tc2x20
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[
bottom
]
TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. MORGUE - NIGHT
It's dark. The light from the MOON, shining through the
window, reflects off the silver surfaces of the room.
FOOTSTEPS. Coming closer. A door swings open. Someone
flicks a switch and FLUORESCENT LIGHTS blink into life.
A female MEDICAL EXAMINER enters. She calls over her
shoulder into the hallway.
MEDICAL EXAMINER
A coffee'd be nice. Strong.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
No worries.
The M.E. holds a clipboard. She flips through a few pages
as she nears a BODY on a table, covered by a sheet.
MEDICAL EXAMINER
Let's see what we've got...
She pulls the sheet off the face and shoulders to reveal --
-- BIANCA. Pale. Naked. Dead.
MEDICAL EXAMINER (CONT'D)
(off clipboard)
Hello, Bianca. Nice to meet you.
I'm your friendly neighbourhood
medical examiner. I'm going to be
cutting you open today.
A beat. She studies Bianca's face. Sighs sadly. Then, she
turns, putting the clipboard down on another table.
MEDICAL EXAMINER (CONT'D)
(off clipboard)
Suspected cerebral aneurysm, huh?
I'll be the judge of that.
She snaps on some rubber gloves.
MEDICAL EXAMINER (CONT'D)
(to Bianca; as she turns
back around)
Now, you just relax. You won't
feel a --
Eyes open, head titled - Bianca STARES blankly.
The M.E. GASPS. A beat. Bianca doesn't move and the M.E.
calms. She chuckles, collecting herself. She walks forward.
MEDICAL EXAMINER (CONT'D)
You fresh ones. There's always a
bit of a kick left over, isn't --
Bianca grabs her wrist!
The M.E. SCREAMS. Yanks her arm away. She stumbles back.
Slips, falls, CRACKS her head on the opposite table.
With a THUD, she hits the ground - out cold.
We STAY ON the M.E. for a long beat. Beside her, two pale
feet gently lower to the ground. They step forward.
Two hands reach down. They tug at the M.E's white lab coat,
working it off her.
WIDE ON SCENE
Bianca, very much alive, wears the lab coat. She does up
the last few buttons with shaking fingers. She turns to
leave. Freezes.
REVERSE ANGLE
The familiar MORGUE ATTENDANT from way back when gapes at
her from the doorway. A cup of coffee in one hand.
Bianca walks past him. He puts out a hand to stop her but
she just slaps something down onto his palm.
INT. MORGUE - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Bianca emerges from the room. She doesn't slow, just picks
a direction and walks. Her face is blank, eyes numb.
ON HER FEET
Bare. Shaking with every step.
ON SCENE
The Morgue Attendant steps backwards, into the hallway, and
watches after her. Looks down at the thing in his palm...
... It's her toe-tag.
CUT TO BLACK:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY
Establishing shot.
INT. HOSPITAL - BIANCA'S ROOM - DAY
The private room is quiet but the HOSPITAL SOUNDS very
easily permeate through to...
... Bianca. Fully dressed. Sitting on the edge of the
unmade bed. Her mind is somewhere else.
The sounds of the hospital FADE, replaced with echoes of
SCREAMS, RAGING FIRE, SIRENS and the SCRAPING and GRINDING
of twisted metal. On the sound of a CHIMING ELEVATOR --
FEMALE VOICE (O.S.)
Miss Parry? Are you alright?
Bianca SNAPS out of it. She looks up at the friendly NURSE
standing just inside the doorway. Bianca doesn't even try
to manage a smile.
BIANCA
I'm fine.
NURSE
Well, it looks like you're all
ready to go.
Bianca stands.
NURSE (CONT'D)
Your brother's here. He just
signed you out.
A confused beat. Then, Bianca makes an irritated noise.
BIANCA
He's not my brother.
She turns, folds up her hospital gown and places it on the
pillow.
BIANCA (CONT'D)
He's my step-brother.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
At least she got it half right.
Bianca turns around and there's NATHAN, smiling at her.
BIANCA
Who the hell --
NATHAN
(to Nurse)
Thanks so much for everything but
I think I've got it from here.
He flashes her a charming smile. The Nurse blushes,
practically melting. She exits.
A beat. Nathan rocks back on his heels and pokes his head
out through the doorway, checking that she's gone.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
(looks back to Bianca)
I'm taking it you were actually
expecting a brother?
BIANCA
Well, I... I wasn't expecting
anything. When the nurse said...
I mean, I just assumed that...
(more importantly)
Who the hell are you?
Nathan steps forward. Holds out his hand.
NATHAN
I'm Nathan Percy. Your mentor.
Bianca doesn't take his hand. She keeps her narrowed eyes
on Nathan, suspicious.
BIANCA
Mentor for what?
NATHAN
Lots of stuff. Assignments,
filling out reports but, if
you're anything like my other
mentee, mostly I'll just be a
chauffeur.
Stunned, she sinks down onto the hospital bed again.
BIANCA
So... It's all real... The
Company, it's...
NATHAN
(nods)
Yeah.
BIANCA
I'm not really sure how I'm
supposed to feel about this.
Nathan glances at his watch. He looks impatient.
NATHAN
Feel whatever you want but can
you do it on the move, please?
BIANCA
(standing)
What's the rush?
NATHAN
We're a bit pressed for time.
He goes to stand in the doorway, motions outside.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
Ready for orientation?
Off Bianca, already feeling overwhelmed.
INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
Bianca and Nathan walk side by side.
Reaching the ELEVATOR, they stop. Nathan presses both the
'up' and 'down' button simultaneously. Bianca notices.
NATHAN
Really doesn't matter which one
you press.
BIANCA
So why do you do that?
NATHAN
(shrugs)
Habit.
Bianca nods. Turning away, she finds herself looking into
an open doorway. A patient's room.
ERIN is in bed, talking to his PARENTS. They don't see her.
The elevator doors GRIND open - working hard. Nathan steps
in, puts his arm out to stop the doors from closing.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
You coming?
Bianca turns back. Steps into the elevator.
INT. THE COMPANY - BREAKERS - RECEPTION - DAY
Bianca and Nathan emerge from the elevator. Bianca takes in
the surroundings - dirty and rundown.
BIANCA
I was kinda hoping this part was
just a nightmare.
She carefully avoids a suspicious wet patch on the carpet.
BIANCA (CONT'D)
Ever heard of Occupational Health
and Safety?
Nathan smiles as he turns a corner.
BIANCA (CONT'D)
That wasn't a joke.
She follows.
INT. BREAKERS - CORRIDOR - NEXT
Nathan walks swiftly. Bianca, tiny compared to him,
struggles to keep up.
She notices that the EMPLOYEES they pass all walk at the
same quick pace. Also, they don't acknowledge each other.
BIANCA
Is there some sort of race going
on? Around the office in eighty
seconds?
NATHAN
Hmmm?
BIANCA
Never mind.
They pass a series of doors - all closed. Bianca spots
Marcus Pierson's name plate on one. His office. They keep
on going, passing it.
BIANCA (CONT'D)
I'm not going to see Mr. Pierson?
Nathan's jaw clenches slightly at the name.
NATHAN
He's a busy guy.
A few metres on, Nathan stops at a door marked "RUNNERS".
INT. BREAKERS - RUNNERS DEPT. - NEXT
Nathan holds the door open for Bianca. She enters and takes
in the room.
One of the most "normal" places in the whole building. A
sea of cubicles - each RUNNER with their own desk and
computer.
NATHAN
This is the department for field
agents. Runners.
BIANCA
I knew there was a race.
Nathan throws her a questioning look. Bianca half closes
her eyes, shakes her head. She's not even gonna try.
NATHAN
Well, anyway, I'm a Runner. So
are you. We're the ones that get
the assignments sent to us.
BIANCA
And, we, what? Plagiarize
something we found on Google?
(off Nathan's look)
High school joke. Assignments,
y'know...
(beat)
How old are you?
Nathan clears his throat.
NATHAN
Old enough, apparently.
He spots something and moves in amongst the cubicles.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
Look, here's my desk.
It's pretty bare except for essentials like a desktop
computer and a pencil cup. No personal items. He pulls out
the chair.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
Do you wanna...
He motions for her to sit. Bianca does. A beat. She spins
around slowly, eventually coming back around to face him.
BIANCA
Good tour. You even scheduled in
a ride.
Nathan smirks.
NATHAN
You don't have a younger sister,
do you? About yay high, likes to
make with the snark, spends most
of her time calling me a dumbass?
Bianca manages a quiet laugh, obviously not getting the
joke.
ROXY appears beside Nathan. She bounces on her heels,
smiles - perpetually cheerful.
ROXY
You're back! How'd the newbie
orientation go?
(grins)
Isn't that cool? I can call other
people "newbie", now.
Nathan motions to Bianca.
NATHAN
Actually, it's still going on.
Roxy looks to Bianca. Smiles even wider.
ROXY
Oh, hi! Sorry, I didn't see you
'coz of the --
She thumps the grey partition behind the desk. She holds
out her hand.
ROXY (CONT'D)
I'm Roxanne but everybody calls
me Roxy.
BIANCA
(shaking her hand)
I guess I'm the newbie.
NATHAN
Her name's Bianca.
ROXY
It sure is nice to meet you. I
was hired almost a year ago but,
boy, I still feel like it's my
first day most of the time, so...
She leans in, pats Bianca's shoulder supportively.
ROXY (CONT'D)
I know what you're going through.
Bianca stiffens a bit. She gives Roxy a tight smile.
BIANCA
I'm... handling it.
Roxy hasn't noticed the sudden coldness. She flashes Bianca
another sunshiney smile.
ROXY
Well, we definitely need to hang
out sometime. Be friends. I could
always use a few more of those.
She waves to them both.
ROXY (CONT'D)
See you guys!
Nathan watches her go. A few beats.
BIANCA
She seems... nice.
NATHAN
(eyes still on Roxy;
agreeing)
Hmmm.
Bianca raises an eyebrow, picking up on the vibes. She does
another spin in the chair --
INT. BREAKERS - SECOND CORRIDOR - LATER
Bianca and Nathan. Walking again. In the middle of a
conversation.
NATHAN
It doesn't sound all that
pleasant, "breaking connections",
but someone's gotta do it.
BIANCA
Like running the check-out on
seventy percent off day, I get
it.
NATHAN
And it's not like you'll be doing
this blind. I'm here to help. And
there's the computer database.
You can access any information
you want about an assignment -
address, bank account details,
criminal records...
Bianca balks.
BIANCA
I'll be working with criminals?
NATHAN
(beat; stung)
You'll be working with lots of
people.
(casual again)
And there are the Signs.
BIANCA
The what?
They move off screen.
INT. BREAKERS - LAB - LATER
The place is a dingy off-white with a "not quite sterile"
look about it. Like a back alley dentist office.
Bianca lies back in a chair, warily eyeing a bulky machine
overhead. Nathan stands by her side and TECHNICIANS buzz
around them.
NATHAN
The technology was invented by
this guy - Doc - about forty
years ago.
BIANCA
So what did people do before?
NATHAN
Runners were guided by this...
intuition, I guess. A gut
feeling.
Someone turns on the machine and it starts to WHIR. A
Technician hands Nathan a pair of goggles which he slips
on.
Bianca, looking a bit panicked, watches the machine as it's
lowered over her. The noise of the machine grows louder -
until it's ROARING at us. Then --
INT. BREAKERS - CORRIDOR - LATER
Bianca's fixing her hair, mussed from lying in the chair.
BIANCA
What, no lollipop?
Nathan chuckles.
NATHAN
I'll buy you lunch. What about
that?
Once again, they pass Marcus Pierson's office. The door's
still closed but Bianca slows, listening.
TV NOISES come from inside. Bianca looks up at Nathan as he
re-joins her.
BIANCA
(sarcastic)
Yeah, Mr. Pierson's a real busy
guy.
Nathan frowns. He grabs the door handle. Pushes the door
open.
INT. BREAKERS - MARCUS'S OFFICE - NEXT
A drastic difference from the corridor outside. The office
is sleek, modern and expensive looking.
The high-backed office chair is turned around to face the
wall and the wide screen TV playing an episode of "Maury
Povich". Maury reads out the results: "You are NOT the
father".
GIRL'S VOICE (O.S.)
What?! I call bullsh--
Nathan COUGHS. A beat. The TV goes dark and the high-backed
chair slowly swings around to reveal --
-- JUDY. She holds the remote and a packet of gummy worms.
She does not look pleased.
JUDY
Well, well, well. Seems you
finally...
(beat; disappointed)
Oh. It's you.
Nathan raises his eyebrows, amused, and leans against the
desk. Bianca, not quite sure what's going on, hangs back.
NATHAN
You were expecting someone else?
JUDY
The jerk who supposedly runs this
place, yeah.
She holds up the remote control.
JUDY (CONT'D)
You know, he put a child lock on
this thing so I can't watch
anything rated over M.
Nathan takes the remote from her.
NATHAN
I think he did that so you
wouldn't come in here at all.
JUDY
Why not? I've been here my whole
life. This is my home. So I can
go anywhere I bloody want.
She finally notices Bianca.
JUDY (CONT'D)
Who's that?
Nathan stands, putting the remote down. He motions Bianca
forward.
NATHAN
Judy, this is Bianca. She's --
JUDY
She's your new girl, isn't she?
NATHAN
Well, she's not my girl.
JUDY
But you're replacing me. That's
what this is, right?
NATHAN
I'm still your mentor, Ju, but
like you said, you've been an
employee your whole life - I'm
pretty sure you know how things
work.
A beat. An eerie smile creeps over Judy's face.
JUDY
Sure do.
And, just like that, the smile is gone. She's just a sweet
thirteen year old again. Well, maybe "sweet" isn't exactly
the right word...
JUDY (CONT'D)
(re: Bianca)
So, is she retarded or what?
Bianca, eyes flashing, steps forward.
BIANCA
Hey, you little --
Nathan grabs her arm.
NATHAN
Okay, now. Bianca, calm down.
Judy giggles. Nathan throws her a warning look.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
Judy... That wasn't very nice.
JUDY
(beat; challenging)
What are you gonna do about it?
Off Nathan's stern face, CUT TO:
INT. BREAKERS - CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER
Bianca backs out of Marcus's office, smiling.
She's followed by Nathan who carries a red-faced and
furious Judy over his shoulder.
He and Bianca walk up the corridor...
JUDY
You are so dead, Percy. I
recommend you check over your
shoulder everywhere you go from
now on because I'll be waiting.
INT. BREAKERS - RECEPTION - NEXT
... And into the reception office. Where Nathan stops dead
in his tracks.
Bianca steps out from behind him, wondering what the hold
up is. She freezes, suddenly afraid.
KIERAN stands before them, watching Nathan with amusement.
KIERAN
Hey, Nate. Having fun?
Nathan slowly and carefully lowers Judy to the ground. She
MUTTERS expletives under her breath as she adjusts her
clothes.
NATHAN
(tense)
Hello, Kieran.
Kieran's eyes move to Bianca. She takes a wary step back.
He grins - not cruelly, but like he's greeting an old
friend.
KIERAN
I know you! From the woods,
right? You totally kicked my ass.
Bianca gulps. Tries to speak but her mouth is dry.
KIERAN (CONT'D)
Don't be scared, sugar. You're
one of us now.
Kieran reaches out, perhaps to take her hand, pat her on
the shoulder - we never find out because Nathan steps in
the way.
NATHAN
Look, it's her first day.
KIERAN
Hey, I'm just being friendly.
NATHAN
Be friendly tomorrow.
A tense beat as the two stare each other down. Finally,
Kieran gives up - shifting backwards. Nathan turns to
Bianca.
NATHAN (CONT'D)
(upbeat)
Still up for lunch?
He puts a careful hand on Bianca's back and leads her
around Kieran. They reach the elevator, which opens at the
touch of a button, and step inside.
Kieran and Judy turn to face the elevator as it closes. A
beat. Judy SNORTS in disgust.
JUDY
They're just hiring anyone
nowadays.
EXT. PARRY RESIDENCE - DAY
A new day. The sun shines. There's not a cloud in the sky.
INT. PARRY RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - DAY
Bianca enters, wearing her school uniform. She fixes her
hair back with a butterfly clip as ESME, the housekeeper,
looks up from the stove.
ESME
No, no, no. Go upstairs.
Bianca looks down at her clothes.
BIANCA
What? Do I have a stain?
ESME
You need to rest. Put on those
socks I got you with the
individual toes and get back in
bed.
As she sits down at the table:
BIANCA
Esme, I'm fine. It's been almost
a week.
ESME
The school won't mind.
Bianca grabs a glass of juice and pulls the newspaper,
lying on the table, towards her.
BIANCA
The school won't mind because if
they do, dad'll just buy them a
new computer lab.
(beat)
Um... Has he called yet?
Esme sighs and shakes her head, sadly.
ESME
I left three more messages. I'm
sure he just hasn't gotten them
yet. When he does, he'll --
BIANCA
Yeah. I know.
(skeptical)
He'll call.
She unfolds the newspaper. The front page shows a huge
picture of the BUS WRECK. The headline reads: "TRAGEDY IN
GARRETON". Bianca takes this in.
Steeling herself, she opens the paper and scans the
article. After a moment, she looks up.
BIANCA (CONT'D)
Hey, Esme --
Esme lays an omelette down in front of her. She takes the
newspaper away and tosses it into the recycling bin.
ESME
The earlier articles in the week
didn't say anything either.
BIANCA
You don't know what I was going
to ask.
ESME
About your... About what happened
to you.
BIANCA
(surprised)
Nothing?
ESME
Just that you were revived.
(off by heart)
"Garreton Academy student, Bianca
Parry, seventeen, was pronounced
dead but was later revived".
Bianca nods. She looks down into her juice.
BIANCA
That's good, then. I mean, I
guess I won't get the reaction,
y'know, that Vi did when she...
She trails off. It clicks.
[
top
| next
]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.