Video life

Video Life by John Benjamin Franklin III

John Franklin 28101 Camellia CT Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 949 362-1407 Jfranklin66@cox.net

FADE IN: EXT. ZAMBEZI RIVER – NIGHT TITLE: ZAMBIA The Zambezi River runs swift and dark as a thundering roar booms in the distance. Two men, bathed in moonlight, struggle to keep their heads above water. They slip past a bronze statue, on the embankment, of a withered man standing tall with a cane.

INT. BEDROOM – MORNING TITLE: THIRTY YEARS LATER - 2039 THOMAS BECK lies serenely in bed. His room is utilitarian with expensive modern furniture. Slowly, his pillow glows from the inside. It glows brighter until Beck wakes peacefully and swings out of bed and heads towards the bathroom. He is 35 years old, tall, lean with a muscular build.

BECK News.

The far end of the room is lined with opaque windows. The center window starts displaying a financial news channel.

Beck enters the bathroom and water is heard O.S. from the shower. The news channel shows a picture of the U.N. Building in New York City and a picture of Greenland. A beautiful female AVATAR NEWSPERSON with red hair reports in an Irish accent.

AVATAR NEWSPERSON Stocks tumbled as the U.N. reported continued concerns about the sovereignty of Greenland. The Danes are trying to overturn a referendum giving Greenland further independence. The stock market stayed shaky because of the growing claims over Mongolia, between Russia and China, which jeopardize our world peace.

Water is heard O.S. from a sink.

AVATAR NEWSPERSON (CONT’D) The World Health Organization released a study announcing that autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases like AIDS continue rising, reaching near-pandemic levels.

(MORE)

2.

AVATAR NEWSPERSON (CONT’D) WHO has not declared a pandemic since the H1N1 or Swine Flu of 2009/2010.

Beck re-enters wearing boxers and a white T-Shirt. He enters a walk-in closet.

AVATAR NEWSPERSON (CONT’D) Forty thousand people died from dehydration last month in Afghanistan as the undeclared water conflict continues.

Beck re-enters wearing a designer suit. He stands in front of the dresser, putting on cufflinks and his watch. He glances to the newscast from time to time.

AVATAR NEWSPERSON (CONT’D) The deaths are being blamed on the disruptions in local desalination plants.

Beck straightens his tie in the mirror. On the dresser is a picture of him in a dress white U.S. Navy uniform with his mother. Next to this is an older picture of his dad, JONATHON BECK. Beck and his father look very similar. There is also a picture of Beck finishing a triathlon and competing in a mixed martial arts tournament.

Beck puts his EPC (Earpiece Computer) on his left ear. This is a small device that wraps around the ear and has a small square screen attached to a retracting arm.

BECK News off. Windows open.

Beck walks out of the bedroom into the living room. A camera attached to the ceiling activates and records his movements.

The entire side of the room has a wall of opaque windows that slowly clear revealing a stunning view of San Diego Harbor.

The apartment is over two-thousand feet high and Beck can see the curvature of the Earth.

EXT. SAN DIEGO, CA – DAY Beck’s spiral apartment building twists into the sky, the sun shimmers off the glass.

INT. PARKING GARAGE – DAY Beck unplugs his silver 1955 Porsche Spyder from a charging station in the ground and enters his car.

3.

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS Beck drives out of the parking lot in the whisper quiet car.

The street is filled with small, modern electric cars and robotic street cleaners. Street cameras follow him.

BECK Engine noise.

Suddenly a simulated THROATY ROAR of the engine is heard.

BECK (CONT’D) Activate.

The small square screen on the EPC extends past his eye and then turns so that his eye is looking through it. The EPC performs a retina scan and then the applications open. It is voice activated.

BECK (CONT’D) New m-mails/texts.

Beck’s eye retina scrolls through the m-mails controlling the application. He views m-mails from CRISTOBAL, MIKKEL, VICTOR and his MOM. His eye locks onto to the Mom m-mail and opens it. A window opens on the EPC monitor and his mother’s m-mail starts with her talking on the monitor. (An m-mail is an mpege-mail.)

MOM (on EPC) Hi Sweetie, just a reminder for the party tonight. Don’t worry, there’ll only be a few close friends. I can’t believe my baby is turning thirty five. See you at seven. Love you.

Beck retina scrolls to an m-mail from Cristobal.

BECK Play. Sync.

The m-mail starts and then transfers to the Heads-Up-Display (HUD) built into the windshield. A HUD is a transparent monitor built into the windshield. The screen on the EPC retracts back to the base unit.

CRISTOBAL (on HUD) Hola Senor Beck. I have made arrangements for the plant tours.

Please give me a ring to discuss.

4.

BECK Quiet.

The engine noise shuts off and the car is back to the whisper quiet of the electric engine.

BECK (CONT’D) Call Cristobal.

Cristobal’s phone number flashes on the HUD and then he answers and is seen in the HUD. CRISTOBAL (on HUD) Hola Senor Beck. Thank you for ringing me. Are your travel arrangements made? Any problems?

BECK Hello Cristobal. No problems on my end. I leave the day after tomorrow. Will we be able to see the watermill and algae fields?

CRISTOBAL (on HUD) Si, yes, we have tours planned.

BECK Excellent. Looking forward to it.

See you soon and leave me an m-mail if anything changes.

CRISTOBAL (on HUD) Safe travels mi amigo.

The HUD goes blank and then returns to Beck’s m-mails.

BECK Call Mikkel.

Mikkel’s number flashes on the HUD and then Mikkel’s image appears.

MIKKEL (on HUD) Hello Beck. How are you?

BECK Fine, thank you. I’ll be in Spain in two days. I’ll try to carve out some time so we can get caught up.

5.

Beck pulls into his office parking lot and parks. A camera focuses on him. Beck exits the car and the EPC activates and the HUD shuts down. He walks through the parking lot and then up the stairs.

MIKKEL (on EPC) Are you ready for thirty-five, old man?

BECK My mom thinks so. She’s throwing me a small party and has a top-secret surprise.

Beck enters his company’s reception and then his office. A camera captures him. Beck sits at his desk facing the door.

The desk automatically rotates to face the windows with an ocean view. On the desk is an energy efficient Herman Miller Leaf Lamp and a leather- bound "Sherlock Holmes: Volume Two." The EPC retracts and the center pane displays Mikkel while the pane to the right displays multiple channels running stock market graphs and the world news.

MIKKEL (on monitor) Maybe she is bringing another, how do you say in English? Blind date?

Yes, maybe she has a new woman to introduce.

BECK I’ll settle for a shirt.

MIKKEL (on monitor) Not love at first sight?

BECK More like Adam’s apple at first sight.

MIKKEL (on monitor) Ha! Beck’s RECEPTIONIST appears on the screen.

RECEPTIONIST Excuse me Sir, your first appointment, RICK FRATUS is here.

6.

BECK (to Receptionist) Ok, please send him in? (to Mikkel) Hey, I have to go. I’ll call you when I get to Spain.

Rick walks in and Beck’s desk rotates to face him and the monitor behind turns back to a window. Beck comes around the desk and shakes Rick’s hand.

BECK (CONT’D) Hey Rick, good to see you.

RICK Thanks for taking the meeting.

BECK No problem. I’m eager to see how our nano-ink is doing.

Beck returns to his desk and Rick sits across from him and stares at the copper statue on the desk. It is a copper square that is coiled inward and standing on one corner and the inside is lined with black stripes.

RICK You had the inside of the statue coated with the nano-ink?

BECK What better way to show it off to home office. It’s not easy getting them to fund something cutting edge.

RICK Look Beck, I’m going to cut to the chase. I need more money. The solar ink is only working at half capacity.

BECK You know that’s going to be tough, right? If we don’t start seeing a return on this product I don’t think I can keep putting money into it. This isn’t my money Rick, it’s pension funds and 401Ks we’re talking about.

7.

RICK I know, I know. We’re close.

Imagine painting everything with solar paint. We could make a real change.

BECK Change is good, but money is better.

Beck stares at Rick and the statue with the nano-ink.

BECK (CONT’D) I’ll see what I can do. No promises.

Rick smiles and stands.

RICK You won’t regret this; I promise.

I’ll have the revised numbers to you this afternoon.

Rick walks out and Beck takes another call as his desk rotates back to the window.

Time passes.

RAFAEL LOPEZ leans in the doorway.

RAFAEL Was that the infamous solar-inkdude I saw earlier?

Beck’s desk rotates back facing the door.

BECK Yes. Go ahead, let me have it.

RAFAEL Hey, every company needs a good write-off. Keeps you healthy. Well, that’s what I’ll tell home office when they try and shitcan you again.

BECK Thanks... I think. Want to go to lunch?

RAFAEL I can’t be seen with you! I want to keep my job.

8.

Beck stands and exits the office.

BECK Coward.

RECEPTIONIST Going to lunch, Sir? BECK I’m thinking Asian. Be back in a couple of hours.

INT. DOJO – DAY Beck enters the main studio wearing a gi with a black belt.

XIAO is moving through an elegant kata, he is a large Chinese man who is also wearing a gi with a black belt. Beck waits until he is finished.

XIAO (bows) Mr. Banker, come for your weekly dose of humility? I am honored.

Xiao nods to the side and then KEIKO, a beautiful Eurasian woman, flies through the air YELLING while attacking Beck.

Beck reacts too slow and takes a glancing kick in the shoulder which sends him into a tumble. Beck recovers and is on his feet only to have both Keiko and Xiao attack with ruthless, coordinated moves. They all attack and defend with mixed martial arts utilizing karate, jujitsu, kenpo, judo, and Chinese boxing. Beck mixes in American boxing and GrecoRoman wrestling.

Xiao and Keiko break-off and take katana stick swords off their wall mounts and attack viciously. Beck moves in close and uses his Greco-Roman wrestling skills to stay tight so they can’t use their swords effectively. He lands a boxing jab on Keiko and takes her sword. Beck and Xiao fight hard with the swords. A bell CHIMES and the DOOR OPENS. Soon, many teenagers and young adults enter the main studio and circle the two fighting men.

Beck is totally engrossed in the fight with Xiao and does not notice Keiko move in from the rear. She takes him down with a leg wrap and Xiao moves in with blinding speed and brings the katana stick sword to Beck’s neck and stops. The dojo is quiet.

XIAO (CONT’D) Beck san, to lose sight of your enemy is to die.

Xiao helps Beck up.

9.

BECK (bows and breathes heavily) I think Sun Tzu said know your enemy, know yourself, fear not the outcome... I paraphrase.

XIAO Sun Tzu might have been a great Chinese General, but he is dust now. You listen to Xiao the Living.

BECK (smiles) OK, Xiao the Living, now get this class going so we can turn a profit and keep the dojo in business.

XIAO (to the gathering students) You heard Master Beck. Line-up!

The kids run and line-up and Xiao starts the lesson.

Time passes.

Beck exits the locker room, showered and in his designer suit looking refreshed. He passes Keiko who has an ice pack on her jaw from his jab.

KEIKO I hate your American boxing. It’s so slow and awkward... you catch me off guard every time.

BECK In baseball, they call it a changeup. Tell Xiao I’ll be back tomorrow morning to go over the books. Also tell him I expect attendance to be up five percent. That should set him off.

KEIKO When are you going to call my cousin again? She's still waiting.

You know, Aiko really likes you.

BECK Sorry, in a hurry. I’m a silent partner anyway, remember?

Beck heads to the door.

10.

KEIKO Beck!

BECK Tell Aiko I’ll call her when I when I get back from Europe.

Beck exits.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK WALKS BACK TO THE OFFICE. A CAMERA RECORDS HIS MOVEMENTS. B) BECK WORKS AT HIS DESK AND HE IS ON THE PHONE. C) A MAN IN THE CONTROL CENTER WATCHES BECK DRIVE OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE IN HIS PORSCHE. D) BECK PULLS UP TO A SMALL HOUSE IN THE HILLS OF LA JOLLA OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN AND WALKS UP TO THE FRONT DOOR. EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT A camera records Beck knocking at the front door. RUTH BECK answers the door. She is an older woman in her mid sixties with piercing eyes.

RUTH (pinches his cheek) Oh good, it’s the birthday boy.

Come in, everyone's here.

INT. HOUSE – NIGHT Beck enters and greets the guests.

RUTH Well Sweetie, it’s not technically your birthday until 8:23 tonight.

BECK Yes Mother, I know, every year you remind me.

RUTH I had to stop a lecture to bring you into this world you know.

BECK Yes Mother, and the science of genetics was altered forever.

11.

RUTH That’s a little dramatic. Probably true, but still dramatic.

In the room is Ruth, Victor, two of Beck’s office-mates, KATHERINE and Rafael and a friend of Beck’s and his wife, DAVE and LIZ. Beck continues to greet everyone and shake hands.

BECK (CONT) I thought you said this was going to be a small party?

RUTH There are only six of us dear.

Beck points to the large window over looking the ocean. The center pane is replaced by four individual screens with people mingling in each. They all wave to Beck.

BECK And the virtual party?

RUTH They insisted Sweetie. You have a lot of friends.

Victor, who is in mid sixties but still very fit, limps over to Beck and leans on a cane.

VICTOR Some went old school and got on a plane from far away New York City.

That’s not easy being a cripple and all.

BECK Victor!

Beck excitedly shakes his hand.

BECK (CONT.) (CONT’D) You're too ornery to be a cripple.

Besides your grip is like steel.

Beck rubs his hand while Victor stares at him.

BECK (CONT’D) What?

12.

VICTOR Sorry, it’s just I haven’t seen you in person for years and you look so much... well, you look a lot like your father.

RUTH Yes he does. Smart too! He’s going to be a real catch for some lucky woman.

BECK OK Mom, that’s enough. Someone get me a drink ASAP! Dave hands him a drink and a present.

BECK (CONT’D) Thanks.

Beck opens the present.

BECK (CONT’D) Beautiful vinyl. I love Johnny Cash, where did you find this?

DAVE My parent’s garage. I made them give it to me for helping them move. It was hell.

BECK Thanks buddy.

Beck sets the LP down and then Victor hands him a small box.

VICTOR I thought Investor Gadget would like this.

BECK I go by Clean Energy Funds Investment Banker, not gadget, not exactly anyway.

Beck opens the box and inside is a silver ring.

VICTOR Put it on your left thumb.

Beck does and it instantly creates a hologram of red beams that travel down his thumb to his wrist and then wraps around it. On the top of his wrist a round dial appears with clock hands.

13.

DAVE Crazy. A hologram watch!

BECK How... I mean, this isn’t on the market. Holograms aren’t stable yet. I know, I lost a mint on them.

VICTOR A perk of being in the think tank biz.

Victor leans over and adjusts the watch so that it changes shapes, colors, applications.

VICTOR (CONT.) (CONT’D) It can be a heart rate monitor, GPS, calculator, currency rate adjuster. Whatever you want. Just be careful, I don’t want someone lopping off your thumb for it.

Beck takes it off and places it back in the box and shakes Victor’s hand again.

BECK Thanks!

VICTOR OK Ruth, you’ve had us in suspense all day, time to show him your top secret surprise. Did you look through it yourself?

RUTH (quietly) No, I couldn’t.

She walks to the mantel and takes a scroll down and hands it to Beck.

VICTOR You had it on the mantel the whole time?

RUTH Sure, it’s very decorative.

BECK Mom, what is this?

RUTH A Video Life... of your father.

14.

Beck opens the scroll and what should be paper is actually an ultra thin, clear and flexible video screen that uses organic LEDS to produce over a billion colors.

BECK I don’t understand.

RUTH Your father died when you were so young. This is the only way I thought you could get to know him.

BECK What...

RUTH This can explain better than me.

Ruth walks over to the table and touches a screen on her desk. The center pane with the virtual guests is split so that the virtual guests are sharing half and the other half has a display with "VIDEO LIFE" in the center. Everyone turns to face it including the virtual guests. Victor watches Beck and the scroll. A Video Life NARRATOR begins.

NARRATOR Welcome to Video Life. You have made what is probably a very difficult decision if you have chosen to use our new and groundbreaking service. The primary reason people come to Video Life is that they have lost a loved one and wish to have a visual memorial to honor and remember that person. The scroll that accompanies our service contains a digital record of your loved one dating back to the mid 20th century.

Everyone looks at the Beck’s scroll. Beck walks to the monitor and turns it off.

BECK This is a lot to process. How did they get the footage?

RUTH The Video Life will tell you.

15.

DAVE I heard the government started monitoring everything to try and track down terrorists after all the attacks in the early part of the century... you know, the World Trade Center, Hoover Dam, the Space Needle.

RAFAEL Why do you think we get an insurance discount for having a camera in our house?

Rafael points to the camera in Ruth’s ceiling filming them.

BECK Well, let’s give them something to watch. Let’s get the party going.

The music volume raises and the guests crowd Beck to see the Video Life and hand him more presents.

Time passes.

Beck slips away into his father’s study.

INT. STUDY – CONTINUOUS Beck enters the study, with the Video Life in hand, and peruses the many leather bound books in the library such as: Shakespeare, Cervantes, Marlowe, Dickens, Poe, Twain, Butler, Dante, Milton, Chaucer, etc. On the wall is a lithograph from Hogarth called "Tail Piece: The Bathos." Etched in the lithograph is a fallen angel with the word FINIS escaping his lips and there is a scaffold with the picture of the world on fire with the words "The Worlds End" above it. Victor limps in.

VICTOR Your Father used to read two or three books at a time. The classics, pulp, dramas, really whatever he could get his hands on.

He was particularly fascinated by Sherlock Holmes. He carried that old, worn copy of his everywhere.

Did you ever find it after...?

BECK No, he must have had it with him when his Catalina was lost at sea.

16.

VICTOR Such a loss... when you have eliminated the impossible, must be the truth.

BECK Excuse me?

VICTOR Sorry, your father used to quote that from his good chum Mr. Holmes.

Victor sees Beck staring at the Hogarth Lithograph.

VICTOR (CONT’D) But I never understood his fascination with those engravings.

BECK What Hogarth? Well, he lived in dark times and he felt obligated to shine a light on the world. He took his life in his hands with each carving. All it took was for one engraving to strike the wrong chord of the King and it would be the end of the world for him.

Victor peruses the books and strokes the spine of "Don Quixote."

VICTOR Your father was a fan of the Quixotic.

BECK Tilting at windmills... you know, that’s one of the only memories I have of him. That is, him reading to me and teaching me about that engraving. After his death, I used to come in here and read for hours and stare at the lithograph. I don’t know if I’m like him or if it was just out of respect, but I’ve read everything in here, front to cover, twice. I feel closer to him when my nose is in a book.

There is a picture of Jonathon and Victor on one of the shelves with their arms around each other’s shoulders smiling.

17.

VICTOR Jonathon was great at the Think Tank biz. The Mongolian mess and autoimmune business that are in the news are the types of scenarios he really liked to run. He had a real knack for research.

BECK Was he always on the road like you?

VICTOR No, he was an Internet hound. Hated flying... thought every landing was a hard one.

Ruth walks in.

RUTH I thought I would find you boys in here rummaging through these old musty books.

VICTOR Ruth, I don’t think I told you how lovely you look tonight.

RUTH Charming as ever Victor. Now let me have my son alone for a minute.

Victor nods his head and leaves the room.

RUTH (CONT’D) I’m sorry if the Video Life upset you dear. But I think it’s important for you to know your father. To heal the wound his death caused.

BECK Mom...

RUTH I’m too old to fool, son. The pain you saw me endure when your father died wasn’t bad. It meant I was lucky enough to have found real love. Don’t forget I was also mourning your Aunt Violet’s death.

Her car accident in New York was very sudden and close to your father’s accident.

(MORE)

18.

RUTH (CONT'D) Listen Sweetie, I wouldn’t change anything about my life if it meant I couldn’t have their love. You’ve been hiding from life so that you won’t experience that pain. Watch the Video Life, get to know your father, start living your life.

When that happens, you’ll find the love you deserve, that special woman.

BECK I promise to watch it when I’m ready.

RUTH Well, that will have to do for now.

OK, let’s get back to our guests.

Beck and Ruth rejoin the guests.

INT. HOUSE – LATER THAT NIGHT The guests leave and the virtual guests sign-off as Beck and Ruth thank them. Beck collects the Video Life and walks to the front door and Victor follows.

EXT. STREET – NIGHT Victor approaches Beck who is in his car. Beck rolls down the passenger window.

BECK Thanks again for coming Victor. It was great seeing you.

VICTOR Careful with the Video Life, son.

Digging up the past can be painful.

Beck looks closely at Victor’s EPC. BECK Hey, is that a hologram EPC? I thought those were next gen., military only?

VICTOR (winks) It pays to know the right people.

Beck smiles and drives away while Victor stares after him alone on the sidewalk.

19.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) IT IS MORNING AND BECK WALKS OUT OF HIS BEDROOM. THE VIDEO LIFE IS ON THE DRESSER. A CAMERA RECORDS HIM. B) BECK PULLS INTO THE OFFICE PARKING LOT AND PARKS. HE TAKES A BACKPACK OUT OF THE BONNET AND EXITS TO THE STREET AND WALKS TO THE DOJO. A CAMERA RECORDS HIM. C) THE MAN WITH THE BLACK BEARD IN THE CONTROL ROOM WATCHES BECK ON THE MONITOR. INT. DOJO – MORNING Beck enters.

BECK OK Xiao, time to go over the books!

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK LEAVES THE DOJO AND RETURNS TO THE OFFICE. B) BECK WORKS AT HIS DESK. INT. OFFICE – DAY Beck leaves wearing a bathing suit and T-shirt.

RECEPTIONIST Leaving for lunch, Sir? BECK Yes, I think seafood today.

EXT. LA JOLLA - DAY Beck drives to the La Jolla cove and takes his backpack out and heads to the water. He takes an ultra thin spring wetsuit out of the backpack and puts it on and then sits on the beach facing the water.

A stunning BRUNETTE WOMAN in a skin tight spring suit sits next to him. Her spring suit is made of a very thin material and rises high on the hips and is open on the sides up to her neck which has a collar. Her breasts slightly bulge out the side. On her forearm is a monitor that displays the jagged line of her cardio rhythm, her core temperature, air temperature, water temperature and song play list.

BRUNETTE WOMAN Once it would be nice to come here from your apartment.

20.

Beck puts on his hologram watch and sets it to a cardio setting.

BRUNETTE WOMAN (CONT’D) New toy?

BECK Birthday present.

BRUNETTE WOMAN Bastard. I didn’t want to celebrate your birthday anyway.

Beck stands and dives into the ocean and is followed by Brunette Woman. Her suit is playing a song as they join several other swimmers heading to a buoy one hundred yards out. Two burly men casually walk to Beck’s backpack and sort through it.

Time passes. Beck exits the water with Brunette Woman in tow and walks to his backpack. He opens the backpack and then looks around suspiciously.

INT. OFFICE - DAY Beck exits a personal suite and sits at his and then looks around walks to his door and

bathroom attached to his office in his desk. He adjusts his Herman Miller lamp for additional items out of place. He calls out to the Receptionist.

BECK Has anyone been in my office?

RECEPTIONIST No, Mr. Beck. I did step out for a quick bite, but I locked up as usual.

BECK OK, thanks.

Beck returns to his seat and works, his Receptionist appears on his monitor.

RECEPTIONIST Excuse me, Sir, but a Police Officer is on the line for you.

BECK Hmm, OK. A POLICE OFFICER in uniform appears on his monitor. He is standing in front of Beck’s dresser that has been visibly searched.

21.

POLICE OFFICER Hello, is this Mr. Beck?

BECK Yes. What’s going on? Why are you in my bedroom?

POLICE OFFICER I’m sorry to inform you that your apartment has been broken into.

Your cameras failed to activate correctly, so per the Insurance Surveillance Bill of 2020 you will be reimbursed for anything lost in the theft. Please fill out an itemized report of missing items and submit a claim to your carrier.

BECK That’s it? No video, no clues...

POLICE OFFICER You were one of five burglaries in the building Mr. Beck. Sorry for the inconvenience, but this is pretty routine.

The image of the Police Officer goes dark. Beck sits at his desk for a minute and then he retina scrolls to a picture of his Receptionist and activates it. The Receptionist’s face appears on the monitor.

BECK Please send me an update of my itinerary. I’m going to cut out early and burn off some steam before my flight tomorrow.

RECEPTIONIST Yes, Mr. Beck. I hope you have a good trip.

EXT. LA JOLLA – DAY Beck exits the parking lot in a tan 1960-era Land Rover Defender. He has a spare tire on the hood and a high-end dual suspension mountain bike on a hitch mounted bike carrier on the back. Before he pulls out, he notices a man who is a double-leg amputee wearing blade prosthetics drinking coffee at a nearby Starbucks. The prosthetics are carbon fiber and are straight below the knee and then bow back and curl forward creating a spring effect.

22.

Beck drives through the hills of La Jolla and then heads east into the mountains.

Beck parks in a dirt parking lot and there are three other vehicles parked, a WOMAN is putting her bike away and preparing to leave.

EXT. PARKING LOT – CONTINUOUS Beck exits the Defender and removes his bike from the bike carrier. He is fixing his Camelback when a blue sedan pulls up and parks close. The men, DIMITRI and JACK, who searched Beck’s backpack at the beach, exit the car and off-load their Ellsworth NuVinci bikes. These bikes are designed after Leonardo da Vinci’s design and abandon the cogsets used in traditional bikes. They use a ball and discs to transfer power and shift. The chain never shifts the gears.

BECK How do you like the NuVincis?

DIMITRI Da, very nice.

BECK I hear they don’t react well in the dirt. Not responsive enough for the quick terrain. I’m still riding an old school bike.

JACK Just takes some getting used too.

Beck notices that the bikes are brand new without a spot of dirt on them and that the men fidget and are uncomfortable with the gear.

BECK Well, have a good ride.

DIMITRI Da, be safe.

Beck rides out of the parking lot and starts on a single track. He looks back and sees Dimitri and Jack looking at his Defender.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK RIDING HARD ON A TECHNICAL SINGLE TRACK. B) BECK RIDING THROUGH A STREAM SPRAYING WATER. C) BECK DESCENDING A STEEP TRAIL JUMPING A LOG.

23.

EXT. MOUNTAIN PEAK – DAY Beck is enjoying the ocean view and drinking water when Dimitri and Jack ride up the trail. They are visibly exhausted.

BECK So how did the bikes do?

JACK (breathing heavily) Fine.

They stop very close to Beck and eye his Camelback. Beck is uncomfortable.

BECK Well, no rest for the weary. See ya.

Beck heads down the mountain at blazing speed. Dimitri and Jack shake their heads at each other.

DIMITRI I thought bankers smoked cigars and were fat. This is ridiculous.

JACK Well, I’m not going to be the one to tell Karp that I couldn’t keep up with a suit. Let’s go and finish this.

Dimitri and Jack chase after Beck and slowly gain. After a couple of turns and a stream crossing they catch Beck and both Dimitri and Jack close in and reach out for Beck’s Camelback. Beck shrugs them off and shifts into a lower gear pulling ahead of them. Dimitri and Jack struggle to keep up.

Dimitri quickly takes a throwing knife out of his back pocket of his cycling shirt and throws it. Beck jumps a rut and the knife hits his top tube on the bike and deflects off. Beck accelerates again. Dimitri and Jack continue to chase Beck and they catch him at the base of a steep incline. Beck shifts into a high gear and sprints up the incline dropping Dimitri and Jack.

BECK Old school rules!

Dimitri and Jack struggle to the top of the incline and just as they reach the top, Beck leaps out of the bushes and charges them with his bike out in-front like a ram.

24.

BECK (CONT’D) AHHHH!!!

Beck hits both men squarely and Dimitri flies over the ledge tumbling down the hill. Jack is able to hold onto Beck’s tire and uses that to swing off his bike and attack Beck. Beck and Jack fight hand-to-hand and Beck blocks several punches and then lands a blow to the neck and knee sending him to the ground. Beck picks up his bike and uses it to strike Jack sending him over the ledge.

A bullet strikes the dirt next to Beck. Beck looks over the edge to see Dimitri kneeling with a pistol extended. Beck gets back on his bike and continues on the single track.

EXT. PARKING LOT – DAY Beck skids to a stop next to his Defender and throws the bike in the back. He gets in the driver’s seat and has to move it back.

EXT. BIKE TRAIL – DAY Dimitri and Jack scramble up the ledge and get back on their bikes.

EXT. PARKING LOT – DAY Dimitri and Jack skid to a stop next to their car. They leave the bikes in the dirt and enter the car.

INT. BLUE CAR - DAY Jack and Dimitri sit in the car.

JACK Call Karp.

Karp appears on the HUD. KARP Did you get it?

JACK Negative. The subject eluded us.

KARP Damn! What’s his location?

DIMITRI Unknown. Can we execute Secondary...

25.

KARP Hold.

Victor comes up on another screen on the HUD. KARP (CONT’D) Victor, the subject... Beck, has eluded my team. Do you know where he’ll go?

VICTOR I told you not to send Heckel and Jeckel. Goddamn mercs are worthless.

KARP Do you know where he is?

VICTOR No. KARP Dimitri, execute secondary protocol.

Jack takes a detonator switch out of his bag.

EXT. HIGHWAY – DAY Beck’s Defender drives along a mountain road.

INT. BLUE CAR – DAY Dimitri lifts the safety hood on the detonator switch.

VICTOR No!!

EXT. HIGHWAY – DAY Beck’s Defender drives along a mountain road.

INT. BLUE CAR – DAY Dimitri presses the button on the detonator switch.

EXT. HIGHWAY – DAY Beck’s Defender drives along a mountain road.

INT. KARP’S OFFICE – DAY Karp stares at his monitor that has one screen with Victor and second screen that is blank.

26.

KARP Jack! Dimitri! Damnit, where’d they go? What’s going on?

VICTOR You sent a couple of stooges with finger-paint to show-up Picasso you damn fool! Did you even look at Beck’s file?

Karp angrily searches his desk and finds Beck’s folder. He flips through the folder starting with Beck's work information and then towards the end he sees a picture of Beck in Navy dress whites. Below the picture is "Commander Beck, Explosive Ordinance Demolition (EOD)."

KARP Jesus.

EXT. PARKING LOT – DAY Dimitri and Jack’s car burns.

EXT. HIGHWAY – DAY Beck’s Defender drives along a mountain road. Beck looks back in his rearview mirror and sees smoke.

BECK Amateurs!

INT. KARP’S OFFICE – DAY Karp slumps in his desk. Victor is still on the monitor.

VICTOR Keep on reading before you get someone else killed.

Karp skims the folder and reads.

KARP He's supposed to be a banker goddamn it.

Karp continues skimming and sees "Tenth in his class at the Naval Academy", "Bronze Star", "Purple Heart", "black belt in Mixed Martial Arts."

KARP (CONT’D) Why isn’t he one of us?

VICTOR Look at his IQ.

27.

KARP One hundred and thirty nine? Damn he’s too smart to join us.

VICTOR Exactly. Anyway, we tried, several times. In the Navy with Naval Intelligence, then when he rotated out with the CIA and finally at the end of his MBA with the FBI. He turned them all down flat. Probably for the best, look at his MR. KARP Ah, he has a high Morality Rating.

VICTOR Yes. KARP Well, it’s a good thing we don’t have that problem. OK Victor, I’m assembling a team. You'll ride shotgun and finish this.

VICTOR Understood.

INT. DEFENDER – NIGHT Beck is parked at a corner across the street from his office.

He is watching the man with the blade prosthetics who is still drinking coffee discreetly watching Beck’s office building. Beck’s HUD starts with a text that reads "Don’t go home, Dad." The text dissolves.

BECK What the hell?

Beck starts his EPC and searches his inbox but there is no record of the text.

BECK (CONT’D) An untraceable text? Dad? EXT. PARKING LOT – NIGHT Beck pulls up to the back of a retail store and parks the Defender. He looks around and then exits the car and heads to the door.

28.

INT. DOJO – NIGHT Beck enters the Dojo from the back-door. He goes to the locker room and opens his locker and removes a duffle bag and then he pulls out the Video Life and puts it into the duffle bag with clothes and toiletries from the locker. He lays on the bench to rest and starts his EPC and navigates to his itinerary.

BECK (to EPC) Call Travel.

EXT. AIRPORT – NIGHT A camera records a blended-wing Boeing X-48C taxi to a stop at the end of the runway. The plane has a stealth look where the wings and fuselage blend together, forming an odd triangle. The supersonic-jet takes off, gaining altitude very quickly.

INT. AIRPLANE – NIGHT Beck sits in an oversized leather chair, relaxing. The interior is that of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It is spacious and adorned in relaxing, cooling colors and lights. There is a wet bar separating his business cabin from the coach cabin.

FIGHT ATTENDANT Welcome aboard Flight four-five-one to Madrid. We will be cruising at sixty thousand feet and approaching Mach three. Total flight time for our supersonic jet is three hours.

Beck stares ahead and then closes his eyes.

BECK (to himself) Who are they and what are they after? What in the hell's going on?

A sexy YOUNG WOMAN with black hair and black horn rimmed glasses turns to Beck. She's wearing a short skirt with long black boots.

YOUNG WOMAN I feel like Hercule Poirot.

BECK Excuse me?

29.

YOUNG WOMAN Overhearing ominous words while traveling abroad, that is Agatha Christie's formula for her most famous detective isn't it?

BECK (chuckles) I think you're right? Great, now I'm a cliche.

WOMAN PASSENGER Well for what it's worth, you should try Poirot's method for solving mysteries.

BECK I'm sorry, I'm a little rusty on my Agatha Christie, what is the Peroit method? And why are you such an expert?

YOUNG WOMAN I'm studying literature and spending the semester in Spain. I could use a study partner... to help me brush up on my favorite authors.

BECK (looks at her long boots) Intriguing offer. Now, what about the Peroit method?

YOUNG WOMAN Yes, well, he would meditate on the situation. Sherlock Holmes used forensics and science while Peroit used good old fashion brain power.

BECK Thanks, you’re probably right. Good old fashion brain power...

Beck opens the duffle bag and takes out the Video Life and opens it. A menu is displayed with the following buttons: Introduction, Search, Source Photos, and Play.

Beck touches the Introduction tab and the Narrator begins the narration Beck heard at the party. Beck hits stop. He then touches the Source Photos tab and two photos of Jonathon appear, one younger and one older. Finally, Beck touches the Play tab. He scans the images using fast forward.

30.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) YOUNGER JONATHON AT AN ATM WITHDRAWING MONEY. THE PICTURE IS GRANULAR AND BLACK AND WHITE. B) YOUNGER JONATHON IN A MALL. BLACK AND WHITE. C) YOUNGER JONATHON IN A CASINO AT A BACHELOR PARTY. VICTOR IS THERE AND THIS IS IN ROUGH COLOR AND MORE CONTINUOUS. D) YOUNGER JONATHON AND RUTH AT CITY HALL GETTING MARRIED. VICTOR IS BEST MAN. CONTINUOUS FLOW OF THEM ENTERING THE BUILDING, GETTING MARRIED AND LEAVING THE BUILDING WITH FRIENDS THROWING RICE. E) JONATHON AND VICTOR ATTENDING A MEDICAL CONFERENCE AT THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER. F) JONATHON STARING INTO AN ATM CAMERA BLINKING ERRATICALLY. G) JONATHON AND VICTOR AT HEATHROW AIRPORT. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Sir, would you like a beverage?

BECK (startled) Oh... ah, yes, coffee please.

Black.

Beck takes out his EPC and puts it on his ear.

BECK (CONT’D) Call... Cancel.

Beck stares at the headrest in front of him with a built in phone. Beck takes the phone and dials his mother’s number.

BECK (CONT’D) Mom, I didn’t know you got married at City Hall.

RUTH (O.S.) (groggy) What? Son? It’s four in the morning.

BECK Oh, sorry. I lost track of time.

RUTH (O.S.) Well, yes we eloped and got married at City Hall. How... oh, good, you’re watching the Video Life.

(MORE)

31.

RUTH (O.S.) (CONT'D) How extraordinary to have that on video. I barely have any wedding photos to speak of.

BECK I’m kind of bouncing around a bit.

Lot’s of trivial type footage like ATMs and airports.

RUTH (O.S.) Airports? Your father hated to fly.

He never flew when we were married.

He insisted on taking the train. A trip to San Francisco could take a whole day. Are you OK? BECK Yes, I remember Victor mentioning that. Like I said, I was bouncing around and must have got it wrong.

Go back to bed, Mom. Love you.

Beck returns to the Video Life and zooms in on Jonathon at Heathrow Airport. He goes back to the main menu and touches on the Search tab and types in Airports. Airports in every major city around the globe pop up with Jonathon.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) JONATHON AT AN AIRPORT BOARDING A PLANE FOR BRUSSELS. B) JONATHON AT A KIOSK IN AN AIRPORT CHECKING IN. C) JONATHON WAITING FOR HIS LUGGAGE AT BAGGAGE CLAIM. A MAN BEHIND JONATHON PUTS HIS DUFFLE BAG ON THE CONVEYER BELT AND IT MOVES IN FRONT OF JONATHON WHO PICKS IT UP. BECK Jesus.

Beck replays the baggage claim footage and zooms in and he then selects another airport and sees Jonathon do a brush pass with a woman.

BECK (CONT’D) He was a spook, but that can’t be possible...

INT. BECK’S OFFICE – FLASHBACK Beck and Victor are sitting.

32.

VICTOR ... when you have eliminated the impossible, must be the truth.

INT. AIRPLANE – END FLASHBACK Beck stares at the Video Life and then fast forwards and skips from scene to scene passing airports, hotels, conferences, bars, and life near home. He sees Jonathon working on his laptop, reading books, taking notes in the "Sherlock Holmes: Volume One," calling on his cell phone, and doodling stick figures on a cocktail napkin.

Beck continues and then stops and rewinds to the doodling. He zooms in on Jonathon in a bar drawing stick figures in different positions on a cocktail napkin. He can see the cocktail napkin clearly because Jonathon has moved it to the edge of the bar directly under the ceiling camera. Jonathon looks anxious.

BECK What the hell?

Beck puts his EPC back on.

BECK (CONT’D) Internet... Cancel.

Beck hits the Flight Attendant button. The Flight Attendant appears.

BECK (CONT’D) (points to the monitor below the phone in front of him) I'm having issues with my EPC, can I get Internet access using this?

FLIGHT ATTENDANT Yes, you can use the onboard browser to reach the Internet.

Punch in your ticket number and it will activate.

The Flight Attendant moves on and Beck inputs his ticket number and the browser opens. He navigates to a search engine and types in "Sherlock Holmes Stories." A list of stories populates: "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Red-Headed League", "On The Great Alkali Plain", "The Adventure Of The Dancing Men", and the "The Great Agra Treasure." Beck stops and goes back to "The Adventure Of The Dancing Men" and selects it. He takes a leather bound book out of his backpack and plugs it into the monitor. The book has "BB" engraved on the front cover which stands for Blank Book.

33.

He downloads the Sherlock Holmes story into the Blank Book.

The paper is a fiber optic material that displays the story like it was printed on it. Beck scans the story and sees stick figure men like the ones Jonathon drew.

Beck takes the Video Life and zooms in on Jonathon’s cocktail napkin with the stick figures. He then takes his portfolio and pen and copies the stick figures exactly. He turns to the book and scans the story and copies the stick figures with their corresponding English letters.

The Young Woman leans in and watches Beck.

YOUNG WOMAN You’re not secretly practicing for a Hang Man tournament are you?

Beck CHUCKLES but never takes his eyes off his work.

BECK No. I think this story may help solve my mystery.

Beck replaces letters for Jonathon’s stick figures.

YOUNG WOMAN What story? I may be able to help.

BECK It’s a Sherlock Holmes story.

Holmes must decode a cipher made with stick men to save a woman's life.

Beck replaces more letters for Jonathon’s stick figures.

YOUNG WOMAN I love Sherlock Holmes... fighting for the underdog and stubbornly loyal to the Queen... struggling against his arch-enemy Moriarty.

Moriarty, what a name. Dancing Men eh?

BECK (looks impressed) Yes, exactly.

Beck replaces more letters for Jonathon’s stick figures.

YOUNG WOMAN It's only gonna lead you to another clue.

34.

Beck replaces the final letters for Jonathon’s stick figures.

BECK Got it!

Beck has Jonathon’s stick figures drawn out and below each stick figure is a letter spelling "The Purloined Letter."

BECK (CONT’D) "The Purloined Letter?"

YOUNG WOMAN Poe. I told you.

Beck uses the Internet console to search for Poe’s story and pulls it up. He skims the story.

YOUNG WOMAN (CONT’D) He's known as a horror writer, but did you know he's also credited as the Father of the Detective Story?

Beck continues skimming the story.

YOUNG WOMAN (CONT’D) If I remember my Poe correctly, this story is about a quasi private eye named Dupin. He's asked to retrieve a stolen letter that the French police cannot locate.

They know the man who stole it, but he's too clever for them and after months of searching they turn to Dupin who finds it immediately.

BECK Yes, I just can't remember how he found it.

YOUNG WOMAN Well, Dupin knew the man who stole it and he knew that this man would understand how the French Police worked, that is they would tear everything apart looking for the letter... bed posts, frames, flooring, even bring in microscopes looking for clues. In a situation like this sometimes it is better to hide something in plain sight.

Beck turns pale and grabs the Video Life and scans until he finds the clip with Jonathon staring into the ATM camera blinking erratically.

35.

Beck sits back and closes his eyes.

BECK In plain sight... yes, on a mantel.

And because Dupin had the right information he knew what to look for. He had the key.

EXT. MADRID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – DAY Beck exits the terminal and looks around and a camera records him. He doesn’t see anyone suspicious. He walks up to a line of City Cars (stackable mini-electric cars that can be deposited at various City Car stations throughout the city).

He punches in his itinerary number and a car detaches and expands to its full size. The car has only two seats and is made mostly out of tinted Plexiglas that looks like a flattened, oblong egg. Beck puts his duffle bag in the passenger seat, enters the car and pulls out into traffic.

INT. CITY CAR – CONTINUOUS Beck drives. A camera follows him.

BECK Internet café.

The HUD on the City Car activates giving him directions.

EXT. MADRID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – DAY KATRINA, JOSE and CARLOS enter the terminal and look around.

Katrina is a tall attractive brunette. They are dressed casually with large jackets. The jacket on Carlos opens showing a slinged Kriss Super V .45 caliber submachine gun.

It is a squat and brutal weapon. Katrina starts her (H)EPC. KATRINA Karp, the target's not here. Your San Diego team didn't give us enough warning.

KARP (on (H) EPC) Understood. I have a man coming in who can flush him out.

INT. INTERNET CAFÉ – DAY Beck enters the Internet café and walks up to the counter.

BECK Espresso por favor.

36.

Beck pays with an American Express travelers check and gets local change back. He takes the espresso and heads to an empty table with a paper-thin monitor.

An hour later. Beck replays the footage of Jonathon blinking irregularly in an ATM camera.

BECK (CONT’D) What are you trying to say Dad? Beck stares at the footage and then taps his fingers on the table to keep time with the blinking. He does this over and over and then stops.

BECK (CONT’D) They stopped teaching that almost forty years ago...

Beck goes to the monitor and types in "Morse Code" and pulls up the chart of Morse code letters and numbers. He then reviews the footage again and writes down the dots and dashes until he has a long string of them. Next he applies the chart and fills in the letters. He slowly spells out, "Dr. Cromwell I presume."

BECK (CONT’D) Dr. Cromwell I presume? What in the hell does that mean?

Beck’s EPC rings. The image of Victor flashes on Beck’s screen. Beck hesitates and then answers.

BECK (CONT’D) Hi, Victor. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you for a while.

INT. KARP’S OFFICE – NIGHT Karp watches a monitor and a red dot appears in Madrid.

KARP Katrina, he’s in an Internet café ten miles northeast of you.

EXT. MADRID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – DAY Victor, Katrina, Blade, Carlos and Jose are out front of the terminal.

KATRINA Keep talking Victor. (to the other men) Let’s move.

37.

Katrina, Blade, Carlos and Jose get on Piaggio MP3 threewheeled scooters. They are fast and agile, the floating third wheel enables the rider to take corners at forty-degree angles.

INT. INTERNET CAFÉ – DAY Beck packs his gear while a camera records him.

VICTOR I had some unexpected travel that landed me in Madrid and I thought we could get together. You are here right?

Beck looks around.

BECK Yes. Let’s have drinks tonight at my hotel.

VICTOR I thought maybe a café... now.

Beck looks around more urgently and then exits the café.

BECK Sorry, on the run.

EXT. MADRID INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – CONTINUOUS Victor stands in front of the terminal.

VICTOR Fine, where are you staying?

BECK The Palace.

VICTOR Excellent, I’ll meet you in the bar at seven.

BECK Great, got to go. Bye. EXT. INTERNET CAFÉ – CONTINUOUS Katrina, Blade, Carlos and Jose search the café and surrounding streets.

KATRINA (to (H)EPC) We missed him.

38.

KARP (on (H) EPC) Understood. Stand down for now.

Victor made contact. We’ll give him one final opportunity to clean this up quietly. Be prepared to take the subject tomorrow after the tours.

EXT. WESTIN PALACE – DAY Beck drives up with his City Car and checks it into a row of city cars. The Westin stands out with glimmering white facades and takes an entire city block. The fountains and statues outside are majestic. A camera records him.

INT. PALACE HOTEL DINING ROOM – NIGHT Beck and Cristobal are seated at a dinner table. Cristobal is in his late forties and portly.

CRISTOBAL I’m telling you, Senor Beck, you are going to love the tours tomorrow. The algae field alone is amazing.

Beck plays with his coffee seeming uninterested. Cristobal notices.

CRISTOBAL (CONT’D) Your jet-lag must be catching up with you?

Beck snaps out of his thoughts.

BECK What? Oh... no. Cristobal, how long have we worked together?

CRISTOBAL Cinco anos. Why? BECK You know me pretty well, right?

CRISTOBAL Si. BECK What would you say if I thought people or some organization was pursuing me... out to get me?

39.

CRISTOBAL (laughs) Why nothing Senor Beck! Our national hero is famous for tilting at windmills! Everyone has a little Don Quixote in them. Thank heavens for that.

BECK Yes, I suppose you’re right.

Beck looks at his watch.

BECK (CONT’D) I’m sorry, but I need to meet an old friend for drinks.

They both stand.

CRISTOBAL No problem. Your faithful Sancho Panza will collect you in the morning.

INT. PALACE BAR – CONTINUOUS Beck enters the bar and surveys the room. He notices Victor and joins him at his table. A camera records him.

VICTOR Glad to see you.

Victor shakes his hand and hugs him.

BECK Yes, unexpected. What brings you to Madrid?

VICTOR Updating an old research article.

New developments have forced me to travel quickly.

BECK Speaking of old research articles, do you remember my father working on an article for a Dr. Cromwell?

Victor drops his cane. Beck picks it up and hands it to him.

BECK (CONT’D) You look pale. Everything OK?

40.

VICTOR Jet-lag. Where did you hear that name?

BECK I thought I saw something in the Video Life. Not important, just thought I might like to read it.

VICTOR Yes, the Video Life. I must insist that you let me hold onto it.

Trudging up the past is dangerous.

BECK (standing) I’ve noticed. Listen Victor, let’s cut to the chase, tell your handlers to back off. The harder they push the more interested I get. I hate puzzles... I just can’t let them go.

Beck starts to walk away.

VICTOR Son...

BECK I’m not your son and you’re not my father!

VICTOR I can’t keep them at bay. I can’t protect you unless you walk away from the Video Life.

BECK I’m not walking away from my dad!

Beck looks around as people stare and then leaves.

INT. VAN (STATIONARY) – NIGHT Victor walks from the Palace and enters the black van from the side door.

VICTOR He won’t let it go.

KATRINA We’ll finish this tomorrow.

41.

VICTOR Are you sure the team has gone through the Video Life? Every frame? There was no mention of the last mission or the target?

KARP (on the HUD) We went through it. Nothing. To be safe, we pulled the footage from Video Life under the National Security Act. The copy Beck has is now the only one to exist.

INT. PALACE BUSINESS OFFICE – NIGHT Beck works at the desk using a hotel computer.

BECK Dr. Cromwell I presume.

Beck punches in Dr. Cromwell into a search engine and pulls up three and half million hits.

BECK (CONT’D) This sucks.

Beck scrolls through the list and opens links to anything that looks remotely interesting. He looks at his watch and it is 9pm.

Time passes. Beck looks at his watch and it is midnight. He is still searching the links.

BECK (CONT’D) This is a goddamn needle in a haystack.

Beck passes five more links and then sees one titled, "Dr. Cromwell and Team Killed in Lab Explosion at Victoria Falls."

BECK (CONT’D) Victoria Falls? Why does that ring a bell?

Beck opens the article and skims the article.

BECK (CONT’D) "Dr. Cromwell and team were killed in a tragic explosion last night.

(MORE)

42.

BECK (CONT’D) The cause is unknown and because the research facility was classified it is unknown if what they were researching caused the accident. Victoria Falls does not have many research facilities and was not prepared for the accident.

Most of Victoria Falls' revenue comes from eco-tourism. Victoria Falls is considered the world’s largest waterfall and is home for the memorial of the renowned explorer Dr. Livingstone."

Beck stops reading and LAUGHS. BECK (CONT’D) Dr. Livingstone I presume.

EXT. PALACE HOTEL – DAY Beck exits the hotel wearing a black backpack and walks to Cristobal who is standing next to a squat, square car that resembles a large high tech golf cart. It seats three, driver up front and two passengers in the back.

CRISTOBAL Hola Senor Beck. You look like you are carrying the weight of the world. Did you not sleep well?

BECK You have a way with words Cristobal. (pointing to the car) Is this the prototype?

CRISTOBAL Si, the roof is painted with the nano-ink and we have a windmill as well. The car is one hundred percent solar/wind driven.

Cristobal and Beck enter the car. The driver, Carlos-the same Carlos working with Victor, turns and shakes Beck’s hand.

CARLOS Hola Senor, my name is Carlos and I will be your driver today. (to Beck) Can I take your backpack for you?

Beck looks around but doesn’t see anyone suspicious.

43.

BECK No, I can manage. Let’s get the tour going.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK AND CRISTOBAL DRIVING TO A SMALL REGIONAL AIRPORT. VICTOR’S BLACK VAN TRAILS WELL OUT OF SIGHT. B) BECK AND CRISTOBAL ENTER A SMALL FIXED-WING PLANE. THE WINGS ROTATE, POSITIONING THE PROPELLERS STRAIGHT UP. THE AIRCRAFT TAKES OFF VERTICALLY, THEN THE WINGS ROTATE MOVING THE PROPELLERS FORWARD PROPELLING THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD. INT. PLANE (MOVING) – DAY Beck and Cristobal sit in the back of the plane. They are flying over a vast stretch of sea that is filled with giant, white windmills. Cristobal has an image of the windmill on a display, below the waterline is a watermill.

CRISTOBAL Above the waterline we harness the wind and below the waterline we harness the currents. Both produce incredible amounts of electricity.

A large ship passes between the windmills, demonstrating their huge size.

CRISTOBAL (CONT’D) The trick to keeping them stable is to have the wind blades and water blades turn in opposite directions.

That stabilizes the rig.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) THE AIRPLANE FLIES PAST MORE WINDMILLS. B) THE AIRPLANE LANDS VERTICALLY. C) BECK AND CRISTOBAL ENTER THE SOLAR CAR AND DRIVE TO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK. D) BECK AND CRISTOBAL EXIT THE CAR AND ENTER ONE OF THE LARGE WAREHOUSES. INT. WAREHOUSE – DAY Stretching to the ceiling are huge sheets of vertical tubes filled with a light green liquid.

44.

CRISTOBAL This is the most economical way to create algae. Pond scum takes too much space and is nearly impossible to control natural variances like light and temperature. This system is in a completely controlled environment.

Cristobal points to a forklift moving large barrels.

CRISTOBAL (CONT’D) Those barrels are filled with crude oil harvested from this algae operation. In fact, the forklift is running on petrol made from this process. As cars move to solar and hydrogen, there will still be a demand for crude oil for machinery, industrial vehicles, planes, ships, not to mention all the materials made with it. This is the future of crude.

BECK Yes, our investments will do well here. Great job!

CRISTOBAL Excellent. We can talk about what a wonderful job we're doing and about how much money we're going to make over an espresso. I’m buying.

Cristobal slaps Beck on the back as they return to their solar car. They enter the car.

CRISTOBAL (CONT’D) Carlos, please take us to a café.

CARLOS Si, you will like Café Madrid. It is quiet and out of the way.

INT. BLACK VAN – DAY Victor, Katrina and team sit in the van.

KATRINA (listening in an earpiece) Smart, he picked one we could get to first. Go. The van pulls into traffic.

45.

EXT. CAFÉ MADRID PATIO – DAY Beck and Cristobal exit the car and sit at a table on the patio. Beck has his backpack with him. The café has ten tables which are half full. A WAITER comes over from inside the café.

CRISTOBAL Dos espressos, por favor.

WAITER Si. Beck glances behind Cristobal and sees the black van parked down the street. Jose and Katrina sit at a table next to them.

CRISTOBAL Well Senor Beck, our partnership is becoming very profitable. I am pleased you talked me into working with you.

BECK You called me for six months before I returned your call. I thought it was easier to work with you rather than file for a restraining order.

CRISTOBAL Revisionist history, mi amigo, does not suit you.

The Waiter brings their drinks and a check and leaves them on the table. Cristobal puts his credit card on the tray with the check and looks past Beck at a sedan that parks nearby.

Victor exits the driver side and Blade exits the passenger side. When exiting, Blade’s jacket opens revealing the Kriss Super V submachine gun. They walk quickly toward Beck and Cristobal.

CRISTOBAL (CONT’D) (raises his glass) A toast mi amigo and then it is time to go. To the tilting windmills... behind you.

Beck looks questioning at Cristobal, but then notices the look on Katrina’s face and understands.

BECK Yes, we're late. Thank you, friend, I'll take this to the waiter.

46.

Beck grabs his backpack and the check with Cristobal's credit card. Victor pauses and locks eyes with Katrina.

INT. CAFÉ – CONTINUOUS Beck enters quickly and drops the tray with the check on the counter, but takes the credit card and pockets it. He exits the back door and sprints down an alley.

EXT. CAFÉ MADRID PATIO – CONTINUOUS Victor and Katrina continue to lock eyes. Katrina stands with Jose and they quickly walk into the café with Blade and Victor trailing behind. Blade bumps Cristobal who looks very frightened.

INT. CAFÉ – CONTINUOUS Katrina enters and sees that Beck is gone.

KATRINA Damn!

She gestures with her hand and Jose and Blade head to the exit. Victor walks up to her.

KATRINA (CONT’D) (to (H)EPC) Karp, subject is on the run. Need him to be declared.

KARP (on (H)EPC) That will... complicate things.

KATRINA (to (H)EPC) Make it happen or we’ll lose him.

KARP (on (H)EPC) Understood.

KATRINA (to Victor) Enjoying this?

VICTOR Not at all.

KATRINA (to (H)EPC/Carlos) Carlos, chauffeur time is over.

Subject is on the run, sync up.

47.

CARLOS (on (H)EPC) Si. EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS Beck sprints down an alley to the main street and turns left.

INT. CAFÉ – CONTINUOUS A WAITER tries to stop Blade from entering the back of the cafe. Blade stops, smiles and then springs up and does a 360 degree spin in the air. The waiter SCREAMS and then topples over, both his feet are severed at the ankles. The feet are unmoved and rest next to him as blood spurts out of his legs.

Blade bounces over him and exits the cafe.

EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS Jose runs towards the street. Blade passes him easily making a loud SWOOSH noise with his prosthetics. They get to the end and Blade goes left and Jose goes right.

EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS Beck notices an American Express store and walks in holding his stomach MOANING and hands the CLERK an American Express black card.

BECK I need five thousand dollars in travelers checks and a bathroom. El bano, rapido!

The Clerk takes the card and points to the rear of the store.

Beck runs to the back and ducks into the bathroom leaving the door cracked to look out. He sees Blade run by the store and can hear the SWOOSH. Beck takes a light jacket out of his backpack and a baseball cap and puts both on. He has the Video Life and his "Sherlock Holmes: Volume Two book" in the backpack. Finally, he puts on sunglasses, flushes the toilet and casually walks out.

BECK (CONT’D) Gracias, I feel much better.

The CLERK hands him his cashiers checks and credit card.

BECK (CONT’D) You know, I think I might need another five thousand.

48.

Beck hands him the card and looks out the window. The Clerk runs the card.

CLERK Sorry, Senor, but it will not allow another transaction. Very strange, says the card has been deactivated.

Beck takes the card and exits heading right, away from Blade.

He dumps his credit cards in the trash, but holds onto Cristobal’s.

EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS Katrina and Victor stand on the sidewalk outside the café.

KATRINA (to team via (H)EPC) Beck is at an American Express store two blocks North of the Cafe.

He's still broadcasting. Converge.

EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS Beck fast walks down the sidewalk and then hears SWOOSH, SWOOSH coming from his rear. He looks back and sees Blade running very fast towards him. Beck runs into the street dodging cars, HORNS BLARE, and then he runs into a large park. Blade pursues, springing on the hoods of the stopped cars.

INT. SOLAR CAR (MOVING) – CONTINUOUS Carlos is driving and spots Beck and Blade.

CARLOS (to (H)EPC) They're entering Parque del Retiro.

Beck is wearing a tan jacket, hat and sunglasses.

EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS Katrina and Victor walk to the black van.

KATRINA Pursue with your bikes. I will follow in the van.

EXT. PARK – CONTINUOUS Beck runs by a large lake with water sprouting. There is a large, ornate glass building at the edge of the lake. Blade over-takes him there.

49.

Blade makes a running sweeping kick with his prosthetic barely missing Beck’s ducking head. Blade’s prosthetic glances off a metal light pole and sparks fly. Beck sees that the prosthetics edges are sharpened like swords.

Beck moves in close and uses his Greco Roman wrestling, like in the Dojo, and takes Blade down. Blade tumbles and his Kriss Super V flies free of its holster and skids into the grass at the edge of the lake. Beck and Blade scramble for the gun and Blade reaches it first and brings it up and FIRES as Beck kicks the gun loose into the lake. Blade spin kicks tearing Beck’s jacket. Beck moves in with a series of quick jabs and kicks sending Blade on his back. Beck turns and runs to a nearby thicket of dense trees. Blade is flat on his back and springs to his prosthetics in one fluid motion and pursues Beck into the thicket with his SWOOSHES. Once surrounded by the dense trees, Beck turns to fight. This throws Blade off, he stops and faces Beck lightly bouncing on his prosthetics.

BLADE Not bad for a banker.

BECK Not bad for a cripple.

Blade smiles and bounces.

BLADE Hand over the Video Life and I’ll let you walk out of here.

BECK Who do you work for and why do you want it so bad?

BLADE Don’t be naïve, like your dad.

INT. VAN (MOVING) – CONTINUOUS Katrina drives with Victor in the passenger seat.

KATRINA (to (H)EPC) They’re in the woods next to the lake building.

EXT. SIDEWALK – CONTINUOUS Carlos leaves the solar car and gets on his three wheeled motorcycle and heads to the park.

50.

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS Jose is on his three wheeled motorcycle closing in on the park woods.

EXT. PARK WOODS– CONTINUOUS Blade moves in and leaps for Beck with his arms. Beck easily throws him off and then moves in with a series of quick jabs.

BECK (smiling) Trees too close for you.

Blade looks frustrated.

EXT. PARK ENTRANCE – CONTINUOUS Katrina runs in with Victor following.

EXT. PARK WOODS- CONTINUOUS Blade moves in again and is thrown off hard. Next he feints a strike with his arms and then throws a roundhouse kick with his prosthetic. Beck anticipates this and gets under the kick and hits him in the back of the knee, sending the kick into a tree and drives the blade of the prosthetic deep into the tree.

EXT. PARK – CONTINUOUS Carlos drives the motorcycle on a park trail heading to the woods. People scramble out of his way YELLING. EXT. PARK WOODS- CONTINUOUS Beck stays close to the ground and kicks out the other prosthetic and then catches Blade in the air as he falls, one leg/prosthetic is still stuck in the tree. Blade is upside down.

BECK Your asshole buddies are late.

Beck and Blade’s faces are very close and a smile flashes across Blade’s face as he reaches behind his neck for a knife strapped to his back. Beck wrestles with him and is able to put him into a squeeze hold sending Blade into unconsciousness, the knife drops.

51.

EXT. PARK – CONTINUOUS Katrina runs into the woods with weapon drawn. She stops after seeing Blade stretched out, hanging upside down with his prosthetic still wedged in the tree. Victor catches up.

KATRINA Jesus. (to (H)EPC) Karp, Beck is still on the run and Blade is down. Repeat, Blade is down.

VICTOR Damn.

INT. SITUATION ROOM – NIGHT Karp and team watch multiple monitors.

KARP Beck is on the Declared Terrorist List, Level Black. His assets are frozen, all his phones are tapped, everything he owns is seized, his picture is being mapped and fed into the Watch List Database and anyone who has so much as winked at him in the past twenty fucking years is being questioned.

An ANALYST looks at a red dot on his monitor.

ANALYST Excuse me Sir, the target just connected to a wireless access point four blocks east of the park at the Madrid Metro.

KARP And the damn fool is still broadcasting to the local WAPS. ANALYST We’ll need a court order to keep him on the DTL longer than twentyfour hours.

KARP He’ll be dead or in custody in under ten.

52.

INT. METRO STATION BATHROOM – CONTINUOUS Beck looks at himself in the mirror, his hands shake. People stare at him.

BECK Too close... that was too close.

Still shaking, Beck takes off his jacket and reverses it so that it is now blue. He takes his hat and casually switches it for another one that is on the counter and then a CHIME is heard from his backpack. He takes his EPC out and a text opens: "Walk away from the Video Life son." The text dissolves. He takes the EPC off and stares at it.

BECK (CONT’D) Damn!

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS The black van and two motorcycles pull up and stop.

INT. METRO PLATFORM – CONTINUOUS Beck exits the bathroom and walks to a magazine cart. He buys a newspaper and then stares at the subway train.

INT. METRO ENTRANCE – CONTINUOUS Katrina, Victor, Carlos and Jose enter the subway platform and look for Beck. The train pulls away. Katrina gets a call on her EPC. KATRINA Yes. KARP (on (H)EPC) Beck is moving north quickly... in a straight line.

KATRINA The train! Where’s the next stop?

Katrina, Carlos and Jose run back to the entrance towards their vehicles. Victor lingers and looks around more closely.

KATRINA (O.S.) (CONT’D) Victor! Hurry damnit!

Victor leaves.

Beck sits on a nearby bench and lowers his newspaper.

53.

BECK Know your enemy, know yourself, fear not the outcome.

Beck walks out of the station and hails a cab.

INT. METRO TRAIN – DAY Katrina, Carlos and Jose search the train as the people depart. Victor stands on the platform seeming not interested.

Katrina pushes past people and then a baby in a stroller catches her eye. The baby is laughing and playing with Beck’s EPC like a rattle. Katrina looks menacingly at Victor who shrugs.

INT. SITUATION ROOM – NIGHT Karp is on his (H)EPC. Behind him faces flash on the monitor.

KARP Beck is off the grid.

KATRINA (on (H)EPC) How is that possible Sir? KARP You tell me! You had eyes on him all day!

Silence.

KARP (CONT’D) Listen, he’s smart... but no matter how smart he’ll make a mistake and pop up on the grid. They always do.

And when he does, we’ll be ready.

We always are.

EXT. SMALL REGIONAL AIRPORT – DAY Beck pays the cab driver and walks up to the small brick building with a picture cut out of a Cessna above the door.

There are several rustic bush planes tied down on the dirt tarmac. There is no control tower and the runway is made of a thin concrete strip. Beck looks around and notices there are no cameras and smiles.

INT. BRICK BUILDING – CONTINUOUS Beck walks to a desk where an old, dark man with a white beard sits behind the desk snoozing. He is leaning back in his chair.

54.

BECK Excuse me, I’d like to charter a plane to Victoria Falls... to a secluded air strip. I’m in a hurry and don’t want to waste time with customs.

The old man stirs opening one eye.

OLD MAN No habla ingles.

Beck takes out his cashier check for five thousand dollars.

The other eye on the Old Man opens.

OLD MAN (CONT’D) Avoiding customs is expensive.

Beck hands him the cashiers check.

BECK I think you’ll manage.

EXT. REGIONAL AIRPORT – DAY An old Cessna rumbles down the thin runway and lifts into the air.

INT. CESSNA (MOVING) – EVENING Beck sits in the back reviewing the Video Life. He focuses on footage of his father sitting on a bench at a train station doing a crossword puzzle. Jonathon looks around and then lays on the bench putting the crossword puzzle on his face like he is trying to get some sleep. Beck zooms in on the cross word puzzle and only one line is filled in with "South African Hope." A blue, old fashioned train pulls up to the platform and Jonathon enters the train.

BECK Hmm. I agree Dad, sleep looks like a really good idea.

Beck puts a magazine on his face and goes to sleep.

INT. SITUATION ROOM – DAY Karp and team work. A monitor shows Katrina and Victor.

KARP Ideas damnit!

Katrina and Victor look uncomfortable.

55.

KARP (CONT’D) We’re going on ten hours with zero hits. Not one camera bite, not one pop on the grid.

VICTOR (on monitor) He’s on the trail of Jonathon and so should we.

KARP That’s ridiculous! There’s nothing in the Video Life that can guide Beck. No, stay in Spain until he surfaces. He’s there. Out. INT. VAN – CONTINUOUS Victor and Katrina sit in the van.

KATRINA I’m gonna gut Beck myself and when I can prove that you’ve helped him I’ll come looking for you.

Katrina bumps Victor exiting the van.

VICTOR (on (H)EPC) Carlos...

EXT. REMOTE AIRSTRIP – DAWN "Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe" appears bottom center. Beck enters an old cab that drives down a dirt road. The cab passes the same bronze statue of the man standing tall with a cane seen in the opening scene.

BECK I’m looking for someone who might remember an industrial fire of a research facility that occurred here thirty years ago.

CAB DRIVER It’s a small town. Everyone remembers. But I know someone you can talk with. It may...

Beck hands him money.

CAB DRIVER (CONT’D) Felipe, at the Victoria Falls Hotel... he will remember.

56.

INT. BEDROOM/BATH – DAY Beck lounges in a clawfoot bath tub in the corner. There is a sink and a net canopied bed opposite the bath. On the bed are new dress slacks and coat. Beck rubs a bullet-hole scar on his shoulder.

INT. GERTIES MAIN HALL – DAY Beck is dressed in his new tan slacks and coat and has switched his backpack to a rustic canvas/leather type. He walks up to a CONCIERGE sitting behind a desk reading. There are brochures stacked on his desk, a stapler, pens and a long, ornate letter opener.

BECK Excuse me, what activities are close by?

CONCIERGE Well Sir, of course there are the falls, Livingstone’s statue, safaris and we have a host of adventure activities.

BECK Really? Are they in one of these brochures?

Beck reaches for one the piles and knocks it over.

BECK (CONT’D) I’m sorry!

CONCIERGE No problem.

The Concierge bends over to pick them up and Beck casually lifts the letter opener from the desk and slips it into his coat pocket. The Concierge puts the brochures back on the desk and opens one and shows him a picture of a man crossing the Zambezi River on a zip line.

CONCIERGE (CONT’D) The zip line is exhilarating!

Beck takes the brochure.

BECK Yes, I’m sure it is. Thank you.

Beck exits.

57.

INT. VICTORIA FALLS HOTEL BAR – DAY Beck enters and walks into an old world, colonial bar. A camera is aimed at the entryway, Beck pretends to sneeze and covers his face. Everyone is dressed well and a man plays the piano in the corner. A FEMALE BARTENDER walks over.

FEMALE BARTENDER Gesundheit. May I help you?

BECK Yes, I’m looking for Felipe.

The Female Bartender stares at him and hands him a menu.

FEMALE BARTENDER He’s working the lunch shift.

Time passes. Beck has dirty dishes in front of him. An older FRENCHMAN steps behind the bar and takes Beck’s dishes.

FRENCHMAN/FELIPE Bonjour, my name is Felipe. I understand you are looking for me?

BECK Yes, I am doing a follow-up story on the industrial fire you had here thirty years ago. A research facility burned down, killing everyone inside and I was told you might be able to provide some information.

FELIPE Oui, I worked there as a young man, cleaning up, taking out the trash.

Why are you doing a story on an old fire?

BECK Someone has suggested that it might have been arson and the authorities are thinking about re-opening the case. There is no statute of limitations for murder you know.

FELIPE It was tragique. Very friendly people.

BECK What were they researching?

58.

FELIPE Je ne sais pas... I don’t know.

Something medical. Lots of testage d’ADN... how do you say in American... DNA testing? Yes, lots of DNA testing.

BECK DNA testing?

FELIPE Oui, the authorities said they thought it might have been a biological chemical plant... a terroriste group. We never believed that.

BECK I checked and the research grant funding the project no longer exists. It just vanished.

FELIPE Chose etrange... strange. The Dr.’s wife... widow might be able to help you. She was at the clinic often.

She lived in Pretoria, South Africa... what was her name? How do you say in Americain...

Understanding crosses Beck’s face and he and Felipe talk at the same time.

FELIPE/BECK Espoir/Hope.

FELIPE Oui hope, how did you know?

BECK Thank you!

Beck puts down money for his tab and stands to leave.

FELIPE One more thing Monsieur. (lowers his voice) I never told anyone this, thought c’est la vie, but now, maybe no?

The next day, after the fire, I saw Marcus Benoit in a cab. He was a research technician. He was listed as dead and his family lives outside Paris.

59.

Beck hands him money.

BECK Thank you Felipe.

Beck leaves the bar. The Female Bartender watches him leave and walks to a phone and makes a call.

EXT. VICTORIA FALLS – EVENING Carlos is watching the sunset over the falls. He answers a call on his (H)EPC. CARLOS Si. Understood.

Carlos disconnects and walks away from the falls into the mist.

EXT. ROPE BRIDGE – EVENING Beck walks on the narrow rope bridge heading into the mist.

On the far end is Carlos walking towards him.

CARLOS (smiling) Mr. Beck, did you call for a driver?

Carlos draws a small handgun with a silencer and gets a shot off before Beck can react. The bullet passes through the jacket pocket missing Beck. Beck turns and runs disappearing into the mist.

CARLOS (CONT’D) (smiling) Bueno.

Carlos pursues.

EXT. JUNGLE – CONTINUOUS Beck sprints through the jungle and stops to check his side.

He pulls out the brochure from his pocket. It has a hole through the picture of the zip line. He smiles.

Two bullets hit a tree next to Beck and he rolls for cover and crawls towards the shots. Carlos runs towards Beck but doesn’t see him and misjudges the distance because Beck had closed the gap instead of running away. Beck leaps out of the bushes and hits Carlos in full stride. Carlos is surprised, but recovers bringing the gun up to fire. Beck grabs his wrist and puts his weight on it and they fall against a tree.

60.

Beck whips out the letter opener and stabs Carlos in the hand forcing him to drop the gun. Carlos kicks the gun in mid air sending it into the bushes. They exchange blows and Beck kicks Carlos’ hand that still has the letter opener in it, Carlos SCREAMS and doubles over and Beck kicks him down a slope. Beck watches him fall and then turns and runs.

EXT. GORGE – EVENING Beck stands before a gorge with the Zambezi River running through it. He is two hundred feet above the river. Above him is a zip line and Beck has taken the last set of handles (the other handles are in front of him) and he leaps over the edge riding the zip line. Carlos runs up, bruised and battered, holding his bloody hand and watches Beck disappear into the mist.

BECK Exhilarating!

EXT. TRAIN STATION – MORNING Beck enters the white-washed building with "Victoria Falls" on it.

INT. TRAIN STATION – CONTINUOUS Beck walks in and stops. He hurriedly takes out the Video Life and finds the footage of Jonathon on the bench at the Train station.

BECK Jesus.

Before Beck is the train platform and the same bench his father sat on. Beck has that footage running as he retraces his dad’s exact moves. This happens simultaneously. Beck walks to the bench and sits just as his dad did.

BECK (CONT’D) Dad...

Beck stays for a moment and then stands, avoiding the camera and walks to the ticket counter.

BECK (CONT’D) One ticket to Pretoria please.

CLERK Yes, we have a train scheduled to leave this morning. That will be fifteen thousand U.S. please.

61.

BECK Excuse me?

CLERK I’m sorry, all we have left is a Royal Suite.

BECK Still...

CLERK Sir, the Blue Train is the Orient Express of the dark continent.

There is no finer way to travel in all of Africa.

BECK Yes, of course.

Beck takes out Cristobal’s credit card and hands it to him.

CLERK Excellent Senor Fuentes. There is no cash on the train, everything will be charged to this card.

The Clerk hands him the card and his ticket and Beck returns to the bench. He sits there for a moment and then lies down.

Time passes. The Blue Train pulls in and Beck boards. The train is extremely ornate and old world in décor. Everyone is dressed well and the porters are in traditional uniforms.

Beck makes his way to his cabin and scans the train and platform looking for anyone suspicious. The whistle blows and the train pulls out. Beck closes his eyes and relaxes.

EXT. STREET IN VICTORIA FALLS – DAY Carlos in on his (H)EPC. CARLOS He got lucky, but I'm still on his trail.

INT. SITUATION ROOM – NIGHT Karp paces.

KARP Where are you damnit? What am I missing?

62.

INT. TRAIN CABIN – DAY Beck sits at his table watching the scenery slip by. Grassy plains pass with giraffes, elephants and lions in their natural surroundings. The train passes vineyards and colonial towns and ancient tea estates. Finally, the train passes a local village that is quarantined and men in medical masks tend to villagers.

Time passes. Beck opens the Video Life and skims the footage until he sees his dad in a jewelry store picking up a necklace. Beck zooms in and can tell that it is a crucifix.

Jonathon then takes his cell phone and dials and hangs up. He does it twice. Beck zooms in on the number: two, five, five, two, three, four. Beck stares at the number.

BECK What's the last number, Dad? INT. SITUATION ROOM – DAY Karp works.

ANALYST Sir, I think I have something.

Karp walks over.

KARP I’m listening.

ANALYST Cristobal Fuentes purchased a Royal Suite cabin on the Blue Train in Victoria Falls, Africa twelve hours ago for a yesterday departure.

KARP And? ANALYST We have him under surveillance in Madrid.

KARP Why are we just now connecting the dots!

ANALYST The subject knows everyone. Cross referencing his friends and business contacts takes time.

63.

INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT Victor, Katrina and Jose are in a room.

KATRINA (on (H)EPC) Understood, Beck’s on a train to Pretoria. He’s twelve hours ahead of us. We’re on our way.

VICTOR (on (H)EPC) Karp, I have a man on location who can board the train at Mafikeng.

Katrina looks around.

KATRINA Where in the hell is Carlos!

EXT. MAFIKENG – NIGHT Carlos walks towards the slowing train with a bandage on his hand.

INT. BECK’S CABIN – NIGHT Beck plucks a hair and takes hair wax and puts the hair across the bottom of the closet door and door jam and uses the hair wax to keep it in place. Beck then takes his backpack and exits to the corridor.

INT. TRAIN CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Beck walks down the corridor and stops a PORTER. BECK Excuse me, why are we stopping?

PORTER We are taking on passengers... oh, and customs check. Anything else Mr. Fuentes?

Beck looks out the window and sees a CUSTOMS AGENT board the train.

BECK Yes, I need to use a printer, where is your office suite?

PORTER Rear of the train.

64.

Beck turns and walks to the rear of the train. Behind Beck the Customs Agent boards and stands at the door and checks the passports of the boarding passengers. One of the passengers is Carlos.

INT. OFFICE SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck sits at a desk and looks at different type fonts on the word processor. He has his passport in front of him.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Carlos stops the same Porter.

CARLOS Excuse me, I am looking for a colleague of mine, a Senor Cristobal Fuentes, do you know what cabin he is in?

PORTER Yes, two compartments back, Suite Twenty-Three D. Carlos heads to the suite. The Customs Agent makes his way through the train.

INT. OFFICE SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck finds a font to match his passport and types Cristobal Fuentes and hits print. Nothing happens. Beck moves to the printer.

BECK No paper!

INT. BECK’S SUITE – CONTINUOUS Carlos picks the lock and enters the suite. He immediately searches the suite, opening the drawers and the closet knocking the hair loose.

INT. OFFICE SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck finds paper and hits print. Then, he takes his passport and tries to split a corner.

BECK Too bad I let Carlos borrow my letter opener.

65.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS The Customs Agent knocks on the door next to the Office Suite with Beck.

INT. OFFICE SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck hears the KNOCK next door. His hands tremble and he sweats as he carefully slides the cut out Cristobal name between the laminate and paper on his passport.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Carlos slowly walks looking in open cabins.

INT. OFFICE SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck works on the passport when a KNOCK is heard at his door.

BECK Just a moment, finishing a text.

Beck takes his passport and crumples it hard in his hand hiding the frayed corner. Two more KNOCKS. Beck opens the door and suspiciously looks around.

BECK (CONT’D) Hola, may I help you.

The Customs Agent stares at him.

CUSTOM AGENT Ah... passport please.

Beck hands him his passport.

BECK Hurry amigo, if my novia catches me working on our vacation she’ll go as dry as the Sahara... if you get my meaning.

The Customs Agent looks embarrassed and quickly scans the passport for the name and checks it off his list of passengers. He gives the passport back and hurriedly leaves.

Beck watches him leave and then closes the door and sits down hard.

BECK (CONT’D) Damn, I really do need a vacation... and a girlfriend come to think of it.

66.

INT. DINING CAR – CONTINUOUS The train starts moving and Carlos takes a seat in the dining car.

INT. BECK’S SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck enters his suite and stops. Everything is in order, but he still carefully looks around and then notices the hair on the closet door is gone. Beck checks the closet and rest of the suite, then locks the door and lies on the bed and turns out the light. Only his silhouette is seen.

INT. PRETORIA AIRPORT – NIGHT Katrina, Victor and Jose walk through the terminal.

KATRINA Any word from Carlos?

VICTOR No, the train is traveling through the mountains and EPC communication will be spotty at best. We’ll have an update soon enough.

INT. DINING CAR – NIGHT Carlos finishes his meal and then continues searching for Beck. He goes to the lavatories, the bar, the office suite and checks any cabin not locked. Then he heads back to Beck’s suite.

CARLOS Time for a turn down service.

INT. BECK’S SUITE – CONTINUOUS Beck is sleeping.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Carlos walks up to Twenty-Three D and slowly tries to turn the door handle. It is locked. Carlos smiles and moves his jacket slightly revealing a handgun.

INT. BECK’S – SUITE The PICKING of the lock is heard.

Slowly, the door opens and a handgun with a silencer appears in the cracked doorway and then the SPIT of it firing is heard. Two rounds hit the silhouette with a THUMP.

67.

Carlos, standing in the doorway, smiles, pleased with himself. Suddenly he is violently pulled into the door banging his head and then is yanked into the suite.

INT. BECK’S SUITE – CONTINUOUS The gun falls to the ground in the dark suite. Carlos and Beck fight with lightning fast hand-to-hand combat. They are cramped in the suite and have no room to maneuver and must fight where they stand. Carlos lands a couple of painful blows, but Beck lands a pointed knuckle strike to the front of the throat making Carlos gag, loosening his defenses and Beck is able to make an eye strike with his fingers. He digs in and grabs the top of his head and cups Carlos’s mouth as he let’s out a MUFFLED CRY. Beck drives him into the dresser corner crushing Carlos’s skull. Beck and Carlos collapse to the ground. It is dark.

BECK By the way, you were a shitty driver.

EXT. PRETORIA TRAIN STATION – MORNING Katrina, Victor and Jose pace the platform.

JOSE Nothing from Carlos.

VICTOR No. KATRINA Victor and I will board. Jose, you watch the platform. Beck’s suite is Twenty-Three D. INT. BECK’S CABIN – MORNING Beck takes Carlos’s gun, passport, wallet, and coat. The train slows and Beck looks out the window and spots Victor.

Beck takes Carlos’s (H)EPC and breaks it and takes the ear bud and puts it into to the bottom of his left shoe.

EXT. PRETORIA TRAIN STATION – CONTINUOUS The train slows to a stop and passengers disembark. Katrina and Victor fight through the people and board.

INT. BECK’S CABIN – CONTINUOUS Beck puts his backpack on reverse and hangs it low around his stomach and then puts Carlos’s jacket on.

68.

He puts on a favoring the older couple from his and

baseball cap and exits the cabin limping, foot with the ear bud in the shoe. Beck sees an packing their belongings in the cabin across he casually steals the OLDER MAN’S cane.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Katrina and Victor push their way through the crowd of passengers, porters and luggage. They push right by Beck who looks portly with a bad limp.

EXT. PRETORIA TRAIN STATION – CONTINUOUS Jose watches the passengers including Beck pass by.

INT. BECK’S CABIN – CONTINUOUS Katrina and Victor carefully enter the cabin. They see Carlos lying in Beck’s bed. They run to him and check his pulse.

They look confused.

OLDER MAN (O.S.) I think the man next door stole my cane!

Victor steps out of the cabin and looks into the Older Man’s cabin.

VICTOR (on (H)EPC) Jose, look for a man with a limp and cane!

JOSE (O.S.) Jesus!

Jose runs the direction Beck went.

EXT. PRETORIA TRAIN STATION – CONTINUOUS Jose picks up a cane leaning against an empty bench.

JOSE (on (H)EPC) He’s gone.

INT. TRAIN – CONTINUOUS Victor and Katrina stand outside Beck’s cabin.

VICTOR And then there were three.

69.

EXT. STREET – DAY Beck exits a cab on a busy corner and walks two blocks and enters a hotel.

INT. HOTEL – DAY Beck walks to the DESK CLERK. BECK Excuse me, can I see a phone directory please.

The Desk Clerk hands him a directory and Beck takes it to a nearby table. He thumps through it until he finds the Cs and then he looks down the list until he finds the Cromwell’s.

There are a couple dozen Cromwell’s and one H. Cromwell. Beck tears out the page and exits the hotel.

INT. SITUATION ROOM – NIGHT Karp sits in front of a monitor looking at footage of Beck entering the cab at the Train Station.

KARP Katrina, Beck took a cab to the corner of fourth and fifth.

EXT. TRAIN STATION – DAY Katrina, Victor and Jose enter a cab.

EXT. HOPE CROMWELL’S STREET – DAY Beck exits a cab.

BECK Are you sure... ?

CAB DRIVER Yes. Strange house, strange lady.

The cab drives away. Beck stands in front of a large earth mound covered with grass and flowers. The mound is spotted with round glass windows that resemble large portholes. Beck walks up to a doorway that is cut out of the mound and KNOCKS on a large oak door. A tall, beautiful woman with long blond hair, named STEPHANIE, opens the door. They lock eyes for a moment.

STEPHANIE Yes.

70.

BECK Hello, I'm looking for Mrs. Hope Cromwell please.

STEPHANIE She can’t be disturbed right...

HOPE (O.S.) Who is it Sweetness?

Hope walks over and squeezes past Stephanie.

HOPE (CONT’D) It’s not everyday I get a gentleman caller Sweetness.

Hope looks at Beck and recognition sparks.

HOPE (CONT’D) Why Mr. Beck, so good to see you again. Please come in.

INT. HOUSE – CONTINUOUS Beck enters the house and descends a short series of steps and walks into the great room that is covered by the dome roof and light that streams in through the ceiling portholes.

Stephanie looks at Beck suspiciously.

HOPE Sweetness, would you get us some iced tea please.

Stephanie goes into the kitchen for the drinks. Beck wanders around the room looking at pictures of Dr. Cromwell and Stephanie as a small child. Stephanie returns with the drinks.

HOPE (CONT’D) I’m surprised to see you Mr. Beck.

You were in such a rush last time we spoke and you made it quite clear we would never meet again.

BECK Please refresh my memory, Hope. How long ago was that?

HOPE I can see that your memory has not aged as well as the rest of you.

You look just like you did some thirty odd years ago.

71.

Stephanie looks confused and stares at Beck and then hands him the iced tea.

BECK (to Stephanie quietly) She thinks I’m my father.

Stephanie looks even more confused but then a little relieved. Beck takes a drink of the iced tea and continues looking at the pictures.

BECK (CONT’D) Excellent tea.

HOPE Yes, I remember you said that last time.

BECK Do you remember that day?

Hope sits and takes a picture of Dr. Cromwell off the end table and stares at it.

HOPE You told me the truth... when no one else would. You told me how my Alexander died.

Stephanie stands and sits next to Hope. Hope puts the picture on her lap reaches out and caresses Stephanie’s face.

STEPHANIE Papa died in an accident... at work.

HOPE No Sweetness. Your papa was murdered. He and his whole research team.

STEPHANIE I don’t understand... how... ?

HOPE Mr. Beck warned me that your safety depended on me being quiet.

STEPHANIE Why did you believe him? The crucifix!

Stephanie stands and her hand reflexively touches the crucifix below her shirt.

72.

Hope picks up the picture of Dr. Cromwell again and the crucifix is clearly seen around his neck.

HOPE He never went anywhere without it.

That is the only reason I gave you his notes Mr. Beck.

BECK Notes!

HOPE Yes, knowing his final loving words and having the crucifix was an excellent trade.

BECK Did he... I, tell you where I was going to put the notes?

HOPE No, but you said something that I shall never forget.

BECK/STEPHANIE Yes. HOPE Better lost than destroyed. Yes, that was it. I never asked what you meant, I didn’t want to know.

BECK Then what happened?

HOPE Why you took the journal and left and I cried... for a year I should think. (picks up a plate of cookies) Biscuit?

EXT. PRETORIA STREET – DAY Victor, Katrina and Jose stand out front of a hotel.

JOSE Where to?

VICTOR To find some hope.

73.

INT. CAR (MOVING) – DAY Stephanie is driving and Beck is in the passenger seat.

BECK Thank you for giving me a lift.

STEPHANIE I don't care about giving you a lift, I want to know what you’re not telling my mum.

Stephanie looks nervous and caresses the cross beneath her shirt.

BECK Is your crucifix engraved with a series of numbers?

Stephanie looks pale.

STEPHANIE How did...?

BECK Let me see it and I will tell what I know.

Stephanie takes the crucifix off and hands it to Beck. Beck looks it over and on the side he sees a series of numbers and letters.

BECK (CONT’D) Two, eight, one, two, three, nine, E? Beck pulls out the Video Life and maneuvers it to the image of Jonathon punching in the phone number. Stephanie leans over and sees the footage and then stares at Beck.

STEPHANIE He does look like you.

Beck zooms in on the numbers again.

BECK Two, five, five, two, three, four.

Beck stares at the numbers as Stephanie drives. Beck looks up at the HUD navigation and the longitude/latitude numbers catches his eye.

74.

BECK (CONT’D) Damn! That’s it! It’s not two, five... it’s twenty five!

Beck takes out his portfolio and writes the Video Life numbers down. Then, he holds up the crucifix and writes those numbers out.

BECK (CONT’D) Twenty-eight, twelve and thirtynine. E must be East. Twenty-three degrees, twelve minutes and thirtynine seconds, East.

STEPHANIE I don’t understand.

BECK If your crucifix is East, then the fake phone number must be twentyfive degrees, fifty-two minutes and thirty-four seconds South!

STEPHANIE What’s going on?

Beck ignores her and punches in the coordinates into the HUD. A red dot appears next to the picture of a house on the HUD with "Irene County Lodge" next to it.

BECK Let me drive.

EXT. HOPE’S HOUSE – DAY Victor, Katrina and Jose walk up to the front door.

EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – DAY Beck and Stephanie exit the car and stand in a dirt parking lot in front of a rustic lodge. There is a stables, coral and water well nearby.

Beck slowly walks towards the lodge and Stephanie follows.

BECK How exact is your car navigation?

STEPHANIE I don’t know.

Beck stops and looks around.

75.

BECK Why did he send us here?

Stephanie looks around and then takes her EPC out and puts it on.

STEPHANIE I can get the exact coordinates.

Stephanie turns the EPC on and navigates to a map application. She loads in the coordinates and follows the arrows pointing her to the exact coordinates. Beck follows.

BECK How far?

STEPHANIE Hold on...

Stephanie walks to an old fashioned water well which has a stone circular wall with a wood pulley and pail.

BECK Makes sense.

Beck tosses the pail in and listens as it hits dry dirt below.

BECK (CONT’D) People tend to keep water wells around even if they are dry.

Beck ties the rope off and swings a leg over the stone wall.

STEPHANIE What are you doing?

BECK I'm getting to the bottom of this.

INT. BOTTOM OF THE WELL - CONTINUOUS Beck unearths an object the size of a book wrapped in thick plastic. He puts it behind his back in his waistband and then climbs up the rope using only his arms.

EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – CONTINUOUS Beck leans against the well breathing heavily. Stephanie kneels next to him as he unwraps the plastic. Inside is a leather journal with the initials "A.C." on the right bottom corner.

76.

STEPHANIE My father’s journal.

She slowly opens it. It is apparent the pages have been torn out and replaced by a standard school composition journal.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) This doesn’t look right...

BECK That’s my dad’s writing. He switched the journals.

Beck takes the journal and reads.

JONATHON (V.O.) "Once I saw the monitor I knew I wasn’t supposed to be on that mission."

INT. RIGHT ROOM (FLASHBACK) Jonathon kicks in the door and takes a bead on a startled MAN in a white lab coat. The Man is standing next to a computer monitor and Jonathon takes aim, but the monitor catches his eye. He stares at it and then back at the Man. JONATHON Shit. You’re not making biological weapons.

MAN/DR. CROMWELL (surprised) No! (shaking) We did it. Don’t you see?

Dr. Cromwell stares at the gun as sweat pours down his face.

DR. CROMWELL Please, it can’t die here.

JONATHON Jesus. This isn’t right. I want to see my family again. My son...

SCREAMS and BREAKING GLASS are heard from the left room.

DR. CROMWELL My daughter, she turns three tomorrow. She needs this, so will your son. The world needs this.

77.

JONATHON Forgive me Ruth... son.

Dr. Cromwell closes his eyes thinking he is going to be killed.

JONATHON (CONT’D) Doc, you can’t get your shit together with your eyes closed. We got one minute before they clear this room.

Dr. Cromwell quickly turns to the computer and inserts a thumb drive. Jonathon sets his watch timer to three minutes.

Dr. Cromwell takes the USB then he takes a silver crucifix necklace from around his neck.

DR. CROMWELL My wife lives in Pretoria and has my notes. Give her the crucifix and tell her and my daughter that I’ll always be with them.

Jonathon takes the USB and crucifix and then takes his backpack off. He unzips the backpack and takes out a worn leather bound "Sherlock Holmes: Volume One" novel and puts it on the ground. Then he takes out a plastic water tight container and puts the USB and necklace in it. He puts both the container and the Sherlock Holmes book back into the backpack.

JONATHON Chances are we won’t get out of here alive, much less make it to South Africa. Sorry Doc. Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell sprint out of the warehouse with Dac and Victor in pursuit. Dac takes aim and fires hitting Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell in the back sending them into the river. They are swept away into the night. The building explodes throwing Victor and Dac into the jungle. Victor clutches his leg.

The river runs fast and dark and a thunderous roaring is heard in the distance. Jonathon and Cromwell fight to keep their heads above water as they slip past a bronze statue, bathed in moonlight, of a man in tattered khakis standing tall with a cane.

END FLASHBACK EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – DAY Beck continues reading.

78.

JONATHON (V.O.) "I was able to pull Cromwell out of the river before we went over the falls."

EXT. RIVER – (FLASHBACK) Jonathon struggles with Cromwell, but manages to get him to shore. He checks to see if he is a live, but he isn’t.

Jonathon notices Cromwell’s notes in his lab coat pocket and takes it and puts it in the waterproof plastic bag in his backpack, next to his Sherlock Holmes volume that now has a bullet hole in it. He heads into the jungle.

END FLASHBACK EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – DAY Beck continues to read.

JONATHON (V.O.) "I knew then it was better for Cromwell’s work to be lost than destroyed. If you’re reading this then you’re on the right trail.

I’ve compartmentalized Cromwell’s findings to keep them away from UNIRU—there’s no one piece of information that will lead anyone to the findings. Few people know about the United Nations Information and Research Unit and that they are not a think tank, but instead a global intelligence service performing clandestine operations in every country on every continent. Their sole purpose is uniform world peace, but that has come at a very heavy price.

UNIRU is its own worst enemy... systematic world peace has caused a population explosion it can’t control. This last mission... this last cost I could not endure.

Continue on, the fate of billions relies on getting Cromwell’s discovery into the open."

Beck stops reading/V.O. ends.

STEPHANIE So that’s how my father died... what about the discovery? There has to be more.

79.

Beck flips through the journal of blank pages. He goes back to the journal entry and notices that it is signed "Garble oh Truth."

BECK What the hell?

Suddenly, Stephanie gets a call on her EPC. She stares at the unknown number and then at Beck. She answers.

STEPHANIE Yes? VICTOR (on (H)EPC) Hello Miss Cromwell. May I speak to Mr. Beck please?

She shakily hands Beck the EPC. BECK Victor, so good of you to call.

INT. VAN – DAY Katrina, Jose and Victor sit in the back with surveillance equipment.

VICTOR Listen son, this has gone too far and needs to end now.

Katrina and Jose track the signal.

BECK (on EPC) I’m getting close Vic. I almost have all the pieces. I’m coming for you and UNIRU. Katrina looks shocked.

VICTOR I don’t know what you think you know, but wild accusations do no good.

EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie huddle around the EPC. Beck checks his watch.

80.

VICTOR (on EPC) For instance, allegations could be detrimental to certain widows...

Beck slams the EPC on the floor and then smashes it with his boot.

INT. VAN – DAY Katrina, Jose and Victor sit in the back with surveillance equipment. The van fills with a loud SCREECH. JOSE What happened?

VICTOR Damn smart my boy! You know, you just can’t teach that kind of instinct.

KATRINA I’m gonna kick your ass Victor!

EXT. IRENE COUNTY LODGE – CONTINUOUS Stephanie drops to her knees and picks up the pieces of the EPC. STEPHANIE What are you doing!

BECK Time ran out. I didn’t want them to trace the call.

Stephanie stands.

STEPHANIE He said widow. Mum, they’re going to do something to my mum!

Stephanie runs for the car and Beck chases and catches her, grabbing her arms, forcing her to stop.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) Let go of me! You knew what he was going to say! Bastard!

Stephanie slaps Beck repeatedly trying to get loose, but Beck won’t release her.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) I have to...

81.

BECK I destroyed the EPC to save your mom, and mine!

Stephanie stops fighting.

STEPHANIE I don’t understand.

BECK If they can’t communicate with us then they can’t use our moms as leverage. They won’t hurt them just for kicks. They’ll want to use them to bring us in and that is impossible if they can’t make contact. They’re safe as long as we stay out of reach.

Beck guides Stephanie to the car and they enter and drive away.

INT. CAR – DAY (DRIVING) Beck drives.

STEPHANIE I want out of this. You can take the car. I just want out.

BECK No, we finish our father’s work. We get the information out into the open. Only then will you... we be safe.

STEPHANIE Get what out? What is it that’s worth dying for? Leaving your family?

BECK Your dad was a geneticist working in Zambia. There could only be a handful of reasons why they chose Zambia. We’ll get his journal and find out why. And I guess if they thought they could save billions, then yes that is worth leaving your family and even dying for if necessary.

Beck pulls into a busy outdoor mall, parks and exits. He throws the keys into the car.

82.

STEPHANIE What... ?

BECK I’m sure the car is hot by now.

Stephanie follows Beck into an outdoor shop and he buys light jackets, hats and sunglasses. They leave with their purchased items in a bag and walk along a series of water fountains.

The fountains feed into a water wall that you can walk through as the water parts.

Beck and Stephanie walk through, parting the falling water.

They stop on the other side to get their bearings and look back at the water wall where a picture of Beck is being displayed onto the falling water. Below the picture reads "Fugitive wanted for the murder of Monsignor Carlos Benedict." This is followed by a running tally of the people killed by AIDS this year. Stephanie looks at him as if in a new light, scared.

BECK (CONT’D) Monsignor my ass! UNIRU doesn’t miss a trick.

Stephanie starts to walk away and Beck grabs her arm.

BECK (CONT’D) Wait! He tried to kill me... twice.

A PASSERBY notices and recognizes Beck.

PASSERBY Police! Help! He’s here!

Beck ushers Stephanie along and they disappear into the crowd. Police arrive and pursue.

INT. VAN – DAY Jose listens with a headset.

JOSE The policia made a sighting. Five minutes from here.

EXT. OUTDOOR MALL – DAY Beck and Stephanie run through the open mall with the police in pursuit. At the far end of the mall is a carnival similar to a Cirque du Soleil. Beck runs by a gigantic mirror reflecting the crowd in weird, deformed ways. The mirror is roughly one hundred by thirty feet.

83.

A man with a T-shirt that says "Europe" on it stands and looks at his deformed figure. The "Europe" reflects back "eporuE." Beck sees this.

BECK Of course!

STEPHANIE What?

BECK We gotta find an Internet café.

Beck and Stephanie weave in and out of the crowd and then slip onto a large tour bus. Beck and Stephanie put on the clothes they bought and sit and watch the police run by the bus. The bus door closes and exits the area.

EXT. CARNIVAL – DAY Victor, Katrina and Jose exit the van. Police are everywhere.

VICTOR They’re gone.

Katrina is annoyed and starts her EPC. KATRINA Karp, did you get a bird’s eye view?

INT. COMMAND CENTER – NIGHT Karp and technicians view the monitors, one of which follows a Predator.

KARP Yes, I routed in a Predator. The only vehicle that left the area was a tour bus. It’s pulling into the LLLyria House.

INT. LLLYRIA HOUSE – DAY Beck and Stephanie walk in and head to the CONCIERGE. BECK Excuse me, do you have a terminal with Internet access I can use?

CONCIERGE In the library, Sir.

84.

He points to an adjacent room. Beck and Stephanie walk over and see an OLD WOMAN on the one computer who can’t get it to work. Beck walks over and looks over her shoulder and sees "Login: AGERTRUDE" on the upper right.

BECK May I help you?

OLD WOMAN Bugger off!

Stephanie laughs. Beck sees a book ATM on the far wall.

BECK That’ll do.

Beck walks to the Book ATM that looks like two large industrial copy machines and a computer smashed together.

Beck accesses the console and types in "Hogarth." Several hits return and one catches his eye, "Complete Engravings by Hogarth." Beck selects that title. A prompt for payment appears: "Cash", "Credit" or "Guest ID." Stephanie pulls out a credit card.

BECK (CONT’D) No, they’ll trace it. Let’s try this.

Beck punches in Alice Gertrude and the machine responds: "Welcome Alice Gertrude, do you want to charge this book to your room?" Beck hits the "YES" button.

STEPHANIE Who’s Alice?

BECK Miss Manners over there.

Nods to the Old Woman.

BECK (CONT’D) Her penance for being rude is a fifty dollar Hogarth book.

The machine rumbles as the copy is made.

STEPHANIE Who's Hogarth and why are you printing his book?

BECK A Seventeenth Century satirist who shined a light on the evil in the world.

85.

STEPHANIE Maybe a little less dramatic reason?

BECK Garble of Truth is an anagram. I figured out Hogarth at the carnival, but the rest I can't get.

The machine stops rumbling and a THUMP is heard as the book drops into a bin. Beck takes the oversized book out of the bin.

BECK (CONT’D) Now we need Mrs. Sunshine to leave.

Beck walks over to the Old Woman and sits very close skimming through the Hogarth book, he inches closer. The Old Woman looks uncomfortable and logs off and leaves.

OLD WOMAN Damn young people. No sense of decorum.

Stephanie chuckles.

STEPHANIE That wasn't nice.

BECK But effective. Log onto the computer and do a search for an anagram decipher.

Stephanie types.

STEPHANIE Done.

BECK Type in "Garble oh Truth."

A list of a thousand responses comes back. She immediately scrolls down to "H"s and finds a short list with "Hogarth" in them.

BECK (CONT’D) Excellent.

"Rub let", "bur let" and "butler" appear with "Hogarth." Beck skims the Hogarth book until he finds the lithograph of Samuel Butler "Hudibras." The picture of Butler is above a monument.

86.

In the center of the monument is a chariot being driven by a demon and to the right is a Christian soldier staring at himself in a mirror. To the right is a Centor holding a book open with "Canto I Line 15."

STEPHANIE The detail is remarkable.

BECK The engraving plates are priceless today. Even the lithographs, original copies, are extremely valuable.

STEPHANIE So what are we looking for?

BECK I don’t know yet. Do a search on Samuel Butler.

Stephanie searches Samuel Butler. Thousands of hits come up.

She picks the first one.

STEPHANIE He was a novelist, most known for his work "The Way of All Flesh."

Hmm, maybe we should print that one.

Beck and Stephanie exchange smiles.

BECK Where was he laid to rest?

STEPHANIE Hold on... looks like Woking, England.

Beck looks at the lithograph again.

BECK This monument could easily be a tomb.

Beck looks closely at the "Canto I Line 15."

BECK (CONT’D) Do a search on Dante’s "Devine Comedy: The Inferno."

STEPHANIE Who?

87.

BECK A fourteenth century poet who liked giving tours of Hell filled with society notables.

STEPHANIE You have way too much time on your hands.

Stephanie does the search and Beck comes over and takes over driving the computer. He selects Canto I and scrolls to Line 15 and reads.

BECK "that had harassed my heart with so much fear-" Beck continues to skim.

BECK (CONT’D) "And just as he who, with exhausted breath/having escaped from sea to shore, turns back/to watch the dangerous waters he quit/so did my spirit, still a fugitive/" Beck continues to skim.

BECK (CONT’D) "a leopard, very quick and lithe/a leopard covered with a spotted hide."

STEPHANIE I got a masters in marine biology so I wouldn't have to understand poetry. What in the hell does all that mean?

BECK It means we’re going to Woking and escape from the sea to the shore... still fugitives.

EXT. PORT MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE – DAY Beck and Stephanie walk into the busy harbor.

BECK How’s this going to work again?

STEPHANIE I have a friend with a ship who doesn’t ask a lot of questions.

88.

BECK What are you? Some sort of pirate?

STEPHANIE No... marine biologist! It just so happens if you work in the African waters long enough you get to know the local pirates one way or another. I'll take care of this.

INT. LLLYRIA HOUSE – PRETORIA Victor, Katrina and Jose stand in the lobby. Katrina is at the front desk showing a picture of Beck. The Old Woman is next to her. Victor has Karp on his (H)EPC. VICTOR They’re gone Karp. Vanished.

KARP (on (H)EPC) I’m going to activate the bees.

VICTOR What are we up to now, a hundred million bees? You’ll flood the database and slow our search engines to a crawl.

KARP (on (H)EPC) I can selectively activate only the African bees.

The Old Woman ARGUES with the HOTEL CLERK. Katrina stands near her.

OLD WOMAN (waiving a bill) Young man, I’m trying to contain my temper and not call you a gigantic ass! But do I really look like I purchased a Hogarth book?

Victor walks over and takes the photo of Beck from Katrina and shows it to the Old Woman.

VICTOR Excuse me, have you seen this man before?

89.

OLD WOMAN Balls! Yes I saw him in the Library. He tried to muscle into my computer session.

Victor walks away.

VICTOR Where was Jonathon last seen before France?

Karp does a search on the Video Life.

KARP (on (H)EPC) England.

VICTOR Activate the bees in England. And have someone figure out why in the hell Beck printed a copy of Hogarth... I hate Hogarth!

INT. QUEEN ELIZABETH’S REVENGE – NIGHT Beck and Stephanie stand at the rail watching the ocean pass by.

STEPHANIE Do you really think we’re going to survive this, much less find my father’s journal?

BECK I still have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. Besides, I think we’re almost at the end of the road.

STEPHANIE I don’t understand, why did your father leave these clues for you.

You were only, what, five when he died?

BECK He didn’t leave them for me. He just knew that UNIRU recorded everything. Not being able to go underground or trust anyone he did the only thing he could. He used the technology against them. My dad knew the records would be saved and that one day someone would sue to release them. Someone always does.

90.

STEPHANIE But the literary clues...

BECK That too was deliberate, but had nothing to do with me. If you’re going to leave markers in the rift of time you better make sure they’re fixed to something that will survive. Short of mass extinction... Poe, Doyle, Dante, Butler and their work, monuments, and graves will live forever.

Nations rise and fall but the poet’s words transcend. He bet his life on that, maybe all of our lives.

They watch the water pass by.

BECK (CONT’D) Maybe after we get through this you’ll let me formally buy you dinner... or something?

STEPHANIE Dinner is over-rated and after two days on this tub I’d prefer to hedge my bet.

She takes his hand and guides him into their cabin.

INT. CABIN – NIGHT The moonlight shines in through a porthole. Stephanie slowly takes Beck’s shirt off revealing his fit body. Beck undresses Stephanie and they become wildly passionate and move to the bed.

EXT. WAR OF THE WORLDS STATUE – WOKING, ENGLAND Beck and Stephanie stand beside a giant statue of the Wellsian Martian Tripod from "War of the Worlds."

STEPHANIE I don’t get it? There’re no graveyards with famous writers here. No Butler at all.

BECK This city is more known for H.G. Wells and the "War of the Worlds" than Butler.

91.

STEPHANIE We’ve been looking all day. I’m exhausted.

She sits next the statue and Beck joins her and holds her hand. Beck reaches into his backpack to get a water bottle and Stephanie notices the Sherlock Homes book and takes it out. Beck takes the book.

BECK Before my father died, he gave me this book. He had volume one and he said that no matter where we were we’d always be together, a pair, like these books. I’ve had it with me since.

Stephanie rubs her crucifix.

STEPHANIE Can’t we just disappear? I mean, I know a dozen small islands that are off the chart. One quick boat ride and the Pacific could swallow us whole.

A bee flies by Beck and stops and hovers.

BECK They took our fathers from us. They took something from humanity itself. We have to see this through.

The bee continues to hover in place.

STEPHANIE I hate bees! Even if they aren’t real anymore. I wasn’t sad to see them go the way of the DoDo twenty years ago.

BECK (eyeing the bee) Well, without their pollination the world got very hungry.

Beck quickly grabs the bee and holds it close to look at it.

BECK (CONT’D) Then with the help of a little nano technology... including my paint?

The bastards stole my nano paint!

(MORE)

92.

BECK (CONT’D) Well anyway, voila... new bee... new pollinator.

Beck looks close at the bee eyes and sees them focus. He squishes it.

BECK (CONT’D) And apparently new nano cameras.

We’ve got to go. They know where we are.

EXT. PUB – LONDON Victor is talking with Karp on the (H)EPC. KARP (on (H)EPC) He’s in Woking.

VICTOR Woking is wrong. There’s nothing there of importance. Did you cross reference Hogarth with England yet?

KARP (on (H)EPC) Hogarth was English damnit and all he talked about were the English!

It’s like looking for a white mark on a goddamn white wall! Get to Woking now!

EXT. WOKING – DAY Beck and Stephanie walk quickly away from the statue and then Beck stops an OLDER WOMAN. BECK Excuse me, do you know where the grave of Butler is?

OLDER WOMAN Which one?

STEPHANIE What?

OLDER WOMAN The poet or the pervert?

BECK I’m sorry... Samuel Butler?

93.

OLDER WOMAN Yes! There were two. The pervert was cremated here. He wrote some book about the flesh or something.

Stephanie and Beck exchange looks.

STEPHANIE What are the odds?

BECK And the poet? Where was he buried?

OLDER WOMAN Westminster Abbey of course, where all the important people are. He liked to make fun of Puritans. I guess that means you, Yank.

EXT. WESTMINSTER ABBEY – NIGHT Beck and Stephanie are dressed like grounds keepers and walk among cloisters and chapels.

STEPHANIE What is so special about this place anyway?

BECK Well, besides the fact that the building dates back to roughly 600 A.D. you have dozens of kings and queens buried here. You also have people who shaped the world into what it is today such as: Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, David Livingstone-who my father was apparently familiar with. And then you have the Poet’s Corner with the likes of: T.S. Eliot, Milton, Pope, Shelley, Wordsworth and Shakespeare who are either buried or memorialized here. We’ll look for Butler there.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) TOMB OF HENRY III OF ENGLAND. B) TOMB OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTTS. C) TOMB OF CHARLES DARWIN. D) TOMB OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON.

94.

E) TOMB OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE. F) TOMB OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN. Beck and Stephanie work their way through the Abbey looking at the tombs.

BECK Here’s Chaucer... Dickens...

Irving.

STEPHANIE Here, this is Butler.

They search the crypt entrance but can’t find anything.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) Do you think we’ll have to open it?

BECK No, he wouldn’t have had time or risked being caught opening it.

We’re missing something.

Beck looks around and eyes the other crypt entrances. They have a mixture of religious and animal symbols mixed in with coats of arms. Beck takes out his Blank Book and reads.

BECK (CONT’D) "that had harassed my heart with so much fear/and just as he who, with exhausted breath/having escaped from sea to shore, turns back/to watch the dangerous waters he quit/so did my spirit, still a fugitive/" Beck continues to read and walks among the crypts looking at each one and then stops at one with the relief of a coat of arms with a leopard on the shield.

BECK (CONT’D) "a leopard, very quick and lithe/a leopard covered with a spotted hide." Spotted hide... spot hide.

Beck runs his hand over the spots and stops when he touches one that is raised.

BECK (CONT’D) Do you have a nail file... ?

STEPHANIE That’s a very sexist...

95.

BECK Do you?

STEPHANIE Yes! Just a minute.

Stephanie digs into her backpack and hands Beck the nail file. Beck slowly files away at the raised spot. Plaster comes off revealing something metallic.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) What is it?

BECK Hold on.

Beck pries the object loose.

BECK (CONT’D) A USB drive.

Beck dusts it off and takes out the Video Life and plugs in the USB drive. The dossier and picture of a man comes on the screen with "Marcus Benoit" below it.

STEPHANIE Who’s that?

BECK An informant your father never knew he had. Time to go to France.

EXT. WOKING – DAY Victor, Katrina and Jose pace near the Martian Tripod statue.

They are talking with Karp on their (H)EPCs. KARP We just got a hit on Beck.

KATRINA Where now?

KARP Westminster Abbey.

VICTOR We were just there you damn fool!

KATRINA How long ago?

KARP Yesterday evening.

96.

KATRINA What!

KARP The servers are backed up. Too many inputs.

VICTOR Turn off the damn bees! Besides, I know where he’s going. The trick is can we get to Marcus before he does?

KARP I’ll have a chopper to you in fifteen mikes.

VICTOR Warn Marcus.

KARP Understood.

VICTOR And Karp, get your house in order.

INT. COMMAND CENTER – CONTINUOUS Karp stares at his blank screen. An AIDE walks over.

AIDE Excuse me Sir, we found some anomalies in the Video Life...

KARP What kind of anomalies?

AIDE Random, strange gestures by Jonathon. We caught what looked like blinking Morse Code, but the numbers made no sense. We have half a dozen instances like this that we have discovered. But it’s like looking at a map without...

KARP A key.

AIDE Yes.

97.

KARP Goddamn Victor! That son-of-a-bitch was right! Tell Zach and Komar we need to assemble a domestic team.

Bring Blade in, maybe he can redeem himself.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK AND STEPHANIE DRIVING INTO PARIS. B) BECK BUYING PLASTIC EGGS AT A TOY STORE. C) BECK AND STEPHANIE BUYING DUCKTAPE IN A HARDWARE STORE. D) STEPHANIE BUYS TIN FOIL. E) BECK AND STEPHANIE STOPPING OUTSIDE THE GATE OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT. EXT. PARIS – DAY Katrina and Victor walk up to Benoit, who is standing in line at a café, and take him by the elbows and briskly escort him to a waiting van being driven by Jose. They enter through the side door.

BENOIT No need to be rough... I am, how you say? Playing ball.

Benoit looks at Victor.

BENOIT (CONT’D) Full circle we have come, no?

Katrina takes a hand gun and tries to give it to Victor who leans heavily on his cane.

VICTOR People rely on guns too much.

KATRINA Old fool!

BENOIT (looks nervously at Victor) Same plan as thirty years ago?

VICTOR Not exactly.

98.

EXT. PARIS – NIGHT Beck and Stephanie sit in a parked car in an alley facing a quiet, dim street. From their vantage point they can see several shops with large window displays and a couple of apartment buildings. Beck has the video life running and it shows Jonathon standing on the far right corner of the street that Beck and Stephanie are now watching.

BECK This is the last video footage of my father.

As Beck talks the video of Jonathon runs.

BECK (CONT’D) I’ve watched this footage over and over and he does something very strange... I think it is his final message.

Jonathon stands at the corner out of the light. He watches a man enter the apartment building.

BECK (CONT’D) You see, my father watched that man enter the apartment building to the far left.

Beck points to the building in the present.

BECK (CONT’D) The man must be Benoit. After he sees him enter the building he walks towards the building but stops at the Post Office.

Jonathon walks down the street and stops at the Post Office.

He turns and faces the Post Office and then in almost military precision turns and walks to the storefront of a travel agency passing a convenience store and a store with no advertising that has a mantrap security door.

BECK (CONT’D) His actions from the Post Office to the travel agency are measured... precise.

Beck looks at the current storefront that is a clothing store.

BECK (CONT’D) That clothing store was the travel agency when my father was here.

99.

Jonathon stands in front of the travel agency and looks at the many travel posters hanging in the window: England, Australia, Brazil, Canada, United States. Jonathon walks to the poster of the United States and stands facing it.

STEPHANIE What’s he doing now?

BECK Something I haven’t been able to figure out.

Jonathon takes a roll of masking tape and tears small pieces and sticks them to the window over the United States poster.

He forms a triangle on the left and then a shallow triangle on the right with what looks like a backwards question mark going straight up from this triangle. The two triangles are separated by two feet and two pieces of tape.

BECK (CONT’D) I know I’ve seen that before... I just can’t place it.

STEPHANIE You haven’t been to sea... that’s Leo. BECK The constellation?

STEPHANIE Yes. The lion in the sky.

BECK I don’t understand.

Jonathon finishes with the tape; he looks at the constellation and then turns and walks towards the apartment building Benoit went in.

STEPHANIE Wait!

Beck freezes the frame.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) Was that there before your father arrived?

Stephanie points to an apple sitting on the window sill below the poster of the United States.

BECK I don’t know.

100.

Beck rewinds the video to before Jonathon reaches the window and the window sill is empty.

BECK (CONT’D) I’ll be damned, he made us a map.

Beck looks at the post office to the clothing store that had the constellation to the empty window sill that had the apple.

STEPHANIE What about the constellation?

BECK New York will tell us.

STEPHANIE Why is this street being video taped anyway?

Beck points to the nondescript storefront with the mantrap door.

BECK Mantraps are used for high security buildings. My hunch is that is a diamond or gold dealer. The camera is part of their security.

STEPHANIE OK, what next?

BECK I follow my father’s footsteps.

Benoit turns the corner and walks in front of them and enters his building.

STEPHANIE You know, we have video proof that that isn’t such a hot idea.

BECK I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve that my father didn’t have.

Beck pulls a gun out of his backpack and looks at Stephanie.

BECK (CONT’D) This is my favorite constellation... Glock nine millimeter.

101.

Beck turns the safety off revealing the red strip and points to it.

BECK (CONT’D) And that red star is called "If you see red, you’re dead." It’s a killer.

Beck hands her the gun and then exits the car with Stephanie following and walks to the trunk and opens it. In the trunk are the items Beck bought, plus some glass containers full of clear fluid. Beck takes the plastic eggs and opens them and then lines them with the tin foil.

STEPHANIE Your sleeve keeps getting bigger and bigger.

BECK Wait ‘till you see my tricks.

EXT. STREET – NIGHT Beck is alone and walks down the street much like his father did in the Video Life. He pauses at the Post Office and then walks to the clothing store/travel agency. He retraces the Leo constellation with his finger.

BECK Dad. Beck turns and walks to Benoit’s building and enters.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING – NIGHT Beck cautiously enters and checks the address listing inside the door. He sees "306-Benoit" and he heads up the stairs.

Beck cautiously reaches 306 and tests the door, it is unlocked.

INT. BENOIT’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS Beck silently enters the dark room. The moonlight pours in through a side window with a fire escape.

BECK It’s time to come out of the dark and into the light Victor.

A single light turns on to his right and Victor stands next to it leaning on his cane. Katrina is a few feet away standing next to a couch, Jose is by the window and Benoit is to the far left leaning on a wet bar.

102.

VICTOR Well said my boy! Your father would be proud!

BECK You don’t get to speak about my father!

VICTOR Yes, I suppose considering where we are and what happened here, I did speak out of turn.

KATRINA Proud, falling into the exact trap his father walked into. Stupid, like you... old fool.

Katrina nods to Jose who walks over to Beck and searches him.

He finds the brightly colored eggs that are being held together by thin strips of duct tape. He carefully examines them and then puts them on a nearby table.

JOSE Si, you are some sort of explosives experto, no?

BECK I’m the damn Easter Bunny and stealing my eggs will piss-off a lot of kids.

Jose laughs and continues searching until he finds the Video Life.

JOSE No pistola, but here is the Video Life.

Jose hands it to Victor.

BECK Guns are over-rated.

Victor smiles; Katrina fumes.

VICTOR No doubt the Video Life is useless now? You’ve wrestled the secrets out?

BECK Correct.

103.

VICTOR How did he do it? How did Jonathon leave a trail after all these years? I must know.

Beck casually moves closer to Jose.

BECK First, tell me how this started.

How did my dad get involved with all this?

VICTOR Fine, your father was never supposed to be on that chopper.

INT. HELICOPTER – NIGHT (FLASHBACK) Air rushes in the side door of the Blackhawk. Three heavily armed men in black huddle close to the door and the CREW CHIEF and GUNNER man their positions.

PILOT One mike out; deploy fast lines.

The Crew Chief throws the fast lines over the side.

VICTOR (shouts over the wind) OK, one more time. We go in through the roof. DAC and I take out the biochemical weapons lab. We set the charges for three mikes. Jonathon, you check for stragglers. We meet at the warehouse exit and run like hell.

DAC Right mate, you best run fast. The charges are filled with a crazy cocktail of high burn hell to kill the biologicals. (looking at Jonathon’s white knuckles) Flying not your bag mate?

VICTOR Too many hard landings.

JONATHON (smiling) Breaking apart and catching fire doesn’t always mean a hard landing.

104.

PILOT Putting on the breaks.

CREW CHIEF Go! Go! EXT. BIOCHEMICAL LAB – NIGHT The Blackhawk hovers without a sound as three men descend quickly via fast ropes. As soon as they hit the deck the helicopter speeds away low and quiet. They enter the roof door.

INT. BIOCHEMICAL LAB – CONTINUOUS Victor, Jonathon, and Dac fly down a set of stairs with automatic weapons equipped with silencers. They storm through the door leading to a hallway on the first floor.

VICTOR (points to a door on right) Jonathon, that’s yours. Make sure no one gets out.

INT. LEFT ROOM - CONTINUOUS Victor and Dac burst through the door. The room is filled with TECHNICIANS in white lab coats who are celebrating and drinking champagne. As the POP of a champagne bottle sends a cork flying, Victor and Dac open fire. The men and women SCREAM as they are shot where they stand.

Dac walks up to a MOANING woman on the ground and shoots her in the head with no emotion on his face. He pushes her out of the way and sets up explosives at the base of the table.

Benoit is under the table staring at him, they lock eyes.

DAC sets the explosives' timer for three minutes.

DAC Time to scoot.

INT. RIGHT ROOM – CONTINUOUS Dac and Victor enter and see Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell run out the back door into the warehouse. Victor sees the computer monitor.

VICTOR Damn!

DAC What in the bloody hell’s going on?

105.

VICTOR I’ll handle this; stay put.

DAC Stay put my arse, we have three mikes until we become human gelatin.

Victor and Dac chase after Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell into the warehouse.

INT. WAREHOUSE – CONTINUOUS The warehouse is poorly lit and there is a large delivery bay entrance on the far side that opens to a dirt road, then brush and finally the Zambezi River. Victor and Dac cautiously enter and take cover behind wood crates.

VICTOR (into the warehouse) Don’t do this Jonathon! We have a mission to complete and you have orders. Finish the job and let’s get the hell out of here.

JONATHON (O.S.) Goddamnit Victor, what are we doing? What geo political cluster are we involved with?

VICTOR Don’t be a damn fool! Stop acting like some naïve schoolboy. We’ve spent the last twenty years stopping wars and bringing peace to the world. This mission is no different!

Victor looks at his watch as it ticks down below two minutes.

He sees Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell crouched and moving towards the bay door behind the cover of large crates.

JONATHON (O.S.) We’re the same Vic. We both signed up after nine-eleven to put the bad guys down, not become them.

VICTOR We’ve always sacrificed the few to save the many! It’s what we do; it’s what we’re good at.

106.

JONATHON (O.S.) You know this isn’t the same. We joined to bring hope Victor, not kill it.

VICTOR Jonathon, you know what this means.

Please reconsider. You can never go home. Think of your son.

JONATHON (O.S.) I am.

Victor and Dac move towards the door.

VICTOR Tic-tock Jonathon! Is this worth your life? Not seeing your son again?

JONATHON (O.S.) (to Victor) Remember your promise you bastard! (to Dr. Cromwell) Go! Jonathon throws the grenade and it explodes shooting out orange smoke. Jonathon and Dr. Cromwell run through the door into the bush. Victor and Dac chase after and clear the building just as it explodes.

END FLASHBACK INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT BECK That’s when you shot them in the back?

Victor looks impressed.

VICTOR Dac, not me. You have all the pieces now.

BECK Not quite. What happened here, in this room thirty years ago?

Victor and Benoit exchange angry looks.

107.

VICTOR That was not part of the bargain... and I’m not ready to talk about that with you just now. First, I will have a private conversation with Mr. Benoit.

Benoit looks nervous.

VICTOR (CONT’D) Your turn, how did Jonathon leave the bread crumbs? I must know how that clever bastard did it.

BECK You of all people, being his Moriarty, should know.

VICTOR The crumbs... clues were attached to literary works! I bet that damn Sherlock Holmes was the first?

BECK Dancing Men. VICTOR A cipher! Silly stick men if I remember correctly. Just think, it was in front of us the whole time... I love the irony, very fitting for Jonathon. I bet you didn’t know that many famous writers like Marlowe, Cervantes, and even Shakespeare himself have been rumored to be spies. I told Karp to look for a pattern. I had a hunch...

KATRINA You and your hunches... I’m sick of your hunches. We don’t need them!

You can’t escape the UNIRU technology — it’s everywhere, woven into the fabric of our lives.

VICTOR Yes, Jonathon proved that.

Katrina glares.

108.

VICTOR (CONT’D) But she does have a point my boy.

You should know that our average detention rate is seventeen hours.

Up until now, your father had the longest record. He was on the run for several days — six days and twenty-two hours to be exact. You have that beat by two days and counting. But she is wrong when it comes to hunches. You see, the agents today they rely solely on technology. Their ability to use even the most basic instinct... like say when someone is going to kill you... is broken.

Katrina continues glaring at Victor who slowly raises his cane and points it at her. She looks confused as Victor fires a round from the cane into her head killing her.

VICTOR (CONT’D) Porcelain bullets... very metaldetector friendly... very affective.

Everyone is stunned. Jose raises his gun at Victor and Beck knocks his arm up. Jose FIRES into the air and then Beck twists his arm and drives his face into the plastic eggs on the table. Smoke plumes and Jose SCREAMS and fires the gun hitting Beck in the upper arm. Jose drops the gun and tears at his face as is it burns. Jose stops screaming and is still.

BECK (to Benoit) You don’t screw with the Easter Bunny.

Benoit dives for the window but is stopped by Stephanie and the Glock. Benoit backs up as Stephanie enters the apartment.

VICTOR Good of you to join us Miss Cromwell.

Benoit stares at Stephanie.

STEPHANIE (to Benoit) What, didn’t expect to hear that name again?

109.

Stephanie walks over to Benoit and pistol whips him in the head and he drops to one knee. Beck rushes over and holds her hand—gently. Victor sees this.

VICTOR Ruth is going to be so pleased... as I am.

Victor walks over to Beck and hands him the Video Life and looks at his arm. Blood seeps through his upper sleeve.

VICTOR (CONT’D) Take the Video Life and finish what your father started thirty years ago. Here, this is for you.

Victor hands him a micro-cd.

VICTOR (CONT’D) It contains everything you need to know about the man who’s hunting you. His name is Alexander Karp and he won’t stop, ever. I’ve also included thirty years of stories... missions... the highlight reel of UNIRU if you like. Makes a very interesting read.

BECK Come with us. You can finish this.

VICTOR Yes, I would like that. Meet me downstairs; I have unfinished business with Mr. Benoit. And just so you know, I like to think of myself as your father’s Mycroft...

Beck and Stephanie leave the room. Victor and Benoit face each other. Benoit is still on one knee, his pant leg raises revealing a gun.

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie exit quickly onto the street.

STEPHANIE Mycroft?

BECK Sherlock Holmes’s brother.

STEPHANIE Does that mean we can trust him?

110.

BECK I don’t know...

Two GUN SHOTS are heard in quick succession from the building. Beck turns to go back inside when SIRENS are heard.

STEPHANIE We’re still fugitives! We have to go!

Beck reluctantly turns and he and Stephanie walk away as a police car turns the corner.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) Where to?

BECK A hotel. I have three calls to make. First to Mikkel... he can get us out of Europe. Second to Aiko.

STEPHANIE Sounds cute.

BECK Not as cute as you.

STEPHANIE Good answer. And third?

BECK To GRANT MAXWELL. STEPHANIE Maxwell?

BECK My aunt’s managing editor. My aunt was killed in New York working on a story around the same time my father went missing. I think he sent her the journal.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK AND STEPHANIE IN A CAR ENTERING DENMARK. B) FLIGHT TO ICELAND. C) FLIGHT TO CANADA. D) BECK AND STEPHANIE IN CAR CROSSING CANADA/U.S. BORDER. E) BECK AND STEPHANIE DRIVING INTO NEW YORK CITY.

111.

F) BECK LOOKS AT HIS VIDEO LIFE WITH THE FILE OF KARP AND LOOKS AT KARP’S PICTURE. INT. COMMAND CENTER – DAY Karp and a group of analysts work.

ANALYST Sir, we got a face hit on Beck.

He’s two blocks south of Madison Square Garden.

KARP Tell Komar and Zach to converge, I’m on my way. Any word from the team in Europe?

ANALYST No, they’re off the grid and presumed compromised.

EXT. CORNER OF 33RD and 8th Avenue – DAY Beck and Stephanie walk down 8th Avenue towards Madison Square Garden.

STEPHANIE So Maxwell only said that she was here doing research?

BECK Yes, and that she was old school when it came to research. Liked to get her hands dirty.

STEPHANIE What does that mean?

BECK She didn’t rely on the Internet.

She actually talked with people, searched microfiche... things like that.

STEPHANIE How is that going to help us?

BECK I don’t know.

Beck sees two black suburbans SCREECH to a stop fifty yards back. Karp, Zach, Komar and additional men exit and spread out. Blade is last to exit.

112.

BECK (CONT’D) Bad guys fifty yards back. Time to watch a basketball game. I hope Aiko is punctual.

STEPHANIE Do we at least know who the Knickers are playing?

BECK Knicks.

STEPHANIE You Americans have too many sports.

Beck and Stephanie walk to the ticket counter at Madison Square Garden and buy two tickets. Karp and Beck lock eyes for a second. Karp talks into his (H)EPC and all the men converge on the arena.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) BECK TAKES STEPHANIE’S ARM AND SPEED WALKS THROUGH THE ARENA. B) KARP AND TEAM ENTER USING THEIR BADGES. C) BECK CHECKS HIS WATCH AND HEADS TO THE MAIN FLOOR. D) KARP AND TEAM RUN THROUGH THE ARENA AND SPREAD OUT. All fifteen thousand fans in the arena watch the game on their EPCs which have two second delays from the live game being played in front of them. The arena is eerily quiet and the SQUEAKS of sneakers and ball DRIBBLING are heard. Baskets are scored in silence followed by a two second delayed cheer.

Beck races towards the floor of the court with Stephanie.

STEPHANIE What are you doing?

BECK I have to let Aiko know where we’re at.

STEPHANIE What’s going on?

BECK We’re late for a blind date.

STEPHANIE Terrific!

113.

Beck drags Stephanie through the aisle and then into the chairs next to the floor. They head straight for the court.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) Wait! We can’t...

BECK No better way to be seen!

Beck pulls Stephanie through the courtside chairs onto the basketball court. They sprint across weaving in and out of the players. Referees blow their whistles and the ball deflects off Beck into the crowd. Only SQUEAKS of shoes and YELLING of basketball players is heard. Beck points to an exit on the East side when he is in the middle of the court.

They hit the far side of the court and are lost in the crowd when the 2 second delay takes effect. The crowd ROARS and they take their EPCs off, but Beck and Stephanie are gone.

Blade springs onto the court with a SWOOSH in pursuit and jumps over one of the players and crashes into the spectators and is lost in the crowd.

INT. BOX SUITE – CONTINUOUS Aiko watches the game live.

AIKO (on EPC) Beck is being pursued.

INT. ARENA CONCESSION AREA – CONTINUOUS Karp watches the replay of Beck and Stephanie running through the court on a hanging TV. KARP (on (H)EPC) Subjects are headed for East exit.

SERIES OF SHOTS: A) KOMAR AND ZACH RUN THROUGH THE ARENA TOWARDS THE EXIT. B) AIKO RUNS TOWARDS THE EXIT. C) KARP RUNS TOWARDS THE EXIT. D) BECK AND STEPHANIE HIT THE EXIT DOOR IN A RUN AND BURST THROUGH.

114.

INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS Karp watches Beck and Stephanie run through the exit. Behind him Komar, Zach and the rest of the team catch up.

KARP Let’s finish this.

Komar and Zach charge through the exit with the team in tow with Karp taking up the rear.

EXT. ALLEY – CONTINUOUS Komar, Zach and team charge out of the exit and are instantly attacked by Aiko, Xiao and Keiko. Komar is knocked out immediately, Zach gets his gun out but is disarmed and then thrown. The rest of the team engages, but are all beat in close hand to hand combat.

Karp sees the fight and escapes back through the exit into the arena. Blade SWOOSHES by him and exits and then springs through the mayhem untouched.

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie run down 33rd Street by the Empire State building and then stop at the corner of 5th Avenue.

STEPHANIE (breathing heavily) OK, who in the hell were those people? What’s going on? And if you tell me just another trick up your sleeve I’m going to kick your ass!

Beck LAUGHS and takes her hand and walks North on 5th Avenue.

BECK Would you believe philanthropic Ninjas?

STEPHANIE Beck!

BECK The scary looking one is Xiao. We own a Dojo together.

She notices Beck’s EPC. STEPHANIE Did he slip you an EPC?

115.

Beck smiles but that dissolves as he sees Blade in pursuit and hears the SWOOSH. STEPHANIE (CONT’D) And Spring Boy? BECK Trouble.

EXT. FRONT OF MADISON SQUARE GARDEN – CONTINUOUS Karp cuts to the front of a taxi line showing his badge and jumps into a taxi.

KARP U.N. building!

EXT. 5th Avenue – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie run as they approach the Beaux-Arts building of The New York Public Library. A large, marble lion rests proudly at the entrance. People are crowded around the lion taking pictures slowing Beck and Stephanie. A BOY tugs on his MOM’S shirt.

BOY Mommy, I want to pet Leo. MOM His name is Fortitude sweetie.

Sorry, not now we’re in a hurry.

Beck stops and Stephanie stares at him.

BECK (to the boy) Hi son, what did you call the lion?

The mother pulls him close.

BOY Leo. Leo the lion. It’s what everyone calls him.

Beck smiles.

BECK Thank you!

The mother ushers the boy off.

STEPHANIE The constellation! He was pointing to the library!

116.

BECK Old school... this is where my aunt went before she died.

Beck and Stephanie run up the stairs to the entrance. Blade turns the corner and sees them enter.

INT. NY LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie stand in the large library.

STEPHANIE Where to?

BECK Elementary my dear...

STEPHANIE What are you... ?

BECK I have to take care of Slinky once and for all. Stay out of sight and if this doesn't go well, blend in with the crowd and disappear.

Stephanie and Beck exchange looks and then she heads up the stairs and Beck faces the door as Blade enters.

BLADE Round two Banker. No trees to hide in this time.

BECK What do you think books are made out of genius?

BLADE I'm going to gut you like a fish and then I'll take my time with that bitch of yours.

Blade springs forward and leaps over a small wood table just as Beck slides under it on his back. Beck kicks the table up crashing into Blade who flips in mid air and crashes into a book case. Beck leaps to his feet and jumps on Blade. They fight in close quarters viciously jabbing and blocking.

INT. SECOND FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Stephanie walks through a long series of shelves and then slows.

117.

She rubs her hands along the spines of the books and then takes Beck's "Sherlock Holmes: Volume Two" book out of the backpack and holds it up to a book with the same spine that reads: "Sherlock Homes: Volume One." STEPHANIE Jonathon’s book has been here the whole time.

INT. FIRST FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Beck and Blade fight through a bookshelf. Blade kicks through the book case with his blade prosthetics pushing books out and stabbing at Beck. Beck dodges the blades and throws books through the shelf at Blade's head. They fight like this down a long bookshelf. People SCREAM and run.

INT. SECOND FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Stephanie takes the book down and slowly caresses it. She flips it over revealing the bullet hole and water damage.

INT. FIRST FLOOR - CONTINUOUS Blade stabs with his prosthetic through the bookshelf and Beck swiftly springs off of it up the bookshelf and climbs to the top. Blade is frustrated. He takes a couple of small bounces and then springs as high as the bookshelf only to have Beck dive off and collide with him in mid-air. They both crash into another bookcase crashing it over.

They're both stunned and then continue fighting in close quarters. Blade cuts Beck several times and gets the upper hand moving in for a swinging stab kick. Beck uses a large book as a shield and it is impaled by the prosthetic and gets lodged. With Blade off balance, Beck moves in close and they fight viciously again.

Beck slips on a book and looses his balance and Blade uses this to attack with his good blade sending a kick to Beck's chest. Beck catches the blade with his hands and struggles with it while his hands bleed. Then he uses one hand to strike hard at where the prosthetic and the knee join breaking the prosthetic loose. Blade loses his balance and falls forward as Beck's momentum carries him forward. Blade and Beck crash into each other with Blade being impaled in the chest by his own prosthetic. They crash to the ground covered in blood.

Stephanie rushes from the bottom of the stairs and pulls them apart. She sees the open eyed death stare of Blade and then the pained look of Beck.

118.

STEPHANIE Thank God! She hugs him and they crawl away from Blade.

BECK Did you... ?

STEPHANIE Yes, doesn't take a mystery writer to figure out that clue.

Stephanie hands Beck the book who opens it and in Jonathon’s handwriting is: "When you have eliminated the impossible, must be the truth. I love you son."

STEPHANIE (CONT’D) I thought he swapped journals, where’s my papa’s journal?

Beck flips the book back over and examines the bullet hole.

He puts his finger in.

BECK He did, except your father’s journal was digital.

Beck pulls out a micro-cd.

BECK (CONT’D) Time to call Maxwell.

INT. TAXI (DRIVING) – DAY Karp sits in the back of a taxi, stuck in traffic in Times Square. He looks up at the jumbotron displaying "Breaking News" and a news conference being held at the entrance of the NY Library next to the lion statue. Beck, Stephanie, Maxwell and several scientists face dozens of reporters.

KARP Here.

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS Karp hands the CAB DRIVER money and exits the car. He stands on the sidewalk watching the news conference with a growing crowd. Maxwell begins the news conference from the jumbotron.

119.

MAXWELL I am pleased to announce that a breakthrough has been discovered for autoimmune deficiency diseases and that a cure for AIDS is imminent.

The crowd gasps.

MAXWELL (CONT’D) As most people know, AIDS has claimed the lives of over fifteen billion people in the last thirty years. That is roughly one tenth the world’s population. In fact, that is more than all the recorded wars and diseases combined. With this in mind I am saddened and greatly disturbed to announce that we have uncovered a thirty year conspiracy to keep this information from you... the world.

Maxwell points to Beck and Stephanie.

MAXWELL (CONT’D) Mr. Beck and Miss Cromwell have collaborating and undeniable proof that a division of the United Nations... the Information and Research Unit or UNIRU as they are known, has systematically and ruthlessly preserved world peace through assassinations... coups... embargoes, and by withholding medical advances for diseases such as AIDS, in order to cull the world population. Thus avoiding many of the pressures that traditionally start the wars UNIRU has been so affective at stopping.

The crowd of reporters shout questions as Maxwell holds up his hand.

INT. RUTH'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Ruth watches the broadcast.

RUTH Our son did it my love! I knew he would.

120.

MAXWELL (O.S.) I have asked the authorities to place this man...

EXT. STREET – CONTINUOUS A picture of Karp replaces the news conference on the jumbotron. He looks at it and then notices everyone staring at him. Next he notices a camera on the corner sweep his direction and stop. The news conference resumes.

MAXWELL ... on the domestic terrorist list and brought in for questioning. He is the Senior Director of UNIRU and responsible for carrying out UNIRU’s charter.

The crowd around Karp becomes unruly and closes in on him.

EXT. NY LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS Beck and Stephanie stand to the side of the press conference.

BECK I’m ready for that little island... you know, the one off the grid.

Maybe with a clothing optional beach?

Stephanie takes his hand.

STEPHANIE Just because you survived the world’s deadliest assassins doesn’t mean you're ready for me.

Stephanie smiles and then walks up to the podium as her name is called.

A text pops up in Beck’s EPC that reads: "Sherlock Holmes said it best: Everything comes in circles - even Professor Moriarty... It's all been done before, and will be again -Miss you, Dad." The text dissolves.

THE END