Panopticon
[INT. MAGNUS INSTITUTE: THE TUNNELS]
[TAPE CLICKS ON. THE SOUND OF PETER’S STATIC IS AUDIBLE IN THE BACKGROUND ALONG WITH SLOW, HEAVY FOOTSTEPS. MARTIN MAKES AN AGITATED SOUND.]
PETER
(pleasantly) Is everything alright, Martin?
MARTIN
It’s fine. Don’t particularly like it down here.
PETER
Ah, yes, of course. Hard to trust the doors, I imagine.
MARTIN
(wry chuckle) Yeah, well, everyone else seems to these days, so…
PETER
But she’s still the same corridors, I suppose. I’m sure… what was his name… Tim! Tim w–
MARTIN
(interrupting) I would really. Rather not talk about it, Peter.
PETER
Very well. This way.
[A FEW SECONDS OF SILENCE AND FOOTSTEPS.]
MARTIN
Are you sure about that map? I’m pretty certain the tunnels change.
PETER
Oh, don’t worry about that. Ink’s practically still wet. Not to mention, if they do change, well… I happen to have something that will change them back.
[RUSTLING]
MARTIN
That’s a Leitner.
PETER
It is!
MARTIN
And the, um… the blood on it?
PETER
(cheerfully) That’s Leitner too!
MARTIN
(apprehensively) …Riiight.
PETER
Do you want to see how it works?
MARTIN
No, no, I’d really rather you didn’t –
PETER
No, I insist! Watch.
[A FEW SECONDS OF SILENCE AS NOTHING HAPPENS.]
MARTIN
(wryly sarcastic) Very impressive.
PETER
I’m reading. Shush.
[MORE SILENCE, THEN FAINT FOOTSTEPS.]
MARTIN
Peter. Peter, there’s a… Peter, I think there’s something in there.
PETER
Mm-hmm. I’d stay quiet if I were you.
[A LOUD, SCRAPING SOUND GROWS IN VOLUME, ALONG WITH AGITATED, INHUMAN NOISES, BEFORE NOT-SASHA ENTERS WITH A DISTORTED SCREAM. IT LETS OUT A FEW RAGGED GASPS.]
NOT-SASHA
So you finally decided to let me out, John? (calling) Jooooohn?
Who’s there?
[MARTIN’S TERRIFIED BREATHING CAN BE HEARD.]
Who let me out?
Don’t be shy… I just want to say thank you.
…alright, have it your way. Now if you’ll excuse me… I have some unfinished business.
[IT LETS OUT A CACKLING LAUGH AS ITS VOICE FADES.]
[MARTIN LETS OUT A SHAKY BREATH.]
MARTIN
That – that – that was. Um –
PETER
Yes!
MARTIN
And it’s going to –
PETER
Make sure everyone is too busy to follow us. They’ll be fine… probably.
You could still go help them. If you insist.
[SEVERAL SECONDS OF SILENCE, MARTIN LETS OUT A RESIGNED INHALE.]
PETER
(satisfied) Very good. Come on.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
ARCHIVIST
Gone how?
DAISY
Just walked, out as far as we can tell.
BASIRA
A couple of guards on duty vanished too.
ARCHIVIST
(agitated) Vanished. How?!
BASIRA
Just left. Best we can tell, he had some dirt on them.
DAISY
Old friend at the prison let us know.
ARCHIVIST
What, and no one thought of that?
BASIRA
Asshole could have left at any time, but he just sat there laughing at us.
ARCHIVIST
No, no, this – this can’t be a coincidence.
BASIRA
Coincidence with what?
ARCHIVIST
Martin, or someone, left me a tape. Him and Peter Lukas are looking for something down in the tunnels.
BASIRA
Do you know what?
ARCHIVIST
No. He called it a device.
DAISY
When?
ARCHIVIST
I mean, I don’t – I mean… n-now? I guess? They could – it can’t be a coincidence that this is when Elias chooses to make a break for it.
BASIRA
You think he’s coming here?
ARCHIVIST
You don’t?
DAISY
Let’s go.
ARCHIVIST
(sighs) I’ll get the key.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
[MORE CLANGING FOOTSTEPS.]
MARTIN
What is this place?
PETER
The panopticon of Millbank prison. Not quite as Smirke originally conceived it, of course; Jonah Magnus made certain… adjustments.
MARTIN
And it’s been down here the whole time?
PETER
Why’d you think this was chosen as the Institute’s location when the prison closed? It’s a significant site of power for the Beholding. From the tower in the center of this room, you can see everything.
MARTIN
But there’s nothing in the cells.
PETER
I don’t mean the cells, Martin! I mean everything. Come on. Mind your step, this comes from an era before safety rails.
MARTIN
I don’t understand. Why are we here?
PETER
It’s quite simple, really. I want to use the powers of this place to learn about the Extinction – what it’s doing, where it’s manifesting. Then we can stop it.
MARTIN
And you need me for this?
PETER
Correct! Without a connection to the Eye, any attempt to use it would likely end very messily indeed. But thankfully it just so happens that you hold such a connection.
MARTIN
So that’s it. Both Lonely and Watching.
PETER
You must admit you’re the perfect candidate.
MARTIN
I suppose I am.
PETER
There is, of course, just one other complication? You’ll have to dispose of the current occupant.
MARTIN
Current…
[MARTIN SEES SOMETHING AND STOPS.]
(tense) Who is that?
PETER
Jonah Magnus! His body at least. Sitting here, watching. Binding it all together, growing ever older. If you want to take his place, well…
MARTIN
I’ll need to kill him.
PETER
Yes. Don’t worry, though, I brought a knife.
[THE SOUND OF ROLLING, SLIDING STONE.]
MARTIN
(shaky breath) Where are his eyes?
ELIAS
Exactly where they’ve always been, Martin.
[MARTIN LETS OUT A TREMBLING GASP.]
Watching over my Institute.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
BASIRA
And you’re sure?
ARCHIVIST
Yes, I’m sure it wasn’t here before!
BASIRA
It’s just that there’s a lot of tapes around.
ARCHIVIST
And I don’t keep any of them with the key to the tunnels. It’s been left for me.
DAISY
And it says ‘play me’. Kind of suspicious.
BASIRA
So Elias left it.
ARCHIVIST
Or Martin, or Peter, or Annabelle!
BASIRA
Fine. Whatever. Could be a distraction.
ARCHIVIST
Only one way to find out.
BASIRA
We don’t have time for this.
DAISY
We don’t know that. We’ve no idea what sort of time frame we’re on. I say play it.
ARCHIVIST
Thank you.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
[THE SOUND OF SLOSHING LIQUID. A DOOR SWINGS OPEN.]
ELIAS (JONAH)
Gertrude.
GERTRUDE
(under her breath) Damn.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?
GERTRUDE
I’d rather hoped you’d still be hampered with all the Dark’s business. It’s their ‘Grand Eclipse’ at the moment, isn’t it?
ELIAS (JONAH)
But I think we’ve both come to the same conclusion about that. That’s why you’re here.
GERTRUDE
Yes. Shame, really. I used to be able to torch a building in half the time. Age catches us all. (contemptuously) Well, almost all of us, Elias.
ELIAS (JONAH)
You were the one so… insistent on staying human.
GERTRUDE
And no doubt that makes my death a lot less complicated.
ELIAS (JONAH)
What exactly were you hoping to achieve here? Why not come at me directly instead of burning everything first?
GERTRUDE
I was rather hoping the fire would occupy you while I did just that.
ELIAS (JONAH)
I see.
How long have you known?
GERTRUDE
About your body? Not long after you took your new host and we had our little… chat. It wasn’t exactly a huge leap to the panopticon after that. The hard part was figuring out how to actually reach it. Took me the better part of a decade.
ELIAS (JONAH)
So you burn the place down, use it as cover to reach my body, and then we die together. How poetic. Doesn’t seem like your style at all.
GERTRUDE
I wasn’t actually planning on dying.
ELIAS (JONAH)
And how exactly were you planning on achieving that while you’re still bound to the… ha. Oh, I see. Very clever. (amused smirk) I thought Eric was the only one to figure that little morsel out.
GERTRUDE
Knowledge has a way of surviving. You of all people should know that.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Quite. It was a good plan, actually. If you hadn’t been so complacent about me keeping an eye out down here, probably would have worked. (sarcastic) Gertrude’s grand retirement.
GERTRUDE
It still might.
[SOUND OF FLINT AND STEEL]
Just needs a little spark, and –
[A GUN COCKS.]
I see. So you’re finally getting your hands dirty? I must really have caught you off guard.
ELIAS (JONAH)
I suppose we both got a little complacent. Fifty years is a long time. End of an era.
GERTRUDE
I’m not really in the mood for nostalgia, Elias. You might have noticed I’m rather busy so either shoot me or –
[A GUNSHOT RINGS OUT. GERTRUDE GASPS AND COLLAPSES.]
GERTRUDE
(gasping) Well… there it is. Thought it would hurt more.
ELIAS
(sighs) Pity.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
BASIRA
Right, so what does that tell us?
John? John?
ARCHIVIST
Y-yes, sorry, right. Just, uh… uh, the panopticon. It’s the, um-
BASIRA
The design of Milbank prison, based on an all-seeing watchtower. I know. I did the reading.
ARCHIVIST
Right.
BASIRA
You think that’s the device?
ARCHIVIST
Yes. And I’d wager that Elias’ body –
BASIRA
Gotta be Jonah Magnus, right?
ARCHIVIST
I’d say so.
BASIRA
(sigh) And he’s been body hopping like whatever was in Reynor.
ARCHIVIST
So is he going to help Peter or stop him?
BASIRA
Lukas is planning to take over the panopticon. Can’t imagine he wants that to happen.
ARCHIVIST
But Elias put him in charge. That doesn’t make any- what… Daisy are you-?
BASIRA
Shh!
[HEAVY, UNEVEN FOOTSTEPS. DISTANT FEMALE SCREAMS CAN BE HEARD.]
ARCHIVIST
Oh, no.
BASIRA
Stay here, both of you. I’ll check it out.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
PETER
What are you doing here, Elias?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Oh, you needn’t worry.
PETER
Two against one?
ELIAS (JONAH)
I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to. I just wanted to be here at the end. Can a man not watch his own death?
MARTIN
What, wh- what? What? How are you even here?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Well-
PETER
Don’t let him distract you.
ELIAS (JONAH)
(contemptuous) Peter.
PETER
(equally contemptuous) Elias.
MARTIN
Both of you just – just shut up. Just give me a second to think.
PETER
Of course. You can take all the time in the world.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Come now, Martin. I would have thought you’d jump at the chance to kill me.
MARTIN
That’s not… why wouldn’t you help against the Extinction?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Because I’m a busy man. It has never been my top priority.
MARTIN
I don’t believe you.
ELIAS (JONAH)
That really doesn’t matter, I’m afraid. It’s the only answer you’re going to get.
MARTIN
If I…
If I do kill you, will the others survive?
PETER
Elias?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Come now, Peter, it’s a valid question. And you should have addressed it yourself, really.
The short answer is, I don’t know, Martin. I guarantee it won’t be pleasant for them, but I honestly don’t know if their ties to the Institute are quite as strong as I may have implied. You, at least should be insulated from the fallout by your new allegiance. John… might be powerful enough to weather it. Melanie’s well out of it, so that just leaves Basira and Daisy. And the rest of the Institute, of course, and you can’t tell me you care about them.
MARTIN
(indignant) Wh- of course I do!
ELIAS (JONAH)
Do you though? Do you really care about any of them? Or is that worrying just simply an old reflex?
Goodness. Peter has done his work well, hasn’t he? No, the only choice I think that matters is whether you want to kill me or not.
MARTIN
I do. (laughs) I really, really do.
PETER
Then do it, Martin. We’re the same, you and I. We don’t need anyone else. watching from a distance, that’s always who you’ve been. Haven’t you enjoyed it these last few months, drifting through the Archives unseen, unjudged? You’ll like it in there. I promise.
MARTIN
Yeah. Yeah, I think I would.
PETER
Then do it. Kill him and help me save the world.
[A LONG PAUSE.]
MARTIN
No.
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
DAISY
Well?
BASIRA
Looks like two people. An old guy and-
DAISY
A woman with a scar.
ARCHIVIST
Oh, God, now? Why now?!
BASIRA
It’s probably not a coincidence. From what I saw they’ve been toying with the rest of the Institute, but it won’t be long until they’re all dead or escaped.
DAISY
And then they’re coming here.
ARCHIVIST
(under his breath) Right.
BASIRA
Set up by the door. Try and take them when they break through.
DAISY
Right.
ARCHIVIST
Do I, uh… do I get a gun?
BASIRA
You’ve fired one?
ARCHIVIST
(indignant) You never taught me!
BASIRA
You never asked. Besides, we’ve got problems enough without –
[A LOUD CRASH.]
NOT-SASHA
Hello, John.
BASIRA
Oh, shit.
ARCHIVIST
You’ve got to be fucking kidding –
[LOUD CRASH, GUNSHOTS]
BASIRA
Go!
[CLATTERING SOUNDS AS JOHN RUNS.]
TREVOR
Joooooonny boy! (cackles)
JULIA
We want to make a statement!
NOT-SASHA
Oh, hello! What’s happening here? New friends?
[GUNSHOTS. NOT-SASHA LAUGHS.]
NOT-SASHA
Not new friends? Even better.
DAISY
What the hell is that thing?
JULIA
Ha! You see that, old man?
TREVOR
Talking. They’re all monsters in here.
ARCHIVIST
You remember what happened to Sasha?
BASIRA
That’s the thing that took her.
ARCHIVIST
It was trapped in the tunnels. It – Martin. Something’s happening down there.
BASIRA
If he’s down there with Peter, or Elias… dammit, we need to get down there.
TREVOR
(in the background) Come out, come out, wherever you are!
(sniffs) Can you smell ‘em?
JULIA
Ugh. Hard to tell over the stink of that thing!
BASIRA
They’ll follow us… goddammit. John, go, we’ll keep them busy.
ARCHIVIST
What? No! I –
BASIRA
Don’t argue. Just go.
NOT-SASHA
Joooon?
ARCHIVIST
Fine. Just don’t die.
BASIRA
Go.
[A FEW MOMENTS OF SILENCE AND CLANKING.]
BASIRA
This might be it.
DAISY
Basira…
BASIRA
Didn’t think it would end like this. (heh) You know what, actually, I think I did.
[JULIA LAUGHS MANIACALLY IN THE BACKGROUND]
DAISY
Basira, promise me something.
BASIRA
What – no. Daisy, no.
DAISY
Basira, when this is over, you need to find me. And kill me. Promise me.
BASIRA
No. No, Daisy, we’ll figure something out.
NOT-SASHA
You can’t hide forever, John…
DAISY
These last few months… it was always borrowed time, wasn’t it? Can’t outrun it forever.
BASIRA
(desperately) Daisy…
DAISY
Promise me.
BASIRA
I promise.
DAISY
Thanks. Now run.
BASIRA
Daisy –
DAISY
(voice growling, distorted by the Hunt) Run…
[QUICK FOOTSTEPS, DAISY SNARLING. JULIA LAUGHS AND COCKS A GUN.].
JULIA
There you are.
TREVOR
All alone.
DAISY
(snarling) Shit!
[A GUNSHOT RINGS OUT.]
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
PETER
Martin. What are you doing?
MARTIN
I’m… saying no. I refuse. Game over.
[THE KNIFE CLATTERS TO THE GROUND.]
PETER
Martin, this is not the time for petulance. There are bigger things at stake here –
MARTIN
(laugh) You know, I think that was actually the problem. You made the stakes too high. All the little details that didn’t add up… it made them more obvious. Exaggerated.
PETER
The Extinction is coming.
MARTIN
Oh, I’m sure it is! But that’s not what this is about, is it? This isn’t about saving the world, it’s all just some power play against him. I might not know exactly what’s going on, but I don’t think I want any part of this. However much I want to kill him… I’m out.
PETER
But you said –
MARTIN
Honestly, I mostly just said what I thought you wanted to hear.
PETER
I see. (to Elias) This is your doing, is it?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Hardly.
MARTIN
It’s not him! It’s not anybody. It’s just me. Always has been. I…
When I first came to you, I thought I had lost everything. John was dead, my mother was dead, the job I had put everything into trapped me into spreading evil and I… I really didn’t care what happened to me. I told myself I was trying to protect the others, but… honestly we didn’t even like each other. Maybe I just thought joining up with you would be a good way to get killed.
And then… John came back, and… and suddenly I had a reason I had to keep your attention on me. Make you feel in control so you didn’t take it out on him. And if that meant drifting further away, so what? I’d already grieved for him. And if it meant now saving him, it was worth it.
When you started talking about the Extinction, though… you had me actually, then, for a while. But then – (laughs sardonically) then, you tried to make me the hero. Tried to sell me on the idea that I was the only one who could stop it. And that I’ve never sat right with me. I mean, I mean, look – look at me, I’m not exactly a – a chosen one. But by then I was in too deep. So I played along. Waited to see what your end game was, and here we are.
Funny. Looks like I was right the first time. It’s probably still a good way to get killed?
ELIAS (JONAS)
(smugly) I warned you, Peter.
PETER
But you do serve the Lonely.
MARTIN
Oh, I’m getting there, but if this is the final test or something? Then bad luck. The answer’s still no.
PETER
(petulantly) No. No! This isn’t fair – do you have any idea what you’ve done? You knew, he must realize –
MARTIN
Jonah had nothing to do with it.
PETER
No, that’s not – you can’t –
ELIAS (JONAH)
You’ve lost, Peter, admit it. He played you like a… (gleefully) like a… cheap whistle.
PETER
No! Shut up.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Peter. It’s time.
PETER
Fine.
MARTIN
Great. Now perhaps one of you, then, can tell me what’s…
[PETER’S TELLTALE STATIC FADES IN SUDDENLY, DROWNING OUT MARTIN’S VOICE. WHEN IT FADES OUT, MARTIN IS GONE.]
ELIAS (JONAH)
It won’t be that bad, Peter. You’ll see. Now, he’ll be here soon, so you can leave or –
PETER
Oh, no. No. I’m not gonna make it easy on him. You haven’t won yet.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Your choice. Just make sure to leave the door open.
[PETER’S STATIC RISES ONE LAST TIME, THEN FADES. ELIAS, BY HIMSELF, LETS OUT A LONG, TRIUMPHANT LAUGH.]
[CLICK]
[CLICK]
[A FEW SECONDS OF JOHN’S LABORED BREATHING]
ELIAS (JONAH)
Ah, John. I was almost worried. You found your way all right?
ARCHIVIST
(out of breath) Yes. Yes, I did.
…how?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Suffice it to say I called you.
ARCHIVIST
What is this place?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Hmm. A complicated question. And time is as –
ARCHIVIST
The panopticon.
ELIAS (JONAH)
(pleased) …my, you have grown. Yes. A masterpiece, isn’t it?
ARCHIVIST
Yeah. It is. And that’s you there? Your… body?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Not anymore. But not really, although if you harmed it, it wouldn’t go well for me. Or any of your friends, for that matter.
ARCHIVIST
Maybe it’s worth it.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Maybe. And I’m sure in another circumstance, you would be more than happy to take your chances for a shot at revenge.
But…
ELIAS (JONAH)
But for Martin, time is very much of the essence.
ARCHIVIST
Where is he?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Peter Lukas has cast him into the Lonely, and with every passing moment he gets further away from you.
ARCHIVIST
How do I bring him back?
ELIAS (JONAH)
From out here? Impossible.
ARCHIVIST
You want me to follow him?
ELIAS (JONAH)
No, John. You want you to follow him. I simply want you to know that if you do so, you are almost certainly not coming back. To go into the Lonely willingly is as good as death.
[THERE IS NO HESITATION.]
ARCHIVIST
How do I do it?
ELIAS (JONAH)
Wasn’t too long ago. And I’m sure traces of their passage still remain. Just open your mind. Drink it all in. Know their route, and simply… follow it.
[THE STATIC ONCE AGAIN RISES.]
Very good.
Are you scared, John?
ARCHIVIST
(quietly) Yes.
ELIAS (JONAH)
Perfect.