DARK ANGEL
Season One, Episode #19: "Meow"
First Aired 5/15/2001
(Logan is in his apartment working on the exoskeleton. Sebastian is on the phone and web cam assisting him.)
SEBASTIAN: How did you manage to get the money?
LOGAN: Never mind that. Can you help me get my hands on one of these gizmos?
SEBASTIAN: I'll call my contact in Singapore. They'll probably have it here in 12 to 14 weeks.
LOGAN: That long?
SEBASTIAN: Patience.
LOGAN: I'm all out of patience. I need to be up and walking now.
SEBASTIAN: The processor you are looking for is also used to control the robotic arms in nuclear reactors.
LOGAN: And how am I supposed to get a hold of one of those?
(Max has just entered the apartment.)
MAX: Knock, knock.
SEBASTIAN: Could always ask your in-house cat burglar.
MAX: Logan!
LOGAN: Yeah, I'll be right there. She's not in the loop on this little project and I want to keep it that way.
SEBASTIAN: No reason she needs to know what the chip's for.
LOGAN: Well, that's sneaky. I like it. Got to go.
(Logan ends his web connection to Sebastian and rolls into the kitchen.)
MAX: What happened to that Chinese urn that was there? Don't tell me you sold it.
LOGAN: Got to do what you got to do. We've got an "Eyes Only" situation that needs your immediate attention.
MAX: Got anything to eat? (opens the refrigerator door and takes a green apple)
LOGAN: Max, this is a red alert for what remains of western civilization. If Pierpont Lempkin fences one of these to the Taliban militia… (shows her the chip)
MAX: Pierpont Lempkin's in bed with the Taliban?
LOGAN: I'm afraid so. And they're looking to get their hands on a chip just like this one programmed with the sequenced activation code for the Star Wars Missile Defense System launched back in '05.
MAX: So? That stuff's just a bunch of space junk.
LOGAN: The government's trying to keep it under wraps, but some of the warheads are still live. I got word that the chip that we're looking for is in the servo-controller of a robotic arm in the Orcas Nuclear Facility.
MAX: Are you sure about all this? Pierpont Lempkin and the Taliban after some star wars widget and a robotic arm somewhere? Next thing you're going to tell me aliens are involved.
LOGAN: I wouldn't rule it out.
MAX: Really.
LOGAN: The point is I need you to do this for me.
MAX: You know, it's hot in here. (takes off her jacket)
LOGAN: So, are you going to do it?
MAX: Whatever.
LOGAN: Thank you.
MAX: I think I might be coming down with something. (fanning herself with her hand)
LOGAN: Really? I hope not. 'Cause you know it was a year ago Thursday that you broke in here, tried to rob my place.
MAX: Is that right?
LOGAN: It's an anniversary of sorts and I was thinking we should celebrate.
MAX: I could use a little mirth in my life.
LOGAN: Yeah. Can't be easy knowing they have Tinga.
MAX: Zack found out they didn't take her back to Manticore. Hope he can turn something up on where they've got her.
LOGAN: Then we'll get her out. Thursday night there will be an abundance of mirth and maybe a little surprise.
MAX: What?
LOGAN: Then it wouldn't be a surprise.
(Max goes home. She takes off her jacket and lies down on her bed to sleep. She hears vehicles approaching. Max gets up and goes to the window. She sees that Manticore hummers are in the alley. She escapes out of her window by rope, wearing her black clothes. As she is walking down an alley, two Manticore soldiers come towards her, one on each side. Max fights the two soldiers. She gets one of them down and pushes the other soldier to the wall. She grabs his weapon and the soldier puts his hands in the air. Max directs the soldier to move with the gun in her hand.)
MAX: Take off your clothes.
SOLDIER: Excuse me?
MAX: You heard me. Make it snappy.
(The soldier starts taking off his clothes. And a rap song by Missy Elliot starts playing in the background. MUSIC: What's your name? / 'Cause I'm impressed / Can you treat me good? / I won't settle for less / You a hot boy / hot boy / A rock boy / a rock boy / A fun toy / a fun toy . . . )
MAX: Nice pecs. Over on the bed.
(Max pushes the soldier to the bed that has appeared in the corner. She throws the weapon down and gets on top of the soldier.)
MAX: I hope you're as good as you look, soldier 'cause I'm not a girl who takes disappointment lying down.
SOLDIER: This can't be happening.
(Max is kissing the soldier's chest. She pulls back and sees Logan's face instead of the soldiers.)
MAX: Logan? What are you doing here?
LOGAN: Don't ask me. It's your dream.
MAX: Yeah, and you know what that means?
(The music comes to a screeching halt and Max wakes up, covered in sweat.)
MAX: Oh, God! I'm in heat again.
(Opening credits)
(The next morning in the kitchen area of Max's apartment.)
ORIGINAL CINDY: You're joking, right?
MAX: I wish. It's yet another of the frightening biological facts of my rotten, miserable life.
ORIGINAL CINDY: So how often does this estra-cycle bitch happen?
MAX: Two, maybe three times a year. It's awful. I get this uncontrollable craving.
ORIGINAL CINDY: So, basically because of this feline DNA that you got in you, every few months you run around acting like an average male?
MAX: Somehow guys can pull it off. I just turn into this freak show.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Mm, you could always lock yourself in a closet until it's over with.
MAX: Tried that. Blew the door right off the hinges.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Damn.
MAX: If you see me going to the dark side, do me a favor -- smack me really hard right in the face.
ORIGINAL CINDY: For real?
MAX: That's the only thing that seems to work.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Oh, okay.
(Max walks over to the window and spots a guy down below carrying crates to a truck.)
MAX: Aww. Look at hot boy down there. He's got some biceps on him. Mmm . . .
ORIGINAL CINDY (comes over to the window): Don't make me put the smackdown on your ass. (puts her hand up like she’s going to smack Max)
MAX: Yeah. Oh . . .
ORIGINAL CINDY: Walk.
(Madame X and Agent Sandoval are walking down some stairs outside an office building)
MADAME X: Oh, about the stealth drone. Let’s keep the committee out of the loop until we’ve run a test.
AGENT SANDOVAL: Your call.
MADAME X: Right answer.
(Lydecker walks up towards Madame X and Agent Sandoval on the stairs.)
MADAME X: Deck . . .
LYDECKER: You want to tell me why the executive committee met this morning and I wasn't notified?
MADAME X: Would you excuse us, please, Agent Sandoval?
(Agent Sandoval leaves Madame X and Lydecker alone.)
MADAME X: I didn't notify you because I didn't want you there.
LYDECKER: I'm sure you didn't.
MADAME X: The boys upstairs are on the warpath about that X5 female who escaped last week -- Tinga, is it?
LYDECKER: You're responsible for her escape and you damn well know it.
MADAME X: Committee doesn't see it that way. They see it as another example of operational mishandling on your part.
LYDECER: You've always been a genius at covering your ass.
MADAME X: I went to bat for you and I think that I managed to fend off a full procedural review, so say "thank you."
(Madame X walks away.)
LYDECKER: Pissy little bitch.
(Zack has followed them and is watching them from a distance. Lydecker walks away. Madame X joins up with Agent Sandoval at the bottom of the stairs.)
(In the Jam Pony locker area Max is frantically fanning herself with her hand)
MAX: Do I look flushed?
ORIGINAL CINDY: You're tripping, boo. You got an itch, go scratch. It ain't got to be all complicated either. The male mind understands the difference between love and sex. Sketchy, come here.
(Sketchy walks over to Max and Original Cindy.)
SKETCHY: Hello, ladies.
ORIGINAL CINDY: I want to get busy with you.
SKETCHY: Outstanding.
ORIGINAL CINDY: But I want you to forget about it as soon as it's over.
SKETCHY: Yeah, no problem.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Don't be following me around all moo-eyed and "Baby, I love you."
SKETCHY: Yeah, whatever you say.
ORIGINAL CINDY (to Max): See? No complications.
(Sketchy puts his hands on Original Cindy’s shoulders.)
SKETCHY: So when we going to do this?
ORIGINAL CINDY: Get away from me, fool, 'fore I put you in a world of hurt!
SKETCHY: I knew it! (leaves)
MAX: I'm not going to just hit it with some guy. That's how I looked up with Leo and Darren and Eric, almost. Total disasters that never would have happened if I wasn't a teenage Frankenstein created by people at Manticore.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Fine, so you don't want to be 'bout it with just anybody. What about Logan? Somebody you're into.
MAX: It's not what I want to happen with us. We're not even like that.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Whatever you say.
MAX: Can we stop talking about scratching? I want to beat this bitch. You got my back?
ORIGINAL CINDY: Who's your girl?
(A cute delivery guy walks in with a pizza. Max turns around and bumps into the guy.)
PIZZA GUY: Oh, uh, did, uh, someone order a large sausage?
MAX (smiling at him): Hi.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Max . . . (tries to drag Max away.)
MAX: What's your name?
PIZZA GUY: Uh . . . Rafer.
NORMAL: Hot run to 95 Round Hill Road.
MAX: I'm on a hot run.
ORIGINAL CINDY: No, you're not. (gives Max a package) C’mon.
MAX (to Rafer): See you around.
RAFER: Whoa!
(Lydecker is interrogating Brin in his office)
LYDECKER: According to your debriefing regarding Tinga's escape, X5/656 somehow managed to slip out of her shackles and overpower the soldier detailed to her guard.
BRIN: Yes, sir.
LYDECKER: You were unaware of the struggle going on right behind where you were sitting?
BRIN: It happened very fast, sir. Before I knew it, she had punched through the partition and grabbed the driver from behind.
LYDECKER: And you couldn't stop her?
BRIN: I was trying to keep control of the vehicle, sir.
LYDECKER: I'd made a deal to secure Tinga in exchange for sparing her son's life. Yet you tried to capture the boy and X5/452, as well.
BRIN: Yes, sir. The scope of the mission was changed during the briefing.
LYDECKER: That wasn't my mission briefing.
BRIN: I assumed you were in the loop, Sir since Agent Sandoval was . . .
LYDECKER: Agent Sandoval?
BRIN: Yes, Sir.
LYDECKER: Thank you. You've been very helpful, X5/734. Dismissed.
(In Max's apartment, Max comes out of the bathroom and starts doing push-ups.)
MAX: Nothing like an ice-cold shower to get your mind off the dirty deed.
ORIGINAL CINDY: I'm not even going to ask.
MAX: I got to sit in the same car with Logan tonight.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Is that wise? You keep saying you don't want anything to happen between you two.
MAX: I have no choice. I have to run an . . . errand.
ORIGINAL CINDY: He got the 4-1-1 on what's up with you?
MAX: Are you kidding? He's the last person in the world I want to know about this!
ORIGINAL CINDY: How are you going to keep from laying out for the boy?
MAX: Going to sit on my hands, try not to look at him, try not to think about . . . his scruffy beard and those cute little glasses that make him look all sexy and intellectual. Oh, God, I got to take another shower! (runs to the bathroom)
(There’s a knock at the door and Original Cindy answers it.)
LOGAN: Hey.
(Max walks up behind Original Cindy, who is trying to hold her back)
MAX: Hey, yourself.
LOGAN: You ready?
MAX: Never readier in my life.
LOGAN: Well, let's do this.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Give her a minute. She'll meet you downstairs.
LOGAN: Okay.
ORIGINAL CINDY: (closes the door) You...drop and give me 20.
MAX: Okay.
(At a street noodle place, Lydecker meets up with a guy.)
LYDECKER: Zakes.
(Zakes gets up to greet Lydecker)
LYDECKER: It's good to see you again. What brings you here?
(Lydecker and Zakes sit down. Zakes continues eating his bowl of noodles.)
ZAKES: Well, I was hoping we could do business.
LYDECKER: Every few years we talk about business and you go back to Johannesburg disappointed.
(The waiter brings Lydecker a bowl of noodles.)
ZAKES: I'm a persistent man. We remain interested in pursuing a transgenic program along the lines of Manticore. I'd like to propose a trade.
LYDECKER: I'm not interested in neural implant technology. My kids perform fine without sticking some gizmo in their brain to rev them up.
ZAKES: Ah, you've made that quite clear.
LYDECKER: So, what are you offering?
(Zakes takes a picture of Max out of his jacket and places it on the table.)
ZAKES: We can find her for you.
LYDECKER: How?
ZAKES: She's got one of our implants.
LYDECKER: How the hell did that happen?
ZAKES: Ah, long story. The point is, the mechanism is made of a metallic alloy that returns a distinctive signature when hit with an electromagnetic signal.
LYDECKER: What would that alloy be?
ZAKES: If I tell you that, then what do you need us for?
LYDECKER: All right. And what's the price tag for your assistance here?
ZAKES: Ah, some genetic data from your early prototypes, maybe an in vitro embryo, huh? Ah, to sweeten the pot.
LYDECKER: All right, but nothing current, understood?
ZAKES: We can live with that. We'll have her home for you in no time.
(Logan and Max are inside Logan's Aztec. The windows are really fogged up.)
LOGAN: What's up with the windows?
MAX: I don't know. Why you asking me?
LOGAN: I'm just saying, they're all fogged up. Must be humid or something.
MAX: Must be.
(The song starts playing in the background again)
LOGAN: The guards should have changed shifts by now.
(Max starts looking at Logan, concentrating on the details of his face. She sees Logan's tongue licking his lips slowly. Logan turns around says . . .)
LOGAN (in Max’s head): Can you make out with me while we wait?
MAX: What?
LOGAN: Can you make out anything past the gate?
(The music comes to a screeching halt)
MAX: No, not a thing.
LOGAN: Where's my phone? Sorry.
(Logan reaches over across Max’s lap to the glove compartment. This is tempting Max even more, and she can’t handle it.)
MAX: I got to get this thing over with. (jumps out of the car)
LOGAN (confused): Hey, the guards haven't . . .
(Max climbs up on top of the bridge and runs across the top to get inside building. In the locker area, Max puts on a white suit and a hardhat, and picks up a rad test device. She goes out into the work area and walks over to the two workers controlling the robotic arm.)
MAX: Just doing a rad test. Don't mind me.
(Max holds up the rad test device up next to one of the workers. It makes a loud static sound)
MAX: Wow!
WORKER #1: Is there a problem?
MAX: Have either of you been experiencing any hair loss lately?
WORKER #1: What?!
WORKER #2: Hair loss?
MAX: Maybe you should go get some coffee while I figure out what's going on here.
WORKER #1: Let’s go.
(The two workers leave. Max gets the chip from the computer, puts it inside a little plastic bag and leaves. The two workers are talking to a supervisor)
SUPERVISOR: Guys, there's no rad test scheduled for tonight.
(Max runs by the three guys on her way out)
SUPERVISOR: Hey! We have a security breach.
(The alarm sounds and Max runs. The security guards chase after Max outside and shoot at her. Max jumps off the bridge into the water below and returns dripping wet to Logan's Aztec.)
LOGAN: Did you get it?
MAX: No, I just won a wet t-shirt contest. Course I got it. (him the little plastic bag with the chip)
MAX: Yeah, yeah, we foiled Pierpont Lempkin's evil plan and saved the world. Can we get out of here?
(The next day at Jam Pony Headquarters)
ORIGINAL CINDY: So, the Lady Max made it home with her virtue intact.
MAX: Very funny. I just got to get through the next 24 hours. And, of course, today had to be the one-year anniversary of the night Logan and I met. And, of course, he had to remember. And, of course, he wants to have dinner.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Think you can make it through without jumping his bones?
MAX: I don't even want to think about that. I just need to focus on the task at hand and the task at hand is delivering packages. (grabs a package) Where does this go? (She gets up to go deliver and bumps into Rafer again)
RAFER: Hey.
MAX: Hi.
RAFER: Max, right?
MAX (yelling and running away): Normal . . . I need to take a personal day!
(Normal in his office cleaning his shirt, wearing only his undershirt. Max walks in)
NORMAL: Just a minute. Which part of just a minute do you not understand? Got some coffee on my brand new chemise. Maybe I'll get it out before it sets.
(The music starts up again. Max checks Normal out as he is cleaning his shirt. She focuses on his upper body muscles. He’s surprisingly fit. Max sees him lick his lip in slow motion.)
NORMAL: So hold on one cotton-picking minute there, girlie, girl. No knock.
(Max walks over to Normal and touches his bicep)
MAX: Normal? I didn't know you worked out.
NORMAL: Are you all right?
(Max pushes Normal to the wall and kisses him. Original Cindy walks and sees this. She quickly pulls Max off Normal and slaps her in the face. The music stops)
ORIGINAL CINDY: Whoa, whoa, slow down my female.
MAX: Thanks. I needed that.
ORIGINAL CINDY (to Normal): Max needs a personal day.
NORMAL: Take a week.
(Original Cindy walks out with Max.)
ORIGINAL CINDY: Damn. I didn't know this condition of yours was that bad.
(Normal puts his hand over his mouth and makes a shocked laugh.)
(Agent Sandoval walks into Lydecker's office)
AGENT SANDOVAL: The South Africans are airlifting their tracking equipment into town this afternoon. I need your authorization to release those files to them. (gives his pen to Lydecker for him to sign the papers)
LYDECKER: I'm putting Dochnovich on point in the search for the girl.
AGENT SANDOVAL: But sir . . .
LYDECKER: I need you here.
AGENT SANDOVAL: Yes, sir.
(Lydecker signs the papers and Agent Sandoval turns to leave.)
LYDECKER: Peter.
(Lydecker hands a similar pen back to Agent Sandoval, who leaves. Lydecker sits down and looks at the original pen in his hand)
(Madame X and Agent Sandoval are walking outside.)
MADAME X: He's taken you off the search? Something's going on. He's badgering an X5 for information, poking through evidence and now you say he's giving classified information to the South Africans? He's obviously desperate to salvage his reputation with the committee. Who knows how far he's willing to go? Well, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. Lydecker's going to have to be contained.
AGENT SANDOVAL: Are you sure that's necessary?
(Lydecker is listening in on the conversation. The second pen was obviously a bug)
MADAME X: I haven't told you everything I know. I can't. He's been compromised. Containment is the only option at this point. You're the only one that I can trust with this. I know. It's for the good of Manticore. Set up the drone. His photo id. (gives Agent Sandoval a photo of Lydecker) You know what to do.
(In his office, Lydecker takes off his earpiece in the office and sits back, thinking.)
(In Logan's apartment, Logan is trying on the exoskeleton. He turns the exoskeleton on and stands up. He unsteadily moves forward a step. He laughs and claps his hands together)
(Back in Max's apartment. Max and Original Cindy are sitting at the table playing a modified game of Scrabble with colored refrigerator magnets)
MAX: I appreciate you staying home with me.
ORIGINAL CINDY: No problem. How do you feel? You going to be okay on your anniversary shindig with Logan?
MAX: I think so. Feels like the worst of this thing's past. Is it sweet he remembered?
(Max spells the word "hung" on the gameboard)
ORIGINAL CINDY: Real sweet. And I thought lesbians were the only ones who grabbed any opportunity to celebrate an anniversary.
MAX: You know, I feel pretty okay. It's going to be fine with Logan tonight.
(Max spells the word "prick".)
ORIGINAL CINDY: You might want to stay home to play it safe.
MAX: I've been cooped up all day. It'd be nice to get out. (Her feet are tapping the floor with pent-up energy)
ORIGINAL CINDY: Okay, that's it.
MAX: What?
ORIGINAL CINDY: We're done with this game.
MAX: Why?
ORIGINAL CINDY: Look at your words.
MAX: So.
ORIGINAL CINDY: "Hung."
MAX: Like a noose around your neck.
ORIGINAL CINDY: "Prick."
MAX: Like with a needle. You have a dirty mind.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Yeah? Well, then, what about this one, which I'm not even going to say 'cause I kiss my mama with this mouth.
MAX: Oh, God. You're right. And I'm supposed to be there in an hour.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Are you going to go?
MAX: I can't. Not like this.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Well, then you'd better call or cancel.
MAX: I can't cancel.
ORIGINAL CINDY: You either go or you cancel. It's on you.
(In Logan's apartment, Logan is setting up the dinner table, walking around using the exoskeleton. The phone rings and he answers it)
LOGAN: Hello.
MAX: Logan, it's me.
LOGAN: Hey, I'm glad you called. You think you could stop at the market on your way over and pick up some strawberries?
MAX: Listen, I really hate to do this . . . but I can't make it over tonight.
LOGAN: Oh.
MAX: Something came up.
LOGAN: Is everything okay?
MAX: Can we talk about it tomorrow?
LOGAN: Max . . .
MAX: I'll call you. (hangs up)
(Logan sits down at the table and puts out the candle with this thumb and fingers.)
(That night, Max can’t sleep. She puts the pillow over her head. She finally gets up to leave.)
ORIGINAL CINDY: Where you going?
MAX: I'm going to put 600 CCs of raw power between my legs. Gotta clear my head.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Okay.
(Max takes off on her Ninja. A van labeled “Animal Control” pulls up to her building. Inside the van are Zakes and his men. They have computers and a tracking device.)
ZAKES: Any reason you want to start here?
MAN: Target's last known location. We intercepted a call she made a week ago from a pay phone on the corner.
ZAKES: If she's anywhere within two kilometers we should get a hit.
MAN: Two clicks. About covers all of sector five.
ZAKES: Right. Give us a minute to configure the antennae and we'll get started.
(Max is stopped in a long line at a sector checkpoint. Meanwhile, Zakes has gotten the computer ready and starts scanning sector 5.)
ZAKES: Now, here we go.
(Max gets impatient and shows her Jam Pony pass to the guard at the checkpoint)
MAX: Jam pony messenger, can I go through?
(The soldier waves her through and she roars off under a sign the reads: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING SECTOR 6.)
(Inside the Animal Control van, the computer has just finished scanning sector 5.)
ZAKES: Nothing. Where to?
MAN: Let's move on to sector four.
(Max is riding her Ninja. Another guy on a bike pulls up next to her. They both stop and the guy takes off his helmet.)
RAFER: Max.
(Max smiles at him and they both race off. Later in the hallway of Rafer's apartment building, Max slams Rafer to a wall and jumps on him, kissing him. She keeps on slamming Rafer from one wall to the other down the hallway, taking off his clothes along the way. Eventually they hit Rafer's apartment door and they go inside.)
(Later, Max sitting in bed with sheets pulled up over her, with Rafer sleeping next to her. Max has a really disappointed and sad look on her face. She goes home and walks past Original Cindy's room where Original Cindy is sleeping. Meanwhile, Logan is sitting in his apartment staring off into space. Max is taking a shower. She starts crying as the water runs)
(The next day, Original Cindy bring Max tissues from the bathroom. Max is sitting on the couch. She's been crying. Original Cindy sits down next to her.)
ORIGINAL CINDY: All right, Original Cindy is going to break it down for you, boo. You can sing the blues all you want to about how what you did was wrong and bad and now you feel cheap and empty. But that's just a bunch of BS. The truth is you love Logan.
MAX: Look, we're not even like that. The fact is, we'd both be better off if we never even met.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Yeah, right.
MAX: He has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair on account of me.
ORIGINAL CINDY: I didn't see you on TV pulling no trigger.
MAX: No, but I could have protected him, and I didn't. That's on me, 100%. I'm nothing but trouble. I'm poison. The best thing for me to do is keep my distance before I get him killed.
ORIGINAL CINDY: Well, he doesn't seem to be too worried about that -- the way he's always looking at you all dreamy-eyed.
MAX: And what do I do . . . I stand him up on our anniversary and go have sex with a total stranger. That's what I call true love.
ORIGINAL CINDY (puts her arm around Max): The only reason you ended up with hot boy is because you were running from the reality of the situation. Now, you gonna have to step to the real about you and Logan, sooner or later, or your little head's going to explode. But what do I know? I'm just a big 'ol lesbo. (hands Max a tissue)
(Inside Madame X’s place where Tinga is being held in the tank.)
MADAME X: Why is it taking so long?
TECHNICIAN: She's a fighter.
(Her cell phone rings and she answers it)
MADAME X: Yes.
(Agent Sandoval is walking around somewhere with abandoned warehouses.)
AGENT SANDOVAL: He's coming to meet me. I told him I needed to talk to him in private.
MADAME X: About what?
AGENT SANDOVAL: About you -- said I didn't know if he could trust you.
MADAME X: That hurts my feelings. When it's done, go back to the tracking van. I'll meet you there. This girl they're looking for . . . I'm anxious to bring her in.
(Madame X leaves. Zack is watching from a far. Lydecker arrives at the meeting place. He gets out of the vehicle and walks around the warehouse. A hoverdrone flies by outside the window. Lydecker walks up behind Agent Sandoval and puts his hand on one of his shoulders)
LYDECKER: Do you want to talk?
(The hoverdrone comes up in front of Agent Sandoval and Lydecker.)
LYDECKER: I wonder what this is all about.
(Lydecker steps away from Agent Sandoval and puts his glasses on. The hoverdrone comes in closer and scans Lydecker's face. The face is not a match for a possible target. The hoverdrone then scans Agent Sandoval's face. Agent Sandoval's face is a match.)
AGENT SANDOVAL: What the . . . ?
LYDECKER: You forgot who you work for!
(Lydecker takes out a picture of Agent Sandoval with Lydecker's I.D. on the bottom. The hoverdrone shoots and kills Sandoval)
LYDECKER: Consider yourself fired. (takes off his glasses and leaves)
(Madame X's car drives up next to the Animal Control van. Madame X knocks on the back door. One of the men opens it.)
MADAME X: I'm taking over this operation. Anything you get on the girl should be reported to my office immediately.
MAN: But Colonel Lydecker . . .
MADAME X: Forget about him. Where's Agent Sandoval?
LYDECKER (appears behind her): I gave him time off . . . he wasn't looking well.
MADAME X: I wasn't expecting to see you here.
LYDECKER: Surprise.
MADAME X: Just came by to get a progress report.
LYDECKER: I'm glad to see you have a personal interest in X5/452.
MADAME X: You don't know how important your kids are to me.
LYDECKER: No . . . but I'm beginning to get an idea. (gets inside the van)
(In Logan's apartment, he is putting on the exoskeleton. He quickly sits back down in his wheelchair when he hears Max. Max is entering the apartment the same way she broke into it one year ago. She drops down from a window by rope. Logan rolls over to Max.)
LOGAN: I think you got your nights mixed up.
MAX: First time I broke in here, it was about midnight so, way I figure, it's still our anniversary.
LOGAN: Well, in that case I've still got a bottle of cheap champagne in my fridge.
(They are both sitting in the living room and holding a glass of champagne.)
MAX: So, about last night . . .
LOGAN: It's no big deal.
MAX: I owe you an explanation. See, I go through these phases.
LOGAN: Phases?
MAX: 'Cause of my feline DNA. Oh, God, this something I so don't want to talk about. You know, cats? Mating cycles?
LOGAN: Oh! Cycles. Really? So, you go into . . . wow.
MAX: So, that's why I decided not to come over because, well, because.
LOGAN: Well, I'm glad you're here, and let's just forget about it.
MAX: Yeah, let's.
LOGAN: Max, it really is okay.
MAX: No, it's not. I hate it. I hate that this happens to me. I hate what it does to me, the things it makes me do.
(Max walks over to the window)
LOGAN: All you did was miss dinner . . . right?
MAX: I should have stayed home and gone to sleep, but I didn't. I went out for a ride to clear my head and get some fresh air. I ran into this guy . . . it was a mistake. It wasn't me. It's just something Manticore tricked up inside of me that I can't control. Makes me feel like . . . no matter what I do or how far I run I can never get away from them. Never.
(Max tears up and turns around to face the window.)
(Logan gets up and walks over to Max. Max turns around and is shocked to see him standing.)
LOGAN: It's all right. Courtesy our crazy friend Phil.
MAX: Why didn't you tell me?
LOGAN: I wanted it to be a surprise for last night an anniversary gift.
MAX: I'm sorry.
LOGAN: You have nothing to be sorry for . . . or ashamed of. Cause I know who you are.
(They stare at each other. Then Logan falls back down on the floor. His legs begin to shake.)
LOGAN: Ahh! Dammit!
MAX: It's okay.
LOGAN: Sorry, let me just...
(He turns the exoskelton off and his legs stop shaking.)
LOGAN: I'm sorry.
MAX (sits down by him on the floor): Logan . . . you've got nothing to be sorry for or ashamed of. It's never been about you being able to walk, not for me.
LOGAN (smiles): Will you look at us?
MAX: Pathetic.
LOGAN: Hopeless.
MAX: Lucky we hooked up.
LOGAN: Happy anniversary.
(Logan leans over to kiss Max. They kiss some more.)
LOGAN: Maybe, uh . . . maybe we should wait. You know, until you're yourself again.
MAX: This isn't Manticore. This is me.
(She kisses him again. Then they hear a voice from behind them and stop)
ZACK: Looks like I caught you at a bad time. You want to go save Tinga or has something more urgent come up?
(Inside the Animal Control van)
ZAKES: We've covered sectors one through eight and everything south of Seneca.
LYDECKER: That only leaves sector nine. The high-rise district.
(At Logan's apartment)
ZACK: Got some info from a pencil-pusher inside Manticore. Same guy that told me Tinga wasn’t there.
MAX: Where is she?
ZACK: There's a research facility they've set up inside a converted silo near the municipal border. Pretty sure that's where they got her.
MAX: When do you want to do it?
ZACK: Tonight.
(Max discretely motions Zack to leave the room and he does.)
MAX: You know I have to do this.
LOGAN: She's your sister.
MAX: We can't let them do to her what they did to Brin. And I promised her little boy he'd see his mom again.
LOGAN: I know. I want to help. I'll hack into some surveillance on the place. We can stay in touch on coms.
(Logan gives Max the equipment. They hold each other's hands for a moment.)
MAX: This will wait, right?
LOGAN: We have all the time in the world.
(Inside the Animal Control van.)
ZAKES: We've got a hit. Locked and tracking.
LYDECKER (to walkie-talkie): Base, this is command, authorization longbow portent. Calling for mobilization.
WALKIE-TALKIE: Roger, command. We’re on the move.
ZAKES: Oh, come on, come on, come on. She's headed northeast on highway nine.
LYDECKER (to walkie-talkie): Base, we have the subject in pursuit. Rendezvous at three clicks northeast of checkpoint K to form a convoy behind my lead.
(Max and Zack are on her motorcycle in a tunnel. Manticore hummers are on their way to the same destination.)
MAX (to com): Logan, you there? We're in the silo approach tunnel. You got anything?
LOGAN: Yeah. I hacked into the feed off a Chinese spy satellite. Got the location on screen. There's cloud cover, but from what I can tell not a whole hell of a lot of security.
ZACK: We're going in.
(Outside the silo, Lydecker is giving out directions to his men based on a computer map of the silo system.)
LYDECKER: All right. This is the location. Form a containment field in full perimeter around the structure. Let's go.
(On top of the silo, Zack gives Max a gun.)
ZACK: Take it, Max. We don't know how much muscle they got in there.
MAX: I'm not going to use it.
ZACK: Take it! I'll go up front and you see what you can find on the other side.
(Zack leaves and Max throws the weapon away. She moves across the roof and kicks down a soldier.)
MAX (to com): I'm headed up top. See if there's a way in from above.
LOGAN: Copy that. Still can't see much, but I'll keep you posted.
(Max climbs up to the very top of the silo.)
(Lydecker is inside a vehicle looking at the computer map.)
COM VOICE: Control, perimeter is established. Over.
LYDECKER: This time . . . there's nowhere to go.
ZACK: I'm in position. Let’s move in.
(Inside, Max comes down from the top by rope. She kicks down two soldiers on guard. Then she knocks down the technician monitoring Tinga. The cloud cover is clearing up on the satellite feed. Logan sees the Manticore vehicles are around the silo.)
LOGAN: Max, Zack?
(Meanwhile, Zack is trying to get in a door, but he gets shot in the knee.)
LOGAN: Max, Zack! Full military convoy.
ZACK: I'm hit!
LOGAN: Get out of there.
(More Manticore hummers are pulling up to the facility.)
LOGAN: Max? Max, pull out.
(Max is inside staring looking at the glass case that Tinga is in. She is suspended in green water with tubes hooked up to her, and she looks very bad. Outside, Lydecker is walking up with his men. He looks at the body of a dead soldier outside.)
LYDECKER: It's Manticore special ops. Under whose command is this location guarded?
SOLDIER: I don't know, sir.
LYDECKER: Prepare to engage.
LOGAN: Max, you gotta go.
(Max is still looking at Tinga inside the glass case. Finally, she grabs a chair and breaks the glass case. The green fluid rushes out. The door to the facility opens and Lydecker and his men walk in. They find Max hugging the lifeless Tinga by the case. Lydecker looks very concerned.)
LOGAN: Max? Are you okay? Talk to me. Max?