Titre VO : "Down The Rabbit Hole"
Ce script appartient à twiztv.com
***
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - NIGHT
MUSIC IN
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - NIGHT
[MAC TAYLOR IS SEEN JOGGING ON THE STREET]
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - NIGHT
INT. DEPARTMENT STORE - HALLWAY - NIGHT
[BEPPE ROMANO WHEELS HIS JANITOR’S CART THROUGH THE HALLS. THE CART IS DECORATED WITH ITALIAN MEMORABILIA AND HIS WIFE’S WEDDING PHOTO. HE TURNS OFF HIS BOOM BOX.]
MUSIC OUT
INT. MANNEQUIN STORE ROOM - NIGHT
MUSIC IN
[BEPPE TURNS ON THE BOOM BOX, PICKS A MANNEQUIN, KISSES IT ONCE AND DANCES WITH IT, WHILE ROWS OF MANNEQUINS “WATCH” FROM THE SIDELINES. AS BEPPE DIPS THE MANNEQUIN, ITS HEAD FALLS OFF.]
MUSIC OUT
[LOOKING THROUGH THE LEGS OF MANNEQUINS, BEPPE FINDS A WOMAN WEARING A GREEN WIG, BULLET HOLE IN HER FOREHEAD]
MUSIC IN
LATER -
[DR. SHELDON HAWKES TAKES PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VICTIM]
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Hey, Mac. Got a Jane Doe. [MUSIC OUT] Looks like a body dump. Killer busted the lock on the back door to gain entrance.
MAC TAYLOR
Who found her?
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Mr. Beppe Romano, night janitor.
STELLA BONASERA
He was dancing.
MAC TAYLOR
By himself?
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Not exactly. Turns out Mr. Romano’s wife died five years ago. So every year on their wedding anniversary, he grabs a mannequin and does a little tango.
STELLA BONASERA
It was their first dance as husband and wife.
ND UNIFORM
Detective Flack!
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Excuse me.
STELLA BONASERA
Still not sleeping, huh?
MAC TAYLOR
[HE SHAKES HIS HEAD “NO”] Our vic have an I.D.?
STELLA BONASERA
No. I’m checking with missing persons. Thought she might have been at Random, the club next door? So I had the unis do a canvass, [MUSIC IN] no one saw or heard anything. I know. She doesn’t seem real, does she?
MAC TAYLOR
Well, Halloween is next week. Maybe she came from a costume party.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
When I first arrived I thought someone had dressed up one of the stiffs.
MAC TAYLOR
Except this one has a very real bullet hole in her head.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Yeah. Muzzle stamp, some stellate tearing.
MAC TAYLOR
Contact shot. What about T.O.D.?
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Early stages of rigor. Say about five hours ago.
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
You gonna answer that, Mac?
[ZOOM INTO ECS OF HAWKE’S WRISTWATCH READING 3:33]
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
It’s early. Probably important.
[FLASHBACK]
[BACK TO SCENE]
[MAC TURNS OFF HIS PHONE]
MAC TAYLOR
[CLEARS THROAT] Surgical tubing around her wrists.
STELLA BONASERA
Hmm. [ZOOM INTO ECS OF MARKS ON VIC’S NECK] What look like surgical cuts on her neck.
MAC TAYLOR
Yeah. Killer took his time before taking her life.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
And brought her to a place where he’d have his own private audience.
STELLA BONASERA
Except these witnesses aren’t saying anything.
[REENACTMENT]
[TO OPENING SEQUENCE]
THEME MUSIC IN
SHOW TITLE - OPENING SEQUENCES
OPENING CREDITSEND OF TEASER
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - NIGHT
MUSIC IN
INT. MANNEQUIN STORE ROOM - NIGHT
[VICTIM’S BODY IS WHEELED AWAY BY M.E. TECHS AS SHELDON HAWKES AND LINDSAY MONROE PROCESS THE CRIME SCENE]
[ZOOM INTO ECS OF SLIVER OF WOOD HELD BY LINDSAY’S TWEEZERS]
[HAWKES FINDS A DOLL IN A SHIRT LABELED, “JOHNNY.” LINDSAY FINDS A FINGERPRINT ON A BROKEN DOOR JAMB.]
INT. M.E.’S OFFICE - AUTOPSY ROOM - DAY
[MONTAGE OF DR. SID HAMMERBACK PROCESSING THE VICTIM’S BODY. HE FINDS A TICK ON HER NECK.]
MUSIC OUT
DR. SID HAMMERBACK
Your Jane Doe recently had some work done. Uh, lasered eyebrows, uh, scalp surgery and a contour thread lift. Also known as a facelift in a needle. It’s an outpatient process. Very popular right now. [OFF STELLA’S LOOK] Well, Cosmo. My dentist subscribes.
MAC TAYLOR
What about the cuts on her neck?
DR. SID HAMMERBACK
Uh, made by a surgical scalpel.
STELLA BONASERA
Could they be related to the work she had done?
DR. SID HAMMERBACK
Well, that doesn’t look like any cosmetic procedure. I did find this little guy near one of the cuts.
[ZOOM IN TO ECS OF TICK]
MAC TAYLOR
A tick. Doesn’t look engorged with blood yet.
DR. SID HAMMERBACK
I’m thinking it burrowed into our vic just prior to T.O.D. Could have come from your killer. You’re also gonna want this.
STELLA BONASERA
.45 caliber. Unusual markings. [ZOOM INTO ECS OF BULLET] It’s possible our murder weapon was fitted with a silencer.
MAC TAYLOR
This could be a pro job. The cuts--
[FLASHBACK]
MAC TAYLOR (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--and the bound wrists--
[BACK TO SCENE]
MAC TAYLOR (CONTINUED)
--were done to torture the vic.
[REENACTMENT]
MUSIC IN
[SCREAMS]
[BACK TO SCENE]
MUSIC OUT
STELLA BONASERA
So, what did our murderer want before pulling the trigger?
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
DANNY MESSER
Mac, you gotta get a load of this.
ADAM ROSS
We identified your Jane Doe.
MAC TAYLOR
Where’d you get this?
ADAM ROSS
Google Images.
MAC TAYLOR
The Internet?
DANNY MESSER
Adam saw me runnin’ the vic’s photo through Missing Persons. Said he recognized her from a video game he plays.
ADAM ROSS
It’s not a game.
DANNY MESSER
How’s this cartoon connect to our Jane Doe?
ADAM ROSS
She’s not a cartoon, all right? She’s an avatar and her name is Venus.
MAC TAYLOR
How do you know?
ADAM ROSS
She’s a cyber-celebrity. The Paris Hilton of Second Life.
MAC TAYLOR
Second Life?
ADAM ROSS
It’s a metaverse, an online social network inside a virtual world. First Lifers, guys like us, we log on, create 3-D virtual characters. Cruise simulated worlds, make friends, start businesses.
DANNY MESSER
Why?
ADAM ROSS
It’s fun?
DANNY MESSER
It’s fun.
ADAM ROSS
Yeah.
MUSIC IN
MAC TAYLOR
So our vic dressed like a virtual character.
ADAM ROSS
It’s cos-play, which is short for costume play. Um, some people get off dressing like the anime or avatar characters they’ve created. I’m telling you, this could be your Jane Doe.
MAC TAYLOR
Okay, Danny. Track down whoever runs this site and see if you can get a real-world name for our vic.
DANNY MESSER
Those look like her, huh?
MUSIC OUT
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - STELLA’S
OFFICE/CORRIDOR - DAY
LINDSAY MONROE
Hey, Stell.
STELLA BONASERA
Hey. I could use some good news.
LINDSAY MONROE
Only 61 days until Christmas, although it looks like you’ve already gotten some gifts.
STELLA BONASERA
Uh, yeah. It’s getting embarrassing. This guy I met a couple of weeks ago. He’s extremely persistent. Last week it was a parachute. This week it’s rock climbing gear.
LINDSAY MONROE
Sounds like Mr. Adventure wants to get physical.
STELLA BONASERA
Huh. What do you have?
LINDSAY MONROE
Uh, not a whole lot. The--
MUSIC IN
[FLASHBACK]
LINDSAY MONROE (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--prints I lifted from the scene, no hits in AFIS--
MUSIC OUT
[BACK TO SCENE]
LINDSAY MONROE (CONTINUED)
--or occupational databases. And the doll that Hawkes found?
[FLASHBACK]
LINDSAY MONROE (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
Doesn’t belong to anybody at the warehouse.
[BACK TO SCENE]
LINDSAY MONROE (CONTINUED)
No prints on it or any DNA.
STELLA BONASERA
Who made it?
LINDSAY MONROE
No idea. The shirt it was wearing said--
[FLASHBACK]
LINDSAY MONROE (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--Johnny. That’s all we got. It looks like a custom job.
[BACK TO SCENE]
STELLA BONASERA
What about the unknown substance--
[FLASHBACK]
STELLA BONASERA (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--you lifted from the crime scene?
LINDSAY MONROE (V.O.)
That I have.
[BACK TO SCENE]
LINDSAY MONROE
Phyllostachys edulis.
STELLA BONASERA
Hmm. Moso Bamboo?
LINDSAY MONROE
It’s found in the Southeastern United States. Could belong to our killer.
STELLA BONASERA
Look for sources. Let’s hope this puts us on the trail of our killer and then Christmas will come early for all of us.
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
DANNY MESSER
Makers of Second Life kicked back a name. Our Jane Doe is Cheryl Miller. She lived alone. Never been married. Beside a couple a cats, she seemed pretty much a shut-in.
MAC TAYLOR
So it’s safe to say she lived vicariously through her avatar, Venus.
DANNY MESSER
A wallflower by day, cyber-celebrity by night. I swung by her place. The area where she kept her computer seemed the most lived in. So I figured her hard drive would be a good place to start.
MAC TAYLOR
Find anything?
DANNY MESSER
Can avatars fall in love? Apparently our vic was, uh, in a virtual relationship, uh, with an avatar named Don Juan-2-3. According to her browser history, Cheryl Miller spent two to three hours a day in Second Life searching for Mr. Good Bite. Their last online chat was yesterday morning. And the two lovebirds planned on meeting last night, for the first time in person.
MAC TAYLOR
Where?
DANNY MESSER
A place called Random.
STELLA BONASERA
That’s the name of the club right next door to the crime scene.
MAC TAYLOR
Cheryl didn’t wanna disappoint Don Juan-2-3, so she made herself look like her avatar. That would explain the outpatient surgery and what she was wearing.
DANNY MESSER
Second Life sent over this subscriber info for our Cyber Romeo here. Jonathan O’Dell.
STELLA BONASERA
Jonathan. Like Johnny.
DANNY MESSER
O’Dell. Why, you know him?
MUSIC IN
STELLA BONASERA
Yeah. I think I do. Come on.
INT. JOHNNY O’DELL’s APARTMENT - DAY
STELLA BONASERA
Hawkes found this at the crime scene.
MAC TAYLOR
Let’s bring him in.
DANNY MESSER
Good, but there’s one problem. Subscriber info that Second Life sent over is no good. Johnny O’Dell’s credit cards are expired and he moved away two months ago. He’s not in any of our systems. And there’s no other paper trail.
MAC TAYLOR
Maybe there’s another way to get to him?
STELLA BONASERA
How?
MAC TAYLOR
We find his avatar.
MUSIC OUT
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
ADAM ROSS
Before you go in-world, you wanna build yourself an avatar. [MUSIC IN] Okay? So, right there. Just double-click on that template. Yeah. Now, male or female? [CHUCKLES] What? This is fantasy. Be all you can be. I just wanna let you know your options.
[CLEARS THROAT]
MAC TAYLOR
All right.
ADAM ROSS
Uh, I would’ve gone for more of the bad boy myself. But, you know, that’s, that’s, that’s cool.
MAC TAYLOR
How do I get in?
ADAM ROSS
Boss, if you go in-world looking like Joe Boring you’re gonna get flagged as a newbie. Let me get in here real quick. Check this out. Hip do, a little custom skin. Cool coat. All right. Check it out. [LAUGHS] Now you’re ready to roll in-world. Just use the arrow keys to get around and the headset to communicate.
[IN-WORLD: MAC’S AVATAR LOOKS AROUND TO OTHER AVATARS]
[WALLA]
MAC TAYLOR
What the hell is this?
FRENCH AVATAR
Bonjour.
ADAM ROSS
Uh-huh, oui-oui. [LAUGHS] What did I tell ya?
MAC TAYLOR
Adam, I don’t have time for this. I need to find Johnny O’Dell’s avatar, Don Juan-2-3.
ADAM ROSS
If this is our guy, he’s not gonna respond to a shout out, which means, we’ve gotta use the White Rabbit. He knows everyone and every island.
MAC TAYLOR
How do I find him?
ADAM ROSS
We send him a “tell”. It’s a private message between game players and then we wait for him in the Search Pavilion.
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB -
LINDSAY MONROE
Ixodes Scapularis. Otherwise known as the black-legged tick. And he’s not too far from home. It’s native to the northeast forests of New Jersey.
STELLA BONASERA
Did you get any DNA from it?
[FLASHBACK]
LINDSAY MONROE (V.O.)
A little bit from the vic. No other donors.
[BACK TO SCENE]
LINDSAY MONROE (CONTINUED)
The interesting thing is, this tick is a carrier of Lyme disease. But according to Sid, the victim didn’t show any signs of being infected.
STELLA BONASERA
Now, an adult tick can stay on a host for up to a week. It means that our shooter might have Lyme disease. So, maybe he’s a hunter. Picked up the tick recently when he was in the woods.
LINDSAY MONROE
So maybe our killer is targeting humans too.
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
[IN-WORLD: MAC’S AVATAR LOOKS AT A MAP IN THE SEARCH PAVILION]
[WALLA]
INTERCUT WITH
[MAC AND ADAM WATCHING THE AVATARS ON THE MONITOR]
ADAM ROSS
That’s him. That, that’s the White Rabbit.
WHITE RABBIT
Taylor.
MAC TAYLOR
Yes.
WHITE RABBIT
How can I help you?
MAC TAYLOR
I’m looking for Don Juan-2-3, do you know where I can find him?
WHITE RABBIT
For 6,000 Linden dollars I do.
MAC TAYLOR
[TO ADAM] What’s Linden dollars?
ADAM ROSS
Uh, Li-Linden dollars is in-world currency. It works out to be about, uh, like 20 bucks?
MAC TAYLOR
Okay.
WHITE RABBIT
Here’s the T.P. Follow me.
MAC TAYLOR
T.P.?
ADAM ROSS
Teleport. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
MUSIC IN
WHITE RABBIT
Here we are. Shangri-La. He’s with me. You’re in. I’m outta here. Hey, I’m flyin’ here!
ADAM ROSS
There he is. Don Juan-2-3.
MAC TAYLOR
That’s our guy. I’ll get him talking. You trace his IP, see if you can get a real-world address.
ADAM ROSS
Okay.
MAC TAYLOR
Hello.
DON JUAN-2-3
Goodbye.
MAC TAYLOR
He’s leaving.
DON JUAN-2-3
Oh, wait, wait, wait we gotta switch sexes.
MAC TAYLOR
What?
ADAM ROSS
Johnny O’Dell named his avatar after a legendary pick-up artist, Don Juan-2-3. So if we’re gonna catch him, we’re gonna need some bait.
MUSIC IN
[MAC’S AVATAR BECOMES FEMALE]
STELLA BONASERA
Wow. Who’s the tacky dresser?
MAC TAYLOR
That’s me.
ADAM ROSS
Okay. We are good to go.
MAC TAYLOR
What about my voice?
ADAM ROSS
Uh, voice modulator. Say something?
MAC TAYLOR/FEMALE AVATAR
Hello. Hello.
ADAM ROSS
Let’s go fishin’.
MAC TAYLOR
All right. Uh--.
MAC TAYLOR/FEMALE AVATAR
Hi. I like your name. I love waterfalls, don’t you?
STELLA BONASERA
Oh, my God. [LAUGHS]
MAC TAYLOR
What?
STELLA BONASERA
You have no game whatsoever.
MAC TAYLOR
Look, I don’t need a back seat avatar here.
STELLA BONASERA
All right, then move over. Come on. Before your suspect bails.
STELLA BONASERA/MAC’S FEMALE AVATAR
Hey, Don. Sorry about that. I was, uh, distracted by a phone call. My name’s Taylor. What do you say we get outta here and go for a walk?
MAC TAYLOR
Go for a walk.
STELLA BONASERA
It worked.
STELLA BONASERA/MAC’S FEMALE
AVATAR
So, Don. Why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself? I wanna know everything.
ADAM ROSS
I got him! Johnny O’Dell is logged on at--
MUSIC IN
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREETS - DAY
ADAM ROSS (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--2481 7
INT. ONE STOP HERO SHOP/BACK ROOM - DAY
[DANNY AND FLACK ENTER THE SHOP. CLERK LOOKS AT HIS LAPTOP. JOHNNY REPAIRS A DOLL IN THE BACK ROOM. A MESSAGE WINDOW APPEARS ON JOHNNY’S LAPTOP READS, “COPS!!!”]
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Johnny O’Dell. Where is he?
DANNY MESSER
Thank you.
[JOHNNY PUTS ITEMS IN HIS MESSENGER BAG, RUNS OUT THE BACK]
th Ave.
DANNY MESSER (CONTINUED)
He’s runnin’.
[JOHNNY RUNS INTO A CUSTOMER, DROPS HIS BAG, A GUN FALLS OUT ONTO THE FLOOR]
DANNY MESSER (CONTINUED)
Gun, Flack!
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Don’t move!
MUSIC OUTEND OF ACT ONE
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - DAY
MUSIC IN
INT. NYPD - INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
JOHNNY O’DELL
I’m sorry, I don’t know that lady.
STELLA BONASERA
How ‘bout this one?
JOHNNY O’DELL
This is Venus. Everyone knows who she is.
DANNY MESSER
Yeah, but seems you know her better than most. You guys spend quite a bit of time chatting online, huh?
JOHNNY O’DELL
We’re in love.
DANNY MESSER
[GUFFAWS] Excuse me, what, love?
JOHNNY O’DELL
That’s right.
STELLA BONASERA
In the Second Life.
DANNY MESSER
You understand that she’s not real, Venus. Right?
STELLA BONASERA
Johnny, do you hunt? Get out into the woods often?
[HE SHAKES HIS HEAD “NO”]
INTERCUT WITH
INT. NYPD - VIEWING ROOM - DAY
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
Kid doesn’t look like the hunting type.
MAC TAYLOR
Poor eyesight, speech pattern, coordination problems. He’s exhibiting all symptoms of Lyme disease.
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
So the tick could’ve come from him. When was the last time you slept?
MAC TAYLOR
[CHUCKLES] I’ll be all right. Peyton decided to stay in London. Day after I got her letter I bought a ticket, figured I’d fly there, try and change her mind. But I couldn’t get on the plane.
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
What happened?
MAC TAYLOR
I realized what she said in her letter was right. It couldn’t work. New York was never her home, London is. She’s got family there. She’s very close with them. That’s where she belongs. I never realized that until I was there this summer.
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
So you knew it was coming.
MAC TAYLOR
Being together means one of us has to move. Peyton couldn’t leave England anymore than I can leave the U.S.
STELLA BONASERA
[THROUGH MICROPHONE] Why don’t you tell us about last night?
JOHNNY O’DELL
Uh, I was finally gonna get to meet Venus in the real world.
STELLA BONASERA
Where?
JOHNNY O’DELL
Random. Club on 34 didn’t feel up to it though, so I, I, I, I bailed.
STELLA BONASERA
You sure about that?
JOHNNY O’DELL
Very sure. [SHOWS HIM A PHOTOGRAPH OF DOLL] I made that, for Venus, so that she would know what I looked like when I showed up at the club. She said she was gonna bring it with her last night. Where did you get this?
STELLA BONASERA
Hmm. Hey, Johnny. W-Would you be willing to give us some reference prints and take an Elisa test?
JOHNNY O’DELL
A what? Look, I’m not gonna give you anything until you tell me what the hell’s going on.
DANNY MESSER
I’ll tell you what’s going on. I don’t understand why you would stand up the woman that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with.
JOHNNY O’DELL
I didn’t go ‘cause I’m dying. [MUSIC IN] I have acute multiple sclerosis. It’s a disease that, well, no one can do anything about. But in Second Life-- th and Broadway. I beat it. When I’m in-world, I’m fine. I can do anything, even fall in love with someone and, uh, [THROUGH MICROPHONE] ha-have them love me back. No questions asked.
STELLA BONASERA
So you didn’t wanna start a relationship in the real world that you couldn’t finish. [JOHNNY NODS] If you never met up with Cheryl, then why did you run when the detectives came to your office?
JOHNNY O’DELL
I thought it was about the gun. I, bought it off the street.
STELLA BONASERA
Why did you buy a gun? Why’d you need a gun, Johnny? Huh?
JOHNNY O’DELL
What I got, ain’t curable. So what do you think I needed a gun for? I don’t understand. Did, did, did Venus do something wrong? Is she in some kind of trouble?
STELLA BONASERA
Cheryl was murdered last night.
JOHNNY O’DELL
That’s not possible.
STELLA BONASERA
We found this little guy at the crime scene.
JOHNNY O’DELL
No. No way. I, I was just with Venus.
DANNY MESSER
You were just with Venus? Where?
JOHNNY O’DELL
In Second Life. La Citta Eterna, Ancient Rome. I was just talking to her before you guys showed up.
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
I don’t know, Mac. Kid could be lying. Maybe he did show up at the club last night, Cheryl rejected him. Things went south from there.
MAC TAYLOR
Well, it’s possible. But if he is telling the truth, why is someone using a dead woman’s avatar?
MUSIC OUT
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - DAY
MUSIC IN
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - FIREARMS - DAY
[MONTAGE TESTING JOHNNY’S GUN, INTERCUT WITH FLASHBACKS]
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Come on, come on, come on. No. Johnny’s gun is not our murder weapon.
STELLA BONASERA
Not surprised. His alibi checked out. [MUSIC OUT] And his reference prints didn’t match the prints--
[FLASHBACK]
STELLA BONASERA (V.O.) (CONTINUED)
--Lindsay pulled from the crime scene.
[BACK TO SCENE]
STELLA BONASERA (CONTINUED)
The kid already made bail on the gun charge. Any hits in IBIS?
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
I ran all our ballistic evidence. No matches to any previous murder cases.
STELLA BONASERA
All right. Try a wider search. Run it through NIBIN. If our killer’s a pro, I’m thinking that the vic wasn’t his first hit.
MUSIC IN
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
[ADAM AND MAC WATCH THE MONITOR AS MAC’S AVATAR ENTERS LA CITTA ETERNA]
ADAM ROSS
There it is. La Citta Eterna. Our suspect said he saw Venus here a couple of hours ago.
MAC TAYLOR
We need to find her and find out who’s using her avatar.
C-ZAR
Subsisto.
MAC TAYLOR
What does he want?
C-ZAR
Subsisto.
ADAM ROSS
That’s C-Zar. He’s the, uh, landlord.
C-ZAR
This island’s off limits.
ADAM ROSS
Why don’t you ask him how many Linden’s it’ll cost to get in?
MAC TAYLOR
Can I pay you?
C-ZAR
Admission is free, my friend. All you need to do is perform two tasks. The first, a question. Which death is preferable to every other?
MAC TAYLOR
The unexpected.
C-ZAR
Correct.
MAC TAYLOR
And the second task?
C-ZAR
Take this teleport and follow me. Prepare for battle.
ADAM ROSS
He’s serious, Mac.
MAC TAYLOR
Well, he’s got too much time on his hands.
ADAM ROSS
Yeah, well, it’s his world. If we don’t do what he says, we’re not getting in. All right? And there goes our chances of ever finding Venus.
[ADAM DRESSES MAC’S AVATAR FOR BATTLE. HE ENTERS AN ARENA WITH CHEERING AVATAR FANS.]
[WALLA]
AVATAR
Destroy him!
AVATAR #2
Cut his head off!
[WALLA CONTINUES]
MAC TAYLOR
Now come on.
ADAM ROSS
Uh, dude, uh, I, I, I, I mean, sorry, boss. Uh, with all due respect? You don’t stand a chance.
MAC TAYLOR
And you do.
ADAM ROSS
I got skills. I think so.
MAC TAYLOR
All right, Adam. You lose, we lose the only solid lead we have.
ADAM ROSS
I can do it.
[ADAM STANDS IN FRONT OF A PROJECTED SCREEN AND USING A REMOTE DEVICE BATTLES THE AVATARS]
C-ZAR
Warriors, fight!
ADAM ROSS
Here we go. Take some of this. Say my name. Who’s your daddy?
MAC TAYLOR
You got one more.
ADAM ROSS
Whoa. Weapons, weapons. Hello.
[CHEERS]
MAC TAYLOR
Good job.
ADAM ROSS
It’s not over yet. Here we go.
MAC TAYLOR
Adam!
ADAM ROSS
I know what I’m doing.
[CHANTS]
[C-ZAR GIVES A THUMBS UP ON ADAM’S WIN]
ADAM ROSS
Yes! Great! [GRUNTS] Whoo. [MUSIC OUT] Ho. Whoa. Whoo. [GIGGLES] [SIGHS] Yeah, I’m gonna get some water.
[WALLA]
[MAC’S AVATAR MOVES DOWN STONE ROAD IN LA CITTA ETERNA, SEARCHING FOR VENUS]
MAC TAYLOR
All right, Venus. Where are you?
AVATAR
Good job, Taylor!
[WALLA – SOME SPEAKING ITALIAN]
MAC TAYLOR
Let’s see. Where is she?
ADAM ROSS
Any luck?
MAC TAYLOR
There she is.
ADAM ROSS
Johnny was telling the truth. Venus is still active.
MAC TAYLOR
I’ll distract her, you ping her IP.
ADAM ROSS
Oh forget it, she’s wi-fi fishing. Her signal’s bouncing all over Midtown.
MAC TAYLOR
Whoever’s controlling Venus, doesn’t want us to find ‘em.
BLUE FURRY
Hey, you. Stop pretending you’re Venus.
MAC TAYLOR
What the hell?
ADAM ROSS
It’s a Griefer. It’s when you harass somebody. But how did he someone else was using Venus’ avatar?
[BLUE FURRY SHOOTS VENUS, SHE’S HIT, HAS PAINT STAINS, DROPS ANKLE BOOTS AND DISAPPEARS THROUGH A BLACK HOLE IN THE GROUND]
MAC TAYLOR
Where’d she go?
ADAM ROSS
I don’t know. She could be anywhere.
MAC TAYLOR
Hey, you. I wanna talk to you about Venus. Do you know who stole her avatar?
ADAM ROSS
He’s making a run for it, boss. Okay, here. Uh, put this on, all right?
[MAC’S AVATAR WEARS A JET PACK, FOLLOWS BLUE FURRY]
MAC TAYLOR
Adam. This guy knows that Cheryl’s not in control of the Venus avatar. Get me a real world address on him.
ADAM ROSS
He stopped.
MAC TAYLOR
Why did you shoot Venus? How did you know somebody else was controlling her avatar? Adam.
ADAM ROSS
He’s link-dead. Which means he’s lost his Internet connection or his computer’s crashed. I, I got him. I got him. I have his address.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE/CITY STREETS - DAY
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - CORRIDOR - DAY
[FLACK, STELLA AND MAC ARE OUTSIDE A PARTIALLY OPEN DOOR WITH TWO OFFICERS]
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
NYPD. Police.
MAC TAYLOR
Let’s get some eyes in there.
[MAC THROWS A CAMERA DEVICE INTO THE ROOM. ON HIS HANDHELD DISPLAY HE SEES A MAN SLUMPED OVER A TABLE.]
MAC TAYLOR (CONTINUED)
Got a man down.
[THEY ENTER THE ROOM TO FIND A DEAD JOHNNY O’DELL, BULLET HOLE IN HIS FOREHEAD]
MUSIC OUTEND OF ACT TWO
INT. JOHNNY O’DELL’S APARTMENT - DAY
MUSIC IN
[PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TAKEN OF THE CRIME SCENE]
[FLASHBACK]
DR. SHELDON HAWKES (V.O.)
The bullet pulled from Johnny is a .45 and matches the one that killed--
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - FIREARMS - DAY
DR. SHELDON HAWKES (CONTINUED)
--Cheryl Miller. [MUSIC OUT] It’s the same caliber, same markings. We’re looking for the same killer.
STELLA BONASERA
Yeah. Well, the only problem is that Johnny’s body didn’t show any apparent signs of torture.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Well, if the killer didn’t want something from Johnny, then why kill him?
STELLA BONASERA
Because Johnny knew that Cheryl was dead, which meant that her Second Life as Venus was over. I’m thinking that after we told Johnny that Cheryl was murdered, he went back into Second Life, only this time as a different avatar. And he knew we’d recognize him as Don Juan-2-3. So he changed things up. Became the Furry and attacked the person pretending to be Venus. I mean, Johnny’s form of retribution.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Only our killer used his tech savvy to track Johnny down and shut him up so he couldn’t tell anybody that Cheryl was dead.
STELLA BONASERA
Because he needed Venus to live. Only why is that so important? Did you ever find anything in NIBIN?
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Yes. I got a case-to-case hit on the first slug from Cheryl. Unsolved murder, last week, high profile judge, New Jersey. Judge McHenry never returned from a hunting trip. Searchers found him in the woods, dead. [MUSIC IN] Police first thought it was a hunting accident. But the bullet hole in his forehead and the .45 said otherwise.
STELLA BONASERA
Another pro job.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Uh-huh. And finding him in the northeastern woods might explain the tick that we found on Cheryl’s body. When he went to kill the judge, it might have gotten on his clothes and then transferred to Cheryl when he murdered her.
STELLA BONASERA
All right. The only question is, what do Johnny and Cheryl, our two New York vics have to do with a New Jersey judge?
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
[MONTAGE OF MAC LOOKING AT EVIDENCE INWORLD, FINDS VENUS’ SHOE WITH AN “OLD GEARHEAD” LOGO]
MAC TAYLOR
Old Gearhead.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - DAY
STELLA BONASERA (V.O.)
Bonasera.
MAC TAYLOR (V.O.)
Stella, it’s Mac. Grab Danny. I’ve got a lead.
MUSIC OUT
INT. CUSTOM BIKE SHOP - DAY
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
Yeah, I know her. It’s Venus.
DANNY MESSER
She bought a pair a shoes from you today?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
That’s right. You know, as a Second Life vendor I don’t usually interact with my customers but, uh, Venus is a special case.
STELLA BONASERA
Is she a regular?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
I wish. She’s a trendsetter. She wore my boots, I doubled my sales.
DANNY MESSER
Then why’d she go to your online store?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
She’s got a hot date tonight.
STELLA BONASERA
In the real world or in the Second Life?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
Maybe both. Sometimes they start in Second Life and end up in the real world, you know what I mean?
DANNY MESSER
Venus mention who this hot date was with?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
Mr. TCB. He’s got a store credit, told her to go to Old Gearhead’s and pick out somethin’ sexy.
STELLA BONASERA
Who is Mr. Taking Care of Business?
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
I don’t know. He just sends his lady friends to my online shoe store when they’re looking to glam up.
DANNY MESSER
Did she give you any other information, maybe where they were going on this date?
[KA-CHING CHIMES]
SAMSON ROWE/OLD GEARHEAD
Why don’t you ask her yourself? She just walked in. Says she lost her shoes, is looking to buy another pair.
STELLA BONASERA
Keep her busy.
LATER –
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - CORRIDOR - DAY
LINDSAY MONROE
So I followed up on the Moso Bamboo trace I collected. Our vic didn’t have any kind of plant like that in her apartment but I did find out that Moso Bamboo is used in flooring and cabinetry.
MAC TAYLOR
It’s a sustainable material. Green buildings use it because it’s a renewable resource.
LINDSAY MONROE
So, maybe our vic was looking for a new apartment--?
MAC TAYLOR
The bamboo you found was untreated. So we’re looking for a new building or one under renovation. Compile a list, see if there’s any connection to the vic.
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
MAC TAYLOR (CONTINUED)
[INTO CELL PHONE] Taylor.
INTERCUT WITH
STELLA BONASERA
Mac, it’s Stella.
INT. CUSTOM BIKE SHOP - DAY
STELLA BONASERA (CONTINUED)
Our girl’s gone shopping again.
MAC TAYLOR
I’m heading to A/V.
STELLA BONASERA
She’s on her way out.
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - A/V LAB - DAY
MUSIC IN
MAC TAYLOR
We got her. Venus is leaving Gearhead’s store.
[MAC’S AVATAR ENTERS IN-WORLD, TALKS TO VENUS]
MAC TAYLOR/AVATAR (CONTINUED)
[TO VENUS] Hello, my name is Taylor. I’m a friend of the White Rabbit. Can we talk somewhere in private?
VENUS/SUSPECT X
Of course. Follow me.
MAC TAYLOR/AVATAR
Venus? Venus, where are you?
VENUS/SUSPECT X
Where you won’t find me, Detective Taylor.
MAC TAYLOR/AVATAR
How did you know?
VENUS/SUSPECT X
The White Rabbit told me, never trust someone you haven’t met face-to-face.
[WALLS IN THE HALLWAY BECOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF PEOPLE. AS MAC’S AVATAR WATCHES, BULLET HOLES ARE SHOT INTO THE PHOTOS’ FOREHEADS.]
[SCREAMS]
ADAM ROSS
What the hell?
MAC TAYLOR
It’s a trophy room. Judge McHenry. Cheryl Miller. Johnny O’Dell. Everyone in here is someone our killer put in the ground. What’s that?
ADAM ROSS
It’s a calling card. Avatars use ‘em to transfer messages. Pick it up. AA- Actually wait. Don’t pick it up.
MAC TAYLOR
Why not?
ADAM ROSS
It could be bad.
[MAC PICKS UP THE CALLING CARD]
MAC TAYLOR/AVATAR
We need to talk.
VENUS/SUSPECT X
We need to talk.
MAC TAYLOR/AVATAR
Why did you kill Cheryl?
VENUS/SUSPECT X
Why did you kill Cheryl? Why did you kill Cheryl?
[VENUS’ AVATAR BECOMES DUPLICATE MAC AVATARS]
MAC TAYLOR/MULTIPLE AVATARS
[ECHOED] Why did you kill Cheryl? Why did you kill Cheryl? [ECHOES/REPEATS]
ADAM ROSS
It’s bad.
MAC TAYLOR
She’s infected the card with a virus. Adam, throw up a firewall. Stop it before it gets into our system.
ADAM ROSS
I can’t. It’s not coming from Second Life.
MAC TAYLOR
Where’s it coming from?
ADAM ROSS
I, I don’t know. It’s already uploaded and replicating code. Our entire system is overloading.
MAC TAYLOR
Log off.
ADAM ROSS
If I log off, we lose her.
MAC TAYLOR
Log off. Log off! Now!
MUSIC OUT
MUSIC IN
ADAM ROSS
Whoa.
MUSIC OUTEND OF ACT THREE
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - DAY
MUSIC IN
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - WAR ROOM - DAY
ADAM ROSS
I.T. said it’d be about another hour or so before our systems are back online.
MUSIC OUT
LINDSAY MONROE
And by that time whoever assumed Venus’ identity could have changed avatars, become somebody else.
STELLA BONASERA
Nah, I don’t think that’ll happen. Our shooter murdered Cheryl and became Venus for a reason.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
But why? Why become an avatar?
MAC TAYLOR
Because Venus’ popularity gave her access to exclusive areas and people. By co-opting her avatar she was able to make contact with her next target.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Mr. TCB?
DANNY MESSER
I got Mr. TCB’s account info from Second Life. Turns out, Venus and Mr. TCB had several conversations in the last few days.
STELLA BONASERA
Oh, Venus was setting him up to be killed.
MAC TAYLOR
What’s the name on the account?
DANNY MESSER
Uh, David King with a P.O. box in D.C. Here’s a video conference number for you.
[DAVID KING APPEARS ON THE MONITOR THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCING]
DAVID KING
Congressman Devane’s office.
MAC TAYLOR
My name is Mac Taylor. I’m with the New York Crime Lab. Who am I talking to?
DAVID KING
David King.
MAC TAYLOR
Mr. King, we’re investigating a series of murders here in New York City. Do you have an account with Second Life?
STELLA BONASERA
Your avatar’s name is Mr. TCB. Mr. King!
DAVID KING
Mr. TCB is actually my boss, Congressman Devane. I opened the account for him four months ago.
STELLA BONASERA
We need to speak with the congressman.
MUSIC IN
DAVID KING
Sorry. He’s in New York today. He keeps an apartment in the city.
DANNY MESSER
He’s in New York.
MAC TAYLOR
Mr. King, the congressman’s life is in danger. We need a local address and a phone number now.
DAVID KING
4325 West 57
806. 555-0121.
MAC TAYLOR
Thank you.
LINDSAY MONROE
That address is on my list of buildings using Moso Bamboo.
STELLA BONASERA
Our shooter was staking out Devane’s apartment building.
DANNY MESSER
That’s where this is going down.
INT. NEW YORK CRIME LAB - CORRIDOR - DAY
MAC TAYLOR
I got his voice mail. Congressman Devane, this is Detective Mac Taylor from the NYPD.
STELLA BONASERA
So the avatar identity theft was all about a hit.
DANNY MESSER
You know our killer must have known Congressman Devane was having real world affairs with the woman he met in Second Life. th Street, Apartment
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
He’s married, which means his affairs had to be discreet. He’d be traveling without a security detail, an easy target.
LINDSAY MONROE
And he went right for the bait. Who could resist an online celebrity like Venus?
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
So what’s the connection between the congressman, the judge, Cheryl and Johnny?
MAC TAYLOR
There is none. Cheryl was needed for her avatar. Johnny was murdered because he was about to blow our killer’s cover. Cheryl was tortured and killed for her avatar and password.
LINDSAY MONROE
But what about Devane and the judge?
MAC TAYLOR
They were jobs. Our suspect is a contract assassin.
[THE GROUP MOVES INTO THE ELEVATOR]
EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE/CITY STREETS - DAY
EXT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - DAY
[THE GROUP JUMPS OUT OF THEIR CARS--]
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - LOBBY - DAY
[--AND RUN INTO THE LOBBY]
DETECTIVE DON FLACK
How’s it going, Chief? You see Congressman Devane today?
DOORMAN
Yes, sir. He went up to his apartment about an hour ago. Matter of fact, that young woman’s on her way up to see him now.
MAC TAYLOR
Down, down, everybody get down!
[SCREAMS]
MAC TAYLOR (CONTINUED)
Clear the lobby. No one goes in or out. Stella, Danny, take the elevator. Flack, we got the stairs.
DR. SHELDON HAWKES
Okay, everybody on this side of the lobby, please--
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - STAIRWELL - DAY
[MAC AND FLACK RUN UP THE STAIRS]
INTERCUT WITH
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - CORRIDOR ON
CONGRESSMAN’S FLOOR - DAY
[VENUS/SUSPECT X EXITS THE ELEVATOR]
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - ROOM 806 - DAY
[CONGRESSMAN HAS SET THE SCENE FOR HIS TRYST. HIS CELL PHONE SITS ON A TABLETOP.]
[CELL PHONE RINGS]
CONGRESSMAN DEVANE
[INTO CELL PHONE] Hello.
MAC TAYLOR
(V.O.) Congressman! (ON CAMERA) This is Detective Mac Taylor. I’m with the New York Crime Lab.
CONGRESSMAN DEVANE
What the hell?
[GUNSHOT]
[DANNY AND STELLA, FLACK AND MAC ENTER THE APARTMENT, SEE DEVANE’S DEAD BODY.]
MAC TAYLOR
Stella, Danny. Clear the rest of the apartment. Flack, check the other floors. She’s here somewhere.
[STELLA ENTERS A ROOM AS A FLASH OF AN ARM EXITS]
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - CORRIDOR - DAY
[BLOND WOMAN AND MAN WALK DOWN THE HALL FACING MAC]
BLONDE WOMAN/SUSPECT X
[SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
MAC TAYLOR
Excuse me!
BLONDE WOMAN/SUSPECT X
Is there a problem?
MAC TAYLOR
NYPD. I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you to return to your apartment.
BLONDE WOLMAN/SUSPECT X
Of course.
MAC TAYLOR
Thank you.
INTERCUT WITH
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - DAY
[STELLA FINDS VENUS GREEN WIG AND OUTFIT LYING ON THE FLOOR]
STELLA BONASERA
Be aware, suspect has changed her look. (V.O.) I’ve got her coat and wig.
[BLONDE WOMAN/SUSPECT X HAS HER GUN AIMED AT MAN’S SIDE]
MAC TAYLOR
Stop! (V.O.) Stop! (ON CAMERA) Turn around! Let him go. Put your hands where I can see ‘em.
YOUNG MAN
Please. She, she just knocked on my door. I, I don’t know who she is. Please, just let me go.
[GUNSHOT]
[SUSPECT X SHOOTS HIM IN THE SIDE, RUNS DOWN THE HALL. MAC CHECKS THE MAN’S INJURY.]
STELLA BONASERA
Mac?
MAC TAYLOR
Call an ambulance.
[MAC CHASES AFTER THE SUSPECT]
STELLA BONASERA
Need an ambulance. Man down. 4325 West 57
MAC TAYLOR
I’ve got my eyes on her. She’s moving to the seventh floor.
INT. CONGRESSMAN’S PIED-A-TERRE - STAIRWELL/7
th.TH
FLOOR CORRIDOR - DAY
[MAC WALKS INTO THE HALLWAY, SEES NOTHING. VENUS, INSIDE THE GARBAGE CHUTE, PEERS OUT TO MAC. MAC SEES THE DOOR CLOSE, OPENS IT QUICKLY, FINDS THE CHUTE DARK AND EMPTY.]
TO BLACK
MUSIC OUT
SHOW TITLE
FADE OUT
THEME MUSIC IN
CLOSING CREDITS
MUSIC OUT
MAC TAYLOR (V.O.)
THE END
