The Avengers Page #11

PETER:

Don't be afraid, darling.

She turns, runs to the door. Like a trapped bird. She tries the door -- locked. Another

door -- locked. A window -- locked.

PETER:

Don't run away. I forgive you,

Emma. I know you left me. But

I still love you. Do you still have

my ring? I need it.

Peter grabs hold of Emma. She pulls away. Emma sees his face before her, pleading

with her. Seductive yet nightmarish.

As if hallucinating, Emma runs away, towards --

The big window overlooking the gardens. She runs, leaps, and in SLOW MOTION --

Crashes thru the GLASS, shards and splinters SHATTERING all 'round her, as she --

164 EXT. HALLUCINOGEN HALL - WINDOW - DAY

somersaults through the window down to the ground. Lands with a THUD on the wet

ground. Looks up to see --

Steed above her, the STORM RAGING.

EMMA:

Steed!

She struggles to her feet, comes towards him, upset.

STEED:

Oh, no. First time, shame on

you. Third time, shame on me.

He slugs her and the SCREEN GOES BLACK.

DR. DARLING (V.O.)

Diagnosis confirmed. Mrs. Peel is

suffering from delusions and

hallucinations. An extreme personality

disorder. She imagines her husband

Peter Peel has come back to her ...

CLOSE ON Emma's face.

DR. DARLING (V.O.)

A classic syndrome, to overcome her

subconscious guilt at her other crimes.

We've attached her to the dreamscape

machine. We'll soon see what her

unconscious looks like...

Emma's eyes flicker...

Steed comes INTO FOCUS, sitting by Emma's bed. This time he's eating her grapes ...

Emma looks around ... Everything blurs. A STEADY PULSE DRONE. Tugs at

leather straps. No use. WIDEN to reveal Emma strapped to a special couch --

Her head surrounded by a plastic dome, terminals and wires leading out into a

Dreamscape machine. Drowsy, disoriented.

EMMA:

Where am I?

STEED:

The Winslow Home for Retired

Lepidoptorists. I'm so sorry

I struck you, Mrs. Peel. Please

forgive me. I thought you were

someone else ...

EMMA:

Was I?

STEED:

(no smile)

I expect that's for you to know

and me to find out ...

EMMA:

It was Peter -- I saw him ...

Drugged, Emma's eyes drop. FOCUS CHANGES TO --

165 ABOVE HER

A giant spiral HYPNODISC WHIRRS, creating trippy black and white zig zag op-art

effects a la Bridget Riley.

She blinks.

DISSOLVE TO:

166 SAME SCENE - LATER

Steed is gone. Dr. Darling leans over her. Emma stares at the hypnodisc. Closes her

eyes.

167 EXTREME CLOSEUP ON HER EYES

Thousand REMs per sec -- a tiny chip next to her eyes, transmitting out via wires to --

168 UP ON WALL

A "Dreamscape" apparatus like a liquid TV screen flicks thru random images from

Emma's unconscious. Peter Peel -- Teddy Bears -- post card views -- childhood

snaps --

169 BESIDE "BED"

Dr. Darling furls his hand over Emma's, his fingers resting upon her ring. During the

interrogation, he soothingly strokes her hand -- tries to remove the ring without

arousing her suspicion. Pulls gently on it.

170 UP IN GALLERY

In his wheelchair, Mother sits beside Steed.

MOTHER:

This man -- did you see him?

STEED:

No. Her husband, she says. Alice

tried to warn us. A trap. Tell

Mother beware. Tell Father

That's all.

171 BY COUCH

Dr. Darling leans forward to interrogate Emma.

172 FROM HER POV

He looks and sounds sinister. From a corner of her eye, she sees -- a clip of keys

hanging from his pocket.

173 BACK TO SCENE

DR. DARLING

I want you to say the first thing

that comes into your head when I

say these words. Do you

understand ... ?

(as she nods)

Blue ...

EMMA:

... bottle ...

DR. DARLING

Red ...

EMMA:

... head ...

DR. DARLING

White ...

EMMA:

Knight ...

DR. DARLING

Black...

EMMA:

... death ...

DR. DARLING

Love...

EMMA:

... death ...

Steed watching, listening ...

DR. DARLING

Flower ...

EMMA:

... power ...

The exchange speeds up. Unknown to Dr. Darling, Emma picks his keys; unlocks her

straps.

DR. DARLING

Nature ...

EMMA:

... preserve...

DR. DARLING

Secret ...

EMMA:

... love...

DR. DARLING

Hope...

EMMA:

... love ...

DR. DARLING

Fear ...

EMMA:

... love ...

DR. DARLING

Peter ...

As Emma talks, the "Dreamscape" plucks images from her unconscious in trippy

psychedelic rush: faces -- colors -- patterns flash past.

EMMA:

... Piper picked a peck of pickled

peppers how many pecks of pickled

peppers did Peter Peel -- ?

174 CLOSEUP - EMMA

Quietly unclicks a lock. She stops in mid-gabble.

EMMA:

How long have I been here?

DR. DARLING

Three days.

Emma unlocks her straps. Sits Up. Woozy.

EMMA:

Do you get paid by the hour?

Dr. Darling is shocked, indignant. Emma rips wires from her body. The "Dreamscape"

machine winds down. Up in the gallery --

BAM -- ! Mother bashes his metal cane on the railings

MOTHER:

(filtered)

You are here under observation,

Mrs. Peel. You must answer Dr.

Darling's questions

Pushes Dr. Darling aside.

EMMA:

I resign.

MOTHER:

(filtered)

You need treatment, Mrs. Peel. You

can't resign.

EMMA:

Watch me.

Emma staggers. Mother looks at Steed. Who snaps himself out of staring at the

hypnodisc.

Emma heads for the airlock door marked:

"ANTI-GRAVITY CHAMBER -- NO ADMITTANCE"

MOTHER:

Don't open that, Mrs. Peel!

Fat chance ... she goes in ...

175 INT. ANTI-GRAVITY CHAMBER

Emma floats in the air, as Mother, Dr. Darling and Steed all follow. And float

helplessly, turning around madly. Trying to gain on Emma. Mother's wheelchair,

Steed's umbrella and bowler, all tumble thru the air as Steed tries to reach the "OFF"

switch

EMMA:

(echoing)

What are you trying to do to me?

MOTHER:

(flailing)

We want to help...!

EMMA:

I thought I was a widow. My

husband ... the only man I ever

loved ... is dead. For the rest

of my life I have to live with

that.

MOTHER:

The death of Peter Peel was a

great loss. To us all ...

EMMA:

To you ... ?

Mother looks at Emma. He's let the cat out the bag. Steed finds the "OFF" switch.

They all tumble to the floor, Mother landing perfectly in his wheelchair,

Steed effortlessly catching his hat and umbrella. He moves to Mother --

STEED:

I think you owe Mrs. Peel an

explanation ...

Steed stares Mother out. Who delivers his revelations.

MOTHER:

Peter Peel was a first class agent.

A senior operative.

'X' department Special operations.

He was engaged in top secret research.

Top priority. Government approved.

EMMA:

The Institute ... the funding ...

MOTHER:

A cover ... for us.

(beat)

I'm sorry...

A turning moment for Emma. A life lived on a lie.

EMMA:

So all that time. Our work, our research

was for you ... for this? And the

accident --

DARLING:

It was no accident.

EMMA:

The official investigation ...

MOTHER:

... was written by me.

(beat)

It was sabotage, Mrs. Peel.

Deadly serious, Emma walks over to him.

EMMA:

Who?

MOTHER:

Quite frankly ... it could have

been you.

Silence. Emma looks away, shocked. Steed intervenes

STEED:

You're accusing Mrs. Peel of

killing her own husband?

MOTHER:

Her husband suspected someone very

close to the operation. On the day he

died, he was setting a test.

To prove to himself -- to us that his

wife was beyond suspicion. He had to

be certain. He said he was going to

give Mrs. Peel something ...

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