WIXLIB

I, ROBOTbyHillary Seitz

FADE IN:1On a DEEP.DEEP.DARKNESS.1A FLICKER. Of LIGHT. Off to the side. Just barely.Noticeable. ORANGE.YELLOW.as we realise.It’s FIRE.A SOUND.Something SHATTERING.Then. A DISEMBODIED VOICE. Muted. We can’t quite make outWhat it’s saying. As it gets LOUDER. And LOUDER. When wefinally. Understand.DISEMBODIED VOICEYou are in danger.CUT TO:2INT. SPOONER’S APARTMENT - CLOSE ONDEL SPOONER’S FACE.covered in sweat.2His eyes, snapping open.His face,PULL BACK to REVEAL him lying in bed. Sheets, tangled aroundhis legs. Alarm clock, playing something relentlesslycheerful.Spooner slaps it off. Sits up. Wincing. Bends his RIGHTARM. Stiff. He reaches for a BOTTLE OF PILLS. Shakes out acouple and swallows them. Trying to forget. That dream.You are in danger.He rubs his hands over his face. Gets out of bed. Hisapartment, basic. Unremarkable. Bearing the signs ofsomeone who lives alone. Shades drawn. A little messy.3INT. SHOWER - MORNING3Spooner turns his face into the jet of water.4INT. BATHROOM - MORNINGShaves with a razor.of his chin. Shit.5Using his left hand.4Knicks the cleftINT. KITCHEN - MORNINGStares down at the single egg in a saucepan.to boil.5Waiting for it

2.6INT. HALLWAY - MORNING6Heads down the hallway. Looping a knotted tie around hisneck. Kicks some neglected mail from the door and reachesfor the handle. Takes a deep breath and.7EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - MORNING7.steps outside. Into the flow of COMMUTERS heading for theelevated trains. Elbow to elbow. A river of humanity.Spooner moves along, like everyone else. Suddenly. Hisshoulders tense. That feeling at the back of his neck. Heturns and sees.A ROBOT. Just behind him. Humanoid in design, but stillobviously a machine. Metal and synthetic casings coveringhydraulic muscles. The thing senses his stare. Looks upwith a muted WHIR.ROBOT(metallic voice)Good day, sir.Spooner. Speeds up his pace.lose the robot.Weaving through the crowd toWe now realise this is THE FUTURE. Towering apartmentbuildings block the sun. The street packed with traffic.PEDESTRIANS wearing their computers like form-fittingportable offices. Spooner throws a look at his surroundings:Up high an INDUSTRIAL ROBOT rolls down the side of a buildingcleaning windows.A WORK CREW of oddly-shaped RUBE GOLDBERG ROBOTS efficientlyrepairs the street. No human supervision.A ROBOTIC CLEAN-UP CREW. Lumbering along the sidewalk.Scrubbing, sweeping. Emptying trash.Humanoid ROBOTS dotting the crowd. Following their owners.Walking slowly, deliberately. Carrying boxes. Groceries.Briefcases.Stamped on all the ROBOTS’ SIDES, a LOGO:III LAWS SAFE.Spooner stops to wait at a light with other PEDESTRIANS.Directly in front of him, a LITTLE GIRL clutches her father’sneck. She smiles big at Spooner. Front teeth missing.Hi.LITTLE GIRL

3.Hi.SPOONERBut it’s not her father. It’s her ROBOT CARETAKER.robot turns. Looks at the girl.TheROBOTYou are not allowed to talk tostrangers.Spooner, disgusted.Just as.Has had enough.THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL swivels around.digital EYE on him:He steps off the curbTraining its largeTRAFFIC LIGHTPlease return to the sidewalk.Spooner dodges several cars on his way across the street.TRAFFIC LIGHTPlease return to the sidewalk.The traffic signal, tracking him.TRAFFIC LIGHTYou are in violation of cityordinance 14-B726.Spooner throws up his hand. Flipping it the bird just asSNAP! It takes his picture.CUT TO:8EXT./INT. MONORAIL - MORNING8Spooner stepping onto a sleek, densely packed TRAIN. Looksdown at his feet. A trampled flyer on the ground. From theAnti-Robot League: METAL MONSTERS SECRET FACTORY REVEALED!A Robot gets up. To offer him his seat. Spooner. Turns hisback on him as we PULL BACK from the window to REVEAL.9EXT. CITY SCAPE/MONORAIL - CONTINUOUS9The TRAIN hurtling toward DOWNTOWN. Soaring, gravity-defyingOFFICE BUILDINGS dominate the skyline. Older buildingswedged among the new. All protected by huge glass and steelshields.As we get closer congested roads and freeways begin todisappear below ground into a series of subterranean tunnels.The “old” streets have become huge, spacious plazas.

4.10EXT. POLICE H.Q. - PLAZA - MORNING10Spooner moves with the CROWD towards the doors of the agingPolice Headquarters. Modern additions have been made to theoriginal facade -- creating an ungainly architectural mess.11INT. POLICE H.Q. - HOMICIDE UNIT - MORNING11A vast open plan situation room lined on one side by a seriesof glass-enclosed rooms. On the other side a GIANT SCREENwith real time video of various streets and buildings.Spooner arrives at his desk. Unlike the others, it’s a mess.A slender computer screen curving along the front of it.Several electronic messages say the same thing:SEE ME!LT. BERGIN (O.S.)Ever heard the phrase “lead byexample?”Spooner looks up. LIEUTENANT JOHN BERGIN stands in front ofhis desk, holding up a CITATION with a photo of Spoonergiving that traffic signal the finger.SPOONERDoesn’t ring a bell.LT. BERGIN(pointing to Spooner’sbadge)It’s on your badge.Spooner takes the citation.with about fifty others.Drops it into a drawer filledLT. BERGINThe traffic division filed anofficial complaint this morning.SPOONERThe traffic division is a machine.LT. BERGINLook, I know there’s going to be anadjustment period, Del.SPOONER(interrupting)I’ll send them a letter of apology.Maybe some flowers. A box ofchocolates.

5.JUST THEN Spooner’s phone RINGS.Then snatches up the receiver.He throws Bergin a look.SPOONERSpooner, homicide.CUT TO:12EXT. U.S. ROBOTICS - ESTABLISHING - DAY12A sprawling glass and metal complex covering many cityblocks. The entrance is a large plaza filled with PEOPLE andROBOTS.13INT. U.S. ROBOTICS - METAL CORRIDOR - DAY13An elevator opens with a whoosh. Spooner steps out into afeatureless corridor. His footsteps, echoing. He stops at aset of OPPOSING DOORS. Looks over at one, when the othersuddenly OPENS.14INT. U.S. ROBOTICS - PLUSH CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS14A warm, mahogany-paneled room. In sharp contrast to the coldmetal space outside. Spooner steps inside. At the end of along conference table sits an OLD MAN. Sparkling blue eyes.Old-fashioned suit.OLD MANHello, there. Please come in.Spooner hesitates.OLD MANIt’s alright. You can sit.Spooner doesn’t.up a coffee pot.Sit.Looks around the room. The Old Man liftsPours some coffee into a single cup.Coffee?OLD MANSPOONER(interested)You’re offering me a cup of coffee?OLD MANYes. But you are to say, “No,thank you.”Spooner nods a little. The Old Man raises the coffee to hislips, but doesn’t take a sip.

6.Coffee?No.OLD MANSPOONERThank you.OLD MANAs you wish.The Old Man takes a sip. He doesn’t move. There is nomovement except for a whisper of steam rising from the coffeepot.SPOONERYou want to tell me something aboutDr. Hogenmiller? About his death?The Old Man smiles.OLD MANI want to tell you that his deathwas not a suicide.SPOONERAnd why do you say that?Why?it.OLD MANBecause I want you to knowSPOONERI understand that. But whatspecifically leads you to believethat he didn’t commit suicide?OLD MAN(considers)Nothing specifically.Spooner shifts his weight.Agitated.SPOONERUnder normal circumstances thatwouldn’t be enough to get you ahomicide investigation.OLD MANBut this is not “normalcircumstances,” is it, DetectiveSpooner?No.SPOONERIt isn’t.

7.OLD MANThen you will find out who killedDr. Hogenmiller, yes? And then youwill tell me.Spooner’s losing his patience.SPOONERIf you were murdered, Doctor, I’llfind out. And you’ll be the firstto know.JUST THEN the HOLOGRAM of DR. HOGENMILLER vanishes in a burstof LIGHT, as does the table, the coffee pot, and theconference room. Spooner, suddenly finds himself standing infront of a LARGE VIEW SCREEN inside a SMALL METAL CHAMBER.15INT. HALLWAY - DAY15Spooner steps out into the hallway and into.AN ESCORTROBOT.ESCORT ROBOTPlease follow me.Spooner. Reluctantly starts to follow it.doorway. POLICE TAPE stretched across it.glimpse of.Passes anotherCatches a briefDR. HEINRICH HOGENMILLER’S BODY.Splayed out across the floor. Surrounded by CRIME SCENETECHNICIANS. He pauses. Taking in the scene. Thencontinues on.16INT. U.S. ROBOTICS - CORPORATE BOARDROOM - DAY16Two large doors emblazoned with the U.S. ROBOTICS LOGO openautomatically. Inside, an enormous glass-enclosed boardroomlooking out over the entire complex.Spooner walks through the doorway. His escort robot trailingbehind him. An army of corporate types sit around aconference table. Young. Energetic. You can practicallyfeel the brains and ambition.SPOONERUsually I ask who’s in charge.Spooner’s eyes lock with a MAN sitting at the head of thetable. 60s, handsome, charismatic. Dr. LANCE ROBERTSON,founder and CEO of U.S. Robotics.

8.SPOONERBut everyone knows you, Dr.Robertson.Robertson smiles.Pretends to instruct his people.ROBERTSONRemind me to cut back on my talkshow appearances.LAUGHTER.ROBERTSONWelcome to U.S. Robotics,Detective. I regret you’re notvisiting us under more pleasantcircumstances. Allow me tointroduce Mr. Aronson, our head ofLegal Affairs.A prematurely graying MAN leaning against the wall.hello.ROBERTSONAnd the gentleman to my right isDr. Alfred Lanning, Director ofResearch.Alfred Lanning, only one there in a tie.Nods.ROBERTSONThey’ll be available to answer anyquestions you might have duringyour investigation. You’llunderstand how anxious we are toresolve this matter -- especiallybefore the press gets wind of it.There are some anti-robotsentiments out there as you know,Detective, and we’re not eager tostir them up. So. Where would youlike to begin?SPOONERWe can begin with whether or notthe old man put a gun to his headand pulled the trigger.A palpable wave of tension shoots through the group.ARONSONYou don’t have to answer that, Dr.Robertson.Nods

9.Robertson waves him off.Susan?here?ROBERTSONPerhaps you can assist usEveryone looks down at the other end of the table. A BEAT.Then an attractive young WOMAN gets to her feet. SUSANCALVIN. Hair tucked behind her ears. Looking at everyonebut Spooner.CALVINDr. Hogenmiller was a schizoidpersonality who generally eschewedsocial relationships. Rejectingpeople in favor of solitaryactivities involving machines. Hespent almost all his time at thelab here or at his lab at home. Asa result he was highly susceptibleto depression.ROBERTSONDr. Calvin is our ChiefPsychologist.SPOONERIf that was your diagnosis, whydidn’t you see this coming?Calvin turns. Finally meeting Spooner’s eye.answer’s obvious.As if theCALVINThis is U.S. Robotics, Detective.Seventy-five percent of ouremployees fit that description.LANNING(interceding)You’ll have to excuse the doctor.We’re all a little on edge. Thishas been a difficult and emotionalmorning.Spooner throws a look around the room.Yeah.up.Then back at Calvin.SPOONERI can see you’re all brokenRobertson responds to Spooner’s skepticism.

10.ROBERTSONDr. Hogenmiller was at my side fromthe very beginnings of thiscompany. We developed the “ThreeLaws of Robotics” together. Butthese days science is a young man’sgame. By the time you hit thirtyyour best years are behind you.Some of us are kicked upstairs.Others I’m afraid aren’t so lucky.Robertson stands.Meeting over.ROBERTSONDr. Hogenmiller took his own life.I trust you will come to the sameswift conclusion, Detective. Dr.Lanning will make himself availableif you have any further questions.Spooner looks over at Calvin.SPOONERI want her to help me.Calvin, unhappy with this arrangement.CALVINThat’s not really my department.ROBERTSON(pointed)Susan would be happy to assist you.And with a gesture, Robertson dismisses everyone. Peoplestart getting up, gathering up, filing out. Susan Calvin.The last one to get up.17INT. METAL HALLWAY - DAYSpooner and Calvin, heading down the same hallway he was inbefore. Catch sight of a couple ROBOT TECHNICIANS.SPOONER(under his breath)Ah, Christ.Toasters.As they duck under the police tape and.17