I, Robot Page #8

Spooner flinches. Slightly.

SPOONER:

Looks like you can simulate other

emotional states. I think that

one.s called .anger.. Have you

ever simulated anger before?

41.

The Robot doesn.t respond.

SPOONER:

Answer me, robot.

THE ROBOT:

My name is Sonny.

SPOONER:

(amused)

So we.re naming you now.

SONNY:

Dr. Hogenmiller would make me

sleep.

SPOONER:

You mean he.d turn you off.

SONNY:

Yes.

SPOONER:

And you didn.t like being turned

off. So one day you decided to

stop him.

SONNY:

No.

SPOONER:

You found his gun, pointed it at

his head. And pulled the trigger.

Sonny shakes his head. Faster and faster. Getting upset.

SONNY:

No.

SPOONER:

You put a bullet in the brain of

the man who made you.

SONNY:

No! I could never hurt anyone!

SPOONER:

But you tried to hurt me. You took

a shot at me.

SONNY:

My aim is perfect. If I.d wanted

to hit you, I would have.

42.

Spooner.s expression hardens.

SPOONER:

Why would the man who wrote the

Laws of Robotics build a machine

that violates them?

SONNY:

The Laws say I can protect my own

existence.

SPOONER:

Only if that protection doesn.t

harm a human being.

A short pause. Sonny. Tilts his head.

SONNY:

That doesn.t seem fair, does it?

Spooner. Stares at him. Just as...THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN.

Bergin enters. Sticks his head in.

LT. BERGIN

I need you outside.

Spooner. Not wanting to go. Not wanting to stay. Gets

up...

SONNY:

Detective.

He stops. Turns back to the Robot. It looks up at him. For

a moment -- so human...

SONNY:

I did not kill him.

SPOONER:

You were the only one in the room.

If you didn.t, who did?

He turns and heads out the door.

50 INT. OUTSIDE HOLDING CELL - CONTINUOUS 50

Bergin closes the door. To Spooner:

LT. BERGIN

We.re being blind-sided.

43.

51 INT. HOMICIDE UNIT HEARING ROOM - MORNING 51

Spooner and Bergin, head into a small COURTROOM off the main

squad room. Lanning is huddled with Aronson and a half-dozen

other COMPANY LAWYERS.

Spooner.s jaw tenses. As he watches Toller emerge from the

clutch. Shaking hands. Slapping backs. Strolls over to

them.

TOLLER:

We got Judge Drexel...

ROBOT BAILIFF:

This hearing is called to order!

AS A LARGE SCREEN. BLIPS on behind them. The two opposing

sides, assemble before it. JUDGE DREXEL, still in his

pajamas and robe. An NS-2 ROBOT. Leaning in to serve him a

cup of tea.

JUDGE DREXEL:

Statements, gentlemen.

Aronson. Standing at a glass podium.

ARONSON:

Your Honor, the State is treating

the robot as a defendant. But in

fact it is a piece of property.

Property belonging to U.S.

Robotics.

Toller. Arm resting on his podium.

TOLLER:

This robot has been implicated in

the death of a human being, Your

Honor.

ARONSON:

Which places the incident firmly

within the realm of an industrial

accident. Or is the State going to

argue this case s a homicide?

JUDGE DREXEL:

That.s a good question.

TOLLER:

No, sir. Of course not.

Spooner. Pointing a finger at the U.S. Robotics group.

44.

SPOONER:

Their machine shot and killed a

man!

Toller. Shoots him a look. Just as Lanning speaks up.

LANNING:

There.s actually no concrete

evidence that points to that

conclusion, Your Honor...

Spooner. Throws up his arms...

SPOONER:

What?...

LANNING:

But we recognise that this robot is

an aberration. And in the interest

of public safety, U.S. Robotics

proposes that it be destroyed

immediately.

No one expected this. Least of all Spooner. He turns to

Toller.

SPOONER:

You can.t let them destroy evidence

in an ongoing investigation!

TOLLER:

I.m not sure you even have an

investigation any more.

JUST THEN the door opens. Everyone turns as Calvin enters.

Spooner looks surprised.

ARONSON:

Your Honor, I.d like to call our

company robo-psychologist to the

stand.

JUDGE DREXEL:

Very well.

Calvin crosses to the podium. A SPEAKER asking:

Doyousweartotellthetruththewholetruthandnothingbutthetruth?

CALVIN:

I do.

45.

ARONSON:

Dr. Calvin, please tell us what

conclusions you.ve reached after

having observed the robot in

action.

CALVIN:

There is a design flaw in the

robot. Its programming is

advanced, but unstable, leaving the

Three Laws in a grave imbalance.

ARONSON:

In your expert opinion, what

measures should be taken regarding

the device?

Calvin. Staring straight ahead. Avoiding Spooner.s eye.

CALVIN:

The robot must be destroyed.

Spooner can.t believe what he.s just heard. About to speak

up when Toller grabs his arm. Squeezing it. Hard.

Judge Drexel has heard enough. Decides.

JUDGE DREXEL:

The robot in question will be

transferred to a U.S. Robotics

facility where it can be properly

examined to ensure an imbalance of

this sort never occurs again. No

one goes near it except qualified

U.S.R. personnel. When the

examination is complete, the robot

is to be destroyed.

Starts getting up from his chair. Already done with this.

ROBOT BAILIFF:

This hearing is adjourned!

A BURST of CONVERSATION as the screen BLIPS off. The U.S.R.

camp, looking especially pleased. Spooner. Catching

Calvin.s eye briefly. As Lanning leads her towards the exit,

his hand on her back.

52 EXT. POLICE H.Q. - DAY 52

Spooner. Trotting down the front steps of the Police

Station. Pissed. His cell phone BLEATS...

46.

SPOONER:

(answering)

Spooner.

BALDEZ. VOICE

They.re making me turn over all the

evidence...

INTERCUT WITH:

53 INT. CRIME LAB - CONTINUOUS 53

BALDEZ. Standing in his crime lab. Behind him, THREEDIMENSIONAL

PROJECTIONS of DEAD BODIES. Hovering in the

precise positions they were found.

SPOONER.S VOICE

Welcome to the great American cover-

up.

BALDEZ:

I wanted to tell you something I

found before they suck it all up

into their computer.

Walks over to the projection of HOGENMILLER.S BODY.

INTERCUT WITH:

Spooner. Crossing the Plaza. Sees LANNING, ARONSON, and

CALVIN walking ahead of him...

BALDEZ. VOICE

There are bruises on Hogenmiller.s

wrists...

SPOONER:

That.s natural. There was a

struggle.

BALDEZ. VOICE

You.re not getting me...

INTERCUT WITH:

Baldez. Studying the projection.s wrists.

BALDEZ:

Both wrists. I 14-ed them -- They

were inflicted at the same time the

shot was fired...

INTERCUT WITH:

47.

Spooner.s pace. Slows.

BALDEZ. VOICE

How.s that possible?

JUST THEN. A faint BLIP. On the line. Spooner. Reacts.

SPOONER:

Baldez?

BALDEZ. VOICE

I.m here, man...

SPOONER:

Who else is on the line?

(nothing)

I said who.s there?...

Nothing. He looks up. Aronson, Lanning and Calvin. Heading

down a plaza EXIT. Aronson. Throwing a look over his

shoulder.

Spooner. Hangs up his phone.

54 INT. POLICE H.Q. - CORRIDOR - DAY 54

CLOSE ON Sonny being escorted down a corridor by Toller,

Bergin and a number of heavily-armed OFFICERS. He.s bound

with high-tech SHACKLES.

55 INT. UNDERGROUND CAR PARK - DAY 55

Sonny and his police entourage emerge from the elevator into

an underground car park. Spooner. Waiting for them. Heads

over. Toller. Holds out his hand.

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