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- INT. CLAY'S OFFICE - DAY
-
- CLOSE ON MODEM
-
- The modem BUZZES with "conversation." Its lights flash.
-
- ON COMPUTER SCREEN
-
- From the other end of a wire, Hunter types Clay an impatient
- message:
-
- HUNTER
- (typed on screen)
- Hello...Romulus?... Where for art thou
- Romeo? Why did you restrict my access?
-
- PULL OUT TO REVEAL
-
- Clay rushes in and sits down at his computer, surrounded by
- a clutter of spare computer parts, wires, and manuals.
-
- CLOSE ON SCREEN
-
- The following "conversation" appears as text, not spoken.
-
- CLAY
- (typed by Clay)
- You're getting me into trouble.
-
- HUNTER
- Come on, you can trust me. How long has
- it been?
-
- CLAY
- Two weeks.
-
- HUNTER
- That's a lot of unpaid overtime.
-
- Clay laughs. The phone rings. Clay picks it up.
-
- CLAY
- (into phone, cheery)
- Information Systems.
-
- DIANE (O.S.)
- (whispering through phone)
- Jack's leaving.
-
- CLAY
- Right.
-
- Clay hangs up the phone. He types a quick message to
- Hunter.
-
- Hold on.
-
- With a few keystrokes, he calls up the building's
- surveillance cameras.
-
-
- ON SCREEN - OUTSIDE JACK'S OFFICE
-
- Jack leaves his office and walks down the hallway.
-
- AT HIS COMPUTER
-
- Clay quickly calls up the building's computerized elevator
- controls using the mouse.
-
- ON SCREEN - ELEVATOR LOBBY
-
- Jack waits for an elevator; it arrives and he steps in.
-
- ON SCREEN - ELEVATOR CONTROLS
-
- A graphical representation of the building's four elevator
- shafts shows Jack's compartment leaving the 30th floor. The
- screen displays a red message: "OVERRIDE: ON." The arrow
- pointer slides down to a button labeled "STOP."
-
- CLAY (O.S.)
- Point and...
-
- CLOSE ON MOUSE
-
- Clay presses the button. CLICK.
-
- ...click.
-
- INT. ELEVATOR - DAY
-
- Suddenly, the elevator jolts to a stop, throwing Jack to the
- floor. He stands and taps the buttons on the control panel.
-
- ON SCREEN - ELEVATOR CONTROLS
-
- CLAY (O.S.)
- Even an idiot can learn.
-
- Clay selects "ALARM OVERRIDE: ON." CLICK.
-
- IN THE ELEVATOR
-
- Jack presses the Alarm button--nothing.
-
- CUT TO:
-
- EXT. PARKILL BUILDING - LA SKYLINE - DAY/NIGHT
-
- The sun sets, moon rises, moon sets, and sun rises within a
- few seconds.
-
- INT. PARKILL LOBBY - MORNING
-
- Among a herd of workers heading to their offices, Agents
- Ellis and Cho enter and step up to the Security Guard.
-
-
- CHO
- (shows badge to Guard)
- We need to speak with Jack Cole.
-
- The Security Guard calls up to his office; he shakes his
- head--no response. He spots Diane walking by.
-
- SECURITY GUARD
- Ms. Griffin!
- (she turns)
- These men need to talk with your boss.
-
- INT. ELEVATOR LOBBY - MORNING
-
- Diane and the agents stand in a crowd of people waiting for
- the elevator. Diane presses the button again.
-
- DIANE
- Is there any trouble?
-
- ELLIS
- Na.
-
- DIANE
- He usually gets in around nine.
-
- The elevator doors open; A LIMP BODY TUMBLES OUT. Jack Cole
- lies on the floor asleep in a disheveled heap.
-
- Diane and half the crowd laugh. The agents share a look.
-
- Jack stirs and straightens himself, embarrassed.
-
- CUT TO:
-
- INT. PARKILL OFFICE CORRIDOR - DAY
-
- Clay walks through the office--whistling gleefully. He sort
- his mail.
-
- INT. CLAY'S OFFICE - DAY
-
- Among a half dozen computer catalogues, Clay finds the
- letter he's been waiting for. He reads the address:
-
- THE ENVELOP
-
- is addressed to 'Betty Atkins.'
-
- CLAY rips open the envelope and reads the letter. The phone
- rings.
-
- INSERT - THE LETTER
-
- lists a return address: "J. YOUNG, 1365 HAMPTON AVE., LOS
- ANGELES, CA 90024."
-
- CLAY smiles.
-
- CLAY
- (into phone)
- Information Services.
-
- DIANE (O.S.)
- (serious)
- Clay. Sharon wants you in her office--
- right away.
-
- Clay sorts through his other mail; spots a payroll check
- addressed to him from Parkill. Curious, he picks it up and
- opens it.
-
- CLAY
- (joking)
- Am I in trouble?
-
- Clay reads the check.
-
- INSERT - THE CHECK
-
- is made out for $10,000. The memo line reads "Overtime
- Bonus."
-
- DIANE (O.S.)
- I can't tell, but the FBI's here.
-
- CLAY turns pale.
-
- CLAY
- (softly)
- I'll be right there.
-
- CUT TO:
-
- INT. CEO'S OFFICE - DAY
-
- The quiet office waits for Clay.
-
- Sharon studies the newspaper on her desk and Jack stands,
- trying to press the wrinkles out of his suit jacket.
-
- The senior agent is already seated at the conference table.
- AGENT ELLIS, a forty-something cop turned hacker, should
- have been a high school principal.
-
- With a stronger sense for fashion than crime fighting, the
- sharply-dressed AGENT CHO tours the room, inspecting the
- room's decor.
-
- Clay enters, with his tail between his legs.
-
- SHARON
- Our little reunion is complete!
- Gentlemen, you remember Clay. This is
- Agent Cho...
-
- Clay shakes his hand.
-
- ...and Agent Ellis.
-
- Ellis reluctantly extends his hand.
-
- ELLIS
- (sarcastic)
- I'm glad to see you found legitimate
- work.
-
- CLAY
- (smart)
- I'm sorry to see you haven't.
-
- SHARON
- (scolding him)
- Clay.
- (directs him to the table)
- Come here. Sit.
-
- Jack and Clay sit on one side of a broad wooden table, Ellis
- and Cho on the other, and the CEO at the head. Ellis
- unfolds a leather notebook and begins.
-
- ELLIS
- (directed to Sharon)
- Let me get right to the point. We are
- disturbed that you have chosen to
- circumvent the bureau again.
-
- SHARON
- What are you talking about?
-
- ELLIS
- We have traced another hacker, or
- hackers, to your computer.
-
- SHARON
- (turning to Jack)
- Is this true?
-
- Jack, acting surprised, turns to Clay--passing the buck.
-
- CLAY
- Kids test the system all the time. One
- has had some success.
-
- SHARON
- (dismayed)
- Success?!
-
- JACK
- (bitter)
- He must have screwed with the elevator.
-
- ELLIS
- (continuing)
- Unless you have another job opening,
- we'd like to take this one in.
-
- CHO
- We already have "unlawful access," but
- need real cooperation to trap him.
-
- SHARON
- (gracious)
- Of course, Jack here and his prot≈Ωg≈Ω
- here will help you with whatever you
- need.
-
- ELLIS
- (ignoring Clay)
- We can do a trace. All we need Clay to
- do is tell us the next time the hacker
- calls.
-
- At that moment, Clays pager begins to BEEP. All heads turn
- to look. Clay turns it off and abruptly stands to go.
-
- CLAY
- (to Ellis; lying)
- I'll do that.
- (to CEO; polite)
- Excuse me.
- CUT TO:
-
-
- EXT. STREET - DAY
-
- Clay drives along, searching for an address. He spots it:
- "1365"--a modestly-maintained apartment complex.
-
- EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
-
- Clay hides the letter in his waist bag, slips on a stolen
- FedEx jacket, tucks a FedEx box under his arm, and walks up
- to the building's mailboxes.
-
- CLAY
- (scanning mailboxes)
- Young...Young...
-
- There are two tenants with the last name "YOUNG"; one in
- apartment 2B and the other in 3A.
-
- CLAY
- 2B or not 2B?
-
-
- EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DOORWAY - EVENING
-
- The door to apartment 2B opens a crack to reveal a shy,
- twenty-something WOMAN in sweat pants and a t-shirt.
-
- CLAY
- I have a package for Young.
-
- Clay holds out a clipboard for her to sign.
-
- WOMAN
- Who's it from?
-
- CLAY
- (reading)
- Parkill.
-
- WOMAN
- Parkill?
-
- CLAY
- Maybe I have the wrong apartment.
-
- WOMAN
- No. I'm just surprised they sent it
- FedEx.
-
- CLAY
- Hunter?!
-
- Startled, the Woman pulls the door shut, but Clay blocks it
- with the package--CRUNCH!
-
- I need to talk to you!
-
- WOMAN
- (through the crack in the door)
- How did you find me?
-
- CLAY
- You sent a letter requesting
- information...
-
- WOMAN
- (cursing herself)
- Shit!
- (beat)
- Neat hack, Romulus.
-
- CLAY
- I prefer Clay.
- (extending hand)
- You must be...?
-
- The Woman cautiously extends her hand through the crack and
- shakes his hand.
-
- WOMAN
- (smiles)
- Jody.
-
- Her hand retreats inside. There is an awkward lull.
-
- CUT TO:
-
- INT. COFFEEHOUSE - NIGHT
-
- CLOSE ON WOMAN
-
- A WOMAN POET dressed in somber attire belts out a dreary
- poem. Wisps of smoke linger around her head like a curtain.
-
- WOMAN POET
- So he took her to a place she'd never
- been before, to the place where bodies
- cry and lust lingers...
- (looks down to read from a sheet)
- ...beyond the door, beyond the door.
-
- PULL BACK TO REVEAL
-
- A black-dressed CROWD of pseudo-intellectuals sips coffee
- and APPLAUDS for the poet. She gives a shallow bow and
- steps off the make-shift stage: a foot-high riser, bar
- stool, and standing lamp. According to a chalk-written
- sign, it's "OPEN MIKE NIGHT."
-
- JODY AND CLAY
-
- sit off to the side, sipping coffee like the rest, but
- somehow out of place. Could it be his FedEx jacket and her
- bright UCLA sweatshirt?
-
- Patrons' placemat artwork decorates the walls. Each table
- comes with honey, sugar, and crayons. Jody's placemat is
- filled with geometric doodles.
-
- JODY
- (busy doodling)
- As a kid, I got my kicks spelling bad
- words with upside-down numbers on a
- calculator. You know, like 7-7-3-4.
-
- She scribbles the numbers on her placemat. Clay reads.
-
- INSERT - THE UPSIDE-DOWN MESSAGE
-
- spells "hELL."
-
- CLAY
- (laughs)
- Clever.
-
- JODY
- Yeah, that's what my Dad thought. He
- got me a Trash-80 and I've been flipping
- bits ever since.
-
- Clay gazes at her with fascination.
-
- CLAY
- Somehow you look familiar. Not who I
- expected, but very familiar.
-
- JODY
- When we first met, I was hardly myself.
- (off his look)
- You bought me breakfast.
-
- CLAY
- (recognizing her)
- The homeless woman!
-
- Jody nods. Clay thinks back.
-
- (realization)
- You were dumpster diving information
- about our computer system!
-
- She smiles proudly.
-
- CLAY
- Shit. You're the real McCoy. Promise
- me you're not after my job.
- (pulls out the $10,000 check with
- his name on it)
- Oh, and stop printing these.
-
- Jody smiles--devilish.
-
- How many did you print for yourself?
-
- JODY
- Nil.
-
- CLAY
- (unbelieving)
- Right.
-
- JODY
- (emphatic)
- Look, Clay. I'm not a thief. I don't
- damage the goods or sell the data. I
- may cheat the telcos for calls, but I
- never make money off of my hacking.
-
- A sudden rift between the two causes a moment of tense
- silence. Their eyes scope for distractions. A WAITER drops
- the bill in the middle of their table.
-
- CLAY
- (aside; sincere)
- I'm sorry for judging you.
-
- JODY
- It's alright.
-
- Jody gives Clay a second look, his quick apology impressed
- her. Clay fingers the bill and pulls out his wallet. Jody
- grabs the bill.
-
- JODY
- I insist.
- (friendly)
- You paid last time.
- (smile)
-
- CUT TO:
-
- INT. JACK'S OFFICE - DAY
-
- Clay, sunk deep in a leather chair, listens as Jack paces
- around him, obsessed with a scheme.
-
- Clay, do you follow the stock market?
-
- CLAY
- I once owned a share of IBM.
-
- JACK
- Well, if you did, you'd know that the
- only sure investment is an informed one.
- What can you tell me about 'insider
- trading,' Clay?
-
- CLAY
- It's illegal?
-
- JACK
- (disappointed)
- Oh Clay. Where's the entrepreneur we
- hired?
- (beat)
- All last night, I thought about how that
- hacker got access to company secrets...
- (impressed by his own knowledge)
- ...over the phone line...using...
- (indicating the modem)
- ...a modem.
-
- CLAY
- Actually, it was a high-speed network
- node.
-
- JACK
- (annoyed)
- Whatever.
- (beat)
- Could you do what Hunter did?
-
- CLAY
- (uncertain)
- Ah...probably.
- (explaining)
- Most systems aren't well protected; a
- few obvious password combinations get
- you in the door, then you work to
- improve your privileges...
-
- JACK
- (covers ears)
- Don't tell me any more. I don't need to
- know any more.
- (beat, walks up to Clay)
- All I need to know is this:
-
- Jack leans down and sticks a Post-It note on Clay's palm.
-
- What is this company going to announce
- at Tuesday's press conference?
-
- Clay looks at Jack then down at the note.
-
- CUT TO:
-
- INT. OUTSIDE JACK'S OFFICE - DAY
-
- THE POST-IT NOTE
-
- contains the simple message: "VORTECH TOYS, RALEIGH, NC"
-
- CLAY stands just outside the door to Jack's office--stunned.
- In the background, a giddy Diane sorts business cards.
-
- DIANE
- (remembering)
- Hey.
- (licks and sticks hole reinforcer
- into place)
- Did you ever get a letter from that
- hacker?
-
- CLAY
- (pockets the post-it note)
- Naw.
-
- Clay starts to walk out.
-
- DIANE
- Bummer.
- (calling out)
- Are we going to John's party tomorrow?
-
- CLAY
- (walking out)
- I may have to work.
-
- DIANE
- (to self)
- On Saturday night?
-
-
- CUT TO:
-