Episode Four

Origins

Part Three

(This Section was edited from the SciFi airing.)

Jane: Why have you come? You know how dangerous it is for you.
Tom: Yes.
Jane: They say you’ve betrayed us.

THEY STOP.

Tom: I did.

JANE LOOKS AT TOM.

Jane: How could you have done that?
Tom: I don’t know. That’s why I’ve come.

TOM WALKS OVER TO A LARGE TREE AND STANDS BENEATH IT. JANE FOLLOWS HIM TO THE TREE AND FACES HIM.

Jane: How long has it been? Sixteen, seventeen years?
Tom: Nineteen years. I was eleven.
Jane: (proudly) I remember the day they took you.
Tom: So do I. It’s one of the few things I do remember. Why is that?
Jane: It was part of your training.
Tom: To erase my childhood?
Jane: Yes. To prepare you for what you had to do.
Tom: And erasing my emotions, shouldn’t that have been part of my training too?
Jane: It’s us or them, Tom. And there are so many of them. Remember they’re going to do everything it takes to wipe us out.
Tom: I know that.
Jane: Yes, of course you do.

TOM LOOKS AT HER. (VERY NICE SHOT. EXTREMELY DESKTOP-WORTHY. GREAT EYES, LOVELY LIPS.)

Jane: Our weakness is that our ancestors were human. We still carry traces of warmth and emotion within us. But if we start to feel compassion or pity we’re lost. We have to fight those emotions. No matter how hard that fight may be. And I know it can be hard.

TOM LOOKS AT HER FOR CONFIRMATION.

Tom: Do you?
Jane: Yes. I do.

SHE OPENS HER ARMS TO HIM AND HE ALLOWS HER TO EMBRACE HIM. HE HESITANTLY PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND HER AS IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME HE’S EVER DONE THIS. THEY HUG FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN JANE PULLS BACK. TOM LOOKS QUESTIONINGLY AT HIS MOTHER. SUDDENLY SHE GRABS THE BACK OF HIS HEAD, FORCING HIM TO KISS HER.
(A BIG ‘EWWWWWW’ ALL AROUND, HERE.) SHE BREAKS OFF THE KISS AND TOM IS STUNNED AND GROGGY, STAGGERING.

Tom: (breathlessly) What did you do?

TOM GROANS AND FALLS TO THE GROUND UNCONSCIOUS, HIS MOUTH HANGING SLIGHTLY OPEN AND A LITTLE BLOOD DRIPPING FROM HIS PARTED LIPS. JANE SMUGLY REMOVES A BARBED CAPSULE FROM ON HER TONGUE. SHE HAS USED IT TO DRUG TOM. SHE TURNS AND WALKS AWAY FROM HER SPRAWLED SON.


CUT BACK TO A CLOSE SHOT OF TOM’S FACE. (NICE SHOT OF HIS LOVELY EYEBROWS AS HE LAYS UNCONSCIOUS.)

NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME OUTSIDE THE LIFE SCIENCES BUILDING AT WHITNEY UNIVERSITY. SLOAN STANDS ON THE CORNER MAKING A CALL ON HER CELL PHONE. SHE SEES RAY PULL UP AND SHUTS OFF THE PHONE. SHE LEANS OVER THE PASSENGER WINDOW.

Sloan: Thanks for coming. I must’ve called Tom a hundred times in the last hour, he doesn’t answer.

SLOAN GETS IN THE CAR.

Ray: I was in the lab when you called, with Attwood.
Sloan: What’d you find out?
Ray: I’m not exactly sure.

THEY DRIVE OFF.

NEXT SCENE
THE CAMERA PANS DOWN A TAUT ROPE IN A DIMLY LIT GREY-BRICK ROOM. WE SEE THE ROPE IS TIED TO A WRIST. TOM’S WRIST. TOM JERKS AWAKE AND REALIZES HE’S TIED UP.
HE’S STANDING IN FRONT OF A SUPPORT COLUMN FOR THE BUILDING, ARMS STRETCHED WIDE, BOTH WRISTS TIED TO A BEAM IN THE CEILING BY TWO SEPARATE ROPES. HE’S NAKED FROM THE WAIST UP. (YOWZA!! GEE, HE’S GOT A NICE LITTLE TUMMY!) HE TURNS HIS HEAD TO THE LEFT AS JANE DANIELS WALKS INTO VIEW BEHIND HIM.

Tom: Where am I?

JANE CONTINUES TO PACE AROUND HIM.

Tom: Why am I still alive?









Jane: You have some questions to answer.
Tom: (curling his lip in derision) Why should I tell you anything?
Jane: To help us. You are one of us.

TOM LAUGHS RUEFULLY.

Tom: (with an evil smile) You’re gonna kill me no matter what I say.....Aren’t you, Mother?

A MAN IN HIS MID-THIRTIES APPEARS IN THE DOORWAY. TOM TURNS TO LOOK AT HIM. (ANOTHER NICE DESKTOP-WORTHY SHOT.)

Jane: (to Man) Go ahead.

THE MAN ENTERS THE ROOM AND WALKS UP TO TOM. HE GRABS TOM’S (BEAUTIFUL) CHIN IN HIS MEATY PAW. TOM JERKS HIS HEAD BACK AND FORTH, TRYING TO REMOVE IT FROM THE MAN’S GRASP.

Man: Mexico. What did you tell them? Did you tell them about the lights? The pillar? Did you take the mummy?

GETTING NO RESPONSE FROM OUR STALWART HERO, THE MAN LAYS A PUNCH ACROSS TOM’S CHIN. TOM GROANS, RECOVERS, AND GIVES THE MAN A VICIOUS GLARE.

Tom: (pointedly) I don’t know anything to tell.

THE MAN WALKS AWAY FROM TOM AND OVER TO JANE.

Man: (to Jane) This is useless.

NEXT SCENE
RAY AND SLOAN ARE TRAVELING IN RAY’S CAR.

Sloan: Listen, I really appreciate you taking this ride with me.
Ray: Hey, pretty soon you’re gonna be the only one I can talk to.
Sloan: What do you mean?
Ray: I’ve been married for twenty-seven years. And the whole time my wife and I never had secrets between us. I always knew how to walk away from the job.
Sloan: Until now.
Ray: It’s all I think about. It’s tearing us apart.
Sloan: (looking out the car window) Stop!

WE SEE RAY BRAKE THE CAR. HE PULLS UP NEXT TO A DUSTY LINCOLN SEDAN (AT LEAST, I THINK IT’S A LINCOLN) AND SHUTS THE ENGINE OFF.

Ray: Daniels’ car?

SLOAN NODS.

Ray: I don’t wanna hear a whole opera about this, but you’re staying here.
Sloan: No, Ray, I have to come with--
Ray: (stopping her) Dr. Parker.

RAY GIVES HER A STERN LOOK.

Sloan: (cowed) Okay.

RAY REACHES INTO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND PRODUCES A PISTOL.

Ray: Now, you wouldn’t know how to use this by any chance, would you?
Sloan: (shying away from the weapon) I hate guns! I’ve never even touched one.
Ray: Until tonight. Here.

HE PUTS THE GUN IN HER HAND AND GETS OUT OF THE CAR WITH A FLASHLIGHT. HE SHINES THE INSIDE OF TOM’S CAR WITH THE LIGHT. SEEING NOTHING, HE CONTINUES ON.

NEXT SCENE

TOM IN THE BASEMENT ROOM. HE’S STILL TIED UP AND HE’S CLEARLY EXHAUSTED AS HE HANGS FROM THE ROPES. HE CAN BARELY KEEP HIS EYES OPEN AS HE SWAYS IN HIS RESTRAINTS. JANE APPROACHES HIM, SLOWLY TRAILING HER HAND ACROSS HIS CHEST AND UP TO HIS FACE. HE DOESN’T LIKE HER TOUCH. WITH HER OTHER HAND SHE PUTS A LITTLE GREEN CAPSULE UP TO HIS CLOSED LIPS.

Jane: I can make this easier for you. It can all be over in ten seconds, painlessly.

TOM TURNS HIS HEAD, REFUSING THE EASY OUT.

Jane: Just tell me what you told them.

JANE FACES TOM, HOLDING HIS FACE AS IF SHE’S GOING KISS HIM AGAIN.

Tom: (harshly) I won’t.

HE INCLINES HIS HEAD A FRACTION.

Jane: Your choice.

TOM NODS.

Jane: I know you understand why it has to be this way.
Tom: (nodding again and speaking softly) YOUR survival depends on it. I’m a risk.

SHE TRIES TO CARESS HIS FACE AND HE TURNS AWAY. SHE STROKES HIS CHEST AGAIN AND A LOOK OF DISGUST CROSSES HIS FACE. JANE WALKS OVER TO THE DOORWAY. WE SEE THE MAN STANDING RIGHT OUTSIDE IT. TOM CALLS TO JANE.

Tom: Answer one question.

JANE LOOKS BACK AT HER SON.

Tom: The tattoo?

JANE WALKS SLOWLY OVER TO TOM.

Jane: It’s bestowed only on the chosen. On those children selected to be our leaders.

TOM FLASHES ON THE IMAGE OF THE YOUNG BOY IN FRONT OF THE FIRE, THE YOUNG BLONDE WATCHING THE SCENE. THE IMAGES END AND WE SEE JANE BEHIND TOM, HAND ON HIS ARM, KISSING HIS BICEP.
TOM MOVES AWAY FROM HER TOUCH IN DISMAY. (SHE IS ONE SICK PUPPY.) JANE WALKS THROUGH THE DOORWAY AS THE MAN ENTERS THE ROOM AND WALKS MENACINGLY OVER TO TOM.

CUT TO RAY, OUTSIDE THE BURNED REMAINS OF TOM’S CHILDHOOD HOME. HE’S TALKING ON A PORTABLE RADIO TO SLOAN.

Ray: (over radio) I see it. There’s not much left. Burned to the ground.

CUT TO SLOAN IN RAY’S CAR.

Sloan: (over radio) Anyone around?
Ray: (over radio) Doesn’t seem to be. I’ll have a look.

CUT BACK TO THE BASEMENT. JANE FLASHES ON AN IMAGE OF RAY WITH THE FLASHLIGHT SPEAKING INTO THE PORTABLE RADIO. THE IMAGE ENDS AND WE SEE THE MAN HAS JOINED JANE IN THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE ROOM TOM IS BEING HELD IN. THE MAN HAS FLASHED ON THE IMAGE OF RAY AS WELL. TOM LOOKS TOWARD THE DOORWAY AS JANE AND THE MAN WALK AWAY CAUTIOUSLY.

CUT TO SLOAN IN THE CAR. SHE’S GOTTEN A PAIR OF BINOCULARS FROM UNDER THE SEAT AND IS LOOKING THROUGH THEM UP TO RAY, WHO IS STILL WALKING AROUND THE BURNT HOUSE.

Ray: (over radio) Doesn’t seem to be any place for anyone to hide, either.

SLOAN IS SCANNING THE HOUSE. HER GAZE PAUSES ON THE STORM CELLAR DOORS. A CRACK OF LIGHT FILTERS OUT, THEN WIDENS AS WE SEE THE MAN FROM THE BASEMENT EMERGE AND CLIMB UP THE STAIRS WITH A GUN.

Sloan: (frantically over the portable radio) Ray...Ray...RAY! Watch out! South side, Ray! South side!

THE MAN WALKS OVER TO RAY, GUN RAISED. RAY TURNS AS THE MAN SHOOTS. RAY IS HIT AND GOES DOWN WITH A GROAN. SLOAN HAS WITNESSED THE SCENE AND SEES RAY GO DOWN. SHE STARTS THE CAR AND TEARS UP THE ROAD TOWARDS RAY AND THE MAN. SLOAN PLOWS THROUGH THE MAN AND HE GOES FLYING OVER THE HOOD OF THE CAR, FALLING TO THE GROUND UNCONSCIOUS. SLOAN GETS OUT OF THE CAR, LOOKING AROUND FRANTICALLY.

Sloan: Ray!

RAY LIFTS HIS HEAD UP.

Ray: I’m alright.

SLOAN TRIES TO HURRY OVER TO RAY, BUT IS STOPPED BY JANE DANIELS, WHO HAS JUST EMERGED FROM THE STORM CELLAR.
SLOAN POINTS THE PISTOL AT HER.

Sloan: Where’s Tom?
Jane: Why do you care so much, Sloan?
Sloan: Who are you?
Jane: His mother.

SLOAN IS SHOCKED BY THIS STATEMENT.

Sloan: What did you do with him?
Jane: (coldly) He’s downstairs.

JANE TAKES A STEP TO THE SIDE TO LET SLOAN PASS. SLOAN HESITATES, CONSIDERING JANE, THEN RUSHES FORWARD DOWN THE STAIRS. JANE GRABS HER ARM AFTER A FEW STEPS, TURNING SLOAN AROUND TO FACE HER.

Jane: (contemptuously) Don’t get too attached.

JANE STARES AT SLOAN FOR A BEAT THEN LETS HER GO AND WALKS AWAY. SLOAN WATCHES HER GO, THEN SCAMPERS DOWN THE STEPS. SLOAN BURSTS THROUGH THE DOORWAY AND SEES TOM, STILL HANGING FROM THE ROPES. SHE GASPS AND PUTS THE PISTOL IN HER POCKET.

Sloan: Ohmigod, Tom!

SHE RUSHES TO HIM AND REMOVES A STRIP OF DUCT TAPE FROM HIS MOUTH.

Tom: I’m okay, really.
Sloan: (softly, hysterically) Omigod, ok....ok.

SLOAN REACHES FOR THE ROPE AROUND HIS LEFT WRIST AND UNTIES IT. HE FALLS INTO HER AS SOON AS IT IS LOOSE. SHE SWAYS AS SHE STRUGGLES TO SUPPORT HIS WEIGHT.

Sloan: (breathlessly, mainly to herself) I got ya...ok.

SHE REACHES FOR THE OTHER ROPE AND UNTIES IT. TOM WINCES IN PAIN AS IT COMES OFF. SLOAN’S BREATHING HARD NOW, SOBBING. TOM PULLS HER INTO AN EMBRACE AND SMOOTHS THE BACK OF HER HEAD WITH HIS HANDS, COMFORTING HER, STROKING HER HAIR. SHE CLINGS TIGHTLY TO TOM, REALLY WAILING NOW.

Tom: It’s ok....it’s ok....it’s ok. Shhh....shhh, it’s ok.

HE PULLS BACK TO LOOK AT HER FACE, HIS LIPS STILL PURSED FROM SHUSHING HER.

Tom: Shhh.

SLOAN LOOKS AT HIM. THEIR LIPS ARE SCANT INCHES APART, THEY’RE BREATHING EACHOTHER’S AIR. SHE WANTS HIM TO KISS HER. SHE LOWERS HER LIDS AND HE GLANCES DOWN AT HER LIPS. SLOAN EXHALES.

Tom: There’s something you need to see.

TOM, OBVIOUSLY STILL IN PAIN, TURNS SLOWLY AROUND AND BRACES HIMSELF AGAINST THE SUPPORT COLUMN.
ON HIS RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE IS A TATTOO, A PATTERN OF CIRCLES AND SQUARES, LIKE THOSE ON THE BEDS AND ON THE MUMMY’S BACK. SLOAN FLASHES ON AN IMAGE OF THE BED IN TOM’S LIVING ROOM AND ON THE MUMMY. SHE STROKES HER HAND UP HIS BACK AND ACROSS THE TATTOO. SHE RAISES HER EYES AND WE SEE SHOCK AND WONDER IN HER GAZE.

End Episode 4

Part Two

Part One

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