This is the fourth Gnosis College script, which picks up the action the next academic year after Progress in Research left off. Many of the characters will be familiar to those who’ve read the first three scripts, but there is now a new antagonist, as you shall soon see. Enjoy!
A PDF version of Invisible Girl, Heroine is available here.
Introduction
A tale of two classes
Volunteering for the greater good
Abuses of authority
Issues of identity
Taking action
A fateful struggle
Epilogue
fade in:
Int. the periclea at gnosis – day
COLONEL JEREMIAH MADDER, a legless man, sits at a specially lowered podium in full-dress uniform with ribbons and medals. He is lecturing an audience of Gnosis students.
To the Colonel’s right, at a table, sit DR. LEON KESSELBAUM, PROFESSOR RIRCHARD GREGG, and BISHOP JOHN AYERS.
(Note: Kesselbaum is the same character as apperas in Apsinthion Protocol. Gregg is the same character as apperas in Study Abroad.)
colonel
And so I conclude. I fought in my life long and hard for this country’s freedom. I have given up my legs for this country’s freedom.
shot – a part of the audience
JILL KEENEY (from Study Abroad) sitting in the audience among other students. She rolls her eyes and screws up her face in disgust.
colonel (o.s.)
And yet what is it that we mean by freedom? The freedom simply to follow our whims?
shot – another part of the audience, seen from Jill’s p.o.v.
MINDY, sitting a few rows ahead of Jill, turns around, smiles and winks at Jill.
colonel (o.s.)
The freedom to read any disgusting trash that we might like?
shot – Jill again, this time, expression changed from disgust to delight
colonel (o.s.)
To sleep with whomever suits our fancy?
int. a gnosis college dormitory room – night
The room is dimly lit. Mindy is sitting on the edge of a desk, naked her her legs open. Jill is also naked, kneeling with her head between Mindy’s legs, performing cunnilingus on Mindy, who is climaxing.
Mindy
Ah Ah ah!
colonel (v.o.)
No. Freedom is only meaningful freedom when it means the freedom to live a life in accordance with virtue, with the meaning of life as it has been handed down from generations of mighty thinkers. From the prophets of the Hebrew scriptures, from the classical thinkers, from Augustine and Aquinas.
int. the periclea at gnosis – day – later
Colonel Madder is still lecturing
colonel
This is not what I or hundreds of thousands of other brave Americans sacrificed for.
(pauses to take a drink of water from a glass on the podium)
We stand, as we have seen, on the brink of a great technological revolution, much of the research for which is taking place right here at Gnosis College.
shot – still another part of the audience
IRIS BROCKMAN (the same character in Study Abroad) closes her eyes and adopts a dreamy expression on her face.
colonel (o.s.)
But what is to be the result of this technology?
shot – A futuristic laboratory setting
Iris, naked, steps into some sort of both, then nods. Her body dissolves in a transporter-like effect.
colonel (v.o.)
To convey a shallow immortality on us as human beings, during which we live an eternity of shallow pleasures?
shot – outer space
Iris, still naked, is floating in space against a brilliant background of stars. She is wearing a serene expression. She reaches out with her hand and puts it around the earth, which fits into her hand.
colonel (v.o.)
This cannot be what it is for. The false prophets who offer to us a promise of a post-human condition, of a life without suffering or death or striving are offering us a life without faith, a life without grace.
back to scene
colonel
It is enough to make my poor mother, God grant her rest, stir in the grave she lies in not far from here. Either the shallow promise of this forthcoming revolution is false, or our great religions, the great traditions that descent from Abraham, are false. And I submit to you in all humility that our religion is not false.
APPLAUSE from the audience, including the three men on stage.
COLONEL
As citizens of a democracy, it is our right and our responsibility to stand up to those who would abuse technology for selfish, hedonistic, and ultimately destructive ends, so that the true space for virtue will always remain open. Thank you.
More APPLAUSE.
int. a private room in the faculty club – night
Ayers, Gregg, Kesselbaum, and Madder are eating a formal dinner. LAURA and KAREEM stand by, attired as waitstaff.
(Note: Laura is the same character as appears in Apsinthion Protocol. Kareem is the same character as apperas in Progress in Research.)
gregg
It is most generous of you to have visited us here at Gnosis, Colonel.
COLONEL
I felt that it was the least I could do.
Kesselbaum
It is courageous of you, especially in the face of certain…events in your family.
COLONEL
Please think nothing of it, Dr. Kesselbaum. We soldiers do our duty, even in the face of painful things.
ayers
I am sure I speak for all of us in saying how agreeable it is of Professor Gregg to have invited all of us. Not just for the sake of participating in this brilliant symposium, but for me personally it has also been a chance to visit neighboring Magdalene. Such beautiful, talented young students. And such admirable discipline maintained over them by Mother Euphemia…
Bishop Ayers looks a little far away for a moment. Gregg changes the subject.
GREGG
It was certainly agreeable, Colonel Madder, to hear someone willing to speak up to a student audience about the evils of sexual indulgence, and also to hear a call to action by citizens of a democracy. These are things young people don’t hear enough of these days.
KESSELBAUM
Although sometimes I feel pessimism these days.
GREGG
How so, Dr. Kesselbaum?
KESSELBAUM
With all the temptations to indulgence now in the world, growing more powerful with ever advance of technology, what hope is there? Won’t everyone just be seduced? How can we know people will vote the right way.
COLONEL
I understand your point of view, Dr. Kesselbaum, but I am with Professor Gregg on this one. We should have faith in democracy and in the inherent decency of the American people.
int. agent ulrich’s car – day
Agent Ulrich, a heavily muscled man wearing a dark suit and sunglasses, is driving along in his black, government-issue sedan. He is listening to car audio.
COLONEL (O.S.)
Some final words of advice and reminders before you go active, Agent Ulrich.
shot – gnosis college
The gate of the college can be seen in the background of the sedan driving past.
back to scene
COLONEL (O.S.)
Only you and I, Ulrich, know the true and sacred character of the mission you are about to perform. The preliminary setup has been handled by Warden Ridgeway, who is our agent-in-place. She is loyal to us but for security reasons is not privy to all information. Dr. Strangeways will be running research. You are to offer him as much support as you can as well as the illusion that he is in charge. But remember, he as no intrinsic loyalty to us. He works for us because we can provide resources and access to human experimental subjects without the burden of consent forms or institutional review boards. He thinks he is working on a special national security development project. For that matter, even the Director thinks this. The Director as well as various V-I-Ps might want to visit the ops site. If they do, put on a good show for them. Strangeways and the Director, to say nothing of the politicians, are all men of weak character, but we need them on our side for any number of reasons. Act the part of the amoral bureaucrat, and you will play into their expectations and stifle any suspicions they have. I realize that this may require conduct of you that you find unseemly. I am sorry for this Ulrich, but you must remember you are a soldier and keep your eyes on victory.
shot – agent ulrich’s sedan
The car is moving out of built-up town into country.
back to scene
COLONEL (O.S.)
One more thing, Agent Ulrich. As part of your initial briefing I know you listened thoroughly to the audio of our surveillance of Strangways’s surveillance of his first round of experimental subjects. As a Christian gentleman, I know it must have been quite hard for you to listen to those wanton little trollops boasting about their tawdry adventures.
ULRICH
Occasionally it was, yes.
colonel (o.s.)
But there is one thing you should listen to one more time.
The audio switches from high-quality to somewhat tinny, with restaurant-like noises in the background.
JILL (o.s.)
If you can restore from backup, don’t you have a technology for immortality?
IRIS (o.s.)
They say it isn’t really ready for full commercial roll-out yet.
JILL (o.s.)
Sounds like we could all be in for an interesting future, all the same.
IRIS (o.s.)
To say nothing of a long one.
shot – ulrich’s car on a road outside gnosis
The car comes to a stop. A sign on the side of the road reads STATE HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS with a left arrow.
Ulrich signals left and turns left
back to scene
COLONEL (O.S.)
So you see what we are up against, Agent Ulrich. Arrogant Promethean man through his technology rebels against and attempts to destroy the world God made for us. We must stop this. I have sworn on my mother’s grave that we shall stop this. Good luck on your mission.
female voice (o.s.)
This audio briefing will now self-destruct. Thank you.
ULRICH
Motor pool will not like this.
There is a POP and a FLASH on the dashboard. The area around the CD slot in the car is suddenly covered with soot, with smoke coming out of the slot.
int. maureen’s room at gnosis – day
MAUREEN CREEL is attempting to assemble a complicated piece of apparatus on her desk. She connects two wires.
There is a bright FLASH and a loud POP and a puff of smoke.
Maureen’s face is covered in soot, and her hair is blown back.
She shakes her head, then screws up her face in frustration.
int. maureen’s room at gnosis – day – later
The room appears to be empty. There is a HISS and a BLUE GLARE from Maureen’s closet.
Maureen’s disembodied head appears to float out of the closet into the room.
Maureen’s head looks in a mirror and scowls.
maureen
Oh, for the love of…
Maureen’s head goes back into the closet. The closet door appears to close of its own accord.
int. maureen’s room at gnosis – day – still later
Again the room appears to be empty.
A BLUE GLOW is seen briefly under the closet door.
What a appears to be a bathrobe hollowed-out in a womanly form floats out of the closet.
The front of the bathrobe unties, and the robe falls empty to the floor.
MAUREEN
Oh, much better. And just in time, too.
The door to Maureen’s room appears to open and close of its own accord.
ext. the state home for wayward girls – day
int/ext. – state home for wayward girls – day
SERIES OF SHOTS – ARRIVALS AT HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS
(Note: Henceforth in this script the State Home for Wayward Girls will be referred to simply as the “Home.”)
— Six girl prisoners, COLLEEN, MONICA, SANDY, JEWELL, PAULINE, and VANESSA, a being transported inside a prisoner van. They are wearing street clothes, handcuffs, and leg irons.
— The van drives past the Home
(Note: the Home consists of two buildings, a more modern one consisting of concrete and glass laid out in two wings, and an older, Victorian-style “Kirkbride” building behind it.)
— The van circles around the back of the Home, and pulls into a subterranean garage. The garage door closes.
— ARMED WOMAN GUARD #1 and ARMED WOMAN GUARD #2 open the back of the van. Colleen is seen emerging, looking frightened.
Int/ext. sigma epsilon chi sorority house – day
SERIES OF SHOTS – A FORMAL PARTY AT SIGMA EPSILON CHI
— BELLE #1 and BEAU #2 walk up the pathway to the front door of the Sigma Epsilon Chi sorority at Gnosis College. Belle #1 is wearing an elegant formal gown, Beau #1 is in black tie. Beau #1 rings the bell. The door opens. They are greeted by Belle #2. They enter.
— BELLE #3 and BEAU #2 are talking animatedly with KYRA MADISON (from Progress in Research). Kyra is wearing a strand of pearls. Other young people circulate in the background.
No dialog is heard, but there is a general BUZZ of conversation and some light piano MUSIC audible. All young men are in black tie, all women in gowns.
In the course of the conversation, a white-jacketed waiter comes by with a tray of snacks. Beau #2 takes one. Belle #3 makes a gesture as if complimenting Kyra on her pearls. Kyra touches her neck, somewhat self-consciously.
— ARTHUR KAUFMAN sits at a piano, playing an instrumental version of George Gershwin’s “Our Love is Here to Stay.” He does not look at the keyboard, but stares out at the crowd of young people.
— A refreshments table, with a large punchbowl. The punch ladle appears to lift itself and fill a glass, which then lifts itself off the table and tips over, pouring liquid out that appears to vanish into empty space.
INT. A WINDOWLESS ROOM IN A CELLAR OF THE HOME – DAY
Colleen, Monica, Sandy, Jewell, Vanessa, and Pauline are made to toe a line on the floor by the two woman guards.
WARDEN RIDGEWAY enters. She is wearing a uniform like that of the two woman guards, only cut in black leather.
Ridgeway walks slowly down the line of girls, looking at each closely as she speaks.
RIDGEWAY
Welcome, ladies, to the State Home for Wayward Girls. You all know why you have been sent here. You are now guests of a very special ward, “F-block,” specially provided by the taxpayers of this great state to handle special behavioral problems like you. My name is Warden Ridgeway. You are to address me as “Ma’am.” That is, when you are allowed to speak. You will be thoroughly briefed on all our rules, and you will be expected to obey them at all times. Is that clear? Permission to speak.
ALL GIRLS EXCEPT PAULINE
(mumbled, separately)
Yes, ma’am.
PAULINE
How about instead I say, fuck you…Ma’am.
Ridgeway wheels around sharply and looks at Pauline. Woman Guard #1 pulls out a nightstick.
RIDGEWAY
(raising an open hand)
No, put it away.
(facing Pauline)
There’s always one with spirit who thinks they can get away with what they want. In order to assure you all that this is not the case, we have arranged a little demonstration.
Ridgeway nods to Woman Guard #2 who leaves.
RIDGEWAY
After you see this, you might not feel quite so defiant.
PAULINE
Yeah? Try me on, bitch.
Nervous GIGGLES from the the other girls.
Woman Guard #2 returns, rolling in DESIREE, who is naked, but gagged and thoroughly bound to a hand truck.
Desiree is tiled up to face the girls. She has a pleading expression in her eyes.
RIDGEWAY
What was this one’s offense?
WOMAN GUARD #2
Caught with this.
Woman Guard #2 hands an object to Ridgeway. Ridgeway holds it up for the girls to see. It is a toothbrush that has been sharpened to a point on one end.
RIDGEWAY
Caught with a weapon. A homemade shiv. Very serious. Merits severe punishment.
Ridgeway goes to a table, on which sits a toolbox. She pulls out a six-volt battery, two lengths of wire, and some medical tape.
Ridgeway tapes two ends of wire to Desiree’s nipples. She speaks as she does this.
RIDGEWAY
Caught with a deadly weapon. Very bad. Could add years to your sentence. Unless you take your punishment in another form. Which you should thank us for.
When Ridgeway is done wiring up Desiree, she attaches the wires to the terminals of the battery.
Desiree writes in her bonds and tries to scream, but is gagged.
INT. AN ADJACENT ROOM – DAY
DR. EMIL STRANGEWAYS and Agent Ulrich watch the girls through a one-way mirror. The sounds from the adjacent room come over a loudspeaker.
(Note: Strangeways speaks in a refined English accent.)
ULRICH
Even at some of the black sites I’ve worked, I’m not sure I’ve seen anything as sick as that.
STRANGEWAYS
Nonsense, Agent Ulrich. We do not torture here.
Ulrich looks at Strangeways, puzzled.
STRANGEWAYS
The battery is a dud, a mere prop. The girl is a confederate with acting ability. Really, Agent Ulrich. One would expect a man in your position to have more familiarity with deception.
ULRICH
I see. And these girls here…behavioral problems.
STRANGEWAYS
The official story is that “F-block” is a special behavioral isolation unit for intractable prisoners. The reality is that these girls are no different from any other female juvenile delinquent, except that they lack families or other known social contacts.
ULRICH
Ah, I see.
STRANGEWAYS
If any of them should have to…disappear to serve the common good, it can happen with a minimum of fuss.
ULRICH
Which is good, given the priority that my bosses have put on progress in Operation Nowhere.
STRAGENWAYS
Which is in turn why I get to enjoy the pleasure of your company, Agent Ulrich.
RIDGEWAY
(on speaker)
Right. She has had enough.
INT. WINDOWLESS ROOM – DAY
Desiree’s eyes are closed, and her cheeks are tear-streaked.
The girls look shaken, and Colleen is crying.
Woman Guard #2 untapes Desiree, and then rolls her out on the hand truck.
RIDGEWAY
Any more smartmouth from anyone? Permission to speak.
ALL GIRLS TOGETHER
(mumbled, not in unison)
No, ma’am.
RIDGEWAY
Okay, ladies. Strip completely. Place your clothes at your feet and then toes on the line.
The girls strip off their street clothes, then toe the line.
INT. THE ADJACENT ROOM – DAY
Agent Ulrich watches the girls through the glass and smirks.
ULRICH
This posting might not be so bad after all.
INT. THE WINDOWLESS ROOM – DAY
RIDGEWAY
Hit the showers.
The girls are marched out of the room in a line.
INT. SIGMA ALPHA CHI – DAY
Various young people in formal dress continue milling about, eating snacks, talking, drinking glasses of punch, etc.
Arthur finishes his rendition of “Our Love is Here to Stay.”
The party-goers applaud politely.
ARTHUR
Thanks, everyone. I’ll be back in just a minute.
Arthur gets up, goes to the punchbowl, and ladles himself a glass.
CLOSE-UP – ARTHUR’S JACKET POCKET
Arthur pulls a little vial out of his coat pocket and stealthily pours the contents into the punchbowl.
BACK TO SCENE
Arthur looks around somewhat furtively, then goes back to the piano.
(Note: Maureen is present at this party, but is invisible.)
MAUREEN (V.O.)
What prank is this?
Arthur sits down at the piano and starts playing again, this time a pulsating version of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.”
Belle #4 steps up to the punch table, ladles herself out a glass, and takes a sip. She smiles broadly, catches the eye of someone else, and points to the cup. Although she cannot be heard, she indicates great pleasure with the contents.
Belle #5 steps up to the table and ladles herself out a cup.
INT. A SHOWER ROOM AT THE HOME – DAY
Colleen, Monica, Sandy, Jewell, Vanessa, and Pauline are showering. Steam rises from the showers. The are watched closely by Woman Guard #1 and Woman Guard #2.
INT. AN ADJACENT ROOM – DAY
Dr. Strangeways and Agent Ulrich watch the girls showering through a one-way mirror.
Dr. Strangeways watches intently and takes notes on a clipboard.
Agent Ulrich stares ahead a licks his lips.
ULRICH
Yeah. A much better assignment than I thought.
INT. SIGMA EPISOLN CHI – DAY
Almost all the girls are now drinking punch.
SERIES OF SHOTS – INSIDE SIGMA EPSILON CHI – DAY
— Belle #1 looks smoulderingly at Beau #1 and then pulls him into a deep kiss.
— Beau #3 holds Belle #3 from behind. Belle #3 squirms against him. Beau #3 reaches inside Belle #3’s gown and begins fondling one of her breasts. Belle #3 cranes her neck around and they kiss.
— Belle #4 is running upstairs, leading Beau #4 by the hand.
— Belle #5 and Beau #5 enter the sorority kitchen, where they begin frantically undressing one another.
— Belle #6 approaches the piano, where Arthur is playing furiously. She tears off her gown, revealing that she is wearing no underwear. She pushes Arthur away from the piano, the hoists herself up, lying down on the strings. She spreads her legs while stroking one of the base strings with her right hand. Arthur looks into the camera and grins, then begins undoing his belt.
— Belle #7, a voluptuous girl, stands in the shower, while Beau #7 massages her breasts with soap (Note: both are visible only from the neck down.) Belle #7 MOANS with pleasure as Beau #7 does this.
— Exterior shot of Sigma Epsilon Chi. Sounds of different orgasmic CRIES can be heard emanating from the house.
BACK TO SCENE
The room is a shambles of discarded formal clothing and mostly naked partygoers engaged in various sex acts.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
What on earth did the piano player put in that punch?
The ladle lifts into space, and some punch tips out of it, apparently vanishing.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
Hmm. I don’t…I…oh no. I shouldn’t when I’m invisible…with someone I don’t know…but I really, really have to…
SHOT – MAUREEN’S P.O.V.
The P.O.V. gyrates as if Maureen is looking for something. Then it moves, jerkily, out of the main room, through a door into a kitchen.
Beau #5 is sitting on a kitchen counter, Belle #5 is sitting on him, and they are copulating energetically and noisily.
Maureen’s P.O.V. moves around until finally it settles on a cucumber, which is sitting on the counter.
The cucumber rises off the counter into space.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
Oh thank god.
INT. A GLASSED-IN SHOWER STALL – DAY
Beau #7 is copulating with Belle #7, penetrating her from behind. As he strokes, she lunges forward, so that her breasts squash up against the glass. Belle #7 GASPS with each stroke.
INT. THE SHOWER ROOM AT THE HOME – DAY
Sandy and Monica, both voluptuous girls, get into a dispute over a piece of soap.
SANDY
Leave it alone!
MONICA
Bite me.
Monica grabs one of Sandy’s breasts.
Sandy SHRIEKS.
Armed Woman Guard #1 and Armed Woman Guard #2 grab Monica by the arms and throw her up against the wall.
INT. ADJACENT ROOM – DAY
Agent Ulrich looks at Monica’s naked body, squashed up against the one-way mirror immediately opposite him. He reaches up and touches the glass across from her nipples.
Dr. Strangeways raises and eyebrow and makes a note on his clipboard.
INT. SIGMA EPSILON CHI – DAY
Various naked young people lie about, dozing.
Arthur lies atop Belle #6 who lies in the piano. His dinner jacket is discarded on the piano bench.
A cucumber appears to float through space into the room toward the piano bench, then crops to the flooor.
A little vial floats out of the pocket of Arthur’s dinner jacket, then disappears.
INT. A BATHROOM AT THE HOME – DAY
Colleen is throwing up in a toilet.
Ridgeway enters.
RIDGEWAY
Opiate withdrawal. If I’ve seen it once…
Ridgeway lifts Colleen up. Colleen is pale and shivering.
RIDGEWAY
Come on, young lady. You need to see the doctor.
Ridgeway leads Colleen out.
INT. AN ROOM SOMEWHERE UNDER THE HOME – DAY
Colleen sits on an examination table, shivering.
Strangeways enters wearing a white coat and carrying a clipboard, He consults it.
STRANGEWAYS
So, your name is Colleen?
Colleen nods.
STRANGEWAYS
It would appear that you might have had a little problem with…drugs?
Colleen shakes her head.
STRANGEWAYS
Please try to be honest, young lady. I am a doctor. I am not here to judge you, but to try to help you get better.
COLLEEN
Okay.
STRANGEWAYS
We have a little therapy here which will help you to feel better quite quickly, if you would like to try it.
COLLEEN
If it will make me feel better…
STRANGEWAYS
(very gently)
If you will step through that door over there, please.
Colleen looks at Strangeways, half skeptical, half hopefully.
STRANGEWAYS
It is alright. It will feel a little odd at first, but it will both help you feel better and cure your cravings.
Colleen comes down from the examination table. Strangeways leaeds her by the hand into the next room.
INT. THE GOLDEN TURNTABLE ROOM – DAY
Strangeways and Colleen enter the adjacent room.
A circular area on the floor in the middle of the room is shiny and gold. A trapeze-like bar hangs from the high ceiling in the middle of the circular area. On the edge of the area is a podium
COLLEEN
It is so warm in here, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
It should help you feel less shivery and relax, yes. Now could you please disrobe completely and step into the middle of the gold circle on the floor?
COLLEEN
Uh…
STRANGEWAYS
It is alright. I am a doctor, after all.
(gesturing toward a basket next to the wall)
You can leave your clothes right there.
Strangeways returns to making notes on his clipboard.
Colleen hesitates, then undresses, placing her clothes in the basket, then steps into the middle of the gold circle.
Strangeways looks up, smiles, and puts his clipboard aside.
STRANGEWAYS
Excellent. Now, do you think that you could reach up and grasp the bar above your head.
Colleen does so.
STRANGEWAYS
Good. Now just take a deep breath and let it out slowly…
Strangeways flips a few switches on his podium.
There is a HUM. The gold circle begins to rotate slowly.
A gold latex-like substance begins to cover Colleen’s hands and feet, then work its way up her legs and down her arms.
An alarmed expression appears on Colleen’s face.
COLLEEN
My hands and feet…they’re stuck!
STRANGEWAYS
It is a normal part of the therapy my dear. Please try to relax.
COLLEEN
It’s like I’m growing another skin.
STRANGEWAYS
It is a special membrane that is pulling toxins right out of your body.
COLLEEN
Oh. I feel better…I feel good actually…I…oh…
The gold skin proceeds up Colleen’s legs and down her arms. It begins to cover her shoulders and reaches up to her groin.
The turntable begins to rotate faster and faster as Colleen is more and more covered.
COLLEEN
Oh my god it feels so warm…and it’s coming…in!
Strangeways smiles again, then pushes a button on his podium.
STRANGEWAYS
(into podium)
Agent Ulrich, would you come in, please?
Ulrich enters through the door.
ULRICH
So this is your Phase I technology? What does it do.
Colleen is now nearly completely covered, only her mouth and nose uncovered. The second skin shimmers and pulsates. Colleen is now rotating very rapidly.
Colleen GASPS and MOANS.
STRANGEWAYS
The core technology is really quite simple here, Agent Ulrich. Our subject here has been covered in a sort of living membrane, which is dynamically interacting with the pleasure neurons, with results which I am sure you can appreciate.
Colleen SHRIEKS and CRIES. She periodically punctuates the dialog that follows with such.
ULRICH
You seem have spent five million dollars in budget to create a sex toy, Dr. Strangeways?
STRANGEWAYS
You disappoint me in your lack of understanding, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
What is there to understand?
STRANGEWAYS
Are you familiar with the practice of torture, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
I have worked the black sites. The preferred term is “enhanced interrogation techniques.”
STRANGEWAYS
(shakes his head)
You bureaucrats and the truth. In any event, what is the most salient thing about torture?
ULRICH
That the pain is great enough that the victim will do anything, or say anything, to make it stop.
STRANGEWAYS
Very good, Agent Ulrich. Torture is an unspeakably ugly thing meant to get compliance out of a subject. Has it not occurred to you that there might be better ways to get the uncooperative to be cooperative?
ULRICH
What has this to do with anything?
STRANGEWAYS
Have you not considered that it would be better to offer a subject so much pleasure that she will do anything to get it to start again?
ULRICH
(ponders for a moment)
Interesting idea. Not practical.
COLLEEN
Ahh! Ahh! AHH!
STRANGEWAYS
(disdainfully)
Not practical? Very well, Agent Ulrich. We shall see how impractical I am.
Strangeways stabs a button on his podium. The second skin rapidly retreats off Colleen. She collapses into the center of the golden circle, panting. The rotation of the circle slows to a stop.
CLOSE-UP AND ZOOM IN – ULRICH’S CROTCH
Ulrich is clearly erect.
RETURN TO SCENE
Strangeways walks over to Colleen, and offers her a hand up. She stands, somewhat shakily. Strangeways walks her over to the podium.
STRANGEWAYS
How do you feel, my dear?
COLLEEN
I…that was the most…oh…amazing.
STRANGEWAYS
Would you like to do it again soon?
COLLEEN
(looking straight at Strangeways)
I would like to do it again, now!
STRANGEWAYS
Soon my dear, very soon. But first I need for you to do something for me.
COLLEEN
I’ll do anything to take that ride again.
STRANGEWAYS
(glancing at Ulrich)
Do you see that man in front of you? Fellate him.
Ulrich grins.
COLLEEN
Wha?
STRANGEWAYS
Take his cock out of his pants and suck on it until he comes in your mouth. You can do that, can’t you?
COLLEEN
But…
STRANGEWAYS
Or I’m afraid I’ll have to find someone else to play with my little toy.
Without a moment’s further hesitation, Colleen falls to her knees in front of Ulrich. She unzips his fly, and pulls out his erect penis. She engorges it with her mouth and begins fellating him.
ULRICH
I think I am really going to enjoy this assignment.
EXT. THE GNOSIS CAMPUS – DAY
It is a sunshiny Indian-summer day at Gnosis.
Maureen is walking across campus and meets Jill at an intersection of two sidewalks.
MAUREEN
(breaking into a big smile)
Hey there, world traveler!
JILL
(also smiling)
Hey there, diligent scholar!
The women embrace, then walk together along a slated path.
MAUREEN
We were all sort of worried about you there for a while when we saw on the news what was happening down in Monte Blanco.
JILL
(hesitating for a moment)
Well, it was a little hairy for just a few hours, but I got the chance to be rescued by some heroic, manly-man United States Marines.
MAUREEN
You lucky girl. I wish I had time for a social life.
Jill smiles, this time looking a little forced.
MAUREEN
So what are you up for now that you’re back at Gnosis?
JILL
Well, I guess I’m going to try finishing up Poli Sci. My parents want me to go to law school, but I’m not sure. I’m beginning to think maybe trying a graduate program in I-R. How about you?
MAUREEN
Still beavering away in physics, although I’ll try to round out a little bit this term.
JILL
Really? How so?
MAUREEN
You know that spooky-looking institution just out of town, the State Home for Wayward Girls?
JILL
Back in high school the principal would threaten that I would end up in it someday if I wouldn’t, as he put it, “learn to be more of a team player.”
MAUREEN
What an asshole.
JILL
Oh, no doubt. But what’s you angle on the place?
MAUREEN
Teaching. They’re always short of qualified teachers for teenage girls who’ve been in trouble, so I’m going in as a volunteer science teacher.
JILL
Sounds like a tough assignment to take on as a volunteer.
MAUREEN
Maybe I’ll make a difference in some girl’s life.
JILL
Sweet Maureen. Ever the hopeful, tender-hearted one.
MAUREEN
Oh, no doubt.
INT. A CORRIDOR AT THE HOME – DAY
Maureen is walking with MRS. SNEED, a matronly-looking woman. The talk as they walk down a corridor.
MRS. SNEED
…So you can see, Miss Creel, we have something like a self-contained community here. The neo-Kirkbride design serves us well. The staff building is in the middle, with the girls housed in the staggered wings. The staggered wing design allows for the maximum of light and air to the girls’ rooms.
MAUREEN
I see we’ve been through all the segments except F. What about F?
MRS. SNEED
Oh, I’m afraid F is high security and limited access. We reserve it for girls who have special behavioral problems and are in need of special interventions. You’re not allowed in there and, take it from me, Miss Creel, you wouldn’t want to go in there if you could.
MAUREEN
I see. And what about that old building in back?
MRS. SNEED
Uh. A bureaucratic snafu. We can’t use it because it’s rated as an asbestos hazard and the state won’t pony up the money to remediate it, and we can’t tear it down because it’s a historical landmark of some kind. Something having to do with it being a site where electroshock therapy was developed. Anyway…
(opening a door)
Now, your classroom will be in here…
SHOT – A CLASSROOM
The room is filled with rather battered desks. Paint is peeling on the ceiling. The windows are barred.
BACK TO SCENE
MAUREEN
I guess I have my work but out for me, Mrs. Sneed. Thanks.
MRS. SNEED
Do you have your pager?
Maureen unclips a pager from her belt. It has a single red button on it.
MAUREEN
Yes, Ma’am.
MRS. SNEED
Never don’t carry that with you when you’re in the building or on the grounds. Mostly the girls here are well behaved, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t problems. If you ever run into a situation where you’re in trouble or someone might get hurt without help, but sure to hit that button.
MAUREEN
Yes, Ma’am.
MRS. SNEED
We’re very glad to have you here, Miss Creel. Science teachers are hard to come by.
EXT. OUTSIDE DOWSON HOUSE – NIGHT
(Note: Dowson House is a Gnosis student dormitory.)
Sound of a fire alarm RINGING. The lights of a fire truck are visible, and firemen can be seen going in and out of the dormitory. Also, OFFICER JACK CLEARY can be seen directing traffic, etc.
Male and female students, in various states of appealing nighttime undress, are milling around in the night. Among them are Jill and Iris.
JILL
Phew. What was that smell?
IRIS
I dunno. It had an “accident in orgo lab” sense about it, I thought.
A FIRE CHIEF steps up in front of the crowd of milling students, and makes an announcement over a bullhorn.
FIRE CHIEF
Your attention please! There is no cause for alarm here. There was a minor chemical spill in the basement. We are checking it out now, and believe you will all be able to return to your rooms in a few minutes. In the meantime, anyone who wants to will be offered a free screening by the Gnosis College Health service. Thank you and good night.
JILL
Chemical spill but no cause for alarm, eh? I think I’ll go for that screening.
IRIS
Yeah. Me too.
EXT. HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS EXTERIOR – NIGHT
A side door appears to open and shut by itself.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
It’s a bad idea to tell Maureen Creel that there are things she is not supposed to see.
INT. THE HOME – NIGHT – CONTINUOUS
The shot tracks Armed Woman Guard #1 down the hall. She stops before a barred electrical door. She presses a button, then looks into a camera.
There is a buzz, and the door slides aside. Armed Woman Guard #1 steps forward into a small space, facing another barred door.
Armed Woman Guard #1 looks over her shoulder, as if expecting to see something, but sees nothing.
The barred door slides shut behind her. When it closes, the door in front of her slides open.
Armed Woman Guard #1 steps forward, through what looks like a dismal prisoner’s common area. She crosses the area, pulls a set of keys off her belt, and opens a door on the opposite wall.
She unlocks the door, then takes out a flashlight and surveys the room.
She puts the flashlight away, an pulls a walkie-talkie off her belt.
ARMED WOMAN GUARD #1
(into walkie-talkie)
Forty-seven to control, over.
CONTROL (O.s.)
(on walkie-talkie)
Read you, forty-seven, over.
ARMED WOMAN GUARD #1
Control no inmates in F-block, over.
CONTROL (O.s.)
(on walkie-talkie)
F-block inmates on special service tonight, forty-seven, over.
ARMED WOMAN GUARD #1
You need to tell me about this shit control, I nearly had a heart attack here, over.
CONTROL (O.S.)
(on walkie-talkie)
Sorry about that forty-seven. Bureaucratic snafu on the new arrangement, over.
ARMED WOMAN GUARD #1
Over and out, control.
Armed Woman Guard #1 closes the door.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
Special service? At midnight?
INT. A LARGE ROOM IN THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
The room has been done up as a kind of club. On one side there is a bar, with a bartender mixing drinks. There are a number of small circular tables in the middle. The far end of the room is set off with a curtain.
At the tables sit middle-aged men of various races. Some are in business suits, others in various military uniforms.
Colleen, Monica, Sandy, Jewell, Vanessa, and Pauline have been done up in skimpy French maid outfits and are serving drinks to the men at the tables.
There is a BUZZ of conversation in the room.
At one of the tables sit Strangeways, Ulrich, and THE DIRECTOR.
DIRECTOR
Agent Ulrich speaks well of your work here, Dr. Strangeways. Though I must say that it seems odd of you to propose an evening’s entertainment for various Nat Sec types as a way of demonstrating your work.
STRANGEWAYS
Director, I promise you that you will not be disappointed by this evening’s proceedings. Look around you to begin. Do you see the young ladies here serving? A few weeks ago they were the scum of society: petty thieves, prostitutes, and drug addicts. And now, as a result of the…therapy we have developed here as Phase I of the project, they are all…sweet and docile and ready to serve.
CLOSE-UP – ANOTHER TABLE
Monica is standing by the table at which a GENERAL in uniform is sitting and smoking a cigar, while talking to a SENATOR. The General is reaching under her skirt and fondles her bottom. Monica GIGGLES.
BACK TO SCENE
DIRECTOR
Reasonably impressive, but you must surely admit, Dr. Strangeways, that the degree of agent loyalty necessary for Project Nowhere is higher than just that for being a barmaid.
STRANGEWAYS
Naturally, Director, which is why I have arranged for what I shall hope is a more compelling demonstration of our control. Would you be so kind as to pick one of the girls, please?
The Director looks at Ulrich, who shrugs.
DIRECTOR
(pointing at Sandy)
All right, that one.
STRANGEWAYS
(making a come-here gesture)
Miss Sandy, would you come here please?
SANDY
(hurrying over)
Yes, doctor?
STRANGEWAYS
You are enjoying your therapy here, yes?
SANDY
Oh, yes doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
So I take it you would like it to continue?
SANDY
Yes, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
Well, if you would like it to continue, I would like you to do something for us now. We are going to put on a little play here.
SANDY
A play? But I don’t…
STRANGEWAYS
Do not worry! You do not need to learn any lines. Just put on a costume and act out a part as it happens. And what is more, if you feel uncomfortable at any time, you may stop.
SANDY
But there is a catch, I see.
STRANGEWAYS
Nothing in this life is free, young lady. There is indeed a catch, and it is this. If you ask to stop, if you do not cooperate, then I am afraid that we will have to stop your therapy and send you back out into the world…
SANDY
Oh, no, please doctor, not that!
STRANGEWAYS
Well, then. Here is your costume. Go and change.
Strangeways hands Sandy a parcel.
Sandy leaves with it.
Strangeways stands up, walks to the front of of the room, and stand before the curtain.
STRANGEWAYS
Gentlemen! Your attention please.
The BUZZ of conversation dies down.
STRANGEWAYS
I am aware that many of you have come here this evening with concerns about the efficacy of our current program. I have prepared for you a demonstration which I believe should help to put your concerns to rest. Miss Sandy, would you come out please?
Sandy comes to the front of the room. She is now dressed like an explorer. She is wearing boots, khaki shorts, a khaki tunic.
STRANGEWAYS
What follows is for the benefit of gentlemen only, so would the young ladies in attendance kindly leave now.
The other girls leave.
STRANGEWAYS
Miss Sandy here, who has been in no way prepared for what we are about to ask her to do, is about to cooperate with us in a little entertainment for benefit of all present. Isn’t that right, Sandy?
SANDY
Yes, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
And Miss Sandy here is permitted to leave, at any time, of her own free will, naturally. So she shall now present for you…
The curtain is opened, revealing a large barred cage, in the back of which is a sort of painted jungle set.
STRAGNEWAYS
…a little sketch we shall call “The Exploratrix and and the Lion.”
Sound of APPLAUSE from the audience.
Strangeways opens the door to the catch and gestures for Sandy to enter.
STRANGEWAYS
(to Sandy)
Just try to act naturally, my dear.
Sandy hesitates for a moment, then steps into the cage.
Strangeways latches the door behind her.
STRANGEWAYS
(to Sandy)
Remember that of course you can stop at any time…but our deal still holds.
Sandy nods.
Strangeways returns to his seat. An ASSISTANT appears, and hands him a notebook computer.
Sandy, inside the cage, begins miming someone doing exploration.
Strangeways opens his notebook computer.
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS’S COMPUTER SCREEN.
The screen is an ordinary Windows desktop. The mouse-pointer moves to an image of a lion and opens the program underneath. It is a window labeled LION CONTROL. There is a menu for ACTIONS.
BACK T0 SCENE
A lion emerges from behind the painted set.
Sandy freezes.
ULRICH
Uh, doctor, is that a real lion?
STRANGEWAYS
It is indeed, but not worry. We have placed multiple brain implants in him such that we can control him from this computer here. We have equipped him with a most remarkable behavioral repertoire which we have developed with the help of a number of female volunteers.
ULRICH
Volunteers?
STRANGEWAYS
You might be surprised to learn, Agent Ulrich, how many women have a thing for big cats.
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS’S COMPUTER SCREEN
Strangeways draws down the ACTION MENU, and selects TERRORIZE.
BACK TO SCENE
The lion stalks around Sandy, ROARING at her several times.
Sandy trembles.
DIRECTOR
But Strangeways, if she really can opt out, won’t she?
STRANGEWAYS
I think not, my dear Director. For you see, the pull of my pleasure device is so powerful that she will continue to try to have future such experiences…
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS’S COMPUTER SCREEN
Strangeways draws down the ACTION menu again, this time selecting STRIP.
BACK TO SCENE
STRANGEWAYS
…begin to become quite extreme.
The lion ROARS again, then reaches up with one his paws and swipes the buttons off Sandy’s shirt with his claws.
He then grabs one of her sleeves in his teeth and rips off her shirt.
He then circles behind her and takes her bra-strip in his teeth, snapping it. He bites the strap and pulls it away with his teeth.
Sandy GASPS.
The lion takes Sandy’s bra a few feet a way and spends a few seconds thoroughly rending it with his paws, then turns his attention back to Sandy.
He places one paw on her back and pushes her down onto her hands and knees, then uses the same paw to shred the back of her shorts and underlying panties.
These he then pulls off with his teeth.
The audience begins to WHISTLE and CHEER as this goes on.
The lion rends what is left of Sandy’s clothing.
Sandy stands up, covering her breasts with her hands. (Note: she is now naked, save for the pith helmet and boots.)
Strangeways rises and walks over to the bars, facing Sandy through them.
STRANGEWAYS
You may stop, my dear, if you wish.
SANDY
And the deal?
STRANGEWAYS
As before, still.
Sandy shakes her head.
Strangeways walks back to his table and sits down.
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS’S COMPUTER
Strangeways draws down on the menu the option TEASE.
BACK TO SCENE
The lion swats Sandy’s hands away from her breasts with his paw. The he opens his mouth, baring his teeth, and moves as if to bite down on one of Sandy’s breasts.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S RIGHT BREAST
The lion takes Sandy’s nipple between two huge incisors, and nibbles on it.
BACK TO SCENE
The lion circles behind Sandy and places a paw on her back, slightly extending one claw.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S LOWER BACK
The claw trails down Sandy’s lower back (Note: not breaking skin or drawing blood) and down, just into her buttocks-cleavage.
BACK TO SCENE
The lion circles around to Sandy’s front, nudging her away from the bars, then extends a paw which he places on her chest.
The lion pushes Sandy down. She lands sprawled backwards, with her legs apart.
The lion extends her head between Sandy’s legs, and begins licking her genitals with his tongue. This goes on for a several seconds.
Sandy GASPS, and then begins to MOAN a little.
DIRECTOR
This is meant as proof of control?
STRANGEWAYS
Oh, it goes on from here.
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS COMPUTER SCREEN
Strangeways pulls down the actions menu and selects FUCK.
BACK TO SCENE
The lion pulls back and lion ROARS in Sandy’s face.
Sandy, startled, pulls back.
The lion circles around, putting himself behind Sandy, and swipes at her with a paw.
Sandy scrambles and lurches forward to the bars of the cage, putting her hands on the bars. She appears to be about to cry out.
The lion puts a paw on her shoulder and pushes her down to her knees.
The lion backs up behind her, opens his mouth, and teases Sandy’s neck with his teeth.
CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S HEAD AND SHOULDERS
SANDY
Nice kitty…nice kitty…I know what you want…be a nice kitty…I’ll give you what you want.
CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S FEET
Sandy spreads her legs apart.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S CROTCH
The lion’s penis penetrates Sandy.
CLOSE-UP – SANDY’S FACE
Sandy’s face contorts as she is penetrated.
SANDY
Ahh!
(Note: Sandy continues to pant and moan throughout the scene until the lion is finished.)
SHOT – THE GENERAL SITTING AT A TABLE
The General is sitting with a SENATOR, who is wearing a suit with a tiny American flag pin on one lapel.
GENERAL
Looks like these guys are good for more funding, eh Senator?
SENATOR
(mesmerized by the action in the cage)
Oh, indeed. National Security, patriotism, economic development, saving Medicare and all that.
BACK TO SCENE
DIRECTOR
A most impressive demonstration of your control of subjects, doctor. What do you have next? Is the lion going to eat her?
STRANGEWAYS
Well…
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS COMPUTER SCREEN
Strangeways draws down the command menu and hovers the mouse-arrow over the command EAT.
BACK TO SCENE
DIRECTOR
That suggestion was not meant seriously, doctor.
STRANGEWAY
(visibly moving something on his computer screen))
I am relieved to hear that…wouldn’t want to waste valuable material, after all.
INT. INSIDE THE CAGE – NIGHT
The tempo of the lion’s copulation with Sandy picks up and builds to a climax. The lion finally ROARS and withdraws. Sandy falls to the floor.
The lion paces to a corner of the cage, lies down, and goes to sleep.
Sound of CHEERS and APPLAUSE from the audience.
Strangeways enters the cage and kneels down beside Sandy.
STRANGEWAYS
You did splendidly, my dear.
SANDY
Doctor, I think I could really use some more therapy.
STRANGEWAYS
(smiling)
Of course. I’ll set it up right away.
INT. AN EXAMINATION ROOM AT THE GNOSIS INFIRMARY – DAY
Iris sits in a chair reading a magazine. DR. WEAVER, a grandmotherly woman, enters through a door.
WEAVER
(looking at a clipboard)
So, you’re Iris, right? Here for a screening after that chemical spill?
IRIS
That’s right.
WEAVER
Well, this shouldn’t take very long. We have a quick and efficient new test which should help us to rule out any toxins or chromosomal damage.
IRIS
Anything more than that? Any drawing of blood, perhaps?
WEAVER
Oh no. Just a quick scan. You should be out of there in minutes. All you need to do is step behind that curtain there. Disrobe completely and lie down on the cot.
IRIS
Okay.
Iris steps behind the curtain.
INT. BEHIND THE CURTAIN
There is a simple cot with a white sheet. At the end, a large sort of ring mounted on two rails that runs the length of the cot.
Iris regards this curiously for a moment, then disrobes completely, placing her clothes on a convenient nearby chair. The she disrobes completely and lies down on the cot.
WEAVER (O.S.)
Are you ready, Iris?
IRIS
Yes doctor.
The lights go dim. The ring HUMS as it moves slowly up the rails on the cot. A bar of bright light passes over Iris’s body as it does so.
A somewhat surprised look appears on Iris’s face.
Then the bar travels back to its original position on the rails, and the lights come back to normal.
WEAVER (O.s.)
Okay, you’re all done Iris. You can get up and get dressed now.
Iris gets up and starts getting dressed.
INT. THE EXAMINATION ROOM – DAY
Iris emerges from behind the curtain.
Dr. Weaver is looking at a screen full of numerical data on her desk and taking notes on a chart.
WEAVER
It will take a few days for the full analysis of the data to come back. We’ll be sure to let you know if we find anything out of the ordinary, but from what I can see here you look like a very healthy young woman, Iris.
IRIS
Uh, thank you, doctor.
Iris hurries out.
INT. A WAITING ROOM AND BEYOND – CONTINUOUS – DAY
Iris emerges. Jill is sitting in a chair in the waiting room, and gets up when Iris enters. Together they walk out.
JILL
How’d it go for you?
IRIS
Uh just fine.
JILL
That scanning thing felt all sort of…probey though.
IRIS
Yeah.
(whispering)
Just like thing in Japan I told you about.
Jill’s jaw drops.
INT. THE WORKS – DAY
The works is large room, with a large steel tank standing in the middle. Several thick glass portholes have been set in the outside of the tank along the catwalk.
Strangeways and Ulrich stand outside the tank
GUARD #1 and GUARD #2, wearing heavy riot gear, enter the room, leading a shackled and hooded ABDUL. Abdul is wearing an orange jumpsuit.
ULRICH
Unshackle the prisoner and place him inside.
GUARD #1
Yes, sir.
Guard #1 and Guard #2 unshackle and unhood Abdul, who appears to be a man of Central Asia ancestry. Then the give him a shove through the door of the tank and close it.
The guards then turn and leave.
INT. THE TANK VIEWED THROUGH A PORTHOLE – DAY
Abdul shuffles across the steel-mesh floor of the tank, his head bent down. He sits on the edge of the bed.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
And who has your agency brought us, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH (O.s.)
Abdul ul-Haq. A delivery from one of the black sites.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
A terrorist?
ULRICH (O.s.)
A shepherd. But misclassified as a terrorist and shipped to the black sites. Since it is the official policy that the United States Government makes no such mistakes, we need him to go away, which is why we have provided him to you.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
Well, he will certainly do.
INT. ON THE BALCONY – DAY
Strangeways pulls out a cellphone, opens it an presses a button.
STRANGEWAYS
(into phone)
Would you send Miss Vanessa in, please.
SOUND of a door being opened.
Vanessa, wearing a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt, enters.
STRANGEWAYS
Come up here please, Vanessa.
Vanessa approaches.
STRANGEWAYS
Vanessa, this man here is Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
A pleasure.
VANESSA
(looking Ulrich up and down)
Pleasure’s mine, secret agent man.
STRANGEWAYS
I hope you find your therapy has been going well.
VANESSA
(gesturing toward her crotch)
Mmm.
STRANGEWAYS
Vanessa, we have asked you here today because, just as we are trying to help you, we need you to help us. Do you see that man in there?
Strangeways points to one of the portholes. Vanessa looks through.
SHOT – THROUGH THE PORTHOLE
Abdul is still sitting on the bed, his head bowed.
BACK TO SCENE
STRANGEWAYS
We think that man is a terrorist, but he has hitherto resisted all attempts to get information from him.
VANESSA
And what is it that you think I can do that secret agent man here and his friends can’t.
STRANGEWAYS
We want you to wear a little listening device…and go in there and fuck him.
VANESSA
Fuck him?
STRANGEWAYS
So that he might be encouraged to say things he wouldn’t otherwise.
VANESSA
But is that like…legal? You know I got put inside for soliciting.
STRANGEWAYS
Don’t worry. We’ve made sure he’s clean. And you’ll be doing your country a favor, which we will be happy to repay…with more therapy, for example.
VANESSA
Hmm. And this listening device?
STRANGEWAYS
Just this.
Strangeways reaches into a pocket of his lab coat and pulls out a small metal cylinder. He unscrews the top, then, with an integral pair of tweezers, pulls out a tiny object.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – THE OBJECT IN THE TWEEZERS
(Note: it is about the size and shape of an apple seed.)
RETURN TO SCENE
VANESSA
And if all naked and banging away, where exactly am I supposed to hide that sort of thing?
STRANGEWAYS
It will fit neatly inside your left ear.
Vanessa leans forward slightly.
Strangeways uses the tweezers to put the device in Vanessa’s left ear.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – VANESSA’S LEFT EAR
The device appears to sprout legs like a little bug, and promptly scampers down Vanessa’s earhole and vanishes.
BACK TO SCENE
VANESSA
Ow! What is that thing? It hurt for a minute there.
STRANGEWAYS
But it does not hurt now, no?
VANESSA
Well, no.
STRANGEWAYS
So you can do this thing for us?
VANESSA
I can try.
STRANGEWAYS
Just act naturally. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.
Strangeways opens the door and gestures for Vanessa to enter the tank. She does so, after which Strangeways closes the door and seals it.
INT. THE TANK AS SEEN THROUGH A PORTHOLE – DAY
Vanessa saunters across the steel-mesh floor toward Abdul, smiling.
ULRICH (O.s.)
So what is that thing, that “listening device” really, doctor?
Abdul looks up at Vanessa. Vanessa whips off her shirt, thn cups her breasts under her hands and points them at Abdul.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
As you no doubt correctly deduced, Agent Ulrich, the device has nothing to do withy listening to sound. It listens to the brain. It is a micromachine quantum resonator, attuned to special quantum signatures in neural microtubules.
Abdul tries to look away. Vanessa reaches out and pulls him toward her, such that his head nuzzles between her breasts.
ULRICH (O.s.)
I’m afraid that you have lost me there, doctor.
Abdul begins to suck one of Vanessa’s nipples. Vanessa reaches for Abdul’s crotch and feels it.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
The device crawls into the subject’s brain, and disassembles itself into many tiny filaments that reach for the pleasure center of the brain.
Vanessa reaches up with her hand to the zipper on Abdul’s jumpsuit. She begins slowly unzipping him. Abdul releases her nipple and begins to kiss her on the mouth.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
Once there, they are attuned to and resonate with one of the most powerful signals produced by the human brain, to wit the female orgasm.
Adbul slips out of his jumpsuit. He is fully erect.
ULRICH (O.s.)
And what exactly is the quantum amplification of a female orgasm going to achieve for national security?
Vanessa carresses Abdul’s erection for a few moments, then turns her back and presents to him.
STRANGEWAYS (O.s.)
Watch and learn, Agent Ulrich.
Abdul penetrates Vanessa from behind. The copulate, slowly at first, then faster and faster. As the pace of their copulation picks up the sound of Vanessa’s CRIES and MOANS, though muffled by tank, become audible outside it.
shot – faces of strangeways and ulrich watching
shot – strangeways and ulrich on the catwalk
Both are still watching.
VANESSA
Oh…oh…oh…
ULRICH
What if our prisoner pops first?
STRANGEWAYS
Unlikely, Agent Ulrich. For one thing, we administered medication to your prisoner to inhibit ejaculation while enhancing erectile performance, but more importantly, the therapy we are pioneering here has the effect of dramatically increasing female sexual receptivity, something you might have guessed from Miss Sandy’s performance with the lion the other night, and it also dramatically increases….
return to scene
VANESSA
Oh yeah, baby. Fuck me. Fuck me hard. Oh yeah. Oh, I’m loving it. Oh yeah. Oh, I’m going to come. I’m going to come hard. Ah! Ah! Yes, yes! I’m com…
There is a sudden loud POP.
Vanessa, Abdul, the bed, and a circular section of the steel mesh floor all abruptly vanish.
Parts of the walls of the tank dimple in.
There is a loud HISS, which slowly subsides.
INT. OUTSIDE THE TANK – DAY
STRANGEWAYS
…the propensity to swiftly achieve orgasm, even under stressful or otherwise unpromising conditions.
Agent Ulrich stares through the porthole in astonishment for a moment, then turns to face Strangeways.
ULRICH
Dr. Strangeways, would you mind explaining what just happened there?
STRANGEWAYS
It is pretty elementary, really. The quantum resonantor amplified the natural resonance set up in the girl’s neural microtubules by her orgasm, leading to an induced quantum leap of all matter and energy within approximately a two-meter radius of her brain. The loud pop you heard was created by the sudden appearance of a vacuum where they were once surrounded by air.
ULRICH
Where are she and the prisoner now?
STRANGEWAYS
What you must understand, Agent Ulrich, is that quantum phenomena are fundamentally random. There is simply no way to predict or control where they have gone. But my calculations indicate that the induced quantum leap sends the matter an energy to a random point within a sphere of space with a radius of twenty-seven parsecs.
ULRICH
But that could be anywhere, including places we don’t want them!
STRANGEWAYS
My dear bureaucrat, have you any idea how tiny the earth, or even the solar system, are relative to that? To a moral certainty they have gone deep into interstellar space.
ULRICH
That’s really sick.
STRANGEWAYS
It is the perfect assassination tool, Agent Ulrich. The victim gives in to a temptation that he cannot resist, and then disappears decisively, in a way that leaves no clues, no forensics, and no explosive residue.
ULRICH
(pondering what he has been told for a moment)
That’s really useful. I shall inform my superiors at once.
Strangeways smiles, then pulls out his cellphone again.
STRANGEWAYS
(into his phone)
Arrange with maintenance to install some new flooring in the test tank, please.
INT. MAUREEN’S CLASSROOM AT THE HOME – DAY
About a dozen girls, including KENDRA are sitting at battered desks while Maureen lectures from a table in front of them. Set before Maureen are a wineglass, a small paper packet, a small bottle of clear liquid, some cleaning cloths.
MAUREEN
Now you may recall yesterday that we talked about how hemoglobin in blood is remarkable for carrying oxygen. But it also has some other remarkable properties, so I thought I set up this little demonstration for you of something that you might find interesting.
Maureen holds up the squirt bottle of clear liquid.
MAUREEN
Does anyone know that this is?
The girls shake their heads.
MAUREEN
This is a solution of 3-Aminophtalic hydrazine, kindly lent to me by the chemistry department at Gnosis, but it’s more commonly known to your friendly local police department as luminol.
GROANS around the room.
MAUREEN
It’s called luminol because it reacts with the hemoglobin in human blood to create something called chemoluminescne.
More GROANS.
MAUREEN
Since that’s also pretty abstract, a demonstration.
Maureen tears open the paper packet and pulls out a small sterile lancet.
MAUREEN
Imagine a murder most foul…
Maureen jabs herself in her left index finger with the lancet, then squeezes her finger and holds it up so that the girls can see the resulting drop of blood.
Sounds of EWWS from the girls.
MAUREEN
…that leaves a bloody trace.
Maureen wipes her finger on the glass, leaving a smear of blood.
MAUREEN
The murderer cleans up of course.
Maureen takes one of the damp clothes and wipes the glass clean.
MAUREEN
So that to the naked eye no clue remains.
Maureen holds the glass up so that all can see that the glass appears clean.
MAUREEN
But to the intrepid investigator there are always more means to get information. Kendra, would you draw the shades for us and then turn off the lights, please?
KENDRA
Yes, Miss Creel.
Kendra gets up and draws the shades and turns out the lights. The room is fairly dark.
MAUREEN
Now would you all gather around the front table so that you can all see?
The girls do so.
Maureen squirts a small amount of liquid onto the glass.
The place where there was blood for a moment glows eerily blue for a moment.
Appreciative MURMURS from the girls.
MAUREEN
Kendra, the lights and the shades please.
Kendra gets the lights, and is getting the shade as Maureen starts to speak again.
MAUREEN
So, does anyone…
Maureen is interrupted by the sounds of SHOUTING and SCUFFLING outside.
MAUREEN
Everyone sit down and stay here.
Maureen goes outside to investigate. In her haste to do so, she accidentally sweeps the wineglass of her desk. It falls to the floor and shatters.
INT. A HALLWAY AT THE HOME – DAY
Colleen is running up the hall, barefoot. She has badly cut one hand is is leaving a trail of blood on the floor.
COLLEEN
(hysterical)
Help us! Help us! They’re disappearing us. They took Vanessa away! Help us!
Colleen is tackled from behind by Armed Woman Guard #1 and Armed Woman Guard #2. She is pulled up and dragged off.
Ridgeway is coming up behind the armed woman guards, while Mrs. Sneed approaches from the opposite direction.
RIDGEWAY
Ten eighty-eight. Now under control.
Colleen continues to kick and struggle as she is dragged off.
COLLEEN
For God’s sake, don’t let them do this to us!
The guards drag Collen behind a door, which Ridgeway closes.
MAUREEN
Ten eighty-eight? What’s going on here, Mrs. Sneed?
MRS. SNEED
Security lapse in F-block. Like I said, some of the girls there have serious emotional issues.
(takes out a walkie talkie, speaks into it)
Control, could you get one of the girls on cleaning duty to come down here with a mop.
CLOSE-UP – THE FLOOR IN THE HALL
A mop cleans up the trail of blood left on the floor by Colleen.
INT. F-WING AT THE HOME – NIGHT
Armed Woman Guard #2 is buzzed through a locked door. She walks along the floor, sweeping her flashlight back and forth.
Armed Woman Guard #2 looks through a porthole through one door, then another. Then she goes back to the locked door.
ARMED WOMAN GUARD #2
Twenty-two here. Situation normal.
The door BUZZES and Armed Woman Guard #2 leaves.
A small squirt bottle appears to travel through the air, then squirts onto the floor.
A faint set of blue glowing streaks appear on the floor.
The bottle travels along, squirting from time to time, illuminating more streaks.
Eventual the streaks lead to an elevator door.
There is a WHIRRING sound. The elevator doors open and then close.
INT. A CELLAR BENEATH THE HOME – night
There is a WHIRRING of a descending elevator.
ARMED MALE GUARD #1 approaches the elevator doors with a flashlight.
The doors open. Armed Male Guard #1 sweeps the elevator car with his flashlight. The elevator appears to be empty.
ARMED MALE GUARD #1
(shakes his head)
Gotta tell maintenance to get that damn sensor fixed.
Armed Male Guard #1 goes back to a battered desk and sits down. There is a laptop on the desk.
Armed Male Guard #1 mouse-clicks on the laptop. A SEDUCTIVE FEMALE VOICE is heard coming over the laptop’s speakers.
SEDUCTIVE FEMALE VOICE (O.s.)
Welcome to superboobs-dot-com, where your pleasure is our business…
SHOT – FALLOUT SHELTER SIGN ON THE WALL
SHOT – MAUREEN’S P.O.V.
The P.O.V. moves down a tunnel, lit by amber lights down its length. Eventually we stop before a a door.
INT. THE TUNNEL – NIGHT
Sound of BOOTED FEET coming down the tunnel.
ARMED MALE GUARD #2 and Ridgeway come down the tunnel, leading Colleen, who is handcuffed and shackled.
Ridgeway puts her hand on a scanner by the door. There is a BUZZ and the door opens.
The three enter the space beyond.
Colleen looks around, surprised, as if someone had just put a hand on her shoulder, but says nothing.
INT. THE TANK ROOM – NIGHT
There is a table laid out with various instruments, some quantum resonators on a tray, a hypodermic syringe, etc.
Ridgeway takes out a phone and places a call.
RIDGEWAY
Doctor? Ridgeway here. Yes doctor I know that you have some very sensitive adjustments to do and that you asked not to be disturbed but we have the problem subject. The quantum resonator? But doctor are you sure the subject will be properly orgasmic under present conditions? Yes doctor…I’m sorry doctor I shall see to it right away.
Ridgeway puts the phone away and signs. She picks the syringe up from the tray, squirts a little liquid out of the needle on the end, then jabs it into Colleen’s arm.
COLLEEN
Ow!
RIDGEWAY
It is to help you relax, young lady.
Colleen slumps. She is held up by Armed Male Guard #2.
Ridgeway picks up a quantum resonator with a tweezers, and puts it into Colleen’s ear.
RIDGEWAY
You and you. Carry her up the stairs.
ARMED MALE GUARD #3 and ARMED MALE GURAD #4 come over. Each takes one of Colleen’s arms. They lead her into the tank. Ridgeway follows closely.
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – THE TRAY
A single resonator appears to lift into space and disappears.
BACK TO SCENE
COLLEEN
(murmuring)
No…no…you can’t do this. I am a human being…not a lab animal…no…please…
RIDGEWAY
If you resist, it will last longer. Just give in, and it will go quickly.
The guards lift Colleen over the threshold of the tank.
INT. THE TANK – NIGHT
The center of the tank has been rigged with a couchette and a sex machine – a vibrating dildo on the end of a thrusting arm.
The guards lay Colleen on the couchette, then strap her wrists and ankles down, so that her legs are apart.
Ridgeway cuts away Colleen’s clothing with a pair of surgical shears, then lubricates the vibrating dildo on the machine, then carefully aims it so that it will penetrate Collen’s vagina.
Colleen MOANS.
RIDGEWAY
As the good doctor always says, we should never underestimate the power of female orgasm. Clear the chamber.
INT. THE TANK CATWALK – NIGHT
The guards close and seal the tank door, then descend the catwalk.
Ridgeway takes up a position watching through one of the portholes.
Ridgeway pulls out a remote and starts the machine.
INT. THE TANK – NIGHT
The machine fucks Colleen, picking up speed.
Colleen writhes and MOANS.
COLLEEN
No..no..no…
There is a POP.
Colleen’s body from the waist up vanishes, as does half the couchette.
Blood and entrails spill out of Colleen’s severed lower half.
The machine continues to fuck what’s left of her.
INT. THE CATWALK – NIGHT
Ridgeway grimaces and frowns, then stops the machine with her remote.
Ridgeway looks right when she hears a RETCHING sound from the vicinity of the porthole to her right, but sees nothing.
Strangeways enters and jogs up the stairway.
STRANGEWAYS
Everything go well, Ridgeway?
RIDGEWAY
I am afraid we might have something of a situation here, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
What do you mean by that, Ridgeway?
Ridgeway gestures at one of the portholes. Strangeways looks in.
STRANGEWAYS
Mmm. I see. Did you have to use the sedative on the subject?
RIDGEWAY
Yes, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
Mmm. Unfortunate. Almost certainly the result of sedation combined with the involuntary character of the subject’s orgasm. The radius of the matter-energy leap increases monotonically with the force of the orgasm. In sedation cases with forcing, like this one, the result is often unsatisfactory. Not to worry. We shall get a clean-up crew and take care of it. Ridgeway, come with me. We have more important matters to attend to tonight.
Ridgeway and Strangeways descend the staircase.
INT. THE RECONSTITUTION LAB – NIGHT
Strangeways and Ridgeway enter.
Ulrich and the Director are already there. They are standing on one side of a glass wall. On a crossing wall is a large bank of servers, hard drives, a keyboard and a monitor.
STRANGEWAYS
Gentlemen. Thank you for joining us this evening I apologize for being late, but an unavoidable matter that had to be dealt with.
DIRECTOR
We hope this is worth our time, Dr. Strangeways.
STRANGEWAYS
I do not think you will be disappointed in the slightest, Director. As you aware, concerns have been raised at the highest level about whether Operation Nowhere can plausibly succeed with the human material that has currently been made available to it. Can mere delinquents, the minor criminals on which the control protocols have been developed, girls from nowhere without skills or sophistication really serve the ends of the program? Can they really serve as agents of any kind?
DIRECTOR
A most worthwhile question, doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
And one which admits of a most worthwhile answer. For a long time, I was myself uncertain whether a fully satisfactory solution could be found. But every recently, we received reports of a remarkable technology in us in Japan.
ULRICH
Japan. Figures.
STRANGEWAYS
A concern which I shall not name here managed to develop an extremely high-resolution three dimensional scanning technology. So high was the resolution that it became possible to scan a human brain and body at a level of detail that would allow a duplicate to be created that preserved essential aspects of the personal identity of the original.
DIRECTOR
You surely don’t mean to say…
STRANGEWAYS
The scanned information could be reconstituted using a a nanotech fluid matrix, thus enabling the creation of a duplicate.
DIRECTOR
The Japanese actually put this into production?
STRANGEWAYS
They did indeed, and for a purpose at once so trivial and so disgusting as to be unworthy of description here.
DIRECTOR
So you are proposing to scan and print, I see, doctor. And how will you get the consent of would-be agents for this.
STRANGEWAYS
My dear Director, you must understand that consent is irrelevant for an operation such as the one which we are running now. We have already obtained all the scans that we need. Operatives in our employ managed to stage an incident.
`
Strangeways points to a monitor on the equipment rack. Video is playing, showing Gnosis students fleeing from Dowson House due to the “chemical spill.”
STRAGEWAYS
As part of a proposed routine medical screening in the wake of the incident, we were able to conduct surreptitious scans of a number of coeds at nearby Gnosis college.
Strangeways shows footage of Jill’s “medical checkup.”
STRANGEWAYS
These scans were transmitted to us, naturally, and we have all the data here.
Strangeways gestures as a great large rack of RAIDS.
STRANGEWAYS
We have over a hundred subjects on file, and can generate what we want on demand.
ULRICH
You are shitting us, Strangeways.
STRANGEWAYS
Not at all, Agent Ulrich. I invite you to watch.
Strangeways types a series of commands into a computer keyboard. An image appears on the computer screen – a computer graphical representation of Jill Keeney.
Strangeways hits a key.
The lights dim. There is a low HUM.
Beyond the glass, there is a transparent tube filled with liquid. A ring of light passes slowly up the length of the tube.
As it does so, a network of nerves and a brain appears.
It passes as second time, and a skeleton is added to the network of nerves.
It passes a third time, and a set of viscera appears.
It passes a fourth time, and musculature and subcutaneous fat appears.
It passes a fifth time, and the muscles are covered with skin, hair, and nail. It is a perfect image of Jill Keeney, JILL-PRIME.
Appreciative MURMURS from Ulrich, the Director, and Ridgeway.
Strangeways presses another button. The tube tilts up. One end opens, and Jill-Prime is decanted onto the floor. She is naked.
Jill-Prime coughs. Her eyes flutter and open. She stands uneasily.
STRANGEWAYS
And thus, a new agent is born.
DIRECTOR
I have seen that girl. We have a file on her.
STRANGEWAYS
Oh, indeed. The selection of this one was hardly accidental. Jill Keeney, a girl who in the course of her study abroad in Monte Blanco last year got mixed up in a most unfortunate conspiracy against its lawful government. Meaning, of course, that not only is she half trained as an agent, but she already has a propensity for the sort of work that we will want from her.
ULRICH
Fucking a-mazing.
Jill-Prime walks up and puts her hands on the glass. She starts to speak. Strangeways turns on a speaker so that she can be heard.
JILL-PRIME
(on speaker)
Hello? Can anyone hear me? What’s happening to me? Where am I?
Strangeways flips a switch and speaks into a microphone.
STRANGEWAYS
(into microphone)
What do you last remember?
JILL-PRIME
(on speaker)
I was in the health clinic. I was undergoing some kind of scan.
STRANGEWAYS
(turning microphone off)
Excellent! The subject’s memories have been preserved at high fidelity.
(turning microphone back on)
Miss Keeney, please listen to me closely. We picked up something dangerous when we ran that scan, and you are in need of prompt decontamination. Do you understand this?
Jill-Prime nods her head.
Strangeways pushes a button on a console.
The wall behind Jill slides away, to reveal a golden turntable on the floor.
STRANGEWAYS
(into microphone)
The decontamination process is quick, thorough, and painless, but it needs to be done immediately if we are to prevent damage, which is why we brought you here so quickly. Look behind you. Do you see the golden circle? Step into the middle of it, reach up, and grab the bar.
Jill-Prime hesitates.
STRANGEWAYS
(into microphone)
Please, Miss Keeney. We need you to trust us on this. We need to move quickly.
Jill-Prime steps into the middle of the gold circle and grasps the bar.
Strangeways turns off his microphone.
STRANGEWAYS
You belong to us now.
The circle on which Jill-Prine stands begins to revolve. Golden second skin begins covering her from the feet up.
DIRECTOR
Amazing achievement, Dr. Strangeways! With this duplication and control technology not only will we have ideal assassin, but we will have agents in place, plus girls we can give away as slavegirls or living sex toys as bribes…
STRANGEWAYS
(mildly)
I am a humble creator of technologies, Director. How they are deployed is of course up to you. I send the rockets up, and where they come down is not my department.
DIRECTOR
I do have a question, however.
STRANGEWAYS
But of course you do.
DIRECTOR
If you have the capacity just to make copies of girls, why do you bother testing that quantum implosion dingus out on girls from the State Home.
STRANGEWAYS
Active nanotech matrix in sufficient quantities to make a duplicate – that’s expensive. Girls cast off by society and wanted by no one turn out to be surprisingly cheap. I am sure you do not need me to explain to you the significance of keeping projects under budget, Director.
DIRECTOR
No, of course not.
Jill-Prime is by now covered in golden second skin, spinning rapidly, writhing and MOANING.
STRANGEWAYS
It appears we are inducing quite the powerful sequence of orgasms this evening. Poor little beauty. Only minutes old and already on the path to complete enslavement.
RIDGEWAY
If you will excuse me, Dr. Strangeways, Director, there are urgent matters for me to attend to topside.
DIRECTOR
But of course, Warden Ridgeway.
Ridgeway leaves.
INT. THE ELEEVATOR – NIGHT
Ridgeway enters the elevator and presses a button.
Just before the doors slide shut she glances over her shoulder, as if she expects to see someone there.
Then the doors slide shut.
INT. MAUREEN’S ROOM – NIGHT
Maureen sits on the sit of her bed, staring blankly off into space.
After several seconds of this, Maureen lurches forward, kneels over a wastebasket, and retches.
INT. A SECLUDED CORENR OF THE GNOSIS LIBRARY – DAY
(Note: Maureen and WILLIE speak in whispers, heads close together, throughout. Willie is the same character as in Progress in Research)
MAUREEN
Willie, you have to understand. This isn’t just some tale of abuse behind prison walls. Someone out there at the Home for Wayward Girls — someone I think connected with the government — is running obscene experiments that are killing helpless girls. There must be someone we can call.
WILLIE
…Maureen…
MAUREEN
Your father is some sort of big-shot public-interest lawyer, right? Can’t we talk to him first.
WILLIE
Maureen, some things are best left untouched.
MAUREEN
Willie!
WILLIE
Do you remember last year, Maureen? Do you remember how there was some weird chain of incidents involving government agents running all over campus? And then what? A senator whose daughter went to Gnosis ends up buried in Arlington National Cemetery. And Professor Corwin? And my friend Anwei Li? And Moira Weir and Nanetta Rector? The all just drop out of sight. Not just disappeared. It’s like they never were. Is that what you want to happen to you?
MAUREEN
I can’t believe you would say such a thing.
WILLIE
I wish you would just quit that volunteer position and try to forget anything you saw out there.
MAUREEN
(setting her jaw defiantly)
I can’t do that, Willie. You know I can’t.
INT. A ROOM UPSTAIRS IN THE OLD BUILDING – DAY
The room is done up a a girl’s room, rather comfortably, with a bed on which there is a comforter. There is a breakfast on a tray which is largely uneaten. There is a pair of tall windows which have been filmed over, but which are otherwise transparent.
Jill-Prime stands in a nightgown, staring out the window at the back of the Home for Wayward Girls.
A key turns in the locked door to the room. Strangeways enters. He is carrying a briefcase. Jill-Prime turns around to look at him.
STRANGEWAYS
There are no bars on the windows, as you can see. And the glass, aside from the one-way film, is quite ordinary glass. It is not long drop to the ground. It would be quite easy for you to hurl any piece of furniture through the window and make a break for it.
JILL-PRIME
Perhaps I will.
STRANGEWAYS
I think perhaps you won’t. After the pleasures you experienced last night, you will not be able to make yourself leave.
Jill-Prime blushes and looks down.
JILL-PRIME
You’ve abducted me. You’ve brought me here and subjected me to…to some kind of experiment. People will come looking for me. I have family, friends. They won’t notice I am gone.
STRANGEWAYS
On the contrary. I do not think anyone will miss anything.
Strangeays opens his briefcase and takes out an issue of the Gnosis Illuminator, which he hands to Jill-Prime.
STRANGEWAYS
Have a look at the date on this.
JILL-PRIME
(reading the date)
I was unconscious for ten days before finding myself here?
STRANGEWAYS
Not exactly. Look at the back page. Specifically, look at the young woman in the photograph and read the caption.
JILL-PRIME
(reading)
“Senior Jill Keeney, celebrates with her teammates after scoring the winning goal over Euphoric State in Women’s Lacrosse.” But that’s me! That game was supposed to be…
STRANGEWAYS
The point you are supposed to grasp here is that no one is going to come looking for Jill Keeney, because Jill Keeney is not missing. The beautiful and talented Miss Keeney is busily living out a fun-filled senior year at Gnosis College, whence she will doubtless go on to live a long and fulfilling life.
JILL-PRIME
But I am Jill! I remember a whole life as Jill!
STRANGEWAYS
No. The young woman in the photograph is Jill. You are just a copy of Jill, which we took the liberty of making.
Jill-Prime looks astonished for a moment, then hurls the newspaper away.
JILL-PRIME
I don’t believe you. It’s a very simple thing to print up a fake newspaper.
STRANGEWAYS
Indeed it is. I would have expected no less an observation from a young woman of your obvious intelligence. But ask yourself this: on the night that you and many other students were forced to flee a chemical spill in a Gnosis dormitory, what shape was the moon?
JILL-PRIME
Two nights ago? Just a crescent.
STRANGEWAYS
Clear skies are forecast for tonight. I suggest you look out your window and see what kind of moon it is. In the meantime, I imagine you must be very hungry. Please do try to eat your breakfast. You’ll need your strength for what is about to come.
INT. A GNOSIS COLLEGE DINING HALL – DAY
Jill is eating a hearty breakfast. Maureen sits down and joins her.
JILL
Maureen! You look awful. Almost as if you have seen a ghost. Is everything all right?
MAUREEN
Oh, us, just had to pull an all-nighter. I guess I’ll be all right with enough coffee. How’s it with you?
JILL
(smiles broadly)
Feeling pretty good.
MAUREEN
So no ill effects after that chemical spill they had at your dorm?
JILL
Nah. Everyone’s fine. We all had to go in for some kind of screening at the campus health clinic, which involved being in some big scary scanning device, but in the end, it was much ado about nothing.
MAUREEN
I’m…really relieved to hear that.
INT. A ROOM IN THE OLD HOUSE – DAY
Jill-Prime’s head and hands project through holes in the wall, as if she had been place in the stocks. She is MOANING rhytmically.
Strangeways sits in a rocking chair close by, observing her.
(Note: In this scene, Strangeways has his cat Lilith from Study Abroad on his lap. He strokes her as he speaks.)
JILL-PRIME
Oh…oh…oh. You bastard! I just came for the third time. What have you done to me?
STRANGEWAYS
You should try to look on the positive, dear girl. Think about what has happened to you as a blessing. Think of how much more receptive you have become. Think about how much more pleasure you experience, even in spite of yourself. You have changed and for the better. It is an invariable consequence of all who undergo the therapy.
JILL-PRIME
Ahhh..ahhh…why all this?
STRANGEWAYS
There were some concerns, of course, when there was an…incident…with one of our first lucky girls. I did improve the technique, but by then certain powerful people were asking for an additional demonstration of its efficacy.
JILL-PRIME
I am ..uh…oh… subverted …ah…ah… suborned … eee…oh enslaved. I am not me anymore.
STRANGEWAYS
Nonsense. You have your looks, your memories, your skills. All of which will come in great handy quite soon.
JILL-PRIME
Uh…uh… what am I doing oh god here I come again…
STRANGEWAYS
Well, at the moment you are actually helping us with an important bit of lobbying.
INT. ANOTHER ROOM IN THE OLD BUILDING – DAY
Jill-Prime is naked and on her knees. Her midsection is bent over a sort of bench. Her head and hands project through the wall.
CONGRESSMAN THROTTLEBOTTOM, a pot-bellied, middle-aged man, is also naked, and fucking Jill-Prime from behind.
A cellphone RINGS. An AIDE appears in the scene bringing the phone to Throttlebottom.
AIDE
It’s that call for you, Mr. Chairman.
Throttlebottom takes the call, but continues fucking Jill-Prime. The aid holds the phone up so that Throttlebottom can talk.
THROTTLEBOTTOM
(into phone)
Yes…yes. Tell that cocksucker that if thinks that I’m giving this thing away for fucking nothing he can kiss my pimply ass.
The aide hangs up the phone.
THROTTLEBOTTOM
It was fuckin’ sweet of the Agency to set this up. Let’s see.
Throttlebottom pulls out of Jill-Prime abruptly.
THROTTLEBOTTOM
Let’s see what else we’ve got going on here.
EXTRME CLOSE-UP – JILL-PRIME’S ANUS
Thrttlebottom spreads Jill-Prime’s buttocks with his hand, exposes her anus. He then penetrates her anally.
CLOSE-UP – JILL-PRIME’S FACE
Jill-Prime’s face contorts, and she SHRIEKS.
INT. MAUREEN’S ROOM – DAY
Maureen is sitting at her desk. In addition to usual desk-like things, there is a microscope and some sort of meter there.
She picks up a pair of tweezers and reaches into an envelope, pulling out a quantum resonator. She looks at it for a moment.
She places the resonator on a slide, pulls places the slide on a microscope, and peers through the eyepiece.
SHOT – THE RESONATOR UNDER MAGNIFICATION
Many tiny cilia appear to trail off the surface of the resonator.
BACK TO SCENE
Maureen looks into space for a moment.
STRANGEWAYS (V.O.)
The radius of the matter-energy leap increases monotonically with the force of the orgasm.
Maureen scrunches up her face, then puts the quantum resonator away.
Maureen looks across her desk. Her eyes fall on the vial that she took from Arthur’s jacket at the party.
Maureen frowns.
int. a completely dark room – day
The scene is intially completely dark. Then a flickering hologram of the Colonel appears at one end of the scene. The light from the hologram illuminates Ulrich at the other side.
(Note: It is the holographic projection of the Colonel which speaks as the Colonel in this scene.)
COLONEL
Your last report indicated that you were troubled, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
You are aware, Colonel, that Strangeways experiments are resulting in the death of his subjects?
COLONEL
I have been reading the technical reports as well as yours, Agent Ulrich. I understand what it is that Strangeways thinks that he is doing.
ULRICH
I do not in any way question the importance of our objective, Colonel, but does the end really justify the means here?
COLONEL
Before I begin to answer that directly, Agent Ulirch, let me ask you this: are you aware that every one of the inmates of F-wing has access to a Bible?
ULRICH
I had not inquired, Colonel.
COLONEL
Well, they do. And access to religious counseling and instruction. I have pressed Warden Ridgeway on this point and she assures me at these matters have been taken care of?
ULRICH
Yes, I can see the importance of this, but…
colonel
At every waking moment these young women are alive, they have the chance to repent the sins that have brought them to where they are. Whatever cheap thrills Strangeways is providing them in that damnable machine he has created, we are not depriving them of their free will, no?
ULRICH
No, Colonel. That would be beyond the power of man to do.
COLONEL
And were they to repent, they would be forever saved. It would be in no one’s power, not mine, not yours, not Strangeways’s, to do harm to any part of them that really matters. You do believe this, right?
ULRICH
Of course, Colonel.
colonel
And yet we are taught that the wages of sin are death, yes? So if they were to happen to die without repenting, would they receive anything other than what they deserved?
ULRICH
No, Colonel, they would not. But surely, intentional killing…
COLONEL
Ah, yes. Dr. Strangeways and his quantum resonator. Let me ask you, what do you think is really happening to these girls who are resonated away?
ULRICH
According to Strangeways, they and the surrounding matter are transported randomly so very far away that they are almost certainly deep in interstellar space. That doesn’t sound very survivable to me, Colonel.
COLONEL
Randomly. Randomly. Randomness, Agent Ulrich, is a concept for atheistical scientists like Strangeways. It is not for warriors of faith. Tell me, Agent Ulrich. If there really were fundamental randomness in the world, could God be said to rule it?
ULRICH
No, Colonel, he could not.
COLONEL
So these young women cannot be randomly going anywhere. They can only be going where God wills. That doesn’t sound like killing to me. Does it to you?
ULRICH
Not when you put it that way, Colonel, no.
COLONEL
Try to be of good cheer, Agent Ulrich. I realize that your circumstances are trying. You are surrounded by the weak and the depraved. Amoral scientists, conniving politicians, young girls turned into criminals through hedonism and self-indulgence. But your faith will always see you through in the end.
ULRICH
Thank you, Colonel. I shall try to remember that.
COLONEL
Besides which I have a plan which will take some of these young women out of Strangeways care and perhaps lengthen the time they have for repentence. And what is more, which will allow this operation to recoup some of its expenses.
INT. A PIANO PRACTICE ROOM AT GNOSIS – DAY
Arthur is playing through Aleksandr Scriabin’s “Black Mass” sonata. He is concentrating intensely.
A the noisy climax (just before the recapitulation of the opening bars that ends the sonata) Maureen slips deftly in behind him.
After Arthur concludes, Maureen speaks.
MAUREEN
Nicely done, Arthur. I always have been fond of Scriabin.
Arthur startles, then turns abruptly around.
ARTHUR
Who are you? What are you doing here?
MAUREEN
My name is Maureen Creel. You might say that I’ve been an admirer of your performances ever since your recent gig at the Sigma formal…a social event that people here at Gnosis will doubtless be talking about for some years to come.
ARTHUR
I don’t remember seeing you there.
MAUREEN
Oh I’m quite sure that you didn’t…see me there. But I was most assuredly there. And I certainly saw you.
ARTHUR
What makes you think you can just barge in?
MAUREEN
Well normally I would aim for a more graceful and proper introduction. But I would like to discuss something of interest with you, and this practice room seemed like such a nice…private place.
ARTHUR
(half-guardedly half-hopefully)
What is it?
Maureen pulls out the vial.
MAUREEN
Do you remember this, Arthur?
ARTHUR
Where did you get that? Give it back, it’s mine.
Arther tries to snatch the vial, but Maureen is too quick and closes it in her fist.
MAUREEN
Oh, now let’s not be hasty. We have something important to discuss.
Arthur sits back down.
MAUREEN
It seems to me that there’s rather a lot of sensitivity in the campus administration these days having to do with drugs and things that smack of misbehavior in the Greek system, especially after certain events of last year. It would hardly be good for you if the record of what I saw here plus certain other trace evidence should find there way to them, now would it?
Arthur slumps on the piano bench.
ARTHUR
I wasn’t looking for anyone to get hurt. I just wanted people to have a good time and have a good time myself.
MAUREEN
And they certainly did, and so did you, I believe. Which is why my terms here are going to be exceptionally easy.
ARTHUR
How easy?
MAUREEN
Get me a small supply of whatever your magic potion is, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re free to have all the good time you want.
SEIRES OF SHOTS – GNOSIS MUSEUM
–An exterior shot of the Gnosis College Museum
–Interior shot of the museum, showing the reconstructed skeleton of a dinosaur.
–Interior shot of a professor standing in front of a specimen case, lectureing to a group of students.
–Shot of an office door, with a nameplate thereupon, reading “Sarah Kaufman, Ph.D., Biopharmacological Curator.”
INT. DR. KAUFMAN’S OFFICE – DAY
Dr. Kaufman’s office is long and narrow, with a high ceiling. Glass-fronted display cases filled with bottles line the walls. There are sliding ladders along the cases to allow access to higher shelves.
Dr. Kaufman is an older lady, with bifocals and iron-gray hair drawn back in a bun. She is standing on the ladder, surveying the shelves.
There is a KNOCK at Dr. Kaufman’s office door.
KAUFMAN
Come in.
Maureen enters.
MAUREEN
Dr. Kaufman? Good afternoon, ma’am. I’m Maureen Creel. I was told that you would be expecting me.
KAUFMANN
(dismounting the ladder)
Oh yes, of course. My nephew telephoned earlier and was quite insistent on my making the time.
(walks over and shakes Maureen’s hand)
How do you do? And what is it that I can do for you, Miss Creel?
MAUREEN
It’s about this.
Maureen holds up the vial.
A look of dismay promptly appears on Dr. Kaufman’s face.
MAUREEN
Arthur said that you could explain about the contents of this vial.
KAUFMANN
Where did you get this, and what do you know about it?
MAUREEN
Let’s say that I…acquired it from your nephew, and that I have reason to believe that its contents were some sort of powerful aphrodisiac.
Maureen hands the vial to Dr. Kaufman.
KAUFMANN
My nephew is a clever boy. Too clever by half. An in the future I shall be a good deal more careful about locking things up when he is around. Yes. A real one and a rather dangerous one.
MAUREEN
Dangerous? How?
KAUFMAN
The origins of this particular pharmakon are in Sarawak. It is said to be an extract from the gland of a unique species of giant spider found there. There is a particular tribe of orang asli who live in the region where it is found. Let me show you something.
Dr. Kaufman goes to her desk and pulls out a DVD, which she inserts into a notebook computer. She motions for Maureen to sit. Maureen sits. Kaufman starts up the DVD and plays it, turning the notebook computer around for Maureen to see.
INT. MOVIE ON SCREEN – DAY
KAUFMAN (o.s.)
What you are seeing here is a digitization and enhancement of ethnographic footage taken by a Gnosis College expedition made to Sarawak in 1935. Unfortunately, Professor Jensen, who led the expedition and who was the only person with the linguistic expertise to interpret it properly, mysteriously disappeared shortly after his return. Consequently, it languished in the archives for rather a long time, but recently, a Gnosis student named Cleo Mount, who had accidentally fallen in with the people, learned enough of their language to provide some translation of the dialog therein, such as it is.
(Note: the footage starts as grainy black and white with tinny sound, but changes to color with decent sound a few seconds in.)
A group of villagers stand in a circle. They chant.
A young woman, who is wearing only a loincloth, steps into the center of the circle.
A much older woman then steps in, holding a clay vessel of some kind.
The older woman speaks. The young woman answers.
KAUFMAN (o.s.)
The old woman is asking the young woman whether she is prepared to make the sacrifice she is proposing. The young woman answers yes.
The old woman hands the clay vessel to the young woman, who drinks from it.
The young woman hands the vessel back to the old woman, then strips off her loincloth, which she tosses away, smiling broadly.
The old woman hands the young woman a sort of wooden dildo.
The young woman squats down, and penetrates herself with the dildo.
The people around her chant “Ya!” as the dildo goes in.
The young woman proceeds to masturbate with the dildo, watched by the crowd. With each penetrating stroke, the crowd yells “Ya!”
After some of this, the young woman builds to a sexual climax and achieves orgasm. She does not stop masturbating, but continues to thrust the dildo in at an ever-increasing pace.
The young woman’s skin is visibly slick with sweat. The crowd continues to chant.
Tiny flashes of light begin appearing in the air around the young woman. She is now deep in a sexual frenzy. The crowd chants ferociously.
There is a bright flash of light, and the young woman vanishes.
The film resumes a few seconds later. The villagers are lying down now in a sort of post-coital langour.
The old woman looks directly into the camera and speaks.
KAUFMAN (o.s.)
The old woman is explaining that the young woman has become one with her own orgasm and has been taken to the gods to become part of the the sexual fabric of the universe, present whenever lovers pleasure one another.
(Note: in the final seconds of the film, it fades back to black and white.)
INT. DR. KAUFMAN’S OFFICE – DAY
MAUREEN
Beyond wild.
KAUFMAN
As best I can judge, that young native girl took a massive dose, but still beyond dangerous.
MAUREEN
Hell of a way to go, though.
KAUFMAN
What is it that you want here, Miss Creel?
MAUREEN
A dose of whatever elixir it is that was in the bottle, or that the young woman in the film drank.
KAUFMAN
Young lady, you must be mad if you think that I‘d…
MAUREEN
(bearing down on Kaufman)
This is not some collegiate prank, Dr. Kaufman. My purpose here is dead serious. I want it only for myself, and only once. You can help me or not. But human life is at stake here and no I am not at liberty to divulge further details. If you deny me, I will find another way to achieve my purposes here.
KAUFMAN
(looking frightened)
You’re dead serious.
Maureen backs away.
KAUFMAN
I saw a look like that in a young woman’s eyes once before. Thirty seconds later, there was a dead man at her feet.
MAUREEN
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be hostile. It’s just that this really, really is important to me. Look, I don’t want to twist anyone’s arm here. I have…some unusual resources of my own. Maybe I can come up with something that’s valuable to you.
KAUFMAN
(composing herself)
Oh, there might be something that I want, but I don’t really think that you could arrange it.
MAUREEN
Try me, Dr. Kaufman.
Dr. Kaufman leans forward and whispers something into Maureen’s ear.
Maureen pauses and thinks for a moment.
MAUREEN
I think I actually can make that happen for you. Although it might be a little bit weird.
KAUFMAN
Oh, I like weird. It’s a benefit of working at Gnosis.
MAUREEN
Can you meet me at midnight outside of Newton Hall? In the meantime, I might have a few errands to run.
INT. A HIGH-CEILINGED ROOM IN THE OLD BUILDING – DAY
Four transparent tubes, tall enough and wide enough to hold an adult person, stand together on a pallet.
Inside each of the tubes one of Monica, Sandy, Jewell, and Pauline floats naked in a transparent fluid. The are illuminated with an amber light. In each tube a constant stream of small bubbles runs from bottom of the tube to the top.
Agent Ulrich and Dr. Strangeways regard this scene. Strangeways looks displeased.
STRANGEWAYS
I cannot approve of this expropriation of my human material, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
Doctor, you may be assured that the Agency will arrange for a new consignment of disposables soon. But since your excellent work has broken this lot to our standards with a fail of only one, we have other uses for them. And we do pay your bills.
STRANGEWAYS
(shakes his head)
But this is so crass. An abuse of the technology.
ULRICH
You imagine that these girls are trainable as agents, doctor? Even rendered completely docile and submissive, they lack social and other skills and would stand out in any field context as hopeless. So we have found something better for them. Ah, here is our broker now.
FRAU KUPLER (same character as in Study Abroad) enters.
ULRICH
Frau Kupler, may I introduce Dr. Emil Strangeways.
KUPLER
(extending her hand)
Herr Doctor.
STRANGEWAYS
(shakes her hand, smiles icily)
A pleasure, Frau Kupler.
ULRICH
Frau Kupler is one of of the most capable and successful international brokers in and trainers of high-end sex slaves in the modern world. And we are about to conclude a deal…with the Agency’s blessing. You are here to inspect the packaging prior to shipment, Frau Kupler?
KUPLER
If I may, Agent Ulrich. These new transport tubes are qutie the marvel — a constant supply of nutrition and respiration while being quite compact and quite inescapable. Capable of providing preservation for weeks on end, also. But we must inspect carefully, as the effects of corruption are quite unfortunate.
Kupler begins her inspection.
STRANGEWAYS
I am still not sure why such a transaction is necessary at all.
ULRICH
Everyagency involved in extra-legal operations for the good of the state seeks sources of revenue outside of the usual appropriations channels, for the sake of keeping meddling politicians out of business where they do not belong. Occasionally news of these breaks out in public.
series of shots – iran-contra scandal
— American embassy hostages in Iran in 1980
— Guerillas fighting in a Central American somwhere
— Lt. Col. Oliver North testifying before Congress
— A battlefield in the Iran-Iraq war, slaughtered corpses of young men and boys everywhere
ulrich (v.o.)
You might recall in the 1980s, for example, an operation that shipped arms to Iran which were sold for a profit to finance certain Central American activities. That operation was exposed…it was run by bunglers. Ours is incomparably better. Valuable missiles might go missed…
back to scene
ulrich
…but these girls will be missed by no one.
KUPLER
And as complaisant playthings for our discreet high net-worth clientele, they will fetch a pretty price. The packaging is satisfactory Agent Ulrich, and the contents more than satisfactory. We shall accept the consignment, Agent Ulrich.
ULRICH
Okay, pack’em up.
UTILITY GUY #1 drives up in a forklift and picks up the pallet. He drives forward, placing the four tubes inside a giant wooden crate with a hinged door.
(Note: there should be a camera shot, showing all four girls as they are packed into the crate.)
Utility Guy #1 puts the pallet down inside the crate, then backs his forklift away.
UTILITY GUY #2 swings the door of the crate shut.
KUPLER
Oh, Doctor?
STRANGEWAYS
Yes, Frau Kupler?
Kupler takes a folder out of her briefcase and hands it to Strangeways. Strangeways opens it and looks inside.
KUPLER
If you should ever happen to have this girl, I do have a client who would be willing to offer an especially high price if it could be arranged that she could be made as especially agreeable as your treatment has a reputation for making girls.
SHOT – STRANGEWAYS’S P.O.V. LOOKING INSIDE THE FOLDER
It is a dossier, complete with a picture on top, of Gnosis student Bridget O’Brian (from Study Abroad.)
BACK TO SCENE
STRANGEWAYS
(raising an eyebrow)
A most unusual request. We might, however, just be able to meet it. I warn you though, Frau Kupler, that she might not come cheap.
INT. GNOSIS COLLEGE CLINIC – DAY
Maureen sits on an examination table. Dr. Weaver enters.
WEAVER
So, Maureen Creel, is it? What brings you to see us today.
MAUREEN
Well, did you hear about that chemical spill they had at Dowson House a few weeks ago? Well, I kind of think that maybe I sort of got exposed to that.
Dr. Weaver frowns.
WEAVER
Maureen, you really should have come to see us earlier about this.
MAUREEN
I know, I know. But I don’t, you know, like, actually live in Dowson House and, well, like I had this thing going there, you know, with a guy and, well, I didn’t really want anyone to find out about it, like, especially my parents, ‘cuz they’re, like, really conservative and uptight and all and wouldn’t take it too well if they found out and, well, you’re not going to tell anyone this, right?
Dr. Weaver assumes a kindly, understanding expression.
WEAVER
Oh, no, of course not. Everything that goes on here is strictly confidential. All you need to do for us is undergo one quick scan. If you can step into that other room, disrobe completely, and like down on the cot, we can begin, okay?
MAUREEN
Okay.
INT. A GNOSIS COLLEGE DORMITORY CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Maureen and Dr. Kaufman stand in the hall by a doorway. Dr. Kaufman is wearing a large hoodie and long skirt, so that she is covered entirely. They are standing outside a door.
Maureen pulls a pick out of her shirt pocket, holds it up for Dr. Kaufman to see, and gestures at it proudly, with a smile. The Maureen looks forward and back as if to see if anyone is coming, before bending down and swiftly picking the lock.
MAUREEN
(whispering)
Now or never, Dr. Kaufman.
Dr. Kaufman pulls of her hoodie, revealing empty space beneath, then drops her skirt, revealing more empty space.
The handle on the door turns tentatively, while Dr. Kaufman’s shoes move as if on their own.
MAUREEN
(whispering and pointing at the shoes)
Dr. Kaufman, your shoes.
KAUFMAN
(whispering)
Oops. Sorry. Not quite used to this.
The straps on the shoes are undone.
MAUREEN
(whispering)
Also, a deal’s a deal.
KAUFMAN
(whispering)
In the left pocket. Good luck to you.
The door opens and then closes quietly, as if by itself.
Maureen reaches down and pulls a vial out of the left pocket of the hoodie. She unstoppers it, sniff it, then smiles.
MAUREEN
(quietly)
And good luck to you, dear lady.
There is a BANG down the hall as a door closes. BRAD, wearing only a towel, ambles up. Brad looks down at the pile of clothes outside the door.
BRAD
Yo, Maureen! What up?
Maureen smiles, winks at Brad, puts her finger to her lips, then gestures at the door with her thumb.
BRAD
(much more quietly)
Oh, I get it.
Brad grins and puts his finger to his lips as well.
INT. JILL-PRIME’S ROOM IN THE OLD BUILDING – DAY
Jill-Prime appears agitated. Her hair is messy. She paces around the room.
Strangeways sits calmly in a chair.
STRANGEWAYS
You appear somewhat distraught after your briefing with Agent Ulrich.
JILL-PRIME
I can’t believe what you’ve made me into. Turning me into some sort of human bomb.
STRANGEWAYS
Given your unusual experiences and skill set, my employer deemed it appropriate that you be sent into the field.
JILL-PRIME
I won’t do it. I won’t. I’ll slip away from the handlers and vanish. I’ll never work for you.
STRANGEWAYS
Oh, but I think you will. Minor point first: what life are do you think you’re going to slip away to? Someone else – the woman you were copied from, is already leading the life that you imagine is yours. Do you think that woman will suddenly welcome a twin sister who wants her life? That her parents want another daughter. There is no place for you in the world, except with us.
Strangeways leans closer.
STRANGEWAYS
But there is a more major point here. Suppose you do slip away. Suppose in spite of being a nn one with no place in the world, you manage to carve out some sort of life for yourself What then? The fact is, you are a product of the golden circle. You know…you know that there is no pleasure that you will ever experience in your life that will be as great as that. It will dominate your thoughts always. You will never escape it. All life will be gray and dull even if you escape.
Jill-Prime stops, then slumps on the bed. She begins to sob.
JILL-PRIME
You have made me a slave, a toy, a tool.
Strangeways lifts Jill-Prime’s chin up and speaks to her gently.
STRANGEWAYS
Wear the quantum resonator when we tell you, use it as you are ordered, and you will at least taste paradise one more time before the end.
More tears spill down Jill-Prime’s cheeks for a moment, then she looks at Strangeways.
JILL-PRIME
Will it hurt when I explode?
STRANGEWAYS
It will all be over very quickly. Come. I think I can arrange one more session before you have to be shipped out.
INT. RECONSTITUTION ROOM IN THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
Armed Male Guard #1 enters the room and turns on the lights. He looks around. Seeing nothing, he takes out his walkie-talkie.
ARMED MALE GUARD #1
(into walkie-talkie)
Twenty-seven to control, all seems quiet in sector three, over.
CONTROL (O.s.)
(on walkie talkie)
Roger that, twenty-seven.
Armed Male Guard #1’s taser lifts off his belt.
ARMED MALE GUARD #1
What the…
Armed Male Guard #1 is shocked by his own taser. He falls limply to the floor.
The door to the replication chamber is unlocked.
INT. THE CONTROL COMPUTER IN THE REPLICATION ROOM – NIGHT
The screen to the computer turns on.
The mouse-arrow moves to a folder icon labeled “Replicables’”
The folder opens. The desktop fills with pictures, headshots of Gnosis coeds.
The mouse-arrow moves over a picture of Maureen Creel.
INT. A CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT
Utility Guy #1 and Utility Guy #2 sit side-by-side at a large control panel.
There is a BEEP from the panel and a red light flashes.
UTILITY GUY #1
That’s weird. I’m showing a power drain down in replication. I didn’t know there was any activity on for tonight.
UTILITY GUY #2
I didn’t hear of any. Maybe we should call Strangeways.
UTILITY GUY #1
Which means filling out reports. I hate filling out reports.
UTILITY GUY #2
Maybe we can pretend it was just another malfunction.
UTILITY GUY #1
Ain’t no malfunction like the people running this operation. Have you ever talked to that Strangeways character in person.
UTILITY GUY #2
Sort of makes the flesh crawl, don’t he?
Sound of a KLAXON.
UTILITY GUY #1
Aw shit. Maybe this ain’t no ordinary malfunction.
UTILITY GUY #2
Maybe it will at least mean overtime pay.
INT. THE REPLICATION CHAMBER – NIGHT
A taser is held to the control computer. Its monitor POPs in a shower of sparks.
Chains of sparks begin to appear in the replication chamber itself.
A large tank ruptures, spilling a gooey substance on the floor.
A small fire breaks out.
Sound of a FIRE ALARM. Sprinklers come on.
GUARD #1. GUARD #2, GUARD #3, and GUARD #4 rush into the room.
Something appears to crush Guard #1’s nose. He steps back, groaning and bleeding
An outline of a female figure fleetingly appears in the spray of a sprinkler, and then vanishes.
Something else appears to hit Guard #2 in the crotch. He BELLOWS and falls down.
Guard #3 pulls out his taser and begins lunging blindly.
A fleeting female figure appears in the spray of another sprinkler.
Guard #4 lunges toward this figure and appears to grab something in his right hand, which he pulls toward himself.
GUARD #4
Got something – ow, fuck!
EXTREME CLOSE-UP – GUARD #4’S RIGHT HAND
A deep bite mark appears on Guard #4’s index finger. He releases his grip.
BACK TO SCENE
The figure of a woman appears briefly in the spray of a sprinkler near the door of the room.
Guard #1 manages to stagger into the doorframe.
He falls backward as if knocked down.
He reaches up defensively, and grabs with both his hands, as if he is holding onto something.
There is the sound of a THUD behind him.
GUARD #1
(screaming)
I have something, I have something!
Sound of a feminine GROAN behind him
Outlined in the spray of a sprinkler appears to be a head and shoulders, lying on the floor.
Guard #3 steps over Guard #1 and discharges his taser, apparently into the air, near the head and shoulders.
Guard #1 scrambles to his feet.
Guard #3 feels with his hands near the floor, although he appears to be touching only air.
GUARD #3
Sweet Mary Mother of God. We need to get Strangeways down here right now.
INT. P.O.V. INSIDE A DUCT IN THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
The P.O.V. crawls along a duct. It is very dark, with only occasional illuminated cracks to indicate forward progress.
INT. THE GOLDEN CIRCLE ROOM – NIGHT
Strangeways stands in the middle of the golden circle. He appears to be alone, but is reaching out into space, as if touching something that is there. Two tight wire loops appear on the bar above the middle of the circle.
Ulrich and Ridgeway stand off to one side, watching.
STRANGEWAYS
Amazing…astonishing…full-body cloaking technology.
Strangeways reaches with his hands down to the floor, then runs them up to about five and a half feet off the floor.
Strangeways’s cat Lilith brushes against something invisible near the floor.
STRANGEWAYS
Why you’re…completely naked.
MAUREEN (O.s.)
A user bug in my otherwise amazing astonishing technology.
STRANGEWAQYS
Ah, she speaks! I do so look forward to hearing from you where obtained this technology.
MAUREEN (O.s.)
You’ll get nothing from me.
STRANGEWAYS
Oh, I’m afraid you’re wrong about that, my dear. In fact, we shall get everything from you.
INT./EXT. – A DUCT/OUTSIDE CONTINUOUS P.O.V. – NIGHT
The P.O.V. Approaches a louvre. Pale, silvery light can be seen through the louver.
A blunt object of some kind – perhaps a fire extinguisher – strikes the louver with three successive BANGS. On the third strike, the louver breaks free and falls away.
The P.O.V reveals the exterior of the Old Building, looks down to the ground, and then drops to it.
INT. THE GOLDEN CIRCLE ROOM – Night
Strangeways steps out of the circle.
STRANGEWAYS
What a find! What a piece of luck! Imagine what kind of steel there must be in this young woman. To penetrate a secure facility on a sabotage mission, without tools, without a gun, without even clothes, just bare naked flesh and wits up against what we have.
ULRICH
There is no training that makes agents like that, I am sure.
STRANGEWAYS
No indeed, Agent Ulrich. And that she will reveal to us an extraordinary new stealth technology is only the shilling in the pudding, so to speak.
ULRICH
So to speak, Dr. Strangeways.
STRANGEWAYS
And in a few short minutes, she will belong to us completely.
EXT. – P.O.V. A FIELD BEHIND THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
The P.O.V. Moves across the field, jerking as if being shot from a hand-held camera by someone running.
Sound of PANTING can be heard as the shot progresses. In a few seconds it reaches some woods.
INT. THE GOLDEN CIRCLE ROOM – NIGHT
Strangeways pushes a few buttons on his console.
A low HUM is heard. The circle begins to rotate.
Strangeways’s cat Lilith HISSES, then runs away. Strangeways does not notice.
Shiny gold skin begins to cover Maureen’s form, beginning with her hands and feet.
Maureen rotates faster and faster. She is soon completely covered. The skin limns her. She twists and writhes. Her face appears contorted, as if holding something back.
STRANGEWAYS
Enjoying the ride, my dear? I imagine you’re not feeling quite so resistant now.
MAUREEN
Oh..oh…oh..indeed. Like nothing I have ever felt.
FLASHBACK – THE CLOSET OF MAUREEN’S ROOM – DAY
(Note: this scene must be very brief, before cutting back to Maureen in the golden circle.
Maureen stands next to a machine which is a smaller version of Professor Johnson’s invisibility machine from Progress in Research. We see her from the shoulders up. Her shoulders are bare.
Maureen unstoppers the vial she received from Dr. Kaufmann and downs the contents in one swallow.
BACK TO SCENE
Maureen is rotating as before.
MAUREEN
Did you not once say, Dr. Strangeways, that one should never underestimate the power of the female orgasm?
FLASHBACK – THE CLOSET OF MAUREEN’S ROOM – DAY
Maureen as before. She is holding a quantum resonator in a pair of tweezers. She looks at it for a second, then inserts it in her own ear. Then she turns on the invisibility machine.
BACK TO SCENE
MAUREEN
Well I am right on the edge of the biggest fecking orgasm I will ever have…uh…uh…and I can’t hold back much more…uh…so let’s find out just how much power I have..uh.uuh..whether its true that radius…increases monotonically with the force of the orgasm. …ah..ah…ah…
CLOSE-UP – STRANGEWAYS’S FACE
Stgrangeways’s face is grinning broadly, but suddenly shifts to a horrified expression.
STRANGEWAYS
No! Stop! Stop the ma…
EXT. OUTSIDE THE OLD BUILDING (DISTANT) – NIGHT
The Old Building stands in the moonlight.
There is a sudden flash, and a loud CRUMP.
The middle section of Old Building abruptly vanishes, leaving a large crater in the ground where it used to be. The rest of the Old Building then collapses into the crater.
EXT. P.O.V. WOODS BEHIND THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
The motion comes to a stop. The moonlit trees are visible.
EXT. WOODS BEHIND THE OLD BUILDING – NIGHT
Maureen (in full body shot) stops running and turns around to look behind her.
She is naked and fully visible in the moonlight.
INT. A DORMITORY HALL – NIGHT
Maureen is walking down a hall. She is still naked. She seems preoccupied.
Brad comes around a corner. Seeing that she is naked, he averts her eyes.
BRAD
Uh, Maureen, uh are you aware that you’re, uh…
MAUREEN
(suddenly snapping out of her preoccupation)
Oh!
(covers her breasts and pubic area with her hands)
I guess I’m not used to being vis… I mean, not used to being seen… I mean…sorry I gotta go.
BRAD
(eyes still sort of averted)
Yeah. Okay, well, uh, you take care, okay?
SHOT – MAUREEN SHOWERING
INT. MAUREEN IN HER ROOM – NIGHT
Maureen is wearing only a towel. She takes it off. She reaches into a drawer and pulls out a pair of panties.
The sound of many SIRENS can be heard in the distance, but Maureen ignores them.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
It will be good to get back into my clothes.
Maureen holds the panties for a moment.
MAUREEN (V.O.)
My clothes? Aren’t they her clothes? Aren’t I just a newborn baby who has never even worn clothes?
Maureen collapses on the bed and puts her face in her hands.
Then she gets up, picks up her phone, and dials a number.
MAUREEN
(into phone)
Willie? Hi, it’s Maureen. Yes I know it’s really late, but I really need someone to talk to as soon as possible…okay?
EXT. AN OPEN FIELD BY THE SIDE OF THE CRATER – DAY
SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE MACNEIL and SPECIAL AGENT SMITH stand at the lip of the implosion crater.
(Note: MacNeil and Smith are the same characters as appeared in The Apsinthion Protocol.)
(Note; In certain shots, the Home can clearly be seen in the background.)
Various Federal agents, wearing “FBI” and “BATF” jackets circulate around the crater, taking photographs, taking measurements with Geiger counters and other instruments, and so forth.
MacNeil stares out over the crater.
MACNEIL
What is it about this place, Gnosis College and its environs, Special Agent Smith?
SMITH
What do you mean, Chief?
MACNEIL
I mean, is there something strange in the drinking water? Are we at the center of some sort of Bermuda Triangle? Or di the Good Lord simply create this institution as a means of punishing me for my sins?
SMITH
Still peeved about the whole Madder incident, Chief?
MACNEIL
This is a hundred times worse.
MacNeil kicks a rock into the crater.
MACNEIL
I mean look at this, Special Agent Smith. A hemispherical crater a thirty meters across. And not created by an explosion, either, but some sort of implosion. Everything blown in, rather than out.
SMITH
I admit it does look strange, Chief.
MACNEIL
I’m half sorry it wasn’t big enough to swallow up the whole works I’m not going to enjoy having to figure out how to explain this one away.
MacNeil turns and begins to leave.
SMTIH
Where are you going, Chief?
MACNEIL
To the most important of all investigative facilities for this sort of problem.
SMITH
Where’s that?
MACNEIL
The nearest bar I can find.
int. a television news program – day
Anchorwoman TRICIA HARTREY reads the news. Anchorman TED sits next to her.
hartrey
The mystery continues about last night’s mysterious building collapse at the State Home for Wayward Girls in Pleasant Prairie. W-P-P-T reporter Zoe Zeitgeist is on the scene with a report. Zoe?
cut to:
ext. outside the state home for wayward girls – day
Television reporter ZOE ZEITGEIST stands with a microphone. Emergency vehicles and personnel are in the background.
zeitgeist
Tricia authorities are still not certain why it was the the Old Building here at the State Home for Wayward girls collapsed unexpectedly The Old Building, a registered national landmark, collapsed suddenly and without any warning.
shot – kendra interview actuality
KENDRA stands with her back to the modern building.
The shot is subtitled “Kendra: Home Resident”.
KENDRA
There was just like this giant crump noise in the middle of the night. There was a wind, and some of our windows cracked. Then we heard something like a frieght train.
shot – girls evacuating
Home girls being put on schoolbuses outside the Home.
zeitgeist (v.o.)
Fortunately the old building, which had been closed since 1970, was unoccupied at the time of the collapse and there were no injuries or loss of life. But just because the authorities are taking no chances, they are evacuating the main building for the time being until state inspectors can certify that it is safe.
back to scene
ZEITGEIST
And where are these girls going in the meantime? It appears that a local institution has opened its doors and its heart to them. Nearby St. Mary Magdalene College will be taking them in while the inspections and investigations proceed.
shot – mother superior euphemia, magadlene campus – day
MOTHER SUPERIOR EUPHEMIA speaks into a microphone held by an unseen reporter.
(Note: The Mother Superior is the same character as appears in Progress in Research.)
The picture is captioned “Mother Superior Euphemia of the Blessed Wounds, St. Mary Magdalene College.”
mother superior
How can we feel that it is anything other than our duty to take in these troubled young women in their time of need? We can find places at the table for them, and beds for them, and provide them with a loving and charitable environment.
back to scene
ZEITGEIST
Zoe Zeitgeist, W-P-P-T news.
shot – a telvision playing in the gadget
The television is showing the end of the news segment. It shows Hartrey and Ted at the anchor desk.
tricia
(on television)
A really heartwarming end to a scary story.
ted
(on television)
It sure is, Tricia
INT. THE Gadget – DAY
The Gadget is nearly empty. Through the windows, a new-fallen snow can be seen on the Gnosis Campus.
Maureen sits with Willie. Both have mugs of something hot.
MAUREEN
And so there it is. Not only am I now a killer, but I get to be perhaps the first woman in history to tell the story of her own suicide.
WILLIE
Maybe you should think about what they would have done had you not done what you did.
MAUREEN
I try to. It helps sometimes, and sometimes not.
WILLIE
Do you know at least what you are going to do now?
MAUREEN
About that at least I have a pretty good idea.
INT. a classroom in magdalene college – DAY
Maureen’s group is the same as before, except that there are two new girls, CHRISSY and EVE. There is some chemical apparatus on the table in front of Maureen. A rather gruesome crucifix can be seen on the wall behind her.
MAUREEN
Well, it is certainly good to see all of you again. But I see we have two new members. Young ladies can you tell me your names?
CHRISSY
Chrissy, miss.
EVE
Eve.
MAUREEN
Well I’m glad to have you both, Chrissy and Eve. And how did you come to join us?
EVE
They used to have us somewhere called F-wing, but then they decided to shut it down. So now we’re in gen-pop along with every other loser.
Disapproving MURMURS from the rest of the class.
MAUREEN
Settle down, ladies. In here there aren’t going to be any losers.
(smiles broadly)
The thing to think about here is, what new thing do we learn today?
FADE OUT.
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Invisible Girl, Heroine by Dr. Faustus at EroticMadScience.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Based on a work at eroticmadscience.com.