Gattaca Page #29

Anton stares at Jerome, aghast. The two men face each other in

silence, treading water several yards apart in the dark, rolling

ocean.

Jerome turns and heads back towards the shore. Anton is left

alone with the terrifying realization. The only sound, the wind

and the water.

EXT. CONDOMINIUM. NIGHT.

JEROME, dishevelled and distressed, arrives back at the

condominium. He notices IRENE standing at the edge of the pool.

She turns. He approaches her. They stand several yards apart.

Looking into each other's eyes, they do not speak. Jerome

abruptly pulls a hair from his head - for once one of his own.

JEROME:

(wry smile, offering the hair to Irene)

Here, take it.

Irene takes the hair, the significance not lost on her.

JEROME:

(echoing Irene's words from

their first encounter)

If you're still interested, let me know.

Irene contemplates the hair in her fingers for a moment, then

deliberately lets it fall to the ground.

IRENE:

(never taking her eyes from him, echoing

Jerome's words from their first encounter)

Sorry, the wind caught it.

Once again there is not a breath of wind. The hair lies,

plainly visible on the edge of the pool.

From an upstairs window, EUGENE observes the couple.

INT. JEROME'S CONDOMINIUM. NIGHT.

We watch the silhouette of IRENE and JEROME making love in

the bedroom.

INT. EUGENE'S CONDOMINIUM. NIGHT.

EUGENE, sitting in his darkened room, unscrews the cap of a

plastic container and places it on a nearby table. We remain

on Eugene's face as he opens his fly.

INT. JEROME'S CONDOMINIUM. NIGHT.

IRENE and JEROME lie in bed together after making love. For

once Jerome is able to sleep unconcerned. It is Irene who lies

awake, head against JEROME'S chest, listening to the sound of

his erratically beating heart. However it has a soothing

effect on her.

She kisses Jerome and reluctantly rises from the bed.

JEROME:

(awakening)

A year is a long time.

IRENE:

Not so long--just once around the sun.

Jerome smiles. For once Irene seems to be looking forward

to the trip. She exits the room.

INT. INCINERATOR. MORNING.

Inside the incinerator, JEROME scrapes away at himself - for the

final time. He wistfully regards the brush in his hand.

INT. EUGENE'S CONDOMINIUM. MORNING.

JEROME, dressed for his departure, emerges down the spiral

staircase into Eugene's condo. Jerome notices several suitcases

at the foot of the stairs.

EUGENE wheels into the room.

EUGENE:

I have your samples ready.

JEROME:

(confused)

Have you forgotten? I don't need any samples

where I'm going.

EUGENE:

(meeting Jerome's gaze)

No, but you might need them when you get back.

Eugene wheels across the room and opens the mirrored door. The

water vapor billows out. Jerome regards Eugene.

Eugene leads Jerome inside for the first time.

Inside are two rows of four identical, industrial refrigerators.

They contain thousands of blood and urine specimens.

Jerome regards them with awe and more than a little unease.

EUGENE:

Everything you need to last you two lifetimes.

EUGENE points out an extra specimen of semen in the first

refrigerator.

EUGENE:

There's an extra specimen. I wish I

could give it to her myself.

(afterthought)

But then, you always were better at being me.

Eugene leads the way out of the refrigerator room.

JEROME:

(struggling to come to terms

with the discovery)

Why have you done this?

EUGENE:

(as he seals the mirrored door)

In case you get back before I do.

JEROME:

Where are you going?

EUGENE:

(glancing to the suitcases)

I'm travelling too.

Jerome goes to question Eugene's travel plans but thinks better

of it. He kneels before his friend and embraces him.

JEROME:

Thank you.

EUGENE:

I got the better end of the deal. I just

lent you my body--you lent me your dream.

Jerome smiles and hugs Eugene a final time. Eugene stuffs an

envelope into Jerome's pocket.

EUGENE:

(referring to the note,

glancing heavenwards)

Not until you're upstairs.

Jerome exits. Eugene watches him go.

INT. GATTACA - DEPARTURE LOUNGE. NIGHT.

JEROME enters a large holding area along with his other eleven

CREW MEMBERS.

Jerome's heart sinks as he recognizes LAMAR, greeting the crew

for one final unexpected substance test. His colleagues

groan good-naturedly but it is clearly far more than an

inconvenience to Jerome. He looks towards the door he has just

entered but there is no way back. One by one the crew are

ushered behind a screen. Before he can think of a way out, it

is Jerome's turn. He enters the cubicle.

JEROME:

(as he takes the plastic cup from Lamar)

What's this, Lamar?

LAMAR:

New policy.

From behind, we see Jerome unzip his fly. However for once

Jerome does not urinate on cue - unused to operating his own

equipment in front of the physician.

LAMAR:

(intrigued by the

out-of-character discharge)

Flight got you nervous?

JEROME:

There's a problem, Lamar.

LAMAR:

(apparently not listening)

Did I ever tell you about my son, Jerome? He's

a big fan of yours. He wants to apply here.

Jerome realizes he has no choice. Resigned to his fate, he

begins to fill the cup.

JEROME:

(as he urinates)

Just remember, Lamar, I could have gone up

and back and nobody would have been the wiser--

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