Following on from 'Reunion', the Prodigies must return to Centre 16 to obtain valuable information...
FILE TWO – Origin(Written by Vokal)
WIDE on a building in Boston. CLOSE IN on the sign at entrance. 'Bell's Adoption Agency; Since 1975'. Morning. A man who we presume is,
DR THEODORE MATHIS ~ Mid 50'S ~ Male
because of the ID tag he is wearing, walks into the building. In the foyer, people greet him. He nods his acknowledgement, and walks hastily into the elevator. He presses the button for the top floor. He is carrying a briefcase. When the doors re-open at the top floor, he steps out of the elevator cautiously, and walks into his office, locking the door behind him. He walks hurriedly to the computer, turns it on, to a login screen, requesting a password. He looks around the room, searching. On the desk, a photo frame encasing a picture of himself and a little girl. He opens the frame, takes out the photo and reads the back. 'To Grandad, love Mandy'. He types 'Mandy' into the login screen. It works, and he is redirected to the mainframe. Accessing files, he inserts a blank CD into the CD re-writer. We see him access files in a folder entitled 'The Red Files'. He begins to copy them to the CD.
CUT TO; Outside the building, Centre 16's L&R team pull up in two black, unmarked vans customary of the The Centre. Miss Monroe, Calvin, JC, Roschelle and the three sweepers make their way into the building. In the foyer, they look around. The sweepers approach the reception desk and talk to the receptionist about something.
JC
With all due respect, Miss Monroe, I'm not entirely sure the
trace on the cell phone was correct. I mean, why would the subject be at
an Adoption Agency?
MISS MONROE
(sarcastically)
Maybe he wants to hear the pitter-patter of little feet.
She sighs, becoming serious
MISS MONROE
This agency has strong links to The Centre, my guess is there's information here
our elusive subject needs. Information we can not let him get his grubby little
prodigy fingers on.
Roschelle and Calvin look at each other knowingly. They obviously recognise and are familiar with this building. The team make their way to the elevator.
CUT TO; Dr Mathis' office. The CD has finished copying. Dr Mathis stands getting ready to leave, placing the CD in his breifcase. Suddenly, the office door opens and in steps the real Dr Mathis. The man behind the desk is an impostor.
DR MATHIS
What.. who are you? Security!
The impostor collects his briefcase, then smashes a window, and climbs out onto a ledge. He opens his briefcase, collects a rope and throws it down the side of the building, before making his way along the edge carefully, stopping at an open window. He pushes in a weak screen, and climbs into the empty room. He replaces the screen.
CUT TO; The L&R team have heard the raucous; they arrive in Dr Mathis' office.
MISS MONROE
What happened?
DR MATHIS
(shaken)
A man, me, an impostor, he climbed out the window. I think he's been accessing
my files.
(he motions toward the computer)
CALVIN
(genuinely concerned)
Which files?
DR MATHIS
(nodding, seemingly understanding Calvin's concern)
The Red Files
As the sweepers rush toward the smashed window he yells;
CALVIN
Stop him, retrieve the files!
CUT TO; In the empty office, the impostor removes a synthetic face to reveal;
UNO ~ 23 years old ~ Male
He also removes a grey wig to expose dark black hair. He takes out contact lenses, to reveal black eyes as dark as his hair. He takes off his shirt, and as he does, camera CLOSES IN on tattoo of the numbers 01 in the centre of his lower back. He is a Prodigy Subject. He opens his briefcase. He pulls out a pair of overalls, gardener's shirt and a dirty, worn in cap. He pulls on the clothes, and disguises his face by pulling the cap down over his distinguishing eyes. He hears security guards approaching, places the CD under his cap, and exits the room, leaving his briefcase in the office.
CUT TO; The sweepers look out onto the ledge. They see the decoy rope.
WESTON
He's gone down the building. He's got to be on the grounds.
The team run out of the office, and into the elevator.
CUT TO; Uno makes his way down the stairs. He exits through a maintenance door, onto the grounds. A ride-on mower awaits. He climbs on, and drives off, blending into the scenery, as the L&R team look hopelessly around the grounds. CLOSE IN on Uno's smile.
OPENING CREDITS
From 1982 – 1998, an insular, secretive agency known only as 'The Centre', carried out the most advanced program ever attempted by such an organization. The program, deemed 'Project Prodigy', involved the most talented and intelligent minds of this millennia; 15 children, raised from infancy in the sub-levels of Centre 16, Salt Lake City, Utah, whose collective intelligence exceeded even advanced computer systems. They were The Prodigies. Child Geniuses. A resource unlike any other. A living super-computer with the ability to think, feel and predict. For more than a decade these children fabricated some of the most highly developed systems and programs ever created by the human mind… until one night, The Prodigies ran away…
Text On Screen:
Science Department
Prodigy Wing
Centre 16
Salt Lake City, Utah
Miss Monroe, JC, Roschelle and Calvin are assembled in a laboratory. They have Uno's briefcase, it sits open on a lab bench, as Roschelle dusts for fingerprints. The contents of the briefcase lie enclosed in plastic bags on an adjoining bench.
MISS MONROE
Can these fingerprints tell us anything?
ROSCHELLE
No, not unless someone else has touched it. We already have this subjects print
on file. He is a master of disguise and imitation, so his prints are pretty much
the only clue we have to his true identity.
Calvin holds up a bag containing a piece of paper with an address written on it. 16, Macfeville Towers, Las Vegas.
CALVIN
Well if they can't, this can. I say we get on the first flight to Las Vegas and
sweep this address.
MISS MONROE
It's not going to work, Calvin. The boy's a genius, he's not going to write down
the address of one of his fellow escapees and leave it lying around so that we
can find it. It's a lousy lead.
ROSCHELLE
But it's our only lead. I say we follow up.
MISS MONROE
Need I remind you of who is actually the boss around here?
CALVIN
I am the administrator of this team, so technically, I am.
MISS MONROE
Yes, but I am Director of Special Projects, and as this is a special project, I
guess I am in charge, hey Calvin?
ROSCHELLE
Enough squabbling you pair. JC, get on the phone to Weston and the other
sweepers, tell them to bring the helicopter around, we're heading to Las Vegas.
JC picks up the phone to dial. Miss Monroe doesn't seem pleased with the outcome, but decides to let it go, after all, at least she'd get out of Utah.
CUT TO; Night. Wide shot of run-down apartment block where Trinity lives. CLOSE IN on aluminium sign carelessly nailed to door; 'Macfeville Towers'. Trinity is carrying a bag of groceries, and humming to music in her head, she looks up at the security camera, smiles and waves, and is about to enter, when a man,
ROSS ~ 22 years old ~ Male
approaches her.
ROSS
Trini, hey, glad I finally caught you; I haven't seen you for a few weeks. I was
starting to worry.
Trinity turns toward him. She seems uneasy around him.
TRINITY
Well, I've been busy.
ROSS
(jokingly)
Well, I was beginning to think you didn't love me anymore.
Trinity turns slightly away from him, her face down, eyes diverted.
TRINITY
(serious)
I don't love you, Ross
ROSS
(taken aback)
What?
TRINITY
I don't love you, please, I'm in a hurry.
She attempts to push past him.
ROSS
I heard you Trinity, I just… I don't understand
TRINITY
I've been doing some thinking, and I don't think we should see each other
anymore.
She turns fully away from him now, walks up to door, punches a code into the rusting key-pad and is let into the building. She pushes the door closed in Ross' face.
ROSS
(yelling after her)
But the wedding is in two months, Trini, please.
She rushes up into the building passing an elevator. Graffiti on the door lists the elevator as 'out of service'. She groans, and begins climbing the stairs. As she reaches the top, she trips a little and reaches for the railing. She has a vision of the L&R team climbing the very same stairs. She shrugs it off, and reaches the top. Trinity approaches her door, breathing heavy. She senses something is not right, but does not trust her instincts. She inserts a key, but then has a flash of Calvin picking the lock. She drops her bag of groceries. She backs away from the door, and turns to run down the hall, when she sees Porter at the end. He has a gun. She turns to run the other way, but is stopped by the arrival of Haley. Miss Monroe and Calvin come out of her apartment, followed by JC, Weston and Roschelle. Trinity turns, panicked, in all directions, she is trapped.
CUT TO; Phone booth, Boston, Night. It is raining, and Uno dials a number. He seems impatient. An aeroplane flies overhead.
CUT TO; Justin answers his cell phone. He is in his jeep, at the front of a cheesecake shop. He seems surprised to hear Uno's voice.
UNO
Justin, it's me, there's been an accident. Three's location has been breached.
JUSTIN
What? How?
UNO
I'd already been tracking her when you asked me for her location, and stupidly
wrote her address down. The new L&R team have it. They're heading there now, if
you're in the area…
JUSTIN
Yeah, I'm still in Vegas
UNO
Please, give her a warning or something…. Also, there's something else…
something I can't talk about over the phone, it's about you and Mercedes, and
your parents.
JUSTIN
You know who our parents are?
UNO
I'm flying in in ten minutes, please, I'll talk to you when I get there.
Uno hangs up the phone. He picks up a pilot's hat and places it on his head. A WIDE SHOT reveals he is wearing a pilot's uniform. He runs out in the rain toward the airport.
CUT TO; Dina and Mercedes climb into the jeep; they are carrying two cheesecakes. Justin throws Dina his cell phone.
JUSTIN
Get on the phone to Luke, tell him Trinity's in trouble, and to meet us at her
place. And Dina, tell him to be careful; the team could already be there.
Dina nods and begins to dial.
CUT TO; Trinity's apartment. She is trapped. Miss Monroe, Calvin and the sweepers aim their weapons carefully at her. She is unimaginably frightened, gasping for breath, and shaking all over. She looks around, desperately seeking a way out.
MISS MONROE
All right, just get on your knees, put your hands behind your head, and nothing
will happen to you.
Trinity, still shaking uncontrollably, gets down onto her knees at the top of the stairs, facing her captors. She slowly puts her hands behind her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. The L&R team look at each other, suddenly feeling as if they acted overly aggressive toward the trembling girl. JC seems particularly troubled. He watches the despair on Trinity's face, curious and concerned at the same time. Miss Monroe and Porter slowly walk closer to Trinity, who is till shaking violently and crying. Her head is down. She raises it, a wry smile crossing her face. She suddenly somersaults backwards down the stairs, rolling to the bottom. The sweepers open fire. Miss Monroe halts them as bullets bounce off steel and fly wildly around the enclosed hallway.
MISS MONROE
(yelling at sweepers)
Are you crazy? Do you want to kill us all?
Trinity lands on her feet at the bottom of the stairs. The L&R team run down to catch her. Trinity sprints to the door, pushing it open and running on to the sidewalk. She begins to run down the street when Luke pulls over to the sidewalk on his motorcycle. Trinity jumps on the back, and they speed down the street. The L&R team run onto the sidewalk, in time to see only taillights of Luke's motorcycle streaking down the street. Miss Monroe turns to the team, obviously angry.
MISS MONROE
Weston, call in some cleaners, I want her entire apartment packed up and sent to
Prodigy Wing. JC, see what you can do about getting those security videos. (she
motions toward the security camera)
Miss Monroe shakes her head, disappointed, angry and quietly fuming.
MISS MONROE
(almost to herself)
Two in one day… I don't like to fail.
CUT TO; Abandoned warehouse. Luke, Justin, Dina and Mercedes sit together around a table made of overturned fuel drums and rotting board. Trinity sits away from them, lost in her own thoughts, staring out a window at the moon. The others realise something is wrong; they all look at each other, deciding who will talk to her. Luke gets up, carrying a plate, and heads toward her. He approaches her, offering her the plate.
LUKE
Hey, Trinity, I've got an extra sized piece of melted cheesecake with your name
on it.
Trinity looks up at him and smiles weakly, accepting the plate, and poking at the runny cheesecake with a spoon.
LUKE
What's wrong? (he tries to cheer her up)
Look, if it's about not being able to go back to your apartment, I wouldn't get
too upset, cos that place was a bit of dump, I mean you said so yourself. I
reckon it will be easy to find another place for you to live, way better than
your last place. Hey, a new apartment might even come with luxuries like running
water, and lights that actually work.
Trinity smiles weakly again and sighs. Luke senses it is a long story, and takes a seat next to her.
TRINITY
Before the L&R team showed up, I ran into my fiancé…
Luke swallows hard, then chokes, obviously surprised by this information.
LUKE
Fiancé?
TRINITY
Ex-fiance. We broke up.
LUKE
Oh..
TRINITY
The things is.. (tears well in her eyes) now I feel so… so sad. It's like
someone is pushing against my chest, and I can't breathe, I can't breathe, Luke.
Luke, still surprised by the fact that she has… had a fiancé, puts his arm around her uneasily, attempting to reassure her.
LUKE
Well, it's only natural that you would be upset, I mean, if you were engaged..
then.. you would be.. would've been.. close.
TRINITY
But that's just it, I'm not upset, I'm not hurting. This is Ross I'm feeling,
his pain. How could he love me so much? He doesn't even know who I am, my
origin, my real name. Hell, I don't even know my real name. And I hate that I
hurt him so much. But I still can't feel sad myself. It's like I've got all
these emotions inside of me, and none of them are really mine, or maybe they
are, but I just can't tell, you know? I hate it, Luke, but I can't stop it. It
never stops.
LUKE
Maybe, in time, it might get better. Maybe you can learn to control it, like
Mercie has.
TRINITY
I don't want to learn to control it… I just want this out of me. I want to feel
like me again.
She sniffles, and wipes her tears away with her hands.
TRINITY
God, look at me. I am such a weak-ass. So much for girl power huh.
LUKE
Sometimes it takes a braver man… girl, to cry
TRINITY
Yeah.. (she smiles feebly)
LUKE
So, you never told this, ah, Ross, who you really were?
TRINITY
Yeah right, what was I gonna tell him? "Honey, I'm a chemically enhanced empath
and genius who escaped from a secret agency who were exploiting my gifts for
evil?"
LUKE
And he never asked about your tattoo…
TRINITY
He never saw my tattoo.
LUKE
Not even when you were.. I mean… you were close, right?
TRINITY
(mocking him, shocked)
Luke!
LUKE
(embarrassed)
No, I just thought…
TRINITY
Well, don't think about it, what were you doing thinking about it?
Luke is heavily embarrassed, as Trinity shrugs her shoulders, as if shaking off some dirty thought.
CUT TO; Morning. WIDE SHOT of Centre 16.
Text On Screen:
Prodigy Wing
Centre 16
Salt Lake City, Utah
CUT TO; Large room in Prodigy wing of Centre 16. It is void of furniture, except for a large table in the centre of the room, covered in everything recovered from Trinity's apartment. JC, Calvin and Roschelle sift through the objects, including clothes, photos, food, toiletries etc… on the table. JC is very uncomfortable.
JC
I feel like such a pervo, I mean, this is like, her entire life, and we're just
sifting through it like evidence.
ROSCHELLE
It is evidence JC. By examining the subject's belongings, we gain insight into
her character, which will help us to understand her and her actions.
Calvin holds up a black thong, and he looks at JC speculatively. JC motions for him to put it down as Miss Monroe enters, annoyed, and wearing her characteristic scowl.
MISS MONROE
We don't need to understand her, Roschelle, we need to locate and retrieve her.
ROSCHELLE
And in order to do that we need to understand her. For example, at first sight,
she seems somewhat of a scared, timid girl. Who would've guessed that she would
have put up a fight, and escape seemingly effortlessly?
MISS MONROE
Well, how could we know?
ROSCHELLE
By understanding her. As a behavioural scientist I thought you would be
particularly interested.
Miss Monroe raises her eyebrows, growing tired of the conversation. She turns to JC.
MISS MONROE
JC, what about those security cam videos?
JC
Oh.. yeah
He reaches into a brown paper bag and retrieves six videos.
JC
I was able to get security videos from the last two weeks. Unusual, really,
because they are normally overwritten every three days. Seems that this security
guard had his own private collection…
MISS MONROE
I don't want his life story, JC, just play the damn videos.
JC inserts the video into a player that sits on the table. It begins, and the team watches closely. The video, which is black and white, without sound, begins with Trinity leaving the building, as in 'Reunion'.
MISS MONROE
Who is she, Calvin?
Calvin watches closely.
CALVIN
Subject 0-three. I believe. But it has been three years, she was just a girl
back then.
JC
Nothing else interesting happens for a while.
(he fast forwards)
Until now.
JC stops FF as Luke approaches the door of the apartment block. He sees the security camera, and lowers his head.
CALVIN
Subject 0-seven.
MISS MONROE
Well, we already knew they were collaborating. This is useless. What else have
we got?
Calvin holds up a photo of Ross and Trinity. On the back is written 'To Trinity, with love always, Ross'
CALVIN
Well, we know her alias is Trinity.
(He replaces the photo, and picks up a bottle of perfume, spraying it into the
air.)
She wears white musk perfume…
(he holds up a Creed CD)
Listens to Creed…
And her favourite colour is purple.
(he motions round the table to the majority of purple coloured items)
MISS MONROE
Useless. What do we know about this Ross character? Boyfriend?
JC, still watching the security videos, interjects…
JC
Ex-boyfriend…
He forwards to Trinity waving at camera, and Ross approaching her, their fight, and her slamming the door in his face. The teams watches it closely.
ROSCHELLE
Should we still make a visit to him anyway?
MISS MONROE
No, I'm tired of following up dead links. We can do more here. JC, I want those
tapes edited, relevant info only. Separate the footage of the female subject and
the male subject. I want enlarged stills, and I want this photo enlarged too.
(she points to the picture of Trinity and Ross)
Calvin, I want you to organise 10 rooms in C-16 Storage, SubLevel-9, one for
each of the subjects. I want this evidence moved, catalogued and displayed in
the third vault, and the tape of the male, what is he, seven? Into the seventh
vault. Let's go people, these runaways aren't going to catch themselves.
CUT TO; Abandoned warehouse. Trinity, Dina, Mercie, Luke and Justin lie sleeping in hammocks and makeshift beds. The door creaks open, groaning. In steps Uno. Justin awakes with a start. He stands and walks over to Uno.
JUSTIN
(noticing Pilot's uniform)
Uno, you're a pilot?
Uno removes his jacket.
UNO
Not anymore.
They embrace.
JUSTIN
So, how's things? Still on your lone wolf quest to uncover the darkest secrets
of Centre 16?
UNO
Yeah, what about you? Protecting the little guy? Aiding the oppressed?
JUSTIN
Not at the moment.
The others awake, and approach Uno and Justin.
TRINITY
One?
UNO
Yeah, it's Uno. How are you three?
TRINITY
I'm all right. And it's Trinity.
She stands back from him, not sure if she should go any further. The others embrace him.
UNO
Look, I've uncovered some information, about Justin and Mercie's parents, and
about all our origins.
They move toward the makeshift table to talk. They all sit except for Uno.
UNO
I can't stay for long, I just have to give you this. (he hands them a CD) I got
it from an adoption agency in Boston, there's not much on it, I risked my neck
for pretty much nothing, but there are references to Centre Archives, and there
is the Red Files on there too, just info about us that we already know. I think
the archives may contain your adoption records, Justin, and the identity of your
and Mercie's parents. You see, we were all adopted by the centre through various
agencies, making the entire situation look legit and legal but while the rest of
us were stolen from our families by the Centre, and then falsely adopted, you
and Mercie were actually given up for adoption, so there is a record of your
biological parents.
MERCEDES
So they didn't want us?
UNO
I don't know Mercie, but I do know that the answers lie in those archives.
JUSTIN
Then we have to get in there, somehow.
CUT TO; Miss Monroe's office. Miss Monroe sits in the chair behind her desk, head in hands. She is tired. She has a FLASHBACK
Her father sits at the same desk, writing.
YOUNG MISS MONROE ~ 18 years old enters. She is angry.
YOUNG MISS MONROE
Daddy, you missed my graduation. You said you would be there. I was
Valedictorian.
MR MONROE
Not now, I'm busy.
YOUNG MISS MONROE
You're always 'busy' or out of town or on the phone…
MR MONROE
This is important!
YOUNG MISS MONROE
(upset)
What is it daddy? What is more important than you're own daughter?
MR MONROE
Prodigy! Prodigy is more important! Are you satisfied?
YOUNG MISS MONROE
I suppose I'll have to be.
MR MONROE
Go now. I am extremely busy.
Young Miss Monroe leaves, dejected, depressed, and hateful toward Prodigy, whatever that is.
Miss Monroe is stirred by a knock at her door. Rhoda enters.
RHODA
Mr Johanesson is here to see you, Miss Monroe.
Miss Monroe groans inwardly, rolling her eyes.
MISS MONROE
Send him in
MR JOHANESSON ~ Early 70's ~ male
enters the office. Miss Monroe stands.
MISS MONROE
Sir…
JOHANESSON
Miss Monroe, I have been informed that you located two subjects today, but were
unable to retrieve either.
MISS MONROE
Yes sir, however…
JOHANESSON
No need to explain, Miss Monroe, I am simply stopping by to make sure I haven't
made the wrong decision in allowing you to head this project?
MISS MONROE
No sir, I will retrieve those subjects, you have my word.
JOHANESSON
Good… that is all…
He leaves, and Rhoda enters with another pot of coffee.
MISS MONROE
(to Rhoda, but also to herself)
I hate kissing ass.
CUT TO; Abandoned warehouse. Luke, Justin, Dina and Mercedes are preparing equipment, and placing it in large sports bags. Uno stands idly by.
UNO
I don't think your plan will work Justin, it's too hastily prepared.
JUSTIN
We don't have a choice, Uno. As soon as Centre 16 realises exactly what was in
the files you stole, they'll destroy all evidence, and we'd be back where we
started. Now you can either come with us, or get out of our way.
UNO
Fine. If that's the way you want it. But remember, I warned you, you're walking
toward your own demise.
DINA
(to Uno)
So you're not coming with us?
JUSTIN
(angrily)
No, Dina, that would be against the Uno, "I'm a lone investigator, cursed to
work alone because of my poorly developed people skills and downright jackass
attitude" code.
UNO
Be careful.
Uno leaves. Mercedes looks round.
MERCEDES
Where's Trinity?
LUKE
She had to go do something before we leave…
CUT TO; Park bench. Trinity sits on a park bench, deep in thought. Ross approaches, cautiously, and sits down.
MUSICAL TRACK: 'Fear' by Sarah McLaughlin ( right click and open in new window here to listen)
TRINITY
Thanks for meeting me. I didn't think you were ever going to talk to me again.
ROSS
I don't know why I should…
TRINITY
Look, I know I was wiggy last night and I'm sorry, but…
ROSS
Is it someone else?
TRINITY
No, no…. it's … it's me.
ROSS
Look, if this is about you being so young, I thought we'd talked about that.
TRINITY
It's not that Ross, it's something else… I am leaving town in a few hours.
ROSS
Oh
TRINITY
I just, I just wanted to explain.
ROSS
Explain that you don't love me?
TRINITY
It's not that I don't love you, Ross, it's that I can't
ROSS
Why not?
TRINITY
I don't know how to. I just need to figure some things out.
ROSS
(upset, tears in his eyes)
If you need time, space, I can wait.
TRINITY
I don't want you to wait, Ross. I want you to move on, I want you to be happy.
ROSS
How can I be happy, without you?
TRINITY
The pain will go away, and you'll meet someone who will love you like you
deserved to be loved. That person isn't me. I'm sorry.
Trinity is also crying, feeling Ross' pain. Is she also upset herself? She gets up to leave, and walks away. Ross sits alone on the park bench.
CUT TO; Centre 16, Miss Monroe's office. Miss Monroe sits behind her desk, tired. JC sits on a chair, half-dozing in the corner. Roschelle is looking through photos of Luke and Trinity from the security camera videos. Calvin enters, stirring them all from their private thoughts.
CALVIN
Right, we know what information was taken from The Red Files at Bell's. The most
important thing is a reference to one of our own centre 16 archives.
MISS MONROE
What's in the archive?
CALVIN
I don't know. But we can't let the subjects get it.
ROSCHELLE
They won't come here to get it, what they went through… as children… they
wouldn't come back here.
MISS MONROE
They might, so we've got to be prepared. I have a plan.
CUT TO; Sunset. Justin's Jeep, parked out front of a gas station. Luke and Trinity sit alone in the jeep, while Justin, Dina and Mercedes are in the gas station, purchasing supplies. Luke is asleep, and obviously having horrific nightmares. He stirs, groans, mutters and shakes violently. Trinity wakes from her sleep. She leans over toward him and touches him on his upper back. She winces, pained by his feelings, and has a VISION
YOUNG LUKE ~ 19 years old
is strapped face down on an operation table, his face sits in a hole in the table, and you can see a pained expression on his face from underneath the table. He bites down hard on lip. YOUNG ROSCHELLE ~ 40 years old, stands over him, bloodied scalpel in hand. She turns to Calvin, who is observing from a corner.
YOUNG ROSCHELLE
Calvin, are you sure we can't do this with anaesthetic?
CALVIN
Yes, the anaesthetic would affect the results. Please, continue.
Roschelle closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, as if composing herself, and continues to cut a large 'T' shape into Young Luke's back, stretching from shoulder to shoulder and half way down his spine. Young Luke screams, tears welling in his eyes. He bites his lip, and it begins to bleed.
Trinity is shocked by her vision, she shakes Luke gently, to wake him up. Luke wakes with a start, grabbing Trinity's wrist with his hand. His other hand slips around her neck, he is choking her.
TRINITY
(gasping for breath)
Luke, Luke it's me, you were dreaming.
Luke continues to choke her, his eyes clouded with rage. Eventually he realises what he is doing, and releases Trinity. He gets out of the jeep, and out into the desert, where he breaths deeply, trying to calm himself down. Trinity, shocked, also steps out of the jeep and heads toward him.
LUKE
(screaming at Trinity)
Get back, stay away from me
TRINITY
(soothingly, as she approaches Luke and puts her arms around him)
Shhh… it's okay, it' s okay.
Luke drops to his knees, sobbing, crying. Trinity hugs him to her, almost cradling him.
TRINITY
Shhh… it's okay Luke.
LUKE
So I guess now you know?
TRINITY
Know what?
LUKE
The origin of my hate. They were trying to see if our nerves transmitted
information to our brains faster because we were prodigies. I was just … They
should not have done that… I didn't belong there.
TRINITY
None of us did…
LUKE
I don't think I can go back there…
TRINITY
You don't have to, it's alright.
CUT TO; WIDE SHOT on exterior of Centre 16, late night. Justin's Jeep drives past slowly, before parking behind the nearby bushes. Trinity sees the ring-barked tree, and has a flashback of running past it during the escape. Dina, Mercedes, Justin and Trinity get out of the Jeep. They are all dressed in black. Luke moves to get his bag, and takes out a laptop. He fits a small digital locater to Justin's shirt.
LUKE
I'll be able to monitor your position with this digital locator. And communicate
with you through this.
He hands Justin and earpiece. Justin puts it in.
LUKE
Good luck.
They move out, running low to the ground. When they reach the building, they climb a flight of stairs, to the fire escape. Trinity climbs through a window, and then opens the fire escape door. They are inside.
DINA
That was easy
JUSTIN
Too easy, be on guard.
Back in the jeep, Luke has a map of Centre 16 on his Laptop. A blinking red dot indicates where the others are.
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
Take a left, there should be two doors directly in front of you.
The prodigies reach the two doors.
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
Take the one on your right, and go down the stairs to the very last floor. This
should be sub-level 4.
The prodigies run hurriedly, yet quietly down the long stairway. They come to a large metal door with 'Sub Level 4' painted across it in large red letters.
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
Go down the hall until you reach the archive room.
The prodigies reach the door labelled 'Centre 16 Archives' It has a keypad out the front, they need a code.
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
the code is 13678429
The door opens
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
Okay, now we're looking for C16A twenty thirty-two, that's 2032.
The prodigies walk down a long hall that's walls are lined with numbered sliding metal drawers of varying sizes. It is dark, and they use flashlights to see the numbers. Dina reaches the archive they were searching for.
DINA
Over here
The others run over to where she is. Mercedes takes out a lock pick. She inserts it into the keyhole.
MERCEDES
I've got it
She slides the drawer out. There is a metal box inside. She takes it out carefully. Suddenly, all the lights turn on, and standing at the only entrance is the L&R team, weapons drawn.
MISS MONROE
And I thought you were supposed to be geniuses?
The prodigies stand, realising they are trapped, and raise their hands in the air. Weston and Haley pat them down, searching for weapons. Porter pulls the earpiece from Justin's ear. The prodigies stare, helpless, at their captors.
LUKE
(to Justin through a headset)
Justin, what's wrong, you should be moving by now, Justin?
He turns to the back of the jeep and collects a bag. He begins to pack it with equipment, including his laptop, rope, and a gun. He turns back to the front to see Mr Johanesson standing in front of the jeep. Luke gasps.
CUT TO; Row of barred cells in Centre 16. The sweepers direct Mercedes, Justin, Trinity and Dina into a cell each. Dina sits calmly toward the back of her cell, Trinity sits head in hands while Justin and Mercedes hold hands through the bars. They are all silent. Miss Monroe paces in front of the cells. The sweepers stand guard. Calvin is the only other person in the vicinity. He leans against the wall opposite the cells.
MISS MONROE
What is so important that all of you would risk capture for? What is in that
archive?
DINA
It's your archive, you figure it out.
Miss Monroe turns to Calvin.
MISS MONROE
Calvin, I want that archive relocated to my office, and I want it opened.
JUSTIN
(to Calvin)
Taking orders are we now old man?
CALVIN
(ignoring Justin's remark, but not happy about being ordered around)
Very well Miss Monroe.
Calvin leaves. Justin turns to look at Miss Monroe
JUSTIN
Monroe hey? You're not old Monroe's daughter are you?
MISS MONROE
You knew my father?
Justin stands and walks to the front of the cells. His face is inches from the bars and he holds onto them tightly
JUSTIN
(hatefully)
Very well, actually. We all did.
He lets go of the bars and steps back slowly, eyes locked with Miss Monroe's.
JUSTIN
(hatefully)
And now we know you.
CUT TO; Mr Johanesson enters Centre 16. He heads toward the elevator. The receptionist sees him and calls out.
RECEPTIONIST
I'm sorry, but the entire building is in high security mode. I can't let you go
up there.
Mr Johanesson turns toward her, and she recognises him
RECEPTIONIST
I'm sorry, Sir, go right ahead.
He turns and heads toward the elevator again.
CUT TO; Luke is at a power box outside the building. He cuts the lock and opens the doors. He then pulls some wires, cuts them, and then combines them with wires from his laptop. His laptop turns on. Luke is nervous.
CUT TO; Mr Johanesson enters the hall containing the row of cells. Miss Monroe sees him, rolls her eyes, and groans inwardly. The prodigies recognise him. Justin spits out his name.
JUSTIN
Johanesson.
JOHANESSON
Hello, children.
He turns to Miss Monroe
JOHANESSON
If I could have a moment, Miss Monroe.
He motions for her to leave. Miss Monroe looks angry, but leaves anyway.
Johanesson approaches Justin's cell. Justin reaches through the bars and grabs the collar of Johanesson's suit. He pulls him close, hitting him against the bars.
JOHANESSON
Let go of me you fool.
Justin seems stunned for a moment, confused, and he releases his grip. Johanesson lurches back, composes himself and straightens his suit. He pulls a note from his pocket, walks carefully toward the cell and hands it to Justin. He then turns and walks away. Justin unfolds the note. It is a message, written in the Prodigies' secret language. There is also a code for the keypad locks for the cells on the bottom. Justin looks up as Johanesson disappears from sight.
JUSTIN
Uno…
The others turn to Justin.
JUSTIN
Okay, let's get out of here.
He pushes his hand through the gap between the bars, and reaches the keypad. He punches in the code, and the door to his cell swings open. He smiles.
CUT TO; Hallway. Miss Monroe leans against the wall, smoking. Calvin approaches her.
CALVIN
How they doing?
MISS MONROE
Fine. Johanesson is in with them now.
CALVIN
Impossible, I was just on the phone to Johanesson, informing him of our
situation. He's flying in tomorrow morning, from Dallas.
MISS MONROE
Shit!
They both run to the room of cells, Calvin motions for the Sweepers to follow as they run past.
When they arrive, the cells are empty, their doors hanging open. Calvin looks toward the ceiling, and toward the air ventilation shafts.
MISS MONROE
Where do they go?
CALVIN
All over the building. But they'll have to exit via the roof.
MISS MONROE
Right, get another team of sweepers and head to the roof.
Miss Monroe turns to leave
CALVIN
Where are you going?
MISS MONROE
Somewhere else.
CUT TO; Luke near power box. Uno, disguised as Johanesson, comes up behind him. Luke jumps with fright.
LUKE
Christ, don't do that. Especially dressed like that.
UNO
Cut the power and lockdown the facility in five minutes.
Uno turns to leave.
LUKE
Thank-you
Uno smiles, and then disappears into the night.
CUT TO; Justin drops down from air shaft in a hallway. He turns toward Miss Monroe's office door, and opens it. He backs into the office, watching the hall carefully. He backs right into Miss Monroe's gun.
MISS MONROE
Turn around slowly, hands in the air.
JUSTIN
Aww, Monroe, gotta spoil a guys fun now, dontcha?
He turns to face her. She holds her weapon steady. She quickly glances to the metal archive box on her desk.
MISS MONROE
When you're after something that belongs to me, yeah.
CUT TO; The sweepers and Calvin run hurriedly up a flight of stairs to the roof. They reach a metal door with 'Roof' painted on it in large red letters. They go to open it, but it won't open.
CALVIN
They've locked the place down.
CUT TO; The roof. Dina, Mercedes and Trinity exit the ventilation shafts, kicking them open, and reach the roof. They get up and run across the roof, to fire stairs. They begin to climb down, but are illuminated by spotlights from a watchtower. The watchtower begins to shoot. They slide down the stairs, hitting the ground hard, and start to run, the watchtower still tracking them with it's light, and shooting at them as they try to escape.
CUT TO; Miss Monroe's office. Miss Monroe still holds the gun at Justin. Suddenly, the power goes off. This gives Justin the distraction he needs. He knocks the gun from Miss Monroe's hand, pushes past her, grabs the archive from her desk, and throws it through the large glass window behind her desk, glass shattering everywhere. He jumps after it, landing on top of a parked car. Justin grabs the metal archive box, and runs into the night, as Miss Monroe stands at the window, unable to do anything.
CUT TO; The watchtower light goes off, and Mercedes, Dina and Trinity run to safety, as Luke pulls up in the jeep, they jump in, as does Justin, and the prodigies escape into the night.
CUT TO; Calvin, on cell phone, as he approaches Miss Monroe's office, the door wide open, he sees the smashed window, and Miss Monroe standing in front of it.
CALVIN
Dispatch a team of cleaners to rectify the situation in Boston. And quickly, the
subjects have obtained the information.
Miss Monroe walks over to Calvin, having overheard his orders.
MISS MONROE
(suspicious)
I thought you didn't know what was in that archive?
CALVIN
I lied.
MISS MONROE
So what is it?
CALVIN
You do not need to know Miss Monroe.
MISS MONROE
I want to know. What was in that archive?
CALVIN
Nothing that concerns you. Nothing relevant to your duty. You do not need to
know.
MISS MONROE
I do need to know if I can trust you Calvin. And I don't think I can. Why was it
so important that the subjects didn't obtain that archive?
CALVIN
Because, Miss Monroe, it contained the truth.
MISS MONROE
About?
CALVIN
Their origin…about everything.
CUT TO; Side of the road. The jeeps car radio is on. The prodigies stand around the archive as Luke breaks the lock. He opens the archive. Inside are hard copies of the Red Files. Luke pulls them out and hands them to Justin. Justin flicks through them.
JUSTIN
This is just what we found on the CD. Tell me there's something else.
Luke picks up Justin's file, an envelope with a note in it falls from it. Handwritten, it has a key taped to it. It is addressed to 'My Son'.
He hands it to Justin.
LUKE
I think this is for you.
JUSTIN
(reading letter aloud)
"My son, if you are reading this than you have reached a safe home. I am sorry,
but I had to protect you. I face great danger, and do not wish to endanger you
as well. I will come for you, as soon as all this settles down, I promise.
Whatever happens, look after your sister and always remember, I love you both so
much, Love, Mom."
He swallows hard, fighting back tears, and looks at Mercedes.
JUSTIN
Our mom….
He pulls the key from the page gently.
DINA
What's it for?
JUSTIN
I don't know.
Mercedes moves closer to Justin. Luke pulls another file from the archive box. It is green. He opens it, and inside are photos of them all as children, and reference numbers to folders at the Boston adoption agency. Luke points to the numbers in the corner of each photograph.
LUKE
These look like references to files at Bell's Adoption Agency.
The radio interrupts their thoughts.
NEWSREADER
(on radio)
A disastrous fire tore through an adoption agency in downtown Boston a few hours
ago. Only one casualty has so far been recorded, Dr Theodore Mathis. According
to sources close to the agency, Dr Mathis was working late at Bell's Adoption
Agency, where he has been employed for the last 20 years, when the blaze erupted
in the building. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
The prodigies turn, dejected, back toward the archive. Their eyes focused on the green folder. Justin seems preoccupied with the letter from his mother. Mercedes holds his hand.
DINA
It seems that just as we see the door, it slams closed in our faces.
LUKE
The door was never open, Dina. What is it that The Centre doesn't want us to
know about our origin? It's not just about risking exposure, I'm sure of it.
It's deeper than that.
Justin is still thinking about the letter. Trinity turns to him.
TRINITY
(distant, obviously under the influence of her empathic abilities)
She was scared, Justin, terrified that something would happen to you, to you
both. She did what she had to do, to keep you safe.
JUSTIN
Safe?
TRINITY
How could she know what was to happen?
LUKE
Without the files from Bell's I doubt we'll ever know what really happened to us
all or where we really came from.
TRINITY
(distant, obviously under the influence of her empathic abilities)
The answers are here Luke, in these files, in that letter, and behind whatever
lock that key opens, and we'll find them, we have to, and soon.
JUSTIN
What do you mean?
TRINITY
I don't know
The prodigies sit around the jeep, saddened, disappointed, and reflective, as the sun rises over the desert behind them.
THE ENDNEXT WEEK ON PRODIGY: Kick – Justin assists a college football player whose scholarship has been revoked, while Trinity agrees to help Luke locate a doctor who used to work for Centre 16. Mercedes and Dina try to earn 'honest' money to buy a new car