FADE IN:
INT. HOUSE- 3 PM
JACINDA is sitting at her desk with a pencil in her hair and paperwork in front of her. Unable to focus, she turns around, and her eyes dart across the room and focus on ASHLEY. She stands up and picks up Ashley, then puts her on the desk next to her, and using a remote, turns Ashley on.
JACINDA
I have a secret. Can I trust you? No, I can’t. I mean, how do I know you won’t be hacked or… or something else. Maybe your programming’s bad and you’ll betray me.
ASHLEY
(crackly voice)
Oh, Jacinda. You built me so I can act as a friend. A friend has feelings, as do I. This means I can detect feelings as well. I am detecting guilt. You know you can tell me anything.
JACINDA
Thanks. I know I can talk to you, Ashley. Now if anybody finds out about this, they’ll probably die, so if I tell you, your robot life is in danger.
ASHLEY
I understand, J, but it is alright as long as your life won’t be in danger. I can protect you though, if I have to, with the lasers you made me with.
JACINDA
No, Ashley. I don’t care if I’m dying. Under no circumstances do you use those lasers. Ok?
ASHLEY
Understood. Now, I am dying to know: What’s the secret?
JACINDA
The secret is connected to you. The way I created you was with materials. Stolen materials.
ASHLEY
What do you mean, stolen?
JACINDA
I mean stolen. As in, I took and used something that didn’t belong to me and they are probably going to hang me for it!
ASHLEY
I still don’t understand. Why would you steal?
JACINDA
The thing is, I didn’t technically steal. More like, somebody knew that I was a scientist and dropped your parts next to my door. I used them, and a day after I built you, there was a note that got slipped under my door. It said that the parts I used to build you were stolen from the place I work in: Lab Home. After I read the letter, I checked you and your parts carefully, remember?
ASHLEY
Yes, I do.
JACINDA
Well, while I was checking you, I found a sticker with Lab Home’s initials on it and the background of us launching a rocket into space. After that, when I went to Lab Home for my regular work routine, the boss announced that parts had been stolen from the big project most of us had been conducting: a way to make a robot like you and turn them into humans.
ASHLEY
Are you sure?
JACINDA
Positive, I was a worker on that project which means I’m one of their suspects, so sooner or later they’re going to come to my house and find you. Then I’m going to get hanged, or maybe not hanged, but seriously in trouble.
ASHLEY
Stop with the negative attitude. Go to the boss and tell him what you just told me. If you come clean, he’ll know you didn’t do it.
JACINDA
It’s not that simple, Ashley. The person who gave me these parts is blackmailing me to not tell anybody or they’ll get hurt. That can’t happen.
ASHLEY
Well, what are you going to do about it?
JACINDA
So now I’m going to have to run. That’s the only way to guarantee everybody’s safety. Don’t you agree, Ashley?
ASHLEY
Honestly, J, I’m not sure. I mean, do you have to go? Right now, the person blackmailing you doesn’t want you to contact others. This way you’re not as strong, but it’s different when you’re with others. You, in a way, have a team.
Jacinda shakes her head and sighs, reaching for Ashley’s remote to turn her off. She then places Ashley back in the place she found her.
INT. LAB HOME- 6 PM
VLAD, who is in charge of the human-robot project, is having a meeting with all of the members. Jacinda is staring at the floor, not wanting him to see the fear in her eyes.
VLAD
Attention, please. This is very serious. I need you to confess to stealing the parts of the human- robot project. If nobody has anything to say to me, then fine. I’m asking the security team tomorrow to go to all of your houses and search. You have nothing to hide so that’ll be fine unless… somebody might want to say something. Dismissed!
The members start murmuring amongst themselves, but none say anything to Vlad. They all start splitting up and return to their normal work.
JACINDA(V/O)
(thinking)
What am I going to do? I can’t confess, right? Yeah, I shouldn’t. Ashley’s wrong, I’m right. Ok, I need to get out of the house today. I can do that. I need to tell Vlad that I’m sick. Simple.
Jacinda stands up from her desk and approaches Vlad at his. She waits until he gets off the phone and he looks up at her.
VLAD
(annoyed)
What do you want? I’m under enough stress with this robot-human program that I don’t need any more distractions.
Jacinda takes a tissue from his desk and blows into it. She then does a fake cough and sneezes.
JACINDA
(whispering)
I’m sick.
VLAD
(annoyed)
Ok, fine. Go, but remember we’re going to your house tomorrow.
EXT. JACINDA’S PORCH 10 AM
Security guards are knocking at Jacinda’s door but she’s not answering. They finally decide to use a master key to open the door. There’s no latch on the door so they conclude she isn’t home.
SECURITY GUARD #1
Check this whole place and make sure she’s not hiding anything, ok?
They search her apartment but find nothing. One of the security guards, though, carefully checks the floor and finds a tile that is unlike the others.
SECURITY GUARD #2
Hey, guys, look what I found.
He lifts it up to show a trapdoor with a basement. There is a box of Lab Home parts which are supposed to be used for the robot-human program.
SECURITY GUARD #1
Call the boss and tell him that Jacinda took the stuff. Oh also, the rest of you check for other secret compartments. We don’t want to miss anything.
SECURITY GUARD #2
Um, boss, we found out that Jacinda stole the parts, sir. Looking for more now.
VLAD
Excellent. Also, you’re getting a promotion.
Vlad sets down the phone and laughs evilly.
VLAD
Oh, my plan worked. I love it when that happens.
INT. TRUCK 12 PM
Jacinda and Ashley are sitting in the back of a truck that’s driving them to New Jersey. Suddenly though, they come to a halting stop. Jacinda hears talking and suddenly, the back door is pulled open and a police officer is standing there along with the diver who has a helpless look on his face.
POLICE OFFICER
You’re under arrest.
JACINDA
(fake shock)
Me? Why, I didn’t do anything.
POLICE OFFICER
If I had a nickel for every time I heard that. Your job, Lab Home, begs to differ. Come on, let’s go.
ASHLEY
Hello, Jacinda.
JACINDA
(Actual shock)
What? Ashley, how are you up? I didn’t turn you on.
Ashley holograms a figure in front of her.
ASHLEY
(Vlad’s voice)
Hello, Jacinda. I see you’re in a bit of a twist now. Is this a bad time? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know who was behind the brilliant plan that got you in this mess. Any guesses?
JACINDA
Vlad? Why and how did you hack Ashely?
ASHLEY
(Vlad’s Voice)
Well, you didn’t put a strong firewall and I guess I know how to hack. For your why question, meet me at Lab Home and we can discuss it over coffee. Huh? Oh, let me take care of this police officer for you. Ashley, launch lasers.
JACINDA
No!
Jacinda hurriedly rushes to Ashley’s remote and tries to turn Ashley off. When this doesn’t work, Ashley aims her lasers toward Jacinda and fires, obliterating the remote. Ashley then turns toward the officer and fires. Barely missing him, the officer ducks and runs to the other side of the truck and takes out his walkie- talkie.
POLICE OFFICER
Help! I repeat, mayday! I’m being attacked by a robot here. All units, I repeat: help!
While this is occurring, Ashley suddenly becomes 5 times bigger and starts flying off with Jacinda. She bangs against the metal hands, only hurting herself.
JACINDA
Let me guess, hacked?
ASHLEY
(Vlad’s voice)
You are smart, now aren’t you? This means I’m going to have to take you out but I do want you to see my plan.
INT. LAB HOME 12:45 PM
Jacinda is in Vlad’s office and Big Ashley is guarding the office. Vlad approaches Big Ashley and waits as the robot steps aside. He then sits down across from Jacinda.
JACINDA
So, the reason you brought me here was to explain why you concocted this grand plan. Will you please explain?
VLAD
With pleasure. I felt you were hogging all the spotlight with your brilliant ideas. It was the only chance I got to lead the human- robot program. I then thought of a way for you to get fired from Lab Home: steal something valuable. Now I was certain of 2 things in this plan: it would work, and you would run away, leaving me with respect and applause. The part I was confused about is you didn’t run away the way I thought. I wanted you to be full of anxiety, vulnerable. Instead, you had a plan. That’s what worries me about you. Now, any questions?
JACINDA
Yeah, one. Why do you talk so much?
Vlad stands up and, not responding, approaches Big Ashley.
VLAD
Do me a favor and take care of Jacinda, permanently!
Big Ashley nods and then roughly takes Jacinda by her arm and drags her to the Lab Home basement. When they get down there, Big Ashley pins Jacinda against the wall and warms up her lasers.
JACINDA
Please, Ashley, don’t do this.
ASHLEY
I only take orders from Vlad. He is superior. Exterminate!
JACINDA
I’m sorry, Ashley, but I can’t let you do that. Start self destruct sequence: Password – Handles. My first name for you until I came up with a better name. Goodbye, Ashley.
ASHLEY
No, what are you- self destruct 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!
ASHLEY
(Regular Ashley)
Goodbye, Jacinda.
A huge explosion sends metal flying everywhere. Jacinda covers her head to protect her from the flying debris. When the aftershock hits Jacinda, she tumbles to the ground. Picking herself up, she goes back to the floor where Vlad was and sneaks up behind him. Accidentally, she steps on a creaky floorboard.
VLAD
Is that you, Ashley? I heard an explosion and I thought it might’ve been you blowing Jacinda up.
JACINDA
Think again!
Jacinda, taking Vlad by surprise, is able to tie Vlad up and call the police to hand him over.
POLICE OFFICER
Well, would you look at that? Same people. Now then, you’re being charged for quite a few things, including attempted murder, theft, and blackmailing.
VLAD
(Yelling)
I demand to speak with my lawyer! There’s no evidence!
JACINDA
I beg to differ, Vlad. Oh, by the way, I thought you’d like to know I’m the boss now since you’re going to prison.
VLAD
I’ll get you!
JACINDA
If I had a nickel for everytime I heard that.
INT. JAIL CELL 7 PM
Vlad is wearing the regular orange prison suit as he lies down on his dusty bed. Wiping off the dirt, he hears a cling as the jail cell swings open with a click of the key. Not facing the person, Vlad returns to wiping his bed. A hand rests on his shoulder, making Vlad stop uneasily. Cautiously turning, he faces something hidden by the shadows.
ASHLEY
Hello Vlad, let’s finish this.
FADE OUT