Episode One

Existence

Part Two

NEXT SCENE
WE HEAR KNOCKING ON A DOOR AS WE SEE ED GETTING OUT OF BED. WE ARE AT HIS APARTMENT. HE’S ONLY WEARING A PAIR OF BOXERS. (MUST SAY, HE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. MINOR ‘YOWZA’.)

Ed: (struggling to get free of the bed covers) Coming! Ok, coming!
Sloan: (from behind the door) C’mon open up!

ED LETS HER IN.

Ed: It’s three in the morning.

HE SNUGGLES ONTO HIS SOFA WITH A BLANKET FROM THE BED.

Sloan: Ed, what I’m about to tell you...it’ll change your life.
Ed: (sleepily) I like my life.
Sloan: I’ve discovered a new species.
Ed: Of what?
Sloan: Of us.
Ed: Sloan.
Sloan: Coulter was doing research. I think she was about to figure it out.

SHE HANDS HIM HER DATA AND FILES.

Sloan: Read it. Tell me I’m wrong. I thought maybe the DNA in the samples was contaminated. I tested it. I turned those samples upside down. Ed, it’s not human.
Ed: One point six percent different from us?

SLOAN NODS HER HEAD. ED SITS UP AS HE BECOMES ENGROSSED IN THE INFORMATION IN THE FILES.

Ed: It’s definitely not human. It took an ice age to cause the last speciation. Now, unless I missed something in the morning paper--
Sloan: Environmental disruptions, exactly! I’m thinking global warming.
Ed: That’s only a two or three degree change. It’s no where near enough.
Sloan: Why not? What if it’s more. What if the warming has occurred over the past hundred years, and not the past ten or twenty?
Ed: This could be huge. Unless....it’s an isolated incident. We need other samples. Lots of them.

SLOAN REALIZES ED BELIEVES HER.

Sloan: (excitedly) We can start right now. We’ve got reciprocal deals with most of the big labs. I’m sure they’ll help out.
Ed: Wait, wait, wait. Um, isn’t that too narrow a task group? All those samples would be criminals.
Sloan: Hey, that’s where Lynch came from.

NEXT SCENE
WE SEE SLOAN PACING ABOUT ON THE TELEPHONE IN ED’S APARTMENT. IT IS MORNING.

Sloan: Yes, hi, I’m Dr. Sloan Parker. I worked with Dr. Coulter. That’s right, Ann Coulter. Yes, it was a terrible shock, thank you.

WE SEE ED ON THE PHONE AT ANOTHER DESK. HE’S PLAYING WITH A BASKETBALL.

Ed: No, that’s perfect. Whatever you got.

CUT BACK TO SLOAN.

Sloan: Look, I’m following up on some of her unfinished work. I understand you have some DNA samples...?

CUT BACK TO ED.

Ed: A blood or hair sample would be fine.
Sloan: Whitney University in Pasadena. That’s right. Thank you.
Ed: No, no.
Sloan: (to Ed) They’re emailing it over to the lab. It’ll be there by tonight.
Ed: Great. I’ll be on hold.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN’S APARTMENT. SHE IS PACKING A BAG, AND THROWING ON A JACKET. A KNOCK COMES AT HER DOOR.

Sloan: Coming!

SHE OPENS THE DOOR. TOM DANIELS STANDS THERE. SHE IS A BIT SURPRISED TO SEE HIM.

Tom: Hi. I hope I’m not interrupting anything. I wanted to give you these.

HE PULLS SOME COMPUTER FILES FROM HIS OVERCOAT POCKET. (HE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. OVERCOAT. SUIT AND TIE. SCARF.)

Tom: Dr. Coulter’s files from the computer. We’re through with them. I figured since you were closest to her...
Sloan: Thanks.
Tom: I was thinking um, maybe we could talk about Dr. Coulter.
Sloan: Sure, come on in.

HE DOES. TAKE HIS SCARF OFF AND FOLDS IT NEATLY.

Tom: You have a very nice home.
Sloan: I like it. I don’t get to spend enough time here, but...
Tom: Reflects your personality. Very warm.

THEY ARE AT HER FIREPLACE. HE PICKS UP A PICTURE.

Tom: Your sister?
Sloan: Yes.
Tom: Much older than you, right? She a scientist also?
Sloan: No, she’s a nurse. She’s got the hard job in the family.
Tom: How you feeling, Sloan?
Sloan: (she exhales) Well, ok I guess. I’m just doing the best I can. Thanks. So, have you gotten anywhere in your investigation?
Tom: (he sighs) Not yet I’m afraid to say. But uh, we’re doing the best we can.

VERY DELIBERATELY HE PLACES HIS SCARF ON THE ARM OF HER SOFA. THEN HE TAKES OFF HIS OVERCOAT AND LAYS IT OVERTOP.

Sloan: Well, you said you wanted to talk to me?

HE SITS ON THE OPPOSITE ARM OF THE SOFA FROM HIS COAT.

Tom: Yes, uh, I was hoping you would continue the work Dr. Coulter was doing for us.
Sloan: If you don’t mind my asking, what exactly was the work she was doing for you?
Tom: DNA research. Particular study involving a certain limited sample size. It’s complicated. I mean, for me it’s complicated.

HE SMILES AT HER. (DAMN HE’S SMOOTH.)

Sloan: I’m flattered.

Tom: She told us that she hoped that you would follow in her footsteps. And I guess I do too.
Sloan: Not without your help. I’m gonna need her files on Randall Lynch. The other day in the lab I noticed they were missing.

SHE GESTURES TO THE FILES.

Sloan: I’ll check these again....
Tom: (laughing ruefully) Ann was right about you. You’re very sharp.
Sloan: So about those files?
Tom: I’m sure you understand, you have to sign on first. Look umm, maybe you just need some time to work through everything that’s happened to you.

HE STANDS.

Tom: I’m sorry if I’ve pushed you.

Sloan: No, that’s okay. It’s just everything that’s happened this week--
Tom: No, I understand. Look, here’s my number.

HE GIVES HER HIS CARD.

Tom: You can call me anytime. Even if you just want to talk.
Sloan: I’d like that.
Tom: Okay.

ANOTHER KNOCK ON THE DOOR. SLOAN RUNS TO THE DOOR AND OPENS IT.

Sloan: Ed.
Ed: Hey. You ready?

TOM SEES ED AND GATHERS HIS COAT. ED NOTICES TOM.

Ed: I guess not.
Tom: Look, I don’t want to hold you up. Umm, think about it, okay?

HE BRUSHES PAST ED.

Tom: (softly) Excuse me.
Sloan: (to Ed) Ready?

SLOAN GRABS HER BAG AS ED LOOKS A BIT CONFUSED OVER TOM’S APPEARANCE AND HASTY DEPARTURE.

Ed: Yeah.

THEY LEAVE.

NEXT SCENE
BIO LAB AT NIGHT. SLOAN IS TYPING ON HER COMPUTER. ED WALKS OVER TO HER DESK, CARRYING A DISK.

Ed: 12,000 samples downloaded and ready to access!
Sloan: Beats loading by hand.
Computer voice: Ready.
Sloan: Correlate and mark each new sample for identification.
Ed: So uh, what’d that FBI guy want?
Sloan: He wanted me to continue the work Ann was doing with him.
Ed: This being the same FBI you think deleted her files?
Sloan: He explained all that.
Ed: They always do have any explanation.
Comp: Samples marked.

ED MOVES AROUND TO HER CHAIR AND HUNKERS DOWN BESIDE IT.

Sloan: Search for samples that match base subject Lynch.
Ed: So what’s he like?
Sloan: Who?
Ed: Secret agent man!
Comp: There are five matches with subject Lynch.

SLOAN AND ED HAVE SHOCKED LOOKS ON THEIR FACES.

Ed: Lynch has company.
Sloan: Verify these finding with the Phylogenetic analysis program.
Comp: Please provide a name for the new species. Please provide a name for the new species.

WE SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN LIST IN A FAMILY-TREE LIKE WAY THE DIFFERENT HOMINID SPECIES: AUSTRALOPITHICUS, NEANDERTHAL, HOMO SAPIEN, AND AT THE TOP, UNKNOWN.

Comp: Please provide a name for the new species.

NEXT SCENE
ED AND SLOAN RUSH OUT OF THE LIFE SCIENCES/BIO BUILDING.

Sloan: Man!
Ed: Never a dull moment.
Sloan: No kidding!
Ed: Sloan, you know that we gotta tell somebody.
Sloan: What?!? How? What are we gonna say?
Ed: I don’t know but--
Sloan: Look at Darwin. He waited 22 years before he announced his theory of evolution.
Ed: Sloan, it’s a new species. We’re not just talking about Lynch anymore. There’s six. How many more are there? And are they all killers like Lynch? Sloan. What you’ve done here is amazing. Ann would’ve been really proud of you.
Sloan: I know. But why me?

SHE GIVES A SMALL SMILE. HE HUGS HER.

NEXT SCENE
MORNING AT THE BIO LAB. SLOAN WALKS INTO ED’S OFFICE.

Sloan: Ed? What’s going on?
Ed: You got me. Attwood just said he wanted to see us.

WE SEE ATTWOOD PACKING UP SOME BOXES IN DR. ANN COULTER’S OFFICE. HE POKES HIS HEAD OUT INTO THE HALL.

Attwood: I’ll see you both now. Come in.

THEY ALL ENTER THE OFFICE. SLOAN NOTICES IT IS BARE OF ALL OF DR. COULTER’S THINGS.

Attwood: Please, uh, sit down. I know this is hard for you. I’m moving into this office and it’s with great sadness that I do so.
Sloan: Does this mean that you’re gonna run the lab?
Attwood: Yes. And if I can do half the job Ann did, we’ll be in good shape.
Ed: So is that it?
Attwood: (sitting at desk) No. We need to talk about Randall Lynch.

ED LOOKS AT SLOAN.

Sloan: What about him?
Attwood: Ann told me what she knew.
Sloan: Why didn’t you say anything?
Attwood: Look what happened to Ann when she started telling people.

ED AND SLOAN SHARE A LOOK.

Sloan: Ann was researching Lynch for the FBI. They know.
Attwood: That’s one of the things I’m concerned about. Ann was not doing research for the FBI. She hadn’t even contacted them until last week. She wanted access to their DNA database.
Sloan: Last week? But Tom Daniels--
Attwood: Sloan, I’d be very careful. I think it’s possible Tom Daniels knows a lot more about Ann’s death than he’s telling us.

SHOCK REGISTERS ON SLOAN’S FACE. SHE LEAVES THE OFFICE.

Attwood: Ed.

ED TURNS TO HIM. HE’D BEEN WATCHING SLOAN LEAVE.

Attwood: Make sure you back up your findings to disk for safety’s sake.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN IS HURRYING DOWN A HALLWAY WITH A WOMAN TRAILING AFTER HER.

Woman: Miss, no one is allowed down there without an appointment. Will you stop please?

SLOAN ENTERS AN OFFICE.

Sloan: (to secretary) I need to talk to Tom Daniels now.

A MAN STANDS UP FROM BEHIND A DESK. HE WAS HIDDEN FROM VIEW BY THE SECRETARY. HE IS IN HIS LATE FORTIES.

Man: What can I do for you?
Sloan: I’m looking for Tom Daniels.
Man: That’s me.

SHOCK FOR SLOAN AGAIN.

Woman: I’m sorry Mr. Daniels.

THE CAMERA ZOOMS IN ON THE MAN’S FBI BADGE. WE SEE HIS PICTURE AND THE NAME ‘TOM DANIELS’. SLOAN LEAVES THE OFFICE.

Woman: Miss? Miss!

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN ENTERS HER APARTMENT. SHE IS STILL IN SHOCK FROM THE FBI MEETING. SHE WALKS PAST THE SOFA AND DROPS HER BAG ON THE BED. SHE LOOKS BACK AT THE ARM OF THE SOFA AND SEES A SCARF. TOM’S SCARF. SHE FLASHES ON TOM PLACING IT THERE EARLIER.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN OPENS A ZIPLOC BAG AND REMOVES TOM’S SCARF. SHE IS AT THE BIO LAB. UNDER A MAGNIFYING LENS SHE FINDS AND REMOVES A HAIR FROM THE SCARF. SHE READIES THE SAMPLE FOR A DNA TEST. SLOAN SITS AT HER COMPUTER.

Computer voice: New sample processed.
Sloan: Mark it Tom Daniels.
Comp: The sample is marked.
Sloan: Access all DNA samples, including the base sample for subject Lynch.
Comp:Accessing.

WE SEE THE PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES SCREEN AGAIN WITH THE UNKNOWN SPECIES AT THE TOP.

Sloan: Calculate the DNA differential between Sloan Parker and Tom Daniels.

CLOSE IN ON SLOAN’S EYES AS SHE STARES AT THE SCREEN.

Comp: One point six percent.
Sloan: Oh my God.

NEXT SCENE
SLOAN WALKS OUT OF THE LIFE SCIENCES BUILDING. SHE IS STILL SHAKEN AND IS LOOKING AROUND IN EVERY DIRECTION. EVERYONE SEEMS SUSPICIOUS TO HER. SHE MAKES HER WAY THROUGH CAMPUS ANALYZING EVERYONE SHE COMES ACROSS. WE CAN SEE THAT SHE IS SCARED, PARANOID. SHE FINALLY REACHES HER CAR. ANOTHER CAR PULLS UP ABOUT TWO CAR LENGTHS BEHIND HER AS SHE REACHES IN HER POCKET FOR HER KEYS. SHE GLANCES AT THE CAR, THEN FOCUSES ON GETTING INTO HERS.

Tom: Sloan?

SLOAN LOOKS UP TO SEE TOM. (HE LOOKS GREAT. BLACK T-SHIRT UNDER HIS DARK SUIT. DAPPER. TASTY.)

Tom: I need to talk to you.

HE IS WALKING TOWARDS HER. SLOAN TAKES OFF, WALKING BRISKLY AWAY, GLANCING BEHIND TO SEE IF HE’S STILL COMING. HE IS. HE STRIDES AFTER HER. STALKING HER. SHE QUICKENS HER PACE. SHE’S WALKING BETWEEN TWO BUILDINGS, THEN COMES TO A LOCKED GATE. SLOAN BACKTRACKS A BIT AND ENTERS THE BUILDING TO THE RIGHT OF HER. SHE HURRIES DOWN THE HALL. SHE’S ALMOST RUNNING NOW.

WE SEE TOM DANIELS ENTER THE BUILDING, HIS PACE STEADY. HIS FOCUS INTENT. SLOAN COMES TO AN ELEVATOR, BUT IT DOESN’T OPEN FAST ENOUGH WHEN SHE PRESSES THE BUTTON, AND SHE TAKES OFF DOWN ANOTHER HALL. SHE TRIES THE DOORS LINING THE HALLWAY, BUT THEY ALL ARE LOCKED. TOM IS STILL COMING, STEADILY ON.

SLOAN COMES TO AN EXIT, AND RUNS INTO A HOMELESS MAN AS SHE RUNS THROUGH IT, KNOCKING THEM BOTH TO THE GROUND. THE MAN GRABS HER LEG AS SHE GOES PAST.

Man: He’s coming!

SLOAN IS SCARED WITLESS NOW. SHE BLINDLY RUNS AWAY. WE SEE TOM EXIT THE BUILDING. HE STILL FOLLOWS HER, HIS STRIDE EVEN, EATING UP THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM. HE’S CLOSING ON HER. SLOAN RACES ACROSS TO THE STREET, SCREAMING, TRYING TO STOP CARS.

Sloan: Stop! Stop! Please stop!

SHE SEES TOM DANIELS STILL COMING. HE’S AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD NOW. SLOAN STEPS IN FRONT OF AN ONCOMING BUS.

Sloan: (shrieking) STOP!

SHE LOOKS BACK AT TOM. HE IS CROSSING THE STREET. SHE POUNDS ON THE BUS DOOR.

Sloan: Open the door! Open the door!

SLOAN PRIES THE DOORS APART. TOM STOPS. SLOAN GETS AWAY ON THE BUS. TOM STARES AFTER HER.

NEXT SCENE
WE SEE SLOAN ON A PAY PHONE. SHE IS FRIGHTENED OF EVERYONE AND EVERY SOUND. WE HEAR THE PHONE RING.

(VOICEOVER)
Ed: This is Ed. Leave a message.
Sloan: Ed? Ed are you there? Pick up. If you’re there, pick up please!

SHE WAITS A BEAT, THEN HANGS UP THE PHONE.

NEXT SCENE
WE SEE SLOAN SITTING ON A BENCH IN THE POLICE STATION. RAY EXITS AN ELEVATOR, TALKING ON HIS CELL PHONE. PEOPLE BUSTLE ABOUT.

Ray: Uh, no, just send a black and white over there. See what you can dig up. Yeah.

RAY SEES SLOAN WAITING FOR HIM.

Ray: I gotta go.

NEXT SCENE
RAY AND SLOAN ARE SITTING AT HIS DESK IN THE POLICE STATION.

Ray: So you’re telling me a guy posing as an FBI agent stole files from a police investigation, covered up evidence of a murder and may actually have been an accomplice to that murder?
Sloan: Yeah.

WE HEAR RAY LAUGH DISBELIEVINGLY.

Sloan: And one more thing.
Ray: Okay.
Sloan: I don’t think Tom Daniels is human.
Ray: Not okay.
Sloan: You're gonna have to trust me on this. It’s what I do.
Ray: Let’s define not human. What are we talking about? Personality? Eating habits?
Sloan: His DNA. It’s a different species of human. Or technically hominid. It’s evolution. Cro magnon, neanderthal--
Ray:Yeah, I know what evolution is.
Sloan: It’s not just Tom Daniels. Lynch is one also.
Ray: They look pretty human to me.
Sloan: That’s what scares me.
Ray: Ok. Alright. I’ll look into Daniels. Now how ‘bout you go home. I’ll send a couple of officers with you. You’ll be okay.
Sloan: I’m scared.
Ray: If any of what you just told me is true...

HE LEANS FORWARD.

Ray: ...you ought to be.

NEXT SCENE
WE ARE AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. A UNIFORMED OFFICER IS CHECKING OUT SLOAN’S CLOSET WITH A FLASHLIGHT. NODS TO ANOTHER OFFICER THAT ALL IS CLEAR. MORE OFFICERS CHECK THE REST OF THE PLACE OUT.

Officer: Now ma’am, I’ll be right outside, ok?

SLOAN NODS.

Officer: So there’s no need to worry. You’ll be fine.
Sloan:Thanks.

THE UNIFORMED OFFICERS LEAVE AND SLOAN LOCKS THE DOOR BEHIND THEM. SHE KICKS OFF HER SHOES, REMOVES HER SWEATER, AND HEADS TO THE CLOSET. WE SEE THE SCENE FROM ABOVE AS SLOAN TURNS ON THE CLOSET LIGHT. A FIGURE IS CROUCHED ON THE SHELF IN THE CLOSET ABOVE THE CLOTHES RACK. SLOAN CANNOT SEE HIM. WE CAN TELL BY THE GORGEOUSLY SHINY HAIR THAT IT IS TOM DANIELS. HE IS WATCHING HER UNDRESS. WAITING. SLOAN WALKS AWAY FROM THE CLOSET AND REMOVES HER DRESS, TOSSING IT ON A CHAIR. SHE’S NOW CLAD ONLY IN A WHITE SLIP. SHE TAKES OFF HER EARRINGS AS SHE HEADS TO THE KITCHEN. SHE GETS A PITCHER OF ICED TEA FROM THE FRIDGE AND WALKS TO THE CENTER ISLAND. SHE’S TIRED.

SUDDENLY A HAND CLOSES OVER HER MOUTH.




HER EYES WIDEN IN FRIGHT. TOM IS BEHIND HER. SLOAN GASPS AND STARTS TO STRUGGLE.

Tom: Don’t scream!

HE MANEUVERS HER AROUND TO FACE HER, HIS HAND STILL COVERING HER MOUTH. HE PINS HER TO THE ISLAND WITH HIS BODY.

Tom: If you’re quiet this will be easier. Less painful.

HIS FACE IS A MASK AS HE GAZES INTO HER FRIGHTENED EYES. SEEING HER ACCEPTANCE, HE NODS AND REMOVES HIS HAND.

Sloan: You killed Ann.
Tom: No I didn’t.
Sloan: Why did she have to die?

TOM GRABS SLOAN BY THE SHOULDERS AND SPINS HER ABOUT.

Tom: Because she was a threat. To our survival!

SLOAN IS GASPING AT BEING MANHANDLED. (I COULD MAKE A COMMENT HERE, BUT I WON’T ;o)

Tom: You know how evolution works. Homo sapiens wiped out Neanderthal.
Sloan: And you’re gonna wipe us out.

HE PUSHES HER TO THE FLOOR AND CLUTCHES HER THROAT.

Tom: Survival of the fittest.
Sloan: You don’t have to do this. You’re not a killer like Lynch, I know it. I know you.

HE PUSHES HER ROUGHLY AWAY FROM HIM AND SHE SPRAWLS ON THE FLOOR.

Tom: (forcefully) No you don’t!

SLOAN SCRAMBLES TO A SITTING POSITION. TOM HAS A ‘DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS’ LOOK ABOUT HIM. HE DOESN’T LIKE WHAT SLOAN IS SAYING.

Sloan:Then why did you leave your scarf here the other night? You knew I’d be able to get a DNA sample. You knew I’d be able to figure out what you are.

HE STANDS, SHAKING HIS HEAD. HE IS APPROACHING HER SLOWLY.

Tom: (softly) No.
Sloan: You wanted me to know.
Tom: No.
Sloan: You wanted me to tell.
Tom: No.
Sloan: You could’ve killed me a hundred times over but you didn’t.

HE REACHES FOR HER, GRABBING HER HEAD IN HIS HANDS. SLOAN IS SCARED, BUT CANNOT BACK DOWN OR LOOK AWAY.

Tom: It’s because you feel things. Emotions. It’s because you’re different.
Sloan: And you’re different. From those who sent you to kill me.

HE IS LOOKING AT HER INTENTLY. DIFFERENT EMOTIONS PLAY OVER HIS FACE: CURIOSITY, COMPASSION, PAIN, ANGER, CONFUSION.

Tom: But you betrayed me. You told the police.
Sloan: And you lied to me. When I trusted you. Now we both know the truth.

HE SEES A TEAR FALL FROM HER EYE.

Tom: (on an exhaled breath) Oh.

HE CATCHES THE TEAR WITH HIS THUMB AS IT FALLS AND STARES AT THE MOISTURE. WE CAN SEE HE IS TERRIBLY CONFLICTED. HIS BROW IS FURROWED. HE GIVES IN. TOM STANDS UP AND WALKS AWAY FROM HER. SLOAN EXHALES IN RELIEF. HIS BACK IS TO HER.

Tom: (over his shoulder) There are others out there. Many others. If I fail, they’ll still come after you.
Sloan: Then I’ll fight.

TOM SIGHS, RESIGNED. SLOAN RISES FROM THE FLOOR.

Sloan: Will they come after you?
Tom: (shaking his head sadly) Yes.

HE WALKS TO THE WINDOW.

Sloan: Will you fight?

HE RAISES THE WINDOW AND LOOKS BACK AT SLOAN OVER HIS SHOULDER.

Tom: (harsh, with conviction) Yes.

TEARS STREAM DOWN SLOAN’S FACE. TOM CLIMBS ONTO THE SILL, CROUCHING THERE, LOOKING DOWN AT THE STREET BELOW. HE GLANCES BACK AT SLOAN. SHE STARES AT HIM. (WHO CAN BLAME HER?) HE CLIMBS OUT ONTO THE FIRE ESCAPE.

End Episode 1

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