FADE IN:
POINT OF VIEW - ZOOMING THROUGH CLOUDS AT MACH TWO
We swoop around thunderheads and break into scattered
sunlight. Somebody seems to be singing off key in time to
the gyrations.
VOICE OVER
Oh...she flies through the air with
the greatest of ease, the daring
young girl in the flying trapeze...
SECOND VOICE OVER
What's that?
ANGLE - ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AIRCRAFT
The dark, tapering nose fills the screen. Rounded canards,
drooping wings reveal stealth technology. The sky behind
spins as the craft barrel rolls. In the cockpit, two helmeted
figures sit side-by-side. RYAN ROSS, the pilot, is cocky
and confident. His lean muscular frame is enveloped in a
pressure suit. He controls the craft with smooth coordinated
movements of hands and feet.
RYAN
...old song.
KENNEDY
No, that!
RYAN
What?
KENNEDY
That oscillation, feel it?
RYAN
Stabe again?
KENNEDY
Nineteen to Edwards. We..um have an
oscillation. Three degrees yaw...
cycling...um...2 seconds.
DAYTON CONTROL (FILT'RD)
Roger Nineteen. We have it. Appears
you are losing flight sys one.
RYAN
Not again! Shoot, I thought you
guys said you put all the little
screws back in this time. (to
Kennedy) I told you this fly-by-wire
stuff would never work.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
OSCILLATION gets worse, YAW increases. The pilots remain
calm.
KENNEDY
See? If God had meant computers to
fly, he'd have given 'em wings.
DAYTON CONTROL(FILTERED)
Uh...Nineteen, Edwards. Suggest you
take it out and fly by the other
three.
KENNEDY
Roger, Edwards.
He leans forward and throws a switch. The yaw stops.
KENNEDY (CONT'D)
Hey...you guys are all right!
DAYTON CONTROL
Nineteen, Edwards... Do you want to
abort?
RYAN
Abort, what for? Wings are still
on.
DAYTON CONTROL
Ryan, don't take any chances.
RYAN
What, us test pilots take chances?
He turns, winks at his partner. His face lights up at the
challenge. He rolls the aircraft inverted, pulls through
and dives for the ground. We scream down as the Kennedy
calls speed and altitude..
RYAN (CONT'D)
Oh, she flies through the air....
KENNEDY
20 thousand, 800 knots.
RYAN
...with the greatest of ease..
KENNEDY
15 thou. 850.
RYAN
....the daring young girl ...
KENNEDY
Ten thou. 880 knots.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
The radio breaks in...
DAYTON CONTROL (FILTERED)
Nineteen, Edwards. Advise RTB.
RYAN
Aww...Return to Base, we just got up
here!
DAYTON CONTROL
Uh, Ryan, don't like the telemetry.
RYAN
Good thing you guys weren't at Kitty
Hawk, we'd still be taking the train.
KENNEDY
Five thou. 900. Start pulling up.
DAYTON CONTROL
No margin for error down where you
are.
RYAN
You paid us for low-level, and low-
level is what you're gonna get.
He rolls and pulls. We scream down lower and lower, leveling
off at two hundred feet at MACH 2.5. In the dense air and
turbulence, we are rattled and banged around in the cockpit.
DAYTON CONTROL
Roger, Ryan. Just make sure you
don't tie the world's record.
RYAN
Engage TERCON.
Kennedy flips a switch. PILOT opens his hand, releases flight
controls, but stays ready to grab them again. The plane is
now in Terrain-following auto-mode. It swoops and pulls
over ridges, and down canyons faster and lower than humanly
possible. Only thing is, you have to trust it not to try to
fly through a mountain. Suddenly, the yawing is back, the
nose swings rapidly from side to side.
KENNEDY
Base. Oscillation is back! (it
stops) No, there it goes.
RYAN
Fly-by-wire or Radar link?
Rapidly cycling switches.
KENNEDY
Don't know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
RYAN
Well, we'll never know till we try.
KENNEDY
I don't know, Ryan. We're low and
fast.
RYAN
That's right where we're supposed to
be. Here's where you earn your test
pilot's pay. We let the boxes fly,
they aren't gonna want to pay us for
all this fun. Edwards,
Nineteen...Going to manual.
RYAN flips a switch, takes the controls and flies it. The
oscillations diminish.
RYAN (CONT'D)
That's the trouble with these metal
brains. That's why they're always
gonna need a wet one up here.
KENNEDY
Fine, you talk to congress about it.
A LURCH, A YAW, ever-increasing, banging them from side to
side.
KENNEDY (CONT'D)
Oh shit, what's that?
RYAN
Let's take it up outta here.
He pulls back. As the nose comes up, suddenly, without
warning, it keeps going, flips up and over. They depart
controlled flight.
KENNEDY
Oh, shit!
RYAN
Departed...forward tumble...too low.
PunDmitrig out!
BOOM! Cockpit module fires, blasting them up and away from
the aircraft. We are in a tumble, the world spinning rapidly,
HEAR a CRASH, pass through fireball. A jerk as chutes open,
then a TEARING SOUND. They lurch sideways, hang for a
sickening moment at the apex, then the ground is coming
up..too fast.
KENNEDY
Oh my God, I'm heartily sorry...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
RYAN
Shut up!
The engines SCREAM, the airframe GROANS AND SHUDDERS.
KENNEDY
We're dead!
RYAN
Shut up. We're dead when I say we
are. Mayday!
KENNEDY
I detest my frigging sins... dread
the loss of heaven, the pains of
hell... Oh Christ!
RYAN
Mayday. Going in. Just north of the
River. Joanna...Love you, Joanna..
A SCREAM from somewhere...then NOTHING. BLACK SILENCE ...for
a long time....then Equipment is being turned on and tuned
in. A link is being established. Signals get stronger.
Random dots try to form into a picture. The image solidifies,
breaks up and reforms in different patterns. Positives switch
to negatives. Eventually we start to see, we start to hear.
Figures are moving about. The SOUND becomes recognizable as
speech.
POINT OF VIEW - CLOSE-UP
A man in a lab coat, DR. WISBROD, fills the screen. Others
crowd around. Some have technical jobs to do, some talk
quietly. Some just stare into the lens. The whole right
side of the room is a sophisticated electronic console. The
far wall is glass through which more equipment and technicians
are seen. Against the left wall is a small table and a
window. There is an IV stand with a bag of liquid emptying
into our body off screen. We see a bit of the ceiling and
almost none of the floor. This is our universe.
The scene slowly becomes clear. We can hear and see the
difference as the techs switch circuits in the system.
Williams leans into the lens. The wide-angle distorts his
face.
WISBROD
Captain, if you can hear me, nod
once.
He waits, turns to a tech, AMY, who shrugs, turns back to
lens and stares intently as if willing the correct answer.
A door opens in the far wall and an older, distinguished man
in a lab coat, CHUDRAH, enters, has a brief word with DR.
DMITRI, and they both take up position behind .
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
CHUDRAH
Captain, can you hear me?
DMITRI
(To Amy)
Give him a little more gain, will
you?
Levels get LOUDER, video more intense.
WISBROD
Can you hear me? Nod if you can.
AMY
We do have positives on the
instruments.
Wisbrod looks across room at other doctors. They stare back
blankly. He turns back once more to the lens.
DMITRI
After all this time, it must be quite
a shock.
WISBROD
What did you get?
DMITRI
Positive responses. Course it might
just mean the equipment works.
Chudrah walks over to the console and stares intently at the
dials. Amy mutters things to himself. We cannot hear what
he is saying. He adjusts the controls, throws switches,
patches in systems and re-routes things. The lens pans
minutely.
AMY
We have movement, slight change in
heartbeat, brain waves. He seems
excited.
A female doctor, SAM, stands against the wall to the left of
the bed. She leans in, resets the maze of wires, cables and
tubes that connect what is beneath the sheet to the terminals,
monitors and IV.
SAM
He could be sensing us... without
seeing or hearing.
She leans in. The lens pans left a bit, to include her. She
is beautiful. As her face fills the frame, all hell brakes
loose.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
WISBROD
We've got heart change, pulse rate
just went up, brain waves.
Something's happening.
AMY
Positive on all faces.
The Project Director, Chudrah, walks forcefully across the
room, Chudrah approaches very close to the lens, speaking
directly and forcefully into it, demanding response.
CHUDRAH
Captain, if you can hear me, nod
once.
The room is silent. Chudrah is a predominant, demanding
presence in the frame. The others look concerned. Even Amy
turns to look to the lens. Slowly, hesitantly, the lens
nods once. The room EXPLODES in celebration - like the NASA
control room at the completion of a difficult manuever. The
SOUND overloads and distorts.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
Captain, if you can see me, nod once.
The nod comes immediately and once more the celebration breaks
out, more restrained this time. There are handshakes and
backslapping all around.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
Gentlemen, with God's help, we appear
to be successful in the first stage.
On behalf of the agency, I thank you
for your outstanding efforts.
(crosses to address lens) Captain,
it's been a long time, but you are
alive. I commend you on your courage
...your will to live. I'm sure you
have many questions, but on the strong
recommendations of our doctors, I've
been asked to end this session and
not to overload your...circuits.
Congratulations, and welcome back.
(He turns...) Ok, McKinney.
The tech throws a switch.
BLACKNESS.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - DAY
Scene FADES IN fast and smooth. SOUND comes with it. Dr.
Wisbrod leans over the bed. Amy sits at the console.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.
WISBROD
Captain, I'm Dr. Wisbrod. You've
been, you know, out of touch for...
ORIENTAL DOCTOR
(breaking in...) Two years, seven
months, twenty one days...It's June
1993.
WISBROD
I know this is all a shock to you.
I'll stop talking and let you get
accustomed. I want you to meet...uh.
(indicates the oriental
doctor)
This is Dr. Dmitri.
DMITRI
Uh, Paul Dmitri... Hi, how are you.
Williams indicates the lone female.
WISBROD
And...Dr. Nesson...
She leans in, smiles.
SAM
Sam. I'm in charge of...the living
parts...
WISBROD
The crash destroyed just about
everything ...your face..eyes,
ears...all inputs...all outputs...
We weren't able to save your
arms...legs... We could tell your
brain was intact and active by the
EEG, but you couldn't... didn't
respond. What we did is very
experimental. We went to the brain
directly, tapped into the nerve
impulses, information channels.
We've interfaced you to our computers.
From now on, everything is electronic.
DMITRI
Your eye is an angenieux lens. The
image is converted into data analagous
to optic nerve information. You
should have control of a number of
functions, pan and tilt are just a
question of head movement.
THE LENS SWINGS FROM SIDE TO SIDE WILDLY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.
DMITRI (CONT'D)
We'll get it fine tuned.
Turns to Amy at console.
WISBROD
Amy, run IM-26 while he works with
this.
Amy puts disk into terminal. Lights show it going on line.
WISBROD (CONT'D)
Now, we are giving up depth perception
which requires two eyes, two sets of
information, but what you do have,
is basically a zoom eyeball. Since
no one has zoom muscles, we've coupled
it, I believe...I hope, to nerve
impulses controlling the muscles
that squint. If you want to zoom,
squint - relax and it returns to
wide angle. At least that's the
theory. It's up to you to find the
connections. Amy, will you run the
zoom program so Ryan can work on
that too.
PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM: PAGE FOR DR. WISBROD
WISBROD (CONT'D)
I'm due in a meeting. Please work
on these things. The learning
procedures are computer generated.
Amy will work with you. Good to
see you, so long.
He exits. Sam and Amy stand.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - ANOTHER DAY
Dmitri walks around the room stopping for sound checks.
DMITRI
Testing one two, one two.
AMY
Positive response They move to
different positions and repeat the
procedure. Pan to techs engrossed
in the computer, mumbling in technese.
In the outer room, others run tests.
Doctors, techs and officials in white
coats swarm through.
Sam enters. She is brisk and efficient. A few small hellos,
but mainly her eyes are on us - on the lens.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.
Sometimes professionally, sometimes furtively, once or twice
intimately, or are we imagining it? We watch intently, as
if drinking in her beauty; as if we had never expected to
see a beautiful girl again; as if we had forgotten.
We LISTEN to her breathing; the little sighs she makes from
time to time. All other sound seems to recede. She seems
to be aware. She stares deep into the lens for a long moment,
seeming to ask a question. Then she is aware the room
activity has stalled. They are looking at us. She breaks
the mood. She is once again brisk and efficient. She makes
a notation on her clipboard and leaves. The techs in the
room stare at the vacuum where she was. They look at me
curiously. Then the activity resumes.
Camera PANS to a polished silver pitcher on a table. Slowly,
hesitantly, it ZOOMS into EXTREME CLOSE-UP. Distorted in
the curvatures of the picture, a reflection: lumps on a bed.
A head wrapped in bandages and gauze, encased in a tubular
cradle. Wires, tubes, snake everywhere, bundled together
where they terminate in a dozen black boxes. The boxes are
covered with dials, switches and readouts: A technological
masterpiece. ZOOM into the reflection.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - DAY - TIME-LAPSE MONTAGE
Technicians swarm, smothering us in probes, technical terms
and procedures. They are calm and efficient. A brisk "Hello,
how are you feeling this morning, can you hear me? Nod if
this causes you pain..." Each procedure, each scene is
preceded by a slate, a countdown.
We HEAR snatches of conversation and pick out small pieces
of information as the doctors and techs work..."Integrated
Research Program..."; "work on downloading his ocular data
stream into the eight gigabyte buffer..."; "university grant
for robotics..." "...feed into the DARPAnet, and tie in to
the Strategic Defense database..."; "...military applications
of pure science..."; "...Artificial Intelligence..."
Watch them move around the room and interact, we get a feel
for the personalities...Williams is stolid, Dmitri is
monomaniacally intense, Sam is sweet but distant, and Amy is
iconoclastic and fun. He alone will joke around and
occasionally wink in our direction. But we are faceless,
our feelings are but bits of data. Only a few people really
try to reach us. Sam, is one. And Amy.
AMY
How are you feeling...Okay? I'm
sorry we've been leaving you in the
dark so much. It does seem cruel
after all this time, but there's
some data we just have to get now...
while you are off-line. My name's
Amy.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.
AMY (CONT'D)
I'm sort of in charge of this,
(indicates computer bank) on a day-
to-day basis, so we're going to be
seeing a lot of each other. Do you
hear me?
(he nods)
Good. They've done studies... sensory
deprivation... all controlled
experiments. You're the first real
event. The first one to come back.
I hope you don't mind me talking
like this, I feel I know you. I've
been looking at your vital signs so
long I think I can almost guess at
your moods. That's what I do here,
I monitor your impulses and call
someone if there's any change.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - ANOTHER DAY
A man in a hospital coat looks up from a clipboard, turns to
Amy. Amy nods. The man turns back. He smiles warmly.
FAHD
Morning. I'm Dr. Fahd. I've been
asked to...bring you up to date.
NO RESPONSE.
FAHD (CON'T) (CONT'D)
Um, this may be difficult. If you
want me to continue just nod, if you
want me to stop or go on to another
subject, shake your head no. You
remember everything before the crash?
(no response)
When you hit, there wasn't much left,
but your heart was strong. You were
alive. Once you were stable, they
just continued life support. All
the proper medical releases had been
signed... Your wife, Joanna, could
never accept the circumstances.
There were psychological problems...
The lens slides away, off him and stares at the wall.
FAHD (CONT'D)
We tried to communicate with you by
Morse...tapping out dots and dashes,
but you never responded in any way,
until now.
HE IS CUT OFF BY BLACK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - MORNING - BATHED IN SUNLIGHT - SUDDENLY -
COLOR
Colors ripple through, then settle in as the equipment is
tweaked. Amy sits on the foot of the bed smiling. The room
is filled with flowers of all colors. Some have
congratulatory notes, attached.
AMY
Yeah, color!
He holds up a cassette, walks to the console and inserts it.
AMY (CONT'D)
And...it's in your records, you like
Brahms, used to play piano, didn't
you. I'm not really authorized to
turn you on, but what the hell...
Amy moves to console, plugging and switDmitrig as he speaks.
AMY (CONT'D)
This'll be the best speaker in the
world ...if it works.
Sam enters, smiles at Ryan, nods hello.
AMY (CONT'D)
If you're getting a signal, let me
know.
The MUSIC starts softly. Amy looks at the lens. Lens nods
once. Amy leans over and depresses a key, as Sam enters.
Amy turns the MUSIC up and goes to outer control room. The
LENS PANS him out the door and then picks up Sam. The LENS
studies her intently. It ZOOMS IN and RACKS FOCUS. She is
busy checking charts and drug dosages and oblivious of the
stare. A phone rings.
AMY (CONT'D)
...excuse me...
He answers the phone, turns away, the lens PANS back to Sam
as she works. Occasionally, she looks up at the lens and
smiles. She starts to talk to him, then remembers the music.
She comes close and sits down. She stares intently into the
lens for a moment, then breaks off and goes back to checking
the monitors around the room. The lens STAYS on her tight
as if unable to turn away. She is aware, then uncomfortable.
She becomes flustered. Finally, his staring becomes too
much for her and she grabs her charts and flees from the
room. We FOLLOW her out. Then slowly, reluctantly, we PULL
BACK into a WIDE SHOT of the room. The MUSIC ENDS and CLICKS
OFF. THEN BLACKNESS.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NIGHT - DARK - MOONLIGHT FROM THE
WINDOW.
Amy sits at console illuminated by monitor screens.
AMY
I'm not authorized to turn you on
now, but...what the Hell.
(puts hand under Ryan's
jaw)
Go ahead, I know Morse, anything you
want to say, tap it out. Don't worry,
it's my ass not yours if they find
out. They just don't think, don't
really care, whether you're bored or
what. They just all want to be the
first to do a procedure so they can
write it up and get the credit. How
about you? What have you been
thinking about in there? It does
have them worried. I mean if it
were me, I donno, in the dark for so
long, I don't think I'd see things
normally. That's what they'd like
to find out...just how much adjusting
you're gonna have to do. I figured,
look, if I was just coming back,
there are things I'd like to do and
I thought maybe I could do something
for you. You let me know.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - DAY
Amy and Chudrah are visible in the outer room. They appear
to be shouting at each other. We cannot hear them through
the glass. We slowly ZOOM IN. The sound is boosted and
cleaned up until we can just barely hear what they are saying.
AMY
...a man...not just an experiment...
CHUDRAH
...man is part of the experiment...
supremely important part...He's our
only chance. As we are his. That's
why his activities must remain free
of non- programmed interference...
free of bias.
AMY
A little talk, communication.
CHUDRAH
...will be allowed when called for
by higher ranking people than you.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
I will trust their judgment, not
yours, and you will follow my orders,
not your own personal feelings, is
that clear?
Chudrah storms out of the room.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - LATER THAT DAY
The door blows open and Dr. Dmitri enters. He nods hello to
Amy.
DMITRI
McKinney, here thinks it's time you
had your own on-off button. We tried
to put it in the nerves controlling
your eyelid muscles. Now try to
close your eyes. Remember the right
impulse? Take your time, and search..
(turns to tech)
Anything, Amy, you let me know.
(back to Lens)
We'll leave our end on. You'll have
control. Keep trying, we've got
plenty...
PICTURE CUTS TO BLACK
AMY (V.O.)
He's off, I think, I can't be sure!
DMITRI (V.O.)
Good, great! In a few days it'll
feel as natural as the real thing.
MONTAGE - ON AND OFF - DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - MORNING
Williams, Dmitri, Chudrah, Amy, Sam and other techs.
DMITRI
We think we've tapped into your speech
center.
WISBROD
The tests indicate that you've been,
perhaps unconsciously, exercising
your speech center from time to time.
Talking to yourself, I guess. Anyway,
it shouldn't be difficult. Just
concentrate until you get used to
it. Use your muscles. Force the
air up from your diaphragm, up through
your throat, your jaw, your mouth...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15.
DMITRI
Okay, the circuit's on, computer's
on-line. Give it a try.
SAM
Go ahead. Just talk.
DMITRI
Why don't we try...oh...lets try
Good Morning... Ga...ooooo....
duh...Ga oo Duh. Okay...?
A wait, he turns up an amp, turns a speaker...HISSING and
NOISE become clearer...A strange 'GRONK' SOUND is heard.
They check a paper readout, and are amazed.
DMITRI (CONT'D)
Very good! Never had a patient learn
this fast. Amazing... Only one thing.
You got GOD instead of good, same
thing, I hope. Okay, let's try again.
Another sound...sort of KKKhhhMMMMehhh.
DMITRI (CONT'D)
This is it. Looks good, It's...
He stops, as if struck, looks at the readout again, in shock.
The others quiet down. Dmitri hands the message to Chudrah
his face grim. Chudrah reads it and holds it to the camera.
CHUDRAH
You mean this?
IT READS: KILL ME NIGHT - THE ROOM IS EMPTY
Chudrah enters unsurely. He looks over, throws a few
switches, hits the chair hard. He has had more than a few.
He pulls the chair over to face Ryan directly.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
Been thinking. Too much probably.
My wife, ...I told her the whole
thing. Wasn't s'posed to. Secret
and all. Told her anyway. Had to.
She thinks it's wrong... inhuman.
Cruel and unusual punishment. She's
for euthanasia. Doesn't hold life
too dear. Goes back to her mother.
Incurable cancer, terrible pain
for..years. She begged for it.
Begged for death. To end it. Her's
was terrible physical pain. Yours
is, what? Did you mean it? Do you
mean it now? You know what we are
trying to do, what it could mean.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
And it doesn't matter? It doesn't
mean anything after all these years...
of blackness? What have you seen in
there? Are you totally mad? Is
there no chance? Why couldn't you
do it yourself? Have you been
trapped, no escape, no release? Is
that what you want...you really want?
Okay...Okay.
He pulls out a syringe.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
It's not hard, not that hard at all,
set us back months...years. What is
that against your problem? Why go
on, if you're going to pull the plug
anyway. You want it, you want it
now? I'll do it for you. A little
of this... practically undetectable.
Other symptoms...I can fake
afterwards. You want out, you tell
me now.
He grabs the IV tube, puts syringe to it.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
Say it, say it, I'll let you out.
Well? Well?
Slowly lens shakes no. Suddenly Chudrah takes the syringe
and sticks it into his own arm. He pushes plunger down,
looks up.
CHUDRAH (CONT'D)
Distilled water. To prove a point.
You didn't mean it, and neither did
I. We've all got too much at stake
to screw around at this point' Don't
we? So let's all cut the shit and
get on with it.
Chudrah leaves, SLAMMING the door behind him. Ryan slowly
PANS the room. He is alone except for the low HUM of
equipment.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - MORNING
Dmitri, Amy and Chudrah stand. Williams leans in close,
grinning.
WISBROD
Kill me? Now that's what I'd call
a... negative attitude! And it's
not quite the point.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.
WISBROD (CONT'D)
We didn't keep you alive. You kept
yourself alive. Most people in your
condition have managed to expire.
No matter how much equipment we had
on them, they'd just duck under the
whole thing and...go. You didn't.
We need that. We need that more
than anything. Very few people with
your injuries make it through the
first month, let alone the first
year. You're an exception and
we...would like to know why. Will
you tell us?
A indecipherable melange of mumble and squawks.
AMY
Don't have a good contact.
WISBROD
Look, try to simplify your thoughts.
Later, when the link is worked in,
you'll be able to transmit subtleties.
Right now, simple words. Try to
make it clear.
Dmitri takes Williams to the back of the room for a
conference.
DMITRI
Maybe we should backtrack for a while.
We're getting into highly charged
areas, here. You're getting emotion
all mixed up with content. Let me
run some learning procedures first
or you'll get all confused at the
start.
WISBROD
We're too close to making this work
to take a chance onhim killing
himself.
DMITRI
You're confusing him. He's in deep
shock, and if he understands you at
all, which is open to question, you
are putting exactly the wrong ideas
into his head.
WISBROD
These things have to come out into
the open so they can be dealt with.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18.
DMITRI
It's not working, you're not
reaDmitrig him.
WISBROD
Okay, it's yours.
DMITRI
(to Ryan)
Take your time. Form one word.
...a simple one.
A SOUND - JJJOOONNNA - Amy rips off paper, hands it to Dmitri.
AMY
Uh...His wife...
DMITRI
Ah...your wife's not here. I'd hoped
not to go into this...just yet.
ALMOST A SCREAM!!!
RYAN
JOOOOAAAAANNNAAAAAHGHHHOAN
NIGHT.
Amy sits at the console musing quietly to himself, an
indicator light on the console lights up and he is aware
that Ryan is awake. He speaks calmly, thoughtfully over his
shoulder at first, then turns and glides down the console
toward Ryan in his chair.
AMY
I made a tape. Can I run it for
you? Great, just switch to another
channel.
ANOTHER CHANNEL - Montage: paintings, music OVER.
AMY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Sure freaked them out, Ryan...You
know what I think? I think it's a
smoke screen. You're progressing
much faster than anyone thought
possible. You're way ahead of them.
How far, I don't know, I won't even
guess. It's not my job... Beautiful
isn't it? Man needs to look at
beauty, that's what separates us
from the beasts.
MORNING
A manic, wiry Englishman enters and approaches the bed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19.
SHEARER
Morning. Prescott Shearer. Few
days ago they put in a new circuit.
I expect they told you. Yes? No?
Well, anyhow, doesn't matter. These
verbal programs they use...very crude
stuff. No subtleties...no...
character. Now, me, I deal in the
improved model. Charm, class, better
communication in every way. What
say we skip ahead and go for the big
one. I have some tapes of your very
own voice. You'll like it a lot
better when you sound like your old...
er...self. Let's give it a go, what
do you say...
RYAN
(distorted but just
discernable)
Fuck you.
SHEARER
(after a shocked pause)
Well, how's that gonna look in the
history books. Not as good as
"Watson, come here, I want you",
will it. However, seems to work.
Can't say much for your attitude.
..Ah, understand, quite a shock, old
boy, understand... understand, heard
you were a bit... brusque. Well,
not to worry, must be off, call my
lawyer, business manager. It's all
on line. You work at it at your
convenience. You don't need me about
pestering you, do you? No, expect
not. Perhaps we can go on when you're
feeling more up to it.
He exits. Long pause as camera hangs on door, then pull
back to include Amy at console, he turns and looks into lens,
shrugs. Fade to feedback. Video fields and electronic ghost
images. The system is awake with abstract images.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Sam approaches Ryan. Amy and Dmitri burst in as Sam, resets
his wires and tubes, smooths down the sheets. She's all
business. Dmitri takes no notice in his excitement.
DMITRI
Wait till you hear this idea!
He enters a program into the keyboard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20.
INSERT:
Graphic of a stereo system SUPERED. A series of titles flash
by.
DMITRI
Ok, this is a phantom. Touch this,
you advance the titles. Center it
in "play". That's all there is to
it. A thousand titles from Rolling
Stones to Rachmaninoff. Try it.
After a pause, Ryan moves the controls.
AMY
Good. Now just press play.
Ryan does. Wagner blares out of the system at distortion
level. Amy claps his hands to his ears, motioning Ryan to
turn it down. The volume control appears to move and the
music subsides.
AMY (CONT'D)
Terrific, you really pick things up
fast. Now you have every major
recording. You're also hooked up to
TV. The networks, 83 independent
stations. Cable...also Library of
Congress..Some data bases. All
courtesy of Uncle Sugar.
OTHER CHANNELS - MUSIC OVER.
Ryan randomly samples the channels. He switches faster and
faster. The cuts accelerate until he overloads in confusion.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
Amy and Sam are at the console. Amy is showing her the
operation of the equipment. They are smiling at each other.
Amy gets up and exits the room, leaving Sam fooling around
with the equipment.
RYAN
Sam.
She looks up, startled, looks around the room.
SAM
Amy, what are you doing?
She gets up, looks around. The room is empty.
RYAN
It is me, Ryan .
She looks at him stunned.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.
SAM
You're talking. Wasn't that what
they were trying to get you to do
all day. Why didn't you answer them.
RYAN
Don't want to talk to them.
SAM
You shouldn't hold back. You've got
to tell them that you can do this.
RYAN
They kept me in the dark. They turned
me on and off.
SAM
They...we are doing the best we can.
RYAN
I wanted to thank you first of all.
SAM
...Why me.?
RYAN
Am I the first?
SAM
The first?
RYAN
This experiment, it all seems so
easy. So little wasted motion.
Were there others before me? Are
there others in rooms like this right
now?
SAM
There have been others, I've heard,
but not now. Not anymore.
RYAN
What happened to them?
SAM
I don't know. It was before I
started. All I know is there's no
one now, but you.
She paces the room. She's uncomfortable.
RYAN
...Tell me about yourself...
SAM
Nothing much to say, I work, I live.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22.
RYAN
Alone?
SAM
Alone.
RYAN
Yeah...me too.
Sam sits on the side of the bed, touches him.
SAM
You're wife... She's...They didn't
expect you to live. She was..very
brave... The total lack of hope...
She.. um...cracked finally. You
can't blame her. She was
institutionalized. When she got out
she was forbidden to.... it was part
of her therapy, that she not come,
not see you. What good would it
have done, how could she have helped?
Ryan HOLDS on her for a moment. She looks away. Ryan PANS
away. He picks up Amy who has been watDmitrig. Amy is
embarassed. He turns back to his work...Ryan PANS back and
catches Sam staring at him.
RYAN
I wanna see her. NOW!
SAM
Ryan, She is gone.
RYAN
Don't believe it.
SAM
You were unreachable, beyond her
ability to help. You couldn't or
wouldn't respond in any way. At the
time, nobody knew this was possible.
As far as they knew, you'd be
just...no inputs, no output, just
the place where all the tubes meet.
RYAN
I want to see her.
SAM
Ryan...She's ....dead. She...it was
an accident, maybe... Look...you
can't do anything... You shouldn't
think about it. You should
think...about yourself. Concentrate
on what we are trying to do.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.
RYAN
Why didn't they tell me?
SAM
Look, all this is still very
experimental, you may think you're
over the hump, but you're not, believe
me. We've been very lucky so far,
but that doesn't mean anything.
Maybe they thought...
SHE IS CUT OFF BY BLACK.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - MORNING
Williams and Dmitri in F.G. A table has been placed over
Ryan's lower body, extending to the wall. Dmitri holds a
miniature robot.
WISBROD
We'd like to try some motor
experiments, if you don't mind. I'm
told you were the best natural pilot
in the test program. As the first
step, we want you to run a robot. A
very simple one. Stop. Forward.
Reverse. Left and right. Think you
can do it?
RYAN
Yes.
WISBROD
Okay. Same basis as the other stuff.
Everything normaled out - arm and
leg inputs. Self-propelled, radio
controlled, powered up and hot to
trot.
RYAN
What makes it go?
WISBROD
You do.
He sets it on the table.
WISBROD (CONT'D)
Step on the gas.
RYAN
Very funny.
WISBROD
Put your foot down.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24.
RYAN
What foot?
WISBROD
A minor detail.
BACK TO THE ROOM.
RYAN
My what?
Amy stops moving. She has let slip...
AMY
Wha...I'm... I'm sorry. You didn't
know?
RYAN
Know? Know what?
AMY
She was pregnant when... At the time
of the crash...
RYAN
She was hinting...trying to tell me
something...I was thinking about the
mission. I never gave her a chance.
No. It can't be.
She says nothing, busying herself with things around the
room.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Well...
AMY
Well what?
RYAN
What happened...to...her.
AMY
Adoption. I don't know where, don't
ask me. Nobody knows...
RYAN
Nobody?....
DISSOLVE BACK
to memories. Images like old Kodachromes..snatches of
dialogue, distant MUSIC...A farm. Morning light in a cow
pasture. A pretty young girl riding bareback guides a horse
throught the shallows.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25.
DISSOLVE BACK
The young Joanna sees us and smiles. Other times.... Memory
pictures her house... faded like old slides. Then there is
an image of Ryan as a teenager. He is with the girl. She
is very pretty and smiles at him happily.
MEMORIES FADE
MONTAGE: DATABASE SEARCH - GRAPHICS
Ryan searches through databanks. by social security numbers,
finds her name, then addresses, then change in marital status
to Mrs. Sigafoos, changes of address, then address at Edwards
Air Force Base...then recently, another change.of address.
Then hospitalizations, doctor's records, a birth certificate,
in the name Chloe Ann Sigafoos, a baby girl... with
fingerprints and footprints, then hospitalization and
psychiatric records on his wife, Joanna... Then a trail of
prescription drugs...records of paramedics and overdoses...
A marriage followed rapidly by a divorce. Then, finally, a
death certificate. Records of adoptions. He traces...
narrows the search... all baby girls with blue eyes, a certain
weight, given up for adoption in a certain time...then he
finds the protected data-bank for the adoption agency. He
breaks in. ....all at high speed.
ANOTHER SEARCH - GOVERNMENT AND RESEARCH AGENCIES.
We see the rapid progression of forms, data, regulations and
approvals. We see forms, blank forms...find people in charge,
search their records and find their signatures. We see the
signatures forged on forms. At the same time, people are
hired, facilities are rented, a business is set up, and
funded. We see what he is doing. Ryan is building himself
a camera truck.
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - AFTERNOON
POV: from a CAMERA TRUCK rumbling down the street. It slows,
THE CAMERA PANS around to see doors, mailboxes, anything
with a name or number. It comes to a mailbox with the name
STONE. It pulls up beside it, PANS the house and HOLDS on
it. A phone is DIALED...a DISTANT RINGING. The house is
empty. We shut down and wait.
TIME LAPSE - SUBURBAN STREET
JUMP CUTS - indicate passage of time. Traffic thins, shadows
lengthen. Sometime later, something attracts our attention.
PAN to a car coming down the street. It slows and pulls
around us to get into the driveway. A harried housewife
comes to the back and takes bags of groceries from the car.
From a backseat car-chair she takes a child. She pauses and
looks over toward us for a moment. ZOOM IN on her. She
looks thoughtful.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26.
Then the kid is tugging at her and she turns and walks up
into the house. We can see her through a window.
A phone is ringing, Finally, she answers it, out of breath
from running.
WOMAN
Hello? Hello?
After a moment the connection is broken.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - SAME TIME
Amy is at the console. The image of the suburban street
drops out.
RYAN
Were you watching that?
Amy turns, startled.
AMY
What? I'm sorry, Ryan, did you say
something?
As she paces the room, Ryan starts to frame-store various
angles of her. Finally, he finds a good angle, a CLOSE-UP.
We FREEZE on it and OPTICALLY ZOOM even tighter.
RYAN
No. Nothing. What are you doing?
AMY
Just thinking...
ISOLATE on one eye. A SUPERED graphic of an iris is divided
into sectors, each analagous representation of an area of
the body.
RYAN
...about me?
AMY
Well, yeah...I was just checking
the...
RYAN
I mean me. Me here. Not the
chemicals and frequencies.
AMY
I don't think that's fair.
RYAN
I think about you. All the time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.
TIGHTEN on one area of the graphic. The sector is damaged,
the symptom of disease...the graphic indicates that it is
the Central Nervous System.
AMY
(uncomfortable)
...I know...
RYAN
Occupational hazard?
He has touched a nerve. She starts to say something, changes
her mind. We look closely into her eyes. They are dull,
dilated. She turns away, angry and uncomfortable.
AMY
It happens. It's natural...a natural
reaction.
RYAN
Is that why you do it?
AMY
(hurt)
I hope not. I don't want to analyze
it that far.
RYAN
I'm safe, is that it?
AMY (V.O.)
Understand the realities...don't try
to make this into something it can't
be.
RYAN
There's nothing it can't be. That's
what I'm trying to tell you.
Everything is possible. Believe me.
She hesitates, then starts away. Soft MUSIC plays.
MONTAGE - A DATA SYSTEM
Information is a blur. Suddenly, we are in.
NATIONAL DRUG INDEX
WARNING: Classified Area. Do not attempt access. Security
Clearance R3, Hl-M, Unauthorized Access Liable for Felony
Prosecution. Fed. Stat. 1606-18 Sub8 A FLASH. This field
clears and we are through. A new field appears.
LAKE, AMY NORA d/b 17FEB50 Beneath this a complete history
of every drug she has prescribed with generic name, patient,
date...etc.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28.
Then we are into a drug bank marked: EXPERIMENTAL:
The drug BETA ENDORPHIN shows up regularly, as does
NEUROTENSIN. SYNTHETIC ENKEPHALIN AND DPA; D PHENYLALANINE.
A listing of all research programs in which the experimental
drugs are being tested. Among them are: MD-302, Muscular
Distrophy and CN-888, Idiopathic Nerve Degeneration.
BACK TO ROOM.
ANOTHER GRAPHIC - A MEDICAL DICTIONARY DATABASE IDIOPATHIC:
CAUSE UNKNOWN BACK TO ROOM - CU AMY
She is looking away. WIDEN AND PAN to show what she is
looking at: A monitor - Idiopathic....
She looks at him and knows he knows.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - MORNING
Williams comes in. Camera ZOOMS in. He puts drug ampule into
receptical, hands Amy a disk.
RYAN
What's that?
WILLIAMS
Routine. I'm feeding in a mild
sedative. It'll put you out for a
while.
RYAN
Why?
WILLIAMS
We want to get some pure data. This
program isn't set up for running
when you're conscious. Usually these
are stacked up and run at night in
your normal sleeping periods. This
one we'd like to get now if it's not
too much trouble.
RYAN
Is something wrong?
WILLIAMS
No, nothing, just routine. Don't
worry. You should be getting drowsy.
You'll sleep for an hour and be up
and around by dinner. No side
effects, I promise.
RYAN
...I don't.. want to.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29.
WILLIAMS
Ryan, please cooperate. This is a
medical test, its for your own good.
(to Amy)
Has he been like this long?
AMY
Just nerves.
WILLIAMS
It indicates more testing. Perhaps
we should run a complete system, a
501 and a full brain.
RYAN
Talk to me you asshole, I'm not your
fucking electric train set.
WILLIAMS
Ryan, I don't know what brought this
on, but I wish you would relax a
bit.
RYAN
I don't want the drug. I should
have the right to say no.
WILLIAMS
Not where your health is concerned.
I'm the doctor and I'm responsible
for that.
RYAN
(Groggily)
Yah, bullshit.
WILLIAMS
You're a patient here. I don't think
I should have to order you to
cooperate.
RYAN
(Groggy)
Get out of here. I've got a right
to have some say in this.
WILLIAMS
Yes and I will make a note of that.
RYAN
I mean it, get out!
WILLIAMS
The test is on the schedule. It is
not my decision to make, and if it
was, I wouldn't change it. Now just
relax. Breathe deeply...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30.
RYAN
You son of a bitch, son of a God
damn...
WILLIAMS
Jesus, what set him off.
AMY
Don't know.
WILLIAMS
I think we should review some of the
psychological data.
AMY
Look, everybody has moods. It's
hard to blame him.
WILLIAMS
I know, but I think we should....
CAMERA SLIDES OFF THEM, GOES BLACK. SOUND CONTINUES.
WILLIAMS (CONT'D)
...run a few evaluations...
Bad dreams float by, then darkness. Then strange images and
voices. We don't know if it's a dream, or if it's real.
RYAN
Did you receive the check?
There is immediate suspicion on the other end.
MAN
What check?
INT. AN OFFICE - ANONYMOUS AND NON-DESCRIPT
A businessman with a suspicious air, is seen from a high-
angle surveilliance camera sitting at a desk, speaking on a
phone.
RYAN
Let's not waste time. The check is
pre-payment.
MAN
For what?
RYAN
The usual. A little black back work.
MAN
Who are you?
Ryan just laughs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31.
RYAN
I need to know who I'm working for.
MAN
No you don't.
SUPERED GRAPHIC - A CREDIT DRAFT - A SWISS BANK TRANSFERS
FUNDS TO AN OFFSHORE HOLDING COMPANY.
In the office, the computer turns itself on. The printer
spits out a notice.
EXT. STONE HOUSE - NIGHT
MOBILE SURVEILLANCE VAN MOVES IN AT A SLOW CREEP. WE ZERO
IN ON A BEDROOM WINDOW, BOOM UP AND ZOOM THROUGH TO:
INT. ANGLE - A CRIB
An infant is awake, playing with her feet, making baby noises
to herself...She becomes aware of the camera...It moves in
slowly, so as not to scare her. She looks at it curiously.
RYAN
Chloe...
He pans over to the crib...Her new name is spelled out;
Christina... He doesn't care. He speaks to himself as if to
her.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Are you Chloe. Is that who you are?
Do you know? Do you have any idea?
Will you ever know? Would it be
fair?
POV DRONE CAR - NIGHT - LOUD ROCK MUSIC - HIGHLY REVVED MOTOR.
LIGHTS WHIZ BY. POV from front of drone car as it blasts
along country roads at very high speed. It is dusk, the car
slams around corners going from light fields to dark tunnels.
The light levels change drastically, leaving lens momentarily
b blinded from time to time.
A SCREECH - The car nearly goes off the road. The lens swings
around to gaze out the side, returning to face front just in
time to correct course before hitting a bank. Speed builds
up, tires SQUEAL, GEARS WHINE as the car is driven at its
limits.
The car sways and swerves in time to the MUSIC it. The effect
is that of a fast, reckless joy ride. Then, a SIREN in the
distance. A police car appears in the REAR CAMERA.
Both cars speed up. For a few moments, the drone car loses
the cop.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32.
Then, slowly, dangerously the cop car approaches nearer and
nearer. The drone accelerates to the limit with a terrible
tight curve coming up.
Beyond the curve is the river. The cop holds position, then
slows, then breaks in a panic stop.
The drone car keeps accelerating, straight through the curve
at flat-out acceleration. It hits a bank and becomes
airborne, spinning rapidly. Water, flames, then an EXPLOSION.
The screen goes dark, there is another EXPLOSION and the
sound CUTS OFF.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NEXT DAY
Amy enters, approaches bed.
AMY
Are you crazy, you think...you really
believe you can get away with
something like that. And don't tell
me you got it covered. You're gonna
have some visitors right now and boy
are they pissed.
Door in background opens. Chudrah and Dmitri enter. Amy,
still glaring at Ryan, retreats to his console.
CHUDRAH
(trying not to show
anger)
How are you, Ryan?
RYAN
Pretty good. This about the car?
CHUDRAH
State Police were involved in a high
speed chase last night. Car exploded
just before it flew into the River
at a speed in excess of 100 miles an
hour. They haven't recovered the
car, or any bodies, but the plates
are registered to one of our
subsidiaries. I believe you know
what I'm talking about.
RYAN
The car exploded on impact. Nothing
will be found.
CHUDRAH
You know what my orders are in the
event this program is compromised?
RYAN
But you won't.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33.
CHUDRAH
Why won't I?
RYAN
We're doing too well, aren't we?
CHUDRAH
I can't believe you would jeopardize
something as important as this program
on a bonehead play like that. What
the hell were you thinking about?
No, never mind, I don't want to hear
it. I'll be hearing it soon enough
from the others. Jesus, it damn
near made the evening news. Do you
have any idea how much it costs to
cover this up.
RYAN
Why cover it up? What's the
difference?
CHUDRAH
This has the highest classi- fication
I've ever worked on. Our sponsors
are going to want to fool with this
for at least a week before it shows
up in Popular Science.
CHUDRAH EXITS AMY MOVES CLOSER
RYAN
I screwed up.
AMY
I've never seen him so pissed.
RYAN
What'd he mean?
AMY
I'm just a tech here, a hired
soldering gun, what do I know? But
screw up again and you'll be trying
to run this junk on D cells.
MONTAGE: FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC DATA
Flashing at extremely high speed. Arcane formulas, data
banks, Swiss Francs, Portugese Lira, debentures, coded
accounts, financial instruments. Ryan is busy at something.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
Amy is at the console, working irritably.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34.
RYAN
I'm real sorry about the car.
AMY
(curtly)
Don't tell me. Tell the rest of
them. They're still mad as hell.
RYAN
I want to make it up.
AMY
Just forget it.
RYAN
And I want to make it up to you.
AMY
Leave me out of it, Please.
RYAN
No. I can't. You're my friend, I
got you in trouble, I shouldn't have
done that. It was very thoughtless,
very selfish of me.
AMY
I accept your apology, forget it.
The TELEFAX PRINTER suddenly activates. Amy is startled.
He looks at Ryan suspiciously, then tears the copy from the
maDmitrie.
AMY (CONT'D)
What? A check in my name...for a
million dollars!
RYAN
Count the zeros again.
He looks again. His eyes bug out.
AMY
What have you done? Are you crazy?
I couldn't cash this if it were real.
RYAN
It's just a souvenir. The money's
already in an account for you.
AMY
You...you can't do that.
RYAN
Doesn't compute. Did it!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35.
AMY
How?
RYAN
With my computers. It's called
Salami. A lot of thin slices, a few
cents here, a few cents there, times
a few million. Nobody will ever
know. They won't have a clue, unless
you're so dumb as to try to put it
back.
AMY
What if they find out?
RYAN
How they gonna find out? No finger-
prints, just various glitches.
AMY
They'll trace it somehow..
RYAN
Laundered cleaner than you're socks.
Considerably cleaner. This cash has
been around the world a few times.
London, Geneva, Stockholm, South
African gold. Made money in every
transaction. I should, I have
immediate access to the best financial
reports...in fact, all the information
in the world, just a matter of paying
attention..
AMY
But...
RYAN
Don't worry, there's plenty more
where that came from.
AMY
How much?
RYAN
This is just profit. I put the
original back. We can't get caught.
AMY
It's not that.
AMY (CONT'D)
What about the program?
RYAN
It'll go on. Under new management.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36.
AMY
What are you gonna do, buy out the
government?
RYAN
Yes.
AMY
You are crazy.
RYAN
You'll have everything you need.
Everything you can imagine and more;
everything I can imagine, and I can
imagine a lot. We will live anywhere,
everywhere in the world. And we
will live well. You, me, Amy.
EXT. BUILDING FROM HIGH ROOF, OVERLOOKING COUNTRYSIDE.
PAN 360`.
AMY (V.O.)
What's that? Where'd you find that?
RYAN
Surveillance system. Building
security.
AMY (V.O.)
But you're not connected to that.
RYAN
Details.
AMY (V.O.)
(sarcastic)
Great, now you can look outside
without permission.
RYAN
But look what's there.
THE CAMERA PANS, comes to rest on a satellite dish.
RYAN (CONT'D)
A ground station. The size is a
clue. Ten meters means it's probably
capable of sending and receiving. I
checked it out. It is.
AMY (V.O.)
They control it downstairs.
RYAN
Sometimes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37.
AS THEY WATCH IT MOVES.
AMY (V.O.)
Ryan, don't screw around with it.
RYAN
They don't use it half the time.
All that potential going to waste.
I can send on it too.
AMY (V.O.)
What would you send?
RYAN
I'll think of something.
PIX CITYSCAPE.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Surveillance cameras. All important
buildings. Here's, let's see, City
Hall Boston.
A VARIETY OF SHOTS FROM SURVEILLANCE POSITIONS - BOSTON
RYAN (CONT'D)
Washington seems to have more cameras
than people.
VARIOUS SHOTS - WASHINGTON PUBLIC BUILDINGS
AMY (V.O.)
Those are closed circuits, short
range only...
RYAN
Very few I can't get into if I want
to. The only trick is finding out
where they are electronically.
Luckily I have access to some good
computers. Sooner or later I can
find anything. Here! New York.
Sheik Akmad Amani, Central Park South,
his game room.
SHOTS OF SEMI NUDE GIRLS RELAXING IN BATHS.
RYAN (CONT'D)
The Sheik sometimes likes to tie in
by remote. Makes those boring oil
conferences go much faster.
AMY (V.O.)
What if...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38.
RYAN
What if I want to go somewhere where
there isn't a camera?
AMY (V.O.)
Yeah, right.
RYAN
I order one. Through the .O.I.S.,
Office of Internal Security. I have
the secret codes, computer
access...access to everything!
EXT. AERIAL POV
CAMERA ORBITS SLOWLY at 1500 feet. An All-terrain vehicle
tears across the ground. The camera centers cross-hairs on
the vehicle. A red laser designator follows it despite its
attempts to evade.
WILLIAMS
Very good, Ryan, bring it in.
The CAMERA banks away, rolls in and drops to the landing
strip. It picks up the tech on the runway, flares to a
perfect landing. It rolls out and taxis to them. One walks
over to us. As he approaches, he seems to grow to gigantic
proportions. His foot fills the frame. A hand comes down
and picks up the whole airplane.
CUT TO - ANOTHER ANGLE - FROM THE MOBILE VAN
Dmitri, holds the plane which is no bigger than a model.
DMITRI
You killed every tank in the 3rd
division.
RYAN
Just like the Bekaa valley.
DMITRI
Better.
AMY
If you're through, I'd like to go.
DMITRI
Sure, where you going?
AMY
Oh, meet some friends...
MONTAGE - DARK EROTIC DREAMS
Female forms rythmically, sensually moving. Occasionally
Amy's face is discernable...then sometimes, Joanna's.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
39.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Amy at console.
RYAN
Hey, Amy, look at this, will you.
Amy turns and tunes the monitor. An image appears. A digital
rendering like a pointilist painting. A sequence of angles:
dreamy..
BACK TO AMY - SHOCKED...VERY UPSET
AMY
What have you been doing? How did
you do that. That scene, it's not
even real, just my imagination. How
did you get it?
RYAN
Just picked it up.
AMY
That's my mind, that's sneaky of
you.
RYAN
I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything.
AMY
You should let me know.
RYAN
I thought we were friends. I thought
we could speak to each other.
AMY
We can, we can, but I just don't
like...
RYAN
You do it to me all the time. You
all do.
AMY
That's different.
RYAN
How?
AMY
It just is.
RYAN
I thought things were 50/50 with us.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.
AMY
They are, of course. I'd just rather
you asked me before you try that
again, Okay.
EXT. (DRONE CAR) POV PULLS UP IN A CLEARING AT DUSK.
A clearing seen through sparse woods off a dirt, country
road.
RYAN
This is it.
AMY (V.O.)
It's lovely.
RYAN
Come on. Take the portable in the
back seat.
She comes into frame reaDmitrig behind the LENS.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Don't forget the wine.
AMY
Really! Wine?
RYAN
I hope it's good. I generally pick
them for their color.
AMY
Well?
RYAN
Right in back of you. The path
through the woods.
She turns and starts up the trail. Ryan's mobile camera
follows. They come into a clearing overlooking a bend in
the river. The setting sun glints off the water and the
surrounding trees wave in the dying light.
AMY
Oh, it's beautiful.
RYAN
Used to come here when I was a kid.
She sits. The sun is setting behind her. The leaves are
gold.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Please, have some wine.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
41.
AMY
Here's looking at you, kid.
RYAN
Here's looking back.
RYAN (CONT'D)
I see a lot, Em, more than people
give me credit for.
AMY
I guess, a little...I don't
want...that.
RYAN
I want you to be happy. I'd do
anything.
She looks away.
AMY
Beautiful, isn't it.
RYAN
That nuclear power plant. If the
melt down had occurred, this area
would have been contaminated for
hundreds of years. A void, no people,
no people at all.
AMY
Just radioactive squirrels and...
RYAN
And me
AMY
You?
RYAN
Sometimes I think cancer is the
dominant form of life here. Radiation,
nuclear bombs, pollution, smog,
insecticides, cancerous poisons in
the air and water, in food, in drugs.
The earth is becoming a terrible
place for a human to live. But for
us, me and the maDmitries, it's like
a spring breeze.
AMY
You and the maDmitries. You're going
to take over?
RYAN
Too soon.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
42.
AMY
Well, I'll keep my body for the time
being. Maybe when it gets old and
wrinkled, I'll trade it in.
RYAN
You better take care of yourself.
AMY
You too.
RYAN
You look tired. I have a place.
AMY
A what?
RYAN
You could go away. We could just
go, the two of us.
AMY
Ryan...you're...
RYAN
Serious. I know what drugs you're
taking and why! Give me a chance.
AMY
Ryan , you've got to stop this.
It's got to end badly. I don't want
it to.
RYAN
Neither do I.
MONTAGE - DIFFERENT TIMES
He watches Amy with Amy. He watches her alone. He watches
her watch him.
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - LATER
Amy works in the outer room. She looks up, as if called,
and enters. AMY Did you want me?
RYAN
How did you know?
AMY
(a little confused)
I...don't know...just felt..you did.
(she sniffs the air)
What's that?
RYAN
Lilacs, apple blossom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.
AMY
It's like ...I smell them, only...
RYAN
Want to taste them?
AMY
You're doing that, but how?
RYAN
Magnetoencephalography. Electro-
cortical stimulation.
AMY
(slightly dizzy, leans
on bed)
I feel...
RYAN
Sexy?
AMY
No..sexy?
RYAN
You radiate it.
AMY
How do you....?
RYAN
..I know you. Inside and out.
RYAN (CONT'D)
MaDmitrie intuition.
She smiles.
RYAN (CONT'D)
You love ...me.
AMY
Ryan, you know I care about you...but.
RYAN
But you need more.
AMY
I guess so...
RYAN
Good. Cause it's all in the mind.
AMY
(skeptically)
Not all?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44.
RYAN
Like sex. It's just a mingling of
nerve ends. An orgasm is not a
genital event, it's a neural one.
You ever hear of status orgasmus?
AMY
What's that?
RYAN
Very rare.
AMY
Tell me what it is.
RYAN
I could show you.
AMY
You could?
RYAN
Yes. Just open your mind.
AMY
You're crazy.
CLICK OF A DOOR LOCK. She feels hot, opens a button on her
blouse.
RYAN
That's what they tell me. The room
is locked. We're alone. You're
hot.
AMY
I am not.
RYAN
Your pulse is up.
AMY
You're making me nervous.
RYAN
Hot and bothered.
AMY
No.
RYAN
Why are you flushed?
AMY
I'm not.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45.
RYAN
The flush. Your ears are burning,
your pupils dilated, vasocongestion,
elevated muscle tension.
AMY
I know the symptoms.
RYAN
What does it mean?
AMY
I..I'm a little...
RYAN
Excited.
AMY
Ryan...
RYAN
Concentrate.
AMY
This is...
RYAN
Possible.
AMY
...not happening!
She shudders.
RYAN
What's that?
AMY
Chills up my spine.
RYAN
Child's play.
AMY
It's you?
RYAN
It's us.
Her body seems to glow with visible energy. Colors radiate
from her.
RYAN (CONT'D)
There's much more than the visible
spectrum. You're as pretty as you
feel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
46.
She squirms as the colors intensify.
AMY
Oh, God. I feel...How do you do
that?
RYAN
Let's not talk technique.
She reaches for him.
RYAN (CONT'D)
That's the old way. This is the
new.
She shudders orgasmically. She brushes her damp hair away
from her face and slumps in her chair.
AMY
You shouldn't do this.
RYAN
You're free. You can walk out
anytime. Do you want to leave.
Shakes her head.
AMY
What do I do?
RYAN
Just give in. Come along with me.
Make the connection.
AMY
I'm...
RYAN
I can feel you. I can feel your
heart. I can feel your skin. Under
your skin. I'm with you. The blood
is rushing to your breasts..I can
feel it. You're ready. I'm there,
I'm already there. Let go, let...come
with me...
MONTAGE: CEREBRO-SEXUAL
She appears to pulsate with the Music. Waves of electronic
colors wash down her body and out her arms and legs, then up
to her brain and down again to her breasts, her legs. The
cycle speeds up and she is MOANING, stretDmitrig her body.
We can see the waves rippling off her into the air.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.
MONTAGE: CEREBRO-SEXUAL
The colors come at us and we are engulfed. She shudders all
over, her eyes widen, she MOANS and her body dissolves in a
shimmering shower of pulsating electrons. The real world
FADES and we are DISSOLVING, co-mingling waves of energy...a
mindfuck..an inner world of rhythmic patterns, orgasmic
movements, the whole cosmos is alive with pro-creative energy,
orgasmic shapes, arms, legs, breasts, fins, tails-- the orgasm
builds and over it, rising and falling with the waves, a new
SOUND. She is MOANING in time with the waves, in sync with
the visual flow. We HEAR a new sound, a mixing of all her
unique elements; blood flow, cerebral activity, nerve
firings...and the Humming/Moaning sounds she makes deep in
her throat...her unique SOUND SIGNATURE... then it hits her
and she screams...
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
The real world FADES IN. Amy slumps in her chair, semi-
conscious, eyes unfocused, wet hair plastered to her face.
She is ravaged, still fully dressed. She tries to rise.
She looks like a bomb victim, totally distracted and even
sexier than before.
RYAN
Don't go. There's more.
AMY
Oh, God. I wouldn't live through
it.
RYAN
Has there ever been anything like
that before?
AMY
No, you're the best, I promise
(laughs) I mean..what? how...when
did you...?
RYAN
I'm inspired. I'm in love.
AMY
God help me. God help us. I have
to go.
RYAN
You can't.
AMY
Why not.
RYAN
You can't leave. I'm with you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
48.
She shudders.
POV - A JET ROCKETS ALONG AT MACH THREE
It hugs the ground. Objects on the ground zip by so fast
they blur. We top a rise and burn down the other side,
following a valley at supersonic speed through ground mist
and low clouds with impossible maneuvers and split second
timing. We scream around a cliff in an impossibly tight
turn and straighten out. Before us in the distance we see a
town. A bridge straddles the river. A superimposed aiming
sight comes on screen.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Target in sight.
A pulsing, high-pitched TONE changes to a low GRUMBLE as our
missiles lock on.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Locked on. Permission to fire...
RADIO (FILTERED)
Permission granted.
A WHOOSH as the rockets sail out from under the screen. We
lose sight of them as we take a tight climbing turn out of
there. Now a new NOISE is heard. Something is tracking us.
RADIO (CONT'D)
Missile radar locked on you. Take
evasive action.
The sky and ground fly apart as we are wrenched around in
evasive maneuvers. Then we fly straight for a time. We
cant over and see what looks like three telephone poles blast
up at us.
RADIO (CONT'D)
Wait for it. Wait for it.
We stay canted over watching them snake up at us.
RADIO (CONT'D)
Now.
At the last micro second, we wrench over in evasion. A tight
cork- screwing turn and one missile flashes past. Another
violent turn suddenly a violent EXPLOSION and BLACKNESS.
RADIO (CONT'D)
Too bad. You broke just a moment to
early...gave them a chance to adjust.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
49.
BACK TO ROOM SAME TIME
The VOICE fron the radio continues. It now has a face and a
uniform. He is looming over a portable flight simulator.
INSTRUCTOR
The theory, as you may recall, is to
get between the missile and another
source of heat..the sun. Draw him
into locking on the sun and then
slip out from in-between. It's tough
when they launch a flock. You timed
the first one right, the second came
too close on his heels and iced you.
Okay, try again.
POV - Screaming through another landscape.
MONTAGE - WEIRD CEREBRAL ACTIVITY - NIGHTMARE LANDSCAPES
INT. RYAN'S ROOM - NIGHT
It is quiet, only the HUM of the maDmitries. Amy comes in.
She pulls up a chair and sits next to Ryan. The monitor
casts a flickering glow on her face. She says nothing but
seems to be communicating on some other level.
MONTAGE: Strange patterns, SOUNDS, distorted images and
interference.
RYAN
Something's wrong. I have a feeling.
AMY (V.O.)
You have a feeling?
RYAN
I know. It's not scientific. I
can't place it. It's... There's
something going on. I get hints.
AMY (V.O.)
Hints?
RYAN
Not intentional, I'm sure. Traces,
tracks where they've been. Everything
that passes, an animal, a program,
leaves a sign of its passing. I can
feel it. It's still warm. There's
something in here with me and I don't
know what it is..
MONTAGE
Changes to a search throught crystalline forms. An occasional
energy beam slices at us, we dodge instantaneously.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50.
AMY (V.O.)
What do you think it is?
RYAN
You know what a virus is?
AMY
Yeah, sure.
RYAN
A software virus...
AMY
(hesitates)
When...they think a program may be
getting out of hand, getting to
strong, too uncontrolled...growing...
They create another program...a
bug...a virus that attacks the host
program...
RYAN
Maybe they got more than one of me.
Maybe the other side has one. Maybe
the maDmitrie has reached critical
mass. Maybe you guys created a
monster. Maybe it's God, maybe the
abyss is looking back at me, how the
hell do I know. You don't believe
me, do you?
BACK TO ROOM - SAME TIME
Amy is concerned.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Maybe I am crazy.
AMY
You're not crazy. You're overwrought.
Why don't I get you some
tranquilizers.
RYAN
What are you trying to do.
AMY
I'm trying to help you. What do you
think? ... You really think they
downloaded something, some program
in with you?
RYAN
You don't believe me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
51.
AMY
Who would want to attack you? For
what reason? What is it, the flying,
it bother you?
RYAN
The flying, hell no. I love it.
Almost as good as the real thing.
AMY
It is the real thing. As real as
it's gonna be from now on. It's
obvious. We got planes, guns that
can fly and shoot faster than you
can think. But take a man up there
you gotta have pressure suits, armor,
oxygen and for what? All that stuff's
expensive; millions per plane in
creature comforts. What if we didn't
need it.
He is up, walking around the room.
AMY (CONT'D)
And we don't, because you can be
there and never leave this bed. The
next wars are going to be fought by
unmanned drones and missiles. They
are faster, meaner and cheaper to
produce and you don't use up expensive
pilots. You get shot down, you just
take up another aircraft. Neat,
clean, no blood, and no dead bodies
falling out of the sky. What's wrong
with that?
RYAN
They want me to run their maDmitries.
They want me to be their long range
missile. But they want control.
They want me scared.
AMY
Looks like they've succeeded then.
RYAN
Who's side are you on?
AMY
There are no sides, no conspiracy.
If there were, I would know about
it.
RYAN
You're just a technician, you said
so yourself. Why would they tell
you?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
52.
AMY
I'd know. I run their little programs
for them. Just relax and do what
they ask. What have you got to lose?
RYAN
My self.
AMY
Your what?!
RYAN
My soul.
AMY
Look, I know what you're doing.
You're working yourself into a
paranoid state. Too much time to
think, too many drugs. You don't
like to have someone else in control
of your life. Neither does anybody
else, but we have to submit to it.
These weapons have immense power,
the people in charge need some
reassurance.
RYAN
So they keep me wired, and if I look
like a bad bet for any reason, poof,
like the others. Don't bullshit me,
I found traces. There were others.
AMY
Every experiment has its failures.
RYAN
What happened to them?
AMY
The plug.
RYAN
Just like that?
AMY
No, first a dinner dance.
RYAN
Fuck you.
AMY
...Then a medal, then lights out.
Write it off as equipment failure,
or don't write it at all, who's gonna
know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
53.
RYAN
Why?
AMY
Why! The big question. Because
they go crazy, an instability we
can't control. They turn manic and
go singing through the wire, they
turn depressive and try to hide in
there. Maybe they were nuts to start
with. Maybe there's some factor we
don't know about. Maybe ...there is
something else in the system. Maybe
all humans are nuts and it just
d