From 38017bccd8d343f81b53aa0d61d9d2cb01d58faa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: dade <0xdade@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2018 23:04:55 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Create hackers.txt --- hackers.txt | 4209 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 4209 insertions(+) create mode 100644 hackers.txt diff --git a/hackers.txt b/hackers.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3c0704 --- /dev/null +++ b/hackers.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4209 @@ +SEATTLE 1988 + +EXT. FRONT YARD. DAY. + +Slow motion. Armed troops in black uniforms pour out of +unmarked vans and swarm across a lawn in a middle class +residential neighborhood. Yuppie neighbours look on in +shock, confused. Two of the troops carry a battering ram +to the front door of a white two-storey house. A leashed +Rottweiler snarls and barks. In position, their comrades +point M-16s into first-floor windows, ready to be +ambushed. Pan into a window in the kitchen. An +attractive woman in her thirties is making breakfast. + +Now, in regular motion, the battering ram breaks open the +front door. The woman, startled, drops her spatula. + +INT. MURPHY RESIDENCE. DAY. + + WOMAN + (screams) + Oough! Ahhh! + + SECRET SERVICE AGENT + (to others) + Upstairs. + +Troops pour into the house. + + WOMAN + What's going on? What's the matter? + Who are you? + +The troops, and one or two trenchcoated agents, continue +entering the house and heading upstairs, still with rifles +ready. + + WOMAN + Hey! + +Upstairs, crowded in the narrow hallway, the troops +descend on a bedroom. + + WOMAN + (off camera) + Dade! Dade! + + AGENT + Knock it down. + +The battering ram knocks down a bedroom door. + +INT. COURTROOM. + +The prosecutor, a woman of about forty, gives her closing +argument blandly. She'd rather be somewhere else. + + PROSECUTOR + The defendant, Dade Murphy, who calls + himself "Zero Cool", has repeatedly + committed criminal acts of a malicious + nature. This defendant possesses a + superior intelligence, which he uses to a + destructive and antisocial end. His + computer virus crashed one thousand five + hundred and seven computer systems, + including Wall Street trading systems, + single handedly causing a seven point drop + in the New York Stock Market. + +As she speaks, the camera pans across the court, panning +down and stopping on the defendant: eleven year old Dade +Murphy. + +Fast forward to the sentencing. + + JUDGE + Dade Murphy, I hereby fine your family + forty-five thousand dollars... + +The court gasps, Dade's father winces + + JUDGE + ...and sentence you to probation, under + which you are forbidden to own or operate + a computer or touch tone telephone, until + the day of your eighteenth birthday. + +Now Dade winces, in fact we almost expect him to cry. + +Opening credits roll to a backdrop of Dade and his family +and lawyer fighting through a gaggle of journalists and +photographers, in slow motion, and driving away. + + SEVEN YEARS LATER. + +Aboard a jetliner, Dade Murphy is staring blankly out the +window, wearing headphones. Exterior view from the +aircraft of approaching New York City. The view becomes a +direct overhead of the buildings and streets of the city, +which then metamorphoses (through animation) into chips +and digital signals on a stylised computer board. The +title logo. + +INT. DADE'S ROOM. + +Segue to Dade Murphy, now 18, wearing mirrorshades indoors +and at night, working on his new computer. His mother +calls him. + + MRS. MURPHY + (off camera) + Dade? + + DADE + Yeah, mom? + + MRS. MURPHY + What are you doing? + + DADE + (after a semi-pregnant pause) + I'm taking over a TV network. + + MRS. MURPHY + Finish up, honey, and get to sleep. And happy + birthday. + +INT. OTV STUDIOS. + +In the OTV Studios security department, a phone rings, a +man answers nervously. + + NORM + Security, uh Norm, Norm speaking. + + DADE + Norman? This is Mr. Eddie Vedder, from + Accounting. I just had a power surge here at + home that wiped out a file I was working on. + Listen, I'm in big trouble, do you know + anything about computers? + + NORM + Uhhmmm... uh gee, uh... + + DADE + Right, well my BLT drive on my computer just + went AWOL, and I've got this big project due + tomorrow for Mr. Kawasaki, and if I don't get + it in, he's gonna ask me to commit Hari + Kari... + + NORM + Uhhh.. ahahaha... + + DADE + Yeah, well, you know these Japanese management + techniques. + (pause) + Could you, uh, read me the number on the + modem? + + NORM + Uhhhmm... + + DADE + It's a little boxy thing, Norm, with switches + on it... lets my computer talk to the one + there... + + NORM + 212-555-4240. + +Dade goes to work on OTV. He closes his eyes and a flurry +of half-second video clips from old TV shows flashes by. +He opens his eyes. His screen says ENTERING ARPS 331 and +then wipes to another screen. Automated Record Playback +System. There is a graphic representation of the +station's automatic videotape changer. Dade turns on his +TV set and turns to OTV. It is running a Rush-Limbaugh +type TV show. + + COMMENTATOR + (on TV) + ...so-called American Indians, Latinos and + Blacks come from a genetically mediocre + stock... + + DADE + Yak yak yak. Get a job! + +Dade presses a key on his keyboard. The Video Changer +diagram lights up in red. At the station, a robotic arm +selects a videotape from a huge rack of thousands of +tapes. The "America First" tape slides out of the VTR and +is replaced by an episode of "The Outer Limits" as Dade +watches, drinks Coke and smiles, full of himself. + + TV + You are about to experience the awe and + mystery, which reaches from the inner mind, + to... The Outer Limits. + + DADE + Yesssss! + +Suddenly, the ARPS screen is replaced by an ominous +message: + + U HAVE TREAD + UPON MY DOMAIN & + MUST NOW SUFFER + WHO R U? + + DADE + Hey! What? + +He starts to type ZERO... + + DADE + No, wait. + +Dade types: + + CRASH OVERRIDE. + WHO WANTS TO KNOW? + +Dade's screen dissolves into: + + ACID BURN + + DADE + Unbelievable. A hacker! + +Then the screen changes again: + + ACID BURN + SEZ LEAVE B 4 + U R EXPUNGED + +"The Outer Limits" suddenly flashes off. + + DADE + Yeah, okay "Acid Burn", that's enough. + +Dade starts hacking. Apparently so does Acid Burn. The +tape changer machines at OTV are swamped, sometimes +fighting over the same tape. The program on TV keeps +changing. + +The message comes up on Dade's computer screen: + + I WILL + SWAT U LIKE + THE FLY U R + +More dueling tape changers, more half second video clips. +Another message. + + I WILL + SNAP YOUR BACK + LIKE A TOOTHPICK + +As the duel continues, Dade types back a taunt of his own: + + MESS WITH THE BEST + DIE LIKE THE REST + +One last from Acid Burn: + + YOU ARE + TERMINATED + +Then his own computer confirms for him that the connection +is terminated. + + DADE + Shit on me! + +Next morning. Mrs. Murphy is unpacking. Dade emerges +from his room in a housecoat. He makes a beeline (dodging +moving boxes) for the fridge. + + MRS. MURPHY + Good morning. You unpack your stuff yet? + + DADE + Mm-hmm. + + MRS. MURPHY + Up all night again, huh? + + DADE + Can this wait until both my eyes are open, + please? + +Dade's mom picks up the phone, mocking a call to the +building superintendent. + + MRS. MURPHY + Can I cut the electricity to his room so he'll + sleep normal hours? He's been playing with + his computer all night for a solid week. + (pause) + Well yes, he could be playing with himself. + Mmm hmm. Yes I'll ask. Dade, you like girls, + don't you? + + DADE + Well, yeah, I just haven't found one as + charming as you yet. + + MRS. MURPHY + You haven't been doing anything stupid, right, + Dade? + (louder) + Right, Dade?! + + DADE + Right, mom. And I'm still a virgin! + +Dade slams the bathroom door. Mrs. Murphy quickly checks +his room. Dade is showering. + + MRS. MURPHY + (angry, through the bathroom door) + You hooked it up to the phone, didn't you? + Dade! Turn the shower off! You screw up + again and you won't get into college! + +She pauses and regains some of her cool. + + MRS. MURPHY + I'm sorry we had to move in your senior year. + I didn't want to sell the house but I had to + take this new job, you know that. You're + going to love New York, it's the city that + never sleeps! + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY. + +We enjoy several views of New York, the morning sun +shining between skyscrapers, neon signs that stay lit day +and night. Dade emerges from the ground-floor apartment +on rollerblades and skates down the street to school. + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL. + +At school, hundreds of teenagers converse, move around, +head to class. Dade looks lost among them. He walks up +to a skinny latino kid in a faux leopard-skin muscle +shirt. The kid is on a pay-phone, speaking in Spanish. + + DADE + Excuse me. + + KID + Yo, chill man, I'm talking to Venezuela. + + DADE + Yeah, I'm sorry, I was just looking for the + principal's office. + + KID + Sorry, I can't help you, okay? + +Now Dade really looks lost. He heads off in search of the +office. + +INT. OFFICE. + +Dade is filling out a form. + + GIRL + Do you have your transfer forms? + +Dade stares at her, stunned. The girl has a decidedly +unconventional appearance, yet is a first-rate beauty. + + GIRL + It's a relatively straightforward question. + +Dade notices her lips, and in his imagination launches +into a flurry of half-second video clips and art bites, +all involving lips and kissing. + + GIRL + Do you speak English? + + DADE + Sorry, you wanted...? + + GIRL + I wanted transfer forms. + +He gives them to her. + + GIRL + Thank you. + +She starts leaving. He doesn't. + + GIRL + Are you coming? + +Dade clues in, gets up and follows her. She takes him on +a brief tour. + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDOR. + + GIRL + The gym is through there, and the cafeteria is + through there. + + DADE + Great. Cool. + (pause) + What's your name? + + GIRL + Kate. Kate Libby. + +They arrive at a classroom. + + KATE + Here's your class. + + DADE + My... class. You mean I'm not in your class? + + KATE + No, you're not in my class. + +Kate starts away. + + DADE + Give me time! + +A guy in the halls notices Dade. + + GUY + Hey, you new? + + DADE + Yeah. + + GUY + Tell him about the pool, Kate. + + DADE + Pool? + + KATE + Yeah, there's an Olympic size swimming pool up + on the roof. Take the stairs over there. + + DADE + Yeah! Sure. + +Kate starts away again. + + DADE + Thanks! + +EXT. SCHOOL ROOFTOP. + +Dade enters, and lets the door slam behind him. Across the +roof, a dozen or so geeky looking kids are looking over +the edge, apparently trying to get someone's attention. +One of them notices Dade. + + GEEK + Hey! Hold the door! + +He's too late. The geeks look pretty angry. There is no pool. + + Dade + (realizing he's been had) + No pool. + +Dade tries the door but it's locked. He hammers it with +his palm, furious. Above, thunder roars and it begins +raining. + +INT. SCHOOL CORRIDOR. + +Dade is soaking wet, and trudges among his classmates +leaving a muddy trail. A three-second video clip rolls +through his mind: it is a screaming woman being strangled +in an old movie. He walks past Kate, who giggles. + + KATE + Oh my God! He found the pool. + +INT. SCHOOL COMPUTER LAB. + +The kids are all seated at computer workstations. Dade +is hacking, the latino kid who was on the phone to +Venezuela is running a demo involving dirty-dancing +skeletons. + + TEACHER + I'm Mr. Simpson. And I'm subbing for Ms. + Bayliss who was arrested at the anti-fur + rally. I know some of you kids got computers + at home. But these are school property, + people, and I don't want to see any gum stuck + to 'em. Chapter 1. Designing graphical + interface... + +Meanwhile, the latino kid notices that Dade has been +looking up Kate Libby's school records. And hacking +himself into her advanced English class. + +EXT. SCHOOL QUAD. + +It's after school, kids are heading home, Dade too. The +latino kid notices Dade and catches up with him. + + KID + So, um, what's your interest in Kate Libby, + eh? Academic? Purely sexual? + + DADE + Homicidal? + + KID + What's up, man? I'm the Phreak! + +The name rings no bells with Dade. + + PHREAK + The Phantom Phreak? The king of Nynex? I + know you play the game. + +Another kid, younger and a little geeky looking, runs up +to Dade and The Phantom Phreak. + + JOEY + Phreakphreakphreakphreakphreak, + dudedudedudedudedudedude... I gotta... + + PHREAK + (slaps Joey) + Joey, Joey... + + JOEY + What? whatwhatwhat? + + PHREAK + One more "dude" out of you and I'm gonna slap + the shit outa you, okay? Now I'm trying to + save you from yourself but you gotta stop + letting your mama dress you, man! + (To Dade): + Check it... + +Phreak starts to hand Dade a flyer. + + JOEY + (interrupting) + I need a handle, man. I don't have an + identity until I have a handle. + + PHREAK + You know, you're right about that. + (to Dade) + Check it, Friday. + +Phreak hands Dade a flyer for Cyberdelia. + + JOEY + Alright. How about the Master of Disaster, + huh? + + PHREAK + You're hopeless, man, utterly hopeless. + +Phreak walks away. + + JOEY + Ultra Laser. + (desperate) + Doctor Doom! + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET VILLAGE. NIGHT. + +Dade rolls in on rollerblades. Street vendors hawk +computer parts and bootleg software. A bootleg music +vendor catches Dade's attention. + + CEREAL + Check this out, each and every one of you. + Compilation tape, of my own making. I call + this the "Greatest Zooks Album". Featuring + artists like, well I got some Hendrix on + there, some Joplin, Mama Cass, Belushi... all + great artists that asphyxiated on their own + vomit! + +The small crowd around him finally gets the joke. + + CEREAL + Can't get this in stores, man, I made it! + +Dade wheels into Cyberdelia, which just happens to be +equipped with a ramp down to its main floor for the +benefit of skaters. The place pounds with loud, bassy +techno music and coloured light. Video monitors with +psychedelic patterns complete the atmopshere. There is a +video game with a huge screen. Phreak is at a pay phone. + + OPERATOR + (on phone) + Please deposit five dollars for the first + minute. + +Phreak holds a small box up to the receiver, presses a +button, and the box emits a series of tones. + + OPERATOR + Thank you. + + PHREAK + Nonono, thank YOU! + +Dade checks out the scene. Kate is playing the big video +game. Dade skates up to her. She loses her last man. +She's got the high score, in fact her name dominates the +top-10 list. + + DADE + That's a nice score for a girl. + + KATE + (irritated by Dade's presence) + Think you can do better? + + DADE + I'll give it a shot. + +Kate yields the controls to Dade, who begins playing. +Kate's boyfriend looks on from a mezzanine several feet +above. + + CURTIS + Is this kid bothering you, Kate? + + DADE + Sorry, can I get some room here? + + CURTIS + Yeah. + (to Kate) + Why don't you come up here? + +Kate obliges and joins Curtis. Dade continues playing. +He plays brilliantly. The game is a flashy 3-D high-speed +chase game with lots of surprises. Dade loses, but his +high score is about to come up. + + CURTIS + He's good! + +Dade's score comes up. He's in the #1 position. Phreak +is amazed. + + DADE + (to Kate) + Well, it looks like I'm on top. + +Kate, defeated, leaves. Curtis follows. + + PHREAK + Congratulations. No one's ever beat her + before. You just made an enemy for life. + (to someone else) + Boy meets world. Let's go? + +EXT. OUTSIDE CYBERDELIA. NIGHT. + +Kate and Curtis are sucking face, oblivious to the busy +world around them. Dade and Phreak watch, more than a +little disgusted. + + DADE + Who's that? + + PHREAK + Curtis. + + DADE + And what's he do? + + PHREAK + That's it, you're looking at it, he just looks + slick all day. + +Kate and Curtis start to take off on Curtis' motorcycle. +Kate and Dade make eye contact briefly. The motorcycle +speeds off into the night. + +INT. DADE'S ROOM. + +The clock says it's 4:16. As the camera pans up to Dade, +it changes to 4:17. Dade is hacking again. It's the +school's administration system. Dade schedules a test of +the school sprinkler system for 9:30am. + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL CORRIDIR. + +Dade stands alone in the hall, watching the time closely. +Phreak rounds a corner and meets Dade. + + PHREAK + What's up? + +Dade doesn't answer. He watches the time a couple of more +seconds, then opens an umbrella. Immediately the fire +sprinklers turn on. Phreak starts getting drenched. He +realizes what is happening. + + PHREAK + (amused and highly impressed) +Oh my God. You... + +A bell rings and students pour out into the halls by the +hundreds. They're all being showered on. A tall +cheerleader bounces by Phreak, pushing her pom-pom in his +face. + + PHREAK + Way cool! + (to Dade) + You saw that? + +Dade nods in the affirmative. + +Kate walks up to Dade, also understanding what has +happened. + + KATE + What the hell is going on? + + DADE + Pool on the roof must have a leak. + +Kate gives Dade a look that could kill and skulks away. + +Dade walks away under his umbrella, smug and dry. + + PHREAK + Man, oh man, this is gonna be good. + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM. + +Dade, Kate, and a couple of other students are writing on +the chalkboard. Kate finishes first. + + KATE + If God gave men brains bigger than dogs', + they wouldn't hump womens' legs at cocktail + parties. + +The class giggles. + + KATE + Ruth Libby. + + TEACHER + I'm not so sure your mother qualifies as a + significant author of the twentieth century. + + KATE + Her last book sold two million copies. + + CLASS + (almost in unison) + Woooooo! + +The teacher reads Dade's quotation. + + TEACHER + "Angel-headed hipsters burning for the ancient + heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in + the machinery of the night." + + DADE + That's Ginsburg. + + TEACHER + Nice. Very nice. + + KATE + He's not in this class. + + DADE + I said give me time. + + KATE + He's not enrolled in this class. + + TEACHER + Well, he's on my list. + +Kate leaps across a desk and snatches the list from the +teacher. Dade is on it. She gives Dade another filthy +look, both Dade and the teacher just shrug. The teacher +moves on to Cereal. + + TEACHER + "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind + the most?" + + CEREAL + Ozzy Osbourne! + + TEACHER + You. What is your name? + +The teacher grabs the list back from Kate. + + CEREAL + Uh, Emmanuel Goldstein, sir? + + TEACHER + You, however, are not on my list. + + CEREAL + (in mock shock) + Whoa, this isn't wood shop class? + +The class cracks up. Kate and Dade exchange looks as the +teacher escorts Cereal to the door. + +INT. DADE'S PLACE. + + MRS. MURPHY + How was school? + + DADE + (eating) + Hmmm. + + MRS. MURPHY + What did we learn in school today? + + DADE + Revenge. + + MRS. MURPHY + Aaaah. Did we meet someone special? + + DADE + No. No one special. + + MRS. MURPHY + Okay, I gotta get back to work. I'm gonna be + home late. And would you try and please fill + these out? + +She indicates a pile of college applications. + + MRS. MURPHY + Oh don't worry, it's only the rest of your + life. + +She starts to the door. + + DADE + Right. Anything else, you want me to mow the + lawn? Oops, forgot. New York. No grass. + + MRS. MURPHY + And unpack. + +She leaves. Dade looks over the college applications for +a second, and pushes them away. He'd rather not do this +now. + +INT. CYBERDELIA. + +Dade, Phreak and Joey are sitting at a table. Joey is +giving a dull account of his hacking adventures. Enter +Cereal. + + CEREAL + FYI, alright man, you can sit at home, and do + like absolutely nothing and... + +Cereal pauses, notices Dade, whom he has never met +formally but seen around, and then continues. + + CEREAL + ...and your name goes through like seventeen + computers a day. 1984, yeah right man, that's + a typo. Orwell's here and now, he's living + large. We have no names, man, no names. We + are nameless. Can I score a fry? Thanks. + + PHREAK + Meet Cereal Killer. As in Froot Loops? But + he does know things. + +Dade and Cereal acknowledge each other. + + JOEY + Anyways, guys, guys, listen, listen to me. + I'm in this computer right? So I'm looking + around... + + PHREAK + (to Cereal) + D'you bring those Crayola books? + + CEREAL + Oh yeah, technicolor rainbow. + + Cereal brings a book out of his bag. + + CEREAL + Green one. + + JOEY + What is that, what is that? Lemmie see. What + are these? + + DADE + International Unix Environments. + +Cereal pulls out another book. + + CEREAL + Luscious orange? + +Cereal hands the orange book to Phreak. + + DADE + Computer security criteria, DOD standards. + +Another book comes out. + + DADE + The Pink Shirt Book, Guide to IBM PCs. So + called due to the nasty pink shirt the guy + wears on the cover. + +Another one. + + CEREAL + What's that? + + DADE + Devil book. The Unix Bible. + +Another one. + + CEREAL + What's that? + + DADE + Dragon book. Compiler design. + +Cereal brings out a large red book. + + CEREAL + Oh yeah? What's that? + + DADE + The Red Book. NSA Trusted Networks. + Otherwise known as the Ugly Red Book that + won't fit on a shelf. + +By now Phreak has made a pile of the books, and the Red +Book looks wholly out of place on the top of the pile. + + JOEY + Anyway, anyway, guys guys guys, come on. I'm + in this computer, right. So I'm looking + around, looking around, you know, throwing + commands at it, I don't know where it is or + what it does or anything. It's like, it's + like choice, it's just beautiful, okay. Like + four hours I'm just messing around in there. + Finally I figure out, that it's a bank. + Right, okay wait, okay, so it's a bank. So, this + morning, I look in the paper, some cash + machine in like Bumsville Idaho, spits out + seven hundred dollars into the middle of the + street. + + CEREAL + That's kinda cool. + + JOEY + That was me. That was me. I did that. + + DADE + You did this from your house. + +Joey takes a drag from his cigarette and just nods, with a +big grin on his face. + + PHREAK + What are you, stoned or stupid? You don't + hack a bank across state lines from your + house, you'll get nailed by the FBI. Where + are your brains, in your ass? Don't you know + anything? + + CEREAL + Stupid, man. It's universally stupid. + + JOEY + You guys always think I should know + everything, and you never tell me anything. + Am I right? + + PHREAK + Alright, what are the three most commonly used + passwords? + + JOEY + Love, secret, and uh, sex. But not in that + order, necessarily, right? + + CEREAL + Yeah but don't forget God. System operators + love to use God. It's that whole male ego + thing. + + PHREAK + Look, you wanna be elite? You gotta do a + righteous hack. None of this accidental shit. + + CEREAL + Oh yeah, you want a seriously righteous hack, + you score one of those Gibsons man. You know, + supercomputers they use to like, do physics, + and look for oil and stuff? + + PHREAK + Ain't no way, man, security's too tight. The + big iron? + + DADE + Maybe. But, if I were gonna hack some heavy + metal, I'd, uh, work my way back through some + low security, and try the back door. + + CEREAL + Yeah but oh man, + (starts rubbing one of his + own nipples in mock sexual + excitement) + wouldn't you just love to get one of those + Gibsons, baby? Ooooh! + + PHREAK + Yo, who ate all of my fries? + +Cereal pauses a second. + + CEREAL + (pretending to be enraged) + Joey?! + + JOEY + What, no, nonononono, I didn't touch your + fries. I did not touch your fries. + + PHREAK + Cereal, man, you owe me a pack. + + CEREAL + It was him, man! + + PHREAK + You're psyched. You need to lay off of that + shit. + + CEREAL + (to Joey) + I'm gonna hit you! + +INT. JOEY'S ROOM. NIGHT. + +Joey is hacking. A Gibson. He gets in. Using GOD as a +password. Nice graphics represent the machine's vast +systems. + + JOEY + YES! Home run, home run. You and me Lucy. + We're gonna show em baby. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + +A system operator at Ellingson Mineral Corporation, a +large oil company, notices the intrusion. He gets on the +phone. + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +The place is a mess, typical of the hacker bachelor pad. +Empty chinese food boxes and Jolt Cola cans litter the +place. + +Plague's phone is ringing, waking him. + + HAL + (on phone) + Mr. Belford? + + PLAGUE + (sleepily) + My name is the Plague. + + HAL + Uh, Mr. The Plague, uh, something weird's + happening on the net. + + PLAGUE + As in what, you hapless techno-weenie? + + HAL + Uh, the accounting subdirectory in the Gibson + is working really hard. We got one person + online, the workload is enough for like ten + users. I think we've got a hacker. + +INT. JOEY'S ROOM. + + JOEY + Okay, okay, we need proof that we were here. + Right, uh... + +Joey starts looking for something to download as proof he +was there. + + JOEY + Yeah, Garbage, okay, give me Garbage. + +He selects a Garbage file and starts the download. His +screen becomes a psychedelic mind trip. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + +The Plague glides in on a skateboard. Short and thin, +bearded, about 35 but still trying to be a teenage +anarchist, yet not consciously realizing he sold out that +ideal years ago. + + PLAGUE + Never fear. I is here. + + HAL + I've narrowed the activity to terminal 23. + + PLAGUE + Let's echo 23, see what's up. + +The huge monitor lights up with the display of the +Gibson's resources. Hal and the Plague watch. Plague +starts "surfing" around. + + PLAGUE + "God" wouldn't be up this late. + +He sees what Joey is downloading. A file called +"Garbage". + + PLAGUE + Shit! Get me the switching control center. + +He puts on a telephone headset. Hal dials for him. + + PLAGUE + (into the headset) + I need to trace a call that's in progress. + +INT. JOEY'S ROOM. + +Joey is sneaking a cigarette while his computer downloads. +There is a knock at the door. It's his mother. + + JOEY + (whispering) + Shit! + (loudly, panicked) + Uh yeah... hold on, mom. Hold on one second. + +He puts out the cigarette and sprays the room with air +freshener. + + JOEY'S MOM + I mean it! Open the door, Joseph. + + JOEY + Yeah, uh, yeah, okay. + +He unlocks the door. Joey's mom bursts in. He's still +clambering into bed. + + JOEY + There you go. + + JOEY'S MOM + Bed. Sleep. Now! + +She turns off the computer. It wasn't finished +downloading. + + JOEY'S MOM + Sweet dreams, Joey. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + HAL + He's gone! + + PLAGUE + Did you get a trace? + + OPERATOR + (on phone) + Yeah, we got him. + + PLAGUE + (smiling) + Good. + +INT. JOEY'S ROOM. DARK. + +Joey takes a disk out of his computer and stashes it in an +air vent in the cieling. + +INT. TENEMENT HALLWAY. + +Phreak, Dade and Cereal are rollerblading through the +halls of an apartment building that is filled with +graffiti. It appears that most of the spray-bomb art was +created by the residents. + + CEREAL + Nice place, huh. + +Cereal knocks on a door spray-painted "Hackstock" + + DADE + You heard of a hacker called Acid Burn? You + know who he is? + + PHREAK + (surprised) + No, don't know who he is. + (to Cereal) + Do you? + +Cereal shrugs. + +A hooded black man in his early twenties answers the door. + + PHREAK + Nikon! Lord Nikon this is... + +Phreak motions to Dade. + + DADE + (finishing) + Crash Override. + + NIKON + Never heard of you. Done anything? + + DADE + No. + +Nikon slams the door. + + PHREAK + Come on! + +Phreak knocks the door again. Nikon opens again. + + NIKON + What, your mom buy you a 'Puter for Christmas? + (to Phreak) + Does he know anything? + + PHREAK + Sure man, he's elite. + + NIKON + (pausing, checking Dade out) + Come in. + + CEREAL + Uh... Nikon, can I... can I crash at your + place tonight? + + NIKON + (removing his hood) + Again? + (pauses, then grins broadly) + Yeah sure. + +Nikon and Cereal do a fake Kung-fu move together. + + BOTH + Ooka-pow! + +INT. NIKON'S PLACE. + +Later, the four are watching TV. On TV is a secret +service agent giving a news interview. + + GILL + (on TV) + Hackers penetrate and ravage delicate public + and privately owned computer systems, + infecting them with viruses, and stealing + materials for their own ends. These people, + they are terrorists. + + CEREAL + Agent Richard Gill, You're hacker enemy number + one, man. You're a boner! + + NIKON + Yo, showtime, showtime! + + DADE + What's going on? + + ALL BUT DADE + (in unison) + 4...3...2...1... + +Cheesy music plays. Razor and Blade, androgynous asian +brothers, have a community access TV show. "Wayne's World" +in eye liner. + + RAZOR + Welcome to our show! + + BLADE + Hack the Planet! + + ALL BUT DADE + Hack the Planet! + + RAZOR + For those late night hacks... + + BLADE + Jolt Cola! The soft drink of the elite + hacker. + + DADE + Who are these guys? + + NIKON + That's Razor and Blade. + + DADE + Razor and Blade. + +Now Razor and Blade have a disconnected payphone in their +studio. + + RAZOR + That's right, this IS a payphone. + + RAZOR AND BLADE + (in unison) + Don't ask. + + BLADE + As you can see, this is just a simple + microcassette recorder. (shows the + microcassette recorder) Hook it up to the + phone and drop in five bucks in quarters. + + RAZOR + Record the tones that the coins make. And + hang up and get your money back! + + BLADE + And never again have to pay for a service that + would be dirt cheap... + + RAZOR + ...IF it weren't run by a bunch of + profiteering gluttons! + + BLADE + Remember, hacking is more than just a crime. + It's a survival trait! + +INT. JOEY'S PLACE. + +Joey is taking a shower, wearing walkman headphones, +singing along with the music. Joey finishes, turns off +the shower, still singing. He draws open the shower +curtain to find two secret service agents with shotguns +pointed at him. + + SS AGENT + FREEZE! + + JOEY + What? What? What did I do? What? + +The agents drag Joey, still naked and wet, out of the +shower and into the living room. His mother is +hysterical.. + + JOEY'S MOM + Joey! + + AGENT + Get in there! Sit down! + + ANOTHER AGENT + Stay down there. Don't move. + +Joey is pushed into a sofa. He sees his computer, "Lucy", +being carried away. + + JOEY + Lucy! + +Joey dives onto the agent carrying Lucy away, losing his +towel. His mother, seeing his exposed buttocks, is +shocked. + + JOEY'S MOM + JOEY!!! + +EXT. OUTSIDE JOEY'S PLACE. + +A police-type vehicle pulls up. It's Agent Richard Gill +of the Secret Service. He stops a young agent for an +update. + + GILL + How's it going, Ray? + + AGENT RAY + It looks good, sir. We've got an uncorrupted + hard drive. + + GILL + In English, please. I didn't spend ten years + protecting the president so I could finish my + career feeling like an idiot. + + AGENT RAY + I'm sorry, sir. We caught him by surprise, so + we don't think he had time to erase his + computer files. + + GILL + Good. Good man. Alright, let's finish up + here, and take him in for interrogation. + + AGENT RAY + Alright sir. + +They split up. A reporter and her sound man run up to +Gill. + + REPORTER + Agent Gill, can you spare a moment of your + time? + + GILL + Why of course, Jennifer. + +While Jennifer conducts the interview, agents lead Joey +into an unmarked car. His mother is behind him, still +hysterical. + + JOEY'S MOM + Joey! + + JOEY + Mom... + + JENNIFER + Just how dangerous are hackers? + + GILL + Well, hackers penetrate and ravage delicate + public and privately owned computer systems, + infecting them with viruses... + + JOEY'S MOM + Joey! + + GILL + ...and stealing sensitive materials for their + own ends. These people, they're terrorists... + + JOEY'S MOM + Joey! + +INT. ELLINGSON MINERAL CORPORATION. + +A tall, impressive building. A cavernous atrium filled +with busy people. + +INT. ELLINGSON BOARDROOM. + +A handsome looking woman in her late thirties walks in. + + MARGO + Good morning, Gentlemen. Please be seated. I + see we're still dressing in the dark, Eugene. + + PLAGUE + (to Margo) + Once again, don't call me Eugene. + (to the board) + A recent unknown intruder penetrated, using a + superuser acount, giving him access to our + whole system. + + MARGO + Precisely what you're paid to prevent. + + PLAGUE + Someone didn't bother reading my carefully + prepared memo on commonly used passwords. + Now, as I so meticulously pointed out, the for + most used passwords are love, + (gesturing lewdly) + sex, secret and... + (eyeing Margo) + ...God. So would your holiness care to change + her password? + +Margo just blinks prettily. + + PLAGUE + A hacker planted the virus. + + MARGO + Virus? + + PLAGUE + Yesterday, the ballast program for a + supertanker training model mistakenly thought + the vessel was empty, and flooded its tanks. + + MARGO + Excuse me? + + PLAGUE + (as if to a child) + The little boat flipped over. A virus planted + in the Gibson computer system claimed + responsibility. + + MARGO + What, it left a note? + +Plague hits a button on a remote control, and the virus - +a long haired male model - appears on a large screen, in +psychedelic colors. The virus speaks in a hammy Italian +accent. + + VIRUS + Unless five million dollars are transferred to + the following numbered account in seven days, + I will capsize five tankers in the Ellingson + fleet. + + BOARD MEMBER + Is that... + + PLAGUE + (interrupting) + That is the virus. Leonardo da Vinci. The + problem is we have twenty six ships at sea and + we don't know which ones are infected. + + DUKE ELLINGSON + Well then, put the ships' ballasts under + manual control. + + PLAGUE + There's no such thing anymore, Duke. These + ships are totally computerized. They rely on + satellite navigation, which links them to our + network, and the virus, wherever they are in + the world. + + MARGO + So what are we supposed to do? + + PLAGUE + Well luckily, you have a gifted and talented + security officer. I traced the hacker's call. + The secret service picked him up this morning. + I'll just search his files for the original + virus code, and then I can eliminate it. + +INT. ELLINGSON MINERAL ATRIUM. + +Plague, Margo and two suits from the boardroom are riding +down an escalator. + + SUIT #1 + Now look, now we expect you to get onto this + right away, yeah? + + PLAGUE + Yeah! + + SUIT #1 + Well, how soon? + + PLAGUE + Well, we're working on it as fast as we can. + This is a very common occurrence in + corporations as large as ours. You have + nothing to worry about. + + SUIT #2 + Yeah, right. + + SUIT #1 + Now, you're sure about that, Mr. The Plague? + + PLAGUE + Yeah, the Secret Service is helping us out 100 + percent. Okay? + + SUIT #2 + Yeah. + + SUIT #1 + Okay. + + PLAGUE + We'll be in touch. Talk to you later. + +The suits get off the escalator, Plague and Margo take the +next one down. + + MARGO + What the hell was that all about? + + PLAGUE + I had to move fast. The hacker copied my + garbage file. + + MARGO + What? + + PLAGUE + I created Mister da Vinci so we could call in + the Secret Service. So they'd arrest the + hacker, sieze his equipment, things that we + can't do on our own. + + MARGO + I don't want to go to jail for this. + + PLAGUE + Relax. Think about the 25 million dollars. + + MARGO + But you've created a virus that's going to + cause a worldwide ecological disaster, just to + arrest some hacker kid? + + PLAGUE + Basically, uhmm, yeah. Mmm hmmm. + + MARGO + Jesus. You know, you're sick, Eugene. You... + + PLAGUE + Sh, sh sh sh sh. + +Plague stops a passing secretary and snatches a piece of +paper from her hand. + + PLAGUE + I'll take care of this. + + SECRETARY + Alright, sir. + + PLAGUE + I can cancel it any time. I don't need any + program code. But it's the perfect cover, to + confiscate the disc and find out how much of + that garbage file has been copied. + + MARGO + Get it! + (walking away) + Why did I ever trust you? + (going back up the escalator) + Get the file. Otherwise you'll lose all your + toys. + +INT. SECRET SERVICE INTERROGATION ROOM. + +Joey is distraught over the dismantling of Lucy. Agent +Ray examines the Mac's innards. + + GILL + Did you find the program for the virus on any + of the discs we confiscated? + + PLAGUE + No. He's either very smart or very stupid. + + GILL + Then he stashed it somewhere, or he has an + accomplice. We'll release him until his + indictment, keep tight surveillance, and see + if he leads us to your disc. + +EXT. OUTSIDE JOEY'S PLACE. + +Joey's apartment building is an L-shaped skyscraper about +30 storeys high, unimpressive by New York City standards. +Two Secret Service agents are staking Joey out in a car +outside. + + SECRET SERVICE AGENT BOB + Unit 3 outside suspect Joey Pardella's + apartment. Nothing to report. Suspect still + grounded... by his mother. + +His radio crackles. + + AGENT BOB + Listen to this bullshit. + (he reads) + "This is our world now. The world of the + electron and the switch, the beauty of the + baud. We exist without nationality, skin + color, or religious bias. You wage wars, + murder, cheat, lie to us and try to make us + believe it's for our own good, yet we're the + criminals. Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is + that of curiosity. I am a hacker and this is + my manifesto." Huh, right, manifesto? "You + may stop me, but you can't stop us all." + + AGENT RAY + Now that's cool. + + AGENT BOB + Cool? + + AGENT RAY + Yeah, cool. + + AGENT BOB + You think it's cool? + + AGENT RAY + (not caring for where Bob is going + with this) + It's cool! + + AGENT BOB + It's not cool. It's commie bullshit! + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' ROOM. + +Dade, Cereal and Phreak check their faces. Cereal brushes +his teeth. + + CEREAL + (to Phreak) + So what do you think, can I crash at your + place tonight? + + DADE + What is it with this guy? + + PHREAK + His parents missed Woodstock and he's been + making up for it since. Hey, you hear about + Joey's bust? + + CEREAL + Yeah. Probably had something to do with that + bank in Idaho. + + PHREAK + Do you think he could hack a Gibson? + + DADE + Did you talk to him? + + PHREAK + Nope. His mom said he's grounded for his next + three lifetimes. + (imitating her) + He isn't to consort with his computer friends. + (himself again) + The secret service is really out to get him. + (changes the subject) + Hey there's a big party tonight, you wanna go? + +Dade shakes his head. + + PHREAK + It's at Kate's... + +Dade just smiles. + + PHREAK + Thought so! + +Cereal and Phreak leave, Cereal dancing. + +INT. PLAGUE'S OFFICE. + +Plague is wearing a VR helmet and gloves, playing some +sort of action game. He is unaware that Gill has just +entered the room. + + GILL + What the hell are you doing? Plague! + +He thumps the VR pedestal. + + GILL + PLAGUE! + +Plague finally notices, and takes off the helmet. + + PLAGUE + Gill. + + GILL + I think we've got something. + +Gill hands Plague a folder. It has the logo of Stanton High. + + PLAGUE + Uuugh, hard copy. + +Plague looks it over and recognizes a name. + + PLAGUE + Dade Murphy. + +INT. DADE'S PLACE. + +It's after school. Dade's just unlocking the front door, +only to find a Secret Service agent behind it. And one +behind him in the hallway. Both point pistols at him. + + AGENT RAY + Secret Service! + + AGENT BOB + Don't move! + +They slam Dade against a wall and start frisking him. + + DADE + Christ! What is the... + + AGENT BOB + Shut up! + + DADE + What are you doing, man? Get off me! + +They lead him into his room and throw him down on the bed. +Plague is there. + + AGENT BOB +Just sit in the bed and keep your hands where we can see +them. + + PLAGUE + The year was 1988. And this nasty virus + crashed fifteen hundred systems in one day. + +Dade has a flashback. + + DADE + Fifteen hundred and seven. + + AGENT RAY + (astounded) + Wow, huh! + + GILL + It got you seven years probation. No + computer, couldn't even use a touch tone + phone. + + PLAGUE + Must have been hell, huh? Zero Cool? + (getting to the point) + A virus has been planted in the Ellingson + Mineral computer system. You were our prime + suspect, till we trashed your stuff and found + no trace of it. + + GILL + However, we have come to believe that one Joey + Pardella is involved in this Ellingson virus. + He or perhaps his accomplice has a disk that + Mr. Belford needs to disable that virus. We + want you to help us find it. + + PLAGUE + Gill. + +The three secret service agents leave Plague and Dade +alone. Plague shuts the door behind them. + + PLAGUE + (of Gill) + Loser. + (continues) + I can't believe you were only eleven when you + wrote this. It's quite an impressive virus. + Dade, I know how you might feel about narking + on your friends, but, we're hackers. For us, + there's no such thing as family and friends. + We're each our own country, with temporary + allies and enemies. I'd like to make a treaty + with you. + + DADE + I'm sorry. Who are you? + + PLAGUE + I'm the one who understands you. Now, can we + be allies? + + DADE + Nah. I don't play well with others. + +Plague is holding Dade's baseball bat. He shrugs, turns +around, and smashes Dade's stereo to smithereens. + + DADE + Shit! Come on! + + PLAGUE + Watch which friends you do play with. A + record like yours could land you in jail, get + you kicked out of school, no colleges would + take you. No future. Exiled from everyone and + everything you love. + +Plague replaces the baseball bat. + + PLAGUE + I'll be in touch. + +Plague leaves. + + PLAGUE + (to agents) + I'm fine. + (to Dade) + Oh, and Dade, try to stay out of trouble, okay? + + DADE + Blow me. + + PLAGUE + (smiles) + Thank you! + +INT. DADE'S ROOM. LATER. + +Dade is lying in bed. A door opens. It's Kate. She opens +her motorcycle jacket, revealing her bare breasts. Dade +starts to get up, she pushes him back own on the bed and +starts kissing him passionately. He responds in kind. +Then, Gill, Agent Ray and Agent Bob burst into the room, +handcuff him, break the two up and haul them away as +Plague looks on smugly. + +Then Dade wakes up in a sweat. It was only a dream. He +regains his composure. The sound of New York City at +night surrounds him. He goes back to sleep. + +INT. KATE'S PLACE. + +The party. A large, well-furnished apartment in an +elegant old skyscraper in the fashionable part of town. +Teenagers dance and writhe to loud, bassy music. Dade and +Phreak arrive. + + PHREAK + Her mom makes big bucks writing self-help + books for women. Stuff like "Women Who Love + Men Who Are Emotional Amoebae" + +Phreak shows Dade the book. + + DADE + That explains a lot. + +Kate, the lovely and gracious hostess, mingles and greets +her many guests, not noticing Dade or Phreak. Cereal +offers Dade a drink from a plastic bottle. Dade, not +knowing what he's in for, drinks. Nikon is the Deejay. + + PHREAK + (loudly) + Yo, what's up Nikon! + + NIKON + Yo Phreak! Dade, man, you made it. + (to Cereal) + Houston, we have liftoff, 3 o'clock, + check it... don't look right away, what's + wrong with you! Look at her man... + +Nikon and Cereal are checking out a truly fine babe. + + NIKON + (concentrating) + Look out, man. Lisa Blair, 26 East 7th St., + apartment 16, 555-4817, BOOM! + + DADE + How did you know that? + + NIKON + I got photographic memory. + (Smiling) + It's a curse! + (Into the crowd) + Lisa! + + LISA + Hey, how do you know my name? + +Cereal and Phreak move through the crowd. Cereal notices +something. + + CEREAL + Oooo, look at that pooper man. Spandex, it's + a privilege, not a right! + +INT. MEETING HALL. + +A 12-step recovery group. Addicts, including Joey +Pardella, sit in a semi-circle. + + VICKIE + Hi, my name is Vickie, and I'm an addict. + + HANK + Hi, my name is Hank, and uh, I'm an addict. + + JOEY + (smoking) + Uh, my name's Joey but, uh, I'm not an addict. + +Joey takes a drag. The group reacts indignantly. + + JOEY + Nono, really, really, listen, listen to this. + I got in trouble with my computer, right, + okay, and my lawyer told the judge that I'm an + addict, but I'm not addicted to my computer! + No really, really, + +Joey takes another drag. + + JOEY + I'm not an addict. I'm not, I'm not. + +Joey downs his coffee. + + JOEY + Can I get some more coffee? + +INT. KATE'S BEDROOM. + +Phreak is checking out Kate's computer. + + PHREAK + Yo. Check this out guys, this is insanely + great, it's got a 28.8 BPS modem! + + DADE + Yeah? Display? + + CEREAL + Active matrix, man. A million psychedelic + colors. Man, baby, sweet, ooo! + + NIKON + I want it. + + PHREAK + I want it to have my children! + + CEREAL + Yeah, I bet it looks crispy in the dark. + + PHREAK + Yo, hit the lights. + + Dade hits the lights. The four ooo and ahh at + its graphics. Kate and Curtis walk into the + room and hit the bed, unaware of the hackers + in the corner by her laptop. + + DADE + (whispering) + Shit! + + CEREAL + Shh! + + DADE + Was that her top? + + PHREAK + One-handed! + + CEREAL + Difficulty rating? + + NIKON + Seven. Wow! Burn's wetware matches her + software! + + DADE + (loudly) + Burn! + +Their cover is blown. + + NIKON + What the f... + +Cereal hides under the desk. + + KATE + Hey! What are you guys doing in here? + + PHREAK + I'm sorry, we're sorry, just checking out your + fly laptop! + + NIKON + Yeah, it's hyped, you know... you're in the + butter zone now, baby. + + PHREAK + (smiling) + Uh-huh! + + KATE + (her tone changing) + Yeah, it is... + (she comes over to it) + I wanna triple the RAM... + + CURTIS + Oooh, Leopard Boy... AND the Decepticons. Uh, + Kate, Kate, you're not going into that + computer shit now, right? + +Kate barely acknowledges him. + + CURTIS + (cynically) + Humm, yeah. + +Curtis leaves. + + CEREAL + (mockingly) + Right. + + DADE + The sensitive type. + +Kate finally notices that Dade, whom she didn't invite, is at her +party and in her bedroom. + + KATE + What is he doing in here? + + PHREAK + Relax, Burn, he's my guest. + + DADE + Burn. You're Acid Burn. You booted me out of + OTV! + + KATE + What? + + DADE + I'm Crash Override. + + KATE + You're the moron that's been invading my turf? + + CEREAL + Whoa, whowhowhowhoa. + (motioning to Dade) + Crash... + (motioning to Kate) + and Burn! + +Cereal breaks into hysterics. + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +Plague is hacking. + + MARGO + Murphy kid turn you down? + + PLAGUE + (in a hammy southern accent) + I disguised myself as an Alabama State Trooper + and penetrated the FBI NCIC. + + MARGO + Pervert! What are you talking about? + +She turns her back to him. He does up the zipper on her +dress. Their relationship becomes apparent. + + PLAGUE + The FBI computer holds files on twenty million + Americans. I just hacked into it. + + MARGO + Congratulations. + + PLAGUE + From here I got access to every piece of data + ever stored on Dade Murphy's parents. His + parents separated five years ago, reconciled + two years later, filed for divorce last year, + custody battle, boy chose to go with his + mother. Hmm. + + MARGO + So? + + PLAGUE + So, we get the mother, we get the boy. + +INT. KATE'S ROOM. + +Kate's room is empty, and Dade can't resist going back in +to play with her laptop, which far outclasses his own, +some more. On the balcony, Kate notices and comes back +in. + + KATE + What the hell are you doing? + + DADE + It's cool, I'm just looking. + + KATE + It's too much machine for you. + + DADE + Yeah? + +Dade starts working furiously on it. + + KATE + I hope you don't screw like you type. + +Dade slows to a two-finger keypoke, not missing a beat. + + DADE + It has a killer refresh rate. + + KATE + P6 chip. Triple the speed of the Pentium. + + DADE + Yeah. It's not just the chip, it has a PCI + bus. But you knew that. + + KATE + Indeed. RISC architecture is gonna change + everything. + + DADE + Yeah. RISC is good. + +They uncomfortably exchange glances. + + DADE + You sure this sweet machine's not going to + waste? + + KATE + Crash Override. What was it. "Mess with the + Best, Die Like the Rest?" + + DADE + Yeah. + + KATE + Are you challenging me? + + DADE + Name your stakes. + + KATE + If I win, you become my slave. + + DADE + (intrigued) + Your slave? + + KATE + (realizing his mind is in the + gutter) + You wish. You'll do shit work, scan, crack + copyrights, whatever I want. + + DADE + And if I win? + + KATE + (giggles) + Make it my first born. + + DADE + Make it our first date. + + KATE + You're not gonna win. + + DADE + And you have to smile. + + KATE + I don't do dates. But I don't lose either, so + you're on. + +MONTAGE: Scenes of Dade and Kate preparing for the challenge. + + PHREAK + (voice over) + So here's the deal. The chosen contest: To + hassle Secret Service Agent Richard Gill, and + get one back for Joey. + +Dade spray paints camouflage onto his keyboard. + + NIKON + Our decisions are final, by a vote of 2 to 1. + No appeals. + +Kate rifles through her address book. + + CEREAL + The duel will last until we declare a winner. + +Dade plays quick-draw with disks. + + PHREAK + Use only the dialups, access codes and + passwords in your collection. Can't ask for + any help from us. + +Dade, having mastered the quick-disk-draw in the mirror, +looks satisfied. + + DADE + (into mirror) + Talking to me? + +All five are together at the beginning of the challenge. + + PHREAK + Any questions? + + KATE + Yeah. Whose gonna notify his next of kin? + +Dade and Kate shake hands and the challenge begins. + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC PHONE. + +At a public phone, Kate hacks into Concourse Bank, looks +up Richard Gill, and has his credit card maxed out. +"Destroy Card" is the final instruction. The other +hackers look on. + +INT. RESTAURANT. + +A waiter runs a credit card through a validation machine, +sees the message and returns to the patron's table. It is +Richard Gill. Right there, the waiter chops the +MasterCard in two with a pair of scissors, to Gill's +horror. + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC PHONE. + +Dade hacks into an electronic personal ads system and +changes an ad. + + KATE + Alright, he's in the personal ads. + (reading Dade's ad) + "Disappointed white male, crossdresser, looking + for discreet friend to bring dreams to + reality. Leather, lace, and water sports. + Transvestites welcome." + +INT. GILL'S OFFICE. + +At his office, Gill is on the speaker phone with someone +responding to the ad. + + GILL + I... I... I know where you can stick it... I + know where you can stick it... + +Gill punches a button on the phone, another caller comes +on. + + CALLER + ...wanna lick your earlobes... I wanna lick + your lips... I wanna lick your toes... I + wanna lick your ankles... + + GILL + Awww, yeah, you wanna lick something? Lick this. + +Gill punches another button, another caller comes on. + + CALLER + That's why they call me Stallion... + + GILL + Aw, that's disgusting! + +Gill punches another button. + + CALLER + My heart is steaming for you... + +Gill punches another button. He is becoming quite flustered. + + CALLER + ...spank you with my... + + GILL + Aww, Spank your ass... + +He punches another button. + +Another caller comes on, and Gill hangs up the phone, +disgusted, offended, and distraught. The Plague is there, +witnessing the whole thing. + + PLAGUE + Animal! + +EXT. EMPIRE STATE BULDING OBSERVATION DECK. + +It's Kate's turn. Kate is hacking into the Department of +Motor Vehicles. She adds 113 traffic violations and DUI +offender status to Gill's record. + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY, BUSY STREET. + +Gill is being arrested quite forcefully by a NYC police +grunt. He is thrown onto the hood of his car and +handcuffed. + + GILL + Hey! Hey, ow! Do you know who I am? Do you + know who I am? + +EXT. CHINATOWN, PUBLIC PHONE. + +Dade's turn. He hacks into the Secret Service's personnel +file, and changes Gill's status to "Deceased." + +INT. GILL'S OFFICE. + + EMPLOYEE + (on phone) + This is accounting, sir. You enquired about + an employee of ours, an Agent Richard Gill? + + GILL + Yes. + + EMPLOYEE + Our records indicate he's deceased. + + GILL + I'm what? + +INT. CYBERDELIA. + +The five are playing pool. + + DADE + Dead. + + PHREAK + Dead? + + DADE + Yeah. Like Rigor Mortis, Habeas Corpus. + + NIKON + Very impressive. + + CEREAL + Super hero like even. + + KATE + Yeah, whatever. What's the score? + +Phreak clicks the pool scoreboard so it says 60 - 60. + + PHREAK + Tie. + +The other four protest. + + PHREAK + Due to Mr. Gill's untimely demise and + everything, I guess you two will have to + improvise the next round. + + DADE + Right. If I win, you wear a dress on our + date. + + KATE + And if I win, so do you. + +Dade thinks about it a second. + + DADE + Deal. + +Kate gives Dade a look that says "I'm going to hold you to +that." + +INT. KATE'S BED. NIGHT. + +A shapely figure wearing a red leather legless suit with a +zipper that goes all the way around the crotch. Hands +caress the sultry figure as the camera pans up. The body +belongs to Dade Murphy. + +Kate wakes up gasping. It was only a dream. She pants +and regains her breath. Then she smiles. She enjoyed +that dream. + + KATE + Oooohhhh... + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY. + + Kate, at her locker, stops Dade. + + KATE + Dade. I didn't know your size, so I guessed. + +She opens her locker to reveal a red leather bustier and +bikini bottom. + + KATE + You are man enough to stick with the deal, + aren't you? + +Dade walks off. + +INT. DADE'S PLACE. + +Dade signs an electronic pad for a package from UPS. He +takes the package. + + DADE + Thanks. + +He closes the door and opens the package. It is a laptop +computer, clear plastic shell, full colour screen. Very +high-end, perhaps the equal to Kate's machine. He turns +it on. The Plague's face, distorted, appears. It speaks. + + PLAGUE + You wanted to know who I am, Zero Cool? Well + let me explain the New World Order. + Governments and corporations need people like + you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard + cowboys. And all those other people out there + who have no idea what's going on are the + cattle. Mooo! I need your help, you need my + help. Let me help you earn your spurs. Ahh, + think about it. Enjoy the laptop, "Cool"! + Tell me where the disk is. + +Plague's face vanishes. + +INT. JOEY'S ROOM. + +Joey lies on his bed with a comic book, looking +despondent. His mother enters. + + JOEY'S MOM + You look pitiful. Okay, okay, you're not + grounded anymore. + +She kisses his forehead and leaves. He springs back to +life, gets up and gets the disc from where he stashed it +in the air vent. + +EXT. PARK. + +Joey is nervously waiting on a park bench. Phreak arrives. +Agents Ray and Bob still have Joey staked out. + + PHREAK + Yo, what's up? + + JOEY + Dude dude dude, I gotta talk to you a minute, + listen listen listen. I copied a garbage file + from... + + PHREAK + Big deal. A garbage file's got shit in it, + Joey, come on. + + JOEY + Nono, it's like hot or something. I don't know. + + PHREAK + Joey, a garbage file holds miscellaneous data. + Junk. Bits of stuff that's been erased, man. + + JOEY + I copied it from Ellingson, okay? They're + asking me about it, alright? Will you take a + look for me? + +Joey hands Phreak the disc. Agent Bob is taking pictures, +and Phreak notices. + + PHREAK + Oh shit, Joey, you've got a tail. + +Joey sees, and runs for it. + + JOEY + Shit! + +The agents split up, one runs after Joey, the other after +Phreak. + +INT. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' ROOM. + +Phreak has lost his tail. He puts Joey's disc behind a +condom machine in the boys' room at school, and sticks it +there with gum. + +INT. PHREAK'S ROOM. + +Phreak frantically destroys all records of his hacking +career. He knows he's about to be busted. + +DREAM SEQUENCE. + +The Secret Service is about to burst in on Phreak. He +still hasn't destroyed any records, and starts manically +going through everything. Gill is on his laptop screen. + + GILL + I'm watching you... + +INT. PHREAK'S ROOM. MORNING. + +A knock on the door. Phreak awakes. It's his mother. + + PHREAK'S MOM + Ramon? Wake up. Ramon! Wake up! Vamano. + Time for school, come on. + +The secret service bursts in through the window just as +Phreak's mom opens the blind. She screams, Phreak leaps +to his feet. + + AGENT + Secret Service, don't move! + + PHREAK + Deja vu! + + AGENT BOB + Ray Sanchez, you are under arrest, under the + Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986. + +Phreak's mom becomes very angry and starts slapping +Phreak, cursing in Spanish. + + PHREAK + What are you waiting for, arrest me already! + +INT. POLICE STATION LOCKUP. + +The undersized Phreak is just a morsel to the hardened +thugs behind these bars and they taunt him viciously as he +is led to his one phone call. + + COP + You get one call. Uno. Understand? + +The cop locks the dial on the phone. + +Phreak waits for the cop to leave, and hangs up. He +starts rapidly pushing the hangup hook, and he hears a +ringing tone. + + OPERATOR + Hello, operator services. + + PHREAK + Hello, operator? I'm having trouble dialing a + number. + + OPERATOR + What number please? + + PHREAK + 555-4202. + + OPERATOR + Just one moment. + + PHREAK + Thank you. + +Kate answers. + + KATE + Hello? + + PHREAK + Hey, it's me. + + KATE + Phreak? + + PHREAK + I'm freaking! Joey wasn't making it up! He + really hacked into Ellingson! He gave me the + disc with a file he copied and now I'm in + jail! They're charging me with some serious + shit! And there's stuff I didn't even do, + like inserting some virus called Da Vinci, and + they keep asking about you guys. + + KATE + You think they're going to bust us? + + PHREAK + Yeah! You better figure out what's on that + disc, cause we're being framed. It's in that + place where I put that thing that time? + +He hangs up just as the cop returns. + +INT. SCHOOL BOYS' ROOM. + +Kate is entirely out of place in the boys' room, as the +boys look on amusedly. She finds the disc behind the +condom machine and pockets it. Then she buys a condom from +the machine and struts out, smiling sweetly, hot as fire. + +INT. DADE'S PLACE. + +Kate knocks. Mrs. Murphy lets Kate and Cereal in. + + MRS. MURPHY + Hi! + (looking Kate over) + Well, now I see what all the fuss is about. + (she shows them to Dade's room) + Dade... you have company. + + CEREAL + It's a nice room. + + KATE + We need your help. + + DADE + Do my ears deceive me? + +Kate starts to leave. + + CEREAL + Nonononono. Truce, you guys. Listen, we got + a higher purpose here, alright? A wake up + call for the Nintendo Generation. We demand + free access to data, well, it comes with some + responsibility. When I was a child, I spake + as a child, I understood as a child, I thought + as a child, but when I became a man I put away + childish things. + (pause) + What... It's Corinthians I, Chapter 13, verse + 11, no duh. Come on. + + KATE + Phreak and Joey are being framed. We need + your help to figure out what's on this disc. + + DADE + I can't. Everybody who touches that thing + gets busted, I can't afford to get arrested, + I'm sorry. + + CEREAL + Maybe I should just go to the bathroom or + something. + +Cereal leaves the room. + + KATE + What is it with you? I know we've been + playing games, but, we're supposed to be on + the same side and we really need your help. I + really need your help. + + DADE + I'm sorry, I can't. + + KATE + Well, could you just make a copy of the disc? + And just hide it in case we get busted, so we + have something to give our lawyers, something + that hasn't been tampered with? Can you do + that? + +A knock on the door. Dade's mom peeks in. + + MRS. MURPHY + Listen you guys, help yourself to anything in + the fridge. Cereal has. + +She leaves. + + KATE + (to Mrs. Murphy) + Thank you. + + DADE + Okay. I'll copy it. + + KATE + Okay, thank you. + +Later. Plague phones Dade. Plague has Lauren Murphy's +records on his screen. + + PLAGUE + The girl. The girl has the disc I need. + + DADE + I told you, I don't play well with others. + + PLAGUE + Turn on your laptop. Set it to receive a + file. + +Dade does. + +An extensive criminal record with a strange woman's +picture comes up. The strange woman transforms into +Dade's mother. + + PLAGUE + Lauren Murphy is now a wanted felon in the + state of Washington. Forgery, Embezzlement, + two drug convictions, plus she jumped parole. + When she's arrested, she will not have a + trial, she will not pass go, she will go + directly to jail. Then I change this file + back to the original, and your mom disappears. + + DADE + That's bullshit. + + PLAGUE + What can I tell you. Computers never lie, + kid. Your mom will be arrested at work, + she'll be handcuffed, and later, strip + searched. + + DADE + You lay a finger on her and I'll kill you. + + PLAGUE + Kid, don't threaten me. There are worse + things than death and, uh, I can do all of + them! + +Dade emerges from his room. His exhausted, overworked +mother is asleep on the couch. He pulls a blanket over +her. + +EXT. PUBLIC PHONE, WET STREET, NIGHT. + +Shortly after, Dade is outside on a payphone. + + PLAGUE + Talk to me. + + DADE + I got it. But listen, Kate didn't know what's + on it. I mean, she came to me to figure it + out. She's not the one who planted the virus. + You leave her alone. + + PLAGUE + Hey, don't worry, kid. If she's innocent, + she'll be fine. Your mommy's safe now, okay? + +Dade hangs up and waits for some time. A limousine drives +by, with a skateboarder tailing. Plague grabs the disc, +jumps in the limo and speeds away. Dade tries to chase +but gives up quickly. + +INT. KATE'S ROOM. + +Dade shows up. Kate, Nikon, and Cereal are working on the +disc. + + DADE + Kate, listen. + + KATE + Uh, hold on... + + DADE + I have to tell you something. + + CEREAL + Hold on a second! + + NIKON + Look at this, it's so lean and clean. + + CEREAL + Looks like a hacker wrote it. + + KATE + Come here, look at this. This thing is dense. + +Nikon points out part of the code. + + NIKON + But that's ill, man. It's incomplete. This + is taking forever and a day to figure out. + I'm gonna make some coffee. + +Dade takes Nikon's place. + + CEREAL + Tag, you're in. + +Hours pass. Dade studies and reverse engineers the +garbage file. The other hackers watch, and do just about +anything but be hackers. Finally, over boxes of +half-finished pizza, Dade makes an announcement. + + DADE + This isn't a virus. It's a worm! + + NIKON + What's this one eat? + + DADE + It nibbles. You see this? + +Dade indicates a rapidly scrolling data display. + + DADE + This is every financial transaction Ellingson + conducts, yeah? From million dollar deals to + the ten bucks some guy pays for gas. + + KATE + The worm eats a few cents from each transaction. + + DADE + And no one's caught it because the money isn't + really gone. It's just data being shifted + around. + + KATE + Right. And when the worm's ready, it zips out + with the money and erases its tracks. + + DADE + Joey got cut off before he got to that part. + Check it out. By this point, it's already + running at, what, twice the speed as when it + started. + + KATE + Right, and at this rate it ends its run in... + + NIKON + Two days. + + DADE + And judging by this segment alone, it's + already eaten about... + + CEREAL + 21.8 million bucks, man. + +Nikon whistles. + + KATE + Whoever wrote this needs somebody to take the + fall. And that's Phreak, and that's Joey, and + that's us. We've got to get the rest of the + file, so we can find out where the money is + going before the worm disappears, so we can + find out WHO created it. + + DADE + I know, I know who wrote it. + + KATE + What? + + DADE + This Ellingson security creep. I gave him a + copy of the disc you gave me. + + KATE + You what? + + DADE + I didn't know what was on it. + + CEREAL + (agitated) + Oh man. That's universally stupid, man! + + NIKON + Yo, man, you an amateur, man. + + KATE + Why did he come to you? + + DADE + I got a record. I was Zero Cool. + + NIKON + Zero Cool? Crashed fifteen hundred and seven + systems in one day? + +Nikon closes his eyes and access his photographic memory. + + NIKON + Biggest crash in history, front page, New + York Times, August 10th, 1988. I thought + you was black, man! Yo, man, this is Zero + Cool! Oh, shit! + + CEREAL + That's far out! + + NIKON + This is Zero Cool, man! Whooo, haha! + + KATE + (coldly) + Well that's great. There goes MIT. + + DADE + I'll make it up to you! + + KATE + How? + + DADE + I'll hack the Gibson. + + NIKON + They'll trace you like that + (snaps his fingers) + man, cops are gonna find you, they're + gonna find you with a smoking gun. + + DADE + Fucked if I care, man. + + NIKON + Look, even if you had the passwords, it'll + take you ten minutes to get in, and you've + still gotta find the files, man, I mean, the + cops will have you in... five minutes. + + CEREAL + Oh wow, we are fried. + + KATE + (suddenly lighter-hearted) + Never send a boy to do a woman's job. With + me, we can do it in seven. + + CEREAL + You're both screwed. I help, we can do it in six. + + NIKON + Jesus, I gotta save all your asses. I help, + we can do it in five minutes, man. + + DADE + Okay. Let's go shopping. + + CEREAL + Woo hoo! Boom! + +EXT. OUTSIDE ELLINGSON BUILDING. + +Dade and Kate cut through a chain link fence and jump into +a dumpster at Ellingson. Kate lands on Dade. + + DADE + You know, if I didn't live by a strict code of + honor, I might take advantage of this + situation. Erotically, as it were. + +Kate fishes around in her pants, never breaking eye +contact with Dade. She pulls out a flashlight. They +start trashing. They get up to leave and are spotted by a +security guard. + + GUARD + Alright, hold it right there! + +Kate pulls out a flare gun and fires it at the security +guard. He ducks. + + DADE + Shit!! + + KATE + It's my subway defense system. + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET. + +Nikon is staring down a manhole, Cereal is fishing through +an adjacent phone company truck. + + NIKON + He's way down there. + +Cereal emerges with a beltload of equipment and a hard hat. +But he forgot the most important thing. + + CEREAL + Ta-da! + + NIKON + Yo, brain dead, the manual! + +Cereal goes back to the truck and gets a thick manual. The +phone company technician comes up from the manhole. + + PHONE COMPANY TECH + Hey! + + CEREAL AND NIKON + (in unison, pointing down the street) + TRUCK!!! + +The phone company tech jumps back in the hole, Cereal and +Nikon take off. + +INT. SECRET SERVICE BULDING. + +A woman is seated at the desk. Agent Gill walks by. + + WOMAN + Find it? + +Cereal emerges from the desk, between her legs. His tool +belt dangles obscenely from his crotch. + + CEREAL + Phone's alright. The problem must be + somewhere else. + +Cereal walks away with his buttcrack seriously showing. + +INT. ELLINGSON MINERAL OFFICES. + +Nikon poses as a flower delivery boy. He winds his way +through the offices of Ellingson Mineral, "shoulder +surfing", watching the workers entering passwords. His +photographic memory captures everything. The Plague walks +past him, noticing briefly but not making the connection. + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +The Da Vinci virus' launch/cancel prompt is up. + + MARGO + (pacing) + They had a large chunk of the garbage file? + How much do they know? + + PLAGUE + Not everything. But enough to implicate us. + + MARGO + You said the worm was untreaceable! + + PLAGUE + Yeah. To civilians. But they're hackers. + But don't worry. All we have to do is launch + the Da Vinci virus, and then they'll all be + put away. + + MARGO + Launch the Da Vinci virus? You can't do that! + + PLAGUE + No one believes the guilty. Besides, by the + time they realize the truth, we'll be long + gone with all of our money. + +Margo starts to protest. + + PLAGUE + Look, there is no right and wrong. There is + only fun and boring. A thirty year prison + sentence sounds pretty dull to me. Who do you + prefer serves it, us? Or them? + +Plague clicks on "Launch". The virus repeats its demand. + + VIRUS + Unless five million dollars are transferred to + the following numbered account in seven days, + I will capsize five tankers in the Ellingson + fleet. + +EXT. OPEN SEA. + +As the virus speaks, a supertanker sails on a choppy sea. + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +Plague leaves a message on Gill's answering machine. + + PLAGUE + (sternly) + The virus goes off tomorrow morning at 10:30, + and those hackers tried to get into our system + again. At this point I insist you take more + strenuous action, or Ellingson Mineral will + hold the Secret Service responsible. + +Gill gets on the phone. + + GILL + (grimly) + Get me arrest warrants on Kate Libby, alias + Acid Burn, Emmanuel Goldstein, alias Cereal + Killer, Dade Murphy, alias Crash Override, + also known as Zero Cool, and Paul Cook, alias + Lord Nikon. We pick them up tomorrow morning + at nine o'clock. + +As Gill gives the order, a mysterious device under his +desk blinks. Cereal put it there. + +INT. NIKON'S PLACE. + +Nikon and Cereal taped Gill's orders. + + CEREAL + Snoop onto them... + + NIKON + ...as they snoop onto us. + +Nikon calls Kate. + + KATE + Yeah, it's Kate. + + NIKON + Hey, Burn. We got a little problem here. + +INT. SUBWAY. + +Cereal, Nikon, Dade and Kate skate through a run down +subway platform and get on the "A" Train. They go over +the results of their password gathering spree. + + KATE + Alright, so what have we got? + + DADE + Well, we have fifty passwords, plus whatever + Polaroid head here got inside Ellingson. + + NIKON + Well, I got a lot, alright? I don't know how + many but... my head hurts. + + CEREAL + Yo, everyone check this out. Hey, what's the + Da Vinci virus? + + DADE + What? + + CEREAL + Check this out. It's a memo about how they're + gonna deal with those oil spills that happened + on the fourteenth. + + KATE + What oil spills? + + NIKON + Whoa, whoa. Yo, brain-dead, today is the + thirteenth. + + CEREAL + Well this hasn't happened yet. + + KATE + Wait a minute, the fourteenth, that's the same + day the worm ends its run. I mean... Da Vinci + virus, didn't Phreak say that's what he was + being charged with? Look... + (quotes the memo) + "Infecting ballast programs of Ellingson + tankers" - they blame hackers! + + NIKON + (angry) + Damn! + + CEREAL + A worm AND a virus? The plot thickens. + +Kate gets ready to get off the subway. + + NIKON + Whoa, whoa whoa whoa, where are you going, + huh? + + KATE + I got an idea. We've got a few hours, right, + till we get arrested. So just stay low. I'm + gonna go get some help. I'll beep you, okay? + (to Dade) + Are you coming? + +Dade gets up. + + CEREAL + May the Force be with you, man. + +INT. INDUSTRIAL DANCE CLUB. + +Weird music plays, lots of weird people dance. Razor and +Blade are on stage, dancing in front of a huge speaker. + + KATE + There they are! + + DADE + Razor and Blade! They're flakes! + + KATE + They're elite! Let's get 'em. + +Dade and Kate push through the crowd. The song changes to +a fast industrial rap number, Razor and Blade leave the +stage, and Dade starts getting moshed. He climbs on the +stage to follow Razor and Blade. For his trouble, he is +thrown back onto the crowd, who pass him around overhead. + +Finally the crowd lets him go. He catches up with Kate. + + KATE + I lost 'em. Where were you? + +Dade tries to explain, but is at a loss for words. + +They make their way to the entrance to Razor and Blade's +lair. Video monitors are everywhere. + + DADE + I don't like this. + +A robotic arm with a revolver swings around to point at +Dade. + + DADE + AAAAAUGH! I definitely don't like this! + + BLADE + (through video intercom) + What do you want? + + DADE + Ummm... we come in peace? + +Dade winces at his own corniness. + + KATE + We need your help. If you're up to it. + + RAZOR + She's buff. Ballsy. + + BLADE + Let's keep her. + + RAZOR + Waste the dude. + +The gun goes off. It's only a cigarette lighter! No one +can accuse Razor and Blade of not having a sense of humor. + +INT. RAZOR AND BLADE'S PLACE. + + KATE + A virus called Da Vinci will cause oil spills + at 10:30 AM Eastern Time tomorrow. + + DADE + It's somehow connected with the worm that's + stealing the money. + + KATE + We need your help to overload the Gibson so we + can kill the Da Vinci virus and download the + worm program. + + RAZOR + She's rabid, but cute. + + BLADE + See, we're very busy. A TV network that + wishes to remain nameless has expressed an + interest in our show. + + DADE + (noticing the stench of sellout) + Let's go, Kate. + + RAZOR + Wait. Nobody said no. But you are going to + need more than just two media icons like us. + You need an army. + + BLADE + That's it! An electronic army! If I were us, + I'd get on the internet, send out a major + distress signal. + + RAZOR + Hackers of the World, Unite! + + BLADE + How are you going to take care of the cops? + +Dade just smiles. + +INT. DADE'S ROOM. + +Dade hacks into the city traffic light control system. +Suddenly there is gridlock on the streets of New York +City. + +EXT. CENTRAL PARK. + +Nikon is playing chess against two Hassidic Jews. +Cereal's beeper goes off. It displays the message: + + GRAND CENTRAL + HACK THE PLANET + + CEREAL + Yo. I'm blowing up. It's Kate, Grand + Central. Let's hit it! + +Nikon checkmates his opponent and the two leave. + +Dade, Cereal, Nikon, and Kate skate through the streets. +Dade's program to freeze all the traffic lights on green, +runs on schedule at 9:00:00 precisely. Picture New York City in +morning rush hour, and every traffic light is green. Instant +gridlock ensues. The four skate through the traffic easily, while +the Secret Service, now pursuing them, is stuck. Gill punches a +parked car in frustration. Its alarm goes off. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION. + +The four hackers skate into Grand Central Station and head +to the lowest level. They meet up with Joey. + + CEREAL + Hey Joey, you made it! + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + +The hackers are now setting up laptops at a bank of pay +phones. Dade is wearing a "Pirate Eye" eyepiece. + + KATE + Now listen up, use your best viruses to buy us + time, we have to get into Plague's file and + copy the worm. + +Cereal screams. + + CEREAL + Ai! Boom boom aiaiaiaiaee! Alright, that was + a little tension breaker, that had to be done, + alright? + + KATE + Cereal. + + CEREAL + Yeah? + + KATE + Go fix the phones. + + CEREAL + Roger. + +Cereal takes off to fix the phones. + + KATE + Joey, take his place. + + JOEY + What, me? + + KATE + Take his place, man, do it. You can do it. + +Joey takes Cereal's place. + + KATE + Ready? + + DADE + Yeah. + + KATE + Alright, let's boot up. + +The four boot up their machines. Various vanity screens +come up on the laptops. They begin to hack. We see the +inside of the Gibson. Viruses of all kinds begin to pour +in. In the offices and data processing rooms, the +Ellingson staff are in pandemonium. Happy faces with eye +patches appear on their screens. "Sit on my interface." +"Shit for Brains." "Arf Arf Arf!" Cookie monsters. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + +The big monitor shows the attack in progress. + + MARGO + What is it? What's wrong? + + PLAGUE + Nothing, it's just a minor glitch. + + MARGO + "Minor glitch" with you seems to turn into a + major catastrophe. + +The main screen is filled with: + + I WANT A COOKIE. GIVE ME A COOKIE NOW! + + HAL + There's a new virus in the database. + + MARGO + What's happening? + + HAL + It's replicating, eating up memory. What do I + do? + + PLAGUE + Type "Cookie", you idiot. I'll head 'em off at + the pass. + +Another virus appears. + + HAL + We have a Zero Bug attacking all the login and + overlay files. + + PLAGUE + Run anti-virus. Give me a systems display! + +The systems display comes up. Red flashes everywhere, +signifying new attacks. Plague presses a key. + + PLAGUE + Die, dickweeds! + + HAL + The rabbit is in the administration system. + +Rabbit icons start to fill the systems display. + + PLAGUE + Send a Flu-shot. + + MARGO + Rabbit, Flu-shot, someone talk to me. + + HAL + A rabbit replicates till it overloads a file, + then it spreads like cancer. + + MARGO + Cancer? + +The Da Vinci Virus sings "Row Row Row Your Boat". +Tanker ballasts start filling - for real. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + + KATE + It's the Gibson, it's finding us too fast. + + DADE + Man, there's too many garbage files, I need + more time. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + PLAGUE + They're at Grand Central Station, lower level. + Don't screw up. + +EXT. GRIDLOCKED STREETS. + +The Secret Service and NYPD are stuck. They turn around +and head for Grand Central Station. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + +The public phone next to Dade's rings. Dade answers. +It's The Plague. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + PLAGUE + Game's over. Last chance to get out of this + without a prison sentence. You're not good + enough to beat me, you little shit. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + + DADE + Yeah, maybe I'm not. But we are, you asshole. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + PLAGUE + Give it up! Just give it up. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + +Kate's phone rings. It's Razor. + + RAZOR + Are we fashionably late? + +Hackers in England, Italy, Japan, Russia, everywhere +mobilize and start attacking the Ellingson Gibson. The +English hacker looks and talks suspiciously like Annie +Lennox's husband. Our heroes relentlessly search for +the right garbage file. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + SYSOP + We have massive infection. Multiple GPI and + FSI viruses. + + HAL + They're coming in from remote nodes. They're + going after the Kernal! + + MARGO + Colonel who? + + HAL + The System Command Processor, it's the brain. + + MARGO + Cancer, brain... Brain Cancer? + +Duke Ellingson arrives. + + DUKE ELLINGSON + Belford, what's going on? + + PLAGUE + In short, Duke, a shit storm. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION. + +Dozens of armed Secret Service and SWAT troops push +through the crowded station looking for the hackers. + +INSIDE THE COMPUTER. + +The garbage file lights up. The familiar psychedelic +swirl of equations and fractal graphics returns. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + + DADE + I found it! I found it! + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + PLAGUE + This is the end, my friend. + (smiling sickly) + Thank you for calling! + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + +Dade is disconnected. + + DADE + Oh, shit! He got me. + + NIKON + Joey's getting stupid busy. + +The SS and SWAT are still closing in on the hackers. + + DADE + Joey. I need you to drop your viruses, go + after the worm. You're the closest. + +The SS and SWAT push through crowds. + + DADE + It's root slash period workspace slash + period garbage period. + +The SS are nearly there. + +Joey has found the file. + +The SS arrive. Gill himself has his .357 drawn. + + GILL + Freeze! + +It's an empty bank of payphones, the receivers are linked +together and taped up. No hackers. They keep going. + + GILL + (pissed off but determined) + Ahhh Come on! + +Joey completes the download. + + KATE + (to Razor and Blade) + Kill the Gibson. + + RAZOR + Roger that. + +INT. COMPUTER ROOM, ELLINGSON MINERAL. + + PLAGUE + Come on you son of a bitch, is that all you + got, huh? Come on, let's see what else you + can do! You talking to me? Huh? Hahahaha. + Are you nuts? Come at me! + +Margo and Duke are awed by Plague's imminent failure and +total unprofessionalism. + + HAL + They're in the kernal. + + DA VINCI VIRUS + Help... me... + +The Da Vinci virus dies. The tankers stop capsizing and +right themselves. + + WOMAN + (off screen) + The tankers have stopped capsizing. + + SOMEONE ELSE + (off screen) + Ballast tanks are emptying. It'll be okay. + +The main screen lights up: + + ARF ARF! + WE GOTCHA! + + MESS WITH THE BEST + DIE LIKE THE REST + + PLAGUE + Little pissant! + +The Gibson dies in a flash of light. + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL PUBLIC PHONES. + +The hackers cheer and congratulate each other. + + NIKON + Yes! + + DADE + We did it! + + KATE + Let's get out of here! + + GILL + FREEZE! + +The SS have caught up with the hackers. Agent Bob seems to +be choosing which pore on which hacker's face to blow away +first. Only Joey thinks to put his hands up. + +As they are led away, a handcuffed Dade surrreptitiously tosses the +disc with the worm into a trashcan. + +EXT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION. + +Outside, he notices Cereal, who wasn't present to be +arrested. He yells to the crowd, but really is +addressing Cereal. + + DADE + They're TRASHING our rights, man! They're + TRASHING the flow of data! They're TRASHING! + TRASHING! TRASHING! HACK THE PLANET! HACK + THE PLANET! + + GILL + Shut up and get in the car! + + CEREAL + (understanding the hidden message) + HACK THE PLANET! HACK THE PLANET! + +INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION. + +Later, Cereal is trashing through the garbage cans in +Grand Central Station. Eventually he finds the disc. +To Cereal's disgust, it has gum stuck to it. + +INT. GILL'S OFFICE. + +Gill phones The Plague to report the successful takedown. + + PLAGUE + Hello? + + GILL + We caught 'em. + + PLAGUE + Good. + + GILL + Red handed! You won't be having any more + trouble from them. + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +At Plague's place, Plague and Margo toast with champagne, +giggle, and then scurry off to bed... + +INT. GILL'S OFFICE. + +Dade and Kate are there. + + DADE + Me, alright? I did it. She knows shit about + computers. She... she's just my girlfriend. + + GILL + (laughing) + I suggest you modify your attitude. Because + you are floating. And I'm about to flush your + ass. + +The intercom beeps. + + AGENT + You've got a Mrs. Murphy to see you, sir. + +Gill leaves. + + KATE + Are you crazy? What are you doing? + + DADE + I'm trying to help you. + +She pauses, realizing his gesture. + + KATE + Dade. + + DADE + What? + + KATE + Thanks for your help. + +Dade turns on the intercom. Gill can be heard through it. + + GILL + (grimly) + Your son is in big trouble. He has violated + his probation and he has engaged in criminal + activity. + + MRS. MURPHY + My son happens to be a genius. He understands + something happening today that you won't + comprehend if you live to be a hundred, and he + would never use what he knows to harm a living + soul. + +Agent Bob enters. + + AGENT BOB + The news crew you requested is here. + + MRS. MURPHY + Oh good. Cause I have a few things to tell + them. + + GILL + Your son is facing thirty felony counts in an + ongoing investigation. You face possible + arrest if you do that. + + MRS. MURPHY + Mister, I don't care if I face certain death. + + GILL + Mrs. Murphy stays right here. + + KATE + Oh, wow, she's great. + + DADE + Yeah. + +INT. SECRET SERVICE OFFICES. + +The news crew interviews Gill. + + REPORTER + ...and attacked the Ellingson's computer + network. Is the last we've seen of this type + of high-tech espionage? + + GILL + Well, I'm afraid not. Hackers are a grave + threat to the national security. This + incident just proves without a doubt that we + need increased funding to stop... + +Nikon and Joey are led in. + +The monitors cut into static, then Cereal appears. + + SOMEONE + That kid cut him off! + + CEREAL + Hold on, boys and girls. It is I, the Cereal + Killer, making my first coast to coast, world + wide, global television appearance. Yes, + that's right, I'm here to tell you about this + heinous scheme hatched from within Ellingson + Mineral. + +Razor and Blade busily work on keeping him on the air. + + CEREAL + But for what, you ask? World domination? + Nay. Something far more tacky. A virus called + Da Vinci, that when launched, would cause + Ellingson Mineral tankers to capsize was to be + blamed on innocent hackers. But this virus was + really the smokescreen, right. What could be + so vitally important to protect that someone + would create such a nasty, antisocial, very + uncool virus program? + +Cereal is now seen and heard on the big screen in Times +Square. + + CEREAL + But why? Could it be to cover the tracks for + this worm program? A worm that was to steal 25 + million bucks. The password for this hungry + little sucker belongs to Margo Wallace, head + of public relations at Ellingson Mineral... + +INT. PLAGUE'S LOFT. + +Margo watches this and sits bolt upright in bed. + + MARGO + Oh my God! + + CEREAL + (continuing) + ...and Eugene Belford, Computer Security + Officer. + +INT. SECRET SERVICE OFFICE + + GILL + (finally understanding what's been + going on all along) + Son of a BITCH! + + CEREAL + (continuing) + What's this? Is this the unnamed account in the + Bahamas where the money was to be stashed? I + think so! + +An account number scrolls below Cereal's chin. + + CEREAL + Yo. I kinda feel like God! + +His voice echoes across the earth and among the +satellites. + + MARGO + Plague? + Eugene? + +Almost supernaturally, Plague is already gone. He was +right next to her, stark naked in bed a second ago. + +INT. SECRET SERVICE OFFICES. + +The hackers embrace and congratulate each other again, +Lauren Murphy hugs her son. + +INT. POLICE STATION, WOMEN'S LOCKUP. + +Margo Wallace has been arrested, and is being led into the +women's lockup. Some of the other women grab at her +expensive Italian leather jacket as she is led to her cell. + + MARGO + I don't even know how to work a VCR, let alone + a computer! Get off! Look, listen, I'll make + a deal. Eugene Belford! I know where his + mother is, I promise you. Get offa me! I need + a lawyer! + +INT. AIRLINER CABIN. IN FLIGHT. + + STEWARDESS + Here you are, Mr. Babbage. Flight time to + Tokyo should be about 14 hours today. Can I + get you anything else? + +"Babbage" is The Plague in disguise; he now appears about +60 years old. + + PLAGUE + Just a pillow please. + +The pillow slides in behind his head, he reaches up to +adjust it. + + PLAGUE + Thank you. + +A handcuff snaps onto his wrist. It's Gill. + + GILL + You're welcome. + + PLAGUE + What's going on? Let go of me! Stewardess! + I'll never fly this airline again! + +EXT. NEW YORK CITY SIDEWALK. NIGHT. + +Dade and Kate are on their date. Dade is smartly, +somewhat androgynously dressed. Kate is heavily made up, +and yes, she is wearing a dress. + + DADE + You look good in a dress. + + KATE + You would have looked better. + + DADE + Wanna go for a swim? + +EXT. ROOFTOP SWIMMING POOL. + +Dade and Kate swimming, fully clothed, in a pool on a +roof. + + KATE + I can't believe they decided you won. + + DADE + They didn't. The guys felt it was the only + way I'd get a date. Anyway, you're pretty + good. You're elite. + + KATE + Yeah? You know if you would have said so in + the beginning, you would have saved yourself + a whole lot of trouble. + +They look out at the skyline. Suddenly, the lights in +three buildings change. They spell out: + + C B + R A U + A N R + S D N + H + +Kate laughs, honestly impressed. + + DADE + Beat that! + +Kate continues laughing. + + DADE + You know, I've been having these really + weird.. + + KATE + (finishing his sentence) + Dreams? + +They kiss passionately. + +The credits roll.