The City
1 EXT. VALHALLA 1
The multi-billion dollar space station orbits silently above
the planet Earth.
SUPER: EARTH SPACE STATION VALHALLA, 2052
2 INT. VALHALLA - CAUSEWAY 2
Senator AMBROSE sprints down the vast but empty causeway,
his frantic footfalls complimenting his arrhythmic panting.
The view of Earth through the viewport is breathtaking, but
it is old hat for the middle-aged black man, whose bald head
is glistening with sweat.
3 INT. VALHALLA - TRIUMVIRATE CHAMBER 3
Ambrose skids to a halt inside the triumvirate chamber, and
finds that Senator LATIMER and Senator TAMARA are already
present, standing by a large, flickering holographic display
in the center of the room.
Tamara, a beautiful but hard-edged Mexican woman and by far
the youngest of the three, has her arms crossed and throws a
look of disdain Ambrose's way.
Latimer, a lanky white man whose face accounts for each of
his sixty seven years and then some, pays the latecomer no
mind, trying to get a better picture on the holo-screen.
TAMARA
Come on, Latimer. We're on a twenty
billion dollar space station and
this is the best reception you can
get?
LATIMER
The Doctor is broadcasting from a...
remote location, Tamara. This feed
should suit our purposes just fine.
(to Ambrose)
Well, come over here, Ambrose, no
need to prolong this poor man's
suffering any longer than is
necessary.
Ambrose treads quietly across the deck, wiping a hand across
his brow.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 2
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AMBROSE
Then... your scientists have isolated
a cure?
LATIMER
(smiles)
After a fashion.
Ambrose gets his first clear glimpse of the scene on the
holo-screen. A plague victim is writhing on an operating
table in a sterile, claustrophobic quarrantine room, an Asian
man in a full body haz-mat suit tending to the man's
restraints.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
(to the Doctor)
The last of our party is arrived,
Doctor. Why don't you walk us through
it.
The Doctor turns to the camera and clears his throat.
DR. MORI
As you say, Senator Latimer.
Mori gestures to the operating table.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
As you can see, this man is suffering
from advanced stages of the Arzamas
16 virus. Now, watch closely as I
adminster the injection.
As Ambrose watches Mori walk back toward his patient, he
furrows his brow and elbows Latimer.
AMBROSE
(quietly)
Isn't that... Dr. Mori. Dr. Endo
Mori, the war criminal?
LATIMER
Right you are. Good catch, Ambrose.
AMBROSE
I... it was my regiment who placed
him under military arrest.
LATIMER
Oh, of course, of course, I remember
reading about that.
(CONTINUED)
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AMBROSE
It was my understanding that he died
in prison.
LATIMER
(pause)
A lot of people make that mistake.
Ambrose frowns, but turns his attention back to the holo-
screen.
Dr. Mori administers his injection. At first, nothing
happens. Then the patient goes into a CONVULSIVE FIT. After
a few moments, all the physical symptoms of Arzamas 16 have
rescinded. But the man lies still, the EKG piping out a
steady FLATLINE...
Ambrose's mouth falls open. He looks around, dumbfounded.
Latimer looks quite pleased with himself. Tamara, on the
other hand, doesn't betray even a hint as to what she's
feeling.
AMBROSE
T-that man is dead!
LATIMER
That man is cured!
AMBROSE
B-but, surely you don't mean to -
LATIMER
I'm working on a way to utilize this
breakthrough on a global scale. As
soon as that is in place, we can
finally put this dark chapter of
human history behind us.
AMBROSE
But hundreds of thousands of innocent
people will die!
TAMARA
Without a cure, they're dead anyway.
LATIMER
It's ingenious, really. We've finally
found a way to stop this plague dead
in its tracks.
Ambrose's head is about to explode. It's all he can do to
blurt out a few hasty words and storm out of the chamber.
(CONTINUED)
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AMBROSE
I won't have anything to do with
this!
Latimer shakes his head.
LATIMER
(re: Ambrose)
A good man, that one. He just can't
see the big picture sometimes. I
envy him that.
(to Dr. Mori)
Thank you, Doctor. This is the
Valhalla signing off.
Latimer takes a seat at the tip of the triangle that is the
triumvirate chamber.
TAMARA
(tentatively)
What do you intend to do with Casper
Harmon, now that you have him?
Latimer's eyes narrow.
LATIMER
What makes you think I have him?
TAMARA
I... you told me you did --
LATIMER
I did nothing of the kind, Tamara.
Tamara looks down at the floor, waiting out the awkward
silence.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
Let me put this plainly, Tamara: Any
and all things relating to the City
are my concern, and mine alone. You
will not speak of it again unless I
bring it up first. Are we clear on
this?
TAMARA
As you say, Senator Latimer.
At that, Tamara retreats from the chamber. Latimer turns to
the viewport and stares at the blue ball of gases spinning
far below him...
DISSOLVE TO:
(CONTINUED)
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4 EXT. ALASKA -- DAY 4
Middle-of-nowhere Alaska. Not a thing to be seen in any
direction but snow drifts and more snow drifts. That is,
until a small speck of black appears on the horizon.
It is a snowmobile. The man behind the wheel speeds over a
series of snow dunes before skidding the vehicle to a stop.
Then the man known only as DEACON steps off the snowmobile
and gets his bearings.
He is clad only in a shimmering, form-fitting body suit,
with matching helmet and visor, so that all we can really
see of his bare skin is his mouth and the area around it.
The suit does not look particularly insulated, but Deacon
shows no outward signs that the penetrating cold has any
affect on him.
Deacon glances at his compass and takes a few steps forward...
...and suddenly he is falling feet first through the ice!
Deacon grips for some kind of handhold but finds the slick
surface untennable.
5 INT. ALASKAN ICE CAVERN 5
The chasm finally opens up on a crystalline ice cavern, easily
fifty feet below the Alaskan surface. Deacon CRASHES to the
ground, hard. But he shakes off the fall and gets to his
feet, undaunted.
Deacon glances at his compass again and trudges forward.
CUT TO:
6 INT. ALASKAN ICE CAVERN -- LATER 6
Deacon wrinkles his nose as he rounds a corner of the cavern.
It doesn't take him long to find the source of the smell,
what appears to be a sewer pipe jutting out of the ice, sewage
pouring out onto the cavern floor.
7 INT. SEWER PIPE 7
Deacon braves the muck and steps into the pipe. He freezes,
however, when he hears another set of legs SLOSHING through
a connecting tunnel. Deacon crouches down and listens.
He stares intently at the four way cross-section up ahead.
CORAL HARMON, waist deep in waste, her long blonde hair
unflatteringly matted against her head, makes good time
through the onrushing sewage. Even in the unfavorable
conditions, her beauty is not lost on Deacon.
(CONTINUED)
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When he is sure the woman has gained enough of a lead, Deacon
wades over to the cross-section of pipes and proceeds to
follow her.
A ways down the tunnel, Coral shouts into the communicator
on her inner wrist.
CORAL
(into communicator)
Wynn! Bok! I order you to answer
me! I know you two fuck-ups can
hear me, and I know what you're trying
to do! So help me God, if either of
you--
Deacon, straining to make out what Coral is saying up ahead,
drops his compass in the muck.
Up ahead, Coral freezes, the PLOP echoing down the tunnel.
She looks back over her shoulder. Nothing.
Deacon has pressed himself flat up against the wall, his
suit now camoflaged to mimic the rusting metal pipe.
Satisfied, Coral resumes her trek through the winding sewer
passages, and Deacon resumes his pursuit.
CUT TO:
8 INT. SEWER PIPE -- LATER 8
Deacon has lost sight of Coral, but he sees the light at the
end of the tunnel. The tunnel suddenly turns upward in a
steep incline.
Deacon slowly ascends the pipe. As he reaches the mouth of
the sewer tunnel, he gets his first look at...
9 EXT. THE CITY 9
The City. State-of-the-art, art of the State. A beautiful,
modern utopia in two levels. The upper level, the glistening
Research District, towers high above Deacon. Tall, glass
research structures interconnected by elevated walkways, all
a good fifty feet above the Residential District.
The Residential District, the more suburban sub-level of the
city, where it's resident scientists spend their off-hours.
Deacon steps out and takes everything in.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
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10 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV STATION 10
The station is bustling with commuters of all ages and races,
all clad in some manner of medical scrub or white lab jacket.
All save one, who is conspicuously dressed in a snugly fitting
army uniform.
General GALEN HOLM patiently waits his turn as the scientists
ahead of him file into the station. He sports a military-
style haircut, but has allowed his facial hair to grow out
since he last saw combat. He is adjusting one of the medals
on his uniform when he hears Dr. Mori's voice calling out to
him.
DR. MORI (O.S.)
General Holm!
Galen pretends not to hear the man, and slips through the
turnstile, hoping to lose the doctor in the throngs of
scientists.
On seeing this, Dr. Mori rather brusquely shoves commuters
out of his way and bangs through the turnstile, coming up
behind Galen and laying a hand on his shoulder.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
General.
Galen turns around, but at the same time pulls away, out of
Mori's reach.
GALEN
Dr. Mori. What can I do for you?
DR. MORI
Walk with me.
The two resume walking, side by side.
GALEN
Do you have anything specific that
you want to say to me, because I've
got to get my ass over to quarrantine.
Latimer's got me playing host to
another batch of Deep-pockets.
DR. MORI
Potential investors, General. I
hope you'll be on your best behavior.
GALEN
Same as alway, Doctor.
(CONTINUED)
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DR. MORI
Something wrong, General?
GALEN
This place just isn't the playground
for me that it is for you, Doctor.
I feel like I've been chairborne for
too long.
DR. MORI
A little late in the game for second
thoughts, General.
GALEN
I follow my orders, Dr. Mori, same
as you do! I'm just having a hard
time sorting out where my juridiction
as Director ends and Hunter Gelbach's
begins.
CUT TO:
11 EXT. CITY RESEARCH DISTRICT - ML-5 GUIDEWAY 11
This, one of many post-modern "railways" criss-crossing the
pristine research district. The onboard superconducting
magnets, interacting with the coils installed in the
guideway's sidewalls, propel the sleek magnetic levitation
vehicle along the narrow guideway at just over 300 miles per
hour.
12 INT. ML-5 PASSENGER CAR 12
The car is jam packed with city residents, most of them
scientists.
13 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 13
The CONDUCTOR lounges in front of the controls, fingering
through the daily newspaper. The whole process mostly
automated, MagLev conductors are more of a proud tradition
than a necessary expense.
The conductor's eyes go wide as a gun materializes before
his eyes. ALBAN WYNN stands before him, a proud Aussie with
close cropped brown hair and perpetual stubble.
WYNN
Stop the train.
14 EXT. CITY RESEARCH DISTRICT - ML-5 GUIDEWAY 14
The MagLev eases to an unscheduled stop.
(CONTINUED)
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15 INT. ML-5 PASSENGER CAR 15
Clearly nowhere near their next station stop, the passengers
are getting restless; that is, until a stowaway de-cloaks in
their midst.
Standing in the aisleway, pulse rifle at the ready, is BOK.
A monster of a man, Bok looks more the part of a porn star
than a militant resistance member.
BOK
End of the line, ladies and gents.
SMASH CUT TO:
16 EXT. CITY RESEARCH DISTRICT - ML-5 GUIDEWAY 16
The last of the passengers disembark at gunpoint, the
conductor among them. That finished, Bok speaks quietly
into the transmitter on his wrist.
BOK
That's a go...
17 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 17
Bok's voice crackles through the tiny receiver in Wynn's
earpiece.
BOK (O.S.)
Let's get this show on the road.
Wynn pushes the throttle up to full.
18 INT. ML-5 REAR CAR 18
Without any kind of leverage, Bok is thrown violently against
the back wall of the car.
19 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 19
Wynn winces.
BOK (O.S.)
I thought you were well versed in
the theories of magnetic levitation.
WYNN
(into communicator)
Gimme a break, I 'aven't driven one'a
these things b'fore...
He eases the throttle back slightly.
(CONTINUED)
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WYNN (CONT'D)
(into communicator)
Get up here, we don't 'ave much time.
CUT TO:
20 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - POWER STATION 8 20
Some fifty feet below, Deacon has emerged from the sewer
pipe and is walking openly amongst the city residents. His
unbecoming odor and rather unique attire drive home the point
that he is out of his element, the scientists staring fixedly
at this outsider in their midst.
Behind him, Power Station 8, one of many such energy reserves
scattered across the City, literally PULSES with electric
current.
Without warning, eight warriors, known to the City residents
as FANTOMS, decloak in a circle around Deacon. The scientists
take this as their cue to get off the streets, barricading
themselves in their homes, but staring out their windows
with perverse curiosity.
All eight Fantoms wear identical beige armor with matching
headgear, samurai swords slung across their backs. Deacon
and the aggressors wordlessly size eachother up.
CUT TO:
21 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV PLATFORM 21
Galen Holm and Dr. Mori idle at the edge of the platform,
waiting for the ML-5's scheduled stop.
DR. MORI
Oh, I don't think you have anything
to worry about on that front, General.
The resistance haven't made so much
as a peep since Magistrate Gelbach
took Casper Harmon into custody.
We've heard the last of these so-
called Friendly Ghosts.
GALEN
All due respect, Doctor, I helped
quash the Mexican uprising in 2037,
and had a front row seat for
Akhilesh's end move in the final
days of the Indian War. There's one
thing war teaches you, it's psychology
works better on paper than it does
in practice.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 11
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The ML-5 rushes toward the platform. As the train rockets
past it sends Galen, Mori and the rest of its would-be
passengers sprawling across the platform.
CUT TO:
22 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 22
Wynn and Bok are busy unpacking their backpacks; their
contents, two high-yield explosives. They immediately set
about arming the devices.
BOK
Should'a 'jacked the train just before
the last stop... people at that
station'll call it in, Gelbach'll
know what's coming -
WYNN
Wouldn't 'ave given us time to arm
the things and still get out with
our hides intact. 'Sides... like t'
see those bloody Fantoms try an'
stop the wrath of God.
CUT TO:
23 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV PLATFORM 23
Galen gets to his feet, dusts himself off, and recollects
his wits. He speaks firmly into his wrist communicator.
GALEN
Magistrate Gelbach... there's
something wrong with the ML-5.
CUT TO:
24 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - OVERPASS 24
Coral disengages her cloaking device and looks down off the
overpass; the ML-5 guideway runs squarely under the walkway.
She palms a pair of binoculars from her belt, wipes sewage
off the lenses with her shirt, and peers through the eyepiece
at...
... the ML-5, RUMBLING steadily closer in the distance. She
pans the binoculars to the right, training them on the track's
end and the PULSING power station beyond.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
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25 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ROOF 25
Another member of Coral's faction, a dour looking Irishman
by the name of LYNCH, also has his binoculars trained in the
general direction of the power station.
LYNCH'S POV THROUGH BINOCULARS
Far below, one of the fantoms lunges at Deacon; the former
is promptly dispatched.
Lynch lets the binoculars hang around his neck and speaks
into the communicator on his wrist.
LYNCH
Coral, I thought you might want to
know... there's some kind of
disturbance at Power Station 8.
CORAL (O.S.)
Sit on it, Lynch. Now really isn't
a good time.
CUT TO:
26 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - POWER STATION 8 26
Deacon runs his gloved hand over the length of his weapon,
wiping off the blood of his first kill.
This time three fantoms enter the make-shift arena and lunge
at Deacon.
Deacon fights well, phenomenally so. But his opponents are
better. They move in fluid, coordinated attacks, as if one
knew what each of the others was thinking. It is only a
matter of time before one scores a hit on their mark.
Deacon goes down. Not a fatal blow, but best to let his
aggressors believe him down for the count.
The ploy works. The nearest of the four fantoms predictably
moves in to examine Deacon's body. Just as he begins to
bend down, Deacon springs off his back, wrapping his thighs
around the unsuspecting fantom's head. Deacon twists
violently at the waist, snapping the fantom's neck and sending
the limp corpse into a mid-air spiral that Olympic gymnasts
would envy.
Deacon falls back toward the ground face first, tucks into a
roll and ends up back on his feet.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
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27 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 27
Wynn and Bok stand up, admiring their handiwork.
WYNN
Done deal. 'Bout time we bailed
out.
Bok leads the way. He bangs through the door at the back of
the car, and the metal door SNAPS back violently, knocking
Wynn out cold.
BOK
Wynn?
Bok tries the door; it's locked from the inside.
28 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - OVERPASS 28
Bok's frantic voice crackles over the comm.
Intercut as necessary.
BOK (O.S.)
Oh Jesus, can anybody hear me?
CORAL
(into communicator)
I'm here, Bok. You and Wynn disobeyed
a direct order -
BOK (O.S.)
Coral, Alban's out cold and locked
in the head car of the ML-5!
CORAL
(into communicator)
You tried the access hatch on the
roof?
BOK (O.S.)
We're pushing a hundred thirty, the
wind'd take me like a fly on a
Mercedes!
CORAL
(into communicator)
Then get the hell off, you can't do
any good down there. I've got the
situation well in hand.
BOK (O.S.)
Roger that, Bok out.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 14
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The ML-5 almost on top of her, Coral backs up as far as she
can, takes one last glance at the onrushing maglev, then
breaks into a run. She leaps off the edge of the overpass
as the maglev passes under her and...
...CRASHES down hard on top of the second car. The magnet
discs in her gloves CLAMP down on the metal roof. By the
grace of God, she makes the landing more or less in one piece.
After she catches her breath, Coral, one hand at a time,
drags herself across the roof until she comes to the head
car's access hatch. She roots her hands firmly on either
side of the opening and tries the hatch. To her relief, it
opens without incident.
29 INT. ML-5 HEAD CAR 29
Coral slips her legs through the portal and deactivates the
electro-magnets in her gloves; she falls gracefully to the
floor.
The explosives are set to go off in two and a half minutes.
CORAL
(into communicator)
Bok, how do you disarm these things?
BOK (O.S.)
You can't.
Coral rushes to Wynn's side and rouses him. He comes awake
with a start.
WYNN
W-where...?
CORAL
I'll explain later. Right now we
have about a minute and a half to
get off this train.
CUT TO:
30 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ML-5 GUIDEWAY 30
Coral and Wynn are sprinting through the five cars on the ML-
5, towards the back of the MagLev.
31 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV STATION AT POWER STATION 8 31
The end of the line, the track runs out and runs up against
a fifty foot drop-off. The ML-5 stops here and turns
around... usually.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 15
3-6-01
32 INT. ML-5 REAR CAR 32
Coral and Wynn take a flying leap off the back of the speeding
MagLev and bounce harshly along the metal guideway just as...
33 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT- MAGLEV STATION AT POWER STATION 8 33
...the head car EXPLODES, destroying the station and careening
off the track. The fireball soars a good six hundred feet
before burrowing into its intended target; Power Station 8.
The station goes up right next to Deacon and the Fantoms;
none of the combatants pay it any mind.
34 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ML-5 GUIDEWAY 34
Coral and Wynn edge out to the end of the guideway and look
on as Deacon beats the Fantoms back some fifty feet below.
WYNN
Well bugger me, the blow-in's takin'
the Fant'm's t' school.
Coral is mesmerized.
WYNN (CONT'D)
Away with the pixies, are ya? E's
givin' us the chance t' pull up stumps
b'fore Gelbach shows 'is ugly mug,
s'we'd best be --
CORAL
Shut your face, Wynn, and get the
Ghosts in gear.
WYNN
Howzat?
CORAL
(re: Deacon)
I want that weapon in our arsenal.
Coral pulls a grappling device from her belt, fastens it to
the guideway, and begins her descent towards the Residential
District.
CUT TO:
35 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - POWER STATION 8 35
Deacon is busy fighting off three Fantoms at once. The Fantom
in front of him lunges at Deacon, who parries easily; but
(CONTINUED)
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3-6-01
this leaves the Fantom to his left a wide opening, which he
ardently takes advantage of.
Deacon raises his left arm and a second sword synthesizes in
that hand, quite literally growing out of his glove. He
parries the second attack. In a flurry of motion, Deacon
kicks the sword out of the hand of the Fantom in the center,
crosses his arms in front of him and thrusts his two swords
into the chests of the Fantoms on either side of him.
Another Fantom decides to press the attack, and lunges at
Deacon. Deacon runs at his attacker, swinging his right
sword in a downward arc. The Fantom raises his sword to
block, but just as he expects to hear the familiar sound of
metal against metal, the molecules of Deacon's sword re-
arrange themselves. Phasing through his opponent's sword,
Deacon's own blade re-solidifies in time to slice cleanly
through the bewildered Fantom.
CUT TO:
36 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 36
Coral and Wynn peer around the corner of a building, careful
that they stay out of sight. Bok runs up behind them.
BOK
(re: Deacon)
Eh, Wynn, you should get you a suit
like his.
WYNN
An' drive the ladies to distraction?
BOK
What ladies?
CORAL
I heard that.
CUT TO:
37 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV STATION AT POWER STATION 8 37
A pair of booted feet stalk across what remains of the ML-
5's last station stop.
38 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - POWER STATION 8 38
The rest of Deacon's opponents suddenly blink out of
existence, engaging their cloaking devices. Deacon cocks
his head, puzzled.
(CONTINUED)
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39 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - MAGLEV STATION AT POWER STATION 8 39
HUNTER GELBACH stands at the edge of the platform, gazing
down at the bewildered intruder. Gelbach possesses great
physical strength; not brute, but a supple, well balanced
musculature.
Gelbach drops gracefully off the platform, landing in a crouch
fifty feet below, the ground shuddering beneath him. He
unsheathes his sword and advances on Deacon.
When Gelbach steps into range, Deacon swings his swords at
the magistrate. Gelbach parries, and, as before, Deacon's
weapons pass through Gelbach's sword as if it were air; but
then, they do the same to Gelbach himself. Deacon swings
wildly, but he simply can't land a hit on the man. Gelbach
is toying with him.
When he tires of the game, Gelbach thrusts his sword into
Deacon's shoulder and twists. Deacon falls to his knees.
Then, a woman's disembodied voice breaks the silence.
CORAL (O.S.)
I've seen enough.
Coral decloaks, followed shortly thereafter by Wynn, Bok,
and about fifty additional members of the resistance group
known as the Friendly Ghosts.
Only a few seconds later, at least as many Fantoms decloak
behind Gelbach. It is Wynn who turns the standoff into a
shooting war.
Wynn blasts away at Gelbach, and the rest of the F.G.'s follow
suit, the fantoms in turn, springing into action.
Surprise on their side, the F.G.'s push back Gelbach and his
Fantoms just enough to attain their objective. The rest of
the group cover Wynn and Bok as they hoist the injured Deacon
off the ground and drag him away from the battle.
A few F.G.'s stay behind to keep the fantoms busy, but the
rest of them cloak and retreat.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
40 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS -- LATER 40
Deacon forces his eyes open and wrinkles his nose; he's back
in the sewer.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 18
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Not far away, Coral and Wynn are engaged in a shouting match.
Bok and a handful of Friendly Ghosts have crowded around,
lending support to one side or the other.
Deacon springs off the table, synthesizes a sword in his
right hand, and brings it to bear on Coral, holding it tightly
against her throat.
Almost as quickly, Wynn has his pulse rifle leveled at
Deacon's head.
CORAL
Wynn, put the God Damned gun down
now!
WYNN
Not bloody likely.
(to Deacon)
What's your game, Longswords?
DEACON
What is this place?
CORAL
Let up a little with the knife and
we'll talk about it.
DEACON
Speak. I like what I hear, maybe
I'll let you go.
WYNN
This is bullshit, Coral, lemme drill
a hole through 'is head!
CORAL
Bok, keep that man on a short leash!
WYNN
You want me to sit 'ere an' not do
bugger all?
CORAL
You can't solve every problem by
blowing a big fucking hole through
it, Alban.
WYNN
Now hold on a tick, me plan was bang
on till this bludger got the bright
idea to lock 'orns with Hunter Gelbach --
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 19
3-6-01
DEACON
G-Gelbach?
(re: his shoulder)
The animal that did this to me?
CORAL
That's the one.
DEACON
Your enemy?
CORAL
Well, one of them.
Deacon' sword rescinds before Coral's eyes. A pair of
Friendly Ghosts seize him.
DEACON
Then I am a prisoner.
CORAL
(rubbing her neck)
We pulled your ass out of the fire
back there, Mister! Think that at
least earns us the benefit of the
doubt.
Wynn still has his weapon trained on Deacon.
WYNN
This whole thing is dodgy, C. I say
we don't waste another breath on
this piker.
CORAL
Don't you ever get tired of whistling
the same tune?
WYNN
Just sayin', is all.
CORAL
OK then, stranger. You wanna tell
us who you are and what you're doing
here?
DEACON
You brought me here.
CORAL
I mean here, in this city.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 20
3-6-01
DEACON
Fell through the ice. Found the
sewer tunnel. Followed you topside.
The rest you know.
WYNN
What were ya doin' all alone up there
on the ice, bloke?
(stabbing motion)
Spear fishin'?
DEACON
Something like that.
WYNN
Blimey, I'm tired'a listenin' to
this cock and bull --
CORAL
Come off it, Wynn! Why don't you
and Bok check out the ice cave, see
if you can't corroborate our guest's
story?
WYNN
Y'know you always couch your
demoralizin' orders in the form of a
question?
CORAL
We aren't soldiers, Alban. I don't
issue orders, I make suggestions.
As for demoralizing, you two are
still in the penalty box --
WYNN
Oh, belt up! Me mate an' I'll go
for a Bo-peep 'round the caves.
C'mon, Bok, get your arse into gear.
Bok dutifully trails behind Wynn as they head off to their
task.
WYNN (CONT'D)
(re: Deacon)
Don't take your eyes off that one,
C. 'ere's more t' his story, I'n't
there?
With that, Wynn and Bok dissapear beyond their headquarters'
cloaking field.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 21
3-6-01
CUT TO:
41 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 41
Galen's aide, DAHLIA, an attractive but unassuming light-
skinned African American, is striding down the corridor,
Galen Holm himself hot on her heels.
GALEN
Now, Dahlia, what is so important
that you had to -
DAHLIA
There is an element of time to
consider.
(hushed tone)
Some of our people recovered half a
dozen bodies... casualties from ML-5
bombing.
GALEN
Half a dozen dead Fantoms?
DAHLIA
Will you please keep your voice down,
sir?
GALEN
Magistrate Gelbach will be most upset.
DAHLIA
More so than you know.
42 INT. CITADEL - MORGUE 42
Galen and his aide step briskly into the morgue, the latter
sealing the door behind them. Six bodies are laid out on
six tables, concealed by six flowing white sheets.
GALEN
OK, I'll bite. What's so interesting
about six dead soldiers?
DAHLIA
Have you ever seen a fantom with his
helmet off, sir?
GALEN
No.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 22
3-6-01
DAHLIA
Neither had I.
Dahlia whips the covers off two of the bodies. Galen steps
back, aghast.
GALEN
Oh dear lord...
Galen turns away. The two men lying on the tables are
identical. Even more frightening, they both share the same
chiseled visage of Hunter Gelbach.
GALEN (CONT'D)
H-have the bodies destroyed.
DAHLIA
As you say, Director.
GALEN
You're certain Gelbach knows nothing
of this?
DAHLIA
Magistrate Gelbach...
(beat)
Is otherwise engaged.
SMASH CUT TO:
43 INT. CITADEL - INTERROGATION ROOM 43
Three men - the Friendly Ghosts who were left behind to cover
their earlier retreat - are strung up in the center of the
chamber. The scant few lights inside the interrogation room
cast a reddish hue about the small space.
The sterile white walls are spotless, save for about a dozen
dark, horrible shapes - all that remains of a long forgotten
group of ill fated dissenters, their contorted shadows forever
burned into the floor and walls by one of Dr. Mori's naughty
little toys.
Mori is presently calibrating another such implement of
torture, under the watchful eyes of Hunter Gelbach and a
pair of Fantoms.
Mori motions that he is ready to begin. Gelbach slowly treads
over to the prisoners. He walks up to the first one, the
one on the far left. He gets in the captive's face - close
enough that he can smell the man's fear - and pauses there
for a painfully long moment.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 23
3-6-01
He does this to the next two prisoners in turn, and makes a
show of deciding who will be first. Then he walks back over
to the gentlman on the far left.
GELBACH
Begin with this one.
Mori manifests a sickening grin and advances on Gelbach's
choice, device in hand.
GELBACH (CONT'D)
(to Fantoms, re: other
prisoners)
And tape their eyes open. I want
them to see.
The Fantoms comply, and Gelbach's captive audience watches
in terror as Mori kicks off the night's festivities. Off
their comrade's shrill screams, we
CUT TO:
44 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 44
Coral is busy inventorying their weapons cache when Deacon
sidles up and starts a conversation.
DEACON
You have a lot of guns for a passive
resistance movement.
CORAL
Passive resistance was Casper's way.
And while that may not have worked,
there's a difference between random
acts of terrorism and violence with
a purpose.
DEACON
Your position here is tenuous.
CORAL
Sorry we aren't up to your standards.
DEACON
No. Yours, specifically.
Coral looks up.
DEACON (CONT'D)
They trust you. They respect you.
But you'll never be their leader.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 24
3-6-01
Coral breaks into tears.
DEACON (CONT'D)
(awkwardly)
I'm sorry.
CORAL
N-no... you're right. Their leader
is missing in action.
DEACON
Forget him. These people need closure
if they are to move forward.
Getting a hold of herself.
CORAL
N-no, I can't do that. Not ever.
DEACON
Who was he to you?
CORAL
Casper? Well, he...
(pause)
... he was everything. The best of
us.
DEACON
You have to let him go, or I can't
help you.
Coral jumps when a voice crackles over her communicator.
LYNCH (O.S.)
Coral, you'd better get up here.
CORAL
Why, Lynch, what's going on?
CUT TO:
45 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ROOF 45
Lynch crouches on his rooftop post, peering down at the
concourse below. Hundreds of scientists have stopped what
they were doing and filed out onto the streets to take in
the spectacle; several hundred fantoms march through the
streets, their rhythmic FOOTFALLS supernaturally synchronized.
At the rear of the parade, Galen Holm and Dr. Mori ride
regally in a hover car. Mori is beaming with pride; Galen,
on the other hand, looks rather conflicted.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 25
3-6-01
Just ahead of them, an older, white haired man limps forward.
Fantoms surround him on all sides. He is bound like a
criminal, and has been beaten and drugged into submission.
LYNCH
(into communicator,
quietly)
It's Casper. They're moving him.
CORAL (O.S.)
WHAT? WHERE?
LYNCH
Dragging him off to the Docking
Platform. Coral... They're parading
him though the streets.
CUT TO:
46 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 46
Severl F.G.'s have gathered around on hearing their lost
leader's name.
CORAL
I'll be there as fast as I can.
I... I couldn't ask you to... if
there's anything you can do to stall
them...
CUT TO:
47 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ROOF 47
Lynch looks apprehensively at the army of Fantoms below him.
Then he turns his gaze back to Casper.
LYNCH
(brief pause)
I won't let them leave. No matter
what happens.
Lynch runs to the edge of the building and shoots a grappling
hook up to a taller structure, trying to beat the procession
to the Docking Platform.
CUT TO:
48 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 48
Coral arms herself. She looks up and the F.G.'s are staring
at her, awaiting her orders.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 26
3-6-01
CORAL
Casper told us not to come after
him. He told us to move forward,
that one man is not as important as
the cause.
Deacon nods his agreement.
CORAL (CONT'D)
And he was right. But that doesn't
mean I'm going to squander what might
be my last chance to bring my husband
home alive.
(pause)
But I can't order any of you to come
with me.
Without a word, the rest of the F.G.'s arm themselves and
prepare to move out. Coral smiles proudly.
Then she glances over at Deacon.
CORAL (CONT'D)
I didn't get your name.
DEACON
Deacon.
CORAL
OK, Deacon, saddle up. You're coming
along for the ride.
CUT TO:
49 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - STREETS 49
All eyes are on Casper, even as Galen Holm's voice thunders
over the noise of the crowd.
GALEN
Casper Harmon... was my friend. He
was respected in his field. He
enjoyed all the luxuries you and I
have come to appreciate. That is
why I can't begin to understand how
he could try to undermine everything
we've built here. Our own utopia,
ushering in the future of humanity.
At that, Casper struggles hard to speak against the toxins
in his system.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 27
3-6-01
CASPER
If our work here is so... benign...
then why are we forbidden... to talk
about it outside the lab?
Fantoms rush in to put a stop to Casper's outburst.
CASPER (CONT'D)
Talk to each other! They can't take
that away from you! Then decide if
this sanctuary is worth... the
monsters in our closet!
The Fantoms restrain and gag the broken man, elliciting a
stunned silence from the crowd.
Galen takes his seat next to Mori in the hovercar. He leans
over and whispers in the Doctor's ear.
GALEN
Couldn't we have done this with
more... dignity? He deserved that,
at least.
DR. MORI
He gave up that right when he spoke
out against the Triumvirate. I will
escort the prisoner to the Valhalla,
as Latimer has instructed, and the
people will forget this sad little
man for now and forever.
CUT TO:
50 INT. SEWER PIPE 50
Coral, Deacon, and the rest of the F.G.'s are wading hastily
through the muck. Coral tries frantically to raise Wynn or
Bok on the comm.
CORAL
(into communicator)
Wynn, come in, damn it!
RAINE, the brown-eyed girl Van Morrison was so fond of singing
about, tries to settle Coral's nerves.
RAINE
They must already be to the ice cave.
If they're outside the city's shields,
you're not going to be able to raise -
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 28
3-6-01
CORAL
I know, I know, but we need every
able body we've got for this!
RAINE
My gut tells me those two aren't
going to turn the tide of this battle.
We'll have to fill them in when they
get back.
CUT TO:
51 INT. ALASKAN ICE CAVERN 51
Wynn and Bok step out of the sewers and into the ice cavern.
WYNN
Ever wonder how come I gotta trudge
t' the back of beyond t' reach 'at
woman, Bok?
BOK
Because she's got you wrapped around
her finger?
WYNN
You wanna tell me what 'at means?
BOK
You've wanted to get in her pants
since long before Casper took one
for the team --
WYNN
You'd best shut your bunghole, mate,
'fore I clock ya one!
BOK
You're telling me the reason you
two're always at each others' throats
got nothin' to do with your wanting
to ram your tongue down hers?
WYNN
Bok, you may be built like a brick
shit house, but 'at ain't gonna stop
be from knocking your block clean
off, get me?
The two face off.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 29
3-6-01
WYNN (CONT'D)
I'll 'ave a butcher's 'round 'ere.
Take yer earbashing down this 'ere
tunnel an' see if ya can't tell the
diff'rence 'tween your ass an' a
hole in'a groud.
CUT TO:
52 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ROOF 52
LYNCH'S POV THROUGH TARGETING SCOPE
Galen Holm and Dr. Mori converse in the back seat of their
hover car.
Lynch tightens his grip on the trigger of his pulse rifle...
53 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - STREETS 53
A SHOT rings out and blasts a gaping hole in Galen Holm's
upper arm. The Fantoms immediately spring into action, a
dozen of them throwing themselves in front of the succeeding
shots, while the rest try to get a bead on the shooter.
It doesn't take them long to pinpoint the source of the shots,
and the Fantoms proceed to scamper up the side of the building
like spiders.
54 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ROOF 54
Lynch collects himself and peers over the edge at the
advancing Fantoms. He steps up on the edge of the building,
his back to the street.
He takes a deep breath and plunges off the side. Seconds
later he shoots off his grappling hook, which clamps firmly
to the roof and steadies his descent toward the street far
below.
A handful of moments later, he hits the ground running,
Fantoms swarming all around him.
Meanwhile, several dozen fantoms usher Casper into the hover
car and erect a human shield around the vehicle. The whole
congregation pushes slowly onward despite the chaos, Galen
Holm cradling his injured arm.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 30
3-6-01
55 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT - WASTE DISPOSAL 55
Coral, Deacon, and the rest of the Friendly Ghosts emerge
from the sewer tunnel and break into a run.
CORAL
Y'all know the situation. Engage
PCD's and fan out to the nearest
lift, double quick. We'll rendezvous
at the Docking Platform.
The lot of them engage their personal cloaking devices and
disappear from view. All save Deacon, who utilizes his own
unique form of camouflage.
CUT TO:
56 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ALLEYWAY 56
Lynch high-tails it down the alleyway, an army of Fantoms
right behind. He stops short when he sees his path blocked
at the end of the alley; a dozen more fantoms have cut him
off.
Lynch palms his grappling hook and fires, the hook taking
root on the nearest roof. He flips a switch and the cable
begins to rescind, pulling him off the ground.
One of the fantoms flings his sword in a precision arc, the
blade cutting cleanly through Lynch's cable and sending the
man plummeting to the ground. But Lynch clings to life,
having little more than the wind knocked out of him. The
fantoms converge on him...
The fantoms disarm Lynch and lift him into the air, passing
him from one fantom to the next over their heads.
57 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - STREETS 57
From the back of the hover car, Dr. Mori spots the prisoner
and gestures that the cavalcade be brought to a halt.
The mob of fantoms lower Lynch to the ground in close
proximity to the hover car, keeping him well restrained.
DR. MORI
Yet another soul led astray by our
man of the hour. Watch closely,
Casper... this is how we punish
dissenters in the City.
Dr. Mori nods and one of the fantoms slits Lynch's throat.
Casper's face falls.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 31
3-6-01
CORAL (O.S.)
NO!
She and the rest of the F.G.'s decloak and open fire on the
fantoms. The assembled onlookers flee, taking refuge in the
nearby buildings.
CORAL (CONT'D)
(looks around)
Where's Deacon?
RAINE
Who cares? If they get Casper to
that shuttle, you can kiss goodbye
any chance you have of seeing him
again.
58 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - DOCKING PLATFORM 58
Mori ducks his head like a coward, muttering under his breath.
Galen is on his feet, laser blasts whizzing past him. His
military training has kicked in, but he has no authority
with the fantoms and is forced to remain a passive observer.
DR. MORI
Where the Hell is Gelbach?
GALEN
Keep your head, Mori! Get Casper to
that transport!
A pair of fantoms hoist Casper's limp body out of the hover
car and hasten towards the transport shuttle, Dr. Mori
lurching after them.
RAINE'S POV THROUGH SCOPE
She has a bead on the fantoms carrying Casper...
Raine pulls the trigger and picks off one of Casper's escorts.
The other fantom takes up the slack without missing a beat
and ushers Casper into the shuttle. A moment later Mori,
too, boards the flyer and it takes to the sky.
Raine trains her weapon on the ascending transport shuttle,
only to have it slapped out of her hand by Coral.
CORAL
HOLD YOUR FIRE!
Raine frowns at Coral.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 32
3-6-01
CORAL (CONT'D)
What do you want to do, kill them
all?
(pause)
Abort! Abort! Ghosts, let's make
ourselves scarce!
Those F.G.'s who haven't met their ends at the tip of a sword
engage their PCD's and the battle is over as quickly at it
began. And Casper Harmon is lost.
Galen Holm surveys the damage, doing a cursory head count of
the dead fantoms and Friendly Ghosts alike. Then he turns
his gaze to the sky and watches the shuttle disappear against
the simulated sky.
DISSOLVE TO:
59 INT. ALASKAN ICE CAVERN 59
Bok squirts some red dye in the snow, marking his trail.
Suddenly a mound of snow crashes down on him. He looks up
to find Deacon's infamous chasm.
BOK
(under his breath)
Here's your big fuckin' hole, Wynn...
Bok turns around and begins tracing his markers back to the
sewer tunnel.
60 INT. ALASKAN ICE CAVERN - SEWER ENTRANCE 60
Wynn is speaking in hushed tones into his communicator.
WYNN
Yeah, ev'rythin's just dandy. Nobody
has the first clue.
(pause)
Well, I was lucky t'git away at all...
(pause)
Lissen, I gotta cut you off. I'll
contact ya soon as I can...
Suddenly Bok appears from around a corner.
BOK
Found the hole. Let's get the hell
back to HQ, I'm freezing my ass off.
(beat)
Who were you just talkin' to?
Wynn averts his gaze and starts back into the sewer tunnel.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 33
3-6-01
WYNN
Meself, mate. Jus' talkin' t'
meself...
Bok shakes his head and hurries into the tunnel after him.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
61 EXT. VALHALLA 61
The Valhalla, just one of the hundreds of sattelites, manmade
and otherwise, caught in Earth's gravitational pull.
LATIMER (O.S.)
I don't see why you continue to give
me the silent treatment, old friend.
Heh heh. It's not doing either of
us any good.
62 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 62
Latimer paces about, addressing a figure dressed in white
but shrouded in darkness.
LATIMER
We were supposed to change the world.
You and I. The both of us. The
things we could have accomplished.
You were the closest thing I had to
a peer... why did you betray me? Is
it any wonder I appointed Mori in
your place? Between you and me, I
think the man has a few screws loose.
But he knows how to follow orders.
Latimer stops and stares at the mute figure.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
Everything was falling into place.
Now this damnable Arzamas 16, this
plague to end all plagues, threatens
to wipe it all away. Such a waste.
What good is it to be a god in name
alone? Who all will there be to
sing my praises if the entire human
race is pushing up daisies? No,
that won't do. I'll deal with this
enemy the same as I would any other;
destroy it utterly.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 34
3-6-01
LATIMER (CONT'D)
Those thousands of poor souls who
die so the rest may live, they will
be hecatombs to my coming ascension.
What's the matter? Haven't anything
to say?
(beat)
I'm sure you won't appreciate your
small contribution to my ascension,
but I think you'll see in time that
it was the best thing for all of us,
really... Casper.
Across the room, lurking in the shadows, Tamara sees the
figure for the first time; the charred, burned out corpse of
Casper Harmon. Tamara stifles a gasp and hastily withdraws
from the chamber.
Latimer hears the scuffle and looks up. Nothing. Then a
voice resonates over the intercom.
VALHALLA TECH
I have Hunter Gelbach on the comm,
sir, as you requested.
LATIMER
Thank you. Patch him through here.
A wall-sized holoscreen appears, monopolized by Gelbach's
imposing visage.
GELBACH
Be quick, Latimer. It... pains me
to keep the security blanket down
for any length of time.
LATIMER
Well that's too bad, Gelbach, because
I've written one hundred and fifty-
two sonnets about your pathetic,
Godless existence and am about read
each of them to you... out loud...
painfully slowly...
Gelbach's expression does not change.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
I'll talk as long as I like, Gelbach.
If someone infiltrates the City
through that miniscule opening in
the grid, you will then have my
permission to execute me. Is that
arrangement to your liking?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 35
3-6-01
GELBACH
It is good, Senator Latimer.
LATIMER
"My Lord."
GELBACH
It is good, my Lord.
LATIMER
Oh, I do love how that sounds. But
you're droning voice bores me,
Gelbach. I will make this short.
(pause)
I have an idea why your patrols are
unable to find the rebel base.
GELBACH
Do tell.
LATIMER
I believe they have cloaked it.
GELBACH
Impossible. Doing this... it would
drain a tremendous amount of City
resources. This would not go
unnoticed.
LATIMER
They are the top scientists in their
fields, Gelbach. Do not underestimate
them... ever.
GELBACH
If this is true... what do you want
me to do?
LATIMER
I want you to generate an electrical
surge... at the precise frequency
I'm about to feed you.
GELBACH
I know the one. You understand,
this will compromise my men. Render
their personal cloaking devices
inoperable.
LATIMER
Oh, I understand that quite well.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 36
3-6-01
Gelbach's eyes narrow almost imperceptibly, and he lets the
silence hang.
GELBACH
It will be as you say... my Lord.
CUT TO:
63 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 63
Coral is quietly sulking when Deacon breaks the silence.
DEACON
I'm sorry.
Coral looks up at him, momentarily startled.
CORAL
(disinterested)
Where did you disappear to?
DEACON
Got lost.
CORAL
Ha.
(beat)
Do you know how I met Casper? He
was my teacher - my mentor, really -
at the University of Maryland. Headed
up their biology department.
Deacon sits down next to her, but says nothing.
CORAL (CONT'D)
I had never done anything wrong
before; nothing like that. You don't
get much more taboo than that, you
know what I mean? His hair...
(laughs)
... it was stark white from the day
I met him.
Coral is still looking down, not knowing or caring if Deacon
is paying any attention to her.
CORAL (CONT'D)
I wouldn't say I was submissive...
but he was the dominant one in the
relationship, you know? Everything
made sense back then, it was so easy
to let him take charge.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 37
3-6-01
CORAL (CONT'D)
I followed him around like a dutiful
little lamb...
(smiles)
... and I loved every minute of it.
Deacon synthesizes a bio-sword and immediately retracts it,
like flexing a muscle.
CORAL (CONT'D)
It was that rat bastard Holm turned
him over to Gelbach, you believe
that? Casper went to him with his
heart on his sleeve, Galen played
along... big fucking sting operation
is all it was.
Coral wipes away a tear.
CORAL (CONT'D)
We fell into chaos after that. I
thought Wynn was a shoe in to follow
in Casper's footsteps... but they
picked me, of all people. I mean,
sure, Wynn's a loose cannon, but
leadership... it's counterintuitive
to me. I don't want it... and I
can't handle it.
DEACON
I think you're doing fine.
CORAL
Why am I dumping this on you, I don't
even know who you are.
DEACON
Does that really matter?
The two lock eyes for a brief, but poignant, moment.
WYNN (O.S.)
Oy, mates, why the long faces?
Coral and Deacon pull away from each other, turning their
attentions to the recently returned scouts. But there is
another sound besides Wynn's barking, a deep, crackling hum,
raising steadily in intensity...
WYNN (CONT'D)
(to Coral)
'is story checks out, but 'at still
don't --
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 38
3-6-01
Wynn's voice cuts out abruptly as all the lights do in the
underground lair. For a few moments there is pitch blackness
and a deathly silence.
CORAL
Backup generators should kick in in
about 10 seconds.
Eight seconds later, Coral's prediction comes true.
WYNN
C'n I make an entrance, 'r what?
CORAL
Shut up, Wynn... that pulse was no
accident. The city's designed too
well for that.
WYNN
Whaddaya think, 'olm and 'is cronies
blew out the power in the 'ole
goddamned city? That there's a bonnie
way t' git at us.
CORAL
Sarcasm I don't need, Alban.
(shouting)
Can I get a systems check, somebody?
Seconds later, all the power comes back on.
WYNN
'ere, see? Back t' optimum.
CORAL
A surge that big must've done
something...
RAINE
Coral! We have a problem.
CORAL
What are we looking at?
RAINE
Our cloaking field is trashed but
good. Irreparable.
Coral's face falls.
WYNN
Figures. First bloody time I show a
lit'le optimism...
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 39
3-6-01
BOK
You're right, there. You're always
so fuckin' broody, first three years
I knew ya, I though you were English.
Whatever happened to 'no worries?'
WYNN
What, di'nt you 'ere? War changed
all 'at.
BOK
Sorry, been a few years since I've
been in the outback.
WYNN
Same 'ere, mate. Same 'ere.
CUT TO:
64 EXT. VALHALLA 64
Silent running.
TAMARA (O.S.)
Open the fucking door, Ambrose!
65 INT. VALHALLA - CAUSEWAY 65
Tamara knocks furiously on the door to Ambrose's quarters.
TAMARA
(beat)
Security override.
COMPUTER
Voice authorization.
TAMARA
Tamara.
COMPUTER
Thank you, Senator Tamara.
The door slides open and Tamara slips into the dark room.
66 INT. VALHALLA - AMBROSE'S QUARTERS 66
Tamara flicks her eyes about the room as they adjust to the
darkness.
TAMARA
Get your ass out here, you fucking
drama queen.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 40
3-6-01
AMBROSE
What are you doing here?
TAMARA
We need to have a discussion.
AMBROSE
I'm all through talking. Said my
peace.
TAMARA
I think Latimer is... in a bad way.
AMBROSE
There's a newsflash. Your little
love nest fell apart, did it?
TAMARA
What did I ever do to you, Ambrose?
AMBROSE
Nothing. Nothing at all. In fact,
I think this is the first time you've
ever seen the inside of my quarters.
TAMARA
I still haven't seen it, if you want
to get technical about it.
AMBROSE
Lights.
The lights come up in the room.
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
You have ten seconds. Speak.
Tamara bites her lip.
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
Seven seconds.
TAMARA
Why did you leave the army, Ambrose?
AMBROSE
Damn you and your loopholes.
Ambrose stands up and looks out his viewport.
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
The truth?
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 41
3-6-01
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
I just couldn't be a yes man anymore.
First thing they teach you there, do
as you're told and don't ask any
questions.
TAMARA
What did you think you were signing
up for when you took this job?
AMBROSE
You make it sound like I had a choice.
Sometimes I don't know if I'm a
Senator or a Jester.
TAMARA
You make it sound like there's a
difference.
AMBROSE
You want some bourbon?
TAMARA
Please.
(pause)
It was Mexico, wasn't it.
AMBROSE
Come again?
TAMARA
You resigned right after the riots
broke out... and right before --
AMBROSE
That... was the last straw, yes.
TAMARA
Well, I... I never got to thank you
for that.
AMBROSE
It didn't make any difference, anyway.
TAMARA
Maybe not. But thanks just the same.
AMBROSE
Then tell me something, Tamara. If
you're brimming with gratitude, why
do you always wear that look, like
you want to rip my throat out?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 42
3-6-01
TAMARA
You're a United States Soldier. Old
habits die hard, I guess.
(pause)
Let me ask you this, General Ambrose.
How would you like to make a
difference again?
AMBROSE
Keep talking.
TAMARA
This jerk-off cure of Latimer's? I
know where it's being produced.
AMBROSE
Where's that?
TAMARA
A little out of the way, multi-billion
dollar installation --
AMBROSE
The Valhalla?
TAMARA
No, no, back on terra firma. Alaska,
actually.
AMBROSE
How does this knowledge do us any
good?
TAMARA
I have a man inside, can probably
slip you past security. Once there,
I think you might have some sway
with the City Director. Maybe you've
heard of him; General Galen Holm.
Ambrose's mouth falls open in astonishment.
CUT TO:
67 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 67
Wynn and Coral are in the middle of a heated argument.
DEACON
Coral, if I might offer up a
suggestion.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 43
3-6-01
CORAL
Please.
DEACON
You are stripped bare now, exposed...
but so are they. They'll expect you
to retreat and regroup - scurry around
in the catacombs beneath the city.
BOK
You got a better idea?
CORAL
No, he's right. In a matter of days,
Gelbach will station patrols all
over these passages. We'll be nomads,
our resources spread paper thin...
we won't stand a chance.
WYNN
Then I 'ave me an idea.
(sing-songy)
Why don't the lot of us march topside
and surrender to the butcher? We
can wave a big fuckin' white flag I
stitch together from the flesh of me
fall'n comrades --
DEACON
That is one option.
(beat)
There is another.
The others stare at him.
DEACON (CONT'D)
You said it yourself; soon these
passages will be crawling with
Fantoms. What that means is, for
the time being, we know precisely
where the bulk of Gelbach's force is
going to be... or, more importantly,
where it won't be.
RAINE
I see where you're going... s'long
as Gelbach thinks we're down here...
DEACON
He won't keep more than a skeleton
security force up above.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 44
3-6-01
CORAL
And without their cloaking devices
they'll be easy pickings. Hot damn,
we might just pull this off -
WYNN
'Ey now, time out a minute.
CORAL
You have something to contribute,
Wynn?
WYNN
Just answer me 'is. We been down
'ere how many months they never tried
nothin' like this...
CORAL
Makes a lot of sense, actually, Alban.
The surge hurt them as much as it
did us. I'd try to exhaust every
other method I had first... if I
were them.
BOK
Sure, it's a big risk on their part,
I'm with you there... their ability
to roam the city undetected is one
of their greatest advantages. Now,
d'you think they'd put all that at
risk on a hunch?
CORAL
What do you mean?
BOK
Why now, all of a sudden, does Gelbach
get the idea that maybe we've cloaked
our HQ?
CORAL
He already knows we have the
technology. We designed it, for
Christ's sake! He could have
discovered one of our power siphons,
figured out what we were -
WYNN
Are you listening t' yourself, Coral?
The answer is staring you in the
face, but you won't see it.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 45
3-6-01
CORAL
Paranoid schizophrenia, Wynn. Look
it up. What do you think, that little
gladiator bit topside was staged for
our benefit?
WYNN
Oh, grow up, C.!
BOK
They're flushing us out. Compromising
our cover, waiting for us to do
something stupid.
(stabs a finger at
Deacon)
Stupid like this...
CORAL
A quick, surgical strike at the heart
of the enemy... isn't that your m.o.,
Alban?
WYNN
Yeah... on me own terms. Not on
'is.
DEACON
Tactics seem to be your strong suit.
I am a student of that same school.
Strike now, when their troops
positions are compromised... or hole
up here and wait for them to find us.
By this point, clear lines are being drawn. F.G.'s have
gravitated to one side of the room or the other, indicating
their support of Coral or Wynn, respectively.
WYNN
Oh, you're a peach, pretty boy. You
ain't done fuck all since you showed
up... an' now you wanna sit at the
helm while the rest'a us crash an'
burn. Well I ain't about t' stand
by and watch you destroy everythin'
we've built 'ere...
Wynn pulls his gun, and a sword that wasn't there two seconds
earlier is suddenly at Alban's throat. Wynn's supporters
drawn their weapons... sparking a reciprocation on the part
of Coral's backers.
BOK
Don't provoke the psycho, Wynn.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 46
3-6-01
Coral, whose weapon has remained holstered, tries to diffuse
the situation.
CORAL
Wynn, don't do this! If we kill
each other, they win!
WYNN
Same as if we shoot ourselves in the
foot, darlin'.
There is a stagnant silence. Then Wynn points his weapon
away from Deacon's head, and his followers lower their
weapons.
WYNN (CONT'D)
But y'r right. Nothing's to be gained
wastin' rounds down 'ere. God be
with you, Coral Harmon... cause the
rest'a us sure as hell won't be.
Alban turns and a large mob follows his lead.
CORAL
(defeated)
Where will you go?
WYNN
These tunnels are bigger'n they look.
It'd take 'em months t' track us
down, an' that long again t' beat us
if they did. We'll be waging our
own kinda war while the rest'a you
are sucking up sewage.
Coral watches as Wynn, Bok, and far too many F.G.'s abandon
her cause. Deacon is curiously agitated.
DEACON
This... is most unfortunate.
CORAL
(unconvincingly)
A loose canon, that one... better
off without him...
What few F.G.'s remain do not look convinced.
RAINE
It's over, Coral.
CORAL
What? No, it can't be -
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 47
3-6-01
RAINE
Look around you. They broke us.
They beat us. What are we even
fighting for anymore?
CORAL
What are we fighting for?
(raises her voice)
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? I can't
believe your spirits are so tatterred
you've forgotten what brought us
here. Forgotten the sacrifices of
everyone who came before you!
Coral walks from person to person, shaming them as she goes.
CORAL (CONT'D)
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? Well,
I'll tell you, it sure as hell isn't
for this sad excuse for a utopia.
We're fighting because, as easy as
it is to forget sometimes, there is
a whole world out there. A world
riddled with famine, pestilence, and
war - petty border squabbles and
long forgotten crusades. And as
long as this city is here, as long
as we look the other way, we are
feeding that machine.
Deacon and the others listen intently.
CORAL (CONT'D)
WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? We're
fighting because Latimer won't stop
until he's driven this planet into
the ground. We're fighting because
he represents everything that is
corrupt and evil in our society.
Because in the wake of the terrorist
attack on our capitol, our country
called out for blood and Latimer
delivered it for us. Only after all
was said and done, he wouldn't let
go of the power we gave him. So
it's easy to say that Latimer's the
monster, him and his kind, up in
that space station we helped him
build. And maybe some of you honestly
believe that.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 48
3-6-01
CORAL (CONT'D)
But however he got there, the fact
remains that if we don't end Latimer's
reign and end it soon, cure or no
cure... there's not going to be a
world out there worth living in.
Now that, as I understand it, is
what we are fighting for... and that's
what I'll put on my resume if we
come out of this on top.
Coral allows her tirade to sink in for a moment.
CORAL (CONT'D)
But I'll tell you what I'm fighting
for. I'm fighting for Casper. I'm
fighting for a dream - the only one
I ever had. I never wanted to change
the world, I never wanted to lead
you people into battle. I just wanted
to irk out a life for me and my
family. And when you get right down
to it, that's still all I want. So
come on, people. Do you wanna give
up now? Or do you wanna help me
build the foundation for a better
world?
Stunned silence. But then a smattering of applause, giving
way to a rousing ovation.
CORAL (CONT'D)
Well, come on, people! We've got a
major assault to plan and not a whole
lot of time to do it in. This just
means we're going to have to work
all the harder if we want to get
everything into place on schedule.
Let's move!
This is enough to work the remaining F.G.'s into a frenzy.
They hop to their tasks like men possessed, and Coral smiles
proudly.
CUT TO:
68 EXT. VALHALLA 68
The vast space station is silhouetted against the sun.
69 INT. VALHALLA - TRIUMVIRATE CHAMBER 69
The three Senators are in their respective places.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 49
3-6-01
LATIMER
It is something of a relief that you
have finally decided to grace us
with your presence again, Senator
Ambrose. Now why don't you tell us
what possessed you to call this
little... tete a tete at such a late
hour.
TAMARA
(feigning annoyance)
Yes, Ambrose, I think we'd all like
to hear that.
AMBROSE
I will never stand behind this
initiative of yours, Latimer. But I
will not try and stop you... so long
as you grant me one request.
LATIMER
What is it you want?
AMBROSE
I want to go down to the planet and
see... see if I can't find a more
practical way to rid our people of
Arzamas 16.
LATIMER
There is no more practical way. And
I'm not sure how much longer the
human race can survive while you
entertain this pipe dream...
Ambrose and Tamara exchange worried looks.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
...but if you want to go down to
that filthy wasteland, who am I to
stop you?
AMBROSE
Thank you, Senator Latimer. I will
be leaving directly.
Ambrose gets to his feet and hurries out of the chamber.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 50
3-6-01
70 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 70
Coral lays out detailed schematics of the sewer system, the
city itself, and the Citadel.
CORAL
Now this pipeline here... should
take us right up into the heart of
the citadel.
RAINE
But it looks pretty narrow. It'd be
a tall order getting the lot of us
in without raising an alarm.
CORAL
I think the time for stealth has
passed, our PCD's are shot to hell
and --
RAINE
I don't like it! Even a skeleton
crew of fantoms would clean our clocks
in a balls out brawl.
Deacon ignores their bickering and concentrates on the
schematics.
DEACON
What is this?
Deacon point to a building on the City map.
CORAL
What, that... that's environmental
control, we don't...
Then a slight smile crosses Coral's face.
RAINE
Oh, no. No, no, no, no.
CORAL
Why not? Can you think of a better
distraction?
RAINE
If we expose the City to the elements,
our colleagues topside will freeze
to death in a matter of hours. I
know a lot of them are morally and
ethically impotent, but I don't think --
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 51
3-6-01
CORAL
Look, we don't have to destroy EC,
just show it a little wear and tear.
If we're surgical about it, the
fantoms and the City techs should
have it up and running again in no
time.
RAINE
Then what good will it do us?
DEACON
By the time they are through, our
coup will be complete and the citadel
will be ours.
CUT TO:
71 EXT. ALASKAN SKIES 71
Ambrose's shuttle rockets over the landscape, kicking up a
mist of snow in its wake.
72 INT. AMBROSE'S SHUTTLE 72
Ambrose checks his geographical display; he has reached the
coordinates. He eases the shuttle to a stop, and it hovers
noiselessly over the snow.
Ambrose keys in a sequence on his keypad and Tamara's face
appears on a small screen shortly thereafter.
AMBROSE
Are you sure this channel is secure?
TAMARA
What do you think the Mexican
resistance was doing all those years,
teaching Chihuahuas how to talk?
AMBROSE
Ok, ok. I'm here. Have you been
able to reach this friend of yours...?
TAMARA
He's been out of contact for several
days. It's really kind of a wait
and see thing, I can't get word to
him so long as the shield is up.
You're best bet is to set up camp
and wait until Latimer pokes a hole
in the field so he can send a
transmission through.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 52
3-6-01
AMBROSE
How much clearance will I have?
TAMARA
The opening should be just big enough
to accommodate your shuttle. You're
going to have to eyeball it.
AMBROSE
Days like these I remember why I
resigned from the armed forces.
TAMARA
Politics was never any safer, Ambrose,
just a hell of a lot less specific.
(pause)
Once you do get inside, we'll be out
of contact indefinitely. Do you
need anything else from me?
AMBROSE
No, I think that'll do it.
TAMARA
Cuidado, Senator Ambrose.
AMBROSE
Roger that, Tamara. Catch you on
the flip side.
CUT TO:
73 INT. CITADEL - OSS LAB 73
Dr. Mori is boyishly directing his underlings as Gelbach
strides into the lab.
DR. MORI
Magistrate Gelbach. Welcome to
Operation Sidestep. We're just about
to begin, if you'll step this way.
Mori leads Gelbach to the center of the room. On either
side of them are two shimmering, shifting vortexes called
slipdoors. The slipdoors are eight feet high and five feet
across, two-dimensional doors into multi-dimensional space.
The void beyond the threshold is in continuous flux, like a
lava lamp.
GELBACH
How does it work?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 53
3-6-01
DR. MORI
I think the question right now is,
does it work. It creates a two-way
wormhole of sorts, as far as we've
been able to determine. Stumbled on
the technology mostly by accident.
Science is such an inexact science,
sometimes.
GELBACH
Does it work?
DR. MORI
Something of a one-track mind, have
we? I tell you, we don't know if it
works, this is the first trial run.
(to an underling)
Get the subject into position.
Two scientists escort a man to the rightmost slipdoor.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
We, uh, ran out of prisoners, so
we've had to start mining the local
population. We're fairly certain
he's sympathetic to the resistance.
Gelbach shrugs.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
All right then, everyone... let's
begin.
The test subject is forced into the rightmost slipdoor. All
those assembled watch the leftmost slipdoor expectantly...
...and nothing comes out. Nothing at all.
GELBACH
I am most displeased, Mori.
Mori swallows hard.
DR. MORI
Y-you and Latimer, all alike. I
don't care how much money Latimer
throws at us, nor do I care much for
your scare tactics, Magistrate
Gelbach. The mysteries of this
technology will reveal themselves to
us in due course.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 54
3-6-01
GELBACH
You have this technology... but you
know nothing of it's use. Explain
this.
DR. MORI
The old OSS project leader - the man
who discovered the slipdoor - is,
sadly... indisposed at present.
GELBACH
What do you mean?
DR. MORI
Why, he defected - to the resistance,
I mean - some time ago, now... Bok,
yes, that was his name...
GELBACH
I should like to see a photograph of
this man, then.
DR. MORI
What for?
GELBACH
I think it is in all our interests
that he be brought in alive.
CUT TO:
74 INT. VALHALLA - LATIMER'S QUARTERS 74
Latimer is concluding a communique with someone whose identity
remains unknown to us.
LATIMER
You have served me well, young one.
You can be sure your efforts will be
justly rewarded. Valhalla, signing
off.
A thin smile crosses Latimer's face.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
(into the air)
Put me through to Magistrate Gelbach.
CUT TO:
75 EXT. ALASKAN SKIES 75
Ambrose's shuttle keeps silent vigil.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 55
3-6-01
76 INT. AMBROSE'S SHUTTLE 76
Ambrose sits poised in his chair. Suddenly a small square
of the City's cloaking shield recedes, revealing a patch of
the City beyond.
Ambrose fires up his engines and cautiously brings his shuttle
on approach to the gap, making subtle attitude adjustments
as he goes.
CUT TO:
77 INT. CITADEL - OSS LAB 77
Gelbach watches as Mori reprimands his men for their failure
to produce results, a blank stare on his face. He winces
slightly, then strides toward the door.
GELBACH
Carry on, Doctor. There is a call
incoming from the Valhalla. I'll
be in my chamber.
CUT TO:
78 EXT. ALASKAN SKIES 78
The opening grows ever closer and it becomes ever more
apparent that Ambrose's shuttle is not likely to fit through
the opening unscathed.
79 INT. AMBROSE'S SHUTTLE 79
Ambrose makes several more course adjustments and sits back
in readiness.
The shuttle SCRAPES through the opening in the defense grid,
the communications array atop the vessel being SHEARED off
by the energy shield.
Ambrose curses under his breath. Then he sighs with relief
and looks for an out of the way place to put his shuttle
down.
CUT TO:
80 INT. RESISTANCE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS 80
Coral is busy checking and re-checking their planned assault
when Deacon appears behind her left shoulder, his camouflage
morphing back into the drab colors that constitute his
uniform.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 56
3-6-01
DEACON
Are we ready to move out?
Coral jumps.
CORAL
(smiling)
You have got to stop disappearing
like that.
Deacon refrains from any kind of response.
CORAL (CONT'D)
Anyway, yeah, everything checks out.
Raine's taking team two over to
Environmental Control to give the
fantoms a run for their money. Team
one - myself, you, and a handful of
others - will infiltrate the Citadel
and wrest control of the City from
Holm and Gelbach. Any questions?
DEACON
(beat)
Are we ready to move out?
Coral gives him a funny look.
CUT TO:
81 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 81
Galen Holm rounds a bend and is almost trampled by a squad
of fantoms hurrying down the corridor. A few seconds later,
Dr. Mori comes out of the OSS lab.
GALEN
Doctor Mori, where are all these
fantoms going?
DR. MORI
Damned if I know.
Galen looks back over his shoulder, but the fantoms have
already disappeared from view.
CUT TO:
82 INT. SEWER PIPE 82
Coral, Deacon, and six other F.G.'s wade through the sewage.
For the first time, Coral seems confident in her ability to
lead these people.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 57
3-6-01
Deacon brings up the rear, stone-faced as usual.
CUT TO:
83 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 83
A pair of hands push aside a sewer grate, and Raine and the
remainder of the Friendly Ghosts emerge from the depths.
GHOST 1
Even if we're lucky enough to get to
the East lift without crossing paths
with the fantoms, what's to stop one
of the researchers from calling us
in?
RAINE
If they do, then we deserve to be
caught. Because who the hell else
are we fighting for?
CUT TO:
84 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 84
Ambrose sets his shuttle down in as remote a location as he
can find.
CUT TO:
85 INT. SEWER PIPE 85
Coral and company come up against a dead end. Coral checks
her map and looks up to find a dark shaft, sewage tumbling
down in spurts.
CORAL
I think this is it.
Coral and the rest of the F.G.'s grab hold of their grappling
hooks.
CORAL (CONT'D)
Deacon, you're going to have to hang
on to me, because we don't have enough
grapples for --
Deacon leaps into the air, spanning the distance from floor
to ceiling. He clambers up the shaft, clinging to god knows
what on the slick surface.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 58
3-6-01
Coral shrugs, and she and the others begin their ascent.
CUT TO:
86 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL 86
Raine's team have made it to Environmental control without
incident. They are huddled behind a small research lab,
just south of their target.
CUT TO:
87 INT. CITADEL - ARBORETUM 87
The room is lush with all manner of exotic greenery, in stark
contrast to the rest of the bleached-white, generally sterile
environment. The Solar Matrix beams artificial sunlight
through the vast, domed skylight. There is a grate in the
center of the room, to catch run off from plants' daily
watering.
Deacon quietly removes the grate and climbs into the
impressive Arboretum. Coral and the others are not far behind
him.
Once the last of them has climbed out of the shaft, Coral
carefully replaces the vent. At that precise moment the
sprinkler system kicks in and the entire room is bathed in
artificial rain.
Coral laughs, but stifles it. The other F.G.'s chuckle to
themselves. Deacon, it seems, does not get the joke.
CORAL
(into communicator)
Ok, we're in. Do your thing.
CUT TO:
88 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL 88
Raine rallies the troops.
RAINE
You heard the woman. Move out.
CUT TO:
89 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 89
Ambrose lowers his landing platform and cautiously disembarks
from the shuttle. He plants one foot on the ground...
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 59
3-6-01
... and fantoms are on him in a second, beating him to the
ground. He falls to the ground a bruised and bloody mess;
alive, but just barely.
CUT TO:
90 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 90
Soaked from head to toe, the eight invaders walk down the
corridor uncontested. The hallways are completely empty.
All save Deacon jump when Raine's voice crackles over the
comm.
RAINE (O.S.)
Oh my God, Coral... I don't know
where they all came from! Jesus
Christ!
CORAL
(into communicator)
What are you talking about?
CUT TO:
91 EXT. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL 91
Raine and team two have run out into the open, completely
exposing themselves... and they are surrounded on all sides
by hundreds upon hundreds of fantoms.
RAINE
(into communicator)
There are fantoms everywhere!
CORAL (O.S.)
You can take them, Raine, I know you
can!
RAINE
(into communicator)
I'm sorry, Coral.
Raine throws down her gun a puts her hands in the air, the
rest of her troops sullenly following suit.
CUT TO:
92 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 92
Coral looks frenzied.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 60
3-6-01
CORAL
It must have been Wynn, that bastard!
How could he do this to us?
DEACON
No, Coral.
Coral looks to Deacon, whose headgear begins to recede, strand
by strand, molecule by molecule. Within a matter of seconds,
Deacon's true face is revealed; that of Hunter Gelbach.
CORAL
Gelbach!
She pulls her gun on the man she once thought her friend.
At that moment, three squads of fantoms come out of the
woodwork and surround her and the other F.G.'s.
GELBACH (O.S.)
No, my dear.
Coral turns to see the one and apparently not only Hunter
Gelbach striding towards her.
Gelbach can't take his eyes off Deacon.
GELBACH (CONT'D)
Although I must say, I'm quite curious
myself. Will the real Hunter Gelbach
please stand up?
Coral and the last of the Friendly Ghosts drop their guns
and are herded away down the corridor. She looks pleadingly
at Deacon, who discreetly averts his gaze.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
93 INT. CITADEL - GELBACH'S CHAMBER 93
Gelbach, sitting atop what is essentially an ornate throne,
eyes Deacon suspiciously; the latter has stood mute since
Coral's capture.
GELBACH
I wonder if you could fill in a few
blanks for me. I receive a message
from Latimer. He tells me the
Friendly Ghosts are mobilizing against
me.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 61
3-6-01
GELBACH (CONT'D)
Tells me exactly where to find you...
and your friends at Environmental
Control. He does not reveal to me
the source of this information.
Typical. My guess... you are his
informant.
DEACON
I am not your prisoner. You'd do
well to remember that this is a
conversation, not an interrogation.
GELBACH
I am the very picture of manners and
good conduct.
DEACON
You answer one question for me, and
I will give you all the information
you desire.
GELBACH
As a show of good faith... I will
grant this request.
DEACON
What am I?
GELBACH
(smiles)
You mean to say... you don't know?
DEACON
Before Latimer, I remember nothing.
GELBACH
So you do work for Latimer. And he
keeps things from you as he does me.
Curious.
DEACON
Are you going to answer my question?
GELBACH
Guards.
The pair of fantoms stationed outside Gelbach's quarters
hurry into the chamber, on command.
GELBACH (CONT'D)
Do remove your helmets for our
visitor.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 62
3-6-01
The two fantoms comply; Deacon is not ready for what he sees.
Both of them wear the chiseled visage of Hunter Gelbach.
DEACON
All of the fantoms... are like us?
GELBACH
Like us... yes. Clones. Grown here.
Unique design... Latimer's own.
DEACON
You were the first.
GELBACH
I was the first. Each one to
follow... tied to my mind. All...
tied to each other's minds...
DEACON
Collective consciousness...
GELBACH
Collective consciousness. I see
what they see. I know what they
know.
DEACON
Is the reverse true?
GELBACH
Yes... and no. Mine is the hub.
There's are routed through me. They
see what the others see... know -
DEACON
- know what the others know, I got
it.
GELBACH
But they don't know... what I know.
DEACON
What do you know?
GELBACH
I know... they believe they exercise
free will... outside the boundaries
of the collective.
DEACON
That isn't true?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 63
3-6-01
GELBACH
All controlled by me alone. Great,
great strain... keeping so many minds
in check... docile... obedient.
DEACON
But you don't see what I see. You
don't know what I know.
GELBACH
(wry grin)
Are you sure?
DEACON
You've no control over me... and
that's what scares you.
GELBACH
We fear nothing... least of all a
burnout like you.
DEACON
What are you -
GELBACH
Come. There is something I must
show you.
CUT TO:
94 INT. CITADEL - CELL BLOCK 94
Galen Holm walks quietly down the long penal corridor, his
injured arm in a sling. Galen stops outside cell 1138 and
overrides the locking sequence. The door opens with a HISS
and Galen steps inside.
95 INT. CITADEL - CELL 1138 95
Alone, sitting huddled in the corner of the cell, is a
recooperating Senator Ambrose. His mood brightens slightly
when he sees Galen enter the room.
AMBROSE
G-Galen... it's been too long.
GALEN
Shut up, Ambrose.
AMBROSE
Can they hear us?
Ambrose gestures to a security camera.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 64
3-6-01
GALEN
I've bypassed security... for now.
(beat)
Jesus, Ambrose, what are you doing
here?
AMBROSE
I came to see you.
GALEN
To what end?
AMBROSE
Do you know what goes on here, Galen?
GALEN
I don't have the slightest clue.
Things they do here couldn't be
farther outside my area of expertise.
AMBROSE
And that is exactly why Latimer
appointed you as Director of this
City. You're a good little soldier
who doesn't ask questions, and doesn't
know the first thing about the work
besides --
GALEN
Oh, why don't you get off your moral
high horse and let's put our cards
on the table. What is this really
about, that thing in Mexico? I have
recurring nightmares about the things
we did there.
AMBROSE
Spare me, Galen --
GALEN
It's true, god dammit! So a lot of
innocent people died... so what? If
we hadn't annexed that little shithole
of a country, it would've been the
first casualty in the Indian War.
AMBROSE
And all their lives cost them was
their freedom.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 65
3-6-01
GALEN
I'm not going to debate this with
you, Ambrose, I'm just not going to
do it. I came here to try and help
you, because when Latimer finds out
what you've done, it ain't gonna
matter if you're --
AMBROSE
I knew what I was getting into coming
here. But it had to be done.
(pause)
Galen... Latimer is insane. You're
as isolated from him here as he is
from the rest of humanity, so maybe
you don't know this.
GALEN
Yeah, well, I don't pretend to
understand what's going on, but I've
put a few things together myself.
Latimer's got an army of clones here,
Ambrose. I don't know where they're
coming from, but there are more of
them every day.
AMBROSE
Brave new world we're living in,
huh?
GALEN
Listen, Ambrose, your beef with
Latimer goes back a long time. I'm
not about to help you overthrow the
government, we'll take this thing
one step at a time.
AMBROSE
What do you propose?
GALEN
I've had just about enough of Hunter
Gelbach and his home-grown gestapo.
Help me take him out of the picture
and we'll see where that leaves us.
AMBROSE
I can do that.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 66
3-6-01
GALEN
(pause)
I can't just let you up and walk out
of here, not without tipping off
Gelbach... but I think I know someone
who can.
CUT TO:
96 INT. CITADEL - CLONING FACILITY 96
Gelbach leads Deacon into the cloning facility, and only
then does Deacon understand the full scale of Gelbach's
ambition; there are thousands of incubation tubes that stretch
as far down as the eye can see, each with its own developing
fantom.
Scientists walk from tube to tube, checking that all is as
it should be.
Gelbach points to a catwalk several levels below where he
and Deacon stand, where a batch of of clones are hatching as
he speaks.
HUNTER GELBACH
When a clone comes awake for the
first time... his mind is pummelled
with imagery... countless thoughts...
all his brothers' hopes and dreams...
swell within his head. For some it
is too much... too much to absorb...
too much to sort out...
One of the hatchlings begins to convulse violently, and lashes
out at his keepers. The scientists sedate the burnout and
carry him off to the recycling chamber.
DEACON
Those clones... those are the
burnouts.
HUNTER GELBACH
Burnouts, yes... same as you. Clones
like these are slated for destruction.
Their genetic material... recycled,
for use in another batch. Not your
fate, it seems.
DEACON
How do you account for that?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 67
3-6-01
HUNTER GELBACH
By your own admission, you are
Latimer's lackey. He has men here...
loyal men, not of my flock... men
like this Dr. Mori... who might
have helped a burnout slip through
the cracks.
DEACON
A burnout like me...
HUNTER GELBACH
You undestand. But now that you are
here, you, too, will rejoin... the
collective.
DEACON
Latimer is my master, not you.
HUNTER GELBACH
The whole is greater than the parts.
You will come to see this... in time.
(pause)
That suit you wear. Fascinating.
Where did you get it?
DEACON
Latimer gave it to me.
HUNTER GELBACH
Did he?
DEACON
Not all of his research is conducted
here.
HUNTER GELBACH
A parasite...?
DEACON
Not precisely... more of a symbiote.
HUNTER GELBACH
Two life forms... working for the
betterment of the whole. I understand
this. A sentient being...?
DEACON
After a fashion.
HUNTER GELBACH
How do you know, then... that it is
not the suit that is wearing you?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 68
3-6-01
DEACON
The line where Deacon ends and the
suit begins has... blurred over the
years.
HUNTER GELBACH
Then... you might do well to consider
my offer. With me, at least... you
know where you stand.
(pause)
If I were able to... separate you
from the symbiote... would you then
submit to rejoining the collective?
DEACON
Would I get my memories back?
HUNTER GELBACH
Almost certainly.
DEACON
I... I'll have to think about it.
HUNTER GELBACH
Understandable. In the meantime you
live here as my guest. Anything you
need... you have only to ask.
CUT TO:
97 INT. CITADEL - ARBORETUM -- VIRTUAL SUNDOWN 97
Galen Holm stands alone in the blossoming arboretum, staring
serenely up at the brilliant skylight. He almost doesn't
notice Deacon's entrance.
GALEN
Your name is Deacon, isn't it?
DEACON
It is.
GALEN
I come here a lot to think. This is
the only green in the whole city.
(extends his hand)
My name's Galen Holm. I'm the
Director of this --
DEACON
I know who you are.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 69
3-6-01
GALEN
Of course you do.
(pause)
But none of us knows who you are -
not even Gelbach, it seems. How
exactly is that?
DEACON
Latimer is my master. I answer only
to him.
GALEN
I know just what you mean. Tell me
something, Deacon. If you learned
that someone or something posed a
threat to your master, what would
you do?
DEACON
I suppose I would take the necessary
steps to see that threat eliminated.
GALEN
You've talked to Gelbach. In your
own expert opinion, does he pose a
threat to Senator Latimer?
DEACON
He is ruthless... ambitious... and
his numbers are growing by the hour.
There is no greater threat to my
master.
GALEN
Well, thank you for your time, Deacon.
I found our chat most illuminating.
Galen strides out of the Arboretum, leaving Deacon alone
amidst the blossoming flora.
CUT TO:
98 INT. SEWER PIPE -- NIGHT 98
Wynn and his followers come upon a stretch of dry ground and
hoist themselves out of the muck.
WYNN
Guess this's as good a place t' set
up camp as any, eh, mates?
BOK
It'll do.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 70
3-6-01
The two friends take the load off their feet.
BOK (CONT'D)
What are we doing, Alban?
WYNN
Stayin' alive, Bok. Stayin' alive
'til we c'n do some good.
BOK
You really believe something good
will come of this in the end?
WYNN
I 'ave to think that way.
(pause)
'ey, Bok, why d'ya care s'much?
BOK
What?
WYNN
Why d'ya care about me an' Coral?
Gets y'r blood up ev'ry time it comes
up in conversation.
BOK
I don't care about that, Alban.
(quietly)
Why should I care?
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
99 EXT. CITADEL -- MORNING 99
The solar matrix charges up for another long day.
DR. MORI (O.S.)
Deacon!
100 INT. CITADEL CORRIDOR -- MORNING 100
Dr. Mori rushes out of the OSS lab and wraps his arms around
Deacon like a proud parent.
DR. MORI
You haven't changed a bit. I mean,
really.
Deacon just looks at him, confused.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 71
3-6-01
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Y-you don't remember me at all, do
you? A side effect of the bonding,
perhaps. At any rate, I'm so glad
you're here. It gets rather dull
around here. I really haven't anyone
to talk to.
Mori takes Deacon by the arm and leads him down the corridor.
DEACON
Where are we going?
DR. MORI
I want to show you the work. Now, I
understand Gelbach took you to see
the cloning facility.
Deacon nods.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
It is good. Nothing quite like a
happy homecoming. You know, Deacon,
I like to think of you as my greatest
achievement. That suit you're
wearing... I designed it, you know.
A-at Latimer's behest, of course.
He is the visionary, after all. I'm
just the implementor.
(beat)
He is to be a God, you know.
Deacon frowns.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Oh yes, he's told me all about it.
You see, your bio-suit - it's the
final piece of the puzzle... on a
much smaller scale, of course.
DEACON
I'm not sure I understand.
DR. MORI
Latimer's most fervent pet projects
have always been in the arena of
biotechnology. If he could just
find a way to upload his consciousness
into a machine, he said to me...
well, not only would he be able to
live forever without having to fear
the natural degradation the human
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 72
3-6-01
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
brain is prey to - he would also
transcend this plane and attain a
higher level of consciousness than
any human being has ever known!
Deacon hides his revulsion at this idea.
DEACON
Ingenious.
DR. MORI
Bah. He's far from the first person
to conceive of this idea. But he
will be the first person to see it
to fruition.
DEACON
How exactly do I fit into this plan?
DR. MORI
Our first experiments in this area
were dismal failures. Our initial
test subjects, they, uh... when we
attempted to interface them with a
machine of the magnitude we were
talking about... well, quite frankly
it fried their brains. We tried
time after time, but nothing we did
seemed to work.
DEACON
These test subjects. Who were they?
DR. MORI
Hmmm? Oh, prisoners, mostly.
DEACON
And you did this to them knowing the
procedure would result in their
deaths?
DR. MORI
Not necessarily. They might have
attained a higher level of
consciousness.
DEACON
Oh, I see.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 73
3-6-01
DR. MORI
I got the idea to try the bonding on
a smaller scale, perfect the neural
interface with a system your everyday
human brain should be capable of
handling. That is where you and the
bio-suit come in.
DEACON
My brain is hardly that of a garden
variety human, Doctor.
DR. MORI
Very true. It was Latimer's idea,
testing the bio-suit on you. He
wanted you to be his wild card. He
had me spirit you away, all the way
up to the Valhalla, so he could train
you - program you to be his last
line of defense against Hunter
Gelbach... should the need arise.
DEACON
So he doesn't trust Gelbach, either.
DR. MORI
Of course he doesn't. He never did.
DEACON
Then why not just kill him?
DR. MORI
Not that simple. Many have tried.
Besides... he's a convenient tool,
for the time being...
DEACON
All right. Then where's this machine
that Latimer intends to bond with?
DR. MORI
The Valhalla, of course.
DEACON
It's on the Valhalla?
DR. MORI
No, Deacon... it is the Valhalla.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 74
3-6-01
101 INT. CITADEL - GALEN'S CHAMBER 101
Galen is sitting at his desk when Deacon lets himself in.
DEACON
Am I to assume that our earlier
conversation was a thinly veiled
prelude to a coup?
GALEN
Well, that all depends...
DEACON
I'm on your side, please stop talking
in circles.
GALEN
So sorry.
DEACON
We need to free the prisoners.
GALEN
Right now it's just you and me against
an army. We need more warm bodies,
Deacon.
DEACON
Alban Wynn and a splinter faction of
the Friendly Ghosts are holed up
somewhere in the sewer system.
GALEN
That's perfect. I need you to find
them and recruit them, double quick.
DEACON
That will prove to be difficult.
Wynn is not the most trusting of
individuals, and he has good reason
to be suspicious of me.
GALEN
Oh, don't worry, you won't be going
alone.
SMASH CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 75
3-6-01
102 INT. CITADEL - CELL BLOCK 102
Deacon neatly dispatches the two guards standing outside
Ambrose's cell.
CUT TO:
103 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 103
A squad of fantoms all simultaneously jerk their heads up.
In their minds eye, they see Deacon through their dying
brothers' eyes.
CUT TO:
104 INT. CITADEL - CELL 1138 104
Ambrose jumps to his feet when Deacon enters.
AMBROSE
Who are you?
DEACON
My name's Deacon, I'm here to help
you.
AMBROSE
What?
DEACON
Galen Holm sent me.
105 INT. CITADEL - CELL BLOCK 105
Deacon and Ambrose run back down the cell block the way Deacon
came, only to find the entrance completely blocked off by
fantoms.
AMBROSE
How did they get here so fast?
DEACON
They share a collective consciousness,
Senator. They were on to us from
the moment I slayed the first of
them.
AMBROSE
Can you take all of them?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 76
3-6-01
DEACON
(beat)
Yes. But by the time I did, there'd
be twice as many to take their place.
They turn around and run towards the far end of the cell
block.
AMBROSE
Where are we going, anyway?
DEACON
Sewer.
AMBROSE
This trip keeps getting better and
better.
Deacon stops at the far end and slices open a grating in the
wall.
DEACON
Here, this should take us straight
through to the central garbage shaft.
Ambrose looks disapprovingly at the dark crawl space.
AMBROSE
You go first.
Deacon complies. Ambrose crouches down to follow him, and
catches a glimpse over his shoulder of the squad of fantoms
bearing down on him.
Ambrose crawls like mad through the dingy, narrow tunnel.
The fantoms are hot on his heels.
Ambrose picks up the pace and all of a sudden the ground
drops out from under him.
Deacon, standing on a narrow ledge, darts out his hand and
cathes Ambrose by his shirt. For a moment, Ambrose just
hangs there, staring down the seemingly bottomless shaft.
Deacon yanks Ambrose up and into his arms. He then proceeds
to jump off the ledge and fall the entire length of the shaft.
Ambrose screams in terror.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 77
3-6-01
106 INT. SEWER PIPE 106
Ambrose and Deacon land safely in the waist-deep sewage.
Ambrose gets back on his own two feet, and the both of them
slosh down the sewer tunnel as fast as they can.
CUT TO:
107 EXT. VALHALLA 107
The final frontier.
LATIMER (O.S.)
Are you quite through?
108 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 108
Latimer watches impatiently as half a dozen technicians make
the final adjustments to the junction machine.
VALHALLA TECH
It is calibrated precisely to your
specifications, Senator.
LATIMER
Marvelous. Now leave me.
The technicians scamper away and out of the junction room.
LATIMER (CONT'D)
Oh, yes... and please put me through
to Dr. Mori.
CUT TO:
109 INT. CITADEL - MORI'S CHAMBER 109
Mori activates his holo-screen and Latimer's face appears.
DR. MORI
I am here, my lord.
LATIMER
Have your people synthesized enough
of the cure to move forward?
DR. MORI
More than enough. I can have it
loaded onto the transport and be en
route to the deployment satellite in
a matter of hours.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 78
3-6-01
LATIMER
Then consider the order given.
(beat)
And there's one more thing I'd like
you to do before you go.
DR. MORI
Anything.
LATIMER
With this, our final triumph, the
City's usefulness is at and end. I
should like to terminate the project
immediately. Let them all see it,
Mori. Give them a taste of the rest
of the World.
CUT TO:
110 EXT. QUARANTINE FACILITY 110
Dr. Mori has donned his Hazmat suit and steps into the clearly
marked Quarantine Facility, located at the west end of the
Research District.
111 INT. QUARANTINE FACILITY 111
Mori walks past cell after insulated cell.
112 INT. QUARANTINE FACILITY - CONTROL ROOM 112
Inside the control room is an array of monitors, one for
each cell. Mori enters the room and surveys the dead and
soon to be.
A good number of the patients have already been reduced to a
bloody pulp by the disease, but a handful are still alive.
Mori flips the master switch and all of the cells under
quarantine come open. A warning KLAXON blares loudly and a
computerized voice echoes over the loudspeaker.
COMPUTER
Warning, contamination hazard. All
personnel are advised to evacuate
the Quarantine Facility immediately.
113 INT. QUARANTINE FACILITY 113
Down on the cell floor, the victims of Arzamas 16 who are
still clinging to life tentatively accept their newfound
freedom and step out into the hallway proper.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 79
3-6-01
Seconds later, all of the security doors in the entire
facility fly open, including the outer doors. The unlucky
few shade their eyes from the artificial sunlight, and limp
toward the exit.
CUT TO:
114 INT. SEWER PIPE 114
Ambrose and Deacon trudge onward through the sludge.
AMBROSE
How the hell are we supposed to find
these people?
DEACON
Finding them's the easy part. This
man, Wynn, is innately distrustful
of authority, and by now he must
know I turned Coral and others over
to Gelbach.
AMBROSE
Do we stand a chance?
DEACON
Oh, we should be fine. I only hope
a few of them are still standing by
the time we get our differences worked
out.
AMBROSE
I'm sure he'll listen to reason. He
and Tamara used to be an item, and
I'm here as her envoy.
DEACON
And I guess he'll have to take your
word for that.
AMBROSE
Point taken.
(beat)
Do you have an extra sword?
DEACON
You'd only hurt yourself.
AMBROSE
Deacon, back in the cell, Galen gave
me a heavily abridged history of
what I've missed up to this point
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 80
3-6-01
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
and I have to tell you, the only
thing that still doesn't make sense
to me is you.
DEACON
That's the idea.
AMBROSE
Well, okay, let me be a little more
specific. Not two days ago, you
handed Coral's people over to the
authorities. Why are you helping
them now?
DEACON
I... I don't know. I was sent here
with a very specific directive;
infiltrate the resistance and engineer
their capture. Once that was done,
the program started to break down.
AMBROSE
The program?
DEACON
I don't really understand it myself.
I'd like to claim the virtues as my
own and dissociate the vices to the
suit, but I know it isn't that simple.
I still maintain a degree of loyalty
to my master, Latimer, who was twice
my benefactor. But at the same time
I can't abide by his practices.
Does that make any sense?
AMBROSE
Deacon, I think you're more human
than you were ever meant to be.
Off Deacon's bewildered expression we
MATCH DISSOLVE TO:
115 INT. CITADEL - INTERROGATION ROOM 115
Gelbach stands alone in the interrogation room, looking around
at the shadows burned into the walls.
Seconds later, Coral Harmon is dragged in by a pair of fantoms
and suspended in the center of the chamber.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 81
3-6-01
GELBACH
You are right to fear Latimer, you
know. He is a madman.
CORAL
You're no better.
GELBACH
It really isn't fair to hold me up
against human standards... we are so
far beyond you on the evolutionary
scale.
CORAL
Delusions of grandeur.
GELBACH
Am I really such a monster? My
primary concern is for the welfare
of my people. I won't have them
born into subjugation any longer.
Surely you can understand this.
CORAL
What does that mean for the rest of
us?
GELBACH
Humankind is a conundrum to me.
They set lofty goals for an idealic
society, but none of them are prepared
to do what needs to be done to see
that dream realized.
CORAL
And you are? Is that what you're
telling me?
GELBACH
This City could be the wellspring.
There are technologies here that
could change the World. Latimer's
view is skewered and sideways, all
this potential and all he can come
up with are weapons of pain and
suffering. Well all that is about
to change.
CORAL
Uh huh. And what happens when you're
sitting on the throne? Humans born
into subjugation?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 82
3-6-01
GELBACH
I had considered it. More trouble
than it is worth.
(pause)
I will forge a New World, a global
community, where all are equal and
want for nothing - humans and fantoms
alike, mind you. Can you not see
how much is to be gained?
CORAL
Then you might as well kill us.
GELBACH
I do not understand.
CORAL
Human beings don't fit into your
perfect little world. If there is
to be change, we want it on our own
terms. We'd sooner die than have
utopia imposed on us by you and your
hive.
GELBACH
I cannot believe this will be the
case. But... if that is your people's
wish when the time comes... s-so be
it.
Gelbach puts his hand to his temple and shows weakness for
the first time. Through his link with the others, he feels
their pain; many of his children are exhibiting symptoms of
Arzamas 16.
GELBACH (CONT'D)
N-no!
Gelbach storms out of the interrogation chamber.
CUT TO:
116 INT. CITADEL - GALEN'S CHAMBER 116
Dahlia is weeping openly as she examines the bruises that
are starting to form on her body. Galen himself wears a
sullen expression, but keeps his cool.
GALEN
Pull yourself together, Dahlia.
What's done is done.
Dahlia calmes down.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 83
3-6-01
GALEN (CONT'D)
Now, Dahlia, there's something very
important I need you to do for me.
Do you think you're up for it?
Dahlia nods.
GALEN (CONT'D)
Do you know where Mori stores the
plague killer?
DAHLIA
Y-yes.
GALEN
Do you know where the City air
recirculation unit is housed?
Dahlia nods an affirmative.
GALEN (CONT'D)
Do you fully understand what I'm
asking you to do?
DAHLIA
Yes, sir, I do.
Galen hugs her warmly.
GALEN
Then make it happen, Dahlia.
Dahlia pulls away and walks toward the door. Before exiting,
though, she stops and turns around.
DAHLIA
We'll see each other again.
Galen nods and allows a faint smile to cross his face.
GALEN
I know we will.
CUT TO:
117 EXT. VALHALLA 117
In space, no one can hear you scream...
COMPUTER (O.S.)
I'm sorry, but your signal cannot go
through.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 84
3-6-01
118 INT. VALHALLA - TAMARA'S QUARTERS 118
Hopelessly anxious, Tamara is frantically flipping switches
at her communications console.
TAMARA
Computer, set the message on auto-
repeat, once every fifteen seconds.
COMPUTER
Affirmative.
Tamara sits back in her chair and bites her lip. A few
seconds later, her prerecorded message plays back over the
comm system.
TAMARA'S VOICE
Alban, this is Tamara. Please
respond. I say again, this is Tamara.
If you are hearing this message, you
must get in touch with me immediately.
CUT TO:
119 INT. SEWER PIPE 119
Deacon and Ambrose continue their search.
WYNN (O.S.)
Well now, what do we 'ave 'ere?
Deacon and Ambrose look behind them to find Alban Wynn and
his entire following, their weapons drawn.
BOK
Looks to me like a Senator and a
Samurai, Alban.
WYNN
Looks that way.
(pause)
Shoot them.
AMBROSE
STOP! We're here to help you free
the prisoners and retake the Citadel.
WYNN
Bollocks!
AMBROSE
Tamara sent me!
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 85
3-6-01
Wynn reacts at hearing her name.
WYNN
You lie.
AMBROSE
She told me all about the two of
you, how you've been informing her
about this place. How could I know
that unless I was on the level.
WYNN
Tamara cou'be dead now. Latimer
cou'be projectin' 'er thoughts on a
big fucking screen, f'r all I know.
BOK
You've been in contact with Senator
Tamara all this time?
WYNN
Shut up, Bok.
DEACON
Wynn, you don't know what you're
doing.
WYNN
Shut y'r bloody mouth, Deacon, I
don't 'ave word one t' say t' you!
DEACON
Coral's still alive. They're all
alive, and in Gelbach's custody.
But they won't be for long, unless
we do something!
CUT TO:
120 INT. CITADEL - ENTRANCE TO BIOHAZARD WING 120
Dahlia is clad in an ill-fitting hazmat suit and is presently
having great difficulty keying in the access code through
the cumbersome gloves.
COMPUTER
Code not recognized. Access denied.
DAHLIA
Damn it!
Dahlia tries one more time and is elated to see the keypad
turn green.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 86
3-6-01
COMPUTER
Thank you, Director Holm, you are
cleared to proceed.
121 INT. CITADEL - BIOHAZARD WING 121
The biohazard wing is basically an array of vault-like storage
rooms where unstable, generally dangerous chemical and
biological agents are stored safely away.
Dahlia hurries down the corridor to storage room seven, keys
in another passcode, and the security door swings slowly
open.
122 INT. CITADEL - BIOHAZARD WING - STORAGE ROOM SEVEN 122
Dahlia steps into the misty, temperature-regulated room and
her eyes go wide.
The room is entirely empty; all the stores of the cure have
been cleared out.
Dahlia sprints back the way she came.
CUT TO:
123 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - DOCKING PLATFORM 123
The release of the contagion has induced rioting in the
streets; scientists stricken with Arzamas 16 scamper about,
screaming and crying.
Dr. Mori's hover car glides to halt, the back seat brimming
with heavy cases of the plague killer. Mori disembarks and
looks up at the docking platform.
About a dozen scientists are hovering around the access hatch.
On seeing Mori, they rush down the ramp towards him.
SCIENTIST
Dr. Mori, please help us!
Mori palms his blaster and kills each and every one of them,
efficiently and without remorse. He then trots around to
the back of his car and tries to get a grip on the first
bulky case, balancing it in his arms carefully so as not to
tear his hazmat suit.
Mori is a frail man, advanced in years. He manages to hobble
up the ramp with one case at a time, but the process is slow
going.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 87
3-6-01
124 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - STREETS 124
Dahlia is racing through the streets on a hover bike, swerving
to avoid the mobs of stricken scientists and fantoms alike.
She has discarded the hazmat suit in favor of increased
mobility; it is too late for her, anyway. Her breathing has
become labored, and the telltale bruises have spread across
her entire body.
CUT TO:
125 INT. SEWER PIPE 125
By the grace of God, the two parties have yet to come to
blows, though the verbal battle rages on.
DEACON
Maybe if you and Coral listened to
each other instead of relentlessly
stepping on each other's toes, you
wouldn't have --
WYNN
Shut y'r ugly face!
BOK
Wynn, I think we'd better listen to
him...
WYNN
What, you bloody too?
BOK
Look, we might be able to take him...
Deacon snorts.
BOK (CONT'D)
...but the attrition would cripple
us.
WYNN
And if this is just another fuckin'
con job, then the resistance is
finished an' Latimer wins. Iz'at
what y' want, Bok? Iz'it?
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 88
3-6-01
126 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - DOCKING PLATFORM 126
Mori is sweating heavily in the hot hazmat suit as he reaches
for the second to last case and starts lugging it towards
the transport shuttle.
Seconds later, Dahlia glides the hover bike to a stop and
hops off. She jumps into the driver's seat of the hover
car, ignites the repulsors and...
DR. MORI (O.S.)
Put your hands in the air, you filthy
insect.
Dahlia looks up to find Mori's gun trained on her. She
complies and puts her hands up.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
You're too late to save anyone, you
know. This biosphere is so self-
contained I doubt there's a single
uninfected person left anywhere in
the City.
(evil grin)
Heh, that is, except for me.
Mori comes ever closer.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Goodbye, Dahlia. Take this for what
it is; a relatively painless death
to the one it looks like you're in
for.
FANTOM (O.S.)
MORI!
Mori looks up to see swarms of fantoms coming his way. He
scurries back up the ramp to the docking platform.
CUT TO:
127 INT. CITADEL - GELBACH'S CHAMBER 127
Gelbach sits alone in his chamber, telegraphing his words to
the fantom in the field.
GELBACH
Stop where you are, Mori, you
aren't...
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 89
3-6-01
128 EXT. RESEARCH DISTRICT - DOCKING PLATFORM 128
The fantom and Gelbach speak as one.
FANTOM
...going anywhere without this last
case. Throw down your weapon and we
will grant you a quick death.
DR. MORI
Sorry to spoil your fun, Gelbach,
but I already have quite enough on
board the shuttle. Be seeing you.
Mori boards the shuttle and fires up the engines.
Dahlia takes this opportunity and hits the gas on the hover
car, pulling away from the docking platform.
Meanwhile, Mori lifts the transport shuttle into the sky,
and without any long range weaponry, the fantoms are powerless
to stop him.
Dahlia runs down a handful of fantoms in her escape, but one
manages to leap onto the back of the car as it's picking up
speed. The fantom raises his sword high into the air...
...and Dahlia slams on the breaks, sending his unwanted
passenger flying. Then she once again leans on the
accelerator and leaves the ailing fantoms far behind.
CUT TO:
129 INT. SEWER PIPE 129
Wynn and Bok now have their weapons aimed at each other.
BOK
Wynn, please don't make me shoot
you!
Wynn looks frantically from Bok to Deacon to Ambrose.
CUT TO:
130 INT. TRANSPORT SHUTTLE 130
Mori confidently keys in the signal to open the energy shield.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 90
3-6-01
131 EXT. ALASKAN SKIES 131
An opening begins to appear in the shield over the City...
CUT TO:
132 INT. SEWER PIPE 132
Deacon synthesizes his bio-swords, forcing the issue.
DEACON
What's it gonna be, Wynn?
Suddenly, a recorded message crackles over Wynn's
communicator.
TAMARA'S VOICE
--amara. Please respond. I say
again, this is Tamara. If you are
hearing this message, you must get
in touch with me immediately.
Wynn lowers his weapon.
WYNN
(into communicator)
I'm here, Tamara...
Deacon retracts his swords and allows himself a smile.
CUT TO:
133 INT. CITADEL - AIR RECIRCULATION 133
Dahlia lugs the case of plague killer into the room and
collapses to the floor, gasping for air.
CUT TO:
134 INT. CITADEL - GELBACH'S CHAMBER 134
The door slides open and Galen Holm steps inside.
GELBACH
I don't really have the time now,
Director.
GALEN
That's where you're wrong, Gelbach.
We have all the time in the world.
Galen pulls up a chair next to Gelbach.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 91
3-6-01
GALEN (CONT'D)
My aide is over at air recirculation.
With any luck, she's already released
the plague killer into the system.
GELBACH
Quick thinking, Director. I applaud
you. Now we can see about...
reprimanding Latimer for this most
recent treachery.
Galen exhales long and hard.
GALEN
And there's something else,
Magistrate.
GELBACH
What's that?
GALEN
I've been infected with Arzamas 16.
And now so have you.
GELBACH
NO!
Gelbach bolts out of his chair and lifts Galen up by his
neck. He throws Galen across the room and tears out of the
chamber.
Galen pulls himself up against the wall with his good arm,
and revels in this small victory.
CUT TO:
135 INT. CITADEL - AIR RECIRCULATION 135
Dahlia lies still on the floor, the open case beside her.
CUT TO:
136 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 136
Gelbach runs down the corridor in a frenzy, but there's
nothing he can do to stop it.
He takes a last few unsteady steps and collapses to the floor.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 92
3-6-01
137 INT. CITADEL - GELBACH'S CHAMBER 137
General Galen Holm, quiet and dignified, takes his last breath
and closes his eyes for the last time.
CUT TO:
138 INT. SEWER PIPE 138
Deacon, Ambrose, and their new comrades in arms trudge through
the sludge in silence.
Deacon leads the pack towards the mouth of the tunnel.
139 EXT. RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT 139
The members of the procession step out into the light one at
a time, and their eyes widen in turn.
BOK
Oh my God...
The streets are littered with corpses, hundreds of scientists
and fantoms lying dead where they fell.
Off our heroes' bewildered and horrified faces, we
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
140 INT. CITADEL - GALEN'S CHAMBER 140
Standing outside in the corridor, Deacon and Ambrose pay
their last respects to Galen and shut the door to his chamber.
AMBROSE
What do you suppose happened?
DEACON
Plague victim got lose... was let
lose...
AMBROSE
Most of the dead didn't die of the
virus. Looks like somebody had the
good sense to release the plague
killer before he died.
Ambrose comes upon a corpse, face down in the middle of the
corridor. He flips the body over with his foot.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 93
3-6-01
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
Well, now...
Wynn, Bok, and a throng of Friendly Ghosts start to filter
into the corridor.
WYNN
Lookie 'ere. Seems the prison cells
'ad there own air filtration system,
di'nt they?
Wynn is close enough now to see Gelbach's dead body sprawled
on the floor.
WYNN (CONT'D)
Is zat who I think it is? Bonzer
there, mates! Couldn't 'ave 'appened
t' a nicer fellow.
DEACON
Where's Coral?
WYNN
Others said Gelbach dragged 'er off
'for the shit hit the fan.
AMBROSE
Then she's probably in the
interrogation room. Let's go get
her.
SMASH CUT TO:
141 INT. CITADEL - INTERROGATION ROOM 141
Coral punches Deacon squarely in the face, but Deacon rolls
with it. It takes Wynn and Bok to keep her off of him.
CORAL
Come here, you bastard! I'll kill
you!
DEACON
Did he hurt you?
CORAL
Not as much as you did, you fucking
traitor!
(cathes her breath)
Wynn, go ahead, you have my permission
to eviscerate him!
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 94
3-6-01
WYNN
Maybe later, darlin'. Right now
we'd best drag our asses up t'
Control, try'n sort out what the
hell's going on --
Wynn is cut short by the sound of weapons fire out in the
corridor.
142 EXT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 142
Coral, Deacon, Wynn, Bok, and Ambrose file out into the
corridor.
At the end of the hall, fantoms are pouring out of the cloning
facility. The F.G.'s who are armed are laying down a
suppressing fire, but they're only slowing the fantoms'
advance.
CORAL
Cover our asses, people! We're going
up to Central Control, see if we
can't --
Wynn yanks hard on Coral's arm.
WYNN
They know all they need to,
sweetheart.
The five of them break into a run.
AMBROSE
I don't undertstand. Gelbach's dead,
how can the fantoms still be operating
as a collective?
DEACON
You forget. When I revealed my true
face, Coral thought Gelbach and I
were one and the same.
CORAL
So?
DEACON
The only logical inference, then:
Gelbach - the real Gelbach - is not
yet dead.
SMASH CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 95
3-6-01
143 INT. GELBACH'S PERSONAL SHUTTLE 143
Gelbach sits at the controls, all the fire of Hell in his
eyes. He is closing fast on the Valhalla, and sets a course
for the docking bay.
144 INT. VALHALLA - DOCKING BAY 144
Gelbach sets the shuttle down and storms down the access
ramp. He blows through the docking bay towards the bowels
of the ship.
A few seconds later Tamara peeks her head out from behind a
stack of crates. She emerges from her hinding place,
cautiously at first, but then she clambers up the access
ramp to Gelbach's shuttle, fires it up, and gets the hell
off the figuratively sinking ship.
145 INT. VALHALLA - CAUSEWAY 145
Gelbach stops in his tracks when he hears Latimer's voice
echo through the sound system.
LATIMER (O.S.)
Hello there, Hunter. So nice of you
to come to witness my ascension.
GELBACH
I am ten times your better, machine
or no.
Latimer cackles.
LATIMER (O.S.)
We shall see.
146 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 146
Latimer is strapped into the junction port, his hand on the
activator switch.
Gelbach tears through the door in a dirge of crunching metal.
Latimer begins to laugh like a madman.
LATIMER
You're too late, Gelbach! Ahahahah!
You're too late!
Latimer flips the switch...
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 96
3-6-01
147 INT. CITADEL - CENTRAL CONTROL 147
Deacon and Ambrose watch Coral, Wynn, and Bok flutter from
console to console.
BOK
I just broke through the encryption
on the message logs. Get a load of
this.
Bok plays back Latimer's final transmission to Mori.
CORAL
Logs show Mori made a break for it
in the transport shuttle a little
over an hour ago.
WYNN
This must be where 'e's going.
Wynn pulls up a hologram in the center of the room.
WYNN (CONT'D)
Deployment satellite.
AMBROSE
Well then... we just have to beat
him to it.
WYNN
Bastard's already got an hour's head
start on us.
CORAL
Besides... Gelbach took off in his
personal shuttle at about the same
time. There are no other space faring
vessels anywhere in the City.
WYNN
Well that's bloody brilliant, I'n't?
AMBROSE
We're marooned, then.
BOK
OSS.
All eyes turn to Bok.
WYNN
Howzat?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 97
3-6-01
BOK
Operation Side Step. Follow me.
148 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 148
Bok leads them back into the hallway, only to find Raine and
the Friendly Ghosts running for their lives.
RAINE
Coral, there are just too many of
them!
WYNN
Follow Bok's lead. We're reconvening
at some fuckin' set of initials.
We'll make our stand there.
CUT TO:
149 INT. CITADEL - OSS LAB 149
Bok fires up the machine and the shimmering slipdoor comes
into being.
CORAL
Wow.
WYNN
Fuckin' beautiful.
AMBROSE
What are we looking at?
CORAL
If I had to guess, I'd say it's some
sort of space folding machine.
(to Bok)
Am I close?
BOK
Close enough.
Bok pulls a panel off the main console and groans in dismay.
WYNN
What now?
BOK
Mori and his half-wits butchered
this thing. They couldn't have gotten
the configuration more wrong!
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 98
3-6-01
CORAL
Well, you'd better give us a crash
course and make us useful, because
we're really up against it for time.
CUT TO:
150 INT. TRANSPORT SHUTTLE 150
Mori sits at the controls, maxing out the the craft's engines.
Through the viewport, the small speck that is the deployment
satellite grows steadily nearer.
CUT TO:
151 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 151
Raine and the F.G.'s strike down fantom after fantom, but
the numbers are not on their side; the fantoms are
unrelenting.
CUT TO:
152 INT. CITADEL - OSS LAB 152
Wynn and Coral scurry about recalibrating the OSS as Bok
oversees.
AMBROSE
How long a range do we have with
this thing?
BOK
Well, theoretically infinite. Turns
the concept of transportation on its
head; the fastest way to get from
one point to another is no longer a
straight line.
WYNN
'old on, there, mate. What d'ya
mean, "theoretically infinite?"
BOK
Well, just that.
CORAL
You mean this thing's never been
tested?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 99
3-6-01
BOK
Well, no... not on anything sentient,
anyway.
WYNN
Jesus H. Christ...
DEACON
You can test it on me. Hunter Gelbach
can only be bound for the Valhalla.
That is where I must go.
CORAL
I'm coming with you.
DEACON
The Valhalla is no place for you.
CORAL
My place... is at my husband's side.
If there's any chance he could still
be alive --
DEACON
'e's 'alf right, C. You can't go
with him t' the Valhalla cause you
need t' shoot on over t' the
Deployment Satellite an' stop Mori
'for 'e --
CORAL
You and Bok can do it!
BOK
No can do, Coral, I need to stay
here to operate the machine.
WYNN
An' I don't know the first thing
'bout that bug 'e's carryin'. You
an' Casper helped develop it.
CORAL
But --
AMBROSE
This thing is bigger than you, and
it's bigger than Casper. Whether
he's alive or not, your presence on
the space station won't do him a
damn bit of good. The two of us are
the only ones who can stop this
wholesale genocide.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 100
3-6-01
Coral nods in resignation as Deacon steps up to the slipdoor.
WYNN
Lemme pull up up-to-the-minute
coordinates f'r the Valhalla...
(to Deacon, good-
natured)
Good luck, you freakin' throwback.
CORAL
(to Deacon)
Just keep this is the back of your
mind. Even if you live through this,
I'm still gonna kill you.
DEACON
I look forward to it.
Deacon assumes the position.
DEACON (CONT'D)
If I don't come back... blow the
station out of the sky.
AMBROSE
But there are hundreds of innocent
people on board the Valhalla.
DEACON
I know.
With that, Deacon disappears into the slipdoor.
CORAL
I hope he's a stain on a windshield
somewhere.
BOK
Better hope not, Coral... you're on
deck.
CUT TO:
153 INT. VALHALLA - CAUSEWAY 153
A slipdoor slides open and Deacon steps out. He looks down
at himself to make sure he's all there.
GELBACH (O.S.)
Welcome, Deacon.
Gelbach's steely voice echoes down the vast causeway.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 101
3-6-01
DEACON
Gelbach. Where is Latimer?
GELBACH (O.S.)
You owe him nothing, Deacon. You
were just a tool to him. A weapon.
DEACON
He is my master, now and forever.
If you've hurt him, I will kill you.
GELBACH (O.S.)
You couldn't touch me in the City.
Now... no one can touch me.
DEACON
Gelbach... where is Latimer?
GELBACH (O.S.)
I will take you to him.
The floor beneath Deacon's feet begins to contort and Deacon
takes a step back.
A metallic effigy of Hunter Gelbach literally climbs out of
the deck. Without a word, or even a gesture, the effigy
walks away down the dark causeway. Deacon holds his ground
for a moment, then follows after it.
CUT TO:
154 INT. CITADEL - OSS LAB 154
Coral and Ambrose are standing in front of the slip door.
AMBROSE
Whatever you do, don't let the fantoms
get their hands on this device.
BOK
We'd sooner destroy it.
AMBROSE
Good man.
Wynn walks up to Coral.
WYNN
Coral...
CORAL
Yes?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 102
3-6-01
Wynn falters.
WYNN
... take care.
CORAL
(smiles)
You too.
Coral and Ambrose disappear into the slipdoor.
WYNN
Cheers.
Bok puts his arm around Wynn.
BOK
Come on, Wynn. Let's go stomp some
genomes.
WYNN
Yeah. I'll take 'at "poor man's
razor" an' shove it up their
collective ass.
CUT TO:
155 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE 155
Coral and Ambrose emerge from a slipdoor.
CORAL
This must be the place. The Russians
really built this?
AMBROSE
M-hmm. In 2018.
CORAL
I didn't even know the Stalinites
threatened to ethnically cleanse the
Earth's population.
AMBROSE
Yeah, well the powers that were took
great pains to keep this place a
secret, after that faulty canister
put those Russian retrogrades in
early graves.
CORAL
You know, history is a lot more
interesting to hear you tell it.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 103
3-6-01
AMBROSE
Yeah... and a lot less wholesome.
Coral looks around.
CORAL
This place is mammoth.
AMBROSE
Mammoth and empty.
CORAL
Do you think we beat him here?
COMPUTER (O.S.)
Launch system initiated. Deployment
begins in t-minus thirty minutes.
Coral and Ambrose break into a run.
CUT TO:
156 INT. VALHALLA - CAUSEWAY 156
Deacon continues to follow close behind Gelbach's gleaming
effigy, looking around as he goes for any signs of trouble.
The two come to the busted in door to the junction room.
The effigy keeps walking and disappears into the wall.
Deacon gingerly climbs through the jagged metal outcroppings
that were once the door.
157 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 157
The room is quite dark, Deacon can scarcely see his hand in
front of his face.
DEACON
Are you so afraid to face me?
GELBACH (O.S.)
You spend too much time with the
humans, I think. Pride. Chivalry.
Honor. Loyalty. We are beyond these
things.
DEACON
I'm not.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 104
3-6-01
GELBACH (O.S.)
Which is precisely why, if we came
to blows, you would lose... time and
again. But I do not want to fight
you, Deacon.
DEACON
What do you want?
A spotlight comes on, illuminating a white-haired corpse,
posed in a display case on the far wall.
GELBACH (O.S.)
I want you to understand.
CUT TO:
158 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 158
The Friendly Ghosts have consolidated their position, but
fantoms continue to stream out of the cloning facility.
WYNN
Too fuckin' many of 'em!
RAINE
We need to attack them at the source.
Is there any other way into the
Cloning Facility?
WYNN
The fuck should I know, Sheila?
Bok reaches into his vest and withdraws a block of plastic
explosive (the same he and Wynn used on the maglev). He
tosses it against the outer wall to the Cloning Facility and
takes aim.
Wynn's eyes go wide.
WYNN (CONT'D)
Back! Back! Everybody back!
Bok tightens his finger around the trigger...
159 INT. CITADEL - CLONING FACILITY 159
... and the wall EXPLODES inward, shattering incubation tubes
and sending bits of underdeveloped fantoms everywhere.
160 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 160
Smoke fills the corridor.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 105
3-6-01
Raine rallies the F.G.'s forward, pressing their advantage.
RAINE
We'll cover you!
Wynn and Bok dart across the hall and into the gaping hole
in the wall.
161 INT. CITADEL - CLONING FACILITY 161
Wynn and Bok step up to the railing and look down.
WYNN
Oh my good God...
They see level after subterranean level of gestating fantoms,
rows of them coming to term by the second. They look at
each other, then blast away at the incubation tubes, the
sound of SHATTERING GLASS and SLOSHING SOLUTION complementing
the PULSE of laser fire.
CUT TO:
162 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 162
Coral and Ambrose run into the vast incubation chamber and
look up.
There is a catwalk about fifty feet above their heads, and
in the center of the spherical chamber is the deployment
device itself.
Ambrose runs around, looking for some kind of ladder, any
way to reach the catwalk above.
Coral taps her foot against the metal floor.
CORAL
I think we're standing on a door.
AMBROSE
A door to what?
CORAL
Deep space... the outer atmosphere.
Coral runs over to a locker and produces a pair of spacesuits.
CORAL (CONT'D)
We should really put these on.
Ambrose is busy trying to solve the problem of how to reach
the catwalk, so Coral walks the suit over to him.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 106
3-6-01
The two of them struggle into the suits. As Ambrose is
sealing his helmet, he spots the artificial gravity generator.
AMBROSE
Coral, have you had any zero-G
training?
CORAL
No... but I was captain of the swim
team in high school.
AMBROSE
Good enough.
Ambrose opens fire with his pulse rifle, destroying the
gravity well. He pushes off the floor and floats upwards
toward the catwalk.
Ambrose grabs hold of the catwalk and swings himself up and
on to it.
Back on the floor, Coral hesitates, nervously.
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
Come on, you can do it. A little
push goes a long way.
Coral builds up her courage and pushes off. She wobbles
unsteadily at first, but she gradually gets the hang of it.
She falls into a smooth breast stroke and showboats a little.
AMBROSE (CONT'D)
(smiling)
Good form.
Coral is having fun despite herself, until she realizes her
angle of approach is too shallow, she is going to miss the
catwalk entirely.
Ambrose sees this, too. He stands up to his full height and
reaches out his hand.
Coral catches hold of Ambrose's hand as she shoots past.
Ambrose tries to anchor himself but Coral's momentum gets
the better of him and the two of them are propelled upwards
towards the ceiling.
CUT TO:
163 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 163
Deacon stands before the white haired corpse in the display
case.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 107
3-6-01
DEACON
I don't know this man.
GELBACH (O.S.)
You should. He is most certainly
the man Latimer sent you to the City
with the intention of killing. But
then, as now, I was one step ahead
of you.
DEACON
Casper Harmon?
GELBACH (O.S.)
The very same.
DEACON
What happened to him?
GELBACH (O.S.)
He was sacrificed... for the greater
glory of your master.
DEACON
Where is he, Gelbach?
GELBACH
Closer than you think.
Another spotlight comes on, illuminating yet another display
case on the other side of the room. Inside this one,
Latimer's charred corpse stares out at Deacon with empty
eyes.
DEACON
(anger registering)
What did you do to him?
GELBACH
You have it all wrong, Deacon. He
did it to himself.
DEACON
But I don't understand. With my
suit, he was supposed to have
perfected the neural network that he
needed to --
Gelbach laughs; a horrible, droning sound.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 108
3-6-01
GELBACH
Deacon, you are working under baseless
limitations. Let me tell you
something about our people. Our
telepathic link? It was not there
from the beginning. One day I simply
realized I could touch the minds of
all those who came after me... what
was more, I came to realize I could
actually control them.
DEACON
You realized it?
GELBACH
The only way I know how to describe
it.
DEACON
That doesn't explain what happened
to Latimer.
GELBACH
Latimer had made a... grievous error.
His neuro-connectors were flawed,
not any improvement on his earlier
designs.
DEACON
But that's impossible, the bio-suit
was a sucess --
GELBACH
The bio-suit was a dismal failure!
We were his sucess!
DEACON
I don't understand!
GELBACH
Placebo effect. You were given this
suit, told it would merge with you...
you did not give it a second thought.
DEACON
So?
GELBACH
In the moment you donned that suit,
you realized something about yourself.
DEACON
What did I realize?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 109
3-6-01
GELBACH
Answer me this: Are you able to fly...
under your own power?
DEACON
No... of course not.
GELBACH
Why not?
DEACON
Because people can't fly.
GELBACH
Absolutely right, people cannot fly.
And by extension, that limitation
extends to us, is that right?
(beat)
Tell me... have you ever tried to
fly?
DEACON
No.
GELBACH
And why not?
DEACON
Well, it... it never occurred to me
to try...
GELBACH
Now do you understand?
Suddenly, without realizing it, Deacon begins floating. He
looks down and gasps.
DEACON
The suit didn't bond with me... I
bonded with the suit!
GELBACH
Fastest human mind could not co-
habitate this ship with a living
computer. It was then that I
realized, I had no need for a junction
port... I had everything I needed to
bond with this ship in the confines
of my own mind.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 110
3-6-01
The lights finally come up in full, and Deacon spots Gelbach's
cast-off, mortal body, lying lifeless on the floor.
CUT TO:
164 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 164
Ambrose is back on the catwalk and, finally, he eases Coral
to a steady landing.
Silently, the two of them approach the pulsing deployment
device.
CORAL
Looks like some kind of a membrane...
AMBROSE
Think I should blast it?
Coral frowns at him, and walks away towards a console.
Ambrose gives a "who me" shrug.
Coral pulls up a schematic and begins to interpolate the
data.
CORAL
OK... if I'm reading this right, at
t-minus five minutes, the doors will
start to open.
AMBROSE
Then what?
CORAL
Well, then... if we can't shut this
thing down, the chamber will be
flooded with plague killer and --
DR. MORI
And thousands of Arzamas 16 victims
will be put out of their misery.
Coral and Ambrose whirl around to find that Mori has come
out of hiding and has them in his sights.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Drop your weapons.
Coral and Ambrose comply and the guns just hang there in
space.
Mori rolls his eyes.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 111
3-6-01
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
(agitated)
Toss them away, please.
Mori walks along the catwalk towards them.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Is that you, Ambrose?
Ambrose glares back at him.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
I really am going to enjoy this.
AMBROSE
I won't give you the satisfaction,
you monster...
DR. MORI
Oooh, my ears are burning. Hurts
all the more, coming from an
affirmative action poster-boy --
CORAL
Listen, Seniors, can one of you
explain to me just what kind of blood
feud I've walked into?
DR. MORI
Oh, where to begin. When General
Ambrose caught up with me in China,
he didn't just turn me over to the
tender mercies of the war crimes
tribunal. I might have forgiven him
that.
CORAL
What did he do?
DR. MORI
Your friend dropped me off in a third
world, hell-hole prison camp. Came
back to get me when the war was
over... five months later.
AMBROSE
What was I supposed to to, drag you
along with me?
DR. MORI
There's something of an unhealthy
mythos surrounding me in Asia,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 112
3-6-01
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Ambrose. You knew what those...
a-animals would do to me down there
in the dark.
Mori shudders.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
This place is a wonder of potential
research, don't you agree, Dr. Harmon?
(beat)
I've always wanted to observe close-
up the effects of a vacuum on human
trash like you and your Negro friend.
Mori gestures with his gun.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Step over there.
Coral starts to comply, but Ambrose grabs hold of her and
swings the both of them over the guardrail and off the
catwalk.
Mori frowns. He peers over the side, straining to find the
two runners; no sign of them.
CUT TO:
165 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 165
Deacon nudges Gelbach's lifeless body with his foot.
GELBACH (O.S.)
Cleaning up loose ends. Your friends
in the City are the only threat to
our kind... but they cannot stop us
now. I can upkeep so many more...
maintain so many more than I ever
could before.
DEACON
Why do you tell me all this?
GELBACH (O.S.)
Because I need you, Deacon. There
are certain... disadvantages to
abandoning one's corporeal form. I
need you... to be by eyes and ears.
DEACON
Any one of your fantoms can be that
for you and more.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 113
3-6-01
GELBACH (O.S.)
But they are necessarily bound by
the inhibitions you and I have now
cast-off. They cannot be allowed to
unleash their full potential. Chaos.
Collective would break down.
DEACON
You want me as a figurehead?
GELBACH (O.S.)
Of sorts.
DEACON
Curious. Then you do acknowledge
the merits of individuality.
GELBACH (O.S.)
(pause)
It has its place.
DEACON
I won't do it.
GELBACH (O.S.)
Is this because of a paltry political
affiliation... or a misguided loyalty
to your dead master?
DEACON
My mind... is made up.
GELBACH (O.S.)
Deacon... you do not want to be a
loose end.
Six metal Gelbach effigies ooze out of the walls.
GELBACH (O.S.) (CONT'D)
You cannot win.
DEACON
And you... cannot be allowed to win.
Deacon synthesizes his bio-swords and the effigies spring
into coordinated action.
Deacon is outnumbered, but his newfound knowledge is sinking
in; he is faster than he ever was before. He lands several
hits on Gelbach's proxies but the drones promptly resolidify
and press their attack.
CUT TO:
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 114
3-6-01
166 INT. CITADEL - CLONING FACILITY 166
Wynn is still blasting incubation tubes when Bok tugs at his
sleeve.
BOK
Uh, Wynn...
Wynn looks up and stops firing. The freshly birthed fantoms
have turned their attentions away from the forward Friendly
Ghost assault to channel what passes for rage at the two
humans slaughtering their unborn brethren. Hundreds of
fantoms advance on them.
Wynn and Bok tear out of the Cloning Facility.
CUT TO:
167 INT. CITADEL - CORRIDOR 167
Streaming now not only through the front entrance but also
through the door Wynn and Bok created, the force of the
fantoms' numbers overcome the F.G.'s defenses. The fantoms
pour into the ranks of the F.G.'s hacking away without
remorse.
RAINE
Retreat! Get the hell out!
Wynn, Bok, Raine, and the rest of the F.G.'s who aren't a
stain on the floor high tail it down the corridor, the army
of fantoms close behind.
CUT TO:
168 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 168
The effigies back Deacon into a corner... so he goes up the
wall. While adjusting to his new orientation, a hand grows
out of the wall and takes hold of Deacon's ankle. Deacon
cuts himself free and launches off the wall, hovering
gracefully in the center of the chamber.
Now that Deacon is out of their reach, the effigies break
down and fall away.
Without warning, the deck below him erupts in a liquid metal
geyser. The metal seizes Deacon's leg and begins to slowly
envelope him. Deacon struggles but is unable to break free.
GELBACH (O.S.)
Poor Deacon.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 115
3-6-01
GELBACH (O.S.) (CONT'D)
The outsider... the odd man out...
the accident. You don't fit in
anywhere, do you?
The flow of metal advances, threatening to swallow Deacon
whole.
Deacon sets his jaw and adopts an expression of resignation...
And Deacon disappears from view.
CUT TO:
169 EXT. CITADEL 169
The Friendly Ghosts pour out onto the street and keep running.
Wynn points and barks out orders. Half of the F.G.'s arrange
themselves in lines, Wynn and Bok at the front.
The others follow Raine and fan out into the surrounding
research buildings.
CUT TO:
170 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 170
Mori treads slowly across the catwalk, his footfalls echoing
in the vast round chamber. He casts his eyes about as he
speaks, looking for signs of movement.
DR. MORI
Come out, come out.
A smile crosses Mori's face.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
Ms. Harmon, I'm glad you're here,
too.
Unbeknowst to Mori, Ambrose and Coral are floating just below
the catwalk, looking for an opening.
DR. MORI (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Oh, yes. I have a message for you,
actually... from Casper.
Coral's eyes widen.
Ambrose looks over at Coral, shaking his head.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 116
3-6-01
Mori wears a sickening grin.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
He was on the cusp of a great journey.
All... fired up to attain a higher
level of consciousness.
Coral's expression hardens and her upper lip quivers.
DR. MORI (CONT'D)
He was strapped into the junction
machine, all raring to go... and he
looked up at me with his beautiful
bloodshot eyes... and - now, let me
see if I can remember how he put it-
he looked up at me, and he said...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Coral gets a firm grip on the catwalk and swings out from
under it, her feet catching Mori squarely in the chest and
sending his firearm flying.
Mori and Coral tumble off the catwalk into an awkward, zero-
gravity tussle.
Ambrose pulls himself onto the catwalk and hurries over to
the control console.
CUT TO:
171 INT. VALHALLA - MINDSCAPE 171
It is the junction room... and it isn't; something isn't
quite right.
Now Gelbach's body is joined by Deacon's fallen mortal coil.
But Gelbach steps out of the shadows...
GELBACH
Resourceful. Evolving. It is good.
He is speaking to Deacon, who comes forward and kneels by
his fallen body.
DEACON
Where are we?
GELBACH
You know.
DEACON
This... is the Valhalla?
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 117
3-6-01
GELBACH
It is. In a way only us two will
ever experience it.
DEACON
It... it's not any different.
GELBACH
The rantings of a confined mind.
Nothing is the same anymore... this
is how your simple mind chooses to
project your new, unfamiliar state...
your evolution to pure energy...
The ship suddenly shudders.
DEACON
Was the station designed to support
two independent consciousness'?
GELBACH
It was not. Which is why you must
leave now... or I will be forced to
destroy you.
Deacon synthesizes his bio-blades and adopts a fighting
stance.
Gelbach synthesizes an unwieldy broadsword.
The two lock eyes; they need no more words.
Gelbach lunges forward with his sword.
CUT TO:
172 EXT. CITADEL 172
Hundreds of fantoms pour out onto the streets.
Raine watches from atop a nearby building.
RAINE
OPEN FIRE!
Laser fire erupts all around the fantoms.
Friendly Ghosts stationed inside the surrounding research
buildings fire out from open windows and pick off fantom
after fantom as their ground force advances, guns blazing,
with Wynn and Bok at the helm.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 118
3-6-01
Raine steps up to the edge of the roof and watches as the
fantoms, in seemingly endless supply, issue forth from the
citadel, stepping over the bodies of their fallen brethren
and pushing forward. She bites her lip.
CUT TO:
173 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 173
Ambrose is laboring over the control console but can't make
heads nor tails out of it.
Mori, still wrestling with Coral, kicks her away and swims
towards his discarded weapon.
COMPUTER (O.S.)
Deployment begins in t-minus five
seconds.
The bottom half of the chamber, the deployment door, slowly
begins to slide apart. Mori's blaster is promptly sucked
out into deep space.
Coral swims through the air towards the catwalk, but the
vacuum starts to get the better of her.
Ambrose looks around frantically. There is a fire hose at
the far end of the catwalk. He takes off in that direction.
Mori, meanwhile, fights as best he can but as the gap widens
below him the vacuum of space beckons. Mori is blown out
into the depths of space.
Back on the catwalk, Ambrose unravels the fire hose and tosses
it Coral's way.
Coral grabs hold of the hose and pulls herself along it
towards the catwalk, all the while the nozzle plummeting
toward space and dragging the hose with it.
Ambrose watches as the hose unwinds from its housing. He
grabs onto it, braces himself, and pulls it towards him,
hand over hand.
Coral scrambles up the hose and gets a grip on the catwalk's
guardrail...
...just as the hose rips free of its housing. It and Ambrose
are yanked clean off the catwalk and Senator Ambrose
disappears into outer space.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 119
3-6-01
CORAL
AMBROSE!
CUT TO:
174 EXT. CITADEL 174
Wynn raises his hand into the air and his troops halt.
WYNN
Hold the line!
The F.G.'s on the ground and those fortified in buildings
continue to pelt the fantoms with laser fire but the fantoms
quickly make up the distance between themselves and the
Friendly Ghosts.
The fantoms break into the F.G.'s ranks and the battle
deteriorates into a close-range skirmish. F.G.'s are forced
to use their pulse rifles as awkward melee weapons, bashing
the cloned soldiers with the butt of their gun.
They cannot effectively defend against the fantoms'
proficiency with their swords, and dozens of F.G.'s fall
within the first few seconds.
Wynn shatters one fantom's helmet with a blow from the butt
of his pulse rifle, then puts a few rounds in him for good
measure.
Bok exhausts the last of his ammo and throws his gun away.
Rather than retreat, he charges into the fray with his bare
hands, smashing the heads of two fantoms together.
Bok catches Wynn's eye and smiles at his achievement.
Suddenly he coughs up blood. He looks down to see that a
sword has been shoved clear through his chest, perilously
close to his heart.
Bok slowly slides off the bloody saber and Wynn screams. He
empties an entire clip into Bok's would be killer and runs
over to his fallen comrade.
Wynn kneels by Bok and checks his wound. Blood rolls down
Bok's chin as he tries to speak.
BOK
W-Wynn...
Bok mumbles something Wynn can't understand. He leans in
closer.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 120
3-6-01
WYNN
What're y' sayin', Bok, I...
Bok reaches up and pushes Wynn's face against his, kissing
him. A few seconds later his arm falls limp and Wynn slowly
sits up, a look of profound confusion and utter grief on his
face.
A lone tear runs down Wynn's face, and F.G.'s are dying all
around him.
CUT TO:
175 INT. VALHALLA - MINDSCAPE 175
Deacon and Gelbach clash swords at post-human speeds.
Gelbach beats Deacon back with his heavy broadsword; it is
all Deacon can do to maintain an effective defense.
And for no reason Gelbach halts his wild assault.
Deacon looks at him strangely. Gelbach is smiling.
Deacon lunges at him...
... and a giant metal stalagmite erupts from the residual
floor. Deacon is knocked backwards, narrowly avoiding being
impaled.
The entire room begins to rumble. Gelbach raises his arms,
palms upward...
Deacon takes to the sky seconds before dozens more metal
spikes tear up through the floor.
Gelbach himself raises into the air and flies at Deacon.
CUT TO:
176 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 176
Coral's hands move lightning quick over the deployment
satellite's control console.
The outer doors are almost fully open and the rapidly escaping
oxygen presses hard against her suit, making it hard to keep
her footing.
(CONTINUED)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
382-Furey-0302 p. 121
3-6-01
COMPUTER (O.S.)
Deployment begins in t-minus one
minute.
CUT TO:
177 EXT. VALHALLA - MINDSCAPE 177
Gelbach swings his broadsword but Deacon blocks, his bio
sword wrapping around Gelbach's sword like a whip. With a
sharp tug, Deacon disarms his nemesis.
Deacon is about to press his advantage when the Valhalla
begins to fall apart at the seems. The station shudders and
then simply de-constructs.
Deacon and Gelbach find themselves floating in deep space.
Deacon shies away, holding his breath. Gelbach laughs at
him.
Deacon takes a breath and understands. And all of a sudden
he is struck by an asteroid the size of California.
The rock explodes. Deacon is battered and bloodied. The
shards encircle him, building up speed.
At the same time, all of the planets' orbits deteriorate and
they begin to revolve around Gelbach.
CUT TO:
178 EXT. CITADEL 178
Raine watches forlornly from her rooftop station as so many
of her friends are slaughtered far below her.
Her expression brightens slightly when the ranks of fantoms
pouring out of the citadel are suddenly decimated by a barrage
of laser fire from up above...
179 INT. GELBACH'S PERSONAL SHUTTLE 179
Tamara leans hard on the fire control, annihilating dozens
of fantoms in one sweep.
Raine's awed voice crackles over the comm.
RAINE (O.S.)
Who's that? Who's up there?
Tamara smiles.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 122
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TAMARA
A friend.
CUT TO:
180 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 180
Sweat runs down Coral's face as she struggle to complete the
cancellation sequence.
COMPUTER
Deployment begins in t-minus 10, 9,
8...
Coral wipes a hand across her brow, the other one still moving
furiously over the keypad...
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
...7, 6, 5...
Coral finishes keying in the sequence...
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
...4, 3...
A loud horn blares and the outer doors freeze in their place.
COMPUTER (CONT'D)
Deployment aborted. Deployment
aborted.
CUT TO:
181 EXT. VALHALLA - MINDSCAPE 181
Deacon lashes out and the meteorites encircling him melt
away.
GELBACH
A small victory. My station. My
world.
DEACON
Gelbach... do you know what would
happen if a new universe formed at
the center of ours.
GELBACH
Of course. It would grow... write
over ours... supercede it.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 123
3-6-01
DEACON
You know something, Gelbach. My bio-
suit... it's a universe unto itself.
The bio-suit slithers off Deacon and begins to expand by
leaps and bounds.
Gelbach simply smiles... until the advancing blob shears his
arm off and threatens to do the same to the rest of him.
GELBACH
No!
Gelbach tries to retreat but is fast overtaken by the ever
expanding bio-suit.
CUT TO:
182 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 182
The bio-suit melts from Deacon's body, leaving him naked and
unconscious, but very much alive.
183 EXT. VALHALLA 183
A surge of energy washes over the Valhalla, knocking out all
its power.
CUT TO:
184 EXT. CITADEL 184
The fantoms, now free of Gelbach's influence, immediately
stop fighting and drop their swords. They look around in
confusion, getting their first taste of individual freedom.
The Friendly Ghosts, in turn, throw down their weapons.
CUT TO:
185 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 185
The outer doors clang shut again and Coral slumps to the
catwalk, exhausted.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
186 EXT. PHILADELPHIA 186
Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered around the art
museum.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 124
3-6-01
The murmur of the crowd ceases as soon as Senator Tamara
opens her mouth.
Tamara is standing at a podium, surrounded by secret service.
When she speaks, her voice is projected across the entire
city.
TAMARA
People of the United States. Your
absentee leader, Senator Latimer, is
dead. My friend and colleague Senator
Ambrose... has retired from politics.
CUT TO:
187 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - INCUBATION CHAMBER 187
Flashback: Coral is lying on the catwalk, dejected. She is
startled to hear something outside, thumping againsts the
bulkhead.
Coral jumps up and runs to the door at the end of the catwalk.
188 INT. DEPLOYMENT SATELLITE - OPERATIONS 188
Coral runs into operations, a vast control room enclosed by
a mammoth transparent dome which allows her to look out over
the entire surface of the satellite.
Her jaw drops open. There's something snagged on the
communications array; a fire hose. And at the end of the
hose, a lone figure in a spacesuit...
CUT TO:
189 EXT. PHILADELPHIA 189
The people hang on Tamara's every word.
TAMARA
I stand before you today as the sole
leader of the most powerful nation
in the World. But I do not intend
to follow in Latimer's footsteps. I
do not intend to pick up where he
left off.
CUT TO:
190 INT. VALHALLA - JUNCTION ROOM 190
Flashback: Faceless government soldiers rush into the
junction room and seize the still unconscious Deacon, tossing
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 125
3-6-01
him on a floating stretcher and rushing back out the way
they came.
CUT TO:
191 EXT. PHILADELPHIA 191
Tamara continues her oration.
TAMARA
For my first official act, I will
grant independence to all territories
illegally annexed by the previous
administration during and in the
wake of the Indian War... at least,
for all those territories that wish
it.
CUT TO:
192 INT. CITADEL - ARBORETUM 192
Flashback: The arboretum has been coverted into a
graveyard/memorial.
Wynn stands with Coral in front of Bok's tombstone, his arm
around Coral's shoulder.
WYNN
You know... I never even knew his
last name.
CORAL
I thought Bok was his last name.
WYNN
'e was a visionary. His discovery...
operation side step... it's gonna
revolutionize transportation as we
know it. This... it should never
'ave 'appened.
Coral turns Wynn's head to face her, then she kisses him on
the lips.
CORAL
All we can do is make sure people
remember him for what he did for us;
for all of us.
Wynn turns back to the gravestone and Coral tenderly pulls
away, walking towards a cluster of mourning fantoms on the
other side of the arboretum. The fantoms looks up at her.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 126
3-6-01
CORAL (CONT'D)
What will you do now?
FANTOM
I think we shall remain here, for
the present. We have a lot to learn
about freedom. And I don't know
that the rest of the world is ready
to accept us.
CUT TO:
193 EXT. PHILADELPHIA 193
The crowd listens, expectantly.
TAMARA
My second and final act will be to
organize here, in the founding place
of this once great nation, a return
to the old ways. Once that is in
place, I will step down, and you
people will elect a new leader, who,
Godwilling, will usher in a new era
of greatness for this country and
the World beyond.
CUT TO:
194 INT. CITADEL - ARBORETUM 194
Flashback: The rest of the mourners have filed out, leaving
only Coral and Wynn. Coral walks back to Wynn's side and
takes his hand.
WYNN
Whaddya suppose happened to Deacon?
CORAL
Nobody knows. By the time we got
back up to the Valhalla, we found
Latimer's body... and Gelbach's...
and...
Coral glances over at a grave marker a few stones down, with
the name "Casper Harmon" etched into it.
Wynn squeezes her hand.
CORAL (CONT'D)
B-but there wasn't a trace of Deacon
anywhere.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 127
3-6-01
WYNN
Gone as suddenly as 'e came. 'at
freak may well 'ave saved all've us,
in the end.
Coral tugs on his arm and they begin to walk out of the
arboretum, treading past Bok's grave, then Casper's, Galen
Holm's, Lynch's and Dahlia's...
CUT TO:
195 EXT. PHILADELPHIA 195
Tamara steps back from the podium, but stops when a voice
shouts out from the crowd.
VOICE
What about Arzamas 16? What good is
a new government if we're all dead?
Tamara smiles.
TAMARA
I have a feeling that that problem...
will attend to itself.
CUT TO:
196 INT. MEDICAL TENT 196
Arzamas 16 victims lie dead and dying in squalid conditions,
physicians in full body hazmat suits attending to them as
best they can.
All of a sudden, the same government troops we saw on the
Valhalla rush in, weapons drawn, and herd the doctors into a
corner.
Then a man walks into the tent. A man in brilliant, white
flowing robes.
The man walks to the nearest cot, where a young boy lies
bruised and pale. The boy reaches up, and the man in white
takes his hand.
A holy glow emanates for the duration of the few seconds of
contact between the two; and then the boy's symptoms
spontaneously and totally remit.
The cured boy sits up and beams at his savior.
(CONTINUED)
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382-Furey-0302 p. 128
3-6-01
Deacon, the man in white, has found his purpose. He smiles
at the boy, a ray of sunlight peeking through a tear in the
tent creating a halo effect.
Those patients who can get up do so and crowd around Deacon,
reaching out to him to be healed. Deacon is only too happy
to oblige them, and off his healing glow we
FADE OUT: