Brazil

GUARD A

Excuse me, sir – that's government property.

SAM

Is here a girl here? Tall, fair hair, blue eyes?

GUARD A

Dunno sir. They check all that at the depot.

Sam continues fumbling about the Baggees.

GUARD #3

(pulling Sam back)

We can't allow you to do that sir, it's more than our job's worth.

SAM

(shaking Guard off)

I've got to find her! Jill! Jill!

GUARD A

You can always fill in an application form, if you're a relative, sir. Please stop, sir.

Sam takes no notice.

SAM

Jill! Jill!

Guard A hits Sam, knocking him out again.

GUARD A

Sorry about that sir. Regulations. We'll have you safely back in your office in no time.

INT. SAM'S OFFICE – EVENING

Sam recovers consciousness to find himself sitting at his desk in his office. He is bruised and battered and has a black eye. His suit is torn and bloody. Mr. Warren is gripping him by the throat and giving him a lecture. Behind Warren, crowding the doorway, are the PEOPLE who circulate around him and are the cast of the Warren high energy circus. Lime is with them.

WARREN

This is a black eye for the department, Lowry!... And I don't care how you behaved when you were at Records! Information Retrieval is an executive branch! We're proud of our reputation and we protect it!

One of his Accolytes thrusts a paper into his hand – he glances at it.

He slams the form down onto the desk which is covered with other forms.

And what the hell is this mess? An empty desk is an efficient desk.

He has picked up some of the forms.

WARREN

Good God!... queries from Security, searches from Central Banking about a cheque, clarification notices from Accounting concerning unreturned receipts, another demand from the Motor Pool.

SAM

Mr. Warren... I have to find out about...

WARREN

Shut up! I don't know what's going on here, Lowry, but don't think you can intimidate us with your friends and relatives in high places! Now shape up!

He dumps the papers and folders onto Sam's desk and storms off with his ENTOURAGE, leaving a gleeful Lime in the doorway.

SAM

(grabbing Lime as he starts to slip away)

Lime, I need to use your computer

LIME

Sorry, a bit busy at the moment.

(he indicates Sam's smothered desk)

You seem to have quite a lot to do yourself.

(he disappears into his office)

INT.30TH FLOOR CORRIDOR – DAY

Sam rushes out of his office after Lime. But, Lime has locked his door. Sam bangs on the door.

SAM

Shit!

INT. SAM'S OFFICE – DAY

Sam storms back into his office. Reaching a peak of frustration, he stuffs all his paperwork into the pneumatic tube and sends it off into oblivion. Within seconds it returns. Sam sends it off a second time. It doesn't return a second time, periodically something passes through the tubes causing them to move. Sam's pneumatic tubes continue to pulsate, pressure building up. At this point Sam's desk begins, as before, to creep through the wall. He grabs it violently. He pulls it. There is a scream from the other side of the wall. Sam smiles. The pneumatic tubes give a final convulsion and then there appears to be a muffled explosion outside Sam's office door. It shakes the whole building. Sam goes to his door and opens it.

INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR – CONTINUATION

Every door in the corridor has been opened by the occupants of the room. All the occupants stick their heads into the corridor, all gazing with Sam at the variously coloured blizzard of paper which has errupted through the whole length of the corridor ceiling, from which protrudes the intestines of the pneumatic system.

INT. JACK'S OFFICE CORRIDOR & INFORMATION – EVENING

RETRIEVAL CORRIDORS

It is the end of the working day. Jack is leaving for home. He is putting on his executive-styled bullet-proof vest and packing his "Secret Connection" briefcase. As the scene progresses Sam and JACK proceed out of the door and down he corridor, passing other I.R. OFFICIALS. Sam is dishevelled and causing acute sartorial embarrassment to Jack to is trying to distance himself from him.

SAM

Come off it, Jack! Of course you can check to see if she's been arrested.

JACK

I'm sorry, Sam, I'm afraid this whole case has become much more complicated since last we talked.

SAM

(exasperated)

She's innocent, Jack – she's done nothing wrong.

JACK

Tell that to the wives of the Security men she blew up this afternoon. Listen, we've also had a report just in from Central Services that Tuttle has wrecked an entire flat and sabotaged adjacent Central Services systems – as a matter of fact, in your block. I'd keep my eyes open if I were you, Sam. Bye.

SAM

(catching up with Jack)

You don't really think Tuttle and the girl are in league?

JACK

I do. Goodbye.

(steps into lift)

INT. LIFT – EVENING

SAM

It could all be coincidental.

JACK

There are no coincidences, Sam. Everything's connected, all along the line. Cause and effect. That's the beauty of it. Our job is to trace the connections and reveal them.

(whispers)

This whole Buttle/Tuttle confusion was obviously planned from the inside. Bye bye.

INT. INFORMATION RETRIEVAL LOBBY – EVENING

Jack and Sam have just emerged from the lift. The lift doors close. Sam agitatedly speaks.

SAM

Jack, she's innocent!

JACK

Sam – we've always been close, haven't we?

SAM

(eagerly)

Yes we have, Jack!

JACK

Well, could you stay away from me until this thing blows over.

EXT. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL – NIGHT

Sam is leaving the Ministry of Information Retrieval. The lights in the foyer are blazing behind him, the street lamps are lit. He is exhausted and depressed and anxious about the safety and whereabouts of Jill. He begins to retrace their first journey together, down the Ministry front steps and around the corner to where Jill's truck was parked.

EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER – NIGHT

Sam stands in the passageway where Jill's lorry was first parked. The only hint of its once-upon-a-time presence is a small splodge of oil by the kerb. Sam stands lost and beaten under a street light. He slumps down to the pavement unsure his next move. The street light is reflected in the pool of oil. As he stares at the reflected light it expands and becomes a patch of blue cloud-filled sky. Sam turns to look at the actual street light. It has become a crack of blazing light coming thru the inner wall of the great stone ship.

INT. STONE SHIPANTI – DAY

DREAM GIRL'S VOICE

I'm here Sam. Don't give up.

Sam is pushing thru the grey Prisoners. The light from the crack shafts across the space in which they find themselves imprisoned, striking the opposite wall. There in the bright pool of light are Sam's wings – beautiful, shimmering silver... But, nailed to a large stone cruciform – like a crucified eagle. Sam rushes towards them and begins to pull them loose, But before he can, a great cracking noise reverberates thru the ship and a black shadow falls across Sam and the wings. Looking round he saees the inner wall has split open to the level of the floor – but, blocking the opening is the Giant Samurai Warrior. Sam draws his sword and rushes toward the Giant. The Giant stands ominously still. Then very slowly he raises his spear in front of himself in an almost religious gesture. Poof! He vanishes! Sam is confused. Suddenly a Prisoner shouts a warning and Sam spins round just in time to avoid a slash of the spear by the gigantic Warrior who is now standing directly behind him. Sam parries a couple more thrusts of the spear and then strikes with his sword. At thin air! The Giant has vanished again. Sam can't figure it out. But he hears something whoosh and instinctively dodges as the Giant who is once again behind him brings the spear crashing down. Again Sam manages a few parries as he is forced backwards. He trips and falls to the ground. The spear goes into the ground.

Before the Giant can wrench the spear loose, Sam slashes at him with his sword. But again the Giant disappears. Sam spins around. The Giant is a short distance from him. Sam rushes him. Again he vanishes. This time he reappears next to the spear and tries to free it. But Sam attacks again and the Giant is forced to do his vanishing act before he can recover the spear. Sam is becoming exasperated with his behaviour, and as the Giant reappears he shouts at him to hold still, at the same time throwing his sword at the big fellow. The sword pins the Giant's foot to the ground before he can disappear. Instead of blood pouring from the wound, fire issues forth. Sam takes advantage of the situation and manages to wrench the spear from the ground. The Giant is unable to escape as Sam charges, but manages to dodge a bit. However the spear catches his arm and opens a gash. Again fire pours out. As the big guy tries to stop the fire, Sam charges again. This time he succeeds in striking dead centre. The Giant gasps as fire gushes from his chest. He staggers and crashes to the ground. The wounds continue to bleed fire.

Sam gets his breath back and approaches the fallen Warrior. Reaching down he removed the Giant's mask. Fire rushes forth from all the facial orifices. But the thing that makes him catch his breath is the face itself. It's his... Sam's! While he stares in amazement the fire begins to melt the face. In a moment it is unrecognizable. Sam stands there stunned. Somewhere in the distance a bell tolls.

EXT. JUST AROUND THE CORNER – NIGHT

Sam's face is reflected in the puddle of oil. He is staring wide-eyed. A church bell tolls in the distance. Sam is definitely spooked. He scrambles to his feet. He's got to get out of here. He heads off down the passageway but is brought quickly to a halt. There, in the shadows, is SOMEONE smoking a cigarette. He hesitates and reverses direction but, before he manages 2 paces a familiar voice comes from behind him.

JILL

You're late.

Sam spins around. Stepping out from the shadows is Jill – cigarette in her mouth.

SAM

(stunned)

Jill! What are you do... I mean... how did you... Are you alright?

JILL

Yes.

SAM

What happened to you after...

JILL

Your face... are you hurt?

SAM

No. No. I'm fine. I was worried sick about you... I thought...

A patrol car approaches. Quickly Sam grabs Jill and goes into a kiss to explain their presence. The car hesitates for a moment and drives on.

JILL

(through kiss)

They're gone.

SAM

(through kiss)

Are you sure?

JILL

(through kiss)

Yes.

They resume passionate kiss. After a moment...

SAM

(urgently)

C'mon, we've got to get you off the streets.

They head off clutching one another.

INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR – NIGHT

The Elysian Fields train arrives clattering. Sam and Jill are the only passengers to emerge. They can't keep their hands off one another. This is young love at its freshest and most exciting. Sam looks up and down the platform cautiously but there is no-one in sight as the train clatters off again into the darkness. Sam and Jill approach Sam's front door. He puts a key in the door and tries to open the door but has some difficulty. Something creaks. He gives the door a heavy shove and the door opens and a shower of white powdery ice falls on his head...

INT. SAM'S FLAT – NIGHT

Sam enters, followed by Jill. His breath immediately starts come out of his mouth like clouds of steam. The flat looks as though it has been disembowelled and then deep frozen. Icicles are hanging down from everywhere. The flat looks like a scrap dump. Every wall has spilled out its disgusting steel and rubber entrails, filling most of the available space and making progress through the flat difficult. Half a dozen MEN are at work. They are impossible to identify because they wear arctic clothing and look more like spacemen. Their voices however belong to Spoor and Dowser.

SAM

For God's sake, what's happened?

SPOOR

Thermostat's gone. And then some.

DOWSER

... And then some.

SAM

What have you done to my flat?

SPOOR

Sign here, please.

DOWSER

... ere please.

Spoor offers a clipboard and pencil. He bangs the clipboard against the furniture to knock the ice off it.

SAM

What is it?

SPOOR

It's a 27B/6 of course.

DOWSER

... B/6 of course.

JILL

(to Dowser)

Do you repeat everying?

DOWSER

(nods)

... Everything.

SPOOR

(indicating the mess)

This is what you get when you have cowboys round yer ducts.

DOWSER

... yer ducts.

SPOOR

I think you've got your T41 crystal inductor wired up to a reverse bobbin- threaded-solenoid-control. It's either that or a new washer.

DOWSER

... new washer.

SPOOR

Sign the form so we can get to it.

DOWSER

... get to it.

Sam grabs the clipboard and smashes it over Spoor's head. The board is so cold that it snaps in two. The paper on it also snaps in two.

INT. SAM'S CORRIDOR – NIGHT

Sam pulls Jill out into the corridor.

JILL

Don't you like parties?

SAM

C'mon. We've got to get out of here.

As Sam and Jill begin to move down the corridor they see a cigarette glow brightly in a dark recess.

JILL

(seeing cigarette light)

TOO LATE!

They ere about to run when Tuttle steps out of the shadows.

TUTTLE

I'll fix the damage when they've gone. I'll be ready for you tomorrow.

INT. MOTHER'S CORRIDOR – NIGHT

A venerable Porter carrying a single key on a large ring is preceding Sam and Jill along the corridor which we have seen before. The Porter's name is MATTHEWS.

SAM

My mother said it would be all right.

MATTHEWS

She didn't say anything about it to me.