The Avengers Page #4

54 IN DARKNESS

Emma watches on the wall, an official Ministry film of macabre death tableaux in the

English countryside:

MOTHER:

We've had a series of bizarre weather reports.

We kept them hush-hush and sent agents into

the field for data. Case number one:

April 14, 3:
35 P.M., Special Agent Simkins

investigating mysterious fires in corn circles.

A field outside the village of Little Snoring,

one of the hottest days of the year. Trapped

by a sudden blizzard. Found frozen to death

in a giant ice cube -- like a mammoth in

perma-frost.

(the picture changes)

Case two:
Pilot Raymond Shaw, May 6, 11:28 A.M.

Took off from a deserted airstrip near Stoke Poges,

investigating bizarre atmospheric reports. A freak

rainstorm downed him. Knocked unconscious by a

flying fish, falling from 15,000 feet. Twenty-five

inches of rain in eight minutes, over an area the size

of a cricket pitch ...

(the picture changes)

... Case three:
June 2, 5:43 P.M. Defense Chief

Major Courtnay. Remains discovered in a turnip

field near Ashby de la Zouche. Our boffins

recorded a sudden blast of heat. Scorched earth,

temperature of 1000 degrees. Spontaneous

combustion. Not much of him left ...

CLICK. The lights go back on. Emma notices - a new arrival

a tall, striking OLDER WOMAN; dark glasses.

MOTHER:

My number two. Special assignments.

She's --

EMMA:

Let me guess -- 'Father'?

FATHER (OLDER WOMAN)

All happy families here, Mrs. Peel.

Father's dark glasses turn to Emma like a hawk. Runs her fingers over Emma's face.

Gets the outline. Emma realizes --

EMMA:

You're --

Blind ... Father smiles.

FATHER:

God, you're quick.

MOTHER:

Have a look at these, Mrs. Peel --

He passes 'round a box of evidence related to the screen events: Steed investigates a

pair of black shoes and bowler; Emma, a fish. The shoes have agent Simkins' name

in them ...

STEED:

Ah ... From Trubshaw's. My

shoemaker.

EMMA:

(unimpressed)

A kipper. Or a red herring? What were

they investigating?

FATHER:

A series of bizarre shifts in local weather

patterns ...

STEED:

Global warming?

FATHER:

Jungle plants in the Arctic? A lush

English village transformed overnight

into African scrubland? Blizzards in summer?

EMMA:

How curious ...

MOTHER:

Something strange is happening. And

whoever knows about it doesn't want

us to find out.

FATHER:

(to Steed)

Your mission is simple. Find out

how and why these agents died.

EMMA:

I'm no spy -- where do I fit in?

MOTHER:

Your research into climate engineering was

state-of-the-art. Your experiments could

have revolutionized our knowledge of global

warming -- had they succeeded. We need

your expertise.

STEED:

Perhaps I'd better start calling you doctor

again, Mrs. Peel --

Emma hesitates, unsure for the first time ...

EMMA:

I'm not sure I'm ready to return to work.

I've been out of action for some time. I'll

consider your proposal.

She gets up, ready to go.

FATHER:

One moment, Mrs. Peel. There's another

special reason we wanted you to join our

happy family; rather curious, actually ...

Mother hits the lights. He flicks the video into slow-mo. File thru image clarification,

identikit sketches.

MOTHER:

Eye witness reports. Strangers in the area.

One description tallied in all three places.

Recognize her?

Emma locks. On the screen comes -- Emma Peel. Steed reacts.

EMMA:

Me, isn't it?

Emma stares at the screen: incredible. Like a twin sister.

FATHER:

Think of it as special assignment, Mrs. Peel.

With a twist. You're our chief suspect.

EMMA:

You're saying I have no choice.

MOTHER:

Father will be your controller. Steed here

will show you the ropes.

EMMA:

(very arch)

Ropes?

55 INT. SECRET SERVICE HQ SHOOTING GALLERY

A life-size target of a man with blank face, bowler hat and umbrella, flips up, and --

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Is riddled with holes by

Emma, who works at reloading as

56 HIGH ABOVE IN ONE-WAY MIRRORED GALLERY

looking on, Mother with Steed.

STEED:

Think she really killed those agents?

MOTHER:

She may not know. Theory goes she

may be very ill.

STEED:

Amnesia?

MOTHER:

Possibly. Split personality ...

STEED:

Insane ... ?

MOTHER:

Who knows? If Dr. Darling is right,

you should watch out.

STEED:

Why?

MOTHER:

She may try to kill you.

57 IN SHOOTING GALLERY

Emma swiftly turns, aims, and --

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! FIRES with dead-eye precision.

All on target. Steed reacts. Ulp.

STEED:

Perhaps I ought to talk with Dr.

Darling.

58 INT. SECRET SERVICE HQ PSY OPS ROOM

A gallery of portraits of Emma Peel projected on the wall based on Warhol's Jackie

(1964) -- Poignant, inscrutable, fascinating, iconic -- blown up, dissected, analyzed.

The swirling newspaper dots cover Mother and Steed like bubbles from a light show.

As DR. DARLING, head of the Ministry's Psychological Operations (Psy Ops) -- a

kind of spy version of Timothy Leary, briefs them. In his thick dark glasses and beard,

Darling's obsessive interest in Emma adds a sinister air.

DR. DARLING

One key point:
Mrs. Peel is a widow:

she's obsessively devoted to the memory

of her husband the scientist Peter Peel.

You may find her a little ... remote.

Images of Peter Peel on the wall. Of Emma with him.

DR. DARLING

They were a team. Met at Cambridge.

Working on a top secret research mission

into weather conditions, code name The

Prospero Project, when Peel died.

Steed looks meaningfully at Mother.

MOTHER:

Something went wrong. System malfunction.

Explosion. Mrs. Peel had a narrow escape.

Suspected sabotage. Nothing proven. File

still open.

STEED:

How come you took so much interest

in her, Dr. Darling?

DR. DARLING

Her husband was one of ours.

STEED:

(eyes Peel's photo,

then Mother)

Peel? Did she know?

MOTHER:

Still doesn't. Better safe than sorry. She

was in a dangerous game, Steed. High

stakes. She may prove to be a risk. If

she is, there's only one solution. Termination.

STEED:

Anyone particular in mind?

MOTHER:

You.

OFF Steed's reaction. CLASHING BLADES OVER ...

59 INT. SECRET SERVICE FENCING SALON

Steed and Emma (new outfit), cross swords. Like everything else she does, Emma is a

champion. Steed is hard put. Both fence attached to cables -- very high-tech

dueling ...

Steed is in white; Emma (natch), in black ... yin and yang ...

STEED:

You're a lady of hidden talents,

Mrs. Peel ...

Tic-tac ...

EMMA:

I've no intention of hiding them ...

Tic-tac ...

STEED:

Scientist ...

(tic-tac)

... marksman ...

(tic-tac)

... swordsman ...

(tic-tac)

... To what do you attribute your

overachievements?

Fast swordplay. Tic-tac-tic-tac-tic. Steed's good, too.

EMMA:

My father always wanted a boy.

STEED:

Really? I fail to see the connection.

EMMA:

I had a feeling you would. Touche!

She lunges; her foil tips right into the heart on Steed's chest. BUZZ! Steed removes

his mask; holds her foil tip.

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