ACT ONE FADE IN ON LANDING PAD The helicopter pilot is leaning against his craft, waiting for the news crew. From the prison, we see Berger and Hannah emerge. Berger appears to be arm in arm with the warden, while Hannah and the cameraman appear to be have their heads together chatting. The pilot climbs into his craft and starts up the main rotor. BERGER (quietly) Do this right, Warden, and you live. Otherwise... Her unspoken threat is all the motivation the warden needs. As they reach the final double gate, the guard inside the control booth is watching them, relaxed. He opens the inner gate and lets them into the holding area. GUARD Afternoon, Warden. (beat, to Berger) How'd it go, Miss? BERGER (smiling) Better than we'd hoped. (beat) Vince Matson will never see this coming. GUARD (smiling) Well, good for you, Miss. He looks at the warden for a moment, who nods once at him. The guard reaches down and presses a button, locking the inner gate, and unlocking the outer one. BERGER Thank you, Officer... GUARD Charlie Stein, Miss. S-T-E-I-N. (beat, grinning) If you just want to mention me in your story. BERGER (smiles) Oh, we will. She glances over at Hannah, who watches the gate for a second. When it is open enough, she looks back at the guard. BERGER Oh, and Charlie? STEIN (smiling at her) Yes, Miss? BERGER Get some glasses. She takes off her sunglasses and smiles at Stein, then clubs the warden quickly on the back of the neck. As the Warden collapses, Hannah lashes out too fast with her right hand and chops the cameraman in the throat, crushing his larynx. Stein slaps down on the alert button, setting off the alarm, and hits the gate control, but both Berger and Hannah move through it _very_ fast. They race quickly to the helicopter and climb in. CUT TO INTERIOR HELICOPTER Berger seats herself behind the pilot, and Hannah climbs into the other front seat. Hannah turns to the pilot. HANNAH Get us out of here. PILOT Not a problem. (beat) Let's just make sure they can't track us. He reaches up and hits a control. CUT TO ROTHGATE EXTERIOR As the helicopter rises off the ground, guards pour out of the prison and set up to fire on the helicopter. It pitches forward slightly, gains about 40 feet of altitude, then opens fire on the guards. They take cover as the helicopter moves off into the distance. CUT TO PRISON CONTROL TOWER The operations chief has watched the helicopter’s escape and turns to his traffic controller. OPS CHIEF Track them. CONTROLLER Track who? They're off the screen. OPS CHIEF What? CONTROLLER See for yourself. The board is completely blank. The operations chief turns quickly to the controller and looks at his console. His traffic display is completely clean, showing no movement at all. The chief slams his hand down on top of the console and mutters as he reaches for the phone. CUT TO HELICOPTER EXTERIOR The helicopter is moving at treetop level along the New England coastline south, avoiding detection. CUT TO HELICOPTER INTERIOR Berger and Hannah look at each other and laugh, relieved to have succeeded. Berger puts on a headset to talk to the pilot. BERGER (into headset) How long before we arrive? PILOT Two hours. (beat) Mister DeLano wanted me to pass along a message. Hannah glances back at Berger, who tilts her head with curiosity. BERGER And just what might that be? PILOT (nonchalant) Mister DeLano told me to tell you that he’s looking forward to working with you. (beat) And that nepotism never played a role in his decision. BERGER (smiling) That’s nice. (beat) But a little foolish of you not to wait before you delivered it to me. PILOT (glances at Hannah) Why? HANNAH Because it means you know too much. PILOT What? I don't know anything? The pilot looks at Hannah, confused. Hannah smiles back, while Berger reaches forward and snaps his neck quickly. Hannah grabs the controls as Berger opens the pilot’s door and pushes him out. CUT TO EXTERIOR HELICOPTER The pilot’s body tumbles out of the passing helicopter. CUT TO INTERIOR HELICOPTER Berger climbs forward into the pilot’s seat and closes the door. She then smiles over at Hannah. BERGER What did they used to say at Disneyland? "Dead Men Tell No Tales"? HANNAH (giggling) So where do we start? Berger merely grins and takes hold of the control yoke. CUT TO EXTERIOR _SEAQUEST_--CGI The vessel is still in drydock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. A high crane is moving structural steel in place, and we see the arc of welding torches on her frame. CUT TO WARDROOM Captain Lucas Wolenczak, Commander Jessie Matthews, Lieutenant Justin Riller, and Ensign Anne Morgan are seated around the conference table. On the vidscreen is Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Wallace Robinson. ROBINSON …And the pilot’s body washed up on the coast. WOLENCZAK (slightly puzzled) So why are we being informed? (beat) It’s not like we’re able to go chase her down right now. (beat) They’re telling us now that it’ll be another week, at least. (beat, grouchy) So much for their estimated repair times. ROBINSON (letting the last comment pass) Simply a precaution. You’ve had a couple of run-ins with the escapee. (beat, looking at Morgan) Especially you, Ensign. (beat) Just keep a watchful eye on any traffic to and from your boat for a while. (beat) Robinson out. The screen goes to the UEO logo. Riller tilts back in his chair, looking thoughtful. Morgan is obviously trying to contain her emotions. RILLER Wonder what she’s going to look like next time she turns up? MORGAN (tightly) She’s changed her hair, and her eye color, but her body and the way she moves…that’s always been the same. That’s what gave me that feeling of déjà vu when I saw her at the Pulitzers. MATTHEWS (nodding slowly) Then that’s the key. (beat) Justin, I want you to get any security vids we have on her. (beat) And see if CNN will let you tap their archives for more video. (beat) I think the chances of her coming here are pretty remote…she may be crazy, but she’s not insane. The four smile, though Morgan’s smile is halfhearted at best. WOLENCZAK (checking his watch) We’re due to meet with Commander Taylor in three minutes, Matthews. (beat) I’ll be glad to see the end of these repairs. Matthews nods, and the two rise and exit. Morgan, still seated, sighs deeply. Riller lets his chair back down onto all four legs with a thud and stands. RILLER Well. (beat) I can’t say I’m happy knowing that woman’s on the loose again. (beat) But don’t worry, Ensign. I’ll keep you safe here on the boat. MORGAN (wryly) So, I get to spend the rest of my life on this boat. (beat) Thank you, Lieutenant. I feel _so_ much better now. Riller gives her a mocking salute and leaves. Morgan simply stares out the hatch and sighs again. CUT TO MCKENSI INSTITUTE We see a tour group moving down a catwalk, overlooking a lab area gleaming in white and stainless steel. Below, numerous technicians and scientists in lab coats are checking monitors and watching experiments in progress. UEO Defense Minister Andrew Langson is in the lead of the group, accompanied by Managing Director Phillip Johnson, and Chief Scientist Kelly Callan. Behind them are Langson’s bodyguards and the media entourage covering his campaign. Langson is obviously using this tour for sound bites and good pictures. Caption reads: “McKensi Institute” New line: “One week later” JOHNSON (continuing) And this is our incubation facility. The latest innovations in bioskin technology are being worked on right here. The group starts down a wide metal staircase, Langson smiling at everything he sees. LANGSON (smoothly) It’s a most impressive facility, director. And after I’m elected, we’ll see about allowing more freedom to pursue the avenues of research that have made the UEO the world leader in bio-technology. Kelly Callan moves over next to Johnson, her face carefully neutral. KELLY So you’re committing the UEO to funding more research into the cause of death for a generation of GELFs and preventing it from happening to the next generation? Johnson shoots a dirty look at Kelly as they reach the lab floor, but Langson just chuckles. LANGSON Now, I’m just a politician, and decisions like that shouldn’t be made for political reasons. We’ll let the UEO Science Academy provide us suggestions for the best ways to allocate the research funds. KELLY (angry) You know very well the Academy voted to cut off funding a few months-- JOHNSON (intervening) Minister, let me show you the inside of one of our incubators. He leads Langson over to an open, lit incubation vault. Kelly follows them inside the space. JOHNSON (continuing) This is one of our incubation ovens. Here, we can control temperature, humidity and pressure in developing the organic polymers we think will lead to the next generation of bio-skin technology. (beat, chuckling) You might say we’re just a bunch of happy bakers. Kelly glares at him while Langson smiles weakly at the bad joke. As they react, a yellow revolving light turns on. Kelly looks up at it and frowns. KELLY What? (beat) Oh, no! (beat, urgently) We need to move, fast! She turns to run, but as she does, the large hatch to the oven slides shut and seals in place, cutting them off from the rest of the entourage. LANGSON (angry) What’s gone wrong now? JOHNSON (“confident”) It’s just a door malfunction, Minister, nothing to worry about. Johnson walks over to a panel on the wall next to the door. The speaker grille on it emits a squawk. Johnson presses a button. JOHNSON Williams, override the hatch. CUT TO OUTSIDE OVEN Williams, a lab employee, is next to the sealed hatch. He keeps pressing the controls. WILLIAMS (apologetic) I’m sorry, Sir, but it doesn’t seem to be working. One of Langson’s bodyguards elbows in and starts to operate the controls. After a moment, he hits the panel in frustration. BODYGUARD (to Williams) Get them out of there now. WILLIAMS (“how?”) I _can’t_! CUT TO INSIDE OVEN Johnson is watching the doings outside through the window. LANGSON Can they get us out of here? JOHNSON The controls are jammed. But we should be able to use the emergency release in here-- Johnson pulls down on the emergency lever. As he does so, a loud screeching noise fills the oven. All three cover their ears quickly, cringing from the noise. After a few seconds later, the noise cuts off. Then from the speaker grille, we hear a laugh. LANGSON (listening) I know that voice... BERGER (through speaker) Three little pigs, all in a row. Let’s see how neatly you all will go. (beat) You go by fire, Andrew. But don’t get too hot under the collar about it. Berger laughs once. Then we hear a humming sound filling the oven. KELLY _Who_ was _that_? LANGSON (flatly) Andrea Berger. (beat) We need to get out of here. KELLY (getting angry) Berger? The one who nearly killed my husband?! JOHNSON (hastily) That doesn’t matter. She’s turned on the oven. He points at a digital display on the wall showing internal temperature. TIGHT ON THERMOMETER It reads “39C”. A second later, it clicks over to “40C”, and then to “41C”. PULL BACK TO GROUP As Johnson pulls on the lever again with no response. CUT TO OUTSIDE OVEN Langson’s bodyguards push Williams out of the way and fire at the door controls. They explode in a flurry of sparks, but the door doesn’t move. They look nervously at each other as we… CUT TO COMMERCIAL END ACT ONE ACT TWO OPEN ON INSIDE OVEN Langson and Johnson, sweating, are taking off their jackets and removing their ties. Langson looks over at Kelly. LANGSON How hot can it get in here? Kelly is prying at the door controls, trying to get the cover off. KELLY (without looking) We’ve passed 45 centigrade…that’s 114 fahrenheit. (beat) We bake the polymers at 185 degrees centigrade. (beat, wryly) But it’s a _dry_ heat. LANGSON (getting angry) How can you joke at a time like this? Kelly whirls and looks at him. KELLY Because it keeps me from choking you. (beat) That maniac is out to kill you, Langson. Phil and I are just collateral damage to her. She looks again at the door controls. KELLY (nodding) Right. Time to make an exit. She punches her right hand forward quickly, her fingers breaking through the ceramic above the panel. She pulls down and the panel cover comes off in her hand. KELLY Let’s see if we can hotwire the door. She quickly traces the wiring on the backside of the panel, then yanks at two wires. She holds them up, and puts them together. They spark, and the door unlatches, and moves open--two inches. CUT TO WALL DISPLAY The temperature display clicks over to read “60C”. The room glows red. CUT TO INSIDE OVEN Kelly, Langson and Johnson look at the door. Johnson swears under his breath, the sweat pouring down his face. Langson looks over at him. LANGSON (resigned) That’s it. We’re dead. KELLY (angry) You may be, but I’m not done yet. Kelly reaches for the door, but yanks her hand back; it’s too hot to touch. She grabs Langson’s and Johnson’s ties, quickly wrapping them around her hands. She puts them into the small opening, and grabs the edge of the door. The ties start to smoke as she pulls against the door. It starts to move, very slowly, metal screeching as it is inched open. TIGHT ON KELLY’S HANDS The ties are now smoking badly, and one bursts into flames. TIGHT ON HER FACE She grimaces in pain, and pulls harder. Even with her genetically enhanced strength, this is difficult. CUT TO OUTSIDE OVEN The door groans once and gives, sliding open. Kelly staggers out, beating the burning ties against her lab coat, while Langson and Johnson help each other out. Williams grabs a fire extinguisher from the wall and quickly sprays it on Kelly, extinguishing her in a cloud of CO2. As the cloud clears, we see Langson and Johnson leaning against a lab table, looking down at Kelly on the ground. She is lying on her back, breathing deeply. WILLIAMS (leaning down to Kelly) Are you all right? KELLY Yeah. (beat) A little well-done, maybe. Langson is surrounded by his bodyguards, and is about to leave when he stops and turns back. He comes over to Kelly. LANGSON Doctor Callan... (beat) Thank you. KELLY (looking up at him) Just remember, Langson, a GELF saved your life. (beat) Think about that next time you want to cut the funding that could help us survive. Langson nods once, then turns to exit. CUT TO EWS HEADQUARTERS External establishing shot of the imposing glass highrise. CUT TO WALKER’S OFFICE Ted Walker, cofounder of EWS, is seated at his desk, going through some paperwork. As he does so, his assistant, Leah Christensen, enters, dropping another file folder in his inbox. CHRISTENSEN The latest digests from R&D. WALKER (nodding) Anything important? CHRISTENSEN You could say so. (beat) HL is about ready for testing. WALKER That is good news. Let me know when they _are_ ready. I want to see that myself. (beat, standing up) Leah, what’s your take on yesterday’s news? CHRISTENSEN The attack on Langson? Walker nods. CHRISTENSEN (shrugs) He identified the voice as Andrea’s. (beat, frowning) But her style was always pretty straightforward. Get in, remove her target, get out. (beat) This has a different feel to it. WALKER Maybe she picked up some new tricks? CHRISTENSEN Unlikely. (beat) No, she’s got some help. But I have no idea _who_. The intercom buzzes and Walker reaches over to it. WALKER Yes, what is it? SECRETARY (over intercom) Sorry to bother you, Sir. There’s an incoming call for you. She said to say it was Andie. Walker goes pale at the name, while Christensen raises an eyebrow. SECRETARY (over intercom, continuing) Are you there, Sir? WALKER Yes, yes. (beat) Put it through, on speaker. SECRETARY (over intercom) Yes, Sir. We hear a tone, and a soft laugh fills the room. WALKER (neutrally) Hello, Andie. I’m a little surprised to hear from you. BERGER (on speaker) Why should you be, Teddy? TIGHT ON WALKER Walker turns pale. Berger’s hums for a second, then starts to recite, with a sing-song tone. BERGER (on speaker) Three little pigs, all in a row. Let’s see how neatly you all will go. You go by wind, Teddy, for the time is right For my perfect lover to say good night. PULL BACK TO ROOM Walker points at Christensen, indicating for Christensen to trace the call. Christensen quickly moves to a computer and starts typing. BERGER (on speaker, continuing) Oh, and don’t bother looking for me, Teddy. I’m right here. (beat) Just turn around. The line goes dead. Walker looks at Christensen, who shakes her head. Walker hits the desk and turns around, facing the window, and then backs up quickly. Outside the window a black stealth helicopter rises up until it is hovering parallel to the window. CUT TO HELICOPTER COCKPIT The pilot--Berger--wears a helmet with the black glare shield down, and is expressionless. TIGHT ON CONTROL STICK The pilot touches a stud on the stick. CUT TO HELICOPTER EXTERIOR The helicopter’s guns fire into the office, shattering the windows. CUT TO WALKER’S OFFICE Christensen grabs Walker and pulls him down to the floor, diving atop him as the gunfire starts to shred the office. The desk and computer terminal are splintered. Christensen pulls Walker over the remains of the desk and hunkers down behind it as it slowly disintegrates under the fire. Counting to three, she jumps up, smoothly pulling a plasma pistol from a speed harness. She takes a quick moment to line up on the pilot, and fires four shots. CUT TO HELICOPTER COCKPIT The first three shots hit the same spot on the cockpit plexiglas, weakening it. The fourth penetrates, impacting the seat just above the pilot’s shoulder. CUT TO HELICOPTER EXTERIOR The helicopter slides to the right as the pilot tries to keep Christensen from getting another clear shot. CUT TO WALKER’S OFFICE Christensen jumps up, unnaturally fast, slapping a switch on the wall. Armored security shutters snap down along the window tracks, sealing off the room from the helicopter. CUT TO HELICOPTER COCKPIT Berger sees the shutters come down, cutting her off from Walker. BERGER Up to new tricks, Teddy? TIGHT ON CONTROL STICK Berger touches a different stud on the stick. BERGER Then I’ll make things a little messier for you… CUT TO HELICOPTER EXTERIOR The helicopter fires a pair of missiles into the offices below Walker’s, causing a large explosion. The helicopter then peels off and escapes into the distance. CUT TO WALKER’S OFFICE We see Christensen on a cell phone, calling for security to follow the helicopter. Walker gets up, bleeding heavily from a cut on his forehead. He is holding his arm, blood quickly coloring his sleeve. Christensen goes over to him and tears open his sleeve, revealing a large laceration. She tears a strip of the sleeve and binds it over the wound. Christensen’s phone rings and she answers it. CHRISTENSEN (into phone) What do you mean, she’s gone? Track her. And get a med team up here. Walker looks over at Christensen, who moves over and opens one of the security shutters. Smoke rolls up from the fires below. She and Walker look down at the EWS corporate campus below them. WALKER (calmly) Find her. And kill her CHRISTENSEN You mean terminate her. WALKER (barely controlled) No, I _mean_ kill her. (beat, simmering) Slowly and painfully, if possible. But make sure she’s dead. (beat) Or don’t come back. Christensen nods, and exits. FADE TO COMMERCIAL END ACT TWO ACT THREE OPEN ON MIDDLE SCHOOL Although the school is closed for the summer, the sports fields hum with activity. A baseball practice has just ended on one diamond, and boys are moving in multiple directions, some toward the bicycle rack, other to the sidewalk. As the boys disperse we see John Morgan and a couple of his friends walking away. As they do, a sedan pulls up quickly and a lady in casual working clothes gets out and walk over toward John, a slight smile on her lips. WOMAN Hi, John. JOHN (reserved) Ummm…hi. WOMAN (laughing a little) Oh, that’s right, you haven’t met me yet. I’m Candace Nation, one of the new production assistants at CNN. John nods, still guarded. NATION Anyway, Vince Matson sent me over to pick you up. He just talked the sports anchor out of second row tickets behind home plate for tonight’s game, and since we _are_ playing the Lasers tonight… She trails off invitingly, but John doesn’t rise to her bait. JOHN Well, I should go home and shower. We practiced sliding today, and I’m pretty dirty. NATION (a little brusque) There’s really not time…Vince said you’ll be having dinner with one of your heroes. But I can’t tell you who, ‘cause he’s only in town for tonight. John’s interest is piqued by this. JOHN But I’ll still need to clear it with my grandparents. Nation sighs and leans into her car, punching a number into the mini vidlink on the dash. We zoom in and see Vince Matson on it. MATSON (onscreen) Yeah? NATION Vince, I’ve got John here, but he isn’t sure he wants to come. MATSON (chuckling) You mean I begged his grandparents to let him have dinner with Ken Griffey Junior for nothing? John’s eyes go wide. JOHN (reverently) We’re eating with _Junior_? MATSON Well, _I’m_ eating with him. JOHN (enthusiastically) We’re on our way! John jumps into the car as Nation disconnects the vidlink. They drive off, as John waves to his friends. CUT TO SEAQUEST BRIDGE Riller is the ranking officer on duty. Lieutenant (j.g.) Tom Reede and Ensign Rebecca Trueman are at their places, as is Morgan. Riller is looking over the security protocols on his screen, every once in a while stealing a glance over at Morgan. She sees that, and after three or four glances, walks over to him. MORGAN (lightly) Relax, Lieutenant. (beat) You’re right, after all. She’s not going to get onto this boat. I’m perfectly safe. Riller is about to reply when Trueman interrupts them. TRUEMAN Ensign Morgan, your parents are on the com. MORGAN (a bit surprised) I’ll take it at my station. As she goes to her station, Riller motions for Trueman’s attention. RILLER (softly) Better let me see it, too. Trueman nods and types the appropriate commands into her console. OFF MORGAN’S CONSOLE Morgan’s father, Robert Baird, appears on the screen. ROBERT (onscreen) Anne… In the background Morgan’s mother, June, is crying. PULL BACK Morgan is immediately worried. MORGAN What’s wrong? ROBERT It’s John. Morgan goes white. ROBERT (continuing) We can’t find him. He never came home from practice. Morgan looks over at Riller, who looks solemnly back. CUT TO WOLENCZAK’S OFFICE Camera is fairly tight on Wolenczak, showing his head and shoulders in three-quarter profile. He is obviously delighted, and a little surprised. WOLENCZAK ...When they told me it was _you_, I thought it was a practical joke. (beat) I thought you'd had enough of the military life. The voice from the speaker is high pitched, tinny...and familiar? VOICE (on speaker) Not military. Civilllll enforcement now. Lieutenant Commmmannnder, in EeeeeEeeeee. We pull back to see Wolenczak seated in front of the vidlink screen. The screen shows us a spacious pool, a low and rambling seashore home in the background...and a dolphin near the vidlink pickups. WOLENCZAK (grinning) I'll bet no one else in your task group pronounces it that way. DARWIN No they don't. Doesn't matter. They understand me fiiine. WOLENCZAK (smiling) They sure do; the new VoCorder software works great! (beat) Captain Bridger must be very happy with it...and with your work now, with Ecological Enforcement. DARWIN Nathan happy. Kristin happy. Happier when you come visit next leave. WOLENCZAK (wry) You know how it is, Darwin...but you're right. Next time I... Wolenczak is cut off by an interruption from the intercom. RILLER (over com) Captain, can we have you up here on the Bridge? Something's come up, and-- WOLENCZAK (interrupts) On my way. He turns to the vidlink, and shrugs. WOLENCZAK Well, I need to go. Have a good time on _your_ leave, and leave a number with my staff, okay? DARWIN Understooood. Talk later, Lucas. Darwin briefly whistles something untranslatable, and the connection closes. Wolenczak shakes his head, smiling, as he turns to go. CUT TO UEO HEADQUARTERS Outside establishing shot, showing an early evening view of the grounds. The fountain is in the foreground, the tower rising up behind it. CUT TO LANGSON’S OFFICE Langson is pacing the floor in his office, working off his anger. Robinson watches him moving back and forth, calm amidst the storm. LANGSON The best security detail UEO has, and this woman still manages to get in and almost get me killed. ROBINSON She’s resourceful. (beat) But you knew that, didn’t you? Langson turns and looks over at Robinson. LANGSON (glaring) Just what did you mean by that, _Admiral_? ROBINSON (smiling) Minister Langson, we both know you’ve played a dangerous game here. (beat) I don’t have proof yet of what your ties were to Berger, but I’m guessing that when I find them, a lot of other suspicions about you are going to be confirmed. LANGSON (tightly controlled) What you should be concentrating on, _Admiral_, is finding and stopping that lunatic out there. ROBINSON (shaking his head) No, that’s a matter for UEO Internal Security, and local jurisdictions. She hasn ’t attacked a military target yet. LANGSON (practically apoplectic) _MILITARY TARGET_?! (beat) Need I remind you I am _still_ the Defense Minister? Robinson is about to reply when the intercom on Langson’s desk buzzes. Langson walks over and pushes the button. LANGSON What is it? SECRETARY (over com) Sorry to interrupt you, but you have an incoming call from the secretary general. LANGSON (to himself) Damn her timing. (beat, to intercom) All right, put it through. The vidlink screen to the left of Langson’s desk stops displaying an image of a painting, and shows the UEO logo, followed by the image of Secretary General Katherine Hitchcock. LANGSON (composing himself) Yes, Madame Secretary, what can I do for you? HITCHCOCK (on vidlink) Andrew. I see Wallace is there, too. Good. (beat) Gentlemen, we’ve got a situation. Hang on while I patch in another call. She reaches over and presses a control on her desk. The vidlink screen splits, and the second image shows the Bridge of _seaQuest_, with Wolenczak in the foreground. HITCHCOCK (over vidlink) Captain, please advise us what’s happened? WOLENCZAK (over vidlink) You all know my science officer, Ensign Morgan? He waits a moment as Langson nods. WOLENCZAK (continuing) Approximately forty minutes ago, she received a call from her parents, stating that her son had not returned home from baseball practice. (beat) The report was that he was last seen getting into a car bearing the CNN logo. But Ensign Morgan’s friend, Vince Matson, is in London on assignment. (beat) It looks like John’s been kidnapped, Katie. And the use of the CNN logo... (beat, shaking head) It’s got to be Berger. Langson swears softly, while Robinson just stares at the screen for a second, then closes his eyes. HITCHCOCK (concerned) Thanks for letting us know, Lucas. (beat) Keep us informed. Wolenczak nods and reaches forward to press a control. His window closes on the vidlink screen, and Hitchcock’s expands to fill the screen. Hitchcock’s face is grim as she looks at Robinson across the vidlink. HITCHCOCK Admiral, enough is enough. (beat, to Robinson) I want this target stopped. By any means necessary. ROBINSON (protesting) But Madame Secretary, this isn’t a military matter-- HITCHCOCK (tersely) It just became one. (beat) Defense Minister Langson, I gave Admiral Robinson a direct order. If he doesn’t follow it in the next five minutes, fire him. (beat) This lunatic has done too much damage to us in the past few years. It ends now. Hitchcock terminates the vidlink, leaving the UEO logo on the screen. The camera slowly slides over to Langson, who smiles triumphantly at Robinson. LANGSON (smug) You were saying, Admiral? Robinson sighs once, and then looks back at Langson. ROBINSON (resigned) You win. (beat) But I’m still going to find out the truth, Minister. Count on it. Langson just smiles as he activates his intercom. His secretary answers immediately. SECRETARY (over com) Yes, Sir? LANGSON Amanda, Admiral Robinson needs a vidlink connection. SECRETARY (over com) Yes, Sir. (beat) Admiral, who do you need? ROBINSON (resigned) Get me Commander Ibanez at Rogue River. He drums his fingers on the desk as we… CUT TO COMMERCIAL END ACT THREE ACT FOUR OPEN ON WARDROOM The senior staff is assembled. On vidlink is Internal Security Bureau Lieutenant Fern Devlin. Morgan is obviously worried, her eyes are red and her face is pale. Lieutenant Commander William Goodwin is seated beside her. He reaches out and pats her hand gently, smiling. She gives him a wavering smile in return. Wolenczak catches the exchange, but keeps his face neutral. DEVLIN Internal Security has talked to John’s friends, and their story hasn’t changed an iota in the dozen times we’ve had them tell it. They say John talked to Vince Matson before he got into the car. (beat) And as you’ve already found out, he’s in London. He was asleep in his hotel room at the time the call supposedly took place. Morgan nods. MORGAN (softly) He gets jetlag pretty badly… DEVLIN The boys gave a pretty good description of the woman in question, and CNN doesn’ t have anyone working for them who answers that description. (beat) But they did add that Matson’s on a high-speed jet home right now to assist in the investigation. WOLENCZAK How can we help? DEVLIN Just stay put for now. This is our province, so let us do our jobs. (beat) We’ll send updates whenever there’s anything to send. MORGAN But I— WOLENCZAK (cutting her off) Thank you, Lieutenant. We appreciate your assistance. MORGAN We have to— WOLENCZAK (firmly) That will be all, Ensign. Morgan glares at him, but remains quiet. WOLENCZAK (to Devlin) _seaQuest_ out. He pushes a button and the screen goes to the UEO logo. WOLENCZAK Dismissed. The assembled staff rise to leave. WOLENCZAK (continuing) Matthews, Morgan, you stay. The other crew file out. Goodwin, the last one, closes the hatch behind him. WOLENCZAK (turning to Morgan) Ensign, I know you’re upset about your son— MORGAN “Upset” doesn’t _begin_ to cover it. I can’t believe— WOLENCZAK (not stopping) --But ISB is trained to handle these kinds of things. We’re not. (beat, persuasive) We need to leave this to the experts, Anne. Morgan simply stares at him, dumbfounded. MORGAN “Leave it to the experts”? (beat, bitingly) You’re not the same man who went after Carlsen alone when he attacked President Ross, are you? Matthews’ eyes open wide at this side of Morgan. WOLENCZAK (flatly) This is different, Anne. MORGAN Different how? (beat) Because you’re the captain and I’m an ensign? (beat) Or because you’re a man and I’m a woman? Wolenczak takes a moment to digest what she’s saying. Before he can respond, the intercom beeps. TRUEMAN (over com) Sir? There’s an incoming vidlink for Ensign Morgan. (beat) It’s on a secure channel…I can’t get a fix on where it’s coming from. WOLENCZAK We’ll take it in here. He gives Morgan a “this isn’t finished” glance and turns to the screen as it flickers to life. TIGHT ON MORGAN As she goes completely pale. MATTHEWS (O.C.) My god… OFF VIDLINK John Morgan is stripped to his waist, blindfolded, and handcuffed to a bed with an iron frame and a mattress. We see, quite clearly, Berger. She smiles at the camera. BERGER This little piggy, so young and pure, Taking his mommy’s place for sure. (beat) Sorry it’s not you, Annie, but this way... (beat, nonchalant) I know you’ll hurt more. Berger takes a large knife, and traces a line down John’s chest, scratching it and drawing a little blood. The transmission ends. OFF MORGAN She stands completely still, eyes locked on the now-blank screen. Blindly, she fumbles for a chair and sinks into it. PULL BACK As Matthews kneels at Morgan’s side. Wolenczak hits the intercom. WOLENCZAK Trueman, send that message to UEO HQ for analysis immediately. TRUEMAN (over com) Aye, Sir. When Wolenczak looks back at Morgan, she is staring at him. Her eyes are focused now, and hard, as she slowly rises. When she speaks, her voice is low and tight. She is now the mother, fully searching for her young to protect. MORGAN I’m going. (beat) You can try to stop me if you like. (beat, warning) But if you do, you can either have my resignation now or a messy court martial after I assault you. Wolenczak stares at Morgan for a moment. She is standing stiffly erect, her chin high and her face a picture of pure determination. He reaches his decision. WOLENCZAK All right. (beat) Go. (beat) But Riller’s going with you. MORGAN Okay. (beat) As long as you tell him _I’m_ in charge on this one. Wolenczak nods. Their eyes lock for a moment, then she breaks the gaze. MORGAN I’d better get my things together. She leaves. Matthews and Wolenczak watch her go. MATTHEWS (shaking her head) Wow. (beat) I didn’t know she had it in her. (beat, thoughtful) Maybe Mad Dog should go along, too… WOLENCZAK (puzzled) I don’t see how a fighter pilot’s going to help. MATTHEWS (shrugging) It’s just that the two of them seem to have some sort of connection, and Anne could use the support right about now. WOLENCZAK (rueful) Connection, huh? (beat) Okay. Inform him and Riller. (beat) I just hope he can be there for her if she needs it. I... He trails off, the thought unfinished. CUT TO EXTERIOR MARAUDER ONE – CGI The Marauder is on the surface, cruising at a high rate of speed down through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and south toward Portland. CUT TO INTERIOR MARAUDER Goodwin is piloting. Riller sits beside him. Morgan is behind them, staring blankly at the viewscreen. GOODWIN (lightly) So, Ant, has your family always lived in Portland? MORGAN Yes. All is silent. Goodwin tries again. GOODWIN Ever been to Texas? MORGAN No. Goodwin sighs, then turns to Riller. GOODWIN So, Lieutenant, what, exactly is our plan here? RILLER (shrugging) Simple. Keep the ensign safe until her son is found. Morgan perks up at this. MORGAN (scoffing) I’m no more going to sit around my living room than I was going to sit around in my lab. _We’re_ going to find John. (beat, a slight tremble) And then we’re going to bring him home. RILLER Morgan, we’ll just get in ISB’s way. Let them do the finding—and the rescuing. GOODWIN (smiling) The pros don’t even know where to start looking, last I heard. RILLER (agreeing with him) Neither do we. GOODWIN (his face carefully neutral) No, we do know something. MORGAN (following his train of thought) We know she’s devious... GOODWIN And we know what was on that message. (beat) When we arrive, you two go to Anne’s home, while I check on the message. We’ll rendezvous at Anne’s. Morgan nods, looking hopeful for the first time since she heard John was missing. CUT TO COMMERCIAL END ACT FOUR ACT FIVE OPEN ON BAIRD HOME--LIVING ROOM Robert and June Baird are seated close together on the sofa. In a wing chair is Devlin, looking through a photo album at pictures of John. There is a knock at the door. June jumps up to answer, but Devlin motions her back, then opens the door herself. Standing there is Vince Matson. June rushes to him and gives him a hug. JUNE Vince! I’m so glad you came…Anne’s on her way, too. (beat) You look tired. MATSON (ruefully) You know how I love crossing time zones. June smiles and motions for him to sit. Devlin closes the door, but it is no sooner closed than footsteps are heard on the porch. She opens it again, revealing Morgan just reaching for the knob. JUNE Anne! Vince just arrived, too. Morgan and Riller come in. Morgan stops, looking at her father, and taking in the worry on his face. MORGAN Dad… She goes to him, hugging him tightly. ROBERT Anne, honey, I’m so sorry… MORGAN (softly) Dad, it’s not your fault. This woman… (beat) Well, she’s tough to beat. (beat) But we’ve beaten her before… (firmly) Dad, _I’ve_ beaten her. And I’ll do it again. Robert nods, at least _looking_ encouraged by his daughter’s words. Morgan sighs. MORGAN Mom, please tell me there’s tea…it’s been…well, it’s been a day. JUNE I started a pot just a few minutes ago. Why don’t you help me get the dishes out and we’ll all have something in here? Morgan nods and follows her mother into the kitchen. Devlin’s eyes trail Morgan out the door, narrowing, before she blinks and returns her attention to the others in the room. Robert glances toward the kitchen. ROBERT I’d better go, too. I know those two…they’ll turn tea into a gourmet meal… He follows them. RILLER Anne cooks, huh? (beat) Maybe I’ll have to start eating in the lab…the last mess chief they rotated in is pretty damned bad… MATSON (absently) She’s a fabulous cook…makes the best clam chowder I’ve ever eaten. (beat, shifting gears) I don’t have all the pieces yet…it’s that Berger woman who has John? DEVLIN (nodding) That’s right. She sent a vidlink to _seaQuest_. RILLER That’s what I don’t understand. MATSON About? RILLER If this woman is such a mastermind, why would she show herself on that message? DEVLIN (picking up the photo album again) She’s playing with us. (beat) It’s a control game. She wants us to know she's the one responsible, and that we can’t catch her. Matson nods in agreement. MATSON You’re right. (beat, the professional taking over) I can have a news crew on things in less than an hour. If they give the story enough coverage, then maybe someone will have seen something and give us some usable information… DEVLIN (firmly) I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. (beat) The UEO has placed a blackout on all coverage of this event. Right now, the public at large doesn’t know Berger’s on the loose, and we’d like to keep it that way. Matson stares at her briefly, then nods stiffly and goes into the kitchen, leaving Riller and Devlin to talk about the case. CUT TO KITCHEN Morgan is sipping tea, or trying to, as her mother sits next to her, an arm around her, and her father leans against the counter, trying to keep a calm demeanor. Matson walks in, and over to Morgan. MATSON Anne…it’s going to be all right. (beat) The Navy's already on things. Lieutenant Devlin out there seems pretty on the ball. They'll find him. Morgan whispers something, but he can't hear it. MATSON Anne, everything _will_ be okay. Morgan shakes her head, and her mother moves away a little to let Matson move in. He reaches to touch her cheek, but Morgan flinches away from his touch. MATSON What is it? She starts to answer, then puts her mug down and runs out of the room onto the back porch. CUT TO BACK PORCH Morgan sits down on the steps. A Paris Lasers sweatshirt is draped on the porch rail, and she pulls it down and hugs it to her, curling herself protectively around it. She looks very small and very scared as she rocks gently. Matson comes out, watches her silently, then sits beside her. MATSON (gently) Anne…talk to me. She just shakes her head and looks out at the evening sky. MATSON Please…let me help you…you know how I feel about John. It’s almost as if he were my own son— Morgan turns on him. MORGAN That’s right…far more than he’s been mine. (beat) This all happened because I wasn’t here for him MATSON Anne, that’s not-- MORGAN (cutting him off) I should have stayed right here, and been here for him. But instead, I went away, to do _my duty_ (beat) And got in the way of this _lunatic_. (beat, angry) And then I got involved with you. Matson just sits there, nodding, letting her vent. Now that she’s started, the words pour out. MORGAN If I hadn’t... (beat) If I’d just stayed home, instead of wanting to be at the Pulitzer banquet with you... (beat) If I hadn’t caught her, she’d never have _needed_ to come after me... (beat) And John’d...be... She breaks down, and Matson slowly puts his arms around her, holding her close and stroking her hair as she sobs into his shoulder. MATSON Shhh, sweetheart, I’m here… GOODWIN (O.C.) Ant? They said you were back here…I’ve found something! Morgan lifts her head from Matson’s shoulder, once again looking hopeful. CUT TO LIVING ROOM Morgan, Matson, and Goodwin enter from the kitchen. Morgan looks around, then addresses her parents. MORGAN Where’s Devlin? ROBERT She got a call and left. She said she’ll notify us as soon as she hears anything. GOODWIN (grinning) Or maybe _we’ll_ notify _her_… He sits down at a desk in the corner. On it is a state-of-the-art computer…and a framed photograph of a younger Morgan with her husband and a four-year-old John. Goodwin glances at it grimly as the others gather round. He inserts a disk into the computer and Berger’s message begins to play. As they watch, Morgan’s mother begins to cry, and this sets Morgan herself off. Goodwin sees, and reaches over to her, and squeezes her hand. Matson sees that, and his face clouds over as well. As the video tightens in on John, Goodwin freezes the frame. GOODWIN There…there’s our lead, right there. Riller peers at the screen. RILLER Where? The others look closely, but no one sees what Goodwin is talking about. He sighs, hits a couple of keys on the keyboard, and a section of the screen expands. It’s a piece of the wall. As the picture gets bigger, we see the individual pixels enlarge. Goodwin busily types, and the picture resolves further. It’s a small opening in a blacked out window, and through it we see a sign, showing a warehouse number and a corporate logo. ROBERT I know that logo! It’s Katsushika Limited, a transhipper. They work the docks in New Astoria. MORGAN (earnestly) Are you sure, Dad? ROBERT (nodding emphatically) I worked the longest, hardest summer of my life for them, back when I was seventeen. RILLER I’ll contact Devlin and let her know. GOODWIN (flatly) No. (beat) We shouldn’t be sitting here on our butts waiting for her to get some people to saunter on over there when they’re good and ready. We need to get there _now_. Ourselves. Morgan is obviously inclined to agree with him and is already heading for the door. Riller shrugs, and follows. GOODWIN (to Matson) Stay here with Anne’s folks and cover for us if that Lieutenant Devlin calls. Matson nods slowly, something obviously troubling him. MATSON You know…Mad Dog…a good ol’ boy pilot like you shouldn’t be able to do what you just did. Goodwin stares hard at Matson, his face blank. Then his “aw shucks” demeanor is back, as he shrugs and grins. GOODWIN Hell, _Vince_, what you see is what you get with me. (beat) I’m just trying to help someone I care about, any way I can. (beat, a very slight edge) Wouldn’t you do the same? Matson nods slowly, watching Goodwin as he turns and leaves. CUT TO STREET SCENE It’s a commercial district, with low-rise office parks on either side. A nondescript vehicle drives toward the camera, and then pulls up along the curb. Christensen gets out, locks the car, and then strides inside the building. CUT TO INTERIOR--SMALL OFFICE It’s dark, except for lights coming through a crack underneath a door. We see a shadow, and then the door opens, revealing Christensen. She palms the light switch as she enters the room. After a moment, she starts to walk around the room, the camera panning behind her. We see a large computer console, with a dozen different monitors, a printer, and two vidlink pickups. CHRISTENSEN My, my, Andrea. You did keep your light under a bushel. She sits down at the keyboard, and looks over at the console. After a few moments, she presses some controls. The overhead lights dim, and the console springs to life. The monitors start showing images of various hidden cameras, placed almost everywhere conceivable. Christensen looks impressed. CHRISTENSEN Placing surveillance pickups into almost everything EWS has built? Was that your idea, Andrea? She types another command, and one more monitor springs to life, presenting a login screen. Christensen contemplates it, then looks around, and then underneath the keyboard. Gouged on the bottom is a strip of holes. Christensen smiles wider. CHRISTENSEN Always a mistake, writing that ID down. Christensen runs her fingers over the scratches, then lets her fingers fly over the keyboard. In a moment, the words “Donovan Creche” appear in the password box, and a file menu appears. Christensen scans the menu quickly, then highlights one item. A map of North America appears. Christen drags the cursor over the Portland Metro area, and a large street map appears. After a few more keystrokes, the map starts getting freckled with red dots. CHRISTENSEN Talk about keeping an eye on things... (smiles) Okay, down to business. Let’s see, can I find that damned ensign in this mess? She looks at the monitor, typing in a few commands. The number of plotted red dots decreases, but all are clustered around a single location. CHRISTENSEN All right…let’s see what’s going on. She presses a couple of controls. OFF MONITOR BANK Now seven monitors are active, showing various wide angle images around the Baird home. One shot shows a low angle image of Morgan, Goodwin, Riller and Matson, looking at the monitor. They are chatting back and forth, but the image is silent. After a moment, they all turn to leave. OFF CHRISTENSEN CHRISTENSEN Now, to keep an eye on them. She types in another set of commands, and we see another monitor light up, showing Riller, Morgan and Goodwin getting into a vehicle. As the vehicle moves away, the images on the monitor switch from view to view, following the vehicle. Christensen jots down the license plate number, then turns to the computer. CHRISTENSEN Let’s see what other secrets you’ve got in here, Andrea. CUT TO WAREHOUSE DISTRICT The car pulls in, and moves among the shipping containers. CUT TO VEHICLE INTERIOR The three crewmates are looking around, trying to spot the sign. Suddenly Morgan points and yells. MORGAN Stop! (beat) There’s another one! RILLER (grumbling) This is the fifth Katsushika building we’ve seen... CUT TO WAREHOUSE EXTERIOR We see the sign she’s pointing at, matching the one they identified in Berger’s message. CUT TO VEHICLE EXTERIOR The car comes to a stop; Riller and Goodwin get out, followed by Morgan. They walk to the edge of the dock, looking at the sign. RILLER All right, there’s the sign. Now where did that transmission come from? Goodwin shades his eyes for a second, looking around. GOODWIN We’re too far to the right, so that would put it... (beat, checking out possible buildings). There! He points back to an older warehouse on that pier, across from the other warehouse. The three of them start moving quickly toward it. CUT TO WAREHOUSE DOOR The three of them approach the warehouse, taking cover behind a packing crate near a door. Goodwin and Riller look out to assess the situation. RILLER I don’t like it. It’s too easy. GOODWIN Well, I _like_ it easy. (beat) So how should we go in? Kick in the door? RILLER (shaking his head) Nah, too big. (beat) We could blow it off the hinges... GOODWIN Wouldn’t that alert them we’re here? Morgan watches them for a second, incredulous. Making a decision, she walks over to the door, turns the doorknob, and opens it, walking in purposefully. Goodwin and Riller watch her for a second. GOODWIN Or we could just walk up and open the door. RILLER That would be good. They quickly run after Morgan. CUT TO WAREHOUSE INTERIOR The place is deserted. There are a few wooden shipping crates, an overhead catwalk, and nothing else. Morgan stands inside the door, trying to understand, and the other two join her. Quickly scanning the room, Riller looks over at Goodwin. RILLER Something’s wrong. GOODWIN I’ll say. (beat, walking toward the center of the warehouse) The picture couldn’t have come from here. Morgan joins him, pointing. MORGAN Yes, it could have. He follows where she’s pointing, and sees a broken window and, through it, the warehouse number. He looks the other direction and down to the floor. On the floor is a single piece of gear, looking like an old fiber optic scope attached to a transmitter. Riller joins him. RILLER What the-- Before he can finish, we hear the high-pitched whine of a UEO sidearm being powered up. Riller and Goodwin draw their weapons as we hear a voice ring out. MALE VOICE (O.C.) UEO Security! _FREEZE!_ (beat) Drop your weapons, hands on your heads _now_! Riller and Goodwin look at each other, then over at Morgan as we... FADE TO COMMERCIAL END ACT FIVE ACT SEVEN OPEN ON WRAITH INTERIOR The interior of the recon assault vehicle. Goodwin is looking around like a kid in a candy store, while Riller is obviously jealous. Morgan looks directly at Covarrubias, while Svetlovana and Takemitsu take the transmitter to the workbench. BEAR All right, let’s pool what we do know. (beat) We all found that background transmitter...a good bit of work on that, by the way. GOODWIN Shucks, it was nothing. Covarrubias looks over at Goodwin, his brows furrowed. COVARRUBIAS I know you from somewhere. GOODWIN (slowly) Yes... (beat, warily) But that doesn’t matter now. I’ll refresh your memory later. BEAR My question is, why didn’t she just kill the boy outright? Morgan’s sharp intake of breath gets a glance from Dobbs and Riller. COVARRUBIAS (to Morgan) Ensign, we want to find your son alive. But you have to know our mission is to find Berger, and either capture or eliminate her. BEAR Well, we need info. (beat) Who’s the ISB agent on the case? RILLER Lieutenant Fern Devlin. She left us a card with the number to call her at... He starts to look for the card, but can’t find it. He looks at Morgan and Goodwin, both of whom shrug. Bear looks over at Dobbs. BEAR Call the local ISB barracks, and get us in contact with Lieutenant Devlin. Dobbs nods and heads for the communications console. Covarrubias looks back at Morgan. COVARRUBIAS What else can you tell us about Berger? You seem to know her better than anyone. Morgan closes her eyes. MORGAN (a little distant) She’s right-handed. I remember that, each time, just before she’s lashed out, that she clenched and unclenched her fists. (beat) Even with her eyes changed, she’s got a very intense stare, and she rarely blinks. She takes in the area very quickly. RILLER How could you know all that? MORGAN (opening her eyes) I don’t understand it. (beat) I just know it. Riller glances over at Goodwin, who shrugs. Bear opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted. DOBBS Lieutenant! (beat) We’ve got a problem. Covarrubias, Bear and the others move over to the console were Dobbs is, and look at the vidlink. On the screen is a middle-aged man in an ISB uniform. Bear looks at Dobbs. BEAR Dobbs, who is that? DOBBS (quietly) Allow me to introduce Lieutenant Devlin of ISB Portland Bureau. Lieutenant _Frank_ Devlin. (beat) Who says no one there has heard a single word about a kidnapping. Morgan goes pale, while Riller and Goodwin close their eyes. CUT TO ROOM We are fairly tight on Berger, but see that she still has John strapped to the bed, and a set of headphones on him. He is crying, tears leaking out from inside the tape over his eyes. Berger is ignoring him, and is reading a book. PULL BACK TO SHOW MORE OF THE ROOM The walls are all painted a chromatic blue, allowing a chromakey system to overlay the shot over any background. As Berger reads, we hear a door open, and a shadow slides over Berger. She looks up at the person casting the shadow, and smiles. BERGER Well, Lieutenant Devlin, you’ve got me. (beat) Should I surrender now? DEVLIN (O.S.) Oh, most definitely. Berger stands up and puts her book down, then holds out her hands in front of her. BERGER So come and get me. “Devlin” steps forward into view, and we realize who she is: Hannah. She walks into Berger’s arms, and the two of them kiss for a few seconds, then break apart. Berger strokes her cheek for a moment, obviously tender, and then smiles at her. BERGER I missed you, sister. HANNAH And I, you. (beat, looking at John) I couldn’t get her at the house; there were too many people. BERGER (nodding) That was a chance we took. But this way is just as good. (beat) She’s going to hurt so much longer this way. HANNAH How much longer? BERGER Oh, one last broadcast I think. We need to twist the knife. (beat) Is the second transmitter set? HANNAH (smiling) Yeah. It’ll look like you’re killing him in his own bedroom. (beat) Nice touch, that. BERGER (smiling) Wish I’d thought of it. (beat) No, that was one of..._Dad’s_ ideas. HANNAH So do we have time to play? BERGER Hannah, you know I’ll always make time for you. (coyly) Follow me. She takes Hannah by one hand and the two leave, closing the door behind them. On the bed, John shivers, alone and frightened. CUT TO WRAITH Covarrubias is at a console with Dobbs. The _seaQuest_ crew is with them, watching over his shoulder. COVARRUBIAS Is ISB on their way to the Baird home? BEAR Yes. And I’ve flashed an update to UEO HQ about what we’ve found. (beat, looking at Riller) I don’t know whose idea it was to send you two along with her, but my guess is it saved her life. RILLER Thanks. COVARRUBIAS We need to figure out who we’re dealing with. (beat) She has help. RILLER (dryly) Obviously. Covarrubias ignores the jibe, and looks back at Dobbs. COVARRUBIAS Do we have the video from Berger’s escape available? DOBBS Yes, Sir. Let me punch it up. One of the overhead monitors starts to display the CNN footage. As Berger disables the guards, the camera swings to see the Warden trying to call for help, and the sound tech holding the gun to his head. RILLER Freeze that! Dobbs does so, and the image of Hannah holding the pistol to the warden’s head stays on the screen. Riller squints at it a little, then turns to Morgan RILLER (uncertain) The hair and eye color are wrong-- MORGAN (cold) But the face is the same. And look at her eyes... (beat) That’s our Devlin. TAKEMITSU (O.C.) Sir! They move back to the workbench, crowding around. Takemitsu has the transmitter opened, its innards strewn across her workbench. COVARRUBIAS What is it? TAKEMITSU (enthusiastic) It’s a unidirectional transmitter, operating on a set of frequencies, using a pre-built algorithm. It shifts along them in a tight band, the frequency shifting quick enough so you wouldn’t be able to track it— BEAR (rolling eyes) Taks, plain language please? (beat) Can we trace Berger using this? TAKEMITSU (sheepish) Not from this transmitter. I, uh, sort of broke it when I took it apart. SVETLOVANA But we know the frequency keying, and can scan for that. (beat) It’s a shot in the dark, but it’s all we’ve got. COVARRUBIAS Do it. Svetlovana nods, then heads for the com console as Dobbs slides out of place. She types in a number of commands at the keyboard. In a few seconds one of the LED indicators goes bright red. SVETLOVANA We’ve got a second signal. COVARRUBIAS Pull it up. She types a few more commands in, and one of the monitors lights up with a field of static. Slowly, the static resolves, and we see a bedroom. MORGAN Oh dear God! (beat) It’s John’s room. Panicked, she reaches for Goodwin’s hand as we… CUT TO OFFICE Christensen has the computer search up and running, and we see the name “Donovan Creche” at the top of the screen. Page after page of lists of names goes by, accompanied at the top by two headings: “Quickening Date” and “Programming.” The programming types show various headings, including “Courtesan”, “Sales”, “Laborer” and “Warrior”. Finally, a page appears showing the title “Assassin”. Christensen stops, and slides a finger down the list of eight names there. The third name on the list is Andrea Berger CHRISTENSEN There you are. (beat, typing some other commands) So let’s see who was in the sandbox with you. The screen dissolves to show Berger’s data page, including pictures of her at three different ages, including a recent picture. At the bottom of the page is an icon that Christensen clicks on. The next page shows the name Hannah Raily, and three additional pictures. Christensen clicks through the next two screens, then stops. We get close in on the youngest image, slide over to the middle, then pulls back to reveal the latest picture, and the name above: Gary DeLano. CUT TO BAIRD HOME A team of ISB agents is interviewing the Bairds and Matson when Goodwin, Morgan, Svetlovana and Dobbs arrive. As they run in and head for the stairs, the ISB agents try to converge. Svetlovana flashes some credentials quickly as she passes. SVETLOVANA UEO Security! Make sure these folks are kept safe! Svetlovana, Dobbs and Morgan head upstairs, while Matson grabs Goodwin. MATSON Who are these people? GOODWIN (shrugs) The cavalry. CUT TO HALL OUTSIDE JOHN’S BEDROOM Morgan is about to tear in when Dobbs grabs her and pulls her back. MORGAN Let me go! DOBBS (calmly) No, Ma’am. This is our job. (beat, to Svetlovana) High or low? SVETLOVANA High. On three They pull out pulse weapons and hold them at ready. Dobbs holds up three fingers, counts them down, then opens the door and rolls into the room, coming up with weapon at ready. As soon as he enters and sweeps the room left to right, Svetlovana does the same standing up. DOBBS Clear. SVETLOVANA Clear. Dobb moves over to the door and motions for Morgan to enter. DOBBS Ma’am, can you find anything out of place? Morgan starts to look about the room, past baseball memorabilia, lingering a moment over a picture of her and John, then moving to the bookshelves. She stops for a second, and looks at a model there of a small submersible. MORGAN (uncertain) I don’t remember this... Dobbs nods, and pulls out an instrument. Svetlovana does the same. SVETLOVANA It’s transmitting. DOBBS (checking his readout) No explosives. It’s safe to move. He reaches out and takes it, handing the model to Svetlovana. Dobbs then takes out a PAL and activates it. DOBBS (into PAL) Taks, you there? CUT TO WRAITH INTERIOR Takemitsu is at the data console, nodding. TAKEMITSU Have you five by five, Dobbs. Have you got our toy? DOBBS (over com) Affirmative. Vana says it’s still transmitting. TAKEMITSU Good. I should be able to piggyback and see where it’s going. Let’s see what we find. Takemitsu presses some controls, and a graphic display of the signal shows. Quickly, two red dots appear over a line map of North America. The first two turn green as the computer identifies them as known satellites. TIGHT ON TAKEMITSU TAKEMITSU Come on, where are you going. Her eyes go wide. She turns quickly. TAKEMITSU Lieutenant, you’re not gonna like this. She looks back at the screen and purses her lips as we... FADE TO COMMERCIAL END ACT SEVEN ACT EIGHT FADE IN ON UNDERWATER EXTERIOR--CGI A school of brightly colored fish swim by, then scatter as a small submersible skims by. The camera pans to follow it. CUT TO SUBMERSIBLE COCKPIT Christensen is piloting the craft quickly through the waters, checking her navigation panel. A small video screen blinks once and then resolves into a picture of Walker. He looks perturbed. WALKER Leah, where are you? Christensen checks a reading, then continues piloting without looking at the vidlink pickup. CHRISTENSEN About a hundred kilometers off the west coast of Mexico, Mister Walker. Heading south. Walker waits a moment for Christensen to continue. When she doesn’t, he starts to talk at her. WALKER _Why_ are you there? And what does this have to do with Berger? CHRISTENSEN (sighing) Look, when you hired _Berger_ out of Donovan Labs, you knew what she was, right? WALKER Yes, but-- CHRISTENSEN Let me finish. (beat) Before the attack on you, I mentioned that I thought she wasn’t working on this. Well, I’m right. (beat) Berger wasn’t just trained by Donovan Labs, she was born there. And she wasn’t alone. Walker gets a stunned look on his face. WALKER You mean... (beat, a whisper) Clones? CHRISTENSEN (shaking her head) Not clones. But artificially created. Donovan Labs’ _training program_ is nothing more than a front for this. Walker sits down and considers the implications. After a moment, he looks directly into the pickup. WALKER Leah... (beat) I hired _you_ out of Donovan Labs. Christensen bites her lower lip for a moment, then looks over at the vidlink pickup. CHRISTENSEN Yes, you did. And _when_ I get back, we’ll discuss it more. (beat) But right now, the subject is Berger. I did some looking into her creche class. WALKER Creche class? CHRISTENSEN The other people she was... (beat, searching for the right word) ...Created with. There were seven others, six of whom I was able to trace or eliminate. That left one, Hannah Raily. I was able to ID her on the CNN news footage as the accomplice in Berger’s escape. (beat) But the lead I’m following is one of the other six. Does the name Gary DeLano ring a bell? WALKER (puzzled) DeLano? The Carolinan chief of staff? CHRISTENSEN One and the same. And he did something strange this past month. He made a small real estate purchase out here, and had a bunch of electronic equipment shipped out to it. WALKER Where do you mean, out here? CHRISTENSEN Mister Walker, in your wildest dreams you’d never guess where she has this kid. The camera view slides over her shoulder, and we see the navigational chart displayed for the eastern seaboard, off the coast of Texas. A single dot, about 100 miles offshore, is highlighted. The camera pans up to look out her front view port, showing us three massive legs made of tubular steel in the water. We follow them up, and the camera breaches the surface, revealing an abandoned oil drilling platform. CUT TO ABANDONED RIG EXTERIOR A small dock area rolls in the swells at the base of the rig, pitching and heaving. Christensen surfaces her submersible and quickly docks it, jumping out to tie it off. She looks around quickly, then checks the gear on her jumpsuit. She makes sure her pulse pistol is charged, and a large black tactical fighting knife is in its scabbard, then heads over to a metal ladder set inside a rusting circular frame. She looks up, and starts to climb toward the main rig structure. CUT TO RIG GALLEY Berger is now dressed in a long shirt and a pair of slacks and deck shoes. She is at a large stove in the galley area of the rig, chopping up some fresh vegetables with a large knife. From the other ingredients there (eggs, mushrooms), it looks like she’s making omelets for breakfast. She chops and hums to herself for a few moments, then Hannah walks in, wearing only an old button down work shirt. BERGER (warmly) Good morning, love. Hannah walks over to her and kisses her. HANNAH (smiling) Mmmm, morning, love. What’s for breakfast? And can I help? BERGER You? You never did learn to cook, Hannah. No, I’ll play the chef, and you can set the table. Hannah goes and grabs the utensils. As she sets out place settings, she talks back over her shoulder at Berger. HANNAH So, when are we going to broadcast? BERGER (smiling) After breakfast, I think. I always liked doing my work on a full stomach. HANNAH (catty) You like doing your work anytime. Berger stops chopping for a moment, and points the knife at Hannah. BERGER True. (beat) I think maybe some orange juice today with breakfast. Can you get me some out of the reefer? HANNAH Sure. Hannah heads over to the large walk in refrigerator and pulls on the latch, opening the wide door. She walks in, looking for the orange juice. As she does, the door slams shut TIGHT ON REFRIGERATOR DOOR A pin slides into place. PULL BACK Revealing Christensen at the door, pulse pistol drawn. Berger doesn’t turn, but carefully puts down the knife. She looks ahead as she talks. CHRISTENSEN (calmly) You know, I wonder if your class will always fall for the same trick. (beat, shaking head) Trapped in a freezer again. BERGER (not looking) Hello, Leah. Long time. CHRISTENSEN You could say that, Andrea. (beat) So why did you do it? Berger picks up a pair of eggs and expertly cracks them, one in each hand,on the edge of a stainless steel bowl, dropping the contents into the bowl and the shells into a small pile on the counter. BERGER Well, you know what they say. (beat, cracking two more eggs) You have to break some eggs to make an omelet. (beat) Dear old Teddy left me to die, Leah. His type uses us. (beat) We’re better than he is, by design. And I intend to show him that. CHRISTENSEN Well, they said the same thing about your creche class replacing mine. (beat) But if you’re better by design, why am I here holding the gun? BERGER (calmly smiling) Because I want you to, Leah Christensen takes a step toward Berger, gun at the ready. She flicks off the safety, and raises the gun toward Berger as we hear the gun powering up. Berger turns and faces her, staring calmly at the gun. BERGER You lose, Leah. CHRISTENSEN (confidently) I don’t think so. HANNAH (O.C.) But I do. Christensen is startled and turns to look. As she does, Berger lashes out at her quickly. Christensen blocks the punch, but as she does, Hannah sweeps in low and kicks her legs out from under her. As she falls, Christensen hits her head against the door latch, and is knocked senseless. Hannah catches her and holds her, struggling weakly, as Berger moves over close. Grabbing Christensen by the hair, she forces her head back, so Christensen must look directly at Berger. Christensen struggles weakly again. TIGHT ON BERGER AND CHRISTENSEN BERGER (lightly) Poor Leah. I guess she’ll learn for next to make sure there isn’t another exit when she tries to trap someone. (beat) Oh, that’s right, I forgot. (beat, deadly) There isn’t a _next_ time. We hear a sound, see Christensen grimace, then fall limp. PULL BACK TO FULL ROOM We see that Berger has thrust the kitchen knife into Christensen, killing her. HANNAH So what do you want to do with her? BERGER (wiping the blood off her hands) Same she wanted to do with you. Put her on ice. (beat) I’ll finish making breakfast. Hannah nods, and opens the reefer, quickly dragging the body inside. A moment later she emerges and shuts the door, panting. HANNAH (catching her breath) You do realize if she’s here, others are probably on their way. Berger considers this for a moment, then nods. BERGER Right, so I make it a _quick_ breakfast. CUT TO EXTERIOR WRAITH--CGI The boat is cutting through the water, rapidly heading for its target. CUT TO COCKPIT Svetlovana is at the controls, keeping an eye on course and speed. Covarrubias comes up to the hatch behind her. COVARRUBIAS How are we doing? SVETLOVANA All right. ETA is thirty minutes. (beat, quietly) Miguel, this is crazy. We’re deep in Carolinan waters with a bunch of amateurs. This is the type of mission that gets us hurt. Or worse. Covarrubias nods, shrugging. COVARRUBIAS I don’t know about amateurs. But we’ll keep them down here with you, safe and sound, while we take down Berger and her accomplices. (beat) Keep us low profile. We have enough worries without the Carolinans sniffing around. SVETLOVANA Aye aye, Sir. CUT TO MAIN COMPARTMENT Dobbs, Bear and Takemitsu are getting into their active camouflage suits and checking weapons, while the _seaQuest_ personnel are standing around the briefing table. Riller and Morgan look decidedly unhappy. RILLER Look, Lieutenant, we’re a part of this. You can’t just leave us out at this point. BEAR (looking up) Yes, he can. COVARRUBIAS I appreciate your point, Lieutenant. But my team has been together for quite some time. We know each other’s actions as well as we know our own. (beat) If you were there, we’d lose that...and sometimes, that’s all that keeps us safe. MORGAN (pleading) But he’s my son... Bear walks up behind her. BEAR (gently) Ensign, if we find him, I’ll make sure you’re there for him. I promise. (beat) But our first priority has to be Berger. COVARRUBIAS (to Takemitsu) What were you able to find on the target? TAKEMITSU (keying up a display at the table) It’s a natural gas rig, abandoned in 2012. (beat, pointing at display) It rises about 300 meters above the water to the base platform. There are six levels. Levels one and two were storage, levels three and four were crew quarters and mess, level five was control and equipment storage. DOBBS What’s topside? TAKEMITSU Plans said the derrick, but I doubt it’s still standing. BEAR What’s the best approach? TAKEMITSU There’s a small docking platform at the base of the rig, and ladders up each of the supports. There’s also a helo pad on top, but unless any of these folks can fly, we’re coming up from below. COVARRUBIAS All right. (beat) Bear, you and Taks go up one ladder, Dobbs and I will go up the other. (beat) Morgan, you and Goodwin can come up the third leg _after_ we’ve ensured it’s secure, and stage on deck one for a rescue of the hostage. If we get him back, I want to get him off that rig quickly. Is that understood? They all nod assent. Svetlovana calls over the intercom. SEVTLOVANA (over com) Lieutenant, we’re approaching the target. (beat) There’s another submersible already there. BEAR Can you ID it? SVETLOVANA (over com) Negative. Covarrubias considers it for a moment, then nods. COVARRUBIAS All right, dock us across from it. (beat, to Riller) You wanted to play. Check that other submersible out. Svetlovana will back you up. (beat) By the numbers, people. Be smart, do the job right. They slowly disperse. CUT TO UNDERWATER RIG EXTERIOR—CGI The Wraith moves in silently and slides into position near the dock, hovering just below water level. CUT TO RIG EXTERIOR DOCK The boarding cylinder rises out of the water and the four recon team members quickly move out, sweeping the area for possible enemies. Takemitsu pulls out a small thermal scanner, and points it upward. TAKEMITSU I’ve got three signatures upstairs. No one else. COVARRUBIAS All right, move out, stay in contact. (beat) Recon Three, go ahead and send up our guests. He hears two beeps in acknowledgment, then heads off to one of the legs and starts to climb quickly. CUT TO CORRIDOR--RIG LEVEL FOUR Berger and Hannah turn the corner of a passageway. The walls are industrial gray, with large blue numerals “4” on them. The two approach a door, unlock it, and walk in. We see the chromatic blue walls briefly, and then the door slams shut. As the door shuts, Bear and Takemitsu poke their heads out of the ladderway, looking quickly about. Takemitsu does a quick scan, and gets three solid shapes on her device. She indicates the location by hand gesture to Bear, who moves and establishes a position at the corner of the corridor. CUT TO REVERSE VIEW OF CORRIDOR Dobbs has staked out a position across from the door. Covarrubias checks his positoning, then keys his com. COVARRUBIAS (whispering) Recon Three, tell our guests to proceed to level one and wait. CUT TO RIG EXTERIOR—DOCK Goodwin and Morgan are at the base of one of the supports looking at the 300-meter climb. Morgan looks up, then looks away, swallowing hard. MORGAN (“nonchalant”) I’d never realized how high 300 feet can be. (beat, under her breath) Why’d it have to be someplace _high_… Goodwin leans down next to her and whispers in her ear. GOODWIN Shucks, I’ll let you go first. MORGAN Why? GOODWIN (winks at her) So I can catch ya if you fall. She glares at him, but smiles, as her PAL beeps. She answers it. SVETLOVANA (over PAL) Proceed to level one and wait for further instructions. Before they can acknowledge, the signal is cut off. Morgan looks again at the ladder, takes a deep breath, sets her jaw, and then starts to climb. Goodwin looks for a moment, then climbs after her. CUT TO COMMERCIAL END ACT EIGHT ACT NINE OPEN ON ROOM—RIG LEVEL 4 Hannah has taken her place behind the camera, and is checking her equipment. Berger moves a couple of knives over to the bed and lays them there next to John. He feels her there and whimpers for a moment. She looks at him, and takes off the headphones. JOHN (crying out) Mom?! Berger strokes his cheek. BERGER No, but Mommy will see you real soon, big boy. Just be brave for a little longer. (beat, to Hannah) How much longer? Hannah plugs in two wires, then flips a switch. HANNAH All done. I just need to key in the background signal-- She stops and frowns for a second. HANNAH That’s weird. That’s not where I put the-- (beat, realization) Damn! They’re here! BERGER What-- Before she can stand up, the door is kicked in, and a pair of flash grenades are tossed into the room, filling the room with light and noise. As the light clears, Dobbs and Bear charge into the room, sweeping again for targets high and low. They find no one but John in the room, but a door on the opposite wall is off its hinges. DOBBS Clear! BEAR Clear! They’re loose, Lieutenant! CUT TO CORRIDOR COVARRUBIAS (looking for movement) Damn! (beat, into com) Morgan, Goodwin, get up here and get the boy. The targets are getting away. (beat, calling out) Taks, are you tracking them? There’s no answer. COVARRUBIAS (calling out) Taks! He rounds the corner, and finds Takemitsu unconscious on the floor, the scanner smashed. He goes to her, and looks at her carefully. COVARRUBIAS (gently) Taks! Talk to me, kid. Takemitsu groans once and rolls over. TAKEMITSU (groaning) Did anyone get the number of that sub? COVARRUBIAS (relieved) You’ll live. (beat) What happened? TAKEMITSU I had the back entrance targeted, and then... (beat) Something came out of there. Inhumanly fast. Two of them. They headed up, I think, after they ran me over. COVARRUBIAS Are you all right? She checks her arms and legs, and rolls to all fours, then up to a sitting position. As she does so, she holds her head. TAKEMITSU Well, I’ve had better days, but I’m still working. COVARRUBIAS All right. Get down below. We’ll try to search for the targets as soon as they have the kid out of here. Takemitsu nods and gets unsteadily to her feet. As she does, Goodwin and Morgan come charging up the last flight of stairs. Morgan looks at Covarrubias. He jerks a thumb at the doorway. COVARRUBIAS He’s in there. Scared, and probably deaf for a while, but he’ll be all right. Morgan nods once, and heads into the room. Goodwin looks at Covarrubias. GOODWIN What about your targets? COVARRUBIAS Still loose. Watch your step on the way down. Goodwin nods, then heads over to the room CUT TO ROOM Morgan is already at John’s side, hugging him close as Dobbs and Bear watch. Goodwin walks in, and nods to them as he unholsters his sidearm. Bear and Dobbs look once, and then head for the exit. MORGAN (crooning) I’ve got you, honey. GOODWIN He can’t hear you, Anne. It’s the aftereffect of the flash grenade. It’ll wear off soon. (beat) We need to get him off this rig. Berger and her friend are still loose. (beat) Do you want me to carry him? MORGAN (shaking her head) I’ve got him. Morgan scoops up her son and holds him close to her. Even though he is near to her height, long legs dangling, she handles him easily, as she and Goodwin head out the door. CUT TO RIG GALLEY The three recon team embers move in, checking the room. Dobbs heads into the kitchen area, and finds the puddle of blood. He follows it to the refrigerator, then calls out. DOBBS (quietly) Lieutenant. Bear and Covarrubias move over to Dobbs and see the blood leading into the refrigerator. With hand gestures, they indicate positions to take, and quickly place themselves around the door. A few seconds later, Bear opens the door. As they poke inside, they see the lifeless body of Christensen, face down in a pool of blood. Dobbs reaches down and turns her over. DOBBS (quietly) Looks like the aorta was severed. (beat) This one is good. BEAR Great. Smart and fast. That’s a lethal combo. Bear moves to stand up. As he does, we hear an explosion and see the room shudder. Covarrubias keys the com. COVARRUBIAS Recon Three, report. SVETLOVANA (over com) There was a pair of explosions topside on the rig. Looks like a backup-- She is interrupted by a second series of explosions, thei s time a lot closer. SVETLOVANA (over com) Lieutenant, those were directly above you. Berger is covering her tracks...and if you don’t move it, your area is probably next. COVARRUBUIAS (into com) Acknowledged. Stand by. (beat) You heard her, gentlemen. (beat) Let’s secure and get out of here. BEAR (indicating Christensen) What about her? COVARRUBIAS No time. Leave her. The three recon members race out of the galley and down the ladderway. As they do, the ceiling collapses with debris from the level above. CUT TO LEVEL FOUR The recon members head for the stairs, but the ceiling above it collapses. They look at each other, then smile grimly. COVARRUBIAS Recon Three, this is One. We’re cut off. We’re gonna base jump. Be ready for pickup on the south side of the rig. SVETLOVANA (over com) Acknowledged. Covarrubias nods, and then looks around for a second. COVARRUBIAS Dobbs, this is your hobby. Take the point. Dobbs smiles, and heads past us to a hatchway. He opens the hatch, and we see a catwalk and railing on the outer edge of the rig. CUT TO EXTERIOR RIG--LEVEL THREE CATWALK Dobbs, Bear and Covarrubias make their way onto the catwalk, and then over the railing. As we look up at them from a lower railing, we see the upper levels of the rig fully engulfed. Dobbs looks at the other two, then smiles. DOBBS Follow me. He leaps forward into space, spreading his arms and legs as he free falls toward the water. A few feet before impact, a parachute opens, slowing his descent. Just before he hits the water, he cuts his chute and swims away. Covarrubias and Bear follow. CUT TO RIG LEVEL ONE Goodwin and Morgan are making their way slowly down the last stairs, and onto the last level of the rig. It is a weather deck, open to the outside, and has three ladder openings leading down the supports to the dock levels. Goodwin looks, and chooses one, then leads Morgan to it. John is beginning to stir and murmur incomprehensibly in his mother’s arms. GOODWIN (yelling to be heard) We need to get down fast. Let me get into the ladder, then hand him to me. I’ll get him to the bottom. MORGAN All right. Just don’t drop him. GOODWIN I won’t. Goodwin starts to climb down the ladder shaft, while Morgan watches him. A moment passes, and another, and then she feels a tap on her shoulder. She looks up at-- BERGER Surprise! Berger lashes out, catching Morgan across the jaw. Morgan staggers out of the way. Berger looks down at Goodwin. BERGER I’ll save you for later. She closes the hatchway on the ladderwell and seals it. We hear Goodwin banging against the hatch, trying to break through the steel. Berger chuckles at the futility of his actions, then turns to face Morgan. BERGER I admire your resolve. (beat) I never understood that mother-child bond thing, but then that wasn’t my way. (beat) I’ve underestimated you for the last time. MORGAN (steadily) I don’t care what you do with me. Just let John go. BERGER (shaking her head) No, you’re both loose ends. And I hate loose ends, _Annie_. Morgan puts the now fully conscious John down, and pushes him behind her. Berger advances slightly, and Morgan and John back away, toward the railing at the edge of the rig. Morgan has her pulse pistol in hand, and raises it to point unsteadily at Berger. Berger smiles at that. BERGER Be careful with that, someone might get hurt. Before Morgan can react, Berger throws a kitchen knife in a blur of motion. The knife embeds itself in Morgan’s right shoulder, making her cry out in pain as blood pours from the wound. She looks up and tries to stall for time, fighting the pain as struggles to hold onto the pistol. Looking above Berger, Morgan sees her way out. Falling to her knees, she uses her left hand to raise her right hand and the gun upward. Berger is amused by all this work. BERGER (taunting) So much fight left in you. (beat) What are you going to do, shoot me? You couldn’t hit me now if you wanted, _Annie_. (beat) Just admit it’s over. And this time, I win. MORGAN (voice unsteady) Yes, it’s over, Andrea (beat) But not for me. Morgan raises the gun a little higher and fires once, crying out as the recoil jolts her injury. The laser bolt flies high and hits the pipes above Berger, puncturing them and igniting the gas within, turning it into a giant blowtorch. The high-pressure flame catches Berger from behind, igniting her into a fireball. Screaming, she stumbles forward toward Morgan, who gathers her son and moves to her left. Berger steps forward a couple more steps, and then tumbles over the railing and into the water some hundred feet below. CUT TO CHRISTENSEN’S SUBMERSIBLE Riller is looking around the outside, trying to find the code for unlocking the hatch and investigating. RILLER (frustrated) Come on, there has to be a way. (beat) I mean, it’s not like I can just say “open sesame”-- As he says the words, the hatch lifts open. Riller looks at it, amazed, and looks around to see how it happened. HANNAH (O.C.) Cute, isn’t it? Riller turns to look, and is immediately punched in the face. Hannah starts to attack him, punching and kicking, driving him down the dock. She gets Riller in a tight hold, ready to break his neck. HANNAH You folks are too easy. TAKEMITSU (O.C.) You’ve been playing with the wrong folks. Hannah starts to apply pressure when she is lifted up from behind in the same headlock. Takemitsu is behind her, applying the pressure. Hannah releases Riller and starts to flail as Takemitsu applies the hold tighter. TAKEMITSU (grunting) Give it up. HANNAH (gasping) I’d die first. TAKEMITSU (nodding) Your choice. Takemitsu twists Hannah’s neck sharply, and we hear the audible snap. She lets the lifeless body fall to the deck. Behind her, Riller is struggling to his feet. She goes over and helps him up. He looks at the body, then up at Takemitsu. RILLER (gasping) I thought... (beat, gasp) ...We were supposed... (beat gasp) ...To try to capture her. TAKEMITSU (deadpan) Oops. They move away, toward the Wraith’s boarding tube. Goodwin descends down a ladder, bearing John, and yelling. GOODWIN Riller, some help here! Riller and Takemitsu move down toward Goodwin, who hands John to them. He then reaches up and helps Morgan unsteadily down the last rungs of the ladder. She reaches the deck and collapses, bleeding. He scoops her up and runs over to the tube. CUT TO EXTERIOR WRAITH--CGI The boat pulls away underwater, as the exploding rig above colors the water in technicolor hues of red and orange. CUT TO EXTERIOR _SEAQUEST_--CGI _seaQuest_ is moored dockside, as final supplies are being loaded aboard, taking on supplies and getting ready to resume duties. CUT TO PASSAGEWAY Wolenczak, Riller and Matthews are walking toward the Docking Bay, as other crewmen hustle past them on their way to duties. MATTHEWS (continuing) ...And then the Carolinans registered a formal protest? WOLENCZAK (nodding) Yep. Something about UEO incursion into their sovereign waters, saying we should have requested assistance in dealing with the matter. RILLER Right. (beat) At least Morgan’s kid is safe. MATTHEWS That’s true. She’s taking some leave to get him resettled back with her parents before she comes back to duty. (beat) I still don’t know how she can do it. WOLENCZAK (quietly) She doesn’t give up. Riller thinks about that, and nods as they arrive the entrance to the Docking Bay. RILLER Well, I for one am glad it’s over. (beat) Those recon types are a pain in the-- WOLENCZAK Lieutenant. RILLER (staring ahead) Aye, Sir. Ahead of them, one of the airlocks indicates a vessel has completed docking procedures. As the doors clear on the docking tubes, we see Riller go pale, and Wolenczak shakes his head. In walks the members of Force Recon Team Six: Covarrubias, Bear, Svetlovana, Dobbs and Takemitsu. Covarrubias looks around for a moment, spots Wolenczak, then moves over to him. He snaps off a crisp salute. COVARRUBIAS Force Recon Team Six reporting as ordered, Sir. Wolenczak returns the salute warily, then holds out his hand, Covarrubias hands him the order packet. COVARRUBIAS Admiral Robinson felt that since we’d already dealt with some of your crew, we were the logical choice. RILLER Captain, there has to be some mistake-- Covarrubias turns to Riller. COVARRUBUIAS No mistake, Lieutenant. We’re here to stay. So let’s get past this and just get along? Riller starts to get angry, but Wolenczak interrupts him. WOLENCZAK Lieutenant Riller, see to it that the recon team is billeted together. (beat) Lieutenant Covarrubias, a word, if I may? Riller glares once at the Recon leader, then moves over to the rest of the team. RILLER (sullenly) Follow me. TAKEMITSU (playfully) Anywhere, Lieutenant. And anytime. Riller blushes as he heads off. Covarrubias chuckles at the exchange, then turns back to Wolenczak, and stops in his tracks. Wolenczak is smoldering with anger himself. COVARRUBIAS (warily) Yes, Captain? WOLENCZAK Look, we both know this isn’t going to be easy, but we’ll work at making it work. But if you have a complaint about any one of my crew you tell me or Commander Matthews. You do not take matters of crew discipline aboard my boat into your own hands. Is that clear? COVARRRUBIAS (slowly) Yes, Sir. WOLENCZAK Good. (beat) Meet me in the Wardroom at 1900 hours, ready to give me a full rundown on your capabilities. (beat) Dismissed. Covarrubias turns and exits, his face a careful mask. Matthews moves over to Wolenczak. MATTHEWS Was that necessary? WOLENCZAK We’ll see, Commander. (beat) We’ll see. Wolenczak and Matthews exit down a corridor as we... FADE TO BLACK THE END Copyright 1998, 2047 staff. seaQuest 2047 "Tangled Web" Story by Rachel Brody & Don Speirs Written by Don Speirs & Victoria Morgan Hyde Publication Draft Sunday, July 26, 1998 Based on “seaQuest DSV” and “seaQuest 2032”. TEASER FADE IN ON HELICOPTER OVER WATER A helicopter is moving quickly over the water, the afternoon sun silhouetting it. As our POV shifts around the tail from right to left, we see the CNN logo on the side. CUT TO AERIAL SHOT OF ISLAND The helicopter moves into the frame from the upper left corner, obviously headed for the island. As the shot gets closer, we see razor wire and guard towers. Caption reads: “Rothgate Prison Complex” New line: “Newport Harbor, Rhode Island” CUT TO LANDING PAD As we watch, the helicopter circles the pad once. LANDING CONTROL (V.O.) CNN three-niner, you are cleared for approach. The helicopter comes in and lands. A guard captain approaches the side door and opens it, helping out Tracy Reynolds. Reynolds is a no-nonsense female, with a short hairstyle, comfortable working clothes and an air of being direct and to-the-point. The guard captain leans in toward her. CAPTAIN (yelling to be heard) The warden said to cooperate with you. What do you need? REYNOLDS (yelling) I brought my own camera and sound crew, and the warden said you already have a secure room. CAPTAIN (nodding as he yells) Already set up. Reynolds and the guard captain put the helicopter behind them, moving toward the fence. As they do, we see Reynolds’ camera crew unloading gear from the copter. One of the two techs glances up at the pilot and nods slightly. The pilot nods back, reaches up and presses a single switch on his overhead panel. CUT TO CONFERENCE ROOM The room is utilitarian at best, with two doors at opposite ends of the room and a single small window set high in the wall. The sound tech is playing with a large blue screen, placing it behind the seat where the interviewee will sit. The door behind Reynolds opens, and she turns. We see Warden Randolph Stevens enter, wearing a nondescript business suit. He walks over to Reynolds and smiles warmly. STEVENS Miss Reynolds. (shaking her hand) I hope you’ve had all your needs met. Reynolds looks over at her cameraman and grins at him, then back at the warden. REYNOLDS Relax, Warden. Everything’s been fine. CAMERAMAN (playing along) Tracy, isn’t that expose on UEO prison conditions scheduled for “Face To Face” next month? REYNOLDS (to Cameraman) I knew I forgot something. (beat, to Stevens) Any comments on the record, Warden? STEVENS (not rising to the bait) Not yet, _Miss_ Reynolds. (beat) Are you all set? REYNOLDS (nodding, looking at her techs) All except for wiring up our guest of honor. (beat) She’ll be here soon. STEVENS Any second now. (beat) Although why you’d want this interv-- Before he can say more, the opposite door opens. A guard walks in, followed by Andrea Berger. Berger is dressed in a prison jumpsuit, white with orange piping down the arms. Her hands are bound by restraints. She looks about quietly, taking in the room, then walks over calmly to chair by the screen and sits. REYNOLDS (to Stevens) Showtime. (beat, to sound technician) Wire her for sound, and let’s get started. The sound tech walks over to Berger and places a small mike on her. She turns back to the camera to check the mike’s visibility on the monitor. TIGHT ON TECH’S HAND As she passes a small object to Berger. PULL BACK TO FULL ROOM REYNOLDS Are we all set? The sound tech nods and puts on her headphones, activating her recording equipment. She gives a thumbs-up to Reynolds, who looks over at the cameraman. CAMERAMAN (softly) Recording. On five…four…three…two… He points at Reynolds, who nods and looks at Berger. REYNOLDS Miss Berger, thank you for granting us this interview. Just so you know, we’ll be editing this to fit into a larger report on you. But none of your answers will be edited. BERGER (wryly) Nice to know. REYNOLDS So, the first question is, why? BERGER Why? Berger pauses and smiles as she shrugs. BERGER (continues) Why not? Reynolds is clearly taken aback by that response. She shifts in her chair, uncomfortable, while Berger smiles, knowing she’s taken control already. REYNOLDS (carefully) Let’s come back to that in a few moments. (beat) If you weren’t in here, what would you be doing right now? BERGER (smiling) Taking my revenge on the people who put me here. REYNOLDS (leaning back) That’s a little far-fetched, considering how long you’re going to be in here. Berger leans forward, and motions for Reynolds to do so. As she does so, Berger’ s voice gets deadly calm. BERGER Never assume. She then pulls her hands up and we see her restraints clatter onto the table. Before the guards and warden can react, Berger jumps up and disables one with a blow to the throat. The other pulls a weapon, but a kick from Berger doubles him over. She knees him in the head, and then quickly twists his head, snapping his neck. Reynolds scrambles backward, trying to get out of the way, but Berger quickly grabs her and holds her from behind in a chokehold. Warden Stevens immediately reaches for the phone, trying to call out an alarm, but before he can, the muzzle of a weapon is at his temple. We pull back to see the sound tech holding it. SOUND TECH (malicious) Either you put the receiver down, or your brain becomes a Jackson Pollock on the back wall. Stevens slowly lowers the receiver back onto the cradle. REYNOLDS (sputtering) You’re...working with her? Berger tightens her hold, choking off Reynolds’ last word. SOUND TECH Now, Warden, why don’t you just lie down on the floor, and maybe we’ll let you live. STEVENS I don’t know who you are-- SOUND TECH (interrupting) But we’ll never get away, yadda yadda, blah blah blah. (beat) Get on the floor if you want to live. Stevens glares at her, and then slowly lowers himself to the floor, face down. The tech gets Berger’s restraints and uses them to secure the warden in place. BERGER (to Sound Tech) Took you long enough. SOUND TECH Patience, Sis, patience. BERGER How did you get here? SOUND TECH (indicating Reynolds) Our helicopter. (beat) We’ve also got their communications signals jammed, so we can make a clean escape. (beat, looks at Berger) But about your wardrobe... BERGER Yes. She looks appraisingly at Reynolds. BERGER You’re about my size. Strip. CAMERAMAN Now wait a sec-- His voice is cut off by the sound tech hitting him on the back of the neck. He crumples to the ground, unconscious. SOUND TECH Never did like him much anyway. (beat) Even if he was good in bed. (beat, turns to Reynolds) Now, _Tracy_, you can take off your clothes… (beat) …Or my sister and I can take them off your dead body. Your choice. Reynolds looks at the tech, and then nods. Berger releases her, and starts to unfasten her prison jumpsuit, as Reynolds begins unbuttoning her blouse. OFF SOUND TECH REYNOLDS (O.C.) Just who _are_ you, anyway? SOUND TECH Oh, just who I said I was. Andrea and I were crèche sisters. (beat, an unpleasant grin) What, the employment background check didn’t mention that? Pity. (beat) As for a name...you can call me...Hannah. Camera pulls back as Hannah looks at Berger, now in Reynolds’ clothes, and shakes her head. BERGER I know, Sis. But sometimes, one has to make a sacrifice to achieve a goal. HANNAH I agree. (beat, to Reynolds) Thank you, _Tracy_, for all your help. But we don’t need it anymore. REYNOLDS (wide-eyed and fearful) No, wait! Hannah raises the weapon and fires twice. Reynolds crumples quickly to the floor. BERGER Nice shooting. HANNAH Thanks. (beat, notices camera) That thing is still running. Want me to destroy it? Berger thinks for a moment, then shakes her head. BERGER No. I’ve got a better idea. She reaches down and grabs a pair of sunglasses from one of the dead guards, then turns to the camera. CUT TO CAMERA MONITOR We see Berger turn to the camera and smile, a hint of madness in the curve of her smile. BERGER Three little pigs, all in a row. Let’s see how neatly you all will go. One goes by fire, One goes by wind And one goes by proxy, a terrible sin. She smiles, and then lashes out at the camera. The screen dissolves into a field of static, then goes dark to a single dot of light. FADE TO OPENING CREDITS END TEASER