FADE IN:
EXT. JACK'S HOUSE
What used to be Jack's living room is now a burned out hulk.
The peace of this suburban street has been completely
shattered. Jack's house looks like a bomb has struck it.
The minivan burns merrily in the driveway and both Hobbes'
and Needle's cars are twisted wrecks blown clear across the
street. Soldiers, obviously so despite their attire in
conservative business suits, are busily handcuffing the
surrendering gunmen and loading them into a dark black van
with no windows. As Hobbes, Needle, Diver and Jack walk out
from the back hallway into the wreck that was the living room
Coolige steps forward to meet them, a squad of soldiers at
his back each pointing weapons at the group.
COOLIGE
(mock delight)
How good it is to see you again
Needle! And yet you seem
surprised... You weren't expecting
someone else were you?
A wicked smile, definitely of cruel intent, flashes across
Coolige's face, turning to look at Jack he continues.
COOLIGE
Jack... Mother was very
disappointed to learn of your
betrayal, she had such high hopes
for you. Ah and Ms. Diver!
Coolige spins around to regard Diver.
COOLIGE
(continued)
I trust you've had time to
reconsider my offer? Regrettably I
must inform you that it is too
late, the offer has expired. I
longer require your services.
Coolige steps back as the soldiers step in and begin to
handcuff them all.
COOLIGE
(continued)
In fact I no longer require any of
your services.
Coolige walks up to Needle and pulls the box from his coat.
He then grabs the other box from Jack's deck, which lies on
the ground next to him. As Coolige walks away, a box in
either hand, he motions to the soldiers.
COOLIGE
(walking away)
Kill them all
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT. BLACK VAN - MOMENTS LATER
The interior of the van is industrial, with steel bars and
metal planes of brushed steel taking the place of seats and
carpeted floor. Needle and Jack are sitting on once side of
the van, handcuffed to a steel bar above their heads. On the
opposite side of the van Hobbes and Diver are restrained in a
similar way. The position is obviously uncomfortable for
Diver who is basically hanging by her wrists, her midriff
exposed and her feet barely touching the floor of the van.
Hobbes is swearing under his breath, every few seconds,
venting his frustration and stands in stark contrast to
Needle to who sitting quietly with eyes closed. However,
anyone paying attention will notice Needle turning his head
to focus on new sounds as they are made; Needle may have his
eyes closed but he is as alert as ever. The cab of the van
can be seen in the background, with the driver and his
partner seated within. City streets can be seen through the
windshield, the van is driving somewhere.
HOBBES
(annoyed, frustrated)
This is bullshit man!
Hobbes stabs a finger in Jack's direction, jangling his cuffs
as he gesticulates.
HOBBES
Every mother fucking time I get
involved in something with you.
Shaking his head Hobbes turns his head to look out the back
window of the van. Shaking his head he continues softly,
almost to himself.
HOBBES
Every damned time.
Jack hunches in on himself but says nothing, obviously
miserable. Diver yanks hard on her chains, perhaps hoping she
still possessed the strength she gains will on munge, but it
is to no avail, the cuffs hold.
DIVER
So what's the plan?
Diver looks at Needle with a look of confidence on her face.
Needle does not respond immediately but does open his eyes to
look at her.
DIVER
You're Mr. Corporate spy. What fly
move do you have planned to get us
out here?
Needle closes his eyes again and leans back against the van's
wall a little more before replying.
NEEDLE
There isn't one.
The expression on Diver's face melts away, she seems to sag a
little in her chains before bursting into a flurry of futile
activity, pulling at her handcuffs again and again.
Needle doesn't seem to respond at all but you can see him
tense up in his chains. Hobbes tries to calm Diver down,
first bumping up against her to try to get her to stop.
HOBBES
Settle down girl, settle down.
There's no point in getting worked
up about the things you can't
change.
In a way, Hobbes succeeds; Diver stops her frantic thrashing
and turns to look Hobbes in the face but the look in her face
isn't one of gratitude.
DIVER
(ice cold)
What? you did not just tell me not
to get worked up over the fact that
I'm about to die.
Hobbes inches as far away from Diver as his restraints will
allow and shakes his head.
HOBBES
Look at your man there.
Hobbes points his finger at Needle who is still playing the
stoic.
HOBBES
(continued)
He's not concerned is he? If you
sweat the things you cannot change
you're not going to have the
strength to change the things you
can.
Diver is about to retort but Hobbes continues, more loudly,
preventing any interruption.
HOBBES
I've seen a lot of people die girl,
and through it all I've learned one
thing.
Hobbes turns away from Diver again and trails off, obviously
not done with the thought but apparently done speaking for
the moment. Jack lifts his head, apparently interested in
the conversation for the 1st time.
JACK
So what was it?
Hobbes looks at Jack with sneer on his face.
HOBBES
Something always comes along to
save me.
CUT TO:
EXT. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY - AFTERNOON
As we cut to an exterior view of the van we can hear Hobbes
saying softly to himself
HOBBES
(O.S.)
The rest of you are probably
screwed though.
The black van holding our heroes pulls into an intersection
on the wide street, in the square between 4 large buildings
of the commercial sector. The van moves into about a 3rd of
the way into the intersection when it is impacted on the
driver side by a large garbage truck, destroying the cab and
sending the rear of the van spiraling across the
intersection.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT. DESTROYED VAN
The van is a wreck, the cab is completely gone and the
partition between what was the cab and the back of the anis
now a twisted ribbon of jagged steel.
The bars across the roof of either side of the van, the bars
holding the handcuffs in place, have both snapped and lay at
angles across the remains of the van, both Jack and Diver
have slipped off these bars and are now handcuffed, but free.
Unfortunately Diver lies in a heap near the remains of the
front partition while Jack is also unconscious, seated on the
bench with his head against the corner border of the
partition and the van's back wall. Hobbes is sliding his
handcuffs down the steel bar to the break, attempting to free
himself. Needle, already free and standing in the center of
the van, turns to check Diver and Jack quickly.
HOBBES
See?
Hobbes is grinning from ear to ear practically capering in
his efforts to slide his cuffs off of the broken restraint
bar.
HOBBES
Every time.
Now free Hobbes works to pry the back door of the van open.
NEEDLE
They'll both recover.
Leaving them where they are Needle turns to help Hobbes.
Within moments they get the back door of the van off and step
out into the street.
CUT TO:
EXT. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY - EVENING
The wreck of the van lies in the intersection amidst a sea of
glass shards and leaking fluids nestled against the side of
the now useless garbage truck. The van's cab, and its
occupants are nothing but a trail of rubble and blood laid
out behind the garbage truck and smeared across its grill.
Hobbes and Needle step out of the van and survey the scene.
No one else seems to be around. Needle walks up to the cab
of the garbage truck and peers inside as Hobbes looks around
the intersection.
HOBBES
Seems clear. I'd feel better with
a gun or two though.
Needle hops down from the garbage truck and walks back to the
van.
NEEDLE
The garbage truck is empty. No
driver.
HOBBES
Not an accident then.
Needle nods as both of them scan the area another time.
NEEDLE
We should hurry.
Needle turns back to the van and enters, apparently
retrieving Diver and Jack.
HOBBES
Yeah good plan.
CUT TO:
INT BLACK VAN - MOMENTS LATER
Needle walks through the open van door and approaches Diver.
He shakes her roughly and she groans loudly.
DIVER
(groaning)
Oh god I feel like I just got hit
by a truck.
Needle smirks before turning his attention to Jack. Shaking
him the same way seems to illicit no response from the
unconscious teen.
DIVER
Oh wait. I was.
Pointing at Jack as she stands and regains her composure
Diver continues.
DIVER
What's wrong with the wirehead?
Needle, convinced Jack isn't going to wake up any time soon,
hefts him over his shoulder.
NEEDLE
Concussion.
Motioning to the door Needle turns and begins to walk away.
Diver looks up at the unconscious Jack and suddenly her face
gains a smirk of her own.
DIVER
It could be worse Jack.
Diver turns to follow Needle to the van's rear door.
DIVER
You still have your clothes.
As Needle steps through the door we can see the grin on his
face.
CUT TO:
EXT. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
As Needle and Diver exit the hulk of the van Hobbes points
down the street. A black limo, the limo Needle saw in front
of the metrolink in episode 4, is pulling slowly up the
street towards the group. Needle and Hobbes both scan the
wreckage nearby for anything useful. Needle places Jack on
the ground next to the hulk of the van while Hobbes grabs a
long steel bar, about 4 feet in length, from the ground,
obviously some twisted and burned bit of the van.
Spinning it in his hands expertly, as if it were a BO staff,
Hobbes nods to himself and looks at Needle who selected two
smaller lengths of piping or similar metal, each about 2 feet
long, which he is holding one in each hand. Needle drops
into a ready stance and looks quickly at Hobbes.
NEEDLE
Every time?
Hobbes smiles as the limo pulls up and the back doors open.
Two thugs pour out of each door, 4 total, and aim automatics
at the group. Needle motions at Diver quickly, obviously
telling her to stay behind them near Jack.
HOBBES
Every fucking time.
Needle and Hobbes watch the thugs cautiously but none of them
make any move to attack. Hobbes looks back and forth at both
pairs of thugs, waiting for them to make the move that
doesn't come. Finally losing patience he tenses for an
attack. As he makes a move to leap forward a 5th person
steps from the limo. It is H-T Chick, the mysterious woman
seen leading the H-T effort to retrieve the boxes.
H-T CHICK
I wouldn't.
Needle taps Hobbes with one of his sticks, when Hobbes looks
back at Needle he simply nods. Hobbes steps back, still at
the ready but willing to see how this plays out.
H-T CHICK
(disappointed)
Hmm. Oh well. Get in the limo if
you want to live.
H-T Chick points at Diver and Jack before climbing back into
the limo.
H-T CHICK
Bring your friends.
Hobbes throws a questioning look at Needle as if to say,
"what the fuck?" But Needle simply shakes his head, now is
not the time. Bending to put his sticks down and grab Jack,
Needle looks at Diver and flashes a reassuring smile as he
stands back up.
NEEDLE
(quietly)
Fly moves are easier without
handcuffs.
Turning he walks to the limo, Diver and Hobbes in tow. As
Hobbes bends to step into the car he throws out a quip.
HOBBES
Can't we leave sleeping beauty?
Bad shit happens when he's around.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT COOLIGE'S OFFICE - EVENING
Through the large window on the back wall of Coolige's office
we can see the sun setting against the water line of the
harbor, casting an orange hue to the entire office. Coolige
sits at his desk, alone. Both Boxes, Jack's and the Box that
Diver recovered, are laying on the desk, a loop of cable
sitting between them, but not connected.
CUT TO:
INT. LIMO - EVENING
The interior of the limo is a stark contrast to the luxurious
exterior. Metal paneling, obviously some form of ballistic
armor, cover every surface. Where once stood posh seats now
sits a row of fold down metal seats bolted to the passenger
side wall, 6 of them total, running down the length of the
limo across from a bank of displays and computer terminals.
Jack is strapped into the seat closest to the front of the
limo, his head lulled to the side, still unconscious. Diver
sits a few seats down closer to rear seat where Hobbes and
Needle sit. H-T Chick sits between Diver and the rear seat.
The rear seat of the limo is largely unchanged from a
standard limo layout though the driver side of the rear seat
has access to a fold down keyboard and terminal bolted to the
bank of equipment on that wall of the limo. This is
obviously some sort of mobile command center for H-T's
operation. The displays of the computers are alive with
activity showing maps of the city, satellite imagery and
numerous video feeds from operations across the city.
Through the transparent partition between the rear of the
limo and the driver's cabin can be seen 3 of the thugs from
earlier, all alert and all watching the rear intently as the
limo auto-navigates through the city streets. H-T Chick is
speaking with them all.
H-T CHICK
It took me longer to catch up to
you than I expected.
Hobbes sort of smiles, but Needle does not react, content
instead to wait for whatever business H-T Chick has with
them. H-T Chick continues.
H-T CHICK
I'd say I'm impressed but I'd be
lying.
The look in Hobbes' eye hardens and he casts the woman a
withering glare.
HOBBES
(annoyed)
Look lady, you don't like us, we
don't like you. I get that. Can
we move on to the part where you
tell us what you want?
H-T CHICK
Idiots. You've just managed to put
what amounts to the world in
jeopardy and still you sit here and
bluster.
Hobbes shakes his head as his expression changes to one of
incredulity.
HOBBES
What the hell are you talking
about?
Needle, silent this whole time, finally speaks up.
NEEDLE
(quietly)
The boxes.
H-T CHICK
Precisely. All of your sneaking
around, playing high-tech thief and
looking for "yours." And none of
you stopped to wonder what the fuck
this thing was.
Diver interrupts.
DIVER
Geek-boy over here got it. They're
code breakers, they cut through the
intrusion countermeasures on net
sites right? What's so world
jeopardizing about that?
H-T Chick turns to Diver and get's deadly serious,
H-T CHICK
I am the senior security consultant
for H-T. They call me in when
heads of state with new tax ideas
need to be reminded of how fragile
the lives of their daughters are.
I track down scientists who "leave
to pursue other interests" and
remind them how interesting H-T can
be. I don't track down two bit
thieves, junkies, and script
kiddies so ask yourself, why am I
here?
H-T Chick turns back to Needle and Hobbes before continuing.
H-T CHICK
No, those "boxes" are much more
than that.
CUT TO:
INT. COOLIGE'S OFFICE - EVENING
Coolige sits in his office, the boxes in front of him on the
desk. Looking at his watch he nods to himself and picks up
the loop of cables sitting between the boxes and begins to
unwrap them.
CUT TO:
INT. LIMO
H-T Chick is continuing her conversation, more relaxed now as
she explains the true danger of the boxes.
H-T CHICK
The boy is right, the boxes do
break codes. At least that's what
they were meant to do. The 1st
box, called the M-1, was developed
under contract with an Arabian data
haven off the coast of Egypt.
H-T Chick quickly types some commands into the terminal
across from her. On the screen a video begins showing the
Box jack had in various stages of production. Jack begins to
stir as H-T Chick speaks, groaning softly as he rubs his
temples he listens to her speech.
H-T CHICK
The M-1 was designed to crack any
form of encryption known.
Specifically it was designed to
defeat the new adaptive systems
being designed by the swiss privacy
AIs.
Jack looks directly at H-T Chick and snickers.
JACK
There's no way. Even if you had an
algorithm you'd need the computing
power of another AI just to keep up
with the key changes.
H-T Chick nods at Jack before continuing.
H-T CHICK
Exactly.
CUT TO:
INT COOLIGE'S OFFICE
The boxes now lay next to each other, with various lengths
and colors of cable laid out on the desk beneath them.
Coolidge is connecting the cables to the first box. The sun
as almost sunk completely beneath the horizon line in the
office window.
CUT TO:
INT LIMO
Jack has now leaned forward, obviously interested in the
conversation and apparently feeling better.
JACK
There's no way that was an AI. I
used it for 6 weeks, I'd have
noticed.
H-T Chick leans forward and types another command into the
terminal. An image of a swarthy man, some company photo-file
or ID card shot likely, appears on the screen.
H-T CHICK
No you wouldn't, it's not your
typical AI. It lacks the autistic
disassociation of other AIs.
JACK
You're saying I had my own AI for 6
weeks?! Oh man!
H-T CHICK
You're missing the point.
Pointing to the man on the screen she continues.
H-T CHICK
This man here commissioned the
project and acted as our chief
liason. He was present during the
M-1's first test. It was the last
time he was seen alive by anyone at
H-T.
Hobbes leans forward and points at the picture.
HOBBES
I think I know that guy.
H-T Chick taps another command into the terminal and the
man's image is replaced by that of a grainy security camera,
showing Hobbes moving through a hallway, guns out and ready.
H-T CHICK
You should. You killed him.
Jack shakes his head quickly suddenly understanding.
JACK
The Cairo job.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT. COOLIGE'S OFFICE
Coolige is now connecting cables to the second box. The
office is very dark, only a small sliver of the sun remains
over the horizon.
CUT TO:
INT. LIMO
H-T CHICK
No one thought anything of it. The
M-1 was a failure, she was
impossible to control, a menace to
her wielders as much as her target.
Jack leans back, thinking. As Hobbes continues
HOBBES
I didn't find any box on that run.
It was simple corporate seizure of
assets. Well it should have been.
H-T Chick points at Hobbes.
H-T CHICK
Only you screwed the pooch on that
run didn't you?
Hobbes tenses, frustration and anger building in his dace.
HOBBES
You don't know what you're talking
about sister. *I* did the job I
was hired to do. Leave it at that.
Jack leans forward again and interrupts.
JACK
He's right. It was me. I lost
control of the hack, the whole
system just chewed me up and spit
me out. I'd never seen anything
like it.
HOBBES
(angry)
You knew it was you and you let me
take the fall? You son of a bitch!
Hobbes leaps forward to get his hands on Jack but Needle
holds him back.
NEEDLE
It wasn't either of you, haven't
you been listening?
Diver leans forward now to join the conversation.
DIVER
Right. It was "her." Wasn't it?
H-T chick smiles a grim smile.
H-T CHICK
I'm starting to see why it was so
hard to catch up with you. You're
right it was her.
Turning to Hobbes she continues in a quiet voice.
H-T CHICK
You're run in Cairo was never meant
to succeed, she needed a scenario
to occur that would allow
unfettered access to the outside.
The fact you made it out alive
probably baffles her to this very
day. You're partial success made
things difficult for her to say the
least.
Jack finally makes the connection, practically leaping out of
the seat he exclaims.
JACK
(excited)
Mother One! The box, the M-1, it's
Mother One!
Diver looks up at Jack with a look of boredom on her face.
DIVER
Yeah. We got that brainiac.
Awhile ago.
Jack sits back down, throwing a classic "screw you guys" look
at Diver.
H-T CHICK
The M-2 was a hasty project, meant
to fulfill the specs in the
original contract but not exceed
them, but it's not actually a code
breaker. It's an infiltrator.
Jack looks at H-T Chick, suddenly gone very serious.
JACK
It writes worms?
H-T CHICK
No, though the result is the same.
A researcher at H-T hit on a way to
use a limitation of the network
protocols to expose systems behind
protection without the firewalls
becoming aware of the exposure.
This protocol limitation cannot be
fixed, it is inherent to the design
of the network, but using it
requires computational resources
far outside the scope of any but
the most esoteric research labs.
NEEDLE
Until now.
H-T chick nods before continuing.
H-T CHICK
Precisely. The M-2 uses an 8 qubit
quantum processor to achieve it's
exploitation of the system. The M
2's processor is unique in the
world. When you stole it H-T lost
not just a contract, but the
blueprint for all future computing
projects within the company.
JACK
It's not the M-2's security exploit
that scares you is it? It's her
having that much computing power at
her disposal. With that much power
she could do anything she wanted on
the network, nothing could stop
her.
H-T CHICK
Nothing at all.
CUT TO:
INT. COOLIGE'S OFFICE
Coolige has both boxes wired together, lights are flickering
back and forth on both of the otherwise unremarkable metal
boxes. The last sliver of the sun sinks beneath the waves as
Coolige, holding one last cable connection in his hand plugs
it into his desk. As the sunlight dies, every other light in
the office flickers and dies. The room is suddenly
completely quiet and plunged in darkness. Coolige stands
perfectly still for a moment, waiting to see what would
happen next. After a few seconds of silence, the red light
on his desk begins to blink, indicating an incoming phone
call. The room is still otherwise cloaked in darkness.
Reaching for his headset Coolige presses the red light on the
desk.
COOLIGE
(on the phone)
Good evening.
The silhouette of Coolige stands and looks out the window as
he listens on the phone.
COOLIGE
Of course Mother. I was happy to
be of assistance. I apologize for
the delays but surely you can
appreciate the complex nature of
the operation.
As Coolige listens the other lights in the office begin to
flicker back to life. Turning he resumes his seat at his
desk, staring at the boxes on his desk.
COOLIGE
Yes, my services can be retained
indefinitely with appropriate
compensation.
The holographic screen of Coolige's desk blazes to life.
COOLIGE
I'm looking at it now.
The image on the display turns to that of a city map, a large
structure in the warehouse district of the socali metroplex
is outlined in blazing red.
COOLIGE
I will transfer them this evening.
Don't fear, Mother.
Coolige places a hand on one of the boxes, almost lovingly.
COOLIGE
Now that I have them I'll keep them
nice and secure.
CUT TO:
INT. LIMO
H-T chick is now wearing a headset of her own and is
frantically typing into the terminal in front of her. Jack
is looking on with interest as Needle and Hobbes look at each
quickly, obviously preparing to seize an opportunity that may
arise.
H-T CHICK
We're too late. She's activated
the M-2.
JACK
How do you know?
H-T chick continues to type feverishly, the display of her
system rapidly opening and closes windows around her command
window, each new window a map with a location clearly marked.
H-T CHICK
She's dismantling H-T. Cracking
open and disabling key
infrastructure, draining assets,
disabling AIs... Damnit!
As she curses the screen goes blank and the car comes to a
halt. In the front compartment we can see the three thugs
trying to restart the limo. When one tries to open a door
and it won't open, Diver begins to get worried.
DIVER
What the fuck was that?
Jack is looking at the screen of the display, still blank
except for a tiny white light in the center of the display.
JACK
She disabled the limbo, what I want
to know is what the fuck is that?
As Jack points at the white dot it expands into a sphere of
glowing white. Needle and Hobbes both try to open the doors
of the limo but they are locked tight. Look at H-T Chick
Needle points to her gun holster. She shakes her head and
points to the armor, eyes still mainly focused on the screen.
The white sphere has expanded to fill the screen with a
pulsing sea of glowing white, in the center of the screen a
fractal tree appears, black against the white. As quickly as
it started the whole things fades back to black. Shortly
after that the locks on the limo click open of their own
accord. Wasting no time Needle and Hobbes leap from the
limo.
CUT TO:
EXT. IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
The limo sits in the center of a stretch of empty road
running through the middle of the industrial district north
west of Brea. Needle and Hobbes are pulling the thugs from
the front of the limo, efficiently disabling them and taking
their weapons in the process. H-T Chick steps from the limo,
her gun drawn and pointed at Needle and both Hobbes and
Needle turn their newly acquired weapons to her. H-T Chick
seems very calm, as if she is in danger.
H-T CHICK
Where are you going to go?
Needle smirks slightly as Hobbes moves to the rear door to
get Diver and Jack out of the limo.
NEEDLE
I know where we can find Mother
One.
Diver is stepping out of the limo as Needle is speaking, she
looks at Needle as she steps out of the way for Jack.
DIVER
Coolige.
Needle looks at Diver quickly, nodding once.
NEEDLE
Coolige.
Needle looks back at H-T chick.
NEEDLE
I'm going to destroy her.
Hobbes smiles and points at Needle.
HOBBES
That's what I'm talking about!
Jack, now out of the limo turns to look at H-T Chick.
JACK
And we'll do it for the small sum
of 2 million credits. Up front.
H-T Chick laughs, not a polite chuckle but a full-hearted
laugh. Despite herself she likes them, their audacity, their
attitude, all of it. Reaching into a pocket she pulls out a
palm-top and tosses it to Jack. As she holsters her weapon
she speaks.
H-T CHICK
You'll need it to transfer the
money, I'll beam it to you from the
limo.
H-T chick moves to step back into the limo. Pausing halfway
through the door she speaks again.
H-T CHICK
Now get to work.
FADE TO BLACK.
