Mimic Page #2

Peter, speaking at the podium with the ease and enthusiasm of

a public servant still untainted by bureaucracy.

ON A TV MONITOR:

While Peter talks, a news title appears at the bottom of the

screen:
PETER TYLER. DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

PETER:

(wrapping up)

...in Nature, evolution is a long,

leisurely conversation between an

organism and its environment. We,

however, did not have the luxury of

time...

Susan is waiting in the wings. She observes the audience.

She notices that the entire front row is composed of CHILDREN

who have survived Strickler's. Leg and arm braces, facial

scarring...

He nods at Susan, who takes the podium, adjusting her jacket,

slightly ill at ease in her business suit. She clears her

throat, speaks softly.

SUSAN:

With the aid of genetic labs throughout

the country, we recombined cockroach DNA

with genetic information from termites

and mantids. We were able to create a

biological counter-agent. A new ally, if

you will...

She places a clear container on the podium for all to see.

SUSAN:

Blattida Traditor.

CU CONTAINER:

One of the Judas roaches skitters about in the container.

SUSAN (OS)

The "Judas Roach".

Cameras FLASH. MURMURS from the audience.

SUSAN:

The Judas is a non-carrier of Stricklers,

with a short life-span and heightened

pheromone emission.

On the back row she can see some ecological hand-painted

signs being raised in silent protest. She stumbles for a

second, then resumes her speech.

SUSAN:

The female is basically a sexual magnet;

common males travelled miles and fought

for the right to mate with them.

The audience is rapt.

SUSAN:

When they did, they took away something

else we added -- a hormone, passed

through sexual congress that causes their

metabolism to go into overdrive. No

matter what their food intake, they

starved to death in a matter of hours.

Now Peter takes the mic.

PETER:

We've achieved almost total eradication

of the roach population. As of today,

the disease has been officially

contained.

A STANDING OVATION starts and is carried on as we...

CUT TO:

INT. TYLER APARTMENT - BATHROOM - SUSAN

in a tub in a dark bathroom. Her business suit crumpled

on the bathroom floor. SOUND of a TV outside.

PETER (OS)

Sus, come on. You're missing it.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Nothing grand. Peter in his shorts at a TV with shitty

reception. He adjusts the disgruntled cable box.

He is seen over the TV, giving his address.

PETER:

F***ing thing! I hope someone's taping

this.

(Out.)

Susan, come on. It's really good this

time. I got most of the lines out.

(No response.)

Sus?

Peter sighs. He picks up an open bottle of champagne and

two mis-matched ceramic cups, then heads for the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM

PETER:

Life's a b*tch. Our 15 minutes came

and went and all we got was bad

cable...

Susan doesn't answer, clearly not in the same high spirits.

PETER:

Hiding from the hard glare of publicity?

He notices her crumpled garment on the floor. He picks it

up, puts it up on the hanger.

PETER:

A shame. You looked great tonight.

SUSAN:

Please.

PETER:

You did!

He sits by the tub.

SUSAN:

Do you think we did the right thing?

PETER:

Taking a cab instead of hiring a limo?

SUSAN:

You know what I mean...

Peter pours some champagne into the cups.

SUSAN:

We did no impact evaluation. The

consequences of...

PETER:

(sighs)

Is this a Catholic guilt thing...?

We hear a NEWSREADER on the TV.

NEWSREADER (TV)

...a flawless strategy which has stopped

a potential epidemic in its tracks...

PETER:

You hear that? Flawless.

SUSAN:

We just don't know.

He offers one cup to Susan. She doesn't take it.

PETER:

We know we saved lives.

He sits closer to her.

PETER:

There're gonna be a lot of kids running

around next year because of you.

Beat. Susan starts to relax. He kisses her.

PETER:

Who know? We get lucky, maybe a couple

of 'em'll be ours.

SUSAN:

(smiling now)

We're down to a "couple" now, huh?

She pats the water, beckoning.

PETER:

Oh, I don't know. People are beginning

to talk about us...

Still partially clothed, he steps into the bathtub. Susan

shakes her head, laughs ruefully.

SUSAN:

Don't worry, I'll save your honor.

Maybe I'll even marry you.

She reaches over, kisses him.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN TO:

EXT. ALPHABET CITY - NIGHT

The WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE dimly visible through the rain.

ALPHABET CITY STREETS

Empty warehouses. Closed businesses. Traffic lights blinking

on empty streets. Everything seems doomed under the heavy

layer of rain.

SUPERIMPOSE:
TWO YEARS LATER

A DILAPIDATED BUILDING before us. A blazing NEON CROSS made

of the words 'JESUS SAVES' hangs askew from its facade.

CRANE to see the ROOFTOP.

WHAM! The door to the interior stairs FLIES OPEN and a tall,

thin CHINESE PREACHER in his sixties lurches out, eyes wild

with terror.

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