Turn 19: The Sydney Story
Horai Island
Li Xingke: There's some technical stuff that we're still trying to figure out, but this is the jest of it.
Leila: We've analyzed blood taken from Phantom's men. It contains compounds identical to those extracted from the plants taken from Phantom's plantation in New Zealand. Compounds patented by a multi-national corporation named PHARCOM. I checked with their contact in the World Health Organization. PHARCOM is also coordinating the W.H.O.'s efforts to track down these world wide viral outbreaks.
Akito: Phantom's not sophisticated enough to run this kind of operation. With that arsenal he must have an enormous base of operations somewhere. Who's funding him?
Zhou: Jonathan Phaganson. Founder of Pharcom, Inc. Fifty-five, net worth of about 20 billion. He also employs a couple
of brilliant scientists, including...
Another photo comes up-Dr. Yohannes.
Zhou: Dr. Yohannes, the premier authority on pathogens and genetic coding in the world. He was unable to attain funding for some of his more...delicate experiments, so he resigned from Stanford to pursue alternative methods.
Leila: Well, this kind of sophistication is beyond Phantom. What does Pharcom make?
On-screen shows Phagan walking around his facilities.
Zhou: About half of the world's drugs-legal and illegal. Headquartered in Auckland-
Akito remembers something.
Akito: Leila, didn't you say something about a corporate database that Kravich had access to?
Leila: Yes. The name I couldn't locate, but the central database was located here.
Li Xingke see what Akito is getting at.
Zhou: I get the feeling we've been suckered.
Akito: (angry) This whole operation was just a decoy. Phantom had to get the data that he couldn't receive overseas.
Leila: Possibly, but what could have been so important that he would sacrifice his right hand man for it?
Akito: I don't know, but I know who does...
Li Xingke: Exactly what I was thinking.
Leila continues to read Pharcom's information.
Leila: Pharcom has a worldwide shipping system, labs on six different continents-
Akito: Including New Zealand. Why haven't you been intelling this guy?
Stills of Phaganson' house, personal holdings, security force scroll on-screen.
Li Xingke: He's an extremely wealthy private citizen, paranoid. Hard to track. I have already had PHARCOM investigated. The final report was inconclusive.
Akito: Whose report?! Katsuhiro's?! The same man who coordinated our botch raid in New Zealand? The same man who let Ingrid escape? The man who got Sasaki's entire team taken out? Where is Katsuhiro now?
Zhou: I've placed him on leave. Now, what do you want to do?"
Leila: Phaganson is hosting a reception at his exhibition center in Sydney tonight. I've tapped into their security files and accessed blueprints for the entire building
Akito looks at a picture of the PHARCOM Expo Center.
Akito: Phagan doesn't know who I am. I'll go as a guest and plant a remote wire on him. If there's a connection, I'll find it.
Li Xingke: Alright. Report back to me in twenty-four hours. But this is not a standard intercept and eliminate operation. If Phaganson is involved with Phantom, I want them both taken alive. If you do find a mole, eliminate him.
PHARCOM EXPOSITION CENTER, SYDNEY
EXT. PHARCOM EXPOSITION CENTER, NIGHT
An upscale building in Sydney. Lots of people outside the entrance, the smell of wealth.
INT. MAIN GALLERIA
Two glistening gold cuff-links. Akito has on the black tuxedo, obviously uncomfortable. He's completely unaware of the painting behind him.
Until an ART SNOB walks up. The kind of guy who enjoys the forest from a Lexus.
ART SNOB: (pompous)This painting conveys the pain and suffering of the human spirit. Every time one views this piece, I am filled with exhilaration and a feeling of, satisfaction...
Akito turns to the painting, a straight black line on canvas.
Akito looks at the man, puzzled. He has it.
Akito: (smiles) Been a while, huh?
Offended, the man gasps, walks away. Lian chuckles
over his earpiece.
Leila(VO): You might need to work on your people
skills.
Akito:
(still looking)
Nah, he had the personality of a year-
old fruitcake. Where's Phaganson?
Leila:
You should see him soon, he just went
in.
Akito:
(spots Phaganson)
I see him...
Across the room, Phaganson is in a conversation about
art. A security guard walks up, whispers something in
his ear.
Akito:
Looks like we got something...
Phaganson excuses himself, moves out of the area.
Unbeknownst to him, he has a shadow.
Akito:
He's moving, Leila. I'm on him.
Leila: But Akito his wire is coming in clear.
Akito: I know but I want to be there in case something is going down.
Leila: Be careful. If any of his security guards spot you outside of the reception area, Phaganson will know you're here.
Akito: I won't let anyone see me.
Akito trails Phaganson to an unpopulated area.
One of the cuff-links drops. Akito quickly hides.
Phaganson turns around, suspicious.
Akito waits for a moment. Phaganson sees nothing, keeps
walking.
Phaganson reaches an unfinished exhibit hall. "Neo-Rome
Exhibit". Phaganson walks to the entrance, where
security personnel await.
INT. NEO-ROME ENTRANCE
The room is beautifully decorated, combining elements
of of ancient Rome and the 21st century.
Akito hides around the corner. Phaganson takes a glance
behind him, talks to his security guards.
PHAGANSON:
Be ready for anything. Where is he?
SECURITY GUARD:
Waiting at the Egyptian exhibit,
sir.
PHAGANSON:
Very well.
Akito takes a quick look. Four huge guards with
machine guns.
Akito:
Some heavy weaponry for toy-cops...
He ducks back.
PHAGANSON:
Do not allow anyone to pass this
area.
SECURITY GUARD
Understood.
Phagan walks up the ramp, feeling secure. He
disappears into the exhibit. Gabe calls Lian.
Akito:
Lian, you have the specs for this
area?
Leila(VO):
Of course.
EXT. ROOFTOP
Leila is on the roof with her laptop. She accesses the
building's schematics. Success.
Leila: Ok, the Egyptian exhibit is 250
meters away, but there's only one way
through.
Akito(VO):
Shit.
Leila:
What?
INT. NEO-ROME ENTRANCE
Gabe looks again. The guards are close enough that if
one gets shot, the others will hear. Not to mention
the machine guns.
Akito:
These guys could be extras for
Superman. Any ideas?
Leila(VO):
Maybe...try not to kill them until
they say something.
Akito:
So I should let them call for help?
Leila:
(smirking)
No...just trust me.
INT. NEO-ROME ENTRANCE HALLWAY
Gabe holds his position around the corner for a
moment, cocks his gun, and stands up.
Akito:
Showtime.
He whispers around the corner.
Akito:
Help...help...help...help...
The security guard by the corridor looks puzzled and
tells his associates
SECURITY GUARD:
Hans, I just heard something. I'm
gonna go check it out.
SECURITY GUARD HANS:
Go head.
The security guard walks to Gabe's location. He's
sitting down, clutching his knees, but one hand is in
his lap.
Akito has his head down appears to be sniffling...
SECURITY GUARD:
What the fuck? Who the hell are you?
Akito doesn't answer, just keeps...crying? The guard
walks over, wondering what this guy's problem is.
Probably a writer.
SECURITY GUARD
(meanly)
Did you hear me? Get up!
(grabs Logan by the shirt
collar)
What's wrong with you?
He lifts Akito. His emotional crisis ends.
Akito:
I didn't know you cared.
Akito shoots him thrice. *THUD*
The other security guards hear it over their
earpieces. They become suspicious, begin to move.
Then, his voice.
SECURITY GUARD (V.O.):
All clear. Repeat, all clear.
SECURITY GUARD HANS:
What happened? are you alright?
EXT. ROOFTOP
Leila holds down a key while she talks through her
headset.
Leila:
(speaking with dead Security
Guard's voice)
Yes, I just found a drunk. False
alarm. Hans, come back and help me
carry him away. The rest of you
return to your positions.
SECURITY GUARD HANS(VO):
I'm coming.
Leila:
Thanks.
Leila: smiles, waits a moment. *THUD*
Leila:
He's heavy. Pierre, Aston, more help,
ya?
SECURITY GUARD PIERRE(VO)
Alright, I'm coming back there now.
SECURITY GUARD ASTON(VO)
On my way.
Leila just waits for a moment. Two thuds later...
INT. HALLWAY
Akito reloads his gun, four very dead security guards
behind him.
Akito:
Thanks.
Leila(VO):
All you needed was a woman's touch.
He laughs a little.
Akito:
Not bad. Moving now.
He moves up the walkway.
INT. STONEHENGE EXHIBIT ENTRANCE
Akito reaches the top, almost gets spotted by an
advancing guard. He hides. The guard looks in Akito's
direction, doesn't check. He turns around to walk
back.
Agent Akito looks-he's walking back. Head shot.
Taking the guard's weapon, he moves on to a wider
area.
INT. STONEHENGE EXHIBIT
An exact replica of the original Stonehenge in
England, with marble floor instead.
A single guard is by the exit, looking around. Akito
holsters his weapon, ducks behind a stone. He takes
out his key-ring, throws it to the center of the
exhibit.
The guard suddenly hears a noise. He whips out his
gun, goes to the center. A key ring. A nice key
ring...
GUARD
Don't mind if I do.
The key ring emits a barely audible song-"Silent
night, Holy night"...the guard smiles and picks up
the key-chain.
He looks, fascinated. The key-chain stops playing.
A small needle darts out, pierces the guard's hand.
He drops the key-chain.
SECURITY GUARD #5
Ah!
(groggy)
Shit...
He falls to the floor. The key-chain plays as it lays
by his head. Akito sneaks into the next room.
INT. PHARAOH CHAMBERS
The room is a cavern of gold, with four giant statues
of the Egyptian kings.
Akito spots the back of Phaganson's head. He stops for a
moment, observing his work.
Three security guards are unseen.
Akito's wary. For a paranoid private citizen, Phaganson
is too calm.
He crouches out of sight, takes out a silver pen. He
clicks it. The pen slowly converts itself into a fly.
He calls Leila.
Akito
Leila, get ready to receive, I'm
sending out the transmitter.
EXT. ROOFTOP
Leila presses two buttons on the keyboard, a small
window opens on her screen. She hits enter.
Leila:
Roger that, I'm ready.
EXT. PHARAOH CHAMBERS
The fly changes color to black, takes off. Phaganson on
the move again, it follows him.
Phaganson goes into a room, "Egyptian Exhibit".
The fly lands on the wall, scans the room. It sees
three guards, all standing close to each other. Lian
receives the data.
Leila(VO): Phaganson just went into the room, and
I'm reading three guards standing in
a T formation.
Akito:
Alright. Prepare the decoy.
Leila:
You got it.
Akito takes out his silenced 9mm.
INT. PHARAOH CHAMBERS WALL
The fly emits a whistle and flies down.
All three security guards look down. One bends over,
the other backs him up.
The fly blows out a thin green mist. The two guards
inhale it, start choking. Akito rolls out behind them,
unloads his clip. The third takes cover behind one of
the statues.
SECURITY GUARD #6
(hurriedly)
We have a penetration, over! Send
Back-up!
Akito:
A little help please, Lian?
Leila (V.O.):
No problem.
The bug turns red, flies to the security guard. It
lands on his shoulder.
SECURITY GUARD #6
Shoo fly!
He hurt its feelings. The fly explodes on him. Gabe
sees it.
Akito:
Thanks.
Akito runs down the hallway for the Egyptian exhibit,
when he hears voices. He sneaks up to the main room.
INT. EGYPTIAN EXHIBIT MAIN ROOM
A shabby room. Dozens of wooden crates hastily
unpacked, two tall, unfinished pillars connected to a
wall, dust everywhere.
Phaganson's shocked at an unexpected visitor.
PHAGANSON:
(arguing)
What are you doing here? We were
never to meet in person! Get out now!
Akito knows security's after him. He sneaks in further
to get a closer view and sees...
Toshihiko Katsuhiro.
Katsuhiro: Plans have changed, Jonathan. My
position has almost certainly been
compromised.
Phaganson: So what?
Betrayal. Akito's pissed, radios Leila.
Akito: Leila. I've found the Black Knights leak. Katsuhiro.
Leila: Katsuhiro! That son of a . . .
Akito hears another voice. Female.
Ingrid: As of now, we no longer work for
you.
She puts a gun to his head.
Ingrid: And we have been ordered to silence
you.
Phagan just about pisses his pants.
Just as Akito is about to act, a barrage of shots
barely miss him, He returns fire, ducks into the
room.
Ingrid sees who's responsible for her limp.
Ingrid: AKITO!
Ingrid fires at Akito, who takes cover behind some
crates. He shoots around at her, she takes cover with
Phaganson beside her.
Katsuhiro is a few feet away from them, ducking behind a
wall.
Katsuhiro: (to Ingrid)
Get him out of here! I'll cover you!
Katsuhiro pulls out a small gun, it looks like a pea-
shooter.
Katsuhiro:
Let's see some of your training, Second Lieutenant!
Akito
My pleasure!
Mara roughly picks Phagan up, puts her gun to his
neck.
Ingrid:
Come on, move!
They move out of the door behind them.
Akito stands up firing at them. Then sees Katsuhiro
stand. More importantly, he notices the gun is his
hand.
Katsuhiro:
Speed drill!
Katsuhiro pulls the trigger.
The bullets come like a Michael Johnson sprint. Akito
barely out-runs them, The shots chase him to a
statue, decide to hit it instead. He catches his
breath.
That sucked, but he can't let Katsuhiro know that.
Akito:
(shouting)
Faster than speeding bullets. Is that
all you got?
Katsuhiro calmly reloads, presses a switch on the gun.
The barrel splits in two.
Katsuhiro:
Absolutely not! Let's see if you can
do double-time!
Akito calculates his route and takes off. He's ducking
and dodging, making his way towards the traitorous
agent.
The bullet seem to get angry because they can't hit
the target. Katsuhiro fires all over the place, but Akito
is too good.
Katsuhiro:
Goddamn you, Logan!
Katsuhiro runs, firing wildly and missing everything. He
closes in on the last spot where Akito took cover-an
area surrounded by large boxes.
He reloads his gun, a cocky smile replaces his
frustration.
He jumps in front of the box, opens fire.
Katsuhiro:
Die!
*CLICKCLICK* Katsuhiro's been firing at air. Some dust
hits him from above. He looks up.
Akito:
My forte was always marksmanship.
Two shots to the chest. He jumps down by Katsuhiro's
dead body, rings Leila.
Akito: He's finished. Don't send a report to Li Xingke yet. I want to find out what's going on here . . . Where's Phaganson?
Leila: Ingrid must have destroyed the bug . . . I've lost his signal.
Akito: I'll get to the security room and give you an uplink to their camera systems.
Leila: Copy . . . Pharcom security has already cleared the guests out and locked down the building. They'll be looking for you.
Akito: I'll handle it.
He head down towards Katsuhiro's body. There, he picks up a Flak Jacket, a G-18 Pistol-Machine Gun, and a card key.
Leila: Pharcom's using a magnetic card key system. Each gate is coded to a unique card. I'll see if I can find a master code.
Akito: Check their security rosters. I want to know which guards are holding keys and where they are.
Leila: I'll try.
After battling through guards and rooms, Akito makes his way through the security room.
Akito: Leila, I've jacked in! What have you got?
Leila: I've got 'em! They're in the dinosaur exhibit. You can't let her assassinate him Akito. Only Phaganson knows where the virus is being manufactured . . .
Akito: And only Ingrid knows where Phantom's base is . . . I'll figure something out.
A/N: Next Turn, Kallen's wayward journey. The once again appearance of white zero. And the link between Nova 12 virus and Ingrid.