Gattaca Page #27

Polite smiles from his colleagues.

MISSION COMMANDER

Enjoy your final evening with your families.

We'll all be a year older when they see

us next. And don't be late tomorrow. You

don't want to miss this.

We focus on Jerome. He appears to have his head in the heavens

already.

INT. CRIME LAB. NIGHT.

The tormented INVESTIGATOR lies on the floor of his lab, staring

at the ceiling. he winces in discomfort. He is lying on

something. He rolls over and retrieves the irritation from his

pocket. It is the "ESC" computer key he prized from Jerome's

keyboard.

He gazes at the key for a moment and then gets to his feet. He

resurrects an old fingerprint kit from a cupboard. Carefully

removing the key from the specimen bag - marked, "MORROW,

Jerome" - he begins to dust it for a fingerprint.

He places the key under a camera. The enlarged print appears

on the lefthand side of his computer screen. The word "MATCH"

blinks onto the screen. However the face that appears from the

computer's databank is not that of "MORROW, Jerome" but

"LUCA, Vincent". The Investigator regards the photograph in

disbelief.

DETECTIVE HUGO casually enters the lab, something odd in his

nonchalant demeanor.

INVESTIGATOR:

(excited)

Hugo! I've found him!

HUGO:

I've found him too.

INVESTIGATOR:

(not listening, referring to his discovery)

A fingerprint. There's something to be

said for nostalgia.

(realizing what Hugo has said)

What did you find?

Hugo puts a specimen bag on the counter. It contains the

Investigator's discarded tissue. The Investigator does

not recognize it.

DETECTIVE HUGO:

It's not exactly him.

INVESTIGATOR:

(interest piqued)

Where did you get this?

The Investigator immediately deposits the tissue into an

analyzer.

DETECTIVE HUGO:

(referring to the tissue)

But this man does share some common

characteristics with your suspect. Not so

many but enough. It appears the eyelash

has a brother--of a kind.

The Investigator realizes the significance and looks guiltily

to Hugo. Hugo exits the lab, leaving the Investigator to stare

at his own FACE in his analyzing machine.

INT. GATTACA - JANITOR'S LOCKER ROOM. NIGHT.

CAESAR, the old janitor, enters the locker room. He is about to

wearily open his locker when he senses another presence in the

room.

He turns to find JEROME sitting there on a bench. Although

clearly delighted, CAESAR tries to disguise his pleasure.

CAESAR:

So you've finally seen sense and come back

to your old job, Vincent.

JEROME:

Not yet, I'm afraid.

CAESAR:

No? What's keeping you?

JEROME:

I guess I'm a slow learner.

CAESAR:

I guess so.

(looking up through the

small window)

Well, while you're up there, maybe you could

tidy the place up a bit.

JEROME:

I'll see what I can do.

The two men embrace, Caesar breaking off before Jerome.

CAESAR:

And don't go getting everybody lost out there.

You'll give us a bad name. You won't have

me to keep an eye on you, you know.

JEROME:

(glancing to Caesar's locker)

By the way, I left some trash in your locker.

CAESAR:

(happy to oblige)

I'll take care of it.

Jerome departs. Caesar watches him go and turns back to his

locker. He opens it to find a brand new, high-tech telescope

sitting inside.

The old janitor gets over his surprise and beams broadly -

he looks back in Jerome's direction but he has gone. The

old janitor cannot help himself and reverently reaches for the

telescope's eyepiece.

INT. GATTACA - COMPUTER COMPLEX. NIGHT.

In the dimly-lit, empty computer complex, JEROME takes a last

look around. He sits at his computer, one final time replaying

the graphic representation of his path through the cosmos that

he is on the eve of taking for real.

He notices the key missing from his keyboard. Instantly

realizing the significance, he rises from his seat to flee.

INVESTIGATOR:

Vincent--

Jerome is stopped in his tracks by the sound of his given name

and the voice that calls it.

He makes no further attempt to flee but turns to face his

pursuer. The Investigator steps out of the shadows.

INVESTIGATOR:

Vincent, what are you running from?

JEROME:

(disturbingly calm)

From Vincent.

The two men face each other for the first time in a long

time. The Investigator is transfixed by Jerome's face -

scarcely able to believe his eyes.

INVESTIGATOR:

Has it been so long, you don't remember

who I am?

JEROME:

(nodding to the Investigator's badge)

Maybe it's you who's forgotten.

(meeting his gaze)

What are you doing here, Anton?

It is finally apparent the Investigator is Jerome's younger

brother Anton [AS WE SHALL REFER TO THE INVESTIGATOR FOR THE

REST OF THE FILM].

ANTON:

I could ask you the same question.

(glancing to the impressive complex)

I have a right to be here, you don't.

Jerome smiles at him condescendingly.

JEROME:

You almost sound like you believe that.

ANTON:

(ignoring the remark, extending his hand)

Come with me now, Vincent. You've gone as far

as you can go.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote