dem_man1x01_new
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INT. CRYOPRISON WESTERN WING - MORNING
Smithers walks into a room, checks his tablet. He stops, and
stares at the prisoner on a vertical metal slab.
SMITHERS
So, we have one of our first long
term inmates on parole.
He walks past, revealing it to be PHOENIX. He looks at him
with distaste.
SMITHERS (CONT'D)
Simon Phoenix.
(beat)
Wake him.
The slab jolts forward and a needle is injected into
Phoenix's neck.
Slowly, Phoenix's eyes flutter open and he glances around -
getting his bearings. Smithers walks around him, a bit unsure
how to act.
SMITHERS (CONT'D)
Simon Phoenix. Welcome to 2046, San
Angeles.
(beat)
You are at duty to partake in a
parole hearing, due to signs that
your behavioral modification has
reached a level of - -
PHOENIX
(high pitched)
...Welcome to San Angeles.
(mocking)
Can I suck your big wang chung Mr.
Phoenix?
SMITHERS (CONT'D)
Remain silent! You will speak when
you're spoken too, understand?
Phoenix just smiles.
SMITHERS (CONT'D)
(breathes)
Now, is there anything you want to
say now, Mr. Phoenix?
PHOENIX
Yeah, I do.
(beat; straight-faced)
Teddybear.
The cuffs on the slab OPEN. Phoenix grabs two officers and
SMASHES their heads together before swinging one around and
ramming him through the slab!
Another guard runs up and Phoenix KICKS upwards, catching his
neck
THEN it SNAPS easily.
Smithers watches in horror as Phoenix traces his eyes on him.
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - SAME TIME
L-7
WARNING. Code 187. Code 187.
All the SCREENS flash with '1-8-7'.
Huxley and Garcia walk out of her office, glancing at each
other. Everyone's confused.
HUXLEY
What's a 187?
L-7
WARNING: Code 187. Unsanctioned
Life Termination.
(beat)
Murder. Death. Kill. Murder. Death.
Kill. Murder. Death. Kill.
Their eyes widen and they look at each other.
HUXLEY
A Murder Death Kill?
INT. CRYOPRISON WESTERN WING - SAME TIME
Smithers's head is SMASHED against a panel. His eyes widen as
a laser scans his eye.
Sliding doors open and Phoenix KICKS his back, breaking it.
He goes past, leaving Smithers lying in the doorway.
SMITHERS
H-how...how did you know the
passwords?
Phoenix turns around, looks at Smithers then heads to the
panel in a swift mechanical movement.
He starts pushing a few buttons on the panel quickly.
PHOENIX
I wish I knew.
He stops tapping. Smithers looking horrified as he lies
across the two rooms.
One last button...
And the doors CLOSE. A scream is heard off screen.
ANGLE: SECURITY CAMERA.
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - SAME TIME
Screens KICK into showing And the camera sees the body of
Warden Smithers in black and white.
A lot of the officers JUMP up in shock. Garcia looks like
he's about to be ill and Huxley cringes.
L-7
Deceased: Warden William Smithers.
Do you wish to assign a coroner?
EARLE
(entering)
What is going on?
Huxley darts to a terminal.
GARCIA
We've got at least three Murder
Death Kills sir!
L-7
WARNING: Code 187. Murder. Death.
Kill. Location: CryoPrison car
park. Deceased: Doctor Jonathan
Flatley. Do you wish to assign a
coroner?
Huxley looks up, realising something.
HUXLEY
L-7, track the conveyance on the
security cameras and let us know
when it stops.
L-7
Certainly Lieutenant Huxley.
Behind her, the screens around the top of the room show a
silver rounded dome car speeding through the city.
Earle moves towards another station, typing something with
one hand.
EARLE
L-7, announce to all officers to
follow and intercept the Doctor's
conveyance
HUXLEY
And can you show the security
camera footage of the attack on
Warden William Smithers?
L-7
Certainly, Lelina Huxley.
The screen showing half of Smithers' body REWINDS showing
Phoenix killing him, but his face isn't seen.
Phoenix turns around and immediately the screen FREEZES and
zooms in on his face.
LAMB
It's the Phoenix!
Lamb goes pale and reaches for his right arm.
HUXLEY
Who?
LAMB
Simon Phoenix. An evil that you
could only usually read about.
Fiction made flesh.
HUXLEY
You remember him?
Lamb NODS, moving his chair closer.
LAMB
I was a young pilot back when they
got him. That was before they
started lowjacking those codes into
everyone's hand.
(holds left hand up)
If he leaves that car - then you've
lost him for good.
Huxley bites her lower lip.
HUXLEY
Chief, have the units gone into
pursuit?
EARLE
Yes. I...
L-7
SPEEDING VIOLATION: Stolen
automotive vehicle has exceeded
limit of 25 kilometres an hour.
GARCIA
25 kilometres an hour? How can
people live at that speed?
Earle glares at him and turns back to the panel.
EARLE
All units maintain pursuit!
He looks towards Huxley, who looks back at the video shot at
Phoenix and a HUGE list of crimes and dates rolling by the
side of him. CROSSFADE TO:
INT. CAR - SAME TIME
And Phoenix is driving - self drive activated, tapping into
the computer at a strange speed.
PHOENIX
Shit. How's my piano skills?
The screen shows up entries on 'GUNS'.
CAR COMPUTER
Gun. Noun. Discontinued weapon that
has now been removed from the
mainland US State-Cities.
PHOENIX
What? Motherfucking Liberals!
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
You have been fined one credit for
violating the verbal morality
stature.
PHOENIX
(beat)
What?
(laughs)
Oh I love this fucking place.
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
You have been fined a further
credit for violating the verbal
morality stature. The police have
been informed.
Phoenix cocks an eyebrow. He looks at the screen and he
stares at the screen. Dazed.
MALE VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
Edgar Friendly. Edgar Friendly. You
must kill Edgar Friendly.
Phoenix BLINKS, shaking his head WHEN
The car BUMPS into something.
EXT. ROAD - SAME TIME
The car CRASHES into a line of traffic, SHARPLY. A domino
effect of cars crash into each other, attracting attention
and setting a lot of alarms off.
The drivers get out of the car, seeing the damage and looking
at the stolen car.
INT. CAR - SAME TIME
An airbag has sprung out, living Phoenix relatively unharmed.
CAR COMPUTER
Emergency services have been
informed and heading to your
location.
He takes a breath and KICKS the door open.
EXT. ROAD - CONTINUOUS
He is greeted by a San Angeles citizen
THEN SNAPS his extended arm! He THROWS him around and STAMPS
on his ribs cage.
PHOENIX
They'll let asshole on the road
these days!
He turns around, and the surrounding people turn to PANIC and
run away...just as the SAPD arrive.
PHOENIX (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Oh good, I need a sparring session.
He stands as the police officers, equipped with black shaped
rods of some kind, begin to slowly walk towards him.
The lead officer takes a few steps towards Phoenix.
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - SAME TIME
The officers are all watching, hoping for the best.
EXT. ROAD - SAME TIME
With a deep breath, the Lead Officer takes one step further.
LEAD OFFICER
Simon Phoenix! Lay down on the
ground with your hands on your
head.
Phoenix doesn't move. His smile DROPS.
PHOENIX
No-one tells me what to do.
On that, JUMP CUT TO:
INT. COCTEAU'S OFFICE - LATER
Close up on a SCREEN. Similar to one of those in the
conference room. This one is showing a very pale Chief Earle.
EARLE (ON SCREEN)
(shell-shocked)
A-and it was fun. He had fun with
them. Fine members of the SAPD were
played around like toys...
Watching without emotion, Cocteau sits behind his desk, a
data tablet shows Phoenix's details.
EARLE (ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
I have begun to contact the
families of those officers. B-but I
don't know what to do, sir.
COCTEAU
Chief Earle, this is just a minor
blip in a pitch perfect system. I
do believe that you and your team
can sort out the mess of this...
(off data tablet)
Phoenix character before too long.
EARLE (ON SCREEN)
But sir...
COCTEAU
Now George, you have my blessing
and the city voted you as Chief. My
confidence in you is just, and I
expect whatever ideas you may have
will be creative and will have my
complete and utter backing.
There's a pause.
EARLE
Oh.
(slowly nodding)
Okay sir, thank you. And be well.
COCTEAU
(smiles)
Be well.
Earle's communication cuts out, and Cocteau's smile FADES as
he leans back into his chair.
His office is HUGE and glassy. Two staircases on either side
and a huge window at the opposite end of the office.
Towards the entrance to his office; is ASSOCIATE BOB - clad
in a 'fashionable' multicoloured robe.
BOB
Greetings, sir. I take it the
meeting with Chief Earle has
finished?
COCTEAU
The idiot has his own distractions
to leave me alone for a while.
He flashes a smile to Bob, and off that CUT TO:
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - LATER
There's an odd silence that fills the room. Several officers
are sitting there as Earle looks between them all.
EARLE
So has no-one got any solutions to
the problem at hand?
GARCIA
Sir, we're not trained in how to
handle the physical altercations
that Phoenix...
EARLE
That's not an excuse! He resorts to
violence instead of using his
brain. We have the brains here.
LAMB
(shakes head)
No you don't.
(stands)
Phoenix is a mad-man. But he's not
stupid.
He can improvise, think fast and
see every opportunity of a
situation. All in the half a second
it takes for his bullet to reach
the centre of your brain. He is
smarter than any of us in this room
combined.
HUXLEY
(beat)
Officer Lamb, how was Phoenix
finally apprehended?
Lamb chuckles to himself.
LAMB
After all the years of TV
campaigns, FBI task forces, wanted
posters and even a church gathering
that ended in bloodshed; all it
took was just one man. One cop.
HUXLEY
Who?
LAMB
A cop named John Spartan.
HUXLEY
(wide eyed recollection)
Spartan? The John Spartan?
INT. HUXLEY'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
On screen there's a DOCUMENTARY being shown with a picture of
Spartan in a POLICE ACADEMY UNIFORM.
Watching this is Earle, Garcia, Lamb and Huxley. Huxley
smiles with Earle looking apprehensive.
On the TV, a SHOPPING MALL is seen blown to smithereens.
Spartan walks away, a reporter on his case.
REPORTER (ON TV)
Detective, how can you rationalise
destroying a mall costing several
million dollars for a small girl
who's ransom was only two-hundred
and fifty thousand dollars?
Spartan just looks at the reporter without comment.
Earle just shakes his head.
EARLE
You want to release this-this
murderer to capture Phoenix?
GARCIA
Manslaughter-er, Chief. It's
different from murder.
(beat; to Lamb)
It is, isn't it?
Lamb nods.
HUXLEY
Sir, we can re-instate him with
temporary parole.
EARLE
He's a relic!
HUXLEY
Sir, I can't think of anything else
that we can do. This is in our
power, and Raymond Cocteau said
that we could do anything.
Earle shakes his head, looking to see Spartan beat up four
thugs at once.
EARLE
I want my right to say "I told you
so" to be documented. Understood?
HUXLEY
Understood, sir.
Earle walks off, leaving the three standing in there. Lamb
stares at Spartan on the screen in the background.
ANGLE ON: Spartan in action as the scene CUTS TO:
INT. CRYOPRISON WESTERN WING - LATER
A metal slab echoes vertically. Several prison officers and
SAPD officers stand.
ROTATE AROUND the slab, revealing the prisoner to be JOHN
SPARTAN. He's unconscious.
Huxley nods to a prison officer, and they inject Spartan with
something. Immediately he starts to come to.
HUXLEY
Detective?
(beat)
Detective?
SPARTAN
(hazily)
My wife. What happened to my wife?
HUXLEY
Detective John Spartan, my name is
Lieutenant Lelina Huxley, and the
year is 2046. You are currently in
the middle of San Angeles - -
SPARTAN
(stern)
My wife.
HUXLEY
(hesistant)
She...her life was terminated in
the earthquake of 2010. Well, the
Earthquake.
SPARTAN
Earthquake?
EARLE
We don't have time for this,
Lieutenant Huxley!
Huxley glances to Earle, and then to Spartan.
SPARTAN
San Angeles?
HUXLEY
The San Angeles Californian
Combination State-City. You are in
the centre of what used to be Los
Angeles
Spartan blinks, shakes his head and goes to move - but
realises that he's cuffed to the slab.
SPARTAN
San Angeles? What the...
EARLE
Listen 10,000 BC - you were woken
for one reason, and for one reason
only: to assist in the capture and
arrest of the escaped CryoCon Simon
Phoenix.
On the name: Spartan's eyes WIDEN.
SPARTAN
Phoenix?
HUXLEY
Earlier this morning Simon Phoenix
escaped from parole and has been
causing death and destruction
throughout the central city. We
have tried but we are ill-equipped
to deal with a menance of his
magnitude.
SPARTAN
And you want me to help?
Earle takes a step forward.
EARLE
You have no choice. Either you help
us, or you can easily go back into
your ice-cold prison and finish
your sentence. It is that simple.
Spartan looks at him, then nods quickly. Earle nods to some
officers and the cuffs let go. Spartan takes a breath as he
takes a step forward.
SPARTAN
Give me a moment, I need to take
this in.
(to Garcia)
You! Give me a cigarette.
GARCIA
A what?
HUXLEY
John Spartan, cigarette's are
classed as illegal.
SPARTAN
Illegal? Cigarettes? Are you
shitting me?
BEEP.
MALE VOICE (V.O.)
John Spartan you have been fined
one credit for violating the verbal
morality stature.
SPARTAN
And what the hell...
BEEEEEEP!
SPARTAN (CONT'D)
(louder; points)
...is that?
Huxley winces.
HUXLEY
Anything classed as bad was deemed
illegal. Like smoking and...well,
offensive language.
Spartan blinks. Trying to bother whether to process this
information.
HUXLEY (CONT'D)
We are now a peaceful society,
where crime and bad ways have
pretty much been eliminated from
the public consciousness.
GARCIA
We haven't had a unnatural death in
the city since 2023!
SPARTAN
(sarcastic)
Congratulations.
GARCIA
(smiles)
Why thank you John Spartan!
Spartan quickly smiles. Out of pity.
HUXLEY
We need your help. We are basically
too ill-equipped to deal with
Phoenix.
(sighs)
Not many people have the chance for
redemption detective.
On this, Spartan looks away slightly. A deep breath.
SPARTAN
Fine. I'm in.
EARLE
I am going to regret this. I can
tell.
HUXLEY
Let's get you uniformed to
regulation standards.
She smiles and walks off. Spartan watches her walk, shaking
his head.
SPARTAN
I have no idea what you just said.
As he walks off frame, CUT TO:
INT. SHOWER - MOMENTS LATER
Shots of Spartan having his first shower for fifty years.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
A few things John Spartan. The
first is that all citizens of San
Angeles are required to be coded.
SPARTAN (O.S.)
Coded?
INT. OPERATING THEATRE - LATER
Spartan sits in a gown as two surgeons stand around him. He
looks slightly apprehensive.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
For around thirty years all the
population have had chips placed
into their hands.
His left hand is placed onto a small side table. One of the
surgeons as what looks like a very thick needle.
HUXLEY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It serves for Identification,
Monetary Transactions, Global
Positioning as well as general
access.
SPARTAN (V.O.)
So I guess Big Bro really is
watching us then?
The needle is STUCK into his hand!
INT. WALK-IN WARDROBE - LATER
Spartan walks across a room full of racks with dark blue
jackets.
Now he's standing in front of three mirrors on his front and
back.
MIRROR
Remain stationary, please.
Red beams go down, tracing his body.
HUXLEY (V.O.)
All uniforms are also custom made,
as well as being adapted to predict
changes in body shape or mass.
SPARTAN (V.O.)
Are you saying that if I decide to
eat chocolate cake every hour every
day it'll actually still fit?
HUXLEY (O.S.)
Yes. Though chocolate is illegal.
There's just a SIGH heard as the mirror's scan finishes. A
CLOSE UP on Spartan's unsure face, THEN:
INT. SAPD CONTROL ROOM - LATER
A fully uniformed walks through the main doors, glancing
around. There's a silence as people glance in his direction.
Huxley follows him, smiling weakly.
HUXLEY
John Spartan, welcome to the
central SAPD Precinct Control
Centre for the whole of the State
City.
Looking around, Spartan sees that everyone is looking at him.
SPARTAN
Well everyone thought we'd all have
flying cars by now.
HUXLEY
Well there's only flights in
between -
SPARTAN
Huxley, that was a joke.
HUXLEY
Oh.
As he walks into the room, Spartan takes in the screens,
equipment and all the other stuff that's been going on.
He stops when he notices Earle glancing at him.
EARLE
So caveman, what do you suppose we
do?
SPARTAN
I don't know yet, I've only just
walked in.
LAMB (O.S.)
Is that you Spartan?
Spartan turns around and does a double take.
SPARTAN
(weary)
No...Zach Lamb?
Lamb walks up, smiling. Spartan is slightly unsure how to
take this reunion, when Lamb EMBRACES him in a hug.
One that's quite tight hug. Quite a few people glance wearily
at each other while they hug.
SPARTAN (CONT'D)
Sweet Jesus, man. What happened to
you?
LAMB
Time did.
Spartan rubs his shoulder.
SPARTAN
That's some grip you got.
Lamb raises his right hand and KNOCKS it with his left. It's
metal.
LAMB
It got injured, ending my flight
career before it really began. Then
they gave me a metal one. And with
that, along with a higher life
expectancy and optional retirement,
it means I'm still working for the
man.
SPARTAN
Shit. You were a good pilot.
BEEEP. Spartan ignores it.
LAMB
(shrugs)
Yeah, well - -
EARLE
(interrupting)
Can we please get to the matter of
Phoenix, please?
SPARTAN
(smirking)
Sorry Chief.
EARLE
(shaking his head)
Anyway, we have managed to deduct a
scenario of Simon Phoenix's next
actions. That way we can predict
his next moves.
Spartan SNORTS.
SPARTAN
This'll be good.
EARLE
(glaring)
We have deduced that he'll start to
form underground connections,
building a crime syndicate before
running for mayor.
L-7
That's correct, Chief George Earle.
He smiles.
A deep breath. Spartan covers his mouth before taking a few
steps.
SPARTAN
Well Chief, I have to say that as
guess work goes, that has to be the
most ridiculous piece of crap I've
ever heard!
(beat)
A crime syndicate? Running for
mayor...what are you basing all
this off? Comic books?
EARLE
I have you know that the
simulations were done based on
expert assumptions...
SPARTAN
(quickly)
He's going for a gun.
(breath)
Trust me, you want instant power,
and you want to generate more fear,
you find a gun.
Earle LAUGHS.
EARLE
That's preposterous! There's no way
you can get a gun in this city,
they're outlawed! The only you can
even see a gun is in a museum!
He laughs, then his smile fades as he realises what Spartan
is realising.
SPARTAN
I hope to God that they don't keep
live ammunition in the exhibits...
He turns to walk away, and Earle glares at Huxley and Garcia
who follow him. CUT TO:
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