Switcher

By

Walter H. May
 S W I T C H E R
First, over black, we hear the sound of metal, twisting and
warping as we --

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL ROOM, WASHROOM - DAY

A leaky faucet sputters water. A pair of hands is pressed
flat against the counter top. They belong to a well-suited
man, SAL, who stares at the mirrors reflection, haunted.
Tense breath.
Sal uses the water to damp his hair. He then towels his
hands, closes the faucet, and walks into --

INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

A run-down lodging with a queen-sized bed.
There is a knock on the door. Sal adjusts his tie as he opens
it and --
ZAAAP!!!
25,000 volts rip through his body. A TASER. From nowhere. His
body CLENCHING as it drops --

ABEL and JACOB, 30s, already flooding in. ABEL, the athlete,
grabs hold of Sal before he hits the floor --
JACOB, gloved hands thrusting down on Sals FACE with a
handkerchief. Sals words are choked off, eyes rolling.
Abel kick shuts the door.

EXT. DINGY MOTEL - DAY

A mans voice commands us:

NARRATOR (V.O.)
You got paranoid over a really
stupid thing. You were a dreamer
who got carried away.
And we see MONTE (60s); bookish, pale and haggard with short
nights. He waits by the edge of the road. He pounds the pit
of his stomach. A nervous tick.
 2.

A TAXI crawls between a cluster of parked cars.

The taxi driver pulls down his window:
TAXI DRIVER
Monte?
MONTE
Yeah.
TAXI DRIVER
This was very expensive to get
here, huh?
MONTE
Thanks.

The driver hands him a PARCEL. Monte thanks him, watches him
leave, and scans the rest of the cars. No one suspicious.
He enters one of the motel rooms.

INT. DINGY MOTEL ROOM - DAY

Later. Monte sits at the edge of the bed, snapping a metal
coil into a strange HEADPIECE.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
It put you in the game. And you had
to do what needed to be done.
We see FOUR open parcels on the bed.
Having the strange headgear complete, Monte stands. Ashen.
Silent.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONTD)
In the world of fear and
technology, its not just about
placing the right tool in the right
hands. It's about who uses it
first.

CUT TO:

EXT. CAR PARK, ROOFTOP - DAWN

Out of the staircase, gasping in pain, Monte is led by the
arm by a hulking BODYGUARD type. He is shoved to his knees.
 3.

A BLACK TRUCKS headlight beams on Monte as a spotlight. A

shadow walks in front.
Monte looks up to see a dazzling, mature WOMAN. She retains
remnants of a Russian accent:
YULIANA
You were hard to find, Monte --
MONTE
Look, I cant trust you. You ought
to be smart enough to know that.
YULIANA
Your contact. Hes going to cut you
loose. There won't be a sale.
Monte knits his brow. She smiles.
YULIANA (CONTD)
However, we are still interested.
MONTE
Not good enough. You dont even
know what it is you want. You don't
even know how to use it.
YULIANA
We know enough to protect it.

This piques Montes interest.

MONTE
My contact's waiting for me, and
he'll do a better job than any. I
don't trust your credentials... I
can't trust you at all!
YULIANA
Please. We're not here to kill you.
Feel free to stand.
Monte shakes his head. Looks up at the bodyguard whos tall
as a house. Monte glances back at her. He stands up with
aching knees.
YULIANA (CONTD)
Were one and the same. We analyze
emerging frontiers. If it was any
other day Id have dropped your
case in three seconds.
(MORE)
 4.
YULIANA (CONTD)
But the first thing that hit me was
how your military wasnt so much
moved, but has outright suppressed
your project.
MONTE
It would be diastrous if it were
out in the wild.
YULIANA
Does it matter? They took from you,
while we can offer you sanctuary.
Something not even your contact can
provide, whether you trust him or
not. We have secured a flight...

Monte looks into the womans eyes.

MONTE
Save your pitch for someone who
gives a damn.
YULIANA
What, not good enough?
MONTE
Im not keen on impulse.
Yuliana doesnt know when to laugh now or later.

INT. BLACK TRUCK - DAY

Monte sits in the back. Yuliana sits in the passenger side
while her bodyguard drives.
They park in front of the dingy motel.

Without looking back at Monte, Yuliana speaks softly:

YULIANA
Were here.
Monte hesitates to get out.
MONTE
I need you off my back completely
for a few hours.
YULIANA
Why?
MONTE
There may be some heat.
 5.

YULIANA
FBI? Police? Were outside of every
jurisdiction.
MONTE
You very well know this is bigger
than them.
YULIANA
How do I know you wont run?
MONTE
I know if you really just wanted
the prototypes youd be crossing
off God knows how many laws.
YULIANA
We want the deal.
MONTE
You'll have me. And if it gets too
hot I need you to deliver.
She nods, weakly.
YULIANA
Well be waiting.

INT. DINGY MOTEL ROOM - DAY

Monte enters the room, closes the door gently and peeks
through the drapes. He sees the truck speeding off.
He stays there. Watching.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
She trusted you. She wanted in. But
how could you know she wouldnt
turn on her heels and bite you in
the throat?
Monte looks over the motels desk. Sticky-notes lay plastered
all over. One catches his eye: SAL... #1102.
NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONTD)
You didnt...
He peels it off.
 6.

EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY

Monte on the corner, looking up at a hotel. He holds a small
cardboard box.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY

Monte looks around, unsure. He slows past the elevators.
DING! A COUPLE exits and he quickly slips inside.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY

Monte turns a corner and walks briskly. He reaches the door,
reading: 1102.
A Do Not Disturb sign hangs on the knob.
He ignores this and knocks. No response.
Something registers, looks at the knob, pulls off the sign,
when the door OPENS --
Abel FLASHES out of the shadows, silenced pistol up, AIMING.
ABEL
Listen. Without having to think or
do anything rash, your best bet is
to just come inside. Quietly.
Monte slightly goes wide-eyed. Tries to keep cool.
MONTE
Yeah... sure.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Monte comes in. Abel closes the door and switches on the
lights.
JACOB (O.S.)
Monte. Peel off your coat and sit
down.
Jacob walks forward, grinning. Behind him is Sal, tied to a
chair. Knocked out or dead.
MONTE
Jacob?
(realizing)
(MORE)
 7.
MONTE (CONTD)
What -- whatre you doing out of
county?
JACOB
Let me talk first. Its all set.
MONTE
Jesus. Why do you have a gun
pointed to my head!?
Jacob lifts a hand as he speaks signalling Abel to drop his
arm. Abel complies.
JACOB
You know the stakes and you figured
you could pull some tricks, but
see, your contact wasnt up to
snuff.
(re: Sal)
Hes a crook. But the whole set-up
is right here in the room with you.
MONTE
Do you know what youre saying?
JACOB
Sure I know what Im saying. Im
saying you were contacted by the
Russians, but this is better.
Abel yanks the box from Monte, opens it, and takes out the
strange headgear with coils.
MONTE
What do you have in mind?
JACOB
Itd be preferable if I showed you.
Abel kneels behind Sal. Pulls out an attache case, digs
through it, comes up with a PREPPED SYRINGE and an EXTRA
COIL. Kind of supped up.
He snaps the new coil onto the device.
JACOB (CONTD)
First we target cognitive
functions. Attention. Language.
Emotion. We mustn't forget the
chemical nature of our brains...
Abel inserts the syringe in the back of Sals head, right
where the neck meets the hairline.
 8.

Jacob looks at his watch. Counts seconds.

JACOB (CONTD)
Ready and...
Abel nods, preps the headgear, carefully places it atop Sals
scalp.
He turns it on. Lights glow to life at the coils. A deep
droning sound whirs...
JACOB (CONTD)
Then we stimulate the prefrontal
cortex. Where we control
imagination --

MONTE
And personality.
Jacob faces Monte. Chuckles.
JACOB
In fifteen minutes, he will be a
new man. A new person.
Monte just stands there. His mind going a hundred miles a
minute.
MONTE
Its impossible.
JACOB
Only I just proved it to be a
little more possible.
MONTE
Its an archive.
JACOB
Suppose it is, Monte. What happens
when you add an imbalance? Unleash
that wealth and potential.
Abel snakes his way around Monte.
MONTE
If its reversed... No, there has
to be a dominant persona.
JACOB
(nodding)
An acquaintance of yours.
(MORE)
 9.
JACOB (CONTD)
Someone who lies awake in the dark
and forms ideas on how to change
the world.
Monte stands there. Ice water in his veins.
JACOB (CONTD)
Hey, dont look at me, I just got
into this because I knew a little
something about engineering, didnt
I? I was just a sucker. But you,
you were the first to be archived.
You, Monte, are the dominant one.
Monte looks to Abel. Back at Jacob.
MONTE
Jacob...
JACOB
Thats a name I'll have to get used
to. Say it again.
MONTE
Why are you doing this?
JACOB
Why am I doing this? Why are you
doing this? Think.
Jacob then begins to LAUGH. He spins around and sits on the
bed. Bounces a little.
JACOB (CONTD)
For me to know it works, its got
to have been done before, right?!
MONTE
My God...
JACOB
I remember it all. Young Canadian
with big dreams. Coast to coast
education. First wife. Second wife.
I've even got that password
recovery question; "name of your
first pet?" Tuck Tuck, was it?
He opens his palms to Sal. Presenting him as a trophy item.
MONTE
We scanned dozens of minds.
 10.

JACOB
And I've dozens of memories...

MONTE
I -- I dont know what to say.

JACOB
Say nothing. Walk from it. Drop it.
Your lifes work will continue and
you can cease to exist!
Jacob takes out a pair of car keys from his breast pocket and
tosses them to Abel. Abel leaves the room without a word.
Jacob stands, brushes the lint off his pant leg.

Monte sits down. Quiet. In awe. Watches Jacob approach Sal

and unravel him from the chair.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
Youve wondered a lot of things.
But you never realized you were in
a box your whole life. Sometimes
walls need to be blown open, since
the universe works too slowly to
remove them.

JACOB
(once finished)
Anymore questions?

EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY

Jacob escorts Monte outside the hotel. A sedan pulls up to
the curb, Abel at the wheel.

Monte opens the back passenger door, about to set foot, when
he STOPS.
Across from him, from afar, he sees Yuliana. Shes standing
near her truck. And just beneath the surface, shes confused.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
That was almost beautiful. You
wanted to tell her, You have no
friction whatsoever against the
world we live in. You are like an
ice-skater, an astronaut. You
almost considered her end of the
bargain. But she'd never understand
the potential that was missed.
Yuliana watches Monte get in Jacobs car.
 11.

A beat, then her face registers resignation.

EXT. A GLADE AND WOODS - DUSK

Dappled sunlight, a breeze through second-growth trees, and a

little grassy clearing. A distant CHURCH BELL CHIMES.
Very quiet now.
A glowing cigarette falls to the grass.

Abel sits in the long grass smoking. Watches Monte from afar,
whos out of earshot, ambling around the sedan with his palms
cupping his elbows. Patient. Waiting.
Jacob stands over Abel.
JACOB
You haven't smoked like that in
ages.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Eyes snap open. They belong to Sal. He groggily moves his
head towards the bed.
He sees the device. Waiting for him.

EXT. A GLADE AND WOODS - CONTINUOUS

Abel, legs crossed, passes a cigarette to Jacob. He takes it.
JACOB
You have an idea?
ABEL
I have many ideas. I guess I dont
have to tell you.

JACOB
Yeah.
ABEL
Yeah, you understand? Or do you
mean yeah, to proceed?
Jacob pounds the pit of his stomach.
JACOB
Your call.
 12.

Abel sticks out his hand. Jacob pulls him up and they both
move towards the car.

INT. BLACK TRUCK - CONTINUOUS

On the move. Yulianas fingers curl and uncurl. Her mind

tangled, she cant make words.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Ever looked in the mirror? Who's
that greedy fool staring back? What
if that fool got bored of you? Of
your face? Identity...?

EXT. A GLADE AND WOODS

A metallic glint, and a clicking sound not unlike a gun.
Monte turns around. Faces us.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
But here you stood looking at him,
and the dreamer you had known was
gone. You wondered if he had ever
been there.

CUT TO BLACK.