HARSH REALM "PALINGENESY" by Megan Reilly eponine119@worldnet.att.net TEASER INT. JAIL - NIGHT Dimly lit and dingy. A MAN lingers in one small cell, pacing behind its bars. He wears a tattered, dirty military jacket. The name above his pocket reads FISHER. The JANGLE of keys as officers usher in two prisoners. At first we see only a muddy boot, a slumping shoulder, a patch of blond hair. Then a stiff-faced OFFICER opens the door to the second cell and we recognize HOBBES and PINOCCHIO as the men he pushes inside. Angrily, Pinocchio sighs, reaching through the bars. He glares at their captors but they walk away, oblivious. Hobbes sits on the floor. PINOCCHIO I told you not to. Hobbes does not respond. His expression does not change. PINOCCHIO When will you ever learn - HOBBES (to Fisher) Hey. What're you in for? FISHER Breathing. Pinocchio knows that voice. He turns, amazed. PINOCCHIO Fisher? With a weary, amused smile, Fisher nods. PINOCCHIO How the hell did you end up in here? FISHER I thought I knew how to get us all out of this. Hobbes gets to his feet. HOBBES What happened? FISHER I was wrong. Wrong, apparently, in a big way, because he skitters into the farthest corner, drawing in on himself. He puts his head into his hands. Hobbes watches. PINOCCHIO (quietly) Harsh Realm...can do things to a man. Hobbes turns on Pinocchio, the connections working in his mind. What things has it done to Pinocchio...what will it do to him? He sits down, eyes still fixed on Fisher. The lights go off. CLOSE ON HOBBES watching Fisher through the darkness. INT. JAIL - NIGHT Time passed. Hobbes and Pinocchio sleep. Moving through the darkness to Fisher, who is awake, his eyes glittery in the dim light. His face changes - something's wrong. He starts to get up, choking with panic. He gets halfway before he begins to laugh, a soft, rich, maniacal sound. With a big grin on his face, his body slowly CRUMBLES TO ASHES - not zapping out in the way we've seen before. A moment later, the faintest outline of his form RETURNS, outlined in blue. Then he's gone. ACT ONE INT. JAIL - DAY SOLDIER Where is he? He rattles the bars angrily on the empty cell. Hobbes and Pinocchio say nothing. SOLDIER How did he escape? A change in the air. The other guards come to attention. SANTIAGO sweeps into the room. Pinocchio averts his eyes but Hobbes remains solid, watchful. SANTIAGO What happened here? SOLDIER He's gone, sir. SANTIAGO Why? The solider looks away. He has no answer. He knows he's in serious trouble. SANTIAGO It's impossible to escape from this jail, is it not? He's goading the soldier now, tormenting him. PINOCCHIO Unless he outsmarted you. Santiago's eyes find Pinocchio, sprawled on the floor. Regally he walks over to stand in front of him, forcing Pinocchio to look up to him. SANTIAGO What do you know about this? PINOCCHIO He was here because he was going to win the game. He was gonna take you out. You'd better watch your back. Santiago sweeps the room again. SANTIAGO I have nothing to worry about. He looks at Hobbes and Pinocchio. SANTIAGO Release them. None of the guards move. SOLDIER Sir - Santiago says nothing. He doesn't have to. The soldiers move to open the door to the cell. Pinocchio and Hobbes get up slowly. They must pass close to Santiago to exit. He waits until Pinocchio is face-to-face before he speaks. SANTIAGO (insulting) I have nothing to fear from them. Pinocchio swings at Santiago suddenly. Hobbes grabs him, but Pinocchio was finished. Santiago smiles - Pinocchio just proved his words true. EXT. WOODS - DAY Hobbes and Pinocchio walk on a path. HOBBES What happened to Fisher? PINOCCHIO He's dead. HOBBES How? A gun barrel pushes into Hobbes' face from the trees. The GUNMAN circles back, face painted with camouflage. PINOCCHIO Somebody got the drop on him. Florence, that's enough. Hobbes tries to look like he knew it was her all along. DEXTER jumps around his feet until Hobbes picks him up. Pinocchio looks Florence up and down. PINOCCHIO You were coming to break us out? Florence looks nonchalant. HOBBES That cell was locked. PINOCCHIO Anyone could have gotten in. HOBBES With us right there? PINOCCHIO They had every reason to take him out. HOBBES Aren't you curious? PINOCCHIO Curiosity doesn't keep you alive and it doesn't make your belly full at night. HOBBES It does if he knew how to win. A long beat. PINOCCHIO It wouldn't hurt to look into it. He holds out his hand. Florence jingles the car keys, asking like a teenager if she can drive. She breaks into a grin as Pinocchio drops his hand and ambles toward the car. EXT. WOODS - DAY The car ZOOMS, quick and crazy, down the road. INT. - COUNCIL ROOM - DAY Legend on screen: GOVERNMENT HOUSE, SANTIAGO CITY, HARSH REALM. Santiago, at the table. Drinking a cup of tea. Across from him, DIGBY, a rather young, rather innocent looking girl. DIGBY What's the real world like? SANTIAGO Nothing like this. She looks insistent. Disappointed with his answer. SANTIAGO It's a world that's not safe. Full of pain...and death...and hurt. You don't need to know about it. DIGBY What happens when you die? Santiago is silent. Thinking. He doesn't know how to answer her. SANTIAGO Many men have many theories. But none who have experienced it can tell. DIGBY Why can't they come back? To tell? (beat) Why can't you make them come back? SANTIAGO It doesn't work that way. DIGBY It could here. He looks away, wishing he could get out of this conversation. DIGBY What's death like in the real world? SANTIAGO (angry) You might as well ask why the sky is blue! DIGBY It doesn't have to be, here. SANTIAGO I've had enough of this. DIGBY Why - ? Sounds outside the door interrupt her question. A panicked look floods across her face. A moment later she DISSOLVES into a swirl of blue light, which is sucked into the computer on the table. WATERS enters, looking confused to find Santiago alone. Santiago looks at him. WATERS I thought I heard arguing -- SANTIAGO I was just using my computer. Waters looks more confused than ever, glancing about the room. Then he heads out, closing the door behind him. Santiago shuts off the computer, looking disgruntled. EXT. MOVIE HOUSE - DAY Legend at the bottom of the screen: STATE THEATRE SANTIAGO CITY HARSH REALM Pinocchio and Hobbes lurk in the crowd near one of the "now showing" posters. The poster features prominently a happy family along with the crossed swords symbol and Santiago's smiling face. HOBBES What are we doing here? PINOCCHIO I know a guy. The line for tickets inches forward. Silent silver lightning streaks the sky. The man in front of them turns to look at them. Pinocchio glares back. HOBBES I think I know that guy. He taps the man on the shoulder and the man turns. HOBBES Ed Sanders! I thought you retired - SANDERS No. HOBBES You're Ed Sanders, Major in the US Army... SANDERS No. Pinocchio puts a restraining hand on Hobbes' arm. Sanders reaches the ticket window. He fumbles for his wallet. Drops it. Hobbes bends to pick it up. The man CRUMBLES INTO ASH, which lands at Hobbes' feet. Hobbes looks up in confusion, his eyes wide as the outline of Sanders' body blinks back into existence for several long seconds, before disappearing. A woman begins to scream. Hobbes looks inside the wallet. Finds a Republican Army ID card for Ed Sanders. HOBBES Look at this. He rubs some of the ash across his fingers, looking up at Pinocchio. Florence, frowning, bends to inspect the ash without touching it. Pinocchio steps around it. PINOCCHIO (to the cashier) Three please. They move into the theater. Hobbes looks back. INT. MOVIE THEATER - DAY The fixtures are old and shabby, although polished to the highest gilt they can muster. Smiling adults in starched white shirts do their jobs proudly. A sign on the wall: "Men's Restroom Upstairs." Pinocchio edges to the red carpeted staircase that rises along one wall. HOBBES Why would he lie about who he was? PINOCCHIO I'm a little more concerned about why he turned to ash. HOBBES Natural causes? PINOCCHIO (hushed) These bodies are virtual. Yours, mine, everybody's. There are no natural causes. No bad tickers, no old age. Hobbes is horrified. HOBBES If he died in the real world - PINOCCHIO His conscious would go on here. Trapped. He pounds on the door marked "NO ENTRY". PINOCCHIO And wouldn't have turned to ash. He pushes the door open. INT. PROJECTION ROOM - DAY They fumble toward the only light in the darkness - the beam from the projector. ORSON WELLES is as grungy as they are. He doesn't belong in the happy light of Santiago City. PINOCCHIO Welles. WELLES Who wants to know. He looks up. WELLES Thought you were dead. PINOCCHIO I am. Welles frowns; he's not happy to see his old friend. WELLES Santiago know I'm here? PINOCCHIO We're not exactly on speaking terms. This doesn't make Welles feel better. He regards Hobbes & Florence with suspicion. WELLES What've you got to trade? PINOCCHIO Ammo, batteries - WELLES I only work for film. It's like when the wizard turned Dorothy away. Welles tinkers with the projector as though the trio has left. WELLES You're not my boss now. PINOCCHIO How about your life? He holds the gun steadily trained on him. HOBBES A man died outside this theater. Just a minute ago. WELLES Why tell me. PINOCCHIO This thing could hit any of us. At any time. Welles glares, starts the projection. The audience, O.S., applauds the start of the movie. Welles rolls his eyes. WELLES A gun to the head doesn't work as well as saying please. PINOCCHIO That the moral of the movie? HOBBES You have information for us, the gun is yours. Trade it for film. Welles looks at him, them clicks a remote. The flicker from a black and white TV competes with the glow of the projector. Welles changes the tape in an ancient top-loading VCR. WELLES Santiago's surveillance system. Cinema verite. PINOCCHIO Old habits... The men exchange a look. On the screen, a man zaps out of existence, as did Sanders outside the theater. WELLES The murders make it more interesting. In a 'Faces of Death' kind of way. The tape unreels, a grainy collection jumpily spliced of person after person zapping out of existence. WELLES The lightning's kind of cool. His fingers brush the screen. HOBBES It's there every time. WELLES Yeah. There is a loud cry from the movie theater. The movie has ceased to unspool, jammed in the projector. Welles hurries to repair it. At Hobbes' insistant look, Pinocchio plunks the gun down on the table. And they go. INT. - COUNCIL ROOM - DAY Santiago on his feet. The chairs filled with his ADVISORS. A meeting in progress. ADVISOR Another one of those...strange occurrences...has occurred. Santiago waves his hand. ADVISOR We need to find out what this is. Put a stop to it. SANTIAGO What I need are better reports from the front. WATERS We're losing men to this thing, sir. Good men. If it was happening outside the fence - SANTIAGO Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana. They should be under our control by now. He faces his men, his eyes hard and cold. SANTIAGO Understand? No one speaks. Santiago walks out of the room. The men look to each other, wondering what the hell is going on. ADVISOR He's not worried. Obviously it's under his control. WATERS He's very worried. EXT. CITY STREET, SANTIAGO CITY - DAY HOBBES Poison would do that. Kill with no murderer present. PINOCCHIO It's impossible. HOBBES All of them have been military men. From the real world. Maybe they've had enough - PINOCCHIO You think it's suicide? HOBBES Why not? Pinocchio rolls his eyes. Puts his hand into a glitch. EXT. WOODS OUTSIDE THE FENCE - DAY PINOCCHIO Try it. Hobbes looks hesitant, but game. He puts his hand on his gun, eyes fixed on Pinocchio. He looks to Florence for advice. Her expression offers none. HOBBES You try it. He raises the gun to Pinocchio's head. PINOCCHIO I already know it can't be done. HOBBES Do it. He is trusting his friend. At the same time, he threatens him. HOBBES Prove it or I'll fire. Very slowly Pinocchio raises the rifle he carries. Watching it with a dark mix of emotion, he puts the barrel to his temple. And fires. ACT II EXT. WOODS - OUTSIDE THE FENCE - DAY Resume previous shot. The air still rings with the sound of gunfire. Pinocchio's virtual body flickers with electricity, but does not fade out. He lowers his gun. PINOCCHIO I told you. Hobbes grabs the gun, examines it, searching frantically for an answer that makes sense. He looks to Pinocchio for an explanation. HOBBES Why? PINOCCHIO It's counterproductive to the game. If you could kill yourself, there wouldn't be any army soldiers left to fight Santiago. HOBBES But - PINOCCHIO Survival instinct is programmed into the game. You can make a suicide mission or set it up so someone else will shoot you, but you can't die by your own hand. HOBBES But...how did you know? PINOCCHIO How do you think? He turns and walks away, the dog close at his heels. Hobbes looks stunned. Florence pats his shoulder. INT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE - DAY Santiago returns to the council room. Empty now. He stands before the map of his empire. Strokes the growing number of states. Waters enters, all noise and bluster. WATERS What is this thing, sir? Santiago does not answer. WATERS We lost Sanders an hour ago. His back to Waters, Santiago makes a face. Fleeting. A struggle to bring himself back under control. WATERS And Inga Fossa is missing. SANTIAGO (almost amused) You think this thing's gotten to her? WATERS She's nowhere inside Harsh Realm, sir. The city or beyond the fence. Are you sure this thing...hasn't... SANTIAGO She's too smart for that. He turns to face Waters. SANTIAGO You know that, you know her. Waters looks stunned. He didn't know Santiago knew about his affair. Santiago looks amused. SANTIAGO She's a good one to have in your corner. Till she stabs you in the back. Look what she did to Pinocchio. Waters looks insanely stressed to be having this conversation with Santiago. WATERS Sir, this killer. It's...some of the others...believe it's under your control? SANTIAGO At one time, perhaps. No longer. WATERS What are we going to do? SANTIAGO I have a plan. He touches the map again. SANTIAGO I'm going to stop it. He's not talking about the killer. SANTIAGO It's time to step up to the next level. You're up to that challenge, soldier. WATERS (uncertain) Yes, sir. EXT. WOODS - DAY/NIGHT Near Pinocchio's car. Pinocchio slices an apple. Drops bits for Dexter. Hobbes and Florence are sharing a handful of berries. An apple core lies on the ground, indicating this is the second course to their meal. PINOCCHIO The lightning doesn't fit. HOBBES Some kind of glitch -? PINOCCHIO A glitch wouldn't only erase soldiers who were a threat to Santiago. Who might win the game. Wouldn't turn them to ash and try to bring them back. Florence looks at him, a confirmation, he saw that too. HOBBES Santiago's behind this. PINOCCHIO He wanted Fisher alive. In an instant, the sky goes dark. The sun is gone. They jump to alertness. HOBBES What the hell? PINOCCHIO Get in the car. Hobbes hesitates. PINOCCHIO This is bad, get in the car! Now! Hobbes and Florence do as he says. Pinocchio lingers, looking for the lightning. There is none. EXT. ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT People move listlessly. Worried. Their eyes on the sky. Children cry. A bell rings. A MAN moves through the crowd, ringing the bell, shouting crazed prophecy. PROPHET These are the end times! Prepare yourself for the cease and the ether! Only $29.99! Hobbes, Pinocchio and Florence ease past him. PROPHET For $29.99 your cease will be painless. I offer a money back guarantee! Another man grabs their attention. MAN 2 Euthanasia for sale! Know when the end will come! Don't be surprised... HOBBES (horrified) What's all this? PINOCCHIO Madness. MAN 2 You've seen the signs. HOBBES What's causing this? PINOCCHIO Glitch? Power failure? The end of the world? HOBBES Someone won the game. We get to go home. He's ready to jump and cheer. Pinocchio isn't nearly so convinced. HOBBES The murders - maybe this explains it. They vanished because they finished their mission. PINOCCHIO Standing in line for a movie? What was his mission? A study of virtual propagandic cinema? HOBBES We're on our way home! PINOCCHIO Don't you get it? If the game ends, we might as well be dead. HOBBES They went home, Pinocchio! What's so awful in the real world you don't want to go back? Pinocchio is silent. Refusing to answer. He looks around. HOBBES What happens to all these people when the game ends? PINOCCHIO They aren't people. Hobbes is still watching them, in their doomsaying and panic. PINOCCHIO There's only one reason Santiago would end the game. To invade the real world. To make his city - his vision - this hell - real. You want to know what he'll do to your precious Sophie then? HOBBES Shut up! WATERS Pinocchio. His presence startles them out of the fight they've almost begun. PINOCCHIO If you're here to kill me, Waters, you'll have to get in line. He glares at Hobbes. WATERS I need your help. PINOCCHIO That's a first. Daddy kick you out too? Or you finally get tired of sucking his limp - HOBBES That's enough. PINOCCHIO It's a trap, Hobbes. WATERS Inga Fossa is missing. PINOCCHIO You're worried about her? Death is too good for that snake. WATERS Santiago's ending the program. The trees in front of them zap out. PINOCCHIO I noticed. WATERS He's taking the final step. PINOCCHIO I thought that's what you wanted. So you can be there when he takes over the world. The real world. WATERS He's not ready. He's afraid of something. These murders. You know about them. You were there, you saw - PINOCCHIO Why come to me? WATERS Hobbes, talk sense to him. Hobbes doesn't move. He's gripping his gun so tightly his knuckles are white, his eyes full of knowledge that Waters murdered Sophie in cold blood. The sky FLASHES WHITE as silver lightning streaks from the sky. Waters' body JERKS. WATERS I want to go to win the game. His voice does not sound his own. It's high. Forced. PINOCCHIO Since when? WATERS (whiny, like a child) I want to win the game so I can go to the real world. HOBBES He's flipped. With a great force of effort, Waters grabs Hobbes' shirt. WATERS It's not me. Then he laughs, an instant change, the same maniacal sound as Fisher in the cell. WATERS I didn't mean to make them die. Hobbes can't get free; he's too horrified to really try. WATERS (struggling) The killer is in here...with me. He tears away, holding his head, laughing in abrupt bursts. He grabs Hobbes' weapon. WATERS (commanding the voice in his head) Get out, get out, get out. He empties the gun into his head. He flickers, strongly, but does not disappear. WATERS (himself) Give Santiago a message. He's found a knife, maybe a Swiss army knife on his keychain, and tries to cut off his own head. It's a pathetic move. HOBBES Stop it. He grabs Waters' arm. Lightning slices the sky again. WATERS (possessed) I thought I could bring them back. Waters struggles with Hobbes. WATERS (himself) Help me. Hobbes stabs Waters with the knife. ACT III EXT. ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT Resume scene. Pinocchio knocks Hobbes unconscious with the butt of his gun. Florence scrambles on the ground to reach Waters, who's fallen, bleeding badly. Pinocchio looks to her expectantly. She shakes her head. He's dying. PINOCCHIO We need him. Florence looks at Hobbes. Scowls at Waters. PINOCCHIO You can kill him again later. Florence looks unconvinced but as she reaches out to touch him, the blood begins to pour back into the wound, seemingly of its own accord. She pulls her hand back, shocked. Waters chokes, opens his eyes. WATERS Thank you. Except Florence didn't do anything. She looks to Pinocchio, but he has no answers. Waters sits up, breathing hard. Waters notices Hobbes unconscious and looks to Pinocchio. Then he puts his hand to his chest and stares with wide-eyed realization at Florence. WATERS You - She shakes her head, walks away. Stands with the dog. A detached sentry. WATERS The killer isn't human. It's outside the game somewhere. Getting in through us. PINOCCHIO Speculation. WATERS I felt it. I know it. Hobbes groans, moves on the ground. PINOCCHIO I think you'd better go before he finishes the job. Waters knows a valid threat when he hears one and stumbles to his feet. WATERS I'll be watching you, Pinocchio. PINOCCHIO Maybe then you'll learn how it's done. Waters bumps into Florence and flees. HOBBES (rubbing his head) Holy hell, what'd you do that for? PINOCCHIO You would have killed him. HOBBES He killed Sophie! PINOCCHIO He's weak. He came to us for help. HOBBES Since when do you help people? PINOCCHIO He said the killer isn't human. HOBBES It was like he was possessed... Pinocchio is thinking. HOBBES What? PINOCCHIO That's why Santiago is shutting the game down. He's afraid of this thing. It's the only thing in the game he can't control. We have to stop him. He signals to Florence. She picks up the dog to follow. HOBBES The game ends, we go home. PINOCCHIO The game ends, we die. HOBBES Then we have to win the game before he ends it. PINOCCHIO It's unwinnable. HOBBES If we kill Santiago - PINOCCHIO Santiago might already be dead. HOBBES (panicked) Then we'd be home. PINOCCHIO You think the game didn't have an objective before Santiago hijacked it? Before he was in the game? HOBBES My mission is to kill Santiago. PINOCCHIO Your mission was to beat the highest score. Hobbes considers. Thinking back. Maybe Pinocchio's right. PINOCCHIO Santiago's cheating. He has outside access. That's why no one can take him out. HOBBES Why would he take over the real world then? He wouldn't have an advantage there. PINOCCHIO He can't stay here if someone's beating him. HOBBES This is circular! PINOCCHIO If you want to live to get back to the real world, you'll help me stop Santiago. If you sit around here waiting for some artificial Rapture to zap you back to the real world, it ain't gonna happen. You'll die here and all that'll be left of you is a crusty old brain. INT. COUNCIL ROOM - DAY Santiago sits waiting calmly. A monitor blinks with messages and indicators on a map of his territory. Santiago watches the map etched in glass. A king overseeing his kingdom. Waters enters. Santiago does not turn. SANTIAGO You would betray me. WATERS You can't shut it down. SANTIAGO Because you'll die? None of you are real. WATERS Sir? SANTIAGO The Army sent their best and brightest after me. Who will defend them from me in the Real world? They will see for themselves my ways are the right ways. This is America as our forefathers intended it to be. WATERS Sir, this is crazy. SANTIAGO Such words are treason. But you'll hang for it soon enough. Guards appear at the door to take him. WATERS You can't beat it, sir. I've experienced it first hand. The killer. Santiago raises his hand. The guards stop their approach. SANTIAGO You met the killer and survived? We have much to talk about. EXT. THE FENCE - NIGHT Pinocchio tosses pebbles at the fence outside Santiago City. All are consumed into flame. Florence sits back, on the hood of the car, to watch the show. HOBBES Why not let it kill Santiago? PINOCCHIO Why wouldn't it go there first? HOBBES It wants control. It...it has to be a man. Florence throws a rock at the fence, getting his attention. HOBBES ...or a woman, something human and alive. Since it has no virtual body to inhabit it - _he's_ manipulating from outside the system. Could someone hack in? PINOCCHIO Hack into a top secret computer that officially doesn't exist? Maybe they could get in once. They wouldn't live for a return trip. HOBBES One of the creators of the game. PINOCCHIO You're grasping at straws, Hobbes. They notice Florence on the other side of the fence. The pebbles Pinocchio tosses go through the fence. They follow and join Florence. PINOCCHIO If Santiago dies, we all die. EXT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE - NIGHT A GUARD lights a cigarette. No one moves in the street or elsewhere around. No one would try to break in, anyway. Pinocchio, Hobbes and Florence watch from a distance away. HOBBES Wouldn't that count as suicide? The silver lightning flashes ominously overhead. Dexter whines. The guard sits up, looking for the sound. Then he begins to laugh, lighting cigarette after cigarette, stuffing them into his mouth. Pinocchio, Hobbes and Florence break into a run to him. One hand pulls cigarettes out as the other shoves them in. The guard is bewildered, helpless. GUARD I want to feel what it's like. He is as shocked as they are. Pinocchio, Hobbes slip into the government house. Florence looks at the guard with mercy, hand on her gun. He falls before she acts, disappears into ash. This time he doesn't fade back for a second. There is only stillness. INT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE - NIGHT All is eerily silent as the team moves stealthily. HOBBES If there's no God in Harsh Realm, there's no devil. PINOCCHIO No devil but man himself. Hobbes is about to speak, but Pinocchio stops him. PINOCCHIO Save the theology, Hobbes. We've got bigger problems. Santiago emerges from the council room, unguarded. He looks moderately surprised to see them. SANTIAGO You come to kill me. HOBBES We're here to protect you. SANTIAGO You wish to join my ranks now as the end is near? He glances at Pinocchio, baiting him: SANTIAGO I knew you were a coward, Pinocchio, but Hobbes... Pinocchio grits his teeth. PINOCCHIO There's a killer. SANTIAGO You think you can stop her with guns? PINOCCHIO You slaughtered four billion people and now you're against guns? SANTIAGO I notice you don't raise yours at me now. You know better, Pinocchio. Death might even be a comfort to your pathetic existence. Swear your loyalty to me now and I'll make it gentle for you at the end. I'll show mercy on those you love in the real world. PINOCCHIO You'll destroy the real world. SANTIAGO I already have. HOBBES That's a lie! SANTIAGO Join me and you'll be with your wife again. Sophie. PINOCCHIO It's going to kill you. SANTIAGO She can't. No computer can kill a living human. All I have to do is -- He stops, realizing. Amused by their ignorance. SANTIAGO You didn't know. It's an artificial intelligence. Like a virtual character. With consciousness. A child. She thinks Harsh Realm is another game. HOBBES _She_? Santiago goes into the council room and closes the door. ACT IV INT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT Hobbes and Pinocchio stand there, trying to regroup. Look at each other. Start walking. A whole group of soldiers run past them, nearly knocking them down. They're gone as quickly as they came and silence reigns again. Pinocchio heads for the door. Hobbes lingers. HOBBES We can't let him do this. Destroy the real world. Turn it into his vanity theme park. Pinocchio keeps on walking. HOBBES Where are you going? PINOCCHIO I need a drink. Hobbes launches himself at Pinocchio, furious, taking out all of his rage and frustration. Pinocchio knows it and doesn't clobber him more than he has to, with a resigned, knowing air. HOBBES He's going to kill everyone, don't you get it? Not just the virtual characters but all the men sent into the game by the army. Everyone in the real world. We can't just leave them here. PINOCCHIO Waters told me about you. Hobbes is stunned. PINOCCHIO How you didn't leave him behind in one of those godforsaken - HOBBES Bosnia. PINOCCHIO (tough) This is different. HOBBES I have to fight for what I believe in. Whether I'm going to die here or not. Pinocchio eyes him like he's lost his mind. Hobbes throws open the door to the council rooms. INT. COUNCIL ROOM - NIGHT Hobbes strides into the empty room, confident. Santiago's computer is running. Hobbes steps in front of the monitor, but doesn't comprehend. There is a red bar stretching across the screen with a growing percentage number. Below it, a rapidly advancing countdown. Pinocchio stands behind Hobbes. He knows what this is. HOBBES You know how to stop it. PINOCCHIO No. HOBBES You know all his secrets. PINOCCHIO Santiago doesn't like to share. He tries, halfheartedly, banging at the keyboard with two fingers. Hobbes reaches for the power switch. PINOCCHIO Don't!!! Hobbes' hand falls away. HOBBES Who can stop this? PINOCCHIO Santiago. HOBBES Where is he? He turns in the empty room, ends up facing Pinocchio. PINOCCHIO Gone. HOBBES Where's his portal? Pinocchio doesn't answer, his eyes fixed on the screen. HOBBES Whatever you're so afraid of - you'd rather die here than face it in the real world. Santiago was right. You are a coward. He storms out. INT. GOVERNMENT HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT Hobbes throws open doors at random. Searching. HOBBES (V.O.) My dearest Sophie, how has it come down to this? A leader who would condemn his followers to death to thwart just one who opposes him - Pinocchio appears in the doorway. At the edge of frame, in the distance, Waters dodges sneakily. PINOCCHIO Hobbes. At the sound of Pinocchio's warning, Hobbes sees Waters. They follow him, stealthily, but play their hand when he steps into an elevator. INT. ELEVATOR - NIGHT Waters registers surprise as Hobbes and Pinocchio dash inside. The doors slid closed. Trapping him with them. PINOCCHIO Nice day, isn't it? WATERS Any day is a good day for you to die. Pinocchio laughs. Stops the elevator. Waters is effectively their hostage. WATERS I could take you right now. HOBBES (annoyed) Enough. (to Waters) You know a way out of here. WATERS Come with me, Hobbes. He'll only hold you back. PINOCCHIO He'll never let you get to the real world, Hobbes. He needs you dead. For his own protection. WATERS I've never lied to you, Hobbes. He'll need good, loyal soldiers in the Real World. HOBBES He's killing everyone left behind. WATERS They're already dead. They've been dead since the day they walked into Harsh Realm. But you and me - PINOCCHIO He's using you, Hobbes. He doesn't know where the portal is. But he knows Inga Fossa showed you. He shoots out the panel in the elevator and starts to climb through the trapdoor in the ceiling. WATERS You don't have the proper clearances. You need me - Pinocchio holds his hand down to Hobbes. Not certain he'll accept it. Hobbes locks eyes with Waters. WATERS Tom - Hobbes takes Pinocchio's hand. INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY - NIGHT PINOCCHIO Santiago's private digs. He kicks the door. Hobbes levels his gun at it. PINOCCHIO Bulletproof, waterproof, airtight - HOBBES You know the way in. Pinocchio grits his teeth and punches a code into the small console to one side. It BEEPS. Carefully, he enters a different code. It BEEPS again. Louder. Threateningly. PINOCCHIO Only get three tries. HOBBES Then what? PINOCCHIO We won't have to worry about Santiago's version of destruction. Hobbes takes a step back. Pinocchio tries again. The lock makes an ominous noise. The door slides open. INT. SANTIAGO'S PRIVATE APARTMENT - NIGHT It's nice. Antiques and art everywhere, but tasteful. Masculine. Not overdone. HOBBES Why doesn't this thing, this computer, stop Santiago itself? PINOCCHIO It can't. Any more than we can affect things in the real world. HOBBES It killed those men. PINOCCHIO It erased their profiles. HOBBES Santiago's its' ticket to the real world. PINOCCHIO Only if he gets there. They scout the room. Hobbes starts knocking pictures off the walls. He uncovers another code box. Pinocchio examines the box. There's a retinal scan on it. Sounds of distant explosions. The lights dim. The door slides open. Pinocchio glances at Hobbes like he caused it. PINOCCHIO It's all starting to break down. INT. SANTIAGO'S PORTAL ROOM - NIGHT Santiago lies on the portal chair, his eyes closed. He's wearing casual clothing. The headphones rest in his hands. Hobbes rips them away from him. Santiago's eyes open. Silver lightning arcs near the ceiling like an electrical short. HOBBES Stop the countdown. Santiago watches him. HOBBES Get up and stop it now. Santiago laughs. Not him - the killer. PINOCCHIO You're going to die here with the rest of us. SANTIAGO I can't die. Not like you. I want to win the game. I want to go to the real world. I want to know what it's like there. HOBBES It's not going to happen here and it's not going to happen in the real world. SANTIAGO I have to win the game. Hobbes tosses Santiago out of the chair. He has the headphones in his hands. As he begins to slide into the seat... Silver lightning arcs over head. PINOCCHIO Hobbes. Hobbes hesitates only a second. PINOCCHIO It'll get you. Steal your body to live in the real world. You'll be dead. HOBBES You can follow me through - PINOCCHIO Not this way. SANTIAGO I have to go. I want to understand. Pinocchio glares at him. The lightning increases, crackling audibly as the lights grow dim. HOBBES There won't be enough power to get home. PINOCCHIO (to Santiago) You think you can win the game from there? In a world full of illogical beings you can't reprogram to control. You really want this fragile flesh? SANTIAGO I want to know what it feels like. A real body. Not this borrowed reflection of one. He grabs the headphones from Hobbes. PINOCCHIO You go through there, the game ceases to exist. The lights go out completely. The silver lightning streaks. PINOCCHIO Do you want to be able to die? The lightning strikes the headphones - goes into them - and is gone. Santiago blinks, as though coming back to himself. Pinocchio tosses the smoking headphones to him. PINOCCHIO Go on home. SANTIAGO (rising from the chair) There's not much time. INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT Santiago flying down the steps, Pinocchio and Hobbes close behind. Waters is on his way up. SANTIAGO Deal with these traitors. He brushes past Waters, leaving him to face Pinocchio and Hobbes. PINOCCHIO (loud, after Santiago) You're welcome. INT. COUNCIL ROOM - NIGHT Santiago rushes to the computer. Stops the countdown with a single keystroke. The lights come back on, etc. INT. - GOVERNMENT HOUSE - NIGHT Waters marching Hobbes and Pinocchio off to jail. He's enjoying this. Pinocchio turns to glare at him, taking his hands down from where they're folded in the air behind his head. Waters pokes him with the end of his rifle. WATERS The penalty for desertion is death, soldier. From the edge of frame, a GUN pointed at Waters' head. Pinocchio gives him a look, then breaks into a grin as he looks at Florence, come to save the day. PINOCCHIO Took you long enough. She holds the gun on Waters while they escape, then backs away so she can keep her weapon aimed at him. More troops arrive to apprehend them all. She drops her gun, frustrated. INT. COUNCIL ROOM - NIGHT Santiago, pondering. He hits something on the computer and Digby appears. She looks scared. A bad child facing an angry father. DIGBY I just wanted to know. SANTIAGO You were programmed as an experiment. She nods, almost eagerly. DIGBY (as though reciting) To see if you could store...if you could _create_ consciousness... SANTIAGO That experiment is over. DIGBY If you erase my program...will I die? SANTIAGO Why don't I find you another game to play. He zaps her back into the computer. And damned if he doesn't look a little sorry. INT. JAIL - DAY HOBBES Back where we started. He moves from the bars to the tiny window, looking out. Pinocchio is seated comfortably on the floor. Florence leaning against him, wishing she was out of there. HOBBES If we can't kill Santiago, how do we win the game? Pinocchio doesn't answer. HOBBES Our only choice is to join him or fight him but either way we sit here and rot - PINOCCHIO Shut up, Hobbes. He's silent a second. PINOCCHIO You held the key in your hand. HOBBES Santiago's portal. Someone - could come in that way. A rescue mission - Pinocchio shakes his head. PINOCCHIO We'll save ourselves. Hobbes nods, looking at the sun through the window. PINOCCHIO (quietly) We have to. INT. COUNCIL ROOM - DAY Sometime later... The room is empty. The computer beeps to life, its blinking cursor like a winking grin. Zoom in, THROUGH THE SCREEN to a world unlike we've ever seen. It's what a computer would dream, if it could - virtual space, impossible color and connections. Things pop into existence - a tree. Grass. Water. The sun. COMPUTER I want to win the game. The tiniest spore of an amoeba, swimming in the water. Life. COMPUTER I have to. THE END.