FEINT DOOR BUZZER FROM INSIDE
BIG BAND RADIO MUSIC PLAYS FROM INSIDE
- HOLO-RADIO ANNOUNCER: 'This is National Holo-Radio. A mixture of current affairs and world news...'
- No, no. - '...politics, arts and science.'
- 'Peril in Asia and Europe!' - AUTUMN: Come this way.
'Auto-immune disease hits an estimated 640 million in the EU alone,'
'as urban populations are displaced by famine and lack of medications.'
HOLO-RADIO: 'And in China, the government struggles to contain the staggering rate of death,
'at over 4000 people per hour,'
'although reports of mass killings in smaller towns to reduce rates of infection are unconfirmed.'
'Meanwhile, illegal drug dens continue to multiply in number,'
'despite health officials acknowledging the disease has rendered most treatments useless.'
'More news at the top of the hour.'
JUNKIE COUGHS
AUTUMN: Just in here...
My Uncle is usually the welcoming committee, but he's busy with a client.
So, what can I get for you?
Uh, I...um...
Painkillers.
OK. Valium? Ox?
Sure. Ox.
CHANG: They arrived overnight.
Nobody knows.
No one.
You see, The Sickness is reaching a dangerous phase.
Either customers are dying, or suppliers are dying.
So you can imagine my surprise when I came across these.
One course and it’s like nothing happened, Ms Hammet. I can vouch for them myself.
Living by the word of a pharmie?
Don’t believe me? Go visit a real pharmacist.
Oh wait. You lobbied to have them all bordered shut, Senator.
And I can shut you down too, Chang.
Who is it?
Late thirties, early forties. He’s new.
And nervous.
Ox? Good. Then he’ll be relaxed.
Take some yourself if you-
I’ve made up my mind. I’m not doing it.
Remember the day you first started working here?
You were only six.
So dedicated. Delicate even.
The way you poured tea into the cups with that sweet smile.
I was so proud of you.
Even back then, you were performing a service.
Make me proud once more.
SLOW KNOCK AT DOOR
HEADLINE MUSIC SWELLS
HOLO-RADIO ANNOUNCER: 'News of the Globe!'
HOWARD COUGHS
'Panic strikes as senators ratify the controversial ‘Name Bill’,'
'while questions arise amid delays in establishing a national stockpile of untested stabiliser med, ‘T8’.'
'Army troops have been dispatched with medical disaster materials as the death toll continues to mount.'
'Citizens await desperately needed handouts, assessed and dispensed by family surname.'
'Elsewhere, and dwindling stocks of ‘T8’ have led to a rise in illegal trade of the drug on the black market.'
'Those were the headlines. Now back to the music.'
BIG BAND MUSIC PLAYS
Is this a drug den or a bordello?
My Uncle advocates diversity.
SLOW KNOCK ON DOOR CONTINUES
IN CANTONESE: Autumn. Autumn!
It’s that easy, isn’t it.
Hmmm?
Meds. You just hand them out.
For a price.
You know, my name’s come up over twenty times for handouts,
and I still haven’t got a thing.
I’ve seen neighbours die.
Friends.
Good people.
Waiting for a pointless lottery.
You pharmies have no idea.
You've meds up to the roof and...
people outside are bleeding from their eyes,
and their ears.
I see people die everyday.
You seen family die?
I need three vials of T8.
What are you talking about?
T8. You have it here.
We don't do that sort of thing.
Yes, you do.
SHARP KNOCKING ON DOOR
DOOR BUZZER
I thought I told her to call for me.
GUN COCKS
I mean it.
Now, I'm sorry but I'm running out of time, so where are the vials?
Come on!
Do you see any well people down here?
You don't think that I'm dying too?
For all the good our medicines do, we may as well sell cough drops.
All we sell are painkillers.
Illusions.
Pleasure.
I was told you had T8 here.
If I had it, I would give it you...
AUTUMN SCREAMS
Oh, my, my.
I thought this was a drug den,
not a bordello.
Alright number four, out you come.
Hands where I can see them or I shoot the girl.
Come on.
Good man.
Jesus.
Not today.
Now, I'm going to make this simple.
You have T8.
Don't give it to me,
and bad things happen.
I don’t have T8. No one has.
Wrong answer. You have it.
I don't.
HIGH PITCHED RINGING
MUFFLED VOICES
CHANG: I don't have what you're looking for,
but whatever else you want...
Cash. Meds.
Just let my niece go.
AUTUMN SQUEALS
If you care about her so much,
you wouldn’t have her cavorting around a junkie lounge in the first place.
Say, how many freaks you got here anyway?
I have morphine. Meth.
Enough to last you weeks!
Seven.
JUNKIE WHIMPERS
I have more bullets than you do junkies.
It won’t change a thing.
JUNKIE SQUEALS
AUTUMN WHIMPERS
JUNKIE GROANS
AUTUMN: We don't have any T8!
It's true, they don't.
That's why I’m here. I want it too.
VAGRANT CHUCKLES
You dropped something.
I’m sorry?
Oh, a mistake, I’m sure.
Your pouch, ma'am. Behind the pole.
Pick it up and throw it to the girl.
Do it.
VAGRANT SNORTS
Get it.
What is it?
It's T8.
You fucker!
You lied.
I didn't know, I swear.
VAGRANT: Do they work?
We're both fine so far.
You've taken it?!
'Course he did.
How else would he be able to enjoy his money?
I'm yet to receive payment.
Then pray that the miracle cure works against bullets.
Well, it’s been fun.
HOWARD: Wait.
I need three vials.
Or else?
Bad things happen.
Show me your hand.
I said take out your hand.
Give me the vials and I will.
You don’t have a gun.
Face it pal, there’s nothing you can do.
AUTUMN SHRIEKS
VAGRANT SCREAMS
CHANG: Your account code. Give it to me!
No. No!
MUFFLED YELLS
AUTUMN WHIMPERS
RADIO MUSIC SWELLS
GUN FIRES
ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC
VIAL HISS