Part 12

EXT. PLAYGROUND. NIGHT.

A fire exit flies open, sending rats and rubbish flying. Terry staggers out, supporting Dan with one arm. He SLAMS the door with the other, SCREAMS are coming from inside. A hairy bloody face SMASHES through the door. Terry and Dan reach the bottom of the steps. They move down damp, dark, graffiti-stained alleyways until they come to a disused desolate childrens play park, unkept and rusting. A couple of hobos warm themselves by a burning drum in a play house. In the far corner is a crashed government helicopter, wedged between two tenements, the tail partially lying in an abandoned second floor apartment. Moonlight streams down as Terry and Dan stumble into the playground. They slump on a rusty roundabout, BREATHING heavily. Terry looks at the blood dripping off Dans' face.

TERRY

Fucking hell mate, what you playing at? Don’t see you office boys down here much.

DAN

I was meant to meet someone.

                             TERRY

Who's that then?

TRADESMAN (O.S)

Me.

Terry and Dan turn look towards the downed helicopter. Standing in the doorway is a figure. His mouth is faintly illuminated by a small orange light eminating from his shoulder pad.

TRADESMAN

Come closer friends. Time is short and there is much to discuss.

Terry looks at Dan.

TERRY

Do you know this geezer?

DAN

I think so.

TERRY

Well you two can have your cosy little chat.

He gets up and starts to walk out the play park.

TERRY

I’m off.

TRADESMAN

You are a part of this whether you like it or not.

Terry turns around and points up at the Tradesman.

TERRY

Who the fuck are you!?

TRADESMAN

Who I am is of little importance. What I have to say, however, demands your attention.

TERRY

Look mate, I've had a long day, I came out for a pint, not to hang around with you two nutters in a kiddies playpark!

TRADESMAN

Mr Black, if you don't listen to me, you won't have a home to go to.

Terry narrows his eyes at the Tradesman. He takes out a cigarette and lights it, exhaling deeply.

TERRY

Go on then.

TRADESMAN

Not in the open. Lock's tentacles are everywhere. Come forward friends. Hold out your left arms.

They do so. Tradesman pulls out a hand-held scanner. He scans their arms with a line of thin green light.

TRADESMAN

Your chips have been disabled. Follow me.

He disappears into the darkness of the helicopter. Terry turns to Dan.

TERRY

Trust this bloke do ya?

Dan walks towards the helicopter.

DAN

He saved my life.

INT. WRECKED HELICOPTER

They sit down.

TRADESMAN

Time is short so I shall be brief. Terrance, your new friend here is highly sought after by the government because of the weapon he possesses.

TERRY (TO DAN)

You tooled up mate? Wish I'd known earlier.

TRADESMAN

This weapon cannot be seen. That makes him an extremely valuable commodity to the men that are coming for him now.

Dan’s eyes widen.

DAN

Coming here? Now?

TRADESMAN

The plans Derek Lock has for this country are far worse than anything we previously knew. Utilising the power of the Singularity, he has established a bio-weapons division that he intends to unleash upon the populace.

TERRY

You what?

TRADESMAN

The Singularity is a state of the art supercomputer. One that can evaluate global events, calculate every possible outcome to any decision and conclude all forms of human curiosity in a fraction of a second.

DAN

What is he going to do with it?

TRADESMAN

Have you ever wondered how Derek Lock retained so much when the world lost everything? The Singularity gave him the means to rape this country as it drowned. The technology was new but the methods, tried and tested. Division and terror. Terror Of war, of pestilence, of famine. His poisoned seed has salted the earth the flood waters could not reach. Now Derek Lock wants the world, and everything left in it.

TERRY

He hasn't got the manpower. Even with all the thugs and scum on his payroll.

TRADESMAN

Very soon, he won't need those grunts. He is working on a new generation of genetically engineered killing machines.

He points a long black-gloved finger at Dan.

TRADESMAN

Daniel here has PC47 coursing through his veins. The potential of his mind is being unleashed. Lock wants to harness that endless power for his own designs.

Terry rubs his temples with his fingers

TERRY

I didn't fucking sign up for this.

TRADESMAN

Choice is a luxury of a bygone era. You have assisted Daniel in his struggle and that makes you an enemy of the state. Unfortunately gentlemen, you will both soon become the most hunted men in Britain. Lock will use all his resources to find you. Is your home secure?

TERRY

Yes it is.

TRADESMAN

Go there now. I will contact you soon.

DAN

Where are you going?

TRADESMAN

I too, am hunted, I must prepare for the coming war.

He clasps his gloved hands in front of his face and clicks his thumbs together.

TRADESMAN

Something wicked this way comes.

He vanishes, leaving Dan and Terry open mouthed.