EPISODE 7 ‘TRANSFORMATIONS’
Written by Donald Marcus, Directed by James A. Contner
Original Airdate: 12-MAR-1998
THE SHOW OPENS. KELLY AND ED SIT IN HIS APARTMENT, PLAYING CARDS. KELLY PICKS UP A CARD, SMILES AND SETS ANOTHER CARD ON THE PILE.
Kelly: Gin.
Ed: Man, you learn fast.
Kelly: Can we go for a walk?
Ed: You sure you’re up to it? You were going through something pretty nasty...
Kelly: (giving him a little grin) It was probably just that pineapple pizza I ate.
Ed: (smiling) Yep, probably. Why don’t you grab your coat?
Kelly: Sure!
THEY STAND AND GET THEIR COATS.
Kelly: Maybe we could go to Laguna, just watch the ocean?
Ed: Okay.
THEY START TO LEAVE AND KELLY DOUBLES OVER IN PAIN, GROANING. ED IS AT HER SIDE INSTANTLY.
Kelly: (moaning) Oh, please....please!
Ed: It’s ok, it’s ok.
ED FRANTICALLY SEARCHES THROUGH A DRAWER (WHICH, STRANGELY ENOUGH, CONTAINS A BOTTLE OF RED NAIL POLISH) AND GRABS HIS MEDICAL BAG. HE GETS A SYRINGE OUT OF IT. KELLY IS ON THE FLOOR, TOSSING HER HEAD BACK AND FORTH IN PAIN, SOBBING.
Kelly: Ed, help.
HE INJECTS HER WITH SOMETHING.
Ed: Hang in there. Hang in there, this’ll just take a second to work.
Kelly: It hurts so bad. Please, God.
ED LIFTS KELLY INTO HIS ARMS AND ROCKS HER.
Ed: (softly) It’s ok.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. LISA IS IN ATTWOOD’S OFFICE, GUARDED BY SERIOUS LOOKING MEN IN DARK SUITS. TOM AND SLOAN STAND IN THE LAB AREA, LOOKING IN AT LISA THROUGH THE GLASS IN THE DOOR.
Sloan: We’ve been interrogating her for hours. Do you think she’s going to talk?
Tom: Never.
(TOM IS WEARING A GREY T-SHIRT UNDERNEATH A BLACK RIBBED LONG SLEEVE HENLEY TYPE SHIRT. HE’S WEARING BLACK PANTS AS WELL. NOT TOO BAD, BUT NOT BROWN PANTS CALIBER.)
Sloan: Just like you.
Tom: There are drugs we can use. And some other options.
HE LOOKS AT SLOAN.
Sloan: I won’t do that.
Tom: They’d do it to you.
Sloan: That’s the difference between us.
Tom: Lewis has trained hundreds like her and if we let him, he’ll train hundreds more. We have to find him.
Sloan: We’ll have to come up with a different way to do it.
SLOAN STEPS FORWARD AND LISA TURNS AND LOOKS OUT THE DOOR AT HER. SLOAN TURNS FROM THE BLONDE WOMAN’S VENOMOUS GLARE.
Sloan: Ok, I know Lewis directed all these agents. Who does Lewis take his orders from?
Tom: No one.
Sloan: There must be some hierarchy. Some chain of command. I can’t believe everyone’s just out there freelancing.
Tom: No, there’s clearly a master plan. I just don’t know what it is.
SLOAN LOOKS BACK AT LISA.
Sloan: Well, let’s keep trying, and then we’ll take it from there.
NEXT SCENE
A BUSY STREET. LIMO LADY AND ATTWOOD WALK BRISKLY DOWN A SIDEWALK.
Limo Lady: Right, the girl from the cave. What have you found out about her condition?
Attwood: Ed Tate is taking good care of her. He’s conducting a series of tests.
Limo Lady: The assassin?
Attwood: We’re interrogating her right now.
LIMO LADY STOPS AND TURNS TO ATTWOOD.
Limo Lady: I want her turned over to me, Walter. She’s out of your league.
Attwood: Why not see what we can do first?
LIMO LADY LOOKS AT HIM A MINUTE THEN STALKS AWAY AND GETS INTO HER CAR.
NEXT SCENE
AT ED’S APARTMENT. KELLY SITS ON THE SOFA AS ED APPROACHES HER.
Ed: Well, I’ve done as much of a workup as I could do here.
Kelly: And?
ED SITS ON THE SOFA NEXT TO HER.
Ed: I can’t really find anything wrong with you.
Kelly: So you think I’m a head case?
Ed: No, no. I just need to take you to the lab so I can run more extensive tests.
Kelly: Yeah, whatever.
Ed: I did uh, find kind of a strange rash on the back of your neck. Do you have any idea where that came from?
KELLY ABSENTLY TOUCHES THE BACK OF HER NECK.
Kelly: I don’t know.
Ed: Could you have gotten it in the cave?
Kelly: I don’t wanna talk about that!.....Sorry.
Ed: No, hey--
Kelly: It’s just that, I remember Lynch dragging Darcy and me inside the cave, and then the next thing I remember I’m laying in the dirt, my hands are bound and he’s taping my mouth.
Ed: Does Darcy remember anything?
Kelly: Darcy stopped talking to me. About anything. She wouldn’t answer the phone and when I went by her house, her dad sent me away.
Ed: Why?
Kelly: I don’t know. Darcy and I’ve been best friends since the eighth grade.
Ed: Well, why would she behave that way?
Kelly: (shaking her head) I have no idea.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. IN ATTWOOD’S OFFICE. LISA IS STILL SEATED WITH THE TWO MEN STANDING NEAR, GUARDING HER. TOM AND SLOAN ARE ALSO IN THE OFFICE.
Sloan: Look Lisa, you can help yourself here, if you answer some of these questions.
Lisa: (to Tom) Didn’t you tell her what it would take to break me?
Tom: You'd be smarter to give in. Lewis isn’t gonna help you. He left you to take the fall.
Lisa: This isn’t about Lewis. It’s about the fact that I’m willing to kill and die for a cause.
SHE TURNS TO SLOAN.
Lisa: That’s why you’re doomed, you know. You’re too weak to sacrifice for a larger purpose.
Sloan: I’m not.
Lisa: (derisively to Tom) What kind of a life can you have with her? She’s gonna use you against us and then slit your throat.
(NOT TOO MUCH LOGIC THERE...HE’S TOO HOT TO KILL...)
TOM LOOKS AT LISA, THEN OVER AT SLOAN. HE STRAIGHTENS FROM THE TABLE HE’D BEEN LEANING AGAINST.
Tom: Come on, Sloan.
TOM WALKS OVER TO THE DOOR AND SLOAN GETS UP AND FOLLOWS HIM.
Lisa: Hey, Tom.
TOM AND SLOAN BOTH TURN BACK AND LOOK AT THE BLONDE WOMAN.
Lisa: (inappropriately) Is it good with her?
TOM AND SLOAN TURN AND LEAVE AS LISA GIVES A SMUG SMILE. THEY WALK THROUGH THE LAB AREA AND OVER TO ATTWOOD.
Attwood: Did you get anything out of her?
Sloan: No.
Attwood: I think it’s time we tried other methods.
LIMO LADY STRIDES INTO THE ROOM.
Limo Lady: It’s time to turn things over to professionals.
ATTWOOD WALKS OVER TO HER AND GRABS HER BY THE ELBOW.
Attwood: What are you doing here?
Limo Lady: Looking for answers, Walter. Where is she? Walter?
Attwood: In my office.
SLOAN WALKS OVER TO THEM.
Sloan: (to Attwood) Who is this woman?
Attwood: My contact.
Limo Lady: His boss.
Sloan: Is that true?
Attwood: Yes, you didn’t think I was operating on my own did you? Sloan, her support’s been invaluable.
Limo Lady: Without it you’d be out of business. Or dead. Now. Did you get anything out of the woman?
Tom: Nothing will make her talk.
Limo Lady: Oh, well, you would know, wouldn’t you, Mr. Daniels?
TOM GIVES LIMO LADY A QUESTIONING LOOK.
Limo Lady: Oh yes, I know all about you. I’m taking custody of the prisoner.
THE LIMO LADY MAKES A MOTION AND SOME BEEFY GUYS COME WALKING INTO THE LAB.
Attwood: I think that’s premature.
Sloan: You can’t do that!
Limo Lady: Really?
SHE TURNS TO THE BEEFY MEN.
Limo Lady: She’s in there.
TOM, SLOAN AND ATTWOOD STAND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER IN SHOCKED SILENCE.
Tom: Let’s follow ‘em.
Attwood: Let them go. My contact will inform me if she learns anything.
TOM AND SLOAN PAUSE IN THE DOORWAY AND LOOK BACK AT ATTWOOD.
Sloan: (rolling her eyes) Right.
THEY LEAVE AND ATTWOOD SHAKES HIS HEAD.
NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME. TWO CARS DRIVE DOWN A WET CITY STREET. (EL NINO AGAIN!) INSIDE THE FIRST CAR WE SEE LISA, GUARDED BY THE TWO BEEFY MEN. IN THE SECOND CAR IS LIMO LADY. FOLLOWING AT A DISCREET DISTANCE IS SLOAN, DRIVING TOM IN HER CAR. (HE LOOKS DAMN GOOD. THEY’RE WEARING THEIR SEATBELTS LIKE GOOD DO-BEES.) IN THE FIRST CAR LISA TURNS TO THE BEEFY GUY ON HER RIGHT.
Lisa: (seductively) You wanna have some fun?
HE GLARES AT HER AS SHE RAISES HER HANDS.
Lisa: You won’t even need to take the cuffs off.
Beefy: Nice try.
LISA TAKES HIS HAND IN HERS.
Lisa: Please let me, huh?
Beefy: I said--
HE SCREAMS AS LISA BREAKS HIS FINGERS. THE DRIVER/GUARD TURNS TO LOOK AT BEEFY’S SCREAM. LISA GRABS THE GUN FROM THE MOANING GUARD AND SHOOTS HIM, THEN THE DRIVER. SHE GETS OUT OF THE CAR AND RUNS OFF. LIMO LADY’S CAR SCREECHES TO A HALT BEHIND THE FIRST AND LIMO LADY GETS OUT. SLOAN PULLS UP BEHIND AND WE SEE TOM GET OUT OF HER CAR.
Tom: (to Sloan, who has gotten out as well) Stay here.
Sloan: No, I’m not gonna--
Tom: (forcefully) This time, stay put!
SLOAN KIND OF HARUMPHS AND TOM RUNS UP TO THE FIRST CAR. LIMO LADY IS PEERING IN THE WINDOW. SHE LOOKS IN THE DIRECTION LISA TOOK OFF TO AS WE SEE SLOAN GET INTO HER CAR. TOM REACHES THE FIRST CAR.
Tom: Where is she?
Limo Lady: She’s gone.
CUT BACK TO SLOAN, WATCHING THE SCENE AHEAD FROM HER FRONT SEAT. SHE HEARS A NOISE BEHIND HER AND TURNS TO SEE LEWIS GETTING INTO HER BACKSEAT. SHE SITS BACK AGAINST THE DOOR IN SHOCK AS HE PRODUCES A GUN AND CALMLY RESTS IT AGAINST THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.
Lewis: Drive, Dr. Parker.
TOM AND THE LIMO LADY ARE LOOKING UP THE ROAD AS SLOAN’S CAR SPEEDS PAST THEM. THEY TURN TO LOOK. TOM STRIDES AFTER IT.
Tom: Sloan! S L O A N!!!
THE CAR SPEEDS AROUND A CORNER AND IS GONE.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. IN ATTWOOD’S OFFICE. ATTWOOD LEANS OVER A DESK AS TOM STALKS BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE ROOM.
Attwood: You mustn’t blame yourself.
Tom: I was the one who left her alone in the car.
Attwood: There’s no way even you could’ve known what would happen.
Tom: Yeah there is. I KNOW Lewis. I should’ve realized he’d try something.
LIMO LADY ENTERS THE ROOM.
Limo Lady: You can relax. The escape was planned.
ATTWOOD STRAIGHTENS UP AS LIMO LADY SITS IN ONE OF THE DESK CHAIRS. TOM WALKS OVER AND LOOKS AT LIMO LADY.
Tom: You let her escape?
Limo Lady: She’s of little value to us. Lewis is the one we want.
Tom: What do you know about Lewis?
Limo Lady: Well, Walter’s reports haven't totally been without value.
Attwood: Two of our men died! Was that part of your plan?
Limo Lady: Her escape had to be realistic. Convincing. So she wouldn't suspect we were following her to Lewis.
Tom: You just don’t know what you’re up against.
AFTER SOME TENSE STARING, A CELL PHONE RINGS. LIMO LADY REACHES FOR IT.
Limo Lady: Excuse me. That should be my man now.
SHE ANSWERS THE PHONE.
Limo Lady: Hello?....Hello?.....Hello...
CUT TO A SHOT OF A CELL PHONE FLIPPED OPEN, LYING ON A SIDEWALK. THE CAMERA PANS AND WE SEE A MAN IN A DARK SUIT SPRAWLED IN THE GRASS NEXT TO THE SIDEWALK. HE LOOKS PRETTY DEAD. THE CAMERA PANS UP AND WE SEE LISA STANDING OVER HIM. BEHIND HER IS A WHITE HOUSE, ILLUMINATED BY PORCH LIGHTS.
CUT BACK TO ATTWOOD’S OFFICE. LIMO LADY DROPS THE CELL PHONE FROM HER EAR AND SWITCHES IT OFF. SHE LOOKS UP AT ATTWOOD.
CUT BACK TO THE HOUSE. LEWIS EMERGES FROM THE FRONT DOOR AND STEPS ONTO THE PORCH.
NEXT SCENE
DAYTIME AT RAY’S HOUSE. RAY AND ATTWOOD STAND OUTSIDE.
Attwood: I said we’d have a job for you.
Ray: Well, if they’ve got Sloan, whatever you need.
Attwood: A lead on this man Lewis. I’m sure he has her.
Ray: Well, how’d he get her?
Attwood: My government contact intentionally let Lisa escape. In the confusion Lewis grabbed Sloan.
THE CAMERA PANS DOWN TO TOM, SITTING ON RAY’S FRONT STEPS LISTENING TO THEIR CONVERSATION. (HE LOOKS SO FINE. BLACK MID-LENGTH COAT, BLACK PANTS, BLACK SHIRT AND THE GREY T-SHIRT.)
Ray: What happened to the men who were tailing Lisa?
Attwood: We don’t know.
Ray: Well I can check my contacts on the street.
Attwood: I want to see if I can find out what happened to those men.
ATTWOOD TURNS TO WALK AWAY. TOM QUICKLY STANDS AND MAKES A SWEEPING MOTION WITH HIS HAND.
Tom: I’m going with you.
ATTWOOD TURNS BACK TO LOOK AT TOM. RAY LOOKS AT ATTWOOD, WHO GIVES HIM A SMALL SHRUG.
Ray: (looking back at Tom) Alright.
NEXT SCENE
BACK AT LEWIS’S HOUSE. LISA AND LEWIS STAND IN THE LIVING ROOM.
Lewis: What did you tell them while they held you, Lisa?
Lisa: (indignantly) Nothing, of course.
Lewis: I know how persuasive Tom can be. I did teach him, after all.
Lisa: Well he’s useless now. He’s not the person you knew.
Lewis: What makes you say that?
Lisa: He just played at interrogating me.
Lewis: Tom did? I can’t believe that. He’s one of the best I ever trained. Ferocious interrogator. Remarkable intuition.
LEWIS TURNS AND LOOKS AT LISA.
Lewis: Let’s see to our guest, shall we?
HE WALKS OVER TO A DOOR AND OPENS IT. WE SEE SLOAN INSIDE THE ROOM, SITTING ON THE FLOOR, HANDS TIED BEHIND HER BACK, ANKLES BOUND. A STRIP OF DUCT TAPE COVERS HER MOUTH. LISA MARCHES OVER AND RIPS THE DUCT TAPE OFF.
Lewis: (smiling) Now, what would you like?
Sloan: To know why you’re holding me. Why you haven’t killed me.
Lewis: Is that a complaint?
LEWIS STEPS FORWARD AND BENDS DOWN BESIDE SLOAN. (CHECK OUT THE WALLPAPER IN THE ROOM.....IT’S THE SAME PRINT AS THE STUFF IN MY KITCHEN....SPOOKY, AIN’T IT?)
Lewis: Would you like to die now?
HE BRUSHES A STRAND OF HAIR FROM HER FACE. SLOAN CONTINUES TO STARE STRAIGHT AHEAD, EYES BRIGHT WITH UNSHED TEARS.
Lewis: Answer me. Would you?
Sloan: (on a whisper) No.
Lewis: No, of course not. You probably think Tom is going to burst heroically through that door and rescue you.
LEWIS LEANS CLOSER TO HER, GENTLY BRUSHING HIS FOREHEAD ACROSS HERS. HE CONTINUES THIS ACTION AS HE ASKS HER QUESTIONS.
Lewis: Are you in love with him? You ARE, aren’t you? Come on Sloan, you can be honest with me...I know how special Tom is...What do you love most?...His intelligence?...His courage?...Have you become intimate?...Nahhh...You’re probably smart enough to know how hopeless any relationship between the two of you would be.
SLOAN IS GASPING IN FEAR NOW, AND LEWIS COVERS HER LIPS WITH TWO OF HIS FINGERS. HE CARESSES HER LIPS, THEN FINALLY MOVES HIS HAND TO COVER HER MOUTH. LEWIS TURNS TO LOOK UP AT THE SMUGLY SMILING LISA.
Lewis: I think I like her better with her mouth shut.
LISA STEPS FORWARD AND SLAPS THE DUCT TAPE BACK OVER SLOAN’S MOUTH.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ED IS SETTING A BED UP IN HIS OFFICE, PUTTING A PILLOWCASE ON A PILLOW. KELLY PEEKS HER HEAD AROUND THE DOOR.
Ed: Hey.
Kelly: Hey.
Ed: Hanging in there?
Kelly: Sure.
Ed: Uh, I’ll have the results in a bit.
HE STANDS.
Ed: Just thought that you could use some sleep.
Kelly: Yeah, thanks.
KELLY GETS UNDER THE BLANKETS AS ED CLOSES THE BLINDS TO DARKEN THE ROOM. HE WALKS TO THE DOOR AND BACKS OUT OF IT.
Ed: Alright, well, I’ll check on you in a little bit.
Kelly: Okay.
ED CLOSES THE DOOR, THEN WALKS THROUGH THE LAB AREA. ATTWOOD ENTERS.
Ed: Hey, where you been?
ATTWOOD GLARES AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.
Ed: What’s going on?
Attwood: They took Sloan.
Ed: Who?
Attwood: Lewis.
Ed: Why didn’t you tell me? Wait, and what about Tom? I-I thought he was supposed to be looking after her!
Attwood: Tom and Ray are out looking for her now.
Ed: (stomping across the room) Where are they?!?
Attwood: Ed! Ed, everything is being done to find her! You have to stay here and help Kelly.
ED LOOKS TO HIS OFFICE AND PUTS HIS COAT DOWN.
Ed: Guess you’re right.
Attwood: (looking at a computer screen) What’s that?
Ed: A series of tests I’m running on Kelly. It’s her DNA.
Attwood: Why are you running that?
Ed: I can’t figure out what’s wrong with her. She has no known disease, her blood count’s good. It’s not AIDS, she’s not pregnant...
Attwood: Have you considered that maybe they infected her with a disease we’ve never encountered before? Something they invented?
Ed: Of course. You know, part of me is obsessed with finding what’s wrong, the other part’s afraid to know.
Attwood: Yeah.
ED WALKS TO THE SCREEN AND TYPES ON THE KEYBOARD. HE GIVES A CONFUSED LOOK.
Attwood: What is it?
Ed: Uh, I gotta run the test again, it can’t be right.
Attwood: What does it say?
Ed: Kelly’s DNA differential. She’s one-point-three.
CUT TO LATER, IN ATTWOOD’S OFFICE. ATTWOOD AND ED ARE BRAINSTORMING.
Attwood: Maybe she’s some bastardized form of the species we haven’t encountered yet.
Ed: No, I checked this girl’s medical records. She’s one of us. Or, she was.
Attwood: Then what are we talking about?
Ed: Walter, they’ve tampered with her DNA.
Attwood: But when?
Ed: Lynch must have done it when he had her in the cave. You know, she-she’s blanked out a lot that happened in there.
Attwood: But she was just with him ten, maybe twelve hours. It’s not possible.
Ed: For us.
Attwood: How?
Ed: Hundred ways. Uh, injection, some kind of implant, blood transfusion. Maybe Lynch raped her. I-I don’t know. My guess, Kelly was an experiment that failed. Next time, they could succeed.
Attwood: Then, they’d be able to alter anyone’s DNA. Yours. Mine.
Ed: (looking up) Sloan’s.
NEXT SCENE
RAY’S CAR, SPEEDING DOWN A DARK ROAD. TOM SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT.
Tom: I understand your hatred.
Ray: What? What are you talking about?
Tom: You saw the cave, saw Coulter’s body. You were beaten by Lynch. You were even shot. Of course you hate us. It’s understandable.
Ray: Maybe, but. How did you know that’s what I was feeling?
Tom: We just have a sense for emotions.
Ray: If you’re the new improved model, why do you want to kill us? Why can’t you live with us instead of trying to wipe us out? Isn’t that what the truly advanced species would do?
Tom: Maybe.
TOM LOOKS OVER AT RAY.
Tom: Yes.
RAY’S CELL PHONE RINGS. HE ANSWERS IT.
Ray: Peterson.....Yeah....Oh, my God.....Alright, I’ll be there.
HE HANGS UP.
Tom: What is it?
Ray: They found the men who tailed Lisa. Dead.
Tom: Where?
Ray: On Lewis’s doorstep.
NEXT SCENE
ATTWOOD GETS OUT OF HIS CAR, WHICH IS PARKED IN FRONT OF LEWIS’S HOUSE. HE WALKS OVER TO RAY AND TOM, WAITING NEXT TO RAY’S CAR.
Tom: Didn’t you bring your boss?
Attwood: I’ve cut her out of the loop on this. You’re certain they’re inside?
Ray: Well, Lewis and Lisa are. I’m not so sure about Sloan.
Tom: She’s there, believe me.
Attwood: What if we storm the place?
Tom: I’m telling you, she’s in there. She’ll just wind up dead.
Attwood: (raising his hands) Okay.
THE DOOR OPENS AND ALL THREE MEN TURN TO LOOK. LEWIS STEPS OUT ONTO THE PORCH AND CASUALLY LEANS HIS FOREARM AGAINST THE PORCH COLUMN.
Lewis: Gentlemen. What took you so long? Tom, would you like to see Dr. Parker now?
Tom: Let her go and I’ll come in.
Lewis: No, let’s try it this way. You come in, unarmed of course, and we’ll....take it from there.
TOM TURNS BACK TO LOOK AT RAY AND ATTWOOD, WHO APPROACH TOM. TOM PULLS HIS GUN FROM WHERE IT WAS TUCKED AT THE SMALL OF HIS BACK AND HANDS IT TO RAY.
Attwood: (whispering) He’ll kill you.
TOM SHAKES HIS HEAD AT ATTWOOD, THEN TURNS AND WALKS ACROSS THE FRONT LAWN.
Lewis: Peterson. Attwood. If you make any attempt to enter this house, I’ll know immediately, and I’ll kill them both.
RAY AND ATTWOOD LOOK AT EACH OTHER. TOM CLIMBS THE STAIRS AND WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR. LEWIS FOLLOWS HIM IN AND CLOSES IT BEHIND HIM. TOM LOOKS AROUND THE LIVING ROOM. LISA STANDS BEFORE HIM.
Tom: Where is she?
Lisa: Making herself beautiful.
LISA SUDDENLY SMACKS TOM IN THE CHEST AND PUSHES HIM TO THE FLOOR. SHE PATS HIM DOWN. ( I THINK SHE ENJOYED THAT A BIT MUCH.)
Lisa: (standing and looking at Lewis) Nothing.
Lewis: Would you like to see her now?
TOM GLARES UP AT HIM FROM THE FLOOR. LEWIS WALKS ACROSS THE ROOM AND LISA BENDS TO HELP TOM UP. TOM SMACKS HER HAND AWAY AND ROLLS TO HIS FEET. THEY WALK OVER TO A DOOR. LEWIS OPENS IT AND LISA PUSHES TOM INTO THE ROOM. HE SEES SLOAN ON THE FLOOR, STILL BOUND, WITH DUCT TAPE OVER HER MOUTH.
Tom: Cut her loose.
Lewis: Of course.
LEWIS HANDS A SWITCHBLADE TO LISA. LISA SLICES OFF SLOAN’S ROPES AND TOM GOES TO SLOAN, REMOVING HER GAG.
Tom: Are you alright?
Sloan: I’m okay.
Tom: C’mere. C’mere.
SLOAN MOVES INTO TOM’S EMBRACE AS THE ONE-POINT-SIXERS STAND WATCHING.
Lewis: What happened to you, Tom? I want to know.
Tom: Couldn’t fight ‘em anymore, Lewis. Couldn’t do the things I was asked to do.
Lewis: You turned out to be a coward.
Tom: No. A realist. About myself. About our so-called ‘struggle for survival’. We don’t have to fight it.
Lewis: Really. Why not?
Tom: Because we can co-exist. We have to. Your work is futile. It’s unnecessary.
Lewis: That at least should provide you some solace in your final moments.
LEWIS GRABS A GUN FROM HIS BELT.
Lewis: Which are now upon us.
HE TURNS TO LISA.
Lewis: Hold Dr. Parker.
LISA GIVES A MALEVOLENT GLARE AND BENDS DOWN TO SLOAN, PUSHING TOM OFF THE SCIENTIST AND THROWING HIM BACK AGAINST A WALL. SLOAN STRUGGLES WITH HER CAPTOR, TRYING TO GET LOOSE AND REACH TOM, TO NO AVAIL. TOM STANDS AND FACES LEWIS, WHO AIMS HIS GUN AT TOM.
Lewis: Would you like to say some...poignant farewell to one another?
SLOAN LOOKS UP AT LEWIS.
Sloan: Go to hell.
TOM LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDER AT SLOAN.
Lewis: Last chance.
TOM TURNS AND KNEELS NEXT TO SLOAN, PUSHING LISA AWAY. HE GRABS SLOAN BY HER UPPER ARMS AND FACES HER TOWARDS HIM. SHE STARES INTO HIS (INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL BLUE) EYES AS HIS HAND RESTS AGAINST HER NECK. HE SOFTLY SAYS SOMETHING TO HER. SHE NODS HER OK. LEWIS IS WATCHING THEM, AS IS LISA. SLOAN AND TOM STARE INTENTLY INTO EACH OTHER’S EYES.
Sloan: (with conviction) Do it!
Lewis: Of course.
LEWIS COCKS THE GUN AND RAISES IT. HE FIRES, AND WE SEE LISA SLUMP ON THE FLOOR. SLOAN’S MOUTH DROPS IN SHOCK.
Tom: What are you doing?
Lewis: Don’t worry, you’ll be the first to know. Would you lie on your stomachs please? Facing the wall.
TOM AND SLOAN TURN AND LAY ON THEIR STOMACHS, FACES INCHES FROM ONE ANOTHER, STILL STARING INTO EACH OTHER’S EYES. WE HEAR THE GUN COCK AND THE SOUND OF THE DOOR CLOSING. TOM SPRINGS UP FROM THE FLOOR AND RACES TO THE DOOR, WHICH IS LOCKED. HE THROWS A SHOULDER INTO THE DOOR AND IT BANGS OPEN. (OOO! SO MANLY! REWIND THAT!) RAY AND ATTWOOD RUN THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM, GUNS DRAWN.
Tom: (to the men) We’re ok, but Lewis is gone.
Attwood: (entering the room Sloan is in) What happened here?
ATTWOOD HELPS SLOAN STAND.
Sloan: Lewis shot her.
RAY ENTERS THE ROOM AND LOOKS AT THE BLONDE WOMAN’S BODY.
Ray: Why?
Tom: I don’t know but you can be sure it’s part of his plan.
Ray: You mean escape?
Tom: No, it’s more than that.
Sloan: What makes you think this was part of Lewis’s plan?
Tom: Because he could’ve killed us. And he didn’t.
Ray: We’d better get out of here. We don’t want to be explaining this to the police.
RAY HUSTLES THEM ALL OUT OF THE ROOM.
NEXT SCENE
ED AND SLOAN ARE HAVING A PHONE CONVERSATION. ED IS IN THE LAB. SLOAN IS IN A RESTAURANT WITH TOM, SITTING AT A TABLE TALKING ON HER CELL PHONE.
Ed: ....I-I know but did they do anything to you? Injections, or...
Sloan: Nothing, really.
Ed: And you were conscious the whole time?
Sloan: Yes. Look, I’m just gonna, umm, catch my breath, and then I’ll be in later.
Ed: I wanna run some tests when you do.
Sloan: Have you told Kelly about the results of her test yet?
Ed: She’s just waking up now. Look, I’m just relieved that you’re okay.
Sloan: Pretty relieved myself. See you later.
Ed: Bye.
SLOAN HANGS UP HER PHONE. TOM IS STARING AT HER.
Tom: You alright?
Sloan: Um-hmm.
(OH MY. HE’S WEARING A NICE BLACK T-SHIRT UNDERNEATH A BLACK BUTTON-UP LONG SLEEVE SWEATER.) TOM TAKES SLOAN’S HAND IN HIS.
Sloan: I can’t stop shaking.
Tom: You will.
Sloan: Will I?
SHE LOOKS UP AT TOM.
Sloan: You saved my life last night.
SLOAN LIFTS HIS HAND AND KISSES IT, THEN RESTS HER FOREHEAD AGAINST IT FOR A MOMENT. TEARS WELL IN HER EYES AND SHE WIPES THEM AWAY.
Sloan: I’m sorry.
HE STROKES HER ARM.
Tom: It’s alright. It’s alright.
Sloan: I can’t help it. I just keep remembering being tied up like that. I couldn’t move. Just...waiting. I thought I was going crazy. And the way they looked at me. And the way he touched me.
SLOAN ABSENTLY TOUCHES HER LIPS AND IN HER MIND SHE HEARS LEWIS ASK,”Are you in love with him?”
Sloan: (breaking from her reverie) What is he up to?
Tom: He’s hard to predict. He’s careful to vary his pattern. His strategies are always...inventive....
SOMETHING ON THE TV ABOVE THE BAR CATCHES TOM’S ATTENTION, AND HE TURNS TO LOOK.
Tom: ...Never repetitive.
Sloan: So we just wait?
Tom: I don’t think we’ll have to wait too long.
SLOAN TURNS TO LOOK AT THE TV THAT IS HOLDING TOM’S ATTENTION. A REPORTER SITS, INTERVIEWING A GREY-HAIRED MAN.
Reporter: So you’re alleging that last night’s murder of Lisa Lahr was the work of a cult?
WE SEE THE MAN IS LEWIS.
Lewis: Yes, and they are a predatory and ruthless crew.
Reporter: And you first became aware of them when?
Lewis: (speaking with a Southern accent) I’m a clinical psychologist near Chattanooga, and I was approached by several families trying to reclaim loved ones who’d joined the cult.
Reporter: So you’re alleging that a member of this group was responsible for last night’s murder?
Lewis: Yes. He’s an enforcer, a hitman, who keeps cult members in line.
Reporter: How many murders is he responsible for?
Lewis: Twenty-six, including last night’s.
Reporter: Twenty-six?
Lewis: Yes, and he has an accomplice who travels with him, provides backup and, uh, plans their escapes.
Reporter: And you can identify this killer and his accomplice?
Lewis: Yes. Tom Daniels and Sloan Parker.
THEIR PICTURES FLASH ON THE SCREEN. THE ANCHORMAN THANKS THE REPORTER FOR THE INTERVIEW AS TOM AND SLOAN STARE AT ONE ANOTHER IN SHOCK.
Tom: Let’s get outta here.
THEY DISCRETELY LEAVE THE RESTAURANT. PATRONS LOOK UP AS THEY GO, PERHAPS RECOGNIZING THEM.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ED STARES THROUGH A MICROSCOPE. KELLY APPROACHES HIM.
Kelly: God, that felt great. It’s the best sleep I’ve had since the cave.
ED LOOKS UP AT HER, A SERIOUS LOOK ON HIS FACE.
Ed: Could you sit down for a second?
SHE DOES.
Kelly: You found something in the test, didn’t you? Some terrible disease?
Ed: No, it’s not that. But w-we did a DNA test. Your genetic structure’s been altered.
Kelly: (in tears) What does that mean? Am I gonna be alright? Am I gonna get better?
Ed: I hope so.
Kelly: Wh-what are you talking about, my genetic...whatever?
Ed: Somehow, the molecular composition of your body’s been changed. It’s different, uh from, from mine, from your parents.
Kelly: From everyone’s?
Ed: The differential between the DNA of the new species and the DNA of human beings is one-point-six percent. Your differential is one-point-three.
Kelly: What have they done to me? What’ve they turned me into some sort of a freak?
Ed: Kelly once--
Kelly: No, you know man, I should’ve killed myself!
Ed: You gotta give me a chance to fix things. Don’t give up. C’mon.
HE PULLS HER INTO HIS ARMS.
NEXT SCENE
AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. TOM AND SLOAN WALK IN THE DOOR.
Tom: We can’t stay long.
SLOAN HUSTLES TO HER BEDROOM AND GRABS A BAG FROM THE CLOSET.
Sloan: I’ll just grab some things, and my passport, just in case.
SHE STARTS STUFFING THINGS INTO THE DUFFEL BAG.
Sloan: I can’t believe this is all really happening. My life used to be so simple.
Tom: It’ll be a long time before it’s that way again. Listen uh, the murders Lewis talked about....
Sloan: You don’t have to explain all that.
TOM WALKS OVER TO WHERE SHE STANDS NEXT TO HER BED.
Tom: No, I do. He fabricated most of the evidence--
A KNOCK SOUNDS ON THE DOOR. TOM AND SLOAN TURN AT THE SOUND. SLOAN WALKS ACROSS THE APARTMENT, CHECKS THE PEEPHOLE AND OPENS THE DOOR. ATTWOOD WALKS IN.
Attwood: It’s not safe for you here. The police are buying Lewis’s story. How are you after last night?
Sloan: Walter, can’t you straighten this out with the police? Tell them the truth?
Attwood: I’m working on it.
Tom: Maybe you and your boss can try a little harder.
Sloan: Walter, you should’ve told us about her.
Attwood: I was trying to protect you from her interference.
Sloan: I had the right to know who’s calling the shots.
Tom: And what the price was.
Attwood: I am terribly sorry about what happened Sloan, you know that. But I had no idea what she was planning.
Sloan: Well, can she help us now, can she clear us?
Attwood: I hope so.
TOM HAS MOVED TO THE WINDOW. HE SEES COP CARS PULL UP BELOW.
Tom: The police are here.
Attwood: You have to leave.
Sloan: How? Where?
Tom: We’ll go over the roof to the next building.
SLOAN TURNS TO GRAB THE BAG SHE PACKED.
Tom: C’mon, c’mon! We don’t have time for that!
SLOAN GRABS HER PURSE AND COAT AND RACES OUT THE DOOR WITH TOM.
Attwood: Hurry. I’ll delay them.
NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME. RAY PULLS INTO HIS DRIVEWAY. HE KILLS THE HEADLIGHTS AND GETS OUT OF THE DODGE.
Sloan: (whispering) Ray!
RAY TURNS AND SEES SLOAN AND TOM EMERGE FROM BEHIND A TREE NEXT TO HIS HOUSE. RAY WALKS OVER TO THEM.
Ray: What are you doing here?
Sloan: The police raided my apartment. I need to know what they have on us.
Ray: Look, they found Tom’s prints and blood and hair at the crime scene where Lisa was killed. Now, they’re gonna look for you both here.
Tom: They already have.
Ray: If I can find Lewis and collar him, we can straighten this out.
Tom: Look, it won’t do any good. He’ll come out clean.
RAY TURNS AS A CAR PULLS UP ACROSS THE STREET.
Ray: Look, the police are back. Get out, go as far away as you can.
TOM AND SLOAN RUSH OFF.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ED IS ON THE PHONE.
Ed: Uh, yeah, this is Dr. Ed Tate. Is Darcy there?...Oh, um, I’m a friend of Kelly Hammond. Do you know when your daughter will be back?...What do you mean she disappeared?...Hello?
Kelly: So what are you doing?
ED TURNS AND SEES KELLY, STANDING BEHIND A COUNTER. HE HANGS UP THE PHONE.
Ed: Uh, hey, just uh, trying to come up with an angle on this thing.
KELLY IS SLINKING AROUND THE COUNTER, ADVANCING ON THE SEATED ED.
Kelly: And working non-stop, huh?
Ed: How you feeling, Kelly?
Kelly: I’m fine. Just had enough of your crap.
ED STANDS AND WALKS OVER TO HER, PUTTING HIS HAND ON HER SHOULDER.
Ed: Look, why don't you--
Kelly: (wrenching away from him) Just get your hands off me!
Ed: Kelly, I was--
Kelly: You’ve been dying to hit on me all along, haven’t you? Alright, come on!
SHE STARTS UNZIPPING HER SWEATER AND TAKES A FEW STEPS TOWARDS ED.
Ed: Will you stop!
Kelly: (belligerently) No, no, you know what, if you want me, come and get me!
SHE PUSHES ED.
Kelly: What, haven't got it in ya?
SHE PUSHES HIM AGAIN, HARDER, AND HE SLAMS UP AGAINST THE DOOR.
Ed: Don’t do this, Kelly.
Kelly: What’re you gonna do? You gonna spank me?
Ed: I said--
SHE GRABS HIS SHIRT AND PULLS HIM DOWN, KISSING HIM HARD. HE PUSHES HER AWAY. SHE GLARES UP AT HIM.
Kelly: Did you like that, Ed?
Ed: Will you stop?
KELLY SLAPS HIM HARD, THEN STARTS PUMMELING HIM. HE GRUNTS AND GROANS AT HER PUNCHES. SHE CONTINUES WAILING ON HIM, GETTING SOME KICKS IN TOO, UNTIL HER ENERGY FLAGS. SHE SLUMPS AGAINST ED, UNCONSCIOUS. HE GENTLY LAYS HER TO THE FLOOR.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ED IS SITTING ON A COUNTER, READING THE NEWSPAPER AS HE DIALS THE PHONE. WE SEE PICTURES OF TOM AND SLOAN ON THE FRONT PAGE, UNDER A HEADLINE THAT READS, ‘Alleged Cult Assassin Tied to 26 Murders’. ATTWOOD ENTERS THE LAB AND ED SHOVES THE PAPER AT HIM.
Attwood: Who you calling?
Ed: Sloan. She must have her cell phone off or she’s out of the area.
Attwood: Or her battery could be dead. Besides, if she was able to contact us, she would.
ED HANGS UP.
Ed: Of course. Walter, she’s gotta come in here.
Attwood: That’s not possible right now. We’ve gotta get her off this hook first. How’s Kelly?
Ed: Melted down. It’s bizarre. You know her friend Darcy? Disappeared.
Attwood: Same things may be happening to her.
Ed: That’s why I gotta test Sloan. Make sure they’re not happening to her.
NEXT SCENE
DAYTIME AT A FOOD STAND. RAY STANDS TALKING WITH A MAN IN A SUIT, OBVIOUSLY A COP.
Ray: I’m telling you, Daniels and Parker didn’t commit that murder.
Cop: (cynically) How do you know that? Were you there, Ray?
Ray: No, it’s all part of this guy Lewis’s plan to frame them.
Cop: Where’d he get the blood sample to plant?
Ray: I don’t know.
Cop: Sooo, is Lewis part of this new species too?
RAY EXHALES.
Cop: Ray, step back on this a second.
Ray: Look, I’m just trying to help two innocent people, that’s all.
Cop: I’m trying to help YOU. I’ve always respected you. You’re about to throw your life away. Forget about your career, it’s already gone. Examine what you're doing, for Grace’s sake, huh? For Matt’s.
Ray: Thanks, I appreciate the concern.
RAY WALKS OFF. THE COP REACHES INTO HIS CAR AND GETS HIS PORTABLE RADIO OUT.
Cop: (into the radio) This is Twenty-two, get me Lt. Quinn on tack Four.
THE COP CHECKS OVER HIS SHOULDER, MAKING SURE RAY IS GONE.
Quinn: (voiceover) Quinn here.
Cop: Yeah, Lt., I just talked to Peterson. I think you’re right. I think he is working for them now.
NEXT SCENE
AT ED’S APARTMENT. ED SITS ON THE EDGE OF HIS BED LOOKING DOWN AT KELLY, ASLEEP UNDER THE COVERS. SHE OPENS HER EYES AND LOOKS UP AT HIM WITH A SMALL SMILE.
Kelly: Hi, Ed.
Ed: Hey. Welcome back.
Kelly: Where am I? Your apartment?
Ed: Yeah.
Kelly: What happened?
Ed: Doesn't matter. How you feeling?
Kelly: Weird. You know what the worst part of this is, is right when I wake up, I suddenly remember what’s happening to me. It’s not fair.
Ed: No. Hey, don’t give in Kelly. I’m getting close to figuring out why this happened, and then I can start thinking about how to reverse it, ok?
Kelly: You think, okay? I’m gonna get some more sleep. Better than being awake.
SHE CLOSES HER EYES AND ED STANDS UP.
Ed: I’ll check in on you later.
Kelly: Ok.
NEXT SCENE
DAYTIME. TOM AND SLOAN WALK DOWN A BUSY DOWNTOWN SIDEWALK. A WOMAN GLANCES AT TOM AS THEY WALK PAST AND HE TURNS TO LOOK AT HER, TRYING TO DETERMINE IF SHE’S RECOGNIZED HIM OR IS JUST STUNNED BY HIS STRIKING GOOD LOOKS.
Tom: Maybe we haven’t gotten far enough away.
(REALITY INTRUSION.....IF YOU LOOK IN THE WINDOW BEHIND TOM, YOU’LL SEE IT READS ‘KINGSBRIDGE FLORIST’...THE FLOWER SHOP RIGHT BENEATH SLOAN’S APARTMENT...THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN FAR AT ALL!)
Sloan: Should we think about leaving the country? Till Ray and Attwood work something out?
Tom: We can’t with Lewis out there.
Sloan: Oh, it would be great if we could just go off somewhere.
HE TURNS TO HER.
Tom: Where would you wanna go?
HE GIVES HER A LITTLE SMILE. THEY CONTINUE WALKING AND SEE A POLICE CAR PULL UP AT THE END OF THE BLOCK. THEY CAUSALLY TURN AND START WALKING BACK THE WAY THEY CAME. ANOTHER COP CAR PULLS UP AT THE OTHER END OF THE BLOCK AND TURNS ON ITS SIREN.
Sloan: They’re coming!
SLOAN AND TOM START RUNNING DOWN THE SIDEWALK. THEY TURN AND RACE DOWN AN ALLEY. THE COPS ARE CLOSE BEHIND. WE SEE TOM AND SLOAN RUN THROUGH AN INDUSTRIAL PARK. THEY APPROACH A DOOR OF A FACTORY. IT’S PADLOCKED. TOM GRABS THE LOCK AND WRENCHES THE PLATE FROM ITS HINGES. SLOAN’S EYES WIDEN IN ADMIRATION AND DISBELIEF. THEY ENTER THE LARGE, DIMLY LIT BUILDING. TOM AND SLOAN SCAN THE INTERIOR FOR A PLACE TO HIDE. OUTSIDE, UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS NEAR THE DOOR. THEY STARE AT THE BROKEN LOCK PLATE AND CAUTIOUSLY ENTER. TOM AND SLOAN RACE DOWN AN AISLE, BETWEEN METAL SHELVING UNITS. THE POLICE TRAIL THEM, THE BEAMS FROM THEIR FLASHLIGHTS CUTTING THROUGH THE DARKNESS. OUR HEROES MAKE THEIR WAY DEEPER INTO THE BUILDING, AVOIDING THE COPS. TOM WALKS OVER TO A LARGE RECTANGULAR CONCRETE CONTAINER. IT HAS A PRESSURE LOCK ON THE TOP.
Sloan: What are you doing?
TOM FORCES OPEN THE HEAVY LID.
Tom: (panting) C’mon, get in!
SHE DOES AND TOM FOLLOWS HER IN, LETTING THE LID SLAM SHUT OVER THEM. THE POLICE APPROACH, SEARCHING FOR THEM, CHECKING BEHIND CORNERS, UNDER TABLES. THEY NEAR THE CONCRETE CONTAINER.
Ofc.: Try down here.
THE COP TRIES TO LIFT THE LID.
Ofc.: Blake, give me a hand with this.
ANOTHER OFFICER STEPS FORWARD AND THEY BOTH TRY TO LIFT THE LID. IT DOESN’T BUDGE A BIT.
Ofc.: Let’s check over there.
THEY GIVE UP AND WALK OFF.
NEXT SCENE
INTERIOR OF A BLACK BMW. THE RADIO PLAYS A NEWS REPORT AS THE CAMERA PANS UP TO REVEAL LEWIS IN THE DRIVER SEAT, LISTENING.
Radio Announcer: ....and still there are no arrests in the so-called cult murders. The police have spread a net far and wide across the Southland and it seems inconceivable that the suspects Daniels and Parker can elude capture much longer.
LEWIS STARTS THE ENGINE AND DRIVES OFF.
NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME. TOM AND SLOAN RUN THROUGH A PARK OF SOME SORT, DOWN A PATH BORDERED BY TREES AND SHRUBS. (LOOKS LIKE ONE BIG-ASS JUNIPER TO ME, ON TOM’S LEFT) TOM PULLS UP.
Tom: (panting) Wait, wait.
TOM LOOKS BEHIND HIM AS THEY STOP.
Tom: I don’t think they saw us.
Sloan: No.
SLOAN LOOKS UP AT TOM, BREATHING HARD.
Tom: Welcome to my world.
Sloan: I don’t know if I can keep going.
SHE HUNKERS DOWN, STILL GASPING FOR BREATH. TOM CROUCHES (!) NEXT TO HER.
Tom: You have to Sloan.
Sloan: Where can we go?
Tom: I don’t know.
HEADLIGHTS FLASH OVER THEM.
Tom: Look, we can’t stay here. C’mon, c’mon.
THEY GET UP AND RUSH OFF.
NEXT SCENE
AN OLD RED CAR PULLS INTO A PARKING LOT NEXT TO LEWIS’S BMW. LEWIS GETS OUT AS THE DRIVER OF THE RED CAR HANDS HIM A BLACK CASE. LEWIS OPENS IT AND REVEALS A SYRINGE AND A VIAL.
Lewis: (to Driver) Well done.
NEXT SCENE
AT ED’S APARTMENT. ED RUSHES IN. WE SEE KELLY IN THE BED.
Ed: (excitedly) Kelly! I uh, actually just spoke to my med school advisor Dr. Copeland. He gave me an idea.
ED SITS ON THE BED NEXT TO KELLY.
Ed: I wanna take you back to the lab and get another blood sample.
KELLY REMAINS MOTIONLESS. ED STARES AT HER.
Ed: Kelly! Kelly c’mon.
HE TRIES TO SHAKE HER AWAKE.
Ed: (concerned) Kelly, c’mon wake up. Kelly...
ED REACHES DOWN AND TAKES HER PULSE. HE PULLS HIS HAND BACK SLOWLY.
Ed: God, no.
WE CAN SEE FROM HIS EXPRESSION THAT KELLY IS DEAD.