Episode One

THE SHOW OPENS. A WELL DRESSED WOMAN IS GIVING A COLLEGE LECTURE AT A PODIUM IN A DARKENED ROOM.

Ann: Evolution. Natural selection. We’ve all heard these phrases our entire lives. But how many of us have ever really understood what they really mean? Or thought about their implications. Next slide.

CUT TO A DARKENED CORRIDOR. PIPES OF ALL SIZES LINE THE WALLS, AND A NUMBER OF COPS COME RUNNING DOWN THE HALL CARRYING FLASHLIGHTS. WE HEAR A VOICEOVER FROM A WOMAN DISPATCHER.

Dispatcher: Suspect Randall Lynch. White male, age 32. Five feet ten inches tall, 175 pounds. Shoulder length brown hair. Suspect Lynch is wanted in connection with multiple murders and rape.

WE SEE A LARGE MAN IN HIS LATE THIRTIES TO EARLY FORTIES. HE IS ONE OF THE POLICE DETECTIVES LOOKING FOR LYNCH.

Ray: (speaking into a portable radio) This is Detective Peterson. Look, there’s nothing here. Lynch must’ve gotten through the perimeter and I wanna know where that hole is. Unit one, whatcha got?
Unit One: (over radio) Unit one. Negative contact.
Ray: Unit two?
Unit Two: Unit two. We’ve hit a grate. We’re turning back.
Ray: Unit three?
Unit Three: Unit three. We got nothin’.
Ray: Wait a minute. I see something moving.

CUT BACK TO LECTURE AND SLIDESHOW.

Ann: Let’s take a look at what happened to Homo neanderthalis. Neanderthals were the undisputed master of their environment for over 300,000 years. They must’ve thought that nothing would stand in the way of their dominance.

HER LECTURE HAS BECOME A VOICEOVER AS WE CUT BACK TO THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING AND DETECTIVE PETERSON. HE IS SEARCHING THROUGH A LARGE DIMLY LIT ROOM.

Ray: Yeah, Unit one, come in.
Unit One: Unit one here, over.

WE SEE RANDALL LYNCH CROUCHED ON A LEDGE HIGH ABOVE RAY.

Ann: (voiceover) Until we came along.

LYNCH LEAPS DOWN AND TACKLES RAY TO THE FLOOR. LYNCH BEGINS TO KICK AND PUMMEL RAY. CUT BACK TO THE LECTURE.

Ann: Next thing you know, Neanderthal’s were gone. Why?

CUT BACK TO RAY AND LYNCH’S FIGHT. LYNCH IS GETTING THE UPPER HAND, STRANGLING RAY. CUT BACK TO LECTURE.

Ann: Why? Because two species cannot occupy the same ecological niche at the same time.

CUT BACK TO THE INDUSTRIAL BUILDING. A COP AIMS THE RED LASER SIGHTING OF HIS RIFLE AT LYNCH AND SHOOTS HIM IN THE CHEST. HE IS NOT DEAD, JUST STUNNED. LYNCH GETS UP AND CROUCHES IN FRONT OF RAY, WHO IS RECOVERING FROM BEING CHOKED. RAY HAS HIS GUN TRAINED ON LYNCH. LYNCH GRABS RAY’S HAND AND PULLS THE GUN TO HIS STOMACH.

Lynch: C’mon, do it. Come on. You just.....pull...the...trigger.

CUT BACK TO THE LECTURE.

Ann: From the dawn of time until today, a single biological imperative has ruled every species that has ever existed on this planet.

CUT BACK TO RAY AND LYNCH. RAY CANNOT SHOOT. LYNCH GIVES AN EVIL GRIN.

Lynch: That’s why you’ll never win.

THE COPS CLOSE IN AND WRESTLE LYNCH TO THE FLOOR, THEN HANDCUFF HIM.

Ann: (voiceover) Survival of the fittest.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN IS BICYCLING THROUGH CAMPUS. SHE ENTERS THE BIOLOGY BUILDING AND GETS HER SECURITY BADGE OUT OF HER BACKPACK. SHE WAVES IT IN FRONT OF THE GUARD AT THE DESK.

Guard: You’re late, Sloan.
Sloan: Thanks, Bob.

SLOAN WALKS DOWN THE HALL OF THE GENETICS LAB. THROUGH THE LAB DOORS WE SEE ANN COULTER, THE WOMAN FROM THE LECTURE, TALKING TO AN EXTREMELY DAPPER GENTLEMAN IN A NICE DARK SUIT. WE CATCH ONLY SNATCHES OF THEIR CONVERSATION AS SLOAN WALKS TO THE DOOR.

Ann: ....this research.
Suit: Certainly.
Ann: I’ll be needing complete confidentiality.
Suit:Absolutely.

THEY TURN AND SEE SLOAN AT THE DOOR. THE MAN IN THE SUIT OPENS IT.

Sloan: Sorry I’m late, Ann.
Ann: That’s alright.

THE MAN IN THE SUIT LOOKS APPRECIATIVELY AT SLOAN AND GIVES A BIT OF A SMILE. HE IS ONE FINE-LOOKIN’ INDIVIDUAL. SLOAN WALKS PAST HIM.

Suit: (softly) Excuse me. (To Ann) Thank you.

HE LEAVES. AS HE WALKS DOWN THE HALL, WE SEE HIM LOOKING BACK INTO THE LAB THROUGH THE WINDOWS IN THE CORRIDOR. SLOAN APPROACHES AN OFFICE AND POKES HER HEAD IN.

Sloan: Hey, Ed, how’s it going?
Ed: Uh, fine. You know, Coulter’s looking for you.
Sloan: I know. I’ve got to prep her for court but I promise I’ll be back in time to go over last week’s DNA differentials reports--
Ed: Sloan, it’s ok. They’re finished.
Sloan: Finished?
Ed: Stayed up all night. Kind of, got on a roll.
Sloan: Ed, you’re amazing! I owe you one.
Ed: I’ll see you.

SLOAN ENTERS ANN’S OFFICE.

Ann: You all ready for court, Sloan?

SLOAN OPENS A FILE ON THE DESK.

Sloan: Absolutely. Got the files right here. Randall Lynch. Raped three women, killed five men in the course of a week. Our DNA analysis has positively linked him to each victim. Nice for him to make our work so easy.
Ann: I wouldn’t categorize anything Lynch does as easy.
Sloan: What does that mean?
Ann: Let me ask you something. Did you notice anything distinctive about Lynch’s treatment of his victims?
Sloan: Other than the fact that he severed their heads?
Ann: Only the men. Don’t you think that might be significant? Let me ask you this. Why do you think he’d be so careless? He must’ve known the DNA would link him to the crimes. What does that tell you about his actions?
Sloan: I don’t know. That he wanted to get caught.
Ann: Or that he just didn’t care.

NEXT SCENE
LYNCH IS BEING DRIVEN TO COURT. LOTS OF COP CARS, REPORTERS, AND JEERING ANGRY CROWDS. RAY SEES LYNCH THROUGH THE CAR WINDOW AND LYNCH SEES RAY. LOOKS ARE EXCHANGED.

NEXT SCENE
INSIDE A COURTROOM. THE PROSECUTOR IS QUESTIONING DR. COULTER, WHO IS ON THE STAND.

Prosecutor: Dr. Coulter, as an expert in the study of DNA, have you formed an opinion within the bounds of reasonable scientific certainty...

THE CAMERA IS PANNING THE COURTROOM. WE SEE DETECTIVE PETERSON AND SLOAN IN ATTENDANCE.

Prosecutor: ....as to whether the defendant, Randall Lynch’s, DNA matched the blood and semen samples taken from each victim?
Ann: I have.
Prosecutor: What is that opinion?
Ann: In each instance, the DNA samples taken at the scene of the crime matched exactly those of Randall Lynch.
Lynch: I could’ve told you that.

A GROUP OF ‘LYNCH-GROUPIES’ LAUGH UPROARIOUSLY AT THIS.

Judge: (banging gavel) Mr. Lynch!
Prosecutor: And what is the likelihood that the DNA that you studied could’ve come from any individual other than the defendant?
Ann: Statistically, about one in eleven billion.
Lynch: You don’t know me.
Ann: Maybe I do.
Judge: (banging gavel) Mr. Lynch! One more outburst and you will be removed.

LYNCH IS STARING AT DR. COULTER; HE IS DETERMINING SOMETHING.

Prosecutor: Well, Dr. Coulter, in your professional opinion, there’s no one else who could've committed these crimes.
Ann: That is correct.
Lynch: (standing up from the table) You think you’ve proven something?

HE WALKS TO THE STAND.

Lynch: You know nothing about me.
Judge: Bailiff, remove the defendant.

SLOAN RISES FROM HER CHAIR, CONCERNED AT THE THREAT TO HER MENTOR. THE BAILIFF TRIES TO APPREHEND LYNCH, BUT HE THROWS THE LARGER MAN OFF WITH ONE HAND. LYNCH GRABS DR. COULTER’S LAPELS AND PULLS HER TO HIM.

Lynch: (whispering in Ann’s ear) You will all die.

NUMEROUS BAILIFFS PULL LYNCH OFF DR. COULTER AND WRESTLE HIM TO THE FLOOR. THE JUDGE IS BANGING HER GAVEL.

Judge: Order! Order! Get him out!

AS RANDALL LYNCH IS CUFFED, HE STARES AT SLOAN.

NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. ANN AND SLOAN BURST THROUGH THE DOORS.

Sloan: Ann, what is going on? “You will all die”?
Ann: My guess is he means it.
Sloan: Seems like more than a guess. It looked like you expected everything that happened. You practically dared Lynch to come after you.
Ann: Let’s just say I wasn’t surprised.
Sloan: You’ve been evasive about Lynch all day. What’s going on?

WE SEE A GOATEED MAN PEERING THROUGH THE DOORS AT SLOAN AND ANN. IT’S DR. WALTER ATTWOOD.

Ann:(resigned) I’ve made a discovery about Lynch. There’s a genetic anomaly in his blood--

DR. WALTER ATTWOOD OPENS THE DOORS.

Attwood: Oh! Sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem.
Ann: Don’t we always?
Attwood: I need some of your time. I’m sorry to be a pain but we are down to the wire on 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?
Attwood: Deadline is midnight. I’ve already gotten one extension. We do this now or we don’t get the grant.
Ann: (over her shoulder to Sloan) Duty calls.

ED WALKS UP BEHIND SLOAN.

Ed: What was that all about?
Sloan: I’m not sure.
Ed: Grab a coffee?
Sloan: (shakes her head) Gotta work.
Ed: Errm, no, you look like you need some air.

CUT TO A COFFEE SHOP. ED AND SLOAN ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION OVER COFFEE.

Sloan: She was completely unfazed, and when I asked her about it, she said, “Let’s just say I wasn’t surprised.”
Ed: What? Wait, what are you saying? You think Ann knew Lynch was gonna go after her?
Sloan: It was weird. She didn’t even bat an eye.
Ed: What is that about?
Sloan: She was about to tell me when Dr. Attwood interrupted. She said it had something to do with his DNA. Did she ever say anything to you about that?
Ed: Sloan, please. She didn’t tell you, she didn’t tell anybody.
Sloan: Yeah, I guess. So what are you up to tonight?
Ed: Oh, think I’m gonna hit a movie. You wanna come?
Sloan: I wish. I gotta head back to the lab. I gotta make up for the day I lost in court.

SHE PATS HIS CHEEK AFFECTIONATELY.

Ed: I’ll see ya.

SLOAN LEAVES.

SLOAN IS BIKING DOWN A STREET AT NIGHT. PARKED CARS LINE THE STREET TO HER RIGHT. AS SHE PASSES ONE, IT STARTS UP AND FOLLOWS HER DISCRETELY. A MAN IS BEHIND THE WHEEL, BUT WE DON’T SEE HIS FACE. SLOAN BIKES UP TO THE LIFE SCIENCES/BIO BUILDING AND THE CAR PULLS INTO A PARKING SPOT. SLOAN ENTERS THE BUILDING AND FLASHES HER SECURITY BADGE AT THE GUARD.

Sloan: (realizing it’s not Bob) Oh, hey. Where’s Bob?
Guard: Don’t know.
Sloan: Whatever. Uh, did Dr. Coulter leave yet?
Guard: Nope. She’s the only one still here.
Sloan: Thanks.

SLOAN LEAVES THE DESK. THE GUARD STARES AFTER HER. SLOAN ENTERS THE LAB. SECURITY ALARMS ARE GOING OFF. MONKEYS ARE SCREECHING AND HOPPING ABOUT THE ROOM. SLOAN IS CONFUSED. SHE LOOKS ABOUT THE LAB.

Sloan: Hi!

SHE PUTS ON HER LABCOAT AND LOOKS AT SOME READOUTS. A MONKEY HOPS ONTO HER SHOULDER, SCARING HER.

Sloan: (calling out) Ann! James is out. James! What are you doing out of your cage? James, come on. You know you’re not supposed to be out of your cage without your leash.

THE MONKEY IS AGITATED.

Sloan: Calm down, I’m not gonna bust you for this.

DISTRACTED BY THE MONKEY, SLOAN FINALLY ENTERS DR. ANN COULTER’S OFFICE. SHE PALES AS SHE SEES BLOOD SMEARED ON THE DOOR, THE WALLS, THE DESK. A MONKEY SITS ON THE BODY OF DR. COULTER, A SIGN AROUND ITS NECK READING ‘YOU WILL ALL DIE’.


NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. POLICE ARE TAKING PHOTOS OF THE CRIME SCENE. DETECTIVE PETERSON AND A UNIFORMED OFFICER ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION. WE SEE SLOAN SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN HER OFFICE, STUNNED AND IN SHOCK.

Ofc.: The glass is two inches thick, but it’s busted clear out. It’s the only way the killer could've escaped.
Ray: It’s two stories up.
Ofc.: I know but he didn’t go by the guard and there’s nothing on the security tape.
Ray: Check the hospital. Maybe he broke a leg or something.

RAY CONVERSES BRIEFLY AND SILENTLY WITH ATTWOOD, THEN ENTERS SLOAN’S OFFICE.

Ray: Dr. Parker, I’m Detective Ray Peterson. Do you think you could handle a few questions?

ED ENTERS WITH A GLASS OF WATER AND CROUCHES BESIDE SLOAN.

Ed: (looking up at Ray) Do you have to do this right now?
Sloan: It’s okay.
Ray: I’m real sorry you had to be the one who found the body.
Sloan: She’s not the body!
Ray: I understand you were close to Dr. Coulter. do you have any idea who might want to do this to her?
Sloan: Besides Randall Lynch?
Ray: My first choice too but he’s already in jail.
Sloan: No one would want to hurt Ann.
Ray: You’re sure.

WE SEE THE MAN IN THE SUIT FROM BEFORE WALK IN THE DOOR.

Suit: Detective Peterson.
Ray: (looking up) That’s me.
Suit: Tom Daniels, FBI.
Ray: I don’t remember calling in the Feds.
Tom: You didn’t.

HE LOOKS AT SLOAN.

Tom: Dr. Coulter had been doing some classified research for us.

SLOAN LOOKS UP AT THIS.

Tom: And I’m here to make sure that data isn’t compromised by your investigation.

SLOAN WONDERS WHAT HE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

Tom: I’ll have to take her files with me back to the Bureau. No offense.
Ray: Ok, just let me finish up here.
Tom: Don’t you think, maybe, the rest of your questions could wait until tomorrow?

HE APPROACHES SLOAN AND CROUCHES DOWN.

Tom: Looks like Dr. Parker’s been through enough for one day.
Ray: Alright. We can pick it up tomorrow if there’s anything else.

TOM HELPS SLOAN UP OFF THE FLOOR.

Ray: Thank you, Dr. Parker.

RAY LEAVES.

Tom: (to Sloan) Is there someone who could drive you home?
Ed: (lifting his hand) Um, yeah, I can.
Tom: Good. You get some rest.

TOM TURNS TO GO.

Sloan: Agent Daniels?

HE TURNS BACK TO HER.

Sloan: Thank you.

SMALL SMILE, THEN HE LEAVES.

Ed: Let’s get out of here.

NEXT SCENE
IN SLOAN’S APARTMENT. ED POURS WATER OUT OF A TEAPOT INTO A CUP. SLOAN IS CRYING SOFTLY.

Ed: I’m sorry, Sloan. I really am.
Sloan: Ann was the reason why I came here. Why I’m doing what I do.
Ed: Ahh, she was a great teacher.
Sloan: She was my friend. She was almost a mother to me.
Ed: Remember five years ago when we first met her?
Sloan: (smiles) I went up to her after class and corrected one of her lecture comments.
Ed: I could not believe you did it.
Sloan: Yeah, you would’ve done the same thing. I just beat you to it.

THEY SHARE LAUGHTER.

Ed: See Ann saw something in you Sloan. You were not just another promising scientist. I mean, look at the way she confided in you. Even today.

SLOAN NODS HER HEAD.

Sloan: I’m just gonna miss so much not having her to turn to.

A BIT LATER. SLOAN GETS INTO BED. SHE IS STILL DISTRAUGHT OVER ANN. SHE PICKS UP HER BAG FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BED AND PULLS THE RANDALL LYNCH FILE OUT OF IT.

NEXT SCENE
IT IS MORNING. SLOAN IS GETTING READY FOR THE DAY. SHE PICKS UP THE PHONE AND DIALS 411.

Sloan: Los Angeles, please.....FBI.

SHE GETS THE NUMBER AND DIALS IT. SOMEONE ON THE OTHER END ANSWERS HER CALL.

Sloan: Tom Daniels?

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN AND TOM SIT AT A COMPUTER DESK AT THE FBI BUILDING. HE’S IN ANOTHER YUMMY SUIT.

Tom: I really shouldn’t be letting you see Dr. Coulter’s files. The classified material hasn’t been removed yet.
Sloan: I really appreciate it. Ann’s notes were important to my research.
Tom: Take your time.

HE WALKS A BIT AWAY FROM HER, NO LONGER FACING THE SCREEN. SLOAN TYPES ‘LYNCH’ INTO THE FILE SEARCH BOX.

Tom: So Dr. Coulter was your mentor?
Sloan: That’s right.
Tom: That’s a good thing to have.

THE SEARCH COMES UP EMPTY. ‘NO FILES FOUND’.

Sloan: (distracted by the results) What?
Tom: A mentor. That’s a good thing.
Sloan: Right.

SHE TRIES TYPING IN ‘RANDALL LYNCH’.

Sloan: Umm, I was lucky to be in the same room as Ann.

TOM STEPS CLOSER TO SLOAN.

Tom: She felt the same way about you. She...spoke of you all the time. She had a lot of respect for you.
Sloan: Really?
Tom: Why do you sound so surprised?
Sloan: Uh, I didn’t know that Ann talked about me.

HE’S GRINNING. (COULDN’T YA JUST DIE?)

Tom: Actually I feel I know you quite well.

HE LOOKS AT HER COYLY.

Sloan: Well then you have the advantage.
Tom: Maybe we’ll get a chance to close the gap.

(DAMN HE’S SMOOTH.)
HER SEARCH COME UP ‘NO FILES FOUND’ AGAIN. SLOAN STARES AT THE SCREEN.

Tom: Is everything okay?

HE KNOWS IT IS NOT.

Sloan: (giving a bland smile) Yeah, everything’s fine.

NEXT SCENE
ON CAMPUS NEAR A FOUNTAIN. COLLEGE STUDENTS LOUNGE ABOUT IN THE SUNSHINE, STUDYING, TALKING, ETC. WE SEE SLOAN APPROACH ED.

Sloan: Ed!
Ed: Hey! Thought you said you were gonna take a couple days off.
Sloan: I was, but I went to the FBI today.
Ed: Why?
Sloan: To get Ann’s files on Lynch. Supposedly, Ann was doing classified research for the FBI, but when I went there, all her files on Lynch had been deleted.
Ed: So?
Sloan: So?!? So Ann’s doing research on Lynch. All her research data is gone and now she’s dead. Don't you think that’s weird?
Ed: Sloan, come on. If there’s a connection don’t you think that the cops would've figured it out?
Sloan: Well I think Lynch had something to do with Ann’s murder.
Ed: I’m sure they’ve already questioned him.
Sloan: Well maybe that’s not enough.

NEXT SCENE
A PRISON INTERROGATION ROOM. SLOAN IS SITTING AT A TABLE AS A GUARD BRINGS A CHAINED LYNCH IN AND SITS HIM AT THE TABLE.

Sloan: Thank you for meeting with me.
Lynch: (smugly) No, thank you.

SLOAN PRODUCES A PACK OF CIGARETTES AND OFFERS THEM.

Sloan: Cigarette?
Lynch: Clever. You want a DNA sample from my saliva. What happened to the sample you had?
Sloan: I need a new one.
Lynch:I can’t imagine. How hard it must be for you to talk to me. After all, you think I had something to do with the tragic death of Miss Coulter, don’t you?
Sloan: Well did you?
Lynch: How could I?
Sloan: You tell me.
Lynch: If you hadn’t noticed, I’ve been detained. Are you scared?
Sloan: No.
Lynch: You should be.
Sloan: You don’t frighten me.
Lynch: Do you think you can stop the inevitable? You think bars and chains are gonna keep you from dying?
Sloan: I think they’ll keep you where you belong. Until they execute you.
Lynch: Is that what you think is gonna happen?
Sloan: I’m told it’s very painful.
Lynch: Will you be there to watch?
Sloan: If they’d let me, I’d push the plunger on the needle myself.
Lynch: I’d like that.

UNDER THE TABLE HE STROKES HER TOE WITH HIS OWN. SHE EXTRACTS HER FOOT.

Lynch: (turning to the guard) We’re done here.

HE GETS UP TO GO. AS HE DOES, SLOAN PULLS A HAIR FROM HIS FOREARM. RANDALL LYNCH SCREAMS HIS FRUSTRATION.

Lynch: (to Sloan) You’re dead.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN IS BACK AT THE LAB, TESTING THE HAIR FROM LYNCH. HER MEMORIES FLASH, INTERSPERSED WITH SCENES OF SLOAN WORKING:

SHE’S WITH ED AT THE COFFEE SHOP-- “SHE SAID IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS DNA.”
LYNCH AT THE JAIL--”DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STOP THE INEVITABLE?”
OUTSIDE THE LAB OFFICES WITH ANN--”I’VE MADE A DISCOVERY ABOUT LYNCH.”

SLOAN SITS AT THE COMPUTER.

Computer voice: Ready.
Sloan: Create a new file for subject Lynch.
Comp: File open.
Sloan: Extract and analyze the DNA of base subject Lynch.
Comp: Analysis complete.
Sloan: Compare base subject Lynch to other known samples.
Comp:No match in comparison.
Sloan: Compare the sequence of nucleotides of the Lynch sample to all known ethnic populations.
Comp: There is no match.
Sloan: Run the DNA differential sequence program for all samples on file, including subject Lynch.
Comp: Analysis complete.
Sloan: Is there a DNA differential between me, Sloan Parker, and Ed Tate?
Comp: No. An exact match.
Sloan: Is there a differential between Sloan Parker and a chimpanzee?
Comp: Yes. One point one percent.
Sloan: So far so good. Compute the DNA differential between Sloan Parker and Randall Lynch.
Comp: One point six percent.
Sloan: Repeat analysis.
Comp: One point six percent.
Sloan: (typing it into the computer) Repeat analysis.
Comp:One point six percent.

SLOAN FLASHES ON AN IMAGE OF RANDALL LYNCH’S EYES.

Sloan: Oh my God. He’s not human.

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