INT. LEXCORP PLANT – LABORATORY
The Static Life Chamber is completely empty as Victor begins powering up the machine. Nora Fries sits in a chair, looking tired, next to Lex. Mercy has been released from her chair, obviously at Lex's behest, but is still unconscious and lays prone on one of the lab tables. Lionel stands in front of that table.
LIONEL
Incredible...
Apparently, Lieutenant Shull shares this sentiment. He steps up next to Fries.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
What exactly does it do, Doctor?
VICTOR FRIES
The Static Life Chamber is capable of holding any organic or inorganic material in perfect suspended animation.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
A stasis chamber? You developed this technology on your own?
VICTOR FRIES
I did.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Impressive, Doctor. And it works?
VICTOR FRIES
Flawlessly...
Victor looks insulted by the question.
VICTOR FRIES ... in all simulations and testing.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Have you tested it on a human subject?
VICTOR FRIES
I have. I would never ask of my wife what I would not first be willing to do myself.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
But this will be the first extended trial?
VICTOR FRIES
If you'll please...
Victor excuses himself passed Shull, ignoring the man's question, to get to another computer console.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Excellent. I shall take great privilege in witnessing the results personally.
That gets Victor's attention. He looks up at Shull and then quickly over at Lex, who folds his arms across his chest.
VICTOR FRIES
You are welcome to stay, but be aware this is not a military project.
Shull turns and walks over to Lionel.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, Doctor.
Shull's guards keep close to the Lieutenant as he stands next to Lionel. Fries ultimately decides to ignore Shull's comment, or at least to wait to deal with it at another time.
Victor Fries finishes inputting the proper commands into the computer interface and the main chamber door slides down in its slot. Victor walks over to Nora and takes her hand.
VICTOR FRIES
My dear...
She smiles up at him and stands out of the chair. She stumbles, but only slightly, hardly noticeable. He walks her over to the chamber. She steps inside and quickly studies the interior.
NORA FRIES
Claustrophobic...
VICTOR FRIES
There is nothing to fear.
NORA FRIES
I'm not afraid.
VICTOR FRIES
When the process begins, the chamber will fill with a clear, oxygenated, liquid. It will feel like water to touch, and to taste, but you will be able to breathe even when completely submerged. Try to breathe normally.
NORA FRIES
I understand.
She nods, but a hard swallow gives away her trepidation.
VICTOR FRIES
It will be cold.
NORA FRIES
I will have your heart to keep me warm.
They kiss passionately. Shull looks at his watch.
Victor steps away and presses a button on the side of the chamber. The chamber door quickly rises up from its slot, sealing Nora Fries inside.
Victor walks over to his computer interface terminal and sits down. He inputs several commands and the Static Life Chamber starts to hum with activity as it powers up. Nora and Victor stare at each other as the chamber slowly fills, from bottom to top, with a clear liquid. As the level of the liquid rises above her head, filling the chamber, Victor pays close attention to one of the monitors in front of him that shows her vital signs. Her heart rate is almost through the roof. She's panicking.
VICTOR FRIES ::calm:: Breathe, Nora... Breathe...
He stares at her from his interface terminal, calmly breathing with her. Her heart rate steadies as she adjusts. She nods to him, reassuring him that she's all right. Oxygen bubbles surround her, like she's been submerged in a bottle of shaken seltzer water.
VICTOR FRIES
Beginning phase two... injection of the Static Life molecule.
On the console in front of him, Victor keys in several commands. Ultimately, the final command prompt reads; "Initiate Phase 2 (Y/N)?: ".
He hits "Y".
Instantaneously, the inside of the tank bubbles ferociously, like the jets of a hot tub suddenly firing. Nora disappears inside the bubbles as the liquid mix turns the familiar crystal blue of the Static Life solution. After several long seconds, the bubbles slowly dissipate.
Nora Fries appears like a sleeping statue, her eyes shut, within the Static Life Chamber, hovering in the liquid solution, but still like in ice. Even the bubbles hold perfectly motionless around her, frozen in time.
LIEUTENANT SHULL Impressive...
Victor ferociously reads over all the data from his terminal. Lex steps up behind him, reading the results over his shoulder.
LEX
Well, Doctor? Was the procedure a success?
Victor freezes, a rare smile finding its way onto his face.
VICTOR FRIES
Completely.
He leans back in his chair and exhales as if he'd been holding that breath in for years.
LIONEL
A truly remarkable achievement, Doctor, a true testament to genius and determination in its finest...
Something catches Lex's attention. His eyes widen.
LEX
Doctor!
Victor, along with everyone else, look up at the chamber where Nora's eyes are now open, a terrified expression on her face. From her mouth, a subtle hint of red finds its way into the blue.
Victor is instantaneously over the controls.
LEX
Doctor, what is it?
VICTOR FRIES I... I don't know!
LIONEL
Her vital signs are beginning to fluctuate.
VICTOR FRIES
I have eyes!
Inside the chamber, the blue solution slowly begins to fade to more of a green, the color of Kryptonite. Inside, Nora goes from being completely frozen in place, her motion gradually speeding up, progressing from a slow motion to full speed panic. She raises her arms and pounds on the chamber door. Her muffled screams can be heard from within.
NORA FRIES
Victor!!!
Victor looks up at her.
VICTOR FRIES
No!
He looks back at his computer screen and quickly types in several override commands, none of which seem to work.
VICTOR FRIES
There's been some sort of failure in the containment filter unit. The intermix facilitators are malfunctioning! The chamber is being bombarded by radioactive particles from the meteor rock!
LEX
Get her out of there, Fries!
A powerful buzzing begins to build up from the power unit next to the chamber. It explodes violently, sending an outward surge that knocks over everyone in the room. Several more, smaller, surges also ignite all over the chamber's power unit as the group struggles to get to their feet.
Fries manages to climb back to his console. He slams his fist down on the desk.
VICTOR FRIES
I can't open the chamber door!
NORA FRIES
Victor! Ahh!
Her blood curdling scream is enough to make a grown man's stomach turn, even slightly muted by the now red and green mix of blood and Kryptonite bombarded Static Life inside the chamber.
A layer of smoke builds around the chamber from the many power surges and mini-explosions erupting from the power source.
VICTOR FRIES
Nora!
Victor tries to get to the chamber, but several explosions keep him from being able to get close. Lex, though, takes the initiative and storms through to the emergency containment locking unit. He slams his hand against it just as an explosion sends him flying backwards against the far wall. He hits it hard and falls to the ground, unconscious, the left side of his face badly burned.
Meanwhile, the door to the chamber opens and the Static Life comes pouring out.
VICTOR FRIES
Don't let it touch you!
Victor, Lionel, Shull and his two guards quickly back away, desperately hopping up onto whatever table or desk they can find. Nora Fries steps out of the chamber like a zombie, half-frozen by a green ice.
NORA FRIES
::scream:: Victor!
VICTOR FRIES
No... Nora!
The zombie-like Nora crumbles to the ground, unconscious.
Meanwhile, one of Shull's guards isn't quick enough to avoid the deluge of the Static Life. Trying to jump up on a table, he trips over a step and falls backwards, the Static Life pouring in around him. Instantly, he let's out a shriek, not a scream, that is as clearly inhuman as the sun is hot. The Kryptonite bombarded Static Life around him begins to glow and seep into his skin, which instantly mutates into a scaly brown.
Seizing on the ground, the guard's already immense stature doubles in size, huge gargoyle wings bursting through the back of his uniform. Shull's eyes widen, along with his second guard's. The incredible beast stands up out of the icy liquid, holding his head and shrieking loudly. It is a creature that can only be described as a half-human, half-demon.
VICTOR FRIES
By God's name...
LIEUTENANT SHULL It's making him crazy!
Quickly, Shull's second guard jumps on the demon's back, obviously trying to snap it's neck. Almost effortlessly, the demon plucks the second guard off of it's back, by the arm, and hurls him through the metal stairwell leading back up to the only exit. The steps collapse on top of the second guard.
Lex's eyes barely flutter open long enough to see the demon, his gargoyle from the night of the blackout, flying towards him from across the lab, claws outstretched.
The Static Life Chamber is completely empty as Victor begins powering up the machine. Nora Fries sits in a chair, looking tired, next to Lex. Mercy has been released from her chair, obviously at Lex's behest, but is still unconscious and lays prone on one of the lab tables. Lionel stands in front of that table.
LIONEL
Incredible...
Apparently, Lieutenant Shull shares this sentiment. He steps up next to Fries.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
What exactly does it do, Doctor?
VICTOR FRIES
The Static Life Chamber is capable of holding any organic or inorganic material in perfect suspended animation.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
A stasis chamber? You developed this technology on your own?
VICTOR FRIES
I did.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Impressive, Doctor. And it works?
VICTOR FRIES
Flawlessly...
Victor looks insulted by the question.
VICTOR FRIES ... in all simulations and testing.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Have you tested it on a human subject?
VICTOR FRIES
I have. I would never ask of my wife what I would not first be willing to do myself.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
But this will be the first extended trial?
VICTOR FRIES
If you'll please...
Victor excuses himself passed Shull, ignoring the man's question, to get to another computer console.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Excellent. I shall take great privilege in witnessing the results personally.
That gets Victor's attention. He looks up at Shull and then quickly over at Lex, who folds his arms across his chest.
VICTOR FRIES
You are welcome to stay, but be aware this is not a military project.
Shull turns and walks over to Lionel.
LIEUTENANT SHULL
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, Doctor.
Shull's guards keep close to the Lieutenant as he stands next to Lionel. Fries ultimately decides to ignore Shull's comment, or at least to wait to deal with it at another time.
Victor Fries finishes inputting the proper commands into the computer interface and the main chamber door slides down in its slot. Victor walks over to Nora and takes her hand.
VICTOR FRIES
My dear...
She smiles up at him and stands out of the chair. She stumbles, but only slightly, hardly noticeable. He walks her over to the chamber. She steps inside and quickly studies the interior.
NORA FRIES
Claustrophobic...
VICTOR FRIES
There is nothing to fear.
NORA FRIES
I'm not afraid.
VICTOR FRIES
When the process begins, the chamber will fill with a clear, oxygenated, liquid. It will feel like water to touch, and to taste, but you will be able to breathe even when completely submerged. Try to breathe normally.
NORA FRIES
I understand.
She nods, but a hard swallow gives away her trepidation.
VICTOR FRIES
It will be cold.
NORA FRIES
I will have your heart to keep me warm.
They kiss passionately. Shull looks at his watch.
Victor steps away and presses a button on the side of the chamber. The chamber door quickly rises up from its slot, sealing Nora Fries inside.
Victor walks over to his computer interface terminal and sits down. He inputs several commands and the Static Life Chamber starts to hum with activity as it powers up. Nora and Victor stare at each other as the chamber slowly fills, from bottom to top, with a clear liquid. As the level of the liquid rises above her head, filling the chamber, Victor pays close attention to one of the monitors in front of him that shows her vital signs. Her heart rate is almost through the roof. She's panicking.
VICTOR FRIES ::calm:: Breathe, Nora... Breathe...
He stares at her from his interface terminal, calmly breathing with her. Her heart rate steadies as she adjusts. She nods to him, reassuring him that she's all right. Oxygen bubbles surround her, like she's been submerged in a bottle of shaken seltzer water.
VICTOR FRIES
Beginning phase two... injection of the Static Life molecule.
On the console in front of him, Victor keys in several commands. Ultimately, the final command prompt reads; "Initiate Phase 2 (Y/N)?: ".
He hits "Y".
Instantaneously, the inside of the tank bubbles ferociously, like the jets of a hot tub suddenly firing. Nora disappears inside the bubbles as the liquid mix turns the familiar crystal blue of the Static Life solution. After several long seconds, the bubbles slowly dissipate.
Nora Fries appears like a sleeping statue, her eyes shut, within the Static Life Chamber, hovering in the liquid solution, but still like in ice. Even the bubbles hold perfectly motionless around her, frozen in time.
LIEUTENANT SHULL Impressive...
Victor ferociously reads over all the data from his terminal. Lex steps up behind him, reading the results over his shoulder.
LEX
Well, Doctor? Was the procedure a success?
Victor freezes, a rare smile finding its way onto his face.
VICTOR FRIES
Completely.
He leans back in his chair and exhales as if he'd been holding that breath in for years.
LIONEL
A truly remarkable achievement, Doctor, a true testament to genius and determination in its finest...
Something catches Lex's attention. His eyes widen.
LEX
Doctor!
Victor, along with everyone else, look up at the chamber where Nora's eyes are now open, a terrified expression on her face. From her mouth, a subtle hint of red finds its way into the blue.
Victor is instantaneously over the controls.
LEX
Doctor, what is it?
VICTOR FRIES I... I don't know!
LIONEL
Her vital signs are beginning to fluctuate.
VICTOR FRIES
I have eyes!
Inside the chamber, the blue solution slowly begins to fade to more of a green, the color of Kryptonite. Inside, Nora goes from being completely frozen in place, her motion gradually speeding up, progressing from a slow motion to full speed panic. She raises her arms and pounds on the chamber door. Her muffled screams can be heard from within.
NORA FRIES
Victor!!!
Victor looks up at her.
VICTOR FRIES
No!
He looks back at his computer screen and quickly types in several override commands, none of which seem to work.
VICTOR FRIES
There's been some sort of failure in the containment filter unit. The intermix facilitators are malfunctioning! The chamber is being bombarded by radioactive particles from the meteor rock!
LEX
Get her out of there, Fries!
A powerful buzzing begins to build up from the power unit next to the chamber. It explodes violently, sending an outward surge that knocks over everyone in the room. Several more, smaller, surges also ignite all over the chamber's power unit as the group struggles to get to their feet.
Fries manages to climb back to his console. He slams his fist down on the desk.
VICTOR FRIES
I can't open the chamber door!
NORA FRIES
Victor! Ahh!
Her blood curdling scream is enough to make a grown man's stomach turn, even slightly muted by the now red and green mix of blood and Kryptonite bombarded Static Life inside the chamber.
A layer of smoke builds around the chamber from the many power surges and mini-explosions erupting from the power source.
VICTOR FRIES
Nora!
Victor tries to get to the chamber, but several explosions keep him from being able to get close. Lex, though, takes the initiative and storms through to the emergency containment locking unit. He slams his hand against it just as an explosion sends him flying backwards against the far wall. He hits it hard and falls to the ground, unconscious, the left side of his face badly burned.
Meanwhile, the door to the chamber opens and the Static Life comes pouring out.
VICTOR FRIES
Don't let it touch you!
Victor, Lionel, Shull and his two guards quickly back away, desperately hopping up onto whatever table or desk they can find. Nora Fries steps out of the chamber like a zombie, half-frozen by a green ice.
NORA FRIES
::scream:: Victor!
VICTOR FRIES
No... Nora!
The zombie-like Nora crumbles to the ground, unconscious.
Meanwhile, one of Shull's guards isn't quick enough to avoid the deluge of the Static Life. Trying to jump up on a table, he trips over a step and falls backwards, the Static Life pouring in around him. Instantly, he let's out a shriek, not a scream, that is as clearly inhuman as the sun is hot. The Kryptonite bombarded Static Life around him begins to glow and seep into his skin, which instantly mutates into a scaly brown.
Seizing on the ground, the guard's already immense stature doubles in size, huge gargoyle wings bursting through the back of his uniform. Shull's eyes widen, along with his second guard's. The incredible beast stands up out of the icy liquid, holding his head and shrieking loudly. It is a creature that can only be described as a half-human, half-demon.
VICTOR FRIES
By God's name...
LIEUTENANT SHULL It's making him crazy!
Quickly, Shull's second guard jumps on the demon's back, obviously trying to snap it's neck. Almost effortlessly, the demon plucks the second guard off of it's back, by the arm, and hurls him through the metal stairwell leading back up to the only exit. The steps collapse on top of the second guard.
Lex's eyes barely flutter open long enough to see the demon, his gargoyle from the night of the blackout, flying towards him from across the lab, claws outstretched.