(Opening Scene: Early morning inside Sandeman's abandoned house. Joshua is sleeping on the floor and slowly wakes up. He get's up and sniff's the air around the room.)

(Scene switches to Joshua dressed and following a scents down a street. He stops by a fire hydrant and sniffs at it. Joshua spots a big black dog and walks over to it. The dog and Joshua exchange a series of barks and a hand shake. Joshua leaves.)

(Scene switches to Joshua entering a street market. He stops by a fish stand and studies a fish on ice.)

Fish Monger (voice): Hey. Hey, what are you doing there?

(Joshua leaves.)

(Scene switches to Joshua crawling and sniffing down the hallway of Max's apartment building. Joshua stops by the front door of Max's apartment and begins howling urgently.)

(Scene cuts to Max's apartment. Original Cindy is in the kitchen making breakfast dressed in a red silk bath robe. She hears Joshua howling at the door and goes over to the door and opens it. Joshua rushes in before Original Cindy can slam the door shut. Joshua sniff's around the room and comes to a stop when he sniffs Original Cindy.)

Original Cindy: Ooh!

(Joshua gives a soft woof.)

Max (to Original Cindy): Joshua. How'd you get here?

(Joshua points to his nose.)

Max (to Joshua): Did anyone see you?

(Joshua shrugs.)

Max (to Oringal Cindy): It's okay. He's a friend.

Original Cindy (to Max): Yeah, sure. I...

Original Cindy (to Joshua): You just threw me back there, that's all. You're joshua, right?

(Joshua extends his hand out.)

Joshua (to Original Cindy): Joshua, right.

(Original Cindy and Joshua extend hand shakes.)

Original Cindy (to Joshua): Original Cindy. Good to meet you. I'm making breakfast. You hungry?

(Scene cuts to Joshua sitting in the kitchen of Max's apatment, eating oatmeal in a bowl.)

Max (to Joshua): I was going to come by and bring you some stuff.

Joshua (to Max): Time to find father.

Original Cindy: "Father"? Who's father?

Joshua (to Original Cindy): Sandman. He made us. He's going to make max better.

Original Cindy (to Max): You mean your lovebug thing where you can't touch Logan?

(Max nods.)

Original Cindy (to Max): Well, get on it, boo. I'm tired of seeing you moping. This virus bitch has gotta go down so that you can get busy with your man.

Joshua: Max and logan... getting busy. That's the plan.

Max (to Joshua): The plan is, we're going to find father. Logan's tracking down some leads. In the meantime, you gotta lay low. You can't be walking around out there.

Joshua (to Max): Don't mope. I'm on it.

Original Cindy (to Joshua): Hey... hey. You want some more? We got more food.

(Joshua stoops over and tries to eat the oatmeal from the pot with his mouth. Original Cindy slaps Joshua on the head.)

Original Cindy (to Joshua): Ah! Ah! Down.

(Joshua backs away and hold up his bowl.)

Original Cindy (to Joshua): Okay.

(Scene cuts to the streets of Chinatown. A figure in an overcoat is walking around a open air market. The overcoat figure stops by a stand and indicates to a jacket. One of the Chinese vendors takes the jacket off a hanger and brings it over.)

Vendor 1: Eight dollar.

(The figure in the overcoat extends the money with blood dripping from his hands on to some white tee-shirts.)

Vendor 2 (in Chinese to Vendor 1): Don't take his money. Tell him to leave.

Vendor 1 (in Chinese to the Overcoat Man.): Go away, go away right now!

(The overcoat man takes the jacket and leaves.)

Vendor 1 (in Chinese to the Overcoat Man.): Hurry up. Don't come back.

(Scene switches to a motel in Chinatown, a man is checking in a guest. A young chienese boy sits on the step outside the door. The boy watches a rocket explode in the air. The proprietor hears the explosion and yells at the boy.)

Proprietor (in Chinese): Henry, I told you no more bottle rockets.

Henry: Chill, Pop. It wasn't me, I swear.

Proprietor (in Chinese): Don't lie to me. Now get out there and sweep.

(Henry takes a broom and begins to sweep the front step. A young chinese man staggers down the street nearby, bleeding from the nose. He begins gasping and collapses. A crowd gathers around and a man wearing a suit pushes through the crowd and examines the young man.)

Cyril: Somebody call an ambulance. Somebody call an ambulance!

(Scene swithces to the overcoat man who is wrapping a withered hand with tape. A barcode on back of his head can be seen as he finishes taping and putting on a large hat.)

Intro: They designed her to be the perfect soldier--a human weapon. Then she escaped. In a future not far from now, in a broken world, she is haunted by her past. She cannot run; she must fight to discover her destiny.

(Scene switches to Logan's apartment. Logan is sitting at his computer while Max stands across the room.)

Logan: So then I ran a search of university records. If this guy Sandeman was the genius behind Manticore, he'd probably have some sort of degree in genetics, or biochemistry, or something.

Max: Anything turn up?

(Logan stands up and walks over to her. She backs up a little bit.)

Logan: Yeah, a couple of Ph.D.'s, but nothing in the sciences.

Max: What about the house?

Logan: Mmm. His name wasn't on it. Mortgage was held by an offshore corporation, and the taxes were paid out of a numbered account.

Max: Guess if you're splicing genes for a secret government agency, gotta make sure you cover your tracks.

(Logan takes a step toward her and she takes a step around him.)

Logan: In May of '08, bank repo'd the property after six months of non payment, and it's sat there empty ever since. Looks like Sandeman just disappeared.

Max: Maybe...retired someplace sunny.

Logan: Or he ran for his life. I mean, hey, we're talking about Manticore. Place wasn't exactly known for job security.

(Max heads for the Kitchen and Logan follows.)

Max: Yeah, well, if he had time to pack his bags, he probably would've taken this.

( Max pulls out Sandeman's cane from her bag.)

Logan: The Manticore symbol. And we're sure he's one of the good guys?

Max: Joshua's sure; that's enough for me. Thought maybe we could check it for prints, or DNA.

Logan: I don't know. After ten years?

(Max tosses Sandeman's cane on the table.)

Max: Worth a shot. I mean, we got nothing on this guy. Not even a first name.

Logan: I'll call Matt Sung...see if he can get the police lab to do it. (Looks at Max.) We're gonna find him, Max. And we're gonna beat this.

Max: I just want things to be the way they were. You know, when we could hold hands without you keeling over on me.

(The door opens. Max remains in the kitchen while Logan goes out to the living room to see who came in. Asha comes in.)

Logan: Asha.

Asha: I just got this close to getting busted at a checkpoint.

Logan: Yeah. Listen...

Asha: They ran my papers through the computer, and I could tell they were getting onto them being forged, 'cause they were taking forever.

Logan: Yeah...

Asha: So I just got the hell out of there.

Logan: That's a smart move..

Asha: All I wanted to do is go home and take a bath. Now I gotta get my hands on a whole new fake I.D.

Logan: I can probably help you with that...

Asha: And we gotta talk about this Manticore thing. You know, I'm really glad your friend Max and her furry little friends got out of there, but it's really--

(Max stands next to Logan.)

Asha: Oh, Hi.

Max: Hi.

Asha: What I meant was...we...my group...the...

Logan (to Max): The S1W is that political organization that I was--

Max: Yeah, yeah, (to Asha) government's trying to say Manticore was just a V.A. hospital you guys burned down.

(Asha nods.)

Max: Sorry...from me and all my furry little friends.

(Logan covers his face with his hand.)

Max: I gotta get to work.

Max (to Logan): Have fun.

(Scene switches to the streets. Max is unlocking her mountain bike.)

Max: "All I wanna do is take a bath." All I wanna do is drown her in one.

(Scene cuts to Max riding her bike through the streets, oblivious to the traffic.)

Max: Don't get mad. It's not her fault everything handcuffs you to freaking Manticore. But what is up? Is someone trying to tell me something?

(Scene cuts to Max having a shocked looked on her face and then a car hitting Max. Max flies off her bike and lands flat on her back. Rafer gets out of the car and tries to examine her for injuries.)

Max: Rafer?!

Rafer: Lie still.

Max: I'm okay.

Rafer: I don't know. You went down pretty hard.

Max: That was you?

Rafer: Sorry. You came out of nowhere.

(Rafer begins moves his hand under Max's shirt. She slaps his hands away.)

Max: What the hell are you doing?

Rafer: Relax. I'm a paramedic.

Max: You deliver pizzas.

Rafer: That was just part-time. We spent one night together four months ago; you think you know my life story? Now try and lie still. I gotta check for broken bones..

(Max flips Rafer over her onto his back. She then sit on top of him.)

Max: Next time you wanna cop a feel, hit me harder and make sure I'm out cold.

(Max gets up and walks away as a crowd gathers.)

Max (to crowd): No damage. Just a scratch.

Rafer: Max.

(Max turns around to see Rafer holding up her shoe. After glancing downwards at her shoeless foot, Max snatches the shoe away from him. She puts it on and leaves.)

(Scene switches to Logan's apartment. Logan is pacing while talking on his cell phone. Detective Sung is in his office, looking at Sandeman's cane.)

Logan: Matt? Logan. Did you get it?

Detective Sung: Yeah. Just arrived.

Logan: Listen, I appreciate you doing this.

Detective Sung: Yeah, no problem. I'll get you the results as soon as I can.

Logan: Great.

(Logan and Matt hang up.)

(Scene cuts to Matt in his office. He notices Cyril standing in the main room, arguing with the desk sergeant. )

Cyril: ...biochemist. Do you understand? I'm a scientist. Now I'm sure you have a great team of scientists working at the precinct, but...

(Matt walks over to Cryil.)

Detective Sung: Hi.

(Cryil turns to Matt.)

Cyril: Yes, Hello. The boy that died today in Chinatown... I was there, and I think that I may have been exposed to something.

Detective Sung: Sir, the coroner's still trying to figure out what happened. We'll have the report in the morning, okay?

Cyril: Well, I would like to see a copy of that report, yes?

Detective Sung: You'll have to file a request with the M.E.'s office.

Cyril: No. No..

Detective Sung: Just follow them.

(A couple of officers lead the Cryil out of the room.)

Cyril (to Matt): This is totally unacceptable. I don't have time...

(Matt walks back into his office. A Detective follows him, holding a piece of paper.)

Male Detective: Sung?

Detective Sung: Yeah?

Male Detective: You had a sketch artist working on something?

Detective Sung: Yeah, rumor's flying around Chinatown about some strange guy in an overcoat.

Male Detective: I'll say.

(The Detective hands Matt the sheet of paper. On it is a drawing of a face, half of it misshapen.)

Detective Sung: Yeah, the eyewitness says his face was bleeding. Could be the dead kid was exposed to something he's got.

Male Detective: Could be. Let's keep this under wraps until the autopsy comes out. I don't want to start a panic.

Detective Sung: You haven't been to Chinatown lately, have you? It's already panic.

(The Detective walks out and Matt sits down, looking at the drawing.)

(Scene switches to Jam Pony. Max is walking in and carrying her bike, which is broken.)

Sketchy: Hey, what happened to you?

Normal: Where you been, little missy? Huh? Been paging you all morning.

Max: Well, I lost my pager when I got hearsed on Charles Street. But I'm all right, thanks for asking.

(Normal hands Sketchy a package.)

Normal: Here. Hot run, sector nine.

Max: Can I borrow...

Normal: No. Don't even ask. You're not covered on company bikes, and if you so much as break a fingernail, we both know you'll sue.

Normal (to other messnegers): Hey, let's go! Bip bip bip! It's called Jam Pony, not Jam Clydesdale.

(Scene cuts to Max hanging her bike up. Rafer ceomes in and Max sees he is wearing a paramedic's uniform.)

Rafer: Hey.

Max: Okay, you are a paramedic. So what? You showed up to try to make me feel bad for not believing you?

Rafer: No, I came by to give you this.

(Rafer hands Max her pager and holds up two lunch bags.)

Rafer: And to see if you wanted to have lunch. My way of making up for our, uh, little run-in.

(Scene cut to Logan's apartment. Logan is in the kitchen with Asha. Logan digging around in the fridge.)

Asha: Listen, I'm really sorry about..

Logan: Forget about it.

Asha: How can I? I put my foot so far down my mouth, I got teeth marks on my knee.

(Logan walks over to the counter next to her and sets down some food.)

Asha: She must hate me.

Logan: Really, forget about it. Eat something.

(Scene cuts back to Jam Pony. Max and Rafer are sitting at a table having lunch.)

Max: I'm not really hungry.

Rafer: Look, um, about what happened that...night...

Max: I'd really rather just forget about that night.

Rafer: Me too. I was in a really weird headspace 'cause, uh, I just broke up with my girlfriend like three weeks before...Anyway, if I came on too strong, I'm sorry, 'cause I'm not like that.

Max: It's okay.

Rafer: Came by here looking for you a couple times. No one knew where you were.

Max: I had to deal with some family stuff. It's complicated.

Rafer: Family stuff's always complicated.

Max: You have no idea.

Rafer: Thought maybe you had a boyfriend somewhere.

Max: That's complicated too.

(Scene cuts back to Logan's kitchen.)

Asha: Which has gotta be the understatement of the century.

Logan: Max and I danced around each other for almost a year. Just when we finally figure out what's going on between us, this virus thing happens, and...

(Scene cuts back to Jam Pony.)

Max: We can't be together.

Rafer: What do you mean? Why not?

Max: It's hard to explain. It's like...it's too intense. Sometimes I think maybe we're just not meant to be.

(Scene cuts back to Logan's apartment.)

Logan: I mean, if it's right, why does it have to be so hard?

Asha: I don't know.

(Scene cuts back to Jam pony.)

Max: Logan's probably just better off without me.

(Scene cuts back to Logan's kitchen.)

Asha: I just want you to be happy.

(Scene cuts back to Jam pony.)

Rafer: He'd be lucky to be with you. Anybody would be.

(Scene cuts back to Logan's kitchen. Asha looks into Logan's eyes with her mouth open. Logan shakes his head a bit and starts to say something but doesn't.)

Asha: I should go.

(Scene cuts back to Jam Pony.)

Rafer: I'd better get back to work.

Max: Yeah, me too.

(Scne cuts back to Logan's apartment. Asha is leaving.)

Logan: You don't have I.D. Asha...

(The door closes behind Asha.)

(Scene cuts back to Jam Pony.)

Rafer: See you around.

Max: Okay.

(Scene switches to the motel in Chinatown. Henry's dad is asleep on the couch. Henry is at the counter, checking in the transgenic with the overcoat.)

Henry: This is your bus ticket, sir.

(Henry hands the man a ticket and a key. He goes upstairs as Henry watches.)

(Scene switches to another firecracker bursting over Chinatown. Sketchy and Original Cindy stop to make a delivery. Original Cindy holds Sketchy's bike while he hands a package to a man behind a counter. The man talks to a co-worker nearby.)

Counter man: Yeah, that mutant...saw it here yesterday. Grabbed a pigeon...bit its head off. Looked at me like I was next.

(Sketchy, looks concerned, returns to his bike and Original Cindy.)

Sketchy: You know, it's worse than I thought, O.C.

Original Cindy: What?

Sketchy: The mutant infestation. It's here in Chinatown as well.

Original Cindy: Were you born dumb, or do you put in work?

(Suddenly they notice lots of people around them start coughing, bleeding from the eyes and nose, and collapsing. The clerk Sketchy just gave the package to is one of them.)

Original Cindy: Ambulance. We gotta get an ambulance.

(Scene switches to later. Matt is standing on the street while men in biohazard suits handle body bags. He is talking on his cell phone to Logan.)

Detective Sung: Twenty two. All Chinese.

Logan: What'd the M.E. say?

Detective Sung: If it's the same thing that killed the kid yesterday, it's some kind of, um, pathogen. She said she's never seen anything like it.

Logan: I mean, is it...some kind of toxin, or what?

Detective Sung: She's running some tests, trying to figure it out. Listen...did you catch Eyes Only's hack about that place Manticore?

Logan: Yeah, why?

Detective Sung: Well, the government's trying to say it never existed, okay? But the word on the street is that the place burned down and a bunch of these genetically-engineered whatsits got out.

Logan: Well, those are just rumors.

Detective Sung: Yeah, well, the rumor's that one of them is hiding out here in Chinatown. Supposedly deformed. It bleeds out through his skin.

Logan: You think there's a connection?

Detective Sung: I don't know, but Eyes Only might. Can you talk to him for me?

Logan: Yeah, I'll try and get to him.

Detective Sung: I appreciate it.

Logan: Sure thing. And listen...I'm sorry, Matt. I know this is close to home.

Detective Sung: Yeah.

(Scene switches to Jam Pony, Max and Original Cindy are talking at their lockers.)

Original Cindy: It was horrible.

Max: Those poor people.

Original Cindy: Said on the news that anybody that was there is supposed to get checked for infection. I'm scared.

(Logan walks in.)

Logan (to Max): Hey. Can I talk to you?

Normal (to Max): Five minutes and I start docking.

Max: Even if there is some screwed-up transgenic out there...doesn't mean he's got whatever's killing these people.

Logan: When you were at Manticore, were you aware of any experiments that involved exposure to virulent bacteria or pathogens or--

Max: No. And why are you jumping to conclusions?

Logan: Because the guy's been seen in the area.

Max: If this has something to do with me and my furry little friends, then how come all the victims are Chinese? Manticore's always been real big on equal opportunity.

Logan: Could be that it takes prolonged exposure. If this guy was downtown, maybe it'd be rich white people who were dying.

Max: Ever think maybe it was something they ate? Or they all got bit by the same mosquito? Or maybe some bug that got released from a lab?

Logan: Come on, Max! This is nothing new to Manticore. Look what they did to you and me, for God's sake.

Max: Just because I'm poison doesn't mean we all are. Your five minutes are up. (Walks away.)

(Scene switches to a sector checkpoint, Asha attempts to sneak through a broken fence.)

Cop: Hold it right there.

(Asha looks up to find cops pointing guns at her.)

(Scene switches to Sandeman's house. Max walks into the living room. Joshua is sitting in an armchair reading a book.)

Max: I love what you've done with the place.

Joshua: Laying low.

Max: Good, 'cause it's dangerous out there. Especially these days.

Joshua: Like it here. Father's books...Father's house.

Max: Yeah. Listen, about Father...Logan's come up empty. He's still working on it. He'll find Sandeman, just as soon as he's done saving the world...from us.

(Joshua walks over to Max who is standing by the window.)

Joshua: Max and Logan. That's the plan.

Max: I don't know. I'm starting to think there is no plan, and if there is, I'm not clued in at all. Father ever talk to you about fate? You know, like...whether some things just weren't meant to be?

Joshua: Canine with human DNA...not meant to be. Then Joshua.

(Joshua points to himself and smiles.)

Joshua: Max and Logan not meant to be...then gettin' busy.

(Max laughs.)

Max: We'll see.

Joshua: Yeah, you'll see. This virus bitch going down.

(Max's pager goes off.)

Max: It's him.

(Scene switches to a pay phone on the street. Max is calling Logan.)

Logan: Hello?

Max: If you're calling to apologize..

Logan: I'm not, but I will, if that's what it takes.

Max: Spit it out.

Logan: Asha was heading home, and...

Max: She left already?

Logan: Yeah. And she got arrested by sector cops. I need your help.

Max: You want me to save her.

Logan: I don't know who else I can ask.

Max: Try Sung.

Logan: I did. He's not answering his page.

Max: Smart man.

Logan: Look, Max, if they run her prints and find out who she is..

Max: Yeah, yeah. Where are they holding her?

Logan: Sector Four headquarters.

Max: We'll meet you at Crash in an hour.

(Scene switches to an interrogation room. An Inspector is questioning Asha while two cops stand guard.)

Asha: Look, I told you, I left my I.D. at work. I can...I can bring it in tomorrow.

(The door opens and the inspector is handed a sheet of paper.)

Inspector: Your prints came through, Ms. Barlow. We know you're with the S1W.

Asha: I don't know what you're talking about.

(The Inspector pushes a pen towards Asha.)

Inspector: I want the names and addresses of everyone in your group.

Asha: This is crazy.

(The smacks Ahsa.)

Inspector: This department does not take terrorist activities lightly.

Asha: The S1W are not terrorists.

Inspector: Tell me what I want to know, or this is going to get ugly.

(Scene cuts to Max jumping through the glass covering a large vent and begins taking out the cops. Asha jumps onto the inspectors's back.)

Asha: I'm gonna kick your ass! I'm gonna kick your ass!

(Max takes out the cops and turns to see Asha and the inspector still fighting. Max knocks the inspector out with one punch. Asha watches him drop and looks at Max, astonished.)

Max: It's my thing. Come on.

(Scene switches to the Crash. Logan is sitting at the bar, checking his watch. Rafer approaches and talks to the bartender.)

Rafer (to bartender): You know a girl named Max?

(Logan turns to look at Rafer.)

Rafer (to bartender): Dark hair, hangs out here a lot?

Bartender (to Rafer): Yeah, hard to miss. But, uh, hasn't been in here tonight.

Rafer (to bartender): I'll have a beer.

Bartender (to Rafer): Take that one.

Logan: You know Max?

Rafer: Yeah. You?

Logan: Yup.

Rafer: Rafer.

(Rafer and Logan exhchange handshakes.)

Logan: Logan.

Rafer: Right.

(Scene switches to outside of Crash. Max and Asha pull up on Max's motorcycle. Asha gets off.)

Asha: Listen, uh, thanks. I know you didn't have to.

Max: It was a favor to Logan. Besides, it wouldn't be right for you to take the rap for something you didn't do.

Asha: Um, you going in? I'm just gonna get my I.D. from Logan and go, so...

(Scene cuts to inside Crash.)

Rafer: You're waiting here for Max, right?

Logan: Yup.

(Rafer gets up.)

Rafer: That's my cue to go.

Logan: You don't have to.

(Scene cuts back to outside of Crash.)

Max: Things between me and Logan are really screwed up right now.

Asha: Yeah, but he's crazy about you.

(Scene cuts back to to the bar inside Crash.)

Rafer: She digs you, man. I'm just gonna back off.

Logan: Have a seat.

(Scene cuts back to outside of Crash.)

Max: I don't know how things are gonna play out between us...so I'm gonna go.

(Scene cuts back to to the bar inside Crash.)

(Logan gets up.)

Logan: I wouldn't want to mess anything up for her.

Logan (To bartender.): Hey, Neal?

Bartender: Yeah.

Logan: You know Asha?

Bartender: Yeah, I know Asha.

(Logan takes out an I.D. from his shirt pocket and hands it to Neal.)

Bartender: I'll give it to her.

Logan (paying his bill): Great. Thanks. (To Rafer.) See ya.

(Scene cuts back to outside of Crash.)

Max: Good night.

(Max puts on her riding glasses and leaves.) (

(Scene cuts to Logan walking up the stairs and leaving the Crash.)

(Scene cuts to Asha insode Crash Neal hands her the I.D.)

(Scene cuts to Logan getting in his car, sighs, and drives away. Seconds later, Max rounds the corner behind him and rides into the other direction. Neither one sees the other.)

(Sceen switches to the motel in Chinatown. Henry is climbing up a ladder attached to the outside of the building. He reaches the Overcoat man's window and leans over to peer inside. The transgenic is unpacking a suitcase. Downstairs, Henry's father is on the phone.)

Proprietor (in Chinese): I saw him and called the police right away.

(Matt and another cop walk in.)

Proprietor (in Chinese): They're here.

(He hangs up.)

(Scene cuts to later at the Motel. Matt flashes his badge.)

Detective Sung (in Chinese): I'm Detective Sung. You the one who called the police?

Proprietor (in Chinese): It's here. My son, he rented. I was asleep. I had no idea.

(Scene switches to Matt, the proprietor and another cop walking up t the overcoat man's room.)

(Scene cuts to Henry peering into the window of the transgenic who is removing his hat and coat.)

(Henry's father, Matt, and the other cop reach the hallway.)

Proprietor (in Chinese): I keep telling him not to rent to strangers. The creature, his room is over there.

Detective Sung (in Chinese): OK...you stay here...and stay back.

(Scene cuts to Matt and the other cop walking towards the transgenic's closed door.)

(Scene cuts to Henry leaning too far over to get a better look and the ladder falls. Henry hangs from the window ledge.)

Henry: Help! Help!

(Scene cust to Matt and the other cop drawing their guns.)

(Scene cuts to the overcoat man leaning out the window and extending a hand to Henry. Henry takes it and the overcoat man pulls him inside. The overcoat man smiles and pats Henry on the cheek. The door opens suddenly and the other cop shoots the transgenic dead. Matt enters, gun drawn. Henry's father rushes in and hugs Henry. They all stare at the transgenic.)

(Scene switches to Logan and Matt waiting outside Dr. Shankar's autopsy room. Max enters and Logan stands up.)

Logan: Hey, what are you doing here? I told you I'd call you.

DR. Sharkar: He's clean.

Detective Sung: Clean?

DR. Sharkar: Not a trace of the pathogen found in the others.

Detective Sung: Let me take a look at that.

(Matt takes her clipboard and enters the autopsy room. Dr. Shankar follows with Logan and Max. She turns back the sheet covering the transgenic. The left side of his body is as deformed as the left side of his face is. Matt notices something and removes a pen from his pocket. He uses the pen to brush aside the transgenic's sparse hair.)

Detective Sung: What is that?

(They all see the barcode on the back of his neck.)

Logan: Looks like a tattoo.

(Matt notices Logan, Max, and Dr. Shankar exchanging glances.)

Detective Sung: Why do I get the feeling you guys aren't telling me something here? What's going on?

Max: You killed an innocent man. That's what's going on.

(Max leaves, upset.)

Detective Sung: It looked like he was hurting the kid.

Logan: We know, Matt.

Detective Sung: Something killed all those people, okay? I...

DR. Sharkar: Lab tests came back this morning. It's not an infectious agent. They were exposed to the pathogen directly.

Detective Sung: Where'd it come from?

DR. Sharkar: Don't know. I can tell you this...Mother Nature didn't cook this thing up. The pathogen's genetically engineered.

Logan: Well, if the pathogen's man made, then either it escaped from a lab, or somebody's exposing people to it on purpose.

(Scene switches to a lab. Cyril is looking into a microscope and talking on the phone.)

Cyril: No, don't worry. I got my hands on a copy of the M.E.'s report. They're chasing their tails...Well, I'm ready when you are. All I need is a test subject...I'll be expecting you.

(Scene switches to Sandeman's house. Joshua is looking at the police sketch while Max paces.)

Joshua: He was downstairs people. Didn't turn out so good.

Max: Spends his whole life in the basement in case Manticore needs to cut him up for spare parts, finally gets out in the world, and they shoot him dead like he's some kind of animal! See, this is why I'm always on you...because it's not safe out there.

Joshua: People get real scared...when things are different.

Max: Yeah, but what I forgot to tell you is when they get scared...they can get really mean. I'm sorry.

(Scene switches to Logan's apartment. Logan is talking to Detective Sung on his cell phone. Matt is in his office.)

Logan: There's a rumor going around the black market about a new kind of bioweapon, capable of distinguishing between population groups. It's a nasty little trick no one's ever been able to pull off before.

Detective Sung: Yeah, maybe some kind of anti-asian hate group.

Logan: Maybe. Maybe what's happening is some kind of field test.

Detective Sung: Why do you say that?

Logan: Well, first off, no one's claimed responsibility, but second, look at the way this thing's playing out. Starting with a single victim, then a handful in a narrowly targeted area...

Detective Sung: Well, I'm not sure what's worse...that somebody's out to kill me and mine, or that they're using us as...as guinea pigs. You got anything else for me?

Logan: Well, I'm working on some leads, but it's slow going. Internet's been crashing all day.

Detective Sung: Do what you can.

Logan: Talk to you later.

(Scene switches to Max's apartment. Max is walking in as her phone rings. She answers.)

Max: Hello?

Logan: Hey. I just wanted to, uh...call, and...never got a chance to...thank you for springing Asha.

Max: No big deal.

Logan: And because...you were right. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Whatever it was that killed those people had nothing to do with transgenics. Guess our thing's just got me a little spun, you know?

Max: Yeah, me too.

(Both their phones beep.)

Logan: Is that me or you?

Max: I think it's me. Hold on.

(They each press a button to take another call. Asha is calling Logan and Rafer is calling Max.)

Asha: Logan?

Max: Hello?

Rafer: Max.

Logan: Hi.

Asha: I'm at Crash. Why don't you come over?

Max: Hey.

Rafer: Come over. I'm at Crash.

Max: I don't think so.

Logan: Not tonight.

Asha: You sure?

Rafer: Well, I'll be here if you change your mind.

Logan: Yeah. I'm on the other line.

Max: I have someone on the other line.

Rafer: All right.

Asha: Okay. See ya.

(Logan and Max hang up with Asha and Rafer, and return to their own call.)

Max: Hey.

Logan: Hi.

Max: So...

Logan: Anyway, I...just wanted to say...sorry. About...everything.

Max: Yeah. Me too. Good night.

Logan: Good night.

(They both hang up and just stand there for a minute.)

(Scene switches to the later at the Crash. Max walks in and joins Rafer at the bar.)

Rafer: Hey, Max.

Max: Hey.

(Scene cuts to Logan walking down the steps into Crash, spots Asha sitting at a table, and joins her.)

(Rafer is talking to the bartender and Max takes the opportunity to look around. Someone talks to Asha and Logan looks around. Max and Logan make eye contact and smile.)

(Scene switches to a lab. Cyril is talking to White who is seated. Several operatives stand nearby.)

Cyril: What delays? I told you three steps were going to be involved, did I not? Step one: Target the pathogen to a single individual, expose him to it via airborne dispersal, make sure he's the only one it affects. Went off without a hitch, did it not?

(One of the operatives sets his soda on top of a nearby piece of equipment.)

Cyril: Uh, excuse me...could you not put that there, please? That is a very expensive piece of equipment.

(The operative removes the can.)

Cyril: Thank you. Step two: Target the pathogen to a specific race of people. The Chinese at the bus stop. I used, uh, gene expression on the base pair for the epicanthic fold--you know, the, uh, the eyelid. Worked perfectly. No one died but them, yes?

White: Your technology is very impressive. But let's move on to step three.

Cyril: I'm ready. See, it was...it was easy with the Chinese. I had specific gene sequences that I could target. But the kids you're targeting...

(Cyril chuckles)

Cyril: Wow, that was tough. See, because, uh, they're just a little bit of everything, aren't they? In the end..

White: Cyril.

Cyril: In the end, I targeted their immunological surveillance cells...

White: Cyril!

(White stands up and gets in Cyrils face.)

White: Action is character. Show me some. I showed you, didn't I?

Cyril: Yes.

White: I paid you half, up front. I gave you everything that you asked for. Now it's time for you to show me.

(White points to an unconscious X-5 in a restraint. We see a barcode on the back of his neck.)

White: This is your test subject.

Cyril: No problem. We could do it right now, if you'd like.

White: No. I want to do it in the field. I want to know for sure.

Cyril: Well, you're the boss.

(Cryil reaches into a case and pulls out a dispersal gun and a cartridge.)

Cyril: How does, uh...tomorrow sound?

(White nods.)

White: Now assuming that everything goes according to plan, how soon can you ramp up production on the pathogen?

Cyril: Well, I can manufacture enough to blanket the entire western seaboard by Friday. How you disperse it is, of course, up to you. (Shows White the cartridge.) You see, these are good for small areas, but they are very expensive and very hard to get a hold of.

White: We'll use helicopters.

Cyril: Well, that sounds like a plan. By the weekend, there won't be a transgenic left alive from here to San Diego.

White: Good. Maybe I'll play a round of golf on Sunday.

(Scene swithces to Logan's apartment. Logan is talking on his cell phone while adjusting a servomotor on his ankle with a wrench. Detective Sung is in his office.)

Logan: Matt? I think I may have a lead. Said in the police reports that both times, when the boy died and at the bus station, people said they thought they heard fireworks.

Detective Sung: Yeah, so? It's Chinatown.

(Logan bends his knees a couple times and puts on his jacket.)

Logan: No, listen. There's a type of bioagent dispersion cartridge. It's fired from a handheld launcher. Triggered by an altimeter.

Detective Sung: Okay.

Logan: According to my source, a buyer recently shelled out for three of 'em, twenty grand apiece. Took delivery last week.

Detective Sung: Tell me you got an address.

Logan: Have I ever let you down?

(Scene switches to Cryil's lab. Matt and Logan bursts in and find it empty.)

(Scene swithces to a sector checkpoint. White steps into a delivery truck. Cyril is inside, along with the unconscious X-5.)

Cyril: All right. Three steps are going to be involved.

White: Why am I not surprised?

Cyril: Step one: We take the test subject into the target area, where we release him.

(Cryil picks up a cartridge.)

Cyril: Step two: We use this to disperse the pathogen. There's enough here to kill any transgenic within a two-mile radius, which should be more than enough to cover, uh, Sector Four.

White: What if he escapes the kill zone?

Cyril: No. That..that will be impossible. Only takes a minute for the plume to hit ground level, and it takes another four minutes for it to dissipate. There's no way on earth he can make it out alive.

White: All right.

(Cyril attaches a tracking device to the X-5's ankle.)

Cyril: Step three: We track him and retrieve the body.

White: I have a correction to step three. You track him and retrieve the body. I'm staying away from here until this thing is done.

Cyril: Uh...

White: What if you messed up....got a couple of base pairs wrong? For all we know, we could end up with a sector full of dead people.

Cyril: You don't trust me?

White: Make a believer out of me, Cyril. You'll get the rest of your money.

(White steps out of the van.)

White: You have a nice day now.

(Scene cuts back to Cyril's office. Logan is hacking into Cyril's computer.)

Logan: Come on.

(The computer screen comes up with a map of Sector Four. An animation shows something going up into the air and then a plume covering the ground. After the plume has spread, the following information appears:

TARGET ZONE - APPROX. 2 miles
Detonation To Ground Contact: 1 minute
Hot Time: 4 minutes
Test Subject - BARCODE X5-692)

Logan: Matt.

(Matt walks over while Logan dials his cell phone.)

Detective Sung: What is it?

(Logan points at the screen and speaks into the phone.)

Logan: Max, it's me. We got a problem.

(Scene switches to the street. Cyril's truck is backing into an alley between some industrial buildings. Cyril releases X-5's restraint, wakes him up, and opens the truck's rear door.)

Cyril: You're free to go.

(The X-5 takes off running down the alley. Cyril smiles and loads the cartridge into the dispersal gun.)

Cyril: You can run, but you can't hide.

(Scene switches to outside the sector checkpoint. White is sitting in the backseat of a parked car with sunglasses on. Detective Sung and a patrol car pull up.)

White: What the hell are the cops doing here? Son of a bitch.

White (To the driver): Drive.

(White's car leaves.)

(Scene cuts to Logan stepping out of Matt's car. Matt steps out and speaks into a walkie-talkie.)

Detective Sung: Units three and four, move into position.

(Max pulls up on her Ninja and approaches Logan.)

Logan: They've got an X5 they're gonna test the pathogen on.

(They hear a voice come over the radio in Matt's car.)

Dispatch (on radio): Eyewitness said he busted out of a van on Mercer. Took off down 11th.

(Scene cuts to Cyril firing a cartridge into the sky. Max and Logan notice the midair burst.)

Max: I gotta get him out of there.

Logan: There's no time. In about a minute it'll hit ground level. Whole sector'll be toxic for another four minutes after that.

(Max sets a timer on her pager. It starts at 0 and counts up.)

Max: I'm going in.

Logan: Max..

(Max runs through the sector gate.)

Max: Jam Pony messenger. Coming through.

(Logan tries to follow.)

Logan: Max!

(A sector cop stops him.)

Sector Cop: Hold up. Sector passes only.

Logan: Max!

(Scene switches to Cyril closing the truck's rear door from the outside and walking away. Cryil is tracking the X-5 with a handheld computer.)

(Scene cuts to Max reaching 11th Street. She looks around and sees Cyril, standing on one side of the street and looking up. She follows his gaze and sees the X-5 quickly climbing a ladder attached to a building. Max starts up the ladder after him. Cyril sees her. Max reaches one roof of the building and sees the X-5 climbing up another part of the building.)

Max: Hey! No, wait!

(Max follows him up the ladder. He runs across the roof and jumps over the alley onto the roof of the next building. Max follows. The X-5 runs to the other side of the roof and jumps down onto the slanted roof of another part of the building. He half-runs, half-slides to the edge of the roof and stops. Max reaches the edge of the flat roof and looks down. She sees a large tank of water in the alley below, jumps onto the slanted roof, and pushes X-5 off. Max jumps in after him. They both fall into the tank and remain underwater. He tries to swim away from her, but she grabs him and shows him her barcode. She gives hand signals and he nods. She shows him her pager.)

(Scene switches to Matt opening the door of Cryil's truck and pointing his gun inside. It is empty. Logan points to the alley behind them and they walk down it.)

(Scene switches to the water tank. The X-5 starts to rise to the surface but Max pulls him back down and checks her pager. It says 4:58. A few seconds later, they surface. Cyril is standing on the edge of the tank, computer in hand and pointing a gun at them. Cyril tosses the computer away.)

Cyril: Lady, I have no idea who you are, but you just cost me five million dollars.

(Cyril is about to shoot Max but is suddenly shot himself and falls into the pool. Max looks up to see Logan and Matt Sung standing on a catwalk a short distance away. Matt has shot Cyril. Max smiles.)

(Scene switches to later that night at Sandeman's house. Joshua covers the sleeping X-5 with a blanket in front of a fireplace. Then he joins Max across the room.)

Max: Thanks for letting him stay the night. He's had a rough couple of days. Logan's gonna help me get him over the border tomorrow.

Joshua: Killing us all. That was the plan.

Max: Still is. We just got lucky this time.

(Max gets up to leave.)

Max: See you first thing in the morning.

Joshua: Hey.

(Max stops and turns around.)

Joshua: You lay low, little fella.

Max: You too, big fella.

(Scene switches to Logan's apartment. Logan and Max are a window watching the rain.)

Logan: Convinced Sung to let me hang onto everything we found at the guy's lab. Didn't want whoever hired him to get their hands on it again.

Max: He's a good guy, Sung.

Logan: Yeah, he is. And he's got a lot of questions. I'm not sure what I'm gonna tell him.

Max: As little as possible is usually a good idea.

Logan: I'll do my best.

(They laugh.)

Logan: Did I mention I was sorry for jumping to conclusions?

Max: Yeah.

(Silence.)

Max: Anything turn up on Sandeman's cane?

Logan: Nothing but traces of rodentia calcium. The rats tried to eat it.

Max: Another dead end.

Logan: Yup.

(Logan sighs.)

Logan: Listen, about the other night at Crash...

Max: Didn't know you were gonna be there.

Logan: Same with me.

Max: I...just...needed to get out.

Logan: I know the feeling.

Max: So...

Logan: Anyway...

(Max's pager beeps and Logan's cell phone rings. They both check to see who's calling.)

Max: Rafer.

Logan: Asha.

(They both ignore the interruption and sit there watching the rain.)