Sons of Liberty (Net Worth)

Teaser

EXT. ICY PLAIN – EVENING
our people are running from a motorcycle—with spiked wheels and a rider who carries a jousting stick. Quinn activates the timer. Wade leaps in. And, just as the others are about to go, Quinn is struck in the back with the jousting stick. He falls, the timer strikes the ice hard. Unseen by them, the VORTEX FLUTTERS AS THE TIMER HITS THE GROUND. Rembrandt
scoops up the timer as Arturo helps Quinn rise. And just as the motorcyclist comes around for another swipe at them -­ they leap to safety.

EXT. SUBURBAN CITY STREET
Wade lands in the middle of a city street. It’s eerily empty. She turns to the vortex, expecting the others. But it closes.

EXT. URBAN CITY STREET
Rembrandt, Arturo and Quinn land. Rembrandt calls for Wade. The Vortex closes and suddenly, Arturo collapses. _ Rembrandt and Quinn rush to him. What’s wrong with him? Quinn refuses to answer, they’d better get him to a doctor. What about Wade? They know. she made it. They’ll have to find her later. The guys lift Arturo and drag him forward.

BACK TO WADE
—worried. Where are the guys? She looks around, yells for them, but of course, there is no answer. She rounds a corner and sees a large gate opening into another city area (which looks quite different—kind of run down). There, she sees the guys moving in the opposite direction. What .she doesn’t see is a faint blue trim around the gateway’s perimeter. She yells: Hey, over here! But they don’t hear. She runs towards them and as she gets to the _ open gateway, she’s ZAPPED and thrown back by an invisible electrical forcefield. Off this –

END TEASER

Act One

EXT. NCU CITY STREETS – EVENING
Quinn and Rembrandt help a struggling Arturo through the streets. We set the scene for the world of NCU’s (non­ computer users). Signs makes it clear this is a population that is being taken advantage of. We’re essentially setting up a world of second-class citizenry, not unlike the pocket world where Hispanics live today in L. A…

Arturo is unable to go on. It’s decided he and Quinn will wait on a bench as Rembrandt searches for a doctor…

After Rembrandt is gone, there’s an exchange with Quinn and Arturo about his illness. It’s been acting up for the last two worlds but Arturo didn’t mention it, hoping it would go away. Quinn feels like it’s time to let Remmy and Wade in, but Arturo is adamantly against it. Quinn re-agrees to the secret. They should mention here some concern about Wade’s whereabouts.

INT. O.L. CITY – STREETS

Wade wanders the eerie, abandoned streets. What’s happened to this world, where are all the people? She tries to enter a shop, but the doors are locked by a key-code electric door.
Down the street, a woman comes around the corner. Wade calls to her and she turns, afraid, as if Wade is from another planet. As Wade draws near her, the woman runs away. Now, Wade sees across the street, the Royal Chancellor Hotel…

INT. ROYAL CHANCELLOR HOTEL/LAST CHANCE BAR

Wade enters an empty lobby. She hears MUSIC…

The music brings her into our bar. Here, it’s completely empty. There aren’t even any tables or chairs, just two barstools. Behind the bar is DIGGS—typing on a laptop. He’s scared out of his mind as Wade says hello. He too, like the woman in the other scene, looks afraid of Wade.

She takes a seat. He just stares—total disbelief. She asks for a drink. Diggs: You want to drink it here? Yep. .. At first he’s not sure, but then he sends drinks up a room service pneumatic tube and pours a beer for Wade. He sets it down in front of her—and backs away quickly.

She looks up: What’s with everybody in this place? Diggs tells her that people don’t usually come to the bar, in fact, it’s been a couple of months since he’s seen anybody.

(Note: It would be cool to construct an on-line world language that is different from the way we speak. Perhaps one that utilizes abbreviations and short-hand to make a point just the way we abbreviate when we type on the net. if we go this route, Diggs would talk almost in a strange code.)

EXT/INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – LATER

Rembrandt and Quinn help Arturo to the front of a well-kept Brownstone. Rembrandt tells us, he doesn’t know if there are any MDs on this world, but the guy who lives here is supposed to be some kind of a doctor… THEY KNOCK.

PATRICK CARLYLE, a handsome man in his late 50’s, is arguing with his daughter, SHANNON (about 23). Shannon is stressing something that her brother Nathan wants to do. Patrick is against it. At the KNOCK, they stop abruptly. Shannon looks out. It’s three men she doesn’t know. FOP’s? (Friends of the President) No, they’re not wearing uniforms.
Patrick opens the door and Arturo, Rembrandt and Quinn enter. They tell him, they were given his name as the local doctor. Patrick explains: there are no real M. D. ‘s “outside”. Quinn points to Arturo: My friend is very sick.

In a bedroom, Patrick settles Arturo into bed and gives him something for the pain. But Arturo is confused—how can he help the pain if he doesn’t know what’s ailing Arturo? Patrick puts a hand on Arturo—you have a malignant tumor in your lung. Patrick looks at Arturo’s hands, indicates his eyes, the pattern of coloration of his skin… It’s clear as day. (Patrick has a traditional/holistic approach to healing).

INT. LAST CHANCE BAR – EVENING

Wade sips her beer as Diggs types on his laptop. She tries for conversation, revealing among other things, she’s waiting for some friends to meet her there. They ended up in the next area and she couldn’t get to them. Diggs tells her about the forcefield, about the “outside”. And, if they’re out there, they can’t get inside. She thinks maybe they’ll call. Diggs shakes his head. No phones out there. Everything’s computers and the outside isn’t wired. Wade wants to know if she can get out—citizens must be able to… Diggs tells her they can, but you need your C. I. (carte identification) to get out… Wade doesn’t have one. Can he get her out using his? Diggs: Nope. It doesn’t work that way. Essentially, she’s stuck in there. But Wade won’t lose hope. Somehow they’ll find a way in.

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – LATER

Rembrandt asks Quinn about the Professor and his illness. Quinn is reluctant to tell. He promised. Patrick comes out. He tells them that Arturo is resting but that he’s very sick. And, before Rembrandt can ask of what

The door opens and NATHAN CARLYLE, Shannon’s brother (26) stumbles in. He’s been cut with a knife. Shannon closes the door quickly. Patrick opens a secret staircase leading down: Nathan struggles down with Shannon. He leaves a bloody handprint on the wall. The door is sealed. A chair placed before it. WE HEAR a COMMOTION OUTSIDE.

There is a BANGING. Patrick opens the door to find three FOP’s (FOP’s are an elite, uniformed military unit. Their uniforms are Red, White and Blue and bear a striking resemblance (in a modern way) to uniforms that British Soldiers wore in our Revolutionary times). They are looking for a wounded man who attacked them. The FOP’s are doing a house to house search (others are across the street). A woman SCREAMS as the FOP’s drag her from her house. Rembrandt and Quinn exchange a look, what’s going on here??

Patrick has no knowledge of whom they seek. The lead FOP, TOWNSEND, starts to enter, Patrick stays his ground, blocking his entry. Now, Quinn notices the bloody hand print. And just as Townsend is about to push in, Quinn uses his sleeve to wipe the blood away. Townsend threatens Patrick and pushes in. He and his men search—destroying the house in the process. However, they find nothing. Quinn, best he can, tries to block the view of the secret passage.

And, as they are leaving, Townsend turns to Patrick—The man we search for looked like your son, Nathan. We will find him—and if he’s been injured, he’ll spend the rest of his days in Concord Place (which probably wouldn’t be many). Now, Townsend notices the blood on Quinn’s shirt. It’s a moment of tension. Quinn explains it—he had a bloody nose earlier.

Townsend doesn’t really buy it. He tells his men to take a picture of Quinn and Rembrandt. A Polaroid is taken. Townsend gives them both an official warning about consorting with known seditionists. There are no second warnings. If you’re caught participating in an act against the President, it’s punishable by death. And off this unusual threat—

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

INT. ROYAL CHANCELLOR – HOTEL ROOM – MORNING (D2)

Wade is roused by a BEEPING. Her room computer is flashing: Message. She gets up—the guys must be trying to reach her. It takes her only a second to figure out how to retrieve the message. It’s from Diggs. Can U cm dwn to tlk? She smiles, but sighs. She moves to the window: Where are they?

EXT. NCO – URBAN STREET – DAY

Quinn and Rembrandt walk the outside world. We notice a heavy FOP presence (people stay away from them; brave ones spit at them as they pass. FOP’s are hated here). They talk briefly about Nathan, the situation on this world and the Professor. (whatever Patrick is giving him seems to be working. He’s resting and feeling a little better). And then there’s Wade—Quinn tells Rembrandt that from what he can figure, when he dropped the timer, it fluttered. It’s possible Wade came out a few feet from them. He points toward the O.L. city walls: In there.

Rembrandt moves to the entrance. Two FOP’s watch, snickering. He doesn’t get it until he tries to go through the forcefield. He is thrown backward. The FOP’s laugh more. Quinn crosses to him, helping him up. No wonder Wade didn’t come looking for them. She can’t get out. Rembrandt remarks: And we can’t get in. What are we going to do? Quinn isn’t sure, but they’ve got about 2 days to figure it out. With any luck, there’s a Royal Chancellor in there and she’s smart enough to wait for them there.

One of the FOP’s crosses to them and points his rifle (maybe it has a bayonet on the end), telling them to move along. As they do, Rembrandt turns back: How’d this world get this way??

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – MORNING

Quinn and Rembrandt return to witness Patrick and Nathan in the middle of a big fight (Nathan’s arm is patched; his wound superficial). Nathan is passionate about wanting to stop the FOP’s, destroy the OLC and get their rights back. Patrick thinks it’s folly. Too much at stake. Nathan calls him old, beaten… And storms up the stairs.

Quinn, Patrick and Rembrandt talk about Nathan (and his obsession with revolution). Patrick is worried that Nathan’s going to get himself killed and for what nothing will change. Doesn’t he realize that every modern revolution has ended in a government more oppressive than the one it destroyed?!

INT. LAST CHANCE BAR

Wade sips coffee as Diggs (who’s pouring OJs and coffees and sending them up a tube to the rooms), tells her about the Computer Revolution of 66. How things evolved: television, movies, shopping, books and newspapers went on-line. Basically society became totally dependent on computers. Problem was, not everybody had access. The society fractured into two: The haves and the have-nots. Voting was also one of the on-line activities, so it wasn’t long before the on-liners voted the NCU’s out of citizenship and their basic rights.

Wade can’t believe it. Doesn’t anybody feel this is wrong? Diggs shrugs. It’s been like this his whole life. There’s them and there’s us. No one mixes. It’s just the way it is.

There’s a BEEP at Diggs’ computer. It’s her (let’s call her NETGIRL for now). His heart flutters. Diggs explains he’s got an on-line thing with a girl and that he’s never met her except on computer, which in this world is not unusual. Wade is immediately excited by this concept. This begins a Cyrano­ type line in which Wade will help unite the two lovers.

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – SHANNON’S ROOM – SAME TIME

Shannon is in her room. Nathan enters. He is immediately incensed to see her using the vile device which is the cause of all their strife. -He’s even more angry because he knows she’s communicating with an OLer. He doesn’t even know you’re an NCU, does he? Shannon shakes her head guiltily.

Nathan forbids her to continue this interaction, yanking the computer from the wall socket. He’s about to smash it when Shannon begs. Please, don’t destroy the computer. Quinn enters, stopping Nathan with: If you really want to defeat the OLers, you could use that against them. Nathan wants to know why Quinn cares. It’s not his fight. Quinn disagrees. This is every man’s fight.

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – BEDROOM – LATER

Quinn and Rembrandt are sitting with the Professor, filling him in on Quinn’s theory of where Wade is and how they need to figure out a way in. Patrick checks in and finds Arturo much better. (Patrick explains some holistic reason for his improvement.)

Arturo remarks on the books in the room. Patrick loves his collection. When the world first went on-line, when he was inside there was a time he considered having all his books scanned to disk. Now, they’re his only solace outside. Arturo follows up on “inside.” Yes, Patrick used to be inside, but when the OL world voted to revoke rights, many left, hoping to start a new egalitarian order outside. But the OLC has fought them, exploited them, kept them down. A new society can’t form if the old still controls it.

Rembrandt scans the shelves and pulls out the writings of Thomas Paine (the pamphlet “Common Sense”). He quotes from memory (loosely, making it his own): ” What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly; ‘It’s dearness only that gives everything its value and Heaven alone knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial an article as liberty should not be highly rated…

Patrick smiles: You know your history. Rembrandt shakes his head: I know the value of my freedom… Indeed he does.

Now, Nathan sticks his head in and to Quinn: You ready? Quinn is, he gets up and heads out. Patrick expresses worry to Rembrandt and Arturo, hoping Nathan’s passion for revolution won’t bring harm to Quinn. Arturo assures him that Quinn is a bright young man, he won’t be sucked in…

EXT. URBAN STREET – DAY

Quinn and Nathan hide as they watch as an FOB listens to a walkie-talkie ear piece, then punches in a four-digit code on the keypad and enters into the OLworld.

Nathan quickly writes down the code and explains he’s been watching the patrols. -They come and go every 45 minutes and before they enter, they punch in a code and the field goes down for 5 maybe 10 seconds. Nathan thinks they’re using personal codes and that maybe they can steal one to get in. Quinn shakes his head, nope. He’s saw the same guy go back and forth and he used different codes. The earpiece they wear—someone’s sending them the entry code. It must change with each entry for security… Most likely, it’s a random code chosen by computer. Can they break the random. code? Quinn, probably not, but they might be able to steal one. They head back to the house…

(Note: A possible alternative to this beat could be a MEETING PLACE where Nathan takes Quinn. There could be a small group of young men with revolution on the mind. Quinn could be the one who suggests that they destroy the computer. Nathan could take this to mean, by bombing it. Quinn would be cautious. Nobody gets hurt. )

EXT. NCO – URBAN STREETS – ANOTHER AREA – DAY

Quinn and Nathan walk back. We see that Nathan’s a good guy, he’s just passionate in his hatred of the FOP’s and all they stand for, which is tyranny.

Now, they turn as Townsend and his second man are causing a scene in a town square. Townsend grabs a woman by the hair, yanking her along. He tells the people to watch as she faces punishment for her crime. This is the fate that awaits all of you! As he drags the woman towards a wall for execution—Nathan races into action, knocking the second guy down (humiliating him) and then he fights with Townsend—forcing him to release the woman. Townsend. gets up and a BRAWL ensues. Townsend gets Nathan in a compromising position and pulls out a knife. As he’s about to slice into the guy, Quinn jumps out. .. Saving Nathan. He and Nathan run away leaving Townsend on the ground, burning mad. As he watches Quinn, he realizes—that’s the same guy from the day before. He orders his other man to issue death warrants on Quinn and Nathan.

END OF ACT TWO

Act Three

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – NIGHT (N2)

We come back to find Townsend and his group ransacking the house again, looking for Nathan and Quinn. Arturo, Rembrandt, Patrick and Shannon are in their night clothes and stand against the wall…

Townsend’s partner is about to find the secret door and Shannon suddenly bursts out in anger at their constant harassment. They don’t know where they are, why can’t they leave them in peace. The man slaps her down. Rembrandt takes offense, stepping up in her defense. Townsend backs him away with the end of his bayonet. The tension takes the partner away from the door. Townsend leaves by giving Patrick a sheet of paper with Quinn’s and Nathan’s pictures. It’s an official death warrant, signed by the President (who on this world should be somebody like: Steven Jobs or Bill Gates).

INT. SECRET HIDING ROOM – SAME TIME

Nathan cringes as the men harass Shannon and the others. He’s dying to go out there, but Quinn keeps him from doing the stupid thing. Nathan shows Quinn a map of the OL city, showing the main brain set up. This is what controls the computer system in there. He and Quinn go over a partially made bomb that they’ve been working on. Nathan is into blowing the place sky high. Quinn still isn’t sure this is the right plan. Nathan tells him it’s the perfect plan. It’s computers that divided them in the first place, if you can remove that, this world should return to how it was before the ’66 revolution… Nathan’s enthusiasm convinces Quinn and they finish the bomb.

Patrick comes down and tells them that Townsend is gone, but there’s a guard out front. Nathan blows it off. Townsend’s an idiot. We can go over the roof and be a block over. Patrick is displeased and asks Quinn if he can have a minute with his son.

Once Quinn leaves, Patrick and Nathan have another heated argument. Patrick doesn’t want to see him dead. Nathan doesn’t care. It’s almost as if he wants to die…

INT. CARLYLE KITCHEN – NIGHT

Quinn gets something to eat. Arturo enters. He still looks a little pained, but tells Quinn he is feeling much better.

Now to the point, Arturo thinks Quinn is making a mistake by encouraging Nathan in this revolutionary pursuit. Quinn disagrees. It gets heated. Quinn tells Arturo that there must be something to sliding, some reason they continue to find themselves involved in things. Whether it’s fate, destiny or just bad luck, they might as well help people. Arturo: You don’t even know these people. Are you prepared to die so that they may have freedom? Quinn thinks about this, nods: Yeah, Men I never knew died for mine. Quinn exits. Arturo shakes his head. Youthful passion will get a man killed.

INT. ROYAL CHANCELLOR – HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Wade is awake. Alone, lonely. She types on the computer, sending messages. Quinn, Rembrandt, Arturo are you anywhere to be found??

There’s a knock on her door. It’s Diggs. He’s getting so used to talking to her, he kind of missed her. He asked if she’s had any luck finding a lead on her friends. None. She thanks him for letting her use his account. He doesn’t mind. Suddenly, there’s a BEEP. Diggs’s smiles. At this hour, it must be her.

Wade: You love her, don’t you? Diggs nods, he really does. Wade: Do you think she feels the same? He brings out a letter that she wrote him a few months back. It’s poetic and simple and touching. Wade will read it aloud. This girl is totally in love with you. .. Diggs smiles. There is a reference to their years together, when they were kids. Diggs can’t figure it out, but whoever she is, they knew each other long ago. Wade looks at the letter oddly. Diggs: What is it? It’s written in Old English… Diggs thinks it was a nice touch. Words always sound better in the old style.

He takes a seat to answer—and sure enough, it’s NETGIRL. Wade encourages him to set a meeting. Diggs isn’t sure, but Wade convinces him to risk it. He does.

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – SHANNON’S ROOM

Shannon on the computer typing. .. Suddenly she gets a message. Let’s meet. She bites her lip. She knows this is a problem.

Now, Nathan and Quinn come in. Nathan wants the computer. Why? Quinn thinks by using it, they might be able to get into the OLC. They explain the plan of blowing the main brain. It could help you, it can help everybody. It can bring them freedom from the oppression. Shannon is worried about them. But Nathan has a sweet moment with her. Nothing’s going to happen. She nods and Nathan takes the computer… • As he turns it off and leaves—Shannon suddenly remembers, she didn’t answer the query. But it’s too late. The computer is gone.

BACK TO DIGGS AND WADE

They’re a little confused when the system sends back: User logged off. That’s never happened before. Wade makes up a reason why, but Diggs worries—maybe he scared her off.

EXT. URBAN STREETS – NIGHT

The same place Nathan and Quinn watched the FOPs enter before. Quinn has the laptop up and running. He’s attached some sort of a makeshift antennae. He explains, if he can locate their transmission on the spectrum, he should be able to capture a code. Suddenly, an FOP is headed in their direction, they’re both in danger of being seen.

Quinn can’t move though, because he’ll lose the signal and there’s a guard about to get request entry. Nathan has an idea… He takes off. Quinn: Nathan, Don’t. Nathan tells him it’ll be okay. He’ll distract the guy and double back. By then, they’ll know if this idea works and whether or not they can get in tomorrow…

Nathan takes off and pelts the nearing FOP with a rock. The FOP turns and spots Nathan. Unfortunately, Nathan doesn’t realize that behind him, two more FOPS have neared. Let’s say that meanwhile, Quinn has captured a code… Now, knowing that he can do it, he gets up to join Nathan… It is Quinn who sees the other FOPs. He yells out: Nathan—Behind you! Nathan turns just as one FOP moves into striking distance. He thrust his bayonet into Nathan… Nathan crumbles onto the ground. Quinn: No!! And then, the FOPs turn to Quinn. He has no choice but to run, leaving Nathan’s body where it lies.

END OF ACT THREE

Act Four

EXT. URBAN STREETS – TOWN SQUARE – DAY (D3)

Open on a town funeral for Nathan. A casket covered in the Outsider’s flag (Maybe an Old Glory with one large star). Patrick is at a podium speaking tearfully. Shannon is behind him, crying. Quinn is watching from a safe distance. In the front, Arturo and Rembrandt watch, touched by the sadness of it all. They wonder about Quinn. Arturo tells us his message said he was fine and he’d meet us back at the house. Patrick’s speech should be mostly about Nathan, a little about the cause Nathan so passionately believed in, the right of the people, liberty, freedom from oppression. I might end with a quote from Albert Camus from Defense of Freedom (Homage to an Exile) :

Loosely quoted: … And it seems to me that at such a moment those who are like him must come toward him, to tell him that his actions are not futile, that there always comes a day when the palaces of oppression crumble, when exile comes to an end, when liberty catches fire. If, after all, men cannot make history have a meaning, they can always act so that their own lives have one…

And/or: (From Liberation of Paris) : Nothing is given to men, and the little they can conquer is paid for with unjust deaths. But man’s greatness lies elsewhere. It lies in his decision to be stronger than his condition. And if his condition is unjust, he has only one way of overcoming it…

INT. LAST CHANCE BAR – DAY

Wade is behind the bar getting a lesson from Diggs on making a Cosmopolitan (vodka, cranberry juice, a dash of orange, stirred with ice, strained into a martini glass—I think). Diggs keeps looking at the computer. No beep. Wade tells him not to worry. She’ll E.M. Netgirl’ll want to meet him. How could she not? It makes Diggs a little less anxious. He wonders about her, how is she holding up? It’s day three and still no word about her friends. She’s trying not to worry about it, but it’s quite a strain, but she knows them, they’d never leave without her…

INT. CARLYLE HOUSE – SECRET ROOM – LATER

Quinn comes down to find Shannon going over Nathan’s things. Quinn tells her how brave Nathan was. He risked himself so that Quinn could get the code. Shannon erupts. He wasn’t brave. He was stupid. Quinn tells her she’s wrong. He convinces her that Nathan did the only thing he could—he lived large (he probably doesn’t say it this way). He knew what was important in life, he didn’t hold back. These words have meaning for Shannon. She’s spent her whole life, holding back… Quinn heads back up the stairs. Shannon spies the computer and turns it on—

INT. LAST CHANCE BAR – DAY

The message is received. Wade tries to see, but Diggs keeps her at bay—then he shows her. It’s from the girl. She’s agreed to meet him. Wade notices another part of the message. Her friend Quinn is right—you can’t hold back. Wade lets out a curious: Quinn? Diggs turns to her and then gets it—your friends. Suddenly he realizes, his girl must be an NCU.

Wade knows this is trouble. She begs him not to worry about that, to at least give her a chance. Diggs can’t risk it. He can be jailed for NCU interaction and the penalty for communicating with the outside. Oh no, he snaps his laptop off. The FOP has probably been monitoring all along. Wade: You have to warn her, they could set a trap. But Diggs isn’t gonna chance it. He’s paranoid, for all he knows this could be an FOP set-up. They do things like this to ferret out sympathizers.

Wade can’t believe he won’t warn her. If he really is so worried about being jailed, he should look around, take stock in his life. He has none! A computer relationship isn’t real. It’s not true love. He’s got a chance for that with her. If he passes this up, he might as well be dead… Because he’s not living, not by a long shot. She crosses to his. computer, if you won’t warn them, I will. My friends might be with her and I don’t want any of them walking into an ambush… He tries to stop her, but Wade, when she wants to be, is unstoppable. He steps aside. However, when she types in the message, all she gets is: User logged off…

INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT (N3)

Patrick is sitting in the room with the books, looking tired, sad, angry. He suddenly gets up and attacks his bookshelves, ripping the books, throwing them, hating them. Quinn enters, which stops Patrick. He turns to Quinn, telling him it’s the books, it’s their fault. Nathan loved them, he believed the words. They made him think he could make a difference. Patrick drops to his chair. Nathan’s death is his fault.

Quinn counters that notion. The ideas written in these books, the words of Jefferson, Voltaire… (just to name a couple) , their ideas are not wrong. It is oppression that is wrong. The FOPs, the President, all of the OLers—they are responsible for Nathan’s death. They’re the ones who must be stopped before other innocent men die. Quinn says not to let his death be in vain. Acknowledge it counts. As you said at the funeral make it have meaning, make certain it is remembered. Patrick nods, inspired and comforted by Quinn.

Quinn says again how sorry he is. .. but feels it was an honor to have known Nathan. He thanks Patrick for his hospitality and tells him, they’re leaving now. They must get to Wade.

EXT. URBAN STREET – NIGHT – LATER

Quinn, Rembrandt, Arturo and Shannon are at the spot where you can see the entry point… The plan is as soon as they capture the code, Shannon should get the heck out of there. But she says she’s going in too. She’s got something to do. Patrick shows up. He too is going. There’s no time to argue, the FOP soldier is approaching. This is the time…

The FOP gets his entry code, but when he tries it, it doesn’t work… He’s confused.

CUT TO:

EXT. OL WORLD – SAME TIME

As they group enters and the gate reactivates behind them—Rembrandt asks if the FOP will figure out why he can’t get in. Quinn says probably they’ll realize the code was used on another gate. They’ll come looking for us. We should be careful.

They head down the street and Townsend and his man are there waiting for them. Yes, they should’ve been more careful. Quinn can’t believe they found them that fast. Townsend, it’s always easier when we know where you’ll be. Quinn is confused, but Shannon isn’t. You were monitoring my messages. Townsend smiles and gives the order to arrest them.

Patrick backs away, pulling off his coat, revealing he’s wired to the teeth. They get any closer and he’ll take them and everything within a mile radius out with them. Our Sliders—and even Shannon, turn—in shock.

Behind them, Wade comes down, staying in the shadows. She realizes there’s trouble, but isn’t sure what to do. Suddenly, a hand reaches out and pulls her sideways. It’s Diggs.

Patrick is looking crazier and crazier. He tells Townsend he hopes he lives long enough to feel the heat of the blast (or if we really want to get gross—his skin melt). Suddenly, there’s a commotion behind all of them. GARBAGE CANS CLANG, rolling towards them… Diggs jumps out, swinging lids. Quinn and Rembrandt leap to action and between the three guys and Wade, they manage to take the weapons from Townsend’s and his partner.

We have our brief hellos. Diggs recognizes Shannon Carlyle. It’s you, isn’t it? She’s shy. He’s stoked it’s her.

Back to Patrick. His target tonight will be Nathan’s dream, to blow the main brain—the heart of the city’s computer system. If this goes, their whole life goes. There’s a back-up, but it’s in the same area. Patrick can destroy both plus several nearby apartment buildings with the blast he has in mind—freeing the people from their chains of technology and setting them back years… He sets a detonating device. The digital readout is at 2 minutes and counting. He’s going to make Nathan’s life count. He indicates they should all move to the building.

Quinn pleads with Patrick. This is not the way. You do this, you bring on war, bloodshed. Patrick thinks maybe war is what they need. There’s already been bloodshed. Quinn disagrees. But Patrick throws the theories of the Revolutionaries at him. Quinn agrees that words and idea are inciting. They are important. But so are actions. And this action is wrong. Through all this, the detonator is counting down. Now, it’s at a minute and 30 seconds. He finishes by saying Nathan didn’t want any more innocent people to die, remember. This isn’t what he wanted. Patrick seems suddenly confused…

EXT. MAIN COMPUTER BUILDING – NIGHT

A small low stone building, not unlike a fire bunker.

Quinn and Patrick exit the door and run… crossing to a safe distance to where Diggs, Wade, Arturo and the FOPs are. The building BLOWS sky high, FLAMES so hot, the concrete ignites. Given the right pyrotechnics, this might look a lot like bombs bursting in air. It’s a beautiful sight.

Behind them, the blue trim of the gateways disappear. The force field is gone.  And now people from the O.L. world come out of their homes dressed in slippers, bathrobes, jammies. They stare in wonder at the explosion.

A few NCU’s leave their homes, dressed in nightwear, they enter the OL world, amazed they can, drawn by the fire and the public gathering… The two groups mingle. No hatred. No anger. In fact, a few old friends renew acquaintances…

Townsend looks to Patrick and condescendingly: You’ve just destroyed civilization. Quinn turns to Townsend: You idiot, he just saved it.

Shannon and Diggs walk off together, holding hands… Rembrandt crosses to Wade, putting an arm around her. What’s going on there? Wade smiles: Call it a peace conference.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. URBAN STREETS – TOWN SQUARE – NEXT DAY (D4)

A small crowd is gathered, a mix of the OLers and the NCU’s. They cheer as Patrick, who’s on a platform, raises a scroll that has just been signed by various NCU and OLC men.
Patrick steps to the podium, smiling, a happiness tinged with sadness. He reads from the scroll: We the people, proudly of the NCU… (the crowd should cheer), In order to form a more perfect union…

We should fade away from this to our people who are off to the side. It’s time to slide. As they walk to a clearing away from the crowd, Shannon and Diggs come up. They’re very happy. Diggs tells us the system was completely destroyed, might be months before they can rebuild, but he doesn’t think they’ll go back to total dependence. People seem to actually like talking to each other face to face. He and Shannon share a smile.

Shannon hands Arturo a bag of whatever Patrick gave him earlier. If things act up again, use this… He takes it. And our four say goodbye, activate the timer and slide out.

The CAMERA COULD PAN back to the stage as Patrick continues to read: … and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…

THE END