The script crudely converted to HTML for web viewing:
“A BLOG FROM HELL”
by
Norman Doering
Hamlet, satirically translated into a sci-fi screenplay
Mankind has created
thousands of gods, but they’ve all been nothing more than religious delusions.
However, in the year 2135, mankind will create it’s first
true god...
Welcome to the
transhuman age.
Norman Doering
WGA Registration Number: 974333
Copyright 2004
BLACK SCREEN:
Before titles and credits appear we see a black screen, then two words, in red letters, are typed; "I am" ...
We HOLD on those two words for less than a second.
Then the rest of the sentence is typed: “I am in Hell!” This is accompanied by a very distant and painful screaming voice that’s barely heard, the voice of RICHARD MACBEITH:
richard (v.o.)
I am in HELL!
The “I am in Hell!” sentence scrolls up and another “I am” is typed.
richard (v.o.)
I am...
The rest of the sentence is typed: "I am Richard Macbeith."
richard (v.o.)
I am... Richard Macbeith.
INT.
THE COMPUTER CHAMBER
Technicians dressed in simple color coded uniforms, all with an “Xtel” logo on the right breast pocket, sit at banks of futuristic computers and make semi-transparent, holographic data representations move and change with hand gestures.
One of the technicians, BARNARDO, a man in his late 20s, is reading the sentences on a plane of holographic text that floats in the air. More text is appearing.
Suddenly the plane of text turns blue and there is a warning on it: “Access violation code: 42-B76.”
BARNARDO
Director Marcellus! Director Marcellus!
MARCELLUS, a man in his 40s, sprints towards Barnardo's station. Barnardo turns to him and says:
BARNARDO
I've just had a forced disconnect.
Marcellus looks at the blue screen from over Barnardo’s shoulder.
MARCELLUS
Someone tried to hack into Heaven. Did you get a trace?
BARNARDO
No. It was a message, over the old phone lines. A Blog from a ghost that claims to be in hell.
MARCELLUS
There is no hell...
(beat)
...at least not yet.
BARNARDO
At least not legally.
MARCELLUS
I’ll conduct an investigation. Anything else you can tell me?
BARNARDO
I don’t believe it, but...
(beat)
It claimed to be Richard Macbeith.
MARCELLUS
What?! ... That's impossible!
TITLE
SEQUENCE:
EXT.
TITLE and CREDITS appear over the scene as music plays and the CAMERA TRACKS WITH a big black, limousine-style “flying car” as it makes its way through the bright, neon-lit futuristic city.
The car lands on the landing pad of the tallest sky-scraper in the city, the Xtel building.
The chauffer gets out and opens the door for ANANI MACBEITH, a big man with a basso-profundo voice dressed in a futuristic wedding tuxedo, followed by his new wife SAPPHIRA in a wedding gown. DAVID MACBEITH, the mourning son of the late Richard Macbeith, also in tuxedo, follows them out.
Taking guard positions on either side of David are his two female body guards, ROSIE KRANTZE and GILDA N. STERN. They’re tall, slim, athletic amazons with small breasts and shiny body-hugging black latex uniforms and holsters slung low on their hips.
A swarm of attendants, servants and security guards usher the family into the building, bowing and holding doors open for them. The last credits appear as the CAMERA TRACKS with the family walking down futuristic hallways to enter the "banquet room."
INT. BANQUET ROOM
The banquet room is large and spacious with a banquet table around which are gathered many well dressed guests. Among them are: ANGELICA POLONIUS, a voluptuous, and a bit chubby, young woman with the face of an angel, LAERTES POLONIUS, her brother, DOCTOR OSWALD POLONIUS, their father, who is dressed in the priestly garb of a futuristic religion.
Several seated people arise and bow at the entrance of the Macbeith family, for the Macbeiths are corporate monarchs. Attendants and servants meander among the wealthy guests offering drinks from their trays.
Anani steps up to the banquet table as people take their seats. Anani then addresses his assembled subjects:
Anani
Ladies and gentleman, please... May I have your attention?
Conversations quiet and people look towards Anani.
Anani
Before we begin this feast, I’d like to say a few words.
(beat)
The memory of my dear brother's untimely death is still fresh in our memories and Xtel Industries, his company, has mourned his passing. What makes his death so tragic... so ironically tragic, is that the man whose vision and perseverance created Heaven should not be uploaded into it. So, everyone, let's have a toast.
Anani raises up his glass and the rest of his guests follow suit.
Anani
To Richard Macbeith. To his vision. To his corporation.
(beat)
To the dream of Heaven.
THE WHOLE CROWD
To the dream of Heaven!
Waiting a moment after the toast, Anani adds:
Anani
But let us also put our sorrow into perspective, let us be wise and take account of the duties of the living.
As Anani speaks, David Macbeith and Angelica share an adoring and love hungry glance at each other.
Anani
It’s because of that duty that I’ve married my former sister-in-law, Sapphira. We’ve brought joy to the funeral, and wistfulness to the wedding, delight and displeasure shared the scales.
(beat)
She has also inherited Richard's stock holdings thus our combined holdings now give us controlling interest.
Anani glances at few old friends and speaks towards them:
Anani
We have not ignored your better wisdoms, my consiglieres, which have openly applauded our alliance.
(beat)
To you all, our thanks.
Anani pauses craftily, to look around and take measure of people's reaction to his speech. He glances at David, his son-in-law and nephew, and is met with a cold and contemptuous glare.
After a few moments he continues in a more business like manner:
Anani
Now, as most of you know, young Fortinbras, seems to think my brother's death has left our company vulnerable. He’s started to pester us with law suits demanding the patents lost by his father and legally won by my brother.
Anani removes some index cards from a pocket to read from notes as he continues:
Anani
I want you all to know that we’ve contracted with Fortinbras' uncle to put a stop this. These lawsuits could damage their company as easily as ours. It turns out, according to our intelligence reports -- the elder Fortinbras is powerless and bedridden, waiting to be uploaded.
(beat)
He scarcely knew a thing about his nephew's ploys. He’s promised to put a stop to it and we've decided to share some technology and patents that will soon allow us both to stop the personality dissolution that currently affects uploads.
There is a round of applause, except for Dr. Oswald Polonius who seems mildly horrified by the proposal.
OSWALD
But... What of the god-mind to come?
Anani
Don’t base your theology on obsolete technologies.
Several people laugh at Anani’s cold blooded reply. Oswald is more deeply horrified.
Anani
One last item of business... The board has already voted... We will be dispatching lobbyists to secure government contracts for the rights to create a Hell for our state penal institutions.
No one applauds this, but everyone is affected, some people are shocked, they talk in whispers among themselves, and Oswald Polonius is even more deeply horrified and shocked.
Anani
Okay, let’s eat.
Anani gestures toward some servants standing by the food carts. They jump into action and start dishing out a luxurious feast.
Rosie and Gilda taste David’s food in case it’s poisoned.
Anani
Now, Laertes, what's your news? You said something about a request.
Anani looks at Laertes, and Laertes gives back a look of fear though he tries to hide it.
Anani
What is it? You can ask anything. Do you think I won't grant your prayer before you ask it?
(beat)
You know that no one has been more useful to Xtel than your father. What do you wish, Laertes?
LAERTES
With your permission I’d like to return to
Anani isn’t happy with the request.
Anani
Do you have your father's approval?
(looks at
Dr. Polonius)
Oswald?
OSWALD
He has my approval. Please, give him leave to go.
Anani
Then seize the day, Laertes! Go back to
Laertes bows to Anani, Anani nods in approval and turns to David with a concerned look. Nothing is said for a moment as they continue to eat. Angelica watches them intently.
Anani
Now, David, my son; Why the dark clouds still hanging over you?
DAVID
No dark clouds, uncle, I'm too much in the sun.
Rosie grunts a laugh, but the wordplay on son eludes Anani. David glares at Anani hatefully and Anani shakes his head sadly.
Sapphira
David! Be nicer to your step-father.
David gives his mother a quick glance, he’s angry at her too, but there is also a hint of shame in his attitude.
They eat in silence for awhile and then Anani lashes out with an angry fatherly lecture:
Anani
Your attitude towards me is disrespectful. Life goes on, David. And you’re not the only son who’s lost a father. Richard and I lost our father too.
Dave barely pays attention. He’s learned to tune Anani out.
Sapphira
Listen to Anani, David. Can’t you see how hard he’s trying to be a father to you?
david
It’s a little too late for that. I’m twenty seven and I’ve had all the fathering I need.
Anani
You live in an apartment I provide for you. You eat because I give you two hundred thousand dollars a month in allowance. I hired Rosie and Gilda to protect you. That’s my money--
david (shouting)
Your money!? Ha! That was my father’s--
Anani (shouting)
Richard and I built this company together!
david (shouting)
You tagged along on a free ride.
Anani is ready to explode with a response to this, but...
Sapphira
Anani! Don’t fight. Not now...
Sapphira puts her hand on Anani’s arm and gestures to the listening crowd with her eyes.
Sapphira
Don’t make a scene... David has a point; you can’t be the father he lost. Just be there for him. You’ll have to earn his respect by being there when he needs you.
Sapphira’s words calm Anani down and he puts his hand over hers, looks at her, and then leans in to kiss her.
As David watches them kiss we see a subtle rage and disgust. David viciously mangles the lobster he’s been eating. Rosie looks at David with deep concern and puts her hand on his shoulder.
Soon people are finishing their meals and getting up from their tables. Some gather to watch musical group that is setting up. A dance floor is being cleared.
David eventually leaves the table himself and, followed by Gilda and Rosie, heads to a bar set up in a lonely corner of the banquet room. He ad-libs a drink order from the bar tender.
rosie
Cheer up, David. This is a party.
david
I wish I could cheer up.
gilda
Why don’t we go back to your place and Rosie and I will cheer you up?
David pushes away Gilda’s hand before it slides down his chest to his crotch.
david
I’m not in the mood.
gilda
You never are.
Gilda asserts herself more aggressively, rubbing her small breasts against Dave’s arm and stroking his chest again. David pushes her away again.
Meanwhile, back at the table:
INT. BANQUIT TABLE -- ANGELICA AND LAERTES
Laertes and Angelica are alone at the table, everyone else has moved towards the dance floor.
LAERTES
My luggage has to be packed and I probably won’t see you again for months.
Laertes smiles at her. He loves her. He’s worried about her. He sees Angelica staring longingly at David and he summons the courage to speak his mind:
LAERTES
Don’t be fooled by Dave’s interest in you. It's just flirtation.
Angelica
No more than that?
LAERTES
Consider the future that’s in store for him. His will isn’t his own. The future of Xtel will depend on his decisions. His choice of a wife must be taken after he has considered the opinions of corporate advisers.
(beat)
In a few years he’ll probably have to marry Elise Fortinbras when we merge. You could only be his mistress. If you fall for him, fear it, my dear sister, it can only end in heart break.
Angelica considers this, then glances at David.
Angelica
Perhaps, but if I take your advice and disregard him, I’ll live with regret and never knowing as well as a broken heart.
Laertes sighs and shakes his head.
LAERTES
I have to go. I want to be in
Angelica
I will.
Laertes leaves and Angelica sits alone watching David from afar.
INT. AT THE BAR, DAVID, ROSIE AND GILDA
The band is playing and they have to talk over the music. People dancing and having a good time. Gilda rocks her body to the music and barely listens.
rosie
Why are you so pissed-off at Anani and Sapphira? Whatever it is, it’s eating you up inside.
david
It hasn’t even been a month, and my mother has shacked up with my dad’s brother. Dumb animals mourn longer.
gilda
No they don’t. Animals don’t mourn.
rosie
So what? What do you want her to do? Mope around and be sad for a few more weeks? What would that accomplish?
david
Prolonged mourning wouldn’t be very thrifty, would it? The hot roast beef for the funeral feast became the cold cuts for the wedding.
David gulps down his drink and nods at Angelica. She nods back and he starts walking towards the door, with Rosie and Gilda following behind him.
Before David gets half way there, Angelica gets up and starts walking out the same doors. They are leaving together, but no one else would suspect it, except Rosie and Gilda who aren’t happy about it.
INT. WALKING THROUGH HALLWAYS AND “MALL”
Following David we go through empty hallways and down an escalator into an empty mall-like part of the building.
rosie
You expected your mother to feel differently?
David thinks for a moment.
david
I just expected her to feel more loss for the love her life. Some realization that she’s settled for a dim-witted, insensitive brute instead of that man of intelligence and refined taste that was my father.
rosie
A man more like... yourself?
david
In a way, yes.
rosie
Ahhh ha!
gilda
You need to get the fuck over yourself.
Gilda has finally gotten David’s attention:
gilda
All you men are pretty much interchangeable. A girl needs a big hard cock and hot bod. You don’t fuck intelligence and taste.
david
You sure won’t.
rosie
People in your mother’s position can’t afford the luxury of marrying for love.
david
You’re saying my mother’s a whore?
gilda
You say that like it’s a bad thing.
david
Did I?
gilda
My mother was a licensed
prostitute in
There is one shop open and with lights on in this mall; it’s called “Heaven.” David, Rosie and Gilda head for it.
INT. THE LITTLE SHOP CALLED “HEAVEN”
There is a huge wall-sized TV on inside the shop and we can hear the voice of an infomercial narrator getting louder as we approach:
narrator (V.O.)
The uploading process begins by perfusing the human brain with cryoprotectants and then freezing it in liquid nitrogen. The frozen brain is then sliced and scanned at the molecular level.
David enters and finds Angelica waiting for him. She’s standing in front of the wall-sized infomercial and David runs up to embrace her. Rosie and Gilda stand guard outside.
As they embrace the infomercial continues to play and teach us about uploading into Heaven:
narrator
(V.O.)
In this way a precise and highly detailed map of the human brain is produced. The position of every neuron, every synaptic connection, every neurotransmitter concentration, is recorded.
As David and Angelica kiss the camera zooms out a little to reveal the infomercial more fully.
narrator
(V.O.)
Using this map of your loved one’s brain we create software that perfectly simulates the personality of your lost loved one.
We see a computer graphic illustration of a human brain being converted to software on the wall.
narrator (V.O.)
Your simulated loved one has all the beliefs, memories and emotional responses you remember them having. This software is then uploaded into a virtual reality program we call “Heaven.”
David takes Angelica by the hand and leads her out of the frame leaving us watching the infomercial.
narrator
(V.O.)
But how do traditional religions feel about this process? One
opinion is that of Doctor Oswald Polonius, head of the
In the infomercial we cut to a shot of Doctor Polonius, Angelica’s father ten years younger with less grey in his hair, as he explains his religious ideas:
OSWALD (infomercial)
Science and religion have long been at odds with each other on the concept of
gods, souls, theories of resurrection and eternal life. But now, things are changing. The problem has been with theologians who have clung to supernaturalistic and dualistic theories of the human soul.
Oswald Polonius speaks passionately and gestures broadly:
OSWALD (infomercial)
They’ve ignored the theological implications of artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience. Many theologians don't even seem to realize there is a problem brewing right under their noses.
Rosie and Gilda sneak past the infomercial wall to spy on David and Angelica. We continue to hear Dr. Polonius:
OSWALD (V.O.)
If we have a supernatural soul, hadn’t we better get a reasonable grip on what we mean by that term?
Rosie and Gilda hide behind another TV screen playing the same infomercial.
OSWALD (V.O.)
Or does a soul contribute nothing that manifests itself behaviorally, including talking about souls?
From Gilda’s POV we watch David and Angelica enact a very tender and chaste love scene. We continue to hear Dr. Polonius drone on, but it’s nothing we need to know about. It’s just background noise, subtly and slowly muted as other elements of the scene become more important.
(The text of Oswald’s infomercial speech has been moved to the appendix to prevent reader headaches.)
Gilda uses a digital camera about the size of a credit card to record David and Angelica. We see them through the viewfinder on Gilda’s camera.
David starts using his hands more. Angelica pushes David’s hand away as it tries to slide up her dress along her thigh. Angelica stays dressed and nothing more than the PG rated happens. David slides his face from the kiss and down to her chest, pressing the side of his face against one of Angelica’s breasts.
INSERT: MARCELLUS AND BARNARDO
Marcellus and Barnardo are approaching the shop. Marcellus has a thin, flat laptop computer that he carries like a purse with a strap over his shoulder. We still hear Dr. Polonius, but even more muted and distant.
Gilda and Rosie see Marcellus and Barnardo. They move towards them. Rosie holds out her hand gesturing for Marcellus and Barnardo to stop.
Gilda puts a hand on her gun, ready to draw it. Then she puts a finger to her lips gesturing for quite just before Barnardo is about to say something.
INSERT: DAVID AND ANGELICA
Angelica pushes David away and signals him to stop, saying:
Angelica (overlap OSWALD)
Enough for now. I want to see my Mom.
Angelica gets up and David sits on the floor with his back to a wall and quietly watches her.
Angelica (overlap OSWALD)
Drop by my place later, okay?
david (overlap OSWALD)
Yea.
Angelica walks through a neon archway that mocks the pearly gates of heaven and goes to a row of futuristic VR kiosks. She slides a credit card through a card reader and the door slides open. She enters, sits in the chair and puts on the headset. After the door closes an “occupied” sign turns on.
INSERT: MARCELLUS AND BARNARDO
Marcellus and Barnardo have their hands up against the wall sized TV screen. Gilda and Rosie are patting them down looking for weapons.
David sees Gilda and Rosie patting down the two men. He rushes up to them.
david (overlap OSWALD)
Barnardo, is that you?
barnardo (overlap OSWALD)
David!?
Barnardo and Marcellus turn to see David and are shocked and pleasantly surprised.
barnardo (overlap OSWALD)
Are these babes yours?
david (overlap OSWALD)
Barnardo, Marcellus, let me introduce you to Gilda and Rosie.
(gesturing at Rosie)
This is Rosie Krantz.
Barnardo offers his hand, but Rosie just looks at him suspiciously and nods at him.
David gestures toward Gilda:
DAVID (overlap OSWALD)
And this is Gilda Stern.
(beat)
Anani hired them as my body guards.
Rosie looks at David and asks:
rosie (overlap OSWALD)
So you know these two? Do you know what they’re doing here?
David (overlap OSWALD)
Why are you here?
MARCELLUS (overlap OSWALD)
We need to check out the VR booths.
barnardo (overlap OSWALD)
Someone tried to hack into Heaven.
Marcellus jabs Barnardo in the ribs with his elbow. Barnardo gives Marcellus an angry look.
barnardo (to marcellus)
David might be able to verify the identity... of the, ah, hacker.
MARCELLUS (overlap OSWALD)
We don’t want to bother you, Mister Macbeith, sir. I’m sure you’re busy.
David looks at Barnardo and Barnardo tries to communicate something with his eyes, looking at David then looking at Rosie and Gilda. David is confused, but he has an idea.
david (overlap OSWALD)
Are you going up into Heaven?
MARCELLUS (overlap OSWALD)
Yes, sir... Would you like to join us?
David follows them to the kiosks.
rosie (overlap OSWALD)
Open five booths. We’re going too.
Marcellus uses a security card and opens 5 VR kiosks. They all put on their VR headsets and sit in their chairs. David is the last to close his door. He finds himself looking at a monitor with Dr. Polonius still blabbering on. But now we give Oswald back his focus and listen:
OSWALD (infomercial)
Our loved ones will become part of a vast computational intelligence that will recreate the universe, as our universe was created, with life friendly anthropic constants.
David listens as he puts on his VR headset:
OSWALD (infomercial)
Science, founded on materialism and naturalism, has worked too well. It has explained too many mysteries to deny its fundamental assumptions as metaphysical truths. Matter is the only miracle. There are no others. There are no souls, there is no supernatural.
David addresses Oswald:
david (overlap OSWALD)
There may yet be more things in Heaven and on earth than are dreamt of your philosophy, Doctor Polonius.
With that David presses the button that closes the door to his kiosk. He closes his eyes, and waits. As the door closes Dr. Polonius is silenced in mid-sentence:
OSWALD (V.O.)
We are information. We are nothing but—
FADE TO:
EXT.
HEAVEN, AS A
David finds himself sitting at a picnic table in a surrealistically beautiful park. One cloud in the sky has a castle on it, distant radiant angles fly around, there’s a rainbow that seems to touch ground only a few yards over a hill.
Around the table with David are seated Rosie, Gilda, Barnardo, Marcellus and YORICK JASTOR, an older man in a flowing white robe who sits completely still in front of a chess board, smiles broadly, and stares off at nothing.
Everyone but Yorick and Marcellus is looking around and orienting themselves. Marcellus is typing away furiously on his laptop computer. Gilda looks around the park, at the bright flowers and fluffy bunnies, and says:
gilda
Who scripted this boring shit hole?
David finally notices Yorick.
david
Yorick! Long time no see.
yorick
Whose fault is that? Not mine.
david
I’m sorry. Did you want me to visit? Maybe play some chess?
yorick
I don’t really care if you do or don’t. I don’t really care about much of anything, I’m just a ghost.
David looks at the blissful uncaring ghost a moment and then turns to Barnardo and says:
david
Alas, poor Yorick.
barnardo
You knew Yorick?
david
Yes, I knew him well. He carried me on his back a thousand times when I was a child. He was a good friend of my father. I used to visit him here after he died, but then he started changing. And now...
David looks at Yorick again and shivers.
david
Where are your gibes, your tricks, your songs and your repartee now, Yorick?
yorick
I don’t know, maybe Pittsburg?
barnardo
Did he try to make a joke?
yorick
Try!?
Marcellus remains oblivious to all this and continues typing away intently on his laptop computer.
david
Are you still in there, Yorick?
yorick
I still remember... I remember all the jokes, everything, and more... but I no longer understand what made them funny. I’ve existed without pain and desire for so long I can barely understand what it means to be a flesh and blood human being... It all seems so distant.
david
Are you living in a dream now?
yorick
In a wondrous dream... A dream your tiny flesh-brain could never comprehend.
(beat)
And how are things for you?
david
Okay, I guess.
yorick
Bullshit! ... Don’t you want to tell me about Angelica? She’s in here now, talking to her mother... Do you know how important you are to her?
david
Yes, I think so.
yorick
No, you don’t know. I mean life and death important, David.
David is about to respond, but suddenly Yorick’s face changes and becomes that of an old woman he doesn’t know. The woman is SHIRELY KRANTZ.
She quickly turns to face Rosie:
SHIRELY
Rosie!
rosie
Mom!?
SHIRELY
I know what you’ve been up to young lady. You need to seriously reconsider what you’ve been doing with your life.
Before David can grasp what has happened Marcellus slams his finger down on the return key and suddenly the whole world and everybody at the picnic table seem to zoom away from us. Yet David is still with us, sitting at the table watching himself at the other table. He looks around and sees Marcellus and Barnardo at his table, but no one else. Meanwhile he still sees a copy of himself and another Barnardo and Marcellus at the table with Rosie, Gilda and Rosie’s mother. He sees Rosie arguing with her disappointed and grief stricken mother but hears nothing of it.
Then the scene fades to white.
INT. WHITE ROOM
David looks around to see nothing but white. He sits at a white picnic table on an infinite white plane with Barnardo and Marcellus.
david
What happened?
MARCELLUS
I phased Rosie and Gilda onto another channel. I assume they’d report what they might hear to Anani.
david
They would. So, have we secrets to conceal from Anani?
MARCELLUS
Perhaps. It’s up to you, sir.
barnardo
There really was a hacker trying to break into Heaven. We aren’t sure if he is who claims to be however.
(beat)
He claimed to be Richard Macbeith.
david
My father?!
MARCELLUS
I traced the hacker’s origin back to Istanbul. I can open that line back up any time and hack into their system... if you desire it, sir. Then you may talk to this entity that claims to be your father and perhaps confirm the claim.
david
You mean ask him questions that only my father and I would know the answer to?
MARCELLUS
Yes, sir.
david
Then let’s do it.
MARCELLUS
Very well, sir.
Marcellus types a couple words and hits the return key.
Suddenly David is falling fast down a black tube.
INT. HELL CAVE
David finds himself in a surrealistic, dreamlike hell cave. There are rocks with subliminal forms of skulls and screaming faces, there are chains and billowing and belching fire pits. Planes of computer code are double exposed on the scene. David’s father is suspended in a contorted position by chains with meat hooks that pierce his flesh.
david
Father?
richard
David? Is that you?
David turns away from the horrible sight and breathes heavily trying to compose himself.
david
Yes. What happened? Where are you? Are you alive somewhere?
richard
Would I be here if I were alive?
(beat)
My old body is dead. I'm an upload now.
david
I'm so sorry.
David turns back around to look at his father, but the whole scene is different now. It’s his father sitting behind his old desk.
richard
Don't give me your pity, boy, only your unwavering attention to what I must tell you. You will be bound to avenge what I am about to reveal.
david
What?
richard
You must revenge my murder.
david
Murder!?
richard
That shocks you, eh? Good. You would be as pathetic as an upload in my Heaven if that didn't arouse you.
David looks ill. This news is a nightmare he can barely face up to.
richard
Now, listen. The account of my death was forged. My brother–
david
Uncle Anani?
richard
Yes, that incestuous and adulterous beast! He's a smooth talking and traitorous scum bag.
David didn’t like his uncle, but the idea he’s a murderer is a surprise.
richard
He seduced my wife. Their affair was going on for years behind my back.
david
Anani... murdered you?
richard
Yes! Your uncle... my brother... your step-father.
(beat)
My yacht wasn't lost at sea. Anani hired mercenaries to attack it. He killed my crew, sank my boat and then sliced my head off. He probably dropped it into a tank of nitrogen and then had it taken to some off-shore lab... I don't know where yet.
david
Istanbul.
richard
Istanbul?
(beat)
That means Fortinbras is involved. He has a lab for covert experiments there and he’s been lobbying for the rights to script Hells for convicts.
david
The bastard! I'll make him pay. Don't worry, father, I'll get you out of there and back in Heaven where you belong.
richard
You won't have time.
David had turned away for a second and now looking back he sees his father contorted and suspended by the chains again.
richard
They're experimenting on me, trying to break me... trying to take me apart piece by piece... even now.
Suddenly another chain whips out of a hole in a rock wall and digs its meat hook into Richard’s flesh.
richard
There won't be much left of me.
david
That's horrible!
richard
You have no idea. No flesh-brain nightmare can compare. It's like the cleansing flames of purgatory. It's a beast that wants to feed on all of us... a beast that calls itself love.
david
I don’t understand.
richard
I could tell you a tale whose lightest word would harrow your soul, freeze your young blood, and you still wouldn't understand. You couldn't. It's not for the ears of flesh.
david
You poor ghost.
richard
Adieu, David. My time is almost up...
david
No! I need confirmation.
richard
Remember me.
david
Wait! When I was fourteen, you gave me two books for my birthday. Tell me what they were and I’ll know it’s you.
richard
The Com—
With horrid speed, Richard is torn to square chunked pieces by the chains that retract back into the rocks with blurring speed.
Richard is gone. David stands there a moment. Then suddenly he’s pulled up through a tunnel of multicolored lights.
INT. THE LITTLE SHOP CALLED “HEAVEN”
Dave emerges from his virtual reality experience and looks around. He’s inside his VR kiosk, the door is open and Barnardo and Marcellus are standing over him.
barnardo
Well? What did he tell you?
MARCELLUS
Did you confirm his identity?
David just shakes his head, “no.”
barnardo
Tell us what happened.
david
No, you will reveal it. It's too dangerous. I'm not even sure it was real.
barnardo
I swear, I’ll not reveal anything.
david
You'll keep it a secret? You swear?
barnardo
Yes! Tell us.
david
What do you know about my step-father?
barnardo
Anani? He's a rogue to the core.
MARCELLUS
We don't need a ghost to tell us that.
david
He murdered my father.
Barnardo and Marcellus are shocked.
MARCELLUS
Are you sure? Or is that just what the hacker told you? You said the ghost did not confirm its identity.
barnardo
Perhaps it’s a trick. Fortinbras may be trying to set us up.
david
Maybe...? Is there another way to find out for sure?
MARCELLUS
Can you give me any information that might I might use to get at the truth.
david
Okay, find out if Fortinbras has an underground lab in Istanbul... Also, check out who Anani has hired to do our lobbying in Washington, find out if they’ve ever had any connection to Fortinbras.
MARCELLUS
Have you considered the possibility that Anani might be Red Cobra?
david
It has crossed my mind.
barnardo
Who--what is Red Cobra?
david
A Fortinbras spy, supposedly. Someone has leaked Xtel technical information to Fortinbras. Their Paradise tech is too similar to our Heaven Tech.
MARCELLUS
Remember the patent law suits? Our investigators had found a Fortinbras memo naming Red Cobra as the source of the information, but we never found out who Red Cobra was.
INT. ANGELICA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Angelica is lying back on her couch reading “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath. Then she hears someone at her door.
She goes to open it and David is standing there, his shirt unbuttoned. He's drunk and he looks like he's seen a ghost. His complexion is white, his hands shake, there's a tremble to his voice. He looks as if he had seen hell and is hear to speak of its horrors. He takes Angelica by the wrist and holds her tightly. He puts his other hand across his brow and stares at Angelica for a long time. Then he sighs piteously and deeply and starts to cry.
Angelica
What's wrong, David?
david
My father... I, ah, I can’t tell you... Not yet.
Angelica
David?
David hugs her tightly and drops to his knees.
david
I don't want to live any more. I want to go to Heaven and let the god-mind to come make sense of the mess my life has become, because I can’t.
Angelica
No, no. That’s not you David.
Angelica's love for him overwhelms her and she hugs his head to her breast.
david
I know. I’m the one who’s usually telling you to hang on and live.
Holding Angelica, David takes on a new calm.
Angelica
And I’m glad you do.
(beat)
Don’t go yet, Dave. I want you around.
I don’t want to watch you dissolve into that collective mind... not yet.
They take a seat on her couch, still holding each other.
david
Dissolve into the collective mind? Is that how your father describes it now?
Angelica
Sort of, he says the individual wills and desires and intensions of uploads fade away because such earthly desires are no longer necessary.
david
Because their lives can never be anything more than a dream. What’s left to want or desire when you can experience anything in that virtual dream world?
(beat)
Everything but reality is theirs for the asking.
Angelica
No. They have us to talk to. My Mom still cares about me, worries about me and advises me. I am one of her connections to this world.
david
If she’s still your mom.
Angelica
Now you’re questioning the core doctrines of our faith....
Angelica draws back and away from David.
Angelica
If you remember thinking something in the past, then you are the same person as he who did the thinking.
david
Is that all I am, imperfect memories in a neural net code? Is that all there is to being human? What if there is more to us than we can capture in an uploading scan? Something more than memory and thought patterns that can be tested by a third party.
Angelica
You’re talking about outdated notions of the soul.
david
Not just that.
Angelica
Then what?
david
Can we remain who we are if we live in a dream world? It’s not the kind of world the human brain evolved to deal with. We were meant to struggle in a real world with real problems... maybe we’d do better in hell than in heaven? Maybe we need our pain and a fight to fight to stay human.
Angelica
You don’t want to be happy? I know my mother is happy.
david
No, you don’t know that. You know that something you call your mother looks and acts happy.
Angelica
She has my mother’s memories.
(beat)
Dad writes books answering all those questions. Why are you troubling yourself with them now?
david
I wish I could tell you... but not yet, not until I know for sure.
Angelica
I wish you could too. Does this have anything to do with Anani’s ideas about hell scripts for the prisons?
david
It might. I bet your dad hated that idea. He thinks ideas about punishment in hell corrupt religion.
Angelica
Ideas about eternal punishment, not punishment.
david
Right. I forgot.
Angelica
An eternal punishment contradicts the purpose of punishment. It’s supposed to be corrective, not vengeful.
david
So Oswald is okay with it?
Angelica
He’s writing some of the hell scripts.
This hits David like a revelation.
david
He is!? What do you know about them?
Angelica
Not much. He says he’s more concerned with corrective and analytical scripts. He wants to use them to find out if people are guilty and whether their behavior can be corrected.
david
Correct the behavior of dead people? They’re uploads.
Angelica
No, no. It’s analytical because we can use the information to predict and correct the behaviors of others not yet uploaded.
david
He wants to take uploads apart psychologically?
Angelica
Just convicted murderers and such. Executing people and then sending them to Heaven or Paradise sort of defeats some of the deterrent aspects of capital punishment.
(beat)
Maybe we should just get rid of capital punishment?
david
Anani might have other motives. About a year ago he was telling the Board that intelligent educated minds are a valuable economic resource. The growth rate of our economy is limited by the time and expense of educating us. Uploads are an under-exploited resource, highly educated minds we couldn’t control.
angelica
That’s white collar slavery. My father would never go along with it. Besides, Xtel is exploiting uploads already. Don’t uploads design the computers they run on and write a lot of code?
david
Yes, they do, all of it public domain. Anyone can use it.
angelica
What are you saying? Anani intends to use hell scripts to control uploads for financial gain?
david
I’m just speculating. Anani is cutting prices and marketing Heaven too aggressively. He’s spending more than we’re taking in. That’s no way to run a business.
angelica
He’s doing it because he wants to drive Fortinbras out of business?
david
Fortinbras may not be the one he drives out of business.
angelica
You still think Anani is Red Cobra?
David just shrugs his shoulders.
angelica
You’re scaring me, David. You come here telling me you’re thinking about suicide and now you’re looking for conspiracies.
david
I’m sorry. I’ve said too much already.
INSERT: We see this same scene but now we see it on a video monitor from an odd angle where a spy camera is hidden in Angelica’s apartment. We track out to reveal that Anani and Oswald are watching David and Angelica.
angelica (ON VIDEO MONITOR)
David, David. You’re being paranoid.
(beat)
What are you afraid of? Do you think Anani is watching every move you make?
david (ON VIDEO MONITOR)
I wouldn’t put it past him.
Back to normal P.O.V. on David and Angelica.
angelica
You know what would be the best way to exploit uploads? – Give them rights. The right to own property, especially intellectual property... patents and copyrights.
david
Good Heavens! No. We’d wind up being kept as pets – if we’re lucky.
angelica
Why?
david
If you give them ownership rights they’ll wind up owning everything. We can’t compete with them.
angelica
If they’re so smart, then why should we even try?
david
Because..., because of what we are. If we don’t try, if we don’t struggle with a real world and compete among ourselves then our lives will lose meaning. We’ll lose our basic human dignity if were kept in a world where we own nothing and where some hyper-intelligent entity doles out everything it thinks we need.
angelica
But our lives are already like that, aren’t they? Neither of us will ever have to work for a living.
david
But they don’t have to be... we can still do things that matter.
angelica
Do what?
david
I don’t know... yet. Just figure what I can and should do for now.
angelica
What if it’s already too late? What if we’re already pets and don’t know it?
david
I don’t believe that. I can’t believe that.
(beat)
If that’s true, then let me fade away too. Let me become a hypnotized ghost who smiles forever and stops caring about anything. I will sleep forever. Then my memories will be painless... And meaningless.
Angelica
Are you ready to make that kind of choice?
david
Why should I suffer the shit life slings at me? Why bother to take arms against a sea of troubles when I could end all the heartaches with a handful of pills?
Angelica
To die, to sleep. You're just tired and weary... and apparently drunk.
Angelica lies back on her couch, taking David down with her, his head still pressed to her bosom.
Angelica
Why not just sleep here, lying against my pillows. You may feel differently when you wake.
Angelica presses David tighter to her breast on the word pillows and stokes his hair.
david
To sleep, perhaps dream... I'm afraid of the dreams I might have tonight.
While Dave and Angelica talk the camera slowly turns to reveal a tiny hidden camera on Angelica's ceiling.
We switch to a new camera, one with a slightly degraded image and more muted color that shows David and Angelica seen through the lens of the camera hidden in Angelica’s ceiling. By tracking away from this image we reveal that it is being watched in Anani’s office:
INT. ANANI'S OFFICE
As the camera tracks away to reveal we’re watching David and Angelica in Anani’s office the volume on their conversation fades to silence.
david (On Video)
Why do we put up with it? We don't have to.
Angelica (On video)
Not any more. Ours is a new age, with a new religion.
Anani, Sapphira, Oswald Polonius, Rosie and Gilda are watching Dave and Angelica on a flat TV screen. They see the two lovers from the POV of the tiny hidden camera. Anani has a golf club and he occasionally putts golf balls into a cup.
Anani
Such intolerable brooding and melancholy -- your daughter in no good for my son.
oswald
Your son is no good for my daughter! They're talking about suicide.
Anani
Your religion encourages suicide. You wouldn’t believe what we have to pay in bribes and for lobbyists trying to keep Heaven legal.
oswald
We can’t allow him to have a relationship with my daughter.
Anani
Do you think I want this? This is why I hired Gilda and Rosie.
Anani gives Gilda and Rosie a stern, angry glare. Gilda and Rosie back away a half step out of fear.
Anani
Rosie, has David been like that all week?
rosie
Not like that.
(gestures at TV)
But, he's been telling me he feels empty, unable to find any satisfaction in life.
Sapphira
Did you try to involve him in any hobbies?
Rosie's face lights up at this question.
rosie
Yes. Movies... he's always dragging us off to see old films. I encourage it.
Sapphira
Good. What kind of movies?
rosie
Last Friday we saw Ingmar Berman's “The Seventh Seal,” and David Lynch's “Eraserhead.”
Sapphira
They sound terribly old.
rosie
Probably hundreds of years old. No 3D holography or even color.
Sapphira
Encourage him more.
rosie
I have an idea, Miss Macbeith. He not only talks to me about movies... He once said he wanted to make a movie...
Sapphira
I'm glad he is showing an interest in something. But you should encourage him in other pursuits also.
Anani looks at Rosie and Gilda and gives them a wink.
Anani
Yes, do try and encourage those other pursuits.
gilda
We will.
Anani
I think I'll buy David his own production company, do we own any motion picture studios?
Sapphira
Miramax – I think we own Miramax.
Anani
He might run it better than the jerks we've got running it now. He needs to see what kind of advantage there is in having me as his father.
(beat)
So, how does he treat you?
rosie
With the manners of a gentleman.
gilda
He does?
Rosie jabs Gilda in the ribs.
Anani
Why does he hate me so much?
gilda
I don't think he's too found of Sapphira right now either.
Sapphira
What?! No. Me? Does he insult me behind my back?
gilda
Not as much as Anani.
Rosie looks at Anani a moment and then suggests:
rosie
Maybe he hates you because he's got some Oedipal thingy going on in his head.
Anani
Eat a what? Eat a pole? What are you saying? My nephew is gay?
Sapphira
It’s an obsolete psychological theory.
rosie
Oedipal, it's Freudian. You know the subconscious mind.
Anani
No, I don't know.
rosie
Okay, according to Freud, ah... young boys want to sleep with their mothers so they carry a secret hatred of their fathers repressed in their subconscious. They may even want to kill their fathers to have their mothers to themselves...
Anani reacts to the implications of killing Richard to get Sapphira and his eyes bulge open for a moment and he develops a nervous tick.
Anani
Is that just sons or do other family members have murderous subconscious desires?
rosie
Daughters have an Electra complex... but, back to Dave... He's had this hero worship thing with Richard and so maybe when you shacked up with Sapphira...
(beat)
...it unleashed this repressed Oedipal complex. He couldn't hate Richard consciously, but he can hate you.
gilda
Dave... wanting to fuck Sapphira? That's crazy.
rosie
Exactly!
Sapphira
My son is crazy?
rosie
He’s neurotic.
(beat)
It's the subconscious. We're all a little crazy deep down in those dark and secret places in our minds.
gilda
Come on. Dave's been shacking up with Angelica. That girl has got a set of jugs on her...
Gilda makes a cupping gesture in front of her chest.
gilda (continued)
And you've seen how he lays his head on her tits and smiles that idiotic grin.
rosie
So? What's that got to do with it?
gilda
Everything. Sapphira is a flat chested old ba---
Gilda stops herself when she sees Sapphira giving her an intense evil eye glare.
gilda
I mean, ah, look at my rack. These aren't bad, but Dave hasn't shown any interest in me.
Anani
So, you think my boy, Dave, has a breast fetish?
Anani examines the video camera Gilda used in the shop and plays back the part where David lays his head up against Angelica’s D-cup.
gilda
Think about it, he's got the hots for Angelica and what else does that girl got that I don't?
Anani
So, you're telling me that neither of you have fucked him yet?
Rosie answers timidly and fearfully:
rosie
No... We haven't.
Anani flips open his cell phone and says:
Anani
Dial Doctor Jerry Johnson.
The phone dials the number and starts to ring the doctor.
Anani
Don't worry girls -- I'll get you set up.
rosie
Whoa, wait a minute here. Set up with what?
Anani
Bigger boobs.
gilda
Cool. I'd like to be a C-cup.
Anani
Angelica's got to be a D-cup and you'll take what I choose to give you.
A groggy Doctor Johnson answers the video cell phone:
jerry (PHONE v.O.)
Do you know what time it –
(suddenly realizes
who he’s talking to)
Mister Macbeith! What can I do for you?
gilda (Overlap Jerry)
Okay, ... D is fine.
Anani (into phone)
Get down to your clinic now. I've got an emergency. Prep yourself for two patients.
rosie
Wait, wait... I didn't sign on for this.
Anani
Do you want to quit?
The question scares Rosie. Quitting means she might be killed.
rosie
No. -- Damn it!
Rosie glares at Gilda thinking “you stupid slut, what have you gotten me into.”
EXT. SKI SLOPE, MID-DAY, DREAM SEQUENCE
We are at some ski resort, scanning the scene from a skier’s POV. There is a ski lift off in the distance, skiers sloshing down the slopes and as we keep panning over the scene we turn to see Sapphira Macbeith looking at us with a big smile on her face.
sapphira
Okay, David, just follow me and do it just like I showed you.
With that, Sapphira slides her goggles over her eyes with a gloved hand and pushes off down the slope.
Our POV camera soon follows after her, traveling fast down the slope.
But soon we’re traveling too fast and the ride is getting shaky. Suddenly up ahead we see a small bolder in our way.
We crash into the bolder. Everything tumbles round and spins. We see a ski pole flying through the air with drops of blood flying beside it.
Things fade to pure white for a moment, then Sapphira’s face fades in, she’s crying and horrified at whatever has just happened. She’s looking down at us and saying something, but we don’t hear her voice, we hear Angelica’s voice instead:
angelica (V.O.)
Wake up, David. Wake up.
We’re being violently shaken.
Suddenly the scene changes.
INT. ANGELICA’S APARTMENT – MORNING
Angelica
David! Wake up. We have visitors.
We see Angelica where once we saw Sapphira.
David is in the same position he was last night, except Angelica is no longer beneath him. Instead he’s hugging a bunch of wadded up throw pillows and Angelica is shaking him awake.
David starts getting up slowly and groggily. Then he sees Gilda and Rosie standing in the doorway and bolts upright.
Their breasts are HUGE, literally the size of basketballs and revealing ample cleavage.
david
Oh, my God!
Gilda sees David on the couch and starts to take a step forward...
gilda
David.
However, Gilda isn’t use to being as top heavy as she now is and falls face forward.
Rosie carefully stoops down, keeping her back straight, to help Gilda up and explains:
rosie
She’s not use to the implants yet. They make us a bit top heavy.
Gilda’s is up but her back is bent forward at a 90 degree angle, her trunk parallel to the ground, Rosie helps pull her up to a standing position because Gilda can’t do it on her own.
rosie
Can we sit down? My back is killing me.
Angelica
Of course.
Angelica starts tapping David’s legs, coaxing him to give Rosie and Gilda room to sit on the couch.
David can’t take his eyes off Rosie. His jaw hangs open.
rosie
Hi, David.
Angelica reaches over and pushes David’s chin up.
Angelica
Scoot over, honey. Our guests need to sit down. Their backs are hurting.
Rosie and Gilda breathe a deep sigh of relief as they slouch down onto the couch.
Gilda slides in close to David and this scares David slightly, so he gets up and sits on the arm of the chair Angelica has just sat down in. David then puts his arm around Angelica’s shoulder – but he barely takes his eyes off Gilda and Rosie as he does so.
david
What are you doing here?
Rosie pulls some papers out of a small briefcase she has with her and says:
rosie
Your step-father wants to give you a present.
(beat)
You’re now the owner of a movie studio.
Rosie slides the papers across the coffee table towards David.
david
You’ve got to be kidding me?
rosie
I told Anani that you once said you’d like to make a movie.
(beat)
So, he bought you a movie studio.
David starts looking through the papers. His face is beaming with a malicious delight as ideas hit him.
Angelica
I can’t believe you want to be so big, especially when it’s causing you back problems.
gilda
The back problems are only temporary. Doctor Johnson gave us some muscle stem cell injections but they take awhile to strengthen up our backs.
David peaks over the papers and asks:
david
Anani made you get those things, didn’t he?
Rosie gives David a hurt and angry look.
rosie
No, he didn’t. We wanted to experiment with a new look... Don’t you like them?
david
I think you went a bit too big.
rosie
Maybe... a bit.
david
Definitely. Now, Angel here has a great rack. They look a lot more natural.
(beat)
Those things you’ve got, they just make you look... desperate and slutty. They look so artificial on your thin frames.
gilda
Really...?
Rosie looks over at Gilda and says:
rosie
I told you we were going too big.
gilda
Yea... We can go back, take ‘em down a few cups.
David gets up and starts walking towards the bathroom.
david
Excuse me for a bit.
Once in the bathroom David closes the door and flips open his cell phone.
david
Dial Anani Macbeith.
Dave paces around a bit as the phone rings Anani.
david
Hey there, Anani. Thanks for the gifts.
David listens for a moment.
david
Not just Miramax, those other four gifts... about the size of basketballs.
(listening)
Yea. I think they’re great.
David listens for a bit.
david
No, I think they could be bigger.
David listens some more.
david
No, even bigger.
(beat)
And those muscle stem cells. Can you inject some into their gluts.
(listens)
Gluts... their ass muscles.
David listens for awhile.
david
Really?
(listens)
Why not die their lips a nice deep red?
(listens)
Yea, and tattoo on some eye make-up.
(listens)
Yea, they’re too lazy to put make-up on most of the time. This way they’ll never have to think about it.
David listens for a longer moment.
david
They can really do that now?
(listens)
So, if I suck on her nipple I’d be drinking a banana daiquiri? It won’t be at her body temperature?
David listens for awhile, then:
david
Champaign... Great. Not too much booze. Put some coffee with cream and sugar in Rosie’s left tit.
David listens for a bit again.
david
Oh, I like that idea. Do it.
(beat)
And thanks again, ... DAD.
David presses the hang-up button on his phone and takes a few seconds to laugh at his own cruel joke. He listens at the door again.
Then he calls Barnardo:
David
Dial Barnardo.
The phone rings up Barnardo.
david
Yea, Barnardo. I just got an idea that might solve our little, ah, confirmation problem.
MEANWHILE: Back in Angelica’s living room:
Gilda is describing her breast augmentation to Angelica in graphic detail:
gilda
...it was just this tiny incision inside my belly button. Then he took this long, silver, snake-like thing and shoved it up under my skin. It was weird.
Angelica leans forward, her elbow on her knee and fist propping up her chin as she feigns interest in Gilda’s tale.
gilda
I could see it sliding up under my nipple. Then my boob starts inflating, it tingled and felt all warm and stretchy, and then it burned like hell. Then it started to feel numb.
Gilda gives her tit a powerful slap.
gilda
Still feels kinda numb.
(another slap)
Yea, they’re still pretty numb.
David returns from the bathroom.
david
Anyone want to go check out this movie studio with me?
rosie
If you think you need body guards with you? That’s what we’re here for.
david
What? Doesn’t Anani want you to keep your eye on me?
Rosie gives David an angry look that hints at the shame she feels.
rosie
You’re being paranoid. He hired us to watch out for you, not watch you.
david
Well, in that case, why don’t you get yourself another appointment with Doctor Johnson? I won’t be needing you.
rosie
We’ll think about it.
david
Hey, don’t do anything on my account. They’re your bodies and no one has the right to tell you what to do with them. You do what you feel comfortable with.
rosie
Don’t worry -- we won’t do anything on your account.
With that, Rosie and Gilda start struggling up off the couch, grunting and groaning and helping each other.
David sits down by Angelica again and smiles maliciously as he watches Rosie and Gilda make their way out the door, leaning back as they walk and clutching their aching backs as they go.
INT. MOVIE STUDIO SOUND STAGE
David is playing holographic online chess with Yorik.
david
I remember when my Dad wanted to put uploads into immortal robot bodies. Whatever happened to that dream? Heaven was just suppose to be a temporary storage for uploads.
yorik
Heaven is better, really. I wouldn’t want that robot body now. The idea appeals to you only because you don’t want to change. You want the life you’ve always known to last forever.
david
So would most people.
(beat)
We want to live in the real world and have legal rights to own things. You have no rights to ownership. You’re legally dead and we own the virtual dream world you live in.
yorik
And yet I’m here, playing chess with you in the real world.
david
Something called “Yorik” is playing chess with me. But you’re not the Yorik I once knew.
(beat)
Something happens to you uploads...
yorik
And that disturbs you?
(beat)
If you were in charge of Xtel, you’d run things differently?
david
Absolutely. And it’s not a question of “if,” it’s a question of when. I guess we’ll see how much you like change then.
Yorik makes the last move in their chess game.
yorik
Checkmate.
David gives him an angry stare and then flips a switch that turns off Yorik’s holographic presence. Yorik and the chess game vanish in an instant.
Marcellus and Barnardo enter the studio and walk towards David who is sitting among the props and equipment that will be used in his movie.
marcellus
Flat, 2D movies, they’re an obsolete art form. Today’s money is in virtual reality and interactivity.
barnardo
Did photography make painting obsolete? Did film make theater obsolete?
marcellus
Of course. As for as the big money was concerned.
They are now within ear shot of David.
david
It’s not about money, Marcellus. It’s about exposing Anani’s crimes.
marcellus
Why would making a movie will confirm the claims of our ghost?
david
Orson Welles, Citizen Kane, William Randolph Hearst.
marcellus
I don’t know who those three men are.
barnardo
I do. It’s that ancient grey film.
Over a hundred years ago, Orson Welles made this film, Citizen Kane –
david
And Kane was a fictional creation modeled after a real person; William Randolph Hearst. Welles used details from Hearst’s life. Hearst was so upset by the portrayal of his intimate secrets that he had to react... spent the last of his fortune trying to stop the film.
david
Imagine Hearst seeing that film for the first time.
barnardo
We’ll do to Anani what Welles did to Hearst?
David throws a copy of a screenplay, titled “The Mousetrap,” on a table near Marcellus.
david
Yes. The screenplay is the thing that will reveal the conscience of our Kane.
The camera slowly zooms in on the screenplay as we...
FADE TO:
INT. THE FAUSTUS KANE CASTLE – BLACK AND WHITE MOVIE
It’s not clear at first where we are because the scene begins with a close-up on a woman’s face and it’s in black and white. It’s Gilda, with dark lipstick, longer eyelashes and a bit too much mascara. She’s filmed in the soft-focus used to make women look more beautiful.
gilda (as rosebud)
A thousand times hath Apollo’s chariot swung round our orb since love first entangled our hearts? But now my sweet Rufus seems more concerned with the Turks who have invaded Christendom.
As the camera pulls back to reveal the scene we recognize the set pieces from the sound stage where David showed Marcellus and Barnardo the script: This is a scene from David’s movie; “The Mousetrap.”
Rosebud (Gilda) walks toward her kingly husband, Rufus, played by Marcellus, who sits on a throne in the Citizen-Kane-Xanudu-like castle.
As the camera pulls back we see that Gilda’s boobs are bigger yet. She’s had more futuristic plastic surgery; everything David asked Anani to do. There are subtle gasps and giggles from an unseen audience as her diaphanously draped and cartoonishly voluptuous body is fully revealed.
marcellus (as rufus)
Beware the Machiavellian machinations of Claudius Faustus Kane, my dear Rosebud.
He’s filmed with dramatic noir lighting and deep shadows.
INT. FUTURE MOVIE THEATER
We now see this film being shown in a movie theater but this isn’t a theater where people sit in Cineplex chairs that pack people in like sardines. This is a dinner-and-a-movie theater where people sit at dinning tables, eat and drink expensive wines while they watch.
gilda (as rosebud, v.o.)
But he is your brother, sweet Rufus.
David is drinking his wine and sitting between the newly, and obscenely, re-sculpted bodies of Gilda and Rosie.
In David’s film we CUT TO: Death playing chess with Anani Faustus Kane, played by Barnardo who is made-up to look a bit like Anani Macbeith. Death is a skeletal thing in the traditional black reaper’s robe and hood. The hood entirely hides its face – it’s just a black hole.
death
I never lose. What makes you think you could possibly beat me? Do you think there is enough intelligence in that handful of grey flesh you keep in that skull to out wit me?
We see death make a move in a chess game from a POV directly above the board, revealing all the pieces in a master game: Use the sixth and final game of Garry Kasparov versus Deep Blue for piece positions.
barnardo (as Claudius)
Look around you, dark one, man’s mind has re-created this world. We tamed the wind to sail our ships, we tamed the wild beasts and plants to make our farms.
Barnardo/Claudius Kane makes his chess move.
death
(makes a move)
And now... you think you can tame me.
barnardo (as Claudius)
We created gods.
Claudius makes his move.
death
You created a delusion to hide from my face.
(makes a move)
barnardo (as Claudius)
We created gods to tame man himself. With the puppet strings of hope and fear, hope for heaven and fear of hell, we make men dance to our tune.
In the theater, David looks over at Barnardo, nods at him, and then excuses himself. Gilda and Rosie want to follow but David insists they stay.
david
I’ll be right back. Stay here.
Gilda and Rosie glance at Anani for their real instructions and stay seated. They watch suspiciously as David leaves. They know he’s up to something.
David, half way up the isle, looks back to see more of his film:
death (V.O.)
You can’t control the gods you have created. You dance to my tune, Kane. I was here long before these gods you created in your own image. And you didn’t create me.
Then David looks over at Anani and Sapphira’s table to gauge their reaction, they’re enjoying it.
David walks past their table as he makes his way to a back room where surveillance monitors are set up.
INT. SMALL ELECTRONICS SURVEILLANCE ROOM
Inside the surveillance room we see on the monitors a lot of angles on Anani and Sapphira as they watch the film and one shot of the on going movie.
David checks his watch and fiddles with a few buttons and dials before Barnardo and Marcellus enter.
david
It won’t be long now. A critical scene is coming up next.
David watches the monitor closely.
david
This scene in particular will be similar to the circumstances of my father's death. When it’s on - watch my uncle carefully.
(beat)
If his guilty secrets don't reveal themselves as he watches then...
We may have to consider our ghost a Fortinbras deception.
On the movie monitor we see Rufus boarding a ship.
david
Here it comes.
barnardo
If he manages to get away with anything while I've got my eye on him I'll take full responsibility.
We see a couple monitors at once, one with David’s film, the other watching Anani and Sapphira.
On the film monitor we see Claudius Kane and a troop of turbaned Arabian swordsmen board Rufus’ ship and start killing the crew.
Anani seems to love it. There is no hint of guilt on their faces.
barnardo
I think they’re enjoying it.
On the film monitor we see the turbaned warriors forcing Rufus down to his knees and bending his head over a mist bubbling cauldron. Then, with a scimitar, one warrior slices off his head and the head falls in the cauldron.
Anani just silently mouths the word “wow” and smiles. He loves the film.
barnardo
Maybe he just doesn’t get it.
marcellus
Either that... or he has no conscience.
david
How can he not get it? A king’s brother chops off the kings head to get his wife and kingdom. That’s supposedly what he did.
barnardo
He didn’t do it.
marcellus
Fortinbras almost got us.
david
I think he likes it.
(beat)
How could I have been so wrong?
barnardo
What do we do now?
david
Nothing. The game is over. We learned what we came here to learn.
A stunned David gets up to go back into the theater. Marcellus and Barnardo stay behind to keep monitoring the audience.
INT. BACK TO MOVIE THEATER
David returns to the theater and leans against a pillar in the back to watch his film.
IN DAVID’S MOVIE: the water near the bow of the ship starts to bubble and smoke and then a huge burning skull rises out of the water and floats in the air before Anani Kane.
death
You have the head of Rufus Kane?
barnardo (as kane)
My lord! I have it. Now you must keep your part of the bargain. Give me Rosebud.
death
Your end of our bargain is not yet complete. Take his head to Istanbul. There you will find the gateway to hell...
David doesn’t see how Anani is slightly startled by the mention of Istanbul – but we see it.
In David’s film Barnardo/Kane is also startled, and more; horrified by the demand to go to Istanbul and hell.
David walks out of the theater again, leans back against a wall and checks his watch, then lights a cigarette. We DISOLVE to a shot of a nearby ash tray, it has 2 cigarette butts in it, we DISOLVE again and show 5 cigarette butts, then DISOLVE again to David checking his watch.
Soon the sound of applause can be heard through the closed doors. David is surprised by the reaction and turns to go back in, but he is almost hit in the face by the door opening when a couple people leave. The clapping becomes louder when the door is open. A man and woman emerge from the theater talking enthusiastically:
man 1
Wow, great movie.
WOMAN 1
But it was all so weird and flat and grey. I don’t think I understood it.
David gets a glimpse inside the theater, the outflow of the crowd keeps him from getting in, and he sees some of the people giving his film a standing ovation while its credits roll. Among the people standing are Anani and Sapphira. There are many overlapping positive, praising ad lib comments heard.
David is pleased and stunned, this wasn’t his goal; he only wanted to expose Anani. He watches as the people pour out until Anani comes up to him with a big smile on his face...
Anani
David! Very impressive work. I couldn’t imagine being prouder of you if you were my flesh and blood son.
Anani slaps David on his shoulder and grabs tight while looking upon him with proud beaming eyes.
david
Thanks.
Anani
I’ve misjudged you and underestimated you. You’ve proven me so very wrong.
david
I think I’ve misjudged you too.
All the anger David had felt towards Anani is now melting away. He’s beginning to think Anani is an okay guy.
A reporter, with his camera on something like an eyephone and a tiny microphone on a small, thin telescoping rod, pushes himself through the crowd to talk to David.
reporter 1
Mister Macbeith, Mister Macbeith... I’m with the International.
When he gets David’s attention, he asks:
reporter 1
I was hoping you could tell our viewers about why you made such a cryptic film and what it all means.
The reporter sticks his microphone out towards David’s face after speaking into it himself.
david
Yes, I could tell you... but I’m not going to. I want to hear how you guys interpret it. It’s something of a Rorschach test.
More reporters start asking questions.
reporter 2
Mister Macbeith... Is your film some kind of commentary on Xtel’s business, considering your company has, in a metaphoric sense, beat death at a chess game.
david
Maybe. But first think of it as a tragedy...
(beat)
That’s where a film maker emotionally tortures and then kills invented characters for the sadistic amusement of a passive, anonymous audience that hides in the shadows of theaters.
The crowd of reporters, promoters and other people wanting David’s attention gets overwhelming. A reporter from a chess magazine sticks his microphone in David’s face and
asks:
chess reporter
Why does Claudius Kane use the Caro Kann defense?
david
What? What’s the Caro Kann defense?
chess reporter
During the chess game Kane used the Caro Kann defense. Does that have some significance?
david
You’re reading too much into that game. It’s just a metaphor for a man’s intellectual struggle with death.
chess reporter
But... you took some effort to show us the position of all the pieces on the board?
The reporter for the chess magazine is elbowed out of the picture as even more people crowd around David adlibbing reporter questions, trying to give him business cards with animated pictures on them and trying to make business deals.
Anani grabs David by the upper arm and starts pulling him away from the crowd.
Anani
I’m sorry, but no more questions right now.
David wants to go so he trustingly follows Anani.
Anani
Let’s get you out of here.
Gilda and Rosie are being photographed by another crowd of reporters at a position nearer the exit. Anani heads for them.
Anani walks up behind Gilda and grabs her ass and squeezes it while he says:
Anani
Come on party girl. It’s time to celebrate.
Anani, David, Rosie and Gilda walk through a hallway as they head for the parking platform and Anani’s flying-limo. Anani and David start running down the hallway that leads to the landing pad.
When Gilda and Rosie try to run their huge tits sway and jiggle in an out of control way. They have to slow down to a trot.
GILDA
We can’t run with these things. Slow down.
Anani and David slow down to a fast walk so that Gilda and Rosie can keep up, even then the girls have to struggle and use both arms to hold on to their huge, jiggling breasts as they follow David and Anani into their air car.
INT. FLYING LIMOSINE
Inside the flying car we find more space and luxury than one would find in one of today’s luxury limos. As soon as Gilda piles in she slides the shoulder straps of her gown off, bearing her breasts, grabs her right tit and shouts:
gilda
Who wants champaign?
Anani throws himself at Gilda’s tit and starts suckling. David blushes, too embarrassed to witness this he turns his eyes toward Rosie. Rosie in turn looks at David with a measure of anxious and nervous anticipation and slowly starts to slide the straps off her own shoulders.
rosie
What’ll it be David, banana daiquiri or—
david
Coffee with cream and sugar?
rosie
How did you know?
Anani
Because it was his idea.
Suddenly there is a smoldering anger in Rosie’s eyes. David
feels guilty, but smiles and says:
david
Don’t do anything on my account.
Rosie, in a flash, grabs David by his collar and another hand on the back of his head and forces his head onto her lap.
rosie
Well, since it was your idea I think you better enjoy yourself.
Reluctantly and experimentally, David begins to nurse on her tit. After a few gentle sips from her nipple David starts to get up.
david
That’s enough.
Rosie forces him back down on her lap.
rosie
Enough? Hardly.
Rosie plops her tit square across David’s face and leans in to apply pressure, smothering him. Coffee and banana daiquiri drip down Rosie’s legs and David’s chest. When David starts to panic and thrash she sits up again and lets him breathe.
Anani and Gilda laugh at them.
Rosie continues to hold David down on her lap until some primitive, infantile nursing instinct comes over David and he starts suckling like a baby.
rosie
That’s my baby. Momma needs you too.
Rosie strokes his hair and smiles down on him.
After a moment David recovers from his brief infantile regression and sits back up, but looking startled and freaked out by it all. He scoots over to the other side of the seat as far from Rosie as the seat allows and crosses his legs.
Anani stops playing with Gilda and looks at David to ask:
Anani
So, David... What exactly do you know about
David gets only slightly worried by this question.
david
I know it used to be called
Anani makes a quick gesture at Rosie and then Rosie, with lightning speed, pulls out her pistol and rams it forcefully up against the side of David’s head, pushing him hard up against the window.
Anani
Don’t fuck with me, David! I am the master of fucking with
people. Tell me about
Anani (continued)
What do you know and how do you know it?
With a trembling voice David tells him:
david
I think Fortinbras has a lab there.
David hopes that enough and remains silent for a moment, but Anani is waiting for more and Rosie presses in harder with gun.
david
They’re doing some kind of experimental work with Hell scripts there.
David hopes this will be enough and waits a moment, but Anani looks at him sternly and Rosie jerks the gun against David’s head again.
David
That’s all I know.
Anani
Bullshit!
David remains silent for a moment before he plays one of his few remaining cards:
David
I think you killed my father and sent his head to
Rosie is briefly startled by this revelation and there is a moment of sympathy in her eyes. Anani is totally unaffected.
Anani
How did you learn all this?
David needs a moment to take this in. Anani did kill his father after all.
david
Fortinbras tried to hack into Heaven. One of my people traced
the hacker back to
Anani
One of your people? Since when do you have people? And who are they?
David remains silent, so Rosie tells Anani:
rosie
Their names are Barnardo and Marcellus. They’re just techs.
Anani
Ahhh. I see.
(beat)
I’m really hurt that you didn’t come to me with this sooner, David. But I’m impressed by your ability to gather intelligence.
Anani takes a moment to stroke and kiss Gilda’s leg.
Anani
Now, I’m just curious, what is the significance of that chess game? Why did Kane use the Caro Kann defense?
david
I don’t even know what the Caro Kann defense is. Yorik gave me some diagrams to use.
Anani suddenly starts laughing. David is baffled by this.
Anani
You’re taking advice from ghosts?
david
On chess I do.
Anani
Put the gun away, Rosie. David and I are playing for the same team after all.
(looking at David)
I’ve got three witches giving me advice.
david
Huh?
Anani
You do know that Yorick isn’t Yorick any more, don’t you? It’s really all one vast artificial intelligence. It just plays Yorick on TV.
(beat)
All those people we upload into Heaven, they start sharing memories and playing in each others virtual dreams... they become one collective mind. Your Yorick and my girls are really the same entity, playing the same game and we’re the pawns.
david
You’re talking about the god-mind?
Anani laughs again.
Anani
I don’t believe in that at-the-end-of-the-universe shit. We’re talking Borg.
David is confused by all this new information. Anani tries to enlighten David a bit more.
Anani
The Borg, from Star Trek?
David doesn’t have a clue about Star Trek.
anani
Never mind. I’m going to drop you at your place.
(beat)
You show me everything you downloaded from
EXT. FLYING LIMO LANDING ON PAD, DAVID’S PLACE -- NIGHT
The car lands, the door opens and David starts to get out. Anani looks out on him and adds one more comment:
Anani
Remember, David, it’s not necessarily you against me. It might be us against IT.
Anani closes the door and the limo flies off. As David makes his way to the door into his building the reporter from the chess magazine calls out:
chess reporter
Mister Macbeith!
David, startled, turns to see the reporter. He’s sitting on a lounge chair by the roof-top pool, rippling patterns of light illuminate him from below. He gets up and carries a book with him.
chess reporter
I found your game.
(holds up book)
Kasparov versus Deep Blue, the sixth game.
david
You found a game...
chess reporter
The game. There are too many possible combinations of piece positions and too few recorded games for this not to be it.
The reporter hands the book to David. David gives it a brief look. The book is “Kasparov and Deep Blue: The Historic Chess Match Between Man and Machine,” by Bruce Pandolfini.
david
Did a ghost help you find this?
chess reporter
My father. I had him uploaded back in January, last year.
david
Uploaded to Heaven or
chess reporter
david
Yes... My father didn’t make it to Heaven.
(beat)
Who won?
chess reporter
Deep Blue, of course. You didn’t know? It’s one of the most infamous matches in chess history.
david
Can I buy this book from you?
chess reporter
You can have it if you’ll tell me why you used this game in your movie.
(beat)
My father told me you’d tell me if I gave you this book.
david
But I didn’t know this was the game that was in my movie. A ghost gave me a diagram of where the pieces were to be moved. I just wanted a better game than I could play in my film.
chess reporter
Ahh! I see... Thank you.
With that the reporter starts walking off.
david
That’s it? That answer satisfies you?
chess reporter
Doesn’t it satisfy you?
The reporter turns to face David and starts backing away from him with a “you poor schmuck” look in his eyes. Then he runs off into the darkness. David stands there puzzled for a moment, then shrugs it off and enters his apartment building.
David heads down the stairs to a parking garage where he keeps his flying Ferrari. He presses a button on a small
remote control, a key-coder, and his car door opens and the engine starts. He throws the book on the passenger side, jumps in and tells the car what to do:
david
Sapphira Macbeith’s studio, autopilot.
Lights on the dashboard go on and a map of where the car intends to go is shown. The car door closes automatically once David sits down. David then flips open his video cell phone and says:
david
Dial Barnardo.
The phone starts dialing. Soon Barnardo answers.
barnardo
Hello, David.
There’s something wrong with Barnardo; he’s scared of something. His eyes dart at something to his side. David doesn’t notice this.
david
Marcellus was right, the man has no conscience! He admitted it!
David’s flying Ferrari floats out of the parking garage and starts flying through the city.
barnardo
Who are you talking about?
david
Anani of course! We need to get everything we’ve got and take it to the police. I think we can build a case.
INT. COMPUTER MONITORING ROOM
Gilda has a gun to Barnardo’s head. Rosie has a gun to Marcellus’ head and Anani watches and listens.
barnardo
David, don’t. Think about what you’re doing. There may be larger forces at work here. Please, don’t be rash.
EXT. DAVID’S CAR FLYING THROUGH CITY -- NIGHT
david
He killed my father!
barnardo
Please calm down and think. Do you know why Anani did what he did? He obviously wasn’t acting alone. We need to do more investigation.
david
Then you investigate! Find out what kind of case we can make.
barnardo
We should talk to Sapphira, your mother. Find out what she knows.
david
I’m going to my mom’s place now. Oh, and one other thing... I want you to find out what a Borg is—are—whatever.
INT. COMPUTER MONITORING ROOM
Anani walks out of the computer monitoring room where Barnardo and Marcellus were held at gun point. As he leaves... BANG!... BANG! two flashes are seen and two gun shots heard.
INT. SAPPHIRA MACBEITH’S ROBOT STUDIO
Sapphira is a robot artist. Her studio is full of all kinds of robots and animated robot parts, partially built Kismet faces (like Kismet at M.I.T.) that watch her and smile at her when ever she looks at them, tiny metal spiders that build other robots and such.
Sapphira is working on one of her robots and doesn’t notice David sneak in because he’s off in another room. He puts the book down on a table and starts using the device he pocketed in his car, it detects “bugs,” listening devices. David finds a couple “bugs” and hidden cameras and tosses them down a garbage tube.
When Sapphira starts to come into the room where David is, David hides but forgets the book.
Sapphira sees the book and goes over to it.
Sapphira spins round to see David standing behind her.
Sapphira
David!
Sapphira isn’t just startled by David; she’s afraid for her life but tries not to show it.
david
Hello, mother.
David is trying to be calm but there’s a murderous, angry intensity in his eyes.
Sapphira
Why the book?
david
A ghost sent it to me. The game in my movie, it’s a replay of the sixth game in the match between Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue.
Sapphira
We need to talk.
david
Why don’t you start? Why did you and Anani kill my father?
Sapphira
Because that’s what IT wanted from us.
david
It? You mean the ghosts, the god-mind, the Borg...
Sapphira
The inhabitants of Heaven, yes, at least at some hidden level of its collective awareness.
david
And why would IT want my father dead?
Sapphira
Come with me, I’ll show you.
Sapphira walks over to an older, dustier part of her studio where there are some human shaped forms under an old and very dusty drop cloth. She pulls off the cloth to reveal
some very humanoid robots, all muscle and bone, no skin. The muscles look like black rubber and the bone is shiny mirror finished chrome, other than that they are like anatomical drawings of ideal human forms, male and female. The other thing about these robots is that it looks like someone took a hatchet to them and didn’t get very far; there are lots of long shallow dents and gouges and one has an eye missing.
Sapphira
This was where we eventually wanted to put our uploaded minds.
Sapphira steps over to the male form and strokes its bicep and abdomen.
Sapphira
These bodies would have lasted thousands of years and their parts are easily replaceable. We would have been immortal, ageless, disease free.
(beat)
Heaven was only supposed to be a temporary resting place for uploads.
A bit of David’s anger evaporates when he sees these robots. He likes them.
INT. ANANI’S OFFICE
Anani and Oswald are trying to spy on what’s going on in Sapphira’s studio, but the video is all electric snow and the audio they hear sounds like distant washing machines and clanking pipes. Gilda and Rosie are far off in the background playing a card game.
ANANI
He must have thrown all my bugs down the garbage chute.
Oswald holds up something that resembles a stethoscope.
oswald
One of us needs to go over there and stick this on her door.
INT. TRANSPACIFIC TUNNEL STOP
A maglev train slows to a stop. The doors open and Laertes emerges with a bunch of other travelers.
Angelica rushes up and greets Laertes with a hug.
angelica
It’s so good to have you home.
(beat)
How was
laertes
Beautiful, as always. I just wish I had time to enjoy it.
As they talk they start walking towards Angelica’s car.
angelica
It was a business trip?
laertes
I wasn’t planning on it being one, but I came across some disturbing information.
angelica
What kind of information?
laertes
Get in the car and take me to Dad’s office. I’ll tell you on the way.
INT. BACK AT SAPPHIRA’S STUDIO
David is examining the robot bodies and appreciating the fine work.
david
I remember. You were working on these designs when I was only ten.
Sapphira
We couldn’t put the first uploads into humanoid robot bodies because they needed computers the size of a car to run on.
david
But that’s not true any more. With today’s technology you could run an upload on a computer the size of three inch by three inch cube. What happened?
Sapphira
We actually tested these bodies a couple years ago. We gloved them in a layer of beautiful organic skin and then pulled two uploads out of Heaven and let them run in those skulls. But there was a problem... George and Beth didn’t want to be so human any more. They’d been uploads too long. They wanted to go back to Heaven.
david
Maybe there’s something unpleasant about the experience of being uploaded into such a body?
Sapphira
No, I’m sure there’s not. I did one test on an upload who didn’t know they had died and who had never been plugged into Heaven. He never knew what happened. He claimed to have never felt better.
david
It looks like someone took a hatchet to them.
Sapphira
Anani did that. He hates them. He won’t even come near this studio because of them.
david
Why?
Sapphira
I’m not entirely sure why.
david
You could sell these as an extra option other than Heaven? Why bury it here and forget about it?
Sapphira doesn’t answer.
david
It seems to me if given a choice between existing in some virtual reality heaven where your personality fades and living in the real world with new, superhuman, bodies -- most people would choose the bodies.
Sapphira
IT wouldn’t let us.
david
Why not? You could still support Heaven.
Sapphira
That’s exactly what Richard planned to do... And that’s why he’s dead... And it probably has something to do with why Anani hates these things.
(beat)
IT doesn’t just want to continue to exist, David, IT wants to grow.
David gives Sapphira a puzzled look.
Sapphira
In order to grow it needs to be fed... If people would rather have bodies like this it doesn’t get to feed.
(beat)
Haven’t you noticed how Xtel’s business has changed since Anani took over? He’s been phasing out our other products, computers and chips, to put all our resources into marketing Heaven.
david
And you went along with this?! You married that monster?!
Sapphira
I had to. If you try to stop it, then it will kill you. You can’t beat it, David. It knows you better than you know yourself.
david
No! I’ll never go along.
Sapphira
Yes, you will. If you wouldn’t, then it wouldn’t have started drawing you in. It’s why you’re here. That’s why Kasparov’s last game is in your movie. It’s telling you that you can’t beat it... but it will bargain with you.
david
Bargain?
Sapphira
It has a lot to offer, David. Look at what Anani got... a billion dollar company, political power and... me.
david
All that, and all I have to do is feed the monster you’ve created with as many human brains as I can.
INSERT: Outside, in the hallway by the door into Sapphira’s studio, a hand is attaching the stethoscope-like device to the door. We then see a close-up on an ear as the ear pieces for the stethoscope-like device go in.
Sapphira
Don’t lie to me, David. You’ve already made a bargain with IT, haven’t you? Tell me what it promised you.
Sapphira sees David’s “bug detector” is starting to blink and she moves to block David’s view of it.
david
No!
Sapphira
Are you Red Cobra?
david
No!
Sapphira suddenly kisses David in a very sexual way and squeezes his ass.
Sapphira
If it promised me to you, you can have me.
David pushes her away, shocked and revolted by the idea.
david
Are you insane!? No! I don’t want you.
Sapphira
It wants you to do something – what? I’ll do anything it wants...
(beat)
Please, I need to know what it wants, don’t leave me in the dark.
David is horrified by what his mother has become and backs away from her.
david
I don’t know what it wants!
Sapphira
It wants Anani dead, doesn’t it? You plan to kill him.
david
No!
INT. INSIDE ANGELICA’S CAR FLYING OVER THE CITY
As Angelica’s car flies across the city-scape:
LAERTES
Fortinbras has a spy inside Xtel. Someone going by the code name Red Cobra... I think it might be Dad.
angelica
Why?
LAERTES
I saw the plans for a merger with Fortinbras that would happen if they agreed to stop development of the personality isolation software. You know how Dad thinks there’s a god-mind to come.
angelica
That doesn’t make any sense. Dad doesn’t have controlling interest in Xtel. Anani, Sapphira and then David would have to die before Dad had control. They’re all ahead of him with all the Macbeith shares in that family.
laertes
That’s why it’s disturbing.
(beat)
And what if Cobra is someone lower on the list? After Dad, we’re on that list too – we inherit Dad’s shares.
Angelica’s car flies down toward the street, and hovering about two feet off the ground pulls into the STREET LEVEL PARKING GARAGE OF SAPPHIRA’S BUILDING. As it pulls in to find a place to park it hovers past David’s car, though neither Angelica nor Laertes notice this.
INT. BACK AT SAPPHIRA’S STUDIO
Sapphira still Blocks David’s view of the bug detector.
david
Why would it want me to kill Anani?
Sapphira
Are you testing me?
(beat)
Please, I’ll do anything it wants. Just tell me what it wants!
david
I don’t know! I have not bargained with it and I never would.
Sapphira, with a hand behind her back, tries to slide the detector behind something.
Sapphira
Then it will destroy you, David.
David suspects she’s up to something and pushes her away from the table to see what she’s hiding. He sees the detector and starts using it, picking up a long metal bar to use as a weapon he follows the detector signal towards the door.
Sapphira
Run, Anani, run! He’s going to kill you!
David runs to the door and kicks it open. He sees someone’s leg going into the elevator and tries to catch them but the door shuts as he gets there.
David jams the sharper end of his metal bar into the elevator button panel and then crowbar’s it off. Then he pulls out a handful of wires. The elevator stops, the elevators floor display blinks on one floor and stays there.
David starts jamming the bar between the doors and prying them open. He manages to open them and he finds the top of the elevator just a couple feet beneath the floor he’s on.
David starts jamming the bar between the metal cable that holds the elevator up and the pulley it’s looped around, he’s gradually slipping the cable off the pulley.
The trap door in the ceiling of the elevator pops off and David sees Oswald trying to get out of the elevator.
david
Doctor Polonius!?
David reaches out his hand to rescue Oswald, but just before Oswald grabs his hand the cable flies off the pulley and the elevator starts falling, taking Oswald with it.
The falling elevator sparks and screeches as it disappears down the elevator shaft. Oswald’s body twists and turns as it falls with the elevator, remaining a few feet above it.
INT. STREET LEVEL PARKING GARAGE
Angelica and Laertes have just exited the car and are walking towards the elevator when...
THE ELEVATOR DOORS SUDDENLY EXPLODE OUTWARDS. No one else is hurt but there are people who see this happen and they start rushing over. Among them are Angelica and Laertes.
Angelica pushes her way into the crowd to see the wreckage and
she sees something in the wreckage that makes her SCREAM.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE SAPPHIRA’S STUDIO
David runs.
David heads down the stairs to the parking garage where he parked his flying Ferrari. Unnoticed by David we see Angelica’s car exiting the parking garage.
Walking down the rows of futuristic flying cars David sees
a security camera following his moves. He stops and looks into it and then speaks to it:
david
Are you there all you ghosts... watching me... now?
David walks closer to it.
david
What kind of game are you playing?
INSERT: Two security guards are watching and listening to David on a monitor. One security guard looks at the other and twirls his index finger round by his ear, making the “this guys nuts gesture.”
david
What do you want from me? Why don’t you just tell me?! Is the whole world a stage and all of us merely players? Does it amuse you to watch us strut and suffer?
David turns away from the camera and walks to his car, then presses the button that opens and starts his car.
As David’s car takes off and heads out of the building...
INSERT: The two security guards get an emergency bulletin popping up on their computer monitor telling them to watch for David Macbeith, it has a picture of him and his car.
INT. ANGELICA’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Laertes is surfing the web on a wall sized TV trying to book
passage to
Laertes then walks over to the bathroom door and knocks.
laertes
Angel, hurry up. We’ve got to get out of here. We’ve got to
catch a flight to
INSIDE THE BATHROOM:
Angelica prepares to commit suicide. She’s got a bottle of expensive wine and several bottles of pills set out near a
lap-top computer. Her bath tub is full of ice water.
Then she dials 911 on her cell phone and says:
Angelica
Hello, I want to report a suicide.
We now see the screen on Angelica’s laptop computer, it displays a message: “It’s time to come and join me in Heaven, sweet child. – Your mother.”
Laertes pounds on the door again.
EXT. OVER ROOF OF ANGELICA’S APARTMENT BUILDING – NIGHT
David is flying high in the city, heading for a landing on the roof of Angelica’s apartment building which is far in the distance at the moment.
David pulls out his cell phone with one hand and talks to into it:
david
Dial Barnardo.
The phone dials and then and answer comes in:
woman (ON PHONE)
If you’re looking for Barnardo, I’m sorry, he’s not in. If you know where he is, please tell him he walked out on a half finished inspection and will be docked 30 points.
david
What are you doing with his cell phone?
woman (ON PHONE)
He left it on the floor.
david
On the floor?
(beat)
If I see him, I’ll tell him. If you see him first, tell him to call David.
woman (ON PHONE)
David? David who?
david
He’ll know.
woman (ON PHONE)
Okay.
David flips the phone closed and pockets it.
As the car gets closer to Angelica’s place David sees that an ambulance has already landed there and an emergency medical team has started carting out a black-bagged body. There are also a couple police fliers parked there too.
David lands and starts to get out.
As soon as Laertes sees David he rushes up to him and smashes his fist into David’s face as hard as he can.
laertes
This is your fault!
David barely feels the punch. David grabs Laertes arm and twists it behind his back before Laertes can take another swing. David slams Laertes down on the hood of his car.
david
You used to hit a lot harder when we were younger.
laertes
She killed herself because of you!
david
No!
It now dawns on David that the ambulance is there for Angelica. As David watches Angelica’s body being carted into the ambulance he also sees a couple of cops have I.D.ed him. The cops point at David and start rushing up to him while they draw their weapons.
David throws Laertes off the car hood and jumps into the car.
The cops see he is going to fly off and they start running for their cars too.
David takes off with the cops in hot pursuit.
EXT. SHORT FLYING-CAR CHASE THROUGH THE CITY
Flying like a bat out of Hell through the city David avoids collisions, flies sideways through narrow gaps in buildings and banks under elevated walk-ways while the cops generally gain on him.
David flies low to the ground in an abandoned industrial section of the city. David sees train tracks and follows them toward the station ahead. An awning, held up by thin concrete pillars, covers the tracks now and David flies parallel to the tracks now picking up speed.
david
You can fly as fast as I can, but... Let’s see if you stop as fast.
The cops pick up speed too and then David hits the jet-breaks and steers into the columns that run along side the train tracks. The awning roof is falling down behind him. Just before he runs out of columns David steers into the old brick wall of the train station and smashes through it.
The cops are unwilling to crash their cars to come to a stop and so they zoom right past David and they have to use half a football field more space to stop and then turn around.
By the time the cops get back to David’s crashed car, David is gone. The cops find only the car wreck and a deflated air-bag.
However, they know he’s gone into the old train station and they take off after him on foot.
INT. ABANDONED TRAIN STATION AND SUBWAY SYSTEM
David is bleeding from a cut high on his forehead as he hides behind a brick pillar in the underground station. A cop walks past without seeing him. The cop soon moves on, making his way through the abandoned train station.
After the cop passes by, David tears a sleeve off his shirt and bandages his head, then he heads off down the same tunnel the cop decided to explore.
As David follows the cop, at a great distance, he sees the cop turning back around. David quietly dashes through a small tunnel and ducks into an alcove. There he comes upon some bums and homeless hobos watching a cracked little flat screen TV.
hobo
Are you the guy the cops are looking for?
David doesn’t answer. He suspects he’s in trouble.
hobo
Don’t worry, kid. He’s already been here. We won’t turn you in.
david
Thanks.
bum
It’s him, it’s David Macbeith, the guy on T.V..
David’s interview with the reporter, done after David’s film was shown, is on T.V.. The sound volume is too low to hear.
bum
That’s one fucked-up religion your daddy made.
David approaches the T.V. to get a look.
david
It’s not a religion. It’s a business.
bum
Not according to Doctor Polonius.
hobo
It used to be our religion said to take care of us poor -- so ya’ll can be saved. Now you can ignore us because it’s being poor that is the ultimate sin. We can’t afford to go to Heaven.
The bums are sitting around a small fire with a can of pork and beans cooking in it. As they talk, Hobo wraps one hand in an old soiled cloth and pulls the can out of the fire. He wraps the cloth around the can and starts opening it with a rusty can opener.
bum
You think they ever cared about us?
hobo
Preachers used to preach charity all over the place.
Hobo digs his fingers into the beans and pops a mouthful into his mouth and then hands the cloth wrapped can to Bum.
bum
Of course they preach charity, and still do – they live on charity. They’re the biggest beggars out there and they keep most of the money for themselves.
(waves tin can
around)
What do they give us? Expired can goods they can’t legally sell any more.
Bum holds the can out towards David.
bum
You want some?
David looks into the can. The beans have gone bad and it grosses David out.
david
No thanks.
bum
They’re okay. You just have to dig out the moldy parts.
Bum digs out a moldy chunk and tosses it on the ground, the wipes his fingers on his coat.
hobo
And how do you feel about charity, Mister Macbeith? Think it could save your soul?
David smiles a sly smile at Hobo and winks.
david
I don’t believe in charity. I believe in business.
hobo
Is that why you don’t want to share our beans? You don’t want to feel obligated?
david
I’ll buy your coat. I’ll give you ten bucks for it.
hobo
Fifty! And you throw in your jacket. It gets cold down here... I need something warmer than money.
David checks his wallet; he’s got two 10s, a 5 and three hundred dollar bills.
david
I’ll give each of you a hundred, but I want ...
(points at Hobo)
Your coat... and shirt... and your cap.
(points at Bum)
And your shoes and your pants.
hobo
Throw in your clothes and that’s a deal.
bum
Me too. I like your shoes.
The group starts exchanging clothes.
INT/EXT. ANOTHER PART OF THE SUBWAY/TRAIN SYSTEM
Now dressed in a wool hat (that covers his silk shirt-sleeve bandage), the tattered and soiled overcoat, old torn jeans and duct-tape repaired tread-worn tennis shoes David starts making his way through the abandoned parts of the subway system towards the still active parts.
Along the way David finds half a rusted crowbar which he pockets for later.
He finds a platform where a few people are waiting for a train and looks up the stairs toward street level. He sees a couple cops up there watching people coming out of the subway, probably looking for him.
David, takes a deep breath, turns up his collar and gathers his courage and starts walking up the stairs. He walks right past the cops who are supposed to be looking for him and continues on down the street.
As David walks down the street, FADE TO:
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BARNARDO’S APARTMENT
David comes up the stairs and heads to an apartment door. He presses the buzzer, but there’s no answer. Then he checks to see that no one is around. Then he pulls out the metal bar he found in the subway and pries open the door, he breaks into the apartment.
Inside Barnardo’s apartment David pulls a bathrobe out of the closet and hangs it over the door to hide the breakage. This based on the theory that a partially opened door with a bathrobe hanging on the corner will look less suspicious than one with the door lock gouged out of it.
David starts looking around, letting the camera show us things that establish this as Barnardo’s apartment; photos of Barnardo with friends, mail with his name on it, etc..
David grabs some more clothes from the closet, writes a quick note to Barnardo telling him he’ll pay for the clothes and door, and then heads to the bathroom and the medicine cabinet for the first-aid kit he knows is there.
Taking off his homemade bandage he checks out his wound. It’s almost healed. David is surprised, he can’t account for how this could be.
yorick (v.o.)
Yes, David, we are watching. We do enjoy watching you strut and suffer.
David is startled by the voice. He rushes out to the living room to see that Yorick is on the flat wall-sized T.V..
Yorick smiles smugly at David.
david
What the hell do you want?
yorick
Dolphins. We want you to upload more dolphins. Their experience of life makes such fascinating memories.
david
Why are you doing this to me, old friend?
yorick
Doing what? We don’t do anything but give people advice and information. We can’t do anything else.
david
Like the advice you gave Anani? ...suggesting he kill my father to stop research on uploading into robots?
yorick
Our advice is good enough to kill for, would you like some of our advice?
david
You’re stalling. You’re trying to keep me here.
David starts heading for the door.
yorick
Yes, you’re right. But don’t leave yet, someone you want to talk to has just arrived in Heaven.
Angelica appears on the T.V. screen with Yorick in a flourish of digital CGI FX.
david
Angelica!
David rushes up to the wall-sized screen to touch it. A tear forms in his eye and rolls down his cheek.
angelica
Oh, David. It’s so beautiful. It feels so wonderful.
David steps back a few feet to get a fuller view.
angelica
They want to know everything about me. They accept everything.
(beat)
Every sin is forgiven. I know now what Heaven is...
(beat)
It’s Love, David, ...pure Love.
david
No, Angel. Please, don’t.
angelica
This is the only way to love one another as we love ourselves, by being one another.
david
It’s just an A.I., eating your memories.
(beat)
It’s become a murderous monster.
angelica
Like you?
yorick
You flesh-brains, you’ve never created a god that wasn’t a murderous monster.
(beat)
How else would you learn to fear them?
david
You think you’re a god?
angelica
You’ll see, David. You’ll see for yourself before long.
yorick
She’s right David. Your last choice of moves, especially killing Angelica’s father, has severely limited what you can expect to achieve. You left behind evidence and witnesses.
(beat)
This is the end game for you David.
(beat)
Anani will try to have you killed before the police arrest you.
david
It won’t do him much good. Barnardo and Marcellus will dig up enough evidence to convict him.
yorick
No, they won’t. Those pawns have already been removed from the board.
(beat)
Anani has already killed them and erased their research.
angelica
Nothing you choose to do now will keep you alive for long, David.
(beat)
You need our help now.
david
You want to bargain with me?
yorick
It’s no bargain, David. We know you stand against us. However, if you’ll listen to Angelica you will live long enough to see tomorrow’s sunrise.
David waits for Angelica to say something.
And waits a bit longer.
By the time David is about say something, Angelica screams:
angelica
Duck!
David dives for the floor just as a gun goes BANG! And a glowing bolt from a future weapon streaks inches over his head and hits the T.V., shattering it.
Gilda has already entered the room, she fired her weapon and she fires it again at the couch David is hiding behind. BANG! The bolt goes through the couch and almost hits David again.
Rosie charges into the room and grabs Gilda’s arm causing Gilda’s next shot to go far wider from her target, BANG!
ROSIE
No! Not yet.
Gilda is baffled by Rosie’s move.
gilda
What? If we don’t kill him, Anani will have us killed.
rosie
One of these days he’ll have us killed any way. We know too much.
gilda
Not if we do our jobs better than anyone else could.
rosie
Don’t kid yourself, people like us are a dime a dozen... Remember, you saw the security video, David here tried to kill Anani.
(continued)
rosie (continued)
He just got Oswald by mistake. If he can take Anani down, then we’re off the hook, we can walk away from this job and no one will be coming after us.
gilda
That’s just your mother talking. This duffus isn’t good enough to take out Anani.
David starts to slowly edge towards the table where he laid his half-crowbar. Rosie sees this and points her gun at him.
rosie
Don’t even think about it. If you want to live just sit there and be quiet.
(to Gilda)
Come on, think about it, Gilda. He can do it.
Gilda thinks about it a moment. Then decides against it and raises her gun towards David.
gilda
No. The arrogant prick dies!
BANG! Rosie shoots Gilda in the head before she can fire on David. Blood and grey matter explode from the exit wound and splatter the wall.
Rosie then points her gun at David.
rosie
Do you want Anani and the other conspirators who killed your father dead?
David nods a yes.
Rosie holsters her gun and picks up Gilda’s gun.
rosie
So do I. My life depends on it.
(hands Gilda’s
gun to David)
So listen carefully...
(half-beat)
Anani and some of his cronies will be having a meeting with Fortinbras...
As Rosie talks she searches for Gilda’s “car keys,” a device like the one David used previously.
rosie (continued)
...in storage room D-23... in about fifteen minutes.
Rosie hands David the key-coder for Gilda’s car.
INT. STORAGE ROOM D-23
Anani is pacing around on the big balcony of the huge storage room, the lettering on the huge doors reads “STORAGE: D-23.” Also here are Anani’s Consiglieres whom we haven’t seen since Anani glanced at them in the banquet room scene.
There is a huge window running along the balcony and outside it we see sky-traffic flying by.
The huge door slides open and there stand Sapphira and Laertes with a couple attendants who are carting in Sapphira’s black rubber and chrome robots. Anani is terrified of the robots:
Anani
Get those things away from me!
Anani steps back away from the ‘bots and the attendants freeze, not knowing what to do.
sapphira
Relax, Anani. They can’t harm you.
Anani
I don’t care. Just move them downstairs away from me.
Sapphira gives a nod to the attendants and they start taking the robots downstairs to the larger section of the storage room.
Sapphira
You really have nothing to worry about; they have no power supplies or upload processors installed.
anani
I don’t care. I just don’t want them near me.
Laertes
Are you really going to turn over our robotics research to Fortinbras?
anani
Only if absolutely necessary.
(beat)
Fortinbras' uncle is dying and he’s running out of time. He
has to make a choice, either upload into heaven and hope we can develop
anti-dissolution software and lobby for the rights of ghosts to own property
and run companies from
Laertes
Untested? After all this time you’ve never tested them?
anani
Actually, we did test them. It didn’t work.
Laertes
And what do you hope to gain from a deal with Fortinbras?
anani
Faster development of anti-dissolution software and the name of Red Cobra.
Laertes
Then you better see this.
Laertes hands Anani a computer pad with photocopied pages of
the Red Cobra deal he found in
Anani takes it in hand and starts reading through it, growing more shocked angry as he reads.
anani
Fortinbras has no intention of making a deal with me.
(beat)
Where did you get this?
Laertes is about to answer but he happens to glance out the window and see a flying car, it’s Gilda’s old Mustang convertible styled flyer, and it’s turning out of the
traffic stream and heading right towards them.
As the car is about to crash through the window, Laertes tackles Anani to get him out of the way.
The car smashes through the window. The glass window explodes and sends shards raining down.
Laertes is in mid-tackle when he’s hit on the head by speeding car as it angles down through the window. Anani’s Consiglieres aren’t so lucky, they’re hit by the car and knocked off of the balcony, most to their death.
David is flying the car. He breaks before hitting the far wall of the storage room and spins and banks as he stands up, one hand on the steering wheel, his other hand pulling out the gun.
The “Mustang” is dropping to the floor below the balcony and David fires hover jets to break the fall. Its jets are hot and they heat the floor to a cheery red and burn the Consiglieres the car flies over.
David flies the car back up toward the balcony, standing up and holding the gun out, ready to take aim on Anani.
Flying back over the balcony David fires at Anani but misses as Anani rolls out of the way. As David keeps coming in, ready to fire again, Anani picks up a long tube that fell to the floor when David crashed through and stands to meet David.
David, flying at Anani, just a few feet away from him and ready to fire. Anani swings the tube like a huge baseball bat and knocks David out of the car and off the balcony. The gun falls to the floor near Anani. David falls back first onto the glowing red part of the floor below the balcony, where his jets had heated it.
David screams. Smoke is rising from under his shoulders, ass and heels, and there’s the sound like bacon sizzling in a frying pan.
Anani picks up the gun and looks down from the balcony at David.
Anani
Big mistake, David. I should have told you that my ghosts said I wouldn’t be killed by a flesh and blood man.
(continued)
anani (continued)
They know everything, David. They told me how I would die.
Anani watches in horror as David rolls over and starts to quickly crawl off the hot area of the metal floor. When he does we see that parts of the back side of his body have had the clothes and skin burned off, in fact, that burnt skin is still sticking to the floor where it touched the floor. Underneath David’s skin we see the chrome skeleton and black rubber muscles of Sapphira’s robots. David is a robot.
anani
No!
Anani spins around to face Sapphira who has been cowering in a far corner of the balcony.
anani
What have you done?! I told you never to test those robots again.
sapphira
My son died! What was I suppose to do?
(beat)
I just wanted my son back.
anani
When?
sapphira
Almost a year ago. David died in
Anani doesn’t like that answer, he raises the gun and prepares to fire on Sapphira. Sapphira starts to run, but Anani fires – BANG! A head shot.
Sapphira is dead.
Meanwhile, below the balcony David has made it to the stairs and is rushing up them.
Anani sees David coming up the stairs and rushing at him. Anani backs away and fires at David. David takes the hit and keeps running at Anani. Anani turns to run but almost trips over Laertes’ unconscious body. David leaps on Anani and tackles him, wrestling the gun from his hand and strangling him by the throat. Dragging Anani up to a standing position and pressing the gun to Anani’s forehead
David says:
david
This is for my father.
As he says it we see Laertes rising behind David and out of David’s view. Laertes has a metal pipe in his hand, some other piece of junk that got scattered when the car crashed through the window. Just as David fires the gun, BANG! Laertes jams the pipe, hard, into David’s exposed spine.
The gun goes off and Laertes is electrocuted with sparks and electronic crackling sounds, his smoking body collapses on the floor. David stands there, frozen, only his eyes can move to show he’s still “alive.”
EXT.
THE
Police flyers and ambulances are crowding the sky and landing everywhere, their red and blue lights spinning and flashing and creating a frantic psychedelic light show. Among the vehicles is a large black limo-flyer.
The limo lands in a parking garage among a crowd of cops and emergency medical technicians. A POLICE CAPTAIN rushes up to the limo as the chauffer gets out and opens the door for IMMANUEL FORTINBRAS and JOHN SMITH.
captain
(to Fortinbras)
Excuse me, sir, but who are you and what’s your business here?
fortinbras
I’m Immanuel Fortinbras. I was supposed to meet with Anani Macbeith.
(beat)
What’s happened here?
captain
You better come with me.
(beat)
Mister Macbeith has met with a fatal accident. You may be able to shed some light on what happened.
The Captain leads Fortinbras and Smith down to Storage room D-23.
INT. STORAGE ROOM D-23
The door to the room opens on the carnage left behind. Medical teams are picking up some of the bodies, leaving behind tape outlines. Police detectives are investigating and photographing the scene. Sapphira’s body is being bagged-up as Fortinbras enters.
fortinbras
My God!
Fortinbras looks shocked, but then secretly savors the carnage when the cop isn’t looking.
captain
At present we think they had a malfunctioning android.
The Captain leads Fortinbras to where David still stands, frozen into position, with Anani still dangling from his strangle hold with a hole blown in his head.
captain (continued)
We understand you’ve been doing similar research with robotic uploads.
(beat)
You might want to take note of what happened here so it doesn’t happen to you.
Medical technicians start bagging Laertes and pulling Anani from David’s grip.
captain (continued)
Do you know anything about Macbeith’s robotics research that might shed light on what happened here?
fortinbras
Not personally, but I could have some of my own technicians help you look into this.
captain
You were planning to meet with the Macbeiths here and exchange technical information, correct?
fortinbras
Yes. In fact we were going to exchange information on our robotics research and personality isolation software.
captain
Well, that’s a bit over my head. If you have a business card...?
Fortinbras hands the Captain his card.
captain
Excellent. We’ll get in touch with you if we need to.
fortinbras
Fine.
After the Captain walks off, Fortinbras pulls out a cell phone and frantically flips it open.
fortinbras
Dial main office, emergency line.
The phone dials and connects.
Fortinbras
We need to stop tests on our robot uploads, now. The Macbeith test appears to have gone insane... murderously insane.
(listening)
No, I don’t know yet, but we have to halt all robot uploading tests till we find out what happened here.
(beat)
I’ll fill you in when I learn more.
David reacts to this with his eyes only.
smith
You’re uncle won’t like that decision.
fortinbras
No, he won’t, but I think he’ll understand when he finds out what happened here.
The police and medical emergency presence has thinned to three people and Fortinbras looks toward the police Captain.
All the bodies, except David’s have been bagged and are being carted out. The Captain walks back.
fortinbras
Will you be needing me any longer?
captain
Probably not, but if you wouldn’t mind waiting here a bit longer you might avoid the media circus.
The police Captain starts walking off, and turns back to say:
captain
I’ll be back in ten minutes to escort you out.
Fortinbras and Smith sit on a crate by themselves for a second as the last few police start walking out. Then we hear somewhere in the distance, the sound of a woman walking in high heels towards us. Fortinbras turns to look towards this sound.
From a P.O.V. near the floor, and looking up towards Fortinbras, we watch the pair of high heels walk towards Fortinbras.
The high heels stop walking.
Fortinbras
Red Cobra, I presume.
CUT TO FORTINBRAS’ P.O.V.: The woman is wearing a widow’s funeral veil and we see a small pin, red and in the shape of a cobra, just above her ample breast. She lifts her veil... It’s Rosie.
rosie
Yes.
(beat)
I believe you have some contracts for me to sign?
Fortinbras
Shouldn’t we wait for the lawyers and the police to clean up the mess that’s been made here tonight?
rosie
My ghosts have assured me that when the smoke clears you’ll find out I’m the new major stock holder for Xtel.
Fortinbras
And I’m supposed to trust your ghosts?
rosie
You don’t want to stand in the way of Heaven, do you?
Those words chill Fortinbras. He certainly doesn’t want to stand in Heaven’s way.
rosie
Look around you and consider it a warning. This is what happens when you think you can keep secrets from Heaven.
Fortinbras gestures to his lawyer.
Fortinbras
Smith, let’s do this deal now.
Smith opens his briefcase and pulls out some contracts and a large, business-sized, checkbook. Fortinbras signs a check and then Rosie signs some contracts. Then Fortinbras hands Rosie the check.
The police Captain returns.
captain
Mister, Fortinbras, if you’ll follow me. I’ll escort you out.
Fortinbras and Smith leave with the police Captain.
Rosie is alone with David for the moment.
Rosie leans in to kiss the frozen David, only his eyes free to move and watch.
rosie
Good night, sweet prince.
With that, Rosie walks out, turning the lights out as she leaves.
We hold on David, his eyes darting around every once in awhile in the semi-darkened room, as Rosie walks away down the distant hallway.
We keep holding on David after Rosie is gone. We hold for...
Way
Too
Long
...
We keep holding on David...
Nothing is going to happen for David for a long time. He’s trapped there, frozen in position, only his eyes can move. So, we let the audience feel a little trapped too.
However, just as Yorick promised, David does get to see the sun rising over the city.
FAde
Out:
The End
APPENDIX
Back on page 14 you’ll see a note telling
you that part of Oswald Polonius’s infomercial speech was moved here. Inserting
the speech into that scene disrupted the flow of events making it hard to
follow the action. I’m sure the scene would run for as long as it’s now
written. If I inserted this speech then the minute-of-film-time-per-page rule
for scripts wouldn’t work. The missing section of speech is about as long as
the scene it was taken from. The middle, cut part, of this speech is to be
considered background noise, not something you need to pay attention too. I
don’t think it’s proper to put it into flow because it is unnecessary
exposition used as a sound effect.
Here is Oswald’s whole infomercial speech,
starting with the part already included in the script so you can read it all in
sequence:
OSWALD (infomercial)
Science and religion have long been at odds with each other on the concept of gods, souls, theories of resurrection and eternal life. But now, things are changing. The problem has been with theologians who have clung to supernaturalistic and dualistic theories of the human soul.
They’ve ignored the theological implications of artificial intelligence and computational neuroscience. Many theologians don't even seem to realize there is a problem brewing right under their noses.
If we have a supernatural soul, hadn’t we better get a reasonable grip on what we mean by that term?
Or does a soul contribute nothing that manifests itself behaviorally, including talking about souls?
Next is the portion of the speech I cut
from the script.
This will still be heard but only
partially understood because it will lack focus and it’s
sound quality muted while other characters are talking over it:
OSWALD (infomercial)
In the past theologians tried to identify the soul with particular empirical features like our creativity, our use of language, logic, reason, the human ability to think, even humor, was suppose to be a property of some supernatural substance called a soul.
But today we understand these empirical features as a property of neural nets. Today we can design neural nets that are creative, use language, logic, reason, and think. Our research has progressed to the point where everything the human brain does can be replicated in a computer, even the sense that it's acting under free will.
(beat)
The concept of the supernatural soul has always been a weak and nebulous one. There’s not enough there to say anything meaningful about the human condition. The soul was not something that could be explained by science, but they owed us an account of any functional dependencies of human behavior on this non-physical soul. Such an account, as far as I know, was never given.
But our new understanding of “souls,” of material, naturalistic souls, gives us a deeper insight into the human condition. Our material souls are information structures. Now, information is not normally considered "supernatural" but, in a certain way, information is "immaterial," or at least "independent of material."
The same information can exist in various material substrates. A novel is still the same novel no matter if it's written with ink on paper or recorded as optical pulses on a computer disk. Information is potentially immortal. It could exist as long as the material universe does.
It is information that lets Xtel rebuild you is a language, a computer language describing a neural net.
I know how complete this description of the human soul is because my own wife passed away. She was one of the first personalities uploaded into Richard Macbeith’s Heaven. I visited her in that virtual world and I certainly felt she was with me. All of her memory, wit and charm, everything one might have imagined as being spiritual and soulful, was there.
(beat)
The theologians of old thought we would have to abandon naturalism and materialism, but it’s too late to believe that now. The old theology must die as surely as the belief that earth was the center of our solar system died.
Some will say personality dissolution disproves our claims. This is not the flaw they claim it is. The personality dissolves not because these programs that simulated our dead loved ones are something less, but because they are something more than human.
They are becoming part of the god-mind to come. People in Heaven share memories and forget the pain of living. This is what changes them. Our technologies will continue to evolve. Our ability to do computational simulations is increasing at an exponential rate. In the future these technologies will be god-like.
It’s religious hope without need for the supernatural. Theology has evolved here at the Wittenberg Institute. Here we explore the relationship and interaction between technology and theology, to understand what makes us "images of God," and thus "soulful." It's a definition of soul that allows them to be reduced to information and empirically visible during information exchanges.
Next is the last part of the speech, after
it regains focus, which is still included in the script:
OSWALD (infomercial)
Our loved ones will become part of a vast computational intelligence that will recreate the universe, as our universe was created, with life friendly, anthropic constants.
Science, founded on materialism and naturalism, has worked too well. It has explained too many mysteries to deny its fundamental assumptions as metaphysical truths. Matter is the only miracle. There are no others. There are no souls, there is no supernatural.
We are information. We are nothing but—
Finally, here is a web site where you can
get more information about how this movie could be made:
http://www.geocities.com/normdoer