DISAPPEAR

by Mark Arenz

story by

Jim Timperman & Mark Arenz

Version 2 (12/29/00)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MONTAGE / ANIMATION

Sound of modems and data "twinkling." CUT UP FROM BLACK to field of photos and data. SNAP ZOOM to photo of CUSTOMER #1 from DMV records. SWISH PAN to college transcript. SWISH PAN to Social Security record. SWISH PAN to credit record and text "[Transaction Approved]."

 

 

INT. DRY CLEANERS – NIGHT

Cash register says "[CARD APPROVED]." CLERK gives credit card back to CUSTOMER #1. CUSTOMER #1 grabs bag of clothes and walks out door to reveal JAY across the street.

 

 

 

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF DRY CLEANERS - NIGHT

JAY, a homeless man, sits with his head covered watching cars pass.  CUSTOMER #2 drives up and gets out of her car. JAY watches her closely.

Once she enters the cleaners, JAY stands up and approaches the car.  After hesitating, he covers his hand with the sleeve of his coat and smashes the passenger side window. The car alarm blares.

JAY reaches in and grabs a laptop computer and a cellular phone.  Thinking again, he reaches in and grabs a hamburger sitting on the seat.  He brushes off the glass and walks away as the alarm blares.

CUSTOMER #2 rushes out of the dry cleaners yelling at JAY.

 

 

 

EXT. BRIDGE OVER HIGHWAY - NIGHT

JAY stands on the bridge with a machine that looks like a radar gun.  He connects it to the stolen cell phone and aims it at a passing car.  "Connecting...connecting...[FAIL]"

After a few tries, JAY succeeds and the cell phone screen lights up "[APPROVED]."

Jay bites into sandwich and spits it out. He smells it, makes  a disgusted face and tosses it.

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

A shack made of old appliance boxes. It is filled principally with dry garbage such as fast food wrappers. There are holes in the shack loosely patched with duct tape. Through the Visqueen doorway, we can see the bridge and the river. JAY sits at a makeshift engineering bench next to a large, occasionally sparking battery.

JAY connects the cell phone to the laptop using a home-made connector(a nest of multicolored wires). He calls up a screen with the former owner's account information and passwords.

 

JAY

Cookie, cookie, who wants a cookie?

  

 

After typing in a URL, he quickly clicks an "ORDER" button. An order confirmation screen comes up quickly (but we can see no details).

The sound of sirens approaching. Jay looks up and quickly shuts off the cell phone and the laptop. He flips the laptop over, grabs a screwdriver, and spins the screws out of the bottom with ease.  With motions that suggest expertise, he pops the hard drive out of the computer. The rest of it he stuffs into his mound of trash behind him. He turns to the cell phone pops the battery out of it.  "[ERASED]" reads the screen.

Sirens become louder. JAY emerges from his shack bathed in red and blue lights. He tosses the cell phone and the hard drive into the river.

 

 

 

EXT. OUTSIDE OF APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT

JAY runs into the building's lobby moments before a car drives up and DELIVERY BOY exits and walks to the front step. JAY comes out to meet him, clearly winded and breathing heavily.

 

DELIVERY BOY

Your pizza.

  

 

A police car drives by very slowly. JAY watches it, still panting.

 

JAY

Yeah. Pizza.

  

DELIVERY BOY

Are you okay?

  

 

JAY

I ran here – from upstairs.

  

 

JAY pats his pockets indicating that he forgot his wallet.

 

DELIVERY BOY

The tip was included with on-line your order, sir.

  

JAY

Well, have a good night. It's a cold one out there- I don't envy you.

  

DELIVERY BOY

Whatever.

  

 

JAY watches as DELIVERY BOY leaves. He bites into a slice and watches the skyline.

 

 

 

INT. CITY HALL OF RECORDS – DAY

JAY walks down rows and rows of record boxes. An office worker passes by and JAY flashes his fake identification badge at them.

After checking a few boxes, he stops at one and opens it up. JAY pulls out a stack of paper: birth certificate, etc.

 

 

 

INT. CITY HALL OF RECORDS OUTER OFFICE – DAY

The SECRETARY sits behind a desk next to a shredder. JAY walks up and shuffles the birth certificate into the center of the stack.

SECRETARY

Did you find what you needed?

  

JAY

Actually, no. But you’ve been very helpful. Thanks.

  

JAY walks toward the door, juggling the stack of paper.

JAY

Photocopies. It turns out I don’t really need them.

  

SECRETARY

Do you want me to recycle those for you?

  

JAY

Sure. I hate to waste tree meat.

  

JAY hands the stack of papers to the SECRETARY who immediately stuffs them in the shredder.

JAY

Goodbye.

  

JAY pauses at the door and mouths the word "goodbye" to himself.

 

 

 

INT. PRIMROSE SYSTEMS MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY - FLASHBACK

JAY stands in front of a large projection screen with the Primrose logo on it.   A group of a half dozen men and women in business suits listen. A movie loops behind him, rays of lights flowing in a rotating matrix.

 

JAY

Ladies and gentlemen- and others. People have been arguing for ages about privacy on the Internet. E-commerce and net-telephony rely on a kind of privacy- encryption. But scrambling your message is only part of the solution.  

Every message you post, everything you buy leaves a trail of bread crumbs behind - a trail that leads straight to you.

  

PHIL

Sure, your IP address. A user connecting to the Internet gets an IP number from their service provider- theoretically random within a given range each time they log in. Servers have static, IPs.  They don't change.

  

JAY

Thanks, Phil. Did you bring an apple for teacher?  

But what if we could go beyond just trying to block people from reading IPs, masking them? What if we could actually make them transparent, ever-changing?  

  

 

JAY scans the faces and clicks to the next slide, the Changeling logo.

JAY

Phil, will you do the honors?

  

 

PHIL from the group of business people taps around on his Palm Pilot.

PHIL

I'm looking at your site now. Primrose Systems dot com.

  

 

JAY loads up a window that says "real time httpd log." It consists with a table of stats with IP addresses next to them.

JAY

From these simple statistics, using this IP number, I can trace their location - kind of like tracing a call. If I wanted to, I could find out all kinds of evil information about them.  

Anyone who knows how to do it could get directions to your door step in minutes. That only proves my long-standing theory: Never piss off a geek.

  

 

The suits laugh uncomfortably. JAY scrolls down to the bottom of the page, where on one of the lines, the IP address changes randomly every few seconds. JAY points tot his line.

 

JAY

That's you.

  

PHIL

(amazed)

You're kidding.

  

JAY

 

 
 

And while you're still seamlessly connected to us, we can't connect to you.  

Transparent and absolutely private.  

Changeling is the new flagship product from Primrose Systems.  Although currently only in the alpha stage of development, the code has matured quite a bit...

  

 

KIRK is standing at the doorway, leaning in.

 

KIRK

Jay, can I see you for a moment?

  

JAY

(To business people)

Marketing people never know when to quit.

  

KIRK

Jay, I really need to see you right away.

  

JAY

I'm showing these fine people all the benefits of licensing our Changeling product.

  

KIRK

Let Louissa finish up. This is an emergency.

  

 

 

 

EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF RESTAURANT - DAY

JAY sits on a bench opposite the restaurant and watches people go in and out. A UPS truck rolls up and JAY crosses the street. As the DRIVER walks into the establishment, JAY hops into the truck and rummages through the boxes in the back. He snags a Sony laptop box and unpacks it, stuffing the packing, etc. behind the rest of the boxes. Putting the laptop under his coat, he opens the back door. On his way out, he runs to the driver's seat and takes the burrito sitting on the dashboard.

 

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - DAY

The Sony laptop sits on the make-shift desk with parts strewn about.  JAY still has the soldering gun in his hand, staring at the web page for Primrose Systems. He opens a shell and starts a root kit.

Close up on the screen, randomly-chosen usernames and passwords run up the screen. [ACCESS DENIED]

JAY drags a file into a window named "Primrose Systems FTP."

 

JAY

That's a nice horse. Is it Trojan?

  

 
The screen blinks [ACCESS DENIED].

 

 
INT - PRIMROSE OFFICES - DAY - FLASHBACK

The Primrose Systems logo hangs above the cubicles. Kirk stands before the assembled employees in an impromptu meeting.

KIRK

I know that some of you may already be aware of the talks between our company and a suitor.  

Our add-ons for the Chatbot client/server application have raised an eyebrow or two in the past year. But now we have fans over at the largest Internet host on the planet.  

We have decided to sell Primrose Systems to Family Home Networks- effective immediately.

  

 

Primrose employees are confused, mumbling to each other.

 

 

 

JAY

(to himself)

Internet with training wheels. Are you kidding?

  

KIRK

It's been a hard seven years for all of you. We've never been able to offer the kind of benefits, compensation, or opportunities for advancement that you would have had with a larger company. And for your loyalty, I sincerely thank you.  

Never let anyone tell you that such loyalty does not come with its eventual rewards. Starting this very minute, you are all FHN employees.  

  

 

The Primrose employees begin to grumble.

 

KIRK

This means you are eligible for medical and dental benefits as well as a generous profit-sharing program.

  

 

The grumbling stops.   KIRK smiles at them.

KIRK

This also means that our Chatbot work will be part of the next release of the FHN client. We begin porting it to FHN on Monday morning.

  

 

KIRK walks over to stand under their logo banner. KIRK paternalistically pats someone on the head.

 

KIRK

This is a great new day in our company's history. Our work with chat clients has given us an opportunity to dance on the world stage. You should all be proud of yourselves.  

That's all I have to say.

  

 

 

 

INT- KIRK'S OFFICE - DAY - FLASHBACK

The office is rather small with white walls covered with Successories posters. KIRK is sitting behind his large desk (too large for the office), talking on the phone. JAY storms in and slams the door behind him. KIRK points at the phone.

KIRK

(whispering)

I’ll be right with you, Jay. It's FHN!

  

 

JAY looks closely at the photo behind KIRK. It features a large group of Primrose employees with their logo banner in the background. In it, JAY proudly stands next to KIRK.

JAY walks slowly across the desk and turns off the phone.

 

JAY

Kirk, what the hell was all that about? How dare you enter into talks with these freaks without even talking to me about it.

  

KIRK

Whoa. Wait a minute, cowboy. What gave you the impression you ran this place?

  

JAY

Don't pull this shit on me now, Kirk. I've built this company as much as you have. Without Botware, we wouldn't even be on the radar.

  

KIRK

Botware was last year- two years ago, if I remember correctly.  Your project team hasn't delivered much of commercial value in over eighteen months. In this industry, that's dog years.

  

JAY

What do you call Changeling?

  

KIRK

I call it a write-off. There's no business model for it.  Even if people understood it, they'd want it for free. It doesn't add value.  

Besides, only copyright pirates and perverts care that much about privacy.

I'm sure FHN wouldn't be too happy if they figured out that someone leaked an Alpha of Changeling.

  

JAY

I'm about to walk out of this room right now.

  

KIRK

To where, Jay? Those non-disclosure, non-competitive agreements you signed have tied your hands, my friend.

  

JAY

You're going to regret doing this, Kirk. You'll never keep the doors open without me. I'm the only guy who understands half the code that comes out of this place.  

  

KIRK

That's not the half we're interested in anymore.

  

 

KIRK stands up and rips JAY's security badge from his shirt pocket.  The pocket rips, leaving a flap hanging.

 

 

 

EXT. SCHOOL BUS PARKING YARD - NIGHT

 
JAY walks along the barbed-wire fence looking for a place to get in.  He stops and listens. Water running. He finds a small drainage ditch where the fence is low and weak. He bends back the chain-links and crawls through the cold water and mud.

JAY enters a school bus. He pushes on the center of the door and it folds open.

JAY

(to himself)

No seatbelts and now no locks. Damn.

  

 

JAY fumbles around and pulls the hood release.

With towels over his hands, he carefully pulls the enormous battery from the bus.

 

 

EXT. PRIMROSE SYSTEMS PARKING LOT - FLASHBACK

JAY emerges from the building with two boxes of his office belongings stacked in his arms. A crowd of people watches as his car is hooked up to a tow truck.

JAY

What's going on here?

  

DRIVER

Don't know- talk to the bank.   I'm going to need the key, sir.

  

 

JAY puts down the boxes and fumbles around for his keys, trying his shirt pocket (but it is just a flap). He fishes them out of his pants pocket and removes the car key from the ring.

JAY

Well, that was quick. Easy come, easy go. Right?

  

DRIVER

Not exactly. Very hard to get and very difficult to let go. That's been my experience.

  

JAY

Your experience.

  

DRIVER

Some advice? I deal with people like you everyday. If I were a doctor, I would prescribe a cab and a pint of bourbon.

  

JAY

But you’re not.

  

JAY

Too bad for you, eh?

  

 

 

 

 

EXT. FRONT OF JAY'S APARTMENT BUILDING - FLASHBACK

JAY exits the cab, pays with the little bit of cash in his wallet.  He walks past a pile of stuff on the front stoop and tries to use his key to enter the building. It does not work.

Just then KOZNIAK walks up and enters with his key. JAY knocks on the glass window in the door.

 

JAY

My key isn't working. Can you let me in, Mr. Kozniak?

  

KOZNIAK

No way.

  

He begins to walk away from the door. JAY bangs loudly on the door.

JAY

Please! I have had what you might call a bad day.

 

 

KOZNIAK steps back to the window.

 

KOZNIAK

Two guys came looking for you a little while ago- a woman and a man, actually. Their badges said IRS.

  

JAY

Stop it and let me in, Mr. Kozniak. I need to make some calls.

  

KOZNIAK

Those IRS boys can make you wish you were never born.  I'd fake my own death, kid. That is- if I were you.

  

 

KOZNIAK walks away from window. JAY turns around and notices that the stuff on the stoop is his.

 

 

 

EXT. DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT - NIGHT

JAY smashes a car window and removes a strange-looking laptop.

 

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

JAY boots up the laptop. The screen shows the old Windows 3.1 splash screen. JAY closes the laptop.

 

 

EXT. DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT - NIGHT

JAY carefully places the laptop back in the car. With duct tape, JAY attempts to tape the glass window back together.

 

COP #1

Freeze.

  

 

JAY turns around and a COP is two feet from his face, shining a flashlight at him.

 

 

COP #1

Is this your automobile?

  

JAY

Yes and no. It's my aunt's.

  

COP #1

You may know that we’ve been having a rash of smash and grab robberies downtown.

  

JAY

I didn’t.

  

COP #1

You do now. These robberies have all had the same MO. They guy always takes a laptop and a sandwich.

  

JAY

So, you’re looking for a really fat guy.

  

COP #1

I wouldn’t say that. We might be looking for a skinny guy- someone exactly like you.

  

JAY

Thanks. I’ve been working out.

  

COP #1 flashes his badge while COP #2 grabs JAY’s arms and turns him around.

COP#1

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law...

 

COP#2

(into radio)

The laptop robberies- Let Forstino know that we’re bringing him in.

 

 

JAY wiggles free and begins to run. COP #1 and COP #2 chase JAY through the parking lot. JAY crouches down behind a car and waits for them to pass. He hears footsteps and stands up. COP# 1 zaps him with a taser. JAY falls to the ground. As COP #2 begins to work his radio and COP #1 places a knee on JAY’s back and readies the plastic handcuffs, JAY springs up and limps away as fast as he can.

COP #1 and COP #2 chase him out of the parking lot and into a park.  COP# 1 turns around and JAY is gone. COP #1 looks around the tree, looks up.

 

COP #1

Dammit!

  

 

JAY is bent around a branch in the shadows high up in the tree, breathing heavily.

 

 

 

INT. KIRK'S OFFICE AT PRIMROSE - DAY - FLASHBACK

AUDITOR sits behind Kirk's large desk and works on a spreadsheet.  KIRK paces nervously. PETER, an FHN Vice President, looks out the window.

 

KIRK

I still don't get it. We're a small company.  How can that much money go missing like that?

 
 

PETER

Have you got any disgruntled employees, Kirk?

  

KIRK

We just let someone go - an old guard guy, with us from the first. No, it can't be that. It has to be a bookkeeping error on my part.

  

AUDITOR

It's a great deal of money.

  

 

 

    

PETER

You let go the Changeling guy, right? Jay Huchison.  Well, if this was his doing, it was a slow process. It looks like he leaked cash from this place over a seven year period, at a little over a million per year.

  

KIRK

Yeah, but it doesn't fit. He was arrogant, sure. But he wasn't crooked, Peter. You have to believe me.

  

PETER

Leave it to us. We don't really much care about the money itself. It's a tax issue now. We just don't want the taint of this to rub off on FHN.

  

KIRK

None of us wants to make FHN look bad. I still have hopes of making VP one day, Peter.

  

 PETER

Well, there will probably be some interest from the IRS on this one. Answer all their questions as honestly as you can.

  

KIRK

I’ve got nothing to hide. We’ve got nothing to hide.

  

PETER

Good, Kirk. Let’s see that we don’t.

  


 

EXT. IN FRONT OF "VIRTUAL MUG" INTERNET CAFE - NIGHT

JAY walks down a row of parked cars looking for something to steal.  He notices a cell phone, laptop, and Palm Pilot sitting on the passenger seat. He also sees a Primrose Systems parking pass hanging from the rearview mirror.

 

TRUDY

Jay? Jay Huchison?

  

 

JAY immediately recognizes her and tries to slide away. But she approaches him. He walks slowly away from her car. His face is still in shadow.

 

JAY

Weskowski. What are you doing out prowling around the streets at night?

  

 

TRUDY pulls out her keys and locks the front door.

 

TRUDY

Just closing up.

  

JAY

Kirk said you were struggling. But I didn't think you would stoop to hustling.

  

TRUDY

The coffee shop. I run the damn coffee shop.

  

JAY

That's what I mean. You were the best software architect we had. Now you sling lates for tourists while they read Salon and shop for socks online.

  

TRUDY

It beats the hell out of working with you and Kirk.

  

 

JAY steps out of the shadows near the cars and onto the lighted sidewalk.

JAY

I'm not with Primrose anymore. Like you, I'm out on my own now.

  

 

TRUDY looks JAY up and down.

 

TRUDY

Oh, my God, Jay. You look like you've been hit by a truck or something. Over and over again.

  

JAY

I've been working very, very late nights recently. Consulting.

  

 

JAY walks closer to TRUDY. TRUDY sniffs the air- she smells something fowl.

 

TRUDY

And I'm not sure how to say this in a way that won't hurt your feelings- but you smell really, really bad.

  

JAY

I've been jogging.

  

TRUDY

You smell like an elephant took a dump on you or something.

  
     

JAY

Jogging near the river - I think there was a sewer backup.

  

TRUDY

And then you rolled around in a pile of rotten eggs.

  

JAY

Okay, I get your point.

  

TRUDY

And then you spent six weeks cleaning toilets with your clothes.

  

JAY

Thanks! I understand. I'm on my way back to my apartment to get clean. You are in my way.

  

TRUDY

By all means, consultant boy. You may pass.

  

 

TRUDY lifts her arm like a gate and JAY passes. But remembering something, turns back around.

 

JAY

Oh, if Kirk or somebody calls you asking where I've been, you didn't just see me. It was just a devastatingly handsome someone who looks a lot like me.

  

TRUDY

Jay, are you in trouble?

  

JAY

No. Seriously, no. I've been doing some work for the competition. Kirk is righteously pissed about it-threatening legal action. You know.

  

TRUDY

I do know. Kirk loves his lawyers, feeds them human flesh. But if you were in trouble, I would help.  I hope you know that, Jay. You're a ass, but I just can't help myself.

  

 

JAY jogs off into the distance, limping slightly. TRUDY watches him suspiciously.

 

 

 

 

EXT. BRIDGE OVER HIGHWAY - NIGHT

Cell phone code gun is duct taped to a crack on the bridge (hidden from easy view). The button is taped down and the word [APPROVED] flashes with grabbed codes several times.

There is a wire leading down below (we follow it to JAY's shack).

 

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

JAY's cobbled-together computer is gathering the cell codes. A window in the bottom of the screen says "SWITCHING...SWITCHING..."

JAY is at a clothing e-tail website ordering items and holding out apiece of paper that says "KIRK's credit card #'s."

JAY launches Changeling. A window pops up with the Changeling log and an ever-changing IP address with the words "You are HERE."  Another window shows a map of the world with interconnected lines.  A red arrow jumps around as the IP address changes.

 

JAY loads up an IRS database. A page with his picture on it appears and the text: "Tax debt of $150,000."

 

JAY

That's the last time I let someone else do my taxes.

  

 

JAY types on the database screen and nothing happens. A window pops up with the text "Insufficient Clearance" asking for username and password information. He makes a few obvious guesses and fails.

JAY loads up a window with IRS employee information. JAY switches his phone to "voice" mode and places the call.

 

MARGE

Marge Dixon, how may I help you?

  

JAY

Ms. Dixon, this is Louis Ratham up in the IT department.  We're experiencing some outages on the server and we need your help.

  

MARGE

What can I do?

  

JAY

We need to run some login tests and we need you to walk us through how you connect to the database for read/write mode.

  

MARGE

Let me log out first. Okay. I load it up and when it asks for my username I type d-e-p-t-3-1-1 then my name m-a-r-g-e-d-i-x-o-n.  No spaces. And my password...

  

JAY

Passwords are completely off limits. I need to repeat that. I do not want to hear your password. It's company policy.

  

MARGE

Good. That's probably more secure. I know they keep telling me to change my password, but you know how it is.

  

JAY

Thank you, Ms. Dixon. You have been more helpful than you know.

  

 

JAY hangs up and re-connects the phone to his computer in "data" mode.  He loads up MARGE's home page on FHN. It mentions the names of her kids: Jack and Leah. JAY loads up the database again, typing in the sequence. He tries "Jack" and then "Leah."

The window goes away. The screen changes into "edit" mode.  He deletes everything. Slow dissolves of his info in various databases being erased.

 

 

 

INT – POLICE STATION - NIGHT

In a large open room, several police officers work at various desks. COP #1 sits at a terminal filing a report. He uses a police sketch compositor to mock up a face like JAY’s.

COP #1

Those eyes are wrong, Cliff.

  

ARTIST

What- the color?

  

COP #1

No. That’s accurate enough, I guess. The software doesn’t capture it right.

  

ARTIST

Yeah, but it saves me a hell of a lot of time.

  

COP #1

You run this through the database?

  

ARTIST

I can search through any number of categories. We’ll start with known felons and work our way down.

 

 

 

ARTIST clicks on a set and starts the search. The progress bar completes in a few seconds. A message box pops up saying "No matches found."

COP #1

Let’s work our way down.

  

ARTIST selects all the categories and lets the search begin. The progress bar slowly works its way across.

COP #1

This is a bad sign, right?

  

ARTIST

Well, it’s not a good one, anyway. I set the tolerance as low as it would go. It might just be that your guy never committed a crime before.

  

The progress bar completes and the message box pops up again: "No matches found." ARTIST checks his watch and gets up to leave.

COP #1

Thanks anyway.

  

ARTIST grabs his coat and exits. COP #1 looks at the composite sketch again, squints. He clicks on the nose, thins it. He stares at the screen again. He starts the search again. Almost immediately, a screen pops up with JAY’s photo and some information. COP #1 gets up to see if ARTIST has left.

COP #1

Cliff? Take a look at this.

  

 

COP #1 turns back to the screen and the photo is blank and the info now says "[deleted]." ARTIST returns as COP #1 taps on the screen.

 

 

 

INT – CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

JAY looks up an arrest record with his mug-shot in it. The text describes a violent incident from years ago.

 

 

 

INT – DARK NIGHTCLUB – NIGHT - FLASHBACK

[POV] The club is packed with people dancing and sitting at the bar. The camera moves through the crowd. CLUBGOER #1 turns around and pushes the viewer. The sound of music and people talking drowns out what is being said. White flash.

CLUBGOER #1 takes a swing at the viewer. White flash.

The viewer grabs a beer bottle and breaks it over a chair. The image flashes into white and back as the bottle is smashed into a man’s chest.

SLOW DISSOLVE TO red and blue police lights.

 

 

 

INT – CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

JAY reads the final words : "Psychological examination/Treatment." JAY shakes his head and deletes the record. The data goes blank, and JAY closes the window.

JAY feels his stomach as if he is in pain. JAY loads up a Pizza web site.

 

 

 

INT - FRONT HALLWAY OF KIRK'S HOME - NIGHT

Doorbell rings. Kirk is reading a memo with the FHN logo on it in his adjoining home office. He grumbles and gets up. Before he can reach the door, the doorbell rings again.

He opens the door and there are two different pizza delivery guys there.

DELIVERY BOY #2

That’ll be fifteen seventy-five.

  

KIRK

Obviously this is a joke.

  

DELIVERY BOY #2

No joke. Pizza. Many, many pizzas.

  

 

KIRK opens the blinds and peers out of the window. Several more pizza delivery vehicles are parked outside and more are arriving.

KIRK looks off into the night sky.

 

KIRK

Where the hell are you?

  

 

 

 

INT - INTERNET COFFEE SHOP - DAY

COP #1 enters the cafe. There are a few people sitting at different tables, sipping coffee and browsing the web. TRUDY is wiping down the counter. COP #1 approaches the counter.

 

TRUDY

What can I do ya for, Officer Friendly?

  

 

COP #1 produces a police sketch of JAY from his pocket.

 

COP# 1

Ma'am. Have you seen this man?

  

TRUDY

He only looks like half the people who come in here.

  

COP# 1

Half?

  

TRUDY

The other half are ladies. He doesn't look like a lady to me.

  

COP# 1

I'm asking if you've seen him on the street walking around.  A man fitting this description has been connected with a series of smash and grab robberies in this area.

  

TRUDY

No, I haven't seen anyone like him walking around.

  

COP# 1

We believe him to be desperate and dangerous. Take another look, please.

  

 

TRUDY looks hard at the picture, trying not to look as though she recognizes it. After a moment, TRUDY shakes her head.

 

 

 

 

 

INT. PRIMROSE OFFICES - NIGHT

The offices of Primrose are empty. The cubicles are still there, but computers have been removed, and wires still dangle.

KIRK, wearing an FHN shirt and badge, removes the Primrose logo banner from the wall and folds it up. He shuts off some of the interior lights.

In the corner, the Primrose server still chugs on, the logo has the FHN logo incorporated.

 

 

 

EXT. PRIMROSE PARKING LOT - NIGHT

With binoculars, JAY watches KIRK. JAY moves his gaze to a black sedan on the other side of the lot. IRS agents LAUREN and IKE sit in the car, watching as well.

JAY walks up to KIRK's car and points a special hand-made device at the keyless door entry system. A series of numbers flash through the screen and then- pop. The trunk opens.

JAY

Not what I planned, but better than a kick in the head.

  

 

JAY checks the interior emergency trunk release and gets in, closing the lid over himself.

 

 

 

 

INT - KIRK'S HOME OFFICE - NIGHT

JAY sits at KIRK's computer and searches for Primrose access codes.  Loading up the Primrose back end, he is prompted for username/password.  He uses "kirk_preston" as the username then looks around the room.  He sees the name of Kirk's only child: Kate. He tries that.  Denied.

KIRK stumbles around upstairs getting ready for bed.

JAY loads up a window of web sites visited, scanning it. Nothing.  He checks it again and finds a bank web site. He copies that into the web browser and a screen pops up "Account information read from cookie."  The amount listed in the account is over 8 million dollars.

 

JAY

Someone's been a bad widdle boy.

  

 

JAY clicks on "NEW ACCOUNT" and sets a new password for it. He transfers one million.

JAY

Let's see how long it will take him to notice that.

  

 

The computer screen says "transferring funds..." with a progress bar.

Hearing something, KIRK slowly walks down the stairs toward the office.

The progress bar slowly crawls past 50%.

Kirk enters the office and looks around. He sees nothing. The computer is shut off. KIRK walks around the desk and looks under it. KIRK shrugs and exits. JAY is curled up inside a trashcan.

 

 

 

INT. PRIMROSE OFFICES - NIGHT

IRS agents LAUREN and IKE sit on the floor rummaging through the office garbage, scanning each page with their eyes. Trash is piled up neatly in various mail baskets with "IRS" written on them. IKE gets up and dumps out another basket onto the floor and rubs his face in frustration.

IKE

This is ridiculous, Lauren. There's nothing left.

  

LAUREN

Nothing in their databases, that's for sure. Even backups tell the same story.

  

IKE

They say that he never worked here. Our databases, the Social Security Administration, even the schools he supposedly attended-they all say he never even existed.

  

LAUREN

You are ignoring the distinct possibility that he does exist, but doesn't want us to think he does.

  

 

LAUREN picks out a printout of a photograph of the company staff lined up against the building (shown earlier with KIRK and JAY). LAUREN places her finger over the faces, moving right past where JAY had been.

LAUREN

Boy, this would be helpful if we knew what he looked like.

  

IKE

We'll contact former employees and get a positive ID.  But odds are our boy isn't even in there. He probably removed himself digitally.  There probably isn’t even a physical negative.

  

LAUREN

Some people just don't like to have their picture taken.

  

IKE

I'll see what I can do about securing the original file.

 

  

LAUREN opens up her laptop and flips through the IRS database, stopping on a photo of KIRK.

LAUREN

The company president- Kirk Preston. We should talk to him again.

  

IKE

Again? What would that prove?

  

LAUREN

Put a little heat on him. He better produce his genius scapegoat or he'll have some hell to pay.

  

 

 

INT. FHN BOARD ROOM - DAY

Peter and FHN representatives speak with KIRK who sits at the end of a long table. F. TAYLOR BRAND, president of FHN sits at the other end surrounded by
his people. F. TAYLOR has a paper bag with peanuts in the shell in front of him as well as a waste bowl. While he speaks, he casually cracks and eats them.

KIRK

And I understand the bookkeeping errors are not going to be a problem going forward?

  

F. TAYLOR

It was a bookkeeping error- a tax liability to be sure.  Something for the IRS to track down. But a simple mistake compounded over several years is still a simple mistake. I wouldn't worry about it. Besides that whole mess is over now.

  

 

An ASSISTANT comes in to pour coffee for F. TAYLOR, PETER and the others.  The ASSISTANT does not offer KIRK any coffee.

F. TAYLOR

The Primrose situation was unfortunate, Kirk. But since you are all that is left of your company, we are now looking to you as the sole representative of the Primrose technologies and patents that we now own.

 

 
 

KIRK

You have nothing to worry about, sir. I am intimately familiar with the Chatbot products, their code and future development plans.

  

F. TAYLOR

I was thinking more about- what is it?

  

PETER

Changeling.

  

F. TAYLOR

Yes. That's it. What do you know about that?

  

KIRK

Well, that product was never officially released. It suffered from poor project management and a slim business plan.

  

F. TAYLOR

How so? What do you mean about the business plan?

  

KIRK

It's a utility with no added value for the average customer.  They won't want to pay for it unless we bundle it together with products of higher perceived value.

  

F. TAYLOR

What about the code itself?

  

KIRK

I don't follow.

  

PETER

It wasn't part of the shipment. Although the logs mention it, there are no tapes. No code.  

We own the patent on something that doesn't seem to exist.

  

KIRK

You didn't seem interested in the product during the buy-out negotiations. We destroyed it, for reasons of liability, the day we fired Jay Huchison. He was the only one who knew how it all worked.

  

PETER

Huchison was reported missing a few days ago. A recent sweep of the relevant databases show that his status is now "missing, presumed dead."

  

F. TAYLOR

That’s odd.

  

PETER

Not really. We accessed records showing Huchison has a history of mental health issues- an incident, an arrest. But for some reason the records don’t show up anymore. We’ve got someone on it.

My point is that it’s entirely likely that his livelihood was the lynchpin- it’s just a matter of finding a body at this point.

  

F. TAYLOR

(to KIRK)

And what about you?

  

KIRK

I didn't follow the every day activities of our loss-leader, no.

  

F. TAYLOR

And since the code and the component libraries have been destroyed, Changeling is basically a dead product.

  

KIRK

Mr. Brand, if I had known the project was important to you, I would have definitely preserved it.

  

PETER

Kirk, what the president is trying to tell you is "congratulations."  You did well.

  

KIRK

But why would anyone care about Changeling? As I continued to tell Jay, the only people want to stay that hidden are perverts and pirates.

  

F. TAYLOR

Exactly. As we have acquired companies over the years, we have also amassed a great number of lucrative copyrights and trademarked franchises.  

 

PETER

Untraceable peer-to-peer file transfers could put us all in a bad position.

  

F. TAYLOR

You see, the only sure way to kill a technology is to own it.

  

KIRK

I see.

  

F. TAYLOR

I don’t think you do. Think about this: what are you still doing here?

  

KIRK

Pardon?

  

F. TAYLOR

Preston, if Huchison isn’t dead, you’re probably going to end up wishing you were.

  

 

 

 

EXT. FRONT OF DOWNTOWN HOME - DAY

JAY watches mail carrier drop off package on doorstep. JAY casually walks up, grabs it and walks away. JAY walks past STREET PREACHER who is standing in the street with a ragged coat carrying a sign.

PREACHER

Repent.

  

JAY keeps walking but the PREACHER follows him. JAY tries not to make eye contact.

PREACHER

The end times are nigh.

  

JAY turns around and faces the PREACHER.

JAY

Okay. But how near exactly? I have some stuff I need to do first.

  

PREACHER

I can see what is inside of you, brother. You carry the burden of sin.

  

JAY

I’m working on it.

  

FADE OUT.

 

 

 

INT. INTERNET COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT

FADE UP. The cafe is empty. TRUDY closing up, turning over chairs on top of tables. There is a mop and bucket at the ready. Outside the window, JAY knocks. He is dressed in khakis and a sweater.  TRUDY opens the door for him.

 

JAY

May I come in?

  

TRUDY

Well, you do smell a bit better. Sure.

  

 

JAY enters as TRUDY finishes putting chairs on tables.

 

JAY

This is a nice place, Trudy. You've done well for yourself.

  

TRUDY

Thanks.

  

 

JAY pulls one of the chairs down and sits at a terminal.

 

JAY

(affecting an accent)

Hey, this thing doesn't work! Do I have to buy coffee or insert quarters somewhere?

  

TRUDY

We're closed, tourist.

  

 

TRUDY powers up the unit. JAY opens the CD-ROM drive.

 

JAY

How many times a day do you need to remind people that this isn't a cup holder?

  

TRUDY

It's not like that. People just want to sit somewhere and listen to music and check their stocks.

  

JAY

And drink expensive coffee.

  

TRUDY

You've read my annual report. And until Internet-ready cell phones can serve coffee, I'm sound as a pound.

  

 

The computer is now booted up and connected. A web browser popsup with the cafe's logo.

 

JAY

What do you do about virus protection, terminal maintenance, updates- all that stuff?

  

TRUDY

I spend half my time operating this place and the other half wrestling with the router connection.

  

JAY

You need a professional router wrestler.

  

TRUDY

(laughing)

Consultant boy comes to work for me.

  

JAY

I half serious. I can be your part time CTO.

  

TRUDY

Jay Huchison working for me- here? I guess so.

  

JAY

Security is going to be an issue if you leave that T-1 and router up all night.

  

TRUDY

You never seemed so interested in that sort of thing at Primrose.  You were probably too wrapped up in your own projects to notice, but we had serious issues.

  

JAY

Like what?

  

TRUDY

Well, the backup software we used caused a weakness during the overnight backups.

  

JAY

I remember the clocks were off as well.

  

TRUDY

By an hour and seventeen minutes. Kirk said a bunch of our software licenses would bust if we fixed it. So, we just let it stand.  

I kept telling them that if some fifteen-year-old script kiddie with a root kit plied it at just the right moment, they could get control of the whole shebang.

  

JAY

Interesting. Dinner?

  

TRUDY

It's ten o'clock, of course. But consultant boy is too cool to wear a watch. Sure. Dinner would be nice.

  

 

 

 

 

INT. KIRK'S HOME OFFICE - NIGHT

KIRK sits at his desk while LAUREN and IKE sit in chairs in front of him.

LAUREN

 You have quite a nice home, Mr. Preston.

  

KIRK

Thank you.  

  

LAUREN

When I say "nice" I mean expensive, Mr. Preston. Your records show a business that never turned much of a profit.

  

KIRK

My wife works as well. We do just fine.  

  

IKE

What Ms. Espisito is trying to tell you, sir, is that we don't buy it. The Huchison story. Former employees claim to have heard of the guy, but other than that, we can find no evidence that he even exists.  

  

KIRK

I told you before that he's been harassing me: accessing my credit card- things like that.

  

IKE

We tried using the logs you provided. Usually, we can get a bead on someone, trace his IP address to a wireless connection, and from there it's cake. But in this case, it's not that easy.

  

KIRK

It would be that easy if he weren't using this.

  

 

KIRK turns the computer monitor around for them to see. The Changeling logo comes up. The IP address changes over and over again.

 

KIRK

I can help you catch this guy. With a copy of the Changeling key, you could reverse the process and establish a true Internet address for someone you knew was using Changeling.

  

LAUREN

Very impressive, Mr. Preston. It looks like we have a plan.

  

KIRK

Give me a call if there's anything I can do to help.

  

IKE

There won't be any need for that, Mr. Preston. You're coming with us.  

  

 

 

 

 
INT. ALL-HOURS RESTAURANT - NIGHT

JAY and TRUDY sit at a table near the back. They both have finished their meals, and several beer bottles are strewn about the table.  They are both laughing.

TRUDY

... I almost kicked his ass that day. I couldn't believe that anyone would treat people like that.

  

 JAY

That's Kirk for you. He's a peach. Was that why you left?  The combo of project stress and co-worker bullshit?

  

TRUDY

I was up to the task. Don't be mistaken about that.  But I simply couldn't work with arrogant wunderkind like you anymore.

  

 

JAY stares at her with his mouth open, hurt.

 

TRUDY

I'm kidding. Half kidding. Honestly, I just got sick of the golden handcuffs.

  

 JAY

I never knew you were that kinky.

  

TRUDY

The trips, the clients, everybody treating you like a rock star.

  

 JAY

Yeah, I always hated that part.

  

TRUDY

You get this unrealistic idea of your own success or failure.  Once you buy into it, they have you. For five years, they had me big time.

  

 

A WAITER comes by to collect the plates. TRUDY pulls her wallet out of her purse and places her credit card on the table.

TRUDY

Dinner's on me.

  

 JAY

Twist my arm.

  

 

TRUDY grabs JAY's outstretched arm and twists it, really hard. He winces in mock pain. The WAITER takes the credit card and walks away.

TRUDY

I'm much more interested in why you left Primrose. Kirk talked about you as though you were the second coming of Alan Touring or something. They had plans for you, kid. Big plans.

  

JAY

That was years ago. A lot has changed. I guess I'm too much of a spoiled brat to get used to the idea that I'm not as vital to the company as I used to be.

  

TRUDY

Stop it. Seriously.

  

JAY

I am serious. I was an idiot. I realize this more every day. One day, I'll have to grow up and start all over again.

  

TRUDY

It's so unattractive when super-competent people feel sorry for themselves.

  

 

The WAITER brings the card back with receipts. TRUDY fills in the tip and signs. When she looks up, JAY is gone.

 

TRUDY

Well, you certainly run away like an overgrown child.

  

 

 

 

IXT. CITY STREET NEAR PARK- NIGHT

JAY walks hurriedly away from the restaurant, looking over his shoulder to see if TRUDY is following him. He relaxes a bit and smiles.

COP #1 and COP #2 have a SUSPECT handcuffed spread over the hood of their patrol car. COP #2 pulls the SUSPECT off and puts him in the back seat of the patrol car.

JAY does not cover up his face. COP #1 looks up and points at JAY.

COP #1

I know that guy.

  

COP #2

Freeze!

  

 
JAY runs off into the park. COP #1 chases him through a patch of darkened woods. Only their silhouettes are visible. COP #1activates his radio.

COP #1 falls behind. JAY turns around while running to see where COP #1 is. Suddenly, he runs directly into and falls over the hood of a police car. COP #2 gets out immediately, ready to handcuff JAY.  SUSPECT waves at JAY. But by then JAY has already rolled over the hood and is now slumped over on the other side. He runs again, holding his arm and limping.

COP #1 emerges from the wooded area.

 

COP #1

Screw it. Radio it in.

  

 COP #1 leans on the police car, breathing heavily.

 

 

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - NIGHT

JAY rushes into the shack, breathing heavily and sweating. TRUDY is sitting on the floor waiting for him. The cobbled-together computer is on and Changeling is running.

TRUDY

Have a nice jog?

  

JAY

I can explain.

  

TRUDY

I’m not so sure I want you to, Jay. I don’t think you can.

  

JAY

This is when you ask me questions until I cry.

  

TRUDY

I don’t have any more questions. I don’t even know why I’m still here.

  

JAY

You’re curious.

  

TRUDY

No, just pissed.

  

 

JAY opens a text file and types in some information.

TRUDY

Hello? You can’t just pretend that this is isn’t happening.

  

JAY

I’m almost done. I’ll be right with you.

  

TRUDY

This is not the freaking DMV. I’m here, Jay. I know what I know. Now deal with me, dammit.

  

JAY continues to work at the computer. A box pops up saying "[Item Scheduled]"

TRUDY

I’m leaving.

  

TRUDY puts her had back on and begins to exit, watching JAY. She gives up and walks to the exit.

JAY

I used to think that being good at what you do was the most important thing- that being extraordinarily good would make up for a whole host of human failings.

 

TRUDY

You were good, Jay- not that good. Get over yourself.

  

JAY

I’m working on it.

  

TRUDY

And now the police are looking for you. As your employer, I think I deserve to know about your arrest record.

  

JAY

One incident, years ago. I don’t really want to talk about it.

  

TRUDY

But you will- eventually.

  

JAY

Of course, just not right now. Not tonight. Hell, it’s been days since I committed a crime.

  

TRUDY

I think it’s time we both shut up for a while.

  

 

JAY and TRUDY lean toward each other. The time on the computer hits "10:43PM." It beeps and a window automatically opens logging into the Primrose/FHN server.


FADE TO BLACK

 

 

 

INT. CARDBOARD SHACK - DAWN

FADE UP. The light is orange but still dim. Faint sounds of helicopters come from outside. TRUDY and JAY lay asleep in a bed of wadded plastic and old clothes. JAY jumps up and looks at his computer and at TRUDY.  He shakes her awake.

JAY

We've got to go. Now.

  

TRUDY

What's going on?

  

JAY removes the large electrical leads from the battery. Sparks fly. JAY reaches around the other side of the computer and pulls a lever. Smoke and gas emit from the back.

JAY

You said you wanted to help.

  

 

JAY and TRUDY bundle up the parts in a black plastic bag. An intense searchlight beams in through the cracks in the shack.

Together they exit the shack just as the sound of sirens gets louder.  JAY and TRUDY heave the bundle into the nearby river.

Just above, FBI/IRS agents park their cars on the bridge, cutting off traffic. They jump out of their cars. KIRK consults a small GPS unit and points below the bridge.

JAY

Your car.

  

TRUDY

What about it?

  

JAY

Find it. Go someplace I’ve never heard of- now!

  

TRUDY

What about you? Do you have a plan?

  

JAY

I haven’t thought about that yet. I’ll pull a plan out of my ass any second now.

  

TRUDY rushes off along the river. Flashlight beams bounce over the horizon as they agents approach.

JAY

… any second now.

  

 

 

 

EXT. DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT - DAY

Trying not to run, TRUDY walks to her car. As she gets closer, she fumbles with her keys. She drops them. TRUDY bends down to pick them up. When she looks up again, COP #1 is standing next to her car. She begins to walk away, hiding her face.

COP #1

Good morning, Ma’am. I was hoping I could talk to you.

  

 

 

 

EXT. OUTSIDE CARDBOARD SHACK UNDER BRIDGE - DAY

The morning light is stronger now. Agents surround a wet bag of wires and hardware. AGENT #1 and AGENT #2 rummage through the parts. AGENT #2 holds up a circular hard drive plate with a pair of tongs.

AGENT #2

From what we can figure, these plates dropped in a bath of acid when somebody pulled the lever. Cleaned them right up.

  

AGENT #1

Get someone at the FBI to run a low-level scan on those.

  

 AGENT #2

You don't get it. There is no magnetic substrate on this, nothing to read.

  

AGENT #1

What the hell?

  

AGENT #2

I know. Professionals don't even do this kind of thing.  Who is this guy?

  

AGENT #1

Wilson and Espisito better get a warm body on this one – it's the only evidence we've got.

  

 

 

 

EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK – DAY

JAY finally pulls his head out of the water to take a much-needed breath. JAY pulls himself out of the water and onto the concrete sidewalk. He is sopping wet.

Climbing the steps to street level, JAY watches the neighborhood beyond. KIRK’s home is visible.

 

 

 

EXT. DOWNTOWN PARKING LOT - DAY

TRUDY stands facing COP #1. He is now leaning on her car. He turns and approaches him.

TRUDY

What’s the problem, officer?

  

COP #1

I don’t like losing.

  

TRUDY

I don’t understand.

  

COP #1

I think you know something more than you let on the other day. As a trained observer, I know when someone is being, let us say, less than truthful.

  

TRUDY

I wish I could help you, officer. But I can’t.

  

COP #1

Can’t or won’t?

  

 

COP #2 drives up in the squad car and parks next to TRUDY’s car.

COP #1

I think you should come talk to us downtown.

  

 

 

 

INT. KIRK’S HOME - DAY

JAY sits at KIRK’s computer, drying his hair with a borrowed towel. Changeling is running.

 

 

 

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

KIRK is in an interview with a prospective employer.

KIRK

I bring with me more than just software development experience. I’m an entrepreneur.

  

 

KIRK’s Palm Pilot beeps. He checks the e-mail message: "get home right away – emergency."

KIRK

That’s funny, I didn’t think anybody was home today.

  

 

KIRK excuses himself from the meeting.

 

 

 

EXT. BRIDGE ABOVE CARDBOARD SHACK - DAY

The agents stand walk back to their cars. Traffic is backed up and people are honking. AGENT #1 flips open his laptop and clicks around as he walks.

AGENT #1

Hold up. We have a new position lock.

 

 

AGENT #1 holds the screen up for AGENT #2 to see.

 

AGENT #1

Move all units to this address. Now.

  

 

 

 

INT. POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY

TRUDY sits in a small room with a large mirror. COP #1 and DETECTIVE #1 sit across from her.

DETECTIVE #1

So, you haven’t seen the guy he described.

  

TRUDY

No.

  

DETECTIVE #1

And you have not witnessed the individual committing a crime.

  

TRUDY

No.

  

DETECTIVE #1

So, why are you even here?

  

TRUDY

Your friend thinks I’m fibbing.

  

 

DETECTIVE #1 walks out of the room in a huff.

 

COP #1

The so-called detectives think they already have a perp- caught him on a similar crime. Similar but not the same.

  

TRUDY

So, if the smash and grabs stop then you’ll know you have your guy.

  

COP #1

It still doesn’t sit well with me, though. I’ve seen this guy- and he doesn’t look exactly the same.

  

 

TRUDY places her right hand in the air and her left on an imaginary Bible.

TRUDY

I honestly do not know where that guy could be. As a trained observer, do you think I’m lying?

  

COP #1

No. Not right now.

  

TRUDY’s pager goes off. She reads the text message and gets her coat.

 

 

 

INT. KIRK’S HOME - DAY

KIRK's sits in a corner of the home office, his hands are duct taped behind his back.

KIRK

How far do you think you can push this, Jay?

  

JAY

I don't know. I obviously haven't pushed you far enough.

  

 

JAY puts duct tape on KIRK's mouth to quiet him.

JAY, noting his watch, peels the duct tape off of KIRK's mouth.  KIRK screams. One side of the duct tape still hangs from his face like a flap.

 

 

 

EXT. KIRK’S DRIVEWAY - DAY

The agents exit their fleet of cars and head toward the house. KIRK screams again. Hearing that, IKE, LAUREN, and the officers get ready to enter the house.

 

 

 

INT. KIRK’S HOME - DAY

KIRK is horse from screaming, struggling with his bonds. JAY is working at the computer, working on a text file.

 

JAY

I've been working on Changeling- a server version.

  

KIRK

Changeling is dead, and so are you.

  

JAY

How can I be dead, Kirk? I don't even exist.

  

KIRK

Changeling is dead, and so are you.

  

JAY

How can I be dead, Kirk? I don't even exist.

  

KIRK

They'll find a way to nail you for this.

  

JAY

They do need a suspect, true. I wish I could help them out.

  

 
Suddenly, the door is broken down and the agents burst in. KIRK looks up to watch them. When he turns around, JAY is gone.

KIRK

He was just here.

  

LAUREN

Did you see where he went?

  

KIRK

No.

  

IKE

Great.

  

LAUREN

(into radio)

He's gone.. Sweep the streets.

  

 

 

 

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE CAFÉ - DAY

TRUDY gets out of her car and slowly walks to the café. She looks around for cop cars. TRUDY looks in the windows. The café is dark. TRUDY is shaking.

TRUDY walks around to the front door and pulls out her keys. She feels a hand on her shoulder and shrieks. TRUDY spins around and punches JAY.

 

TRUDY

I am going to kick your ass when this is all over.

  

JAY

I'm looking forward to it.

  

 

 

 

INT. KIRK’S HOME OFFICE - DAY

KIRK sits on the floor, still restrained with duct tape. The agents and officers talk over him.

COP #2 emerges from the small bathroom which adjoins the office.

AGENT #2

I think we know where our phantom went.

  

 

LAUREN, IKE and AGENT #1 look at the opened window in the bathroom.  

IKE

Or it could just be an open window.

  

AGENT #1

Anybody jumping from up here would have some serious broken limbs. We'll check the area hospitals.

  

IKE

I'm still not convinced we didn't just scare the living shit out of some random homeless guy.

  

 AGENT #2

There's more.

  

 

AGENT #2 points at something off-camera them and they all examine it for a moment.

LAUREN

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner.

  

AGENT #1 rips off KIRK's duct tape cuffs.

KIRK

Thanks. I was wondering when someone was going to notice me.

  

 

AGENT #2 moves the computer’s mouse around to get the monitor to activate.

AGENT #2

You guys should look at this.

  

 

AGENT #1, IKE and LAUREN walk over to the computer and look at the screen.

LAUREN

Shit. Contact the regional HQ.

  

AGENT #1 walks over to KIRK and replaces those cuffs with real ones.

KIRK

What are you doing?

  

 

AGENT #1 reseals the flap of duct tape on KIRK’S mouth and ushers him out of the room.

IKE

We need to freeze that account.

  

 

On the computer screen, a harmless-looking FHN home page for Kirk Preston. It features an animated head of KIRK with the words "Free money! White it lasts!" along with his username and password. The bottom of the page contains a dollar amount which rapidly counts down from 7 million.

 

 

 

INT. TRUDY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

JAY's face on a computer screen. He now wears glasses. JAY sits at the kitchen table typing in a new identity. Fake Social Security Number, etc. TRUDY lays on the couch watching a movie.

TRUDY

Let me know when you get to the part about a new name.

  

JAY

You have suggestions?

  

 TRUDY

Engelbert.

  

JAY

Not only is it a classic name, it's inconspicuous as hell.

  

TRUDY

I think it's cool. I wish I could re-work my identity.  You lucky dog.

  

JAY

Well, I'm here anyway. I could change yours as well.

  

 TRUDY

To what?

  

JAY

You'll find out on your next tax return, Buhla.

  

 

TRUDY tosses a throw pillow at JAY, knocking him softly in the head.

 

 

INT. COMPACT DISC MANUFACTURING PLANT - DAY

On an assembly line, hundreds of discs labeled "FHN 7.0" are being printed.

Boxes are stacked up, each labeled FHN.

 

 

 

INT. OFFICE CUBICLE - DAY

CU of web browser screen. The page features the Changeling logo and the word "download" and the phrase "Information Set Free." Focus on the URL line. The page doesn't change, but the Changeling URL changes every few seconds.

 

 

End.