Killer Loop

Part Three

Scene One

The massive shuttle marked Babylon III drifts through deep space. It is a marvel to behold, half-aircraft carrier half-cruise ship, the size of a small country. It's destination and ETA are unknown to most of its many citizens, who live their Earth-length lifespans in symbiosis with the ship. clusters of Babylon III's multiple levels have been divided into different sectors: Health & Sciences, Nutrition & Agriculture, Information & Technology, and Residential to name a few.

Scene cuts to a lower deck in the Residential sector, where we find the investigator SAWANO, in his run-down flat. The tv, unplugged from the socket, sits on flattening boxes; his blinds show the wear of corners being bent to peer through; empty bottles decorate each room. He enters the living room, walking past a wall full of Missing Persons posters, a drink in his hand. He's looking for something.

His foot knocks  a bottle over, its contents spilling and soaking into the carpet. SAWANO kicks over another nearby bottle in frustration.

SAWANO: (grumbling to himself) "Asking someone else who doesn't give a shit." Where the fuck does he get off?

He continues his search until he finds what he is looking for, a laptop, hidden in the cushion of his loveseat. Its charger is not far. After wiping the dust off, He powers the laptop on and opens a web browser, connecting to a security checkpoint. He enters a password that grants him access to Babylon III's facial ID reference book. He drags in a picture of JUZO, taken unbeknownst to him, and watches the site estimate a completion time of 176 hours. SAWANO scoffs

SAWANO: Incredible. Just when I thought I'd stay home and clean.

He downs his drink, then stands up.

Meanwhile, in the Health & Science sector

An armored box truck rides through the streets. JUZO  sits in its passenger seat, looking out the window. He, like the driver, is wearing a mix of riot gear and sanitation suit, a helmet sits on the dashboard. A GPS in the truck speaks up over the radio

GPS: In one mile, the destination will be on your right.

 The DRIVER presses a button on the dashboard.

DRIVER: Nap time's over, boys. Time to earn our pay.

A voice responds through the radio

LABORER 1: Copy. Everyone's up and armed.

DRIVER: Copy. (to JUZO) you hear that? Up and armed.

JUZO: Yeah, yeah. It's not like I can sleep with you behind the wheel, anyway.

The truck approaches a researchers facility, they see their turn blocked off by police barricade. The parking lot is flooded with police as well as evacuated scientists and staff, BUNKO amongst them. The truck comes to a stop as an officer hails them down and approaches. 

DRIVER: (flashing a badge) We're with Labor Sector. What's going on?

POLICE: Contamination breach. Apparently a few of the test subjects got loose and ran amok in the greenhouse.

JUZO scans the crowd

JUZO: Thought there'd be a lot more staff out here.

POLICE: Only the affected faculties were evacuated. The test subjects are locked in the greenhouses. 

DRIVER: What, alive? We were only sent out here for cleanup.

POLICE: You're laborers, right?

DRIVER starts to talk again, but this time JUZO cuts him off, now securing his helmet.

JUZO: Relax. We'll take it up with the Board. (To police) we'll be out in a second. 

POLICE: You can park over there.

The truck pulls off. 

Scene Two

Scene opens in Temptation on a rainy night. The neon lights reflect off puddles throughout the streets. A couple walks the streets laughing and chattering. They enter an alleyway where a man sits beside a trash can. Another man follows behind them

GIRLFRIEND: I thought you had an invitation

BOYFRIEND: I do have an invitation (Pulls a bright red holographic card) This is the address, see?

GIRLFRIEND: I knew it was too good to be true. Come on, let's go find the guy that--

The man stands up and turns to them, hands in his pockets. BOYFRIEND stands between the man and GIRLFRIEND as the man eyes them

MAN: Empty your pockets

BOYFRIEND: (Scared) Look, man, we don't want any trouble. (He turns around to see another man behind them, cutting off their exit)

MAN: Empty your pockets. I'm not going to tell you again. (The couple empty their pockets and purse. MAN approaches them and picks up the invitation and their cell phones. After eyeing the invitation) It's legit. (The man behind them backs off into the shadows)

BOYFRIEND: (Confused) Wh--what's going on?

MAN: (Knocking on the wall) No cell phones or cameras allowed. (The wall opens like a door as he tosses their cell phones in the trash can, which is full of other phones and cameras. Giving back the invitation) Enjoy the Loop.

The couple cautiously enters and the wall closes behind them. The two men return to their posts. The couple stands in a tight corridor. Posters of corpses, victims of the loops, are plastered on the walls. They walk slowly, their breaths echo off the walls, until they come to an elevator. Another man stands in the elevator, a spiked bat is propped behind him. BOYFRIEND hands him the invitation. The man looks at it, then the couple, before motioning for them to step in. The elevator closes behind them and begins to descend. The man stands beside the exit, and the BOYFRIEND stands between him and GIRLFRIEND. Everyone is quiet as the elevator descends lower and lower. There is a muffled roar of applause and cheers getting closer. The elevator stops and the doors open. GIRLFRIEND leaves the elevator quickly. Before BOYFRIEND can leave, the man slides a syringe from his sleeve to his hand and stabs him in the shoulder. GIRLFRIEND turns and screams, now inaudible over the roars nearby, as the elevator closes. Another man appears from behind her and stabs her with a syringe