Metropolis Page #13

Tanner grabs Christoph, using him as a shield, the laser

jammed into Christoph's back.

Only Christoph fades away. Just like that.

Tanner standing exposed on the catwalk.

The sound of lasers FIRING.

Tanner racing for cover.

INT. GROUND FLOOR

Christoph materializes next to Dex, watching up above

as --

INT. FIFTH FLOOR CATWALK

Lasers carve the air around Tanner.

Hissing and popping as chunks of metal disintegrate.

Tanner dives across the catwalk, throwing himself down

into the relative safety of --

INT. STAIRWELL

Tanner pulls his laser as he races down the stairs.

INT. GROUND FLOOR

Christoph grabs Dex's gun and calmly fires into a program

panel.

The panel sparks, circuitry destroyed, causing --

INT. STAIRWELL

The stairs to flicker, then disappear. Tanner falling

through empty space --

INT. GROUND FLOOR

Tanner crashes hard to the ground with an explosion of

pain.

He comes up limping as laser fire slams all around him, He

hurls himself through the door and out into --

INT. HALLWAY

He tries to run but his leg buckles, sending him sprawling

to the floor. He picks himself up, clawing his way up the

stairs --

INT. HALLWAY

Tanner is forcing himself to limp-run down the hallway,

pushing himself as fast as he can.

Behind him, he can hear the footsteps of Dex and the men

quickly gaining on him.

CUT TO:

INT. THE TERRACE - ROOF - CONTINUOUS

The party has migrated to the roof.

The digital Gena stands silently in the corner, staring

out at the people. They all seem so happy.

She grabs a glass of wine from a passing waiter.

She moves out into the center of the roof, drinking the

wine and swaying to the jazz music.

Several of the single men trying to establish eye contact

with her.

She begins to smile. It's the kind of smile that could

turn to tears at any moment.

A dreamy look on her face as she walks across the party

and straight off the roof.

Falling through the night.

EXT. NIGHT CITY - SIDEWALK

Her bloodless body laying twisted on the ground.

The soft breeze tugging at her coat, opening it enough to

see the photo nestled against her chest.

It's a photo of Gena as a small child. The saddest of

smiles...

CUT TO:

EXT. DEAD-END ALLEY

Tanner heads out through the alley and into the --

EXT. STREET

His eyes searching for a place to hide. Sees the dance

club across the street.

Tanner limps for the club as Dex and his men come

screaming out of the alley in hot pursuit.

INT. HADES DANCE CLUB

Strobe lights slash the darkness.

Swirling sea of people.

Loud, angry, music.

Hard to make out faces in the flashes of illumination.

Tanner tries to lose himself in the anonymity of the

crowd.

Christoph has joined Dex and the men as they slice through

the club, eyes darting back and forth.

Tanner angles for the rear exit.

A slam-dancer crashes into him, sending him sprawling to

the floor.

Christoph cutting across the club toward Tanner.

Tanner tries to stand but can't, his leg no longer able to

hold his weight.

He sees Christoph heading toward him.

Tanner trying to scramble out of the way.

Christoph's eyes are scanning the faces around him, and it

appears he doesn't see Tanner down on the floor.

The song ends, people stop dancing.

Tanner finds a table and holes up under it --

INT. UNDER THE TABLE

Tanner allows himself a deep breath.

A sudden EXPLOSION of sound.

Tanner spins, laser pointed.

But it's just the next song starting. Tanner exhales.

The table is no longer there.

Christoph has ripped it off the ground and flung it out

onto the dance floor.

Tanner swings the laser around.

CHRISTOPH:

(shakes his head)

Halden's little killer, who --

Tanner FIRES!

The shot slams through Christoph's face but does

absolutely no damage.

CHRISTOPH:

Can't kill a God.

Tanner fires again. And again.

The shots hit Christoph but don't hurt him.

Christoph reaches down, pulling Tanner to his feet.

Dex and the rest of the men crowd around, guns drawn.

Christoph kisses Tanner on the check, then steps away.

Tanner looking for a place to run to, but he's surrounded.

Dex and the men firing --

Music drowning out all sound.

Strobe lights carving quick bursts of images.

Laser fire slamming through Tanner --

Hit from all sides. Again and again --

His eyes straining to hold on to life.

Muzzle flashes. More shots. Tanner's body twisting.

Music screaming down from the heavens.

Lasers ripping through his body.

Eyes finally going blank as he crumples to the floor.

Christoph motions to Dex.

CHRISTOPH:

His access card.

Dex bends down for it, but suddenly freezes --

There's no blood.

Not one single drop.

Dex whips his eyes up to Christoph in stunned

realization --

DEX:

Son-of-a-b*tch digitized himself!

But Christoph's no longer there --

CUT TO:

INT. NIGHT CITY - NEXUS CENTER - CONTINUOUS

The real Tanner stands on the catwalk, plugging his access

card into the core program panel.

Data swirls across the screen. Several long beats.

DISEMBODIED VOICE (FROM PROGRAM)

Access approved.

Tanner begins punching in the eject command.

Codes streaking down the screen.

He suddenly stops, grabs his laser and whirls.

A person in the shadows.

Tanner is about to shoot when the person steps forward.

It's Katie. Standing very still. Watching him.

His gun aimed at her.

KATIE:

You have to do this?

He slowly lowers the weapon.

KATIE:

Someone you have to get back to?

TANNER:

No.

She nods, her eyes aching. She steps toward him,

struggling for the words.

KATIE:

I asked Christoph to take it out of

my memory.

Data smearing down the program screen, reflected off her

face.

KATIE:

But he wouldn't.

Her voice is suddenly very small and vulnerable.

KATIE:

So every single time I close my eyes

it's there. All of it.

Searching his face. Afraid of the answer.

KATIE:

You?

Long beat. The words crawling from his throat.

TANNER:

I remember.

She slowly reaches out. Touching his face. So familiar.

KATIE:

Isn't it better than whatever you

have waiting for you up there?

He doesn't answer, his body suddenly shaking. A tortured

silence.

Her lips reaching for his.

Christoph materializing on the catwalk --

Rushing for Tanner. Speed of a Demon --

Tanner no longer thinking, merely reacting, spinning and

slamming in the last of the eject command --

CHRISTOPH:

NO --

But it's too late.

The god-awful noise, quickly getting louder and louder.

The sound of the end.

The walls disappearing.

Katie's eyes locked on Tanner, trying hard to be brave,

but it finds a way out of her mouth.

KATIE:

What happens to me --

He wishes he knew...

EXT. NIGHT CITY - STREETS

The moon and stars fade away.

Then the buildings. Only the people left.

The LIGHT screaming for them. Everyone it touches,

blasted into emptiness.

There is no escape from the light, it finds everybody.

INT. NEXUS CENTER - CONTINUOUS

The light explodes through.

It touches Christoph first, ripping him into darkness.

Then Katie.

Then Tanner --

INT. THE NET - DARKNESS

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