PASSENGER 58 PLOT SUMMARY
Under Ukrainian’s prior administration, Russian-backed strongman President Victor Yanukovych has led his country into a fallen hostile-sea of corruption and massive destabilization. The Ukraine countryside now blooms with far right-wing gangs, endless terrorist organizations, and land-grabbing, gun-running warlords… all of which conveniently border the Russian Federation - America’s most aggressive adversary.
Act 1:
The film begins inside a frontline weapons bunker on the border of Eastern Ukraine. A number of hardened men from various militia’s and terrorist groups secretly hold council. They speak Ukrainian, Serbian, Yiddish. Javelin missiles lie in covered-crates as the leaders from each terrorist-militia sit in council. Bombs reign both far and close. Alliances are made and common cause is drawn. St. Petersburg Russia. Inside the wide cabin of a L-1011 airliner where three masked men carrying 9mm Glock handguns rush down the galley-stairway while pushing a terrified, young, screaming twelve-year-old girl in their grip. They announce they’ve, “Overtaken the cockpit and the girl will die if there’s any trouble”. They go on to say, “The plane has been “Commandeered by the People’s Army of the Red Brigade!”
As quickly, sitting mid-cabin right, American air-safety and security expert, U.S. Sky Marshal FRANK WILEY reaches for his own weapon with his left-hand and fires three rapid-fire-kill-shots over besieged passengers and into the foreheads of the terrorists. Each are hit directly with “paint-gun balls.” The fallen men get up and remove their masks – International Air Safety Trainers - all an exercise.
Burnt out, exhausted and a long way from home, U.S. Federal Air Marshal Frank Wiley’s final mission, now comes to an unceremonious end - that of overseeing and congratulating his last official class of International Air Marshal Cadets. For Frank, leaving at the top of his game doesn’t come without a cost. The few who know him best - like that of ex-Air Security colleague and good friend, JOHN CUTTER would say, “Frank became even more committed to travel and his professional duties after the death of his storybook partner and loving-wife, Breanne Wiley.”
Battling the worst of pancreatic cancers, Frank could only stand by and watch as she painfully left him along with their only ten-year-old daughter, Zoe. As a single father, Frank was never the same man again. For Zoe, she took her mother’s death even harder than he did - if that’s imaginable. With the last of his formal duties discharged, it’s now Frank who’s looking to the future with partner John Cutter in a new aviation-security venture, while being home for the first-time and being a… full-time dad.
Heading to home sweet home!
Entering the Pulkovo Terminal, Frank checks in his gun at the ticket counter and stows it with all other luggage. His eyes scan but he would have no way of knowing that those involved in the frontline battle of Ukraine and the Russian Federation would also be on Flight 1107 from St. Petersburg to Istanbul Turkey.
Dressed handsomely as businessmen and tourists are factional separatists, Hadeon Kazbek, Darnya Shev, Marksym Skliar, Paulo Bula, Taras Chumak and Petruso Sorokopud. In the Turkish Airlines employee lounge, a man name KHEBA YILMAZ calmly tightens his necktie, adjusts his pilot’s flight hat, and places his wings onto his freshly ironed-shirt. Another man, ERDEN DEMIRCI approaches and does the same. These are two of the three men who are the replacement pilots for the Captain and First Officer on Turkish flight 1107. These people we will come to know as political mercenaries from the Ukraine and other places within the region with common cause with one mission in mind – to bring attention to Russia’s relentless aggression to a new Ukrainian administration – and to bring attention to the embattled, U.S. Ukrainian Ambassador, Johnathan Aldaine.
Their mission’s target, traveling daughter to the U.S. Ambassador, SOPHIA ALDAINE –– or, so they think.
Cabin and flight instructions are given to the passengers. JASMINE and EZRA (20’s) position themselves appropriately in the main cabin and insert and release hand-held seat-belts. “In the case of a water emergency…”
In the upper cabin, first-class area, attendant SELINA works through the visual protocols for those stationed in her designated first-class area.
Relaxed, Frank settles in… for the ride of his life.
The 747 American wide-body lifts from Pulkovo International and begins its cruising ascent to 35,000 feet. Moments later, the desired altitude is reached, and the cabin lights are turned off. Jasmine reaches for the cabin phone; “Welcome ladies and Gentlemen to Turkish Flight 1107 from St. Petersburg flying to Istanbul Turkey, we would like to thank you for flying with us, and trusting Turkish Airlines with your travel this today, expected flight time is 3 and half hours, cabin lights are off and you may feel free to walk about the cabin…”
Frank takes out a wallet photo, and we see a family photo of himself with wife Bree and a ten-year-old Zoe. “Coming home, guys… Finally coming home.”
As the first cabin service gets underway, we suddenly we hear a commotion – TWO MEN (Taras and Petruso) begin screaming at each other from down the main cabin aisle. The aggravation grows. Both stand-up to square-off. Frank holds his position, but quickly responding – revealing AIR MARSHAL, ELAZAR FALK, divulges himself and shows his badge. Suddenly, onboard, three fatal executions happen simultaneously. Co-pilot, Erden gets up to look through the cockpit peep-hole. As he does, he quickly puts a dark hood over the head of flight engineer Ozel Younan and begins stabbing him in the throat and neck with a sharpened pencil. In the upper cabin, Marksym stands and reaches over the seat before him, and sends his shearing blade through the neck and shoulders of Sophia’s bodyguard, Alex – he slumps as blood pours from his body. Sophia – hysterical.
Selina reaches for the phone to the cockpit – she cries that there’s been a stabbing – a probable hijacking in progress. In the cockpit, Kheba turns off all internet-wife capability.
As quickly, in the main cabin, the two mercenaries turn on Air Marshal Falk. One slits his throat, while the other grabs his gun and tosses it to the sitting Hadeon Kazbek. Bula rushes down from the first-class cabin pushing Selina violently down the staircase. Frank gets out of his seat and races down the aisle toward the attackers. He reaches for his gun but of course it’s not there. Kazbek, steps up, cocks the fallen Air Marshal’s pistol, turns and faces those in the passenger cabin who terrifyingly look on – petrified.
Frank stops his pursuit and dives into a loaded row of terrified passengers keeping his identity away from the attackers. He climbs over them making for the opposite aisle. His head on a swivel, gathering as much information as possible amidst all the uproar. Bula holds his knife up against the throat of Jasmine, directs a shaking Selina to gather up all the Flight Attendants and to bring them to the front, otherwise Jasmine will suffer the same fate as that of the Air Marshal.
Hazbek takes center-stage and announces his intentions. He has control of the plane – flight attendants are rounded up and gathered from both decks. The daughter of the Ambassador, Sophia is pushed down the first-class upper staircase by Darnya Shev. Sophia is brought up front and center, grabbed and turned around to face the passengers in the main cabin.Hazbeck continues; “We are here for one reason, Miss Sophia Aldaine. She is the corrupt ambassador’s daughter to Johnathan Aldaine, U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine. The Ambassador has worked to delay the delivery of ongoing U.S. and European military aide as he’s been warmly influenced by our Russian counterparts – we will be landing in a Pro-Western Ukrainian air-strip facility to demand the Ambassador’s resignation and to bring attention to the ongoing, relentless Russian aggression.
“This collision course was set way too far back to assign any blame.”
Act 2:
Frank sits quietly and assesses the threat. The plane is in the hands of the 6 known terrorists – 3 pilots behind a locked door (1 dead – unknown to Frank). Total of 9 with the possible x-factor of other sleeper cells on the plane.
Frank must now hide his identity, evaluate the threat, find weapons he can fashion and use, and engage the mercenaries all the while not being found out he’s an Air Marshal. Frank takes out his Air Marshal ID and badge. He slides in the magazine pages before him.
Hazbek takes center stage and apologizes for the inconvenience yet threatens death if compliance isn’t had. “We must also apologize for the violence – we will be bringing the two bodies through the cabin and will store them in cargo below. If squeamish, turn your heads to the side. There will also be no need for you to reach in your overhead bins. If you need something, we are happy to get if for you. We thank you ahead for your cooperation.” “The Attendants will escort you to the bathrooms one at a time if need be. Again, my indulgences”.
In the front of the cabin, the Attendants work the aisles through the cabin to collect all cell phones, wallets and purses. Jasmine approaches Frank under the watchful eye of Petruso. He places his phone and wallet in the plastic bag. Frank tells Jasmine he would like to go to the bathroom.
Petruso takes the bag away from Jasmine and signals for Jasmine to walk Frank to the back of the plane.
Frank begins to speak quietly. “We need to find out what they want as soon as possible. The Ambassador’s daughter could be a decoy. They have control of the cabin so we can’t assume it’s not a suicide mission, even though the leader looks too rational for that.” Franks goes on to tell Jasmine to keep her eye on all passengers who may be working with them but haven’t revealed themselves – sleeper cells. Frank continues with the questions – Does Jasmine know the crew well? Has she flown with them before? Has she been upstairs? Who’s working the cabin up there? Does she know the pilots? Flown with them before? “Get me a flight manifest with names if possible”. Gather as much information as you can. Flight time? How long before they anticipate landing? Where are they landing? Keep the passengers calm but pick up anything and everything you can find that you take notice of… People fidgeting, what books they’re reading, how they’re dressed.
Frank reminds Jasmine if they find out who he is, they’ll kill him like they did the other Marshal. He tells Jasmine to come back to him when she can. Jasmine walks up the steps in the first-class cabin. She gets there and sees the pool of blood in an empty seat, and a terribly shaking Sophia who is belted down next to Markysm Sklyar.
Frank sits back in his seat. He reaches for the magazine in the holding netting before him. He turns it over where there is a regional and world map in the back on the inside. We see a map St. Petersburg, Belarus, Ukraine, The Black Sea, Istanbul – Frank assesses targets and flight-times.
On the ground, Pulkovo Air Tower signals in – “Air 1107, estimated arrival to Istanbul, 3 hours and 40 minutes, winds at 5 knots from the east – fly safely.
Inside the cockpit, with a dead and slouched third officer, Kheba responds back. “Copy that Pulkovo, 1107 at 34,000 feet, cruising at 500 knots. Thanks for the assist, Pulkovo.
Upstairs, Kazbek takes the seat next to Sophia. He apologizes for the trouble. He places a newspaper in her lap which reads, “U.S. President ousts top defense official who certified aid to Ukraine.” He speaks of her father’s “corruption.” His willingness to “aide in the delay of military aide” – that “Ukrainian lives that have paid the price” for his corruption.
(We learn the political motivation behind Kazbec’s motives – we will later learn that Kheba and Erden have a different sense of priorities – the double-cross of the hijackers).
Jasmine walks by Frank signaling, “One More Upstairs.”
Bula, Taras, and Petruso gather in discussion around the base of the first-class upper cabin stairs. Frank stoops low and makes his way near to the rear of the plane. Some passengers look at Frank with fear and tell him “To get back in his seat!” “He’ll get people killed!”
By the rear restrooms, there is a secret door which leads to the stairs which leads to the crew’s quarters – a small room with a low ceiling and 8 bunk beds which sits above the rear of the main cabin. Frank makes his way through the small slide-door-opening and climbs the stairs.
Frank finds the phone, and puts in a call.
John Cutter sleeps with his arm draped around his wife Jody. (It’s 5 pm St. Petersburg time, 1 AM U.S. East Coast time). The phone rings and Jody moans – “Let the service get it, John”. John picks it up anyway and whispers… “Hello?” Frank, “John it’s me, Frank”.
Frank goes on to tell John that “his plane has been commandeered out of St. Petersburg heading to Istanbul. Some political group out the Ukraine – they’ve got Ambassador Aldaine’s daughter and look to divert the flight to somewhere friendly inside the Ukraine – make political statement.”
John asks how they secured the cockpit – Frank doesn’t know. It’s conceded both men can’t rule out a suicide mission. Frank relays there have been killings on board of a Turkish Air Marshal, and Sophia Aldaine’s body guard. “Flight 11:07 out of Bulkovo”.. “I don’t see any scrambled fighters, yet.” Frank says. John tells him to get back to his seat, and don’t let them know who you are – use John’s cell number – he’ll get to his station at work at the NSA and track the flight – to “call him from the plane on his cell.” Before Frank hangs up – he wants to talk to Zoe. It’s late but Frank persists. John, along with Jody get up and go to the girl’s room.
John wakes up Zoe – “It’s your dad”.
Zoe sits upright, with near astonishment – exuberant to hear his voice, “Dad?” “Hello, honey…
John, now at his station at the NSA. He tracks the flight, and any reporting of a plane commandeered – there isn’t one. This only means more bad news – those in the cockpit have flight knowledge and they’re operating the plane with both impunity and without any notice from the authorities – all the basic signatures of a suicide mission.
Frank can now only work with what he has around him, and with those he can trust – but who might that be? He doesn’t know anybody on the plane and he has a limited time to figure out who he might be able to trust.
He knows the only way this-ends is if he has a chance to get to the cockpit. He knows he must identify and isolate each of the terrorist if he is to have a chance to take over the plane. With little at his disposal, other than his training and what he can get his hands on and use – Frank Wiley finds himself unwittingly as the only hope for those on Flight 1107.
Frank murmurs to himself, “Be polite, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet.”
Inside the cockpit, Captain Kheba Yalmaz looks at his flight maps. We see 1107 trending away from Ukraine toward the Black Sea. He then tells flight control there is a medical emergency onboard and that he is asking to be rerouted to an airport in the Ukraine. Tower signals back that he would be cleared to input other flight coordinates if another airport would be need ed to land.
John Cutter gets to his work station at the NSA. He works through his console, entry protocols. He zeroes in on flight 1107 out of St. Petersburg. What he sees is something peculiar – flight 1107 is off of its designated course – heading towards Ukrainian airspace.