The Cell Page #8

CATHERINE:

Okay. Let's assume he wanted you to

find him, that some part of him hated

what he was doing... Most likely, that

part is dead. Schizophrenics with

Whalen's Infraction sever all ties with

the real world. I'm sorry, I really am.

RAMSEY:

Is it possible?

CATHERINE:

If he came to trust me, yes, but it

takes months to build that kind of

trust. Someone like Stargher can't

distinguish between fantasy and reality.

It's all the same. He might tell me

she's in Timbuktu and absolutely, one

hundred percent believe it to be true,

but she's...

JOHN (O.S.)

Julia.

They turn to John Tracy. His vulnerable, barely audible

voice forcing everyone to listen.

JOHN (CONT'D)

Not "she." Julia. Not thing, or it, or

her. Do you know anything about her?

Do you know what we've been through?

Julia is everything to me. Can you say

that about anyone?

Catherine hangs her head. And finds herself looking at

photograph of the girl in question. A smiling Julia Hickson

looking right at her.

WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP. POUNDING REVERBERATIONS...

EXT. CAMPBELL CENTER - DAY

WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOP. A HELICOPTER descends onto the pad.

A stretcher is removed from the side door of the helicopter.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - VARIOUS/TRAVELLING - DAY

The STAFF watches with a mixture of fear and curiosity as a

stretcher bearing the catatonic Stargher is wheeled FAST

through the corridors by an FBI escort team.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Hundreds of photographs, drawings, diagrams, maps,

blueprints, and documents - Novak's case material - cover

every inch of wallspace. The table is littered with

reference books, atlases, telephones, a fax machine, short

wave radio, and computer/Internet terminal. An FBI

TECHNICIAN completes the electronics work and points out the

"speed dial" functions to Novak and Ramsey.

FBI TECH:

(listing them)

Quantico. San Diego Field Office.

S.D., L.A., and San Francisco P.D.

California, Arizona, Nevada State

Police. Nine and ten are open lines.

(re:
radio set up)

Direct link to the chopper.

(re:
the computer)

That gets you into the Bureau Database.

NOVAK:

Thanks.

Once he's gone, Ramsey takes this moment "alone" to question

his partner.

RAMSEY:

You sure you want to go through with

this?

NOVAK:

What else do we do?!

RAMSEY:

I don't know, Pete, but for god's

sake... This is nuts. Do you really

understand what they're going to do?

NOVAK:

I don't have to.

RAMSEY:

Why jeopardize what we've already done?

We caught the sonofabitch. Carl

Stargher. That's going to be like

Bundy, Gacy, Dahmer. A case that makes

careers. But if we push our luck. If

this is all bullshit and we come out

smelling like it.

NOVAK:

Tell you what. If this thing burns us,

I take that heat. I give you permission

to point your finger at me and say "It

was all his idea."

RAMSEY:

(offended)

That's not what I'm talking about, Pete.

I'm talking about waking up and

realizing this girl's gonna die.

The words are anathema to Novak.

NOVAK:

That won't happen.

Cooperman appears in the doorway and informs them...

COOPERMAN:

They're ready.

Ramsey looks to his partner, but Novak is already on

Cooperman's heels. Resignedly, Ramsey follows.

INT. CAMPBELL CENTER - LABORATORY - DAY

Cooperman guides Novak and Ramsey into the lab. The FBI men

are impressed, but neither is quite sure what to make it all.

The FBI escort team leader gets Ramsey's signature and Novak

undoes the cuffs from Stargher's wrists and ankles.

Following Miriam's direction, the escorts guide the gurney

carrying Stargher into the procedure room. As Cooperman

shows them out, Henry seals shut the door. Miriam assumes

responsibility for Stargher's care and checks his pulse, IV,

pupil dilation, and vital signs...

HENRY:

Shouldn't we get a catheter in him?

MIRIAM:

They took care of that, thank you,

Henry.

(getting him out of her hair)

MIRIAM (CONT'D)

Why don't you give our guests a little

tour?

Proud of his computer, but uncomfortable around strangers,

Henry directs Novak and Ramsey to the console.

HENRY:

Gentlemen, you stand before the one and

only Neurological Cartography and

Synaptic Transfer System.

Although he's listening, Novak's eyes never really stray from

his prisoner as Miriam uses safety scissors to cut away

Stargher's clothes.

HENRY (CONT'D)

It provides a highly detailed map of the

human mind. Not the brain - any MRI can

do that. The mind.

(self-impressed)

It reads and processes electronically

allowing information to be transferred

and interrupted.

(for the laymen)

Let's say your thoughts could be stored

on DVD. If someone had the right kind

of player, they could watch and listen

to what you're thinking.

Novak observes Miriam as she "undresses" Stargher and Ramsey

pokes around the lab.

HENRY (CONT'D)

But we can't record or store the data.

The connections between nerve cells are

constantly being modified.

Miriam needs a moment to fully take in the scars. Henry

continues, eager to focus attention back to him, but even he

is fascinated by Stargher's skin.

HENRY (CONT'D)

It's like the early days of television.

The subject sends out a live feed and

you receive it during time of broadcast.

Whatever happens, happens. All you have

to do is "tune in."

Miriam gives Stargher an alcohol bath, the clinical procedure

taking on the quality of ritual. Her wash cloth moves under

Stargher's chin and over his face. She's careful around the

eyes and finds herself unable to look at them for long.

HENRY (CONT'D)

But you do more than tune in... You

become part of the snow.

Catherine enters from a dressing area wearing the bodysuit.

Filled with curiosity, Novak watches Miriam and Catherine fit

Stargher into his suit.

NOVAK:

I still don't understand why I can't do

this... This isn't some "troubled kid"

you're dealing with.

CATHERINE:

I realize that...

NOVAK:

How hard could it be...?

Catherine and Miriam try to hide their laughter.

CATHERINE:

The first... What? Six or seven times I

went in. Remember what happened?

MIRIAM:

Disorientation, nausea, migraines,

hallucinations, insomnia, paranoia.

CATHERINE:

Like a New Year's Day hangover.

MIRIAM:

He needs to be turned over.

Novak and Catherine roll Stargher onto his stomach.

NOVAK:

This man is deeply disturbed, he...

CATHERINE:

You don't know the procedure.

NOVAK:

I know him.

MIRIAM:

That may be true, but you don't have

Catherine's gift. She...

(distracted by Stargher's back)

What happened here?

We see a series of EIGHT BANDAGES.

RAMSEY:

We removed eight metal rings.

Miriam peels away a bandage and examines the flesh.

CATHERINE:

Then he should like this.

Catherine connects Stargher to the SUSPENSION APPARATUS and

it HOISTS him off the table.

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