Part 6

INT. TEST ROOM

A bare, white, diamond shaped room. At one end is a metal table, on it is a thick translucent glass cube with a metallic silver sphere (the size of a cricket ball) in the centre. Next to the cube are 6 envelopes with names and numbers printed on them. Dan and the other candidates enter the room at the other end through a sliding door. PHIL is a tall 38 year old office worker from Eastern Europe. CHRIS is a bald 29 year old mechanic with a straggly beard. NICK is a spotty ginger 17 year old lab assistant. CAROL is a 31 year old PA with big Samoan hair and a bright yellow suit dress. ANNA is a 25 year old chemist with short blond hair, glasses and trainers. There is a SPEAKER and a CCTV camera in the ceiling.

SPEAKER

Please go to the table and open your envelopes.

The candidates cautiously go to the table and pick up their envelopes as they exchange looks of puzzlement. Dan opens his. Inside is a receipt for 1000 credits, a letter and a smaller envelope with TASK printed on it. The letter reads:

DEAR EMPLOYEE,THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THESE VITAL TRIALS. ENCLOSED IS A RECEIPT FOR 1000 CREDITS. THIS HAS BEEN DEPOSITED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT. YOU WILL RECEIVE 5000 CREDITS UPON THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE TASK. IF YOU SPEAK TO ANYONE ABOUT ANY ASPECT OF THESE TRIALS YOUR PAYMENT WILL BE FORFEIT AND YOU WILL BE CHARGED UNDER ARTICLE 356 OF THE TERRORISM AND NATIONAL SECURITY ACT. ONCE YOU HAVE READ ALL DOCUMENTS PLACE THEM BACK INTO THE ENVELOPE, SEAL IT AND PLACE IT IN THE DRAWER PROVIDED. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN PROSECUTION AND THE FORFEITING OF ALL PAYMENT.LOCK CYBERNETICS

A deep metal draw slides out of the wall. Dan opens the task. It reads:

TASK. MOVE THE BALL OUT OF ITS CONTAINER WITHOUT PHYSICAL CONTACT

He folds the papers back into the envelope, licks and seals it. His mouth curls at the bitter taste on his tongue. He swallows. He drops the envelope into the drawer; the other candidates do the same. The drawer slides back into the wall. The candidates look at the cube and each other, thoroughly bewildered. The clinical halogen lights are reflecting off the cube. Dan stares at the silver ball, his face turning red. He staggers backwards against the wall, sweating profusely, a look of extreme strain and concentration on his face. Phil grabs at his temples and doubles over in pain

PHIL

Oh God! My head!!

Carol squats down beside him and touches his arm.

CAROL

What's wrong? What’s wrong!?

Phil is shaking and blood is dribbling out of his nose. Carol looks up, stricken with panic.

CAROL

       Quickly! Someone help him!

Dan looks over the scene then his gaze is drawn back towards the ball in the cube. Chris runs over to Phil and holds his head to look at his face. His eyes are white and blood is gushing out of his nose and puddling on the floor. Chris turns to the rest of the candidates.

CHRIS

Someone get a medic now!!

Nick is nearest the door and he runs over and starts hammering on it with his fists.

NICK

Is anybody there!? We need help in here!

Anna collapses. Carol goes over to help, slipping in the blood as she rushes over. The ball starts to vibrate, a small CRACK appears in the glass. Dans' eyes are straining. Two sprays of blood burst out of Phil's ears, hitting Chris in the face, he backs up SPLUTTERING and wiping his face on his sleeve.

CHRIS

What the fuck!?

Thick black blood and brain matter spill out of Phil's ears as he collapses back against the wall and down to the floor, trailing a bloody arc. Chris bursts into tears, he looks at Nick who is staring at the scene with utter horror. Chris is frantically wiping blood and tears off his face

CHRIS

He's dead man, he's fucking dead!

He looks over at Carol and Anna.

CHRIS

Is she alive?

CAROL

Oh God, oh God, she's dead.

Nick's fists are still clenched, his arms extended.

NICK

What the fuck is happening!?

He turns and hammers frantically on the doors with both fists.

NICK

OPENTHEFUCKINGDOORWENEEDHELPINHERE!!!

The lights flicker. Carol goes over to Chris and tries to help wipe the blood off his face with a tissue.

CAROL

Are you alright? Are you alright?

Chris waves her away, cradling his face in his hands slumping against the wall SOBBING. Carol tries to hold him but he curls into a ball. She goes over to Dan. He is still looking intensely at the cube. She looks at it. A 2nd CRACK appears, connected to the first. Dans' face is strained to bursting point, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Carol is suddenly lifted high into the air by an invisible force, she kicks and SCREAMS. The ball is vibrating more violently. Nick runs over and jumps up trying to reach Carol's outstretched hands.

NICK

Grab my hand!

CAROL

       I caaan't!

Chris, still SOBBING, crawls over to Dan and weakly tries to shake him by the shoulders.

CHRIS

What’s wrong? Help us, please!

The women's arms, legs, neck, and backbone twist and SNAP, shards of bone break her skin. The glass cube EXPLODES outwards, glass shards covering everyone. As the ball drops from the table to the floor Carol drops in unison violently to the floor like a crumpled ragdoll, her body lying in a lifeless heap. The ball CRACKLES through the glass and streaks through the pools of blood as it rolls gently towards Dan who never takes his eyes off it. The ball stops at his feet. Nick rushes over and grabs Dan by his collar. He pins him to the wall forcing him upwards.

NICK.

What’s wrong with you!?

He slams him against the wall.

                
                 NICK

You know something! Tell me what’s happening!

He slams him hard against the wall several times.

NICK

Tell me!!

Dan winces in pain and grabs Nick's arms.

DAN

Please...let go of me...something is happening to me...please

There is a loud WHIRR and CLANG as the door slides back revealing two armored, heavily armed shocktroopers  and behind them, three masked scientists push a metal trolley containing complex medical equipment. The troopers level their weapons at Nick.

SHOCKTROOPER

Put him down and step away.

Nick loosens his grip a little, pushing Dan roughly against the wall. The weapons WHIRR as they power up. The lead scientist peers out from behind the troopers.

SCIENTIST

I suggest you do as they say Nicholas.

   

Nick eyes the weapons pointed at him and swallows.

                 
                 NICK

I ain't doing anything until you tell  me what the hell this is.