Blade Runner Page #2

Leon's upper lip is quivering.

LEON:

Whatya mean, I'm not helping?

HOLDEN:

I mean you're not helping! Why is

that, Leon?

Holden looks hard at Leon, piercing look.

Leon is flushed with anger, breathing hard, it's a

bad moment, he might erupt.

Suddenly Holden grins disarmingly.

HOLDEN:

They're just questions, Leon.

In answer to your query, they're

written down for me. It's a

test, designed to provoke an

emotional response.

Leon is glaring now, the blush subsides, his anger

slightly defused.

Holden smiles cheerfully, very smooth.

HOLDEN:

Shall we continue?

Leon nods, still frowning, suspiciously.

HOLDEN:

Describe in single words. Only

the good things that come into

your mind. About your mother.

LEON:

My...

Leon looks shocked, surprised. But the needles in

the computer barely move. Holden goes for the in-

side of his coat. But big Leon is faster. His

laser burns a hole the size of a nickel through

Holden's stomach. Unlike a bullet, a laser causes

no impact. It goes through Holden's shoulder and

comes out his back, clean as a whistle. Like a

rag doll he falls back into the seat. Big slow Leon

is already walking away, but he stops, turns, and

with a little smile of satisfaction fires through

the back of the seat.

As Leon walks out of the room the Voight-Kampff

begins to blink, faint but steady.

CUT TO:

EXT. OVERHEAD VIEW CITY - NIGHT

We are looking down on a city of the future where

gigantic buildings dwarf the ancient skyscrapers --

of -- now as a huge blimp, flashing lights and

BLARING SOUND drifts slowly over the tall buildings.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BLIMP - FROM BELOW - NIGHT

As the blimp drifts through the tall buildings ad-

vertisements appear on the curved sides of dirigible

and an accompanying SOUNDTRACK proclaims, with AM

enthusiasm, the virtues of Offworld emigration.

BLIMP TRACK:

ATTENTION SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL!

(WE NEED YOU YOU YOU)

ATTENTION FAMILY MAKERS!

(WE NEED YOU you you)

OPPORTUNITY!

(WE NEED YOU you you you)

AUTOMATIC ADVANCEMENT!

(WE NEED YOU YOU YOU)

TOP PAY!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you)

NUMEROUS BONUSES!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you)

SPECIAL INCENTIVES!

(WE NEED YOU YOU YOU you)

NINE PAID VACATIONS PER YEAR!

(WE NEED YOU you you)

(beat, beat)

The Dominguez-Shimata colony

wants supervisory recruits and

families.

Join us in a clean, fresh

environment featuring the

invigorating Johnson and

Murikami California Climate!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you you)

Enjoy the numerous recreation

areas and resorts such as the

famous Elysium Crater Resort!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you)

Let our abundant man-made labour

force cater to your personal needs!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you)

If you meet health and experience

qualifications for the Offworld

Emmigration Programs... the

standard OPE short form... there's

a place for you at Dominguez and

Shimata Colonies.

Press the button now!

Give yourself a brand new world!

(WE NEED YOU YOU you you)

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

Lights from the blimp flash along the street and wipe

across the crowds of pedestrians as the VOICE TRACK

CONTINUES TO BLARE from above.

A portable noodle bar is crowded with customers, sit-

ting on stools slurping their food out of bowls.

DECKARD is standing near the noodle bar waiting for a

seat. He's in his thirties, wiry, athletic, rumpled,

used, unshaven. He's holding a newspaper, made of

tissue paper, open while he glances at the blimp

passing NOISILY overhead. Then he notices the

COUNTERMAN.

The Counterman is beckoning to him to a newly vacated

seat.

Deckard sits down at the noodle bar and the Counterman,

an elderly Japanese, slaps a menu in front of him.

No words on the menu, just pictures of sliced fish

parts.

Deckard points to a particular item and holds up four

fingers.

The Counterman looks at the item on the menu, confirms

the order by holding up two fingers.

Deckard shakes his head "no" and repeats his four

fingers.

The Counterman nods, corrected and hurries off.

Deckard glances overhead.

The blimp drifts off among the buildings like a fish

disappearing in seaweed, the NOISY VOICE doing a

diminuendo.

Whap. The Counterman slaps a bowl of rice and a pot

of tea in front of Deckard. Then he puts the little

bowl with the two slices of fish on the counter.

Deckard looks at the fish. Two slices of fish.

He looks at the Counterman and holds up four fingers.

The Counterman looks down at the two slices of fish,

looks like two to him. He looks at Deckard as though

Deckard was a fool and holds up two fingers. He can

count!

Deckard stares bleakly at the fish. Can't win.

He starts to eat and that's when he feels a tap on his

shoulder. He glances over his right shoulder.

A huge cop in uniform is looming behind him.

Deckard feels funny, looks left.

Another cop is looming over his left shoulder.

Deckard is tapped again from the right.

Turning again he realizes that it isn't the cop tapping

him, it's the short Japanese guy next to the cop. The

guy's got beady eyes and lots of energy. His name is

GAFF.

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