THE RACK
Morning
[Kyle is sitting by himself at the counter lost in thought. He is not the only one wondering about what is happening in their life. Lori sits alone at a table pretending to read, but she keeps glancing at over at Declan talking to a friend. Andy is also sitting alone reading her horoscope. Josh is working behind the counter.]
VOICEOVER
People live much of their lives in uncertainty. What might happen in a week. . .a month. . .a year. I wondered about my own life. If I would be able to answer the questions that kept appearing. I guess I, too, was looking for certainty.
JOSH [comes over to Kyle]
It's a done deal. I'm scoring Dava Avina.
[They both look over at a pretty girl standing in the doorway with a friend.]
KYLE
She looks nice.
JOSH
Kittens are nice. Dava's. . . [They both look at her again] Well, hopefully, she's not nice.
KYLE [makes a face]
I thought you two were just study partners for biology lab.
JOSH
It may have started there. But I knew we were destined for more. [Kyle smiles at him] You see, Kyle, women are attracted to success. They can't resist it. And in high school, success means. . .a car. [Kyle doesn't look convinced]
ANDY [leans over counter]
Boys. . .life is not like a rap video. Having a pimped-out car doesn't guarantee your hand gets anywhere near her bra. [points to her chest]
JOSH [over his shoulder to Kyle]
If she wears one.
ANDY
What is with boys and breasts? [points again]
JOSH [looks at Kyle, who is not defending him]
Don't side with her, buddy. You're breaking a sacred bond.
[Smiling, Andy comes around the counter to Kyle and holds out her hand.]
ANDY
I'm Andy.
KYLE [smiles back and shakes her hand]
Kyle.
JOSH
And I'm in the middle of teaching Kyle about life and love here.
ANDY [to Josh]
Then I am thwarting a great injustice. Let me set you straight on what girls actually like. I want you to remember this moment.
[Suddenly, everything stops. . .]
VOICEOVER
"Remember this moment." The words triggered something and suddenly. . .I saw things that shouldn't have been there. [Kyle turns around and looks at the strange objects behind him on the counter.] A fishbowl. A postcard. And the urn that contained Adam Baylin's ashes.
[He gets up from his seat and goes over to the objects. He picks up the postcard and turns it over. It is addressed to him and has one message written on the back: "Viz Allati."]
JOSH [breaking in]
Kyle - you okay, dude?
[Kyle looks up at him, then back down at his hand. He had been holding the postcard in his vision, but now it is a small pack of sugar. Behind him, the door opens and a girl walks into the café. It is Jessi. She turns to Kyle and they face each other for a moment. Suddenly, Kyle grimaces and reaches his hand to his forehead.]
JOSH
Kyle, you all right?
KYLE
I feel like something bad is about to happen.
[They look at one another. At that moment, the whole building begins to shake. Everyone looks up and around them as dishes and objects fall off the tables and counters, landing and shattering on the floor. Everyone is scared, and then suddenly, it is all over.]
JOSH [looking at Kyle]
I got two words for ya - "lottery ticket."
[Opening Theme]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Kitchen
[Nicole is sweeping up a mess when Kyle and Josh come home. She looks up as they walk into the kitchen.]
NICOLE
Hey, you guys okay?
JOSH
Awesome. Our little alien [pats Kyle on shoulder] can predict the future.
[Nicole looks at Kyle in amazement]
Huh! You should see The Rack. It's not a place I would call earthquake-friendly.
NICOLE
Then what are you doin' home?
JOSH
Checking on my ride for damage. [He heads to the kitchen door leading to the driveway]
NICOLE
Well, you should check your room. It looks like it was hit pretty hard.
JOSH
No. It was like that before. [walks out]
NICOLE [to Kyle]
Did Josh think you predicted the earthquake?
KYLE
I had a feeling something bad was gonna happen. And then everything started shaking.
NICOLE
You know, certain animals seem to anticipate natural disasters. It's not out of the realm of scientific possibility. [Kyle doesn't say anything.]
Is there something else?
KYLE
I saw some things.
NICOLE
What things?
KYLE
Things that were there. . .and then weren't. Like I was dreaming, except I was awake.
NICOLE
Sounds like you had some sort of vision.
KYLE
A vision? Is that normal?
NICOLE
I think we need to expand our definition of normal when it comes to you.
[Totally unaffected by the earthquake, Stephen walks into the kitchen carrying several dress shirts on hangers and heads straight to Nicole.]
STEPHEN
I need the right shirt for tomorrow.
NICOLE
You're choosing already?
STEPHEN
Well, it's my first big day.
[Kyle looks over his shoulder at Lori. She is in the living room on the sofa trying to tune her guitar.]
NICOLE
Well, you want confident, but not overbearing.
[While they are discussing his shirts, Kyle walks into the living room, reaches down and adjusts the pitch on Lori's guitar.]
LORI [looking up]
Thank you.
KYLE [smiles]
You're welcome. [leaves and heads towards his room]
NICOLE [walks into hallway with Stephen; Lori plays her new song in the background]
I like the green. It's perfect for the brilliant new guy in the software division.
STEPHEN
All right. Look, I know I've been stressed out lookin' for work. Things have been a little shaky lately.
NICOLE
I've been a little shaky myself and for a lot longer than you. I think I can cut you some slack. [She gives him a little nudge in the arm.]
STEPHEN
Yeah, well. . .I think the future's lookin' up. We're gonna be just fine. [Reaches towards her and kisses her.]
THE RACK
[Andy is still at the café with Josh. They are discussing his upcoming date with Dava Avina while he sweeps up behind the counter.]
ANDY [sitting at counter with her smoothie]
You're totally screwed.
JOSH
You're exaggerating.
ANDY
You couldn't be more screwed if you were between a wall and a Phillips head.
JOSH
I'm golden. I shoot from the hip. Girls like spontaneity in a man.
ANDY
Girls like a plan. Spontaneity is code for "I couldn't be bothered."
JOSH
Okay. Then what about bowling?
ANDY
Or. . .we could look for something that doesn't scream seventh-grader.
Next.
[Josh leans on his broom and comes up with...nothing. Andy puts her hand over her eyes.]
I can't believe I'm doing this.
JOSH
What?
ANDY
For the good of our species, I'll help you plan your first date.
[Josh considers this favorably.]
HOLLANDER'S APARTMENT
[Jessi is curled up on the sofa clutching a pillow and watching an old-time black and white movie on the television.]
Actress: "Look, you said I've been kissed before. Yes, I have. Many times. Maybe this isn't the best idea for you."
[Walking into the room, Emily puts on her jacket and watches Jessie engrossed in the movie.]
HOLLANDER
How can you watch that?
Actor: "Let's not think about that."
JESSI [smiles]
I like it. [she doesn't take her eyes off the television]
Actress: "My heart pounds like a drum when you're near."
Actor: "I can feel it."
Actress: "Take me away from here. To a place where we can be together."
HOLLANDER [sighs]
Remember your appointment today.
[Jessi doesn't answer her]
Jessi! [She looks up and glares] You have a session this afternoon.
JESSI [hates that she is being reminded what to do]
All right. I'll be there.
[Emily leaves and Jessi returns to watching her movie.]
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Kyle is trying to explain to Foss what happened to him at The Rack. In the background, a whistle blows as the train rumbles through the old district.]
KYLE
I don't know how else to explain it.
FOSS
Predict the future?
KYLE
I know it sounds weird.
FOSS
Who knows what you can do. We should... [walking away] We should check Baylin's notes and see if he documented anything about this. [He walks over to a large table completely covered in books and papers.]
KYLE [joins him at the table]
All right.
FOSS [looking through papers]
That phrase that you saw. "Viz Allati?"
KYLE
It's Hungarian. It means underwater.
FOSS
You looked it up?
KYLE
No, I just know it.
FOSS [looks up and over at Kyle]
Since when can you speak Hungarian?
[Kyle doesn't answer and keeps looking through Adam's research papers. Foss watches him.]
THE RACK
[Lori is kneeling on the floor and pinning notices on the bulletin board at the café. Amanda walks up beside her with a handful of flyers.]
AMANDA [hands her a flyer]
Lori. . .here.
[Lori takes it and pins it up on the board.]
That was for you.
LORI [stands up and looks at the flyer]
Open Mic Night? I just started playing.
AMANDA
I've heard you; you're good.
LORI
How do you know?
AMANDA
I live next door to you, remember? I hear everything that comes out of your bedroom.
LORI
Awesome.
AMANDA
Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about getting your heart torn out and stomped on. [Lori looks at the flyer again.] You need to vent. I'm serious about Open Mic Night. Singing about your heartache could be very therapeutic.
MADACORP
[The large lobby of The Company is crowded with people. A video is featured on one wall while an accompanying recording plays throughout the lobby.]
"Technology. Science. Art. Only one company integrates all three for the benefit of mankind. Madacorp. Groundbreaking research for tomorrow's solutions. Madacorp. Building foundations for tomorrow." [repeats]
[Stephen walks through one of the metal detectors into the lobby and looks around. Above him on the second floor, Hollander watches him over the railing. She opens a blue folder in her hand and looks at a photograph inside to positively identify him.]
AMANDA'S HOUSE
[Kyle walks to Amanda's house and up the front steps and hears a familiar melody playing on a piano inside. Smiling at the memory, he walks around the porch and looks in through a window. There is no piano. Amanda is sitting on the floor listening to a recording. Looking up, she smiles at him and he waves at her from the other side of the closed window.
They are sitting together on the front steps of the house.]
AMANDA
My mom's been working really hard, but we still had to make some sacrifices. The car and the piano were mine.
KYLE
You two are in it together.
AMANDA
Which is nice, but. . .it would be nicer if I knew things were going to get better soon.
KYLE
It will.
AMANDA
You know that for a fact?
KYLE
Do you think it's possible somebody could?
AMANDA
That would be cool, wouldn't it? If I knew everything was going to turn out okay, I could deal with the bad. It's not knowing that drives you crazy.
KYLE
So predicting the future could be a good thing?
AMANDA
Sure. [Postman walks up the front walk towards them] I mean, I guess you'd never be surprised and, believe me, lately surprises aren't all they're cracked up to be.
POSTMAN [hands Amanda her mail]
There you go. [turns to leave]
KYLE
Anything for the Tragers?
POSTMAN [turns around]
Let me check.
[While the Postman is checking, Kyle watches Amanda going through the mail. Every piece is stamped with a Final Notice from a bill collector. The Postman hands Kyle the Trager's mail.]
KYLE
Thanks.
POSTMAN
You're welcome. [leaves]
AMANDA [looks sadly at Kyle]
See you later.
KYLE
See ya.
[She goes inside the house and Kyle walks down the steps looking through the mail, stopping when he finds a postcard from Blake Island State Park. Turning it over, it is the card he saw in his vision with the same message - "Viz Allati." Kyle holds up the postcard and stares at it.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Foyer
[When the doorbell rings, Kyle is the one who answers the door. He finds Andy outside on the front step, facing the street and chewing on a fingernail.]
KYLE
Hi.
ANDY [turns around]
Hey. [she walks past him into the house]
KYLE
Come in. [shuts the door]
How's the date training going?
ANDY [sighs heavily]
Let's just say I'm making the world safer for ovaries everywhere.
KYLE [makes a face]
Well, it's nice of you to help him.
ANDY
Oh, it's not nice. It's a public service. [Kyle smiles] I mean, he's a walking disaster. He doesn't have a clue about women. [She becomes more animated as she talks] This girl he's after? She's not the sharpest tool in the shed! And his sense of humor? Sort of specific. So, strike one. She's not gonna notice how funny he is. Strike two are those t-shirts he wears? [waves her hands around] I'm a t-shirt girl, so I get it. But that Dava person? Can I just say, we're gonna need an extreme makeover.
KYLE
Is there a strike three?
ANDY [leans against the wall]
He doesn't know how to talk to girls. I guarantee you. . .he brings up on-line gaming. . .and he's a virgin till he's 30.
KYLE
But you like on-line gaming.
ANDY
Yeah, well, he's not going on a date with me.
KYLE
Sounds like he should be. [chuckles]
ANDY
Um, ew?
[She heads towards Josh's room. Kyle smiles after her.]
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Kyle and Foss are still going through Baylin's belongings. Toms sits at the table looking through another research book and Kyle carries over a carton and sets it on the table.]
FOSS
Did you find anything?
KYLE
Nothing yet.
[He starts taking books out of the box.]
What would you do if you could predict the future?
FOSS
Wished I could have done it sooner. [He looks up at Kyle for a moment.]
KYLE
Will you tell me about them? Your wife and daughter.
[Kyle looks at Foss sympathetically. Foss hesitates for a moment, but then doesn't give him any answers.]
FOSS
Keep looking.
[Kyle keeps pulling the books out and stacking them up. One large black volume has the title Tengerkutatás inscribed on the spine.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Living Room - Afternoon
[Lori comes home and sees Jessi in the living room. She is holding the framed photograph of the Tragers and Amanda at Lori's birthday party.]
LORI
Oh. Hello.
JESSI [turns around, smiles]
Hello.
LORI
Can I help you?
JESSI
Oh, Nicole's expecting me.
LORI
Oh, well, her office is this way. [points]
JESSI
I know. [looks at the photo again]
LORI
We haven't officially met. I'm Lori.
JESSI [puts down picture and gives a little wave]
Jessi.
LORI
I know you're new in town, so let me know if you need anything.
JESSI [confused]
What would I need?
LORI [walks closer to her]
I could fill you in on all things Seattle. People to know, places to see. [averts her eyes for a second] Like I...I saw you hanging with Declan McDunaugh. He and I used to be very close so. . . If you have any questions, I could answer them for you.
JESSI
Questions?
LORI
He can be like any guy. [laughs] A real ass when he puts his mind to it, in fact. But. . .under all that, I can tell you he's got a good heart.
JESSI [walks up close to Lori]
Does your heart pound like a drum when he's near?
[Lori starts to say something, but her mother walks into the room behind her.]
NICOLE
Jessi. I didn't hear you come in.
JESSI
That's okay.
NICOLE
Uh, shall we head to my office? [gestures]
[Jessi leaves in that direction and Nicole gives Lori "the look." Lori looks weirded out over her encounter with Jessi.]
OUTSIDE
[Josh and Andy are sitting in the front seat of Josh's car, still parked at the curb and still not in running condition. She is watching Josh and smiling at his foolishness.]
JOSH
Yep. This car's gonna be a babe-mobile. Like money in the bank. Ka-ching!
[Notices she is smiling at him.]
What?
ANDY
Nothing. Back to work. You get to the house, what do you do?
JOSH
Easy. Roll up, honk the horn.
ANDY
Stop! You give your date the beep-beep, and the only person you'll have running out of the house will be her dad - to pound on you.
You go up to the door. Attempt to be cool.
JOSH
I knew that.
ANDY [nods]
Now she's in the car. Show me what you're gonna do.
JOSH [incredulous]
What? With you?
ANDY
Well, if you can't do it with me, how you gonna do it with a real girl? [Josh laughs]
I mean - you know what I mean.
Come on, pretend I'm your date.
Look, I'm the irresistible Dava. Make your move.
[She strikes a silly pose. Pretending to be cool and nonchalant, Josh stretches out his arm and slaps his hand on her knee. Andy grabs her head with her hand and shakes it in disbelief.]
I don't even know why I bother with you.
JOSH
It's the car.
ANDY [chuckles]
Let me ask you a question. Why did you ask her out? It can't just be because of her boobs.
[Josh doesn't answer fast enough.]
Oh, my God! It was!
[Suddenly, she whimpers and grabs her forehead again. This time, she really is in pain.]
JOSH
You okay?
ANDY [still holding her forehead]
Yeah. Your stupid just sucked all the air outta the car.
JOSH
Here, I'll get the window. [He reaches across her lap and rolls down the window.]
[Stephen walks up next to the passenger side of the car, leans over and peers in through the open window.]
STEPHEN
Josh. . .
JOSH
You get fired already?
STEPHEN
I'm just grabbing some software and then I'm headin' back. [looks at Andy] Well, times have changed. None of my dates ever helped me get my car runnin' beforehand.
JOSH
Dad, this isn't my date. It's just Andy.
STEPHEN [to Andy]
Oh, well, hi there.
ANDY
Hello.
JOSH
She's helping me polish my game to a mirror-like shine.
STEPHEN
Well, we better put some time in this thing. Otherwise, your date, whoever she is, will be riding your handlebars.
[Andy chuckles and Stephen looks at her with a smile. As he walks off, she looks away shyly.]
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Kyle and Foss are still looking through Adam's papers for any information about Kyle's recent vision.]
KYLE
We've been at this for hours. Baylin didn't record anything about premonitions. This is useless.
[He puts his hand on the top of the large book titled Tengerkutatás and suddenly everything shifts again.]
VOICEOVER
When I touched the book, I found myself in another vision. But this time, instead of Baylin's urn, I saw the man himself.
[Turning around he sees a red diamond-shaped object glowing on a shelf and a man sitting behind a desk facing away from him. On the desk is a piece of coral and a large fishbowl with two goldfish swimming around inside. As Kyle approaches, the man resembling Baylin turns around in his chair and hands him a piece of paper. Kyle takes it from him.]
FOSS [breaking the vision]
Kyle? [Kyle looks at him; he is still holding a piece of paper] What happened?
What did you see?
KYLE
Adam was there.
FOSS
Baylin?
KYLE
He gave me this. [He looks at the note in his hand]
FOSS
You wrote that. You walked over here, you picked up the pad, and you wrote that yourself.
[Kyle pulls the postcard out of his pocket and they compare it to the note. The same message in the same handwriting appears on both of them - the words "Viz Allati."
Outside of the warehouse, they walk down the graffiti-lined alley side by side. Foss holds the messages in one hand, comparing them.]
FOSS
Well, it's definitely your handwriting. You must have sent it to yourself.
KYLE
And forgotten I sent it?
FOSS
You must have been in some kind of altered state like before when you said you saw Baylin.
KYLE
But why send myself something so cryptic? [Foss hands messages back to him] Why not just write what I knew was coming?
FOSS
We may be looking at this from the wrong angle. What if you're not seeing the future? [Kyle looks at him] It could be your subconscious trying to tell you something; something from your past. The things that you're seeing, they could be symbols for something else.
KYLE
Nicole called them visions.
FOSS [stops and faces him]
[starts to raise his voice again] You're. . .talkin' to her about this? You can't! I am the only one that you can trust. If you have a question or you need to talk about something, you come to me. [taps his chest with his fingers]
KYLE
I'm just confused. Why is this happening to me now?
FOSS [speaks more gently]
Well, we've been working hard, making progress. Maybe your mind had to reach a certain level of control before all these. . .visions could present themselves. The important thing now is tryin' to figure out what the message is that you're tryin' to send yourself.
KYLE [continues walking]
I just hope we can. I don't know how much longer I can take this. I feel like I can't trust anything I see.
[At a sound, Kyle turns and looks at an old upright piano abandoned in the alley. A large rat is scampering across the keys.]
FOSS [points to piano]
No, that's real. And it's really out of tune.
[Foss walks off down the alley, but Kyle walks over to the piano. He reaches down and softly touches two of the old keys.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
The Kitchen
[Josh sits at the kitchen counter. In the final hours before his Big Date, his "teacher" is quizzing him about date etiquette.]
ANDY
And your eyes are where?
JOSH
On her face, not her chest.
ANDY [leans over his right shoulder]
What are the three L's?
JOSH
Listen, listen, listen.
ANDY [leans over his left shoulder]
And at the end of the night?
JOSH
Feel her up. [chuckles] Kidding. Feel it out. And if the moment seems right, kiss her.
[She looks at him again.]
No tongue.
ANDY
I guess you're as good as you're gonna get.
[She smiles and walks towards the outside door.]
JOSH [looks back at her]
Hey, Andy? Thanks for everything.
ANDY
Just don't blow it. [Raises her finger in the air.] It's a one-time charitable donation.
[She walks out the door and Josh stares after her.]
THE RACK
[Coming into the café, Lori sees Declan by himself at a table doing homework. She walks past him, but turns around and comes back again.]
LORI [stops at the table]
Hi.
DECLAN [looks up]
Hi.
LORI
Can I sit?
DECLAN [gestures towards chair]
Sure.
LORI
So, I think we've hit the end of our breakup drama shelf life. Proper exchanges, avoiding eye contact, all that. It's getting kind of tedious, so, I just wanted to say that I'm done, and we should be able to inhabit each other's space drama-free.
DECLAN
That's good.
LORI
And we should be able to talk like two civilized people.
DECLAN
Okay.
LORI
And if we're talking and everything, then I should be able to warn you about Crazy Town.
DECLAN
Crazy Town?
LORI
Oh, come on. New, hot patient of my mom's? [He looks away] I've seen the sparkage and I know how you boys like the crazies.
DECLAN [looks back at her again]
Is this the part where you say we should still be friends? If so, your lead-in kinda sucks.
LORI [sighs]
I'm sorry. I'm being exactly the kind of girl that I hate. Let's start over. [Holds out her hand.] I'm Lori Trager, passive-aggressive mean girl.
DECLAN [shakes her hand]
Declan McDunaugh. Crazy chick magnet.
LORI [laughs]
I guess I walked into that one.
DECLAN
Yeah.
LORI [unfolds the Open Mic flyer and shows it to him]
I'm playing tonight. You should come.
DECLAN
Are all of your songs gonna be about the cruelty of teenage boys?
LORI [stands up]
You're supposed to write from experience. [she smiles and leaves]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room
[Kyle is sitting on his desk chair holding both of the messages in his hands and thinking about them. There is a soft knock on his open door and he looks up.]
AMANDA
Hey.
KYLE
Hi.
AMANDA [from doorway]
I've gotta run. I just want to make sure you're coming to Open Mic Night.
KYLE
Are you playing, too?
AMANDA
No, I'm running the soundboard. They're paying me, so it'll get me one step closer to getting another piano. I'm all messed up without one.
KYLE
And playing the piano unmesses you?
AMANDA [nods and comes inside room]
When I play, everything that drags me down and distracts me disappears. Music brings me clarity.
KYLE
Clarity. I could use some of that.
AMANDA
Couldn't we all? So will you be there?
KYLE
I will.
AMANDA
Great. Then I'll see you. [she leaves]
VOICEOVER
If music helped Amanda, maybe that's what I needed to shed my distractions and better understand the visions I'd been having.
[Kyle turns around in his chair and picks up a CD off the desk. He puts it in a CD player and turns it on. He starts to listen to the sounds of an electric guitar.]
Nicole's Office
[Nicole sits across from Jessi during another session. In the background, they can hear faint music coming from Kyle's room.]
NICOLE
So, have you thought about what you wanna do with your life?
JESSI
What do you mean?
NICOLE
Well, have you thought about your future?
JESSI
My future? No, not really.
NICOLE
Jessi, your parents may not have always made the best choices for you, but you can change that now. You make your own choices.
[Kyle leans back in his bathtub and closes his eyes. Giving in to the music, he begins to have flashbacks. Scenes of his life begin to run through his mind.]
VOICEOVER
I was amazed by what I was seeing. They were my memories catalogued of everything since I'd left the pod. I had developed a new ability. I had complete control over my memories.
[He is back at The Rack and listening to Andy talking to Josh: "I want you to remember this moment."]
Those were the words that started my visions. What was the moment I needed to remember?
[Like a tape fast forwarding and then rewinding, his mind races back and forth through his memories until he is back at the estate when Adam was still alive.]
Adam: "I want you to remember this moment."
VOICEOVER
That was it.
[He is back in the past listening to Adam speak to him from the other side of his desk.]
". . .remember this moment. After I'm gone, all of my experiences, everything that I've studied and learned, will be yours. You're special, Kyle. You see the world from a unique perspective. Your mind's a powerful tool. Protect it. . ."
[In his memory, Kyle watches as Adam turns away from him. In a mirror behind the desk, Kyle can see Adam put something inside of a large book he is holding.]
VOICEOVER
I discovered not only could I relive my memories, I could actually move within them, allowing me to view any moment from anywhere I wanted.
[Kyle rewinds the memory, only this time he walks around to the other side of the desk and watches Adam slide a CD under the lining inside the front cover of the book and put it in a drawer behind the desk.]
Adam: "Protect it. Use it wisely."
It was the book I had touched at the warehouse. I realized that Baylin had hidden something inside.
[The memory continues as Adam turns back around to face Kyle where he originally stood on the opposite side of the desk.]
Adam: "You're more important than your mind. It's your soul that touches people."
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Alone in the warehouse, Kyle looks through the papers and books on the large table until he finds the book he is looking for. He picks it up and looks at the symbol of two goldfish embossed on the cover. Opening the book, he feels underneath the lining and pulls out a CD. He holds it up and stares at it.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room
[Back home in his bedroom, Kyle puts Adam's disc into his computer's CD-ROM drive and turns it on. He covers his ears when he hears loud screeching noises instead of a message. He pulls it back out and looks at it front and back.]
VOICEOVER
All of my memories had led me to this disc, but Adam's message still eluded me.
[Still examining the disc, he picks up his cell phone and makes a call.]
KYLE
Foss, I need to talk to you. It's important. [hangs up]
MADACORP
[Standing in front of a locked door with a security keypad, Stephen vainly punches in numbers he is reading from a piece of paper. The door doesn't unlock, so he tries again. In the background, The Company promo keeps repeating over the loudspeakers. Lurking behind him, Hollander tries to see what he is doing, and then walks up beside him.]
HOLLANDER
Those things can be a real pain.
STEPHEN
I think the new guy just can't work the door. [chuckles]
HOLLANDER
Maybe you're just punching in the wrong numbers.
STEPHEN [shows her piece of paper]
Well, they wrote ‘em down for me here.
HOLLANDER [puts one hand on his forearm; points with the other]
Well, is that one a four or a nine?
STEPHEN
It's a four, right?
HOLLANDER
Says the man who can't open the door.
[She punches in a code and the door unlocks.]
There ya go. Here. [She reaches to open the door, but Stephen beats her to it and she walks through first.]
Thanks. I'm Emily, by the way.
STEPHEN [still standing in doorway]
Stephen, and uh. . . [she turns around] Thanks.
HOLLANDER
Oh, don't worry about it. Look, let me take you to the lunchroom. [speaks conspiratorially] The coffee machine in there. . .now that's the real test of intelligence. [Stephen chuckles]
[Reaches out and caresses lapels of his jacket.] Oh, wow, I love that shade of green.
[She turns around and walks off down the hallway swinging her hips. Stephen looks down at his jacket, looks at Emily going down the hallway, and then follows her.]
IN THE DRIVEWAY
[Josh is sitting in his car trying to get the engine started, but it's not turning over. He looks very disappointed. Coming home from work, Stephen walks up the driveway besides the car and rolls up his shirtsleeves.]
STEPHEN [peeks in passenger window]
Sorry I'm late. It's not quite purrin' yet, huh?
JOSH [getting out of car]
More like coughin' up hairballs.
STEPHEN [starts tightening something under the hood]
Well, just a few more tweaks, we're almost there.
[Josh stands next to the car watching him]
I remember my first time.
JOSH [makes a face]
Gross, Dad!
STEPHEN [looks up at him]
I meant date, Josh.
Jenny-Marie. She wore those Daisy Dukes.
JOSH
Despite further mental images I'll have to purge, what happened?
STEPHEN
Nothin' really. Wasn't that great.
JOSH
Why wasn't it great?
STEPHEN
Well, I don't know. There was just no. . .tap.
JOSH [confused]
Tap?
STEPHEN
Yeah, when I first took your mother out -
JOSH [interrupting]
Huh! Define "tap" please.
STEPHEN
You know, my foot. [points down; Josh rolls his eyes] When I first took out your mother, there was just this. . .excitement. And, uh, in the middle of dinner, I realized my foot just kept tapping.
Look, all I'm sayin' is, every guy has the idea of a perfect date, but the truth is, the right fit isn't always what you expect. [Josh nods]
Go ahead, try it again.
[Josh climbs back behind the wheel and tries to start the engine. Nothing happens]
JOSH
We need E.T.
[A few minutes later, Kyle is working under the hood. Stephen closely observes everything he is doing and Josh is closely observing his watch.]
JOSH [to Kyle]
Not to put any pressure on you, but it's 117 minutes before I take my first step into the great dating game of life.
KYLE
Try it.
JOSH [climbs back in behind wheel and turns the key; the engine roars to life]
Ho!!
KYLE [to Stephen]
You forgot to open the fuel valve.
STEPHEN
It's always the thing right in front of you.
JOSH [ecstatic]
Who cares? It's alive!
HOLLANDER'S APARTMENT
That Evening
[Emily is cooking dinner at the stove. Waiting to eat, Jessi sits at a small table in the little kitchen. She picks up a dinner knife and stares at it in her hand.]
HOLLANDER
I made your favorite. Spaghetti.
JESSI [puts down knife]
I miss Mom's.
HOLLANDER [smiles over at Jessi just as her cell phone rings; pulls it out of pocket and notices the caller ID]
I'll just be a sec.
[She leaves the kitchen, goes into her bedroom and shuts the door]
I know, sweetie. Mommy will make you dinner tomorrow night. [sits on her bed] Yeah, I know that I promised it would be tonight, but Mommy has to work late.
[She reaches down for a blue folder on the floor and opens it. While she is talking, she starts looking through black and white photographs - one of Stephen and one of Kyle with Tom Foss.]
Tell you what. I will come by and tuck you in, so pick out a book with Grandma. Yeah, of course, any book. All right, two books. I love you, too. All right. See you soon.
[She hangs up, puts the photos back into the folder and returns to the kitchen.]
JESSI
Who were you talking to?
HOLLANDER
Ah, just someone from work.
[Spoons spaghetti into a bowl and puts it in front of Jessi.]
Okay. Here you go. Jess, I have to leave for awhile. [puts on jacket] You stay here, don't leave the apartment.
JESSI [starts eating]
Mushrooms are good.
HOLLANDER
What?
JESSI
Mushrooms. I thought I didn't like them.
HOLLANDER [grabs keys off of counter]
Oh.
JESSI
Remember they were on my pizza at my ninth birthday? I got sick? Mom said I was allergic?
HOLLANDER
Well, then I guess you are.
JESSI
Then why can I have them on the spaghetti now?
HOLLANDER
People change, Jess.
JESSI
I can change. I can choose for myself now.
HOLLANDER
Some things, yes. Other things are decided for you.
Now you stay in the apartment. Is that clear?
[Jessi just looks at her. Emily stands there waiting for an answer until Jessi gives her one.]
JESSI [stares at Emily]
Got it.
[After the power confrontation is over, Emily leaves the apartment.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room
[Propped up against his pillow, Kyle is laying in his tub holding Adam's CD. He spins it around in his fingers while he thinks. In the background, he can hear Lori practicing on her guitar from the living room.]
VOICEOVER
Viz Allati means "underwater." Underwater.
Underwater.
[He slides down deeper into the bathtub. The sounds of the guitar become muffled as he hears it through the sides of the porcelain tub. Kyle notices the change and slides back up. Now the guitar sounds louder and clearer. He slides back down into the tub again.]
VOICEOVER
Underwater.
Using parts from Josh's car radio, I designed a way to play the CD. A way Adam knew only I could figure out.
[Parts of the radio are on the floor. Wires are hooked up on one side to his computer and on the other side, they lead into the car speakers fastened to the outside of the tub. The bathtub is filled to the top with water and Kyle is floating underneath. As the CD plays, Kyle hears Adam's voice and opens his eyes.]
"Kyle, if you're listening to this, you have passed a critical test. Here is your reward. Memories are important. When I knew that I would not always be here to guide you, I knew I'd need a way to communicate in order to share my experiences and, more importantly, assure you that you would never be alone. This is the beginning, Kyle. Your holographic memory will become an important power to master. The ability to explore your memories will allow you to see things that others, and even you, have missed. So study the past, Kyle. . .and understand that all of the answers are already hidden in front of you.
[When the message ends, Kyle sits up out of the water and starts breathing again. He wipes the water from his eyes.]
VOICEOVER
At first I was relieved to have the answer. But then something struck me as odd. Why all that work for such a simple message?
IN THE DRIVEWAY
[Kyle is working on his secret project in the garage. Behind him, Josh loiters in the driveway before leaving for his date with Dava Avina.]
JOSH [rubbing the hood of his car]
Had any premonitions about my date?
KYLE
Why, are you nervous?
JOSH
Andy says nervousness is the last refuge for the unprepared.
KYLE [smiles]
Sounds like her.
[looks behind him at Josh] You look nice.
JOSH
Andy says this color looks good with my eyes. [Kyle smiles again] You know, once you get past the smartass remarks and references that I have to Google to understand, [sighs] she's -
KYLE
- pretty great.
JOSH
Yeah. Anyway, about tonight. Predict my future. Think I'll get lucky?
KYLE [turns around again]
I. . .think you already are.
JOSH
You're starting to sound like a Hallmark card.
[Lori comes out in the driveway and around the car carrying her guitar. She walks up to Kyle in the garage. Josh gets in his car to leave.]
LORI [to Kyle]
Is that for - ?
KYLE [with a big smile]
Yes.
LORI
It's very sweet.
[turns to Josh] Good luck, little brother.
JOSH [through car window, they give each other a knuckle handshake]
You, too.
LORI [to Kyle]
We better go, too. We're gonna be late.
Where did you find a piano?
[Behind them in the garage is the old upright piano that Kyle found abandoned in the alley by the warehouse. He has been working on it to give to Amanda.]
THE RACK
[The Rack is busy and crowded with people there for Open Mic Night. Lori and Kyle walk in and he spots Amanda setting up the soundboard.]
KYLE [hands guitar he's been carrying to Lori]
Here. I'll be right back.
[Kyle goes over to talk with Amanda and Declan comes up behind Lori. She looks nervous about performing.]
DECLAN
Lori! [she turns around] You look very singer/songwriter.
LORI
There are a lot of people here.
DECLAN
Fifty doesn't exactly constitute a -
LORI
Okay, so it's not a stadium, but still, I don't wanna, you know, suck.
DECLAN
You won't suck. If you get nervous, just look over at me and remember how mad you are. It'll be a nice distraction.
LORI
I'm not mad at you anymore.
DECLAN
No?
LORI
No. Shelf life, remember? [she walks off]
DECLAN
Cool.
ANDY'S HOUSE
[Parked at the curb in front of Andy's house, Josh sits in his car for a moment. He shuts off the engine and slowly walks up the sidewalk towards the house. He sighs, then goes up the steps and knocks on the door.]
ANDY [answers door]
Oh my God. You did the beep-beep thing, didn't you?
JOSH
I didn't beep; I knocked. And then I waited. And then I sat on the porch for another 20 minutes.
ANDY
You got stood up?
JOSH
Seems so. And since we didn't exactly cover that part in our training, I thought, maybe. . .
ANDY [points to him]
Wait here.
[She goes back inside and shuts the door, leave Josh looking around and confused. After a moment, she pops back out again with her jacket on, shuts the door and takes off past him down the front steps.]
JOSH [turns around on the porch]
Oooh, wait. Whoa, wait. You're not gonna kick her ass, are ya?
ANDY [faces him]
No. But I planned the perfect first date, and no way in hell is it goin' to waste!
JOSH
You're going on my date with me? [points at himself]
ANDY
It's my date now.
JOSH
Does that mean you're buyin'?
ANDY [grabs him by the jacket and pulls him down the steps]
Come on. [They are both smiling]
THE RACK
[Everyone is clapping as the last act leaves the stage. It is now Lori's turn. She turns to Kyle who is sitting on a seat at the counter.]
LORI
Okay, this is it.
KYLE
Don't worry.
[At that moment, Jessi arrives. She walks straight over to Declan. Her hair is fixed up in an old-fashioned style that she has seen in an old movie.]
LORI [sees Jessi]
Perfect.
JESSI [to Declan; they both look star struck]
Hello.
DECLAN
Hi.
JESSI
I met you.
DECLAN
I remember.
JESSI
I asked about you.
DECLAN
What'd you find out?
JESSI [puts her hand on his chest]
That you have a good heart. Want to feel mine?
LORI [emotionally]
This is definitely a sign that I should not play tonight.
KYLE
Why do you think that?
LORI
Because I write a song about -
And he's with -
KYLE
Playing tonight isn't about them. It's about you. If you wanna play. . .play.
[Lori exhales, picks up her guitar and heads towards the stage. Amanda overheard their conversation and comes over to Kyle.]
AMANDA
She needed that. . .to know everything's going to be okay.
KYLE
You're due for something good, too.
AMANDA
How do you know?
KYLE
I can predict the future.
[She smiles and returns to the soundboard. In the back of the room, Jessi looks overcome and puts her hand to her throat.]
DECLAN
You okay?
JESSI
Yeah, I'm...I'm hot. [fans herself with her hand]
DECLAN
We should get some air.
JESSI
Yeah.
[They walk together towards the back of the café where the stage is located.]
LORI
Hi, everyone. I'm Lori.
[She watches Jessi and Declan leave together through the back door. Lori looks sadly at Kyle, and he nods to her in encouragement. Lori begins to play and sing her song.]
[Outside in the alley, Jessi stands with her back to Declan. She waits dramatically for him to make a move.]
DECLAN
You feel better?
JESSI [turns around]
I feel great.
[walks up close to him] Kiss me.
DECLAN
What?
JESSI
Don't make me ask again.
[They begin to kiss while Lori is performing her song on the stage.]
PERFECT FIRST DATE
[Parked on a high hill overlooking the lights below, Josh and Andy sit on the hood of his car talking and laughing.]
THE RACK
[Kyle is sitting on his seat at the counter.]
VOICEOVER
As I listened to Lori play, I understood that the future would reach us all in different ways. Sometimes it would take your breath away.
[In the alley, Jessi lays her head upon Declan's shoulder and holds onto him.]
Sometimes it would be different than the version you planned.
[Sitting on the hood of his car with Andy, Josh's right foot is tapping.]
Baylin was right. [He reaches for the disc in his backpack.] The only certainty for the future is that the answers to the unknown are most likely hidden right in front of us. [Looks over at Amanda working the soundboard during the performance.] The sound waves gave me the answer.
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kyle's Room
[Back in his room later that evening, Kyle sits at his desk and plays Adam's disc again. This time he uses the frequencies of the sound waves to discover a hidden message in the recording. As he decodes the message, he writes each letter down on a legal pad.]
VOICEOVER
Baylin's true message was an alpha-numeric cipher. Each number corresponded to a letter and Viz Allati was the key to unscrambling it. I wondered why he'd gone to such great lengths to insure only I could read it.
[While he is deciphering the message, his cell phone vibrates on the desk. Someone is leaving him a message. It reads: "Must leave. Back soon. Foss."]
Finally, I understood what he wanted to tell me.
[When Kyle finishes writing down the letters, he stares at the pad in disbelief. It is a message he did not expect.]
"DONT TRUST FOSS"
FOSS'S WAREHOUSE
[Kyle returns to the warehouse and opens the door into the large darkened room. The only light comes from the moonlight shining in through the large windows over the door.]
VOICEOVER
I went to the warehouse to talk to him. But Foss, and all traces of him, were gone.
[The room is completely empty. Foss's car is missing, and all of the training equipment, tables, computer, books and papers have disappeared. The only sound is the echo of his footsteps in the dark.]
THE END
Ecrit par Titenoiset
