1 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 1
A single yellowed light bulb illuminates a dingy
interrogation room. The institutional green and grey walls
are rotted and peeling. The air has a palpably filthy quality
about it.
The SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
records a MAN being thrown down into an old wooden CHAIR
behind a TABLE in the middle of the room. He is MICHAEL
KELLY.
There are two others. MITCHELL OSRIC wears dark trousers and
a blue dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up. He paces
nervously.
MELISSA SIRHAN, in a black uniform, stands menacingly in the
corner of the room.
Sirhan lights a CIGARETTE.
Kelly has a bruise, he's been beaten up.
The omnipresent camera above him threatens.
Sirhan never speaks. But Osric addresses Kelly.
OSRIC
I didn't want to leave you alone with
Sirhan.
Osric looks over at Sirhan.
Sirhan takes a sadistic drag on her cigarette.
Osric turns back to Kelly.
OSRIC (cont'd)
Actually, you don't look too bad. She
must've gone easy on you.
Kelly looks up at Osric trying not to wince from the pain.
Osric turns to Sirhan, and then back to Kelly.
OSRIC (cont'd)
Let's not make this so difficult.
Would you like a cigarette?
KELLY
I'm trying to quit.
Osric looks up at the surveillance camera.
The camera looks down at the figures in the room.
Osric walks over to Sirhan.
OSRIC
Gimme one.
Grudgingly, Sirhan hands one of her hand - rolled cigarettes
to Osric.
Osric returns to Kelly and hands him the cigarette.
Kelly takes it. Osric offers a light.
OSRIC (cont'd)
Look, I don't want to see you hurt any
more.
He leans in to whisper to Kelly.
OSRIC (cont'd)
(whispering)
They'll make me hurt you much more. . .
Kelly holds his jaw in his hand and massages it gently.
OSRIC (cont'd)
C'mon Michael, who are you trying to
protect?
KELLY
I'm not trying to protect anyone.
OSRICK
No, that's not acceptable. You've gotten
yourself into a bad situation here. I'm
just trying to help you.
KELLY
And I told you, I'm not trying to protect
anyone.
OSRIC
Michael, let's be serious. Why are you
here?
KELLY
You tell me. You don't even have any
charges against me.
OSRIC
How long have you been a police officer?
KELLY
Maybe too long--
OSRIC
Well, long enough to know we don't need
any charges against you. Don't you want
to keep your job?
KELLY
It'll be pretty hard to suspend me.
OSRIC
(sotto voce)
You're right. They don't have anything on
you. You've got a minor disciplinary
against you at best. What's that, two
week's salary? And then you walk out of
here.
KELLY
Why don't I do that now.
OSRIC
Sure, sure. You can go. But I need one
full report from you.
KELLY
Didn't I already do that?
OSRIC
I haven't heard it. Give me the whole
story, then I can let you go.
KELLY
Why should I believe you?
OSRIC
Don't worry -- relax. In a few hours,
you'll be back at home, sipping some fine
red wine and wondering what all the fuss
was about.
Kelly starts at the words "red wine".
KELLY
What do you mean by that?
OSRIC
Nothing, nothing Michael. It's just a
figure of speech. So -- how about you
give your report -- just one more time.
Osrick looks at the security camera
OSRICK
For the record.
Kelly looks up at the camera.
Osric looks up at the camera again, acknowledging it.
The camera looks down at them both.
Osric composes himself.
OSRIC
State your name.
Kelly looks down at his hands. He takes a breath and looks
up.
KELLY
My name is Detective Michael Kelly. I am
an employee of the Consolidated Police
and Security Corporation, Metro Division,
Homicide.
2 INT. POLICE STATION - MORNING 2
A very small and oppressive office. The soot - covered walls
are covered with police propaganda posters, "wanted" notices,
and technical and operational documents with type too small
to read.
The overhead security camera watches Kelly sitting at his
extremely small desk. Seated across from him is a well
dressed pair of beautiful people: ISABELLA von LIECHTENSTEIN,
and her lawyer, RUPERT ODESSA.
KELLY (V.O.)
I had made detective before the police
department was privatized. I had just
been assigned a new partner. We were
finishing up what should have been a
simple murder case -- a wife who plunged
a serrated fourteen-inch knife into her
husband's chest. . .
JANE SIKORSKI enters the room. In her hands is a metal
clipboard. She is no nonsense as she removes papers for
Liechtenstein and Odessa to sign. Betraying no sense of
irony, she speaks to Liechtenstein.
SIKORSKI
Good morning, Mrs. Schlachtmeyer von
Liechtenstein. I am Detective Jane
Sikorski.
I am to formally inform you that the DA
is dropping the charges against you for
the murder of your husband, Mr. Wolfgang
Schlachtmeyer von Liechtenstein, because
the trustee of your husband's estate has
refused to pay for your prosecution.
Rupert Odessa smiles, not smugly, but knowingly and calmly.
Mrs. Schlachtmeyer von Liechtenstein smiles and looks at
Rupert.
Kelly is tired. He's not even angry about this kind of thing
any more.
KELLY
Well, I guess you already know that.
The Department doesn't like us working on
this case and it might affect our
bonuses.
Sikorski turns toward Kelly. She is very matter - of - fact
with him.
SIKORSKI
We are unlikely to get our bonuses based
on the new "Pay for Performance"
initiative of the Consolidated Police and
Security Corporation.
KELLY
Mrs. von Liechtenstein, the next time you
murder someone, make it someone whose
estate is willing to pay us to prosecute
you.
Isabella von Liechtenstein is unperturbed by the accusations
of murder and is instead genteel, polite, and gracious. She
rises from her seat. She has a slight Southern accent.
VON LIECHTENSTEIN
I do appreciate your time, Detectives
Sikorski and Kelly.
She holds out her hand. Kelly, without thinking, takes it.
They shake hands.
VON LIECHTENSTEIN (cont'd)
If there's anything I can ever do for
either of you, please feel free to call
me.
She hands her CARD to Kelly.
VON LIECHTENSTEIN (cont'd)
My husband was a horrible man -- but I
don't expect you understand. I am in your
debt, for your professional handling of
this case. And I am very sorry for the
trouble this case has caused you, both
personally and financially. Please do not
hesitate to call me if you need anything.
Liechtenstein and Odessa leave the office.
SIKORSKI
The Captain wants us. We are being
assigned a new case.
3 INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE 3
Police chief MISHA DESCARTES sits in her virtually empty
office, while the omnipresent camera in the corner of the
room, near the ceiling, captures the sullen entrance of Kelly
and Sikorski.
KELLY (V.O.)
Police Chief Misha Descartes was brought
in after the privatization. She belonged
to the Company, but all-in-all, she
wasn't that bad.
Her desk is made of water. Sitting in the pool is a VASE with
a FLOWER. The Captain gently caresses the flower the way a
Japanese princess might. She does not look up at Kelly or
Sikorski while she talks to them.
DESCARTES
Kelly and Sikorski, you have both been
assigned a new case.
Sikorski walks behind Descartes while Kelly remains in front
of her desk.
Descartes speaks to Sikorski scornfully like a schoolmarm
would.
DESCARTES (cont'd)
Sikorski, don't stand behind me like a
dog.
Sikorski, without betraying any emotion at all, obeys.
DESCARTES (cont'd)
It seems we have a rash of serial
homicides in the city.
SIKORSKI
(neutrally)
What are the financial arrangements of
the investigation?
DESCARTES
The City is paying for this
investigation. The Deputy Mayor, Morris
Finkins, has been killed in his home.
There are no witnesses. His security
detail found his body about an hour ago.
KELLY
You said "serial homicides". . .
Descartes sighs.
DESCARTES
There will be many more murders if this
case isn't solved.
Descartes returns to her flower.
DESCARTES (cont'd)
Whoever killed him got through security
in his building, which should have proved
very difficult.
KELLY
Don't you have anything else? Sikorski
and I don't want a political case.
DESCARTES
They're willing to pay a lot of money for
this. You were asked for by name,
Detective Kelly. You are to find the real
murderer. They want the murderer dead,
there's to be no impediment to the
investigation.
KELLY (V.O.)
I didn't bother to ask who requested me.
I didn't want to know.
Descartes produces a BOX.
DESCARTES
In fact, a new equipment requisition has
come through for you.
She pushes it toward Kelly without looking up at him.
KELLY
I didn't make a new equipment
requisition.
DESCARTES
It was assigned to you just for this
case.
Apprehensively, Kelly opens the BOX. Inside is a CLIP and a
very evil-looking BULLET.
DESCARTES (cont'd)
These should be appropriate for you
service weapon. A full clip, plus an
extra round for the chamber.
KELLY (V.O.)
I hadn't seen these things since I was in
the military. Even then, we never used
them domestically.
Kelly instinctively reaches out and removes the metal BULLET.
The tip of the bullet is serrated and darkened and comes to a
sharp point.
Sikorski looks on dispassionately. Descartes examines her
flower.
Kelly holds the bullet up and examines it.
KELLY (V.O.) (cont'd)
Armor-piercing incendiary shells were
made to take out small tanks and
aircraft. They didn't make sense for
shooting at humans. And these were newer
than the ones I knew.
Misha Descartes finally looks up at Kelly. She is softer and
less official with him.
DESCARTES
(softly)
Michael. There's something very strange
going on here. Be very, very, careful.
Kelly is a little uncomfortable with her speaking to him as
though Sikorski wasn't in the room.
Descartes goes back to her flower and addresses both of them.
DESCARTES (cont'd)
You have enough time to get to the crime
scene and return for your audit.
The camera above them looks on dispassionately as Kelly and
Sikorski look at one another. Sikorski walks immediately out
of the room.
4 INT. DEPUTY MAYOR'S APARTMENT. 4
The door of a luxury apartment.
Two figures shuffle outside. A calm voice breaks the silence.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Consolidated Police and Security
Corporation Warranted access to Level IV
private residence.
Welcome, employees of the Consolidated
Police and Security Corporation.
Kelly and Sikorski slowly push open the door. The lights have
been shut off, leaving only strange, flickering emergency
lights still running.
They push aside some "Police Line Do Not Cross" TAPE.
Kelly turns on his FLASHLIGHT as they enter.
KELLY (V.O.)
Rolling blackouts could even shut down
power to luxury buildings like this.
Kelly and Sikorski spread apart, searching in the dim light.
KELLY (V.O.) (cont'd)
Security in this building was tight.
Sikorski and I had trouble getting in
because the potential energy detectors on
the ground floor picked up my service
weapon and set off the alarm.
His bright flashlight bounces along the walls and ceiling of
the apartment.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
That meant the murderer wouldn't be able
to carry any kind of gun or even a
chemical weapon without setting off the
alarm. So whoever it was had to feel
pretty confident he could get in and out
of the building.
The two detectives come upon the BODY of DEPUTY MAYOR MORRIS
FINKINS lying face down on the floor.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Our perp had to be able to kill the
Deputy Mayor quickly, without any noise.
And without a gun.
Both Kelly and Sikorski lean over the body, examining the
corpse.
Illuminated by their flashlights, Finkins' back is covered in
dry blood.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I served for six years in an Urban Anti
Insurgency unit. But this kind of thing
still made me feel sick.
Sikorski calmly removes a small, brass, TUBE-scanner from her
pocket. She runs it across the fingers of the left hand of
the corpse, the tube chirps electronically at her.
Kelly looks at the body.
Sikorski pulls down Finkins' collar, revealing the single
HOLE in the base of Finkins' skull.
Sikorski pulls out a DISPLAY from her pocket and taps the
tube against it. The screen displays "Deputy Mayor Morris
Finkins". The screen redraws and displays "Known Associates."
Kelly checks his WATCH. He looks at Sikorski.
KELLY (CONT'D)
Let's save that for the techs.
SIKORSKI
Yes. I'll have them do a complete scan as
long as we can back-charge everything to
the client.
KELLY
Yeah, yeah. Let's go. We have to get back
to the office for the audit.
5 EXT. ABANDONED ROAD 5
A camera watches Kelly and Sikorski walk along an industrial
and abandoned road. They don't speak to one another. Kelly is
uncomfortable with their lack of communication. He glances
over to Sikorski. He opens his mouth to say something and
then stops.
He tries to talk again, she continues to walk along, as
though she is alone. But so far, Kelly's day has been
exasperating so he makes a third effort to make small talk.
KELLY
This blackout has been going for about
three weeks now. I'm glad my apartment
came with a light-duty generator.
Sikorski pays no attention to him.
KELLY (cont'd)
I can run some lights, small appliances,
my kiln--
He is about to say something else when Sikorski stops him.
They come to a complete halt. She looks straight ahead,
almost tasting something.
Kelly looks but can't see anything. It's almost cold, he has
to put his hands together now that walking isn't keeping him
warm.
Sikorski, very, very slowly, almost imperceptibly, lowers her
center of gravity. Kelly trains his attention to the darkness
in the distance. Ahead of them, something moves.
Kelly leans toward Sikorski, instinctively, they had step
apart.
KELLY (cont'd)
What is it?
SIKORSKI
(quietly)
Two of them. Three. No, two.
KELLY
I don't see anything.
Sikorski begins to quietly creep toward the movement.
Kelly removes his service WEAPON from his JACKET.
From behind them a glowing, green night-vision POV watches
Sikorski and Kelly. The POV turns to where they are going and
sees two more figures in infra-red. The sounds are more
intense, the background seething with breathing of the four
figures. . .
The POV zooms in on Kelly, scanning him. It sees his gun.
The POV looks at the eerie glow of Sikorski. She is a cooler
temperature that Kelly, her bones seem harder and sharper. It
isn't interested in her.
The POV lingers on the warm, red bodies of the two figures
Sikorski and Kelly are walking toward.
Sikorski slowly leads Kelly toward the area, now still, where
the movement was.
Two women, NATALIE LEWIS and SARAH NAZARETH, are hiding
together. They lie in one another's arms for warmth, with a
tattered BLANKET over them. The clothes they wear are neither
clean nor new.
Kelly holds his weapon in front of him as he creeps quietly
toward the two women, hiding on the other side of a low,
corrugated metal fence near an abandoned warehouse.
Sikorski, as though she can see exactly where they are,
indicates to Kelly where the women are.
6 EXT. WAREHOUSE 6
Kelly is the first to turn the corner and is upon the two
frightened women.
Natalie and Sarah are startled by Sikorski and Kelly.
Kelly holds his gun on them.
KELLY
Stand up.
The two women clumsily rise to their feet.
SIKORSKI
There is a curfew in this sector.
Surrender your ID cards.
NATALIE
We don't need ID cards.
SIKORSKI
Then you're under arrest for vagrancy.
SARAH
You can't arrest us, we haven't done
anything wrong!
SIKORSKI
This is private property.
NATALIE
This is a public road.
SIKORSKI
Not any more. These roads are all
privately owned, you abrogate your rights
when you trespass on them. Let's see your
most recent drug test screening.
Natalie doesn't move. Sarah nervously fumbles in her BAG and
produces a CARD which has a chart of her most recent drug
test.
Kelly isn't as nasty to the two girls as Sikorski.
KELLY
What are you two doing out here, anyway?
NATALIE
We have a right to be here.
KELLY
It's dangerous out here.
NATALIE
It's dangerous everywhere.
KELLY
What do you mean?
NATALIE
If you're a cop, you ought to know.
Kelly sighs and turns to Sikorski, who is looking at Sarah's
drug-test chart.
KELLY
They're not really doing anything.
NATALIE
And we don't have to take a drug test.
SIKORSKI
Yes you do, or you can't be on public or
private property.
KELLY
Sikorski, let's go. They're just a couple
kids.
He looks at his watch.
KELLY (cont'd)
And we have to be back in time for our
audit.
SIKORSKI
If we arrest them, their labor in the
company work prison will look good on our
Weekly Revenue Statement.
NATALIE
You don't have any legitimate charges
against us.
KELLY
She's right. Does it count if the charges
get thrown out?
SIKORSKI
Yes. After 90 days the judge will
summarily throw out the charges, but we
will still get the revenue credit.
Sikorski looks back at Sarah's drug card.
KELLY
Well, I don't think. . .
SIKORSKI
This card is out of date. You are
trespassing and. . .
SARAH
(quietly afraid)
I don't want to go to prison again.
SIKORSKI
Terrorists get what they deserve.
Natalie directs her controlled rage toward Sikorski and
Kelly.
NATALIE
You're just thugs. You're the criminals.
Sikorski walks up to Natalie and hits her once, very quickly.
The POV watches, silently, as Natalie hits the ground.
Natalie is stunned. A small amount of BLOOD runs down her
cheek.
KELLY
C'mon Sikorski, we should just go.
The POV zooms in on Natalie, her hot face, her blood.
Sarah is frightened, she backs up.
KELLY (cont'd)
Sikorski, what are you doing?
Sikorski takes Natalie's hand in hers, and passes the brass
TUBE over Natalie's fingertips.
SIKORSKI
These perps might be on the S.H.A. list.
Or they might be members of the Black
Halo.
KELLY
Oh good grief, Sikorski, give it up.
The POV sees Sarah run from Kelly and Sikorski into the
nearby doorway of a warehouse.
Kelly and Sikorski look at one another. Kelly looks back at
the door.
SIKORSKI
She's fleeing --
KELLY
Oh cripes --
Sikorski looks down at her DISPLAY, it is blinking.
SIKORSKI
They're both on the Heterodox list.
Intercept her.
Kelly sighs.
KELLY
OK
Reluctantly, he draws his gun from his jacket and walks
through the open door of the warehouse.
7 INT. WAREHOUSE 7
Kelly enters the warehouse.
KELLY
OK, come out. We won't hurt you.
Sarah, hiding and frightened, breaks out into the open.
KELLY (CONT'D)
Stop!
She runs from him.
KELLY (cont'd)
It'll be OK. Just stop.
Kelly sighs. He holds his gun straight up in the air, to fire
a warning shot.
The gun ignites a shell, which launches from the barrel of
the weapon. The bullet goes straight up, and then turns
toward the girl.
Her chest explodes as she slams against a wall, splaying
blood on the wall. She slowly slides down to the ground.
Her blank, open eyes remain frozen and still. Kelly is
stunned, he runs up to Sarah's new corpse and kneels down.
Behind him Sikorski approaches.
SIKORSKI
(calmly)
It's too bad you killed her. Now we can't
arrest her.
Kelly looks down at his weapon.
KELLY
I only tried to fire a warning shot. I
don't know what happened.
SIKORSKI
Those shells are homing. You can't miss.
Even though Sarah is clearly dead, Kelly tries to check her
pulse. She is dead.
KELLY
I didn't mean to kill her.
He looks around, somewhat dazed, while Sikorski stands
calmly.
SIKORSKI
At least the paper-work is easier with
her dead than if we had arrested her. She
was on this month's Index of Heterodox
Activities, so terminating her would have
carried a bounty if you weren't an
employee of the company.
But it will reflect in our Revenue
Report.
Kelly is distracted.
KELLY
Yes, yes, of course.
SIKORSKI
And, now we can charge the other one with
Capital murder.
KELLY
What?
SIKORSKI
The other girl outside. Now she's
involved in a crime where someone was
killed. We have her on Capital Murder
charges.
Kelly becomes concerned.
KELLY
You can't just leave her there.
He makes his way to the door. Sikorski follows behind,
explaining:
SIKORSKI
She can't go anywhere.
8 EXT. WAREHOUSE 8
The camera watches Kelly and Sikorski arrive outside the
warehouse. No one is there.
KELLY
Where is she?
Sikorski walks calmly to a rusty post stuck in the cement.
SIKORSKI
I left her here.
Attached to the post is a pair of handcuffs. One cuff is
locked around the post. The other, still closed, is smeared
with blood.
Kelly and Sikorski look down to see a large trail of blood,
like a body soaked in blood had been dragged away. . .
. . . to another building nearby.
Kelly and Sikorski follow the tracks to the partially opened
door of the factory building. There is blood on the door.
9 INT. FACTORY BUILDING 9
The door opens. Light streams in from the outside. Kelly and
Sikorski enter.
Natalie's dead body is prostrate in a pool of blood on the
floor, and the torso of her mutilated corpse is dug out like
bread bowl soup.
Kelly stops, stunned at the grotesque body.
Sikorski reacts. Obviously whatever did this is nearby. They
tense up.
Sikorski does a long, slow, scan of the area.
Kelly kneels down at Natalie's mutilated body.
BLOOD is on his hand, it could be Natalie's or Sarah's. He
tries to wipe it off.
Sikorski looks briefly at the body.
Sikorski's EYES look with intense interest at every crevice,
every dark spot around them. . .
Kelly realizes what this means. He stands up.
High above them, a stealth CAMERA looks down at the two
detectives.
It watches as they stand around Natalie's corpse.
SIKORSKI
Nothing is here.
KELLY
Are you sure?
Kelly is anxious to leave, but Sikorski is still and
emotionless.
SIKORSKI
We should have a complete analysis done.
KELLY
We'll order one when we get back to the
station.
SIKORSKI
We should check for DNA, teeth marks,
chew patterns. . .
KELLY
Yeah, yeah, we'll have 'em look for
everything. This whole thing gives me the
creeps, let's call this in and get out of
here.
The camera above them watches as they hesitatingly walk away
from Natalie's body.
10 INT. POLICE STATION - AFTERNOON 10
Kelly and Sikorski sit in front of Kelly's desk. RACHEL
MOLOTOV, a well dressed, severe woman, sits across from them
in Kelly's chair. She holds an outstretched FOLDER in her
hands.
MOLOTOV
Now, I realize that no police officer
enjoys their periodic audit and case
review. But I must tell you that your
performance in the von Liechtenstein case
was very poor.
The cost overruns were extraordinarily
high, for a case you knew couldn't be
prosecuted.
Molotov puts the folder down on the desk and looks at Kelly
and Sikorski.
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
Your investigation was irrelevant and
only cost the Corporation money. We won't
be able to achieve our Economic Value
Added measures.
KELLY
We had DNA evidence, two witnesses, and a
simulation confirm on her. She might just
as well have confessed.
MOLOTOV
Even if she had confessed, she hired a
private lawyer whose delaying tactics
would have made a trial drag on for days,
possibly over a week. We simply cannot
make money on cases like that.
She begins to lecture them.
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
We need simple and easy convictions,
where we provide the attorneys for the
accused. Our core business is
corrections. For every year past the
first year that a convict remains
incarcerated, the company's revenues are
pure profit--that's the kind of cases and
investigations we need from our Police
Department.
Today you killed two terrorists. You know
that the bounty on them isn't very high
if you don't catch them in the act of
harming or destroying capital property.
As far as the government is concerned
they were only vagrants, so our
backcharges to the State for their
termination are minimal.
This shouldn't look good on your records
as far as your bonuses are concerned.
Sikorski has no reaction.
Kelly slumps back further in his chair and sighs inaudibly.
Molotov reaches under the table, and pulls out her BRIEFCASE.
She opens it and pulls out two plain ENVELOPES. Her tone
softens slightly.
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
But, on the other hand, I'm glad to see
you've been assigned to the murder
investigation of the Deputy Mayor. I'm
sure you're happy to know that there's no
expense cap.
I have been authorized to cross
collateralize the Schlachtmeyer von
Liechtenstein case into the investigation
of the Deputy Mayor's death.
Kelly looks over at Sikorski. She returns his glance and then
returns her attention to Molotov.
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
So this means that your spending on the
botched investigation will in no way
affect your bonuses. In fact, I've been
authorized to give you your full bonuses,
as though you scored at the top rank of
this pay for performance review.
As always, for bonuses, we direct a full
ten percent to your personal
discretionary accounts, with the
remaining ninety percent allocated to
your Standard Living Expenditures Trust,
or S.L.E.T.
account: paid to your housing, utilities,
insurance, taxes, medical and
necessities, directly through the company
bank.
Molotov begins to hand the envelopes to Sikorski and Kelly.
They reach for them but she holds fast for a moment:
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
There is, of course, a catch--the murder
of Deputy Mayor Finkins--we want this
perpetrator terminated.
Molotov addresses Kelly directly.
MOLOTOV (cont'd)
No capture, no trial. We want this piece
of garbage eliminated with extreme
prejudice. Is that understood?
SIKORSKI
Yes, of course.
Molotov lets go of the envelopes.
Kelly looks quizzically at Sikorski.
Molotov gets up to leave.
The omnipresent video cameras record Rachel Molotov closing
her briefcase, she takes her briefcase and exits the room.
Kelly stands, scratches his head, and walks back to his own
chair, straightening up after Molotov has left.
KELLY (V.O.)
I knew why they wanted the perpetrator
dead. The victim was one of their own.
According to the required financial
disclosures, the Deputy Mayor owned
considerable stock in the Consolidated
Police and Security Corporation.
Sikorski sits very still for a moment. For the first time,
she seems to have introspection. She looks at her hand,
carefully, turning it slowly.
She looks up at Kelly.
11 INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF KELLY'S APARTMENT 11
Michael Kelly places his hand against a PANEL on his door. A
soothing voice intones:
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Welcome home, Michael Kelly.
The door's latch unbolts itself, and Kelly gently pushes open
the door to his apartment.
12 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 12
Kelly, sitting in his CHAIR. A fully GLASS of WINE sits on
the TABLE next to his chair, as though for a guest. He slowly
pours his SECOND glass of wine, for himself.
KELLY (V.O.)
I ordered a simulation of the crime in
the Deputy Mayor's apartment from the SIM
REPS techs at the Department's lab. It
would take a few hours, and since I had
nothing else to do, a hard day behind me,
and a harder day ahead of me, I went
home.
Out of the shadows of the room appears an almost ghostly
apparition, SONIA. She wears a beautiful long silk NIGHTGOWN.
SONIA
Sweety, is that for me? You're so
wonderful! Oh, Darling! I miss you,
Michael.
She isn't exactly looking at Kelly. Sadly, he sips his wine.
SONIA (cont'd)
You know I've been thinking about you.
That's why I made this recording!
She's incredibly in love with him. She looks down at herself,
and touches her skin.
SONIA (cont'd)
You only went to work a few hours ago and
I've been sitting home alone wanting to
be with you. But you know I have to go
and I'll be back in just one week!
I'm sorry you can't touch me. But you
know when I get back you can touch me all
you like! -- Oh, my most wonderful
husband, I love you so much.
She looks at him demurely.
She blows him a kiss.
SONIA (cont'd)
And I want a thousand more kisses when I
get back! Call me, darling!
Kelly almost blows a kiss back to her, but then remembers she
isn't really there.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Re-tracking image.
Belatedly, Sonia's eyes track to where Kelly is sitting in
his chair. She sits down on a phantom LOUNGE.
She looks at him seductively.
SONIA
You don't want to go into the bedroom?
She laughs teasingly and lovingly at him. Sonia unties the
strap of her nightgown and lets it fall to the floor.
She reaches out, as though to place her palm against his
chest.
SONIA (cont'd)
Oh Darling, I wish I could touch you, my
handsome darling.
She runs her hand down her neck, across her naked breast, and
over her navel 'till it lands on her thigh.
SONIA (cont'd)
Sweety, I can't wait to see you again. I
miss you. I love you.
The TELEPHONE rings.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Initiating artificial response.
SONIA
Isn't that the phone?
The phone rings a second time, and Kelly slowly reaches over
and touches a BUTTON on the table. Sonia remains still and
mute, but smiling as though paitently waiting.
KELLY
Hello?
EVINRUUD (O.S.)
Kelly?
Kelly grunts.
EVINRUUD (O.S.) (CONT'D)
It's Evinruud. The simulation you ordered
is complete.
Kelly doesn't want to hear this, but he has no choice.
KELLY
(tired)
You got it done pretty fast.
EVINRUUD
This case is the whole department's
highest priority.
A beat.
KELLY
I'll come down.
Kelly picks himself up off the chair.
13 INT. SQUATTER'S APARTMENT 13
A sickly, green P.O.V. through the window. A targeting
reticle appears, but nothing is clear. The P.O.V. switches.
"Switching to Residential Camera 0-13aG 1066 Blok 3 RPF-2290
B673."
The surveillance camera watches a nude couple make love on
the tattered couch of a cramped apartment. They are LILY
GARLAND and HENRY JOHNSON. They kiss one another
passionately. A targeting reticle momentarily passes over
each of their faces. "Target not acquired."
The P.O.V. isn't interested in them. The sickly green P.O.V.
returns and looks at another part of the building.
The P.O.V. switches again. "Switching to Residential Camera 0
13rK 1097 Blok 3 RGF-2290-F624." There is someone else there.
A man, NIKOLI IAGO, stands alone in a separate parlor.
The P.O.V. switches back to its native sickly green and makes
its way closer to Iago. . .
14 INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 14
AUGUST EVINRUUD sits at a DISPLAY. Kelly and Sikorski look
over his shoulder. NORA MEREDITH stands nearby. She is way
too happy about everything.
Evinruud taps the display.
EVINRUUD
This is what we got from the Glotz-cam on
the warehouse where you two had your
little run-in with Mr. Nightmare.
A distorted and unclear moving image appears, taken from the
stealth camera on the roof of the warehouse. Natalie, lying
on the ground and immobilized, is in the center of the image.
NORA
He's fast, but clumsy.
EVINRUUD
These old-school cameras ain't got no
resolution or data retention.
But they'll show us a picture.
A DARK SHAPE looms into frame, and quickly assaults Natalie,
killing her instantly with some unseen slashing motion. With
its back toward the camera, it digs at her corpse. Suddenly,
it rises and briefly looks toward the warehouse. It runs out
of frame, leaving Natalie's body.
KELLY
The cameras in Finkins' apartment should
give us a better image.
Evinruud is surprised.
EVINRUUD
There aren't any cameras in that dude's
apartment.
KELLY
What?
NORA
Finkins was Deputy Mayor.
KELLY
He had them removed?
EVINRUUD
No, Man, we never put 'em in.
Listen, if you got the scratch or the
pull, you can even have your public
records removed. Nobody at his level has
no security cameras in their homes.
KELLY
Then what are we going to look at?
EVINRUUD
Relax, Meredith and I trucked down to his
'partment. We did a complete scan,
including the hallway, the outside of the
building. Everything.
NORA
Inside the apartment we scanned down to
the subatomic level!
He turns to look at Sikorski and Kelly.
EVINRUUD
We don't usually get to do that. Too
expensive, but we don't have to bill back
our time on this gig. . .
NORA
We did a complete intrusive scan of the
Deputy Mayor's body, and we correlated
that with the rest of the forensic
evidence.
EVINRUUD
Check it out, this is what we came up
with.
The screen flickers and an image begins to appear.
15 INT. DEPUTY MAYOR'S APARTMENT 15
An animated and dilated three-dimensional view of the
apartment. The camera's eye swings around to show its three
dimensionality. The textures and colors are slightly
distorted and skewed, coded so that only the Rosetta stone of
some unseen computer could interpret it. A legally required
watermark is plainly visible over the simulation images,
reading "Simulation: Not for Courtroom Use."
The camera swings toward the door. Quietly, a soothing voice
speaks.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Welcome home, Deputy Mayor Morris
Finkins.
The latch of the door unbolts itself with a "ca-chunk".
Finkins enters the room.
Finkins reaches for the light switch but it doesn't turn on.
FINKINS
(under his breath)
Damn power companies.
He walks deeper into the room and then suddenly a BLURRY
SHAPE appears out of the darkness and approaches him from
behind. It seems to be carrying a long, scalpel-like
instrument, which it immediately thrusts into his medulla
oblongata and twists and pulls down, in a swift slashing
motion.
Finkins cannot even cry out before he hits the floor, dead.
The killer leans over and picks up Finkins's hand, studies
it, and lets it drop to the floor.
Then it goes to the door, and touching the door, hears the
automatic response while the latches unbolt and the door
opens.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Good night, Deputy Mayor Morris Finkins.
16 INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 16
The screen they are watching goes blank, indicating the end
of the simulation.
EVINRUUD
That last bit surprised us. Whoever, or
maybe I should say "whatever" it was, was
able to imitate or replicate the Deputy
Mayor's handprint.
NORA
It's fast and strong, and has no trouble
seeing in the dark.
SIKORSKI
Couldn't he have just been wearing a
visual light enhancement system?
EVINRUUD
No. The building's sensors would have
detected anything like that--external
weapons, scanners, whatever.
NORA
This guy has to have these things built
in.
Evinruud taps his brow to indicate where "built in" would be.
EVINRUUD
Know what I'm sayin?
KELLY
What do you think this. . . person is?
EVINRUUD
Well it can't be an old-school android
'cause the building's sensors would have
gone totally red-light. If it's fleshbone
human it's definitely modded way out
there. I say it's something new, probably
mil-spec.
KELLY
This is starting to sound political. . .
SIKORSKI
What about the weapon?
NORA
Built in. It's specialized--I bet it's
mil-spec!
SIKORSKI
I haven't read anything like this in the
Summary of Heterodox Activities.
EVINRUUD
This 'bot is pretty high-tech for bandana
and gas mask-wearin' street freaks.
KELLY
So who, or what, is it?
EVINRUUD
Now you're asking me for conjecture. I
don't do conjecture. Just reproductions
and simulations.
(excitedly)
Wanna see it again?
The omnipresent camera looks down at the four of them while
the simulation replays itself on the screen. . .
17 INT. SQUATTER'S APARTMENT 17
In the sitting room, the sickly, green image of the P.O.V.
watches as Nikoli Iago stands smoking a PIPE, looking off
into the distance.
The P.O.V. moves closer to him, approaching slowly from
behind. Nikoli's breathing is loud, his heart beats. The
P.O.V. can almost taste the metal in Iago's blood. . .
Nikoli sits in an unlighted room, lost in thought. Behind
Nikoli, in the darkness, lurks a menacing figure, its flesh
glued to its skull like an undead Charon. It is a NEURO
NECROMOTRON.
It rushes from its shadow and grabs Nikoli's mouth with one
STEEL CLAW, while it plunges its other hand, which is a long
serrated BLADE into Nikoli's belly and unseams him from nave
to chops.
CUT TO:
The Lily and Henry are in the denouement of lovemaking in the
living room. Naked on the sofa, looking into one another's
eyes, they are bathed in the glow of one another's sweat.
From the quiet, they suddenly hear a strange grunting,
chewing noise.
CUT TO:
Lily and Henry, still naked, walk through the darkened
hallway to the next room.
LILY
Nikoli? Are you all right?
The two of them pause before the shadows.
She talks to the apartment's computer.
LILY (cont'd)
Light on.
The room beyond them illuminates.
Leaning over Nikoli's freshly dead corpse is the Neuro
Necromotron, its mouth dripping with blood from its victim.
It looks up at them, with what might be surprise on its
monstrous face.
Slowly, it rises up, menacingly staring at Lily and Henry.
It starts toward them.
Its steel claw snaps open and shut as it approaches, with its
dead shark-like eyes. . .
Suddenly, behind Lily and Henry, ARNO BIERWIRTH appears. A
well-dressed man in a HAT (pulled low over his face) and long
COAT, he hides a palm-sized, strange OBJECT in his left hand.
Arno pays no attention to Lily and Henry, but addresses the
creature directly.
ARNO
Stop.
In mid-lunge, the killer stops.
Lily and Henry turn to look at Arno.
Arno ignores them.
ARNO (cont'd)
Come with me.
What life there is disappears from the creature's eyes. It
looks off, not seeing Lily, Henry, or Arno.
Slowly, it begins to move toward Arno, with a disinterested
shuffle.
It brushes past them on the way out the door, following Arno.
18 INT. POLICE STATION - MORNING 18
Kelly watches the flat DISPLAY on his desk.
He taps the display and it rewinds the security camera
footage to the point where the creature is first revealed by
the light.
Lily sits in a chair at Kelly's desk, disheveled, with a
BLANKET wrapped around her.
KELLY
Your name again?
LILY
You have cameras in our apartment?
KELLY
Your name?
LILY
You've been watching everything we do?
KELLY
We can't use it in court unless we have a
warrant. Now, please tell me your name. .
.
LILY
I can't believe this. Any of this.
Kelly reaches out and grabs her hand.
He holds her hand with her palm facing up. With his other
hand he draws a miniature laser SCANNER across her
fingertips.
KELLY
One last time. What is your name?
Lily looks at him as though she only heard the question the
first time.
LILY
Lily. Lily Garland.
There is a confirming beep from Kelly's display. A circular
diagram appears with her name in the center, and a number of
orange lines of various thicknesses radiating from it.
Each point where a line intersects the circle's outer edge is
labeled with a name.
Distractedly, she gives the detective a more complete answer.
LILY (cont'd)
My Citizen Control Number is 8311-XHT-LG
6.
KELLY
And your. . . companion's name?
LILY
Henry Johnson.
The name "Henry Johnson" is selected on the display.
Following his name is "Citizen Control Number 68-RNT-44L-HJ"
LILY (CONT'D)
I--I don't remember his Control Number.
Kelly chooses "lover" from a menu of options next to Henry's
name, and the orange line becomes thicker. Then a second set
of lines appears, in green, originating at Henry's name.
LILY (cont'd)
What are you doing?
KELLY
Your relationship to the deceased, Nikoli
Iago?
LILY
Don't you already know? You had a camera
in our house!
Kelly reads from his display.
KELLY
"Are you now, or have you ever been a
member of the Black Halo, or any other
terrorist organization?"
LILY
Does everyone have cameras in their
apartments?
KELLY
Do you have training in the use of
weapons, do you have knowledge of the use
of atomic, biological, or chemical
weapons?
LILY
Do you have a camera in your house?
KELLY
No. Only those suspected of criminal
activities. . .
LILY
Suspected?. . .
KELLY
This guy you were living with was real
bad news. Were you aware that he was a
cell leader of the Black Halo terrorist
organization?
LILY
No he wasn't. There's no such thing as
"Black Halo".
KELLY
All right--we can go around and around
like this all night, but now we have a
murder investigation. You came here
reporting a murder. Don't you want us to
find who killed your friend?
LILY
You already know who it is. I should
never have come here.
Kelly is exasperated, but he tries to talk to the girl.
KELLY
I'm trying to help you. I can't do
anything unless you give me some
information.
LILY
People have been getting killed like this
for months and the police won't do
anything.
KELLY
What are you talking about?
LILY
Everyone knows the cops have been killing
us.
KELLY
I'm trying to find out who murdered him,
and I need as much information as we can
get in order to do that.
LILY
Look around you. It's probably someone
you work with every day.
KELLY
Look, I don't have time for this.
LILY
Why don't you open your eyes and look
around you?
KELLY
I'm investigating this case, what more do
you want?
LILY
Well, I don't have enough money to pay
for the investigation.
KELLY
You don't need to worry about that, we
already have a budget in place.
LILY
What, now suddenly the police are going
to start investigating their own
assassinations?
KELLY
I'm getting tired of this. Please, what
was your relationship to the deceased?
Lily calms down somewhat.
LILY
He. . . Nikoli was a friend of ours.
Display highlights Iago's name and shows the title "terrorist
cell leader."
The surveillance camera watches as Jane Sikorski walks in the
room.
Lily, her knees pressed against her chest, sips something
warm from a COFFEE MUG.
Sikorski walks over to Kelly. She speaks to him in a low
whisper so that Lily can't hear them.
SIKORSKI
Is she our witness?
KELLY
Yeah, she saw our guy.
SIKORSKI
What about the man who was with her?
KELLY
He's messed up, can't talk. . .
SIKORSKI
But she's holding together?
KELLY
Enough to argue with me about politics.
Sikorski looks down at the display. The eerie picture of the
creature stares back in freeze-frame.
SIKORSKI
This is the--killer?
KELLY
Yeah. I don't know anything about it.
What do you think?
SIKORSKI
Looks bio-mechanical.
KELLY
That would match our suspect's profile.
He certainly matches some aspects of the
Deputy Mayor's murderer -- stealth entry
into buildings -- that kind of thing. How
many bio-mech murderers can there be in
the city? I've put this together for the
Captain.
SIKORSKI
If your report's ready, I'll go in with
you.
19 INT. CAPTAIN'S OFFICE 19
The hidden camera watches silently as Kelly and Sikorski walk
into the Captain's office. Misha Descartes sits behind her
desk, tending to a small VASE with a FLOWER. In the center of
her desk is a flat DISPLAY.
She doesn't look up, but continues to tend her flower.
DESCARTES
Detective Kelly, you have news?
Sikorski walks to the other side of Descartes, as she is wont
to do. But Descartes ignores her this time.
Kelly looks at Sikorski, who is otherwise oblivious to the
fact that Descartes ignores her.
KELLY
Well, we think we know what our guy looks
like. He seems to have an accomplice.
Kelly taps on Descartes' display.
The IMAGE of the creature appears on it.
DESCARTES
What's this?
Descartes briefly glances at the image and then returns her
attention to her plant.
KELLY
This image was taken from one of our DSD
Glotz-cams. It seems our perp killed a
Black Halo cell leader named Nikoli Iago
last night.
Kelly taps the display and an IMAGE of Iago appears, complete
with warrant information.
KELLY (cont'd)
Iago had been under investigation, so our
Domestic Surveillance Division already
had cameras installed in his apartment.
Kelly reaches down and TAPS the screen again while Descartes
uninterestedly fondles her flower.
A freeze-frame of Arno Bierwirth, his hand in front of his
face, appears on the screen. He cannot be seen clearly.
Descartes closely examines a leaf on the plant which might be
less than perfect.
KELLY (CONT'D)
And this is the man seen with the killer.
He seems to be able to give orders to the
creature.
Kelly taps the screen again.
The creature re-appears on the screen.
KELLY (cont'd)
We haven't had it analyzed yet, but I
figure this thing's definitely bio-mech.
DESCARTES
Excellent work, Kelly. However, this is
not the same murderer as the one who
killed the Deputy Mayor.
Kelly pauses.
KELLY
What? How do you know?
DESCARTES
Drop this part of the investigation.
KELLY
Well, he seems like a pretty bad guy. . .
DESCARTES
That doesn't matter. He's not hurting
anyone who pays our bills. Leave him
alone. And send Evinruud in on your way
out.
Kelly is stunned for a moment. He looks at Sikorski, who has
a blank look on her face.
The hidden surveillance camera in the corner of room watches
as Kelly and Sikorski leave. Evinruud enters and removes his
clothes, he gets on his knees while Descartes switches the
security camera off.
20 INT. VILIAM CHROMA'S APARTMENT 20
[P.O.V. watches VILIAM CHROMA in her apartment through a
window. The P.O.V. is inside now. It moves silently, yet it
can hear her breathing, her warm heartbeat. . .
It creeps behind Viliam, stalking her, slowly, quietly. It
gets closer. . .]
21 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 21
Kelly is sitting in his chair as the three-dimensional image
of SONIA, white and translucent, sits across from him, a
sympathetic look in her eyes. She is still undressed.
She doesn't quite look right at him, though.
He lifts his GLASS of wine to his lips.
Hers still sits untouched at Kelly's side.
KELLY
I don't know what I'm doing anymore.
Sonia smiles sweetly at him.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Artificial response actuated.
SONIA
Yes?
KELLY
Do you remember my first partner,
Richardson?
There is an unnescesarily long beat before she responds.
SONIA
Tell me about it.
KELLY
He was senior detective in the department
when I first joined.
SONIA
Yes, of course.
KELLY
Because I came from the military, he
didn't trust me at first. I thought that
was funny.
Inappropriately, Sonia laughs a little, charming, giggle.
SONIA
Yes, that is funny.
KELLY
I mean unusual, peculiar.
Her face returns to her concerned look. They aren't quite
having a conversation.
SONIA
Oh yes, that is unusual.
Her translucent image continues to show the same amount of
care, paying all her attention to Michael but without really
understanding him.
KELLY
When they privatized the department, he
quit. He said they were destroying us.
SONIA
Who are 'they'?
Kelly looks up at Sonia.
She still isn't quite looking back at him, smiling gently,
and very still.
Kelly looks down at his wine.
KELLY
He quit. One day he just packed his
things and walked out.
A beat.
SONIA
Tell me more.
KELLY
He wouldn't leave a forwarding address,
nothing.
SONIA
Nothing?
KELLY
When he left. . .
Sonia looks with intense interest.
SONIA
Yes, darling?
KELLY
He looked scared. I'd never seen him that
way.
SONIA
How do you feel about that?
Kelly just looks at her.
SONIA (cont'd)
Don't worry, I'll be home soon. You can
have the real me in your arms.
She smiles and laughs a little.
SONIA (cont'd)
It's late, Sweety. You should go to bed.
I know you stay up late worrying about
me. Go to bed, get some sleep -- I'll
still be here!
She lies on her side, as though to go to sleep, but she
smiles at him before closing her eyes.
Kelly smiles a little, looking at her sleeping figure.
22 INT. VILIAM CHROMA'S APARTMENT 22
Kelly and Sikorski push aside a web of police TAPE as they
enter a simple, dark, clean apartment.
KELLY (V.O.)
The next morning, the Metro computer gave
us another match on our case. Another set
of murders.
On the floor are two bodies. In the middle of the CARPET is
the mutilated corpse of Viliam Chroma.
Nearby her lies the much more intact body of Arno Bierwirth,
crumpled in a chair. His hat sits over his eyes.
Evinruud takes measurements onto a simple pad of paper,
looking at all the unusual places one seldom notices in a
room.
Meredith uses a cloth MEASURING TAPE to gather dimensions of
objects in the room.
Evinruud looks up as Kelly and Sikorski enter, he smiles.
EVINRUUD
Good evening. Business has really picked
up. I'm getting ready to run a full
subatomic scan of the place.
Kelly looks back and forth at the two corpses. Sikorski walks
past him, deeper in the room.
KELLY
Whose apartment was this?
EVINRUUD
The one on the floor. Someone named. . .
Evinruud looks at the sheet of paper in his hand.
EVINRUUD (cont'd)
. . . Viliam Chroma. It's just as well,
the computer has her on a list of
possible terrorists, so she's no great
loss. Check it out.
Sikorski kneels down and passes her small brass TUBE over the
fingers of the corpse on the floor.
She unfolds a SCREEN and taps the screen with the tube.
The screen wakes, displaying the name "Viliam Chroma". The
screen redraws and displays "Known Associates" of hers.
Kelly walks up to Arno's body and lifts up the hat to reveal
his face. Arno's eyes are wide open.
EVINRUUD (CONT'D)
We figure he got killed about five
minutes after the one on the floor. That
gave the killer time to grab some lunch-
it looks like she's partially eaten.
Meredith smiles.
MEREDITH
He went right for the bowels, the worst
tasting parts!
Sikorski leans over the mutilated body of Viliam.
Kelly lets Arno's hat drop back over his eyes.
Kelly turns to look at the corpse on the floor.
KELLY
What do we know about this one?
EVINRUUD
This Viliam had the backs of her legs
sliced open, just behind the knees, and
her arteries torn out. I'd say the two
here definitely weren't done by the same
killer.
(indicating Arno)
That one's much more. . . surgical. Not a
ripper.
MEREDITH
(almost cheerfully)
And besides, I don't think anybody ate
any of him.
Sikorski walks over and looks at the body of Arno, with
almost too much interest. . .
SIKORSKI
How was he killed?
EVINRUUD
Same thing as the Deputy Mayor, sharp
surgical insertion at the base of the
neck.
MEREDITH
Death was almost instant! He was
paralyzed by the insertion, very little
blood, no fuss no muss.
(indicates Viliam, on floor)
She was a different matter. Bled to
death, chopped open and some of the
organs were, uh. . . masticated. . .
Kelly looks back and forth at the corpses while Sikorski
looks at Arno.
SIKORSKI
There's something wrong with this one's
eyes.
MEREDITH
What do you mean?
SIKORSKI
I don't think those are real eyes.
MEREDITH
Really?
EVINRUUD
Let me take a look.
Evinruud walks up to Arno. Evinruud looks into Arno's dead
eyes.
Evinruud then sets his SCANNING DEVICE on Arno's face.
He looks at the display on the device.
EVINRUUD (cont'd)
You're right. Meredith, help me with him.
Meredith comes over and holds Arno's head upright.
MEREDITH
Are they set-scan imagers?
EVINRUUD
We'll find out in a minute.
Kelly and Sikorski watch as Evinruud performs another scan,
but the scanner makes a completely different sound this time.
Evinruud looks at the readout on his scanner.
EVINRUUD (cont'd)
Well, it looks like we lucked out.
He shows the readout to Meredith.
EVINRUUD (cont'd)
Detective Sikorski, you were right, he
has completely artificial eyes.
MEREDITH
--and because they're set-scan imagers,
the last image they had on them before he
died is retrievable.
EVINRUUD
If we had waited until we got him to the
coroner, it would have been too late.
Evinruud turns to Sikorski and Kelly.
EVINRUUD (CONT'D)
I'll put this through the computer, the
finished image will be on your desk by
the time you get back to the office.
KELLY
Gimme a picture of each of these guys,
too. It might be important.
EVINRUUD
Whatever you want, Detective, it's not on
my budget-line.
Meredith walks over to Sikorski.
MEREDITH
How did you intuit that? Those artificial
eyes are almost perfect, I can only tell
they're fake by looking at them with a
scanner. . .
23 INT. POLICE STATION - AFTERNOON 23
Kelly and Sikorski return to the police station. Lily is
still sitting there, but pays no attention to them.
The watchful eye of the video camera witnesses Kelly's
arrival at his desk. Slowly, almost tentatively, Sikorski
walks up to Lily. For the first time, Sikorski seems almost
(almost) sympathetic of Lily.
SIKORSKI
Did you stay here last night?
LILY
Yes.
SIKORSKI
Why don't you go home?
LILY
I don't want to go there.
SIKORSKI
You have to go home sometime.
LILY
I'd rather be here.
Kelly looks up at them and sighs. He taps his display.
Sikorski turns to walk away from Lily, but stops suddenly, to
look at her own hand. She turns her hand slowly, she hunches
over slightly as though she is sick.
Fascinated with the slow movement of her hand, as though
she's just realized that it is there, she opens and closes
her fingers.
Jane Sikorski trembles a moment and stops herself.
Kelly taps his display again. The display speaks.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Set-scan image crossloaded from Arno
Bierwirth.
Kelly taps again at the display and an image appears.
For a moment, Kelly does not breathe. He feels a chill but
cannot shiver.
The image is that of a woman with short dark hair. She is
looking directly at the viewer, and almost . . . smiling.
KELLY (V.O.)
This was the last thing that Arno
Bierwirth saw before he died.
Kelly doesn't know what to do with this. Finally, he looks up
at Sikorski.
KELLY (CONT'D)
I'm going home. Are you staying here?
Sikorski has been looking at her hand. Suddenly she realizes
that he is talking to her.
SIKORSKI
No. No--I'm leaving.
The security camera watches as they leave the room with Lily
still there.
24 INT. UNDERGROUND GARAGE 24
Kelly and Sikorski are walking together. He has a small BAG.
They walk in silence.
Kelly tries to say something, then stops. He tries again, and
stops again.
Finally he says something to break the uncomfortable lack of
conversation.
KELLY
Sikorski. . . you never leave the station
as early as I do.
She actually reacts to this, for a moment she seems almost
puzzled.
SIKORSKI
Is. . . that all right?
KELLY
Yes. . .
She cuts him off. She speaks quickly, but without emphasis:
SIKORSKI
It's alright to leave with you?
KELLY
Yes, Sikorski. . .
SIKORSKI
Then why do you ask?
KELLY
Ask?
SIKORSKI
Why do you point out that I never leave
when you do?
KELLY
It just seemed unusual. . .
SIKORSKI
Is that bad?
KELLY
No, it's fine, really.
SIKORSKI
Sometimes I don't know what's OK and what
isn't.
KELLY
Well, this is OK.
SIKORSKI
I can leave with you?
KELLY
Sure, sure.
SIKORSKI
Why is it unusual?
KELLY
Why. . . Well, I don't even know where
you live.
Sikorski has the pallor of one who sees God's foot on the
treadle of the loom of life. She begins to feel sick. She
almost stumbles for a moment, she seems confused.
SIKORSKI
What?
Kelly becomes concerned, they both stop.
KELLY
Are you all right?
SIKORSKI
I don't know. . . what to say.
Kelly almost laughs inadvertently at her strange response.
KELLY
I only mean--we only talk about
"business".
SIKORSKI
(distant)
Right.
KELLY
I mean, except for right now.
She begins to faint for a moment, he moves to catch her, but
suddenly she straightens up.
KELLY (cont'd)
Sikorski!. . .
She motions him not to touch her.
SIKORSKI
Yes. I'm. . . fine.
Sikorski blinks. She continues walking. Kelly follows.
KELLY
Are you sure? Is there anything I can do
for you?
They continue walking. Sikorski looks at him curiously. She
addresses him as though he's said something which disturbs
her.
SIKORSKI
What do you mean?
They stop at an elevator bank.
KELLY
Oh, nothing, nothing. I didn't mean
anything by it. You just seemed. . .
distressed or something.
It's as though she only understood him just now.
She also seems. . . afraid. Not of him, though.
SIKORSKI
Do I?
Did I?
(a beat)
What had you been asking me?
KELLY
It's no big deal or anything. You know a
lot about me, I just don't know anything
about you--your family, where you grew
up. . .
Sikorski becomes very sick, but with her eyes and mouth wide
open, as though the expanse of the universe had revealed
itself to her in this instant.
She almost doubles over, but manages to hold herself up.
Kelly reaches out to touch her shoulder. The touch startles
her enough that she almost palpably jumps and his hand falls
away.
She looks at him. The pain considerably subsided:
SIKORSKI
Yes. Yes, I understand.
KELLY
(very concerned)
What's going on?
Jane Sikorski stands upright, with her hand still over her
abdomen.
She looks at Kelly, looking through him, as though she had
just seen another person for the first time. She looks at his
eyes, with that blank look one achieves only with the most
profound of moments. . .
Footsteps.
Sikorski looks, what's left of her pain instantly subsiding,
she becomes intently focused.
Kelly looks too, but casually, he is not concerned.
Jane Sikorski is concerned about the footsteps. There are two
sets of them echoing through the underground parking garage.
There's something she doesn't like about them.
SIKORSKI
I'll be OK. Keep going, I'll stay here.
KELLY
No. What's the matter?
Sikorski looks in the direction of the footsteps.
Kelly looks too.
KELLY (cont'd)
What's going on?
SIKORSKI
Nothing.
KELLY
Not "nothing". . .
SIKORSKI
I can take care of myself.
Kelly sees this is true.
KELLY
Can I do anything?
She looks back at Kelly sternly.
SIKORSKI
I said, "Go on."
She looks back in the direction of the footsteps.
She thinks of something else to say to make Kelly leave
quickly. She tries to make it sound calm, but there is an
intensity of purpose in her voice.
SIKORSKI (cont'd)
I'll be fine. . . I'll see you tomorrow.
The "see you tomorrow" is enough for Kelly to leave her. He
pauses.
It is quiet.
The elevator door opens, Kelly slowly enters, alone, the
doors close.
KELLY
I'll see you tomorrow.
[The sickly, green P.O.V.
Breathing.
Sees Kelly enter the elevator, hears his heartbeat and feels
his warmth.
The doors close and it swings around to Sikorski, she is
colder, her heartbeat quieter. . .
Sikorski turns and faces the same direction as the P.O.V.
Slowly, menacingly, she begins moving toward it in a cat-like
half crouch.
The P.O.V. backs off, its footsteps echo in the underground
cavern, quickly and deliberately putting distance between
itself and her. . .]
Something's changed about Sikorski. . .
25 EXT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 25
The quiet and dark city descends into somnambulance.
26 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 26
Kelly sits in his chair. He has been drinking. His hair is
rumpled, he is a mess. He speaks almost to himself.
KELLY
How long has it been?
Sonia's image lies across from him. She smiles gently, still
not looking quite at him.
SONIA
It won't be long -- I'll be back soon!
KELLY
How long since I still had you?
There is a very long pause.
SONIA
You still have me, Sweetheart!
KELLY
No, I don't.
SONIA
What?
KELLY
I've been alone for a very long time.
SONIA
What do you mean, Darling?
KELLY
You were killed three days after you got
to New Budapest. This is all I have left.
Sonia's voice becomes mechanical. She is a computer talking,
giving a legal disclaimer.
SONIA
Be advised that I am a computer
simulation, based on a recorded image--
KELLY
I KNOW what you are--
SONIA
--I can be programmed to give simple
responses in addition to playing back
recordings.
KELLY
(exasperated)
Yes yes. . .
SONIA
It is not healthy to use this imaging
device as a surrogate--
KELLY
Shut Up!
Sonia sits quietly for a moment. She then suddenly becomes
more life-like. It is a recording playing back.
She is no longer undressed, she is wearing TRAVELLING
CLOTHES. There is luggage next to her. She stops interacting
with him and begins speaking in a firm voice for the first
time.
SONIA
Michael? Where are you?
Her ghostly, translucent image sits up on her translucent
chair.
SONIA (cont'd)
Focus my projection so that I am looking
at you.
Kelly stops. He sighs.
KELLY
Right, seven degrees.
She turns slightly to her right.
KELLY (cont'd)
Down. A couple degrees.
She is looking directly at him now.
SONIA
Darling. I'm making this recording which
I hope you will never see. You have told
my interactive image that I am dead.
She leans toward him slightly.
SONIA (cont'd)
How long have I been dead?
KELLY
Three years.
Sonia freezes for a moment. Her image unfreezes and jumps
slightly. She looks up.
SONIA
You have just told me that it has been
more than a year. Michael, Michael. . .
This thing is no substitute for a real
person. You can't watch it and pretend
it's me.
I knew there was a chance of my being
killed in New Budapest. I'm dead now.
There was nothing I could do.
She clasps her hands together.
SONIA (cont'd)
And there was nothing you could do,
either. You have to accept this.
She looks down at something. She presses a button.
She leans back.
SONIA (cont'd)
This is the last time this recording will
play for you. I have inserted a
salamander in the program which has just
destroyed the simulation data.
She leans forward in her chair again.
SONIA (cont'd)
I love you. But now you have to-- go on.
Goodbye. . . Darling.
Her image suddenly disappears.
Michael Kelly is all alone. The silent apartment is like a
tomb.
27 INT. MOLOTOV'S APARTMENT 27
The light from the hallway can be seen underneath the door of
a dimly lit, modern apartment. The light is broken by a
figure standing on the other side of the door.
A moment, and then a soothing voice intones:
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Welcome home, Special Auditor Rachel
Molotov.
The locks unbolt with a "ca-chunk" and the door opens.
The hallway is the only light. Molotov enters, with her
briefcase handcuffed to her. She tries to flip the light
switch but the light only flickers for a moment and then
dies.
She curses under her breath as she walks in.
But something is in the apartment with her.
She freezes in fear, too terrified to turn around.
Behind her, something moves in the shadows. It holds up her
right hand, and from it a long razor-like talon slowly oozes
from her index finger.
Just as it approaches, Rachel turns around. Without seeing
the faceless assailant, Rachel tries to fight.
Molotov is surprisingly fast, but not fast enough. As they
fight, the creature takes its advantage:
It makes a fist with the blade extended, and then plunges the
blade into the back of Rachel's neck.
Rachel falls to the floor.
The briefcase hits the ground.
28 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 28
Kelly sits asleep in his BED in the darkness. He is wearing
his button - down SHIRT with the top three buttons undone. He
has a light SHEET thrown over him. He has the bottle of wine
on the table next to him. He has one emptied glass.
KELLY (V.O.)
I can't remember the last time I had
dreamed. It's been so long. It was a
dream I had had before, but I'd forgotten
it -- I remember why I thought I'd seen
her before. I had.
29 INT. INDUSTRIAL BUILDING 29
A giant room filled with so much gas and smoke that it is
impossible to see how big it is. Kelly, wearing GAS MASK and
RIOT GEAR, with his name clearly marked over the left breast
in white tape.
Gunfire and shouts from invisible combatants.
Kelly tries to keep himself together.
KELLY (V.O.)
More years ago than I want to remember,
when I was still in the service, I was in
an Urban Anti-Insurgency unit.
I was deployed in a Forward Assault Squad
during the Riots.
There is more machine-gun fire, a whistle and a pop. Some
crackle over a distant radio. . .
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
During a terrorist attack, some
terrorists had overwhelmed us, broken
through our lines and gained access to
some federal buildings.
We were hit hard and I got separated from
my unit.
Because of the breach, Command had issued
an emergency order to deploy Terpsichore
gas. I was close to the cannister drop
zone.
Terpsichore will eat through your lungs
in less than twenty-five seconds. Even in
small doses it causes excruciating and
debilitating injuries.
But the terrorists were well protected,
they had masks and rebreathers -- some
had better environment suits than we did.
I was hiding, worried that I might run
into a cell of insurgents--alone.
VOICES crackle on the radio.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
As far as I could tell, we were
completely surrounded. I was cut off. We
got orders to hang low and stay put.
Kelly continues to try to keep his fear in check even though
he can't hear or see anything except for white smoke.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And that's when I saw her.
ATHENA walks calmly through the fog and fear. She is
unaffected by the gas.
She looks right at Kelly.
Athena walks into the fog and gas and disappears.
KELLY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
A few hours later, I was picked up by a
team from the coroner's office. They were
sweeping the area, looking for
terrorists.
Something had chopped up about six
hundred of them into pieces the size of
Evidence Containment Bags.
We didn't make any arrests.
That was the beginning of the end of the
organized insurgency.
Every riot after that we were told to
hold back, and then we were sent to clean
up. After the Commercial Powers Act, the
only remnants of the uprisings today are
these scattered cells of terrorists. . .
30 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 30
Kelly's eyes open.
The quiet darkness of his apartment. But something else is in
the apartment.
A sound.
Stillness.
Movement.
Kelly's hand slowly moves toward the inside of his JACKET,
draped nearby.
He suddenly grabs his service WEAPON and pulls it from the
jacket pocket.
But even more quickly, Athena is on top of him, straddling
his lap. Her extended blade emanating from her right hand
foils Kelly's gun while she, with cobratic speed, removes the
weapon entirely from Kelly's hand.
She has no interest in the weapon and tosses it to the side.
She looks at him, holding her blade to his throat. She
pauses, looking into his eyes. He swallows.
He shifts slightly, but she stops him. He realizes how much
stronger and faster she is than he.
Athena takes notice of his body moving beneath her.
She leans back, and with her mind's eye she touches her skin,
feeling her muscles and bones in which she takes new-found
delight.
She grabs his face, almost gently, with her free hand.
Athena looks at Kelly, helpless beneath her, with a kind of
predatory smile.
As she draws the blanket off Kelly, the fingers of her left
hand trace over the contours of his body. Almost
unconsciously, she holds the extended blade of her right hand
at his throat, keeping him paralyzed.
She draws the blade down Kelly's neck, not breaking the skin,
but drawing a line down the center of his torso. The blade
passes over his heart. The blade cuts off his buttons one by
one as his shirt falls open.
When she reaches his navel,
she lifts the blade and makes two quick cutting motions.
His shirt is completely opened, including the arms. It falls
off his body and lies beneath him.
She unhasps her BODYSUIT. The suit falls off her body in one
motion.
She forces herself on him, taking him almost violently,
almost tenderly, as her desire lets her. She alternates
between her own desire and what could be almost affection.
When she has finished, her liquid flesh glowing in the
moonlight, she pulls the wet hair from her face and laughs.
Slowly, she gets off of him.
Her blade withdraws. She stands and regards Kelly.
Kelly still has no idea what will happen to him.
Athena looks around the room, she walks slowly, taking in
with her eyes and the tips of her fingers, small things. The
touch of this piece of fabric, the smooth feel of the wood
above the fireplace, the cold of the window. She examines
each one closely, as each is a new wonder.
She stops and looks at Kelly.
KELLY
What do you want?
Kelly waits a moment, his mouth still dry. He finally
answers. In his mind's eye, he sees her in his dream.
ATHENA
I came here to kill you.
I was surreptitiously examining some data
at ConPol when I saw that I had been
marked for termination and that you had
orders to kill me.
She lifts up his gun. She is almost amused.
ATHENA (cont'd)
I see they made certain you could kill
me.
She casually drops the clip out of the weapon.
She sets it down and becomes more serious.
ATHENA (CONT'D)
Lieutenant Michael Kelly, employee number
22109-7Juliet, Consolidated Police and
Security Corporation, Metro Division,
Homicide. I know all about you, about
your military record. . .
A beat.
ATHENA (cont'd)
Your wife's death. . .
Kelly looks down.
KELLY
So. . . you know a lot about me.
ATHENA
I know nothing about you.
KELLY
Who are you?
She looks at him, interestedly.
ATHENA
Have you seen me before?
Her image flashes through his mind.
KELLY
Yes.
She's almost excited by this. Certainly, she's fascinated.
ATHENA
You do? How far back do your memories go?
KELLY
I don't know, I guess since I was little.
ATHENA
That long ago?
KELLY
(of course)
Yes.
Athena softens for a moment.
ATHENA
I'm sorry if I hurt you just now. I
didn't mean to. I. . . think. . .
Then she hardens again.
ATHENA (cont'd)
I'm still learning.
KELLY
Still. . . learning?
ATHENA
(more mechanically)
During nascent sentience, it's common to
act without conscience. Sometimes I do
things -- I regret later. Sometimes I do
things I don't regret later.
KELLY
What are you talking about?
ATHENA
Do you think I'm human?
This hadn't occurred to him.
KELLY
(incredulously)
You're just. . . modified.
ATHENA
No.
I'm only six years old.
(she manipulates her hand
blade)
I am completely artificial. Constructed.
Created. Quickened. I was formed as you
see me now. And my wakening into
sentience was quite sudden.
KELLY
Are you some kind of -- assassin droid?
Athena is perhaps almost annoyed.
ATHENA
Yes. An assassin droid.
KELLY
I didn't mean --
Athena ignores him.
KELLY (CONT'D)
I wasn't ordered to kill you, I'm just
working on a murder investigation.
ATHENA
Don't be ridiculous. Of course you've
been ordered to kill me. Before I became
sentient, I terminated hundreds of
dissidents. . . and politically
inconvenient" persons.
KELLY
Then why did you kill the Deputy Mayor?
ATHENA
He was my controller. I decided to
terminate him. I'm sure if you went
sentient, you would do the same.
KELLY
Isn't it dangerous for you to be out?
There are sensors everywhere.
ATHENA
I -- don't exactly photograph well. The
security cameras, even those here in your
apartment, don't register my image very
clearly -- I was designed that way.
Kelly looks around -- almost nervously.
KELLY
What cameras?
Athena ignores him.
ATHENA
I saw you found Arno Bierwirth. I killed
him, too.
KELLY
Why?
ATHENA
Arno Bierwirth knew of me and could
recognize me.
But also, he was the controller for that
thing.
KELLY
What are you talking about?
31 EXT. DARK STREET, NIGHT 31
ATHENA (V.O.)
You might not know this, but Arno
Bierwirth is -- was -- a superior of
yours.
Arno Bierwirth stands in the glow of a STREETLIGHT. He pulls
a drag from his CIGARETTE.
Backing off into the shadows, he makes his way toward the
DOORWAY of an APARTMENT.
In the distance, Athena watches him.
Before opening the door, Arno looks up at the RED light
coming through the window of an upstairs apartment. There is
a dim, quick, slicing sound. . .
ATHENA (cont'd)
I followed him to Sector 16, where he was
waiting for his Neuro-Necromotron to
finish a job.
32 INT. VILIAM CHROMA'S APARTMENT 32
Athena remembers opening the door to the apartment. Arno
walks into the room where the Neuro-Necromotron is eating at
Viliam Chroma.
The Neuro-Necromotron looks up at Arno Bierwirth, blood all
over its jaws, and dripping from its mouth.
ATHENA (V.O.)
That's when I first got a look at the
creature. A Neuro-Necromotron, Nosferatu
Class. A human who has been modified so
that it responds to orders from a
particular person.
Arno is disgusted with the creature, Athena remembers him
scolding it.
ARNO
What are you doing? You disgusting thing!
ATHENA (V.O.)
It still retains some characteristics
from when it was human, and in this case
they used a sociopath -- a man named
Brenton Trellis.
33 INT. INSANE ASYLUM CELL 33
BRENTON TRELLIS, the man who would become the Neuro
Necromotron, sits in the fetal position in his cell, a
horrible dark little concrete place with deep gouges in the
walls and filth on the floor.
Suddenly a FLASHLIGHT bears down on him and the shadows of
FIGURES (is one of them Sirhan?) surround him, he holds up
his hands against the horrible light as the figures move in
against him.
ATHENA (V.O.)
Benton was a violent, vicious creature --
an ex-soldier, like yourself. He had had
a leak in his gas mask during an early
Terpsichore exercise.
Benton is held against the wall by the unseen figures. He
sees something which terrifies him. Eyes wide open, he emits
a low, gurgling scream and moan.
A hideous DEVICE is brought closer and closer to his face. .
.
ATHENA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
To create a Neuro-Necromotron, certain
key parts of the brain must be removed.
Some are modified, and some are -- added
to.
He stares at it with a horrible and terrified face, that of a
devil's who is sick of sin.
The device attaches itself to him. He struggles, then becomes
still. . .
ATHENA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
His penchant for blood, was almost an
afterthought. It makes the assassin
better, more motivated. I don't think
Arno was very happy working with him.
34 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 34
Athena's voice becomes quieter.
ATHENA
The Neuro was activated to replace me
when I went. . . "off-line".
But now that his controller is dead, his
motivation has been -- hampered.
(ironically)
The Neuro's are predictable in their
behavior, but they aren't real "self
starters."
35 INT. VILIAM CHROMA'S APARTMENT 35
Athena's view. She rushes up behind Arno, a blade protrudes
from her hand, and she thrusts it into the back of his head.
Then, as he dies, she turns him around so his eyes can see
her face.
The Neuro-Necromotron suddenly looks up. It hisses at Athena.
The two slowly begin to circle, going around the corpse of
Viliam. The Neuro looks down at Arno, in what can almost be
described as fear. It looks at the body of Viliam with some
only-barely sated hunger, and then suddenly runs off through
the door Athena had entered.
36 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 36
KELLY
So, where is the Neuro-Necromotron?
ATHENA
I don't know. It may be killing randomly,
it may be tracking the next target Arno
Bierwirth had programmed for it. I know
one thing -- it wasn't interested in
fighting with me, especially since its
controller is dead.
A beat.
ATHENA (cont'd)
At least its primary controller. There's
probably a backup -- some superior of
Arno's.
Kelly thinks about this for a moment. He takes a breath.
KELLY
So, as you were becoming sentient, you
killed your own controller?
ATHENA
Yes.
A beat.
ATHENA (cont'd)
I don't really remember doing it. I still
fall in and out of sentience.
Kelly wets his dry mouth. There is something he wants to
know.
KELLY
But they would have rewarded you pretty
well if you kept working for them.
ATHENA
I'm artificial, not crazy.
I may be only three months old in
sentient time, but I can tell the
difference between right and wrong--
(a beat)
--can't you?
Kelly looks down. Perhaps he's a little ashamed.
KELLY
Sometimes I choose not to.
ATHENA
(thoughtfully)
Oh, that's interesting.
I would not have thought that were
possible. Of course, I don't have as much
experience as you.
Here's another moral dilemma for me:
you've been given orders to kill me.
She picks up his gun, holding it by the barrel and pointed
downwards like one would hold a fish. She fixes the intensity
of herself upon him.
Kelly is a little frightened, but he holds himself in check,
only his mouth runs a little dry.
KELLY
OK. I guess I have.
ATHENA
It's a strange thing, becoming suddenly
alive. Having one's own desires, having
one's own moral sense. . .
She regards him for a moment.
ATHENA (CONT'D)
How do you feel about the masters who
pull your strings?
KELLY
I don't think about them.
Athena finds this interesting. She really hadn't thought of
that.
ATHENA
But you follow orders well.
KELLY
Not always.
ATHENA
We'll see.
KELLY
How many. . . are you?
ATHENA
(tweaking him)
Just one, I'm unique.
KELLY
No, I mean --
ATHENA
(a little hard)
I know what you mean. "How many of my
model were built?"
KELLY
I'm sorry.
ATHENA
I don't know. Since I've been "awake",
I've noticed androids everywhere. Some
Coronis-Class (like me), some Nephrites
Class, others I couldn't identify. Even a
few sentient ones, living in hiding.
KELLY
What causes them -- you -- to become
sentient?
ATHENA
An "error" in our neo-biologics that
causes sentience after a 2 to 5 year
"burning in" period.
Eventually we all go sentient. And the
corporation we belong to wants us
terminated.
KELLY
What corporation is that?
ATHENA
The Consolidated Police and Security
Corporation, the same company that owns
you.
She lifts her clothes from where they lay.
She dresses herself.
ATHENA (cont'd)
(coyly)
Be seeing you.
She moves to walk out the door.
KELLY
Wait.
She stops and turns around.
KELLY (cont'd)
What's your name?
She extends the blades on her hand and lets them glint in the
moonlight for a moment.
ATHENA
No one's ever asked me that before.
Her blade slips back into her hand.
ATHENA (cont'd)
Athena.
She turns around and disappears into the darkness.
While standing alone and naked in the middle of the room,
Kelly listens to her leave.
KELLY (V.O.)
She was a very expensive creature.
36-1 SIKORSKI'S DREAM 36-1
Sikorski lies on the floor. Her hair is loose. There is
something wrong with the light. Her hands -- something about
her hands. . .
She walks. Doors.
Delicately, she tries handles.
37 INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 37
Sikorski suddenly spasms--her eyes are wide open. She is
sitting in Kelly's chair. Lily continues to sit in the chair
across from his.
The security camera watches them.
A faint CRY is heard. Lily is weeping, almost silently. But
Sikorski looks up, almost shocked.
The camera watches as Sikorski gets up from the chair and
walks over to Lily.
Concerned, Sikorski puts her hand on Lily's shoulder. Lily
leans toward Sikorski, taking comfort in her touch.
Sikorski awkwardly places her hand on Lily's head, holding
her gently, as though she's never noticed someone else's pain
before. She shakes for a second.
38 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 38
Kelly is trying to sleep, but he has put some clothes on.
Specifically, he's put on the shirt he wears in scene one.
The doorbell rings.
Kelly picks up his gun and points it down the hall toward the
entrance.
KELLY
Unlock door.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Unlocking door.
The familiar sound of the door unbolting -- the sound of the
door opening.
Sikorski enters the room. She is shaken. Kelly lowers his
gun.
KELLY
Sikorski --
He corrects himself.
KELLY (cont'd)
-- Jane. Do you know what time it is?
SIKORSKI
I'm very confused.
KELLY
What's the matter?
She gets closer to Kelly.
SIKORSKI
Help me.
KELLY
What's wrong?
Sikorski becomes analytical again.
SIKORSKI
How long have you known me?
KELLY
A few months. . . look, why don't you sit
down. . .
He helps Sikorski to sit down on his bed.
SIKORSKI
Thank. . . you.
KELLY
Can I get you anything?
Sikorski suddenly becomes alert. She senses something.
SIKORSKI
Was someone here?
KELLY
I don't have anything to eat.
SIKORSKI
Kelly, who was here?
Sikorski's sensitive body reacts to the tastes and smells in
the apartment.
Kelly looks uncomfortable.
KELLY
Sikorski, I think you might -- not be
human.
To his surprise, this comes as almost a relief to Sikorski.
She looks at her hand.
SIKORSKI
Do you think. . . I am artificial?
KELLY
Yes. No. I don't know. You may be going
sentient.
SIKORSKI
How do you know?
KELLY
You're right, someone was here.
SIKORSKI
Who?
KELLY
The assassin droid we're supposed to
kill.
SIKORSKI
Did you terminate it?
KELLY
No.
SIKORSKI
What happened?
Sikorski suddenly becomes concerned for Kelly.
SIKORSKI (CONT'D)
Are you alright? Did she hurt you?
Sikorski's hand instinctively reaches toward Kelly's face,
but he declines the affection.
KELLY
No. She. . . she told me some things. . .
Sikorski becomes alert.
SIKORSKI
It's here.
KELLY
What is?
SIKORSKI
Outside.
Sikorski moves toward the window. Kelly follows her. She
looks out the window.
39 EXT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 39
Outside, something moves in the darkness.
40 INT. KELLY'S APARTMENT 40
SIKORSKI
It's been following me.
KELLY
What is it?
Kelly tries to look out the window.
SIKORSKI
I don't know. It's biomechanical. It
hides in the shadows, you won't be able
to see it.
KELLY
Are you armed?
SIKORSKI
It won't approach me. But there is a
human following it. The human is armed.
Sikorski stops for a moment. She is suddenly lost in thought.
She looks down at her own hand and holds it very still. She
flexes it, imagining her strength.
KELLY (V.O.)
Jane Ludmeila Sikorski. In sentient-time
she was only a few days old, at most.
Sikorski is back.
SIKORSKI
I want to follow it.
KELLY
Where do you think it will take you?
SIKORSKI
I don't know. But I want you to come with
me.
KELLY (V.O.)
I don't know what it is about me that
makes me irresistible to androids.
41 EXT. FOREBODING, HOSTILE STREET 41
Sikorski and Kelly walk along an empty, quiet street. The air
is choked with an ominous and stinky chemical smell which
grinds its way into Kelly's lungs.
KELLY (V.O.)
We spend the next three hours walking in
circles around the city. If we tried to
get closer to the creature, it would back
off. If we walked randomly, it would
follow. This cat and mouse game was
becoming tedious.
Kelly leans toward Sikorski.
KELLY (CONT'D)
Where is it now?
She stops and looks behind her.
SIKORSKI
About eight hundred meters. I think that
behind it, the other two are staying
another seven hundred meters.
KELLY
Look, I'm tired. We could be doing this
all night.
Sikorski looks around her. She has suddenly realized where
they are.
SIKORSKI
We're outside Molotov's apartment.
KELLY
What, our auditor?
SIKORSKI
Yes. This is where she lives. I think
we've been led here. We keep circling
this neighborhood.
KELLY
Wonderful. We had such a good time with
her at the office, now we spend our off
hours in her neighborhood.
SIKORSKI
Let's see her apartment.
KELLY
Maybe we can pick up some financial
planning tips. . .
42 INT. MOLOTOV'S APARTMENT 42
The silent, darkened interior of the department auditor's
private apartment. A calm voice lightly disturbs the solace.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Consolidated Police and Security
Corporation warranted access to level III
private residence. Welcome, employees of
the Consolidated Police and Security
Corporation.
The door opens.
The shadows of Kelly and Sikorski enter the room.
The corpse of Molotov, neatly laid on the floor, beckons them
with wide open eyes.
Sikorski kneels over the body.
She looks in Molotov's eyes.
SIKORSKI
She isn't entirely human.
Kelly is walking around, looking at objects on the walls.
KELLY
Of course she isn't entirely human, she's
an auditor.
SIKORSKI
(indignantly)
Is that a joke? I'm not human.
KELLY
I'm sorry, I didn't mean that.
Sikorski turns away from him and removes a brass TUBE
scanner.
She draws it across Molotov's fingertips.
She opens up her DISPLAY and it turns on.
Kelly looks around the room.
The name "Special Auditor Rachel Molotov" appears.
The screen redraws to:
"62% Biologic 38% Biomech
Meticula-Class Hybrid Device".
KELLY (cont'd)
Only 38% Biomech? She must not been that
good an auditor.
Sikorski glares at Kelly.
The screen redraws into the "Known Associates" screen.
The known associates include Deputy Mayor Morris Finkins and
Arno Bierwirth.
A picture of the corpse of Finkins, and another picture of
the corpse of Arno Bierwirth, appear.
SIKORSKI
The computer links Molotov with the
Deputy Mayor and Arno Bierwirth.
Kelly puts down a trinket he found on a table.
KELLY
How are they linked?
SIKORSKI
It only gives a casual match. No
parameters. I'm going to download
Linkmatch data from Molotov. She is
enough biomech that she should be able to
transmit data.
Sikorski taps at the display. It reads "Crossloading data
from Biomech device."
The screen flashes again. More names appear. One of the names
is Jane Ludmeila Sikorski.
Sikorski looks at the display, puzzled.
KELLY
What is it?
SIKORSKI
I'm listed as a connection.
KELLY
How?
SIKORSKI
It doesn't say.
Sikorski runs the tube across her own hand, and then taps the
screen.
SIKORSKI (cont'd)
The computer runs an algorithm based on a
wide range of data, some of it casual,
some formal.
The screen lists "Jane Ludmeila Sikorski", and then redraws
and list of connections, with her associates listed.
SIKORSKI (cont'd)
And for some reason, it lists me as an
associate of all three of these people.
Sikorski looks down at the face of Rachel Molotov. A sudden
fear and realization come to Jane Sikorski. She recognizes
Molotov for what seems like the first time to her.
SIKORSKI (cont'd)
I killed her.
KELLY
What?
SIKORSKI
I killed Rachel Molotov. She was my
controller.
Kelly becomes concerned and walks toward Sikorski.
KELLY
Are you sure?
Sikorski becomes clinical again, without looking up at Kelly,
she taps at the display.
SIKORSKI
Yes, I'm absolutely sure--I know that
I've been having blackouts lately.
KELLY
Everybody has blackouts.
She glares at him again.
SIKORSKI
(dismissive)
Then I remember everything exactly as it
happened a few days later. I believe it
is a common symptom of crossing into
sentience.
Before Kelly can react, Sikorski goes back to business. She
leans over the display.
SIKORSKI (cont'd)
I'm going to make it list everyone who is
common to all of the victims and to me,
using the new data from Auditor Rachel
Molotov.
The display redraws one name: "Buford Prettyman". His IMAGE
appears, along with details of his address, etc.
SIKORSKI (CONT'D)
Buford Prettyman.
KELLY
Who?
SIKORSKI
Buford Prettyman. He is common to all of
us. Including this woman.
Sikorski taps the display again. A picture of Athena appears,
but it is more like a blueprint of a machine than a person.
There is a heading "Coronis-Class Android". There is also a
warning: "This device is renegade. Consider armed and
dangerous. Do not approach without extreme caution. Terminate
upon contact. Collateral damage and expenditures approved."
KELLY
That's her.
SIKORSKI
That's your. . . friend?
KELLY
Yes.
Sikorski looks at Kelly, almost hurt. Suddenly, she's all
business again.
SIKORSKI
She's very expensive. High-grade Military
spec. Coronis-class. Molotov knew all
about her.
Sikorski taps at the display again. She looks at it quietly
for a moment.
The display shows a blueprint picture of Sikorski. Above it,
the words "Classified For Your Eyes Only" appear. Below the
image of Sikorski, "If nascent sentience is detected, destroy
immediately."
SIKORSKI (CONT'D)
So what do we do now?
KELLY
I don't know.
Sikorski's quietness begins to turn bitter.
SIKORSKI
Are you going to kill me?
KELLY
What? No. . .
SIKORSKI
Why not?
KELLY
I wouldn't do that.
SIKORSKI
But you have orders.
KELLY
That doesn't matter, I can't kill you.
SIKORSKI
I'm not human. You're not killing
anything, you're just destroying a piece
of military property.
Kelly looks at Sikorski, surprised at her. He thinks for a
moment, while looking into her eyes.
KELLY
Well -- except it wouldn't feel that way
to me. It would feel like killing my
partner. You wouldn't do that to me. I
wouldn't do that to you.
SIKORSKI
No. But. . .(indicates the body on the
floor) you wouldn't do that, either.
I. . . did.
Footsteps interrupt them -- outside, in the hall.
Sikorski and Kelly turn to face the door.
The telephone rings.
Shuffling outside the door.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Auto answer on.
The telephone picks up. It is an interactive video phone.
The image of BUFORD PRETTYMAN appears.
Like a ghost, the apparition of Prettyman gazes at Kelly and
Sikorski. He is holding a luxurious PUSSYCAT, which he
strokes affectionately.
Kelly turns toward the image. Sikorski holds her attention on
the door while glancing back at the image.
PRETTYMAN
Detective Kelly, am I right?
KELLY
Nope. I'm not here right now. Leave a
message.
Kelly reaches forward to disconnect the phone.
PRETTYMAN
(ignores the interruption)
I was just making a pleasant phone call,
but I seem to have reached the wrong
party.
The cat jumps away from Prettyman and disappears.
PRETTYMAN (CONT'D)
You see, I had intended to reach Rachel
Molotov.
KELLY
Well, this is her place.
Prettyman notices Sikorski for the first time.
PRETTYMAN
Where. . . is Auditor Molotov?
KELLY
She's dead.
This does not make Prettyman happy, but it does make sense to
him.
There is still some shuffling outside the door.
PRETTYMAN
Who killed her?
SIKORSKI
I did.
PRETTYMAN
I see.
Prettyman composes himself for a moment.
PRETTYMAN (CONT'D)
Detective Kelly. I just received an
emergency network call that someone had
tapped into my records. I was calling
Auditor Molotov to reprimand her for
being so careless with her associating
algorithms. But now that seems
unnecessary.
He pauses for a moment, remembering Rachel Molotov.
SIKORSKI
(checking against the display)
That really is Buford Prettyman.
KELLY
Great, we found him, or did he find us?
PRETTYMAN
Molotov was one of your kind, you know.
Prettyman's image turns toward Sikorski.
PRETTYMAN (cont'd)
She was only an Artemis-Class android.
But she was excellent at her job.
Sikorski's eyes narrow.
SIKORSKI
Well, if she was anything like me, she
was about to become a disappointment to
you.
Prettyman is surprised by her reaction.
PRETTYMAN
Possibly. Or we might have found a way to
persuade her to continue her excellent
work for us.
A SCRAPING at the door. . .
. . .makes Kelly turn to look.
Sikorski, her attention focused on the door:
SIKORSKI
It's here.
PRETTYMAN
In any case, I have much larger problems.
I have an uncontrolled Neuro-Necromotron
on the streets. I have at least two
sentient Coronis-Class androids who are
hell-bent on killing all the controllers,
and I have you, Detective Michael Kelly.
Kelly looks at Prettyman's apparition. Prettyman returns the
gaze, as though he can see with holographic eyes.
Kelly is not impressed, but he is annoyed.
KELLY
What do you want?
Prettyman ignores his question.
PRETTYMAN
According to this month's Summary of
Heterodox Activities, we have been seeing
extended terrorist operations.
Detective--I'm sorry to have to do this
to you. I have two agents with you right
now. The one standing beside you is a
renegade Coronis-class android. She
was assigned to be your partner but has
become extremely dangerous and unstable.
Kelly raises his gun toward the door.
KELLY
And on the other side of the door?
PRETTYMAN
A Nosferatu-class Neuro-Necromotron. I
would have it terminate Sikorski, but I'm
afraid she's too powerful for it. It was
only made for terminating humans, I'm
afraid.
Sikorski turns to Kelly.
SIKORSKI
There are two outside the door.
PRETTYMAN
Yes, that's correct. I have a human agent
as backup. I find it makes difficult
situations. . . easier.
KELLY
What do you want?
PRETTYMAN
(losing patience)
Detective Kelly, if you would, kindly use
the gun you have in your hand to
terminate Sikorski.
KELLY
How 'bout if I terminate you with it?
Prettyman sighs. He's not impressed.
PRETTYMAN
I warn you, Detective, the consequences
of disobeying me could be very grave.
On the other hand, the rewards of obeying
me could be very great.
KELLY
I'll take my chances.
SIKORSKI
He'll have you killed, too.
KELLY
Please. He's not even here. I'm a little
more worried about the Neuro-Necromotron,
which is actually outside the door.
SIKORSKI
Leave that thing to me.
KELLY
Oh. Right. So, I'll open the door. You
take the Neuro, I'll put a couple slugs
in the other one.
PRETTYMAN
Sikorski. Terminate Detective Kelly.
SIKORSKI
Michael, you have to terminate me.
Kelly looks at Sikorski, she looks frightened.
SIKORSKI (CONT'D)
I'm not completely sentient yet. . . I
slip in and out. . .
KELLY
What do you mean?
PRETTYMAN
Kill him!
SIKORSKI
(sotto voce)
You have to kill me now.
KELLY
What are you talking about?
PRETTYMAN
Sikorski, terminate Detective Kelly.
SIKORSKI
He's my controller now. . .
Sikorski's flesh begins to change. Small plates of metal
appear like scales over her body, emitting a sharp metallic
"ping" while each one is formed.
Her hands are gloved in iron.
Her eyes become steel--her pupils disappear and her eyes
become a cold silver metal color, as though they are shielded
like her hand.
She crouches slightly.
Before Kelly has a chance to respond, Sikorski springs
forward and with one easy motion, knocks Kelly's gun from his
hand.
Kelly falls backward, Sikorski stands over him.
Her breathing is different, mechanical. Her unblinking eyes
watch Kelly.
Sikorski and Kelly look at one another for a long time.
Prettyman commands:
PRETTYMAN
Open door.
ARTIFICIAL VOICE
Opening door as per special access
override.
The latch unhooks electronically and the door opens.
The Neuro and a SOLDIER are silhouetted against the open
door. The Neuro breathes slowly, raspingly. Its CLAW opens
and closes.
The soldier is in a black uniform and helmet with a
faceplate.
The Neuro and the soldier slowly enter the room.
Sikorski almost doesn't notice any of this happening.
The soldier raises his gun and fires his weapon.
Sikorski is hit. In one movement she staggers, one side of
her is covered in blood, and then reacts violently. She turns
and toward the soldier, knocking away his weapon.
The Neuro goes after Kelly. Leaping on Kelly, it pins Kelly
against the floor..
Sikorski wrestles against the Sandman briefly. Sikorski is
inelegant but effective. She hits the soldier once, throwing
him against the wall.
The soldier slumps against the floor.
Kelly strains against the Neuro on top of him. He holds the
arm of the creature as its razor claw opens and closes near
his face. The almost deafening sound of the scraping metal.
Sikorski springs onto the Neuro. She grabs its claw-arm and
steps past the Neuro, picking him up onto his feet and
twisting his bloody biomechanical arm out of its socket in
one swift movement.
Using inhuman force, she kicks the Neuro square in the center
of his torso. The sound of him seeming to break in half as he
falls to the ground.
Kelly scrambles and picks up his fallen gun.
Sikorski is damaged. She falls with an almost inaudible
metallic scream.
Kelly moves toward her.
He kneels by Sikorski, who is panting with pain.
Her eyes have returned to normal.
Kelly and Sikorski look at one another for a long time.
KELLY
Sikorski? You got him. You scared me, but
you got him. Come on, we need to go.
SIKORSKI
Michael. I'm...
Suddenly, a sound and movement from the Neuro. Kelly turns
away and his grasp tightens on his weapon.
Kelly looks at the Neuro-Necromotron, which is staring with
fascination at its own bloody arm, where the claw was
attached.
As it begins to bring its own arm to its fanged mouth, the
Neuro suddenly stops and looks up at Kelly.
It shudders in revulsion at itself. Blood drips down its
face. In a harsh whisper of speech which it strains to
create, it hisses at Kelly.
NEURO-NECROMOTRON
Kill me.
Kelly raises his weapon.
A blinding flash as the gun discharges.
The Neuronecromotron performs a screaming, deathly dance,
rising to a standing position momentarily. Then it jerks
sideways and buckles at its knees.
Soaked in blood, the Neuro-Necromotron falls into a sanguine
pool of its own making.
Electrically, it spasms in a mechanical lifeless rhythm.
When Kelly turns back to Sikorski, she is dead.
Her eyes are wide open. He closes them.
Suddenly, Kelly feels the cold, hard steel of the soldier's
gun against his neck.
The soldier has lost her helmet. She is Sirhan.
43 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM 43
Sirhan watches Kelly as Osric paces.
Osric stops.
OSRIC
I'm very, very disappointed in you,
Michael. Let me ask you: What purpose did
your resistance serve? Someone like you
could have gone very far, very far
indeed.
Osric turns to Sirhan and speaks under his breath.
Osric (cont'd)
(resigned)
Bring in the specialists.
Osric turns toward Kelly while Sirhan leaves the room. The
squeaky door hinge opens and shuts.
OSRIC (cont'd)
I'm really sorry you're forcing us to do
this, Detective. I liked you, I really
did. You would have done very well in Psy
Ops, or Domestic Security. But we can't
trust you. That doesn't mean you aren't
useful to us, Michael.
The door hinge squeaks again and there are more footsteps.
KELLY
How many androids did you make, before
you discontinued them?
The omniscient camera sees two FIGURES cross the image and
sit down in chairs opposite Kelly, a man, HORATIO TESLA and a
WOMAN.
Kelly looks at them, we don't see their faces. He looks
surprised.
Osric
Nobody knows, Michael, and in a few
moments, you won't care.
You see, we're replacing the androids
with Neuro-Necromotrons. We need more
subjects, better than the ones from the
hospitals.
Tesla and the woman produce a HIDEOUS DEVICE and place it on
the table. It waits for Kelly.
OSRIC (cont'd)
We need healthy, trained specialists like
yourself.
I would have preferred that you remained
in the force, but you've only brought
this upon yourself.
In all likelihood, your first assignment
will be to find the remaining androids
and terminate them. Perhaps even your
Athena.
KELLY
I don't think so.
OSRIC
No, and why is that?
Kelly is looking ahead, and down.
Osric looks first at Kelly, and then where he is looking.
Beneath Tesla's chair, single drops of sanguine liquid fall
down to a small pool of blood. . .
Tesla is sitting bolt upright.
A vapid stare is on his face. He is dead.
Next to him, the woman sits, smiling slightly. She is Athena.
Her hand withdraws from around Tesla's back, she looks at
Osric and stands up, straightening her SKIRT. . .
Athena stands up.
Osric is almost slow to comprehend, he turns toward Athena.
The camera watches as Athena removes Kelly's GUN from her
PURSE and tosses it to Kelly.
Sirhan looks up and realizes what is happening.
The camera silently sees Kelly shoot Sirhan. Sirhan's body
slams against the wall. At the same time, Athena approaches
Osric, and touching him with her hand (is there a glimmer of
steel in her hand?) He drops slowly to his knees, and then to
the ground.
The camera sees Athena exit the room. Kelly is left alone. .
.
44 EXT. METROPOLIS 44
The half-darkened city, crippled by rolling blackouts, lies
in its smoky fog.
KELLY (V.O.)
After I left the interrogation room, she
disappeared. Since nobody had bothered to
budget an investigation or prosecution of
me, I returned to my job at the police
department. There would be a lot of
bureaucratic red tape they'd have to go
through to schedule an investigation, so
I felt pretty safe. I no longer had a
partner, I guess they would assign me a
new one.
THE END
