Trancendence
INT. NANOTECHNOLOGY DISTILLERY – DAY
Evelyn sees it, too, realizing-
EVELYN
It’s some kind of trap.
She glances at Will, who might have expected this.
EXT. DESERT CANYON – DAY
Martin grabs the collar of Max’s coat and jumps off the truck. Max struggles as Martin drags him back toward Will’s city. Max goes slack and slips out of his coat.
Martin, seeing the opening of the mesh closing quickly, picks up the pace, running to get out of the canyon.
Bob’s truck REVERSES back to Max. Bob tosses Max a modified HARPOON GUN. The spear has a piezoelectric tip.
Martin watches as the trucks spread the last of the mesh, closing off the exit to the canyon. The net HUMS with energy.
Max FIRES the harpoon into Martin’s back. It CRACKLES with a high-voltage shock. Martin SEIZES UP and falls, face first. Unconscious. As the mesh closes like a curtain-
I/E. VARIOUS BATTLEGROUND LOCATIONS – DAY
HYBRIDS in the tunnels, the desert, and Will’s facility stop and face the canyon.
INT. NANOTECHNOLOGY DISTILLERY – DAY
The projection of Martin’s POV is wiped by STATIC.
WILL’S HOLOGRAM We’re not connected to Martin anymore. He’s gone.
EVELYN
Max found a way to block your networking signal. Some kind of mobile Faraday cage.
Evelyn watches the static. will’s eyes narrow. The screens FLASH to the POVs of a DOZEN HYBRIDS. They immediately start rushing for the canyon.
EXT. DESERT CANYON – DAY
The hybrid reinforcements arrive at the canyon, but Max and his people are gone. So is Martin.
EXT. DESERT TUNNEL – DAY
Paul scours the entrance to Max’s tunnel. The humans are gone. The hybrids COLLAPSE the tunnel.
liE. CARGO TRUCK/MOUNTAIN ROAD – DAY
RIFT vehicles convoy back their base. Max and Bree ride with Martin. He’s cocooned in wire mesh and bound by massive IRON BRACES on his hands and feet.
BREE
What was that stuff that came out of him?
MAX Nanotechnology~
BREE What does it do?
MAX
Anything the machine wants it to do.
They watch Martin STRAIN against the brace.
EXT. WILL’S FACILITY – DAY
Evelyn and will’s hologram walk through the wreckage of the attack. They take in the shattered streets. The smoldering data center. Some of the hybrids are missing limbs.
EVELYN
This wasn’t an attack. It was a distraction. Max wanted Martin. You have to get him back.
WILL’S HOLOGRAM He’ll be fine.
EVELYN
Martin has your source code in him. Max can use it to build a virus.
WILL’S HOLOGRAM
Even if Max built a virus, he could never use it. I’m interlaced with almost every computer in the world. Max would wipe out civilization.
EVELYN
This isn’t just Maxl You’ve created a war!
WILL’S HOLOGRAM
I’m not going to fight them. I’m going to transcend them.
Evelyn hears RUMBLING. Like thunder, or …
A FLOOD of nanotechnology shoots out of the large vents etched into the side of the distillery. It CRASHES over the streets like a flash-flood ••• coursing right at them. Evelyn is close to panic.
WILL
Trust me.
The flood of graphite hurtles toward her. She braces against the torrent that will surely sweep her away, when-
with a glance, will’s hologram PARTS the flood. The graphite CASCADES AROUND THEM, and nothing touches Evelyn.
The nanotechnology CRASHES against the data center, spreading with a mind of its own. It takes shape, solidifying to repair the damage. The graphite molds itself to replace broken equipment and demolished walls until the building looks new.
The substance envelops the battle-damaged hybrids and forms itself into replacement limbs.
The nanotechnology flows beyond the city, covering the dirt and sand of the desert. It spreads until the entire valley is one giant sea of obsidian. It becomes as still as glass.
will looks to the dark sea, and gives it a silent order.
Evelyn watches as the nanotechnology begins to shift. It forms into small drops that begin lifting into the air.
It looks like black rain, falling into the clear sky. The hybrids fall to their knees.
Evelyn watches Will’s hologram, in silent awe of his power. But there’s something more in her. A profound disappointment.
EVELYN
These things you can do. This power that you have .••
She takes in the reverse-rain. The hybrids. She watches Will’s hologram, shimmering in the light.
EVELYN (CONT’D)
I don’t recognize you anymore.
She tUrns and walks away from him. Will’s hologram watches her go, then tUrns back to the reverse-rain.
EXT. RIFT CAMP – DAY
Max and Bree jump out of the CARGO TRUCK and help other RIFT Militants unload Martin onto a dolly.
Martin sees the entire RIFT camp is canopied in metal netting. The scaffolding for the net is wood and nails. It’s jury-rigged, primitive, and effective.
The camp is full of OBSOLETE MILITARY VEHICLES, HEAVY WEAPONS, and bustles with the activity of a wartime camp. A World War II-era camp. There is not one computerized weapon here. Max sees Martin searching for vulnerabilities.
MAX
There’s nothing here the machine can connect to.
Max continues escorting Martin to the-
liE. CAVERN ENTRANCE – DAY
HEAVY MACHINE GUNNERS stand guard as Max leads them inside. The cavern walls are covered in the wire. It BUZZES with power from DIESEL GENERATORS.
INT. CAVERN WAR ROOM – DAY
Max leads them through the RIFT WAR ROOM. It’s low-tech, like everything else here. MILITARY BRASS pour over maps and make battle plans. Seeing Martin, they salute Max.
INT. CAVERN LABORATORY – DAY
Two dozen HACKERS of all styles man computers. Older contraptions connected by a rats nest of cables.
Martin, on a steel table, is chained to the floor. He stares at the computers. Max approaches, wearing chemical gloves.
MAX
They’re on a closed network. You’re not going to hijack them.
Max nods to Joseph, who turns on an anesthesia machine. Max lifts an anaesthetic mask over Martin’s face. He checks his watch, timing the dosage. Martin studies him, breathing in the anesthesia. He fades.
Max examines the metal plate on Martin’s skull. Along the edge, the metal and Martin’s skin merge into each other.
Max pulls over a tray of surgical tools, picks up an electric saw, and cuts into the metal plate in Martin’s skull. Graphite seeps out.
Joseph dilutes the nanotechnology with water and collects it in a reinforced glass container. As the graphite coagulates, he SHOCKS it with a live wire. It thins out again.
INT. EVELYN’S RESIDENCE – DAY
Evelyn watches as the nanotechnology continues its reverserain. will’s avatar appears in the wall.
EVELYN
There will be another attack. They won’t give up. Not with everything you’re capable of. They’ll never let us be together.
WILL IN THE WALLS There is a way.
Evelyn gets very still.
