I, Robot Page #7

SPOONER:

You don.t know what.s going to

happen in there.

As if admitting defeat. Calvin.s fingers, wrapping around

the gun. As Spooner leads them to the door and down into...

36.

45 INT. ASSEMBLY ROOM - CONTINUOUS 45

...the ASSEMBLY ROOM. Every surface looking like part of a

great glass and metal machine. Endless high-tech planes

holding ROBOTS in various states of assembly. The deafening

ROAR of the assembly line as it slides, rotates, and gnashes

METAL BODIES...

Spooner. Motioning Calvin to stay behind him. As they

descend. Into the cavernous room.

And enter. A narrow corridor of bodies. Sliding past them.

Brushing shoulders, thighs, hands. Spooner. Wiping sweat

from his brow. Trying. To pivot himself...

When the room. Suddenly REARRANGES itself. Another LINE of

ROBOTS. Descending between Spooner and Calvin. Cutting them

off from one another...

Spooner. Catching glimpses of Calvin. On the other side of

the metal bodies. Trying. To cut through. His heart.

Starting to POUND. As Calvin. Disappears...

He swivels round. But another line of ROBOTS. Drops down.

Cutting him off. He stumbles back. As another line.

Appears before him...

Breathing. Getting heavier. He looks down at his hand.

It.s trembling. NOISE CRASHING, all around him. Everywhere

he turns. More ROBOTS...BLANK EYES...GAPING MOUTHS...

He darts through the line. Finds a wall. Leaning against

it, pulls a small BOTTLE from his pocket. Rips off the lid.

Shakes out a couple PILLS. Swallows them. Staring down. At

his trembling hand. Squeezing his eyes. Open and shut...

WHEN SUDDENLY. A passing ROBOT. Grabs him by the collar.

SMASHING him against the wall. It.s the Suspect. Spooner.

Sinks to the ground. As the Suspect Robot. Slips off the

line. STANDING. Over him. Raising his arms. Could end it.

Right now. But looks. Into Spooner.s eyes...

Then turns. Disappearing.

Spooner. Stunned for a second. Then. Rallies. Scrambles

to his feet and plunges back into the maze of bodies. Hears

a POUNDING. In the distance. Catches a glimpse. Of the

Robot. Trying to SMASH through a large SECURITY DOOR. With

his metal fists...

Spooner.s view. Blocked once again. By a shifting row.

When a HAND. Lands on his shoulder. He wheels round.

37.

To find CALVIN. Takes her by the arm. And forces them

through a line...

EMERGING into the open. The ROBOT. Still pounding.

Desperate. Like a trapped animal...

CALVIN:

Now what do we do?

SPOONER:

I.ve already done it.

And suddenly, the massive SECURITY DOOR RISES...

46 EXT. U.S. ROBOTICS PLANT - CONTINUOUS 46

The Robot Suspect takes its chance. Runs full out. STOPS.

Bergin is standing in front of a solid wall of POLICE CARS.

UNIFORMED OFFICERS are aiming SPECIALISED RIFLES at the

Robot. FLASHING LIGHTS reflecting off its metal surface.

The Robot turns to Spooner. Extends its hands. Palms out.

ROBOT:

WHAT AM I?

Spooner is surprised. A POLICE OFFICER fires, RUBBERISED

NETTING shooting out at Sonny. A SECOND OFFICER fires and a

second net covers him. Then a THIRD...

...and the Robot falls to the ground, struggling.

Calvin glares at Spooner. Furious. Hurt. Betrayed.

CALVIN:

We had a deal.

But Spooner doesn.t look at her. His eyes are locked on that

Robot.

47

INT. POLICE H.Q. - HOMICIDE UNIT - EARLY MORNING 47

Bergin enters. Finds EVERYONE focused on the VIDEO WALL:

ON SCREEN. A NEWS REPORTER is speaking over images of street

violence perpetrated against ROBOTS.

NEWS REPORTER:

Violence erupted last night in

response to unconfirmed reports

that Dr. Heinrich Hogenmiller, a

top employee at U.S.

(MORE)

38.

NEWS REPORTER (cont.d)

Robotics, was killed yesterday

morning by a robot. While there

has been no official response from

the company, police sources have

confirmed that a robot is being

held as .evidence....

Bergin grimaces. This is not good.

48 INT. CELL OBSERVATION BOOTH - EARLY MORNING 48

Spooner stares at his reflection in a large MIRROR. Touches

a control and the mirror becomes a WINDOW onto...

A HOLDING CELL. The Robot Suspect sits at the table.

Shackled to the chair. Staring at the table top.

BERGIN steps up beside Spooner. Looks through the glass.

LT. BERGIN

I can.t tell if it.s not moving

because it.s trying to psych us

out, or because it.s just a

machine. Or both.

SPOONER:

I want to go in.

LT. BERGIN

Orders are nobody steps into that

room .til Lanning and his attorneys

get here.

Spooner. Throws him a look. Bergin, his loyalties torn.

LT. BERGIN

Five minutes.

49 INT. HOLDING CELL - EARLY MORNING 49

Spooner enters. Pulls out a chair and drags it far from the

table. He.s been jumped too many times by this machine.

Four mounted cameras WHIR to life. The Robot. Perfectly

still.

SPOONER:

(sitting)

Identify.

The Robot tilts its head with a muted WHIR. As if it doesn.t

understand him. Spooner. Disdainful.

39.

SPOONER:

You are an NS-2 Nestor-class robot.

Your primary function is to perform

the tasks assigned to you.

Identify.

THE ROBOT:

I am an NS-2 Nestor-class robot.

My primary function --

SPOONER:

(interrupting)

Cancel. Perform task.

Spooner wings a FILE onto the table. It comes to a stop near

the Robot. The Robot, lifts one of its hands. Gently

resting its metal fingers on top of the file. Then opens it.

A stack of PICTURES. HOGENMILLER.S CORPSE.

SPOONER:

Describe.

The Robot.s emotionless face studies the grim images.

SPOONER:

You have over 10,000 words stored

in your memory. One third of those

are adjectives. Describe.

Nothing.

SPOONER:

Why don.t I take a crack? Heinrich

Hogenmiller, your creator. With a

bullet in his brain. A bullet you

put there.

The Robot. Looks up at Spooner.

SPOONER:

Cold-blooded murder is a pretty new

trick for a robot, don.t you think?

Answer.

The Robot slowly closes the file and slides it back across

the table. Spooner. Crosses his arms.

SPOONER:

Maybe you.re stonewalling me.

Maybe you.re sitting there right

now thinking, .This guy.s a

complete a**hole.. That it?

40.

Still nothing.

SPOONER:

Come on. Am I right?

THE ROBOT:

Yes. You are right. You are a

complete a**hole.

And for a moment, Spooner is shocked. You can see it in his

eyes. He sits back in his chair. Forcing a tight smile.

SPOONER:

Okay. I guess that.s a start. Now

maybe you can tell me what you were

doing hiding five feet away from

Hogenmiller.s corpse?

THE ROBOT:

I was frightened.

SPOONER:

Frightened. Why do you suppose Dr.

Hogenmiller would create a robot

that could simulate fear?

THE ROBOT:

I don.t know.

SPOONER:

Doesn.t seem like a very useful

thing for a robot to have.

THE ROBOT:

I don.t know why.

SPOONER:

I wouldn.t want my toaster to be

frightened. Or my vacuum cleaner --

SUDDENLY the Robot SLAMS its metal hands down on the table.

THE ROBOT:

I DON.T KNOW!

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