Photo Not Available (ABC/Disney Studios Fellowship Episode for ALIAS Series)
Posted May 16, 2005 6:44 PM
ALIAS EPISODE: 'PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE'
COLD OPENING
TEASER/ACT ONE
EXT. NOISY 'U' STREET BAR & GRILL WASHINGTON DC-NIGHT-
We observe, moving ever closer from setup perspective shot, a
trendy nightspot for the upwardly mobile in DC, mostly
African American professionals, with assorted other hangers
on; the streets are wet, but it is not raining. A
conservatively dressed black man, shaved head, horn-rimmed
glasses is making his way into the establishment, largely
unnoticed; he does not use a white cane or other such
stereotypical antique but, rather, special glasses derived
from night vision technology, a gift from a friend at DARPA,
DOD's blank check; he has many such connections in the 'well
fed FED', as he calls it.
As he finds his seat at a corner table, he is joined by
Sydney, who is responding to his curious, and curiously
delivered, 'message' introducing himself: a note constructed
in braille, with a comprehensible introductory part, then an
encrypted section.
AUGUST KINGSLEY
Ah, you're here.....
(extends his hand)
SYDNEY BRISTOW
How........
(cut off)
AUGUST KINGSLEY
Sixth sense.
(laughs discreetly)
SYDNEY'S P.O.V.
She scans his face, moderately tinted glasses and the seeming
inattention being paid him, them; she decides it is safe to
talk and then he is seen to order two cocktails for them, she
demurring in favor of mineral water, her voice-over only
being heard aside from the moderate din of the busy
background which is seen via an
INCREASINGLY OUT OF FOCUS PULLBACK:
END OF TEASER/ACT ONE
ACT TWO
INT. NONDESCRIPT HOTEL SUITE-WASHINGTON, DC-DAY
Sydney is downloading some data from a laptop regarding
Kingsley's place of employment; her laptop sounds a beep for
an incoming videophone transmission.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(listens, smiling wryly)
We secure? OK, here goes: 'Office
of Information Technology', in the
feds' alphabet soup, strictly
bottom of the bowl......they call
it 'O', as in zero, 'IT', like put
downs in a game of tag, only this
tag marks you as nonentity, off the
radar.
CIA HANDLER
So he's no alpha male, it's a
bet......
(self-bemusement)
Just how did we deserve this
'favor' he's ready to do for us?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
I copy your skepticism, my read is
the guy's a purist with a genuine
sixth sensibility about the merits
of our work.
CIA HANDLER
Did I hear that right, 'sixth
sense' of what?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Affirmative, he knows about our
mission, right down to the mission
statement......hey, he's at 'IT',
remember? Read I get is that he
has picked up interest in the
Rambaldi caches from quarters in
direct competition with Sloane.
CIA HANDLER
Ok, Ok, relax; he needs more
vetting, let's do some double blind
testing, yes?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Pun intended, right?
(giggle)
Cool, by all means; from where I
sit, he's alright, checks out with
my profile.
CIA HANDLER
Not the profile I worry about, but
the 'front', if you take my
meaning; one more thing, why the
Braille?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
He thought it was the right sort of
symbolism, you know, messages
formed in three dimensional relief,
but it was the history of it....
(cut off)
CIA HANDLER
Yeah......it was invented as a
secret military code in the late
1700's by a French artillery
officer, very clever; you going
ahead with the Sloane meeting?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Affirmative, it's a good way to
test Kingsley's bona fides---he
says Sloane could be ready to deal.
FADE IN:
SHOT: MODERN OFFICE BUILDING IN LA DIRECTORY: 'UNIVERSAL
EXPORTS, LTD.'
Sydney has come to the site of one of Arvin Sloane's many
front 'presences', with the seemingly independent
encouragement of August Kingsley and Francie; she proceeds to
the marbled security desk.
SYDNEY BRISTOW (CONT'D)
Excuse me, how long has Universal
Exports been here?
SECURITY OFFICER
Oh, since '95, they own the
building.
Security man is seen, not heard, to speak into a
communication device.
SEGUE TO:
INT. ELEVATOR TO THIRTEENTH FLOOR-DAY
Sydney proceeds to double office doors, announces her
identity and is shown into a spacious private office; pro
forma pantomime, unheard by audience---background music up.
Arvin is expecting her, seated on his throne, in his
throneroom.
ARVIN SLOANE
(Cheshire smile)
Thank you for coming;
(he motions to a seat)
And, don't worry, no one could
possibly know you're here, with
me....that is.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
You're forgetting that I know I'm
here; for that, I suppose we can
both thank Francie.
ARVIN SLOANE
Yes....a loyal friend...
(cryptic smile)
One shows wisdom in listening to
such a friend.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
The question is, was she wise in
listening to you?
ARVIN SLOANE
Wise enough to wish to help a good
friend fill a deep void in her
life: just who were, are, your
parents?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Oh, I get it: this is the part
where the young, unsuspecting Jedi
in me asserts strong denial of your
dark implication, am I warm, Lord
Vader!?
ARVIN SLOANE
Fair enough, Sydney, I'll be
direct; do you remember ever seeing
a single school photo---or any
other, for that matter---of your
younger self?
He has hit very close to 'home'; she finds herself
rationalizing, hesitantly.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
I'm sure my mom has those......the
few I would sit still for.
ARVIN SLOANE
What if I told you she doesn't have
any, and never did, by design.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(confused)
She has to, unless they were lost,
or destroyed----
(glaring)
is that what I can thank you for:
pretty poor salesmanship, Arvin.
ARVIN SLOANE
Sydney--- or should I call you
Sandy?---- no matter, either way,
you won't have to trust me much
longer.
A well-dressed messenger arrives with a medical file.
ARVIN SLOANE (cont'd)
Ah, here we are; good, now, Francie
should be calling any minute on the
videophone, secure encrypted line,
of course....
(smirks)
The phone receiver device rings; Arvin hits the speaker
button, answering it; we see Francie's face in a nondescript
room.
ARVIN SLOANE (cont'd)
Hello, Francie....
FRANCIE
(sounds nervous)
Yes....hi, uh, has Sydney arrived?
ARVIN SLOANE
Yes, yes indeed; say hello.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(suspicious)
Francie, are you...alright? Where
are you?
FRANCIE
Why shouldn't I be? Listen, I
don't know how Mr. Sloane knows
about me, us, but...well, maybe you
should listen to what he has to
say; he might just be able to, you
know, fill in those black holes we
talked about, in your life.....
(cut off)
Arvin jumps in so as to create the impression Francie may be
in some undefined jeopardy.
ARVIN SLOANE
Thank you, Francie, I'm grateful
for your help.
He hangs up and Sydney loses her cool.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Where the Hell was she! And what
could you possibly know about my
early life.....
(looks at messenger)
And who the Hell is she?
ARVIN SLOANE
She's from the Mayo Clinic....just
flew in with your---our---DNA
results.
(to messenger)
Thank you, would you mind waiting
outside?
Arvin dismisses the messenger with a wave of his hand and
hands Sydney the file; she opens it.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Just how would this, this little
charade of yours prove anything?
ARVIN SLOANE
Well, for starters, any court,
anywhere in civilization would take
judicial notice of this test as
conclusive evidence.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(flustered)
Uh, huh.....and where exactly did
you happen to come by my sample,
and where the Hell's the chain of
custody...?
ARVIN SLOANE
My dearest Sydney, your SD-6
physical, your doctor, remember?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
And yours is, I'm supposed to
believe, is perfectly kosher?!
Arvin, nonchalantly swivels around in his chair, buzzing his
intercom.
ARVIN SLOANE
(into intercom)
Please send in our guest from Mayo.
She's a nurse practitioner, I can
have her swab me, right here and
now, even draw blood.....you may
accompany her to a lab of your
choosing....
(smug)
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(pissed)
Enough! This is no doubt some
Rambaldi-inspired wizard's trick;
what do you...want from me!?
ARVIN SLOANE
(sincerity drenched)
Nothing from you, and everything
for you.
Arvin motions the nurse out and leans forward.
ARVIN SLOANE (cont'd)
I have a proposition for
you......if, after a joint
regressive hypnosis session,
clinically conducted by the best
people---you decide whom----you are
still, with your considerable
agent's skills, the least bit
dubious, this meeting is finished,
back to status quo; do we have a
deal?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(pregnant pause staring)
When, where?.....and, you never
answered me about Francie!
ARVIN SLOANE
She'll be joining us, soon, in the
very near future.....but what about
the present moment, the moment of
truth, as they say: shall we seize
it?
SYDNEY BRISTOW
And, what if my choice is out of
town, out of the country, or just
not available?
ARVIN SLOANE
In a phrase, world-class, on call,
and right here in LA.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Fine, let's get this over with: I
open the phone book and point.
ARVIN SLOANE
Very well, Sydney, uh, Sandy.....as
you wish, but...it may, however,
delay Francie's....arrival; look,
there happens to be an
internationally peer-reviewed
double-blind study under way at
UCLA Medical Center---and I've
never laid eyes on the shrinks
running it.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
And, you just happen to know about
it---more like a double dare,
right, like when I was a kid? Oh,
wait, we didn't take hostages at
gunpoint then, did we?
(a look that kills)
ARVIN SLOANE
Yes.....I try to keep informed,
especially on the chance that you
would accept my....invitation.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(calls his bluff, sternly)
Let's go!
SEGUE TO:
INT.-UCLA MEDICAL CENTER-DAY
SHOT: GLASS DOUBLE DOORS WITH 'DR. IRWIN ROTWEINER, M.D.,
PSYCHIATRY'.
We see Arvin Sloane wince when he spies the name; this should
grant semi-humanity to Arvin and some comic relief. Francie
is there in the inner waiting room, apparently calm and
collected; she and Sydney hug, and Sydney has seemingly
forgotten her deep reservations. She and Arvin are seen being
prepped for the examinations---paperwork, etc.
SHOTS: THEY ARE BEING VIDEOTAPED IN SEPERATE EXAM ROOMS,
DIMLY LIT WITH THE TRAPPINGS OF A SHRINK'S OFFICES, LEATHER
COUCH, ETC.; KEY IS THAT THEY HAVE SEPERATE EXAMINERS, REAL
PROS WHO ARE NO NONSENSE AND CAN SPOT FAKERS, OUT OF ANY
CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER DURING SIMULTANEOUS QUESTIONING ABOUT
HER YOUTH. IN ALTERNATING JUMP CUTS TIMED FOR DRAMATIC
EFFECT: E.G., HE WILL PROVIDE STRATEGIC EXPLANATION FOR HER
KEY EXPERIENCES, ENCOUNTERS, ETC. WHERE SHE CANNOT.
SEGUE TO:
INT. UCLA EXAMINING ROOMS-DAY
Starting with Sydney, she is put under and begins regression.
Her eyes are closed, as in REM sleep, while the examiner asks
her to conjure when she was 18, in high school.....
SEGUE TO:
EXT. PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM/SUBURBIA USA-DAY
Sandy has rushed to school, reluctantly as usual; an
excellent student, she is under-socialized due to extreme
shyness, and has no intention of having her picture taken,
'mom' having given her written notes excusing this as somehow
inadvisable based on her doctor's advice---she's a transplant
to SoCal from NYC, her parents are divorced, dad is living
abroad, or so she believes; uncertain gender awareness and
overall teenage angst heightened by her keen intelligence and
curiosity.
HOME ROOM INSTRUCTOR
All right people, you know today is
class photo day
(embarrassing smile at
Sandy)
so you'll need to be in the gym
early.......have a great day....
ANGLE ON
Sandy, again, has no intention of being there; she makes her
way to the library after her last class has let out early, in
search of her new best friend, a wealthy volunteer at the
increasingly well-endowed library.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
There you are.......there must be
some sort of group gathering; what
shall we talk about today?
SANDY BICHET
Time travel, maybe......for the
last two nights, it's been, well,
weird.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Now, maybe we should slow down
our....readings in certain texts.
SANDY BICHET
Are you kidding......I could use a
lot more, say Camelot, compared
to.......this!
(waves hand, head in
hands)
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Just as long as you
understand......
(cut off)
SANDY BICHET
Oh, please, you don't have to worry
about me------I am the Sphinx----
that is, when I speak at all.
(zips her lips)
SEGUE BACK TO
HYPNOSIS
SESSION:
SYDNEY BRISTOW
(entranced)
She, Helene, she showed
me....strange old books, in ancient
Greek and Latin, mostly...but, I
still felt comfortable, as if I'd
seen them, before....
JUMP CUT BACK TO
REMEMBRANCE:
HELEN BLAVATSKY
That reminds me.....
MUSIC CUE
Cue pop tune, instrumental 5 note refrain, 'Walk like an
Egyptian'. They proceed to a room off the history stacks, to
a locked ornate glass cabinet which seems hermetically sealed
with a faint trace of fog-like dry ice effect when it is
opened. Helene withdraws a large leather-bound tome.
RESUME SCENE
HELEN BLAVATSKY (cont'd)
Beautiful, isn't it?!
SANDY BICHET
This one looks alot like
the....last One you showed me...
(excited)
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Well, they do refer to one another,
as it seems that Abra-Melin the
Jew, writer of that text, is said
to have descended of Moses.....
SANDY BICHET
Who was a Prince of Egypt!
Sandy catches her volume, placing her index finger over her
lips.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(hikes eyebrow)
Yes.....it seems that many of the
magical protocols come to us from
misunderstood , often disguised
writings; see here....
(points to passage)
V.O. OFFSCREEN
Behold, the sage words on no other
than Aristotle:
"Those who would be initiated do
not so much learn anything as
experience certain emotions and are
thrown into a special state of
mind."
SANDY BICHET
Kind of like New York, huh....
MUSIC CUE
Cue tune, instrumental refrain, 'New York State of Mind'.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
I know you're homesick, but, no,
more like the mind of a whole
universe or two.
(smiles knowingly)
You see, my dear, what makes modern
life so.......
(cut off)
SANDY BICHET
Unbearable.....
(drama queen)
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Exactly.....the very word used by
the Greeks to describe life
without.....mysteries.
Helen has paused with the pregnant poise of one who knows
whereof the Greeks---the ancient sort--- speak.
SANDY BICHET
Show me....more.....
FADE OUT.
INT. BEDROOM OF YOUNG WOMAN-EVE.(4)
Sandy has returned home, a framed photo of Dad is prominently
displayed; her mom---a rent-a-mom, referred to cynically as
an 'ap-parent' by Arvin, her employer--- is not home and she
is digesting her fascinating afternoon with Helene.
She has gone to her bathroom mirror, and begun to mimic her
eye make up after the Egyptian style. She then returns to
her bed, assuming a pose she was shown in the text that
afternoon, chanting softly, almost inaudibly....
SANDY IS WITHIN THE WALLS OF A CHAMBER OF SOME KIND; IT IS A
SEPIA TONE DUSK SETTING, TORCHES BEING LIT IN THE DISTANCE BY
A BLURRY VISION OF A BEARDED OLDER MAN; HE IS APPROACHING
HER, GETTING CLOSER; SHE FEELS PARALYZED, AND THIS SEEMS TO
SAVE HER AS SHE IS APPARENTLY NOT SEEN; SUDDENLY HE IS NEAR
HER, TURNS AND HOLDS OUT HIS HAND, IN THE HEBRAIC GREETING
POPULARIZED BY SPOCK THE VULCAN; HE OPENS HIS MOUTH TO
SPEAK......
SEGUE BACK TO
HYPNOSIS
SESSION:
ARVIN SLOANE
Her....'mother'....I had to keep
her away, Russian, deadly....it was
enough for me to handle her, no,
Sandy, she was innocent, she needed
protection; I gave her a mom who
would keep her from harm....and,
Jack, Jack Bristow, he was in
absentia, conveniently, a perfect
cover dad for my benign purposes...
JUMP CUT BACK TO
REMEMBRANCE:
SANDY'S MOM
Yoo hoo, Sand, it's me, you home?
She continues her arrival ritual, oblivious to her immediate
greeting; she opens her closet door, finding Sandy, wrapped
in a sheer boa hanging there.
RESUME SCENE
SANDY'S MOM (cont'd)
Ahhh! You scared the life.....
SANDY BICHET
Ma......mom, hi, uh, how are you?!
SANDY'S MOM
Sur-prised.....what the.....
SANDY BICHET
Mom, I've got real problems......
SANDY'S MOM
It's my fault, I'm never around....
SANDY BICHET
No, mom, it's not about you...it's
just that, I've got a....
SANDY'S MOM
What, my baby?!
SANDY BICHET
A date......and I don't know what
to wear......
A 'THOUGHT' BUBBLE POPS UP NEXT TO SANDY'S HEAD---LIKE IN A
COMIC BOOK,WITH COMIC EFFECT A LA A SERIOUS TOPIC; IT READS:
'I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I GOT HERE!'
Sandy's mom is very relieved, having taken the 'coming of
age' bait Sandy knew would work.
SANDY'S MOM
That's wonderful news, sweetie;
we'll go shopping, Saturday.
SANDY BICHET
The date is Saturday.....look, it's
fine, we'll make do with what we've
got, ok?
They hug; Sandy wins one, again. Parental guilt to the
rescue.
CUT TO:
EXT. PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL-DAY (5)
The boyz have indeed begun to notice, albeit with the usual
'Grease' dynamics; a Latino hunk is hanging out, pretending
he's one of da guys....
BOY ONE
Hey, it's Sandy.....Sandy Beaches,
man.......where we all wanna be,
you pickin up what um puttin down?!
He high fives his pals.
SANDY BICHET
You don't know.....me....no one
does....
BOY TWO
Well, you're right about that,
Sandy......that's the whole point,
right, to....know you, 'bitchette'.
SANDY BICHET
You know...oh, wait, you don't do
you.....Rome was founded by a she
wolf, and your name's not Romulus,
bozo.
Sandy storms off, contemptuously; she decides then and there
to change her 'look' regularly.
CUT TO:
INT. PUBLIC SCHOOL HALLWAY-LATER THAT DAY (6)
Sandy has kept her word; she has radically restyled her hair
in home economics class, dying it deep purple, for power,
with black streaks. This scene is a homage to 'Grease'.
TONY GONZALEZ
Look, Sandy.......I'm glad we're
alone.
SANDY BICHET
That makes one of us.
TONY GONZALEZ
Look, please, I'm not like those
guys, really; I like you.....for
your brain, too.
SANDY BICHET
Well, here's a flash from that very
lofty place: 'this just in, Sandy
doesn't like surfers, or surfing,
unless it's on the net'.
TONY GONZALEZ
Please...give me another shot--
hey, I'll prove what I say is true-
-Saturday night, on our date you
don't yet know about, and, even if
you did, you'd want to cancel....I
want you to meet someone, someone I
know you'd really want to meet,
he's kind of a spiritual guy, a way
cool guru.
SANDY BICHET
Well.......
(smiles)
Alright.
TONY GONZALEZ
(stunned)
Say that again, please, I just like
the sound of it...
SANDY BICHET
I said yes, can you guess why?
TONY GONZALEZ
You're as kind as you are pretty
and smart?
(blushes)
SANDY BICHET
(points at hair)
You didn't notice!
They both laugh, both relieved from the potential tension of
the moment.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM-DAY (7)
Yearbooks are being distributed-----of course, Sandy is not
there; Tony opens his to the Seniors page:
'SANDY BICHET, PHOTO NOT AVAILABLE'
FADE OUT & IN:
INT. LIBRARY STACKS-DAY (2)
Sandy and Helene are @ their usual rendezvous.....
SANDY BICHET
Now, I know you said go slow, to be
careful and, and, I promise you, I
have....
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(smiling cautiously)
Sandy, suppose you take a deep
breath and.....show me what
occurred, precisely.
SANDY BICHET
Sandy literally takes the deep breath, giggling nervously.
SANDY BICHET
Well, I was fooling around with my
eye makeup---the Egyptian look
thing----for this date I have
(blushes)
Anyway, I remembered the heiroglyph
we looked at, and the sort of
haunting chant you read to me......
HELEN BLAVATSKY
You remembered all that?
(impressed)
Sandy's voice is deeper, more mature somehow, albeit not self
conscious.
SANDY BICHET
(almost trancelike)
Like it was branded..on... my
soul......
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(muttering)
As well it should, for it concerns
the feminine soul....of us all,
really....
Helene is herself taken with the moment and its
momentousness. Sandy, still a young girl, albeit keenly
bright, is preoccupied with her date.
SANDY BICHET
I didn't think it mattered to me
all that much.....I'm not
comfortable with boys......
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Please, tell me who is----they are
always boys, you see, our special
little burdens. Continue...
SANDY BICHET
But, there I was, in my mom's
closet, wrapped in some silly old
school boa---no offense.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(self-consciously patient)
None taken, my dear. Sandy, do you
recall anything else?
SANDY BICHET
Oh, yes....sorry, I was in a
chamber, or something, & a bearded
old man was lighting
torches....and, before any real
time, he was near me, doing this...
SANDY FORMS THE SHEKHINA 'VULCAN' GESTURE FOR THE HEBREW
LETTER SHIN, FOR 'SHADDAI'.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(gasps)
It's Mosaic, from the Torah, the
five books.....
SANDY BICHET
I've never seen it before, except
on TV when I was a kid...what does
it mean?
HELEN BLAVATSKY
It is....the shekhina, the feminine
spirit of the almighty. Your
mother, she is a Jewess, correct?
SANDY BICHET
Yes, but, we don't go to temple
really, not since the divorce. Can
we explore this symbol some more,
please.
HELEN BLAVATSKY
(notices clock)
Tomorrow, perhaps, hmmm?
(pensive)
SANDY BICHET
Tomorrow's Saturday, my date,
Monday?
HELEN BLAVATSKY
Certainly, then....Monday.
They hug.
WISTFUL FACE OF HELENE; SANDY IS DISTRACTED BY HER TEENAGE
MINDSET AND DOES NOT FULLY REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING & WHO
HELENE TRULY IS.
FADE OUT.
EXT. BEACH PARTY-EVE.(8)
The usual Saturday night high school crowd is present; Tony
is conservatively dressed, almost old school, well-groomed
when he picks up Sandy. She looks stunning, hair slicked
back, dressed almost flapper-like, but it works.
PARADISE FOUND; A SMALL GROUP SURROUNDS A BEARDED, THOUGHT
BLIND POLYNESIAN MAN, WEARING SUNGLASSES; TONY LEADS SANDY
OVER, ALL EYES ON HER.
From the throng come the usual comments, garbled: 'Who's
that'/'Never seen her around before'.
TONY GONZALEZ
Guys, meet Sandy Bichet.
BOY
You're in the right place!
(nervous laughter)
TONY GONZALEZ
(scowling)
Verrry original!
They sit down on a large Mexican blanket.
EL KAHUNADUDE
Greetings......you're not from
around here.......
(removes glasses)
Sandy maintains her focus on him while the others are simply
enjoying him, a real prankster, as far as they are concerned.
SANDY BICHET
Tony has told me about.....
EL KAHUNADUDE
Don't speak......
Here Kahunadude holds up his hand, in the Spock gesture;
Sandy excuses herself to the restroom, feeling overwhelmed,
flushed....
SHE PUTS WATER ON HER FACE, AND HER MIRROR IMAGE SEEMS TO
GLOW.
In her absence, Kahunadude is to all others his usual jovial
self; when she returns, she is certain he was just shielding
his frail eyes from the setting sun; he is holding court.
EL KAHUNADUDE (cont'd)
.....and, throughout these many
years there has been one thing, one
seeming little thing that gives me
wisdom.....
HE MOTIONS FOR SOMETHING BEHIND A LARGE ROCK: A BEER COOLER.
AS ALL THE OTHERS GATHERED ERUPT IN LAUGHTER, SANDY SEES NO
ORDINARY BOTTLE OF BEER FETCHED FROM WITHIN, BUT THE SPOCK
SYMBOL ON THE LABEL, GLOWING LIKE THE SUN.
TONY GONZALEZ
Sandy, you alright? Sandy....
Sandy almost reflexively raises her hand forming the same
symbol, then faints. After being attended to by El
Kahunadude, he holds a glass to her lips; while it came from
the apparent beer bottle, it is a strange color,
luminous.....
SANDY BICHET
(groggy)
What....happened.....
EL KAHUNADUDE
You were overcome by
the...light.....
TONY GONZALEZ
You mean the heat, right?
EL KAHUNADUDE
(smiles wisely)
She...... understands.
SANDY BICHET
Your medallion, where did you get
that?
Around his neck is a cartouche, featuring the Spock symbol.
EL KAHUNADUDE
Why, I found this in Egypt, at the
temple....I was just drawn to it.
SANDY BICHET
So....was I, or it to me; it's
the...
(cut off)
EL KAHUNADUDE
(stern visage)
Yes, my people have known of it
forever: presence of the feminine
power.......
(smiles)
Why do you think we invent the
hula?!
Laughter from him, then everyone else, but Sandy sees him
wink, perhaps only at her; his lips do not move, but he
'telepaths' to her:
EL KAHUNADUDE (cont'd)
Please to understand, my dear,
these others are mere...mortals,
they do not understand.
Sandy knows somehow what she must do.
SANDY BICHET
Tony, let's take a walk down the
beach....
EL KAHUNADUDE
Yes, the Moon, she will light your
way.
FADE TO WHITE.
INT. SCHOOL LIBRARY-DAY (10)
Sandy has sought out Helene early as she has cut gym class
and the team photo session. She cannot find Helene.
SANDY BICHET
Excuse me, have you seen Ms.
Blavatsky?
No one can seem to find Helene; in fact, now that they are
pressed, they cannot recall her ever having been there before
Sandy transferred in last year.
LIBRARIAN
She's from abroad, you know, very
old family from Eastern Europe....
(interrupted)
LIBRARIAN (cont'd)
Oh, here, this appears to be for
you.
LETTER: 'MY DEAREST SANDY, I AM SORRY I DID NOT HAVE THE
CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE........ACTUALLY, MORE LIKE ADIEU; I'VE
BEEN CALLED AWAY FOR AWHILE ON FAMILY BUSINESS. I PROMISE TO
RETURN AS SOON AS PLAUSIBLE; IN THE MEANTIME, HE....WILL
GUIDE YOU. YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL, HELENE'
The hypnosis session ends with Sandy, and the audience,
wondering---amongst a host of other things---- how did She
know about Him?
SEGUE TO:
INT. ADJOINING RECOVERY ROOM-DAY
Sydney and Arvin are in phase-down after their separate,
lengthy sessions; a white-coated woman enters the room,
relieving the attendant on duty.
RELIEF ATTENDANT
Ms. Bristow, don't be alarmed, but
Mr. Kingsley needs to see you; he's
just next door....
Sydney instinctively trusts him and complies, cautiously,
walking into the private office adjacent; Kingsley sits
there, in the dim light from the window.
AUGUST KINGSLEY
Good of you to stop by.....
(smiles)
SYDNEY BRISTOW
It's you who's stopped by; how did
you....
AUGUST KINGSLEY
You know my stock answer; we
sightless persons have our ways--
what did the prophet say, "you have
eyes, but you do not see". You're
being set up, not sure of the
details, but, now, you gotta
suspend your disbelief, he's into
cloning, humans.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
Rambaldi?
AUGUST KINGSLEY
Wouldn't surprise me, what I
hear...and see.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
From whom, August, I need to know,
and now.
She is adamantine and he is sympathetic, or seems so.
AUGUST KINGSLEY
It's called the Order of the
Reliquaries, and it's quite a bit
older than Rambaldi and his Vatican
patrons.
Let's just say that they're
watching Sloane, closely, and
I'm....locked onto them.
SYDNEY BRISTOW
What's in it for you and your
agency?
AUGUST KINGSLEY
For them, it's easy: budget; me, I
just don't like the idea of a short
balding male playing at being a
deity, do you?
They hear some footsteps; she leaves and returns to the
recovery room; they open the office where Kingsley has been,
he is gone, seen in a wheelchair with a robe on, head down,
being wheeled by his operative down the corridor.
They are back where it all started, on terra firma; Sydney
has remained quiet, somewhat dazed, albeit cooperative,
somewhat traumatized to have learned that her childhood was a
soap opera, whose 'mother' was no more than an understudy.
ARVIN SLOANE
How do you feel, Sandy?
There is no response from Sydney/Sandy. Arvin plows ahead,
at the known risk of deeper trauma.
ARVIN SLOANE (cont'd)
You now see, my dear, do you not:
'has there ever been a man more
misunderstood?'
(waves his right hand to
an opening door)
In walk Helene & El Kahunadude, smiling cryptically yet
warmly.
ARVIN SLOANE
Welcome, my dear child, to....the
next....Phase, Phase 2.
END OF SHOW
NOTE TO PRODUCER(S): WHILE PERHAPS
NAIVE, I ENVISION MADONNA IN CAMEO
ROLE OF HELENE, INASMUCH AS IT AND
THE STORYLINE IMPLY KABBALISTIC
DYNAMICS.