Written by Ian MullenTEASER
FADE IN
INT-ARTIFACT LAB
[We see the scene from 'Once in a Lifetime' where Kim Anderson is killed. The door to the Artifact Chamber opens, revealing the artifact]
KIM: We are at marginal proximity now. No change in core temperature or ambient emissions.
[Stark is stood in the observation room behind her]
STARK: Let's proceed.
[The rover moves into the artifact chamber. The drill comes out]
KIM: Extreme proximity now. Still no reaction from the artifact.
STARK: Moment of truth.
[The laser drill begins to extract a small piece of the artifact. Alarms start going off]
STARK: What's happening in there?
KIM: (shouting) I don't know, systems are offline!
STARK: (shouting) Get them back online!
KIM: (shouting) I'm trying!!
[The Global Dynamics siren goes off]
KIM: Oh my God!
[Radiation like a fireball comes bursting down the tunnel from the chamber-then suddenly it freezes. The camera rotates around Kim and we see the radiation frozen in front of her - the last thing she ever saw before she died. Henry comes over from near the tunnel entrance and stands in front of the frozen image. He tries to touch her face but his hand goes right through. A door suddenly opens, and we see it is a holographic projection in Henry's Garage]
CARTER: Thought I'd find you here.
[Carter comes in, his Jeep Cherokee parked right outside the door]
CARTER: You're not returning my phone calls.
HENRY: Didn't feel much like talking.
CARTER: You know, you can't keep reliving this, Henry, it's been over a month.
HENRY: I know. I can't bring Kim back...either.
[Henry shuts the projection off]
CARTER: Well, you could but... not without unraveling the Universe, so... Sorry. Look, you and I are going to be living with the memory of a timeline that's gone. I know it's gonna seem impossible. And, er, I know it's not going to happen overnight, but I think that you and I should help each other move on.
[Silence from Henry]
CARTER: I mean don't you?
[Henry turns around and heads up to his workbench]
HENRY: Working on it.
[We hear Henry bang a couple of things. Carter just watches]
EXT-MAIN STREET
[Most of the town is gathered on the main street. They are picnicking on the lawns, sitting in deckchairs and Vincent is serving Chili. Taggart is talking to some kids]
TAGGART: Then the Phoenix appears! The fire bird...rising from the ashes.
[There is a boy playing a video game. He shakes his head at Taggart]
TAGGART: The mythical symbol of death; rebirth.
BOY: Mythical's right - the Phoenix is about as real as Bigfoot.
TAGGART: History and cultures are chocker block with stories of the Phoenix. Its sacrifice to the flames begins our salvation. Lest we suffer the flames ourselves...
[The boy looks at Taggart and gulps]
TAGGART: So show a little respect lad.
BOY: Okay.
EXT-MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS
[Beverly comes out of Café Diem and takes a shot of something. She sits down and looks out over the street. Wayne Kwan walks past and the camera follows him. He heads up to where Vincent is serving Chili and holds a bowl up]
WAYNE: Another refill, Vincent.
VINCENT: That is my famous 5-alarm Chili, Wayne... You may wanna go easy, er, try a lobster button?
WAYNE: I've been fighting a cold. Spicy food cleanses the evil spirits. The hotter, the better.
[Vincent pours some more into his bowl]
VINCENT: Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you!
[He walks away eating and the camera stays still, revealing Deputy Jo Lupo and Zoe Carter. For the record - Jo has a large pistol bouncing off the side of her thigh as she walks]
ZOE: Why don't you just go talk to him?
JO: (laughs) I can't. Ya know, everything is all weird with us now... Maybe it was just a one-time thing; ya know, adrenaline - heat of the moment...
ZOE: Making out with Taggart - more like a moment of insanity.
JO: Not so loud! Okay, I really need some outside perspective here. Please?
[They stop walking]
ZOE: You want perspective?
JO: Aha.
ZOE: You hooked up with a guy whose age difference with you is the same as me and my dad.
[Silence. Taggart waves to Jo. She gives a quick wave back]
JO: That did it. Thanks.
ZOE: You're welcome.
[Jo walks off. Zoe continues walking along the street. Stark and Fargo are walking alongside the decking of Café Diem. The camera stops following Zoe and focuses on them. Stark looks out over the street, showing a burn on his face. Fargo looks left and notices Beverly on the decking. The camera focuses on her chest, then pans up to her face mimicking Fargo]
BEVERLY: Need something Fargo?
[Busted. He tries to get out of it]
FARGO: Er, what, er no! I mean-
[Stark notices what's going on and looks back. After a couple of seconds he turns his head back around leaving Fargo to deal with it himself]
FARGO: -I was just gonna go get some food. Er, do you want anything?
BEVERLY: I'm good.
FARGO: (nods) Okay then.
[He walks forward and past Stark]
ALLISON: Nathan!
[He turns around and we are shown Allison and Kevin Blake walking up to meet him]
ALLISON: I didn't expect to see you here!
STARK: Well, I didn't expect to be here but my ears finally stopped ringing - I thought I could use the distraction.
ALLISON: Well, its good that you came!
STARK: (smiling) Yeah.
ALLISON: So how are your burns healing?
STARK: Surprisingly well actually. My last treatment's tomorrow. I take it there's no news from the disciplinary committee?
ALLISON: It's the Department of Defense - nothing happens quickly.
STARK: Well, it was my call to sample the artifact; Kim Anderson died as a result.
[Beverly overhears what they are talking about and listens in]
STARK: As did the artifact. Someone has to take the fall.
ALLISON: Nathan, it was an accident. Let's just wait to see what the results are before we jump to worst case scenarios.
STARK: Gonna head back to the lab, take one last look at the artifact just in case.
[He walks away]
EXT-MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS
[Henry and Carter are walking along the sidewalk]
CARTER: Look, I don't necessarily forget about what happened; I think it would be wrong. I mean, horrible. But I do think that we should look on the positive side.
HENRY: Positive?
CARTER: Yeah!
HENRY: Like?
CARTER: Like, erm...the little things; you know for the next four years we're gonna know which movies suck before they even come out; we're gonna know where bad guys are gonna do bad things before they even happen. We're gonna know, er, the ou-er-the outcome to every major sporting event - huge financial upside!
HENRY: Jack, I don't think you understand - that life is gone! We are not likely to relive many of the same events again.
CARTER: We've had this picnic before. Right? As a matter of fact tonight is the night that I ask Allison out for the first time. I remember that because Vincent was right over there making the same lobster-balls...
HENRY: Buttons.
CARTER: Bu- Oh...whatever.
[Carter notices Wayne Kwan]
CARTER: Oh, and, er, see the sweaty Asian guy here - he's gonna trip on that kid's hover-thing and spill his chili all over that guy's t-shirt. And I know that because tomorrow when I go to the dry-cleaners to get my clothes for the first date with Allison he's gonna be complaining about how the stains didn't come out of his, er-
[Wayne wanders forward through Carter's little speech, not paying any attention to where he is walking. He does exactly as Carter predicted - he tripped on the hover board that next to Dr. Ryan Brock who is sitting in a deck chair. The bowl of Chili lands right on his chest. Carter raises his hands in the air in celebration]
CARTER: Yeah!
HENRY: Oh Jack, you have to take a step back. Granted some things may occur in a similar way but they are gonna diverge more and more.
CARTER: No-
HENRY: You lived through four years of a timeline that was erased because you stopped me from doing the thing that created it - saving Kim. And the very fact that we're having this conversation means things are going to change.
[continuous]
TAGGART: Everybody get ready!
[Everybody stands up or turns around and looks up at the sun. They put strips of metal on the bridges of their noses and then push them - strips of black material pop out covering both eyes like sunglasses]
TAGGART: (to himself) The moment...has arrived.
[We see an eclipse of the sun through the glasses - which are in fact more like binoculars, zooming in on the eclipse. The town falls dark as they all stare into the sky]
TAGGART: (to himself) There she is! The firebird!
[We see flares spout out of the eclipse, forming a wing-like shapes at each side. Jo and Zoe look at each other; Allison holds Kevin's shoulders - they can all see it. We see Wayne - he looks really ill, and after a few seconds he pulls the shades off, returning to his normal glasses and begins wandering through the crowd of people]
CARTER: Well, so far everything's happened exactly the way it did last time including the fact that I still can't see Taggart's crazy firebird...
[Back to Wayne... he reaches the back of the crowd and holds his head. His face starts to bubble and emit smoke. We are then put in front of the crowd, and whoosh!! Flames shoot up from behind them. Everyone shoots round and Carter and Henry shoot through the crowd. They get to the back, with Jo right behind them, to find what little remains of Wayne Kwan scorched into the road]
CARTER: Okay, that's new...
FADE OUT
END OF TEASER
CREDITS
EXT-MAIN STREET
[The street is less populated now that the main event of the day is over. Allison and Vincent are stood next to Carter and Henry, who are crouched down examining the remains]
ALLISON: So no one saw what happened?
CARTER: No. All our eye-witnesses were staring at the sun.
[Carter lifts Wayne's glasses out of the remains using a pen]
HENRY: There's not much tissue left but I can run a DNA sample and get an ID.
[Carter shakes his head and lowers the glasses back into place]
CARTER: Nah, I know who it is. It's, er, fat sweaty Asian guy.
VINCENT: What!?
ALLISON: Carter!!
CARTER: I'm being descriptive; if I knew his name I'd use it.
VINCENT: His name is Kwan. Wayne Kwan.
ALLISON: What!? Are you sure?
VINCENT: Yeah, he was on his third bowl of five-alarm Chili - fourth if you count the one he spilled on Dr. Brock.
CARTER: (to Allison) You okay?
ALLISON: Yeah-that's Kevin's occupational therapist, he's been working with him for years. I don't know how I'm gonna tell Kevin that he's gone.
[Allison leaves as Jo comes up to them]
JO: What's up?
CARTER: So, what - he get to close to a barbeque?
HENRY: None nearby.
CARTER: Er, drop a cigarette?
VINCENT: (makes a noise to signal no) Wayne was asthmatic, he never touched them.
[Carter thinks for a second, and then heads over to Vincent's table]
CARTER: Vincent, do you have any special ingredients in that, er, five-alarm Chili?
VINCENT: Like what?
CARTER: I dunno, alcohol, rocket fuel, whatever else you cook up in that chemistry lab you call a kitchen?
VINCENT: I'll have you know I come by my spice naturally.
CARTER: Without a doubt, but that guy ate three bowls of your Chili and burst into flames so if it's not too much trouble, I'd love a sample.
[Vincent nods]
VINCENT: Cool. Help yourself.
[Vincent walks into Café Diem]
CARTER: Henry, you wanna test it for me?
HENRY: It's what I live for.
[Carter looks as if to say "wahh?"]
JO: Well there is another possibility...
CARTER: What's that?
[She says nothing, but hints towards Taggart]
CARTER: Arrwww, you're not buying into Taggart's crazy firebird fairytales?
JO: You've gotta admit, the timing was a little disturbing.
HENRY: There are documented incidents of combustion when certain chemicals are exposed to sunlight but in this case most of them would have been in his G.I. tract. He also spilled a bowl, so...
JO: So...maybe there is something to this Phoenix thing?
[Carter accepts defeat]
CARTER: Fine. Go talk to Taggart, but don't get your hopes up.
[Carter goes to leave, but Jo seems confused]
JO: Err...talk to Taggart? By myself?
CARTER: Why, do you have a problem with that?
JO: (pretending to be confident) No, er, you just never let me follow up on my own leads, so...
CARTER: Jo, you've done this dozens of times over the years.
JO: What years?
[Henry clears his throat to signal Carter, who has confused the two timelines]
CARTER: Well...you know... I mean no time like the present! I've have great confidence in you.
JO: Er, great.
[They separate, heading in different directions]
HENRY: See, we're not in Kansas anymore.
[Reference to 'The Wizard of Oz.' They walk past the remains as scientists are now studying them]
EXT-ROAD TO BLAKE RESIDENCE
[Carter is driving to Allison's home. He heads up a hill and turns into the driveway. He climbs out of the car and heads in]
INT-ALLISON'S HOME
[Allison and Carter head up to a room where Beverly is explaining to Kevin about Wayne Kwan's death]
CARTER: How's Kevin doing?
ALLISON: Shh, I asked Beverly to come over and help him process the news.
CARTER: Oh.
[Beverly and Kevin are sat at a table as Carter and Allison walk up. Kevin is drawing]
BEVERLY: Kevin, has your mom told you what happened to Wayne?
KEVIN: He's gone.
BEVERLY: Yeah. Yeah, I'm afraid he is. How do you feel about that?
KEVIN: Will I still see the other man?
[Beverly and Allison are confused]
BEVERLY: What other man?
KEVIN: (looks up at her) The man downstairs.
CARTER: (to Allison) Do you know who he's talking about?
ALLISON: No, his sessions were always one-on-one.
BEVERLY: Kevin, can you tell me the name of the man?
[Kevin continues drawing, appearing to ignore her]
BEVERLY: Kevin?
KEVIN: I don't know.
BEVERLY: (nodding) Okay.
[She gets up and walks over to Carter and Allison. She shakes her head]
BEVERLY: I don't wanna push him. It's an awful lot for him to process at one time. He may even be making up this other man as a defense mechanism.
CARTER: Well, thanks for coming by, we really appreciate it.
[Oops... Both women give him a look]
CARTER: And...by we I mean just all of us-
[He raises a hand to rest himself a wall, hits the cupboard and lowers it again]
CARTER: -yano, in Eureka. (Allison shakes her head) It takes a village.
BEVERLY: Okay...I might be making a lot of house calls in this village today! (to Allison) I'll see ya tomorrow.
ALLISON: Thank you Beverly.
[Beverly leaves just as Carter's cell phone rings. He answers. During the phone call, the show cuts between the Sheriff's office and Allison's home]
CARTER: Hey, it's Carter.
JO: I just talked to Taggart, and he thinks he may know what happened to Wayne.
CARTER: Alright, I'll be right there.
[Carter runs out leaving Allison in the room with Kevin. She looks at him as he draws]
EXT-TAGGART RESIDENCE
[Taggart carries a bucket over to where Carter and Jo are stood]
TAGGART: I call it 'The Phoenix Effect.' When the firebird appears, solar flares emit high energy exotic meson particles. Under the right atmospheric conditions, you can get spontaneous combustion.
[Jo and Carter exchange a look. Taggart then empties out his bucket. The contents disgust Carter]
CARTER: Is-is that human?
TAGGART: 'Course it is. Freshly grown skin grafts from the bio-chem burn unit. Now watch!
[Taggart grabs a rifle from a bag. He walks back over and holds it up against his shoulder]
TAGGART: Uni-directional meson particle emitter.
[He looks pleased with himself, and then points it at the flesh on the ground]
TAGGART: (doing as he says) Turn up the juice...
[He fires and two thin rays of light fire hit the flesh. It starts breaking up and he stops]
TAGGART: The Phoenix rises!
[Boom! It explodes all over them. Taggart got off lucky, but Jo and Carter are covered. A large piece is stuck to Carter's cheek]
CARTER: I hate you.
TAGGART: You're welcome. Well, mystery solved.
CARTER: Except why did it only happen to Wayne Kwan?
TAGGART: Interesting point...
CARTER: I'm gonna go shower. (turns around) I'm covered in human.
INT-SMART HOUSE
[Carter is taking a shower; Zoe is stood outside waiting for him to take her to a concert]
ZOE: Dad, it's been twenty minutes - I need you to take me to the concert.
CARTER: Zoe, I'll be out in a minute.
SARAH: Allison Blake is calling, Sheriff.
CARTER: Oh, great! Put her through!
ZOE: Oh, yeah, please, take your time.
CARTER: Hey, Allison, can you hear me?
[She appears on a screen behind him. She looks away from her monitor]
ALLISON: Erm, er, yeah, I can do more than hear you.
CARTER: (turns round, realizes) Oh, (laughs) sorry - yeah, hey.
ALLISON: Hey. Could you put that away please?
[Carter realizes, slaps his arms across his genitals and ducks down]
CARTER: Oh!! Right, erm, Sarah, no video-phone in the bathroom!
ALLISON: Any idea what happened to Wayne Kwan yet?
[Carter is now buckling his belt]
CARTER: Henry's testing the chili and Taggart thinks the fire was caused by an eclipse.
ALLISON: Er, that's impossible.
CARTER: Yeah; has impressive visuals though. Erm, anything more on the er, er, the man downstairs that Kevin was talking about?
ALLISON: No, I checked Global - Wayne wasn't working with anyone else. I dunno, maybe...maybe Kevin did make it up.
CARTER: Huh. Do you have access to the GD phone records?
ALLISON: Yeah, why?
CARTER: Well, I figure if we could find out who he was talking to, he might tell us something.
ALLISON: Alright, hold on while I pull it up.
CARTER: Alright, take your time.
ZOE: Okay, you know what, now you're just mocking me.
[Carter opens the doors and hands an astonished Zoe the car keys]
CARTER: Drive yourself.
ZOE: Really?
CARTER: Yeah, but...if you're not home by eleven, you will be sleeping in a jail cell.
ALLISON: Carter...
CARTER: (quiet to Allison) I'm not gonna make her sleep in a jail cell.
ALLISON: She's only fifteen.
CARTER: (pause) Right. Which obviously means that you don't have a license.
ZOE: Yeah, well I won't tell if you don't.
CARTER: Well, I was testing you. And I'm disappointed you failed.
[He takes the keys back off her]
ALLISON: Carter, there are a bunch of calls to a chemist - Rob Matthew, but he works in section five. Why would he be talking to Kevin's therapist?
EXT-MATTHEW RESIDENCE
[Carter and Jo walk up to the front gate. They start talking as Jo opens the gate and they both step through and head towards to front door]
CARTER: Nice place!
JO: Yeah, Section Five guys say they don't get the best houses - but they do.
CARTER: Well I live in an underground bunker which has more opinions than my ex-wife.
[Jo laughs]
CARTER: I'd be thrilled just to have a window.
[Carter knocks on the door and they both turn around. Carter looks right, then left, then at Jo, who has been concentrating on something]
JO: Do you smell smoke?
[Carter tries the door. Unlocked. They stick their heads in the door, which creaks as it opens]
CARTER: Dr. Matthew? (nothing) Is everything okay?
[They step inside the door and look around. Jo spots something]
JO: Oh, Carter!
[He sees it too, and they both walk into the front room]
CARTER: Oh no...
[There is a burn mark the size of a human's back on the back of a chair still smoking]
CARTER: (shouting) Dr. Matthew?
[He spots another burn mark, of a hand, on a wall next to a back door. The back yard is filled with smoke. Carter and Jo walk out and down to the swimming pool. The camera slowly moves down, eventually revealing what is left of Dr. Matthew smoking in the middle of the pool]
CARTER: I guess that would explain why he didn't answer his phone...
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS - LAB
[Dr. Matthew's remains are laid on an exam table surrounded by Henry, Jo and Carter]
JO: You know, if Taggart's right about the Phoenix, everyone could be in danger.
CARTER: Ohh, it's not the stupid Phoenix.
JO: After everything we've seen, how can you say for sure?
CARTER: Well, because Taggart said that the combustion was caused by meson (pronounces it wrong) particles coming from a solar flare; I'm no astrophysicist but I don't think there are a lot of solar flares inside a house.
HENRY: He's right.
JO: (surprised) Really?
CARTER: Could you not act so surprised!
[She shrugs and throws a look his way. Henry tries to get them back on topic]
HENRY: Think of it as getting a sun burn. The sun's rays burn you from the outside in, this guy's burned from the inside out.
[He walks over to a computer screen showing a head and points at a part of the brain]
HENRY: Now this is where the initial combustion happened, radiating from here - the frontal lobe.
CARTER: So their own minds did this to them?
HENRY: Yeah, it's like a power surge in the body's electrical system. Think of the brain as the microprocessor and the, er, body as the motherboard.
CARTER: So...then food would be the energy source, great. Have you, er, tested Vincent's chili yet?
HENRY: Digesting the beans in the chili would release methane-
[Carter throws his hands up, believing he is correct]
HENRY: -which is extremely flammable except then the burning would have started in the GI tract and not in the brain.
JO: So we're back to they just burst into flames for no apparent reason!?
CARTER: Everything has a reason, we just haven't...figured it out yet. (pause) Well maybe that's the thing we should be looking for.
[They both look at him]
JO: What's the thing?
CARTER: Well, all this time we've been assuming this thing was an accident. What if someone had a reason to want them dead?
[Henry looks at Carter, then at the remains]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS - MEDICAL LAB
[A nurse runs a device emitting a light over Stark's scars. When she switches it off, the scars appear to have disappeared]
NURSE: That should do it Dr. Stark. (Stark nods) You can't even see the scars.
[The nurse hands him a mirror. Carter comes in as Stark looks at himself in it]
STARK: Yep. All better.
CARTER: Time for your monthly botox injection?
[Stark stands up]
STARK: Hello Sheriff.
CARTER: Really - no comeback?
STARK: Just not in the mood.
CARTER: Alright.
[They leave the lab, and head along a corridor whilst talking]
CARTER: There was another fire last night. This time we lost a researched named Rob Matthew.
STARK: What the hell's going on?
CARTER: That's what I'm trying to figure out. I mean, two guys burn to death within eight hours. I'm guessing it's related. Were they working on anything together?
STARK: I doubt they even knew each other - Wayne was an occupational therapist in Section One; Dr Matthew studied biotechnology in Section Five.
CARTER: Well we found a number of inter-office phone calls between them, they must have been talking about something.
STARK: Can't imagine what it would be.
CARTER: I'm gonna need a list of names. Anyone they had contact with; friends, family, co-workers, enemies - all of it.
STARK: Are you saying someone did this to them?
CARTER: When something seems too coincidental, it usually is.
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS - CONFERENCE ROOM
[Allison is talking to a Department of Defense representative on a video call]
ALLISON: Dr. Stark is one of the finest scientists Eureka has ever known and I think that his past contributions should be considered in your review.
D.o.D. REP: Yet the fact remains that Dr. Stark's decision to sample the artifact cost millions of dollars in damage and the life of another of Eureka's finest scientists.
ALLISON: Eureka is the place where we push the boundaries of human understanding every day and it is...hypocritical to punish Dr. Stark for doing his job.
D.o.D. REP: Are you speaking as a D.o.D. liaison or his wife?
ALLISON: (annoyed) Ex-wife. And I believe that my track record shows that our personal history has never interfered with my professional judgment.
D.o.D. REP: Given the magnitude of this incident, I'm afraid the Committee has no choice but to appoint a new head of Global Dynamics effective immediately.
[They sit in silence for a couple of seconds]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS - FOYER
[Carter and Stark walk out of one of the elevators and up the steps towards his office]
STARK: Why would anyone wanna kill them? (pause) In such a public way?
CARTER: Aww, I dunno. I guess this is where this thing called investigating comes in... Look, I need to know who they work with and what kind of research they were doing.
[Stark is trying to do something on his tablet computer, but it is just beeping in error]
CARTER: What's wrong?
STARK: I'm having a little trouble logging in - system error.
CARTER: Oh, well, you sure you have access?
STARK: There's nothing in this facility I don't have access to.
[When they reach the top they meet Allison]
CARTER: Hey, Alli.
ALLISON: Car- erm...Alli?
CARTER: Oh! Ye,ye-...I'm trying something a little less formal.
ALLISON: I'd prefer you didn't.
STARK: So would I!
[Stark raises his head, quickly smiles at Carter, and lowers his head again]
STARK: (to Allison) I can't get in the database, any idea what's wrong?
ALLISON: Yes...the Committee has reached a decision.
[Stark stops trying to access the database and looks up at her]
STARK: And you're the messenger.
ALLISON: I'm sorry, Nathan.
STARK: Have they...found my replacement yet?
ALLISON: Actually, they have.
[Stark nods]
STARK: Anyone I know?
ALLISON: Yes ... me.
[Carter, who has been a mere spectator for this whole thing, looks from Stark to Allison]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS - CONFERENCE ROOM
[Carter and Allison walk in]
CARTER: This isn't right.
[Stark appears behind them]
STARK: I'll say.
ALLISON: Thanks for the vote of confidence.
CARTER: No, I didn't mean that. It's jus-
ALLISON: (to Stark) I just defended you, Nathan.
STARK: Looks like you defended me right into promotion for you.
ALLISON: The only reason you're not being redacted and escorted to the city limits is because of me.
STARK: (sarcastically) So I should be thanking you?
CARTER: Guys! Bigger issues-
[They both ignore Carter]
ALLISON: Damn right you should be. You were obsessed with the artifact and it cost Kim's life; I mean what did you expect?
STARK: I dunno. Not this. Good luck, Allison.
ALLISON: Nathan, t-
[Stark walks out of the room, leaving just Allison and Carter]
ALLISON: Right, what do we do?
CARTER: Well we cross-check anyone Wayne Kwan and Rob Matthew had in common to see if they were targeted.
[Allison looks upset, Carter notices]
CARTER: You okay?
ALLISON: Yeah, let's just erm...let's just find those names.
CARTER: Sure.
[She starts entering info on a keypad; we see the info on the monitor]
CARTER: I dunno if this helps, but I believe things work out the way they're supposed to. You just have to have a little faith.
ALLISON: Yeah well...I don't have a lot of faith these days.
[Carter nods at her. The monitor is beeping. After a short pause, Carter reacts]
CARTER: G-go back. I know that guy. (we see Dr Brock on screen) That's the guy Wayne spilled his Chili on yesterday.
ALLISON: Ryan Brock, biotech Section 5. He worked with Dr Matthew.
CARTER: What were they working on?
ALLISON: (she sighs) The origins of the artifact.
CARTER: That things nothing but trouble.
[She starts dialing her cell phone. As she puts it to her ear-]
ALLISON: Tell me about it.
[Carter continues to look at the screen]
CARTER: I've seen him somewhere else too...
ALLISON: (over cell) Yeah, hi, this is Allison Blake. Can you send Dr Brock up to see me please? (pause for answer) Really, when? (pause for answer) Okay, thank you.
[Allison hangs up and turns to Carter]
ALLISON: He left for the day - with a fever.
CARTER: Awwhhh...
[Carter runs out, Allison right behind him]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS
[Stark has gone down to the Artifact chamber. Two security officers are in the security room]
OFFICER: Good afternoon, Doctor Stark.
STARK: Good afternoon.
[The security officer scans his face and then hits a couple of keys on a computer. We see Stark's eye on the computer screen. A box pops up]
RED FLAG:
ACCESS DENIED
[The security officer is confused, and looks at Stark blankly. Stark remains casual; he of course knows he is not supposed to have access anymore]
STARK: Is there a problem?
OFFICER: Sorry sir, for some reason your access is coming up denied.
STARK: Well, I'm pretty sure it's me, why don't you just perform an override?
OFFICER: Regulations require special authorization for that, sir.
NATHAN: And who would you get that special authorization from?
OFFICER: Well- (he realizes) ...you...
[Nathan smiles and walks past him]
STARK: Gotta love the irony.
[He pats the security officer on the shoulder and continues walking]
INT-SHERIFF'S OFFICE / GLOBAL DYNAMICS
[Carter is talking via walkie-talkie with Jo Lupo. The scene changes between the Sheriff's Office and Global Dynamics]
CARTER (O.S.): Hey Jo, it's Carter, over.
JO: Lupo, what's up, over.
CARTER (O.S.): Keep your eye open for a Doctor Ryan Brock. He's gonna be driving-
[He puts the walkie-talkie in front of Allison's mouth for her to complete the sentence]
ALLISON: -a black Subaru forester.
JO: What did Brock do?
[Carter returns the walkie-talkie to its original place in front of his mouth]
CARTER: Er, more was done to him, just like Wayne and Matthew. We might have another fire brewing. We're gonna go to his house right now.
JO: (nods) Got it, over.
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS
[continuous - Carter and Allison are heading across the main lobby]
CARTER: Wait... (to himself) Wayne...
[He pulls the walkie-talkie back up to his face]
CARTER: Scratch that, we're gonna, er, stop at the dry cleaner.
ALLISON: Wai-wai-wait, how do you know that?
CARTER: Well, I bumped into Brock at the dry cleaner the day we had our f-
[Carter realizes: wrong timeline]
CARTER: First, er...
ALLISON: First what?
CARTER: Nothing. (pause) I just know.
[They head out]
EXT-MAIN STREET
[Outside the dry cleaners, Carter roars up in his Jeep, he and Allison jump out and they head towards the front door until they hear a horn behind them. Brock is in the middle of the road with a car honking its horn at him]
ALLISON: It's Brock!
CARTER: Damn, what's he doing over there?
[They run over to meet him. His walking is weird and he is holding his hand to his head. Carter and Allison finally arrive in front of him]
CARTER: Doctor Brock! Hey, yeah, glad we could catch up with you. You okay?
[Allison puts her hand around his neck to feel his temperature]
ALLISON: He's burning up, I'll call the paramedics.
BROCK: Actually, I'm not feeling so hot.
CARTER: (to Allison) Er, maybe get the fire extinguisher...
ALLISON: Yeah...
[She runs inside Café Diem to find one]
BROCK: Fire extinguisher? What's happening to me here?
CARTER: We don't know, but it's the same thing that happened to Wayne Kwan and Rob Matthew.
BROCK: Rob too?
CARTER: (nods) Yeah.
BROCK: Oh no!
[He starts to shake]
CARTER: Yeah, who would wanna do this to you?
BROCK: I don't know.
[Brock appears to be getting worse by the second]
CARTER: Take a seat.
[Carter burns his hands on Brock's back as he leads him onto the decking. He pulls his hands back quick]
CARTER: Ow!!
[Doctor Brock's face starts to bubble and melt]
CARTER: Dr. Bro- Everybody clear out! Allison!!
[Flames erupt and Brock falls to the ground on the decking. There are flames everywhere and two citizens are caught in the blaze. Carter pulls a jacket off a chair]
CARTER: Over here!
[A woman with her leg on fire dives out and Carter starts patting her down with the jacket, trying to put the fire out. Suddenly, Allison and Vincent come running out of Café Diem and Allison starts putting the fire out with the extinguisher]
INT-SHERIFF'S OFFICE
[Carter, Allison and Jo are in the Sheriff's Office talking about what just happened with Dr. Brock]
JO: Carter, you tried to save him.
CARTER: I screwed up. If I'd been...a little sooner, I...I'm having trouble keeping the...times straight; everything's changed.
[Allison and Jo look at each other and then back at Carter, confused]
ALLISON: What are you talking about, what's changed?
CARTER: Oh, just...something Henry was saying.
[They're still confused. After a brief pause, Carter thinks of something]
CARTER: Henry...
[Still confused]
JO: What about him?
CARTER: That's where I've seen Brock before. (pause) Aww man.
[He gets up and runs out of the office]
INT-HENRY'S GARAGE
[Henry is working when Carter comes in]
CARTER: Hey Henry, whatcha working on?
[Henry takes off his protective goggles and lays a cloth on top of his work]
HENRY: Jack, hey. Er, just tinkering. What's up?
CARTER: Well, that's what I'm trying to find out, and I...sincerely hope I'm wrong.
HENRY: About what?
[Carter seems hesitant]
CARTER: Could you, er, run the hologram? Just I need t-something I need to see.
HENRY: I thought you wanted me to leave it off, move on and all that.
CARTER: I did, but I just realized what our victims have in common. So...turn it on. Please.
[Henry stands up and pulls the switch out of his pocket. He presses the button on the hologram of Kim's death appears. We see Kim come walking in to meet Stark. Henry and Carter watch closely as two young scientists come in and start looking over a clipboard]
CARTER: Stop it there.
[Henry pauses the hologram. Carter walks down and into the scene, right up to the two scientists]
CARTER: It's them. It's Brock and Matthew.
HENRY: Hey, look at that!
[Henry heads down to join Carter]
CARTER: You telling me you didn't know?
HENRY: Yeah. What are you saying?
CARTER: I'm saying everyone in this room could be held responsible for Kim's death. I ruled out the accident; I ruled out the eclipse. I ruled out the Chili, or should I say you did.
HENRY: You think I'm capable of murder?
CARTER: Well you risked the Universe for her once, is it really that different?
HENRY: Taking a risk and taking a life are two very different things and I am incapable of the latter.
CARTER: Really, even for Kim?
HENRY: Especially for Kim.
CARTER: What are you working on over there?
HENRY: (laughs) Not what you think.
CARTER: Well, knowing the lengths you went to last time to bring her back, what do you think I think?
HENRY: Even if I did blame those men, what motivation could I possibly have to kill Kevin's therapist - he wasn't even there!!
[Carter realizes Henry is correct]
CARTER: You're right.
[Carter turns around and looks back at the scene, thinking]
CARTER: ...Unless he was.
HENRY: We can see everybody in the room.
CARTER: Just...can you-can you fast forward this for a second, please, you don't have to watch it again.
[Henry has already begun fast forwarding]
HENRY: Yes I do.
[When the radiation bursts out at Kim, Henry's face glows orange and he looks away. It fast-forwards a bit further]
CARTER: Okay, stop it there.
[Henry pauses the hologram again]
CARTER: Can I see the other side of the room?
[The hologram changes. The room in which Stark was standing is now on the right of the screen, whereas before it was on the left. We can see Kim's remains burned into the wall. Carter walks over to them]
CARTER: This might be a stupid question, but what exactly killed her?
HENRY: A concentrated burst of particulate radiation.
CARTER: Like, like a...
HENRY: A shotgun blast.
CARTER: (nods) Shotgun. (pause) What's on the other side of this wall?
[Carter means the wall to which the remains are burned into]
HENRY: Another lab. You'd have to look at a building schematic, why?
CARTER: My first year as a Marshall I tracked this guy down to a hotel, erm, I kicked in the front door he comes out the bathroom firing, just barely missing me. But the woman in the next room wasn't so lucky.
HENRY: Stray bullet.
CARTER: (nods) Yeah. (pause) We have to find out if anyone was on the other side of that wall.
HENRY: Does this mean you believe me now?
CARTER: It doesn't matter what I believe.
[They look at each other]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS
[Allison is going over schematics of the labs for Carter and Henry]
ALLISON: But the lab behind the blast wall wasn't damaged in the accident.
CARTER: Well, not that we know of. Keep scrolling.
HENRY: The radiation from the artifact is unlike anything we've seen before. We don't have equipment sophisticated enough to measure it.
CARTER: Which means some of it could have passed through the wall undetected.
[Carter sees something on the screen]
CARTER: There-just-now-who-who-who works in that lab?
[Allison runs a couple of checks]
ALLISON: Erm, Dr. Matthew.
CARTER: Who was exchanging frequent phone calls with Kevin's therapist. Can you tell if anyone was in there at the time of the accident?
ALLISON: Yeah; er, each lab in Section Five has a biometric security scanner. I can pull up the entry log. (which she does) I can't believe it, it's Wayne. And look at the time code - he should have been in therapy with Kevin; what was he doing in there?
CARTER: He was visiting the man downstairs.
ALLISON: Oh my God, Kevin could have been in there with him!
[She stands up to leave; Carter follows]
CARTER: W-w-where is he now?
ALLISON: In session with Beverly - Section One.
HENRY: Jack, there was someone else in that chamber. Nathan is the last man standing.
CARTER: Well he won't be for long.
ALLISON: Oh, I'll have security help you find him.
[They all run out - Carter and Allison to the right, Henry to the left]
INT-ARTIFACT TUNNEL
[Stark is wandering towards the artifact. He is sweating, and loosens his tie. The door opens and Stark looks in. The camera slowly moves back to reveal a gigantic mass of something similar to plant roots - the dead artifact. The door at the opposite end of the chamber opens and Henry rushes in with two GD security officers, just as Stark collapses against the chamber wall]
HENRY: (to security officers) Get him to cryogenics while there's still time.
[The two security officers pick Stark up and carry him out. Henry looks in at the dead artifact and then runs after them]
INT-SECTION ONE LAB
[A doctor is looking at Kevin, with Beverly, Carter and Allison stood around him watching. The doctor lowers a scanning device which he had been using to check Kevin and reads the display]
DOCTOR: Everything looks fine.
[Allison breathes a sigh of relief]
DOCTOR: But we'll keep him under observation just to be on the safe side.
ALLISON: Thank you.
[Fargo suddenly runs into the lab]
FARGO: They found Dr. Stark.
ALLISON: (to Doctor) Can you watch him please?
[Fargo leads Carter, Allison and Beverly out of the room]
INT-CRYOGENICS
[Stark is strapped to a machine]
HENRY: We have to cool him down.
[Stark is muttering to himself]
STARK: So close. So close to understanding.
HENRY: Nathan, stay with me. Just try to stay calm.
[He is obviously in a lot of pain. Allison, Carter, Beverly and Fargo come running into the lab]
ALLISON: Nathan!
HENRY: He's overloading like the others.
BEVERLY: It looks like a massive seizure.
HENRY: It is.
BEVERLY: From what?
HENRY: Exposure to the arti-
ALLISON: Henry!! That's classified.
[She wanders round to a device]
ALLISON: His temperature's up to 104.
CARTER: Okay, the seizure is frying up his electrical system. We...can we shut it down?
BEVERLY: You shut down the system, he dies.
CARTER: Well not the whole thing, just the bit of it that's misfiring, you know like...like tripping a breaker?
HENRY: Maybe we can.
BEVERLY: How?
HENRY: Fight fire with misfire. Jack is right, we don't have to shut down the circuit, we just have to disrupt it.
CARTER: Great, how do we do it?
HENRY: Electric shock therapy.
FARGO: No!!
[Henry ignores Fargo's outburst]
HENRY: (to Carter) Small, silver box.
CARTER: Got it.
[Carter runs round behind the machine to look for the box]
HENRY: They have used electric shock therapy very effectively to disrupt seizure disorder
ALLISON: Yes in dealing with epilepsy, but we have no idea how that will effect what is going on inside of his head.
HENRY: We don't have time to fight about it!
[Stark has been listening]
STARK: Allison!
[She looks round the listen to him]
STARK: He's right.
[Carter hands Henry something from the silver box. They are both stood next to Stark; Carter is working on something inside the box]
ALLISON: Are you sure?
[No answer]
ALLISON: Please don't burst into flames.
[Fargo backs up]
STARK: (attempting a smile) I'll do my best.
CARTER: (to Stark) Alright, hang in there.
STARK: Oh, Sheriff, I didn't know you cared.
CARTER: Oh, I don't.
[Stark laughs. Henry begins flicking switches and a whirring sound announces it is charging]
SCIENTIST: Systems are online.
[Everybody stands back, watching and waiting]
HENRY: (to Stark) You ready?
STARK: Henry...sorry about Kim.
HENRY: I know.
[Allison looks away and closes her eyes. Henry flips another switch and Stark screams in agony]
INT-MEDICAL WARD
[Stark is laid in a bed, with Allison sleeping in a chair next to him. He wakes up and rests a hand on her leg, which wakes her up]
ALLISON: How are you feeling?
STARK: Oh, like someone microwaved my brain but besides that...
ALLISON: Well your fever topped a hundred and six, so we were all really worried.
STARK: Me bursting into flames? Might have given the DoD the satisfaction.
ALLISON: I really am sorry, Nathan.
STARK: Don't be. They made the right choice.
ALLISON: You mean that?
STARK: Absolutely.
[Carter walks in and stops at the door]
STARK: After everything that's happened around here, I don't think I could do the job anymore. You might be just what this place needs.
[Allison takes his hand]
ALLISON: This place still needs you, too.
[Carter walks back out. What has happened has surprised him]
ALLISON: Well, I should probably let you get some rest.
[She gets up to leave, but stops and looks back at him]
ALLISON: Nathan, can I ask you something?
STARK: Sure.
ALLISON: What was Kevin's therapist doing in a lab in Section Five?
STARK: I wish I knew.
[She laughs slightly; it sounds more like a sigh]
INT-HENRY'S GARAGE
[Henry is tinkering again when Carter comes in]
CARTER: Hey, Henry.
HENRY: Jack.
[Henry stops tinkering, and covers his work again]
HENRY: I hear, erm, Nathan's on the mend.
CARTER: Oh sure, rub it in.
[They both laugh. Carter notices a book - 'Sonnets' - on the workbench]
CARTER: Alli has that book. Had-had that book, in the other timeline.
HENRY: You okay?
CARTER: No, you're right. Everytime I try to make things happen with Alli the way they did before, the more they change. Tonight...was supposed to be our first date. Stark was supposed to take the job in San Francisco. And instead, she's holding his hand convincing him to stay. (pause) And, er, sorry I suspected you.
HENRY: You were just, following your instincts.
[Henry stands up]
CARTER: Yeah, which were all wrong. (smiles) I mean, I thought it'd be easier this time around. I thought, er, it'd be fun. You know, like-like I could do things better. Yeah, erm... Instead, er, a man died. And I accused you of murder. And the woman I love is slipping away. (pause) I don't know if I can do this.
[After a brief pause, Henry pulls out what he was tinkering with - Jason Anderson's memory device]
HENRY: Maybe you won't have to.
[Carter stands up and looks at it]
CARTER: What-what is that?
HENRY: It's a modified version of the memory neutralizer that I designed years ago. The original was like a shotgun erasing short-term memory. This one erases long-term memory, but is much more precise. It can pinpoint the neural pathways associated with specific experiences and time periods.
CARTER: You want to erase your memory from the other timeline?
HENRY: I want to erase out memories.
CARTER: Woah!
[Carter turns around and sighs very heavily]
HENRY: Jack. You're my closest friend. And intellectually I know...that you had to prevent me from saving Kim. But emotionally I blame you for her death. I can't look at you without thinking that you're the one who did this; that you're the one who took her away from me.
CARTER: I wish there had been another choice.
HENRY: I know. But the pain that I feel every day that she's not here; (Henry picks up 'Sonnets') the pain that you feel knowing that you're not gonna be with Allison, that you're not gonna be meeting the child that you were having together. This...takes all that away.
CARTER: Can we keep some of the memories, cos there was this one time, with Allison-
HENRY: Jack. I'm afraid it has to be all or nothing.
CARTER: You're really gonna do this?
HENRY: We have to.
CARTER: And who will go first?
HENRY: I'll make it easy for you.
[Without warning, Henry holds it up to Carter's face and pushes the button. Carter's memories are erased.]
HENRY: I hear Nathan's on the mend?
CARTER: Oh, sure, rub it in.
[They both laugh. Carter's head hurts and he puts his hand on the back of it]
CARTER: My head is killing me.
HENRY: You okay?
CARTER: Yeah.
[He notices 'Sonnets' on the workbench]
CARTER: What is- Can I borrow this?
HENRY: Sure.
CARTER: (pause, then smiling) I'll see you later.
HENRY: (smiling) I'll see you later.
[Carter exits, throwing one last smiling look at Henry. Henry uncovers the device and lifts up his hammer]
HENRY: And I will never forget.
[Henry smashes it to pieces in two strikes of the hammer. He folds his arms and looks into his garage]
INT-GLOBAL DYNAMICS LOBBY
[Allison is keying information into a device for a man, who parts ways when she is finished. Henry has come in to see her]
HENRY: Good morning, Allison.
ALLISON: Henry! You look nice. Going for a job interview?
HENRY: Actually, I am. I, er, I want to work...at Global Dynamics.
[They look at each other; Allison is taken by surprise]
EXT-LIMOUSINE ON STREET
[Beverly gets in a limousine, where Congressman Faraday is waiting for her]
BEVERLY: Congressman Faraday...According to Nathan Stark, the artifact appears to be dead.
FARADAY: That isn't possible.
BEVERLY: I said appears. Energy of that magnitude doesn't just die. It had to go somewhere.
[Faraday looks away from her, thinking]
INT-BLAKE RESIDENCE
[Allison places a bowl on a dining table]
ALLISON: (shouting) Kevin, honey, dinner's ready.
[He is playing with some sort of gray material]
ALLISON (O.S.): Come on, baby.
[He takes one last look at something off screen, then runs out of the room. The camera moves down - revealing something that looks exactly like the dead artifact - like plant roots]
FADE OUT
CLOSING CREDITS
THE END
