ESCAPE from EARTH : Fan Fiction idea. Starring Snake Plissken & Robert Neville

Escape from Earth

Starring Snake Plissken and Robert Neville from I Am Legend

(This story takes place immediately after the events of Escape from L.A.)

Snake uses the Sword of Damocles technology to render all and any electronic devices inoperable. All computer systems public or private, that either operate or maintain banking or financial records, analyze data, storage of information, and those systems used for defense are wiped out worldwide. Because of the sudden loss of power, the CDC has shut down after using up all its backup power and has released a virus that was in containment and causes an infectious disease to spread. Snake’s action sends the world into ruins and chaos, soon making it an apocalyptic wasteland. Groups of survivors’ form to help each other and stay alive while other groups form as criminal enterprises to exploit the remaining dwindling resources. Slowly the pandemic spreads, infecting people with a vampire condition. The remaining survivors now have to fight off the vampires as well as the criminals while trying to stay alive.

Prior to the catastrophic events, the United States government has been secretly funding a space station and a dome for experimental colonization on the moon and its orbit. Most government officials, since the pandemic and catastrophe, have fled to federal bunkers or military bases secured from the outside world. Those sanctuaries are operating on backup power as well with a very limited life span. Those select bunkers and bases are also equipped with rockets that have enough range to reach either the space station or dome on the moon. The President decides with their limited power to operate the bases and bunkers, and resources dwindling each day, it doesn’t leave them enough time to develop an antidote for the disease or start a rebuilding of the country. He further plans to escape from earth and take only the uninfected along, leaving the world in chaos to succumb to undesirable outcomes.

Before the President launches the mass exodus, he receives a remote transmission.

Presidential aide: Mr. President, I think you should look at something.
President: I have extremely pressing matters to attend to. Is it really important?
Presidential aide: I would say so sir. [pointing to large screen in command room]

[A man appears live on screen, in the background is a rudimentary laboratory]

Man: Hello Mr. President I know you are in the middle of an evacuation and time is of the essence. So I will make my offer and make it quick. I am Robert Neville. And one of the few survivors who managed to get by this long. I think I have some good news for us all. I seem to have manufactured an antidote for this virus that seems to plague us. All I ask is that you make me a part of your evacuation with a few added benefits as well.
President: Mr. Neville you expect me to believe you have concocted a serum all by yourself? How do I know it really even works? And how are you making this transmission in the first place?
Robert: Mr. President, I knew you would be skeptical about my claims. So I was prepared to back it up.

[He reaches and turns the camera the President & others are viewing him on to their left. The view shows an infected person resembling a vampire strapped down to a table. He then injects the serum in patient via needle and watches as it turns their skin from a dark blue tint, to a few shades lighter]

Robert: As you can see, my serum reacts immediately upon entering their bloodstream. It does take more time and possibly more than one injection. It differs from subject to subject. But it does work. Here is a subject that I administered the serum to 72 hours ago.

[He turns the camera again to another patient showing them looking almost normal except having a light blue tint around the eyes]

Robert: Doesn’t he look promising? You see Mr. President in time the serum will kill that virus entirely. Don’t you think that is something the United States would be interested in?
President: Mr. Neville. You’re forgetting one thing. I am only taking uninfected people along. We won’t need your serum where we’re going. You have a good evening.
Robert: Uhhh Mr. President? I think it is you who are forgetting one thing sir. [delivered in sarcastic tone]
President: And what could that possibly be? [answered back in sarcastic tone]
Robert: You see I discovered when I was making the cure for that awful abomination it housed a secret. The reason why it was hard to detect who was going to turn was actually quite simple. The virus lays dormant in someone until it unleashes itself fully on the infected person. That also differs from person to person. There is no way of knowing who fully is healthy or immune to it until the next day that same person looks like the horrors you all see. And just imagine, you are all nestled in your moon dome or on your cozy space station and a person who you thought was fine suddenly changes into a monster? How far do you think you could run & keep safe in closed quarters? That’s why I think you’ll need this.

[Shakes the test tube at screen smiling big]
[The President confides off camera with a group of advisers]

President: Send us your address and we will have you picked up and escorted back here. Make sure you bring enough of the serum and the notes on how to manufacture it. We will talk about your other benefits later.
Robert: Looking forward to meeting you sir.

The President then discusses with his staff Mr. Neville’s safety and transportation to the base now becomes the country’s top priority. He tells his staff we will bring him to us but we won’t waste any soldiers or resources to do it. His plan is to offer Snake Plissken a full Presidential pardon, wiping out all of his crimes and end the manhunt for him in exchange for delivering Robert Neville to them. Snake reluctantly agrees this one last time.
His motivation: by helping to deliver Neville to the U.S. Govt. he can finally rid himself of the government that has been oppressive and truly live in a land that’s free from rule.
Snake then tracks down Neville in L.A. and plans how to get him safely to the hidden base somewhere in the southwest desert somewhere near Roswell, NM.

[Snake arrives at Neville’s house which has every ground level window boarded up and flood lights above each. He hears a rifle being cocked & loaded. Above him is a man standing in a 2nd story window aiming down at him]

Neville: Either you really are one dumb bastard or have a huge set.
Snake: Big shiny ones.
Neville: Who are you and why are you here?
[reaching in to his vest, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one]
Snake: I was sent to get you safely to the chief. Call me Snake.
Neville: You by yourself? I thought he was sending me an armed caravan.

[Snake bends gracefully at his waist and motions to his Harley]

Snake: Your chariot awaits.

Snake takes Neville on a journey leading from L.A. to New Mexico by motorcycle. They get very little sleep and are always on edge. They have no time to rest because during the day they are targets of rogue criminal gangs and at night they try to elude the vampires. They get into clashes with gangs at day and vampires at night which drives them to the brink of their physical and mental limits. They focus and continue to push on.
One day they are traveling down a long solitary desert road and decide to pull off and try to sleep for an hour but are ambushed by a Mexican American band of outlaws named Los Santos Mexicanos all wearing matching jackets. Their leader is aware of Snake’s agreement to bring Neville to the base and decides to ransom them both off for his own gain, however night falls quickly and they all have to fight off the vampires that swarm the area. They survive the attack and Snake convinces the leader that there are many more vampires then them and only by working together can they stay alive and also promises when they deliver Neville to the base he will negotiate something to benefit Los Santos Mexicanos.

Just a few miles before they arrive at the base Snake spots a sign for a WALMART up ahead and tells them we should pull off to see if we could salvage anything. They do find the rundown store with broken windows and most of its items looted. Snake pops inside and within minutes comes back out carrying 2 identical backpacks.

Neville: What are those for? Just have the itch to go hiking?
Snake: Well I noticed with all the stuff we been through that your bag is getting worn and looks like it is ripping at the seams. Would be a shame to have the serum and all your notebooks fallout just before we got you to the base. As for the other, my pockets seem to always be full and I could finally use one myself.
Neville: Good idea Snake. Better safe than sorry.

They got back onto the main road and travelled it another few miles before finally arriving at the entrance to the base. It was totally surrounded by a steel chain linked fence. The gate slid open to the left on steel wheels and let the convoy enter.

A voice over a loud speaker told them to follow the roadway to the right until it ends. They proceeded as instructed and found at the end of this road was a large rocket on a launch pad with a great deal of military people around it. The crowd parted and the President emerged with a circle of soldiers surrounding him. Robert quickly approached him as Snake watched them shake hands and briefly chat. As they did and were distracted, Snake made his move.

Snake: Hey remember me? Sorry sir I was just wondering when my buddies and I could get aboard that thing and get the hell out of here?
President: Hello Mr. Plissken. First I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the United States of America for a mission accomplished. Second, you won’t be joining us aboard any evacuation craft. I’m not sure what he told you guys, but you won’t be joining us either.
Snake: WHAT?? You weasel you promised me a free ride out of this hell hole!

[Snake and Los Santos Mexicanos groan loudly and approach the President. Quickly 50 armed soldiers in body armor step forward cutting them off]

President: What I promised you was a pardon of your crimes and to end the manhunt on you. With the U.S. government relocating off planet, I believe I have fulfilled my obligations to you.

The rocket opens to start boarding and Snake watches as a huge line of officials and Robert Neville board the rocket, The President is the last and stops to turn before he boards.

President: I would like to thank you again Mr. Plissken. Without you none of this would have been possible, I’ll will recommend they build a statue in your honor for helping the human race survive. Hope you can at least stay to watch the takeoff.

[The President finally gets on and the rocket is sealed. Snake watches as he sees Neville appear in a lower window of the rocket looking back at him smiling. They listen to the countdown and wait for liftoff]

As the countdown reaches zero, Snake watches the rocket slowly ascend into the orange southwest sky. Neville’s eyes and Snake’s never leave each other. Just before the rocket gets too high and out of sight, Snake gets out the black backpack and unzippers it. He reaches in and pulls out the notebooks and vial of serum in one hand and flips the bird with the other as he smiles back. Neville realizes what Snake has done and gets the President’s attention who appears at the window pounding on it.

THE END

ESCAPE from EARTH : Fan Fiction idea. Starring Snake Plissken & Robert Neville