Incubation

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

A petri-dish lays dormant upon a stainless steel desk.

From a pipette, a fluid is squeezed onto the surface of the dish.

The dish is lifted and manoeuvred to beneath a microscope.

Adjustments are made to the focus of the microscope and ANANKE peers into its scopes.

She sees cells in the fluid as they undergo the process of mitosis.

Carefully, she retrieves the petri-dish and pours its contents into a specially designed test-tube.

The test-tube is then placed into a holder, aside nine others.

The ten test tubes are then carefully carried to a special chamber, appearing very much like a refrigerator.

They are placed upon a shelf in the unit alongside several other rows of liquid-containing test tubes.

ANANKE closes the refrigerator unit's door.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

ANANKE opens the refrigerator unit's door and retrieves a collection of test tubes.

She places the test tubes and their rack upon a steel desk.

One by one, a pipe is placed into each of the test tubes, meeting with the liquid within them.

A button is pressed.

The contents of a test tube are drained and transported to a machine, designed to incubate the fluid.

This happens in turn for the rest of the test tubes, as the next button is pressed sequentially along its row.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - DIM FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

Within one chamber of the incubating machine, a form can be seen to be growing.

It is growing, this action accelerated, from invisibly microscopic.

At first, no form can be determined.

Soon, stumps have formed and an entity with four limbs begins to take shape.

It grows to resemble a human foetus and continues to take shape in this vein.

Altogether, there appear to be twenty-two active chambers with another three unlit, inactive.

Each chamber glows and contains a rapidly growing life-form, each a human baby.

This is except for one chamber which appears to contain conjoined twins.

The chamber containing conjoined twins is seen in detail.

The twins within grow, with time still rapidly increased, and become more separate with time.

The two life-forms ultimately separate into independent units.

Their forms grow around one another in the chamber as they become full-sized babies, struggling for space.

In other units, the respective life-forms comfortably grow to be full-sized babies.

The passage of time is slowed, not quite returned to normal as the lights are turned on.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

A group of technicians now, ANANKE among them, approach each of the chambers in turn.

Their motion is accelerated as they remove the babies from their chambers.

Each baby is then moved to a larger chamber, one which a fully grown adult might fit comfortably within.

The twins are separated so that twenty-three incubation chambers are occupied in total.

Each infant has a series of wires connected to it as it lays in the base of a chamber.

These incubation chambers are then closed and sealed.

The technicians, and ANANKE, leave the lab as the lower area of each chamber is partially filled with liquid.

The lights are switched off.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - DIM FLUORESCENT LIGHTING

Time is accelerated once more as each infant grows at the base of its respective incubation chamber.

They become toddlers as we focus on details of their growth.

Fingers become less stubby, elongating with development.

Arms lengthen.

Legs lengthen.

Facial features become defined.

Eyelashes grow out of eyelids.

Eyebrows grow above the eyes.

Toenails appear trimmed and then grow rapidly, then appear trimmed again as we see the foot lengthen and widen.

Hair on heads grows, then appears cut, grows again and then appears cut again as the faces it frames grow and change.

In each chamber, postpubertal forms now stand and grow taller.

As the acceleration of time slows, all are adults with their heads shaved.

Their hair grows, but not by much before...

One of the men inside one of the chambers wakes up.

This man is ZAGREUS.

INT. ZAGREUS' INCUBATION CHAMBER - DEEP BLUE LIGHT

We look from roughly ZAGREUS' perspective, turning across the window and searching the outside room.

Out there, there are several strange, blurred chambers, each seeming to contain a bipedal life-form.

Inside this chamber, the echo of ZAGREUS' breathing can be heard rapidly increasing.

ZAGREUS leans forward and we see his reflection form in the glass in front of him.

His face comes to meet the reflection with a shocked expression and with his breathing quickly fogging the glass.

His reflection becomes obscured due to condensation.

ZAGREUS raises a limp wrist to the chamber door, looking down to his own limbs with the same look of panic and confusion.

A sudden hiss is heard and ZAGREUS flinches wildly within his chamber.

The next moment comes and the chamber door is taken away from him.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - DIM INCANDESCENT LIGHTING

ZAGREUS falls violently out from his chamber.

His form collapses to the floor, limp and in slow writhing.

The expression of panic on ZAGREUS' face turns to a great childlike misery.

He whimpers at first.

And then ZAGREUS cries as though a baby.

A hiss is heard from across the room.

And then another hiss, closer.

And another.

Mechanical whirrings sound as chamber doors open.

ZAGREUS is weeping, his head motioning with his eyes trying to lift his vision to see and failing.

Bodies can be heard falling to the floor, smacking against the cold steel grates.

More whimpers and crying occurs from around the room as more hisses sound to signal the opening of yet more chambers.

ZAGREUS attempts to move his form to see.

He raises a limp arm and forces his wrist against the floor but is unable to push himself up.

He rolls back into his collapsing arm and continues to whimper, and cry more loudly.

From above, we can see the assortment of men and women now lying naked, faces toward the floors.

Their bodies writhe weakly as they cry.

A final chamber hisses and then whirs open.

A female form, HARMONIA, falls out and is motionless against the ground.

In total, seven forms are motionless; the males, EPAPHUS, LATINUS, ARGUS and PELASGUS, the females, HARMONIA, HEROPHILE and ALAGONIA.

Sixteen forms remain alive and writhe upon the ground, weeping. They are the males, ZAGREUS, APOLLO, ORION, HERMES, HEPHAESTUS, twins AMPHION and ZETHUS, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON, LOCRUS and GRACEUS, and the females, ARTEMIS, ATHENA, MELINOE, THEBE and KEROESSA.

Each of the sixteen living forms writhes upon the floor and cries as though a baby, but can do nothing more.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

ZAGREUS is lay upon the ground, his eyes closed with eye-lids fluttering.

His face shows discomfort despite the rest.

Around the laboratory, whimpers and whines can still be heard.

APOLLO is collapsed near to a wall.

He raises an arm up and clutches at a lab coat hung from the wall.

Clumsily, APOLLO pulls himself up onto his knees and forces his arms to lock and hold himself upright.

He looks around the room, an expression of terrible fear upon his face, his eyes red from crying.

Near to APOLLO is a woman who looks familiar to him.

This woman is ARTEMIS, his sister.

He looks to her and she looks back at him, each struck with fear and sadness.

APOLLO crawls to ARTEMIS.

She quakes, shivering with fear at his approach.

He rests his hand on her face and caresses it somewhat violently.

At this, ARTEMIS flinches and struggles to turn her head away.

APOLLO takes back his hand, apologetically.

He rests into himself, perching uncomfortably, and begins to cry.

His cry wails loudly within the laboratory.

ZAGREUS' eyes open, startled from his slumber.

He turns his face toward APOLLO and stares, then beginning to cry himself.

Crying, and seeing that APOLLO is sat up, ZAGREUS attempts to lift himself and mimic the position of APOLLO.

He forces his body up with his arms and attempts to drag his legs under himself.

Failing, he collapses.

But he tries again, this time succeeding in holding himself up long enough to sit perched on his legs.

He shows an expression of great pain while managing this.

Then the expression of pain recedes back into his whimpered cry.

He looks to APOLLO and wails loudly.

APOLLO is startled from his own wailing, and it is diminished into just a whimper.

He looks to ZAGREUS.

ZAGREUS looks back at APOLLO as they each keep from crying.

They recognise accomplishment in one another and feel pride enough to refrain from further wailing.

ZAGREUS bows his head, choking on his prevented tears.

He examines his own body; the arms which hold him up and the legs which he places himself upon to sit.

He looks to his own sister, MELINOE, who faces away from him, and to HEPHAESTUS who lays toward his other side and looks toward him.

ZAGREUS crawls to HEPHAESTUS as HEPHAESTUS looks toward him, whimpering.

ZAGREUS then takes his hand and places it on HEPHAESTUS' arm.

He shifts HEPHAESTUS' arm, attempting to match the position of his own which still supports himself.

HEPHAESTUS understands and takes ZAGREUS' lead.

He helps to shift his own arms below himself.

Then he takes it upon himself to push the weight of his torso upwards.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

APOLLO and ARTEMIS are sat facing one another.

Their tear ducts are long dried up but grief still falls upon their faces.

ARTEMIS is softly examining APOLLO's face with her hand as he rests with his own hand on her shoulder.

He examines the space around them, the room and others in it.

ARTEMIS moves her hand down APOLLO's face and neck, and finds a branding below his left collar-bone.

She pressures the branding, rubbing her fingers into the word - “APOLLO”.

APOLLO looks down to his collar-bone, where ARTEMIS is applying pressure.

He removes his own hand from her shoulder and brings it to his branding.

Then he looks back to ARTEMIS, to her collar bone, and raises his hand to where she is branded.

He gently strokes the word written on her - “ARTEMIS”.

Across the room, HEPHAESTUS is helping the twins, AMPHION and ZETHUS, to get themselves upright.

HEPHAESTUS pays note to the fact that AMPHION and ZETHUS are identical, looking back from one to the other with a curiosity forming from behind his grief.

He looks to others in the room who are not identical, and back to the twins as he helps them to sit upright.

ZAGREUS also is helping others to sit upright.

Having tended to HERMES, he sees ATHENA managing to get herself aloft but crawls to her in offering of his service.

Behind ZAGREUS, MELINOE is sat looking away from the living men and women now finding their way upright.

She is instead looking toward the dead with a look of sombre contemplation on her face.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

All of the living individuals are now sat upright in various positions of discomfort.

They are each examining their surroundings and one another.

Every one of them is branded with their name. Respectively, APOLLO, ARTEMIS, ZAGREUS, MELINOE, ORION, HERMES, ATHENA, HEPHAESTUS, THEBE, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON, LOCRUS and GRACEUS.

ATHENA has dragged herself to the side of the room.

She uses the wall as a means to pull herself upwards, but falls clumsily back down onto her legs.

APOLLO watches as she attempts it again.

HEPHAESTUS too is watching but then looks to APOLLO.

APOLLO turns his glance quickly toward HEPHAESTUS, as though startled by motion in the corner of his vision.

HEPHAESTUS looks beyond APOLLO, to the lab coats hung behind him.

APOLLO turns his head and eyes, looking for what HEPHAESTUS is seeing.

He examines the air in front of his face as he does so, as though that might be it but ultimately finds the lab coats.

He turns back to HEPHAESTUS and then looks back to ATHENA.

ATHENA now, has stood herself on two feet with her hands supporting her against the wall.

APOLLO turns back to the lab coats and crawls toward them.

He clutches at one and pulls at it to lift himself upwards.

HEPHAESTUS watches as APOLLO fails to find his feet and flounders at the side of the room.

He begins crawling to APOLLO.

ARTEMIS watches attentively as her brother flounders at the lab coats.

ORION also looks on, shifting himself forward instinctively as though ready to attempt the same - but stopping, unconscious of his will to do so.

HEPHAESTUS meets with the now breathless and collapsed APOLLO, who is beginning to well up toward crying.

HEPHAESTUS places a hand on APOLLO's shoulder.

APOLLO halts from crying and looks to HEPHAESTUS.

HEPHAESTUS then uses APOLLO as a crutch and, also clutching at a lab-coat, hoists himself upwards.

He plants his hand against the wall as he does so and finds his feet.

APOLLO looks up to HEPHAESTUS and HEPHAESTUS looks back down to him.

Clutching now back at the lab-coat, HEPHAESTUS lowers his arm to APOLLO.

APOLLO grabs at it and HEPHAESTUS helps to lift APOLLO as APOLLO himself climbs HEPHAESTUS' arm and comes to rest upon his shoulder and against the wall.

The two are ecstatic, almost laughing to the point of tears but being unable for their glands being exhausted.

Their bodies spasm as they try to comprehend the joy and each must grasp the row of lab-coats and one another in order to prevent from falling.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

ZAGREUS crawls across the room, headed toward where APOLLO is knelt and HEPHAESTUS still stands against the wall.

As he does so, ORION watches.

ZAGREUS passes ORION by as ORION follows him with his eyes.

Finally, ZAGREUS reaches APOLLO.

He places his hand on APOLLO's shoulder and begins thrusting himself upward.

APOLLO shifts under ZAGREUS' weight and ZAGREUS collapses.

HEPHAESTUS extends his arm to ZAGREUS.

ZAGREUS takes it and HEPHAESTUS pulls him upwards as APOLLO now does his best to push ZAGREUS upright.

ORION, having watched all of this, is crawling towards them.

He arrives at APOLLO and APOLLO prepares himself to help push ORION upwards.

HEPHAESTUS takes ORION's arm and lifts him.

APOLLO watches as ZAGREUS, HEPHAESTUS and ORION clutch lab-coats and coat-hooks to keep themselves stood upright.

He turns to see ARTEMIS, his sister.

She has began to crawl towards them.

Seeing this, APOLLO raises his arm upwards and clutches at one of the lab-coats.

He hoists himself upright as ORION reaches under his shoulder and helps to pull him up.

Now stood, APOLLO holds onto a lab-coat and looks down towards ARTEMIS.

He reaches his arm down towards her.

She looks up, her eyes smiling but her mouth not knowing how.

She reaches for APOLLO's forearm and clutches at it.

APOLLO begins heaving her to her feat.

ORION too offers his assistance, placing his arm around ARTEMIS to support her as she stands.

Finally standing, she clutches the wall to keep herself up.

ORION gently strokes his hand up her back, releasing the support she no longer needs.

As his hand caresses upwards to her neck, he looks at ARTEMIS with contemplation.

She glances toward him with confusion then looks to her brother, APOLLO.

She removes one hand from the wall and rests her arm on APOLLO's shoulder.

His mouth cracks to form a primitive smile and he raises one hand to her face, to stroke her with affirmation for her accomplishment.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - LATER

Across the room from ZAGREUS, APOLLO, ORION, HEPHAESTUS and ARTEMIS, ATHENA is still stood against the wall.

ATHENA has helped THEBE, LOCRUS and AMPHION to stand and they support themselves clumsily along the wall beside her.

As ATHENA looks across the room to HEPHAESTUS and the others, AMPHION is helping his twin brother ZETHUS to stand.

As AMPHION hoists ZETHUS upwards, ATHENA steps forwards.

She collapses downwards to the floor but catches herself in as controlled a form as she can.

She rests on her hands and feet in a squat-like position.

From this position, she steps and hops clumsily across the room toward HEPHAESTUS, ZAGREUS and those others still standing by the door and lab-coats.

ZAGREUS turns his gaze from ATHENA toward MELINOE, his sister.

He too now collapses from the wall and squats.

He hops toward MELINOE, who is examining the lifeless forms of ALAGONIA and HARMONIA.

ATHENA arrives at the doorway next to HEPHAESTUS.

She raises her hand up it and presses, collecting her weight and standing.

Standing with her weight against the door, she looks into a window in it and catches sight of her reflection.

ATHENA leans in to look at her reflection and raises a hand to the glass in greeting it.

But it is cold, and a shock to her that this other person doesn't feel warm like others.

She rests her hand there as condensation fogs the glass around it.

ATHENA loses sight of the girl, her reflection, and begins to examine the rest of the door and the surrounding features.

HEPHAESTUS watches her examine the door.

ORION too watches, from his position sat on the floor by HEPHAESTUS' feet.

ARTEMIS sits next to him, with her brother APOLLO still stood beside her.

ARTEMIS looks out to ZAGREUS who attentively sits by his own sister, MELINOE.

MELINOE still shows no interest in the living and continues examining the corpse of HARMONIA.

APOLLO clutches at a lab-coat and looks down to his sister, then out to ZAGREUS and MELINOE.

He sees that ARTEMIS is clutching her legs with her arms and shivering, then looks back to the lab-coat he still clutches to keep himself stood.

Instead, he moves his hands to hold a coat-hook and tugs the lab-coat violently in a bid to remove it from the wall.

It comes loose, a key-card flying from its pocket as it manages to do so.

APOLLO pays little attention to this, but HEPHAESTUS notes it and drops to reach for it.

Ignoring this, APOLLO crouches to his sister and drapes the coat around her.

ARTEMIS looks to him as he does so and leans toward him.

She clutches the coat tightly around her and leans into APOLLO who collapses against the wall with her weight against him.

But he accepts this and sits, manoeuvring his arm to support her.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - CONTINUOUS

HEPHAESTUS examines the key-card in his hands as APOLLO, behind him, turns between him and ATHENA.

APOLLO merely watches as ATHENA and HEPHAESTUS examine their respective objects.

ATHENA continues to examine the door, having found its most curious feature - a colour-coded key-card scanner.

She admires the bright green colour of it, having seen nothing like it in the rest of the room.

HEPHAESTUS too examines the green colour of the key-card in his hands.

ATHENA soon gives up on the door and turns from it.

She slumps down against it, defeated and beginning to quiver with tears that could surface at any moment.

But she catches sight of the key-card in HEPHAESTUS' hands.

ATHENA ceases quivering. She leans forward suddenly in surprise.

She looks from the key-card back to the key-card scanner.

ATHENA squats upright and then hops toward HEPHAESTUS.

She reaches to his hands and snatches the key-card from him.

HEPHAESTUS screeches at her possessively as she takes it.

She shows no concern and hops back toward the door.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - CONTINUOUS

MELINOE now has reached the height of her curiosity with the dead.

Rather than continue to caress the back of HARMONIA, she reaches beneath her shoulder and attempts to lift the corpse.

She is gentle and respectful as she does so, but ZAGREUS takes shock at this.

ZAGREUS moves quickly, spasming forward as though ready to attempt to stop her.

He holds himself back, merely reaching out, confused at what his muscles would like him to do.

MELINOE finally rolls HARMONIA into a position where the blood discoloured front of her corpse can be witnessed.

ZAGREUS reaches to MELINOE's shoulder as though to try and pull her away.

But MELINOE only leans in closer to the body.

She caresses HARMONIA's face and neck, then strokes her shoulder and finds her name-branding on the collar-bone.

MELINOE presses and rubs the name on HARMONIA's collar bone, noting the strange shapes of symbols there - “HARMONIA”.

There is a click and a swish from across the room.

ZAGREUS turns quickly to look and sees that ATHENA has now gotten the door open.

INT. GENETIC LABORATORY - CONTINUOUS

ATHENA presses the key-card to the key-card scanner as the door slides open.

She is curious and, clutching the key-card in hand, steps partially through the door to examine the corridor beyond.

HEPHAESTUS too is now curious, no longer angry at ATHENA.

He approaches the door and lifts himself up against the wall to look through it.

All around the room, others now look toward the door and begin to move towards it.

ORION hoists himself up against the wall.

ARTEMIS, who was beside him looks up and leans forward from her brother's shoulder to look through the door.

APOLLO, freed from her weight, leans forward to look as well.

ZAGREUS is looking longingly outward at the door and begins to move forward.

He halts and looks behind him.

MELINOE still only has interest for the dead.

She continues to stroke the name on HARMONIA's collar-bone, “HARMONIA”.

ZAGREUS moves to MELINOE and clutches her shoulder.

He tugs at her, insistently, and she turns to him.

He moves his hand down her shoulder, to her arm and clutches it to tug her toward the door.

She is reluctant, casting a glance back to the lifeless body of HARMONIA.

ZAGREUS sits in wait, as MELINOE returns her hands to HARMONIA.

She manoeuvres the corpse back to its original position so that HARMONIA is left face-down against the floor.

Then MELINOE accompanies her brother.

She follows as he leads them towards the door.

Others around them do the same, and the group of living people file out of the laboratory.

EXT. LAB EXIT, THE FOREST - DAY

A door slides open on a small structure which appears to lead underground.

Out from it, ATHENA is the first to hop onto the worn dirt at the exit.

She halts, feeling the dirt in her fingertips.

ZAGREUS follows her out of the structure, followed by HEPHAESTUS then ORION.

APOLLO and ARTEMIS are next out, moving in close proximity to one another as he tends his interest to her; her own interest is in looking upward.

Trees extend high into the bright white above them, a light which shines in a long line straight across the sky. From this, a bright blue extends downwards towards the two horizons either side of the streak of light; its bright blue diminishing into a deep, dark navy colour into the distances.

ATHENA leans toward the ground and sniffs it; she continues to sniff it as if there is some greatly invigorating scent coming from the dirt.

She licks the ground, then swirls it in her mouth a second before spitting.

HEPHAESTUS meanwhile has made his way to the grass.

He hears ATHENA spit and turns to see her. Then he turns back to the grass and picks some; he places it in his mouth.

Holding his fingers to his mouth as he chews, he continues to search the grass with his eyes then finds a tree extending from the ground.

He hops towards it, places one hand against it then leans in to the tree.

HEPHAESTUS licks the tree, then recoils from its taste and texture.

ZAGREUS moves beyond HEPHAESTUS, into the trees. He looks into the forest, contemplative of the surroundings.

Far in the distance, there is darkness, but the trees remain lightly packed enough to let through a generous helping of light nearby. Still, they are dense enough to conceal hidden threats.

As APOLLO and ARTEMIS make their way toward the grass where HEPHAESTUS continues to sample the flavours of grass and flowers, APOLLO halts.

ARTEMIS continues and stops at the grass, crouching to sniff it.

APOLLO remains still, thrusting himself somewhat upright and looking towards a line of trees and bushes.

There is a rustling from beyond the bushes.

ORION too now looks toward the bushes with APOLLO, and ARTEMIS raises herself from the grass to look.

A sheep suddenly darts out from the bushes and bounds through the opening.

It halts as it is startled by the group.

ORION leans forward as though to begin a motion toward the sheep.

But quickly the sheep bounds away again, darting through the group and back into the trees.

There is a growl from beyond the bushes and a rustling once more.

Then a dog, of a sheep herding breed but now wild, emerges quickly and on the hunt.

It dashes through the group and leaps at ARTEMIS.

She is toppled to the ground.

Many of the group quickly start to hop away into the trees, many finding themselves able to run upright clumsily.

HERMES is the quickest into the trees and bounds with some show of talent for running, though supporting himself clumsily with tree branches.

MELINOE remains and watches from near the laboratory exit hatch, her expressions attentive; she leans toward the action and reaches out a concerned hand though she is far away.

ZAGREUS, ORION and APOLLO also remain.

ZAGREUS merely watches from the tree-line, while ORION is quick to bound towards ARTEMIS and the dog.

APOLLO follows quickly after ORION.

ORION leaps at the dog and throws it off ARTEMIS.

He pins it to the ground with the weight of his body, as it snaps and snarls at him.

Instinctively, he raises his hand into the air and begins slapping his palm down against the dog.

With every succession, his hand resembles a fist more and more and ORION continues to beat the dog.

APOLLO approaches ARTEMIS and helps her back upright.

She clutches at him with white-knuckled, strong, panicked grasps.

APOLLO clumsily tries to get between her grasps and pull her towards the treeline.

She is difficult to calm and to move.

Instead, APOLLO wraps his arms around her and sits with her on the floor, hugging her tightly.

As ORION beats the dog, it has since stopped moving.

ZAGREUS moves toward him, calmly and slowly.

He places his hand on ORION's shoulder and tugs him to indicate motion toward the trees, to follow the others.

ORION calms and stops beating the dog.

He looks to ZAGREUS, to the treeline, and then to ARTEMIS and APOLLO.

He leaves ZAGREUS' grasp to move toward ARTEMIS and APOLLO.

Gently he greets ARTEMIS by raising his hand to her face.

ZAGREUS looks toward MELINOE, as she moves toward him and the dead, beaten dog.

She rests beside him and looks at the dog, motionless.

Her face turns contemplative and she looks back toward ORION, who is now examining his own hand for the blood and saliva which covers it.

She looks back to the dog but catches sight of ZAGREUS extending his arm to her.

He grasps her shoulder and tugs it in the direction of the treeline.

She looks to it, indicating her understanding, then lets her brother set out first and follows him.

As they leave, ZAGREUS looks back to ORION.

ORION looks to ZAGREUS, then to APOLLO and ARTEMIS.

He puts one hand to APOLLO's shoulder then raises his other arm in the direction of the treeline.

APOLLO looks to it and understands.

He hugs ARTEMIS more tightly, grazing his face against her cheek, then lets her loose so that they each can move to leave.

ORION sets out to follow MELINOE and ZAGREUS.

ARTEMIS watches, then looks to APOLLO, then to the treeline.

She sets out in following ORION, her brother at her side.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

HERMES darts out of the trees, and stumbles to the ground having no more branches to support his upright run.

He hits it, hard, and groans loudly.

Manoeuvring his arms slowly, he presses down against the earth and pushes his torso upwards.

He looks out ahead of himself and sees the farmhouse.

The farmhouse appears as a strange combination of rustic and ultramodern; partially constructed of wood, particularly in its frame, yet with a lot of steel and polymers apparent in its structure.

HERMES clambers into an upright squat and admires the farmhouse.

He looks behind himself, back into the forest; there is no sign of danger anymore.

He moves forward toward the farmhouse, walking across the ground on all fours.

As he reaches a fence, he uses it to hoist himself into a standing position then looks back into the forest.

He can see others still trying to dash away from the dog that had chased them.

HERMES yells to them.

KEROESSA is first to emerge from the forest, and to hear HERMES' cry.

She halts and looks at him, then continues to make motion towards him more calmly as the twins AMPHION and ZETHUS emerge tentatively from the trees behind her.

The twins remain flustered, staring back over their shoulders in case of danger, but follow KEROESSA toward HERMES.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

ZAGREUS emerges from the trees, followed by ORION and MELINOE.

He is bewildered by the farmhouse but carries on towards it.

ORION too is bewildered, staring around at the clearing the farmhouse finds itself placed within.

MELINOE appears the least interested, only passively observing her surroundings.

APOLLO and ARTEMIS soon follow them out of the trees.

ARTEMIS continues onwards, staring attentively at the surroundings and the farmhouse.

APOLLO stops and uses a tree to hold himself upright.

He looks with perplexed admiration at the farmhouse.

As he stares at it, he returns to his crouched position and first sets off slowly towards it, then looks to ARTEMIS.

He quickens to catch up to her.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

APOLLO, ARTEMIS, ORION, ZAGREUS, MELINOE, HELLEN and GRACEUS remain outside the farmhouse.

APOLLO is admiring nearby fields, with ARTEMIS sat by his side.

She rises from her sitting and moves toward the farmhouse.

APOLLO watches her go briefly but turns back to the fields and looks out at the expanse of land.

ORION, having been examining a disused object of technology, looks to ARTEMIS as she heads toward the farmhouse.

She arrives at the door and enters it.

ZAGREUS, who was near to the door, watches her enter and follows her inside.

MELINOE remains sat against the wall outside.

ORION too makes his way toward the farmhouse, HELLEN and GRACEUS choosing to follow him.

APOLLO casts his gaze away from the fields and up towards the sky.

It remains blue with a strong streak of white down its middle, but a moment later rain begins to fall.

APOLLO attempts to stand upwards into the rain.

He opens his mouth and lets droplets hit his tongue as the rain falls heavier.

The rain falls more and more heavily as APOLLO drinks it in.

The sky barely changes, but is ablaze with colour as the light is refracted in the rain.

APOLLO shakes himself, trying to shed the rainwater, but it persists in falling.

He tentatively puts himself in position to move indoors, but waits.

Looking up at the colours which dance across the sky, he moves slowly.

MELINOE nervously peers out from beneath the farmhouse's awning.

As APOLLO passes, he puts his hand on her arm and tugs.

She looks up to him, then collects herself.

The pair then quickly move inside and close the door behind them.

Then onwards, the only motion or sound of the outside is of the rain and the colours which dance across the sky above.

Water cascades down the roof, the wall and the windows of the little farmhouse.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY, SOMETIME MUCH LATER

Water drips from the awning of the farmhouse into a filled bucket below.

A shadow is cast over the bucket as two hands reach for its rim.

MELINOE lifts the bucket of water.

She walks back to the front door of the farmhouse as we see that she is now basically clothed, with a non-fitting, open jacket and some trousers, precariously tied up at her waist.

APOLLO exits the front door of the farmhouse and greets MELINOE by gently stroking her face.

She smiles at his greeting.

APOLLO steps aside and allows MELINOE to enter the farmhouse.

He walks out into the open, with a strange stride as though unconfident still that his feet could support his body.

He stares towards the fields then across the forest.

ORION emerges from the forest with a freshly killed dog draped over his shoulders.

APOLLO turns and walks to where the remains of a previous dog are hung over the ashes of a dead fire.

He tears a piece of the dogs flesh away with his hands, then takes it to his mouth and eats it.

He looks back to ORION at the edge of the forest and sees his sister, ARTEMIS, following the huntsman.

APOLLO strides towards them.

ARTEMIS picks up her pace and overtakes ORION to meet her brother.

As she greets him, she strokes his face and he strokes hers.

Then she walks beyond APOLLO to the carcass of the previous dog and collects some meat for herself.

APOLLO greets ORION in the same way with which he had greeted his sister, by caressing ORION's face gently.

ORION swings the fresh kill from off his shoulders and presents it to APOLLO.

APOLLO collects the dog from ORION and ORION caresses his face.

APOLLO turns away from ORION and carries the dog toward the carcass of the last meal, and to ARTEMIS still standing by it.

From the edge of the fields, ZAGREUS has been watching the actions of his fellowmen.

He sees ORION moving towards him.

But then he turns back and looks out across the fields.

He longs for journey outside of their established territory.

ORION arrives alongside ZAGREUS and signifies his presence.

ORION places one hand on ZAGREUS' shoulder, precariously held to meet with the flesh of his neck; rather than merely the fabric of his clothing.

ZAGREUS raises his arm and gestures out over the fields.

He looks to ORION.

ORION seems not to understand.

ZAGREUS raises both his arms and gestures, waving his arms outwards repeatedly.

ORION watches then looks into ZAGREUS' face.

He then looks back out across the fields and takes a step forward.

ZAGREUS clutches at ORION's arm and draws him back.

He steps in front of ORION and gestures.

First he thrusts his hands into ORION's chest, then at his own chest and then toward the farmhouse.

ORION turns toward the farmhouse.

He looks back to ZAGREUS and places one hand on his shoulder.

Then he raises his other hand and gently caresses ZAGREUS' face.

The two turn back to the farmhouse and walk to return to it.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

The group sit around the crackling embers of a fire beneath the cooking torso of a dog.

ZAGREUS and ORION are the centre of attention as they tell gestures of their want to go exploring.

ZAGREUS takes lead, gesturing to himself and then thrusting his arms away into the distance.

APOLLO appears concerned.

APOLLO raises his arm as ZAGREUS stops to look at him.

APOLLO then lowers his hand to the ground and pats it, gesturing his wish to stay.

ARTEMIS is sat beside him and views his motions understandingly, but with contemplation of her own.

It is ATHENA who first stands and approaches ZAGREUS.

She steps to him then raises her hand to his face and strokes it gently, finally resting her hand on his shoulder.

She turns back to the rest of the group but remains standing with ZAGREUS and ORION.

LACEDAEMON then stands, and HELLEN beside him watches.

LACEDAEMON approaches ZAGREUS and strokes his face.

HELLEN then stands too.

He is tentative for a moment then approaches ZAGREUS and does the same.

ZAGREUS strokes his face in reciprocation, now elating in the support.

ARTEMIS then stands, her brother APOLLO looking up to her with muzzled shock.

She extends her arm to him invitingly.

APOLLO lowers his hand to the ground and pats it once more, then looks up to ARTEMIS pleadingly.

ARTEMIS bows her head to the ground, then swallows her fear and turns to ZAGREUS.

She caresses ZAGREUS' face and then ORION's as she stands between them.

APOLLO jumps up into a squat and then moves away from the group, quicker for being on all-fours.

ARTEMIS watches, then follows; slower as she walks.

APOLLO rests himself against the farmhouse then sees ARTEMIS coming to join him.

She sits against the farmhouse beside him.

He gestures to the ground, patting it.

She shows no will to change her mind and thumps her bosom before gesturing outwards toward the fields.

APOLLO bows his head, defeated.

ARTEMIS puts a hand to his face and strokes it.

He raises his head and she smiles at him as he does so.

Then she rests her head against his shoulder.

He raises his arm to put it around her, and holds her in an embrace.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

ZAGREUS, ORION, ARTEMIS, ATHENA, HERMES, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS stand toward the expanse of open field behind themselves.

They are saying their goodbyes to the rest, APOLLO, MELINOE, HEPHAESTUS, THEBE, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS and LOCRUS.

ARTEMIS strokes her brother, APOLLO's face, as he does the same in farewell to her.

As she turns away, his hand lingers against her cheek until she is out of his reach.

She walks to the rest of the leaving group.

ZAGREUS is caressing the face of MELINOE, who is fairly without reciprocation but smiles weakly.

He turns back to the leaving group and walks straight through them.

As ZAGREUS takes the lead, others turn and follow; first HERMES and ATHENA, then HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS.

ORION waits, looking toward ARTEMIS, then he too turns to follow ZAGREUS into the fields.

Finally, ARTEMIS bows her head from looking toward her brother.

She turns and walks briskly to catch up to ORION at the rear of the leaving group.

Those that stay behind begin to turn back to the farmhouse; MELINOE is first to turn, followed by KEROESSA, then the twins AMPHION and ZETHUS, HEPHAESTUS, THEBE then LOCRUS.

APOLLO is the last left standing still staring out at the group which leaves for exploration.

He too then bows his head and turns to walk back to the farmhouse.

EXT. A FENCE, THE FOREST - DAY

Led by ZAGREUS, ARTEMIS, HERMES, ORION, ATHENA, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS walk through the forest.

Their strides are clumsy and tentative and most use the dense array of trees to support themselves.

ATHENA follows ZAGREUS most closely, looking at the environment around them as though to assess it.

ORION strides almost alongside her with ARTEMIS following closely behind him.

As they head through the dense forest, the well-trodden path in front of them seems to lead to light ahead, a clearing.

ZAGREUS is cautious, lowering himself to the ground as they approach. Others follow suit; ARTEMIS and ORION knowing best how to stay low and keep quiet.

ATHENA stays upright but takes caution in keeping close to trees for cover.

The group encounter a fence which extends far into the distance either way, though on the well-trodden path there is a break in the fence which has clearly been made in a violent charge through it.

The fence appears to have been formerly electrified, with warning signs and generators lining it; it is now, however, dead.

The group pass through the break in the fence, observing it as they step over the broken links at the ground beneath them.

ATHENA lingers at the fence, observing its structure.

She reaches her hand to it and puts her fingers through the links.

She clutches at it, then strokes the fence, looking one way down it and then far down into the distance the other way.

She sees no breaks for the remainder of its visibility.

As the group passes by behind her, she rejoins it alongside the stragglers, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS.

EXT. THE PASTURE - DAY

ZAGREUS leads the group into a clearing, an open field that expands far towards another treeline.

HERMES, ARTEMIS, ORION, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS follow him, with ATHENA close to their rear examining the lay of the land.

She advances through the group toward the head of their pack.

As they continue through the field, ATHENA shows peaked interest in a group of strange animals grazing in the pasture; these are cows.

The cows graze quietly and at some distance from the group, mostly ignoring them.

Beyond the cows, a hill obscures further view of the field.

The group comes closer to the cows and ARTEMIS clutches at ORION's shoulder.

She gestures towards a calf, left somewhat astray from the rest of the group.

ORION bites his lip in contemplation of flavour.

He advances toward ZAGREUS and clutches at his shoulder.

ZAGREUS halts and the group halts with him.

ORION indicates to him, first by thumping his chest and then by gesturing out toward the calf, that he intends to make a kill.

ZAGREUS looks at ORION's gesture, then to the calf, then to the group.

He lowers himself to a crouch and the rest follow in kind.

ORION then takes the lead, ARTEMIS following close to him.

ZAGREUS and the others hold back, moving more slowly in the same direction.

ORION and ARTEMIS step slowly and tentatively towards the lonely calf.

As they get closer, it looks up to them from its grazing.

ORION and ARTEMIS freeze on the spot.

The calf stares at them a moment before bowing its head to graze once more.

ORION and ARTEMIS take a few slow steps forward.

ORION crouches to the ground, readying himself for a run.

ARTEMIS too lowers herself.

He makes the first dash, moving quickly toward the calf.

She is quick to follow.

The startled calf looks up and begins to try and bound away but ORION leaps at it and tackles it to the floor.

ARTEMIS quickly catches up to him where he has pinned the struggling calf down.

She clenches her fists tightly together into a single, connected ball.

She slams her clenched fists down against the calf's head.

It screeches distressed moos out for the other cows, who also begin to reciprocate in mooing.

A female cow begins bounding across the field towards ARTEMIS and ORION, and is soon joined from over the hill by a bull charging towards them.

As ARTEMIS slams her fists down against the calf once again, ORION looks at the dramatic charge of the cow and bull headed toward them.

As the cow approaches quickly, he throws himself into ARTEMIS sending her and himself across the ground finally to be pinned against it.

He presses himself back up, remaining over ARTEMIS as he spots the bull now paused and grunting at them to intimidate.

ORION hops up quickly and gives his hand to ARTEMIS to help her up.

The two cautiously, and panicked, back away from the bull.

It continues to grunt at them and stomps its hooves.

ORION and ARTEMIS make a run back to the rest of the group as the bull gives chase.

The group, seeing this, disperses.

HERMES darts straight for the treeline which had been ahead of them in their journey.

ORION and ARTEMIS turn and follow his path as the bull charges straight by them.

ATHENA and ZAGREUS too manage to run out of its way, as it charges for HELLEN.

HELLEN is knocked down by the charging bull, as LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS fall out of its way behind him.

ZAGREUS turns to see the action as ATHENA continues dashing away.

She soon stops at a safer distance to look back.

As the bull now circles, GRACEUS is running for the treeline.

LACEDAEMON remains, approaching the fallen HELLEN to help him back up.

The bull beats its hoof against the ground once more ready to charge the pair of them.

Supporting HELLEN, LACEDAEMON cannot get away as quickly as he might've.

ZAGREUS runs in to divert the bull.

He dashes across their path, leading the bulls charge away from its direct course with them.

As it comes close to striking him, he dives out of its way.

ZAGREUS continues a game of cat-and-mouse with the bull while LACEDAEMON helps HELLEN toward ATHENA.

ATHENA then helps LACEDAEMON to lead HELLEN more quickly toward the treeline.

When they are a safe enough distance toward it, ZAGREUS too runs in the direction of the trees to find cover.

EXT. THE FOREST - DAY

ORION and ARTEMIS run through the forest together.

Behind him, she trips and falls into him.

The two topple to the ground, but ARTEMIS is quick to roll around and look back out to the clearing far through the trees behind them.

She is crouched over ORION, who tilts his head to look out towards the clearing from where it seems danger is no longer approaching.

The two are breathless.

He looks up to ARTEMIS as she continues to look out through the trees.

ORION uplifts her and topples her to the ground, rolling onto her himself.

He puts his hand firmly against her neck and cheek and leans his face into her other side to bite her neck.

She yelps, and pushes him away.

ARTEMIS raises her hand to where ORION had bit her and strokes it to put pressure on the pain.

She looks up to ORION, who still remains perched over her.

Then she swings her leg behind his so as to weaken his stance and she rolls him back to the ground beneath her.

She is gentle as she puts her hand to his face in the familiar caress of greeting.

Then she leans into him and bites where his lower lip meets his cheek.

As she does so she begins to thrust her lower body against ORION's.

The two take one another into tighter embraces and rub against one another.

Her loosely fitting trousers begin to fall from her waist.

ORION then rolls her back to the floor and puts himself above her once more.

He thrusts his crotch against hers as the pair continue to caress, embrace and violently, passionately bite one another.

Their exhausted breathlessness becomes the breathlessness of ecstasy as they continue.

INT. OBSERVATION HALLWAY - DAY

COEUS, a man in his fifties, stands observing through the glass of the observation hallway high above the forest.

He is looking down towards the farm, where KEROESSA, THEBE, AMPHION, HEPHAESTUS and APOLLO are seen performing various tasks or sitting around a roasted animal, taking from and eating its flesh.

COEUS' daughter, a young teenage girl, ASTERIA is sat on the ground behind him.

She is sat with a collection of basic rations, a large camping rucksack and a pair of sleeping bags.

COEUS turns to his daughter.

He gives ASTERIA his camera, futuristic, light and aesthetically efficient but recognisably a camera.

He crouches down with her and begins collecting items, dragging his rucksack towards him.

ASTERIA deposits the ultra-thin camera into a fabric sleeve and seals it.

Far below, MELINOE emerges from the farmhouse.

APOLLO walks to her and the two embrace with a hug and the familiar greeting of a facial caress.

EXT. COMMUNAL PLAZA - DAY

The communal plaza sits at the centre of a semicircle of tall, segmented buildings, each efficiently stacked and divided into rows and columns of equally spacious rooms and lobbies.

The plaza is beautiful, with vegetation and a great three-dimensional structure at its centre, which acts as a map of the world itself - incorporating the plaza, the residential district behind it and the forest which lays beyond a large steel, mechanically operated door directly ahead of the sculpture.

In the plaza, people gather and communicate with one another.

Many stand facing the large door as they converse, in wait of its opening.

To one side of the plaza, COEUS and ASTERIA emerge onto a walkway from beyond a door which appears to have been forced ajar and then held open with a make-shift wedge.

ASTERIA lets her father walk along the walkway ahead of her, as she removes the wedge from the door and allows it to shut.

She then follows COEUS towards a ladder.

He has waited for her and lets her descend first.

In the plaza below, some have noticed the return of COEUS and ASTERIA and have begun to turn and shift towards them.

COEUS and ASTERIA enter the plaza, COEUS greeting people as they pass them by.

ASTERIA stays close to her father, nervous of the crowds interest in them.

A man of similar age to COEUS moves quickly through the crowd towards him.

This man is CRONUS.

He allows COEUS to remove his rucksack and drop it to the ground before greeting him.

He extends a hand to COEUS as he reaches only arm's length distance from him.

COEUS shakes his hand.

COEUS removes the camera from his rucksack.

He slides it from its sleeve then offers it to CRONUS.

COEUS then pets his daughter on the head, stroking her hair, before moving to the centre of the plaza to stand at the base of the sculpture.

CRONUS examines photos on the screen of the camera.

A hush falls across the ground, only whispers remaining.

Hushed whispers in the crowd elevate in volume slightly.

Whispers in the crowd grow louder still as people begin to engage in discussion and COEUS steps down from the sculpture.

There is a large rush of people demanding to talk to him more.

It is THEMIS, a woman of his age, who first manages to grab his attention.

She leans into him to speak her mind intimately.

COEUS walks back towards ASTERIA and CRONUS with THEMIS alongside him.

COEUS arrives at CRONUS and ASTERIA.

He retrieves his camera from CRONUS and hands it to THEMIS.

There is a sudden loud grinding as the large door to the forest begins to open.

The crowd hushes, ceasing to harass COEUS, as people look towards the door.

THEMIS continues to examine pictures on COEUS' camera.

EXT. DOOR TO THE FOREST, COMMUNAL PLAZA - DAY

The large door to the forest opens and two heavy trucks pull into the communal plaza.

Armed guards walk in with them, several staying at the door to protect the exit.

The door is almost completely shut again, to keep anyone from trying to get through.

The two trucks turn and stop in the plaza so that their rear doors are somewhat facing the gathered crowd of citizens.

Guards then open up the doors of the trucks and begin to unload supplies as the crowd draws closer to them.

There are shouts from the crowd, at the guards, and a commotion at the front as people collecting boxes attempt to question them.

EREBUS, the commanding guard, climbs up to the top of a truck.

He raises a microphone to his mouth and his voice is amplified through the trucks' speaker systems.

THEMIS raises her hand, holding COEUS' camera in it.

She begins to walk forward through the crowd and towards EREBUS and the trucks.

EREBUS climbs back down the truck.

The crowd calms as THEMIS approaches him to talk.

Other guards continue to hand crates to civilians.

She hands the camera to EREBUS.

EREBUS examines the photos.

He nods as he cycles through them, then hands the camera back to THEMIS.

He turns away from her and speaks into his microphone, addressing the crowd.

There is unrest in the crowd.

EREBUS turns back to THEMIS.

COEUS steps forward, enraged.

CRONUS holds him back.

CRONUS draws COEUS back, pushing him to remain with his daughter, ASTERIA.

CRONUS steps forward, as EREBUS turns to see who disputes him.

EREBUS is silent as the crowd grows even more restless.

He turns to one of the other guards.

The guard moves away, passing on the word via radio and preparing their team to move out.

EREBUS turns back to the crowd.

The trucks start up their engines and begin to move as guards in their bellies quickly throw out the remaining ration crates.

The crowd grows further restless as two guards open the door for the trucks to get through.

EREBUS is forced to back away from the advancing crowd.

He clings to the side of a truck as it drives for the door and out through it.

The other truck follows as the crowd of people rushes forward to try and burst through or to attack the guards.

The several guards defending the door hold their ground.

As one of the CITIZENs burst through their defence, a GUARD turns and fires his gun at him.

There is a bright flash and a straight jet of electric-white light emitted from the gun, accompanied by a large crack, a thunderous bang!

The CITIZEN is knocked down and quivers on the ground, just inside the forest.

The GUARD returns his sight to the restless crowds who remain now hesitant to advance.

Two guards in the forest, lift the exhausted CITIZEN and drag him back into the plaza.

The remainder of the guards back away into the forest, where the two trucks and two jeeps await them.

As they cross the threshold, the doors to the forest are closed and sealed behind them.

A number of the crowd advance to tend to the electrocuted CITIZEN who is still in shock.

THEMIS turns and authoritatively walks toward COEUS, CRONUS and ASTERIA.

She stops in front of COEUS and hands his camera back to him.

Then she turns to CRONUS.

EXT. A ROAD, THE FOREST - DAY

The convoy of two trucks and two jeeps drives down the main road through the forest.

They pass by trees along their way.

Deep in the trees, ATHENA hears the convoy and turns her attention to where the sound is coming from.

She turns back to ZAGREUS whose attention has been caught too.

LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS sit tending to the exhausted and injured HELLEN.

ZAGREUS quickly bursts into a run towards the sound of the convoy.

ATHENA follows after him and HERMES sets off after her.

ZAGREUS halts near to the road and ATHENA comes to a stop behind him.

HERMES keeps further back.

ZAGREUS and ATHENA watch as the convoy passes along the road, their vehicles containing many guards, along with EREBUS.

HERMES draws himself closer to the rear of ZAGREUS and ATHENA as he watches the convoy too.

Quickly the convoy has passed, and the group cautiously crawl out onto the road.

ZAGREUS looks down to where the convoy is heading.

ATHENA examines the road, dust still dancing through the air from the disruption of the trucks and jeeps.

HERMES remains in the trees, staring also down toward the fast disappearing convoy.

A little way up the road, ORION emerges from the trees with ARTEMIS close by him.

They too look towards the convoy, then turn to look back up the other way.

Their attention meets with the presence of ZAGREUS and ATHENA.

Then all look back to the convoy.

ZAGREUS is first to begin moving back into the trees.

ORION and ARTEMIS slowly make their way up the road together, to follow him.

ATHENA too follows, after HERMES who is close on ZAGREUS' tail.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DAY

The convoy of two trucks and two jeeps arrives back at base-camp; a large complex built over-ground, well defended as though a fort.

Two guards stand at the entrance, and open the gate to the trucks.

Inside the courtyard, the guards on board each truck and in the jeeps unload.

EREBUS strides out ahead of most to meet with their superior, CHAOS.

CHAOS turns with EREBUS to walk with him back to the entrance of the security complex.

CHAOS opens the door to the facility but holds it open for EREBUS.

EREBUS walks through and CHAOS follows him in.

INT. SUBWAY STATION, COMMUNAL PLAZA - NIGHT

A group of civilians break through the locks on a gate to the subway platform.

They draw the gates aside to allow a passage through.

CRONUS, COEUS and ASTERIA pass through the gap, followed by THEMIS.

Other civilians accompany them.

CRONUS addresses the group.

The group are divided into those prepared for a journey, and those not.

COEUS and ASTERIA have a rucksack between them; she carries lighter goods in her hands.

CRONUS too is packed for the journey.

Other civilians are packing the equipment used to break the gate back into another rucksack.

They join CRONUS, COEUS and ASTERIA.

THEMIS stands at the other side of them, to stay behind.

COEUS appears concerned.

He looks to THEMIS.

COEUS nods, he and some of the others including ASTERIA at his side begin to move onto the tracks and into the subway tunnel.

Others embrace persons of the other group before doing the same.

CRONUS stays to speak intimately to THEMIS.

He hugs her, to her reciprocation.

Their embrace stops and he smiles at her before setting out to walk with the rest of the group into the tunnel.

EXT. A ROAD, THE FOREST - DAY

ZAGREUS, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS walk down the centre of the road.

ZAGREUS leads, with LACEDAEMON behind.

HELLEN appears to limp but has healed well and appears to walk with only minor discomfort.

GRACEUS follows him from the rear of the group.

ATHENA and HERMES walk to the edge of the road, carrying foraged fruits and vegetation.

ATHENA leads, examining the trees about them carefully for more food.

EXT. THE FOREST - DAY

ARTEMIS searches the ground for tracks, moving quickly along the forest floor in the process of hunting.

ORION is not too far behind her, searching through the trees around them for sign of a meal.

There appears to be none coming.

Still ARTEMIS searches, hunting.

ORION halts, dismayed at the lack of prey.

ARTEMIS continues to scour the floor.

She halts, leaning into herself with discomfort on her face.

She clutches at her stomach.

ORION moves quickly to her.

He puts his hand on her back and looks toward her face.

She looks up to him.

In a moment, she turns away, recovers and returns to scouring the forest floor.

ORION, confused and concerned, freezes for a second or two before continuing to follow her.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM, SECURITY FACILITY - DAY

The room is dark, its light mainly coming from the glow of many monitors which show different regions of Mnemosyne's outer environments.

HEMERA is the lone security technician and psychologist in charge of monitoring the beta-subjects.

The screens directly in front of her show the farmhouse, its interiors and exteriors, the road where ZAGREUS and others are still walking, and of particular focus the forest nearby where ARTEMIS and ORION continue to hunt.

HEMERA types a note into her tablet computer.

There is a knock at the door.

HEMERA turns to see her superior, another psychologist, enter.

ANANKE walks to HEMERA and stands over the monitors next to her.

HEMERA smiles at ANANKE.

She indicates to the monitor with ARTEMIS and ORION hunting.

ANANKE smiles.

HEMERA checks her notes.

ANANKE looks to HEMERA.

HEMERA checks her notes again.

ANANKE smiles.

She sits down next to HEMERA.

EXT. CENTRAL STATION, THE FOREST - DUSK

CRONUS and his group exit the subway station.

COEUS and ASTERIA are close behind him.

CRONUS examines the area and looks up to the sky.

He turns to the rest of the group.

He looks up towards the sky.

The light-streak which stretches out across the centre of the sky is fading and the blue either side of it gradually darkening.

COEUS takes his cue and addresses the rest of the group.

CRONUS bows his head.

Then he looks back up, swallowing his regret.

The group shuffles and collects their items, moving back into the subway.

CRONUS turns and looks out through the trees.

COEUS walks to him.

ASTERIA stands waiting for her father to walk back.

COEUS puts his hand on CRONUS' shoulder.

CRONUS turns to COEUS and the pair walk back to ASTERIA.

She joins them and they all walk back into the subway.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DUSK

ZAGREUS, HERMES and ATHENA exit the forest's dense trees ahead of GRACEUS, LACEDAEMON and HELLEN.

They meet with an opening which reconnects to the main road extending far through the forest behind them.

ZAGREUS halts and marvels at the object in front of him, casting his sights far up it.

ATHENA too marvels but continues moving.

She turns to excitement and makes a run towards it.

HERMES crouches to the ground and looks up at the marvel in front of them.

ORION and ARTEMIS, him trying to care to her for she appears exhausted, emerge last from the trees.

But ORION is then distracted from attempting to tend to ARTEMIS as he too is struck with awe by the massive object in front of them.

He halts as ARTEMIS carries on, looking up at the great object as she comes to rest at the floor next to HERMES.

The object that has them marvelling is a gigantic door, shining in the dimming light of dusk.

ATHENA has ran straight up to the door and is rubbing it.

She is able to see her reflection in the frosted metal of the door as she rubs her hand across it.

The speed with which darkness falls grows faster and ATHENA looks up toward the sky.

Up above, the streak of light which extends across the sky is here seen to have an end point from which it only extends continuously back down the main road.

ZAGREUS lowers himself to the ground.

ATHENA at the door does so too and crawls back toward the rest of the group.

They all turn and head back into the trees, disappearing in the darkness of the forest.

EXT. A ROAD, THE FOREST - DAY

Two jeeps and a truck drive quickly down the dirt road.

The jeeps sit ahead of and behind the truck and are loaded with armed guards.

In the trees, CRONUS and COEUS lay as low as they can to remain hidden.

They watch and remain silent as the convoy passes by.

With the jeeps and the truck moving quickly out of sight, COEUS and CRONUS rise to a crouch.

COEUS leans out to see the convoy far in the distance.

CRONUS stands.

He turns backwards and looks through the trees behind him.

He whistles.

The rest of the group emerge cautiously from far behind.

ASTERIA is with them and walks most quickly to catch up to her father.

EXT. DOOR TO THE COMMUNAL PLAZA, THE FOREST - DAY

The front jeep of the convoy, consisting of itself, a truck and another jeep, arrives at the door.

It stops and the convoy halts behind it.

Three soldiers exit the jeep.

One walks to a console next to the door as the others stand in front of the door, guns raised.

The door slides open and the two soldiers walk through.

There is no gathering at the other side as they are not expected.

EXT. DOOR TO THE FOREST, COMMUNAL PLAZA - DAY

The convoy proceeds into the plaza, the first jeep followed by the truck and then the other jeep.

Two armed guards stand ahead of it, ready to defend.

In the plaza, people start to collect.

Others are rushing to bring more people and a gathering begins to build.

The jeeps and the truck come to a rest, having turned so that they can be ready to drive back out at any time.

Guards file out of the vehicles and form a defensive line between them and the gathering crowd ahead.

EREBUS is last to exit from the rear of the truck, after his men.

CHAOS exits the jeep which had been at the rear of the convoy.

The two men approach each other and briefly chat.

EREBUS leads CHAOS back to the truck, then lets him climb the ladder first.

EREBUS follows CHAOS up the ladder to the truck's roof.

He hands CHAOS the microphone.

CHAOS stands, waiting, and looks out over the crowd gathering ahead of them.

The crowd are cautious and remain stood some way back from the line of armed guards between them and the convoy.

CHAOS raises the microphone to his mouth.

THEMIS pushes her way through to the front of the crowd.

People are quick to move out of her way, acknowledging her official status.

She stands and looks directly up to CHAOS.

He looks directly at her before glancing across the rest of the crowd.

He pauses, looking over the crowd as some begin to whisper quietly to others.

Whispers grow to murmurs and the crowd begins to shuffle restlessly.

The crowd quietens slightly.

The crowd is hushed as CHAOS pauses to look over them.

A MAN yells out from the crowd.

The crowd grows restless, loud, as murmurs grow into heavy discussion.

The crowd does not listen and a charge begins from the front, forward toward the guards.

It is a few men who advance, running toward the guards who raise their guns.

A few large cracking bangs and jets of light are emitted as the guards send their electric ammunition into the bodies of the runners.

This only agitates the rest of the crowd more, and doesn't keep those electrocuted from clumsily stumbling to their feet and aimlessly trying to continue their advance.

The guards all take to combat stances as a surge of people pushes forward.

CHAOS nods in agreement then heads for the ladder.

He climbs down it swiftly as EREBUS follows him.

EREBUS and CHAOS jog quickly across to a jeep and enter it.

A small collection of guards also file into the jeep.

It starts up and heads quickly through the door, waiting at the other side.

Guards attempt to fight back the crowd physically.

Only when some get through do they fire their electric weapons.

Those that are taken down by the weapons are now left motionless on the floor, their settings having been increased.

This is enough to encourage most people to stay back.

The guards forming the defensive line are able to draw back and load into the truck, as those guards already through the door use their own electric rifles to fend off the crowd.

With the truck quickly loaded, it sets off through the doorway.

EXT. DOOR TO THE COMMUNAL PLAZA, THE FOREST - CONTINUOUS

Some of the crowd manage to get through but are shot down immediately.

Their bodies are quickly lifted, dragged and then thrown back through the doorway as it closes.

With the door sealed, the last of the guards return to their jeep and get in.

The convoy proceeds to drive off down the road.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DAY

ATHENA is examining a locking mechanism to one side of and away from the door.

She strokes it curiously before taking her hand away.

She reaches around her neck and removes a string necklace with the old green key card attached to it.

She turns the key card over and attempts to press it against the locking mechanism, but it is clear this needs a traditional key to be opened.

She turns the key card over and over, pressing it on the mechanism in different ways and failing to have it do anything.

She looks across to an identical mechanism at the other side of the door, which ZAGREUS and APOLLO are examining.

She assumes all fours, so that she can move more quickly, and rushes across to them.

ZAGREUS is quick to step aside as ATHENA raises to standing upright once more.

She presses the key card against the mechanism and nothing happens.

She tries to flip the card again and press it on the mechanism in different ways.

Still nothing happens.

She looks to ZAGREUS and he looks back at her.

ZAGREUS takes the key card from her and attempts the same thing himself.

It achieves nothing.

APOLLO has ceased to examine the mechanism and is looking to the rest of their group sat toward the trees.

He looks to the exhausted and sickly looking ARTEMIS.

HERMES sits next to ARTEMIS and looks towards LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS who chase one another.

HELLEN too sits and watches GRACEUS and LACEDAEMON.

The pair are fighting one another for a scrap of food for the entertainment of HELLEN, who still holds his injured abdomen as he finds pain in laughter.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

APOLLO and MELINOE sit together, enjoying one another's company.

He gestures, while holding a cob of corn, by thumping his chest then extending his arms rapidly toward the ground.

This causes MELINOE to laugh.

APOLLO tears off some kernels of corn with his teeth then offers the cob to MELINOE.

She takes it and has a bite herself.

HEPHAESTUS, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS also move about the area performing various tasks or socialising.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

CRONUS, COEUS and ASTERIA lay on the ground in the trees nearby.

The rest of their group is with them, crouched not too far behind.

COEUS hesitates to answer.

COEUS turns to ASTERIA.

He pets his hand against her head.

COEUS stands up.

CRONUS follows.

The two look at one another.

CRONUS walks forward into the open.

COEUS follows behind him.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

CRONUS and COEUS exit the trees and approach the group at the farmhouse.

HEPHAESTUS is first to notice them.

He yelps to gain the attention of others.

KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS all turn and notice CRONUS and COEUS.

The males amongst them move toward the pair.

APOLLO and MELINOE also look toward CRONUS and COEUS.

APOLLO stands and begins to move toward the rest of the group.

MELINOE also stands but remains close to the farmhouse.

CRONUS and COEUS continue to advance calmly, side by side, despite there being expressions of hostility arising amongst those they approach.

They each raise their arms in surrender.

AMPHION perceives this as a threat and yells aggressively.

AMPHION charges at the two men, followed by ZETHUS and LOCRUS.

He pounces at CRONUS and pins him to the ground as ZETHUS and LOCRUS catch COEUS and topple him also.

APOLLO is running toward the commotion.

HEPHAESTUS runs forward to assist AMPHION in attacking CRONUS.

ASTERIA bursts out of the trees, followed by other members of her group.

APOLLO sees the teenage girl and turns back to the two men, CRONUS and COEUS, being attacked.

He looks to ASTERIA again and then back to the scene of the attack.

He charges at the scene.

APOLLO pounces at AMPHION, flinging him off CRONUS.

HEPHAESTUS sees this and looks around.

He too sees the girl, ASTERIA.

APOLLO turns.

He growls at HEPHAESTUS.

HEPHAESTUS removes himself from CRONUS.

He helps APOLLO to fight ZETHUS and LOCRUS away from COEUS.

With COEUS freed, ASTERIA runs to him and kneels beside her father.

She leans tightly into his chest as he sits up.

He does his best to support himself but collapses, exhausted, back onto his back.

Others of his and ASTERIA's group tend to CRONUS, being very cautious of APOLLO, HEPHAESTUS and the other betas.

But APOLLO has them under control.

They are calmed from aggression, still excitable, but now with curiosity for the visitors.

APOLLO approaches ASTERIA and COEUS.

He puts his hand to ASTERIA's face to caress her in greeting.

She flinches uncomfortably with fear.

APOLLO draws his hand back, shocked.

COEUS raises his hand.

He presses it to APOLLO's face and caresses it.

ASTERIA hesitantly reaches out and does the same.

She then also allows it as APOLLO puts his hand to her face once more in greeting.

HEPHAESTUS and others of the betas approach the scene and the other visitors, CRONUS and those who tend to him, hesitantly.

They all begin to offer their traditional greeting.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

APOLLO rushes into the farmhouse on all fours.

MELINOE follows tentatively behind him.

HEPHAESTUS, AMPHION, ZETHUS, LOCRUS, CRONUS, COEUS, ASTERIA and the rest of the group from civilisation walk toward the farmhouse.

COEUS has his arm around ASTERIA who hugs him back tightly.

The group meet with KEROESSA and THEBE who then greet CRONUS, COEUS, ASTERIA and their group with the familiar caressing of their faces.

APOLLO reemerges from the farmhouse carrying vegetables under his arm.

He approaches COEUS and ASTERIA and offers some of the food to them.

COEUS accepts it and encourages ASTERIA to do the same.

APOLLO then offers more of the food to CRONUS and to the rest of their group.

They all accept the offerings.

APOLLO then lowers himself to the ground and sits.

MELINOE walks up behind him and sits next to him.

HEPHAESTUS, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS also descend to the ground and sit.

They encourage their visitors to do the same, simply by staring at them until they choose to do so.

COEUS sits with his daughter ASTERIA supporting him.

CRONUS is sat with the support of another from their group, though it isn't greatly needed.

They all remove their rucksacks and look to APOLLO.

He thumps his chest and gestures outwards beyond the fields, signifying “travel”.

Then he extends his arm in gesture towards the group of visitors, brings it back toward himself and places his hand on the ground.

He pats the ground twice and looks at the visitors in wait of an answer.

CRONUS leans forward, away from the support of he trying to keep him up.

He pats his rucksack twice.

APOLLO appears confused.

HEPHAESTUS leans toward the rucksack and examines it, playing with its features in his hands.

APOLLO gestures towards CRONUS and then pats the ground twice, with a quizzical expression on his face.

CRONUS nods his head very expressively.

APOLLO still appears confused.

ASTERIA smiles, amused.

CRONUS looks to ASTERIA.

He smiles at her for finding it so amusing.

APOLLO continues to look between them during their dialogue, remaining confused.

ASTERIA leans forwards, allowing her father, COEUS, to support himself for a moment.

APOLLO turns his attention to her.

She looks at him and breathes heavily, nervous.

She raises her hand slowly.

ASTERIA then draws her hand in to herself.

She places it on her chest and pats it twice.

Then she extends her arm outwards to the floor and pats the ground with her hand twice.

She maintains a strict eye-contact with APOLLO as she does so.

APOLLO's confusion has faded.

He hops forward toward ASTERIA.

He gestures at her chest and then lowers his hand to the ground and pats it twice.

With his other hand he caresses her face in acknowledgement of the arrangement.

He then turns to COEUS and caresses his face, before turning to return to where he was sat.

APOLLO sits back on the ground, next to MELINOE.

She puts her hand to his neck and strokes it as he rejoins her.

ASTERIA turns back to CRONUS.

He is smiling.

COEUS too is smiling.

She leans back into COEUS.

He embraces her and kisses her on the head.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DAY

ZAGREUS, ORION, HERMES, ATHENA, ARTEMIS, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS sit in a circle.

Most of them eat fruits and vegetation collected from the world around them.

All of them sit watching ARTEMIS attentively, who is not eating.

She appears tired, ill.

ATHENA is at her side and is softly caressing her back.

ORION sits across from ARTEMIS, next to ZAGREUS.

He eats his fruits and watches ARTEMIS with concern.

HERMES is sat to the other side of ARTEMIS, from ATHENA.

He watches her attentively also.

ARTEMIS turns to ATHENA and looks her in the eyes.

She raises a hand then lowers it to the ground and pats it twice.

ATHENA does not understand that this means “home”.

ARTEMIS performs the gesture again.

ATHENA, nor most of the others, yet understands.

ARTEMIS gestures at her own chest then extends her hand to the floor and pats it twice.

She then raises her hand and points it back into the forest and far up the road behind them.

HERMES puts his hand on ARTEMIS' shoulder.

She turns to him.

He points to ARTEMIS' chest, then gestures out down the road.

He then draws his hand back into his own chest.

ARTEMIS raises her hand to HERMES' face and caresses it.

HERMES turns to ZAGREUS and hops toward him slightly.

He gestures to his own chest, then to ARTEMIS.

Then he extends his arm towards the road.

ZAGREUS turns and looks toward the door.

He gestures toward it.

HERMES draws himself closer to ZAGREUS.

He caresses his face.

Then he gestures to his chest and further draws his gesture toward the road again.

ZAGREUS bows his head.

He raises it again and then raises his hand to HERMES' face.

He caresses HERMES' face in acknowledgement.

ORION has seen their dialogue and turns back to ARTEMIS as HERMES returns to sitting beside her.

ARTEMIS looks up to ORION.

ORION thumps his chest then gestures toward ARTEMIS and then to the road.

ARTEMIS looks away, tired and yet in rejection of the suggestion.

ORION hops to his feet and moves toward ARTEMIS.

He kneels in front of her.

He gestures to his chest and then raises his hand to ARTEMIS' face to caress it.

She looks back to him.

ARTEMIS points to ORION's chest with her hand and then gestures toward the door.

ORION looks toward the door.

ARTEMIS caresses his face.

He turns back to her to find her smiling.

The caressing is extended, in wait of him to do the same.

He does so, caressing her face with his hand.

Then he draws his face close to hers and rubs them both together, cheek to cheek.

He moves away from ARTEMIS, returning to be sat next to ZAGREUS.

HERMES is squatting in wait of ARTEMIS.

He stands and extends his arm to her.

She uses his arm to help herself up, ATHENA further helping to get her standing.

ATHENA too stands and helps support ARTEMIS some of the way toward the road and the trees.

Then she lets her go, and ARTEMIS moves under her own volition.

She and HERMES move towards the road as HERMES looks behind them.

ATHENA still stands and looks on, as do most of the rest of their group.

ORION bows his head and closes his eyes.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

HEMERA yawns.

Her and ANANKE are sat at their position, monitoring screens.

HEMERA yawns again.

HEMERA yawns another time.

HEMERA stands.

HEMERA walks towards the door, yawning again.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DAWN

The door and the area around it gradually get brighter as the great light in the sky lightens for morning.

ORION charges toward one of the key card mechanisms with a large tree-branch over his head.

He slams the branch down against the mechanism.

Then he beats the mechanism with it, striking it over and over.

The branch splinters and breaks, but no damage is done to the mechanism.

ZAGREUS and ATHENA move to examine the mechanism.

ATHENA grows angry in seeing that nothing has happened to it.

She storms off back toward the trees.

ZAGREUS looks to ORION.

ORION has bowed his head and slumped his shoulders down, exhausted.

ZAGREUS puts his hand on ORION's shoulder and looks back to ATHENA who has found a place to sit on the floor.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAWN

The zip on one of three tents is drawn open.

COEUS exits it, stretching out his sore joints.

He looks toward the farmhouse, then hears another tent opening.

CRONUS and one other of their number exit the tent.

CRONUS laughs.

The final tent zips open and the other two of their unit exit it.

A sudden swishing sound is heard, before one of their men clutches at his neck.

He stands, wobbling, as though woozy, then collapses to his knees and finally to the floor.

The same swishing sound is heard again as a second of their men is hit and drops to the floor.

COEUS leans inside his tent, quickly and panicking.

CRONUS searches the treeline for the source of the shooting, but is hit by a dart.

He drops to his knees, clutching at his neck, then falls face first to the ground.

The final of their number runs for the farmhouse but is hit and topples quickly.

COEUS and ASTERIA also run for the farmhouse.

COEUS is hit.

He falls behind ASTERIA then falls to the floor.

ASTERIA runs to her father and kneels beside him.

She shakes him.

APOLLO exits the farmhouse to witness the commotion.

He walks cautiously, examining the area.

MELINOE strolls out beside him then turns fascinated by the still bodies of the visiting group.

She approaches ASTERIA and COEUS.

Several armed guards exit the treeline.

Among them is EREBUS; he leads them forward.

APOLLO sees them and charges toward EREBUS.

Other betas have exited the farmhouse; HEPHAESTUS, AMPHION and ZETHUS.

As APOLLO gets close to EREBUS, EREBUS raises his gun.

He fires it.

A loud, thunderous bang and a flash from the electric jet of light knock APOLLO down.

MELINOE hears this.

She sees APOLLO fall down and begins to run to him.

As she gets close, EREBUS raises his gun to her.

She turns cautious and halts, turning around him at a distance.

She hisses at him.

He and his team continue to the dropped visitors; COEUS, CRONUS, ASTERIA and the others.

Other betas remain cautious of them, yelping at them threateningly; they make a show which is all bark, no bite.

EREBUS grabs ASTERIA by the arm and lifts her away from COEUS.

Another guard lifts COEUS, as others collect CRONUS and the others.

EREBUS drags her along beside him.

She hushes but remains resistant to walking with him.

The guards carry their catches past MELINOE who is crying over APOLLO, and back toward the trees, then into the forest.

As the other betas approach MELINOE and APOLLO, she buries her head in his chest and weeps.

INT. A TRUCK - DAY

EREBUS rides in the front passenger seat of a truck as another GUARD drives it down the road.

There is a beeping.

He raises his hand to his ear.

He pauses.

He pauses again.

He presses his ear then lowers his hand.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DAY

ORION and ZAGREUS attempt to beat one key card mechanism, and to lift it from its roots.

HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS focus on the other.

ATHENA is examining the door itself once more, stroking it and looking up to the ornate engraving in it in search of a clue.

There is a roar as a truck and a jeep enter the clearing.

EREBUS steps out of the truck quickly as guards also step out of the jeep.

EREBUS shoots LACEDAEMON with a dart in an instant.

LACEDAEMON falls down.

The guards manage to pick off HELLEN and GRACEUS with ease.

As ATHENA runs, she passes ZAGREUS, also running, and begins to catch up to ORION.

ZAGREUS is hit by a dart and knocked down.

ATHENA reaches ORION and obscures him from shot.

Instead, she is hit by a dart and topples.

ORION manages to escape into the trees.

The guards watch.

One GUARD approaches EREBUS.

EREBUS turns and examines the still bodies of the betas.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - DAY

ORION hides behind a tree.

He turns and looks back through the trees.

Far behind him, the guards and EREBUS are loading the other betas into the back of a truck.

None appear to be following him.

He crouches to the ground and continues to observe.

EXT. WORLD'S EDGE, THE FOREST - DAY

From high in the trees, we see the jeep and the truck pull up towards the security facility.

The gates are opened to allow them through.

A tree in view begins to shake.

ORION is climbing it.

He comes to the top of the tree and clutches to it confidently as he looks out toward the facility.

He watches as the gates are closed behind the truck and the jeep.

He watches as the truck and the jeep are parked and the soldiers unload.

Finally he watches as the rear to the truck is opened.

ASTERIA leaps out of the back of the truck, at a guard.

The guard catches her.

He carries her toward the facility as she kicks and screams.

Other guards enter the back of the truck to lift out the unconscious detainees.

ORION looks down.

He catches a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye and turns to it.

Close to him, reflected in glass, he can see trees extending for miles behind him, and another version of himself looking back.

He reaches out and touches the glass.

ORION is bewildered by the presence of his reflection in the sky.

He bows his head, looking about himself out of confusion.

Then he recalls what he was doing, and descends the tree.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

At the farmhouse, there is unrest.

The betas, APOLLO, MELINOE, HEPHAESTUS, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS are all gathered and sitting together.

MELINOE sits, embracing APOLLO, with her head on his shoulder.

She caresses his chest.

He appears exhausted still, from having been shot, resting his head against her's.

He is looking across the fields.

Suddenly, he lifts his head.

MELINOE lifts her head also, to look at him.

She sees that he is shocked and turns her head to see what he is looking at.

Now crossing the field, HERMES helps ARTEMIS to walk towards the farmhouse.

As they approach, APOLLO stands.

MELINOE also stands and the others look towards ARTEMIS and HERMES.

They begin to stand also.

APOLLO approaches ARTEMIS and HERMES.

As he nears them, he extends his arms to ARTEMIS.

HERMES releases her from his support as she extends her arms to APOLLO.

The two caress one another's faces before hugging in a tight embrace.

MELINOE is close behind APOLLO.

HEPHAESTUS, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS all follow.

As APOLLO releases ARTEMIS, MELINOE comes closer and caresses ARTEMIS' face.

ARTEMIS smiles.

Others greet HERMES.

KEROESSA approaches ARTEMIS and caresses her in greeting.

APOLLO and KEROESSA support ARTEMIS, with MELINOE to APOLLO's side, as the group all walk back towards the farmhouse.

INT. CELL BLOCK, SECURITY FACILITY - DAY

ATHENA is led, held by two guards, toward a cell.

ANANKE leads the way and stops in front of the cell door.

The two guards halt and hold ATHENA in place.

ATHENA watches as ANANKE raises her hand to a key pad.

ANANKE types in a four digit security code and a beep signifies a correct entry.

The door opens.

The two guards lead ATHENA into it.

She is pushed into the cell and then the door is closed behind her.

ANANKE leads the two guards further down the hallway.

INT. BETA CELL, SECURITY FACILITY - DAY

ATHENA faces the closed door.

She examines her reflection in it.

ZAGREUS approaches her from behind.

He puts his hand on her shoulder and tugs her away from the door.

She walks with him.

They sit amongst the other betas; HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS.

INT. INTERVIEW CHAMBER, SECURITY FACILITY - DAY

COEUS sits alone at a table in the interviewing room.

The door opens and ANANKE enters.

She sits down across the table from him.

ANANKE looks down at the desk.

She looks back up to him.

ANANKE nods in agreement.

ANANKE leans toward COEUS.

COEUS leans towards ANANKE, intimidatingly.

He grabs her wrist.

ANANKE looks toward her wrist.

His is a loose grip, a feigned intimidation.

She pulls herself away from him.

ANANKE stands to leave.

She walks to the door.

ANANKE knocks on the door.

It opens.

COEUS leans back into his chair.

The door closes, COEUS seeing his reflection within it.

INT. CELL BLOCK, SECURITY FACILITY - DAY

ANANKE is chatting briefly with the guards as CHAOS appears from round a corner.

ANANKE is startled.

CHAOS walks toward her enthusiastically.

The two guards stand aside as ANANKE joins CHAOS' side to walk down the corridor.

CHAOS stops at the door to the surveillance room.

He gestures to offer that she go in first.

HEMERA looks out through the doorway to ANANKE and CHAOS.

She puts her hand against CHAOS' back and pushes him away from the door.

They set off walking again.

They enter a stairwell and continue walking.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - DAY

MELINOE sits with a now significantly pregnant ARTEMIS.

They eat together as other betas go about business across the farm.

As AMPHION, ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS attend to duties closer to the farmhouse, APOLLO, HERMES and KEROESSA tend to duties in the field.

APOLLO is stood staring back towards MELINOE and ARTEMIS as HERMES approaches him from behind.

HERMES puts a hand on his shoulder and APOLLO turns to him.

HERMES smiles at APOLLO and APOLLO forces a smile in reciprocation.

He turns back to looking at ARTEMIS and MELINOE as HERMES turns back to their duties in the field.

KEROESSA, beyond them, begins to yelp excitedly.

APOLLO turns to KEROESSA and then looks further up the field.

Back at the farmhouse, ARTEMIS too has seen the cause for this commotion.

She begins to stand.

MELINOE is quick to stand first and then helps ARTEMIS up.

MELINOE sees the cause for ARTEMIS' standing and follows behind her as ARTEMIS walks toward the fields.

Within the field closest to the farmhouse, ORION now walks toward them.

KEROESSA is first to meet him.

She greets him with a caress to the face.

He reciprocates nervously, for having been alone a long while.

HERMES soon arrives at him and they too exchange greetings in this way.

APOLLO remains stood where he is as ORION approaches.

ORION stops in front of APOLLO.

He raises his hand to APOLLO's face and caresses him in greeting.

He smiles at APOLLO.

APOLLO does not smile, though he reciprocates the greeting.

ARTEMIS and MELINOE have now arrived behind APOLLO.

ORION steps around him to greet ARTEMIS.

He goes to caress her face and she takes him further in for an embrace.

He rubs his face then against her cheek.

She releases him from embrace.

For a moment, ORION is perplexed by the bulge at ARTEMIS' stomach.

But he has little time to remain perplexed as ZETHUS, THEBE and LOCRUS arrive to greet him.

They all gradually make their way back toward the farmhouse, from which HEPHAESTUS exits.

As they make their way towards the farmhouse, HEPHAESTUS strolls toward them.

He caresses ORION's face as they arrive, then joins the party in returning to their seating area in front of the farmhouse.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

The group of betas sit around a burning fire.

ORION is the centre of attention.

ARTEMIS and HERMES each sit close by, with KEROESSA and THEBE not too far away either.

AMPHION, ZETHUS and LOCRUS then form the remainder of the circle leading to MELINOE.

APOLLO sits almost behind MELINOE, barely a part of the circle.

ORION is telling the story of the other betas' capture.

He raises his hands in the air in claw-like shapes, then gestures violently downwards to the ground.

He locks his arms in position then stumbles forward.

He catches himself on his hands and raises himself back up.

Then he quickly drags his knuckles along the grass in quick succession, over and over, to signify running.

He thrusts his hands toward his chest and then raises them up, twisting them over one of his shoulders.

Then he raises his hands in claw forms again and pushes them away from himself.

He stops.

After a moment he gestures toward the trees.

He mimes the act of climbing and raises himself to be perched on his knees.

Then he tilts his head down and moves it from side to side.

He lowers himself again.

Finally, he ends by thumping his chest with one hand and gesturing outward across the fields with the other.

He closes his extended hand and draws it back in to himself.

He lowers it to the ground and pats the floor twice.

APOLLO nods to see the gesture of “home”.

ORION looks up to the rest of the betas.

There are vague expressions of confusion amongst them.

ORION thumps his chest again and gestures outwards across the field.

APOLLO nods again.

He examines the rest of the group who are still either confused or reluctant.

APOLLO caresses MELINOE's shoulder as he hops up from sitting.

He crawls through the group, around the fire, and sits in front of ORION.

The group watches APOLLO as he raises one hand to ORION's face.

He caresses it in allegiance, while holding his other hand at his own chest.

ORION caresses APOLLO's face in appreciation.

APOLLO turns away to crawl back to MELINOE.

ARTEMIS leans forward to caress his face as he goes.

He looks back to her and smiles, then continues back to his former seat.

MELINOE rests herself against him.

FADE OUT.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - MORNING

Once again, the betas are divided into those who will stay and those who will go.

To the leaving side of the divide, there is ORION, APOLLO, HEPHAESTUS, HERMES, MELINOE and LOCRUS.

They each caress the faces of those who will stay behind, ARTEMIS, KEROESSA, AMPHION, ZETHUS and THEBE.

APOLLO is first to caress the face of and then embrace ARTEMIS, ahead of ORION.

He smiles at her as his hand lingers on her face and she smiles back.

Then he steps away and ORION is allowed to embrace her.

He holds one hand to her face, caressing it, as he embraces her whole body with his other arm.

Their cheeks rub during the embrace.

Once done, he backs away from her and toward the rest of his group now gathered to leave.

As he turns, so do they.

They allow him to go ahead, so as to lead the way.

HERMES is closest to follow, followed by HEPHAESTUS and LOCRUS.

APOLLO looks back to ARTEMIS and the remaining betas for a while.

MELINOE waits on him.

He turns and joins her and the two follow the rear of the leaving group.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM, SECURITY FACILITY - MORNING

HEMERA sits leaning forward to assess security footage carefully.

She is flicking between channels, trying to find something.

EREBUS enters the room.

HEMERA leans back from the screens and looks to EREBUS as he leans against the table beside her.

EREBUS stands away from the table.

EREBUS walks toward the door.

EREBUS leaves.

HEMERA turns back to the consoles and continues to search for the missing betas.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DAY

ANANKE is presiding over the training of the detained betas.

She is watching as they look to her hesitantly, each seeking her approval.

ATHENA, HELLEN and GRACEUS are sowing seeds, while ZAGREUS and LACEDAEMON get to grips with plowing the earth.

CHAOS approaches ANANKE.

CHAOS looks back toward the facility, where EREBUS and a group of guards are leading COEUS, ASTERIA, CRONUS and the three other detained civilians to a truck.

He turns to walk towards EREBUS.

ANANKE turns back to the betas and watches them with concern.

COEUS and CRONUS also look at the betas with concern.

They are prodded by guards to continue their march toward the truck.

CHAOS approaches EREBUS.

ASTERIA casts a scowling glance at EREBUS.

CHAOS turns to walk back into the facility.

EREBUS begins moving with the captives, helping to direct them towards the truck.

EXT. A ROAD, THE FOREST - DAY

ORION, HERMES, HEPHAESTUS, LOCRUS, MELINOE and APOLLO remain low in the forest as they traverse it.

There is a rumbling from the road which startles most of them.

APOLLO looks about the forest, confused.

ORION turns back to the rest of the group.

He gestures with his hand held in a claw, holding it still in the air to signify that they stop.

Then he lowers himself to the ground further.

They all act in kind.

As the truck and a jeep pass them by, APOLLO looks onward curiously.

ORION waits for the small convoy to pass and for the sound to fade before rising up again.

HERMES does the same.

The rest are slower to follow but do so.

As ORION sets off again, and HERMES follows, the rest look behind at the road with curiosity and confusion.

But they each continue moving.

EXT. DOOR TO THE COMMUNAL PLAZA, THE FOREST - DAY

The small convoy arrives at the door.

The jeep comes first and halts, parking just out of the way so that the truck can pass.

Two guards leave the jeep.

One goes to open the door.

The other stands at its opening as it does so.

He is first to pass into the city.

The truck continues through once the passageway is large enough.

EXT. DOOR TO THE FOREST, COMMUNAL PLAZA - DAY

The one GUARD now in the plaza looks around.

The area has only a few people gathered; no threat.

As the truck pulls up behind him, he lowers his weapon and walks to its rear.

EREBUS exits the truck and walks to its rear with the GUARD.

They open the rear door.

The GUARD climbs in and selects ASTERIA to be taken out first.

He pushes her out to EREBUS.

She is un-cuffed and then pushed to one side.

EREBUS gestures with his gun.

ASTERIA complies.

COEUS is next to be delivered from the truck.

EREBUS turns him around, un-cuffs him, then pushes him aggressively in the direction of ASTERIA.

He goes to ASTERIA and hugs her.

CRONUS is taken from the truck next.

EREBUS uncuffs him and shoves him hard in the back.

CRONUS does not budge.

He stands strong and rubs his wrist so as to test EREBUS' patience.

CRONUS turns himself quickly and punches EREBUS in the face.

He makes a claim for EREBUS' gun, but he retains a firm grip.

Another of their team, still cuffed, charges the GUARD off the truck.

They each hit the ground hard.

A small crowd has gathered in the plaza.

They witness as EREBUS' gun fires an accidental shot from the struggle with CRONUS.

It is an electric rifle, with a loud cracking boom and a flash of light.

COEUS turns to the action.

The GUARD charged to the floor now begins to find his feet.

COEUS quickly charges across and tackles the guard back down.

He steals the guards gun and smacks him in the head with it.

Other guards from the jeep in the forest now enter the plaza.

COEUS is quick to spot them as they prepare to fire.

He dashes behind the truck for cover.

EREBUS has now twisted his gun, forcing CRONUS to the ground.

CRONUS continues to try and struggle.

COEUS sneaks round the back of the truck to reach the other side.

The guards at the doorway remain stationary, keeping their guns on the growing crowd which appears willing to turn on them.

COEUS arrives at the other side of the truck with a clear shot at EREBUS.

He takes it.

There is a loud cracking boom as EREBUS is shot to the ground.

CRONUS too is immobilised by the shot.

A guard at the door fires a shot at COEUS as he turns back into cover.

ASTERIA has hidden far to the edge of the plaza.

She is breathing heavily and closing her eyes tight from witnessing the battle.

Suddenly, she opens her eyes and stands.

ASTERIA runs toward the guards at the doorway.

She screams when she is halfway toward them.

She leaps, but isn't nearly heavy enough to tackle her target to the ground.

Still, while the other is momentarily distracted, COEUS runs out from cover and toward him.

He fires, sending a large jolt of electricity through the guards body.

ASTERIA still clings to the other for her life.

COEUS can't shoot but the guard hasn't noticed him yet.

He gets too close before the guard can see him, and clubs the guard with his gun, repeatedly.

The guard goes down.

ASTERIA lets go of him.

The crowd which had gathered approaches the area.

Some rush in to immediately try and restrain the guards while they are incapacitated.

COEUS turns to CRONUS and runs to him, ASTERIA at his side.

He kneels by CRONUS.

CRONUS is alive, in shock and coughing on the ground.

CRONUS' cough turns to a wheezing laugh.

He sits upright wheezing, and laughing.

CRONUS extends his arm to COEUS.

COEUS takes it and helps CRONUS to his feet.

THEMIS exits the crowd and walks to CRONUS.

CRONUS turns to her.

THEMIS looks at the situation, assessing the scenario.

THEMIS looks at the scenario once more, then back to CRONUS.

THEMIS turns and walks away.

CRONUS looks up at the truck, admiring it with a boyish smirk.

COEUS looks to his daughter, ASTERIA, with concern.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DUSK

With the light dimming, ORION, APOLLO, HEPHAESTUS, MELINOE, HERMES and LOCRUS look out from the trees towards the security facility.

They are remaining low.

HEPHAESTUS and APOLLO in particular are scrutinising the building ahead.

ORION watches passively.

There is a rumble from up the road and ORION turns to face it.

APOLLO and MELINOE also turn to look.

Then HEPHAESTUS, HERMES and LOCRUS watch too.

A truck drives towards the security facility, with a jeep following it.

It halts at the gate.

A long moment passes.

And then another long moment as a guard approaches the truck.

There is a cracking boom as a flash of light emerges from the truck and the guard falls to the floor.

COEUS exits the truck from the passenger side and takes something from the body.

A moment later, the gate is open and the truck drives part-way into the facility.

It blocks the gates from closing again.

APOLLO is alert, watching as CRONUS and other recognised civilians exit the truck along with a large array of additional people.

He looks to HEPHAESTUS, smiling.

HEPHAESTUS smiles back.

APOLLO grasps ORION's shoulder with his hand.

ORION looks up to him.

APOLLO gestures towards the civilians now moving through the facility grounds below.

He lowers his hand to the ground and pats it twice.

ORION looks to HEPHAESTUS, who nods.

HEPHAESTUS too pats the ground.

ORION springs up from laying on the floor.

APOLLO caresses his face in acknowledgement of a vague decision.

He is the first to move out from the trees and quickly toward the facility.

ORION follows closely behind him, followed by HEPHAESTUS, MELINOE, HERMES and LOCRUS.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DUSK

COEUS moves back out of the facility, to the jeep behind the truck.

He opens the door and looks in to ASTERIA.

ASTERIA climbs out of the jeep.

COEUS nods with concern for her safety.

ASTERIA notices the betas, APOLLO and HEPHAESTUS approaching them; followed by MELINOE, ORION, LOCRUS and HERMES.

She smiles.

COEUS is taken by surprise as HEPHAESTUS grabs his shoulder from behind.

He turns around swiftly, raising his gun.

He lowers it and calms when HEPHAESTUS begins caressing his face.

APOLLO caresses the face of ASTERIA, with MELINOE joining him and doing the same.

ASTERIA strokes both their faces in reciprocation.

ORION is cautious behind them, looking into the facility at CRONUS and another CIVILIAN taking positions either side of the main entrance.

COEUS follows ORION's gaze.

He brushes MELINOE's hand away from his face, as she caresses it.

He steps toward the gates.

He turns back to ASTERIA.

She, APOLLO and HEPHAESTUS look back to him.

COEUS moves through the gate to the facility.

APOLLO goes to follow.

ASTERIA grabs his wrist.

APOLLO looks back to ASTERIA.

He, HEPHAESTUS and MELINOE take her command.

ORION, with trepidation, follows COEUS into the facility.

HERMES follows ORION.

LOCRUS joins APOLLO, HEPHAESTUS and MELINOE, by ASTERIA.

They crouch to remain hidden.

ASTERIA follows suit.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DUSK

CRONUS and another CIVILIAN stand either side of the main door to the facility.

COEUS comes up behind CRONUS and presses himself against the wall alongside him.

ORION finds cover some distance back from the door, with HERMES.

CRONUS sees them and then looks to COEUS with concern.

COEUS looks back at CRONUS with a similar expression.

CRONUS turns back to the other CIVILIAN.

He holds a key card to the door's reader.

He swipes the card, opening the door.

He and the CIVILIAN step into the doorway and further, into the building.

COEUS follows them in.

EXT. SECURITY FACILITY, THE FOREST - DUSK

APOLLO sees that the door is opened and that COEUS has moved inside.

He sets off quickly through the gate.

ASTERIA tries to grab him.

MELINOE is quick to follow APOLLO.

HEPHAESTUS and LOCRUS follow her.

Defeated, ASTERIA crouches once more and slowly follows them through the gate to the facility.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - DUSK

CRONUS and a CIVILIAN step cautiously through the lobby, examining the area with guns raised.

COEUS follows them in and behaves in the same manner.

ORION and HERMES enter the facility, with hesitation.

APOLLO, MELINOE and HEPHAESTUS are not long after.

LOCRUS brings up the rear.

COEUS and CRONUS cast glances at the betas with concern for their presence.

ASTERIA runs into the facility.

Alarms begin to sound loudly throughout the lobby, and emergency lights flash against the walls.

INT. BETA CELL, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

As an alarm sounds and lights flash inside the cell, ZAGREUS looks all about himself in panic.

HELLEN, LACDAEMON and GRACEUS too get riled up by the noise; they scurry around in fear.

ATHENA examines the room, in a flurry, but mostly keeps her head.

She moves toward the door, where her reflection is cast in the fog of the steel and now flashes colours as the alarm lights pass over it.

She turns her attention to the key pad and raises her hand to it.

She examines it carefully and then mimics the motions depicted for her every time she was taken from the cell.

She dials in the four digit security code.

A beep lets her know that she has dialled the correct sequence, and the door slides open.

She turns back to ZAGREUS.

ZAGREUS looks to her and the door.

He quickly moves toward her and then looks out through the doorway.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

COEUS turns to the betas, APOLLO, MELINOE, HEPHAESTUS, HERMES and LOCRUS.

He whistles to gain their attention.

He crouches to the ground and pats it twice.

APOLLO and HEPHAESTUS nod in understanding.

COEUS turns to CRONUS.

CRONUS examines the area.

He sees ORION examining a doorway into a corridor.

He gestures towards it with his gun.

COEUS turns to see ORION.

He whistles for his attention.

ORION turns to COEUS.

COEUS gestures towards the rest of the beta group and to ASTERIA.

ORION remains unresponsive.

A GUARD comes from behind ORION, in the corridor, and grabs him.

The GUARD holds him hostage and directs a gun towards COEUS, CRONUS and the other two CIVILIANs.

ORION struggles to try and wriggle out of the GUARD's grasp.

The GUARD holds him tight, as best he can, but struggles.

INT. CELL BLOCK, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

ZAGREUS leads ATHENA, HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS down a corridor.

They come to a corner and hesitantly look around it.

At the end of the corridor, a GUARD appears to have ORION held and used in bargaining.

ATHENA looks to ZAGREUS with concern.

He looks from her, back down the hallway.

ATHENA gestures to her chest and then to the GUARD.

ZAGREUS turns from her once more and prepares himself.

In a moment, she starts running down the corridor.

ZAGREUS sets off after her.

She pounces onto the back of the GUARD and ZAGREUS tackles him lower down.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - CONTINUOUS

The GUARD drops his gun and releases ORION as ATHENA and ZAGREUS attack him from behind.

HEPHAESTUS quickly moves to the gun and takes it for himself, before springing back towards APOLLO and MELINOE.

COEUS and CRONUS move towards ORION and draw him back.

They step to the GUARD and take him under their control.

ZAGREUS and ATHENA look to ORION.

They move into the room, shy of CRONUS and COEUS.

Avoiding the civilians, they greet ORION.

APOLLO, HERMES and MELINOE advance to greet them.

HELLEN, LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS advance up the corridor behind them.

With the GUARD detained and being tied up by COEUS, CRONUS looks down the corridor.

COEUS turns to follow CRONUS.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

CRONUS and COEUS arrive at the surveillance room.

ANANKE sits in it, awaiting them.

CRONUS points his gun directly at her.

COEUS advances with his gun lowered.

She stands and extends her wrists to COEUS.

He affixes hand-cuffs to her.

COEUS directs ANANKE out of the room.

COEUS and ANANKE exit.

ATHENA, ORION and ZAGREUS enter.

ZAGREUS is quick to notice the surveillance monitors.

ORION follows him to them.

ATHENA instead notices a steel cabinet with an engraving on it, identical to the engraving on the door to beyond the forest.

She strokes the cabinet.

It is shinier than the door, and than any other door.

Her reflection is depicted in it, with great clarity.

Beneath the cabinet, is a key card reader.

ATHENA reaches to her neck, but she no longer has her own key card.

The colour needed appears to be a wasp-patterned key card.

She looks across at the key cards and keys on display across the wall.

None match, though she tries one anyway; a green one, just as hers had been.

It achieves nothing.

She tries it at different angles.

Still nothing happens.

She drops the key card to the floor.

The alarms stop.

ATHENA turns, startled by the new lack of noise.

ZAGREUS and ORION too are startled.

Even CRONUS is startled.

He looks to the three betas, then to the door.

He quickly rushes out of it.

ATHENA, then ZAGREUS and ORION follow him out and back toward the lobby.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

CRONUS enters the lobby and looks to COEUS, stood amidst the betas, APOLLO, MELINOE and HEPHAESTUS with ASTERIA and ANANKE.

At the rear and centre of the lobby, an elevator whirrs into action as it approaches their floor.

COEUS, CRONUS and the other CIVILIANs stand with guns raised and approaching it.

ATHENA, ZAGREUS and ORION enter the room and watch the elevator.

It arrives with a 'ding'.

The doors slide open to reveal CHAOS and two guards.

CHAOS steps out and into the lobby, his guards follow to either side of him.

The guards have guns raised and pointed towards COEUS and CRONUS, who have theirs raised and pointed back at them.

CRONUS steps toward CHAOS.

CRONUS looks to COEUS and COEUS looks back at him.

ATHENA notices the key card around CHAOS' neck; a wasp-patterned key card.

She begins to approach CHAOS.

As ATHENA gets close to CHAOS, a guard thrusts his gun in her direction.

She does not understand.

ANANKE calls to her from the rear of the room.

ATHENA looks to ANANKE, as do all of the betas.

ATHENA stops in her position.

A guard holds his gun threateningly pointed towards her.

She backs away.

COEUS hesitates then complies.

He drops his gun.

CRONUS watches him do so then hesitates longer.

With all attention on CRONUS, ATHENA quickly ducks to the floor and grabs COEUS' gun.

She raises it swiftly and points it at the guards and at CHAOS.

CHAOS turns to face her as she approaches him again.

ATHENA does not acknowledge ANANKE's call.

CHAOS glances at CRONUS then back at ATHENA.

He notices her grasp on the gun, unprepared to operate it.

There is hesitation as CHAOS stares ATHENA down.

He raises his hands in front of him and edges gently towards her.

ATHENA hisses at CHAOS as he comes closer to her.

A sudden crack and a flash of light penetrates the scene and knocks CHAOS from his feet.

HEPHAESTUS is holding the gun salvaged from the guard in the corridor.

He has figured out the mechanism and it has been discharged.

He helps her by removing it from his neck.

All eyes turn onto him.

A sudden flurry of activity erupts as the guards fire two blasts towards HEPHAESTUS.

He ducks behind cover, sending the shots stray.

ATHENA drops her own gun and crouches by the body of CHAOS.

She collects the key-card from around his neck.

CRONUS fires a shot, taking out one of the guards.

The other turns to him and readies to fire, but CRONUS gets another shot in first knocking the second guard down.

Silence settles in the room again.

ATHENA stands and looks to HEPHAESTUS rising from behind cover.

She looks to the door, then runs from the room.

Behind HEPHAESTUS, attention is gathered around an unconscious ASTERIA.

COEUS looks to ANANKE, and ASTERIA in her arms.

He runs quickly to ASTERIA and crouches beside her.

He leans over her mouth listening for breath.

Hearing none, he begins CPR.

Excepting HEPHAESTUS, the betas gather around COEUS and ASTERIA.

MELINOE reaches to ASTERIA's arm and holds it gently in her hand, as APOLLO rests his hand on her shoulder.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

ATHENA stands examining the mysterious metal box.

She swipes the key card against the reader.

It beeps and the metal front door to the box pops open.

She pulls it open further.

HEPHAESTUS enters the room and approaches her.

Behind the metal door is a key pad.

ATHENA raises her finger to its buttons then hesitates for a moment.

She then quickly, from memory of motion, dials in the only security code she knows.

The console beeps in acknowledgement of the correct code.

Its door pops open.

ATHENA pulls it open to reveal a switch and two keys.

HEPHAESTUS steps forwards to see the objects.

ATHENA appears confused by them.

She collects the two keys.

HEPHAESTUS looks at the switch left untouched in the box.

He stands next to ATHENA and raises his hand to it.

She watches him as he touches it.

He looks at her and then back at the switch.

He turns it and a small light begins to blink.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - NIGHT

Far up at the top of the door, a series of bright lights begin to flash.

They reflect off the glass dome which seals in the sky above them, fading in and out like a tide to drown out the stars far over it.

EXT. DOOR TO THE FOREST, COMMUNAL PLAZA - NIGHT

A row of lights above the door to the forest are flashing.

Some citizens down below look up to the lights in awed confusion.

INT. THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

ARTEMIS is suffering labour as her baby is about to be born into the world.

She sweats, and breathes heavily with exertion.

THEBE, KEROESSA and AMPHION stand around ARTEMIS, attempting to caress her face, her back and her belly to see her through what's happening.

She clutches back at them, gripping to whoever's arms she can find for support.

ZETHUS stands looking out of the window.

A light outside flashes over and over, causing his reflection to come and go just as it does.

He is contemplative of the light.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

CRONUS checks the pulse of the president, CHAOS.

He times it against his watch to measure his beats per minute.

He stands and turns back to COEUS.

COEUS appears miserable, with ANANKE resting her bound hands on his shoulder and ASTERIA dead in his arms.

CRONUS bows his head.

His attention is then caught as the ATHENA and HEPHAESTUS run through the room.

COEUS grabs a gun and leaps up.

ATHENA runs straight out of the facility, oblivious.

HEPHAESTUS stops dead and looks towards COEUS.

COEUS points his gun at HEPHAESTUS and stares him down, his eyes raw with tears.

COEUS is determined, but heavy with grief.

He falters with the gun in his hand and lowers it.

He drops the gun and bows his head, weeping.

HEPHAESTUS sets off out of the facility.

COEUS falls back to his knees and takes ASTERIA in his arms.

MELINOE still holds onto the girl's arm and shoulder.

APOLLO waits with her as the other betas leave to follow ATHENA and HEPHAESTUS.

ZAGREUS is quickest to leave, with HERMES, HELLEN and LOCRUS quick after him.

LACEDAEMON and GRACEUS stay stood nearby APOLLO, MELINOE and the civilians.

ORION hesitates at the door, looking in to APOLLO.

APOLLO sees him and bows his head.

ORION turns slowly and leaves.

COEUS collapses into ASTERIA, sobbing.

ANANKE comforts him with hands on one shoulder.

APOLLO raises his hand to the other.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - NIGHT

ATHENA and HEPHAESTUS arrive at the door.

She immediately runs to one locking mechanism pedestal. He follows her.

ZAGREUS, HERMES HELLEN and LOCRUS emerge from the forest behind them.

ATHENA is examining the locking mechanism as the other betas gather behind her.

ORION emerges from the treeline last, alone.

ATHENA takes a key from her pocket and presses it to the mechanism.

It does nothing.

HEPHAESTUS puts his hand on hers.

He takes the key from her and then carefully inserts it into the key slot.

She watches as he turns it.

It does nothing.

The rest of the group gather, watching HEPHAESTUS and ATHENA figure it out.

ZAGREUS and ORION step closer, feeling a need to be involved.

Others admire the flashing lights above the doors or simply watch on.

ATHENA takes the second key to the other locking pedestal.

She inserts it carefully and then turns it.

It does nothing.

HEPHAESTUS looks to her as she holds the key in place.

She looks to him.

She turns the key back the other way and then turns to look back to HEPHAESTUS.

She runs across to him and examines his key.

She turns his upright too.

Then she faces him and holds her hand in the air.

He watches her as she backs away from him.

She turns and quickly runs back to her key.

She grasps it with one hand as she raises her other into the air.

HEPHAESTUS puts his hand on his key and waits, with a perplexed expression, as he looks at ATHENA.

She slowly begins to lower her arm.

He looks to his key and then back to her.

As he sees her lowering her arm, he begins to turn his key.

She drops her arm swiftly and turns her own key.

Each is turned in synchronisation.

An alarm begins to sound across the forest, as the door hisses loudly and begins to shift upwards.

A wind begins to pick up, blowing the betas' hair wildly in it.

They all step back cautiously from the door, though they begin to have their hair and fabrics swept towards it.

They are awed, amazed, slightly nervous...

...but there is a clear expression of accomplishment and joy on the faces of ATHENA, HEPHAESTUS and ZAGREUS.

ORION appears most concerned but watches on, equally bewildered.

INT. THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

KEREOESSA carefully lifts a baby from beneath ARTEMIS.

She holds it for a moment as ARTEMIS smiles at it.

THEBE, ZETHUS and AMPHION stand aside, admiring as KEROESSA hands the baby to ARTEMIS.

Objects begin to rattle against the farmhouse.

EXT. THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

Leaves and branches are swept against the farmhouse.

Objects from the city also fly through the open area; wrappers and papers.

EXT. DOOR TO THE FOREST, COMMUNAL PLAZA - NIGHT

As objects fly all around them, a crowd gathers at the door.

THEMIS stands at the front of them, her own hair blowing wildly as a great wind collects everything and delivers it far down the road ahead.

INT. LOBBY, SECURITY FACILITY - NIGHT

APOLLO, MELINOE, LACEDAEMON, GRACEUS, CRONUS and ANANKE remain gathered around COEUS as he holds the deceased ASTERIA in his arms.

MELINOE still holds onto the girls arm and shoulder, with APOLLO resting a hand on her shoulder and caressing the neck of COEUS in respect and comfort as well.

A wind whips up through the room as CRONUS uncuffs ANANKE.

She returns her hands to COEUS, clutching his shoulder and rubbing his back.

As the wind picks up, it gathers attention.

CRONUS remains standing and watches out of the door, as light objects breeze past him through the room.

APOLLO raises his attentions, and ANANKE too looks about herself.

MELINOE is unphased, moving a hand to COEUS' arm and remaining focused on he and ASTERIA.

COEUS holds ASTERIA more tightly, burying his face as the strengthening wind pulls his tears horizontally across his cheek.

EXT. A DOOR, THE FOREST - NIGHT

The door opens, finally revealing a gap, as objects fly into it and out through the underneath.

ZAGREUS, ATHENA, HEPHAESTUS, ORION, HERMES, HELLEN and LOCRUS all stand back in awe of the event as the wind howls through the opening.

Soon, they too are being pulled towards the door, beginning to topple from their feet as the opening grows wider.

None can remain on their feet, but try to move back.

They all attempt to steady themselves and to back-up on all-fours but it is to no avail.

EXT. MNEMOSYNE - SPACE

From the outside of MNEMOSYNE, we see the betas swept through an opening doorway of the ship and into space.

The ship is incredibly vast, encompassing a large forest within a gigantic dome encompassing a small city at its middle which extends upwards and onto a tether, reaching far into space - to the ships pivotal point and counterweight far beyond that.

A giant text on her great dome reads “MNEMOSYNE”.

As it turns, a phrase is revealed above her bay door which extends around the rim of the ship.

It reads, “That they may not be forgotten.”

Still being flung from that door, are the betas, the civilians, the security, trees and all manner of debris from within.

The are lit by the lights from within, but those too die as cables are severed and generators are lost.

Little by little, the dome goes dark, and all within and outside of it are left unlit and unseen.

THE END.