INNERSPACE

JOE

Al. Help!

The attackers look around. No Al.

INSIDE - EXT. THE POD

Joe's body reacts. The muscles tense..The blood vessels

constrict - the Fight-or-Flight syndrome. The blood flow speeds

up...

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL senses something's up.

AL

Joe, what is it? Hang on.

OUTSIDE

Joe takes off. They block him. He takes the KUNG FU stance. The

attackers take their own stances, each scarier than the other.

Joe tries an attack. It is slapped aside with contempt. Joe tries

another tack: He runs...

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

Blood flow drives Al away from the brain.

AL

Slow your pulse.

OUTSIDE

Joe being chased down alleys.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL

` I gotta get to a vein taking

blood to the brain or I won't

be able to help.

OUTSIDE

Joe trips, crashes into something, cuts himself.

INSIDE

The skin is broken, Joe's systems go on general alert. Vessels

constrict.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL struggles to escape being drawn to the wound as:

INSIDE - EXT. THE POD

Antibodies rush into the fight against blood loss and infection.

OUTSIDE

Wounded, Joe hides from his attackers...They come closer...He

holds his breath...as one plants a foot near his face. The thug

hesitates, then walks on...Joe tries rise, but dizziness

overcomes him and he is spotted. He faints...His head falls lower

than his body.

INSIDE - EXT. THE POD

Blood rushes to his head carrying Al.

THE VENTRICAL - THE POD ENTERS.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL takes charge. He stimulates Joe's brain to produce

adrenaline...He gets Joe out of physical shock.

OUTSIDE

Joe wakes.

AL (VO)

`Joe. I'm here. You're Okay.

JOE (GROGGY)

What do I do?

AL (VO)

Relax. Let me do this.

OUTSIDE

The attackers are shocked, as Joe MOVES, RISES. They come at him

in Kung Fu attitudes. Terrified, Joe turns to run...

AL (VO)

Relax. Make your mind a blank.

JOE

It is a blank. This is no

time for Zen.

One guy attacks; Kung Fu. In a flash, Joe blocks it with a rapid

combination. He is as surprised as anybody. Without warning, his

arms fly out in Karate blows. Joe looks at his hands - now deadly

weapons - He can't believe it. No one is more surprised than Joe

when he tears into the middle of the men and takes them apart

with rapid kicks...After a while, he starts to really enjoy

it...He makes threatening growls and struts around like Toshiro

Mifune. Then, he counterattacks viciously. The attackers, shocked

by Joe's speed, strength and fighting ability, retreat...they

melt back into the alleys. He chases.

SIDE STREET - HEAVY NEON

Joe stops, finds himself in front of a PUNK CLUB - nearby, he

notices a familiar Sportscar.

SOME KIDS Come out, look at his bruised and bleeding face, his

torn and bloody clothes. A girl nods approvingly. He's perfectly

dressed. He enters, bulls his way through the crowd.

INT. PUNK CLUB

LOUD JAPANESE ROCK MUSIC. Everyone is dancing..including a

familiar figure: RENE.

AL (VO)

What are you doing? Wait a minute.

Lets think this through.

JOE

You think. That's what you're good at.

He crosses the floor, grabs Rene. He spins her around. When she

sees it is him, she is shocked.

RENE

Joe! What happened to you?

JOE

Why'd you run off?

She sees someone over his shoulder.

RENE

I didn't run off.

Joe turns, it is Riuji. He is surprised to see Joe.

RYUJI

Joe! Hey...I like your outfit..

JOE (to Rene)

I got into a fight.

RYUJI

What are you doing here? You

shouldn't wander around alone...

He looks from Joe to Rene and back.

RYUJI

Oh, I see. Hey...were going to my

place for a late dinner, why

don't you join us?

EXT. THE CLUB

People disperse. Joe pulls Rene aside.

JOE

Why did you leave?

RENE

They left. I had to go with them.

JOE

Why didn't you tell me?

RENE (guilty)

I hate good-byes.

Joe takes her keys, unlocks the door to her car for her. They

get in. She drives. Joe turns to her.

JOE

Why did you stay with me?

RENE

Wanted to get to know you.

JOE

Why?

RENE

You seemed interesting.

JOE

Who else is interested in me?

RENE

What do you mean?

JOE

Your friends, did they ask about

me?

RENE

They kidded me a little.

JOE

What did you tell them?

RENE

There's not much to tell.

JOE

Why did they leave?

RENE

I don't know, Ryuji said there was

a change of plans.

JOE

You work for Ryuji?

RENE

Sometimes. I told you I did.

JOE

Were you working for him last night?

RENE

Last night?

JOE

Did he put you up to it?

Did he ask you to sleep with me?

RENE

No, he didn't do that.

JOE

He didn't.

RENE

No.

JOE

Who did?

RENE

You did.

A long beat. She smiles. Inside his head, Al is laughing at

him.

KYOTO - the Ancient Capital. Palaces and Shrines - LATER

INT. - A GEISHA HOUSE

A banquet on tatamis. Ryuji and the others drink Sake and speak

in Japanese.

ANTEROOM

Joe's on the phone...apparent long distance.

AL (VO)

I've run checks, there's nothing

on her. That along is suspicous.

JOE (angry)

Run some checks on me. I'm sure

I'm worse.

AL (VO)

Yeah...You've fallen for her.

JOE

I told you, I have a feeling...

AL (VO)

One of your instincts?

JOE

I know she's not with them.

I know something else. What's

bothering you isn't her.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

Al glances at the clock: 63 hours elapsed.

OUTSIDE

Rene comes along and pulls Joe away from the phone.

JOE

Bye Mom..

He hangs up. She escorts him to the dining room.

DINING ROOM

Joe and Rene sit, talking quietly. Joe is trying to make up with

her. He looks over. Dieter is happily stuffing himself. He winks

conspiratorially at Joe and Rene. Ryuji, Gruner and others are

talking with other Japanese. They smile at Joe whenever their

eyes meet, but Al is suspicious.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

Al works a JAPANESE LANGUAGE DATA-BASE..

AL

I think I've got it.

INSERT - MONITOR - JOE'S POV

Ryuji and another Japanese speak in Japanese - Al does a

simultaneous translation.

RYUJI/Al

But who does he work for?

JAPANESE/Al

He may be freelancing. It

shouldn't interfere with our

business.

RYUJI/Al

I'll see that it doesn't

He calls a servant, speaks in his ear. The servant's glance

flicks in our direction, then he is gone. Ryuji smiles at us then

laughs at something Dieter says. Joe's gaze swings to Rene.

AL

Joe, pay attention!

OUTSIDE - THE BANQUET

JOE and RENE fool around.

JOE

Now, what?

Another course of strange wiggling food. Joe looks alarmed.

AL (VO)

Don't touch a thing.

JOE

Don't worry!

RENE

I'm not worried, I'm not

going to eat it.

JOE

This is a tough place to

keep Kosher.

A funny SOUND in his head. Al's voice BREAKS UP.

JOE

What is it?

Across the table, Ryuji proudly answers him.

RENE

Hakasuti!

As he slides the wriggling fish down his throat.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

Al is tense, momentarily distracted. He is having trouble with

the pod. Sixty-four hours on the clock.

AL

The batteries are dropping.

Got to recharge them somehow.

OUTSIDE - BANQUET - RYUJI pours the wine.

RYUJI

In honor of our...unexpected guest.

Joe picks up his wineglass. RYUJI pours.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

Al looks up, spots a powder on the inside of the glass dissolve

in the wine. He tries to warn Joe.

AL (VO)

No..Don't...

OUTSIDE

Joe already swallowing it.

AL (VO)

...drink it.

JOE

Too late.

RYUJI

Excuse me?

JOE

Could have been drunk a little

sooner, but excellent...good

character...What is it?

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL

You just got a Mickey.

OUTSIDE -

RYUJI

Bandaio. Grown near here.

JOE

What next!

AL (VO)

Drink lots of water.

Joe gulps down lots of water. They look at him strangely.

RYUJI

What next, Indeed.

AL (VO)

Now get out of here.

JOE

I can't...

AL (VO)

You have to! Quickly!

JOE

...imagine a better grape

for the region.

He reaches for the bottle, spilling it over himself...

JOE

Oh, no! I'll go wipe

this off. Excuse me.

INT. JOE'S ROOM

Joe rushes in, holding his stomach.

JOE

What are you doing?

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL

Trying to analyze this stuff.

Now...go to the medicine shelf

and take ---- and ----.

OUTSIDE - Joe does.

JOE

Now what? Oh,No?

He runs to the bathroom and throws up.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL

And after that,lie down

for a while.

AL biochemically blocks the spread by tightening muscles or

rushing antigens to the proper organs.