FADE IN:
EXT. PROFESSOR HELMS’ HOUSE – NIGHT
SUPER: AUGUST 7, 9:20 PM
Professor Helms parks his car in the driveway. He stops the car and gets out of the car. He walks over to the front door and opens it. He gives way to a slightly surprised look. He didn’t expect the door to be open.
HELMS
Sandra?
He steps in and closes the door.
INT. PROFESSOR HELMS’ HOUSE
Helms takes a few steps down the hallway before stopping. His wife’s body is lying in between the hallway and the livingroom. There’s a pool of blood stretching out from her body that’s just over a yard away and his feet. A man, Ethan Roeper, walks out of the kitchen and into the livingroom. He flicks on the light in the livingroom.
ETHAN
Professor Helms, would you mind joining me in your study?
Helms glances down at his wife and the nods. He steps over her body and follows Ethan.
CUT TO:
INT. HELMS’ STUDY
Ethan sits down behind the desk, in Helms’ seat. Helms sits down in the seat on the other side. Ethan smiles at Helms.
ETHAN
This is a really comfortable seat, Helms. Nice pick.
Helms runs his hands through his hair, clearly still in shock.
HELMS
Sandra picked it out for me.
ETHAN
I’m really sorry about her. I didn’t want to do it. (A beat.) Do you know who I am, Helms?
Helms shakes his head.
HELMS
(whispering)
No.
ETHAN
Of course not. Why would you remember me? You have at least twenty students every semester and it’s been quite a few years since I was one of them. But that’s besides the point. After all, who cares about you? I’m the one with the gun after all.
Ethan lets out a chuckle and Helms looks up, clearly annoyed as if it has finally sunk in.
ETHAN
(somber once more)
Let me cut to the chase, here. You will call me Roeper. And you will do what I tell you to or else that pretty little college girl of yours – what’s her name?
HELMS
Torin.
Ethan smiles.
ETHAN
Or Torin will regret it.
Helms puts his head in his hands, rubbing his face.
HELMS
What do you want?
Ethan slides over an envelope that he’s been holding onto since Helms walked in.
ETHAN
Those.
Helms flicks through the pages and then glances up at Ethan.
HELMS
You expect me to be able to write codes to hack into government networks? You expect me to get you access into these places?
ETHAN
No. Not you. I know you’re not that smart. But you’re a professor at RPI, Helms. Your Students are incredibly gifted. I know, I’ve seen their grades, I’ve seen your notes, I know everything that you college people could possibly have on those kids. So I want you to get your students to write these codes for me. Use them as assignments if you want. Just get them to me and make sure that they work before I get them.
HELMS
What if that doesn’t work? What if none of them are smart enough?
Ethan sighs, crossing his arms across his chest.
EHTAN
Do you really think this is my first time blackmailing someone like yourself for these kinds of codes?
Ethan laughs.
ETHAN
(emotionless)
No, sir. You are not my first victim. You are one of them, however, which means that you need to get me all of those codes by Christmas break. Or I’ll start sending parts of your daughter back to you.
Helms stares at Ethan, shocked at how cruel and emotionless Ethan is.
ETHAN
I will take your silence as acceptance.
Ethan stands up and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.