1
Soldiers in a foreign war shoot an unarmed civilian at point-blank range; a man is set on by a frenzied crowd wielding clubs and machetes; a woman is necklaced while her killers cheer and howl. We are seeing one of many screens in a bank of monitors, all showing similar images
The monitors are in a surgical chamber. And watching the screens is a...chimp, strapped to an operating table, and with its skull dissected open, webbed in wires and monitoring devices, muzzled with a transparent guard. Alive. Behind the surgical chamber, through the wide doorframe, a larger laboratory beyond.
A group of black-clad ALF Activists, all wearing balaclavas, move down a corridor. They carry various gear - bag, bolt cutters. As they move, one Activist reaches up to a security camera and sprays it black with an aerosol paint can. The Activists enter the laboratory.
"Fucking hell" The Chief Activist takes his camera off his shoulder and starts taking photos.
The room is huge and long, and darkened except for specific pools of light. Partially illuminated are rows of cages with clear perspex doors. They run down either side of the room. In the cages are chimpanzees.
Most are in a state of rabid agitation, banging and clawing against the perspex, baring teeth through foam-flecked mouths. They reach the far end of the lab, where on a huge steel operating table they see the dissected chimp.
"Oh God" a woman activist gasps as the dissected chimp's eyes flick to the Activists. Blood wells from around the exposed brain tissue. Tears start to roll down the Female Activist's cheeks.
"Keep your shit together. If we're going to get them out of here" their leader warns as he is checking the perspex cages.
"Can pop these, no problem." Another activist waves a crowbar at them with a cocky grin.
"So get to it."
The Activist raises his crowbar and sticks it around the edge of one of the doors - about to prise it open. At the moment, the doors to the laboratory bang open. The Activists all turn. Standing at the entrance is the Scientist.
A pause.
The Scientist jumps to a telephone handset on the wall and shouts into the receiver. "Security! We have a break-in! Get to sector..."
A hand slams down the disconnect button. "...nine."
The Chief Activist plucks the receiver from the Scientist's hands, and then rips the telephone from the wall.
A beat.
"I know who you are, I know what you think you're doing, but you have to listen to me." The Scientist begs "You can't release these animals."
The Chief Activist snarls "If you don't want to get hurt, shut your mouth, and don't move a fucking muscle."
"The chimps are Infected!" The Scientist blurts. The Activists hesitate, exchanging a glance. The scientist's begging is continuing; stumbling, flustered "These animals are highly contagious. They've been given an inhibitor."
"Infected with what?" the leader demands.
"Chemically restricted" the Scientist is still whining "locked down to a... a single impulse that..."
The leader is sick of it now "Turned with what?"
The Scientist hesitates before answering.
"Rage."
Behind the Activists, the bank of monitors show the faces of the machete-wielding crowd.
He is desperately trying to explain "In order to cure, you must first understand. Just imagine: to have power over all the things we feel we can't control. Anger, violence..."
"What the fuck is he talking about?" the one with the crowbar asks, approaching a cage.
"We don't have time for this shit!" the leader barks "Get the cages open!"
"No!" the Scientist screams with fear.
"We're going, you sick bastard, and we're taking your torture victims with us." The female sobs, turning back to the cages.
The Scientist is desperate now "NO! You must listen! The animals are contagious! The infection is in their blood and saliva! One bite and..."
"They won't bite me." The Female Activist crouches down to face the wild eyes of the Turned chimp behind the perspex.
"STOP! You have no idea!" The Scientist makes a desperate lunge towards her, but the Chief Activist grabs him.
"Good boy. You don't want to bite me, do you?" The Female Activist gives a final welcoming smile, and then the other Activist pops open the door.
"NO!" the Scientist screams with horror.
Like a bullet from a gun, the Turned chimp leaps out at the Female Activist - and sinks its teeth into her neck. She reels back as the chimp claws and bites with extraordinary viciousness. At the same moment, a deafening alarm begins to sound.
She is shrieking "Get it off! Get if off!"
The crowbar Activist rips the ape off and throws it on to the floor. The Turned chimp immediately bites into the man's leg. He yells with pain, and tries to kick it off.
Behind him, the Female Activist has started to scream. She doubles up, clutching the side of her head. "I'm burning! Jesus! Help me!"
"We have to kill her!" the Scientist screams.
"I'm burning! I'm burning!"
"What's..." Their leader is openly confused.
"We have to kill her NOW!" the Scientist yells.
Meanwhile, the Female Activist's cries have become an unwavering howl of pain - and she is joined by the other Activist, whose hands have also flown to the side of his head, gripping his temples as if trying to keep his skull from exploding.
"What's wrong with them?" their leader yells over their screams as he backs away. The Scientist grabs a desk-lamp base and starts running towards the screaming Female Activist...that has ripped off her balaclava - revealing her face - the face of an Turned.
She turns to the Scientist.
"Oh God." The Scientist whimpers.
She leaps at him. He screams as they go tumbling to the ground. The Leader watches in immobile horror as she attacks the Scientist with amazing ferocity.
Another Activist makes his way down the corridor towards the lab. He hisses "Tommy? Jerry?"
No answer.
"Mica? Where are you?"
He reaches the door to the lab, which is closed - and...as he opens it, we realize the door is also soundproofed. A wall of screaming hits him. He stands in the doorway - stunned by the noise, and then the sight. Blood, death, and his colleagues, all Turned.
"Bloody hell." He gasps.
The Turned rush him.