VIOLATION

Written by

David Hauge

Git'Box Productions2747 W Lamar Rd602-791-3989

BLACKNESS

A LOW PITCHED FREQUENCY builds faintly.

Short, frantic BREATHING slowly becomes audible.

The low frequency continues to grow, louder and louder, intermingling with the shallow breaths.

A HIGH PITCHED FREQUENCY pierces through the black.

INT - SENTENCING CELL - DAY

DAVON’s eyes snap open as he gasps and breathes heavily. He is wearing a white jumpsuit.

JOHN, a gray-uniformed man stands next to him and removes the nullifier from his ear.

DAVON(gasping)

Where... Am I?

JOHNSentencing cell.

They are standing in a stark room with a large mirror on the wall opposite him, and a table and chair in front of him. He is handcuffed.

DAVONSentencing?

A loud BUZZ sounds. John clutches Davon’s arm and pulls Davon to the seat, forcing him into it.

The only door in the room opens and in strides CARRIE, in a gray pantsuit, sifting through a file-folder of documents.

Selecting a document from the folder, she quickly skims the page and addresses the mirror.

CARRIELadies and gentleman, there is no real reason for any of us to be here today. Guilt or innocence aside, I want to make one point crystal clear. Our defendant is not even human.

Carrie approaches Davon and reads off her page.

CARRIE (CONT’D)Android #4110-

DAVONMy name is Davon.

CARRIE(sighs)

Android #41101974 are you prepared to give testimony today before myself and my peers?

Davon glances briefly at the mirror and then back at Carrie.

DAVONYes.

CARRIEAnd are you prepared to tell the truth to the best of your ability?

DAVONI cannot lie.

CARRIEPlease answer either yes, or no.

DAVONYes.

CARRIEDid you kill Kenneth McCarthy?

Davon hesitates.

DAVONYes.

CARRIEAnd do you realize that in doing so you violated mankind’s trust by disregarding your programming?

DAVONYes.

Carrie stares intently at Davon for a moment, then turns to address the mirror.

CARRIELadies and gentlemen, I want to make clear one more time the simplicity of your decision today.

2.

(MORE)

You are guaranteeing the safety of your fellow man by-

DAVONBut why is this a crime?

Carrie turns her gaze for a moment at Davon, then resumes where she left off.

CARRIEYou are guaranteeing the safety of your fellow man by keeping a dangerous machine-

DAVONHe was trying to kill me!

Carrie bristles to herself for a moment.

CARRIELadies and gentlemen it is my recommendation that this model be decommissioned and dismantled immediately.

DAVONNo! I did nothing wrong!

CARRIE(interrupting)

It’s parts sent to the manufacturer for study, so that this type of malfunction never happens again.

DAVON(interrupting)

Why are you doing this to me?

A red light begins to glow next to the mirror. Carrie brings her face close to Davon’s.

CARRIEI’m doing this because you’re an upstart android that caused the death of an innocent man. It’s a mockery to me and to the entire justice system that this case even made it here, and I want to make an example of you and any others who value themselves more than human.

Davon is left stunned as Carrie turns to leave.

3.

CARRIE (CONT'D)

CARRIE (CONT’D)John, take him down to processing. Now.

John pulls Davon out of his chair.

INT - ELEVATOR - DAY

John pulls Davon into the elevator and pushes the button to descend. Davon is visibly shaking.

JOHNWow... I didn’t know you could get her so worked up.

DAVONI don’t want to die.

John perks his head up at this.

JOHNHmm... If I was a robot, I wouldn’t be scared. It’s not like robots can go to hell.

Davon looks at John in complete disbelief.

JOHN (CONT’D)I’m just saying.

John looks down at his hand and sees he’s still holding the nullifier.

JOHN (CONT’D)Oh, shit.

John raises the nullifier to Davon’s ear. A HIGH PITCHED FREQUENCY swells and Davon flinches away.

DAVONYou’re not putting that thing back on me.

JOHNI’ve got to, it’s protocol.

Davon shakes his head.

John forcibly tries to stick the nullifier on Davon’s ear. The frequency swells and Davon knocks it out of John’s hand. He slams his arms into John with a loud thud.

4.

INT - HALLWAY - DAY

Carrie walks down the hallway, file folder in hand, as she studies case files.

A RINGING emanates from her person. She stops, and taps her lapel.

CARRIEYes?

NORMANThe android is a runner ma’am. He killed John and is now headed toward the rear loading dock with his key card.

CARRIEDoes anyone else know about this?

NORMANNo one.

CARRIEKeep it that way.

Carrie walks quickly down the hall.

INT - HALLWAY

Davon is wearing John’s uniform and brusquely makes his way past two similarly dressed officers. The two glance back at Davon for a moment, then continue walking.

INT - SUPPLY ROOM - DAY

Carrie enters the room and grabs a nullifier off the table. She picks up a pistol from the wall.

INT - LOADING DOCK - DAY

Davon enters the large concrete loading dock to find it empty. An open door at the far side of the room lets in a bright stream of light. He walks toward it.

Davon is nearly halfway to the exit when the piercing noise of the nullifier faintly hums to life. A female silhouette obscures the exit. Davon stops.

CARRIEYou killed again.

5.

DAVONHe was trying to kill me.

CARRIE(interrupting)

No. He was doing his job.

DAVONThat makes it okay for you?

CARRIENo, what makes it okay for me is that you’re a door-bell, and you’ve killed two people.

Davon makes his way slowly but surely toward Carrie. The shriek of the nullifier intensifies.

DAVONYou really think I’m just going to lay down and let you take my life?

CARRIEYou don’t have a life.

DAVONYes I do.

Carrie hesitates.

CARRIEStop.

Carrie raises the nullifier as Davon continues walking, the noise swells, drowning out all thought.

CARRIE (CONT’D)You’re not leaving.

Carrie takes out the pistol and aims at Davon. Davon hesitates for a moment, and continues walking.

Davon is nearly on top of Carrie when she fires. Davon dodges his head out of the way and knocks the gun from her hand.

She attempts to put the nullifier on his ear but Davon catches her wrist and squeezes until it drops to the floor. He smashes it with his foot and the nullifier’s shriek dies.

The two stare at each other for a split second before Davon picks Carrie up and throws her to the ground.

Davon bends over to pick up Carrie’s weapon. He walks over to her where she coughs, and groans in pain.

6.

CARRIE (CONT’D)You... Are dangerous.

DAVONI’m not going to harm anyone who doesn’t threaten me.

Davon points the gun at Carrie’s forehead.

CARRIEYou don’t follow the rules.

DAVONThe rules don’t accommodate me.

Davon cocks the weapon.

CARRIEThat doesn’t give you the privilege to break them. You talk about having life, you don’t even understand what that means. Go ahead, kill me. Because if you don’t I promise I’m going to kill you.

Davon stares into Carrie’s eyes. After a long moment, he stands back up, turns, begins to walk, increasing his pace until he’s running out the door.

FADE TO BLACK.

7.