PREY
"After-Shock"
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
4. INT. WHITNEY LAB; MAIN ROOM - DAWN
ED enters. Also present are RAY and several other NSA AGENTS. The lab is a mess, a window smashed, files and papers in disarray. The NSA agents are dusting for prints.
RAY
(looking up from a filing cabinet)
Mornin', Ed. You look how I feel.
Ed walks over to his computer like a zombie, and switches on the monitor.
ED
(not his usual cheerful self)
I haven't had much sleep, Ray.
(adds, conciliatory)
Though I probably wouldn't have gotten any if I tried.
RAY
(formalities over; down to business)
I need your help here - see what was taken. I'm sure you have more idea what was stored here than I do.
ED
(dryly)
Anything on the security cameras?
RAY
(frowns)
Damn system went down last night.
ED
Figures.
RAY
(trying to keep Ed in the conversation)
It looks as if whoever did this took an interest in the filing cabinets.
ED
(muttering to himself)
Well, at least they didn't break the computers. Data integrity checks out, security guard program working...
(takes out the blood gadget from a shirt pocket and puts it in the blood scanner. Loudly, abruptly:)
Where's Walter?
RAY
(caught off guard; almost guiltily)
Not in yet. I thought one of us should have a good night's sleep, at least.
(a beat)
He routed security of this place through me, and I'm not about to wake him unnecessarily...to tell him I messed up...that the lab's been turned over, and Sloan's been taken.
ED
(hesitates, then looks away from his monitor straight at Ray)
Ray, d'you remember last year, the night of Ann's death?
RAY
Ann? ...Dr. Coulter?
ED
(softly)
Yeah. Who checked the security tapes that night, Ray - you?
RAY
(defensively)
Yes, me, all of us at the station did - there was a lot of footage. One of your security guards brought a whole stack of tapes to us; fifty hours of empty corridors.
ED
(seriously, almost accusatorily)
Well, somewhere along the way one of you missed something.
RAY
(now angry despite himself)
The hell we did!
Ed pulls out the video tape.
ED
(relieved that Ray knows nothing about the cover-up; conspiratorially)
Yeah? Well, take a look at this - hot from the hands of somebody at the CIA. It's from the night of Ann's murder - the corridor outside her office.
RAY
Cut to the chase, Ed, who's on it?
At that moment, two things happen: the computer finishes the blood DNA test and flashes the text "Human" on the screen; the lab doors open, and DR. WALTER ATTWOOD enters. He sees the mess on the floor, and scowls.
WALTER
(annoyed, more at the mess than anything else)
You could have called me-
Walter sees the broken window, and his expression freezes.
CUT TO:
5. FLASHBACK - INT. WHITNEY LABS; THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE DR. COULTER'S OFFICE
[THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 1998 - early evening]
WALTER, ANN, and SLOAN are present.
WALTER
I'm sorry to be a pain, but we are down to the wire with this CDC grant application. Without the two of us going over these numbers, I am never going to get it in.
ANN
Does it have to be tonight?
WALTER
Deadline is midnight. I've already got one extension. We do this now or we don't get the grant.
ANN
(to Sloan)
Duty calls.
CUT TO:
6. FLASHBACK - INT. WHITNEY LABS; DR. COULTER'S OFFICE - NIGHT
[THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 1998, 11:20 PM]
We see the broken window. Dr. ANN COULTER lies dead on the floor, WALTER crouched over her, his shirt and hands covered in blood.
CUT TO:
7. BACK TO PRESENT - INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE OF MAIN ROOM - DAY
WALTER steps back out, and hurries toward the elevator, an anxious expression on his face. A moment later, ED comes after him.
ED
(urgently)
Walter, wait up, we need to talk.
WALTER
(not stopping; subdued yet very agitated)
Not now, Ed, I need to get going.
ED
(walking after him, gaining speed; louder, more angrily)
Where?
WALTER
(now inside the elevator; suddenly more calm, focused, resolute)
I'll tell you all about it later. Stick close to Ray. Stay somewhere safe.
ED
(anger turns to despair - another of his friends going away)
Walter, Sloan is missing!
A pained expression hits Walter's face, yet it is almost as if Walter already knew. The elevator doors close. Ed pauses, wondering whether to take the stairs to catch up with him. He decides to do just that.
CUT TO:
8. EXT. WHITNEY LABS - DAY
ED races through the lab doors only to see WALTER enter a cab and speed away. He looks around for an available cab, but there are none. Suddenly a black Sedan pulls up. Ed sees that the driver is TRAVIS.
TRAVIS
(face leaning out the window) Problems, Dr. Tate?
ED
You could say that.
TRAVIS
Then it's fortunate for you that I know where Attwood's going. Get in, I'll drive you.
(Ed hesitates)
Come on, we don't have much time...
ED
All right.
(opens the passenger door)
Thanks.
Ed gets in the car, and they speed away.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
