The Drifter

The Drifter is the pilot episode, of the spin-off series Ryder.

Plot
    The episode opens up with the sky; sometime around dusk. It is bright with a red and orange color with grey, thin clouds passing by slowly. The view begins to lower as it enters the city below. The skyline then starts to appear, showing several buildings around, standing tall- some more than others. One of those buildings takes most of the focus- a towering building with a sleek and modern design surrounded with signs of construction and renovation. There is no other way to identify the building other than the two letters left on the front of the building, "MD". The view then continues to lower until it reaches the streets of the city. A park is then shown as the view passes over it, followed by a crosswalk with several people passing by, going about their own business

NEW YORK CITY December 3, 22:10 EDT

Ryder, narrating: Some people know me as Ryder, but other people see me as a drifter. Someone who hides in the shadows. I used to be a private investigator, but lately I've been feeling like it isn't my fight anymore. There's this power inside of me. When I tap into it, I lose control. And something else, takes over entirely. The other guy has made lots of enemies in the past, and I feel like everyone I get close to ends up finding something off about me. So that’s why I’m here.

A restaurant is then shown with a sign reading, "The Big City Barbecue". The building looks a bit old, like it has been there for some time. Lines of people, are shown outside of the restaurant. Around the corner of the restaurant, Ryder is seen taking out the trash. He puts it in the garbage can, and looks around before walking back into the restaurant. Inside the restaurant, specifically the kitchen, there are several stoves, ovens, grills- cooking equipment as well as the cooks and other employees working there. Ryder tries to walk in unnoticed but is almost instantly approached by a larger man, wearing an apron and a set of rubber gloves. The man has beige-brown hair, a rugged beard, a hard-looking glare and upset expression. He has a big belly underneath the apron and his arms, which are visible since his sleeves are all rolled up, are extremely hairy.

Man: Where do you think you’re going?

Ryder: Taking the crates out back, boss.

Man: After taking out the trash? C’mon, use some sense, man. I’ve got officials coming in here like once every three months then they change up the whole schedule every year. I can’t have them barging in here or, worse, some reviewer, seeing one of my employees touching the merchandise with some unwashed hands.

Another employee, a skinny, young kid- probably a teenager- approaches the man. He’s wearing glasses, has a bad haircut and a serious case of acne.

Employee: Sir, we’re having some issues with the grill.

Man: Do I have to do everything myself around here?

He walks across the kitchen and faces a grill. He takes the raw meat in his hands and places them on a different grill, with already cooked meat on it. Ryder winces slightly at the sight of it. The man turns to the employee.

Man: Make sure you keep that cooked for a good while- if the others get burned, just peel it off or somethin’.

Employee, unsure: Y-yeah, I mean- yes, sir.

The man then grunts with a nod as he starts to return to his original position, across the kitchen. Ryder turns his head slightly.

Ryder, quietly: Hypocrite.

Man, approaching him: What was that?

Ryder: Ah- nothing. Just uh- which crate again? That’s what I was saying…

Man: (sighs) The green and the blue ones. Don’t expect me to repeat myself next time. Remember, you work for me and until you pay up your debts, you’re gonna be spending the rest of your time tossing trash bags. You got that?

Ryder’s fist clenches up slowly. He looks grimly into the man’s eyes. After a short moment, his fist unclenches.

Ryder, sounding defeated: Yeah…

Man: Hmph. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Get back to word, bitch.

Ryder then grunts quietly to himself and turns around, walking out of view. A moment later, the back of the restaurant is seen again, with Ryder exiting from the back door, carrying a couple of crates, one blue and one green. He steps down the back steps and places them next to some other crates piled up by the side. He turns his head and sees a female employee leaning against the wall across from him. She’s got green hair, dyed or something, and teal eyes. She’s wearing a regular dirty employee's uniform and has a cigarette in her hand, letting off a stream of smoke. She looks him down with her eyes and takes a puff of the cigarette. She then tosses it on the ground and stomps it out.

Female Employee: You’re new around here, around you?

Ryder: What makes you say that?

Female Employee: I haven’t seen your face before. I like to get acquainted with all the guys around here.

Ryder: I bet you do.

He says this as he looks her over, from down to top. She notices with an upset expression but he turns around, returning to his work like nothing happened. The woman kicks off from the wall and approaches Ryder as he checks the crate numbers.

Female Employee: What’s your deal? You show up, trying to blend in or something and keep to yourself. You might have everyone else fooled around here but I know you’re hiding something.

Ryder looks up from the crates then turns back to face her.

Ryder: Let’s get something straight here. You don’t know me and I don’t know you. And that’s exactly why you’re so interested in me.

Female Employee: (scoffs) As if.

Ryder: Face it, you work at a beat-up restaurant with a boss that doesn’t even know what type of meat he’s selling and the only other company you have around here are the ones you know and the ones you don’t want to know. But me- I’m the mysterious new guy that you don’t know anything about. And after talking to me, you know that you’ll never find out anything about me. And the mystery of not knowing anything, drives you crazy.

She looks at him and smirks. She then walks over and passes by him as she climbs the steps.

Female Employee: Name’s Janet. (stops before the door) My shift ends at 10.

She then enters the restaurant again, leaving Ryder alone in the alleyway.

Ryder, desolated: Works every time…

Title Sequence

The scene cuts to Ryder walking along the sidewalk, with a few apartments at his side. He is now wearing his usual dark, leather jacket and his hands are in his pocket. Ryder arrives at an apartment complex and approaches the step to the main door. A stray cat can be seen on the ground. The cat meows loudly at Ryder and he looks at it.

Ryder: Shoo, scat.

The cat walks up to him, and sits down

Ryder: Sigh, I literally hate cats.

Ryder takes out a bag of cut up pieces of chicken. He puts it down next to the cat. The cat looks at him, nervously walking over to the chicken and starts eating it.

Ryder enters the apartment and closes the door from behind. The lights are off so it is hard to see the room too well.

Ryder sets his stuff down, and goes to walk to his couch. He sighs in relief when the sound of someone clearing their throat is heard. Ryder jumps, holding his chest. He then holds his head, to gain his composure. He reaches for something at a barely seen end table but can’t seem to find it. A light then shines on him from the couch. He turns and sees a bald man in his thirties to forties with a mustache, holding a yellow flashlight. Whatever hair he has is black and his eyes are brown. He has a strong build and is wearing a ragged, grey shirt and some blue jeans with holes.

Ryder: Shit, Raggy. You nearly gave me a heart attack. How'd you get in here? Fire escape then crack open the window? Tell me you didn't mess with the door handle.

Raggy: You gave me a key, man.

Ryder: Oh yeah… I forgot about that.

Raggy: You wanna explain to me why it’s so dark in here? None of the lights were working when I came in.

Ryder: Uh, I kinda missed my payments. I mean, you would be tired if you worked at a Barbecue place and your boss wouldn’t give two fucks about you.

Raggy: I’m worried about you.

Ryder walks over to the door and (sheet or blinds) covering the window of the door, letting in the light from the hallway into the room, only illuminating the couch area and partially his desk in the back of the room.

Ryder: Better?

Raggy: You know what I meant.

Ryder: You’re supposed to be my informant, not my therapist.

Raggy: I’m also your friend. I just don’t get you, man. One day you’re running the country looking for one dude and the next you’re back here, working at one of the most depressing jobs in this city.

Ryder: I already told you. That fight isn’t worth fighting anymore. Besides, they have “the guy” in lock up already. Apparently he caused this whole alien thing that happened. I dunno. Point is- I’m not going to…

He stops himself before choosing his next words more carefully.

Ryder: He’s not going to break into some prison and slaughter some cops just to get to him.

Raggy: Can’t or won’t?

Ryder gives him a look.

Raggy: Look, I don’t you or the other guy doing that. In fact, I should be glad you’re not doing that vigilante crap anymore. But I’m not because you’re not giving yourself the life you need.

Ryder: This is the only life I have, Raggy. All I did was get used to it.

Raggy: At least consider getting back into the business. But for real this time. I have connections that could use someone like you and I’m not talking about the other guy.

Raggy shows Ryder a yellow envelope. He looks down at it for a moment. He then looks back at Raggy.

Ryder: Not interested.

Raggy: Come on, Ryder.

Ryder: I said, no. That part of me is over and nothing is getting me back into the business. (sigh) Look, just- I’m tired and it’s getting late.

Raggy: Fine. I’ll leave but just- consider it.

He places the envelope on the corner of the desk, bathed in the light from the hallway. Raggy passes by Ryder on his way out.

Raggy: The city has gotten even stranger since the last time you’ve been here.

Raggy then leaves the apartment.

Ryder: I think I’ll-

The door closes.

Ryder, continuing: ...manage.

He looks at the envelope once again, it taking most of the focus. He then looks away and slumps on the couch. Later in the day, a woman can be seen walking down the sidewalk. She’s wearing a brown, leather jacket over an orange shirt. She also has grey pants and blue shoes. Her hair is a light-ish brown, stylized as a pony tail, and her eyes are brown as well. As she continues down the sidewalk, a shady-looking figure, dressed in a thick black jacket, walks behind her in a rushing motion. He appears panicked and twitchy. He approaches closer and closer to the woman, until he reaches out and pushes it into the alley way to the right of them.

Woman: Hey!

The woman turns to face the man but stops when he draws a pocket knife from his, well, pocket. He holds it before him as he approaches the woman slowly.

Theft: Alright, empty your pockets. Come on, hurry up. I don’t have much time.

The woman stands there, unresponsive to his threats, appearing quite dazed.

Theft: Did you hear me? I said, empty your pockets!

Woman: Okay, okay. I’ll empty my pocket. Just calm down.

The woman reaches into her green purse that was on her person. The man looks at her for a short moment before turning his head, looking behind him.

Theft: Yeah, that’s right. Ain’t no one going to save you now, girlie.

The theft then turns his head back and is tazed but the woman, now armed with a taser that she had produced from her purse.

Woman: I can take care of myself.

TBA

   

THE END

Characters

 * Character 1
 * Character 2

Villains

 * Villain 1
 * Villain 2

Aliens Used

 * Alien 1
 * Alien 2

Trivia

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