VERITY RUSH OF LIBERTY LANE in……….

Algorithm Reactive

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‘The lamp of the body is the eye. It follows that if your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be all darkness. If then, the light inside you is darkness, what darkness that will be!’

NEW TESTAMENT MATTHEW 7:5

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OPENING IMAGE

A MONTAGE

SLUDGE CITY, TWO DECADES FROM NOW

A vortex of dust and sand swirl around us as we move through Sludge City, an eerie wasteland that was once Manhattan. The only sound is the howl of a rising wind.

The wind drops, and is replaced with the voice of a young woman. This is the Narrator.

NARRATOR V.O. There are times when assumptions about power and influence – about who sets the rules and must follow them are challenged. Where there cannot be agreement, so begins politics. Then one discovers a desire for power, so begins war.

Out of the dust storm emerges the ancient wreck of a green head, a fallen Statue of Liberty. It is decaying, its body barricaded with metal sheets. The green head is still visible and the reminder of a once free world.

NARRATOR V.O. To understand the conflict you had to go back to the old world. A time before the fanatics where there was eloquence, not hectoring. Equality of all before the law, free will and the press.

STREET: Hundreds of females clutching protest placards against industry leaders: ON PLACARDS WE READ: Hands off Women, Hands off Nature, Hands off our Planet.

UNIFORMED POLICEMEN: Arresting women where we see them being shoved into police vans.

NARRATOR V.O. It is true what they say. Men have no inclination for peace. Masked Man, head of the Brethren Crime Syndicate, tormented Sludge City in a private vendetta that came to be known as the Turbulence. To counter the brutal assaults made against innocent civilians, Sludge City’s governing body, the Vogues of Liberty Lane, challenged the Brethren’s assaults with a weapon that rose above the peak of human potential, an iron fist that carried the torch for justice, a phenomena that no man could yet understand, and her name was………..Verity Rush. 4

FADE IN

INT. MINISTRY OF SCIENCE – NIGHT

Through the floor to ceiling window we see night only just starting to leak into a dusk sky.

We are looking at a surgically clean room. In the centre of the room is a stainless steel bench. Atop the bench is a computer with a large screen monitor displaying two intertwined columns of DNA and the vaguest hint of a white, box sized DNA sequencing machine in the background.

Behind the lab bench is a man, dressed in a white coat. This is ERNST DARKSTAR, fifties, slick grey hair. A banker’s geneticist. He is speaking into a micro- recorder and looking at the screen monitor with an intensity that could conjure up a heart attack. On screen is an X-ray blow-up of the human genome sequence.

A moment later Darkstar’s colleague, MORRIS MINDFUL enters the lab. He has large brown eyes, a mop of wild gray hair and is dressed in a shabby tweed coat. He suffers a facial tic under duress. Right now, the cheek muscle is moving faster than bullet speed.

Mindful is carrying a letter. We READ: Professor Ernst Darkstar c/- Sludge City, Ministry of Science.

MINDFUL I see you’ve gone behind my back and done a deal with a drug cartel (beat).

Mindful, cut up shakes the envelope.

Dupane Biotech Institute has signed off on the grant for the Ministry’s, Human Intelligence Project.

Darkstar’s eyes calmly shift to the letter in Mindful’s hand then back to his screen monitor. A genius rarely feels inclined to give an explanation.

DARKSTAR Don’t you know Morris? Opening other people’s mail is a federal crime.

MINDFUL For the record Ernst, it was addressed to the Ministry of Science and given that I am the 5

Chief Science Officer, why not? We were supposed to be a team.

Darkstar’s brain is steaming. Government had come to lean upon him with presumption. Every syllable struck a false note.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Let’s be quite clear about this. Is your story going to be you don’t believe in good breeding?

Mindful knows this sizzling insult has some truth to it. He cools down.

MINDFUL (cont’d) I am prepared to accept the fact that the Intelligence Project was your initiative. But I’m asking you to consider the risk.

A proud, pompous Darkstar, no longer shields his ambitions from the Ministry of Science or more notably, a sentimental old fool like Mindful.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Such an advanced tool will give us unprecedented power over the natural world. As soon as Hargreaves delivers the algorithm, my dream of raising intelligence levels will become reality.

MINDFUL (cont’d) The algorithm is not FDA approved. How do you intend to complete the project?

DARKSTAR (cont’d) There are ways and means. If the Ministry of Science is not ready to shoulder risk, then I am prepared to sever ties and it will be my name on the IQ patent, that I can promise you.

MINDFUL (cont’d) You may be a leader in the field of molecular genetics but the fact remains, the Ministry mentored that genius.

Darkstar looks up, smug.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Genius is not collaborative I’m afraid. Only mediocrity. Others who have made your mistake usually die of poverty. I don’t understand where you get these socialist sympathies, Morris. As a scientist you know never to set 6

limits.

MINDFUL (cont’d) (defeated) That’s right, we’re scientists. But when science conflicts with a person’s core beliefs, it usually loses.

An irate Mindful, storms off. Professor Darkstar WATCHES him exit.

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING LOT - NIGHT

We’re with Professor Mindful in the front seat of his white Datsun, and can see by the twitch of his cheek muscle that he is highly agitated. He scribbles the words, Hargreaves TPL, on a notepad, punches in numbers on his cell phone and scans the deserted parking lot. Sensing danger, Professor Mindful, stammers to get out the message.

MINDFUL It’s….. me. I realize it’s late…..but it can’t wait. Check your emails. About that matter we discussed. I’ve sent you a highly confidential report that is of vital importance to Liberty Lane. Read it, and call me back. I’ll be waiting.

Mindful FLIPS down his phone and pulls out of the parking space. After he straightens the wheel, headlights BLIND Mindful’s eyes.

A car door SLAMS on a dark sedan with tinted windows. We see three THUGS from the Brethren Crime Syndicate. They answer to macabre names: Doomsday, Deadly and Midnight. The Brethren are dressed in the style of Tarantino assassins: white shirt, skinny black tie, aggressively tailored black suits.

They DRAG Mindful from his vehicle and bundle him into the trunk of their vehicle. We see another body inside the trunk, a man, gagged and bound.

The dark sedan GUNS the engine and quickly disappears from sight.

EXT. SLUDGE CITY – DAY

A foggy morning. We’re on the edge of an arched bridge looking across from Sludge City, to the Voids, that was once the borough of Queens. 7

The arch of steel SWOOPS up from the City and alights about seventeen hundred feet later on the southwestern tip of the Voids. The bridge spans the East River, and a rail track and a roadway runs across it like two slashes through a dollar sign. The East River is the color of lead, and looks beat up and hard-used.

CLOSE ON sultry goth vixen VERITY RUSH, in black military grade sunglasses. She is strikingly beautiful and decked out in a type of black thermal suit. A shocking pink kerchief is wrapped around a head of platinum blonde hair, pirate style.

Verity TURBOS a 360 SPIN. It’s a mini-tornado. Everything around her goes FLYING.

VERITY VERITY RRRRRRUSH!

In an eye blink, Verity is recharged. VERITY’S P.O.V. Ahead something looms out of the fog. PULL BACK to see an ancient wreck of a train crossing the bridge, moving at two hundred and fifty miles an hour.

With spirit speed, Verity is on the move.

EXT. RAILTRACKS – DAY

We’ve never seen anything move so fast. Verity RACES towards the tracks, decides to have some fun and on the roadway beside the tracks, races the train. Her shocking pink head scarf FLAPS in the wind, hair flying, out of the office, she’s free!

CLOSE ON Train Driver. He casts Sludge City’s white light a sidelong glance as the human meteorite comes up alongside the train. Verity SPINS in mid-air. She drops to her feet, then starts running backwards, comfortably. This is not too intimidate. This is the picture of a woman, comfortable in her own skin.

The Train Driver gives Verity the THUMBS UP before the train disappears inside a tunnel.

Verity SPINS like an ice skater and faces straight ahead. She PEELS off to the left having arrived at her destination.

EXT. THE VOIDS – DAY

The outskirts of the Voids. An arid, rocky landscape 8

surrounds a decaying, crumbling wall about one hundred feet in height. It is the gateway to the Voids, Sludge City’s ghetto.

Seconds later a 1956 metallic blue Firebird III PULLS up alongside Verity. On board, the rest of Liberty Lane’s all-girl team:

In the driver’s seat is navigational expert MAX FORD, dressed in black coveralls. A large girl, copious piercings and tattoos. Riding shotgun is KATE DAVENPORT. The Justice Department’s in house Psychologist. A stiff academic. Barely on the edge of human obvious in the coiffed black bob.

EXT. BELOW THE WALL – DAY

Max, rolls down her window and looks upwards at the crumbling wall - experiences a sense of foreboding.

MAX Dude, the Voids totally creeps me out. What’s this all about?

Verity smiles at Max. Max’s can-do confidence quickly reverts to confusion outside of the Firebird.

VERITY We’re in pursuit of an algorithm, hard coded into a microchip for DNA hacking. Ground breaking, but highly illegal.

Max looks as though she’s just raced the Indy 500 and lost – totally bewildered. Davenport, on the other hand climbs out of the Firebird, combat ready.

DAVENPORT Remember Verity, we’re here to question Hargreaves not provoke him. Don’t make yourself, and us, a target.

This puts Verity’s nose out of joint. Another mission, another set of rules.

VERITY (cont’d) Have no fear of that. When Hargreaves has a gun pointed at my head, I’ll be sure to blow him.

BACK TO FIREBIRD

Max CHUCKLES to herself.

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BACK TO VERITY

We see Verity, MOVING upwards along the rocky slope of the Voids. Davenport SCRAMBLES to keep up with her.

DAVENPORT Are we in agreement?

Verity struggles to answer her. More than anything, Verity hates being told what to do.

VERITY (cont’d) Wait here.

Verity makes a superhuman LEAP into the air. It’s almost a blur. She lands in a cat stance atop the wall and straightaway sees something. Aloft, Verity looks down at Davenport with clenched teeth.

Agreed.

Davenport scowls and stays put.

EXT. THE VOIDS – DAY

We see gutted husks of cars and buses, levelled buildings and a depot littered with the twisted remnants of blown-up construction equipment.

Verity zooms in on a row of office buildings and houses.

INT. TPL OFFICE – DAY

The main offices are along each wall. Windows overlook the street.

Verity’s P.O.V. She sees HARGREAVES, gold rimmed spectacles, mid 30’s dressed in a slick black suit arguing with a Brethren Thug - we’ve already met. His name is DEADLY and he is turning the office upside down.

A second figure emerges into view. This is DOOMSDAY and he is clutching a wooden baton. Now, a third figure, MIDNIGHT, stands in the doorframe, on the lookout.

Doomsday, is clearly losing patience. He pinions a frightened Hargreaves, against the wall and threatens him with the baton. Hargreaves, SHOUTS an explanation.

HARGREAVES I’m sorry Brother. I don’t have it.

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Doomsday, WHACKS the baton against Hargreaves stomach. He doubles over. Doomsday, pulls Hargreaves to his feet. He goes to hit him again. Hargreaves body tenses in anticipation. But the blow never comes. He opens his eyes to a sadistic grin.

HARGREAVES (cont’d) (pleading) I swear. It’s the truth. The algorithm is still in transit. Bad weather in the southern territories delayed the flight. Believe me, I’m here to help the Brethren.

Doomsday, breaks into LAUGHTER and lowers the baton. Deadly, eyes Hargreaves the once over.

DEADLY(cont’d) Lucky for you, the boss is a patient man.

Deadly, shoves his hand inside Hargreaves’ jacket pocket. He pulls out his wallet and GRABS a wad of cash – discards the wallet.

Don’t forget. Brethren move in abundance.

Doomsday and Deadly, burst into LAUGHTER.

EXT. TOP OF WALL - DAY

Having watched the scene from above, Verity JUMPS down from the ledge and……..

INT. TPL OFFICE – DAY

Enters TPL. In the thick of it. Verity FLICKS up her sunglasses. We see cobalt blue eyes. It freaks the Brethren. Momentum stalls.

VERITY (taunting) Hello, Agent Doomsday. The boys suffering a shortage of cash?

A look passes between the Brethren. Shock sweeps the room.

DOOMSDAY Verity Rush! We’ve been looking for you. Where’s the algorithm?

Verity weighs his words - is thrown for a moment.

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Let’s do a deal. I’ll give you the algorithm, if you can catch me.

Doomsday SWINGS the baton wildly above his head, ready to strike. Verity, playfully DODGES the attack. She jinks’s left, then right. Very coolly, she sends them into a head spin.

Don’t get my petticoat in a twist now.

Doomsday, SWINGS the baton again. Swift as lightning, Verity DODGES the baton for the second time with increased confidence.

VERITY (cont’d) What? No speeches? That’s unlike the Brethren.

Unable to comprehend the situation, Doomsday SWINGS the baton again until he loses his footing. Verity keeps smiling.

DOOMSDAY (cont’d) Get her!

The Brethren’s clumsiness makes them look like the gang that can’t shoot straight. FALLING over each other in their haste to get their hands on Verity. Verity, flips down her sunglasses and RACES……..

EXT. TOP OF WALL - DAY

………. outside. WHOOSH! She DOUBLE SOMERSAULTS and lands surefooted atop the ledge.

BACK ON THE BRETHREN

……..out the door, giving chase. All hell breaks loose.

EXT. TOP OF WALL - DAY

Verity, SOMMERSAULTS off and bounds down the rocky slope, KICKING up dust along the way. A moment later Verity stops short and turns round, sees Deadly, only now does he appear outside the wall.

VERITY (cont’d) (shouting) Pass on a message to your boss. He’ll never catch me!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! Verity, speed leaps from one rock to another until she arrives on the outskirts of 12

the Voids. Ahead we see the Firebird.

EXT. OUTSIDE THE WALL – DAY

Deadly, SPEAKS into a cell phone. The phone call brings a BLACK DUNE BUGGY roaring out of the towering rock formation. Behind the wheel is Midnight.

Deadly and Doomsday, climb inside the Dune Buggy. It glides into the wasteland after Verity. Deadly SHOUTS to Midnight, now flooring it.

DEADLY (cont’d) Come on. Catch up to her!

MIDNIGHT (cont’d) I can’t. She’s going nuts. It’s like trying to catch a star.

Their orbits keep shifting. We see from behind the wheel, as Midnight moves inwards, Verity moves outwards.

Deadly, FUMBLES for a pistol from the glove box. He takes AIM but cannot line up the long distance connection between Verity and the pistol.

EXT. MOVING TRAIN - DAY

Suddenly, Verity draws LEVEL with a train, and……

INT. MOVING TRAIN – DAY

BOUNCES onto a car filled with crates of fruit and vegetables.

THE DUNE BUGGY

…….comes up alongside the train. Deadly, JUMPS out of the Dune Buggy and HURLS himself……………….

INT. MOVING TRAIN – DAY

Onto the train. Deadly is on Verity with a knife. Verity, GRABS the knife hand and they FALL backwards into the car. WHACK! He punches Verity in the solar plexus. Her sunglasses fall off. She doubles over, vulnerable now.

Deadly, forces a blade against Verity’s throat, trying to keep her at bay. She is terrified but tries to remain defiant.

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VERITY Tell you what. I’ll give you back the algorithm if you tell me why the Brethren want it so badly?

Deadly, flashes white teeth and grins. Eyes never leaving Verity.

DEADLY Don’t you know. We want to be you.

Suddenly…. a figure to Deadly’s right. Meet Angel, a smoking hot, muscular man with an arrow tattoo on his forearm. He is pointing a semiautomatic at Deadly and his words are chilling.

ANGEL Brethren are yet to comprehend these words.

Deadly looks up, docile.

Fear the anger of an injured woman.

Angel fires his pistol. Deadly drops down. Angel’s eyes shift to Verity. He stalls momentarily - freaked by her eyes.

BACK ON DUNE BUGGY

………coming up alongside the moving train. A machine gun RISES out of the Dune Buggy.

BACK ON MOVING TRAIN

Bullet speed, Verity PULLS Angel behind crates of vegetables. A volley of inaccurate gunfire trails destruction just inches from the pair. The inside of the car looks like a bowl of fruit salad. Verity, reaches for her sunglasses and slips them on, then…………

INT. DUNE BUGGY - DAY

DIVES into the Dune Buggy and hits the back seat with a THUD. Doomsday LOOKS up, in shock. The incident throws out Midnight’s concentration at the wheel. The Dune Buggy begins to veer recklessly across the landscape.

Verity, right on Doomsday. Grabs his pistol and LEVELS it in his face. Doomsday, gauges the movement of the Dune Buggy ZIGZAGGING in all directions. He opens the Dune Buggy door and LEAPS out. The move is followed by Midnight. 14

EXT. WASTELAND – DAY

Verity, LEAPS out and ROLLS across the wasteland. The Dune Buggy CRASHES.

THE FIREBIRD

………hot on the trail of Midnight and Doomsday, herding them towards a massive pair of gates - the ruins of the Empire State Building.

EXT. EAST RIVER – DAY

Midnight and Doomsday, SCRAMBLE over the ruins and throw themselves into the ominous quiet of the East River. An oil slick skims the surface.

The Firebird breaks through the ruins, Davenport, reeling practically has the car door open before the Firebird stops.

DAVENPORT Well done Verity! You did exactly what I asked you not to do. We’re back to square one.

Verity, stares out across the East River. Ahead, we glimpse two heads bobbing up and down, covered in oil.

VERITY This is a war, within a war. The question is. Why?

EXT. THE UPPER WEST SIDE - DAY

Grime. Neon. Graffiti and street art line the walls. Hipsters dressed black mill past on the crowded sidewalk.

Ahead, is a narrow street. We see a street sign. IT READS: LIBERTY LANE. The Firebird turns into a corner and glimpse a fallen Statue of Liberty. We follow the team………

INT. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE – DAY

……through an ancient wreck of a colossal GREEN COPPER HEAD. We see it is a Saloon. A dark, grungy den of freedom. A popular hangout for Sludge City’s newsmen. Mounted behind the bar is a huge FLAMING COPPER TORCH in the ominously quiet saloon.

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Behind the bar is Pretty Partell, early 30’s, sharp eyes with full red lips.

PRETTY PARTELL Morning Verity. He’s waiting for you.

Verity lifts her sunglasses and acknowledges Pretty with her eyes. The team arrive at a door. Verity, punches in a code. The door OPENS with a HUM. The team enter. They go into:

INT. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT’S ANTEROOM

Verity opens an inner door.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – DAY

Chic office, slick art nouveau lounge. The room could be mistaken for a fashion photographer’s den.

Chief Questlove – part bureaucrat, part meditation guru, is sitting at his desk, SMOKING. There is a dossier at his elbow. The name on the file: “Ministry of Science/Human Intelligence Project.”

Questlove, SWITCHES on his computer monitor. ON SCREEN: A MASKED MAN. Beside him - three top Brethren Thugs. MIDNIGHT, DOOMSDAY AND DEADLY.

MASKED MAN This is the creed of the Brethren. Old laws are gone. Sludge City has moved to extreme. We have the new stuff and the Brethren will enforce our system until we have broken every last Vogue.

The team enter and settle into the lounge opposite Questlove’s desk. Questlove, switches off his computer monitor and looks up, even expression. His eyes coolly scan the dossier at his elbow.

QUESTLOVE Whatcha got?

A look passes between the team. Questlove senses failure or conflict? Isn’t sure. His eyes move to Davenport.

What happened?

DAVENPORT Once again Verity, decided to display her usual 16

vendetta against men.

Verity is silent, chastised. Questlove continues.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Thankyou Davenport. I see you needed to get that off your chest.

Questlove’s eyes move to Verity. She smiles, warmly. There's mutual respect - but there's something else going on, unspoken.

VERITY To sum up Sir, Davenport has no lust for adventure.

Davenport, scowls. Verity smiles wryly. Doesn’t intend to be evasive.

VERITY (cont’d) I busted up an argument between Hargreaves and three Brethren Thugs then a Brethren turned on me with a wooden bat. Poor man. Somehow the reality is never as satisfying as the fantasy. He couldn’t even come close.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) That’s putting it mildly. You couldn’t wait to make idiots out of them! It was supposed to be a simple routine exercise. No showmanship.

Questlove, shakes his head, frustrated.

VERITY (cont’d) When they realized that I wasn’t going to fall into their arms they chased me out of the office. I jumped a train and one followed me on. Out of nowhere a vigilante appeared with a gun and shot him dead, in cold blood.

Questlove, narrows his eyes. He cannot dismiss the incident.

Questlove (cont’d) What do you think? A soldier of fortune? Every maniac in Sludge City is now armed since announcing a two million dollar reward for information on Masked Man. Right?

VERITY (cont’d) I’m guessing non-military. Too soft. Maybe a reporter looking for the next big breakthrough 17

story.

Questlove, sits back in his chair, timing each thought with the flick of a ballpoint.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) A writer who is a crack pistol shot. A definite mismatch if ever there was.

VERITY (cont’d) Well, maybe Governor Blaise knows something we don’t.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) It seems designer DNA has become the number one agenda item for the Brethren Crime Syndicate. The question is why?

The team rises and exits. Questlove, calls Verity back (beat).

Verity. You’d better take it down, a notch or two. Remember, PROTOCOL. Don’t wanna piss off the Mayor. Next year’s funding hasn’t been approved.

Verity, nods. We sense no hard feelings and she departs.

EXT. SLUDGE CITY TRAIN YARD - NIGHT

A view from Sludge City: The Voids glistens in the distance. We move down to A TRAIN YARD where we find empty cargo trains. We CLOSE IN on the main track, where...

A CARGO TRAIN has just stopped. We hear a cargo DOOR slide open.

EXT. TRAIN – NIGHT

Outside the train carriage, Angel fishes into the pocket of a dead, Brethren Thug. Angel pulls out an iPhone. FLIPS the phone over. WE SEE A NAME: SEAN CAMPBELL.

Angel, punches in a code and unlocks the phone.

CLOSE ON SCREEN:

FINGERS TAP IN: MAIL

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ON SCREEN A LIST OF TEXT MESSAGES APPEAR: The first name we see is ANGEL. Angel opens the text. AN IMAGE: Dupane Research Institute, the Voids. In the foreground is a white van and printed on one side READS: FRONTLINE COURIER SERVICES. Angel pockets the iPhone.

INT. WORKSTATIONS – DAY

One of dozens ergonomically designed work stations, arranged in ever-widening circles in a huge, circular, well-appointed if sterile room. Each curved desk contains a computer terminal, consisting of a keyboard and a slim, transparent screen monitor.

We PAN to Verity’s workstation. Overflowing with files, photographs and charts concerning the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

A BULLETIN BOARD

Features numerous surveillance photos of Masked Man and Brethren Midnight, Deadly and Doomsday in action, along with various news clippings and two WANTED POSTERS (“MURDER, AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING, ARMED VIOLENCE").

Verity, in her carrel. A junior office worker PUSHES a mail trolley up alongside Verity’s workstation and slips her a gold embossed envelope. Verity, looks hard, recognizes the governor’s official postmark. Is genuinely puzzled. Liberty Lane is an outsider.

Verity’s face hardens as she RIPS open the gold envelope. We see it’s an invitation.

Governor Rick Blaise requests the presence of Verity Rush at a gala dinner in honor of Sludge City’s, Professor Ernst Darkstar and Professor Morris Mindful to welcome in a new age of intelligence.

Time: 7.30pm for 8.00pm, Black Tie, RSVP 232-6593.

Verity’s face softens for a moment.

FLASHBACK

INT. SLUDGE CITY GENERAL - NIGHT

Darkness punctuated with intermittent flickers of light. An orderly - PUSHING a gurney down a corridor. The victim’s face is badly burned, fighting to stay conscious. With each scream the gurney flies faster. We see Professor Mindful, standing over the gurney. 19

Mindful SHOUTS orders to the nurse’s station up ahead.

MINDFUL She’s going into cardiac arrest. Get me a defibrillator. Now!

Mindful stops the gurney. A nurse, breaking stride, races over a defibrillator cart. Mindful, grabs the appliance, places it on the victim’s chest and BANG! A huge jolt of power goes through the victim and she spasms. Victim exhales. A dying rasp, a breath of life.

INT. WARD – DAY

A young girl, heavily bandaged in a hospital bed, moaning and buried in ice packs. We pan to the arm band. It reads: Verity Rush. The room is still, except for the BLIPS sounding through a heart monitor attached to Verity’s chest.

An elderly man and woman are at her bedside. The woman sobs into a handkerchief. The man attempts to comfort the woman but it makes her worse.

Professor Mindful enters, carrying a syringe and he is dressed in surgical cap and gown. He inserts the syringe into Verity’s arm. Verity feels her face. Her hands move to the ice packs. She MOANS in agony.

VERITY Please make it stop burning!

Mindful comforts her with a soothing hand on her shoulder.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Lie still. I’ve just given you a shot of morphine. It will alleviate the pain.

Verity looks around the room, confused.

VERITY (cont’d) Where am I?

MINDFUL (cont’d) Sludge City General. Do you remember anything about what happened?

Verity shakes her head, looks quizzically at Mindful.

VERITY (cont’d) 20

Why can’t I remember? When will the mists clear? Will they ever clear?

MINDFUL (cont’d) We don’t know anything yet. You were caught in a solar storm. The equivalent of one thousand volts of electricity has coursed through your body. You’re lucky to be alive.

Verity stumbles out her question.

VERITY (cont’d) Who..who are you?

MINDFUL (cont’d) My name is Professor Morris Mindful. I’m a molecular geneticist and I’m very good at what I do.

Verity, in gratitude tries to smile.

VERITY (cont’d) Thank you for saving my life.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Don’t thank me. Thank, Constable Questlove. He’s the young officer who found you and picked you up off the side of the road and brought you here.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

The phone rings, Verity SCOWLS, she glances at it and casually PICKS up.

Expecting the smooth voice of Chief Questlove, Verity is surprised to find the voice unfamiliar, low and urgent.

VOICE O.S Listen, you must trust me. I’m staring straight at a man giving instructions to a driver who works for FRONTLINE COURIER SERVICES. He shuttles Brethren from the Voids and sets them loose inside the city. Are you listening to me?

Verity pauses, recognizes the voice. Her heart misses a beat.

VERITY (cont’d) (raised voice) Yes. I’m listening.

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Davenport and Max POKE their heads over the cubicle wall. Verity, puts the phone on loud speaker. She casts a look at her colleagues.

ANGEL O.S. The predator always appears at sunset.

VERITY (cont’d) Alright. Tell me where the man is.

ANGEL O.S. Downstairs. Be careful he has government protection.

CLICK. Verity stares into the dead receiver. She RISES to her feet.

MAX Where you going?

…..Verity is gone.

INT. LIBERTY LANE SALOON – NIGHT

A lively mix of patrons is represented in the late hour tableau: Sludge City natives, fierce bikers, sleazy international bureaucrats and of course, journalists. We glimpse Pretty Partell, tending bar, honing in on gossip.

Verity stays in the shadows of the Saloon. Her eyes VEER to a cozy little table in the corner. Laughing and smoking is a clean cut hulk of a man we come to know as Colonel Steve Joost, charming a pretty brunette and Sludge City’s fanatic Mayor, Duke DeMint.

Verity’s eyes are glued to DeMint. There is concentration mixed with contempt. DeMint’s presence is unsettling. Pain driving a memory.

FLASHBACK

A SUBURBAN HOME, ALL IVY AND BRICKS

A 1956 metallic blue Firebird III pulls up out front. Behind the wheel is a young Max Ford with punk hair and clothes. In the passenger seat we glimpse a very awkward, plump, brunette Verity.

EXT. PATH

We are with the girls walking up a manicured garden 22

path. Music blares from inside the house. Verity, TRIPS and STUMBLES. Max helps her to her feet then we realize Verity, has a severe stutter.

VERITY I…I….. do…do…don’t belong here. It does…….doesn’t help tha…that Ran….Randall Bracks made it into Harvard pre law and I ma..ma…made it into a community college.

The girls pass a bunch of fashionably dressed teenagers strutting about like peacocks, smoking weed and looking upwards at a haunting neon green sky. One of the guys WAVES to Max. He looks at Verity and gives her a weird look.

MAX (cont’d) You’ve got nothing to worry about. Randall knows we’re best friends and have been since kindergarten. Besides we’re both graduating seniors.

VERITY (cont’d) Ex…except that your…you’re Max Ford, heir to a car dynasty. I’m a stutt….stuttering fool and…..heir too, a Per….per….persian cat, and a dragster bike.

MAX (cont’d) Dude, don’t put yourself down. A dragster bike is worth a lot of money.

Verity – an awkward smile. Somehow this does not reassure her.

EXT. HOUSE, GRADUATION PARTY – NIGHT

Standing in the doorframe, checking names off a clipboard list is RANDALL BRACKS in a tiara. A blonde, playboy type with sharp features and a tiny mole on his upper left cheek. He is fast on his feet and intimidating.

We follow a line of hip teenagers moving inside. A moment later, a young guy, round tortoise shell glasses and checkered shirt, is turned away. He leaves quietly. Verity’s eyes follow the young man. She WHISPERS to Max.

VERITY (cont’d) Po..Poor Erwin. He..he earned the top academic aw….award for the sen… senior year. 23

Max shrugs. It’s all too clear for her.

MAX (cont’d) A top academic award is no match for Bracks money.

The girls approach the doorframe. Verity hangs back. Randall leans in and he whispers in Max’s ear, in a voice that is lightly honeyed with an upper class accent. There is real animal sexuality in Randall’s words.

RANDALL You’ve got a beautiful cleavage Max. Have I ever told you that?

Max shakes her head, nonplussed. We follow Randall’s eyes to Max’s Firebird parked on the street.

That girl makes me so hard.

Randall ticks Max’s name off the list - gestures to Max to move inside. Max disappears into the crowd. The place is packed.

Verity steps forward to enter. Randall, barricades the doorframe with his muscular torso and folds his arms. The following words are a mixture of condescension and controversy, and they are jarring.

RANDALL (cont’d) Whoa….where do you think you’re going Rush? Only specific DNA samples enter this house.

The wealthy young crowd responds by applauding and raise their fists in the air as a sign of allegiance to their master, and his obvious devotion to good breeding. Verity is suddenly stricken. Flustered. She blurts out:

VERITY (cont’d) Do…don’t yo…you know Randall, gen…..genetic adva….advantage is no…no match for…… fate.

This only enhances Randall’s ego. He LAUGHS. Verity takes a step backwards, turns, and leaves without a scene.

EXT. ROAD – NIGHT

Verity, RUNNING down the road, SOBBING convulsively then comes a tremendous EXPLOSION in the sky. 24

Electrical flares shoot out, spewing charged particles of gamma rays into the atmosphere. A flare hits Verity. She lights up like an electric eel.

BACK TO PRESENT

Verity feels something cold press into the pressure points of her back.

MALE VOICE (low) Don’t move or I’ll shoot.

Verity, SPINS round. Locks eyes with Sludge City’s comptroller of public accounts, her brother SAM. Clean cut, cheap suit, sober eyes. Sam SLIPS his cell phone back into his pocket.

Verity’s face softens then tightens, recalling Angel’s warning.

VERITY What brings Currency’s head bean counter to the seedy underground of Liberty Lane? Bit out of our comfort zone aren’t we?

There’s a twinkle in Sam’s eye.

SAM (cont’d) Do I need a reason to see my little sister?

Verity’s eyes, drawn momentarily back to DeMint. Her hand begins TREMBLING. Sam looks on, uncomfortably.

SAM (cont’d) What is it? What’s wrong with you?

Verity turns back to Sam.

VERITY (cont’d) Professor Mindful says the trembling is a memory lapse. It happens whenever I’m near DeMint. Why?

Sam leans in and WHISPERS.

SAM (cont’d) (cheekily) Mayor DeMint’s hardcore and has a lot of influence in this town. Maybe it’s nothing more than the MOTHER in you. 25

Verity shrugs.

VERITY (cont’d) Anyway Sam, you haven’t answered my question.

Pause.

SAM (cont’d) I’ve been tasked with trying to find money and Liberty Lane is a rather sizeable line item in the City’s budget.

Verity looks over her shoulder. She observes DeMint, and Joost are gone. Verity and Sam sit down at the bar. Pretty arrives.

SAM (cont’d) Lemon squash thanks, Pretty.

Pretty Partell looks to Verity. Verity stays Pretty with a gesture. Verity looks around the Saloon.

VERITY (cont’d) Ever since the accident, all I want to do is strike at the heart of respectability.

Sam just sits there in a cold stare, sipping his lemon squash.

VERITY (cont’d) (frowning) Sam, can I ask you something?

SAM (cont’d) Sure.

VERITY (cont’d) Do I have too much testosterone?

Sam has a devious grin on his face.

SAM (cont’d) Nope. You have too much estrogen.

Sam gets to his feet, leans over and kisses Verity on the forehead.

Face it, you’re a bitch.

He departs. Verity drains her glass, then…… BANG! The sound of gunfire. CHAOS erupts, patrons SCATTER. Verity 26

moves, bullet speed to the back of the Saloon.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT

Verity BURSTS in. A Brethren THUG, in black suit has Chief Questlove in his grip, and is pressing a pistol into Questlove’s temple. He KNOCKS Questlove out with the butt of his pistol.

THUG I’m here for the algorithm.

But the Thug’s attention is cut short. Looking beyond, at Angel in the corner of the room.

THUG(cont’d) (trembling) Yo…You!

Verity looks over her shoulder. Angel has a semiautomatic trained on the Thug’s heart. He fires. The man collapses like an omelette souffle. Verity holds her nerve and chooses her words carefully.

VERITY You’re not afraid of anything are you?

Angel’s face freezes on that final syllable – totally. His eyes go glassy.

ANGEL (cont’d) Why the hell should I be when I have no passion for living anymore.

Verity, a love struck smile, the handsome stranger has saved her life again. She rushes towards Angel, clearly besotted.

VERITY(cont’d) What if I told you I could help bring back your passion for living?

We see by the look on Angel’s face he feels pain. There is loss.

ANGEL (cont’d) Assassins, that’s what we are. Creatures of vengeance, only we see more clearly in death than any mortal can see.

Angel escapes through the window. Questlove comes too, rises to his feet slowly and warily. Eyes on Verity. 27

QUESTLOVE Sorry for busting up your evening.

Verity just stares. Appears distracted then…..

VERITY (cont’d) Sir, courting death is our game and it awaits for us everywhere.

EXT. THE FINANCIALS, BRETHREN HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

Thuggish looking men in black suits are surging through the glass doors of the headquarters of Dupane Biotech Institute. Their proportions magnified by the clearness of a southern moon.

They enter an impressively decorated entrance bespeaking of money, power, and a certain perverse sense of self- entitlement.

We see Midnight, moving swiftly through the pack. He is strong. Nobody gets in his way. A security guard RAISES his hand. Midnight STOPS in his tracks.

SECURITY MAN What is the salute?

Midnight THUMPS his chest three times.

MIDNIGHT Brother Midnight, Defender of the Brethren.

INT. MEETING ROOM – NIGHT

The Board of Directors Suite of a large multinational corporation, dominated by a glass table ringed with leather chairs. Tasteful, abstract art lines the walls. The building serves as the headquarters for the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

A board meeting in full swing. Supervillain, Masked Man, is presiding over a meeting in dim light. The half metal mask clasped to his face furnishes the meeting with a kind of Carnival atmosphere. He is addressing a cell of Brethren. We glimpse Midnight and Doomsday in the gathering.

MASKED MAN I have received word from Hargreaves that the algorithm has arrived. Frontline has given me its assurance that they will deliver it to our 28

research institute in The Voids.

Midnight shakes his head, we see he is unconvinced, perhaps he feels something slipping from his grasp.

MIDNIGHT We have a new problem. The train assassin. What are we going to do about that? He’s killed two of our top operatives. Are you forgetting our organization has a two million dollar bounty on its head and assume he won’t stop until he gets the reward.

But Masked Man is a step ahead. Masked man notices. He notices everything.

MASKED MAN (cont’d) An irrelevant chance. I assure you, he’s a nobody.

Midnight THUMPS his right hand on the desk. He curses under his breath, looks around the room and mounts a challenge.

MIDNIGHT (cont’d) So far we’ve paid a very high price not to be concerned. What does he want?

Masked Man pauses. Looks hard at Midnight. There is a quiet menace in his voice.

I’ve done my homework. It’s nothing more than a case of sour grapes and it doesn’t concern our organization (beat). I’ve been considering things. Given that the algorithm reagent is yet unproven I have lost confidence in its profit margins. In light of recent events, I propose we move to Plan B. A sizeable chunk of Verity Rush.

EXT. CITY HALL – DAY

A swelling crowd. We see a man, looks angry, oozes ego and performance. He is Sludge City’s, very un-Vogue Mayor, Duke DeMint standing on the top steps of City Hall looking down, SMILING at a pack of reporters who barrage him with questions.

We see BEN JACOBS, veteran political reporter for Sludge City Times.

BEN 29

Mayor DeMint. Is it true that a member of the Brethren crime network was killed yesterday in a shootout on a train?

DeMint’s smile fades at this news. He’s not ready for the question. Ben is chilled by the look. DeMint LEANS in with a certain savage glee. He lingers there a moment and a BREEZE BLOWS UP. From an angle inside DeMint’s jacket, we see the left pocket hides a Beretta automatic pistol.

MAYOR DEMINT (cont’d) No comment.

BEN It’s rumored that Sludge City’s Ministry of Science is undergoing an experiment that is not FDA approved. Can you tell us if there is any truth to the rumor?

MAYOR DEMINT (cont’d) More fake news from the press. Right now, I want to focus on our achievements. Intelligence is penetrating the darkest corners of the globe, together we can share in the genius of a new world order. No more questions.

APPLAUSE. DeMint, playing to the crowd. Reporters continue fielding him questions as he walks down the stairs, pushing through the crowd and into an awaiting black limousine.

INT. THE GOVERNOR’S HOUSE – NIGHT

GOVERNOR RICK BLAISE, a mixed bag. One that reflects a lover of Blake and prized fighter. He is sitting at a large oak desk. A memory stick is set against his elbow. Sitting opposite is DeMint, looking uncomfortable. He sits at the very edge of his seat wishing to get the meeting over with.

DEMINT To tell you the truth, this room scares the hell out of me. I feel the ghosts of past governors.

Governor Blaise forces a smile. Aware of DeMint’s popularity with the public. But DeMint’s obnoxious rants leave him feeling uneasy.

GOVERNOR BLAISE Democracy is not meant to scare its people, 30

Duke. It’s meant to protect them.

DeMint looks away for a moment. We sense DeMint does not warm to Blaise. DeMint fixes his eyes on Blaise. He smiles but it’s a blank smile.

DEMINT (cont’d) I have a confession to make. The day you were nominated for governor I was as jealous as hell. But do you know something? I finally came to realize that if I couldn’t sit in that chair, there was no one else in the world I would want to sit there, but you. That chair suits you.

Governor Blaise stares for a moment, unimpressed by DeMint’s flattery. An idea comes to him. Call it a, ‘come on.’

GOVERNOR BLAISE (cont’d) The abduction of high level officials is increasing. The Ministry of Science has reported Professor Mindful missing. I’m having a hard time explaining to the press why Sludge City’s Mayor, is taking a soft approach to the Turbulence. If I didn’t know better, I’d say your loyalties were elsewhere.

DeMint’s jaw tightens. Blaise, not buying his charms. DeMint looks ready for a fight but stops himself.

DEMINT (cont’d) Okay, but begin by calling off your man Angel. His string of assassinations is striking fear into the citizens of Sludge City.

As if suddenly made aware of his vulnerability, DeMint stands. The door opens. DeMint exits, passing Angel in the doorframe. Angel LURCHES to one side, staring wildly, allows DeMint to pass without incident and confidently SHUTS the door. Angel looks intently at Governor Blaise.

ANGEL What have you learned?

Governor Blaise looks at Angel, then at the door.

GOVERNOR BLAISE (cont’d) That DeMint should be considered a dangerous man.

31

EXT. SLUDGE CITY AIRPORT - DAY

A beige rucksack is being carried off a chartered jet by a nondescript MAN dressed in an expensive suit. People are moving about him in every direction but he takes no notice of them.

INT. TERMINAL - DAY

The man enters a gleaming building, pausing for a moment under a sprawl of graffiti clearly visible above his head. IT READS: ‘We are all brothers, that does not mean we should underestimate our sisters.’ He CHECKS the time.

INT. BAGGAGE CHECK - DAY

The man PLACES the rucksack on a moving belt. Announcements come through the tannoy. He WIPES his eyes, looks towards the sound. The belt takes the rucksack through X-Ray. On the other side, a female GUARD opens the rucksack and POKES through a few toiletry articles, personal items, books, a camera and a small shiny CYLINDER, hi-tech and at odds with the other items. She pulls it out.

GUARD What’s this?

MAN The ashes of a colleague. I’m taking them to his family. If you wish to open it, please be careful.

The guard WAVES the man on. He leaves the terminal with the rucksack over his shoulder.

A white courier van. Printed on one side of the van is: FRONTLINE. It pulls up next to the Man. He CLIMBS in and the white van slowly picks up momentum in the airport traffic.

EXT. A BUSY STREET – DAY

A blue sedan cuts across traffic, then SCREAMS down an on-ramp to a busy street below. The driver, breathing fast, ACCELERATES into the white Frontline courier van we saw at the airport.

A door FLIES open. A hooded gunman, weapon drawn, BLASTS the driver and its passenger dead, finishing them. Utter confusion erupts on the street. 32

The hooded gunman frantically SEARCHES the van but gives up as a siren starts bleeding in from behind. He BOLTS back to the blue sedan and ACCELERATES down the road.

INT. MINISTRY OF SCIENCE – DAY

Verity heads towards a futuristic glass box atrium of architectural superiority. We see a high open space and exposed structural elements. Designed to inspire curiosity and it does.

Bright holograms hover overhead. The heart and brain, hovers in the air making the room feel like a majestic portal into the human body.

The lobby is busy, people moving to and fro across the floor. A HOLOGRAM RECEPTIONIST hovers like an angel behind a desk.

Verity approaches. The hologram Receptionist greets Verity with real warmth.

RECEPTIONIST Good to see you Verity. Legs troubling you, or is it those magnificent eyes?

Verity lifts up her sunglasses. Bang! A dark aura (beat). Hesitates. The hologram senses something’s up.

Are you alright?

Verity RUBS her eyes then puts her sunglasses back on.

Just a little dizzy, is all. I’m here to see Professor Mindful.

Verity turns and heads for the elevator but the Receptionist calls her back.

The Professor’s not here. In-fact, no-one has seen him for days.

The hologram Receptionist continues to hover, whispers in Verity’s ear.

This isn’t public knowledge but Ministry rumor is, Professor Mindful has taken up a lucrative position with Dupane Biotech Institute.

Verity is agog and can do nothing but stare. She looks ahead at the elevator. Has her opinion of Professor 33

Mindful been a tragic error? Verity turns and exits.

EXT. THE GOVERNOR’S HOUSE – NIGHT

We swoop in on a magnificent stone and glass mansion in downtown Sludge City. Rolls Royce’s and Limousines drive over a bridge and disgorge their guests on a gravelled path by the entrance.

Closer now. Guests getting out of cars. Verity and Sam, sweep up with the rest of the crowd as security guards check names against a guest list.

Sam, in black tie. Verity looking high Goth, dressed in black leather. No sunglasses. They are greeted by a bullet-headed DOORMAN expressing a look of surprise.

DOORMAN Wow! You’re real. I thought you were unfinished technology.

Verity’s eyes blaze, she reaches out and SLAPS the Doorman’s face hard enough to make his eyes water.

VERITY Oh, I’m real all right. You don’t get much realer than me.

It takes the Doorman a minute to realize he’d been bitch slapped by a woman in black leather.

DOORMAN (cont’d) Ouch. That feels great.

INT. BALLROOM – NIGHT

Verity and Sam burrow through the crowd, surveying the room. Upscale, uptight. Verity, feeling very uncertain of herself. All too aware, establishment looks for fault and if it’s there, finds it.

We stroll past an orchestra tucked away in the corner of the room, playing music, couples dance. Movement and color, all around them.

At a distance we see a very slick Angel dressed in a fashionable black tuxedo. He spots Verity and Sam, then backs away into an unsuspecting crowd like a ghost in search of his past.

Inadvertently, Verity and Sam head towards Mayor DeMint in conversation with several men in tuxedos, smoking 34

Cubans, exuding both confidence and power. This is clearly a business gathering.

Verity tries to double back. Too late. DeMint looks up with an almost startled expression.

DEMINT (leering) Verity Rush. We were just talking about you.

VERITY (cont’d) I find that hard to believe.

DeMint glances at Sam. There is recognition.

DEMINT (cont’d) I know you. You work for Currency.

Verity, clearly rattled at the thought of DeMint knowing something personal about her. For reasons she can’t explain, DeMint frightens her.

VERITY Mayor DeMint, Sam. Fiscal entrepreneur and fully paid up member of the Ivy League.

Sam shakes his head at Verity’s usual lack of deference. Once again, makes him look foolish. He and DeMint shake hands.

SAM (embarrassed) It’s a pleasure Mayor DeMint. What Verity’s trying to say is…. I don’t need to fight so hard to prove myself.

The tuxedoed men examine Verity with considerable interest. Their faces show surprise. Verity appears more manufactured than organic.

DEMINT (cont’d) Gentleman. You asked for the introduction. Verity Rush. Verity, I would like you to meet the Executive Board of Dupane Biotech Institute. They’re about to invest heavily in the Science Ministry’s latest project.

For Verity, it’s all too clear. The cigars, the tuxedoes, the airs. They reek of self-entitlement. Verity parries, lunges and strikes.

VERITY (cont’d) 35

Oh, and what’s that?

DEMINT (cont’d) The mysteries behind intelligence. It’ll be a real game changer. If the trials prove successful we can wage war on the elite whores in this town.

Verity, checks DeMint’s ideological flow. She’s concerned it will lead to a misunderstanding and feels obliged to interpret.

VERITY (cont’d) Excuse me, what I think Mayor DeMint is trying to say is, the science elites will have serious competition.

This stops DeMint in his tracks. His face ices over completely. Clearly suspicious of Verity’s alacrity.

Sam senses tension and moves on. He strides purposefully towards Angel, in conversation with Governor Blaise. We watch Verity watch Angel, talking to the governor.

Dupane REP#1 chimes in. He smiles, treads carefully and attempts to gain Verity’s trust.

REP#1 (cont’d) (jovial) The future lies in the restructuring of our DNA coding to be precise. Given what you are…..

Verity, returns her focus. Verity stares Rep#1 down, eyes blazing. Privacy and civil liberties cannot be underestimated.

Rep#1 realizes his mistake and cracks a smile to ease the tension.

I mean, given that you yourself are a wonder of science, you might even appreciate what we set out to achieve.

Verity, shrugs – insolent.

VERITY (cont’d) Oh, and what’s that?

DEMINT (cont’d) Enhancing the human IQ. A singular consciousness that could spawn an entire race of people. It 36

goes way beyond A.I.

VERITY(cont’d) Sounds like a cure for wounded male pride. I wouldn’t be slapping myself on the back just yet.

DeMint forces a smile. He stalks away from the group. In the next second Professor Darkstar, in a tux, sidles up to Verity.

DARKSTAR My dear Verity. What will become of you when I die?

Verity SPINS round, eager to see her beloved Professor Mindful, instead. Verity’s P.O.V. Professor Darkstar, in blurred vision.

VERITY You won’t die Professor. The Ministry of Science needs you. No voodoo cult or the devil can kill genius.

Darkstar moves in, too close, backing Verity against another guest, his face inches from hers.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) I don’t believe in voodoo priests or the devil. But I do believe….. in myself.

VERITY (cont’d) As do I. Thanks to Professor Mindful, when I die I won’t have to be embalmed. Just put into a glass case and kept for years.

Darkstar smiles thinly, eyeing Verity.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Well you were his miracle.

VERITY (cont’d) Professor Mindful is never wrong. He is a true believer. I always look forward to his next prophecy.

Darkstar’s smile fades. Eyes, a little crazed. Call it jealousy. Verity right onto it and onto her next thought, always strategizing.

VERITY (cont’d) I’d heard a rumor he’d left the Ministry. 37

Surely it can’t be true?

Darkstar’s fury is silent, controlled, but unmistakable.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Good thing rumors are what they are, just rumors.

Verity slows down, looking at him. Hoping for more.

VERITY (cont’d) Is he here? I haven’t seen him.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Uh..he’s around somewhere.

Darkstar’s eyes scan the room. Taking in every detail. Even more edgy now. Back on Verity, draining her glass.

You know what happens to Morris after a glass or two of champagne (beat). Anyway, Verity Rush has made the news again. What’s going on at the Justice Department?

Verity’s mood lightens from the champagne and she lets the Mindful conversation hang.

VERITY (cont’d) I hate to say it but Masked Man has resources no one ever dreamed of.

Darkstar’s eyes narrow. Right now there is only one thing on his mind. But he is careful - the mask doesn’t slip.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Is it true the Masked Man has gone from a person of interest to public enemy number one.

VERITY (cont’d) All we know for sure is he is a clever strategist and well resourced.

We see a menacing look on Darkstar’s face.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) How does Verity Rush plan on uncovering his identity?

A few feet away, a guest inches his way into the conversation. Angel is with them now.

38

ANGEL I’m guessing that’s classified information.

Angel smiles comfortably but there’s an edge to his voice. Darkstar looks square at Angel.

DARKSTAR(cont’d) And you are?

ANGEL (cont’d) From the Academy of World Science. I’m writing a piece on DNA recoding. It’s your area of expertise. Am I right?

Darkstar, clearly agitated, acknowledges nothing. An uncomfortable silence follows.

I’d take a wild guess and say you are the mysterious, Professor Ernst Darkstar?

Angel fishes for a cigarette and lights it with a dead steady hand.

DARKSTAR(cont’d) (amused) Correct, though I’m hardly mysterious. If I recall, the Academy referred to my DNA project as ethically threatening.

ANGEL (cont’d) DNA? Good God no. I’m here to investigate something far more sinister.

Angel’s eyes are fixed on Darkstar. Darkstar lets the mask slip a notch. Verity senses something…. but what?

DARKSTAR (cont’d) I can see you have quite a dark side to you.

ANGEL (cont’d) Funnily enough Professor, I was about to say the same to you.

Unexpectedly, Professor Darkstar gets a tap on the shoulder. Governor Rick Blaise splices into conversation and immediately engages the Professor.

BACK ON VERITY

……..Angel, slowly turns towards the crowd, then very slowly turns back to Verity and raises the stakes.

39

ANGEL (cont’d) You’re going to learn a whole new sport Verity Rush. It’s called survival and once you get a taste for it, there’s no going back.

Angel turns and disappears into the crowd.

FLASHBACK

Verity’s P.O.V. The blurry image of a man comes into view. Professor Mindful is slowly, gently unwrapping her facial bandages.

MINDFUL How are you feeling my dear?

Verity hesitates. She lifts the blankets off her body and stares at her taut, muscular frame. From her expression Verity is startled by what she sees.

VERITY Strange.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Strange as in…….?

Verity looks alert and interested. She stands up and out of nowhere launches into a double somersault. Mindful allows this, almost expectant of it.

VERITY (cont’d) Confident. Self-assured. My stutter….it’s gone.

MINDFUL (cont’d) And that’s foreign to you?

Verity nods, strides across to the window and opens it. Pigeons, ugly, gnarled and grey are perched on the window. She grabs one. It has a broken wing. Verity holds it close to her chest.

For some reason I feel very protective towards this hideous thing. I so, don’t get it.

She releases the pigeon. It flies out of the window. Next, Verity reaches for a hand mirror beside the bed. Then slowly raises it up to her face. She expresses surprise. The rough draft has gone. Instead, something akin to a miracle.

VERITY (cont’d) I’m beautiful. My eyes, they’re so blue. My 40

hair is completely white.

MINDFUL (cont’d) You suffered third degree burns to your face and have undergone several skin grafts. The flares from the solar storm released energy equivalent to hundreds of millions of megatons of TNT into your body, altering your DNA.

VERITY (cont’d) (nervously) Am I human?

MINDFUL (cont’d) More than that, you are a natural wonder. Scans are showing a complete rewiring of the brain. The corpus callosum which connects the brain’s left and right hemispheres has thickened, accelerating your thinking capabilities.

VERITY (cont’d) English please, Professor.

Professor Mindful turns round, grabs a butter knife from Verity’s bedside table and hurls it straight at her. In the blink of an eye, Verity catches the knife.

MINDFUL (cont’d) You can think faster, move faster than an Alabama lawyer arguing for the death penalty. From your reaction I gather this is new to you?

Verity looks away, humiliated. Nods. She returns her gaze.

VERITY (cont’d) And my eyes?

Professor Mindful clears his throat.

Yes. They’re quite extraordinary. A secondary reaction has caused an optic nerve mutation which explains the color. Blame that one on an oversupply of serotonin and endorphins which may from time to time result in visions. But I’m afraid there’s a catch.

VERITY (cont’d) What do you mean?

MINDFUL (cont’d) Never look directly into sunlight. Exposure to 41

ultraviolet light will result in something beyond your control.

Mindful bends down and opens his briefcase. He pulls out a pair of slick black military grade sunglasses and gives them to Verity.

I had these specially made for you. They are ballistic army sunglasses with polarized lenses.

Mindful starts for the door, turns on the threshold.

You have what we geneticists call MOTHER. Molecular, Overdrive, Triple, Helix, Evolving Radicals. See you soon.

Mindful WINKS and departs.

BACK TO THE PRESENT

SAM (cont’d) If you’ve finished dueling with Mayor DeMint, I’d like to go home. Since Currency has found itself in crisis mode, I barely have time to scratch myself. I need sleep.

Clearly, Verity is distracted. Her acquatic blue eyes are on Angel and they’re not moving.

VERITY (cont’d) Who’s that man over there?

Sam seems genuinely curious.

SAM (cont’d) What man?

VERITY (cont’d) The man you were talking too earlier (beat). You know, the one talking to Governor Blaise.

Sam hesitates. This makes Verity uneasy, doesn't want to think what she's thinking but can't avoid it.

You’re hiding something Sam. What is it?

Long pause.

SAM (cont’d) Information. I’m afraid I can’t talk about it, at least not yet.

42

Verity studies Sam’s face, not quite buying it. Sam stares back at Verity, knows he’s got to give her something otherwise she’ll push harder.

If Angel means that much to you, he hangs out at a dive called Bar 52 in the Voids. That’s all I can tell you.

The screen goes black.

INT. CORRIDOR, DUPANE RESEARCH INSTITUTE - DAY

A sterile white corridor then a door. The sign on the door reads: REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. This is the Clean Room where victims are experimented on.

INT. CLEAN ROOM – DAY

Two, parallel full length white leather chairs in an empty, blank-white space. Professor Mindful is strapped to one. Beside him, a supine body lies draped in a bloodied white sheet.

A man in a half metal mask strides up and down between the chairs. Hands clasped behind his back.

MASKED MAN If Governor Blaise is going to spy on the Brethren Crime Network he could at least have given me the courtesy of sending in a professional.

Masked Man pauses to stare momentarily at the corpse, then turns to Professor Mindful.

MASKED MAN(cont’d) Welcome Professor Mindful. As you no doubt have guessed, I am big business.

Mindful focuses. He looks intently at Masked Man. Sees he exhibits the classic signs of a paranoid, everyone’s out to get me. But despite his calm demeanor, Mindful is frightened. He knows better than to enhance the symptoms of mistrust in someone of his kind.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Do you have a name?

MASKED MAN (cont’d) Rarely does big business have a name. But I’ll allow you the privilege of knowing, I am head of 43

the Brethren Crime Syndicate (beat).

Professor Mindful looks through the mask. Masked Man seems to have an interesting blend of fury, frustration and a little bit of respect for Professor Mindful.

A commercial capitalist like Masked Man is quick to recognise Mindful’s profitability.

MINDFUL (cont’d) You’re the infamous Masked Man?

Masked Man nods, blank expression.

MASKED MAN (cont’d) I can see in your eyes you have the look of a man who is not in control of his life.

Mindful gives a small laugh whatever his thoughts are, he ends them to calmly hold on to his survival.

MINDFUL (cont’d) You could say that.

MASKED MAN (cont’d) Unfortunately, there is only one answer to that. Money. Money will give you back control of your life.

Exasperated, Mindful manages to muster a little bit of Dutch courage. He looks straight at the half metal mask with absolute conviction.

Who are you really?

Masked Man reacts to this.

What do you mean? You can see who I am.

Mindful studies Masked Man’s distinguished jaw line. It’s perfect.

You’ve been altered. I see traces of a surgical scar. I daresay there was a cleft in your chin. I’d go further and say, a mole eliminated (a beat).

Masked Man exhales, almost a laugh obviously impressed with Mindful’s observation.

MASKED MAN (cont’d) You have an excellent eye. I have decided to 44

give you a choice. Join us in our quest for perfection and you will not suffer, the way the weak suffer what they must.

Masked Man’s eyes are fixed on the corpse.

INT. CORRIDOR – DAY

A claustrophobic corridor made of glass. Pretty Partell, is standing beside a lift shaft unloading a stack of precariously balanced files into her wheeled safe.

We track with her down the corridor. We pass the Director’s Office and see the door is partly opened - a glimpse of Davenport, in Questlove’s chair flicking through a file. Davenport becomes alerted to the trolley’s squeaking wheels and throws a look over her shoulder.

INT. ARCHIVES – DAY

Pretty Partell pushes on into ARCHIVES. She enters a partially lit room - loads the files into the large safe there, locks and spins the combination. We glimpse a shadow like figure behind. Pretty Partell senses a presence. She turns, staring into the blackness of the room.

PRETTY PARTELL Who’s there?

A little tense now. Hurriedly, Pretty Partell pushes the trolley and exits the room.

We see a HAND on the combination lock. The LOCK rotates several times. The HAND removes a file from the safe marked ‘TOP SECRET’, VERITY RUSH.

INT. CORRIDOR – DAY

Pretty Partell’s trolley sits idle in the corridor. Davenport exits the archive room carrying a file. She stares at the abandoned trolley, pauses, glances down the corridor.

A hip, female tech geek in t-shirt and converse approaches Davenport. In her hand is a diskette.

IT GIRL Dr. Davenport, resources are scarce but I’ve managed to get you a spare diskette.

45

The IT girl hands Davenport the diskette. Davenport accepts the diskette and smiles warmly. She moves off quickly down the corridor. In that same motion, Pretty, cautiously steps out of an alcove in the corridor with an astonished look of betrayal.

INT. BAR 52 – DAY

Once again we meet Angel, but a soldier of fortune Angel. He is unshaven, dressed in a long black coat and heavy steel boots. Strapped to his back is an Assault Rifle.

Angel is sipping a drink at a table in the corner of the room and chewing on a toothpick, transfixed by the television screen above the bar. Around him, a scattering of patrons are drinking on tables.

On Screen

BREAKING NEWS The Brethren have suffered a sudden and dramatic reversal yesterday when Verity Rush saved a local merchant from being robbed and possibly killed at the hands of three men. We can confirm one is dead whilst two others escaped. It is believed the suspects are linked to the mysterious Brethren leader, dubbed Masked Man who has astonished the world by creating a deadly new threat inside Sludge City.

A flash of Verity entering the bar. She lifts up her sunglasses and strides confidently up to the barman.

VERITY I’m looking for a man called Angel.

The barman glances at a small table in the corner of the room. His eyes convey something.

Verity tears through the crowd and walks straight up to Angel. She smiles and is non-confrontational. He looks rough. Her heart misses a beat. She tries not to show that she is excited.

VERITY (cont’d) You’re a hard man to find.

Blankly, Angel nods and smiles as if he wants to remain hidden.

ANGEL Maybe I don’t wanna be found. 46

VERITY (cont’d) You’re not a journalist are you?

Angel rolls the toothpick between his teeth then throws it down on the table.

ANGEL (cont’d) (attitude) Nope.

VERITY (cont’d) Good. I need information.

Angel lights up a cigarette. He feels slightly uneasy in Verity’s presence. He inhales smoke and studies the unnaturally blue eyes. His senses are confused, perhaps even a little fascinated.

ANGEL (cont’d) I only help people who live in the real world. (several beats)

VERITY (cont’d) Oh…a realist. Cash, guns and chaos.

ANGEL (cont’d) Piss off.

Verity turns on him with quiet menace. She springs upwards and lands on his shoulders. He staggers under her weight and his lips draw back from his teeth in an almost animal snare.

VERITY (cont’d) See that guy? A local broadcaster caught pocketing aid relief. Bad move, know why? Wasn’t giving a big enough cut to his boss who is controlled by the Brethren (points nearby) That one…? Sells information to Brethren in Sludge City and waits for a cease fire to sell the same information to the governor at a higher price. I might be laying down the law but it doesn’t mean I don’t know how to be subversive (several beats later).

Verity JUMPS off and lands surefooted. Angel’s eyes seem more lively. The woman is quick, nimble and tough.

ANGEL (cont’d) I think you’ve made your point.

47

Angel, stalls for a minute – staring at Verity, at the patrons – eyeballing him. Verity moves in closer.

VERITY (cont’d) (a hint of sexual promise) What can I do to put you at ease?

He laughs darkly.

ANGEL (cont’d) Didn’t your mother tell you to keep away from bad men.

Angel RISES to his feet. Verity holds her nerve.

VERITY (cont’d) My mother insisted I face life on my own terms.

Angel is distant. His eyes veer his surrounds. He isn’t interested in Verity’s secrets, at least not yet.

ANGEL (cont’d) That’s one tough mother.

Angel walks off leaving Verity to face the humiliation of rejection. Or does he?

EXT. STREET – DAY

Angel FLIPS down his helmet screen and KICKS over the ignition on his beaten up Yamaha. The motorcycle takes off from the curb and screeches past Verity, watching him from the side of the road.

ON THE ROAD

Five minutes later the Yamaha is touching 120kms. Angel, eyes his side mirror and goes into clinical shock. Verity is tailing him on foot. He accelerates but can’t shake her. She speeds up until they are parallel with each other.

VERITY What can you tell me about Operation Protocol?

Angel SLOWS the Yamaha and pulls to a stop in front of a rundown hotel. Angel rips off his helmet, frustrated.

ANGEL (cont’d) I’m not the man you should be talking too.

VERITY (cont’d) 48

Then tell me who?

Angel looks down, he doesn’t want to make eye contact. Still distant.

ANGEL (cont’d) A shady individual called Steven Joost and for the record, I don’t give a shit about him.

Verity serenely contemplates what’s happening now.

VERITY (cont’d) I work for the Department of Justice. I’m trying to find out why the Brethren Crime Syndicate is investing in biogenetics, and you tell me you don’t give a shit. You’re not worth my time.

Angel sees the woman’s got guts and is obviously impressed. Almost, apologetic now.

ANGEL (cont’d) Joost is the CEO of Frontline. A mercenary organization cum courier service in the Voids. Joost makes payments to local government officials for safe passage inside Sludge City. Most of their work comes through TPL Internet Services and their drop off address is always the same. Dupane Biotech Research Institute in the Voids.

Verity thinks this through.

VERITY (cont’d) An internet services provider and a pharmaceutical company. Odd economic bedfellows. Where can I reach you?

Angel smiles thinly.

ANGEL (cont’d) You can’t.

Angel pulls out from the curb and guns the engine. Verity looks on undeterred as the Yamaha disappears over the horizon.

EXT. STREET – DAY

We’re at Frontline Courier Services, one of many warehouses on the street. Everything just now opening for business. Two guards, muscled and as heavily armed 49

as Rambo unlocking the front door and…

Verity, across the street. NOISES. Melts into the shadows. Checking for possible trouble. Looks clear. She’s WALKING.

INT. A DOCKING STATION – DAY

A cold, dark, dock. Wall to wall concrete. Several white courier vans are stationed inside the dock. So far everything looks pretty ordinary until we see a grim looking RECEPTIONIST standing behind a desk in overhead light in the farthest corner of the dock. Smoking. She sees a fast approaching Verity. Instant, chilly disapproval.

RECEPTIONIST Can I help you?

The Receptionist coughs once. A barking smokers cough.

VERITY (stalls) I’m here about one of your deliveries……

RECEPTIONIST (cont’d) Ah…..finally. I take it you’re the new driver?

Verity DRAWS in breath. A little anxious now, but gambles on bravado and follows up the invitation.

VERITY (cont’d) (hesitant) Yep.

RECEPTIONIST (cont’d) (rolls her eyes) Contract drivers. What’s taken so long? You were supposed to pick up the rucksack yesterday. I don’t want to remind you what will happen if we don’t deliver.

The Receptionist motions to a wall of pigeon holes. Verity, feeling pretty confident now allows herself a smile.

VERITY (cont’d) (in character) Noth’in I can do about it. If you want it to go away then give me what I want.

The Receptionist seems relieved of a burden. She 50

softens a bit.

RECEPTIONIST (cont’d) The rucksack’s over there. Can’t understand how it survived the accident. The van was completely totaled. Took the rescue crew four hours to collect the body parts. It’s to be delivered to Dupane headquarters, downtown.

Verity, locks onto the rucksack. She makes a confident grab for it and starts for the door. The Receptionist keeps a watch on Verity and makes one last parting remark.

Hope you got life insurance honey. Cause whatever’s in that rucksack, it’s worth dyin’ for.

EXT. STREET – DUSK

Verity ENTERS the street, head down, if her mind had not been elsewhere she might have noticed Masked Man, entering the docking station from a side entrance. In the next second, Verity runs SMACK bang into an immaculately dressed Sam, carrying a briefcase. Verity, looks at Sam with a condescending expression.

VERITY Nice suit. Next on Currency’s hit list?

Sam is all innocent surprise as he approaches Verity.

SAM (cont’d) If you must know, Frontline Courier Services. Currency has sent me to clear up an inventory matter, that’s all.

Verity’s face freezes, makes a quick decision to probe.

VERITY (cont’d) Sam, is there anything you want to tell me. You know you can trust me.

Sam, a little uncertain now. We sense he is trying to find a way out - once again, is careful not to brush off Verity. His best defense is one clear thought.

SAM (cont’d) Once again talking nonsense. I would be grateful Verity, if you would respect the Currency Department and my Impact Team. The Justice Department is not the only one with secrets. You clean up the field. I’ll clean up 51

the budgets.

Verity, backs away, flashes Sam an odd look – sensing real vulnerability in him.

Remember Sam, use the special whistle if you’re ever in trouble.

Sam, straightens himself determinedly, and proceeds towards Frontline Courier - in the next second Masked Man departs from the side entrance.

INT. SLUDGE CIY MORGUE – NIGHT

We are looking at a corpse in a horrible basement room. Cold tiles. A wall of freezers. Now add a body laid out on a slab and the stench of death.

In the room – Questlove, Max and Davenport are staring, open-mouthed at the Medical Examiner, poking a scalpel at the brain that resembles a custard like substance, spilling out of the skull.

MEDICAL EXAMINER His name was Sean Campbell. He looks to have died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Questlove, eager to get his mind off his present realities demands an explanation.

QUESTLOVE What do you mean, looks to have?

MEDICAL EXAMINER (cont’d) Not sure. The grid structure of the brain has been cut. If there is nothing to patch the break, it throws the whole DNA into turmoil. The body was dumped in a Voids alleyway. Computer records have him as working for Sludge City Special Forces.

Questlove is unsettled. He isn’t following, hates to look foolish. A few beats while he sizes things up.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Can you give it to me in English?

The Medical Examiner pulls off his rubber gloves - removes his spectacles.

He looks to have undergone a process called DNA editing, but a reckless attempt. No enzyme 52

connective was deployed to replace the DNA. For the record, The World Health Organization has banned DNA editing, mostly because it’s still in its infancy.

Chief Questlove fixes his eyes on the corpse, realizes this isn’t going to be as easy as he thought. Looks deflated. Gets a small reprieve from the shrill ring tone of his cell phone. He shoves a hand into his pocket and flips open his phone.

CHIEF QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Questlove.

A long pause as Questlove listens intently to the caller. He flips down his phone, eyes Max and Davenport.

That was Verity…..she’s got the algorithm. She’s at Café Grime in the Voids.

INT. QUESTLOVE’S OFFICE – DAY

Davenport is sitting opposite Captain Questlove. In her hand is an A4 manila folder. There is little placidity in the eyes. The jaw tight – hair….still taped to her head.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) Captain, I’m aware that I am a Mayoral appointee and probably not your first choice for the Justice Department.

The mood in the room takes a dark turn. Questlove regards Davenport warily - eyes shift to a business card poking out of the folder - notices three interlocking triangles. READS: 8pm.

QUESTLOVE Yep. Mayor DeMint can be quite… intimidating. In the past two years, since he’s been Mayor, I’ve barely laid eyes on him.

Davenport smiles thinly.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) He’s a man with a talent for moving in and out of difficult situations without being seen.

This hits a nerve akin to getting a kick in the guts.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) 53

So he gets what he wants?

DAVENPORT (cont’d) You could say that.

Questlove braces himself. He picks up a ballpoint pen and rolls it between his fingers to reduce his tension. He lunges, but only mildly.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Or used to having his own way.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) An irrelevant assumption. Since joining the team, I’ve learned a great deal about Verity Rush and very little of it makes sense. I must warn you. Verity is being watched.

Questlove wasn’t quite expecting this. He struggles to understand Davenport’s hostility.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Why do you hate her so much? I can only surmise you are acting on orders from your male superiors down at City Hall. (sees a slight reaction) That makes perfect sense, since City Hall looks for exceptional young women they can sacrifice in order to score points.

Davenport tries not to show she is suddenly unnerved. Her argument moves towards persuasive.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) I believe strongly in the rule of law. My evaluation concludes that Verity Rush is stoking the fires of the Turbulence with provocation and confrontation. She’s in full rebellion mode and she’s got to be stopped.

Questlove sees he is never going to make a dent in her armor. He tries another tact.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) I’ve read your Bio. You’re the prototype of the white, upper middle class success story. Better suited to country clubs and tennis courts. You’re perfect, not a moral fiber out of place. But I don’t trust you.

Questlove pauses, watches Davenport’s reaction. Still no shrinking, only more arrogance. Decides on a full 54

frontal assault.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Under that perfectly bobbed head of hair of yours is a mass of contradictions. There’s a subsurface violence to you, almost always under control. But very much alive. You have never been humiliated long enough to find your humanity and that’s the difference between you and Verity, and why I trust Verity more than the cold analysis of an ivy league academic.

Davenport stares down Questlove.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) I heard you were a courageous policeman once. What happened?

Questlove looks away for a moment, this helps calm the impulse to reach out and place both his hands round her throat. He returns his gaze.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) The subordinate questions her superior?

Davenport burns, curls the corner of her lips.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) Mayor DeMint will be getting my report. Thus, if the Mayor has a problem, Sludge City has a problem. The survival of Sludge City does not depend on Verity Rush.

Davenport departs. Questlove remains seated – seethes - clicks his ballpoint pen with vigorous hatred. The phone rings. The #9 lights up. It’s Pretty’s line. Questlove PUNCHES #9 and firmly picks up the handset.

QUESTLOVE Yep.

PRETTY PARTELL V.O. Sir, has anyone been granted access to Verity’s file?

The question was unexpected. Pretty Partell was well trained and should have known the answer.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Verity’s file is classified. You know better than to ask me that.

55

PRETTY PARTELL V.O. (cont’d) I realize that but..well I saw Davenport…. with it.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) She doesn’t have the clearance level (beat). Did she see you?

PRETTY PARTELL V.O. (cont’d) No.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Good. Keep it that way. I need you to do some fishing for me. Find out which business in the city has three interlocking gold triangles for its logo.

Pretty considers this just long enough to smile an answer.

PRETTY PARTELL V.O Everybody knows that logo Sir. It’s Gatsby’s, in the Swanks. In the trade, its known as House of Dreams. It’s a restaurant come high class escort service run by the mysterious Madame D. They say the only way to identify her is by her red satin shoes.

The words shrink Questlove. He clears his throat, having revealed something of his decency, but wishes he hadn’t.

I was merely testing you to see how on the ball you are. I’m pleased to say you passed.

Questlove hangs up the phone. Cringes with embarrassment.

INT. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, WORKSTATIONS – NIGHT

Max, sitting at her workstation perusing an application form. It reads: INDY 500, CALENDAR OF EVENTS.

A shadow across Max’s desk. She looks up, startled. It’s Captain Questlove. He presses a finger to his lips. He’s in a trench coat, lapels turned upwards. Full spy mode.

QUESTLOVE Where’s Verity? She was supposed to bring me the algorithm.

56

MAX She’s being followed and had to take a number of turns. You know Verity Sir, her adrenaline doesn’t pump without danger.

Questlove shakes his head. He whispers his next words.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Keep your voice low. That’s one problem solved. It looks like we’ve got another.

MAX (cont’d) What’s wrong?

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Verity’s file is missing from the safe.

Questlove glances around at the empty workstations.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Where’s Davenport?

MAX (cont’d) (Rolls her eyes) She’s doing a psyche evaluation on Pretty Partell.

Questlove clears his throat. Pressure rise. He speeds up, emotional.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Pretty Partell hasn’t been recommended for a psyche evaluation. She’s not a field agent.

Max feels a rush from Questlove’s intensity, her curiosity piqued.

MAX (cont’d) Why do I get the feeling you’re leading up to something. Something else?

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Go home Max, get some sleep. You’re gonna need it.

Max GRABS her Indy 500 manual. She and Questlove depart. A moment later, Davenport enters. She looks around. Empty workstations. She sits down at her desk and punches a button on her cell phone. A slight, breathless quality in her voice.

DAVENPORT 57

It’s me. Last I heard she was at Café Grime in the Voids. Hurry. She’s like a ping pong ball.

INT. FRONTLINE OFFICE – NIGHT

Sam, outside the courier docking station on his cell phone. Frayed nerves. The caller has him on edge. Angel is not a man to trifle with.

ANGEL V.O. (tough) Give me some news I can use. I want this son of a bitch. Every night I dream of ripping off his mask, and every morning I wake up pissed off I haven’t.

SAM Angel, my job is a theoretical exercise. You know that. There’s a lot to uncover. The information on the memory stick you gave me dates back to the global financial crisis in the early 21st century.

ANGEL V.O. (rising anger) Goddamn you bean counters! If it weren’t for me, Currency wouldn’t be in possession of all the facts. The financial data on that memory stick shows cash movement from Randall Bracks to Frontline Corporation.

Sam, a bit confused.

SAM (cont’d) Why am I wasting my time on a nobody?

ANGEL V.O. He’s not a nobody. The name is worth investigating (pause).

Sam reads Angel’s silence as an order. He swiftly moves on.

SAM Angel, if we’re going to uncover secrets by means of tax records through hidden services we have to be patient. I’m expected to follow procedure. If you want a faster method, recruit the services of my sister.

ANGEL V.O. Fuck procedure. It’s the reason why my father’s 58

missing.

CLICK. He hangs up.

INT. CAFÉ GRIME, THE VOIDS – LATE AFTERNOON

A quick layout. Hole in the wall. People smoking and drinking coffee. Rabid looking dogs eat scraps of food off the floor.

Verity, sunglasses off, at a back table TEARING through the rucksack. The contents of the rucksack are everywhere. She pulls out a small shiny CYLINDER. Verity unscrews the CYLINDER and retrieves a tiny metal device – holds it up to the light. She drops the algorithm back into the cylinder and screws the lid back on. Verity smiles at her good fortune and we see something totally unexpected. Verity fishes into her pocket, pulls out a GPS tracking dot and plants it on the base of the CYLINDER then…..

Verity turns to face –

Brethren who burst into the café. Midnight and Doomsday saunter across the floor. Like animals. Sensing every sound, every breath, everything carries information. Standing still taking it all in.

Doomsday PICKS up a carafe of water, GUZZLES it back with a camel’s thirst. He turns slowly round, lingers for a moment, sees Verity. Turns back to his companion. The two have a fast, silent communication.

Doomsday starts towards Verity. She RISES to her feet with the rucksack and hangs. Doomsday PULLS a knife from his waist and takes a swipe at her, but the knife jabs at thin air.

Suddenly Verity is pouring herself a coffee on a table from across the other side of the room.

VERITY (cont’d) One step ahead. Mother taught me that bit of wisdom.

Doomsday spins his head, confused, frustrated. Verity’s making a fool of him again and reveling in it.

Pass on a message to your boss. Verity Rush wants a word with him. It seems drug lords and assassins, are on the same payroll.

59

Doomsday raises his knife and POINTS to the CYLINDER.

Give it to me!

VERITY (cont’d) (good naturedly) I take it that’s a no?

Suddenly, Verity is back at the table. Doomsday fixes his eyes on the inhumanly white haired woman with the ice blue eyes and their intangible force, struggles to suppress his fear. His feet now glued to the floor. Patrons stare in silence.

Verity shoves the CYLINDER back inside the rucksack, secures it too her back and bursts out onto the street.

EXT. CAFÉ GRIME – DAY

Midnight runs out after her. Brethren dune buggy’s draw near. But Verity is gone.

EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE, THE SWANKS – NIGHT

We swoop in on Gatsby’s. A slick, glass style structure hovers above ground and is supported by three stainless steel beams. Underneath is a station style business, lush green with its own ecosystem that recycles air and water and grows its own food.

Sleek, small style cars line the curb below. A valet, in attendance opens the car doors. Stylish, men in well-cut suits, some with an entourage, others alone get out of cars and prepare to board the lift. We see Stephen Joost in the mix.

We move away from the elevator and glimpse an impeccably dressed woman at a distance. The MADAME of the establishment, shouting at a disheveled but attractive woman with a black-eye. What attracts us to the situation is not so much the rigors of a greedy merchant protecting her worldly goods but Davenport’s red heels.

INT. CAR – NIGHT

Across the street, Questlove, pulls up in a small grey car. He opens the glove box and removes a pair of night goggles and secures them to his face.

Questlove’s P.O.V. A slick black limousine pulls up in front of Gatsby’s. Davenport approaches the rear of the limousine. The door swings open and she climbs in. The 60

door shuts.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

Questlove reaches for his cell phone on the dashboard and punches in a number.

QUESTLOVE Pretty, take down this license plate. BEM2499. Find out who it is registered too.

INT. LIMOUSINE – NIGHT

Masked Man, dressed in a long black raincoat coolly turns to Davenport.

MASKED MAN We have neither the algorithm nor Verity Rush, so you’d better impress me.

Davenport, tense, pulls out a diskette from inside her jacket pocket and hopes this will gain Masked Man’s admiration or better still, trust.

DAVENPORT She’s classified as Homosapien. Verity’s DNA is pure. She is ripe for experimentation.

Masked Man, on the other hand, wears the smirking armor of a man truly pleased with himself. Masked Man draws Davenport closer, into a ferocious kiss.

MASKED MAN(cont’d) Excellent news. I will have Darkstar engineer a gene drive that will mirror Verity Rush’s DNA. I will build an army of loyalists to their chief- in-command and with it my power. You have one last task. Secure the algorithm. We may have changed objectives but that doesn’t mean the algorithm has lost intrinsic value.

Davenport gazes out of the window, serenely contemplates what is happening. She shifts her focus back to Masked Man.

DAVENPORT (cont’d) What was she like before the accident?

MASKED MAN (cont’d) A poor investment. The real shame is, Verity doesn’t remember me.

61

EXT. THE FINANCIALS – NIGHT

In the glittering high rises of the financial district we CLOSE ON one building, then its reflection against another building. We swoop past the crumbling façade of Time Square.

We see Angel. His face is concealed behind a sleek black-vizored helmet with night-vision goggles. From a pack he takes a climbing rope, clamps it with a carabiner around a post, then dials a distance into the special ratchet mechanism.

Angel steps to the edge and LEAPS over, plunging past the glass windows. After a terrifying free fall, suddenly the rope gears down smoothly, bringing him to a stop at a window pane, a dizzying sixty floors above the street. Through the glass, we see a CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS.

He attempts to drill out bolts holding the window in place. Sees its already been done, needs only to POP the pane free. Then ROLLS the pane onto the rollers, leaving just enough room to slip into...

INT. HEADQUARTERS, DUPANE BIOTECH INSTITUTE - NIGHT

We’ve already been here. The Board of Directors suite and headquarters of the Brethren Crime Network.

Angel, glides through the room. Hesitates. Sees the door handle disintegrated and slightly ajar.

INT. RECEPTION AREA - NIGHT

A Monet, some plants, a large map of the world with tiny red lights indicating branch offices around the world. Angel, keeps an eye on a set of double glass entry doors. Pauses behind a bronze sculpture. Through the doors we see a desk where sits a SECURITY GUARD, his back to us.

INT. HALL / INT. RECEPTION ROOM - NIGHT

The Security Guard reads and half-watches the monitors. On one we see the Reception Area and the vaguest shadow of Angel. The Guard looks at his book, Angel begins to move. The Guard glances back at the monitor, Angel jumps back. Then the Guard returns to the book. On the monitor Angel darts across the room and through a door.

INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT 62

Which is a corridor.

INT. RECEPTION - NIGHT

The Security guard YAWNS, tries to focus on his reading.

INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Angel, moving past offices down a long corridor. He steps back to move around a water cooler – glances upwards at a sign on a door that reads: “CUSTOMISED DNA”. He lifts up his helmet. For the second time he sees the door handle, melted, and slightly ajar. Someone is beating him to it.

He pulls out Sean Campbell’s iPhone. Scrolls to the name, Professor Morris Mindful. Does a cross reference. CLOSE ON text. Report: Ministry of Science, unauthorized experiments on subjects: DNA editing technology, altering DNA sequence of subject’s brain cells introducing extreme psychological and physical disorders resembling parasitism.

INT. ROOM – NIGHT

Angel enters. Dead silence until, we hear MOVEMENT. A pair of UNNATURALLY BLUE EYES pierce the dark – Verity SWITCHES on the light with one hand - the CYLINDER is in her other hand.

Angel stops cold. He is unnervingly calm - glances casually around the room. The walls are lined with a honeycomb of shelves stacked with glass cylinders.

Verity recognizes Angel and relaxes her eyes.

VERITY So you’re obviously in it for the money? Funny, you don’t look rich.

This time Angel does not dismiss her. He gets her now. Verity has the kind of abilities, every man wants, the kind every man fears. He warms to her. But it’s gradual.

ANGEL Now that’s just rude.

VERITY (cont’d) How did you get in the building? Security is hell. 63

ANGEL (cont’d) (surprised) Me! What about you? We’re sixty stories above ground, and every door handle I passed has been disintegrated to ash. I’m assuming that’s your handiwork?

VERITY (cont’d) (cheekily) You look impressed. I like that. I can see you’re not use to feeling inferior.

Angel, smiles but it is strained. He looks at the CYLINDER.

ANGEL (cont’d) I see you’ve got the algorithm. Governor Blaise will be pleased.

Verity, all pride, unfortunately a little cocky now.

Come on. Did you think I couldn’t do it?

Angel’s mouth freezes on that final question and is hit by a sudden inspiration. A determination to win.

No. Except that you’re in the wrong place. The algorithm is earmarked for Dupane Research Institute in the Voids. Don’t forget to send them a thank you note.

Verity’s cockiness collapses. Instead there’s concentration, exertion, contempt.

VERITY (cont’d) I think you’re afraid of me.

Angel, very coolly continues the game.

ANGEL (cont’d) Okay, I think I can live with that. Still, it hasn’t been a complete waste of time. You’ve found me. I didn’t realize how badly you wanted me.

Verity’s eyes go icy. He is playing her game and she explodes.

VERITY (cont’d) (incredulous) Why you stuck up, uncouth macho half-wit. I 64

don’t know where you get your delusions.

Angel just stares at the stunning blonde amazon - in agony - she is something quite extraordinary.

ANGEL (cont’d) Admit it. You can't bear to let a gorgeous guy like me out of your sights.

……and just like that, Verity is gone.

CLOSE ON Angel, shields down, face expressing doubt. For the first time in his life he’s been caught off guard and he likes it.

EXT. CURRENCY DEPARTMENT, CORRIDOR – NIGHT

The sign on the door reads: IMPACT TEAM.

INT. CURRENCY DEPARTMENT – NIGHT

A small, inner office. An accountant’s office. Several rooms linked like a suite.

Few staff, focused on CCTV monitors. Lots of shots of Masked Man entering and exiting Frontline Courier Service.

Everyone at their posts. It’s all quiet. But they are busy. Quietly urgent. There is tension in the air.

Sam, in the foreground, drinking a cup of coffee as his team search for real names and real credit card numbers of shareholders of Sludge City’s biggest ever financial fraud.

SAM Okay, listen up everyone. Frontline is a mercenary organization that fronts as a courier service. It controls lucrative government contracts and paid well to haul cargo across country through increasingly dangerous terrain without incident, suggesting they have protection from somewhere.

Sam starts PACING the floor. Slowly at first then breaking stride.

My research indicates they have nearly thirty million dollars in assets and, almost three quarters of that profit has vanished after passing through a network of subsidiaries. 65

He returns to his desk. Focuses down on his computer screen.

Remember we are in pursuit of a rich individual, possibly a public figure with undeclared offshore bank accounts who has covered his trail by using a tax haven company, to buy another tax haven company, which in turn owns Frontline Corporation.

The room is dimly lit, it’s late, it’s all so devoid of a good time then something catches their eyes, and --

ASSISTANT #ONE (hesitant) Sir…..I have a signature…. (several long beats) ….it’s Harry Potter.

ASSISTANT #TWO Sir….

SAM (cont’d) Whatcha got?

ASSISTANT TWO (continued) (sheepishly) Professor Snape.

Sam smiles, clearly unsurprised.

And I’m guessing all from Wizard’s Bank. There’s a big cast in the Harry Potter saga. I’ll put a call through to the governor.

The staff nod, conceding the point.

INT. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE – DAY

Verity and Max step out of the elevator and stride down the corridor. They reach the anteroom. Verity, holds tight to the CYLINDER. She lifts her sunglasses and RUBS her eyes. Max, concerned.

MAX What is it? Visions again.

Verity clears her throat, speeds up, emotional.

VERITY 66

Yeah, an image(beat). A man, cleft chin and a mole on his cheek. When I think of him, I think of killing him. Why?

Max, looks troubled. She hesitates.

Verity, your accident……it wasn’t just chance. You were running away from something…somebody.

Verity, is speechless, sees Davenport approaching eyeballing the CYLINDER. Conversation stalls.

DAVENPORT Hurry, Captain Questlove is waiting for the algorithm.

Verity is reeling, doesn’t acknowledge Davenport and presses Max further.

VERITY (cont’d) Why didn’t you tell me?

MAX (cont’d) I just didn’t think you needed any additional burdens.

Davenport flashes an odd look. Smoothly, surreptiously, she slides her hand inside her pocket and pulls a pistol. She levels it threateningly at Verity and Max.

DAVENPORT Give me the CYLINDER.

Davenport leans in and GRABS the CYLINDER. She edges backwards and stabs at the elevator button.

Did you really think a sophisticated organization like the Brethren Crime Syndicate could lose to a genetic mishap?

Nervous smirk from Davenport as the elevator door slides shut. We focus on Verity. She reads the panic in Davenport’s eyes and doesn’t challenge her. Max, frustrated turns to Verity.

MAX (cont’d) Why didn’t you jump her?

Verity (cont’d) (indifferent) I was told to take it down a notch, remember.

67

There is an awkward pause before Max falls in behind Verity.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – DAY

A harried Questlove relentlessly pacing the floor. Verity enters, takes a deep shaky breath. Max, completely baffled follows behind.

QUESTLOVE I hope for your sake, you’ve got something for me.

Max, enraged at Davenport’s defection stumbles out an explanation but Verity silences her with a gesture.

VERITY Bits and pieces Sir. Governor Blaise was right to be suspicious. The Brethren have infiltrated our organization and my hunch is they are working with Frontline Courier Services, a mercenary outfit that fronts as a courier service working exclusively for Dupane Biotech Institute. They were scheduled to deliver the algorithm until I showed up.

Questlove notices Verity’s empty hands.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) She took the bait?

Verity, a sneer on her face, nods. Max catches up, holds tight to her anger.

VERITY (cont’d) Hook, line and CYLINDER. The GPS tracking dot will lead us right to Davenport and hopefully the operational center of the Brethren Crime Syndicate. From what I’ve learned I predict the microchip is on its way to Dupane Research Institute in The Voids.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) It’s official. Operation Protocol is now active.

Questlove takes in the news, a smile broadening across his face. He quickly moves to his computer screen to verify Verity’s claim. Starts punching buttons. A blip PULSATES on screen. It’s coming from the Voids. Confirms Verity’s verdict with a nod. Verity updates Max. 68

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Sorry Max, we couldn’t risk it. Davenport is playing us. Governor Blaise has been on to her from the start.

MAX (nervous) Everything feels weird like I’m not in control. That’s not good for a high speed racer, right?

Max follows Verity’s eyes to Questlove. She is silent. Nothing could have prepared her for the revelation.

The governor received information implicating Davenport, after Professor Mindful passed on information about Darkstar’s Human Intelligence Project. Davenport’s signature was on the Dupane letter granting Darkstar R&D money for the project. The algorithm was a way of drawing her out.

MAX (cont’d) Since Davenport was a Mayoral appointee, doesn’t that implicate DeMint?

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Possibly, but it wouldn’t make sense. City Hall put up the money for Davenport’s position arguing that the Justice Department would benefit from a psychologist on the team. No alarm bells there.

Questlove thinks for a moment. Looks at Verity and Max.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) It’s time to set the world on fire. Max (beat), open the VAULT we’re gonna bring down the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

EXT. VOIDS BRIDGE – DAY

A black limousine crossing the Voids Bridge.

EXT. INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX – DAY

Now turning up the sweeping road that leads to a sleek, modern, low-rise industrial compound boasting perfectly manicured landscaped gardens.

EXT. CARPARK – DAY

69

The limousine turns a corner and enters the outside parking lot of "DUPANE RESEARCH INSTITUTE".

INT. DUPANE RESEARCH INSTITUTE – DAY

Masked Man strides purposefully up to the entranceway with hundreds of other DUPANE EMPLOYEES. He carries himself with confidence. All employees wear similarly well-cut suits.

Masked Man filters through a row of channels supervised by SECURITY GUARDS. Each channel contains a computerized security device, featuring a slim groove in which the employee places a finger under the watchful eye of a Security Guard.

Masked Man gives a polite nod to a Guard and moves swiftly through a glass walled corridor. We see the reflection on his face, a thin smile of satisfaction.

INT. OFFICE – NIGHT

We see Masked Man from behind seated at a desk looking at a screen monitor. He gently removes the metal mask. We glimpse a reflection on the screen and we can make out the profile of Mayor DeMint.

On the screen appears the Dupane website. Among the various icons displayed is the proud detailing of its philanthropic efforts. Like all politicians, DeMint has another face. Head of the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

Midnight BURSTS into the room.

FROM THIS POINT ON IN THE SCREENPLAY MASKED MAN BECOMES DEMINT

MIDNIGHT Boss, Davenport delivered the algorithm.

DeMint smiles at his success and revises his thoughts.

DEMINT Good. Get it to Darkstar.

MIDNIGHT (cont’d) It’s done.

DEMINT (cont’d) Now that we’ve secured the algorithm it’s time to cut overheads.

70

Midnight departs. DeMint sits back heavily, and we see through the gradually closing door Midnight passing Darkstar in the corridor and the two men pause beside each other. A moment later DeMint looks up as Professor Darkstar enters the room clutching a MACBOOK PRO COMPUTER – embedded with the microchip algorithm and he looks angry.

DARKSTAR What are you doing?

DeMint is amused. It’s obvious to Darkstar, DeMint has only a shallow interest in science but not in its profit margins. Perhaps now in Darkstar’s eyes we see a touch of regret.

DEMINT I’m guessing you’re not interested in cutting overheads?

DARKSTAR Of course I am! But murdering a colleague was never part of the plan.

DeMint tries to find solid ground, to reassure Darkstar, assist in the vision and ensure everything stays on track.

DEMINT (cont’d) Alright. I’ll spare Mindful’s life if you help me set a trap.

Darkstar thinks this through then nods.

I want you to give me the name of anyone Verity Rush is particularly close to who doesn’t belong to her immediate circle and whom I can be in contact with, without raising suspicion?

DARKSTAR (cont’d) How could I know? We weren’t exactly best friends. Verity always had reservations about me. She preferred Mindful and, why not? He was the gentleman, not me.

A grim Darkstar starts for the door. He opens it. Another blood curdling SCREAM. He SHUTS it and pauses on the threshold.

Come to think of it, there is someone….. a brother Sam, and you’re in luck. He’s a bit of a boy wonder at the Currency Department. Sets 71

all the ministerial budgets.

DeMint looks warily at Darkstar.

DEMINT (cont’d) (Recollection) Ah, finally you’re being useful. One final request. Does Verity Rush have a weakness?

This time Darkstar doesn’t hesitate.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Retinitis pigmentosa. The optic nerve has damaged both her eyes. She is all the time fighting blindness.

INT. CURRENCY DEPARTMENT – MORNING

Two weary assistants working meticulously on computer screens. Sam PACES the floor, smoking and has been all night. He looks rough. Necktie pulled to one side - eyes ringed with dark circles. There is a green ashtray next to an assistant’s computer screen, full of smoldering cigarettes. Sam notices the morning paper, partially open on the seat. A name leaps out. Sam opens the paper.

IT READS: Fluctuations from Dupane Biotech profits appear to correlate with the presence of different government funded R&D contracts in Sludge City, requiring a level of trust and dependability that only Mayor DeMint could provide for its citizens.

Sam is simultaneously angry and nervous. It’s obvious where this is heading. He SHOUTS to ASSISTANT #1.

SAM Bring up Mayor DeMint’s tax returns for the past two years.

ASSISTANT #1 (nervous) Sir, politicians are exempt from investigation.

SAM That’s right but law becomes meaningless to a public when the Currency Department finds itself a villain.

ASSISTANT #1 What am I looking for? 72

SAM (cont’d) A bureaucrat who has taken advantage of lax corporate laws. For the hell of it, cross reference the Brethren Crime Syndicate with Dupane Biotech Institute. Hurry!

The assistant PUNCHES in the words. A file opens to an image of Mayor DeMint. The caption underneath reads: RANDALL BRACKS.

Several beats later the words that explode on the screen fills Sam with dread.

ON SCREEN: Randall Bracks: Executive Director and Beneficiary of Dupane Biotech Institute and the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

Sam, in full emotional armor races to his laptop. HITS his email button. TYPES the name ANGEL in the address column. MESSAGE READS. Your man’s identity has been verified. Randall Bracks alias Duke DeMint, private banker tied to the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

As Sam reads the screen monitor, Mayor DeMint moves into the doorway, smiling easily. Triumphant. Two gun-toting Thugs enter. The Thugs open fire.

Sam DIVES for cover as the walls and computer screens are shattered and the two assistants are killed.

In one quick rush of confidence, Sam RISES to his feet and lunges at DeMint. Thugs#1 and #two grab Sam on either arm. Sam tries to wrest free from his captors but realizes its futile.

SAM Randall Bracks. Head of the Brethren crime network. Public enemy no.1. Anti-government, anti-tax, and anti-principal. I should have figured it out sooner.

As the eerie wail of street musicians seems to mount in volume and intensity outside on the street, the overcast sky filtering into the office seems particularly oppressive. Sam’s up against it and he knows it.

DEMINT (a very dark laugh) It’s a dangerous thing to be curious, Sam. The fear being that if you ask too many intrusive questions, a villain will always turn 73

up.

SAM (cont’d) If you want a conversation with me, please conduct it in English.

DEMINT (cont’d) Intelligence. They say it’s going around. My own DNA world and the old order must learn to adapt to my calculations.

Sam, cool, tranquil. Inside he’s screaming.

SAM (cont’d) And the few are to enjoy the fidelity of the well-bred.

DeMint smiles comfortably as if Sam could be of use to him.

DEMINT (cont’d) For a man on a civil servant’s pay you seem to know your stuff. Now I’ve got to ask you a question and please think carefully before you answer. I have it on good authority that your sister has a weakness. But I need to be sure.

Sam SHUTS his eyes -- as if he could just wish it all away. DeMint holds out his hand.

Thug#1 THROWS DeMint a gun. DeMint places the nozzle of the gun at his own throat, looking into Sam’s eyes with absolute conviction.

Kill the honorable Mayor and let Sludge City see who is the real villain. Nobody likes a tax accountant.

Sam considers this…..breathing slowing…….. there’s no way out.

SAM (cont’d) Her eyes. It’s all in her eyes (beat).

INT. DUPANE RESEARCH INSTITUTE - NIGHT

The laboratory has a stainless metal bench arranged along one entire wall. Atop the bench, are vials of human embryo’s and petri dishes neatly laid out in rows. In the background is the DNA sequencing machine, obscured by Professors’ Darkstar and Mindful - standing over it. Darkstar looks at Mindful, matter-a-fact. 74

DARKSTAR Can I trust that you’re beginning to see the big picture?

Mindful shrugs.

MINDFUL I assume you’re talking about the profit margin in rewiring intelligence? As much as I’ve always disliked you Ernst, I never saw you as a traitor. Are you that insecure about humanity?

DARKSTAR Insecure? Hardly. Redesigning human intelligence would have been deemed a failed utopian for the Ministry of Science without Verity Rush. The algorithm can only define biological race. I’m afraid there is a debt to pay and a contract to fulfill.

Mindful’s eyes widen, as he begins to understand far too well his colleague’s true ambitions.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Exactly what do you mean by that?

Darkstar looks blank. This doesn’t fit his usual pattern. Then we realize how deeply Darkstar’s vindictive nature runs and wants Mindful to chew on his words.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Redesigning the genome sequence using Verity’s DNA. I’d like to think of it as sculpting evolution. A much worthier concept.

Mindful thinks this over.

MINDFUL (cont’d) How do you define worthiness?

Darkstar’s blank expression vanishes like a morning haze.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Good breeding of course.

INT. THE VOIDS, A STREET – NIGHT

In the driver’s seat, Max sets up her computer. An empty pizza box is on the seat beside her. A blueprint 75

of Dupane Research Institute sits on her lap then we CUT TO: Brethren Militia patrols crawling through neighboring streets in military tankers.

BACK TO MAX

Max hears a BLIP on her screen. The GPS tracking system is now fully operational.

MAX I’ve got a signal. It’s coming from Dupane Research Institute. What is your status?

EXT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT

A few streets away Verity STEPS onto a dumpster in front of a small boarded up window and shines a flashlight on the building. She has a wireless earphone in her ear. Verity, PULLS off the boards and slips into…..

INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT

An empty room with an earthen floor. Moonlight outside barely penetrates through the row of glass windows built into the walls. Verity adjusts her earpiece. Pauses.

VERITY Verity to Max, abandoned warehouse, secure.

MAX V.O. According to the blueprint this was the old Dupane Research Institute before moving to larger premises.

A long pause.

Verity?

VERITY Max, who was Randall Bracks?

Max is taken aback. In her eyes it he obvious discomfit at the question. She considers her words carefully(beat).

MAX Verity, did you ever wonder why you joined The Department of Justice?

Verity is a little startled by the question. She takes a moment to answer.

76

VERITY (impatiently) The same reasons you did. To save the world. You’re deliberately being evasive Max. Why?

MAX Randall was one of the best. Fair hair, blue eyes, white teeth, 20/20 vision, IQ 180. He was guaranteed success.

Max’s face is an interesting blend of, confidence, fear and frustration.

The thing is Randall, was competitive and did almost anything he could to rid himself of competition and you were undeniably his equal.

Whatever else Max’s thoughts are she ends them. Max, calmly turns her attention to her computer screen as the intensity of the BLIPS increases.

Okay. How about we concentrate on the Masked Man. He’s a bigger douchebag than Randall Bracks. I figure we should just knock on Dupane’s front door.

For now, Verity seems satisfied. Her eyes probe the interior of the warehouse in search of an opening.

VERITY Awesome idea, seeings how dobermans welcome intruders with open teeth.

INT. DUPANE LABORATORY – NIGHT

Bathed in sweat, Mindful stares through a high powered microscope into a petri dish incubating a fluorescent green live cell culture. In Mindful’s hand is a syringe filled with nucleotides made up of proteins and phosphate – in other words, DNA. Mindful deploys the DNA components to the florescent green cells. The DNA components attack the florescent green cells – we watch the fluorescent green cells change to an iridescent red sheen - it becomes what scientists refer to as customised DNA.

The laboratory door CRASHES open. Midnight and Thug#1, DRAG Sam into the room. Mindful looks up from his microscope. Sam throws a hopeless look at Professor Mindful.

Mindful moves away from the microscope and picks up the 77

MACBOOK PRO on the lab bench in a protective manner.

DeMint strides perfectly poised into the room, twirling the metal mask confidently on one finger. He fixes his eyes on the MACBOOK PRO.

Where’s Ernst? I have some leverage for him.

Mindful glances at Sam then at DeMint - the identity of Masked Man is now obvious. Mindful looks at DeMint with dripping disdain.

He’s setting up the Clean Room. I’ll be on my way there as soon as I finish up here.

INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE – NIGHT

Verity stands in the dimly-lit room. She switches on her flashlight and rotates it across the walls.

Verity holds the flashlight on a framed portrait - a face has been torn out. She spies a photo of Stephen Joost decked out in uniform.

MAX V.O. According to the blue print, Sludge City is full of syndicates of underground tunnels. It dates back to prohibition. One of them will lead you right into Dupane (beat). I can see the structural outline of a room and four walls.

Verity nods towards the back of the warehouse where another door – a very secure one -- is located.

VERITY (cont’d) I see it.

INT. BACK ROOM - NIGHT

Verity KICKS in the door and enters the room. She kneels, studies the floor. In the corner of the room she identifies a particular brick and presses it. We hear hidden COUNTER-WEIGHTS shifting and the floor opens up --

-- revealing a dark hole.

INT. TUNNEL – NIGHT

Verity drops thirty feet, LANDS firmly on two feet and enters into the limitless black of the tunnel. She SWITCHES on the flashlight and illuminates the path 78

ahead.

Verity, scans the tunnel. Max comes through on her earphone.

MAX V.O. It’s tight. Crawling room only I’m afraid.

INT. DUPANE LABORATORY - NIGHT

Professor Mindful is at the DNA machine staring at its computer screen. We see DNA strands of the human genome.

Across the room, an armed guard is watching. The guard meets Mindful’s eyes. Mindful looks away, keeps working to shake off the eyes staring at him.

INT. STREET – NIGHT

Tension is building around Max. EXPLOSIONS rumble in the distance. A car is on fire. Brethren Dune Buggy’s are close. A sense of things growing out of control.

BACK TO VERITY

Moving slowly down a narrow passage PANNING the torch, inching her way in the dark. Mice scuttle beyond the range of her flashlight. The flashlight cuts through the darkness. We see the space narrows.

INT. FIREBIRD - NIGHT

Max ADJUSTS her earpiece.

MAX According to the blueprint, you are directly on top of Dupane’s laboratory. There should be a ventilation shaft below you about now.

Dune Buggy sirens are getting closer. Max looks out of the window, nervous. She knows what has to be done. She SHUTS the monitor - shoves aside the blueprint and FIRES up the car engine.

The Dune Buggy spots the Firebird. Max SLAMS down the accelerator. Breathing fast, Max stares at the road ahead. Her eyes veer intermittently to the rear-view mirror. The Dune Buggy comes up alongside the Firebird. MAX FLIPS a switch that reads: THE VAULT.

The Firebird’s trunk FLIPS. Semi-automatics RISE on 79

metal robot arms, WHIRRS, ROTATES, AIMS and the Dune Buggy tires EXPLODE, sparks FLY as they grind skidding sideways.

The Firebird levels the slew of the brakes, ROLLS over the sidewalk, eases back onto the road and PULLS over.

Max OPENS the monitor, and in a few seconds is back online.

VERITY V.O. What just happened?

MAX I think I just scored a subtle victory for women.

BACK TO VERITY

Verity spots the shaft. The metal grate stares back at her like an evil eye.

VERITY I think I’ve found it.

There’s a man sized hole below her. Verity wrenches free the hinged grating and drops.

EXT. THE GOVERNOR’S HOUSE – NIGHT

A helicopter materializes out of nowhere and descends on the governor’s manicured, landscaped gardens.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT

Captain Questlove, mussed hair, blurry eyed - still at it. He LIGHTS a cigarette and looks at his watch. It’s one am and there is a sharp KNOCK at the door. Pretty Partell enters.

PRETTY PARTELL Sir, that license plate you asked me to investigate is registered to Dupane Biotech Research Institute in the Voids.

Questlove has a hunch.

QUESTLOVE Excellent. Get down to City Hall and see if a black limousine with that license plate is parked in its vicinity.

80

Pretty departs. Questlove picks up the receiver. Pauses for a moment. There is doubt. He PUNCHES the telephone console. Questlove clears his throat.

INT. GOVERNOR’S SUITE – AT THE MOMENT (NIGHT)

The Governor is in front of his computer screen. He pours through his emails. Sees a priority email from Questlove. Taps it open. In that same motion the phone rings.

GOVERNOR BLAISE You’d better have a good reason for calling me at this hour, Questlove.

QUESTLOVE (V.O.) Davenport has taken the bait. We’re tracking the GPS signal and......

SMASH! The door crashes open. Governor Blaise DROPS the phone and is staring up at a smug Mayor DeMint in mask. Colonel Stephen Joost in tow.

DEMINT Mr. Governor, don’t want to say I told you so.

Governor Blaise looks up startled. DeMint removes his Mask. Governor Blaise regards him with contempt.

GOVERNOR BLAISE But you will, nevertheless.

DEMINT The doomsday clock has been set at three minutes to midnight. I’ve got two armed tankers loaded with Brethren forces, ready to take over Sludge City. I will decide on genetic identity, choose my own elite and remind the public I have the power to make them poor and stupid at my will. The age of selection begins.

GOVERNOR You’re mad!

Governor Blaise shakes his head. He knows it’s over for him and makes one last ditch effort as we CUT TO:

Questlove’s ear still glued to the handset. He hears muffled voices and names. One becomes crystal clear. The voice of Mayor DeMint.

GOVERNOR (cont’d) 81

(shaking his head) So this is your agenda. Conspiracy to defraud the human race, leaving the public one colossal legal bill. I’d rather be dead.

DEMINT I think that can be arranged.

DeMint GRABS the rifle out of Joost’s holster. Aims it at the governor and BANG! He drops dead.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT

Questlove, hangs up the phone. He can barely stop his mouth from dropping open as he tries to absorb the governor’s murder.

INT. ARCHIVES – NIGHT

Pretty Partell - leaning over a computer monitor - a phone to her ear.

PRETTY PARTELL Sir, I’m in Archives.

QUESTLOVE V.O. You rang me to tell me that? You were supposed to be down at City Hall.

PRETTY PARTELL (cont’d) I’d be wasting my time. Look on your computer screen.

Slowly, Questlove taps his computer screen to life and plays catchup. His screen changes in sync with Pretty Partell’s and we see……

ON SCREEN – An old photo of DeMint, listed along with a dozen aliases. Barandoff, Wells, Davis, Fletcher, Lamont, Sommerset, Strange, Cruz, Belmont, Quinn, Standford, Bracks.

PRETTY PARTELL (cont’d) I’ve been trawling through some footage of Dupane Biotech Institute and… got a hit.

Pretty Partell slows the images down, concentrating...

ON SCREEN – CBS NEWS HEADLINES: Sludge City, Biotech icon, Dupane Institute gets reprieve. The long- struggling biotech company has been bought out of bankruptcy by Frontline Corporation’s CEO, Stephen 82

Joost.

Pretty Partell enlarges the shot -- freeze frames. Stephen Joost alongside DeMint handing him a metal mask.

PRETTY PARTELL (cont’d) There’s the evidence sir. DeMint is our Masked Man.

Questlove’s smile of triumph is reflected on the screen. He LIGHTS a cigarette.

QUESTLOVE Pretty, see if you can get Mayor DeMint on the phone.

Questlove returns to his computer.

INT. DUPANE LABORATORY – NIGHT

Verity DIVES on top of Professor Mindful’s guard. The commotion forces Professor Mindful to slowly look up from his microscope. Surreptitiously, Mindful eyes the video monitor in the ceiling and skillfully plays to the camera.

Verity, breathless from the fall manages to focus on the MACBOOK PRO - confident what has become of the algorithm. Mindful stares back at Verity with surprising indifference.

MINDFUL Do I know you?

VERITY (cont’d) (confused) Professor it’s me, Verity.

Professor Mindful looks into Verity’s eyes, blank. She senses his distance. Verity can’t avoid the conclusion.

Professor, what have they done to you? Come with me. You have a choice.

Professor Mindful moves away from the microscope, inches closer to Verity who pensively stands in the corner of the room. Mindful gets an idea.

MINDFUL What choice? Is there one. Sam didn’t have a choice. He’s here..with us.

83

Verity – a little afraid now, even vulnerable. The enormity of the trouble she’s in is collapsing in on her.

VERITY (cont’d) Sam! What do you know about Sam?

MINDFUL (cont’d) He’s our next subject. He made his choice. It’s better this way.

VERITY (cont’d) (anxious) Is Sam here? Tell me where he is Professor?

Uncertainty swallows Verity’s words. She is unable to tell Mindful what she wants. Verity LUNGES at Mindful and GRABS his arm - squeezes it hard. Resentful. Suddenly Mindful is perfectly clear.

MINDFUL (cont’d) The Clean Room. Yes that’s it. They all go downstairs to Clean Room#1 and wait their turn.

Professor Mindful POINTS inexorably to the MACBOOK PRO - confirming Verity’s instincts.

INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Verity, frantically tearing down a large, spiral staircase, hesitates at the bottom and scans the surrounds. Ahead are two doors. One on either side of the corridor clearly marked. CLEAN ROOM#1 and CLEAN ROOM#2.

INT. CLEAN ROOM#1 - NIGHT

Sam, lies on a table with his head masked off for surgery. His wrist is hooked up to an elaborate IV system dripping in anaesthetic. Darkstar, in a stainless steel operating theatre, looms over him.

Darkstar switches on a surgical saw and lines it up with hand drawn incision marks on both Sam’s temples. Darkstar’s eyes scan the room for the MACBOOK PRO. It’s nowhere in sight. This does not make Darkstar happy. He departs and a second later, Verity enters. She sees Sam, and WHISTLES.

Sam blinks. He knows the whistle. An old world favorite. California Girls……... Sam’s eyes open. He WHISTLES back. 84

VERITY Sam!

SAM Verity.

In an eye blink, Verity is there at Sam’s side. He LOOKS up to see a shimmering blur coming in and out of focus. It takes time to register the figure.

Verity HUGS Sam and begins unfastening the straps. But Sam is weak and shows some resistance, then the unexpected.

SAM (cont’d) (breathless) Once again walking on a tightrope inside enemy lines. What’s happening to me?

VERITY Your brain DNA is about to be altered.

Sam is near tears.

SAM (cont’d) Then what?

He looks around the room. Verity takes Sam by the shoulders and fixes her eyes.

VERITY (cont’d) I wished I knew. I don’t know what we’re dealing with.

Verity sees Sam struggling to stay awake. He THRASHES against the chair, barely hanging on to his own mind. He tries hard to raise a smile.

SAM (cont’d) The Justice Department’s budget has just been approved.

Verity is overcome with emotion. She clenches her fists.

VERITY (cont’d) Stay awake, Sam. Use your imagination. It’s not impossible to consider an accountant is capable of that.

Verity lifts Sam’s wrist and feels his pulse. So far, 85

his life signs are good.

Sam tries to raise a smile. It’s difficult. Verity, now oblivious to Sam’s distress has only one thing on her mind.

VERITY (cont’d) Who are we looking for Sam. Who is Masked Man?

Sam’s smile fades.

SAM (cont’d) His name is…..

Sam coughs hard.

Randall Bracks.

Verity, barely able to absorb the words is suddenly caught off guard. The basement door CRASHES open. In an eye blink, Verity slips back into the darkness and watches. Mayor DeMint steps inside the room and her face registers realisation.

INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT

Verity is CLIMBING the staircase. Her hand goes to her earpiece. Max is on line.

MAX Verity, what the hell is going on?

VERITY I’m on the move. I’ve got bits and pieces of information. Nothing definite.

MAX (cont’d) Pull back. Brethren Dune Buggy’s are crawling all over the place. It’s not safe.

VERITY (cont’d) There’s a complication. It’s Sam. They have him tied up in the basement. He needs me.

INT. LABORATORY – NIGHT

Mindful, working quickly on a scrupulously clean work bench – focused on the MACBOOK PRO - expecting Darkstar to turn up at any moment. A few feet away is a gleaming, modern stainless-steel DNA sequencing cabinet. Inside the cabinet are rows of nonviable human embryos 86

crammed inside glass vials.

Mindful moves to the DNA sequencing cabinet and removes a glass vial containing a human embryo. He returns to the lab bench and sets the glass vial down on the bench. He inserts a long thin syringe like instrument inside the glass vial until it pierces the embryo and sees cellular changes taking form.

Mindful’s eyes veer to the algorithm on the computer controls - races through the DNA cell structure of a reversal antidote. He stares hard at the pulsating DNA, hoping like hell he’s got it.

Mindful takes a sample of the altered cells and sets it under a microscope then watches it reverse the editing process.

INT. SECURITY GUARD’S ROOM – NIGHT

Professor Darkstar is watching the security cameras, and he sees Mindful’s guard out cold on the floor.

INT. CLEAN ROOM#1 – NIGHT

DeMint glances at his watch. He pulls a chair over and sits beside Sam.

DEMINT Can you hear me Sam? I want to know how well you understand money. Hypothetically, how much money is enough to have the power to decide the fate of mankind?

Beads of sweat rolls down Sam’s forehead, he’s fighting the anesthesia. Veins bulge in his neck, as he hangs onto Verity’s words, tells himself he must find a way of holding onto reality. He decides to talk money, and grits through the pain.

SAM Firstly, what are you worth?

Nonchalantly, DeMint removes his black gloves.

DEMINT So far, about thirty million. I’m speculating my stocks will hit an all-time high after Dupane merges with Frontline Corporation.

Sam, trying to hold it together through his pain.

87

SAM (cont’d) You must know that good investors don’t operate without a contingency plan. What you need is to start a bidding war. The intellectual property rights to the DNA algorithm can make you a lot of money by peddling a reversal process, a kind of antidote.

DeMint, willing to bet on more cash is reassured and departs.

INT. LABORATORY – NIGHT

Mindful, opens a refrigerator and slides out a tray containing the petri dishes. In that same motion, Darkstar enters in a white lab coat, accompanied by Davenport. Darkstar eyeballs the guard out cold on the floor.

DARKSTAR What happened to the guard?

Mindful glances around the room. Exhales. Trying desperately to conceal his feelings.

MINDFUL He must have died of boredom (several beats).

DARKSTAR (cont’d) (slyly) Where’s the algorithm?

Mindful, having synthesized a DNA reversal procedure, willingly hands Darkstar the MACBOOK PRO. Mindful and Darkstar exchange a forced smile. Darkstar hands the MACBOOK PRO COMPUTER to Davenport.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Get this to Clean Room#1. Be careful. I know she’s here.

Davenport nods and departs. Darkstar turns back to Mindful, grimaces.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) How much did Verity Rush cost the Ministry?

MINDFUL (cont’d) Oh, I’d say about one hundred million dollars. What are you going to do to her?

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DARKSTAR (cont’d) What do you think. She’s a rare species. I’m going to cut her open and profit from her DNA.

Mindful, breaks. Waits for the kick to the head but his facial tic intensifies, this distracts Darkstar.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Do you have any idea what the Brethren will destroy? Verity’s helix multiplies and repairs itself at a speed that is beyond human comprehension. You cannot mass produce something as complex as Verity’s DNA without risk. Apropos, the soul is unalterable. Something we scientists won’t accept.

Darkstar massages his jaw and stumbles out his words.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) If.. that’s a threat…… it won’t work. I’m the real genius, not you.

MINDFUL That wasn’t a threat. It was a warning.

Mindful’s facial tic calms. He storms off leaving Darkstar to his own fate.

INT. TOP OF STAIRWELL – NIGHT

Verity reaches the top of the stairwell. Behind, a shadow rises and casts itself across the stairwell. Verity turns round. Mayor DeMint, without mask glances idly in her direction. He smiles pityingly. Thugs surround Verity. She complies.

VERITY I guess I’m not so smart after all.

DEMINT (oily) The woman with no memory has remembered. Let’s not hide from each other anymore. In order for you to cope with everything about that night, the hysteria had to be erased.

To shake the doubt from her mind Verity lifts her sunglasses and sees the darkness.

VERITY (cont’d) I remember now. You’re a face from the past. It explains the visions. An image triggered by an 89

image. Rain cascading down like marble. There is thunder and lightning. A memory without sentimental value.

DEMINT A man can change his face but never his ambitions. Once again your impulsiveness has been your downfall. You didn’t stop to think, did you?

FLASHBACK

A manicured path. Bright lights. Verity stands looking at a mansion. The rich house, brick and ivy, and chandeliers, all windows open. Lights brighten, revealing the face behind the voice: Randall Bracks, handsome, commanding. He looks almost airbrushed.

BACK TO PRESENT

VERITY (cont’d) Randall Bracks!

DeMint is a step ahead. Surreptitiously, he slides his hand inside his coat pocket and presses a button on his cell phone. More Thugs pour into the corridor. Immediately DeMint gives an order.

DEMINT Now!

A Thug raises a CODA net gun atop his shoulder, taking aim, BA-BANG! Four projectiles expand out from the barrel carrying a STEEL NET, which has been strung between them.

The netting hits Verity, wrapping around her, restricting her movements. Immediately, a small army of Thugs DIVE on top of her, PUMMELING AWAY, trying to beat her into submission.

Davenport walks into frame. Darkstar appears amongst the mayhem and grabs the MACBOOK PRO COMPUTER from Davenport. Verity, reaches for it but stumbles, holds her eyes on Davenport.

VERITY (shouting through the net) DeMint doesn’t want to understand DNA he wants to control it, change you, tell you what you can and can’t wear, ignore your opinion and take away your place. You’ve chosen the wrong side. 90

Davenport is clearly uncomfortable in Verity’s gaze. She steps backwards and crushes Verity’s sunglasses.

DAVENPORT A provocative conclusion Verity. But in the end you can’t fight City Hall.

INT. DIRECTOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT

Pretty Partell BURSTS into the room.

PRETTY PARTELL Sir, I called Mayor DeMint’s cell phone and the strangest thing happened. The phone diverted to the message bank of a Randall Bracks.

Questlove, confused exudes a Zen calm.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) The only Randall Bracks I knew was the securities fraudster who brought down Sludge City in the early 21st century. His investment schemes defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars. When the Turbulence swept into town Randall Bracks slipped out from under the radar.

INT. DUPANE HEADQUARTERS, THE FINANCIALS – NIGHT

We’re with Mayor DeMint, standing beside the elongated glass table, drinking out of a thick squat glass. A bottle of single malt scotch whiskey at close range.

At a short distance is a hulking man with an imposing physique dressed in army fatigues and an even more imposing gold chain hanging from his neck. We know him as Colonel Joost, CEO of Frontline Corporation. He is eyeballing a legal document with an official seal.

JOOST The deal was one hundred million in cash. Remember, I founded Frontline Corporation, bailed Dupane out of bankruptcy and paid for you to get a new identity.

DeMint is uneasy beside a huge hulk of a man and a powerful one. He decides to play to Joost’s greed.

DEMINT (cont’d) What I’m giving you is something better. A new cognitive elite will emerge. Rise to power as a 91

class of sovereign individuals, able to redesign governments to suit our ends.

This does not immediately convince Joost. He TURNS and stares out the window, at the city below shimmering with night time brilliance. He thinks for a moment before he turns back.

JOOST (cont’d) You’d better make sure we’re no longer subject to the powers of a democracy.

DEMINT (cont’d) Have no fear of that. My Chief Scientist has achieved miracles in the field of genetics. There is nothing he can’t do (beat). The sacking of Sludge City begins.

DeMint DRAINS his glass. We hear the chop of a helicopter touching down.

Ah! The sound of victory.

JOOST (cont’d) And Verity Rush?

DeMint smiles at the irony.

DEMINT (cont’d) No longer on the run. The Brethren have just acquired state-of-the-art technology at rock bottom price. Come on, it’s time to begin my official duties as governor. First order of business. Crush Liberty Lane.

INT. CLEAN ROOM#2 – NIGHT

Verity is conscious and strapped into a chair. She looks pale and disheveled, a bruise has formed on her forehead. An IV line drips into her arm.

Standing over her is Midnight. He RIPS the earpiece from her ear, leaving it dangling over her shoulder.

Darkstar appears in the foreground and is over Verity with a long thin syringe. His blank eyes lurch from eyes to feet. Brushes the hair from her face. Verity is repulsed by his touch.

DARKSTAR Hush, pretty one. Ssshhh

92

Darkstar plunges the syringe into Verity’s arm.

Don’t be afraid, it’s me Ernst. I wouldn’t harm you. You know that. Punish you perhaps, but never harm you. I have taken a sample of your DNA that’s all.

Verity looks back at him opaquely. Her unnaturally blue eyes not seeing him. She gives an agonized cry. It makes Darkstar’s nerves jerk.

VERITY (cont’d) I can’t see. It’s so near. I cannot stop it. MOTHER is coming.

Her eyes are now clear. She looks dumbly back at Darkstar, without comprehension.

VERITY (cont’d) What have you done to Professor Mindful?

DARKSTAR (cont’d) It was a most evil day for Morris when he crossed my path. In his dithering, indecisive fashion he tried to thwart a major project upon which I was engaged. But I knew he would be easy to crush. In the end it boils down to one thing; control dominates free will.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Now get out your cell phone and endorse my genius. In search for the creative genius of an age, I have decided that Professor Ernst Darkstar will be included in my memoirs as number one! By Verity Rush.

The tension makes Verity smile. And that infuriates Darkstar. He rips the cell phone out of her pocket.

Type!

Verity grabs the cell phone from Darkstar then BAM! Verity is unnervingly calm.

VERITY (cont’d) You don’t need to be Freud to spot the male insecurity. How much money is DeMint paying you to destabilize the public good?

Darkstar is more confused than ever. His eyes search Verity’s, perhaps he is looking for a reason to save her. 93

DARKSTAR (cont’d) You have faith. However, I don’t. You will be presented to the Ministry of Science as a test specimen and Ernst Darkstar will be the geneticist whose intellect got the world’s attention.

INT. LABORATORY – NIGHT

Angel drops down from the ventilator shaft. The force of it throws him on his head. He lands badly, then stabilizes, pulls himself to his feet and rolls up the sleeves of his shirt. He moves towards Mindful, sizes him up.

Father and son stare at each other for a long moment. Perhaps there’s a trust issue in Angel’s manner, a lack of warmth. This is the moment of truth. From the expression on Angel’s face we see, he is his father’s son again.

ANGEL How are you, Dad?

MINDFUL (smiling) Never better, son.

Pause.

ANGEL (cont’d) Are we working for different employers now?

MINDFUL (cont’d) Let’s start with the obvious. I’m hardly likely to advertise my real intentions.

ANGEL (cont’d) Real intentions?

Mindful’s eyes narrow.

MINDFUL (cont’d) To ensure that the public good is not held to ransom.

Angel, still with a giant question mark over his head.

ANGEL (cont’d) Verity Rush and the algorithm have gone missing. How can I be sure you aren’t part of this weird 94

world of genetic rape?

Mindful, incredulous.

MINDFUL (cont’d) And destroy what I watered to grow? Verity, and I are a team, have been for years. It’s been none to pleasing keeping up this charade.

ANGEL (cont’d) I had to be sure. Come on, let’s get outta here.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Can’t. I’ve synthesized an antidote for the implanted DNA, that way the algorithm does not become a valued commodity for the unscrupulous. Sam Rush has been abducted and he’s in need of it.

Off Mindful’s confused smile, he SCRATCHES his head as if in search of something.

MINDFUL Now ….let me see. I’ve written the algorithm down here somewhere.

Mindful, scans the room, unable to control his facial tic then sees a piece of paper on the ground. The facial tic calms.

ANGEL (cont’d) Paper! You live in the dark ages old man.

MINDFUL (cont’d) I’d like to think of it as old fashioned tradecraft. One that knows how to keep a secret.

Angel LOOKS around the glass room. The only way out is either through the corridor or up through the ventilator shaft.

ANGEL (cont’d) Let’s go.

MINDFUL (cont’d) (hesitates) We can’t.

ANGEL (cont’d) Why not?

95

MINDFUL (cont’d) I’m being watched.

Mindful’s eyes move to the security camera in the ceiling. Angel FIRES at the monitor then turns to his father.

ANGEL (cont’d) How long have we got?

MINDFUL (cont’d) I’d say about sixty seconds.

ANGEL (cont’d) Quickly, this way.

Mindful focuses. Grabs a petri dish from underneath the microscope and a long thin syringe on the bench.

Angel opens the door. Father and son enter into the ominous silence of the corridor. Hi-tech security cameras are fixed into the ceiling like drones in a war zone. They make for the stairwell.

INT. CLEAN ROOM#1 – NIGHT

Mindful BURSTS in and strides towards Sam. He checks Sam’s vital signs. Sam stirs, looks at Mindful, unsure.

SAM Are you an accomplice, Professor?

MINDFUL (cont’d) This isn’t one story Sam. It’s two. Your sister was my greatest living success story, and (beat) Ernst Darkstar was nothing more than a sore loser. I’m sorry you got yourself mixed up in all this.

Sam tries to say something but Mindful holds up a hand into the laboratory.

It’ll come later. All of it, if you like. Right now I want you to lie still.

Professor Mindful inserts the syringe into the petri dish. We watch it suck back the DNA goo. He plunges the syringe into Sam’s frontal lobe.

MINDFUL Right now, you should feel something akin to a hot flush. I deployed a chain of nucleotides 96

into your frontal lobe to normalize your DNA. Had I not cut out Darkstar’s mutation, you would have been at risk of…. Well, I’m not sure exactly.

INT. DUPANE LOBBY – NIGHT

The Firebird CRASHES through the Dupane lobby.

INT. LABORATORY – NIGHT

Darkstar hears the heavy crash of metal and concrete. He looks away for a minute, senses trouble. He makes a grab for his briefcase and the MACBOOK PRO.

INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Darkstar is greeted in the corridor by Midnight just as the world beneath them begins to rumble.

DARKSTAR Get a security team to the lobby.

INT. DUPANE LOBBY – NIGHT

Darkstar exits the elevator carrying a briefcase - sees the Firebird SMASH through the lobby.

Brethren Thugs – team of three – coming from the stairwell – weapons drawn, enter the lobby.

Darkstar SHOUTING to Brethren Thugs and pointing to the Firebird.

BRIEF ACTION SEQUENCE: Max, still inside the Firebird, in jeopardy under automatic weapons fire.

Darkstar in motion – sees guns scatter – drops his briefcase and reaches for one.

Max – CLIMBS out of the vehicle and KICKS the gun out of Darkstar’s hand – it FLIES across the room.

Darkstar spots his open briefcase -- grabs a scalpel from a pouch and LUNGES at Max -- cutting the air in front of her.

Max has no chance – confused, off balance. Darkstar has her pinioned against the Firebird -- scalpel pressed against her neck – Max SCREAMING now, clawing for it with one hand – the elevator door CRASHES open.

97

INT. BANK OF ELEVATORS - NIGHT

Door rolling back. Angel and Professor Mindful helping Sam out of the lift. They look up – momentum stalled for a moment. Darkstar on Max training a knife.

Angel CHARGES – stomping on broken glass and debris. Three Brethren - weapons out, block his path. A single turn – spinning – adrenaline.

WHAM! Thug#1 knocked to the ground. Angel has Thug#2 in a headlock – hard into Thug#3.

ON MAX

Suddenly Max gets her breath. She reaches down and pulls up a wrench. Cracks it across Darkstar’s head.

– Max leans back on the Firebird, PANTING. GUNFIRE EXPLODES in the distance.

EXT. DUPANE GROUNDS – NIGHT

A convoy of Thugs in a military tanker rolling through Dupane’s grounds.

INT. DUPANE LOBBY – NIGHT

Darkstar coming round. He CRAWLS on his hands and knees, reaches for his briefcase and disappears through an exit door.

ON ANGEL

……………..seizes the opportunity to instruct Max - looks slightly out of her depth around the muscular and confident Angel.

ANGEL (cont’d) Get everyone to safety, I’ll take care of…...

Professor Mindful cuts him off. Puts a hand on Angel’s shoulder and winks.

MINDFUL Finish this, son. Good breeding has been the greatest moral failing of our time.

Angel’s face darkens as he takes a semi-automatic pistol out of his holster and disappears into the stairwell in search of DeMint.

98

ON FIREBIRD

Sam, groggy and confused SLUMPS into the back seat of the Firebird. Before Max gets behind the wheel she looks carefully at Professor Mindful. Trouble is on its way and they are without Verity.

MAX Where’s Verity?

Professor Mindful hesitates.

MINDFUL (cont’d) She’s been taken hostage by DeMint. Look for a black limousine. All government cars are fitted with a GPS tracking system. I’ve memorized the license plate. It’s BEM2499.

Max jumps in behind the wheel. She FLIPS open her laptop and punches in the license plate. A BLIP pops up on screen. She clips the laptop onto the dashboard. A massive engine roar. Max HITS the accelerator.

EXT. STREET – DAWN

Dawn breaks. The Firebird comes FLYING by under cover of the spectacular morning brightness.

Max at the wheel. Anxiety creeps across her face. Everyone hangs on, TERRIFIED. A Brethren Dune Buggy PULLS across in front of them. Max SWERVES, and HITS the accelerator.

DUNE BUGGY

…….Brethren GAWP at the Firebird, BRACING –

FIREBIRD

…………SPINS out of control, HITS the Dune Buggy, CRUSHING the bonnet, BOUNCING right over the Dune Buggy in a messy display of force.

EXT. DOWNTOWN - NIGHT

A small CROWD gathered outside a store watch news on stacked T.V.'s. CAPTION ACROSS SCREEN: Governor Blaise found dead.

People look up, SHOCKED to see - Firebird TEAR round the corner weaving in and out of traffic. Manhole covers EXPLODE, fire hydrants BURST... 99

Up ahead: A neon flashing sign. Looks like a government road block. Cops everywhere.

Professor Mindful BRACES against the dash. Sam suspended in disbelief.

The Firebird SCREECHES to a halt. A cop races over to the driver’s side.

COP (his voice charged) I’m afraid I can’t let you pass, Mayor’s orders. Sludge City’s in lockdown. Only authorized vehicles are allowed through.

MAX We’re Vogues, this is our turf.

Cop, looks hard at Max. She is sweating and straining under the pressure. He looks at the disheveled occupants inside the Firebird. Alert now.

COP Okay, get out now, all of you.

Max REVS the accelerator. The Cop pulls a gun from his holster. Max HITS the accelerator and speeds past the stunned cop.

EXT. SLUDGE CITY TIMES - DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT of the office building on a busy downtown street.

INT. SLUDGE CITY TIMES - DAY

BEN COHN comes in, ready to begin a day's work, chipper and friendly. TRACKING WITH HIM as he passes various EMPLOYEES, all of whom seem to be bustling about with exceptional preoccupation. There is an air of tension, often found in newspaper offices when a big story is breaking. At first Ben doesn't realize anything unusual is up.

GEORGE, a cadet journalist with an iPad in hand bustles by him:

BEN Morning, George ---

GEORGE 100

(can't stop to talk) Scuse me Ben.....

Ben is a bit surprised, but continues walking on. A WOMAN REPORTER named Beth is heading down the aisle just ahead of him.

BEN (cheerily) Hi, Beth. Anything big?

BETH (preoccupied) Catch you later, Ben.

STAY WITH BEN, now a bit taken aback, as he reaches the Editor’s office.

INT. EDITOR’S OFFICE - DAY

TIM COX is seated at his desk, looking more wound-up than usual. George, at his side, hesitant.

GEORGE Mr. Cox, the pressroom wants to know how much longer to hold the front page.

TIM (tense) Give it another ten minutes. If we don't -- Hell, I'll tell him (he picks up a phone) Pete? If we haven't got anything new in the next ten minutes just go with the wire service copy under the 40 pt. banner and run the picture for three columns. I need a background story for the page 3 sidebar. Give me everything you know about Masked Man.

Ben looks at Tim Cox with a puzzled expression.

BEN Masked Man? What's going on?

COX Where you been the last few hours? Don't you watch television? Don't you listen to the news?

BETH (explaining to the confused Ben) Governor Blaise has been murdered. The Brethren Crime Network has stormed the Governor’s House. 101

They’re taking over Sludge City.

EXT. DUPANE PARKING LOT – DAY

CLOSE ON two Brethren Thugs on either side of Verity, dragging her lifeless body across Dupane’s manicured lawns to the parking lot.

Verity’s strength is weakening. Her eyes burn in the sunlight. She stumbles, attempts turbo spin but weakness holds her back. Glimpses what is happening but is powerless to stop it. Verity slumps to the ground.

Ahead we see a black limousine approaching. Behind the wheel is Doomsday. He pulls the limo to a stop - gets out - opens the door. Davenport climbs out of the passenger seat. She glances at Verity’s lifeless form, and muses.

DAVENPORT Mortal after all.

Davenport turns to Doomsday.

Put her in the trunk. (laughs). We’ll take her with us to the Governor’s House and have her body put on display. An ornament, to tame Sludge City.

EXT. ANGEL’S APARTMENT – DAY

Dark walls, little light. Angel sits on the far side of the room in a small wooden chair. He gets up from his chair and goes to the bookshelf where he finds his HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK Written across the front page is SLUDGE CITY HIGH 2025. Angel sits back down and begins flipping through the pages. He looks at the first few photographs, softens momentarily at the memories. He continues to FLIP the pages then he sees it and pauses. Eyes FOCUS on one photograph and Angel’s face sours. It is a young Randall Bracks photographed with a tiara on his head. Angel smiles, ever so slightly.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Angel enters his bedroom, unbuttons his shirt and throws it aside. We glimpse a tattoo on his forearm of an arrow as he opens his wardrobe. Only a single uniform hangs on a rod, green and grey fatigues of SLUDGE CITY SPECIAL FORCES. Racks of weapons hang motionless on 102

hooks inside the wardrobe. He grabs a holster and two pistols. Below we see a pair of shiny black boots.

Angel changes into uniform and strides purposefully to the window. He PULLS the curtain across and watches Sludge City rumble.

EXT. ALLEY – DAY

Angel, armed to the teeth scrambles down the fire escape ready to kick ass.

EXT. ROAD – DAY

A Brethren Military Tanker FLIES out of the Voids. Three to four kilometres separates the two quarters between downtown Sludge City and the Voids. Inside, Brethren Thugs are covered in desert camo-gear and helmets with polarized face-plates.

The black limousine tailgates the Tanker. Behind the wheel is Doomsday taking orders from DeMint, by phone. Doomsday sets the phone on loudspeaker. Davenport is in the passenger seat listening and her worst fears are being realized.

DEMINT V.O. Orders are: Go extreme. Round up every pregnant female, search any house and bring them to Dupane Laboratory.

Davenport has a moment of indecision that is almost a look of mounting fear in her eyes.

INT. TRUNK OF CAR - DAY

Verity curled up like a foetus in total darkness. Her vision, compromised.

EXT. STREET - DAY

A Brethren Military Tanker is fast approaching Sludge City’s overpass.

EXT. STREET, SLUDGE CITY – DAY

A series of rapidly dissolving images. Speeding cars, speeding bikes, crashing vans, crashing police cars, crashing bikes, brawls, smashed windows, explosions.

In this maelstrom of decay, citizens are looting shops. A CITIZEN races out of a shopfront. 103

CITIZEN Where is Verity Rush?

EXT. STREET – DAY

We hold for a beat then we hear the THUNDERCLAP of a high-performance ENGINE turning over as --

The Firebird ROCKETS through the streets. Max touches her hand to her ear.

MAX Verity, if you can hear me. I have the black limousine in my sights. Stay with me.

No response. Max pushes a button on the dashboard. It opens the VAULT and several robotic arms extend upwards. Attached to the arms are semi-automatics. They SWIVEL and FIRE.

ON FIREBIRD

Max HITS the brakes, sending the blue-scarred muscle car into a spin. Professor Mindful and Sam hang on for dear life. The Firebird clipping the flaming Tanker in the process. Tanker hits the curb, riding halfway up onto a sidewalk, PLOWING DOWN parked bicycles, newspaper vending machines then a phone booth, and a fruit cart.

PEDESTRIANS duck for cover as Tanker EXPLODES into FLAMES.

The black limousine SKIDS to a stop against a streetlight. The streetlight CREAKS, CRASHES DOWN on the wreck. BYSTANDERS gather, murmuring amongst themselves --

Doomsday’s head hits the dashboard hard. He’s out cold. Davenport drags her bleeding body from the wrecked limo.

ON FIREBIRD

Max pulls to a stop. She climbs out of the Firebird clutching a pair of Apache military grade sunglasses. Checks the limo. No Verity. Max races to the rear of the car and –

EXT. STREET – DAY

104

--is face to face with Davenport COUGHING blood, struggling to speak. Davenport tosses Max a set of keys.

DAVENPORT Open the trunk.

Max hesitates. Davenport becomes impatient. Fuel leaks from the gas tank.

Hurry, or else Verity will be toast.

Max inserts the keys and the trunk flips open. Verity’s eyes take a direct hit from UV sunlight. She squirms in agony.

Max leans over and hurriedly sets the sunglasses on Verity’s eyes. We are CLOSE ON Verity’s perspiration- beaded face. Max helps her out of the trunk. We see Verity slowly gaining strength then a harried conversation in mid flow with Max.

VERITY Where’s the algorithm?

Max turns to Davenport, barely conceals her distaste and turns back on Verity. This signals something to Verity. She turns to see Davenport.

VERITY You make an excellent liar, Davenport.

Davenport’s bleeding heavily. Been shot to hell. Tenses, hoping this will buy her time to make amends. She knows she has to do something, fast.

DAVENPORT The last time I saw the algorithm it was in Darkstar’s hands. He’s on his way to the Ministry of Science. Thinks he’s pretty clever. But I think otherwise.

Davenport props herself against the wheel of the limo.

VERITY (cont’d) (softens) You’ve been shot. Let’s get you to a hospital.

Davenport allows herself a look of relief and hopes that a verbal confession will provide the absolution she is seeking.

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DAVENPORT (cont’d) No. It’s over for me. But it’s not for Sludge City. You were right Verity, the men in this town are animals. If I had my time over again, I’d do things a lot differently.

Davenport’s eyes close over, she dies(beat). Verity looks pensive for a moment, there is sympathy for a lost sister who found her way back.

Verity bends down and shuts Davenport’s eyes then gets to her feet and turns to Max.

VERITY (cont’d) (even expression) You okay?

MAX (incredulous) Am I okay?

Verity locks onto the Firebird. Verity’s P.O.V. Is heartened to see Professor Mindful and Sam, looking out of their depth, a smile then - WHAM! Max spots a second Tanker approaching the overpass. Distance roughly five hundred meters and closing in fast.

VERITY Get Sam and Professor out of here. I’m going to call for MOTHER.

Max, suddenly unnerved, nods, climbs back inside the Firebird just as a massive explosion rips through the Limousine. The Firebird rockets away.

Verity at bullet speed starts for the second Tanker. She launches herself into the air. Makes a superhuman leap, lands……….

EXT. TANKER – DAY

…… atop the Tanker. CRASH, the hatch opens. Six or seven Thugs, dressed in fatigues climb out. Verity DODGES their blows. Looks as if they’re moving in slow motion. She somersaults off the Tanker.

Hyper-speed, Verity TURBO SPINS. Everything around her goes flying, blowing Brethren Thugs backwards, like detritus in the eye of a tornado.

EXT. STREET – DAY

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Below the Tanker, Verity eyeballs Midnight emerging through the Tanker’s hatch, clutching a sword. He scrambles down the side of the Tanker, enraged.

Midnight advances, cutting the air with a sword. He breaks first, bringing his sword over in less time than it takes to blink an eye. No one could possibly deflect the blow. And yet --

Verity manages a COUNTER-STROKE with super-human grace. She advances, parries her feet with the grace of an Olympic duelist.

Midnight - cut, thrust, block, diagonal downward slashes. The moves come faster.

Verity DUCKS, barely avoiding being decapitated. Midnight cuts right through the Tanker wreckage. He DIVES at Verity, HOWLING, raking his sword at her face.

MIDNIGHT Swear allegiance to our cause and all will end, right now. Peace. Bliss. Just say it. Cry out mercy!

Verity is dead still. She tosses aside her sunglasses. Looks directly into the rays of early morning sunlight. Suddenly, it’s all so clear.

VERITY Death comes to us all. But before it comes to you, know this. You will never take our minds!

Midnight strikes out, knocking Verity across the road. He SPRINGS forward, dragging her up by her throat. He sinks the tip of the sword into her shoulder. Strangely calm, under extreme duress….we see it happen.

VERITY (cont’d) It’s time you meet MOTHER.

Verity’s eyeballs light up like radioactive torches. SHOCK-WAVES ripple out from the sword’s point of impact, sending waves of ultraviolet light burning into Midnight. It hits its mark, he crumples and disintegrates.

INT. MINISTRY OF SCIENCE – DAY

Verity storms in. An EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT is moving to stop her.

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT I'm sorry but you can't --

Verity KICKS out the Assistant’s knee then throws her hard against the wall, winding her. Spots the MACBOOK PRO.

Verity removes her sunglasses, AIMS her MOTHER’S eyes at the door leading to the laboratory. The keycard lock disintegrates. The door slides open…………

INT. LABORATORY - DAY

…….startling Darkstar himself, who is rising up from behind the lab bench.

DARKSTAR What --?

In a lightning quick move, Verity circles around the other side, getting a view behind the lab bench where --

MINDFUL

….… is unconscious on the floor.

Verity puts it together. Darkstar has altered his own DNA.

DARKSTAR (cont’d) Did you know once the replacement cells have mutated it manipulates the hosts DNA and a human is no longer of any consequence.

…..and a nightmare shape takes form. Darkstar grows a black exoskeleton with wings. His jaw settees into a head with oversized eyes. He grows six legs that ooze acid from the leg joints. He's become a living weapon. Darkstar is gone. Now he is --

A PARASITE

…….flies atop the desk and with its front legs swats Verity, KNOCKING her clear across the lab as it whirls around to SWOOP in on Mindful.

In an eye-blink, Verity is up again, advancing – eyes shooting UV laser beams, shattering the window.

The Darkstar Parasite is moving like a hurricane, LEAPING through the shattered window.

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Verity looks out the window, sees the Darkstar Parasite has gone. She turns back, glances at the lab bench. No sign of the MACBOOK PRO.

EXT. GOVERNOR’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Through the garden wall of bougainvillea we spy a Yamaha pull up into the courtyard of the Governor’s House. Angel pulls off his helmet, hangs it on the handlebars, then kicks down the stand and gets off.

The grounds are ominously quiet. Angel walks up a set of reddish brown steps. The front door is slightly ajar. We see the room is brightly lit. Angel pushes the door open. The stillness turns his suspicions into paranoia.

INT. GOVERNOR’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Angel whirls, draws a gun and moves inside. Deserted, except for Governor Blaise’s GERMAN SHEPHERD. The dog lets Angel pass without incident.

In the center of the room is the winding staircase that Angel has climbed a thousand times. He treads quietly up the staircase.

INT. GOVERNOR’S OFFICE – NIGHT

The governor’s body is slumped over his desk. Angel races to the corpse, sees blood trickling down the side of the governor’s face then spots the bullet wound. Checks his pulse with two fingers. Realizes he is dead.

In a leather chair in the corner of the room we glimpse a figure. Next to him is a side table with a lamp. A cigarette burns in an ashtray. The figure turns on the lamp. Mayor DeMint, face in half shadow sits in the chair. Cool as an autumn breeze.

Angel holds up the gun and levels it on DeMint.

DEMINT So here we are. Two stallions in a paddock. They tangle.

DeMint stares at Angel’s uniform.

A champion does not willingly give up his title. How do you propose to end this?

Angel tosses aside his gun and unbuckles his holster. It drops to the floor. 109

ANGEL The algorithm, Randall. Where is it?

DEMINT It’s safe with my partner. How about we fight for it? Mano-a-mano.

DeMint stands up, rips off his shirt. We see a taut muscular frame.

Angel’s face is knotted, teeth clenched, as he hurls himself at DeMint.

DeMint defends himself and it is like nothing we have seen. His feet and fists fly everywhere, taking Angel apart. For every blow Angel blocks, five more hit their marks until –

Angel falls. Panting on his hands and knees, blood spits from his mouth splashing the white tiled floor. He sees DeMint is too fast for him.

Angel, fighting to keep his mind together, rolls on his side, grabs DeMint’s ankle pulling him to the floor. Angel jumps up, regains his balance. But DeMint is faster. He begins to press Angel, countering blows while slipping in a stinging assault.

DEMINT Come on, what are you waiting for? Genetics, that is what it comes down to Erwin, genetics.

Hearing the name Erwin, Angel ratchets up the attack. He summons all his strength, clenches his fist and pummels DeMint at pneumatic speed.

DeMint, staggers backward, life signs ebbing. Head split open and bloody. He collapses. A scream caught in his throat, hands reaching for nothing, and then falls dead.

Angel kneels besides DeMint’s body. Lifts his head.

I should have been Prom King.

INT. LIBERTY LANE – DAY

Chief Questlove with a hard gaze, leaning on his desk – two fingers under his chin.

Max and Verity dressed in her iconic pink headscarf sit 110

comfortably in the crimson chaise lounge.

QUESTLOVE His real name was Randall Bracks. Early in the 21st century he was a high flying Wall Street Banker being investigated for securities fraud. Unbeknowns to Bracks, Angel was Mindful’s son. After the new world order emerged, Bracks resurfaced as DeMint, posing as a Vogue but in reality he was head of the Brethren Crime Syndicate.

VERITY So this Turbulence was all about payback?

Questlove considers this for a moment.

QUESTLOVE Isn’t that what all wars are about?

Questlove stares at Verity, there is a twinkle in his eye.

Anyway, shit happens and will continue to happen. Something has been returned to Sludge City. Hope. As long as this world, our town continues to believe in the common cause Liberty Lane can keep individuals from taking too large a share.

An atmosphere of relief suddenly opens up in the room then Questlove’s intercom buzzes.

PRETTY PARTELL V.O. Sir. He’s here.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Good. Send him in.

Professor Mindful ENTERS. He appears calm. No facial tic. Questlove RISES to his feet and extends his arm.

Sludge City wishes to extend its gratitude to you for the reversal antidote. Frontline Corporation has been stranded. Nobody’s buying company stock since the Ministry began manufacturing the antidote. Frontline looks to be out of business.

We close in on Professor Mindful and Verity.

MINDFUL Do not think less of me Verity. I told Darkstar 111

and DeMint exactly what they wanted to hear. That’s all. I played their dirty little game as long as I could. In turn it gave me an opportunity to synthesize a reversal process.

VERITY (cont’d) I can’t tell you how grateful I am. You saved Sam’s life and liberated Sludge City. The territories are safe. At least for now.

MINDFUL (cont’d) Ernst injected you with unidentified DNA. For reasons I have yet to understand you are immune to the side effects of DNA replacement. No one is made of sterner stuff than you Verity Rush.

Mindful RISES to his feet and starts for the door. Max follows. Verity lingers a moment - turns to Questlove.

VERITY (cont’d) Sir, any word on Darkstar?

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Nope. He’s still missing. The Science Ministry is putting up a reward for any information on his whereabouts. We understand from what the Ministry says that Darkstar is someone known to many people – a visible figure in the world of ego. His expertise for hire. We’ll track him down. For as long as it takes – even if it never happens.

Questlove SWIVELS to his computer monitor and starts typing. Verity hesitates.

VERITY(cont’d) And the other loose end?

Questlove doesn’t look up from his keyboard.

QUESTLOVE (cont’d) Sludge City Special Forces have requested our assistance. I’m emailing you the details now.

Verity SLAMS the door shut behind her.

INT. THE SWANKS - NIGHT

A grand neighborhood with rows of sleek, streamlined glass structures on steel columns that hovers above ground. Lush vegetation flourishes beneath.

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Prestigious cars line the street below. Amongst the mixture of domes and lush vegetation is one particularly large glass dome. There’s maybe a two meter clearance on either side of the columns where we glimpse a plexiglass elevator.

We see Verity, disguised in a black hooded coat carrying a briefcase, watching the entrance.

A slick black car hovers then lands. Angel, disguised as the doorman opens the door. Joost, dragging on a cigar and dressed in a bright yellow jacket gets out. He stares down at Angel. Angel glimpses a gun in his trouser belt. Joost enters the elevator and it moves upwards, fast.

BACK TO ANGEL

Several seconds later the elevator descends the columns. It hits ground and the doors slide open.

Angel SNAPS his fingers twice in the shadows. Calm, steady, methodical, Verity, in a brunette wig under the hooded coat enters the elevator.

INT. ELEVATOR – NIGHT

The elevator ascends. What is notable here, there is zero vibration from the travel. Sludge City shimmers below.

INT. FOYER - NIGHT

Verity enters into a lavishly furnished foyer. She is greeted by Joost dressed in a red silk gown and gold necklace full of condescension.

JOOST That hideous black coat is an invitation for sharp shooters.

INT. HALL – NIGHT

Joost escorts Verity down a thickly carpeted hall.

It’s good to see you. I’ve had a terrible time getting away from work. Someone in my position has to be so careful. I have a few financial difficulties at the moment but I have confidence it will sort itself out. I suppose I was a bit rough last time. You look a little subdued. Come on then. 113

Verity TURNS her head slightly enough to see Joost’s sinister smile. Joost puts his arm around Verity’s shoulder. Verity braces herself, sensing something ugly is about to happen. They arrive at door to a…..

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Verity enters an opulent bedroom. Despite the alluring surrounds, everything seems anti-romantic. We wonder what is at stake than our eyes catch……

The contents of the suitcase. Verity empties the suitcase on a sumptuously decorated king sized bed. A cache of kink. Handcuffs, dildos, rubber masks, harness bits and chains.

Good girl. You did as I asked.

Verity looks up and sees every square inch of the ceiling is covered with mirrors. Verity breaks her silence.

VERITY Food.

JOOST (cont’d) Of course, how careless of me.

A bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes are set on a bedside table next to the MACBOOK PRO. Verity eyeballs the MAC, as Joost POURS two glasses. Patiently, Joost waits. Verity SIPS the champagne. She hands him her flute. Joost places both glasses back on the table.

Joost takes off his dressing gown to reveal a body covered with purple welts.

JOOST (cont’d) Did you like our grown up game from last time. You have to learn to trust me. We’re going to play this grown up game again. And if you don’t treat me well you will have to be punished. Let’s be friends.

Joost PULLS Verity closely and abruptly turns her around. Verity now facing away from Joost. He unbuttons Verity’s coat and it falls away.

Verity is dressed in a black leather suit with chains. Joost pushes Verity’s head to one side. He begins 114

caressing her neck then gently kissing it…. then his mood sours.

Verity is taken by surprise. Joost makes a final decisive move. He GRABS Verity’s shoulder and THROWS her hard on the bed. Joost forces Verity’s face into the pillow and uses a lockdown maneouvre to keep her there.

VERITY (cont’d) (muffled voice) Wait! I promise to trust you.

JOOST (cont’d) (whispers in ear) Good.

VERITY (cont’d) But first you have to trust me.

Joost pauses and considers this. Arrogance and self- awareness seldom go hand in hand.

JOOST (cont’d) Of course, it is how I always conduct business.

VERITY (cont’d) I have a secret to tell you.

Verity PULLS off her wig. She rips off the concealed microphone strapped to her chest, turns round and levels it at Joost.

Say hello to Liberty Lane you bastard!

Verity GRABS the MACBOOK PRO.

Rich clowns will not decide the fate of mankind.

Verity departs.

INT. PARK – DAY

Lush lawns, dark-green deciduous shade trees, picnic tables with grills, two playgrounds. Mother Nature smiles down on Sludge City.

It’s midday. The park is crowded. Verity, dressed in a pink polka dotted dress and sunglasses arrives on the back of a dragster bike. A picnic basket is strapped to the bike.

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Angel, dressed in Chuck Taylors and khaki shorts approaches. Verity halts. Puts one foot down to steady the dragster. Verity holds her gaze on Angel. His face softens. He helps Verity off the dragster. Verity REMOVES the picnic basket and sets it down on the grass. Angel takes Verity in his arms and……… kisses her passionately.

After a moment, Angel pulls away.

ANGEL We’ve never been formally introduced. My name is Erwin Mindful.

A blurred memory. Verity’s heart pounds. A few beats.

VERITY Hello, Erwin. My name is……….

Verity turns into FRAME.

Verity Rush.

FADE OUT

THE END.