INNERSPACE

AL

You're not crazy. Don't...wait

a minute, just let me explain.

JOE

You're gonna explain.

AL

Yeah

JOE

Why there's a little man in my head?

AL

Yeah.

JOE

Why he's argumentative?

AL

Yes...Yes...I'll explain it all.

Just put the gun down.

JOE (hesitates)

What's in it for me?

AL

You'll be alive.

JOE

With a man in my head...

AL

Yeah.

JOE (slowly considers)

Well...Okay, But this better be good!

INSIDE - THE POD - AL

AL

Okay, Now, The Photon Echo Memory

Chip...You've heard of that?

OUTSIDE - INT. APARTMENT -

JOE just sits there...gun in hand, staring ahead in disbelief. He nod's slightly in response.

INSIDE - THE POD

Al lays it all on him: the EXPERIMENT.

AL

The Photon Echo Memory chip - the PEM114.

It's the key. It's magical... It focuses

massive computing power on one event: the

creation of a mathematically induced real-

life simulacrum encoded and synthesized on

the molecular level with properties of the

real model...and the transfer of a certain

imponderable which might be called the life-

force between the two in direct symbiosis.

The effect is that man and machine are living

on the molecular level...Now that's where we

were when things went wrong. You understand...

(NO RESPONSE)... Are you listening?

OUTSIDE- Joe, exhausted, mesmerized, has dozed off, gun in hand.

INSIDE - THE POD - AL

AL

I am real, Goddamn it. Hello?!!

No response. Frustrated, he hits the charge button...an electric

pulse from a POD arm shoots to a nearby nerve bundle.

JOE'S APARTMENT.

Joe's limbs shudder. His muscles spasm...ENORMOUS ROAR - THE GUN GOES OFF.

The shell tears through the window, raining glass and plaster...From outside the

window...a STARTLED YELL...Someone falls away from the porch.

INSIDE - THE POD -

AL - Is buffetted by the ROAR -

AL

What was that?

JOE'S APARTMENT - JOE ON THE COUCH...GETS UP, CROSSES TO WINDOW.

JOE

Who was that? Somebody out there?

HIS POV - OUT THE WINDOW.

Movement in the bushes.

AL

You weren't listening!

JOE

Sorry...all this...buzzing in my head.

(resigned...He just wants it over)

Why don't I just take you back to UST?

AL (VO)

Why don't you?

JOE (rhetorically)

Because they'll think I'm nuts.

AL (VO)

No they won't.

JOE

Why not?

AL (VO)

I'll talk to them.

JOE

Oh...Gooood!

AL (VO)

I'll tell you what to say.

JOE

If I get you back to the lab,

will you get out of my head?

AL (VO)

If I'm real, they'll get me out.

If I'm not, they'll treat you.

Either way you'll be better off

than you are now. You'll get a reward.

Joe looks out the front. Movement in the bushes.

JOE

Let's get out of here.

EXT. APARTMENT.

Joe sneaks out the side window, through the bushes, around to the front.

EXT. STREET

Sitting at the curb. A well-worn old Ford.

He cracks the door, sneaks in...puts the key in, releases the

brake. The car starts to roll down the hill...Faster....Joe

swings into driving position, pops the clutch. The car roars

away. As he cuts the corner, Joe looks back... No one.

AL (VO)

Anyone there?

JOE

No one. Maybe I dreamed it all up.

EXT. DESERTED ROAD - U.S.T LAB COMPLEX - in the distance.

AL (VO)

Behind us?

JOE

Still clear. Just a motorcycle.

POV - A LONE MOTORCYCLE RIDER TRAILS THEM

. Joe speeds up. The cycle accellerates, overtaking them. The cyclist is dressed in

black; dark visored helmet. An INTRUDER. Joe doesn't recognize

him. The cyclist glances at Joe, then pulls ahead.

AL (VO)

What's that?

JOE

Nothing. Just the cyclist.

He's passed us.

THE CYCLE - The rider reaches for something in his saddlebag.

JOE'S CAR - IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR

A lone van appears behind them. It quickly catches up.

AL (VO)

What'd he look like?

JOE

He's not the problem.

It's the van in the back.

Just as he says that...

CYCLE - The cyclist has a cellophane bag. He tosses it behind

him in a sweeping motion.

THE BAG - breaks open as it hits the road spewing 4 point spikes

across the tarmac.

JOE - sees the spikes, hits the brakes.

JOE

I take that back.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Joe's car runs over the spikes. All four

tires blow. Joe fights the swerve as the car threatens to go off

the road. The VAN rushes up to meet them.

THE CYCLE - in front, is joined by another...an ambush.

AL (VO)

What's happening?

Joe fights the car down to 30. The van pulls off on the

shoulder, around the spikes and pulls up in back of Joe.

JOE

What do I do?

AL (VO)

Outrun them.

JOE

This is a Fiesta!

UP AHEAD - another VAN cuts them off.

JOE

Now what?

AL (VO)

Whatever you do, just...don't stop.

Shredding his tires, he heads for a small gap between the van

and the guard rail. He shoots through it, tearing off both side

mirrors. Shots fly. The windshield SHATTERS. The car rolls down

an embankment...pastured countryside...a GOLF COURSE.

THE VAN AND CYCLES follow them at high speed through the trees.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL is slammed around.

THE VAN

PULLS UP right behind...Slams into their bumper.

Joe cuts left, the van tries to follow. SPRANG! It catches,

wedged between two trees. A rider flies through the windshield.

JOE HITS SOMETHING. It rolls to a stop. Joe sits there, dazed.

AL (VO)

Are we safe?

As the engine dies...HEAR motorcycles.

JOE

I wouldn't say that.

AL (VO)

Then what are you stopping for?

JOE IS OUT - running through the dark fields. Cycles,

headlights off...pursue. They circle him.

He sneaks along a ridge. A ROAR! - A cycle BLASTS out of the

trees, headlight impaling him.

Terrified, Joe jumps over the ridge.. The cycle leaps over him.

BLAAAT! It hits the ground, stops dead. The rider is thrown over

the handlebars. The cycle dies, mired in a sand trap.

JOE - runs through the woods. It grows quieter.

AL (VO)

Get your breathing down. You

sound like a cement mixer.

JOE

Can't see a Goddamn thi..

He turns...BLAM! Something knocks him down. A man. Joe rolls

away. The man comes at him again. Joe tries to back away. The man

tackles him, driving him back into the bushes.

JOE

Help!

INSIDE - INT. THE POD

AL's helpless.

OUTSIDE

JOE - his arms are pinned. Under his helmet, the man's

neck is bare. Joe bites him. The man SCREAMS. He slugs Joe hard

in the face. Joe grabs for him again. The man kicks Joe in the

side of the head. Joe spins away. The man comes at him again but

slips. Joe catches him in the nuts with a boot. He groans and

sinks to the ground. Joe escapes.

Running full bore, he turns to look behind, stumbles, turns back

around, hits something.

JOE

Ooofff!

SIRENS - LIGHTS - he's caught on a chain link fence. Figures run

up, hard to see in the GLARE. A badge...UST SECURITY.

SECURITY

Stand where you are.

Joe turns, looks behind. The pursuers melt back into the trees.

JOE

I'm not going anywhere.

GOLF COURSE - NIGHT

The PURSUERS regroup.

INTRUDER 1 (indicates UST)

He's in there.

LEADER (turns to 2)

Call it off. Sterilize this area...

INTRUDER 2

That's it? We pull out?

LEADER

Let him go. We've got the PEM.

INT. UST

COLIN, OTHER TECHS seen through a lab window, confer

intently. Joe bursts in, scared, whispering frantically to Al.

JOE

I want out.

AL (VO)

Too late...They want you.

JOE

Why?

AL (VO)

You know too much.

JOE

I don't know anything. I just want to go home.

AL (VO)

You have no choice, you're involved.

Will you help?

JOE (yells)

No!

Security people move in quickly.

AL (VO)

Calm Down! Act rational.

JOE

How do you act when someone

trys to kill you?

The guards think he means the TECHS tried to kill him. FINNEGAN

recognises Joe. He pulls him away.

FINNEGAN

Now, Joe, you know it was all a

mistake, don't you?

JOE

No, it wasn't, It was intentional.

FINNEGAN

Why would we want to hurt you?

JOE

Not you. Them.

FINNEGAN

Who?

JOE

I don't know Who.

FINNEGAN (condescending)

Do you know why?

JOE

I don't know...To get Al.

INSIDE - INT. THE POD - AL

AL (VO)

No. Don't tell the guards.