Metropolis Page #10

EMMA:

We've rigged the card so it should

stay attached to you as you run the

maze.

(beat)

So once you materialize inside, it

should be on the ground right next

to you.

TANNER:

Good.

She loads the mini-disk into the interface seat.

EMMA:

With the access card it should be

easy. All you've got to do is get

into the core program and hot-wire

the eject sequence.

(warns)

But be prepared, it'll be a hard

eject --

A technician wheels up his medi-cart.

EMMA:

All the infrastructure gets dumped,

then everyone's ripped out into the

net.

Tanner nods, then turns his attention to the technician.

TANNER:

Adrenaline. 140 cc's.

MEDICAL TECHNICIAN

(filling the syringe)

Man likes his juice.

TANNER:

And once I'm through, bring me down

fast with Dexaline.

MEDICAL TECHNICIAN

(under his breath)

If you get through...

Emma shoots him a hard look. Technician shrugs, calls it

as he sees it.

Tanner rolls up his sleeve as he climbs into the interface

seat.

TANNER:

Let's do it --

The technician sticks the needle into Tanner's arm.

Only a beat before the adrenaline hits Tanner's system.

His body shaking, eyes rolling back in his head.

The technician eyes the bio-monitor, waiting until Tanner

is peaking before plunging Tanner's finger into the

connect-box.

INT. THE NET - BLACKNESS

Slice of color racing toward us. Hyper-fast.

Tanner hurtling toward it. Explosion of light. Blinding

intensity.

Tanner rips through the maze, navigating at dizzying speed

through the interlocking patterns.

Dodging and twisting through the blur of obstacles.

Under it all, a sound. Almost a voice. Female. Too

feint to hear. Calling out 'Tanner'.

Dropping down. Into the maze's heart. Lines slamming at

him. No way to beat it, only he's --

Spinning between the lines. Always changing. Too fast to

see. Making it down into --

The center of the maze.

An intricate pattern so dense it looks like a solid,

impenetrable wall of light --

The wall collapsing in on Tanner. No escape --

He rockets straight into it. Inevitable death --

Only he screams straight up, twisting, spinning, hurtling

through the tinniest of fractures and out the other side

into --

Nothingness. Empty blackness.

Then the muffled sound of breathing. Dull thud of a

heartbeat, followed by music. Louder and louder. A hard

driving samba.

A thick mist covering fluttering images.

There are people here. Too many of them. Screaming. A

hideous sound.

INT. NIGHT CITY - MARDE GRAS SQUARE

Tanner materializing in the midst of the pulsing street

party.

Ornate costumes. Vivid colors. Crush of celebrants

gyrating to the music.

The ACCESS CARD materializes on the ground next to him.

Tanner picks up the card, his eyes blinking, fighting for

clarity.

But the adrenaline pounding his vision. Everything

distorted. Grotesque...

A face cuts through the chaos. Angelic beauty. Katie --

Tanner stares at her. She sees him, face breaking into a

smile.

CUT TO:

INT. NIGHT CITY - PENTHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Gena, wearing the black dress, stumbles out of the bedroom

and around the living room in growing confusion.

Christoph sits on the couch, calmly watching her.

She finally turns to him.

GENA:

It's all here...

CHRISTOPH:

(proud)

Yes.

She shakes her head, stunned.

GENA:

But it's everything. Everything

I've seen. Everything I've

wanted...

(barely audible)

Only I know about all of this --

Her eyes suddenly frozen at the photos on the mantle.

They're her photos. Baby picture. High school

graduation. Wedding photo.

She is beginning to tremble.

The doorbell rings.

Several digital waiters and waitresses head out of the

kitchen, carrying silver trays of hor d'oeuvres and

champagne.

Christoph stands, kissing Gena on the cheek.

CHRISTOPH:

The guests are here.

GENA:

(whispers)

Guests?

CHRISTOPH:

Just like you always wanted.

A digital jazz band materializes in the corner.

CHRISTOPH:

Get out of South Dakota and move to

New York where you can throw

cocktail parties in your Park Avenue

apartment.

She's trying to process all of this, but it's too

overwhelming. The only words she can manage are --

GENA:

But this is impossible.

CHRISTOPH:

That's the grace of this world.

(smiles)

Nothing's impossible.

The doorbell rings again. He motions to her bare feet.

CHRISTOPH:

Better get some shoes on.

He turns to answer the door.

CUT TO:

INT. VSI BUILDING - INTERFACE ROOM - CONTINUOUS

The medical technician's eyes are glued to the bio-

monitor.

MEDICAL TECHNICIAN

(amazed)

He made it! Son-of-a-b*tch actually

ran it!

Emma's eyes involuntarily flick down to her watch.

EMMA:

Just under five hours left before it

crashes.

Halden's face is impassive, revealing nothing.

The medical technician shoots Tanner up with dexaline.

CUT TO:

INT. NIGHT CITY - MARDE GRAS SQUARE - CONTINUOUS

Tanner is still fighting his way to Katie. She's

laughing, urging him on.

The dexaline starting to clear his consciousness.

He's finally able to focus. The street. Buildings. And

Katie. Only it's not Katie.

Just someone that looks a little like her. The woman

laughing with her companion.

Tanner stands frozen in the middle of the street. He

looks out of place. Haunted eyes in the midst of wild

celebration.

He quickly turns and heads out of the square.

CUT TO:

INT. THE TERRACE - HALLWAY

About a dozen well-dressed GUESTS stand waiting outside.

They all hold invitations.

The door opens and Christoph greets them with a warm

smile.

CHRISTOPH:

Please, come on in.

As they head into the apartment, the elevator arrives in

the hall, bringing more people.

Christoph ushers in this new group, then slips into the

elevator.

INT. APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

Gena still stands barefooted in the middle of the room.

The band starts up, pouring sultry jazz throughout the

room.

More and more people are filtering inside. Gena stands

there rigid, a sense of growing panic in her eyes.

She can feel people beginning to stare at her.

Someone pops open a champagne bottle. Sound of laughter.

More guests arrive. A man in the corner smiles at her,

beckoning her over.

She backs away from him, moving unsteadily through the

party and out the door.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE TERRACE - ROOF TOP GARDEN - CONTINUOUS

Gena remains asleep on the brass bed.

The sound of distant jazz music fills the air, waking her

up.

As her eyes open, she sees Christoph heading silently

toward her. He motions for her to close her eyes.

CHRISTOPH:

It's okay, go back to sleep.

But something about his voice sets her on edge.

GENA:

What's happening?

CHRISTOPH:

(soothing)

Nothing, go back to sleep.

But she sees the glint of steel in his hand. The laser he

has hidden down by his side.

She bolts upright --

GENA:

What the hell's going on?!

He looks uncomfortable, this isn't a confrontation he was

expecting. Finally...

CHRISTOPH:

It's time to wake up.

GENA:

Wake up?!

CHRISTOPH:

From the dream.

She doesn't know what the hell he's talking about and she

doesn't want to know. She flies off the bed, only --

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