PROTOCOL NEGATIVE 77

SPECTRE - (stumbling upon a scared scientist) Whoa, mister, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost.

SCIENTIST - (mumbling) 77eh... 77eh... over and over...

SPECTRE - (confused) What's wrong? What's going on?

SCIENTIST - (looking around frantically) They're coming... they're coming for me...

SPECTRE - (calmly) Hey, it's okay. I'm here to help. (pulls out his phone) I'm going to call Tivana.

TIVANA - (answering) Hey, Spectre. What's up?

SPECTRE - (urgently) You need to get here now. I found some scientist guy who's totally freaked out.

TIVANA - (concerned) What's going on?

SPECTRE - (describing) He's just mumbling some numbers over and over... 77eh... and he's really scared.

TIVANA - (arriving) Where are you?

SPECTRE - (pointing) Over here.

(Tivana rushes over and sees the scientist.)

TIVANA - (recognizing) Wait a minute... (sees the nametag in his pocket) Radrin? Hey, aren't you the famous scientist who was the only one left... and his team died the next day?

RADRIN - (terrified) No... no... don't say that... (starts running away)

SPECTRE - (chasing after) Hey, wait! Come back!

TIVANA - (following) Radrin, stop! We want to help you!

RADRIN - (desperately) You can't help me... no one can... (keeps running)

(Spectre and Tivana continue chasing Radrin, determined to uncover the truth.)

Continuing the new section:

SPECTRE - (panting, still running) Tivana, what's up with this guy? Why is he so freaked out?

TIVANA - (determined) I don't know, but he's connected to all of this. We can't let him slip away!

(Suddenly, Radrin turns a sharp corner into a dark alley. The alley seems abandoned, littered with broken crates and flickering streetlights.)

SPECTRE - (hesitant) Great... classic horror movie setting.

TIVANA - (grabbing Spectre's arm) Come on. We can't let fear get in the way.

(They cautiously walk into the alley, hearing faint footsteps echo ahead. Radrin is visibly shaking, backed against a wall.)

TIVANA - (approaching slowly) Radrin, listen, we just want to talk. You're in danger. If you keep running, you'll only make things worse.

RADRIN - (nervous) Worse? It's already worse! I shouldn't have come back! They're watching... they always watch...

SPECTRE - (curious) Who's watching, Radrin? What's going on?

RADRIN - (mumbling) 77eh... 77eh...

TIVANA - (frustrated) That again... what is 77eh?

RADRIN - (panicking) No! No! Don't say it! You'll bring them here!

(At that moment, the air seems to shift. A strange hum fills the alley, and a cold breeze sweeps through. Tivana and Spectre exchange a worried glance.)

SPECTRE - (nervous) Uh... Tivana, are you feeling that too?

TIVANA - (whispering) Yeah... something's coming.

(Out of nowhere, dark shadows begin swirling at the far end of the alley, forming into faint humanoid shapes. The atmosphere turns heavy as the shadows move toward them.)

RADRIN - (terrified) It's too late! They've found me!

SPECTRE - (stepping back) Tivana, what are those things?

TIVANA - (focused) I don't know, but we can't stay here! Radrin, come on!

(Tivana grabs Radrin by the arm, pulling him toward the alley's entrance, but the shadows are closing in faster.)

RADRIN - (panicking) No, no, no! They'll get us!

TIVANA - (firmly) Not if we move! Trust me, Radrin!

(Spectre looks around for a way out, spotting a narrow fire escape on the side of a nearby building.)

SPECTRE - (pointing) There! We can use the fire escape! Hurry!

(Tivana, Spectre, and Radrin rush toward the fire escape. Spectre climbs up first, followed by Radrin, who is still shaking with fear. Tivana is the last to climb, glancing back at the shadows creeping ever closer.)

TIVANA - (to herself) What the hell are those things?

(They make it to the roof just in time, the shadows swirling beneath them but unable to climb. Tivana and Spectre catch their breath, while Radrin stares blankly at the horizon.)

SPECTRE - (panting) Okay... that was too close.

TIVANA - (still catching her breath) We're not safe yet. Radrin, you need to tell us everything you know. What's going on? Who's after you?

RADRIN - (quietly) You wouldn't believe me... no one ever does.

TIVANA - (determined) Try us.

(Radrin hesitates for a moment before speaking.)

RADRIN - (nervous) I was part of a research team... we were researching on something we weren't supposed to. Something evil... something forbidden.

SPECTRE - (raising an eyebrow) Forbidden? Like what, curses or something?

RADRIN - (serious) Worse than curses. We found something no we made something that didn't belong to this world. And we unlocked something... something dark. We thought we could control it, but we were wrong.

WE CALL IT PROTOCOL NEGATIVE 77