Chapter 1
FADE IN.
EXT. DESERT ROAD – NIGHT
The night sky is crystal clear. RANDY speeds along the Mexico border in his patrol car. The road is rough. His radio crackles with voices of fellow officers.
Ahead, a flicker of flame. Randy accelerates. A car is on fire.
Randy stops at a safe distance, steps out. He sees a WOMAN struggling to pull someone from the driver’s seat. Randy approaches cautiously.
She turns at the sound of his boots on the gravel. Blood smeared on her face, a bloodied knife in her hand.
In the driver’s seat, a MAN slumps forward, throat slashed, blood pooling in the fire’s glow.
Randy draws his revolver.
RANDY
(Shouting)
Hands in the air!
The woman’s eyes are wide with fear. She drops the knife, hands trembling.
WOMAN
(Sobbing)
I didn’t do it. Please, help me.
RANDY
(Cold)
Hands up. No sudden moves.
She raises her hands, shaking. Randy advances, cautiously handcuffing her. He pats her down, checks for weapons.
The MAN in the car is mutilated beyond recognition. Randy exhales sharply, disturbed. He moves to the trunk and finds it ajar. Inside, a red bag. Randy pulls it open, revealing bundles of American dollars.
The woman’s voice trembles from behind him.
WOMAN
(Desperate)
We need to leave... He’ll come. He’ll kill us both.
Randy glances back at her. His suspicion grows.
RANDY
Who? Who’ll kill us?
The woman looks over her shoulder, eyes wide, panicked. Her voice shakes.
WOMAN
Him.
Randy steps toward her, but her eyes don’t meet his. She looks at the darkness of the desert.
RANDY
(Cold)
Who?
Her breathing quickens. She doesn’t respond.
Randy forces her to her feet and drags her toward the trunk.
RANDY
Whose money is this?
WOMAN
(Quickly)
His.
RANDY
Who?
She avoids his gaze.
RANDY
A drug lord?
She nods, trembling.
WOMAN
Please... We need to leave now. He’ll find us.
RANDY
(Grim)
Who?
Her face pales, eyes locked on the desert.
WOMAN
(Sobbing)
Not just me... Everyone. He’ll kill everyone...
She collapses to her knees, crying, terrified.
Randy looks around, uneasy. His eyes flicker toward the desert. He grabs his walkie-talkie.
RANDY
(into radio)
Officer Randy. Homicide, thirteen kilometers north of the Mexico border. Suspect in custody. Requesting backup and ambulance. Over.
The woman’s scream breaks the silence.
WOMAN
(Screaming)
He’s here! He’s here!
Randy spins, confused. He scans the horizon. But before he can react, a gleaming axe swings through the air, burying itself into Randy’s skull. Blood sprays.
He crumples to the ground, lifeless.
The woman screams, frantic. She slams the door open and scrambles out of the car. Barefoot, she runs.
EXT. DESERT – NIGHT
The barren desert stretches ahead. Her breath is ragged, her legs weak. She hears the heavy footsteps behind her. Each step shakes the earth.
She doesn’t look back, but the sound of its pursuit grows louder. Her pace falters, and she collapses in the sand, breathless.
For a moment, silence. Then, in the distance, red and blue lights flash. Relief floods her face. She closes her eyes, trembling, as she whispers a prayer.
---
INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – DAWN
A dim light bulb flickers overhead, casting quick shadows on the cracked concrete walls. The air is thick and stale.
A RIVAL LEADER, battered and bloodied, is tied to a rusted metal chair. His breathing is ragged, one eye nearly swollen shut. Dried blood stains his shirt.
GABRIEL REYES stands before him, composed and immaculate despite the grime surrounding them. He pulls a silver coin from his pocket, flipping it once in the air.
REYES
(Quiet, measured)
Fate already decided. I’m just here to deliver the sentence.
The rival winces, trying to squirm in the chair. Chains rattle as he struggles.
RIVAL LEADER
(Desperate)
We don’t have to do this. We can talk—
Reyes steps forward, his shadow swallowing the rival. He crouches, face unreadable.
REYES
(Cold)
You should’ve thought of that before you crossed me.
He flips the coin into the air again, letting it spin briefly before catching it.
REYES
(Sharp)
Heads... you live. Tails... you don’t.
The rival stares at Reyes, eyes wide with terror.
RIVAL LEADER
(Frantic)
Wait! Please—
Reyes interrupts him with a swift motion, pulling a silenced pistol from his jacket. He presses it against the rival’s forehead.
Without hesitation, BANG. A muffled gunshot echoes. The rival’s body slumps in the chair, lifeless.
Reyes wipes the pistol with a white cloth, methodical, precise. He pockets the coin, the cloth—leaving no trace.
He turns, walking out without looking back. The flickering light bulb casts his long shadow, and water continues to drip.
---
INT. HOSPITAL – MORNING
Alberto and Robert step into the cold, sterile hospital. Their footsteps echo down the quiet corridor as they head for the morgue. Chief of Police Toadvine waits, his expression grim. He glances at them as they enter, his face hard.
ROBERT
(Sighing)
Has Mr. Nathan been notified?
ALBERTO
He’s on his way.
ROBERT
(Shaking his head)
What a cruel thing. Let’s hope he can identify the body quickly.
ALBERTO
(Without much sympathy)
The clothes did most of the work already.
TOADVINE
Still needs confirmation.
A creak from the door. Nathan enters, his eyes fixed on the covered body. He moves without speaking, ignoring Toadvine completely.
TOADVINE
(Stepping forward)
Mr. Nathan, I’m sorry for—
NATHAN
(Cutting him off)
Just let me see him.
TOADVINE
(Glancing at the doctor)
Go ahead.
The doctor pulls back the sheet. Nathan stares at the body for a moment, then collapses forward, wailing.
NATHAN
(Sobbing)
My son... My son...
The corpse’s face remains covered. Nathan’s hands shake as he looks at the doctor, frantic.
NATHAN
(Desperate)
Why is his face still covered? Let me see him!
TOADVINE
(Voice firm but gentle)
Mr. Nathan, please—
Before Toadvine can stop him, Nathan yanks the sheet away. His eyes widen. He stumbles back, nearly fainting. Toadvine catches him.
TOADVINE
(Guide him away)
Come on, let’s get you outside.
The doctor quietly covers the body again as Alberto and Robert follow, with Toadvine leading Nathan out.
---
EXT. HOSPITAL – MORNING
Outside, the air is thick with tension. Robert lights a cigarette, the glow briefly illuminating his face.
ROBERT
(Casually, eyeing Alberto)
Did you see the body?
ALBERTO
(Shaking his head, distracted)
No.
ROBERT
(Nods)
Not much to see anyway.
Alberto doesn’t respond. Robert watches him carefully, sensing something’s off.
ROBERT
(Concerned)
You alright? You’ve got that look again.
ALBERTO
(Tight)
My brother.
ROBERT
(Serious)
What happened?
ALBERTO
I told you... I was trying to bring my family here.
ROBERT
(Nods)
Yeah, I remember.
ALBERTO
(Quietly, pained)
Liberto... he got hurt in an accident.
ROBERT
What kind of accident?
ALBERTO
Drilling rig collapsed... his coworker died. Liberto’s... in bad shape.
ROBERT
(Sympathetic)
Jesus. Why aren’t you with him?
ALBERTO
The company sent him back to Mexico. No care. No treatment. Threatened to deport him.
ROBERT
(Angry)
That’s fucked up.
ALBERTO
(Shrugs bitterly)
They trap men like him. When they’re not useful, they toss ’em out.
ROBERT
(Snapping)
Like cattle.
Alberto nods, his face hard.
ROBERT
(After a pause, musing)
Mr. Nathan’s not much better, huh? Owns oil fields. All this money, but still loses his son.
Alberto doesn’t respond, his thoughts elsewhere.
TOADVINE
(Approaching, voice low)
Have you questioned the woman yet?
Robert flicks his cigarette away, the ember sizzling.
ROBERT
Not yet.
TOADVINE
(Nods, voice sharper)
Nathan’s convinced she killed his son. Said she lured him out to steal from him.
ROBERT
(Slowly)
Any truth to that?
TOADVINE
Could be... but Randy’s murder complicates things.
ROBERT
(Thoughtful)
I heard she was engaged to his son.
TOADVINE
(Nods)
Nathan didn’t approve. She’s Cherokee. He’s got issues with anyone who’s not white.
ALBERTO
(Bitter)
No wonder he stayed away in there.
ROBERT
(Quietly)
Could be.
Toadvine heads back into the hospital without saying another word. Alberto and Robert stand in silence, the weight of their thoughts hanging heavy in the air.
---
EXT. MEXICAN BORDER – MORNING
The sun creeps over the horizon, washing the desert in pale gold. Reyes stands at the border, his silhouette etched against the soft morning light. His shotgun rests against his shoulder, steady as a preacher’s hand. Behind him, Wendigo Cartel members drag bodies toward a smoldering fire. Blood stains the sand, darkened and crusted in the warming air.
Reyes kneels and scoops a handful of dirt, letting it slip through his fingers.
REYES
(Quietly)
Ashes and dust.
He stands, gaze fixed on the smoke curling upward from the flames. The cartel men hesitate, waiting for orders.
REYES (CONT’D)
Let the dawn take them.
One man stumbles, coughing from the rising smoke. Reyes turns sharply.
REYES (CONT’D)
Quiet. They’re listening.
The man freezes. Reyes walks over, calm and deliberate, and puts a hand on the man’s shoulder.
REYES (CONT’D)
You disturb the dead, they’ll follow you.
Without warning, Reyes slams the butt of his shotgun into the man’s gut. The man crumples.
REYES (CONT’D)
And then I’ll bury you with them.
Reyes steps back as the fire crackles and the flames rise higher, casting jagged shadows across the waking desert.
---
INT. POLICE STATION – INTERROGATION ROOM – MORNING
Cam Bentland sits at the table, cuffed, her eyes wild, her body trembling with exhaustion. A JUNIOR OFFICER enters, informing ROBERT and ALBERTO of her regained consciousness. They enter the room, and Alberto closes the door behind them. Robert removes his hat and takes a seat across from Cam.
ROBERT
How are you feeling, Miss Bentland?
Cam looks at him, desperation in her eyes.
CAM
(Quick, breathless)
Please… you have to believe me—I didn’t kill him.
ROBERT
(Coldly)
Who?
CAM
Morrison.
Robert studies her, then glances at Alberto before looking back at Cam.
ROBERT
Who killed him, then?
Cam hesitates, gathering herself.
CAM
A demon. A servant of the devil.
Robert leans forward, skepticism creeping into his tone.
ROBERT
A creature killed Morrison?
CAM
Yes. It’s cursed… black magic money. Morrison took it.
ROBERT
(Sharply)
From who?
CAM
It wasn’t his money. It belonged to the Wendigo.
Robert’s patience wears thin, but he’s trying to stay focused.
ROBERT
Morrison stole money from his father—
CAM
(Interrupting)
No! He took it from the Wendigo. I saw him. He… he angered it.
Robert rubs his temple, growing more frustrated.
ROBERT
(Skeptical)
And now this Wendigo’s been tormenting him?
CAM
(Swallowing)
In his dreams. It haunted him, I swear.
Robert’s face tightens, trying to piece it together, but doubt creeps in.
ROBERT
And Officer Randy? He killed him, too?
Cam flinches at the name, her voice a mere whisper.
CAM
(Quiet, broken)
Yes. The Wendigo.
Robert stands abruptly, slamming his chair back. He gestures for Alberto to follow him as they exit the room. Alberto glances at Robert, who’s deep in thought.
ALBERTO
You think she’s telling the truth?
ROBERT
(Cold, uncertain)
I don’t know. But something’s off. Either this is a supernatural case, or Cam’s hiding something.
They walk through the hallway, the air thick with suspicion.
---
INT. POLICE STATION – HALLWAY – MORNING
Alberto stops, looking at Robert with a sharp gaze.
ALBERTO
(Quietly)
This has cartel written all over it.
ROBERT
(Shakes head, irritated)
The woman’s got handcuffs on for a reason. She didn’t kill Randy, but Morrison? Yeah. That’s on her.
ALBERTO
(Skeptical)
How do you figure?
ROBERT
(Slow, controlled)
During the interview, she was twitching, sweating like crazy. Signs of lying. She’s hiding something.
ALBERTO
(Challenging)
And we’re not sweating?
ROBERT
(Tightening)
It’s not the same, Alberto. A Wendigo? That’s just insane.
ALBERTO
(Softly, thinking aloud)
What if Morrison wasn’t killed by some creature… but by someone connected to the cartel? Maybe even Randy.
Robert looks back at him, still skeptical but thoughtful.
ROBERT
We haven’t found a weapon for Randy. But we’ve got the knife from Morrison. That’s the lead.
ALBERTO
(Eyes narrowing)
If it’s got her prints and Morrison’s blood… we’ll know for sure.
ROBERT
(Nods firmly)
Exactly. But don’t forget—Randy arrested her. No doubt about it.
Alberto looks down, pondering, then lifts his gaze back to Robert.
ALBERTO
(Thinking, quieter)
Something’s still not right.
Robert gives him a sharp look but doesn’t respond, the weight of the mystery pressing down as they continue walking.
