Deep Legend, DeYtH Banger [ebook reader computer .TXT] 📗

looks at his
confused men.

CREEDY
Don't just stand there! Follow
them!

INT. LEADER'S OFFICE

V smiles at the horrified Adam Susan.

V
Are you sitting comfortably? Good.
Then I'll begin.

The Leader screams, pounding on Fate.

LEADER
Damn you! Damn you!

He hits the intercom.

LEADER
Lieutenant, ready my transport. I
want every armed man within a
hundred miles at Jordan tower.
Now!

We move in at VTV.

V
Right now, I imagine there are
hundreds of soldiers rushing here
to kill me because someone does not
want us to talk.

We pull back in --

INT. LIVING ROOM

A family watching television. In the background, two
children are squabbling.

MOTHER
Hush. Turn it up.

The husband does. V's voice gets louder as we move towards
him.

V
They are afraid that I am going to
say the things that are not
supposed to be said. They are
afraid that I am going to say the
truth.

INT. APARTMENT

A man sits on his couch, mesmerized by V.

V
The truth is that there is
something terribly wrong with this
country, isn't there? If you look
about, you witness cruelty,
injustice and despotism. But what
do you do about it? What can you
do?

He pops his beer tab and the beer foams over the couch but he
doesn't seem to notice.

INT. FINCH'S POLICE CAR

The car races wildly towards Jordan tower as Finch and
Dominic listen to the broadcast on the radio.

V (V.O.)
You are but a single individual.
How can you possible make any
difference? Individuals have no
power in this modern world.
That is what you've been taught
because that is what they need you
to believe. But it is not true.

INT. LEADER'S TRANSPORT

The Leader seethes, staring at three television monitors in
his limo which are all filled with V.

V
This is why they are afraid and the
reason that I am here; to remind
you that it is individuals who
always hold the power. The real
power. Individuals like me. And
individuals like you.

INT. KITTY KAT KELLER

The bar is almost completely soundless except for the voice
of V. People stare at the television as if the moment were
somehow suspended in time.

V
I have come to offer you a deal.
If you accept, I will give you a
different world. A world without
curfews, without soldiers and
surveillance systems. A world that
is not run by other men but that is
run by you. I am offering you a
second chance.

EXT. JORDAN TOWER

The military forces have begun to swarm.

V
Four hundred years ago, a great
citizen made a most significant
contribution to our common culture.
It was a contribution forged in
secrecy and stealth although it is
best remembered in noise and bright
light.

EXT. TELEVISION STORE

A crowd has gathered, watching through the window.

V
To commemorate that glorious night
at precisely the stroke of
midnight, the edifice of their
world will erupt with enough sound
and fury to shake the earth. All I
ask is that you join me at the
gates to watch as the past is
erased, the pathway cleared so that
together we can start toward a new
day.

EXT. JORDAN TOWER

The Leader climbs out of his limo and is met by one of his
captains.

LEADER
I want this man dead! I want him
shot on sight!

CAPTAIN
Yes, sir.

INT. FINCH'S CAR

Finch can see the forces gathering outside Jordan tower.

V (V.O.)
But, you ask, who am I to make such
promises? A fair question but
hardly necessary as you know me
already. To know me any more you
need only look to a mirror.

Finch catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

INT. CONTROL BOOTH

VTV fills every screen.

V
Truth be told, this wasn't even my
idea, was it? If you think back,
you'll remember that night,
whispering in your lover's arms. I
became a part of your plan just as
you have now become part of mine.
Give me the line of the queen and
I'll give you your secret dream.

INT. JORDAN TOWER - HALLWAY

A heavy battering ram is rushed down the hall, carried by
four soldiers.

V (V.O.)
On the twelfth stroke of the fifth
day of the eleventh month, I hope
we shall all meet again.

EXT. TELEVISION STORE

The crowd is much larger.

V
Until then, I bid you goodnight.

Every screen suddenly goes black. The crowd turns to each
other, unsure of what to do.

INT. CONTROL BOOTH

The door explodes open. V is standing alone, almost as if
waiting for them.

Before he can even move, they shoot. Machine gun fire lights
up the room. V's body dances and jerks backward, smashing
through an observation window --

Falling to the television stage below.

INT. HALL

A path is cleared for the Leader. As he heads into the
television studio, an armed soldier is heading in the
opposite direction.

It is impossible to tell because of the dark face plate but
it looks like the soldier is smiling.

The Leader shoves his way onto the main stage. A group of
soldiers is gathered around the body.

LEADER
Who was it? Who was he?

The mask is pried off, revealing the lifeless face of Roger
Dascombe. To the Leader, it is an obvious revelation.

LEADER
Roger Dascombe! Of course. Of
course! It makes such perfect
sense.

CAPTAIN
Sir, I think there has been a
mistake.

LEADER
No! There is no mistake!

CAPTAIN
But sir, there are people that say
they saw both the terrorist and
Dascombe together --

LEADER
Who? Who are these people? They
must be detained immediately.
Whatever they saw or whatever they
think they saw is subordinate to
the truth and that truth is that
Roger Dascombe is the terrorist and
the terrorist is dead!

FINCH
But I thought I was the terrorist.

Finch's voice stops the Leader cold.

LEADER
Finch, what are you doing here?

FINCH
Since I'm not in jail and since you
have another, even more convenient
suspect. I'm guessing the charges
have been dropped.

LEADER
Be careful, Finch.

FINCH
I am careful, sir. Always. That
is why I suggest that a search of
this building begin immediately.

LEADER
The terrorist is dead!

FINCH
With all due respect, I disagree
and I believe that he is presently
trying to get out of this building
disguised as one of us.

LEADER
Are you challenging my authority?

FINCH
No sir, I'm trying to run an
investigation --

LEADER
I am trying to run a country! When
I tell you, Mr. Finch, the
terrorist is dead, then the
terrorist is dead! If you continue
to suggest otherwise then you will
leave me no choice but to have you
arrested on charges of sedition.
Do I make myself clear?

He eyes the room. Everyone is silent.

LEADER
Now, it is imperative for the
people of London to know that they
are safe, that the terrorist is
dead and everything is under
control.

The Leader storms past Finch who looks at Dascombe and bites
down on his pipe.

EXT. CITY STREET

One of the Ear's black vans has been modified with large
speakers wired to the roof. As the van rolls down the
street, the speakers drone with a looped message.

SPEAKERS
The terrorist is dead. No further
threat exists. Everything is under
control.

Out of the back, soldiers hurl leaflets that swirl and
flutter in the van's wake.

The little girl on the bicycle that we saw earlier stops and
picks up one of the leaflets.

It has a picture with the body of Roger Dascombe beneath the
headline, "The terrorist is dead! London is safe once
again!"

LITTLE GIRL
Bollocks.

She crumbles the leaflet and throws it.

LITTLE GIRL
Bollocks!

She gets off her bike and takes something out of the
backpack.

LITTLE GIRL
He's not dead! It's all bollocks!

Turning to a nearby wall, she spray paints a large circle
around a "V".

INT. FINCH'S OFFICE

A recording of VTV plays on the small television.

V
... if you give me the line of the
queen, I'll give you your secret
dream.

Dominic freezes the image; V stares at them, smiling.

FINCH
Play it again.

DOMINIC
Come on, Finch. We've seen it
fifty times. I mean, after what
they done to you, I don't know why
we're even trying to stop him.

Finch stares out the window.

FINCH
I don't know. For twenty seven
years, I've been at this job.
Twenty seven years, I've done what
I've been told to do. Maybe that's
all there is to it. I'm just a
dumb old dog. A dumb old dog that
only knows one trick.

DOMINIC
That ain't it, Finch. It's more
than that. I know you. It's
something personal with this one.

Finch smiles.

FINCH
Maybe. And maybe I'm not ready for
a revolution.

DOMINIC
Well, we got less than thirty hours
to stop it.

FINCH
We will.

DOMINIC
How?

FINCH
It's on the tape. I know it. I
can feel it. He did this for a
reason. He needs something.

DOMINIC
What?

FINCH
The line of the Queen?

DOMINIC
But what does that mean?

FINCH
Maybe it's a line from Shakespeare.
Or a book. I don't know.

He rewinds and starts the tape.

V
... This wasn't even my idea, was
it?

FINCH
But right here. He's talking to
someone. Someone specific.
Someone who knows what he wants.

V
If you think back, you'll --

INT. CONRAD'S BEDROOM

V continues on a different television.

V
Remember that night, whispering in
your lover's arms.

Helen Heyer is lying on her bed, eating chocolates, watching
V through calculating eyes.

At her feet, we hear a suckling noise that suddenly stops.

CONRAD
Helen? Helen, why did you want
that tape?

HELEN
Shut up, Conrad. I'm thinking.

She shoves her foot back into his mouth and he continues to
suck on it and each of her toes.

V
... now you've become a part of
mine.

HELEN
How? How did you know that?

Conrad moves up her ankle, licking and kissing his way to her
knee.

CONRAD
Know what, my love?

V
Give me the line of the Queen and
I'll give you your secret dream.

She freezes the tape. Her eyes light up and she smiles back
at him.

HELEN
All right. You have a deal.

Conrad licks along the inside of her thigh until she slaps
him.

HELEN
Oh no! Not you. Conrad. Not yet.
Here you can have a chocolate.
Open up. Open!

She shoves the candy in his mouth.

HELEN
Good boy. As for the rest of the
box, perhaps when you're Leader.

She smiles.

HELEN
Right now I need something else
Conrad. I need you to use that
pretty little brain for me. You
know all about the old underground,
don't you?

He nods still gagged with the candy.

HELEN
I need to know everything,
understand? Everything.

INT. LEADER'S OFFICE

There are cameras set in front of the large black leather
chair so that the flashing images and data of the Fate
computer system can be seen behind the Leader.

A makeup artist mattes down the Leader's lipstick.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Ready in five, Leader.

The makeup artist adjusts one last hair and scurries off.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
In four, three...

He points and the camera's red light goes on.

INT. LIVING ROOM

The same family, the same squabbling children watching as a
"Special Bulletin" interrupts a laugh track.

LEADER
Good evening London. As Leader of
this great country, I felt it
imperative to speak with you and to
assure you once and for all that
the shadow that recently fell
across our land has indeed passed.

WOMAN
Oh, for fuck's sake.

EXT. TELEVISION STORE - NIGHT

No one is watching.

LEADER
What we have endured this long year
was no accident, no mere
coincidence. This was not a simple
act of terror conducted by a
singular madman. No, this was a
test.

INT. KITTY KAT KELLER

A drunk struggles up onto his bar stool blocking the TV.

LEADER
It was not me, nor the Party, nor
the government that was threatened
this year. It was our beliefs.
Our faith. I believe that God
himself bore witness to our
struggle and like Job I believe
that we have been vindicated.

The drunk raises his glass.

DRUNK
Remember fifth of November!

The bar cheers.

INT. LEADER'S OFFICE

The Leader reaches for his Bible.

LEADER
How do I know this? Let me read to
you where I found the answer, where
I so often find the answer. In the
Scripture. Revelations.

EXT. STREET CORNER - NIGHT

The megaphones blast the Leader's voice.

LEADER (V.O.)
"If any man have an ear, let him
hear."

INT. FINCH'S OFFICE

There are stacks of printout everywhere.

LEADER (V.O.)
"He that leadeth into captivity
shall go into captivity; he that
killeth with the sword shall be
killed with the sword. Here is the
patience and faith of the Saints."

Finch stops reading, listening to the radio.

LEADER (V.O.)
"And I beheld another