Fantastic Voyage Page #2

21HINT. CAR - IN SHAFT

Grant responds as the elevator finally comes to a halt.

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39

40INT. BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

The car is on the earthen platform. Two big doors open. A scooter

bearing the distinctive insignia of the appears, driven by an

M.P. wearing the same emblem. Grant gets out of the car, is waved by

the M.P. into the scooter. He gets in, is driven away.

41INT. UNDERGROUND ORDNANCE DEPOT

They pass through a vast empty area, obviously capable of holding

large pieces of equipment. The insignia of the is prominent.

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43

43ARAMP

The scooter carrying Grant speeds up the incline to:

44INT. CENTRAL CLEARANCE AREA

MALE and FEMALE OFFICERS, all in the uniform of the , are moving

about busily. As the M.P. and Grant drive across the foyer, Grant eyes

the Female CMDFs appreciatively. Their uniforms emphasize non-military

points. The scooter reaches:

45INT. CLEARANCE DESK

The OFFICER behind the desk looks up.

OFFICER:

Your I.D. card, please.

Grant takes out a card with only an embossed number. The Officer

places it into an IDENTIFIER. We see its screen is blank. After a

moment, Grant's picture flashes on in color, in full view and profile.

The Officer looks up at Grant, sees it is an exact likeness. He then

extracts the card. The screen goes blank. He hands Grant the I.D.

card. The scooter takes off, speeding down a long neon-lit corridor,

marked off for scooter traffic: four lanes, two in each direction.

Numerous doors leading to offices open on both sides of the walkways.

Traffic is heavy. Grant is the only one in mufti. The scooter

approaches doors over which lights flash:

!

As the scooter nears the Sentry Box, the M.P. on duty hits a switch.

The steel doors slide open. The scooter goes through into:

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50

51INT. MEDICAL FOYER

GENERAL ALAN CARTER is coming out of a door in a hurry. The scooter

bearing Grant pulls up beside him. Grant gets out. They shake hands.

CARTER:

Hello, Grant. Good to see you again.

GRANT:

The Pentagon, wasn't it, General?

Only you weren't in that uniform...

52INT. OBSERVATION ROOM

They move to window overlooking the OPERATING ROOM, see the

unconscious Benes being wheeled in for Surgery. His head is uncovered.

The full shock of hair stands out against the white pillow. His body

is draped in the usual manner. A battery of SPECIALISTS and MEDICAL

ATTENDANTS, MALE and FEMALE, are moving about under the glare of beams

focused on the Operating Table.

GRANT:

(startled)

Benes... What the devil happened?

CARTER:

The Other Side got to him.

GRANT:

How bad off is he?

CARTER:

Brain injury.

GRANT:

Before or after what he wanted to

tell you?

CARTER:

Before he could breathe a word. He's

the only scientist who knows the

answer to what we're after. That's

why we have to operate --

He turns away from the window, moves toward another door, with Grant

following.

CARTER:

-- and why we need you.

GRANT:

?

Bewildered, he follows Carter through door into:

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55

56INT. MONITORING ROOM

Carter moves to a panel of many switches and TV screens.

GRANT:

I can't even put a Band-Aid on my

finger.

CARTER:

Here's the Surgeon.

He flicks a switch. On the TV screen appears the INTERIOR OF DUVAL'S

OFFICE. We see DUVAL, a brain surgeon in the middle forties. He has

the manner of one totally dedicated to his work. At the moment, he is

testing a ruby laser, narrowing the beam down to pencil-like thinness.

Assisting him is CORA PETERSON. In the middle twenties, her

attractiveness is matched by her efficiency, which is considerable.

They work together smoothly, the result of long association. It is

evident neither know they are being observed during:

CARTER:

Duval. Dr. Peter Duval. Top brain

man in the country. Ever hear of

him?

GRANT:

Sorry, but I'm rusty on surgeons.

Who's the girl?

CARTER:

Cora Peterson, his Technical

Assistant. You'll join Duval and the

others --

GRANT:

What can I do? Except maybe pass

out?

Carter flips on another switch. On the TV screen appears the INTERIOR

OF DR. MICHAELS' OFFICE. It is dominated by big blowups of the

Circulation System. Michaels is asaembling charts, as if under

pressure.

CARTER'S VOICE

(on loudspeaker)

Mike...

Michaels moves to a wall, presses a switch. His TV screen shows Grant

and Carter.

MICHAELS:

Yes, Alan.

CARTER:

Meet Grant. This is Dr. Michaels,

Chief of the Medical Section.

MICHAELS:

Glad to have you with us, Mr.

Grant.

GRANT:

Wish I knew why.

CARTER:

Tell him where he fits in, will you?

I've got a few things to check out.

He moves to another panell is seen throwing on switches, monitoring a

fast series of scenes, all of which are indistinguishable in angle of

shot. Michaels is seen bustling about, collecting charts during:

MICHAELS:

We need you for Security purposes,

Mr. Grant.

GRANT:

At an operation?

MICHAELS:

They know they failed to kill Benes.

Security thinks they'll try again,

first chance they get. We're afraid

of medical sabotage -- or surgical

assassination.

GRANT:

Surgical assassination?! But that

means you suspect --

CARTER:

(re-entering scene)

[LINE OF DIALOGUE CUT OFF]

MICHAELS:

I don't agree. Just because he's

often difficult --

CARTER:

Difficult? He's impossible!

MICHAELS:

That's no reason to suspect him of

disloyalty.

GRANT:

But why take the chance, when there

must be other doctors?

CARTER:

We have no choice. Duval's the most

skillful brain surgeon in the

country, and he's right here, at

hand.

GRANT:

I wouldn't know if he's trying to

save him or kill him.

MICHAELS:

I'll be standing by. know.

CARTER:

(to Grant)

And no matter what happens, you're

to take orders from Dr.

Michaels, understand?

GRANT:

Right, sir.

CARTER:

Come along, they'll be operating

shortly.

(hand on switch)

See you later, Mike.

Michaels waves. Carter switches off the monitor. He moves to a door.

Grant follows.

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61

62INT. MEDICAL FOYER

As they emerge:

GRANT:

His technician okay? In addition to

the Looks Department?

CARTER:

No question of her loyalty.

As Carter leads Grant to the scooter and they take their places, Grant

looks at the big insignia on the floor.

GRANT:

I don't mean to be inquisitive. But

this -- for all I know it

could stand for ?

CARTER:

(matter-of-fact)

.

GRANT:

(blankly)

Say that again?

Carter starts the scooter and they drive through the big doors leading

out of the Medical Foyer.

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74

75INT. CORRIDOR - TRAVELING WITH SCOOTER

CARTER:

We can reduce anything down to any

size we want. People -- ships --

tanks --planes...

GRANT:

General, I've heard some wild ones.

But this takes it.

CARTER:

We can shrink an Army -- with all

its equipment -- and put it in a

bottle cap. That's why we call it

.

GRANT:

(with silent whistle)

If the Other Side ever gets hold of

a thing like that...

CARTER:

They have...

(answering look)

But we've both got the same problem

-- lack or control. We can only keep

things Miniaturized for exactly

sixty minutes. Arter that,

everything starts growing back to

its original size.

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