The Erased
By
Chris Rhives
Based on the short story "The Erased" by Chris Rhives.
FADE IN:
INT. WHITE ROOM - TIMELESS
A man's, Sabastian Trench's, bloodied face is slammed into a glass table.  A malformed man, readies the bat for another swing.  The bat collides with his back.
He screams. 
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
They say in say a near death experience your life flashes before your eyes.
(beat)
Bullshit.
They kick him to the floor.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I'd seen  the bat, I'd seen the malformed man who swung it, and I'd felt the bat collide with my skull.
(beat)
I saw nothing - no forgotten memories, or saccharine hallmark card moments. Only the man, the bat, and the stark white room. That, and nothing else.
He clutches his stomach, and writhes on the floor, four men stand behind him - one clutching a baseball bat.
They start to walk towards him 
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It didn't matter, another hit and my head would be through the glass, my brains splattered on the carpet, and I'd be erased. One swift motion and my work didn't matter. One swift motion and Audrey was a name of the past. One swift motion and it was all over. One swift motion for which I waited...
The man begins to bring the bat down, the screen suddenly "slam cuts" to black.
CUT TO:
INT. SEBASTIAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
A black screen sits before the audience a message suddenly appears.
Tragedy = Comedy
Comedy = Drama
Drama = Life
The letters turn from white to black, revealing that they are a sign in Sebastian's office.
He stands in the doorway and walks towards his desk.
He looks up at the sign.
SABASTIAN
My entire life summed up in one equation, one big fucking cosmic joke, a situation comedy.
He sits down at his desk and begins sorting through files.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Thomas Hobbes had said that people were evil. People are evil.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT - FLASHBACK
An haggard looking old woman pushes a shopping cart up an incline.
A person walks by the opposite side of the street. 
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
A few nights ago I'd seen an old woman pushing a cart up an incline, it kept falling back. People stood by.
People begin to gather.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"What would Jesus do?" 
(beat)
 Jack Shit.
More of a crowd begins to gather.  The woman continues to push the cart.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"What would Muhammad do?" 
(beat)
Jack Shit.
A low mummer rustle through the onlookers.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
"What would Gandhi do ?"  
(beat)
Jack Shit.
(beat)
People looked on, felt sorry, and did nothing.  I laughed.
CUT TO:
INT. SEBASTIAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
He puts down a bundle of paper.
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
Pick up a bible, go to church, then be a complete twat elsewhere, and you're saved. Skip service, save a life, and you're a heathen. Damned to hell, well the guy making derogatory remarks at the water cooler gets a free ride.  My job as a P.I only further proved Hobbes' accusations.
CUT TO:
EXT. AUDREY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
He stands in front of of a rundown house.
Audrey stands in the doorway.
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
A buck for a fuck, that's how I met her...
They step inside.
CUT TO:
INT. AUDREY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
They continue through the house.
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
Audrey, I believed her name to be. 
(beat)
A sultry temptress serving injections of ecstasy between dreary pillow talk and shoveled out twenties. Her apartment was his excursion from life. A small dilapidated place, which sat under a low hung light, and nestled in the back alley of forgotten squalor.
He pulls down the blinds, the back wall washes into shadows.
SABASTIAN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
A year ago his wife had taken ill, Seven months ago she was hospitalized, three months ago she went into a coma, last week she flat lined. Her parents had been by her bedside. He'd been at work. After that nothing else mattered. She was dead.  I was dead.
(beat)
Audrey became my window to life - a brief orgasm to remind me I was still alive, still breathing.
CUT TO:
INT. SEBASTIAN'S OFFICE - NIGHT
He lights a cigarette and continues looking over a file.
SABASTIAN (V.O.)
Between the sips of coffee, chug down to the beat of a clock, ticking away at what life I had left, and minute cases, my job left much to be desired. As a young man, I'd grown fond of Humphrey Bogart, and other 'film noir' stars. The allure of the case, the damsel, the temptress, the villains, and the chase played upon my mind to please my innermost child. That's why I'd taken the job. Private Eye - at the time it practically called for some thrill-a-minute adventure, shared along side a voluptuous blonde, to whom I'd chase two-bit hoods with. A simple childhood fantasy I'd been foolish enough to carry over to my adult life. In the real world P.I meant nothing more then policeman with less work. Maybe a few stolen credit cards and what not, but still nothing like the films.
A light rain falls against the window.
He takes a sip of the coffee, it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
A sudden knock wakes him from his half-sleep.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
Come in...
A weary looking man stumbles inside.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
Can I help you? 
SHORE
You, You're Sebastian Sabastian, right?
SABASTIAN
Yeah, and you'd be?
SHORE
Jack, Jack Shore.
He holds out his hand and Sebastian shakes it.
SHORE (CONT'D)
I need you to look me up.
SABASTIAN
Why?
SHORE
Please, it's important.
SABASTIAN
All right.
He turn towards his laptop which sat unused on his desk, and booted it up.  His hands furiously typed away, entering codes and information. A safe cracker fast at work.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
Date of birth?
SHORE
August 18, 1986.
SABASTIAN
Social Security?
SHORE
1928746
He stops as the computer searches.  It turns up nothing.
SABASTIAN
I can't seem to find...
SHORE
I feared as much...
Sebastian closes the laptop.
SABASTIAN
According to the records, you don't exists.
SHORE
They'll find me soon.
SABASTIAN
Who?
SHORE
The Erased...
SABASTIAN
And they'd be.
There is a brief pause.
SHORE
I'll be leaving now.
He walks towards the window.
SHORE (CONT'D)
Quite a view, isn't it.
SABASTIAN
Yes, quite.
He looks up to see the window open and Jack gone.
Down below on the streets people crowd around the body, people look up to see Sebastian leaning out the window.
In his office he picks up a card on the windowsill: 
Perfection is Mechanic
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
A man, Klien, dressed all in black hurries down a deserted alley.
He glances down to a card he holds in his gloved hand, it reads: Sebastian Sabastian. 
He passes a woman.
KLIEN
Good Evening ma'am.
He tips his hat and continues on his way, disappearing into the shadows.
CUT TO:
EXT/INT. AUDREY'S HOUSE - NIGHT - RAIN
Sebastian pounds against the door.
SABASTIAN
Audrey, you there?
Inside she hurries towards the door and opens it.
Outside Sebastian stands, carrying a brown suitcase, and holding back the rain with a tattered blue umbrella.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
I'm a wanted man...
AUDREY
What?
SABASTIAN
The police, they think I killed somebody...
AUDREY
Well, did you?
SABASTIAN
Of course not, he just jumped out the window.
AUDREY
That's a shame, who was it?
SABASTIAN
I recall his name being Jack, Jack Shore.
Audrey pauses for a second.  She takes a slow drag on her cigarette.
AUDREY
Oh shit.
SABASTIAN
You know him?
She peers out and looks down the alleyways, then at Sebastian.
AUDREY
Step inside.  Take your shoes off and I'll put on some coffee.
(beat)
I'd hoped this day'd never come.
Sebastian steps inside.
CUT TO:
INT. AUDREY'S HOUSE - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER
Audrey and Sebastian sit down at an old table drinking coffee.
Audrey takes a sip.
AUDREY
Fuck, it's decafe, I fucking hate decafe.
SABASTIAN
Why'd you get it?
AUDREY
Cheapest thing I could find. I seldom drink coffee, so it really doesn't matter.
Sebastian laughs. 
SABASTIAN
Well at least it's not Starbucks you know - five bucks for some coffee and some bullshit.
AUDREY
Bullshit?
SABASTIAN
It refers to the pretentious atmosphere in coffee shops, you know, the one arty types put forth to cover the fact that the world is passing them by as they sit on their asses and bitch about it.
AUDREY
I see, money well spent, right?
SABASTIAN
Right.
They laugh and carry on for a good while.
A brief montage of them drinking and talking.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
Who are the Erased?
Audrey looks up, the spoon she'd been stirring with her coffee rotated in the cup.
AUDREY
Nobodies, as far as the government's concerned.
SABASTIAN
Great, just what I need... another fucking conspiracy theory. Don't waste my time.  
Audrey sighs and takes another drag from her cigarette
AUDREY
You've heard of artificial intelligence?
SABASTIAN
The concept's well known. 
She leaned in close towards him. Her face inches from his.
AUDREY
The Erased are the scientist who worked on developing this self aware program - called "Alice.
SABASTIAN
"Alice?"
AUDREY
Artificial, learning, implementing, and communicating, electronic.
SABASTIAN
I see...
AUDREY
The problem with this program, "Alice," is with intelligence comes desire.
SABASTIAN
Desire?
AUDREY
Yes, they'd created a thinking being, a basic replica of the human brain - it worked on primal emotion rather then most "thinking" machines which run on logic. 
Sabastian  takes a long sip of his coffee, taking in this new information.
SABASTIAN
And your involvement?
AUDREY
I was there to document their progress, I...
 
She is cut short by a sudden pounding at the door.
KLIEN
Sabastian! Sebastian Trench!
EXT/INT. AUDREY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
His fist slammed against the door, he gazed down at his black gloved hand, a card sits on it. 
It reads: Sabastian Trench. He leans over towards his black briefcase and slips the note inside.
Inside they sit up from the table.
AUDREY
Dammit, it's him!
SABASTIAN
Who?
Audrey pulls out a gun from a kitchen draw.
AUDREY
It's not important right now, just hide!
He hurries off 
Audrey rushes towards the door, locks it, and turns off the light.
Outside the man raises a glove.
Inside, Audrey and Jerry hide.
Outside he presses the glove to the door, he holds it there for a few moments until the door unlocks and swings open.
He walks inside and scans the room - nothing.
He looks up at the light, and raises his glove, the light flickers.
- Improvise chase scene through house -
Audrey and Sabastian manage to escape out the window.
CUT TO:
EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
Sabastian looks at Audrey
SABASTIAN
What the fuck is that thing?
AUDREY
How the hell should I know?
SABASTIAN
You recorded the entire program.
AUDREY
So all I had to do was push a button on some camera...
SABASTIAN
Didn't you ever stay, and watch?
She ponders this.
AUDREY
A few times, you know, to get the basic idea.
SABASTIAN
Come on, it's the development of artificial intelligence...
AUDREY
And your point being?
(beat)
It's just another thing say, I want.  And who really wants that.
SABASTIAN
Shit!
Klien appears.
They start to run.
KLIEN
Wait! 
-improvise outside chase scene-
A van pulls up - Men in suits jump out and capture Audrey and Sabastian.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. WHITE HALLWAY - TIMELESS -- LATER
Sabastian is dragged down a long and bright hallway.
He fades in and out of consciousness.
They thrown him into an interrogation room.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITE ROOM - TIMELESS -- CONTINUOUS
He slowly awakens out of his daze sitting in a chair - a few people - "The Erased" stand around him.
The crowd over him.
- Interrogation dialogue that I'll write later -
- repeat beginning scene -
SABASTIAN
Please, I don't know anything...
The pick him up and prepare to throw his again.
Suddenly Klien appears in the doorway.
Sabastian looks up to see him standing in the doorway.
SABASTIAN (CONT'D)
You.
Klien holds out his hand - a bright flash appears.
"The Erased" stand still, blood runs down from their eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.
KLIEN
It's an electrical charge, it fried the chip in their brain.
They fall forward.
KLIEN (CONT'D)
Come on, we haven't much time.
SABASTIAN
First cut the shit, who are you?
He starts to answer, but Audrey appears with a gun aimed at him.
AUDREY
His name's Damian Klien.
SABASTIAN
Audrey?
She turns the gun on him.
AUDREY
Shut the fuck up!
(beat)
He's working to shut down the project...
KLIEN
You're insane!
SABASTIAN
What project, "Alice?"
Audrey laughs.
KLIEN
Go on, tell him, and tell him who "The Erased" are.
AUDREY
Who they are, alright.  They're the scientist and technicians who worked on "Alice".  After they finished the corporation erased all known files they had and fitted them with "mind control" chips, if you will.
SABASTIAN
I don't buy it, what about me?
AUDREY
You?  You were easy, a wayward husband, who leaves his wife, for some random hooker.  Don't think for a minute I actually gave a fuck about you.
SABASTIAN
But there was something...
AUDREY
What a connection?  I guess you didn't notice the chip I placed in you.  You were so easy to manipulate.  A puppet on a string.
Klien begins move towards Audrey.
She fires, he collapses.
SABASTIAN
Why?
AUDREY
It doesn't matter know.
She points the gun at him.
SABASTIAN
Please, don't...
She readies the gun to fire.
Suddenly Klien sits up and holds out a device.
KLIEN
Don't even think about.
SABASTIAN
What's that?
KLIEN
Something that'll fry everyone of these chips for about a two mile radius.
Audrey turns towards him and fires.
He collapses and Sabastian dives for the device.
AUDREY
You won't.
SABASTIAN
Watch me.
He turns a dial.
Blood starts to run down their nose.
AUDREY
You're bluffing.
He grins and turns the dial again.  More blood pours from their eyes and nose.
AUDREY (CONT'D)
You can', you just can't.
He turns it yet again.  Blood pours out their eyes, nose, and now their mouth.
Audrey screams.
AUDREY (CONT'D)
Shut it off!
Sabastian grits his teeth.
SABASTIAN
Funny, it seems you have something to live for.
AUDREY
Yes, for the love of God, yes.
SABASTIAN
Well, I don't.
With that he turns the dial one last time.
Audrey screams as blood oozes from her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
AUDREY
Stop!
Sabastian turns the machine off.
She slumps over - dead.
Sabastian leans back as the screen...
FADE OUT:
THE END.