NEURAL ASHES, PAGE 54-56

  PAGE 54-56 (UK VERSION)

INT. BASEMENT UNDER THE OLD STABLE  ––  NIGHT

They enter the vault. Rows with dozens of little glass cabinets on both sides. Next to the entrance is a large computer cabinet. Black Hat Kat looks through the glass front, meanwhile checking the phone in his hand.

 

BLACK HAT KAT

Servers, routers, storage. Lots of storage. There’s no wifi here. No 6G, no satellite or other connectivity. Perfectly separated from the outside world.

 

Hellen checks the first cabinet. It has a name and a date:

Hugo Mandrakowicz 30/05/2028

 

Inside the glass there is a semi-transparent bucket. She looks closer, and startles. There’s a human brain inside, floating in a liquid.

 

HELLEN

They preserved his brain. They stole it to extract his memories, or whatever it was they were looking for.

 

GARETH

Mandrakowicz. Tough gangster. Kept more than seven million worth of jewelry hidden. This helped us find it. Look under his name tag.

 

Hellen feels under the name tag. A keyboard comes out, with a virtual screen, a hologram. The screen displays all sorts of private, professional and criminal information of Mandrakowicz.

 

HELLEN

This guy was a monster. Why keep his brain dump after you found back the jewels?

 

GARETH

You never know what else could come out.

 

Meanwhile, Black Hat Kat walks further. Hellen slowly follows, checking every name. Gareth walks at the other side of the corridor.

Suddenly Black Hat Kat stops, and looks at Hellen who approaches.

 

BLACK HAT KAT

Hellen, let’s go back. You don’t wanna see this.

 

Hellen, curious, moves closer. She reads the name on the tag:

Carl Whitlock 07/11/2029

 

Hellen puts her hand over her mouth. Hesitantly runs her hand over the glass until she reaches the name tag. She feels underneath, activates keyboard and hologram. She reads a few details about Carl: his name, dates of birth and death, wife (Hellen), daughter (Liz), profession (CFO of Datchet Hospital).

Below a summary of his track record:

Bribery

Money laundering

Delivery of biological materials (post mortem)

Non-UK bank accounts

 

She turns towards Gareth.

 

HELLEN (angry, shocked)

Alemano!

 

Gareth turns around.

 

HELLEN

Even Carl Whitlock. My husband! Why did you keep his brain here? What did he do?

 

GARETH

He knew too much. Couldn’t take any risk. And we thought someday it could come out handy to put pressure on you.

 

HELLEN

But he was innocent.

 

GARETH

Not so innocent. CFO of the hospital. Remember that New Year’s drink, Mrs. Whitlock? He introduced me and Jenkins to you and Gail Doherty. We were the biggest sponsor. Carl knew all about it.

 

HELLEN

What did you do with his body... afterwards?

 

Suddenly Gareth freezes completely, in front of another glass cabinet. Hellen and Black Hat Kat stare at him for a few seconds. Gareth doesn’t move. Hellen comes closer.

 

BLACK HAT KAT

Gareth?

 

Hellen reads the name tag:

               Mark Alemano 25/12/2034

 

In the liquid floats half a brain, badly damaged, with 2 holes in it.

 

GARETH (with his usual Gareth voice)

Is this... this me? Is this all there’s left?

 

Hellen realises that Gareth is taking back his android personality.

 

HELLEN (trying to calm her voice)

This is what he deserved. He’s not you, Gareth. You’re free to choose who you wanna be.