PREY
"After-Shock"
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
9. EXT. VANDENBERG MILITARY AIR BASE - DAY
WALTER walks along the runway tarmac towards a large military plane, which is being prepped for flight.
CUT TO:
10. FLASHBACK - INT. PENTAGON WINDOWLESS CONFERENCE ROOM
[THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 1998, 3 PM]
WALTER and ALEXANDRA LUTHOR are present.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
This is a disaster, Walter, I told you to stop her.
WALTER
(eyebrow raised)
It was a harmless talk on evolution.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Harmless?!
WALTER
She didn't say anything that hasn't been said in a hundred other lectures around the world this year.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
She knows, and she implied she knows. I wasn't the only one there, you know. And her reactions at court with Lynch... She's making herself a target.
WALTER
You're being overly paranoid.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Am I? She's planning another presentation on the same topic next week. And she's been spending a lot of time helping the FBI recently.
WALTER
(laughs)
The FBI are not a threat. Dr. Coulter is not a threat.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Well that's where we see things differently, Walter. I need to speak to her. This evening, at the lab. Arrange it for me.
CUT TO:
11. BACK TO PRESENT - EXT. MILITARY BASE; THE AIRPLANE STAIRWAY
WALTER climbs the stairway. The plane door opens to reveal JOHN MAXWELL.
JOHN MAXWELL
What's going on, Walter, your call said it was urgent?
WALTER
There's trouble in Oaxaca.
JOHN MAXWELL
Are you sure?
WALTER
(nods)
There's been at least one escapee. If someone else hasn't already contacted you about that, then there very well could be more.
Walter and Maxwell go inside. The cabin door is shut, the stairway is removed, and the plane begins moving. Fade to an exterior shot of the plane taking off.
CUT TO:
12. INT. MILITARY PLANE CABIN - DAY
The cabin is bristling with electronics and TECHNICIANS. WALTER, MAXWELL and one of the technicians, DAVID OAKES, are hunched over one of the terminals.
JOHN MAXWELL
Here is a log of all messages coming out of our observatory at Oaxaca during the past 48 hours.
WALTER
Audio or text?
OAKES
Just text - it's policy not to transmit large data packets over these sort of distances for our more secret installations.
WALTER
How do you confirm authenticity?
OAKES
Code words, signature keys, it's all secure.
JOHN MAXWELL
Walter, you really don't think we should attempt to contact them?
WALTER
No. If the Dominants have taken control, we would only alert them we're coming.
JOHN MAXWELL
(darkly)
Always thinking on the bright side.
(quietly)
We have good men there, I'd expect them to notice if one of the subjects had gone AWOL, and to report it.
WALTER
Let's hope this does boil down to incompetence. The only other alternative is...
JOHN MAXWELL
That everyone at the observatory is dead.
WALTER
And yet the routine transmissions keep coming - they can't be automated, can they?
OAKES
The system was designed so that it couldn't be. We send them a random code word, corresponding to a number, say twelve. The correct answer code would then be the twelfth word which appears in the headlines of a regular news broadcast on channel 17. That's a difficult word to guess beforehand.
WALTER
Meaning that someone must still be there. Let me see a list of those reply code-words, for the past twenty four hours.
Oakes punches some commands on a keyboard, and a list of words appear.
JOHN MAXWELL
(reading off)
The; Morning; Consumers; Third; Clinton...
WALTER
Let me see the past five days.
Oakes types more commands, and a longer list appears.
WALTER
There. Do you see it?
JOHN MAXWELL
What?
WALTER
The case. Up until two and a half days ago, the first letters of all the proper names weren't capitalized.
OAKES
They wouldn't have stored any reply codes - that would be against protocol. Maybe they just changed their operator.
JOHN MAXWELL
It is...unlikely.
WALTER
(nods gloomily)
I've learned never to underestimate their intelligence.
Walter returns to his seat.
CUT TO:
13. FLASHBACK - INT. JOHN MAXWELL'S OFFICE - DAY
[MONDAY 25TH MARCH 1996, 11 AM]
Present are MAXWELL, WALTER and ALEXANDRA LUTHOR. Maxwell is at his desk.
JOHN MAXWELL
...This will be a joint NSA/CIA venture - I'm sure I don't need to impress upon you both how important this cooperation is to our mission. Remember who the enemy is. Good luck.
Alexandra Luthor and Walter get up from their seats, and head to the door. Walter pauses; waits until Alexandra Luthor is out of earshot.
JOHN MAXWELL
Something else, Walter?
WALTER
With respect, Sir, I don't see how this has anything to do with the CIA - it's clearly a violation of jurisdiction...
JOHN MAXWELL
It's a unique situation, I'm told. Everyone's needed. Christ, Walter, we're dealing with little green men here!
WALTER
(stiffly)
That hasn't been proven.
JOHN MAXWELL
Well, whatever they are, they're stronger than us, probably smarter, and they're organized. We need to pool our resources. This is too big to be anyone's pet project anymore.
WALTER
(pause)
I'm not going to take any orders from her - I've heard about some of the methods she uses.
JOHN MAXWELL
Don't worry, you'll each be in charge of your own teams. You have equal powers - don't let her tell you otherwise! She may be from some we-are-above-all-laws black ops division, but she's been assigned to me now, and I need you to keep an eye on her for me, okay?
(Walter grunts a yes)
I just want to ensure that the information flow is there...that we don't mis-communicate.
CUT TO:
14. FLASHBACK - INT. UNIDENTIFIED UNDERGROUND CAR PARK
[TUESDAY 19TH AUGUST 1997, 9:30 AM]
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR and two black-suited agents, SMITH and JONES, appear from a black-windowed limousine. WALTER and his deputy, FREDERICKS, step out of some shadows opposite.
WALTER
(angrily)
You didn't tell me about the operation!
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Calm down. You didn't need to know.
WALTER
Was it really necessary to kill everybody there? Including, I understand, some of your own people?
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(shrugs)
They'd set up some kind of laboratory; when we arrived they let loose toxins.
(harshly)
The place was a biohazard and had to be burned. I couldn't risk an epidemic.
FREDERICKS
(angrily, confrontational)
You acted on information we'd collected - incomplete information - we told you that!
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
We are at war, caution kills. Sometimes you have to take risks...
WALTER
(wearily)
Spare us the dogma. Your actions were entirely inappropriate, and my report will reflect that.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
I don't see your problem, Walter. Whatever they were planning, we've stopped it. We've sent them a clear message-
FREDERICKS
(interrupting)
To be more careful next time.
WALTER
The point is, now we'll never know what they were up to exactly. Does the CIA understand what their middle initial stands for?
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
More than the NSA does, apparently. You want to know the reason we didn't tell you? It's the same reason why we caught them by surprise this time. You've got a mole in your department.
Suddenly, Alexandra Luthor's agents draw guns and point them at Walter and Fredericks.
WALTER
(now very agitated)
What the hell are you doing?!
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(icily)
Step away from him, Walter.
FREDERICKS
What?!
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Now!
Walter, eyeing Fredericks carefully, side-steps away.
FREDERICKS
This is bullshit... Walter, they've got their heads up their-
Alexandra Luthor casually nods to her men and they shoot Fredericks in the legs. Fredericks cries out in pain and collapses to the ground. Smith walks briskly up to Fredericks, and holding his face against the tarmac, rips away Fredericks's jacket and part of his shirt to reveal a strange tattoo.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
We've only ever seen this design before on them.
WALTER
How did you know it was there?
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Closed-circuit T.V. from last Tuesday at a hotel in-
Fredericks suddenly snaps into life, twisting the gun arm of the closer agent, Smith, and pulling him in as a shield. He easily prises the gun out of Smith's grip. To both Alexandra Luthor and Walter's shock, he gets to his feet, and starts backing away quickly towards Walter's black van, pulling the hapless agent along with him.
FREDERICKS
Stay back. I don't want to have to hurt him.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(to Jones)
Shoot him!
Jones pauses briefly, then begins shooting. Fredericks drops his hostage and darts behind the far side of the van. He pops up again to let loose a few shots of his own, catching Jones in the shoulder. Fredericks scrambles into the van and starts the engine. Alexandra Luthor indicates to Jones to lower his weapon.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Bullet-proof glass. Into the limo.
Walter, Alexandra Luthor and Jones race to the limousine, as Fredericks reverses the van with a screech of burning rubber. Walter steals a look back to see Smith's dead body. Inside the limousine.
DRIVER
Pursue?
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
No, get me the code for that vehicle.
WALTER
(now baffled)
What are you doing?!
DRIVER
Got it.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Punch it in.
The driver taps in a number on a keypad next to the steering wheel. From outside can be heard a sizeable explosion.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
You're going to need new wheels, Walter. Clean up your security problem, and get back to me.
CUT TO:
15. BACK TO PRESENT - INT. MILITARY PLANE; CABIN - DAY
WALTER is leaning back in his seat, eyes closed. MAXWELL sits next to him.
JOHN MAXWELL
You know, this reminds me of our first meeting, and plane flight - out of Nevada, must have been, oh, fifteen years ago now. Funny how much has changed since then. It was so much easier when it was just the Russians, wasn't it? These days, I'm looking over my shoulder all the time, wondering who to trust. My list of friends diminishes by the week. Do you want to tell me what happened that night, Walter? The night Dr. Coulter died?
WALTER
You know what happened.
JOHN MAXWELL
I read your written report, I didn't hear anything from you.
(pause)
After what happened, I guess it wasn't so surprising that you closed off - from all of us - I just wish I had been on hand afterwards.
WALTER
They did what they thought was best for me. Drugs, hypnosis, counselling...all in the space of a couple of nights. Her people were very...efficient.
JOHN MAXWELL
We could have pulled you out, there and then - should have. I regret that we didn't.
WALTER
I needed to be there, I was the only one you had who was close enough to the others: Parker, Tate, Daniels...
JOHN MAXWELL
I know. I just...I'm sorry. It couldn't have been easy for you.
WALTER
(not sounding it)
I'm okay.
JOHN MAXWELL
Listen, I'm restructuring some of the departments, sorting through some of the dead wood we've been left with. After we've got today over with, we can have a talk about where you want to be - you've been on the firing line for too long, Walter, and you're too valuable for us to risk like this...
WALTER
(opens his eyes and looks at Maxwell)
I'm happy where I am, Sir. But thank you for the offer.
CUT TO:
16. EXT. OAXACA; SMALL MILITARY AIRSTRIP
The plane lands just as dusk begins to set. A small convoy of military trucks race to meet it. Fade to WALTER and MAXWELL walking along a line of SOLDIERS along the runway. COLONEL DEANS steps forward and salutes.
DEANS
Colonel Deans, Sir. We've set up a mobile C&C for you and your team. The men are prepped to go. We can be there within five minutes.
JOHN MAXWELL
Very good, Colonel.
(steps back to address the troops)
I trust you all have been made aware of the security concerns with this mission. One of our most highly secret observatories has been compromised. Your orders are to re-secure the base.
DEANS
(following a nod from Maxwell)
You may expect to face at least five hostiles. Deadly force is authorized.
John Maxwell heads to the command and control truck, then, noticing Walter is not following him, stops.
JOHN MAXWELL
Walter?
WALTER
I want to go in with them.
JOHN MAXWELL
Why, for Chrisakes?!
WALTER
I...I need to go. You're going to have to trust me on this.
JOHN MAXWELL
(sighs)
Okay. But keep to the rear of the group.
CUT TO:
17. EXT. OAXACA; DESERT CLEARING AROUND A ROCK-FACE - DUSK
WALTER and several SOLDIERS encircle an uninteresting rock-face. DEANS takes out a small walkie-talkie.
DEANS
We're ready.
JOHN MAXWELL
(OOV)
Good. If we're wrong - and I sure hope we are - we should be getting a reply within ten seconds of transmitting this signal.
SFX: small beep. There is a long pause as the ten seconds drag out.
DEANS
Anything, Sir?
JOHN MAXWELL
(OOV)
No. Proceed with the mission, Colonel. Good luck.
Deans produces a security card, and swipes it down a neat-looking crack in the rock-face. There is a quiet rumble, as part of the ground rises up on a metal pole. The soldiers turn on the torches attached to their rifles and peer into the inky darkness.
DEANS
Looks like the power's gone. Hanrahan, Chandra: you two head for section beta-two, see to that generator. Adlam, Rivers: head for the comms room. Fishman, Bowen: stay here and keep lookout. The rest of you, follow me. Dr. Attwood, maybe it would be best for you to wait until we've restored the power.
WALTER
That won't be necessary.
DEANS
Okay then. Let's move.
Deans slides down the pole out of sight. One by one, in quick succession, the soldiers follow.
CUT TO:
18. INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR #1
Long, eerie scenes of DEANS, three of his men, and WALTER, venturing down the dark corridors. Deans' radio suddenly breaks the silence.
RIVERS
(OOV)
Sir, this is Rivers. We've found two of the observatory staff.
DEANS
Dead?
RIVERS
(OOV)
Decapitated, Sir.
DEANS
(pause)
Stay alert, Rivers.
Deans turns a corner, and walks straight into an ambush - a burst of heavy gunfire and he is knocked to the ground. Walter drags him clear, as his men return fire against the unseen attackers.
CUT TO:
19. INT. MOBILE COMMAND AND CONTROL TRUCK
MAXWELL hears the gunfire through the speakers.
JOHN MAXWELL
Deans?! What's going on?! Deans?!
WALTER
(OOV)
It's Attwood, Sir, Deans is down - we're taking casualties...
JOHN MAXWELL
Walter, get the hell out of there!
(a beat)
Walter?!
CUT TO:
20. INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR #2
DEANS is close to death as Walter drags him further out of range. Maxwell's voice is still ringing in Deans' radio; WALTER ignores it. Walter examines Deans' flak jacket, which is oozing blood. Walter considers his options, finally makes a decision, and removes the swipe card from Deans' jacket pocket. He runs away down another corridor.
CUT TO:
21. INT. MOBILE C&C TRUCK
The sound of gunfire from the speakers has gone.
JOHN MAXWELL
Walter, what's going on?!
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
Sir, this is Sergeant Flintoff, we were ambushed by two hostiles. The situation has been resolved.
RIVERS
(OOV)
Private Rivers, Sir. The comms room has been secured. We are patching in our camera signals to the booster unit. Apparently it's on a separate power line from the rest of the base. You should be able to receive pictures...now.
One by one, mini VDUs light up showing the various soldiers' views from their head-cams. A couple show the boots of other soldiers.
JOHN MAXWELL
Well done, Rivers. Flintoff, show me the faces of the two hostiles.
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
Yes, Sir.
FLINTOFF moves closer to the two dead DOMINANTS. They are both barely old enough to be teenagers.
JOHN MAXWELL
(quietly)
Okay, thank you, Flintoff. Where's Attwood - is he...?
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
He must have headed back.
FISHMAN
(OOV)
We haven't seen him, Sir.
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
Don't worry, Sir, we'll find him.
CUT TO:
22. INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR #3
WALTER moves stealthily along, obviously knowing where he's heading. With a flicker, the overhead lights suddenly start working, accompanied by a gentle background hum. Walter quickens his pace. He turns another corner and stops in the middle of the next corridor. He touches the wall, remembering a previous event.
CUT TO:
23. FLASHBACK - INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR #3
[THURSDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 1997, 1 PM]
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR, WALTER, and two AGENTS walk briskly down the twisting corridors.
WALTER
...I am unhappy that they're being kept here. This place was designed to be an observatory, not a prison, and it's certainly not a testing center for your experiments.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
You were quite happy with assisting with the tests before.
WALTER
Scientific tests, painless tests. What you're doing here is nothing short of-
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(raises an eyebrow)
Torture?
WALTER
Your word, not mine.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(tiredly)
We're at war, Walter. If it wasn't for me, if I hadn't uncovered their plans in time, half the country would be dead from smallpox or radiation poisoning by now.
Alexandra Luthor stops dead in the middle of the corridor, and fishes for a swipe card in her jacket pocket.
WALTER
If you weren't so zealous, we might stand half a chance of making some sort of peace treaty with them.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(swiping the card on the blank wall)
You can't be serious.
A section of wall slides smoothly away.
WALTER
What's in here?
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Information. Sorry, it's strictly off-limits to NSA personnel.
Alexandra Luthor smiles thinly and enters the room. An agent stands at the entrance, blocking Walter's view.
CUT TO:
24. BACK TO PRESENT - INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY CORRIDOR #3
WALTER swipes the card over the blank wall, and to his relief, the secret door opens. He quickly steps in. The secret door closes behind him.
CUT TO:
25. INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY; INFORMATION ROOM
WALTER enters cautiously. The room is crammed full of technology and computer screens. He goes to sit down at the main terminal. He begins typing in commands, keeping an eye on the main monitor.
> search "Tom Daniels"
Two matches:
> 2
The screen shows a photo of Tom, and several details, none helpful to Walter.
> current location
You currently do not have clearance to view this information, or no data is stored.
Walter scowls. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he notices one of the far monitors has a picture of the main lab room at Whitney University. He walks over to get a closer look. The picture is time-stamped at 21:12. Walter checks with his watch - it reads 21:13. He presses a couple of buttons beneath the monitor; the picture changes to show Sloan's apartment, and then Ed's apartment, his own apartment, and finally it cycles back to the lab. Walter tries another button and the room changes to his office at the lab. He sees RAY PETERSON looking through his drawer, and then crouching down to check the wood underneath the drawer. Adjusting some dials, Walter gets some volume.
WALTER
(mutters)
What are you looking for, Ray?
To his astonishment, Ray hears, jumps up, bangs his knee on the open drawer and looks around, somewhat shocked.
RAY
Walter? Walter, where are you?
Walter steps back, pauses, and then decides to speak.
WALTER
(half smiling)
Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.
(now serious)
We were both unaware, it seems, that the lab is bugged. I found the other end of it...
RAY
Where are you?
WALTER
Oaxaca, but that's a long story. Look behind you, up above the blinds.
Ray turns to face the camera, stares long and hard looking for it, and finally drags a chair over to stand on.
RAY
Well, I'll be... Not this?
Ray pokes his finger at the hidden camera, rocking the display on Walter's monitor.
WALTER
Careful with that...best to leave it alone until I get back.
RAY
(whistles quietly)
I'd have never noticed. It's no bigger than a sugar cube.
WALTER
Never mind about that for now, Ray, I need to speak to Ed, where is he?
RAY
He's not with you?
WALTER
No.
RAY
Walter, what do you know about the murder of Ann Coulter?
WALTER
(shocked; taken aback)
What?!
RAY
You were on a security tape...
WALTER
(long pause)
The tapes were switched, because they implicated me...but I didn't kill her.
RAY
Well, you sure as hell came up with convincing substitute footage in a hurry.
WALTER
I have connections - and others who didn't want to appear on those videos either...
RAY
Who?
WALTER
A certain ex-member of the CIA, for example.
CUT TO:
26. FLASHBACK - INT. DR. COULTER'S OFFICE - NIGHT
[THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 1998, 9:47 PM]
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR, Dr. ANN COULTER, and WALTER are present, and clearly having a heated discussion.
Ann
(incredulously)
Spying?! You've been spying on me all this time, Walter? I always suspected you were a weasely son of a bitch but I didn't-
WALTER
Calm down, Ann, I wasn't spying, merely ensuring the safety of the people working here.
ANN
You tampered with evidence! Swapped DNA samples... If I hadn't gotten suspicious and done those extra blood tests I wouldn't know what I know now!
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(trying to be patient)
And what is that, Dr. Coulter?
ANN
That there is a new species of human out there!
Alexandra Luthor looks at Walter, as if something she suspected has been confirmed.
WALTER
You exaggerate, Ann, it's merely half a dozen rogues, like I explained-
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Death row prisoners on highly experimental drugs-
WALTER
Who escaped and have gone on a killing spree. It's that simple.
ANN
The hell it is - I've been doing some checking on the Internet, and-
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(snidely)
Oh, there's a reliable source...
ANN
-And this is more than just six people...
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
Listen to yourself, you're talking-
WALTER
(quickly cutting her off)
This is merely a highly embarrassing, sensitive Government matter, Ann, that we all want kept quiet, that's all. You think we want to have to admit to experimenting on psychopaths, and then letting them get the better of us and escaping?
ANN
The people have a right to know the truth.
ALEXANDRA LUTHOR
(turning away)
Spare me this X-Files crap!
(turns back around to face Ann)
It comes to this, Dr. Coulter. You can work with us, you can help us, with your expertise and knowledge you can save lives. But if you try to expose us, or even speak too loudly in a crowded room, others will hear, and they will take action.
(glances at her watch)
I need to go.
(almost pleadingly)
Walter, make her see reason. Oh, and remember to see to the cameras.
Alexandra Luthor exits. There is a short uncomfortable pause.
WALTER
There's a real danger to you, Ann, if you try to go public with your findings...
ANN
You're threatening me now, Walter?
WALTER
The danger's not from me,
(pause)
or from her.
ANN
And you still expect me to believe there's only six of them?
WALTER
...That we know of. Here.
ANN
And you experimented on these people? You actually managed to permanently change the structure of human DNA?
WALTER
I opposed the tests. They only succeeded in turning the subjects more psychotic. And the tests I was involved in didn't alter any DNA - that must have been changed from previous testing.
ANN
Unless it was hereditary...
WALTER
Ann, you must promise not to tell Sloan or Ed any of this. It's better - safer - they remain ignorant of events.
ANN
Safer for whom? Just who are you afraid of, Walter?
Suddenly, they hear the handle of the lab door turn.
CUT TO:
27. BACK TO PRESENT - INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY; INFORMATION ROOM
WALTER turns, wide-eyed, to see the handle on a closet door turn, and the door slowly opening.
CUT TO:
28. INT. MOBILE C&C TRUCK
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
We've secured the first two levels, Sir. Attwood's still missing.
JOHN MAXWELL
(muses)
We need to check the schematics of this place with the CIA. Continue to level three.
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
Yes, Sir. Oh, we've found another body, it was blocking up the generator tank. Looks like he was a senior lab tech.
JOHN MAXWELL
(sighs)
Name?
FLINTOFF
(OOV)
Travis. Peter Travis.
CUT TO:
29. INT. OAXACA OBSERVATORY; INFORMATION ROOM
TRAVIS drags WALTER's unconscious body to the opened closet, through which can be seen a gaping hole in the floor leading to an underground tunnel. The monitor, which had been showing RAY, has been smashed.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
