099741 NBC TELEVISION STUDIO Heroes Written by: Tim Kring Network Draft December 2, 2005 NBC Universal Television Studios 100 Universal City Plaza Bldg. 1320 Suite 4M Universal City, CA 91608 COPYRIGHT © 2005 NBC UNIVERSAL TELEVISION STUDIOS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOT TO BE DUPLICATED WITHOUT PERMISSION. This material is the property of NBC Universal Television Studios and is intended solely for use by its personnel. The sale, copying, reproduction or exploitation of this material in any form is prohibited. Distribution or disclosure of this material to unauthorized persons is also prohibited.

VOLUME ONE “Genesis” Written by Tim Kring

CHAPTER ONE “In His Own Image”

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis” 12/2/05 1. ACT ONE OVER BLACK: A TITLE CARD: CHAPTER ONE "In His Own Image" A PAIR OF EYES Intense. Focused. Filled with trepidation. But underneath this fear, a hint of resolve. Whatever these eyes are staring at, it's a seminal moment, one that HAS to be done. The only sound — WIND. Just WIND, SWIRLING all around us. WIDEN to find these eyes belong to ETHAN CAMBELL (mid-30's), a kind face, a little innocent. He's dressed in a MALE NURSE'S UNIFORM. A CHIRON says, "MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NEW YORK" . The SOUND of DISTANT CITY TRAFFIC begins to SEEP in. LOUDER now, as we ARM DOWN his body to REVEAL him STANDING ON THE VERY EDGE of a SEVEN YSCRAPER, the toes of his Converse hanging two inches over the ledge. Teetering dizzily. We're getting VERTIGO just looking at it. Holy shit, this guy is ABOUT TO JUMP. And you know what, he does -- He stretches his arms out in a SWAN DIVE position and LEANS FORWARD and FALLS. We watch in a SUBJECTIVE SHOT as he LEAVES THE LEDGE and PLUMMETS down the side of the building at 127 MPH. The street below races towards us, faster and faster... until... WBOOSH! He STOPS. MID-AIR. (Still SUBJECTIVE CAMERA) Hovers for a beat, then just as quickly, BANKS LEFT and TAKES OFF! And now he's actually fucking FLYING. Thirty floors ABOVE THE STREET and SOARING in the most beautiful and exhilarating (SUBJECTIVE CAMERA) FLYING sequence you've ever seen! SAILING THROUGH THE CANYONS OF MANHATTAN SWOOPING and DIVING, ROLLING and TUMBLING at a hundred and fifty MPH. ROLLING, BANKING, TUMBLING, he SOARS DOWN to a busy street and comes to a FLOATING STOP, HOVERING fifty feet above the crowded sidewalk, ROCKING SLOWLY, RHYTHMICALLY in MID AIR. No one seems to notice except ONE LONE MAN, his head craned back staring up at us. (We will soon come to know this man as HARRISON CAMBELL, Ethan's brother.) As he stares up at him curiously =-

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 CABBIE (0.S.) (Arabic accent) Your stop, sir. SMASH CUT TO: INT. TAXI -~ MORNING Ethan WAKES with a start to find himself in the back seat. He takes a moment to get his bearings, obviously rattled by the odd dream. The Middle Eastern CABBIE stares through the partition at him. CABBIE You get out here, yes? ETHAN Oh... Yeah. Sorry. I haven't been sleeping much lately and... Sorry. He pulls a couple BILLS out of his wallet and hands them to the Cabbie. Climbs out. EXT. CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS Ethan, still reeling from the dream, stands on this busy sidewalk, orienting himself. He looks up at a stately old apartment building, then down at a BUS ROARING past. Someone has plastered a CAMPAIGN POSTER on the side -- The smiling face of HARRISON CAMBELL. (The guy Ethan just saw in the flying dream) Underneath it reads, "Harrison Cambell -- State Senate -- For A New Tomorrow". Ethan stares for a beat, then starts towards the entrance of the apartment building. He STOPS. ILooks down at a COCKROACH crossing his path. Fascinated by it, he watches as it CRAWLS to the gutter and into DRAINAGE GRATE, and -- SURESH (V.0.) Man is a narcissistic species by nature. cUT TO: INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY THAT SAME COCKROACH Or at least one that LOOKS LIKE IT, crawls out of a crack in the wall and scurries along the floor. A HAND reaches INTO FRAME and PICKS IT UP. WIDEN to meet Professor MOHINDER SURESH, (mid-30's), a slightly nerdy East Indian academician, standing in at the front of this LECTURE HALL in an old, faded British colonial building.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 3. A CHIRON tells us this is "THE UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS, INDIA". SURESH But we are not the pinnacle of so-called evolution. Behind him, he's written his lecture in HINDI on the blackboard. (All but one word in English - “TERAFORMA” . ) He lets the COCKROACH crawl along the back of his hand as he speaks to a pathetically small group of FIVE STUDENTS scattered among the empty seats in this large classroom. SURESH (CONT'D) That honor belongs to the lowly cockroach. A creature who has adapted and evolved for 250 million years. Capable of living for months without food. Remaining alive headless for weeks at a time. As Suresh speaks, he looks up to see -- THE DEAN An elderly Brahmin, standing at the back of the class. Suresh is little flustered by his presence. He continues -- SURESH (CONT'D) Its female need only be impregnated once to lay over a million eggs in her lifetime. Resistant to radiation, it is the only species who will survive a nuclear winter. If God has indeed created himself in his own image, then I submit to you that God is a cockroach. The class stares at him, unsure what to make of this strange pronouncement. The Dean nods, unamused. He CLAPS his hands LOUD, twice, to get everyone's attention. DEAN You are all dismissed. This class has been canceled. The five students stand, a little confused and shuffle out as the Dean approaches Professor Suresh. (Their conversation is in HINDI with English subtitles.) SURESH sir, I know the enrollment is down a little this semester, but -- DEAN I'm afraid this institution can no longer support your tenure, Dr. Suresh...

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 SURESH what are you saying? DERN You are being dismissed from the faculty. SURESH wWhat? DEAN your theories are unfounded. SURESH (a body blow) But...this is my 1ife's work! DEAN The truth is, no one in your work and no one wants to publish your theories. SURESH BUT IT'S HAPPENING NOW! The world needs to know! DEAN I'm... sorry. Our decision is final. and off Suresh's stunned look 4 INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SURESH'S APARTMENT - DAY professor suresh comes up the staircase of this four story walk-up carrying his briefcase and & net bag full of He moves to his door, fumbles for his key, then STOPS - is wrong. Very wrong. It's the door. It's OPEN a tiny crack. suresh goes into FULL PANIC MODE. This is something he has dreaded, but hasn't fully prepared for. "Think, think..." He gathers his courage and GENTLY PUSHES the door open far enough to see inside -- SURESH'S POV -- The place is TORN BAPART. Bis gaze MOVES to a HUGE MAP OF THE WORLD taking up an entire wall. The map has dozens of COLORED PUSH PINS placed into different locations around the world. A SEADOW washes over it. Shit, someone's in therel suresh pulls pack, leans against the wall. Breathes. Forces himself to think. Then, steeling himself, he pushes open the door and slinks into --

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 INT. SURESH'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS A dark, cluttered two room apartment. stacks of BOOKS and RESEARCH. The home of an obsessive, single-minded academic. Suresh slinks to a desk, quietly tries to open a drawer. Shit, it's STUCK. He PULLS hard and the desk shakes as the drawer POPS OPEN. Something falls off the desk and lands at his feet. A pair of HORNED RIMMED GLASSES. BHe picks them up. Looks at them curiously. These are clearly NOT HIS. 0.S. we HEAR someone RANSACKING the adjacent room. He sets the glasses back down and reaches into the drawer. Pulls out a small CAMERA. Aims it at the map on the wall. SNAPS a photo. The FLASH GOES OFF! Shit. He cringes, as the 0.S. RANSACKING suddenly STOPS. They've noticed. RUSHES up to the map, reaches up and pulls out a WHITE PUSH PIN that's right over MANHATTAN, turns and SPRINTS out of the apartment. and one second later, the FIGURE of a MAN, STEPS INTO the FOREGROUND. Stands here, taking in the room, his BACK TO Us. Cold, calculating. We DO NOT see the man's face, but he reaches down and picks up the HORN RIMMED GLASSES, slips them on. Steps up to the map on the wall. Studies it, sensing that something’'s different. We PUSH RIGHT PAST him and onto a PUSH PIN inserted into the map right over the central part of NEVADA. As we PUSH IN farther, Nevada MORPHS to the WHITE SAND of a SATELLITE IMAGE over the entire state. We SLAM IN, RACING DOWN as DETAIL begins to emerge ~- The city of LAS VEGAS - past the strip and INTO THE SUBURBS - Where we finally come to a STOP over a the rooftop of a small TRACT HOUSE, and -- BLEED TO WHITE: INT. NIKI SANDERS' GARAGE - MORNING FADE IN ON A PAIR OF LACY PANTIES as they slide slowly, sexily off a woman's shapely REAR END. WIDEN to find NIKI SANDERS, (33), showgirl looks, completely NAKED (strategically posed), holding the panties teasingly in front of her. She COOS and makes a pouty, sexy face. The CHIRON says, "LAS VEGAS, NEVADA". We PULL FURTHER back to see her posed on a BED with a blue satin bedspread. Shiny gold curtains hang behind the bed. FURTEER BACK now and we realize that we are in a GARAGE. This is a SET. Niki is performing for a WEBCAM on a tripod. A cable stretches from the camera to a COMPUTER on a DESK.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 Niki slips on a tiny silk robe and crosses to the computer. Types quickly. ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN we see the words, up". The CURSOR BLINKS as it waits for a response. A beat, then we see the response, “Just a little more. Please. I'm almost there." Niki's answers this by typing -- "It'll cost you another 39 bucks." Niki waits for the response. The BLINKING CURSOR, then "BITCH!" NIKI (under her breath) Creep. She turns and heads for the door, but stops. An odd look on her face. A little scared. She whips around, as though expecting someone to be there. She stares across the room at a MIRROR. Her own REFLECTION stares back. Something about it disturbs her. She backs slowly to the door that leads into -- 7 INT. NIKI SANDERS' HOUSE - MORNING A tiny cracker box of a house. Niki makes her way down the narrow hallway, stepping over a baseball glove. NIKI Time to wake up, Micah! She comes to a stop at a bedroom doorway. Looks into MICAH'S BEDROOM The domain of a messy ten year old boy. The bed is unmade, but Micah is nowhere to be seen. (NOTE: We see Niki's REFLECTION in a MIRROR on the back of the door. Her profile.) Niki stares at the empty bed. Then suddenly a little panicked, as a terrible thought dawns on her -- NIKI (CONT'D}) Micah! She turns and hurries down the hall. But as she does, her REFLECTION in the mirror takes a SPLIT SECOND LONGER to move than she did. This is barely perceptible and a little weird. IN LIVING ROOM

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 Niki stops, looks. Tacky furnishings, no frills. These are people living at the bottom of the American dream. NIKI (CONT'D) Micah! She heads into -- THE KITCHEN where we see MICAH, (10), of mixed race, half black, sitting at the small table eating a bowl of FRUIT LOOPS, as he examines a SHOE BOX next to him. He looks up innocently. MICAH What? NIKT (relieved) Dammit, Micah, don't do that to me. MICAH Do what? NIKI Nothing. Just... You need to be careful, that's all. I don't want you talking to any strangers, you understand? Whoa, where's this coming from? MICAH I'm just having breakfast. NIKI That's not breakfast. That stuff'll rot your brain. Micah just goes back to work on the SHOE BOX, poking a whole into the 1lid with a pen. NIKI (CONT'D) What are you doing? MICAH Making a pinhole camera... It's for the eclipse. (off her confused look) The moon's gonna cover up the sun today. We're supposed to look at it at school. NIKI Speaking of which, go get ready. We can't be late. Not today.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 MICAH I'm already dressed and packed my own lunch. (pointed) That's what I've been doing this morning. What about you? NIKI Hey, don't get smart with me. I've been working to pay our bills! MICAH Then why'd they turn off our gas again? She doesn't have a comeback for that., MICAH (CONT'D) Why can't you go back to work at the casino? You made a lot of money there. NIKI Because I can't, alright. And you're not the adult here, I am. MICAH (under his breath) Yeah, sure you are. Before she can respond, the DOORBELL RINGS. Niki stops. a panicked look crosses her face. NIKI (ominous) Grab your stuff and wait by the back door. MICAH Why? NIKI Just do it! Niki turns and heads into —- THE LIVING ROOM where she crosses to the window and pulls back the curtains. HER POV - THROUGH THE WINDOW Two MEN stand at her front door. One is a little WEASEL of a GUY in a tight LEATHER JACKET. The other is BIG. And I mean big. The weasel is slipping on a pair of leather gloves. Trust me, it's not that cold outside.

10 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 9. Niki shuts the curtain. Eyes wide. The DOORBELL RINGS again. Shit. AT THE BACK DOOR Niki, now in a bra and shimmying into a pair of jeans, . wrestles a t-shirt over her head as she meets up with Micah. He waits with his backpack. And now he's scared. MICAR Mom, what's going on? NIKI Nevermind, just keep your voice down and stay close to me. They head out the door. SMASH CUT TO: EXT. NEIGHBOR'S SIDE YARD - SECONDS LATER 8 A FENCE, as Niki and Micah drop over it and SCURRY QUICKLY to an old DATSON B210 parked at the curb. Micah JUMPS into the passenger side. Niki unhooks the WIRE that's holding the driver's side door shut and climbs in. In a billow of EXHAUST SMOKE, the car lurches, then FISHTAILS down the street. We RISE UP as it disappears around the corner and -- SMASH CUT TO: INT. NIKI SANDERS' LIVING ROOM - SAME 9 WHAM! The front door SPLINTERS off its hinges! KICKED open. The WEASEL and the BIG GUY step into the room, taking it in. As they move off to search the place -~ FADE OUT: INT. BEDROOM -~ PENTHOUSE APARTMENT -~ DAY 10 And FADE IN on ETHAN (our guy with the flying dream) leaning against the headboard of a big bed, reading aloud from the New York Times stock page. A HEADLINE on the folded page facing us reads: "Skies Clear for Solar Eclipse". On the bed, next to Ethan, an OLD MAN, (83), thin, frail, lies dying, a breathing tube in his nose. Ethan is a hospice nurse, hence the uniform. warm and gentle soul, selfless, almost a saint. We're on the 31st floor of the stately old apartment that we saw earlier. A CHIRON says, "UPPER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN".

HEROES S VOLUME ONE 12/2/05 ETHAN (reading) "AmCor sold at 68 and a half. GenCom was down two to fifteen and an eighth." That's sounds like a bargain OLD MAN to me. (painful, barely audible) Money... Shit. The goddamn h it right. In the end it's on that matters. ETHAN I'd like to think so. OLD MAN I'm... (can't find the word) ETHAN Thirsty. Here. ippies had ly love He takes a glass of water from the night stand, tips it gently into the 0ld Man's mouth. He swallows painfully. OLD MAN How do you do that... know what I want before I say it? Ethan just smiles warmly at him. OLD MAN (CONT'D) I'm going to be dead soon. ETHAN (matter—of—fact) I know. OLD MAN I want to do it right. Make it worth something. ETHAN I think it's about letting go. OLD MAN I know. But how? ETHAN Look out the window there. See how beautiful it is today? He gestures to a large open window. the sunny breeze. Outside, a MAGNIFT Lace curtains billow in CENT MANHATTAN SKYLINE. 10.

11 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 ETHAN (CONT'D) There's freedom out there. Peace. No more pain, no more IV's. When you're ready, just let yourself go there. Let yourself... fly. OLD MAN Can you show me? Ethan looks at him, a little confused. OLD MAN (CONT'D) Can you show me how? Ethan stares at him, then nods. He stands and turns towards the window. Starts walking slowly towards it, picking up speed. And just as we think he's about to JUMP OUT -- STELLA (V.0.) How's he doing? SMASH CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM ~ PENTHOUSE APARTMENT - SAME Ethan WAKES, still on the bed, the New York Times resting on his chest. The 0ld Man next to him lies UNCONSCIOUS. Ethan looks up to see STELLA, (28), beautiful, bohemian, in a colorful cotton dress. She's the Old Man's daughter. STELLA I'm sorry, did I scare you? ETHAN No, it's just... I keep having these weird dreams every time I close my (re: the newspaper) He likes me to read him the stock page. STELLA Has he been conscious? ETHAN No. Been nine days now. I think he's close. Couple days maybe. stella nods, fighting her emotions. STELLA I don't know what he'd do without you, Ethan. You've got a real gift. ETHAN Just doing my job. i1. 11

12 HEROTES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 STELLA No, you're like a son to him. Ethan smiles, a little embarrassed -- ETHAN Then that would make us like brother and sister. Could be a little awkward if I ever wanted to ask you out, And now it's Stella who looks at him embarrassed. He was serious and they both realize it. He's got a crush on her. And why not? So do we. ETHAN (CONT'D) I'm sorry, that was really inappropriate. STELLA No, you're sweet. It's just... I'm kinda seeing somebody and-~ ETHAN Yeah, it's okay, really. (excusing himself) I've gotta change his IV... As he walks off, Stella sits next to her father. Ethan walks towards the WINDOW that he flew out of in his dream. CLOSED, CURTAINS DRAWN. BAs he stops and stares at it, the sight of it upsetting him -- INT. BOILER ROOM - SING SING PRISON - MORNING We're in REAL TIGHT on the FACE of D.L. HAWKINS, (31). A white man's nightmare, D.L. is a black man doing life in prison with nothing to lose and mean as hell. But right now, he's as peaceful as a baby -- sound ASLEEP on the floor. The CHIRON says, "SING SING PRISON, NEW YORK". 0.S. we hear DOGS BARKING and FOOTSTEPS approaching. Both are growing LOUDER. And as they become DEAFENING ~-- D.L.'s eyes SNAP open. HIS POV - (SIDEWAYS, GROUND ANGLE) Four ROTTWEILERS tug at their leashes pulling a posse of PRISON GUARDS, loaded for bear with SHOTGUNS and RIFLES. D.L. sits up guickly and scoots back on his hands to a wall. PRISON GUARD FREEZE! HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD! The dogs are taut on their leashes, inches away from ripping him apart, TEETH FLARING, DROOL FLYING. He's SCARED SHITLESS. 12. 12

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 PRISON GUARD (CONT'D) How did you get out of your cell?! D.L. just looks around, thoroughly confused. PRISON GUARD (CONT'D) How the fuck did you get out of your goddamn cell?! D.L. I don't... I don't know. And he's dead serious. He really has no idea. EXT. CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS - DAY CLOSE ON THE SMILING FACE OF HARRISON CAMBELL WIDEN to find this image is one of several CAMPAIGN POSTERS plastered on the window of a storefront campaign headquarters. Ethan heads towards the entrance, but stops as a WAVE OF PEOPLE head out, making their way towards two BLACK EXPEDITIONS parked at the curb. HARRISON CAMBELL, (34), Ethan's fraternal twin brother, dressed in an Armani suit, turns and sees Ethan. Where Ethan is a lost dreamer, Harrison is a golden boy. A star. A look of trepidation crosses his face and he hurries over to see Ethan. HARRISON I've got two speeches and a fund raiser. I'm late... ETHAN It happened two more times. And you were in both of them. HARRISON I can't do this, Ethan. Not now. ETHAN They're not just dreams, Harrison. They‘re too real. What if they're telling me something? HARRISON What are you talking about? Telling you what? ETHAN What if they're telling me I can fly? There. He said it. Harrison looks at him like he's nuts. 13. 13

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis"” 12/2/05 ' ETHAN (CONT'D) (suddenly desperate) When I got out of bed this morning, my foot hovered before it hit the floor for a split second. Like I was floating. It's so real I'm afraid to go to sleep. Barrison grabs him and pulls him against the wall. HARRISON You need to snap the fuck out of this, you understand?! Go see a doctor, get some drugs. Just don't go pulling a Roger Clinton on me. I've got ten days left and I'm two points down. ETHAN I know, I know. I'm sorry. It's just... I have a feeling you're the only one who understands this. HARRISON (pissed) Why?! Wwhy the hell would I understand that you think you can fly?! . ETHAN Because you're my twin brother! We shared a womb-- Harrison's cell phone RINGS, interrupting. He answers. HARRISON (to phone) Mom. I can't talk... What? Wwhere? be there in ten minutes. He hangs up. ETHAN What is it? What happened? HARRISON (stunned) Mom just got arrested. ETHAN Arrested for what? HARRISON Shoplifting. Off the two of them, what the hell? -- é

S 14 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 INT. LOFT - DAY A BUCKET of PAINT is tossed onto a PAINTING, destroying what is a brilliant PBOTO-REALIST image of a PLANE CRASHING into a BRIDGE. PULL BACK to meet ISAAC BOROLO, (28), a wiry, handsome, but strung~-out junkie. Black jeans, a "Being John Malkovitch" shirt, barefoot, with a five-day growth on his face. We're not sure what's going on with him, but he's frantic about something and having a REALLY BAD DAY. We're in a huge ARTIST'S LOFT with tin foil covering the large windows. Only tiny CRACKS of SUNLIGHT seep through. The CHIRON reads, "LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN". Isaac pulls another painting from a stack against the wall. Another photo-realist image - this one of a BUILDING BURNING. Isaac grabs the bucket of paint and rears back to toss it-- STELLA (O.S.) What the hell are you doing?! He stops and turns to see STELLA (the old dying man's daughter) standing in the doorway, sunlight silhouetting her, one hand leaning on the doorjamb. He fills the bucket up with more paint. She approaches. Pissed, confused -- STELLA (CONT'D) Are you high? ISAAC No. Yes, I don't know. He tosses paint on ANOTHER PAINTING. This one has the image of a TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN. STELLA Would you stop! What are you, crazy?! ISAAC Clearly. STELLA You're chasing, aren't you? He looks at her. Whatever that means, he's verified it with his silence. She moves to the destroyed paintings. Looks at them like they're dead kittens. STELLA (CONT'D) When did you do these? 15, 14

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 He doesn't answer. STELLA (CONT'D) These are fantastic. There's enough here for a show. I can call Arni, he can get you gallery space... ISAAC No! I can't. STELLA Why not?! ISAAC Because I don't even remember doing them. I can only paint when I'm high. STELLA It doesn't matter. We'll get you back into a program. It'll work this time. ISAAC They're evil. STELLA What are you talking about? He angrily crosses the paintings. Lifts one from the stack. Tt's big, five feet wide. A photo-realism image of THREE RACE HORSES crossing a finish line. ISAAC This horse? Name is Applejax. This is him winning the Santa Anita Derby in the sixth race. I painted it three weeks ago. stella stares at it, confused. STELLA Yeah? So? Isaac strides over to a table. Picks up a NEWSPAPER. Flips through it. a page right into her face. Stella stares, And now WE SEE the page. It's a PHOTOGRAPH in the Sports Section. It's the IDENTICAL IMAGE. ISAAC That's this morning's paper. The race was yesterday. Fucking yesterday! Stella just blinks, trying to process what he's getting at. STELLA But that's... 16.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 ISAAC Impossible? Apparently not. STELLA You telling me you can paint the future? Isaac doesn't answer. Just fills the bucket again. STELLA (CONT'D) It's just a coincidence. You were high. For all you know you could’ve painted it this morning. Isaac angrily pulls out another PAINTING from the stack. ISAAC No. This one I painted this morning! He spins it around for us to see. The image is of Stella STANDING IN THE DOORWAY wearing the same flowery dress. The EXACT IMAGE we first saw of her -- Sunlight silhouetting her from behind, one hand leaning on the doorjamb above her head. She stares at it, now a little freaked. ISAAC (CONT'D) Something's. Wrong. With me. STELLA (desperate) We'll get you help, Isaac. ISAAC I've tried that. Twice. There's only one way left. STELLA You can't do that. Not alone. I can help you. I love you. Please. ISAAC NO! 1I'll drag you down with me, I swear to God I will. Just leave me alone. (off her stare) Get out of here! NOW! Stella holds his gaze. What she gets for falling in love with a junkie. She nods and slowly backs away, turns and walks out. Isaac watches her. Then stares at the paintings. A moment of decision. He's got a plan and he's sticking to it. He crosses quickly to a desk. YANKS open a drawer and pulls out a ROLLED UP t-shirt. Unrolls it onto the desk. 17.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 Inside is FIX KIT - a SYRINGE, a SPOON, a BURNER, a BAG OF HEROIN. Another drawer YANKS open and he reaches in, pulls out a pair of HANDCUFFS. Strides to the middle of the room. Lays the fix kit down on the floor, opens it. He walks back to the wall, sits, crosses his legs. Takes ONE END of the handcuffs and SNAPS them onto his WRIST. Takes THE QTHER END and SNAPS it onto the RADIATOR. He stares at the heroin, ten feet away. So close, but now impossible to get to. Off his steely determination -- EXT. ROCK QUARRY - DAY we're looking at a SHAKY HOME VIDEC IMAGE of CLAIRE BENNET, (17), standing on the edge of a TWO HUNDRED FOOT CLIFF at a rock quarry, staring over the precipice. Claire has "girl- next—door" looks, and to complete the cliché, she's dressed in a CHEERLEADING OUTFIT. A CHIRON prints out across the screen -- "ODESSA, TEXAS". Claire's life up until now has been as ordinary as any kid in rural America. But right now it's anything but ordinary. Because at this moment, her arms outstretch and she leans forward and... steps off the ledge. Like she's flying. Except she's NOT flying. She's FALLING. And fast! We watch this horrible incident like a bad “shock video” TV moment. uUntil SPLAT! She hits the ground FULL FORCE. It's fucking awful. The CBMERA runs up to her, like assassination footage. We hear the LABORED BREATHING of whoever is shooting this video footage. The CAMERA stops and aims down at her BROKEN, TWISTED body. BLOOD on the rocks. A long beat, then Claire begins to STIR. Slowly. She POPS her dislocated leg BACK INTO ITS SOCKET. Her joints SQUISH and SNAP into place. Then she pries her bloody face off the rock and looks right INTO CAMERA -- CLAIRE This is Claire Bennet... and that was attempt number six. And off her placid expression -- FADE OUT: END OF ACT ONE

CHAPTER TWO I o o %\ “I'm Being Followed by a3 Moon Shadow”

16 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 19 ACT_TWO OVER BLACK: A TITLE CARD: CHAPTER TWO "I'm Being Followed By a Moonshadow" FADE IN: INT. YAMAGATO INDUSTRIES - 23RD FLOOR - DAY 16 CLOSE ON A CLOCK FACE that reads 1:47. The SWEEP HAND TICKS off the seconds rhythmically. Tick, tick, tick... ADJUST to see HIRO TANAKA, (24), staring at the clock intensely. He's two feet away from it, his stare practically pboring a hole into it. His face is actually shaking, he's concentrating so hard on it. WIDEN to find Hiro at his cluttered desk in a tiny OFFICE CUBICLE, the walls covered with JAPANESE ANIME CHARACTERS pinned to every surface. The CHIRON says, "TOKYO, JAPAN". Hiro is slight and nondescript in his short white sleeve shirt and black tie. A worker bee in sea of worker bees. However, Hiro has a hint of the nonconformist in him. A little "spike" to his hairstyle. His tie a little too thin. A small "punk" bracelet tucking out of his sleeve. We HOLD on him, as his fervent stare intensifies on the clock - eyes bulging, forehead sweating. And then... miraculously -- THE SWEEP HAND STOPS! QUIVERS and CLICKS ONE SECOND BACK - before resuming its normal forward rhythm. Hiro THRUSTS both fists into the air. HIRO BONSAT! He leaps out of his chair and lunges out of the cubicle. We TRACK WITH him as he SPRINTS down the long aisle, past what seems like a hundred other cubicles in this bee hive of workers. IN ANOTHER CUBICLE CLOSE ON A COMPUTER SCREEN A live VIDEO IMAGE of Niki (our webcam stripper) slipping into her tiny robe. She's on the SET in her garage.

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis” 12/2/05 (This is the VERY SRAME scene we saw earlier}). Niki walks past the camera, leaving just the image of the empty bed. Under which, we see the words, "Time's up" type out across the COMPUTER SCREEN, WIDEN to meet ANDO MASAHASHI, (28), a little more conservative looking than Hiro, and frankly a bit of a killjoy. Where Hiro's cubicle was a cluttered mess, Ando's is exemplary in its neatness. Ando types his response to Niki. "Just a little more. Please. I'm almost there." The CURSOR BLINKS, then Niki's response, "It'll cost you another 39 bucks...." stares at the BLINKING CURSOR, then types "BITCH!" Just then, Hiro SLIDES around a corner and into the cubicle. Ando gquickly hits a button on he keyboard - A SCREEN SAVER for "Star Wars - Revenge Of The Sith" takes over the screen. Hiro catches his breath for a beat, before -- (Their conversation is in Japanese - subtitled to English.) HIRO (CONT'D) I did it! I did it! [ (impatient) What now? HIRO I've broken the space/time continuum! ANDO (thoroughly uninterested) Good for you. HIRO My clock. I made it go back one second, using only my mind, my thoughts. ANDO Too bad you're not paid by the hour. You'd be onto something. HIRO I'm serious. This explains the subway this morning. ANDO ' It was fourteen seconds late. Big deal. HIRO (for the 10th time) That train is pever late.

17 18 HEROE 8 VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 21. ANDO (humoring him) Until you made it late... using only your mind. HIRO Yes. I have discovered powers beyond any mere mortal. ANDO Right. You and Spock. HIRO (finally, you get it) Yes. Like Spock. Exactly. Suddenly, Hiro is grabbed by the scruff of his shirt. his BOSS, who starts YELLING at him as he drags him away. We're not sure what he's yelling, but we can guess it has something to do with getting his ass back to work. Ando pokes his head out of his cubicle and watches with a smile as Hiro is dragged humiliatingly away -- ANDO (yelling after) uUse your 'death grip', Spock! The 'death grip'! off Ando, laughing at his friend -- INT. WAITING ROOM - PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - DAY 17 A PAIR OF TENNIS SHOED FEET swing nonchalantly. WIDEN to find Micah by himself in this sterile waiting room, bored. He looks up to see his mom, Niki, THROUGH THE GLASS WALL of the Principal’'s office. INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - SRME 18 Niki sits across the desk from PRINCIPAL KEARNS, a tweedy ex- hippie. Beard, corduroy jacket. Niki is pretty agitated, and this conversation isn't helping matters. KEARNS 1'd like to tell you it's only his test scores, but it's pervasive. NIKI He's just a little behind though, right? and she barely contains her desperation. Kearns just holds her gaze, not giving in. She lowers her voice --

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 In the b.g., Micah has noticed things heating up in here. Kearns NIKI (CONT'D) Look, I'm a single mom and I work nights a lot, but... he can work harder at it... we both can. KEARNS It's not just hard work, there are basic developmental issues at play here. I'm afraid he's just not a good fit here. NIKI (stunned) But... He's made friends. He's on the soccer team. KEARNS People pay a lot of money to send their children to this school... NIKI Yeah, well so do I! KEARNS They expect an academic standard that we simply cannot fall below. We don't have the resources to deal with your son's special-- NIKI I wrote a check for twenty five thousand dollars to get him into this snobfestl I was told that's what it took! Not to mention the fourteen grand a year for tuition! KEARNS And your donation was very appreciated. NIKI Well I want it back. just looks at her. NIKI (CONT'D) I want it back now. Preferably in cash. KEARNS That donation went into the capital campaign for the new wing. 1It's already been spent. NIKI Then un-spend it! 22.

19 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis"” 12/2/05 23. KEARNS I'm sorry. We can certainly discuss a partial refund of this year's tuition. Niki reaches across the desk and GRABS him by the collar, HOISTS him out of his seat. NIKI Fuck you, I want my money back! KEARNS That's... not possible. Niki, seething, shoves him back into his chair -- SMASH CUT TO: INT. WAITING ROOM - PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - SECONDS LATER 19 Kearn's office door FLIES open and Niki strides out. Kearns stands in the b.g. Niki grabs Micah by the hand. NIKI Come on, let's get outta here. (looking back at Kearns) You're too good for this lousy school. she pulls Micah towards the door, but passes a MIRROR along the way. She catches her REFLECTION in it. Stops. Looks at herself. Something about it pisses her off. She strides up to the mirror, stares. Then rears her hand back. And just as she's about to strike her palm into the glass - her REFLECTION SLIDES UP and OUT of the frame. WHAM! She SHATTERS the empty mirror with her palm. Then follows the trajectory of WHERE THE REFLECTION WENT. She stares up at the corner of the ceiling at something we CANNOT see. A long and strange beat, as everyone stares at her. MICAR (concerned) Mom? NIKI (at something unseen) LEAVE ME ALONE! Niki shields Micah behind her and backs away, opening the office door and rushing off with her son in tow. Off Kearns, what the hell was that all about --2?

20 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 24. EXT. OUTSIDE A 7-ELEVEN - DAY 20 We're in a West Texas suburban wasteland. We TILT DOWN off the 7-ELEVEN SIGN to find Claire, still in her cheerleading outfit, sitting on the curb next to ZOE, (16), a kind of artsy looking gawky kid holding a VIDEO CAMERA at her side while drinking a slurpee. Claire has her chin on her knees, staring out at nothing. She's completely cleaned up from her fall, looks normal. CLAIRE I am go depressed. ZOE Why? Claire turns and gives her one of those teenager looks. ZOE (CONT'D) Besides the fact that it was so gross I almost fudged myself, this is the single coolest thing to happen in this town in like a hundred years. CLAIRE Not if nobody finds out, it isn't. ZOE Then why'd you want me to tape it? CLAIRE 1 have my reasons. ZOE I still can‘t believe you asked me. You stopped talking to me in sixth grade. CLAIRE safer this way. Z0E Why, cuz I'm not popular and no one would believe me even if I did tell, which I won't? CLAIRE something like that. ZOE T mean, it's not like you're not going be popular anymore.

VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 CLAIRE {snaps) Popular?! Who's talking about popular?! My life as I know it, is over, ckay?! I've got the Bishop game next week, the SAT's in October, homecoming's three weeks from today, and I am a freak show! ZOE You're being a little dramatic, don't you think? CLAIRE No! I don't think. Look at me. I busted like every bone in my beody, stabbed myself in the chest, shoved a two foot steel rod through my neck and there's not a scratch on me. ZOE Then what do you call that? Zoe points down to Claire's leg. Claire looks down to see a bloody, horrific COMPOUND FRACTURE POKING through her SHIN. It's almost too gross and bloody to look at. CLAIRE (only slightly annoyed) Great... Claire reaches down and POPS the bone back into her flesh. It makes a SICKENING SOUND as it SNAPS into place. looks back up at Zoe -- CLATRE (CONT'D) Just give me the tape, okay? She holds out her hand, impatiently snaps her fingers. Zoe relents. Opens the camera, pulls out the tiny digital CASSETTE and hands it to her. Claire stands and starts to walk off, limping slightly. Zoe watches her. ZOE You don't want a ride? CLAIRE No. I'm just gonna walk. Then Claire stops. Turns and looks back at Zoe. Softens -- CLAIRE (CONT'D) Thanks, okay? I'll talk to you in front of people at school tomorrow. I promise.

21 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 nods. Behind them, a FIRE TRUCK roars past, SIREN blaring. Claire looks at it, watching it round the corner. as she walks off in its direction, her limp lessening with each stride -- INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - POLICE PRECINCT - DAY ALICE CAMBELL, (76), sits with her purse in her lap at a tiny interrogation table. Don't let her sweet appearance fool you, this is a formidable woman, in this incongruous setting. A UNIFORM COP lets Ethan and Harrison into the room then leaves. Alice looks up at them, shrugs sheepishly. HARRISON Mom, for God sakes... ETHAN Are you okay? ALICE They dropped the charges. I have to £ill out a form. It's no big deal. HARRISON No big deal?! Do you have any idea what this'll do to me if it gets out?! and what could you possibly need so badly that you had to steal it?! (then, disgusted) Nevermind! I don't even wanna know. ALICE Socks. HARRISON what?! Jesus! Dad left you a fortune. What were you thinking?! Are you sick? Delusional? ETHAN (snaps) Leave her alone! She's okay, that's all that matters. HARRISON Oh sure, our mom is a criminal, but thank God she's fine. Next thing we know she'll be telling us she's a crack whore. {starts pacing) I've gotta keep this outa the press. ETHAN You know what? Get outa here! Just go worry about your image! I'll handle this. 21

22 HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis” 12/2/05 HARRISON I'm gonna call the D.A.'S office, make sure this thing is buried. And Harrison strides out of the room, leaving Ethan and Alice to look at one another. ETHAN (sweetly) were you thinking, mom? ALICE I just wanted to feel alive again. off Ethan, nodding, he understands -- INT. HOLDING ROOM - SING SING PRISON - DAY CLOSE ON A TATTOO of a COCKROACH. We TILT OFF it to find this tattooc on D.L. Eawkins’® RIGHT ARM. He's sitting in the only chair in this cement room. Stares straight ahead. The WARDEN, an intense WOMAN in a SUIT paces in front of him, looking at a file. Two GUARDS stand nearby. WARDEN You're doing two consecutive life terms, Mr. Hawkins. Might as well be dog years. And since you're going to be here a while, it would be wise for us to build a little trust. p.L. says nothing. Just stares straight ahead. WARDEN (CONT'D) In 2002 we installed a pneumatic lock- down system. State of the art, four fail safe backups. Your cell was locked up tighter than a cat's butt last night. So I'm gonna ask you one more time How did you get out? D.L. just looks at her. She crosses and stands right in front of him, leans in close to his face. WARDEN (CONT'D) I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. D.L. (calmly) I told you, I just woke up there. The Warden sighs. Thinks a bit. 27. 22

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 WARDEN (to Guards) Transfer him to Unit 9. As the guards move towards D.L., another GUARD steps into the room and approaches the Warden -- WHISPERS in her ear. She locks up at D.L. as he's being led out the door. WARDEN (CONT'D) Mr. Hawkins. D.L. turns. WARDEN (CONT'D) Seems you have a phone call. Which for some reason I feel inclined to let you take. (then) Don't mistake this for a charitable gesture. I just happen to believe in the importance of family. and she walks away. Off D.L.'s confused eyes -- 23 EXT. PORCH -~ TEXAS TINA'S HOUSE - DAY A FINGER RINGS a DOORBELL and we WIDEN to find Niki standing with Micah at the front door of a small tract house. MICAH I hate it here. She doesn’'t even have aTv... NIKI I'1l be right back. I'm just gonna pack up some stuff and we'll leave tonight, go visit your dad-- MICAH Is someone trying to hurt us? Niki looks at him. EKneels to his eye level. NIKI I made some mistakes, I admit it. MICAH Like what? NIKI Nevermind. But you have to understand, I'd never let anything happen to you, I promise. MICAH Why'd you break that mirror, mom?

HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 A beat, as Niki tries to think of how to answer. Before she can, the door opens, revealing TEXAS TINA, a tough former show girl, a half dozen years older than Niki. She sizes them up. Knows exactly why they're here. TEXAS TINA How long? NIKI Couple hours, tops? TEXAS TINA (beat, to Micah) There's some ice-cream in the frige. Micah looks up at Niki for her approval. She nods and he rushes into the house, leaving Texas Tina and Niki staring at each other. TEXAS TINA (CONT'D) What happened? NIKI I needed money. I went to see Linderman. TEXAS TINA (shakes her head, disgusted) How much? NIKI Thirty. TEXAS TINA You gambling again? No. Just... bills and... Used the rest to get Micah into a private school. They wanted to hold him back another year at public school and... I just needed them to think we had the money. TEXAS TINA From a loan shark? Shit Niki, you weren't born yesterday. NIKI I'm two weeks overdue. I thought I could handle it... but... I'm under a lot of stress. TEXAS TINA Gee, I wonder why. NIKI I'm starting to lose it a little. (MORE)

o® HEROES VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 NIKI (CONT'D) (lowers her voice) I'm seeing things. TEXAS TINA Like? (suspicious) ike? Niki looks around, not sure how to say this. Then ~- NIKI I keep feeling like someone's watching me. TEXAS TINA No shit, Sherlock. The dude wants his money back. He's sent some mouth breather to put you in the hospital. NIKI It's not just them. It's someone else. Someone I can't see. Does that make any sense? Tina just looks at her, confused. TEXAS TINA No, not much. NIKI I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you-- TEXAS TINA But let me tell you what does makes sense. You have to come up with the thirty grand, plus interest, now. Or you gotta run. That's what makes sense. Off Niki's frightened stare, knowing what she has to do -- 24 EXT. BROWNSTONE STREET ~ UPPER EAST SIDE - DAY Ethan and his mom, Alice, stroll down the shady sidewalk. ETHAN He only cares about himself. ALICE Your father was the same way. Alpha dogs, both of them. You, in the meantime, for all your selflessness, sitting with dying people... You gonna retire on what you make? ETHAN Maybe I'll start shoplifting my socks. 30. 24

VOLUME ONE "Genesis” 12/2/05 ALICE pon't get smart. When you put everyone else first, you end up last. You always put Harrison first and he took advantage. ETHAN He's my brother. I love him. ALICE Love is overrated. ETHAN And he loves me too. I know it. We've always been so close. ALICE Rose colored glasses. ETHAN That's cruel. ALICE It's the truth. ETHAN We had our own language 'til we were five. ALICE Four. He stopped before you did. ETHAN It's biological. I can't help it. I've always had this intense connection with him. (stops, looks at her) I've never told you this... But when Harrison had the accident... I knew it. ALICE We all got the same call. ETHAN No. I mean I knew it before the call. Three hundred miles away, I woke up and I knew he'd been hurt. Alice just looks at him. ETHAN (CONT'D) I know it's not right to be so connected to him. I'm meant for something special of my own. But when? She stops and looks at him. There's something cold in her eyes.

VOLUME ONE "Genesis" 12/2/05 ALICE I'm your mother, and I love you. But the truth is, I gave up hope for you a long time ago. He just stares, crushed by these terrible words. She kisses him on the cheek and starts up the stairs of the brownstone. Ethan leans back against the railing of the steps. Closes his eyes. We IN on him and WHOOSH -- EXT. CANYONS OF NEW YORK CITY - DAY We're suddenly in another (SUBJECTIVE CAMERA) FLYING DREAM. s ING, SWOOP DIVING. Conner Oberst's (Bright Eyes) "Road to Joy" rises ONTC THE SOUNDTRACK, as we TUMBLE, TWIST and ROLL, We BANK and start to RISE above the skyscrapers, higher and higher until we reach -- THE SUN HOT and FIERY in a cloudless sky, slowly beginning to DARKEN on one edge. We realize we're watching the beginnings of a SOLAR ECLIPSE. And as the MUSIC continues —- FADE OUT AND INTO: EXT. ROOFTOP -~ YAMAGATO INDUSTRIES - DAY FROM HIGH ABOVE we're looking DOWN fifty OFFICE WORKERS doing CALISTHENICS in regimented unison. SIDE BENDS, DEEP KNEE BENDS, etc. It looks like a precision drill team. All but ONE LONE FIGURE, whom we PICK OUT among the masses. It's HIRO. He's just standing there in the middle of the pack, staring up at the ECLIPSE. As the moon's SHADOW creeps over the rooftop FADE OUT AND INTO: INT. LOFT - DAY FROM HIGH ANGLE looking down at Isaac, our junkie artist, lying on the floor, SHAKING violently. He looks awful, in full-blown WITHDRAWALS. A STREAK of LIGHT cuts across his face, seeping in through a crack in the tin-foil covered windows. That light suddenly DARKENS, and in a moment of lucidity, Isaac looks up and focuses on the SUN as it's being obscured by the MOON. We DRIFT OFF of him, and -- FADE OUT AND INTO: