Metropolis Page #12

Only unlike the usual polite cheerfulness programmed into

Night City's waiters, this guy has been given a hard,

glaring face.

The waiter pulls his laser --

Tanner hurls himself forward, knocking both of them to the

floor.

It's Tanner who manages to come up with the gun.

The waiter squeezing Tanner's throat with savage force as

Tanner fires, again and again.

The waiter twitching, then falling motionless. His body

sliced with holes but not bleeding.

Tanner pockets the gun and heads up the stairs --

INT. CATWALK

The catwalk is crawling with digital employees, all of

them armed.

INT. STAIRS

Tanner takes a deep breath, then walks right out onto --

INT. CATWALK

Tanner walks briskly, eyes down on the steel grating,

assuming the attitude of someone who belongs there.

He opens a program panel, typing commands into the

keyboard.

SYNTHETIC VOICE (FROM PROGRAM)

Food and service program sub-six.

Access codes required.

Tanner pulls out his access card and slides it into the

panel.

A clicking sound as data glitters across the screen.

Tanner steals a quick look around.

Dex is heading out onto the catwalk. He has his back

turned to Tanner and hasn't seen him yet.

Tanner spins back to the program, data still whipping

across the screen. Tanner silently urges it on, faster

and faster.

And finally it buzzes --

SYNTHETIC VOICE:

Access granted.

(beat)

Male or female?

TANNER:

Male.

SYNTHETIC VOICE:

Waiter, busboy, Maitre-De --

TANNER:

-- Waiter.

Dex is now turning in Tanner's direction.

SYNTHETIC VOICE:

Standard, modern, upscale --

TANNER:

-- Standard.

SYNTHETIC VOICE:

Scanning body type.

Tanner turns to the wall, trying to keep his face hidden

as Dex approaches.

Long frozen beat.

Dex is almost right on top of him --

The program buzzes --

Tanner is now wearing a waiter's uniform.

Dex's hand slams down on the back of Tanner's shoulder --

Tanner tenses, hand reaching for his laser, only --

Dex twists Tanner's head so it's looking up at the open

program panel.

DEX:

Keep this one shut, we're not wiring

it.

Tanner nods, keeping his back turned to him.

Dex moves on, continuing with his inspection. Tanner

pulls the access card from the program and heads back to

the --

INT. STAIRS

Tanner, still in a waiter's uniform, heads up to the --

INT. FIFTH FLOOR CATWALK

He moves to another program panel and opens it, typing

into the keyboard.

SYNTHETIC VOICE:

Core program. Access codes

required.

Tanner starts to slide in the access card but freezes.

Still heartbeat. Tanner whirls to the side.

CHRISTOPH is a hair's breath away. Perfectly still. Calm

smile of someone who's been standing there a while.

CHRISTOPH:

An honor. The legend visits.

Tanner's hand dives for his laser.

CHRISTOPH:

Mistake --

Tanner is fast. But Christoph's a blur. Beyond human

speed.

Snaps the laser from Tanner's hand and flings it

harmlessly down the catwalk.

Christoph turns, regarding Tanner with genuine respect.

CHRISTOPH:

Maker of the perfect maze.

Impossible to run. So many try,

none succeed. Yet, you're here.

(impressed)

You succeeded.

Tanner stares at him, trying to understand.

TANNER:

The patterns were moved around, but

they weren't changed.

CHRISTOPH:

True. But why?

He lets the question hang there, then takes a step toward

Tanner.

CHRISTOPH:

Halden sent men to kill me in my

sleep, but simple illusions won out.

(beat)

So he now sends the legend to finish

the deed.

TANNER:

No.

CHRISTOPH:

Then what?

Tanner is silent. Christoph's eyes burn into him.

CHRISTOPH:

Eject the system?

Christoph steps even closer. Tanner can feel his breath.

CHRISTOPH:

But what would happen to me? I have

no body to return to.

TANNER:

Not my problem.

CHRISTOPH:

So wrong --

He moves so fast, impossible for Tanner to react.

Picks up Tanner and hurls him down the catwalk.

Tanner crashes hard into the steel grating. Searing pain

as he fights for a breath.

He sees his laser not that far away.

Tanner lunges, one fluid motion, grabs the laser, spins

and fires --

Only Christoph is no longer there.

Tanner's shot burning through a wall.

Christoph is now on the other side of Tanner. Foot

blurring down, pinning Tanner's gun hand to the ground.

CHRISTOPH:

I will not die. Not again.

(intense)

One of the perks of divinity.

Tanner stares at him.

TANNER:

Divinity?

CHRISTOPH:

Yes.

TANNER:

You are not a God.

CHRISTOPH:

In here I am.

No bravado in how he says it. Merely a statement of fact.

CHRISTOPH:

God creates man, man creates

technology, technology creates God.

(beat)

End into beginning.

TANNER:

In a computer program.

CHRISTOPH:

The new world.

TANNER:

It's not real.

CHRISTOPH:

Not real?

His foot suddenly smashing into Tanner's gut.

CHRISTOPH:

The pain is real.

Rips a STEEL POLE from the railing and slams it into

Tanner.

CHRISTOPH:

Deliciously real.

He pulls Tanner to his feet.

CHRISTOPH:

And if I kill you?

Dangles Tanner over the railing. Hell of a drop.

CHRISTOPH:

Your body could live up there. But

on a machine. No mind. No dreams.

(hisses)

So tell me this isn't real.

Silence. Pain spasms through Tanner.

WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)

Enough.

A frozen beat. Then Christoph pulls Tanner back up to the

catwalk.

KATIE is there.

Tanner stares at her. She starts to say something but

Christoph stops her cold with a look, then turns to

Tanner.

CHRISTOPH:

Such a kind man, your employer.

(beat)

Allowing you to fall in love with a

program.

Katie can no longer look at Tanner, her eyes down on the

grating.

CHRISTOPH:

But she wasn't a designed program.

Not this angel.

(reverently)

We digitized her from flesh and

blood.

His eyes flick from Katie to Tanner.

CHRISTOPH:

I was going to tell you, but Halden

wouldn't allow it. His nature

demands no lose ends.

(quietly)

So the flesh and blood Katie was

killed.

Tanner's face is a mask, revealing nothing. Christoph

locks eyes with him.

CHRISTOPH:

Yet she lives on in here, mind, body

and soul.

His stare now ripping into Tanner --

CHRISTOPH:

So you of all people, should know

this world is just as real, if not

more than the nightmare you call

the real world.

(disgust)

People praying to Gods who don't

listen. Violence and decay. No

rhyme or reason. To be young and

told you are dying. Nothing can be

done. Promise of life gone. That

will never happen here.

Tanner meets his stare.

TANNER:

You were the one who was dying.

CHRISTOPH:

(a whisper)

Yes...

Tanner's eyes burn with rage.

TANNER:

You sealed off the system. When it

crashes, everyone dies with you.

CHRISTOPH:

Yes, but only in the dream they call

life.

TANNER:

Dream?!

CHRISTOPH:

And all dreams, no matter how

appealing, must eventually end.

Tanner stares at him as if looking at insanity.

Christoph smiles, eerie calm as he turns to close the open

program panel.

Tanner dives with savage speed, grabbing the laser from

the ground.

The Nexus Center erupts with the SOUND of people pulling

guns --

KATIE:

Tanner --

Hundreds of lasers being trained on Tanner --

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