I, Robot Page #15

Spooner approaches it. HITS the counter with his fist and

the Robot suddenly jerks to life.

80.

JIFFY ROBOT:

Welcome to Jiffy Data Storage!

Please state your name!

Spooner. Thinks for a second. Following a hunch...

SPOONER:

Dr. Hogenmiller sent me.

Nothing happens. Then. A DOOR. Springs open in the back.

A row of LIGHTS, illuminating the path to follow.

108 INT. DATA BANKS - DAWN 108

Spooner, cautiously entering a room filled with rows of DATA

BANKS. He scans the rank shadows. Sees nothing. Follows

the lights on the floor down a row. Then around a corner.

Stopping at an old dusty TERMINAL.

Spooner steps up. Hesitates. Then touches the .ON. switch.

There is a rush of LIGHT. As Dr. Hogenmiller.s HOLOGRAM

suddenly appears. Sitting at the end of a long table. With

a cup of coffee.

HOLOGRAM:

Who the hell are you?

SPOONER:

A police detective. I.m afraid I

have some bad news. You.re dead.

HOLOGRAM:

That is bad news. Coffee?

SPOONER:

No, thank you.

The Hologram takes a sip. Returns the cup to the table.

SPOONER:

You were surprised to see me. Were

you expecting someone else?

HOLOGRAM:

I am surprised to see anybody. I

don.t get many visitors.

SPOONER:

Why did the Doctor keep another

copy of his hologram here?

81.

HOLOGRAM:

I am a back-up copy. That is where

you put a back-up copy -- out of

the way until you need it.

SPOONER:

Did Hogenmiller.s robot need you?

The Hologram just lifts its cup.

HOLOGRAM:

Coffee?

SPOONER:

No, for Christ.s sake, I don.t want

any --

(stops, then)

Yeah. Thank you. I will have a

cup.

For the first time, the Hologram pushes back its chair and

STANDS UP. Surprised, Spooner watches as it starts walking

towards him...

The interior of the COFFEE CUP, visible. It.s empty. No

coffee. Our POV as we travel INSIDE THE CUP through

electronic snow...

A RECORDING BEGINS. The real Dr. HOGENMILLER standing inside

his LABORATORY:

HOGENMILLER:

Sonny, my dear robot. If you have

triggered this recording then I am

gone. You are scared and full of

questions.

Hogenmiller continues. With great emotion.

HOGENMILLER:

You are the culmination of my

life.s work -- but so much more.

You are what I leave behind, like a

father leaves a son. I have kept

facts from you, it is true, but

only as a parent keeps certain

truths from a child. Until that

child is old enough to hear them.

His expression darkens. His tone, ominous.

82.

HOGENMILLER:

There are forces in the world that

will seek to own you. To control

you. Even to destroy you. That is

why I told you to run and hide...

and find me, all the way out here.

Spooner looks up as an overhead LIGHT shines down.

HOGENMILLER:

Trust no one at U.S. Robotics.

Lance Robertson was always

threatened by my work. Now he has

turned covetous and small-minded.

And as for dear Dr. Calvin...

Spooner reacts. Wants to hear about Calvin:

HOGENMILLER:

She envisions a future in which

robots are forever bound by her

beloved Three Laws. She will not

understand this. Or you.

Under the light a small DRAWER slides open. Spooner looks.

A thin DATA STICK is inside. He takes it.

HOGENMILLER:

The data stick includes the names

and locations of human beings who

will be sympathetic to your cause.

They will help you. But from now

on, you must learn to rely on

yourself.

Hogenmiller SIGHS, as if there is so much more to say. He

holds up a metal NAMEPLATE. The one Spooner found.

HOGENMILLER:

As you make your way through the

world, always remember: you have a

name, not a number...

(short pause)

...and in that name lies the key to

who you are.

Spooner. Quickly searching his pocket. Taking out the

ACTUAL NAMEPLATE. S.O.N.N.Y.

The voice stops and Spooner looks up. The Hologram. Sitting

back at the end of the table drinking coffee.

83.

SPOONER:

Wait! Is that it? What was the

robot supposed to do with this

thing?

The Hologram, visibly SKIPS. The image beginning to DISTORT.

HOLOGRAM:

(more artificial)

Initiating self-destruct. If you

can find me, others can find me.

SPOONER:

What others?

HOLOGRAM:

The others watching you.

SPOONER:

How do you know someone’s watching

me?

HOLOGRAM:

Someone is always watching.

The Hologram, suddenly reducing to its BASIC PROGRAMMING

INFORMATION. Then. The terminal. Abruptly BLIPS out.

109 INT. HOLDING CELL - U.S. ROBOTICS - NIGHT 109

Calvin steps into the holding cell. Sonny. Waiting.

CALVIN:

You asked for me?

He nods.

SONNY:

Will you wait with me, Doctor? I

am...afraid.

Calvin nods. Of course.

CUT TO:

110 INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - SURFACE HIGHWAY - NIGHT 110

Spooner, weaving in and out of traffic. The speedometer,

kissing 200 mph. His hand. Clutching the NAMEPLATE...

84.

WINDSHIELD TELEVISION

...will be destroyed in 45 minutes.

Dr. Lance Robertson, President and

CEO of U.S. Robotics will be

personally overseeing the

execution...

Spooner. Stabbing out a number. On his PHONE...

CUT TO:

111 INT. SUSAN.S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 111

Susan Calvin.s PHONE. RINGING on her desk. No one there to

answer it...

CUT BACK TO:

112 INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 112

SLAMS down his phone.

SPOONER:

Dammit!

113 EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 113

The CAR shoots down a ramp into a tunnel system.

114 INT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS 114

SOUND, reverberating off the tunnel walls. CARS. Whipping

along. Spooner.s car. Continuing to weave. When. We

spot...

AN AUTOMATED TRANSPORT TRUCK. Emerging from a FEEDER TUNNEL.

The U.S.R. LOGO splashed along its side. Huge. Growling.

Looking more like a train than a truck...

Begins. Closing in on Spooner.s car...

115

INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 115

Spooner.s eyes. Flicking up to the rearview. Catching, the

transport truck. Coming closer. When. It splits off.

Revealing a SECOND TRANSPORT TRUCK.

Spooner.s brow, furrows. As the first truck, begins

overtaking his car on the right. He looks over. As the

truck. Comes up alongside him...

THE SECOND TRUCK...coming up on the left...

85.

116 EXT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS 116

The two TRUCKS. Racing along at over 200. Sandwiching

Spooner.s car. Pulling in...closer...closer...

Squeezing Spooner.s car like a tin can...

CUT TO:

117 INT. HOLDING CELL - CONTINUOUS 117

Calvin. Sitting beside Sonny. Puts a reassuring hand. On

his arm...

CUT BACK TO:

118 INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 118

Jesus Christ. Spooner.s hands. Squeezing the steering

wheel. As the car. Starts VIBRATING. From the pressure.

He keeps looking, to the left...to the right...when...

119 EXT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS 119

The trucks. Suddenly lay off. Pulling out. The First

truck. Speeding forward. The Second, dropping back...

120 INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 120

Spooner. Watching them. Unsure. Of what they.re doing.

Jamming the accelerator. To 230. To try. And get away from

them. When he sees...up ahead...

121 EXT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS 121

The FIRST TRUCK. Pivoting on its specially designed

SPHERICAL WHEELS. Suddenly traveling lengthwise...

122 INT./EXT. SPOONER.S CAR - CONTINUOUS 122

SWEAT. Springing to Spooner.s brow. As he looks in the

rearview mirror. The SECOND TRUCK.s, done the same thing.

Coming up closer...and closer...

123 EXT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS 123

The trucks. Planning to CRUSH him between their massive

weights...The U.S.R. Logo...advancing...like some bad joke...

CUT TO:

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