FADE IN:
PREVIOUS EPISODE MONTAGE - CONTINUOUS
NARRATOR
Previously on "Cyberpunk show"
Selections from scenes found in episode 1 and episode 2 are
played to bring new viewers up to speed and to remind the
faithful of what has gone on before. Specifically we show
COOLIGE and NEEDLE meeting for the first time (episode 1
scene 3), NEEDLE talking to JACK about MOTHER ONE (episode 1
scene 10), DIVER finding the box (episode 2 scene 3), DIVER
talking to the thug about COOLIGE (episode 2 scene 17), THUG
taking DIVER out of COOLIGE's office (episode 2 scene 18),
and NEEDLE abducting DIVER (episode 2 scene 19). This
montage should last between 1.5 and 2 minutes, with the cuts
between each selection highlighted with CG, as if being read
from a datastore.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
P.O.V HOTEL ROOM - AFTERNOON
The hotel room is nondescript, looking like pretty much every
hotel room out there. NEEDLE'S face fills the frame,
blocking out most of the details. He is shining a small
penlight into the camera.
NEEDLE
Ah, you are awake. Excellent. I
was afraid the gas had an adverse
effect.
DIVER (O.S.)
(groggy, annoyed)
Get that out of my face. What
happened, who--
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The center of the room is dominated by a large bed on which
Diver is laying. Sitting next to her, and leaning over her
is NEEDLE, who is holding a penlight. DIVER bolts upright as
she remembers what happened the previous night. As she does
we catch a very quick glimpse of flesh, just enough to notice
that she is not clothed. She snatches the sheets up and
covers herself quickly. NEEDLE clicks off the penlight and
leans back warily.
DIVER
(scared)
Keep away from me! Where are my
clothes?!
NEEDLE makes no move to back away. Instead he stays exactly
where he is.
NEEDLE
They are somewhere safe. You will
have them back when I have acquired
the package our associate MR.
COOLIGE was after.
NEEDLE gets up and sits down at the table next to a large
window. He draws his pistol and begins to clean it.
DIVER
You're not H-T, who are you?
NEEDLE does not even look up from work.
NEEDLE
An interested party. Who I am is
immaterial. You know where the
package is; we will obtain it and I
will be out of your life.
DIVER looks around the room for a moment, as if sizing up her
options.
DIVER
(mock amusement)
Right, for however long that life
is. No deal. How about this, you
let me go, and I'll call you and
tell you where the box is once I'm
safe.
NEEDLE finishes cleaning his weapon and points it at DIVER
before responding.
NEEDLE
Child, until that box is in my
possession you will never be safe.
NEEDLE makes a minor adjustment on the site of the gun and
then holsters it.
NEEDLE (cont'd)
The forces arrayed against you at
this moment are far more powerful
then any of your scrounger
associates.
DIVER snorts in derision.
DIVER
Right, you're my knight in shining
armor. How stupid do you think I
am? That box is the only thing
keeping me alive right now. If I
hand it over to anyone I'm as good
as dead.
NEEDLE stands and pulls the blinds aside on the window. He
looks through the window casually.
NEEDLE
It will take COOLIGE time to
reassess the situation. If you
won't tell me where the box is now,
I will wait.
NEEDLE continues to peer out the window. DIVER lunges for
the phone next to the bed.
ANGLE ON DIVER
We see DIVER'S disappointment as she realizes the phone does
not work.
NEEDLE (O.S.) (cont'd)
I had the phone disconnected, I
find them a useless distraction.
As I was saying, we have time.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALIAX ARMS HOTEL - NIGHT
We begin on a close up shot of the ALIAX arms logo. As the
camera pans down we...
PUSH IN ON WINDOW
Illuminated in the light of the window is NEEDLE. He turns,
obviously in mid-conversation, and walks out of the window's
view.
PAN DOWN
As the camera continues down the building we begin to see
details of the street below. The hotel is in a heavy
commercial district. There are no amenities on the street,
just warehouses and other such structures. A single stranger
in a trench coat stands under a streetlight staring up at the
hotel.
ANGLE ON STRANGER
A black sedan pulls up to the curb next to the stranger. As
the stranger walks up to the car we see that it is a women,
dressed in sort of black combat gear.
She points up at the window briefly then slaps the roof the
car. As she turns the car glides down the street.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
DIVER is still on the bed. NEEDLE sits at the table with a
plate of some sort of Asian food in front of him. He is not
eating, instead he is watching DIVER who is shaking visibly.
NEEDLE
How long?
DIVER reacts visibly, as if she had forgotten NEEDLE was in
the room. As she calms down a bit we hear her mumble...
DIVER
(shaken, miserable)
fourteen hours.
NEEDLE nods, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an
object. All we see is flash of silver as he tosses it at
DIVER. DIVER tries to catch whatever it is but it slips out
of her hand and lands on the bed in front of her.
PUSH IN ON CANDY BAR
We see that it is a nondescript chocolate bar. It is not of
high quality.
ANGLE ON DIVER
DIVER looks annoyed then sick to her stomach.
DIVER (cont'd)
Gee thanks. I'll just eat this and
my shakes will magically go away.
It's fucking Munge addiction
asshole.
NEEDLE leans forward to say something, but before he does he
glances quickly out the window. We see a flash of light come
from outside as NEEDLE throws himself on top of DIVER.
DIVER (CONT'D) (cont'd)
(yelling)
Hey! Get off of me you per--
A loud detonation cuts DIVER off short as the window shatters
into fragments. Three small canisters flop onto the floor
through the window.
NEEDLE
Take a pillow case, hold it to your
face. Try not to breath.
Before DIVER can really react gas begins to hiss out of the
canisters.
DIVER
(coughing)
COOLIGE?
NEEDLE bodily grabs DIVER, wrapped in bedsheets and throws
her over his shoulder.
NEEDLE
H-T.
In a crouching run NEEDLE crosses the hotel room to the door.
As he reaches for the knob we...
ANGLE ON DOOR KNOB
The knob begins to turn on its own. NEEDLE draws his gun
quickly and points it at the door. Before the door itself
can open he opens fire, shredding parts of the door and
whatever was beyond it. He quickly kicks the door open all
the way and rushes through it.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
white gas wisps out of the door way in the background. NEEDLE
is walking quickly into the foreground with DIVER over his
shoulder. Two bodies lie in a heap next to the doorway into
NEEDLE'S room. We hear a door open from off-screen and
NEEDLE quickly brings his gun to bear.
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL HALLWAY (REVERSE ANGLE) - CONTINUOUS
Over NEEDLE'S should we see a startled business man duck back
into his room and slam the door. NEEDLE sighs to himself but
is interrupted by the sound of breaking glass and a scream
from DIVER
DIVER
(screaming)
On your six!
CUT TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
NEEDLE spins around and fires his pistol repeatedly. The H-T
operative who had crashed through the window goes down.
NEEDLE
My thanks.
NEEDLE continues down the hall way, he stops at an unmarked
door.
ANGLE ON FIRE DOOR
NEEDLE fires his pistol at the knob and kicks the door in,
revealing a dank stairwell. Without pausing he enters.
CUT TO:
INT. STAIR WELL - CONTINUOUS
NEEDLE heads up the stairs towards the roof.
DIVER
Hey asshole! The exit's that way.
DIVER points down the stairs. NEEDLE nods before remembering
that she cannot see him.
NEEDLE
Their helicopter will be on the
roof.
NEEDLE continues up the stairs.
DIVER
All the more reason to NOT GO THAT
WAY. That helicopter is armed, I've
seen it.
When NEEDLE does not change direction DIVER begins to pound
on his back.
DIVER (cont'd)
Get yourself killed! Put me down.
NEEDLE sighs deeply as he reaches the top of the stairs. He
quickly checks the ammo load on his gun.
NEEDLE
If you want to live keep quiet.
NEEDLE transfers the gun to the hand holding DIVER and
reaches into his coat with the other hand. He removes a
simple metal ball, about the size of a handball, from his
coat.
NEEDLE (cont'd)
In about 15 seconds I am going
through that door.
You would do well to hold very
still, we wouldn't want my aim to
suffer.
NEEDLE opens the door a crack and rolls the metal ball
through the gap. He quickly closes the door again and waits.
In a moment (about 7 seconds) we hear a muffled thud. NEEDLE
nods to himself and bursts through the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL ROOF - CONTINUOUS
A black armored helicopter sits on the roof. Nearby
something is generating a pillar of oily black smoke. A H-T
guard lies on the ground nearby. Two more guards are
appearing from the other side of the helicopter.
DIVER
(yelling)
Oh shit!
NEEDLE begins firing in quick bursts as he makes his way to
the helicopter. He easily dispatches the H-T guards and
boards the chopper. Unceremoniously dropping DIVER in the
cabin.
DIVER (cont'd)
(annoyed)
Ow!
NEEDLE points his pistol into the flight cabin at the pilot
who nods quickly. As the helicopter begins to rise NEEDLE
pulls another pistol from his coat.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON STAIRWELL DOOR
Several H-T guards are pouring through the door. Followed by
the woman in the trench coat whom we saw earlier.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL ROOF - CONTINUOUS
ANGLE ON HELICOPTER
NEEDLE starts to fire one of his pistols towards the stair
well.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON STAIRWELL DOOR
The woman rolls easily out of the way and returns fire.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL ROOF - CONTINUOUS
ANGLE ON HELICOPTER
NEEDLE'S pistol is shot from his hand. As it falls to the
roof below we see NEEDLE smile faintly as the Helicopter
turns and streaks off into the night.
FADE TO:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER
The woman stands in the room surveying the area. She seems
to take a great interest in the food on the table. As she is
examining it an H-T guard approaches her.
GUARD
It's not here.
The woman looks up at the guard annoyed.
WOMAN
Alert your squad. Until we know
where the box is one of them must
be taken alive. I don't care
which.
The guard nods to her in a motion that is part bow. He turns
sharply and exits the room.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HELICOPTER COCKPIT - NIGHT
NEEDLE stands behind the helicopter pilot, holding his pistol
to the pilot's head. As NEEDLE peers out through the cockpit
window we see DIVER, wrapped in sheets, walk into the
cockpit. The pilot looks up at the noise.
DIVER
(annoyed)
What are you looking at? Fly the
fucking thing.
The PILOT looks up at NEEDLE then slowly looks back to DIVER.
PILOT
I can't keep this bird in the air
forever. Where are am I flying to?
DIVER turns to glare at NEEDLE.
DIVER
(yelling)
That's question of the fucking hour
isn't it?
NEEDLE says nothing, still staring out the cockpit window.
DIVER (cont'd)
Well? You wanted the damned
helicopter, what are you going to
do with it?
Again NEEDLE does not react. DIVER becomes visibly angry,
almost ready to hit NEEDLE.
DIVER (cont'd)
They'll track this damned
helicopter you know. Jesus! I
should have just stayed in the
hotel room, it would have saved
them some time.
DIVER turns to stalk out of the cockpit, before she can leave
NEEDLE responds.
NEEDLE
Time is the key to my actions. You
wanted to know where we are going.
That is fair. Universal City.
NEEDLE looks down at the pilot who seems a little shocked.
NEEDLE (cont'd)
You can take us there?
DIVER turns around to look at NEEDLE, the look on her face
seems to say "You are completely insane."
PILOT
You're the guy with the gun.
As the pilot moves the stick to turn the helicopter we...
CUT TO:
EXT. THE SPRAWL - CONTINUOUS
We see the helicopter change direction and streak off into
the hazy night. Beneath the helicopter we see the skyline of
the Socali Metroplex.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
EXT. UNIVERSAL CITY PARKING LOT - LATER
The Parking lot is cracked and broken, in obvious disrepair.
Several smashed and looted vehicles are scattered about,
remnants of a better time. The black helicopter lands in the
center of the lot. DIVER and NEEDLE jump out of the
helicopter. As NEEDLE exits he slaps something silver onto
the side of the helicopter. NEEDLE turns to face the
helicopter as it rises to leave.
CUT TO:
MEDIUM SHOT UNIVERSAL CITY PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS
NEEDLE watches the helicopter streak away. He seems to be
holding something in his hand.
DIVER (O.S.)
(sounding miserable)
I can't believe you just let him
go. He's probably already on the
radio.
NEEDLE
I doubt that. I gave him 600
credits to fly west for one hour.
I told him that after that he could
do whatever he wished.
DIVER (O.S.)
Like 600 credits it going to make a
difference. They'll --
As DIVER complains we see NEEDLE press down on the device he
had been holding in his hand. In the distance a fireball
erupts in the sky.
NEEDLE
I also disabled the radio before I
disembarked.
CUT TO:
EXT. UNIVERSAL CITY PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS
NEEDLE turns and walks towards the main Universal City
structures. DIVER hobbles along after him, as they walk off
into the distance she loses her balance and falls into NEEDLE
who catches her quickly.
CUT TO:
EXT. UNIVERSAL CITY ENTRANCE - CONTINUOUS
NEEDLE is holding DIVER who is shaking uncontrollably. NEEDLE
sets her carefully on the ground, holding her as still as he
can.
NEEDLE
We have very little time for this.
Through the shaking DIVER tries to maintain eye contact with
NEEDLE.
DIVER
(shaking, stuttering)
Need... Hit...
NEEDLE looks around for a moment, checking to see if anyone
has noticed them.
NEEDLE
Your addiction is not my concern.
If you cannot control yourself I
will be unable to protect you for
much longer. The shaking will pass
soon.
DIVER tries to get up but the shaking gets worse. She arcs
her back, every muscle taut and screams at the pain before
collapsing back to the ground. As the shaking begins to
subside we can hear her sobbing lightly.
DIVER
(through tears)
They're not going to go away. I've
already crossed.
NEEDLE reacts in shock.
NEEDLE
(incredulous)
Then you--
DIVER
Without another hit I'm dead.
As DIVER struggles to stand once more NEEDLE helps her up.
NEEDLE
(quietly)
How long?
DIVER
There isn't much time. Before
sunrise.
NEEDLE points towards the buildings and begins to help DIVER
walk.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE DECKERS DEN - ESTABLISHING SHOT - NIGHT
The neon sign blinks on and off as people walk by
CUT TO:
INT. THE DECKERS DEN - MOMENTS LATER
HOBBES stalks into the den. His right eye is covered by a
patch. He has traded his trench coat for a faded flight
jacket, the unit patch is too worn to make out. HOBBES stops
at the door to survey the crowd.
CUT TO:
P.O.V. THE DECKERS DEN - CONTINUOUS
The camera pans back and forth before centering on one of the
booths inside the den. Sitting at the booth is RED who has
not noticed HOBBES yet. RED is talking at his palm-top and
laughing. HE glances up quickly and reacts in shock an
obvious fear to HOBBES. He gets up quickly and tries to run
to the STIMM door in the back.
CUT TO:
INT. DECKERS DEN - CONTINUOUS
HOBBES stalks forward and grabs RED by the back of his
immaculate coat. The other patrons of the bar quickly get
out of the way, but otherwise make no attempt to help or
hinder.
HOBBES
(mock delight)
Red. Old friend.
HOBBES spins RED around and pulls him forward, bringing RED
almost nose to nose.
HOBBES (cont'd)
(threatening)
It has been far too long.
RED smiles desperately and quickly tries to explain.
RED
(semi-pleading)
HOBBES, please, you gotta believe
me, I didn't know!
HOBBES frowns and tosses RED back into the booth. Before RED
can do anything HOBBES slides into the booth as well.
CUT TO:
INT. DECKERS DEN BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
HOBBES reaches into his coat and pulls out his gun. He
places the gun on the table, barrel facing RED.
HOBBES
You have one minute. I want to
hear it all. Take longer than that
and you'll die slowly and
painfully.
RED nods quickly and smiles a nervous smile, sweat trickles
down his forehead.
RED
(nervous)
It was supposed to be an easy job!
I didn't know someone else would be
operating in the building. Look
HOBBES, when I found out what
happened I was horrified. I
returned my commission immediately!
HOBBES leans forward menacing RED.
HOBBES
(quietly)
Who was the client?
RED shakes his head.
RED
No, you're just going to have to
kill me. You know how it works
HOBBES, I'm as good as dead if I
tell you anyway!
HOBBES laughs and leans back, some of the tension has
obviously dissipated.
HOBBES
(still laughing)
I'm going to kill you anyway RED.
HOBBES reaches into his coat again removes a single cigarette
and a lighter. As he lights the cigarette he continues.
HOBBES (cont'd)
(now serious)
The only thing at issue here is how
long it takes. Who was the client?
RED suddenly realizes that HOBBES isn't joking. He looks
around quickly as if looking for a way out, when he realizes
there isn't one he sighs deeply.
RED
It was that hacker of yours, what's
his name... JOHNNY.
HOBBES
(angry)
You're full of shit RED. How the
hell could he afford a job like
this?
HOBBES leans forward again and RED flinches away
RED
(pleading)
He couldn't! I financed the whole
thing out of pocket for a cut of
proceeds! He was going to sell
that damned box to someone. Some
new operator in town goes by the
name of MOTHER ONE!
FLASH TO:
FLASHBACK INT. HALLWAY ROOM 105 - NIGHT
HOBBES stands in the hallway, he hears three gun shots and
the sound of glass breaking. As he spins around to face a
door marked "305" he draws both of his pistols. As he
ponders what do we hear a muffled voice from behind the door.
GIANT
(through door)
GIANT to MOTHER ONE, first target
neutralized. Harp acquired.
FLASH TO:
INT. DECKERS DEN BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
HOBBES stands quickly and starts to walk away. RED shudders
in relief, glad to still be alive. HOBBES stops and turns
around.
HOBBES
Goodbye RED.
Before RED can say anything HOBBES fires his pistol three
times into RED'S chest. HOBBES turns to SPLAT as he
reholsters his gun.
HOBBES (cont'd)
Sorry SPLAT, it was business. Bill
me for the booth.
SPLAT nods slowly as HOBBES walks out of the bar. RED'S
blood-streaked palm-top, still sitting on the table of the
booth, begins to ring.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
INT. JACK'S ROOM - NIGHT
Jack's room is a dark, lit only by the light of his several
computer displays sitting, amidst discarded cans, dirty
dishes, junk food wrappers and islands of paper trash on a
nondescript desk of composite materials. In the gloom can
barely be seen posters, mostly views of the matrix and
advertisements for cyberspace hardware, pasted at odd angles
across the walls. Directly in front of the monitors is a
matt black deck. There are no labels on the keys, in fact
there are no distinguishing marks on the hardware at all. A
BOX juts out of the right side of the deck, it is identical
to the BOX DIVER is hiding. A teenager is seated in front of
the desk with his back to the camera. All we can see is the
large image of JACK'S TAG, a rotating blood red holographic
chaos symbol sewn into the back of his jacket. A ringing
sound is coming from his computer.
JACK
Come on RED answer goddamnit!
After two more rings the primary monitor fills with RED'S
face.
RED
I apologize for missing your call.
Your business is important to me
and I feel absolutely terrible that
I'm not here.
Please leave your com-number and
message at the prompt so I can
apologize face to face.
JACK cuts the connection in disgust. After a second of
sulking he leans forward and starts tapping keys feverishly.
JACK
IF you're not there to take my call
let's see what you're up to...
The monitor begins to display network connections as JACK
hacks RED'S palm-top.
JACK (cont'd)
Too easy. I own your computer RED.
Let's cut into your camera feed and
see what you're up to eh?
JACK hits a few more keys and the monitor fills with an image
of RED'S head. His eyes are wide and his mouth is open,
blood trickles down from the corner of his mouth. Blood,
streaked across the camera, tinges the image red. JACK bolts
backwards in shock staring in silence at the monitor image.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. COOLIGE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
The view from the window has changed to that of a harbor, but
otherwise this office is no different from the office at the
"primary site." COOLIGE obviously prefers to live a certain
way. COOLIGE is staring out the window, obviously deep in
thought. A small portion of his desk begins to blink red.
Followed moments later by a small repeating beep. COOLIGE
swivels his chair around and looks down at the light. After a
moment he looks up.
ANGLE ON THUG
One of COOLIGE'S thugs stands at the door.
COOLIGE
I used to enjoy my work.
COOLIGE waves the thug out of the room. As the thug leaves
COOLIGE picks up a headset and places it on his head. He
taps the red portion of desk.
COOLIGE(cont'd)
(pleasant tone)
Good evening. I didn't expect a
call tonight. To what do I owe the
pleasure?
COOLIGE listens for a moment then stands up in shock.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
(surprised)
Of course! Why didn't I see it.
That was our leak! Imbecile. He
has always been discreet in the
past.
COOLIGE shrugs to himself and sits down, as he does a small
smile creeps across his face.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
It is good to hear that our friend
RED paid for his mistake. Quite
good indeed.
COOLIGE'S smile disappears and a look of fear and concern
replaces it as he listens to the phone.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
No, of course not. If anything
this simply makes our task easier.
I can now devote all of our
resources to finding the girl.
COOLIGE listens to the phone again before continuing.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
No, we still don't know how H-T was
able to track them down to the
hotel. Their efforts are obviously
not being directed by standard
security forces. It's no matter,
you see I know where they are.
COOLIGE flinches involuntarily. Obviously he was expected a
different response.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
Tracon reported a helicopter crash
in the sunset sector. The
helicopter was an H-T security
asset. However H-T has no holdings
in the sunset sector, nor do they
do business in that sector. The
logical conclusion is that the
girl's erstwhile protector
appropriated the helicopter at the
hotel.
COOLIGE spins around to look out the window again. He places
his hands in front of him in the classic scheming pose.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
Universal city. There's nothing
else there that would attract him.
COOLIGE nods in response to something on the phone. His
smile returns.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
My associates are already on their
way. I had hoped to surprise you in
the morning with a successful
conclusion to this business. It
was going to be my gift to you.
After all, tomorrow is mother's
day.
COOLIGE nods again before removing the headset.
COOLIGE (cont'd)
I still enjoy my work.
FADE OUT.
CREDITS