something wrong. She still hasn’t talked to Dallas and now there’s Oliver’s motorcycle. Athena asks Oliver if he could get a car from her parents for the night. He asks why. She tells him that they are going to go out on a date and surprises him with a passionate kiss.

Athena - Woman GaggedAt sunset Luke’s alarm clock goes off. He puts on his red robe and checks on his guest in the basement. He sips coffee as he stares at Dallas. She is sleeping. He takes out the handkerchief from her mouth and torments her by saying that their relationship must evolve otherwise he will have no more use for her. So Dallas says he can do anything to her. But Luke then says that’s her problem, that she’s too easy, too sleazy and starts to rage against her. But Dallas too has had enough. She defiantly calls him Lucifer and screams for help. Luke again soaks the handkerchief with more chemicals and places it onto her mouth and nose and holds it there so hard she almost suffocates. He tells her that when she awakens the next day it will be the last hours of her life. And again, she passes out. Luke checks his security system and can see himself leave Dallas with her passed out once again. Athena dresses for her date with Oliver. As she takes clothes from her dresser drawer she picks up her bikini bottom that has the small hole punch in it. She compares it with her cup. She then notices her panties with a hole in it, and then a bra, and other clothes. As her emotions are about to explode she hears Oliver pull up to her driveway in his parents’ car. As she heads downstairs she hears her parents greeting Oliver and telling him how dashing he looks and the fact that he’s got a car to use and he and Athena won’t be going out on his motorcycle. Dad semi-jokingly comments that he wished he could thank the person who stole his bike because now Athena won’t be packed on his motorcycle. “Chill out Dad!” Athena says as she appears downstairs. Oliver and Athena’s parents stare dumbfounded. Athena looks like the goddess that Oliver starts to blurt out that she looks like. “Put a sock in it Oliver,” as she kisses the cheeks of both parents and exits out the front door with purpose. Mom and Dad embrace each other and watch on in total confidence as the kids leave for their night out. As they walk to their car Athena sees Luke getting into his car and backing out. He drives over just as Oliver is opening the passenger door for Athena. “Going to the prom?” Luke asks. “No, just a date,” Athena responds. “Oh, a date!,” says Luke, “You are a lucky man Oliver.” “Yes, I, Am!” says Oliver, somewhat caught by surprise. “Be safe!” Athena watches Luke drive away. In the car, Luke adjusts his rear view mirror and watches Oliver get into his car while the view pulls away. Oliver and Athena drive on until Athena tells him to pull under the tree and park. Oliver thinks he’s hit the lottery. He leans over and starts to kiss Athena but gets no response. “Are you getting out or shall I?” She asks. Oliver doesn’t get it. Athena gets out and leads him back to Luke’s house via the backside where she and Oliver crouch behind the level of fences so as not to be seen. “Is this our date?” Oliver asks, disappointed. Athena confirms. But as Oliver starts to wallow in the realization that Athena was using him to come up with a way to fool Luke into thinking that they were going on a date, Athena turns and gives him a big and long wet one. She tells him to follow her. He can live with this.

As Luke arrives for his shift at the medical research building he is beset by a number of security beeps. He checks his phone but cannot see anyone around his property. The Security Guard asks what’s wrong for in addition to what’s happening right now Luke doesn’t look all too good to him. Luke, concerned, tells him he’s been having security breaches likely caused by rabbits. The Security Guard responds that if it’s just rabbits he ought to turn off the system for a night and catch up on some sleep. Luke smiles but doesn’t appreciate the unsolicited advice. The Security Guard waves good-bye and leaves. Luke then hears something from behind the medical building and pulls out his night vision binoculars to see a figure rummaging through the trash bin. He starts walking in that direction. Back at Luke’s house, Athena and Oliver are lying on the ground outside his basement window. Oliver is again agonizing over what they are doing. Athena shows him the earring that she found on Luke’s driveway and then the selfie that Dallas took that now appears on her phone. She enlarges it and it shows Dallas wearing the same earrings. “Let’s do this,” Oliver says with conviction. Athena takes off her gold belt and hands it over to Oliver. She struggles to open the window and tells Oliver to insert the belt into the opening so as to keep it ajar. He does so. She then takes out a wire hanger from her hand purse which has been folded small enough to fit inside. She molds it to become a long stable arm and tool which she then uses to try and reach the hook inside that Luke left accidentally half closed. Back at the medical research building Luke has come upon a Homeless Man who rummages through the trash bin for plastics. The man explains he’s just doing his part for the environment. Luke smiles and agrees. He asks, “Who says homeless people aren’t smart?” The man plays on that and asks if he wouldn’t mind giving a few bucks to a smart homeless man. Luke grins and offers him a five dollar bill. But before the man can take it, he feels the zap of Luke’s taser and falls to the ground, twitching to the point of nearly convulsing. Luke speaks poetic words that only make sense to himself and continues zapping the man. This sadistic preoccupation makes him miss another security beep coming from his house.

Athena - ShotgunIn Luke’s basement Athena and Oliver have succeeded in opening the window sufficiently that they can struggle and pull themselves through. As Oliver drops down he topples Luke’s cognac glass trophy case of hole punches, scattering it across the floor. Athena stares at and knows the relevance. “Oh my God!” She exclaims. Back at the medical research building, Luke is putting the body of the Homeless Man in his trunk when his phone goes off. Thinking indeed it is those damn rabbits again he routinely checks his phone and then stares at the sight of Athena in his basement. Back in the basement Athena and Oliver are attracted by the thumping directly behind the bright tanning lights. Athena rips down the sheets to discover Dallas. She pulls her phone out of her purse, but fumbles it and lets it drop as the loud sound of the house alarm blares. Flood lights suddenly shine everywhere inside and outside of the house. She rushes over to free Dallas. Back at the medical research building, Luke spins his tires full of smoke as his car races away from the building. In the basement, Athena unties Dallas’s head, and removes the red handkerchief from her mouth. “Call 911!” Athena tells Oliver. But he’s left his in the car. So Athena tells him to use hers which has fallen onto the floor under the shelf. As Athena continues to untie Dallas, Oliver can’t quite reach the phone. He finally uses the hanger tool to reach the phone but finds he can’t get a signal. Athena tells him to forget about it and help her get Dallas and themselves out. They help Dallas through the house and then open the front door to find Luke holding an old wooden shotgun, blocking their path. He cocks the gun and points it directly at Athena. He torments them by pointing the shotgun and threatening them and then finally forces them back to the basement, with Athena’s expression showing that she’s frantically thinking up a plan. Back in the basement, Athena is forced to tie Oliver to the tanning chair. “Ah, the reef knot,” smiles Luke. He mentions that the knot dates back to the Egyptians 5,000 years ago. Oliver defiantly tells him that evil dates back 5,000 years too. Luke proceeds to taser him and Oliver is a shaking mess. Athena coils in fear and shock as Luke continues to use his taser on Oliver. But as he does she notices that Luke holds the shotgun upwards each time. So on another attempt by Luke to torture Oliver she rushes him and grabs the gun and it goes off into the ceiling. Luke wrestles the gun away from Athena and viciously knocks her down by hitting her across the face with the butt of his gun. Athena is dazed and bloodied on the floor while Luke refills his weapon with bullets. As he does she manages to reach and pull the taser to her and hides it under dress. Luke returns with fresh ammo and points it at Athena, asking her to stop being the warrior Athena and just be the goddess. He then looks to Oliver and notices that his taser is missing. As he searches, Athena leaps at Luke with the taser just as he cocks and shoots the gun. It just misses Oliver, but it shoots off one leg of the chair, toppling him over onto the floor. While he is still trembling, Athena kicks Luke while he is on the ground. Luke begins to crawl back toward the box of bullets. Athena pursues him. “5,000 years ago, they didn’t have this did they?” She Zaps him again, tosses him over, and grabs his phone from his back pocket. She unties Oliver, and hands him the phone. “Call 911.” She takes the shotgun out of Luke’s hands, and grabs the last two bullets. Oliver regains his composure and calls emergency.

In the action packed climax of the story, Athena hands the shotgun to Oliver and tells him to load it and watch him as she helps Dallas. “If he moves, shoot him in the face!” Athena walks back to her house, helping Dallas by supporting her. Back in the basement Luke is a snarling, intimidating figure that makes Oliver step back in fear in spite of the fact he holds the upper hand. Outside Athena continues to walk Dallas. As they get closer to her house she expresses concern over leaving Oliver alone with Luke. She asks Dallas if she can make it to her house and tell her parents what’s happened. Dallas says she can. So Athena runs back to Luke’s house and enters just as the police arrive in swarming cars with sirens. Inside she finds Luke gone and Oliver searching the boxes for more bullets but finds none. He tells Athena that he shot Luke in the face and that he’s run off. So Athena runs through the house and out towards the back door. As she approaches she is surprised by Luke who pushes her outside and then shuts and locks the door. Luke peers through the back door at Athena and is a bloodied, smiling, and raving madman. He rushes back inside and Athena tries desperately to try and warn Oliver. She tries to pry the door open and then remembers the basement window. Inside Luke is stalking a retreating Oliver who fakes that the gun has bullets, something Luke already feels it does not. Back in the basement, Athena manages to slip back inside and this time she pulls her gold belt along with her. As Luke gets too close, Oliver turns the gun around and swings it, trying to hit a home run onto Luke’s face. But he avoids it and instead grabs the weapon and uses it back on Oliver who falls to the ground. Luke jumps on top of him and begins to choke him, squeezing the life out of him. And just when it seems all is lost, Athena’s gold belt is wrapped around Luke’s neck. She is now choking HIM from behind. They struggle and Athena holds on and screams for dear life and her force has him falling dazed under the window. When he stands up, Athena puts everything she has into a powerful side kick that has him crashing through the window in front of the police, her parents, and a slew of other people watching who have been drawn by the commotion. “Get this evil man out of my neighborhood.” Athena stares. Later, as Luke is being shackled and led away, Athena is surrounded by her parents, Oliver, and Dallas, who lies on a gurney being readied to be placed in an ambulance. She looks around, sighs, and says, “Tomorrow, I’m going to have breakfast burritos with my boyfriend, Oliver here. Then, later, when she’s up to it, I’m going to spend a girls day at the beach with my very best friend, Dallas. And then I’m going on a long vacation with the most important people in my life, my parents.” Everyone is touched. And then Athena looks into the camera and says, “And then, I’m going back to school!”

Athena - Police

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