Episode Nine
Collaboration
Part One
THE SHOW OPENS IN ATTWOOD’S DIM OFFICE. ATTWOOD STANDS BY THE DOOR AS SLOAN, TOM, AND ED ENTER. TOM REMOVES HIS COAT AS HE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR. HE’S WEARING A NICE GREY V-NECK SWEATER WITH A WHITE T-SHIRT UNDERNEATH. (VERY NICE SWEATER!) ATTWOOD FLIPS THE BLINDS ON HIS WINDOW FLAT TO REVEAL PICTURES OF RANDALL LYNCH AND LEWIS ON THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR.
Attwood: Hello people. Tom. Have a seat.
Ed: Slide show...
Attwood: So far this is what the enemy has thrown at us. All different tactics in an attempt to destroy the human race. The date we derived from the pillar, October, 1998, logically has some bearing on their plan. This you knew. What you didn’t know is what is taking place in Bardsdale, California.
Ed: Bardsdale? I used to go out there on family picnics when I was a kid. It’s nothing but a bunch of orange groves.
Attwood: And people. People who may be under attack.
Sloan: What kind of attack?
Attwood: Unfortunately that’s not clear. A reliable source has informed us that some elementary school children there are being tampered with or altered in some manner. So the question is, whether all these events are random, or part of a methodical plan.
Ed: Maybe more DNA altering.
Attwood: That’s what we have to find out.
Ed: We’ll be ready to go in five.
ED SLOAN AND TOM EXIT THE OFFICE AND WALK THROUGH THE LAB AREA. TOM IS PUTTING HIS NICE BLACK SPORT-TYPE COAT BACK ON.
Tom: (to Sloan) I’m not going with you.
Sloan: Why not?
Tom: I’m gonna find out who Attwood’s reliable source is.
Sloan: Do you think you could do that?
Tom: I have a good idea where to start.
HE TOUCHES HER ARM AND WALKS OFF.
NEXT SCENE
A LARGE SHINY OFFICE COMPLEX. INSIDE, THROUGH A CRACK IN THE DOOR, WE SEE LIMO LADY WALK BEHIND A DESK. TOM EMERGES FROM THE ELEVATOR. HE LOOKS GOOD. HE WALKS OVER AND STANDS JUST INSIDE THE DOOR, LOOKING TOWARDS LIMO LADY.
Limo Lady (turning) Tom. Come in.
Tom: You're not surprised to see me?
Limo Lady: No, I've been waiting for you. I’m impressed you found me so easily.
NEXT SCENE
AT A SCHOOLYARD. ED AND SLOAN FOLLOW A DARK-HAIRED WOMAN, OBVIOUSLY A SCHOOL OFFICIAL.
Woman: I’ve been a principal here at Merango school for fourteen years, and this is the first time I’ve had a visit from the State Department of Health.
Sloan: Well, it may just turn out to be nothing. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.
Principal: Well, as you can see the children are all very happy and healthy.
Ed: How’s your absenteeism this year?
Principal: Average. On any given day between three and six children are out sick, usually for no longer than a day.
Sloan: Have you noticed any erratic behavior on the part of any of the kids?
Principal (smiling) This is grade school. All of their behavior is erratic.
Ed: What about violence? Has there been an increase in schoolyard fights or--
Principal: No, that’s not tolerated here at Merango. Children know it, so they don’t even try.
Sloan: Well, Principal Cook, certainly sounds like you have everything under control.
Principal Cook: Well thank you. These are my kids, Dr. Parker, and I think I take care of them very well. That’s why I don’t understand why you're here.
Sloan: Just a routine visit. I assure you it’s nothing to worry about.
Cook: Well, I hope so.
A LITTLE BOY COMES RUNNING UP TO THE PRINCIPAL.
Cook: (smiling at the boy) Oh, Dustin!
Dustin: Hi.
Cook: Hi.
NEXT SCENE
AT LIMO LADY’S OFFICE. LIMO LADY SITS AT HER DESK, TOM SEATED BEFORE HER.
Tom: Your information about what’s taking place in Bardsdale must’ve come from someone on the inside. A confederate.
Limo Lady: Not only a confederate, Tom. But a member of your own species.
Tom: I wanna meet him.
Limo Lady: Why?
Tom: To make sure we’re not being set up. How can you trust this source?
Limo Lady: I’ll be the judge of that.
Tom: Don’t you think I’m more qualified?
NEXT SCENE
AT A SMALL MOTEL. SLOAN SITS ON THE BED READING A REPORT WHILE ED SITS ON A LOVESEAT.
Sloan: Nothing out of the ordinary. On paper, Merango is filled with healthy, normal average middle-class kids.
Ed: Maybe Attwood’s tip was bogus.
Sloan: (standing) He hasn’t been wrong yet.
SLOAN SITS ACROSS FROM ED.
Sloan: So, what’s our way into this?
Ed: Okay, uh, ok, Attwood said kids were being altered. That’s what they were doing to Kelly, altering her blood, changing her DNA.
Sloan: So we’ve gotta start by analyzing the children’s blood. We’ve got to do DNA testing.
Ed: Come on, we’d have to take samples from every kid, it would be impossible. I mean, parents, media, they would all want to know what’s going on.
SLOAN SITS BACK DEJECTEDLY. AFTER A BRIEF THINKING PAUSE, SHE QUICKLY SITS UP.
Sloan: Hold on!
Ed: What?
Sloan: Are any of the sick kids that Principal Cook told us about in the hospital?
ED AND SLOAN START RIFFLING THROUGH THE REPORTS ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF THEM.
Ed: Now, now here it is.
ED LIFTS A PAPER.
Ed: Looks like three. One with a broken arm, one having her tonsils out, oh, and another having plastic surgery after an automobile accident.
Sloan: Perfect.
Ed: C’mon, how do you plan on getting near these kids?
Sloan: Hey, Attwood got us credentials from the Department of Health. How hard could hospital badges be?
NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME. A CAR CRESTS A HILL. IT’S TOM IN HIS BIG OLE LINCOLN. HE KILLS THE HEADLIGHTS AND GETS OUT, WALKING OVER TO A RAILING. HE’S LOOKING OUT OVER OIL FIELDS, THE PUMPS METHODICALLY RAISING AND LOWERING IN THE BACKGROUND.
CUT TO ANOTHER CAR DRIVING UP, LIMO LADY’S CAR.
CUT BACK TO TOM. HE’S GETTING IMPATIENT. HE CHECKS HIS WATCH, THEN TURNS TO SEE THE LIMO PULL UP. TOM WALKS OVER TO IT. THE REAR WINDOW LOWERS.
Limo Lady: Hello Tom.
TOM BENDS DOWN AND PEERS INTO THE CAR. A TEENAGED BOY SITS FORWARD AND LOOKS UP AT TOM.
Tom: May I talk with him?
LIMO LADY HUFFILY OPENS THE DOOR AND GETS OUT OF THE LIMO. TOM TAKES HER SEAT INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND RAISES THE WINDOW. HE TURNS TO THE BOY AND OFFERS HIS HAND.
Tom: Tom Daniels.
THE BOY SHAKES IT.
Boy: Shane. I’ve heard about you. They want you dead.
Tom: Does that scare you?
Shane: Hell yeah. They find out about me, they’ll try and kill me too.
Tom: (gesturing toward Limo Lady) Maybe you shouldn’t be risking your life helping her.
Shane: You are.
Tom: I’ve been around a lot longer. Done things. Seen things.
Shane: Well I’ve seen enough. I don’t want to see any more.
TOM NODS SLOWLY.
NEXT SCENE
AT A HOSPITAL. SLOAN AND ED ENTER A ROOM AND SMILE DOWN AT A YOUNG GIRL LYING IN A BED.
Girl: Hi.
Sloan: Hi. My name’s Sloan. Shouldn’t you be asleep?
Girl: I’m not tired.
Sloan: We just talked to your mom outside. She said you’re pretty excited about getting your tonsils out tomorrow.
Girl: Yeah.
Sloan: How long have your tonsils hurt?
Girl: I don’t know. A while.
Sloan: Is that the only thing that hurts you right now?
Girl: When I swallow. I don’t really feel sick.
Sloan: That’s good. This is Dr. Ed Tate.
Girl: Hi.
Ed: Hi. I have to take some blood out of your arm. Have the other doctors done that to you?
Girl: (nodding) They said it would hurt but it didn’t.
Ed: Well, I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt either. Hey, can you do that?
ED MAKES A FIST AND THE GIRL APES HIM. HE SITS ON THE BED NEXT TO HER WHILE SLOAN CLOSES THE BLINDS ON THE WINDOW, PREVENTING ANYONE IN THE HALL FROM SEEING INTO THE ROOM.
NEXT SCENE
ON THE HILL ABOVE THE OIL FIELDS. TOM AND SHANE WALK DOWN THE ROAD, CONVERSING, WHILE THE LIMO SLOWLY TRAILS BEHIND THEM.
Shane: I’m living with my parents. Pretty soon they’re gonna be sending me away.
Tom: For training.
Shane: Yeah. They say in a few years they’re going to plant me in the mayor’s office.
SHANE GIVES A SMALL LAUGH.
Tom: I went to the FBI.
Shane: Well, they said that you were one of their best, and that I should be like you. Before you turned.
Tom: But you can’t do it.
Shane: I know what they’ll want me to do. I don’t think I can. I know I shouldn’t feel this way.
Tom: It’s not wrong to feel, Shane. They say it’s a weakness but it’s not.
Shane: (sighing) I think they know.
Tom: Well then you’re in danger.
Shane: That’s why I went to her.
THEY STOP WALKING. TOM TURNS TO FACE SHANE.
Tom: How’d you find her?
Shane: Well, they’ve known about her for a long time but they haven’t been able to get near her.
Tom: Does she know that?
Shane: She does now.
THEY LOOK BACK AT THE CAR.
Shane: Can I trust her?
Tom: I really don’t know.
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. SLOAN PLACES A TRAY OF SAMPLES ON A COUNTER. ED IS SEATED IN FRONT OF A MICROSCOPE.
Sloan: I performed DNA testing on all of these samples. One thing we know for sure is that they’re not one-point-six.
SLOAN HANDS ED A SLIDE.
Sloan: Here’s the first sample. Ten year old boy.
ED LOOKS INTO THE MICROSCOPE. ATTWOOD STANDS BEHIND HIM, WATCHING.
Ed: This is the kid with the broken arm?
SLOAN CHECKS HER NOTES.
Sloan: Yeah.
ED LOOKS AT THE SLIDE AGAIN.
Ed: Gimme the next slide.
SHE HANDS HIM A SLIDE.
Sloan: This is the kid undergoing reconstructive surgery. He’s eleven.
ED PULLS BACK FROM THE SCOPE.
Sloan: See something?
Ed: (distractedly) Uh, let me see the last one.
SLOAN GETS IT.
Sloan: This is the girl we saw who’s having her tonsils taken out.
ED PLACES IT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE AND LOOKS AT THE SAMPLE.
Sloan: Well?
ED STEPS BACK AND WALKS OVER TO THE COMPUTER. HE TYPES AND A PICTURE OF CELLS COMES UP ON THE SCREEN.
Ed: Our immune systems operate in a delicate balance, and part of that balance are the T helper cells, which includes the CD4 cells. In each of these kids, the CD4 cells are being destroyed.
ATTWOOD WALKS OVER.
Attwood: Of course, attack our next generation.
Sloan: What kind of time frame are we looking at Ed? How immediate is the danger?
Ed: There is no time frame. The immune systems of these kids is literally disappearing, and sooner or later, maybe next week or next year, they’ll get strep or mumps or pneumonia. And they’ll die.
Attwood: Death from the common cold.
Sloan: It’s genocide.
Ed: I don’t know what we can do to stop it.
NEXT SCENE
AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. SHE SITS ON A STOOL AT HER CENTER ISLAND, LOOKING OVER REPORTS WHILE ED SITS AT HER COMPUTER.
Ed: I’ve gone over these results for hours. There's no mistake. I mean, in all these kids the CD4 cells are being eaten away. Look.
HE WALKS OVER TO SLOAN AND SHOWS HER A REPORT. SHE SHAKES HER HEAD.
Sloan: We need an immunologist.
Ed: Actually I know one. Yeah, in Med school I did an internship with Dr. Ian Copeland. I mean, this guy, he’s one of the top immunologists in the country, and he’s right here in L.A.
Sloan: You think he’ll help us?
Ed: Well, I don’t know but I think we should find out.
ED PICKS UP THE PHONE.
NEXT SCENE
AT LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. ED AND DR. IAN COPELAND (WHO LOOKS AMAZINGLY LIKE WHITNEY FROM ‘THE STAND’ AND PRESIDENT BUTTERFIELD FROM ‘BOSTON COMMON’) WALK TROUGH THE LOBBY. (ED IS ACTUALLY DRESSED UP! NICE BLACK SLACKS, GREY COAT WITH A LIGHT GREY SWEATER UNDERNEATH. HE LOOKS NICE!)
Copeland: Five years ago you were one of my sharpest students, Ed. I wish you’d stayed in medicine. Lord knows I twisted your arm.
Ed: I wish you’d twisted harder.
Copeland: What's the matter, you not enjoying all the notoriety at the lab? You’ve made some impressive headlines.
Ed: I could live without ‘em. I think we all could.
Copeland: I don’t follow.
Ed: Look, I don’t know if you believe in this new species or not, but uh--
Copeland: That’s not an issue.
THEY’VE MADE THEIR WAY OVER TO A BANK OF ELEVATORS.
Copeland: Tell me what your problem is. Why are you here?
Ed: This new species, they’ve devised a way of compromising the immune system of children.
Copeland: By compromise you mean...?
Ed: Devastate. I mean, they won’t be able to fight off even a simple virus or bacteria. If they can get to the children, in fifty years there won’t be that many humans alive.
Copeland: New species or not, do you have any idea how the children have been compromised?
Ed: Wish I did. Was hoping you could help.
Copeland: Do you have some blood samples I could see?
Ed: Actually I do, back at the lab. I could bring ‘em over here, if it would be better for you.
THEY GET ON THE ELEVATOR.
Copeland: I’m sure your lab is better equipped and more qualified for that kind of work, besides I’d like to see it.
THE ELEVATOR DOORS CLOSE.
NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME, AT THE LIMO LADY’S OFFICE BUILDING. LIMO LADY WALKS ACROSS HER OFFICE AND OPENS THE DOOR. TOM IS IN THE DOORWAY. (HEL-LO!) SHE MOVES TO LET HIM ENTER. HE’S CHANGED CLOTHES. HE’S NOW WEARING A WHITE RIBBED T-SHIRT, BLACK 3-BUTTON SHIRT AND HIS BLACK WINDBREAKER JACKET. (SIGH)
Limo Lady: So, what do you think of our friend?
Tom: He’s a good kid. And he’s very young. Too young to know exactly what he’s getting himself into by associating with you.
Limo Lady: I disagree. I find him quite mature for his age. It’s one of the hallmarks of your species, is it not?
Tom: What are you planning to do with him?
Limo Lady: He could provide us with invaluable information, especially with this Bardsdale matter.
Tom: It could get him killed.
Limo Lady: You’ve managed to stay alive.
Tom: He doesn’t have the experience. Let me get the information!
Limo Lady: I’d be realistic. Shane’s on the inside. You’re marked.
Tom: What if he were able to get you more information on Bardsdale?
Limo Lady: Then we can talk.
TOM TURNS AND WALKS OUT OF THE OFFICE. LIMO LADY WATCHES HIM AS HE LEAVES. (CHECKING HIM OUT, NO DOUBT.)
NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ED SITS AT THE COMPUTER WHILE SLOAN AND DR. COPELAND STAND BEHIND HIS SHOULDER.
Copeland: I’ve never seen anything like this. These children have no idea what's happening to their bodies.
Sloan: We’re open to suggestions.
Copeland: Believe me, I wish I had one.
Sloan: Three out of three samples show the same CD4 cell damage. Statistically it’s something many children must’ve been exposed to. Any idea where to look for the cause?
ATTWOOD WALKS INTO THE LAB AREA.
Copeland: Well, it’s hard to say. It could have been injection or...ingested.
Attwood: I've had access to vaccination records. These children were vaccinated at different times by different doctors.
Sloan: And they're all different hospitals. So it most likely was ingested.
Ed: Hey, look at this. I’ve been time-delay taping the degeneration of the protein layer. Watch.
ED BRINGS UP THE CELLS ON THE SCREEN.
Sloan: Hunhh. Whatever it is it’s working its way through the CD4 cells in a circular pattern.
Copeland: It’s very methodical.
Ed: See if I can catch up to exactly where it’s working. Maybe we could get a look at it under stronger magnification.
Copeland: Ah, that’s good, Ed. That’s very good.
ED TYPES A BIT ON THE KEYBOARD AND THE SCREEN CHANGES.
Ed: This is just one blood cell. It's impossible to see what’s happening with the CD4s. I’m gonna magnify it a hundred times.
MORE TYPING FROM OUR LANKY SCIENTIST. THE SCREEN MAGNIFYS.
Ed: There. What’s that?
MORE TYPING. THE SCREEN IS MAGNIFIED AGAIN AND WE SEE A BLACK, RECTANGULAR OBJECT WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE BLOOD CELL.
Ed: What the hell?
Sloan: That’s not biological.
Ed: I don't believe it. A nanite.
Sloan: They've never been proven to exist. Nanotechnology, artificial life forms, it’s all still theoretical.
Ed: Not anymore. We need to know how it got into these kids.
Attwood: Sloan, I want you to take Ray back to Bardsdale. Now that we know what we’re looking for, maybe we can find its source, and who’s behind it.
SLOAN GETS UP FROM THE COMPUTER DESK.
Part Two
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