INT. HABITAT
Frank, Matt, Sarah, Janice and Linda watch Isabelle rise
and walk about the cage. She goes over to the other
monkeys and joins in their grooming rituals.
CARTER
Amazing. She’s normal, absolutely
healthy. If you didn’t know any
better, you’d think nothing had
happened to her.
MATT
(ribbing Sarah)
Yeah. I can’t wait to slice up her
brain and trace her neural pathways.
SARAH
Screw you, Matt.
MATT
Well maybe not right away.
LINDA
We should celebrate.
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
The fanciest one in D.C.
The entire eight person team sits around a round table,
drunk and laughing, as the last champagne flute is
filled.
Sebastian raises his glass.
SEBASTIAN
To the finest research team I’ve ever
known.
A round of “Hear, hears” and they all clink glasses and
drink.
EXT. RESTAURANT BALCONY - LATER
The din of the diners fades away as Linda slips out onto
the restaurant’s balcony. She find Sebastian leaning
against a railing, breathing in the night air.
SEBASTIAN
Hey...
LINDA
I thought you’d gone.
SEBASTIAN
Where would I go?
He looks out over the sweep of the city, the twinkling
lights of D.C. and darkness of the Potomac river.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Twenty years ago there were no
computers, no fax machines, no cell
phones. I was just wondering what the
world will be like twenty years from
now... if what we’re doing will change
everything.
LINDA
A little “I am become death... the
shatterer of worlds”?
SEBASTIAN
Something like that.
LINDA
Since the day I met, all you wanted to
do was change the world.
She puts her hand on his shoulder.
LINDA (cont’d)
Listen, I know we’ve... I mean... well
... I just want you to know how proud
I am of you. I know it probably
doesn’t mean a lot...
SEBASTIAN
Actually it does.
(beat)
I guess since you were there from the
beginning, you know me better than
anyone else on this godforsaken
planet.
LINDA
You’re positively maudlin. You should
be happy. Do you have any idea what
you’ve accomplished?
SEBASTIAN
Yeah... but I was working so hard, I
didn’t realize I’d have no one to
share it with.
Sebastian heads back inside. But he stops and turns back.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
I don’t suppose we could turn back the
clock for a night and you could come
home with me?
Her look says it all. Too much water under the bridge.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Right. Sorry. Too much champagne.
He turns and heads back into the party. As he heads in he
passes Matt heading out. He and Sebastian exchange
“Heys”.
MATT
What was that about?
LINDA
Nothing. It’s just... He is who he is.
Sometimes I just have to be reminded.
CUT TO:
INT. LABORATORY - NIGHT
Sebastian wanders through the empty hallways of the
laboratory.
INT. HALLWAY OF HABITATS - NIGHT
Sebastian paces back and forth, examining the habitats.
He taps on the Plexiglas of one. The cubicle explodes
with
BARKING.
We see the Plexi steam up in one part, as if something
was breathing on it. As if a nose were pressed against
it.
SEBASTIAN
(a little drunk)
What’s it like? Talk goddamnit! Tell
me what it’s like!
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PENTAGON - DAY
Flying over Washington D. C. , we cross the Potomac and
circle the five-cornered building, looking particularly
gloomy on this grey day.
SEBASTIAN (V.0.)
Six years ago, this committee
commissioned me with a very specific
task...
INT. PENTAGON CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
At the table are six men. A handful of senior military
brass and top civilian advisors direct their attention to
the front of the room, where Sebastian, flanked by Matt
and Linda, is in the middle of his presentation.
SEBASTIAN
To successful phase-shift a human
being out of quantum sync with the
visible universe and then return him
safely, with no after affects.
Next to Sebastian a video shows a small monkey shifting
from the visible spectrum. It’s hair, skin, organs and
skeletons slowly dissolve before our eyes.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Well, we found out sending them to
“never-never-land” was easy, it’s the
getting back that’s hard.
Sebastian fast forwards a few moments until the video
screen shows the bizarrely tangled heap of flesh and bone
that used to be alive.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Every time we’ve tried to bring a test
subject back from phase-shift.
Cellular bonds would dissolve, the
primary DNA strands would decay. But
now...
Sebastian pauses. Something’s bothering him.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
But now...
One of the senior advisers, DR. HARRY KRAMER,
distinguished 50s, finally breaks the silence.
KRAMER
But now?
Linda and Matt look up at Sebastian expectantly.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
But now...
(pause)
But now, we feel we are closer than
ever to resolving this issue. We’ve
been experimenting with a new
regression formula that looks rather
promising.
A FOUR STAR GENERAL leans forward.
GENERAL
How long?
SEBASTIAN
Sir?
GENERAL
Son, as you can imagine, we are very
anxious to field test this tactical
asset. How long till you resolve this
issue?
Linda starts to speak, but Sebastian cuts her off with a
look.
SEBASTIAN
Shouldn’t be more than another year,
Sir.
Frustrated sighs all around the room.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Maybe sooner.
EXT. PENTAGON - DAY
As Linda, Matt and Sebastian head to their cars.
MATT
Yo. Reality check! What the hell was
that about?
SEBASTIAN
Keep your voice down.
MATT
The protocol works. Why’d you tell
them it didn’t?
SEBASTIAN
I wasn’t ready for them to know.
MATT
But they’re the oversight committee.
They’re supposed to know.
LINDA
I’m sure he had a reason.
(firmly)
You did have a reason, didn’t you,
Sebastian?
SEBASTIAN
I had more than a reason. I had a
goddamn epiphany.
They reach his Porsche.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
What do you think they’d do if they
know we could send a subject into
phase shift and pull it back out
again? How many seconds would it take
for them to take over the whole
project, bringing in their soldiers to
test the formula on. We’d have lost
control of it by the end of the week.
LINDA
It’s their money, Sebastian. It’s
going to happen eventually.
SEBASTIAN
I know. But not yet. There’s too much
for us to learn. I don’t want my hands
tied by their political agenda when we
go to phase three.
MATT
Well, then... mind telling us how
you’re gonna get a human test-subject
for phase three without the committee
finding out?
SEBASTIAN
That’s easy. I’ve decided to test the
procedure ...
INT. LABORATORY CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
SEBASTIAN
... on myself.
The team sits around the conference table. Their jaws
drop and they stare at him with wide eyes.
FRANK
Are you nuts?
SEBASTIAN
Was Jonas Salk nuts?
FRANK
Yeah. Pretty sure he was.
CARTER
And remember, for every Jonas Salk,
there are a bunch of guys who aren’t
famous cuz they died.
SEBASTIAN
If we’re that unsure, how can we
morally justify testing it on someone
else?
JANICE
Isn’t it a little soon to be moving
into phase three anyway?
SARAH
She’s right. We haven’t even finished
collating the phase two research.
SEBASTIAN
We’ll have plenty of time to collate
and cross-reference later. Monkey data
doesn’t matter anyway. The only real
data is human data.
SARAH
You don’t even know if any of the
protocols will work on humans.
SEBASTIAN
How are we gonna find out? Besides,
we’ve succeeded with a gorilla and
their DNA is 98% the same as humans.
And the 2% is not that significant.
LINDA
Sebastian ... humans can talk, build
houses and cook in microwave ovens.
Gorilla’s live in trees. That’s a
helluva 2% if you ask me.
SEBASTIAN
We’re all concerned. I know that. But
if we’re gonna move forward ever, this
is something we have to do.
LINDA
Why you? Why not one of us?
SEBASTIAN
The risks. I couldn’t ask...
MATT
(interrupting)
What if we volunteer?
LINDA
What if you’re too valuable to lose?
SEBASTIAN
I’m Project Leader. It’s my formula
and my call. The best way to express
your concern is to make damn sure you
do your best work. I’ll want about
four weeks to...
FRANK
To put your affairs in order?
SEBASTIAN
To run some more reversions and tissue
tests and then we’ll attempt the phase
shift. I’ll stay shifted for three
days of testing and then we’ll perform
a quantum regression.
INT. SEBASTIAN’S OFFICE
A knock on the door.
SEBASTIAN
Come in.
Linda pushes into the room and closes the door behind
her.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
What?
LINDA
In the past six years, I’ve never once
challenged your decisions, but this
... Sebastian. I don’t think you
should do this.
SEBASTIAN
You don’t understand.
LINDA
Oh please. How long were we together?
You must’ve said it a million times
... Nobody knows who built the lunar
lander. All they remember in the first
man on the moon.
Sebastian shrugs and nods.
LINDA (cont’d)
But what if something happens to
you... what about the project?
Sebastian smiles.
SEBASTIAN
Lin, trust me... nothing’s going to
happen.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Linda and Matt are in bed together. Matt kisses her way
up and down her arm. But Linda is distracted.
LINDA
He refuses to listen to reason.
MATT
Can we talk about this later? I’m
trying to make love to you.
LINDA
Sorry. I just can’t let it go.
Matt props himself up on the pillow.
MATT
I know how you’re feeling. Hell, he
and I’ve been friends since freshman
year.
LINDA
So how can we let him do this?
MATT
What if you were given the opportunity
to be the first person on ,Mars, would
you go?
LINDA
In a heartbeat.
MATT
What if they didn’t know whether or
not they could get you home?
Linda thinks about it. It’s still tempting.
MATT (cont’d)
This is his chance to be Chuck Yeager
or Christopher Columbus. Well, if I
were him I’d do the same thing.
Matt goes back to kissing Linda.
LINDA
Let me ask another question.
MATT
Is about who gets to be on top?
LINDA
Is the human race really ready for
what we’re doing?
Matt groans and rolls over.
MATT
Why do you always get philosophical
before we’re about to get physical?
LINDA
No really. Is it ready? We’re
barrelling down a road that begs moral
and ethical questions that I don’t
think we can answer.
MATT
They said the same thing about the
bomb. They said we’d never survive the
nuclear age... but here we are.
LINDA
This night is still young.
(beat)
I mean, when you think about it, it’s
creepy. Do we really want to live in a
world where people can just disappear
in the blink of an eye?
MATT
We made our deal with the devil years
ago. Might as well stick around to
cash in.
INT. MEDICAL EXAMINING ROOM - DAY
Sebastian stripped to his shorts paces nervously. A knock
on the door.
SEBASTIAN
(his voice catches)
Yes?
Matt sticks his head in.
MATT
We’re ready.
Sebastian nervously shakes his limbs out. Then nods.
SEBASTIAN
Okay.
MATT
It’s not too late to back out. I’m
happy to take your place.
SEBASTIAN
No. I’m ready.
Matt leads him into the hallway.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
As they walk down the corridor toward the lab...
MATT
Nervous?
SEBASTIAN
A little.
MATT
Ever tell you the one about Superman
and Wonder Woman?
SEBASTIAN
I don’t think so.
MATT
So Superman’s flying around the city,
and he’s horny as hell. Lo and behold
he looks down and sees Wonder Woman,
completely nude, sunning herself up on
the roof of the Justice League. I mean
she is lying there naked and spread
eagle. So Superman starts thinking,
“man... this is too easy. I could go
down there, do a little fast pumping
and be gone before she even sees me.”
After all he is faster than a speeding
bullet, right? Anyway, he swoops down,
takes care of business so quick, you
can’t even see him. Well ... I tell
ya. Wonder Woman looks up, surprised
as hell and says “What the hell was
that.” And the Invisible Man replies
“I dunno know, but it sure hurt like
hell.”
INT. LABORATORY
Sebastian shoots Matt a look.
SEBASTIAN
You know, that could be the last joke
I ever hear.
MATT
C’mon, man. That’s funny shit.
The buzz of conversation is punctuated by an amplified
HEARTBEAT, thumping its familiar rhythm. Bah-bump.
Bah-bump. In the center of the room, Sebastian, dressed
only in a pair of jogging shorts is strapped to a table
inclined at a 45 degree angle. Electrodes are strapped to
his body. An I.V. tube snakes from the needle in his vein
up to a bag of saline solution. Dripping slowly. Linda
makes last minute checks of some of the equipment. She
pats Sebastian on the shoulder.
LINDA
O.K. How’re you feeling?
Sebastian takes a deep breath.
SEBASTIAN
Fine.
Sarah checks his vitals.
SARAH
Pulse 88, BP 140 over 95. A bit
elevated.
SEBASTIAN
To be expected.
SARAH
No reason for concern. He’s ready.
Linda takes a moment and studies Sebastian’s face. She’s
almost teary eyed.
SEBASTIAN
Hey... it’s gonna be okay.
Linda nods. Back to business.
LINDA
Start recording.
INT. OBSERVATION BOOTH.
Janice hits record on the equipment decks.
JANICE
We’re hot. All systems nominal,
Houston.
Frank coordinates all the data being fed into the
computers. He pushes a series of buttons and speaks into
a microphone.
FRANK
Okay, kids. Let’s make some history.
INT. LABORATORY - DAY
Frank’s voice echoes through the chamber.
LINDA
Subject: Male, Age 29, weight 166 lbs.
Matt jabs a hypodermic into small vial of colored liquid.
Draws up 20ccs.
MATT
(to Linda)
Ready.
Linda takes the hypo from Matt.
MATT (cont’d)
If the tests are any indication it
should work quickly.
SEBASTIAN
I’ll inject myself. If anything goes
wrong, they can’t blame you.
She hands the hypo Sebastian and steps away. Sebastian
stares at the golden formula silently for a moment.
LINDA
We can still shut down, Sebastian.
He shakes his head.
MATT
Any last words?
SEBASTIAN
Yeah. If I’m killed, pretend I said
something deep and clever.
Then... Back to business. He inserts the needle into the
I.V. Sebastian. Presses into himself and depresses the
plunger.
LINDA
Injection was administered at
(checks watch)
... 18:23:47.
The colored liquid snakes it’s way into his bloodstream.
LINDA (cont’d)
Keep talking. Tell us what you’re
feeling.
SEBASTIAN
Nothing so far.
SARAH
Vitals are stable.
They wait and watch.
LINDA
Nothing’s happening.
Another moment passes by.
MATT
Human DNA structure is slightly more
complex... it’s possible that it may
take more time...
Another moment passes.
LINDA
Maybe we overlooked something.
SEBASTIAN
Recheck the protocol. It can’t be non-
reactive.
CARTER
Kinda like a firecracker with a bad
fuse...
Sebastian shoots Carter a questioning look.
CARTER (cont’d)
Don’t know if it’ll go off.
LINDA
Frank?
FRANK (V.0.)
(from the booth)
No change in bio-electric.
SEBASTIAN
Goddammit.
Another long pause. Sebastian concentrates.
SEBASTIAN (cont’d)
Okay wait, my arm... it’s getting a
bit warm... yeah, it’s ... it’s
starting to tingle...
Excitement overtakes the room.
SEBASTIAN (cont'd)
Okay... it’s spreading to my back...
like, like a fever...
LINDA
Here we go.
Slowly the flesh on Sebastian’s arm begins dissolving,
revealing the complex network of nerves, blood vessels
and flesh beneath it.
SEBASTIAN
Shit... it’s starting to burn... Oh
god. It hurts. I didn’t think it would
hurt.
The HEART BEAT thumps faster, accelerating
SARAH
Heartbeat’s elevated. Pulse at 100.
... 130 ...
LINDA
What do you feel? Keep talking. KEEP
TALKING!
SEBASTIAN
Pain!
SARAH
Pulse is 165 ... 170 Blood pressure
180 over 100. ...
CARTER
He’s going to blow out his heart.
LINDA
Prop the crash cart.
Carter grabs the crash cart, rolls it in. Matt tears off
the I.V. leads into Sebastian’s arms.
MATT
We’ve got to stop it!
LINDA
We can’t!
INT. OBSERVATION BOOTH
All the monitors are going crazy.
JANICE
Something’s happening.
Frank leans into the microphone.
FRANK
Listen up! Electric activity
increasing in all limbs. Brainwaves
are through the roof.
JANICE
I didn’t think the human brain could
spike that high.
FRANK
Maybe it can’t.
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