 |
| Fan Fiction Archive |
 |
 |
| Value of Secrets Transcribed by Nobodysgirl |
| [We see the outside of a building. It is daytime. On screen: THE MAYER FOUNDATION CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH. Inside, a woman scientist puts on a headset with visors. Two men look on from the outside of the door where she is. We see a silver box with two wires attached to a shelf. On the far table sits some tech equipment.] Black guy: A tissue box? I paid all that money for a tissue box? White guy: Just watch. [She takes a deep breath before beginning the experiment.] Woman scientist: System activate. [A bright column of light shoots up following her hands, which form an upside down �V�. After reaching a point, her hands go out - the light trailing behind. We see several multicolored spheres that she moves around in the air. We see a Nokia computer monitor.] Darien Voice over: A nineteenth century scientist Thomas Huxley once asked�if a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, then how much knowledge [She moves the spheres. We see the computer screen then the two men outside the door.] Darien Voice over: do people need before they�re safe? My guess? A whole helluva lot. [We see the woman then the computer screen. It reads ACCESS GRANTED. She smiles and reforms the spheres back to the column of light and into the box. Still smiling, she removes the high tech headset. The two men enter.] Black guy: (on phone) Arlo Dice here. Anything happen there? Hm. (hangs up) Department of Defense is in a panic. Apparently someone just broke through all their firewalls and into their ultra secure system. Woman Scientist: It works. Dice: Very impressive Doctor Easton. How long before we can take it with us? White guy: (laughs nervously.) Well, Mister Arlo Dice wonders when the uh QC would be fully operational. Easton: Well, I expect it would be several White guy: We�d still have to put it *months. There�d still have more * through more tests. tests to run. A million more. Dice: We�ll test it ourselves. I want it the day after tomorrow. Easton: No! White guy: No! Dice: No? White guy: Well, look you have to understand. Doctor Easton just wants to make sure there are no malfunctions. It takes time. Dice: Fine. She has forty-eight hours. Easton: It�d take more time! White guy: But we need more time! Dice: Don�t let me remind you that we commissioned this project not the other way around. So in your own words�no! The day after tomorrow. [Dice exits.] Easton: I didn�t think he�d be here so soon. White guy: Neither did I. Easton: And I-I-I didn�t know it would work! White guy: Who did? Easton: Mick, you can�t just let him take the QC. You know what he�ll do with it. Mick: We have no choice. Look, I�m as heartsick about this as you are. Just�get it ready, ok? (He puts his hand on her shoulder) I am truly sorry. [He leaves.] Darien Voice over: Ok, this chick named Pandora was so damned curious she opened a box that unleashed pain, disease, and�other fun stuff into the universe. [Easton puts on the headset again.] Darien Voice over: This is the story of what happened when Darien Fawkes met Pandora. Easton: System activate. [The QC spheres pop up as before and she begins maneuvering them. Introduction music and clips.] Darien Voice over: There once was a story about a man who could turn invisible. I thought it was only a story� until it happened to me. Ok, so here�s how it works. There�s this stuff called quicksilver that can bend light. Some scientists made it into a synthetic gland and that�s where I came in. See, I was facing life in prison and they were looking for a human experiment. So, we made a deal. They put the gland in my brain. I walk free. The operation was a success�but that�s where everything started to go wrong. [Darien is walking down the hall to the Keep singing a rhythm. He enters carrying a file.] Darien: Hey. Good morning, Claire. Keeper: Wow. (Darien puts file on desk.) You�re early! What�s the occasion? Darien: Oh! It�s Monday� that�s all. Hm? (He grabs a yogurt out of the refrigerator.) Oh! And I uh I figured out how to get the gland outta my head. Ok you ready for this? There�s a neurosurgeon in Saint Louis that�s got it figured out how to use super-conducting magnets to direct a surgical instrument into the brain around corners and on a curved path�bam! Keeper: Darien. Darien: No no no this�ll work. Keeper: No�no this won�t work. Darien: How do you know that? I mean you didn�t even look at it. I mean look at it would you just� look at it? Keeper: I did look at it. I pulled the study last week. Look, the micromagnetic field will cause the synthetic tissue of your gland to hemorrhage. The quicksilver would leak into your brain stem. You�d die on the table. Darien: (stands and points to her) That�s a lie. Keeper: I�m trying to help you. Darien: No no no. You are trying to keep me. Keeper: Alive! Yes. Would you like to see the alternatives? Here�s my research. (pulls up files on computer) Possibilities for gland removal. Acoustic oblations device�patient dies. Viral induction�patient dies. Nanotech microsurgery two percent chance success. (Darien looks over shoulder) Ninety-eight percent chance patient dies. (To Darien) Look, if I � when I find a way to safely remove the gland, I promise you�ll be the first to know. Darien: Yeah, well I just got an idea. Why don�t you give me a copy of the files and I could help with the research. What do you� [Claire groans] Darien: No? � not� why? [Claire types on the computer] Claire: It�s safer if it stays classified. Darien: Oh yeah? Safer for whom? [Claire stops typing and turns to him] Claire: Look. Darien: Huh? Claire: I know how you feel. (She touches Darien�s hand) Darien: Oh yeah? You� really? [Claire is looking deeply into his eyes by now.] Darien: You ever felt this? [Darien slides his hand up Claire�s arm quicksilvering her. Claire stands up and balances from the jolt of quicksilver covering her arm. We hear footsteps as Bobby Hobbes enters.] Hobbes: Now now�boys and girls� [Darien is now seated at the desk stirring yogurt. Claire is standing left of him humiliated by her arm having been turned invisible.] Hobbes: Let�s play nice. Fawkes, big man wants to see us upstairs. Darien: Errol Fine. [Darien stands and walks away eating yogurt. Claire shakes her arm letting quicksilver flakes drop off. Cut to Hobbes standing while we see Darien walking down the hall, still eating yogurt.] Hobbes: Is that weird when he does that? Seriously, does it feel kinda weird like? Claire: (irritated) Oh! Buzz off� [The Official is on the phone seated. Eberts stands on his right. Darien enters and sits. Hobbes enters and sits.] Official: Yeah. Thanks Mick. Yeah so long. Aaaand here they are. You two have an assignment. Darien: (irritated) No. No. Hobbes has an assignment. I have a sentence. Hobbes: Oh no what�s the matter? Little Darien upset? Daddy wanna fix it for ya? Official: All right, enough. We don�t have time for this. You�ll be investigating a security breach and theft of a special project at the Mayer Foundation. Hobbes: The what? Eberts: The Mayer Foundation is the nation�s premier think tank. (He hands Fawkes and Hobbes each a file.) The government contracts them to make extremely�accurate projections on the future of the planet. Darien: You know I read about these guys in Scientific American. Yeah, if you�re brilliant or smart they kick you out. You have to be like a genius. Official: Well, I�m sure they would make an exception for you two. Darien: Ok. So what the uh the project that was stolen? Official: Trust me when I say this to you�It�s a secret. Eberts: Neither of us know. Official: You�ll be met by Mick Callahan, foundational director�and a personal friend of mine. Eberts: Doctor Callahan prefers to keep this investigation at a very low profile. That�s why he has contacted this agency. Hobbes: So why doesn�t he use his own security people? Official: Because he has good reason to suspect it was an inside job. Someone used his key card and faked his palm print identification. Darien: Wait a minute. I mean, how can you be sure it wasn�t him? Official: Because I�ve known Mick Callahan for sixteen years. Besides� why would he call in an outside party to head the investigation? Darien: Well, if the outside party was the welfare office of all intelligence agencies � Hobbes: that his buddy owed pal sixteen years rent�(winks at Official) Darien: I�d say it�s �cause he�s smart. Hobbes: Genius. Official: That�ll be all. [Fawkes and Hobbes exit.] Hobbes: When did you start reading Scientific American? Fawkes: Friday. [Outside we see THE MAYER FOUNDATION sign. Inside Fawkes and Hobbes are standing around a tall wooden object.] Fawkes: (knocks) MmHmm. Can you hear anything? Callahan: Gentlemen! Welcome to the Foundation. I�m Doctor Callahan. You must be Mister Hobbes and Mister Fawkes? Hobbes: (shakes his hand) Yes that�s correct but I�m Mister Hobbes. Callahan: Ah. Fawkes: Fawkes. Callahan: Well, if there�s any way that I can aid in your investigation please ask. Hobbes: I think the best thing to start with is the scene of the crime. Callahan: No, I�m afraid that�s not possible. You see, Lab A is only accessible to especially cleared personnel. Fawkes: (joking) Hm�well, and thieves�right? Hobbes: So we can�t get in there? Callahan: No. Sorry. Fawkes: Oh ok well why don�t you just tell us exactly what was stolen? Callahan: I�m afraid that�s highly classified. Fawkes: That�s classified. Hobbes: That�s classified. Highly classified. Fawkes: Oh you know well maybe I�m not a genius but you need to walk me through this I don�t get to walk this through I mean if you don�t tell us what was stolen how do you expect us to get it back? Callahan: Gentlemen. (They walk) You don�t understand what we do here. Fawkes: Well, apparently we�re not supposed to. Callahan: We are contracted to find solutions to keep this world a�safe place to sleep at night. [They turn the corner to another hall. Easton intersects walking behind them.] Easton: But if you knew some of those solutions you might not sleep so well yourself. Callahan: Ah�this is uh Doctor Easton, one of our stars. Easton: (To Darien) Kate. Hi. Fawkes: Hey. Fawkes. Hobbes: Robert. Pleasure. How are are ya doin�? Easton: So you�re investigating the theft? Hobbes: Yeah, that�s correct. MmHmm. Fawkes: Yeah. Easton: Bet it�s a bummer with all of the clearance issues, huh? Hobbes: (pleasant) It�s a bummer, yeah. Fawkes: Well, believe me I�m uh�beginning to despise the word classified in ways you�ve never imagined. Hobbes: So Kate, what project you working on? Easton: That�s classified. Hobbes: (laughs) Of course. Classified. Fawkes: Actually no that�s easy. It�s the one that was stolen. [Callahan and Easton look at each other.] Fawkes: Yeah, you had to be cleared to know about the theft, right? Callahan: Gentlemen I am sorry I restricted your investigation, but it was necessary for the sake of security. Easton: And irony. Good luck to you both. Callahan: (looks at watch) Aand Iii have to get back to work as well. Hobbes: Oh good! We�re just gonna continue our inquiry around the perimeter Fawkes: Yeah maybe we�re just gonna- Hobbes: Hit the bathroom. If that�s okay. (Fawkes and Hobbes walk down the hall) One of �em did it. Fawkes: Sure did. Hobbes: Him? Fawkes: Or her�or both! I mean come on, she�s hidin� somethin�. Hobbes: We�ll come back tonight. Fawkes: Yeah. Pay a little visit to Lab A. Hobbes: Security? Fawkes: They�d never see me comin� Hobbes: Atta boy! [Kate exits the building. We see the outside of a bar. Inside a blonde woman enters and greets Kate.] Blonde Woman: Hi, classmates. Kate: Hey. (She hugs her.) Thank you for coming. I know you didn�t have to. Blonde Woman: Kate, how did you get yourself involved in this? Kate: They were going to take the prototype and all of my research. Blonde Woman: They paid for it. (To bartender) Can I have a water, please? (Kate drinks out of a whiskey sour glass) When did you start drinking? Kate: Susan, I just need some time. The-the university has got to have a spare lab. Susan: Look, I don�t know what you�re thinking- Kate: I�m asking for your help ok? You can say yes or no. Please say yes. Susan: You know what? Mark and I are leaving for Colorado tomorrow. I�m just going to give you an extra key to my house and that way you can stay there until this whole thing blows over, alright? Kate: It�s not going to blow over. Susan: You know we don�t have have the facilities the foundation does nor the funds. Kate: What if I provided the funds? Susan: You don�t have that kinda money! Kate: What if I provided the funds? (She hands her the key. Kate begins to exit then turns to her and holds up the keys.) Thank you. [She leaves. Mallon, a hit guy, stands against the wall. He makes a phone call.] Mallon: You were right about the yearbook. I just watched her have a drink with Susan Altieri. [He hangs up. Nightime at the lab. Inside, a security guard opens the door and lets the janitor through. Darien unquicksilvers inside a room.] Fawkes: Well I�m in. Hopefully not locked in. Hobbes: All right. Just don�t touch anything you don�t understand, all right? Fawkes: Yeah. That doesn�t leave many options, huh? [Fawkes looks around. Outside a car pulls up. Kate exits with a shoulder bag.] Hobbes: Here she comes�Fawkes�you are going to have a little company tonight. Hobbes on earpiece: Doctor Kate is workin� late�and she�s comin� your way. Fawkes: Yeah well this should be educational�huh? (He sees shelf) Hm! (He jumps up and sits on top of computer server.) Here we go. [Darien quicksilvers. Kate enters code to enter room. Quicksilver vision of Kate entering and moving to the QC.] Easton: Ok�(She puts on the peripherals) System activate!...Exchange data retrieval (We see the computer screen. We see quicksilver vision of Kate) Access Hang Seng index�real time (we see the computer screen computing)Ok�let�s go to market (She laughs and removes the peripherals after closing the QC.) Fawkes: (claps and unquicksilvers) Oh wow�yeah! Oh yeah,absolutely! That was better than Imax! Hello doctor. How are ya! Easton: What are you doing here? Fawkes: Catching a thief. Hey, don�t blame me. It�s your fault. You�re the one that wished me good luck, huh? Easton: Look, I have a right to be here. You don�t. Fawkes: Ok fine what would you call security I�ll wait. Hmm. Yeah. That�s what I thought. Now�I don�t know what I just saw except that was actually very cool�but I do uh�I do recognize the dollar sign. You just stole twenty million dollars. Easton: I earned it legally. Fawkes: Really? In ten seconds. Nice gig, huh? Easton: You don�t know what you�re dealing with. Fawkes: Why don�t you explain it to me? Easton: You wouldn�t understand. It�s high tech. Fawkes: Hm. What a coincidence. So am I. What�s that cube do? (Kate exits.) Where are you goin� here? (Kate runs and hides under the desk) What are you doin�? Oh great. You cause a ruckus and now I gotta deal with security. Easton: That�s not security. [Darien runs behind desk. Mallon enters. Darien grabs an object. It turns invisible. Cut to Darien diving while throwing the invisible object to distract Mallon. Darien and Kate both make a run for it. Mallon chases them down the hall. They find a room and Darien closes the door behind them.] Fawkes: What the hell are we going to do? Easton: I don�t know. [Mallon is walking down the hall with a gun pointed at the door. Cut to Darien and Kate inside the room out of breath from running.] Fawkes: All right. Don�t make a sound. [He wraps his arm around Kate�s head and exhales. They quicksilver to invisible. Cut to door opening. Mallon has his gun pointed. He sees no one in the room. He lowers his gun and looks again. Then he runs away. The door shuts. We hear Darien and Kate finally able to breathe again. They turn visible.] Easton: (arms open in amazement) Oh wow! Fawkes: Oh crap. [<commercial break> We now see Darien and Kate sitting on the floor across from each other in some kind of computer room. Kate is holding the QC.] Easton: So let me get this straight - they grafted a synthetic biopartition to your cerebral cortex and your brain didn't reject all that wiring? Fawkes: Kate it's really - Easton: That is so cool! Fawkes: Kate, hey (motions index finger to mouth) we just got shot at, remember? Easton: Yeah, yeah and it was the scariest thing that ever happened to me - until a second later when I was turned invisible (Kate thinks out loud. Darien looks around still seated.) It must be light refraction at a molecular level - no - redistribution... resequencing redistribution - what's the hormone called again? Fawkes: Quicksilver. Easton: Quicksilver - do you know the molecular properties? Fawkes: Hey... um... you know what? It�it's actually kind of hard for me to talk about - I mean... I kind of have mixed feelings about the gland - it's kind of a-a combo of hate and fear, so if you don't mind, I'd like to switch to happier topics like uh, who just shot at us and why? Easton: (looks at box in her hands and sighs) This is why. Fawkes: Yeah. I figured that. What is it? Easton: What do you know about quantum physics? Fawkes: Uh...just (makes zero with index and thumb) slightly less than nothing. Easton: In a nut shell, it's a theory which supposes that time and space are the same thing and that all points in the universe are both connected and separate. Fawkes: Thanks for uh clearing that up. Easton: It's really not that complicated. Fawkes: Yeah I know I get it it's uh you know an infinite number of universes uh you know coexisting simultaneously. Easton: That's exactly it. Fawkes: Yeah. It's science fiction. Easton: Look who's talking. Fawkes: (enlightened) You are a smartypants, aren't ya? (Darien smiles. Kate smiles then giggles) All right, all right so um�(Darien scoots in closer to Kate) What does quantum physics have to do with this thing? (Darien points to the box on "this") Easton: (Kate exhales. She holds up the box and looks at it from different angles.) This is a quantum computer. Fawkes: The cube is a computer? Easton: MmHmm. The most powerful on earth. You ask it a question it gives you every possible answer in every possible universe. It defines order and chaos. Fawkes: No it finds twenty million dollars in ten seconds that�s what it finds. Easton: Wasn�t that amazing? Fawkes: It�s phenomenal, man. Easton: I had the QC analyze the Hong Kong market and the currency exchange. It knew exactly which stocks were going to rise and fall and predicted the fluctuation of the HK dollar. There was no way not to win. Fawkes: You can probably make a fortune with that thing. Easton: Or serve mankind. Fawkes: Or make a fortune. Wait a minute. So what is it you- you built this yourself? Easton: Me, The Mayer Foundation, and several million dollars from the NSA. Fawkes: The NSA? Easton: Yeah. They want to use it for military purposes, code breaking. I built it to help people. Fawkes: Mm no no you � you stole it to help people. Easton: It took the Human Genome Project twelve years to map the human DNA. The QC could have done it in ten minutes. It-it it could help cure Alzheimers, MS�any genetic disease. Fawkes: Well let me ask you a question. Do you�do you think it could figure out how to get this gland outta my head without killin� me? Easton: In about a second and a half. Hobbes on earpiece: Einstein to Michelangelo. Einstein to Michelangelo. Come in, Mike. Fawkes: Y-yeah. Go ahead. Hobbes on earpiece: What the hell�s Hobbes: goin� on in there. Where is she? Fawkes: W-what what do you mean? (Kate looks up at ceiling) Hobbes: Fawkes. She walked in there like fifteen minutes ago. Where is she? Fawkes: (looks at Kate) I never saw her. [Kate looks at Darien. A faint smile emerges. Now we see Darien get into the van.] Hobbes: What do you mean you didn�t see her? I saw her go right in. Fawkes: Did you see anyone else goin� in there? Kind of a�naturalization guy? Hobbes: No. Fawkes: Kinda looked like Sting. Hobbes: No I didn�t. And don�t try and change the subject. Are you hiding something from me? Fawkes: Always. Hobbes: Really? (thinks) She made a move on you, didn�t she? Ah haha you knew exactly what she was up to and she seduced you to keep quiet. You dirty little devil. Fawkes: Hobbes, she didn�t seduce me. Hobbes: Oh, but you seduced her? Fawkes: No! Hobbes: Aw, but you admit she was there right? Fawkes: If you say so. Hobbes: You�re blushing all over. I know you�re lying to me. Fawkes: I am not blushing. Hobbes: Yes you are. Fawkes: No, I�m not. Hobbes: You�re like a tomato. I mean you can get suspended from this my friend. Fawkes: Ooh from the agency? I�m scared. Hobbes:(serious) You don�t fish off the company pier, son. (pause) So was it good? Fawkes: (laughs) Oh God! Hobbes: Ha? Was it good? (Darien is tearing up from laughter.) You don�t think I�m not going to rat you out because I�m your partner. Well I got news for ya Buckwheat. Inncorrecto. (Darien looks at him through hands that form a telescope.) I mean I find out that you crossed over the line and I turn you and your fancypants little gland right in there pal. Fawkes: (looking through �hand� scope) Hey you know you�re very pretty when you get upset there. Hobbes: Hm? You don�t think I know this? [A tear filled Darien smiles. We see Golda moving down the highway. A conference room with Arlo Dice and Mick Callahan.] Callahan: I�m terribly sorry but you have to understand it�s just- Dice: What I need to understand I already understood and when I saw the quantum computer operate on Monday- Callahan: It�s simply not ready. Dice: You�ve already used that line. Callahan: Look, it�s the truth! I don�t know what else to say. Dice: Then don�t say anything. I�ll talk to Doctor Easton myself. Where is she? Callahan: She�s not here today. Dice: What are you hiding doctor? Callahan: Oh, please. Dice: Let me remind you that we�re not paying you to keep secrets from us. Callahan: I know that. Now if you�ll excuse me for a minute, I�ll make a call�it�ll settle the whole thing. All right? Dice: Fine. I�ll be right outside. [Mick dials. Darien is in the official�s office stamping papers and looking at an old picture of the Official. Hobbes rolls by in the Official�s chair and hits the wall. The Official and Eberts enter.] Official: (on phone) Yeah? (Darien sees him and sits in chair.) Check back with me later. (Hobbes runs into the Official with the chair) Oh! Hobbes: Sorry�sorry sir. I apologize. [Bobby gets up and sits next to Fawkes. Eberts places Official�s chair.] Official: Gentlemen�gentlemen. I think an explanation is in order. Fawkes: Explanation? Official: Are you aware of the situation you�ve placed this agency in? Hobbes: Situation? Eberts: There was a second security breach at The Mayer Foundation? Hobbes: Oh. Well that was us sir. We just were zeroing in on a suspect. Official: Hmm. Who? Names! Hobbes: Why don�t you tell him Agent Darien Fawkes? Fawkes: Well no I mean we weren�t exactly uh� zeroing in it was more like narrowing you know there were three or four people that were showing signs of- Official: Would one of these be Doctor Easton? Eberts: When she failed to show up for work today, Doctor Callahan called her apartment. No one answered. Fawkes: Yeah actually she was a suspect but we weren�t you know exactly sure uh you know don�t get me wrong she definitely looked like a possibility you know possibly�potentially. Hobbes: (playing along) But the last thing we wanted to do was to make a move before we were locked in because if we were wrong � I mean we might spook the real perp- Fawkes: Exactly. You see we were scared of spookin� the real perp. Official: Spooking the perp. Hobbes: That�s right. Spooking the perp. That�s right. Official: Do I need to remind you how�important this case is? Hobbes: It�s very important Fawkes: Very important. Eberts: The Mayer Foundation has contracts with all the major agencies. Official: We are very lucky very lucky to have this opportunity. Eberts: In short�if you screw this up- Official: I�ll kill you. [Fawkes and Hobbes exit. Darien waves from outside the office door.] Fawkes: Thank you. (To Hobbes) Ok what is it? Hobbes: What�s what? Fawkes: What�s your angle? Hobbes: What do you mean angle? I got no angle. Fawkes: No no no. You covered for me. Hobbes: Yeah so? Fawkes: So? You did something nice. What�s your angle? Hobbes: I just wanted to see if you were hiding something�and you are. Now it does me no good if the fat man hangs you out to dry because then maybe I end up with a new partner. And I don�t wanna start out with a new yutz just when the yutz I got is just learning the ropes. Fawkes: Boy! I am so happy for me. Hobbes: The problem is that while you�re learnin� the ropes you�re up there walkin� on �em. Think of this as a reprieve there friend. If you don�t come clean with every thing you know about our little cheerleading scientist I�m gonna cut you loose from my bosom of protection there sport. Fawkes: Hmm? Hobbes: Now what�d she tell ya? Fawkes: Nothin� [Darien and Bobby mirror each other.] Hobbes: You don�t have a clue where she might be? Fawkes: None. Hobbes: Hm. Ok fine. Here�s the plan. I�m gonna do a background check wait for the results. Then we go to her place do some invisible B and E. Fawkes: Ok. Hobbes: Be ready in a half hour. Fawkes: (Gives thumbs up.) Check. Hobbes: And you better start tellin� the truth around here because I�m the last person on earth you want to be lyin� to. You don�t think I don�t notice when you�re lyin� using these one word answers. You think I don�t notice that. I notice. If�the�of�check! [Outside we see a house in the daytime. Darien carries a white paper bag and walks to the door and knocks. It opens.] Kate: Hi! Darien: Hey. Kate: I didn�t know if you were going to show. Darien: What are you talking about? We�re in this together now. [Darien enters. <commercial break> Susan Altieri�s kitchen. Kate is laughing with her elbows on the kitchen island. Darien sits.] Darien: Hey wait! You realize you uh just consumed twice your body weight, right? Kate: I was hungry! Darien: Yeah I guess getting shot at works up a real appetite, huh? (He drinks.) Kate: Are you speaking from experience? (uncomfortable pause) They didn�t cover anything like this in my post-doctoral. Darien: Oh yeah? When you were like what? Nineteen? Kate: Sixteen actually. Darien: (blushes) Hm. Sixteen. (He looks at her.) Kate: MmHm. Darien: All right. How does this uh whole genius thing work what do you� you hear things or- Kate: No�but I do see things�images? Glimpses of something whole. The rest is just working hard enough to see the entire picture. Darien: Yeah I get it. But why? Kate: Addiction. After one bite of the apple you just want another. And when it�s pure, there�s nothing more thrilling than the Darien and Kate: pursuit of knowledge. Darien: Uh yeah I had a brother. He was a scientist. He was�exactly the same way. Kate: He was? (pause)You done? Darien: Yeah thanks. Hey Kate, let me ask you a question. (He moves to the sink next to her.) Um, do you�Do you ever think that there�s kind of a�down side to being young and brilliant? Kate: Yeah. I remember wanting to go to senior prom. I was uh obsessed with it� actually, but uh�I was twelve when I graduated high school, so you can imagine how many guys in my class were just dyin� to ask me out. Darien: Hey�their loss, right? Kate: Yeah. I guess you know what was annoying? When I was seven, my mom had made me take ballroom dancing. Darien: (winces) Ooh. Ouch. Kate: Just to get me away from the computer. Never had a chance to use what I learned. Darien: Think you remember? Kate: Why? [Darien walks over to the radio and turns it on. Ballroom music plays. This seems to quietly shock and impress her. He leads a beaming overjoyed Kate to the kitchen �ballroom dance floor� and leads her around for a turn. They look into each other�s eyes and dance.] Kate: Um your hand is really cold� Darien: Aw crap! [Darien�s hand quicksilvers. He backs away.] Kate: Oh my God! What�s wrong? Darien: (His leg quicksilvers) Uh the quicksilver takes over when my uh adrenaline gets pumping. Kate: (runs to the sink) Well well w-would it help if I throw some cold water on it or something? Darien: Just give me a second here. Kate: Is this the first time that it�s happened? Darien: Oh thank you! That helps. Come on�(He shakes quicksilver off hand.) Oh! Here we go� Kate: (back to him to dance) Ok�see? Guess everything�s back to normal. Darien: Yeah, I guess�if you consider this normal. [Music continues. Kate follows Darien�s lead. Nightime shot of the outside of the house. Inside, Darien sits on the couch thinking. Kate stands in the entrance of the room.] Kate: Your brother. He created the quicksilver gland, didn�t he? Darien: Yeah. Kate: What happened to him? Darien: He was shot. He died in my arms. Kate: I�m sorry. Darien: (holds back tears) Kate, I was just thinking uh�I know�how important your work is to you, you know it�s�it�s not just work it�s your passion and Kevin wanted answers to questions you know he pursued knowledge and he ended up payin� the price for it. Kate: So did you. Darien: Hey I�m still payin�. Kate: And I just want to help you get that thing outta your head. Darien: Believe me I want the same thing but�it ain�t worth your life. Now that �s said uh� what do you need to get the gland out? Kate: All of the data on it. Anything I can feed into the QC. Darien: I was afraid of that. [Outside view of the Department Fish and Game. Inside we see the aquarium. Pan to Darien and the Keeper.] Keeper: (aggravated) All right. What makes you think this will work, exactly? Darien: Claire, I saw it work. Keeper: All right, now I have a question for you. Have you ever heard of quantum physics? Darien: Yeah absolutely, you know�space, time, parallel dimension, know you know me�that kinda crap shit? Keeper: Right right. Well whoever says they understand quantum physics doesn�t know what they�re talking about. Darien: Yeah I know I get it, ok? That�s the whole point. Keeper: No. The point is that you are putting your trust in the culprit of the crime you�re investigating. I mean what she�s even talking about isn�t even possible. Darien: Yeah? And the world�s flat. Keeper: Ok. Ok. What�s that�s supposed to mean? Darien: It means for a scientist you�re about as open-minded as the people that accused Galileo of being a heretic. Keeper: (fed up with his accusation) Oh�please. Darien: Let me ask you something. You told me before that if� when you found out how to get the gland out that you would put me ahead of the Agency. I just wanted to know that there�s any truth to that? (Claire looks at him steely-eyed and silent.) Is there any truth to that? [Darien and Keeper enter the house.] Darien: Kate? Uh Kate. Claire. Claire. Kate. Kate: (munches on an apple) Hi. Claire: Hello. So, you really think you can find a way to extricate the gland. Kate: Not me. The quantum computer. Claire: You have an operative prototype? Kate: Yes. Claire: What are you using to retain particle separation? Kate: Barium helium mix. Claire: Three to one ratio. Kate: Five to one. The charge has to localize several atomic units. Darien: Boy, I can�t stand girl talk�Ok, I�ll be leaving now uh (He excuses himself) You know�gettin� ready so I guess� Claire: Oh well it�s hard to believe. Kate: I know. When I first saw the answer I couldn�t believe it myself. It-it was so clear. Claire: I know the feeling. Kate: You uh you work pretty closely with Darien. Claire: We have a�symbiotic relationship. [Darien listens from the kitchen. He opens the refrigerator door.] Kate: Which would�end if the gland were removed. Claire: Possibly. I�d expect you�d find yourself in the same dilemna. Kate: Naw I wouldn�t call it a dilemna. I�m just trying to help him. Claire: Then uh�I think you�ll need these. (She hands Kate the disk.) Kate: Thank you. Claire: I hope it works�for his sake. I�ll see myself out. [Claire exits. Mallon and another guy spy from across the street.] Mallon: Just the two of �em in there. [He exits the car. Inside, Darien looks at the QC.] Darien: Well, this is definitely a Hallmark moment� I�m sorry it�s just kinda hard to imagine that the�key to my freedom is locked inside of this little sucker. Kate: Well good things come in small packages, huh? (Darien sighs.) Um�I can�t use the QC until I get all of the peripherals, but uh we can go somewhere and check that out. Darien: Sounds like a plan. [Darien tosses the disk up and catches it. They exit. They chat. Kate laughs.] Mallon: (walks toward them) Three! Darien: It�s Jehovah�s Witnesses! [A car screeches. The other hitman gets out. They are both pointing guns at Darien and Kate. Golda speeds around the corner and stops. Hobbes exits.] Mallon: Come on let�s move! Fawkes: Kate, run! [Kate grabs the QC from Mallon and runs.] Mallon: Stop or I�ll shoot! Kate: Darien! [She throws the QC to him. He makes a leaping dive to the ground and catches it. Mallon grabs Kate. Hobbes and Mallon face off.] Mallon: Drop it or I drop her! Hobbes: Drop her or I drop you! Mallon: (To Kate) Get in the car. (He fires knocking out one of Golda�s tires.) Come on Go go go! [They drive off. Hobbes aims to shoot. Darien runs in the middle.] Darien: Hobbes! Don�t shoot! No! Hobbes: (frustrated) I wasn�t aiming at them! I was aiming at the tire! [<commercial break> Fawkes and Hobbes are busy changing the tire.] Darien: So you just been sittin� there�waitin��spyin� on me since yesterday, huh? Hobbes: Yeah, well� (rolls tire) I had a hunch you were up to somethin�. Just waitin� to see what. Darien: Yeah I guess you think you know, right? Hobbes: I�m not blind, Leo. I saw where you slept last night. Darien: I slept on the couch, Hobbes. Hobbes: Yeah, where�d she sleep, huh? Darien: What�s wrong with you, man? What�s the matter? Hobbes: Me? Darien: Yeah. Hobbes: What�s wrong with you? Everytime I thinkin� we�re getting� a little simpatico you go and pull a stunt like this? Fawkes: She found a way to take the gland out, genius. Hobbes: Yeah. So? Fawkes: So? So what? Hobbes: So? Fawkes: So that happens to be a little important to me. Hobbes: It�s important to you. Fawkes: Yeah. That�s right. That�s right. Cause then I�m gone. I�m out of this damn agency. Hobbes: Yeah? Fawkes: That�s right. Hobbes: And what are you going to do? Fawkes: What am I going to do? Hobbes: Yeah. Fawkes: Don�t worry about me. I�ll be fine. Hobbes: As a thief? Fawkes, not for nothing but you suck as a thief, ok? Fawkes: Yeah? Well there�s other ways to make a living, my friend. Hobbes: What are you going to do� be a doctor, huh? Fawkes: Maybe. Maybe. Hobbes: Lawyer? (jokingly) Doctor Fawksey? I heard they need a new rabbi at the congregation down my block. Fawkes, you have found one thing that you can do that you will always be the best at it. Why don�t you just do it instead of wasting your energy and mine trying to find a way out? Fawkes: (hands the tire iron to Bobby) Here you go. (stands) I think you know where that goes. [Fawkes walks off and rolls tire away. We see a car pull up in an area with machinery. Kate and Mallon exit. Her hands are tied.] Kate: Whatever you�ve got planned it won�t work. Darien�ll shoot himself before he comes here. Mallon: Oh he�ll come. After all, you�re a damsel in distress. He�s a big hero. Kate: You can tell Arlo Dice the NSA�ll never touch the QC. Mick: You�re right about that. No one will get their hands on the QC. Not ever. Oh, you had such vision Kate. It�s too bad you were blinded by it. You know, I remember that day when you first came into my office. I was bursting with joy over your latest epiphany. I knew that was the beginning of the end. Kate: The end of what? Mick: Kate�your invention will destroy the world. Kate: No. No way. It will improve it. It will explain it. Mick: That�s what Fermin told me when he split the atom. Of course he never dreamed about a nuclear winter. Kate: Mick, you know it�s just a tool. Mick: A tool�placed in the hands of men? Who�Uncle Sam? Oh, he�d use it to become omnipotent. Break every country�s missile codes. They launch�we launch�and then you and I Kate, we can sit down for a thrill meeting�for a nice dinner in hell. Kate: How long have you been planning to betray me�since June? Mick: At first I wanted to slow you down�discourage you�but unfortunately I underestimated your talents. Kate: Oh and you also underestimated the people you hired to cover your tracks and give you an alibi. Mick: Oh you mean The Agency? Well, they haven�t failed as much as I�d expect, but they have some time in that. Oh Kate�I�m so sorry. (To Mallon) Make the call. [Fawkes and Hobbes are walking The Agency hall. Darien is on the phone.] Fawkes: Yeah. No no I got it. She safe right? Ok, we�ll be there in half an hour. Hobbes: What? Fawkes: They wanna trade. [Fawkes and Hobbes walk the hall. Fawkes enters the Keep.] Fawkes: Oh�Hey�Doc, you�re going to have to�give me a shot here. Keeper: Gimme? Fawkes: Yeah. Keeper: Show me. (She checks tattoo.) You�re almost full. Fawkes: Yeah, well I�m gonna have to�use it up here, so- Keeper: Well the Official didn�t call me (sarcastic it dawns on her) Ah of course�the Official doesn�t know. Fawkes: You know � and I mean this � one of the truly great things about you is your perceptiveness. Keeper: The other one is that I follow the rules. Fawkes: Ok look�Kate�s in trouble, ok? I�m going to have to go see through ok and I�m not going to be able to let the Official know. Keeper: Oh Darien, there are reasons for the rules. Fawkes: Yeah well�you already broke one of �em so� Keeper: Oh ho�In for a penny in for a pound is that it? Fawkes: Pretty much. Come on. Hey. Thank you. [Darien sits in the examination chair.] Keeper: You care about her, don�t you? Darien: (preps his own arm) I care about getting the gland outta my head that�s all I care about. Keeper: Ah, that�s not what I asked. Darien: The truth is I hadn�t really thought about it so�here we go. [Claire injects him with the counteragent. He looks like something left a bad taste in his mouth.] Keeper: Maybe you should. [Still shot close up of Golda parked on the site.] Hobbes: I figure once we get the girl back you disappear. We go and get the cube. Fawkes: No no no. They already know she can make another one. They ain�t going to trade her. They want her dead. Hobbes: Well if we had Plan B- Fawkes: Yeah I do. You take the cube and you use it as bait. It�ll buy me time to get her out. Hobbes: (whines) I want to get the girl. (Darien quicksilvers and exits Golda.) I never get to get � (He waves his arm in the van and shakes his head.) Fawkes. [Hobbes exits Golda. He holds out his arms holding the QC in one hand.] Hobbes: I�m here for the swap meet! Mallon: You got your trading piece? Hobbes: Oh yeah! I got it right here! Why don�t you show me the girl? Callahan on communicator: Verify it�s not a fake. Mallon: I gotta make sure you�re on the level. Hobbes: Oh, I�m on the level all right. Let�s see the girl. [Mallon drags Kate out of hiding. Her mouth is taped and her hands are tied.] Mallon: You know this is the genuine article. [He pushes her back in hiding. We see Callahan on the catwalk looking over. Hobbes walks up to a bag that has been lowered.] Callahan: Put it in the bag! In the bag! Hobbes: Ok�ok�no trouble. I�m puttin� it right in the bag�There ya go. [We see quicksilver vision of Mallon and Kate.] Hobbes: Don�t drop it Putzley�(tugs on the bag) It�s all yours� [Callahan pulls the bag up. Quicksilver vision of machinery and another hitman.] Hobbes: (waiting) Come on Fawkes� Callahan: Good bye Kate. [A red knob turns. Steam hits Mallon in the face. He screams. Kate hits Mallon and runs toward Hobbes.] Hobbes: Come on Kate! [Mallon fires gun. Invisible Darien comes out and knocks Mallon out and the other guy. Darien unquicksilvers and kicks Mallon in the face. Callahan is fleeing on the catwalk. Darien chases him.] Fawkes: Hey hey hey hey hey�you won�t get out of it, Callahan. It�s over. It�s over! Give me the cube. Just give me the cube. Now take it easy- Callahan: You get away from me. Fawkes: (pulls him away from the rail) Take it easy, ok? Take it easy. [Mick Callahan punches Darien who recoils from the hit. The QC and Callahan fall over the rail. Darien reaches out to grab him. The computer crashes on the ground below. Callahan lands as we see Kate run up to the area where the QC and Callahan landed.] Kate: (screams) No! [Kate looks up and sees Darien hanging over the edge, looking at her and everything else. Kate cries. <commercial break> Darien loads luggage into the trunk of the taxi. Kate stands in front of the taxi door.] Kate: So I�ll email you as soon as I get settled. Darien: Guess I�ll have to�get me an email address, huh? Kate: (laughs) Any chance you�ll come and visit? Darien: England�ah yeah sure�meet the queen? Kate: You will come. Darien: Maybe I will�one of these days. You know you got to forget about that computer, don�t you? Kate: I know. Darien: Believe me. I- I know about addiction. It ain�t worth your life. Kate: Maybe not but it might have been worth yours. Darien: Guess somebody else is going to have to figure out to get that gland out of my head. Kate: Hmm�maybe your friend Claire. Darien: (inhales) Yeah�yeah. Maybe. [Kate leans in and kisses Darien. We hear romantic music begin. They kiss. Darien stops.] Darien: Hey�you�re going to miss that plane, right? Kate: (smiles) Thanks for the dance. Darien: (pushes her with his nose and whispers) Get out of here. [Kate steps in the back seat of the cab. Darien leans in for a quick kiss and then shuts the door. He walks back hitting the side of the cab then stands in the street, his hand up signaling the taxi to go and waves goodbye.] Darien Voice over: I got a question. If a little knowledge *is* a dangerous thing, then how much knowledge does a person need before they�re safe? My guess� [The taxi passes by. Arlo Dice is spying in his car from a side street.] Darien Voice over: I�ll never be safe again. <closing credits> |