TRANSHUMAN

12.

INT.  EVAN’S HOUSE – EVAN’S BASEMENT

EVAN hangs up the phone, turns off the lights and leaves the basement. He forgets to switch off the TV monitor, which is still silently broadcasting the news. The headline on the screen reads: “@Anti-AI’ bill voted through with an overwhelming majority”.

EVAN’S CAR – EVENING

EVAN’s driving to the research facility. As he draws close he spots more protestors picketing outside the main entrance.

He stops his car some distance away and gets out. Nimbly skirting round the side of the building unseen, he heads for a side entrance.

EXT.  AI RESEARCH FACILITY ENTRANCE – EVENING

The streetlights are turning on as AARON hurries down the street towards the facility entrance. It’s dark when he arrives and EVAN (who’s waiting outside) urgently ushers him in through a back entrance.

EVAN:

This way. I don’t want to have to deal with any lingering protestors.

CONT.  RESEARCH FACILITY INTERIOR

They quickly move deep into the facility, down to the basement laboratory.

CONT.  EVAN’S BASEMENT LAB

AARON:

So are you going to tell me what’s going on?

EVAN:

Just… give me one second.

EVAN looks terrified, but seems more concerned about AARON’s safety than his own. As he switches on various monitors a series of schematics and graphs are revealed, which only raise further questions about what’s going on. Finally, EVAN invites AARON to sit in the brain scanning chair.

EVAN:

You may want to sit down for this.

AARON does not.

AARON:

Look, I don’t know what sort of trouble you’re in, but I’m going to do everything I can do help.

EVAN:

I wish it was that simple. You see these screens here? They’re my master work. I’ve successfully modelled a complete artificial brain. This system allows people to digitally upload their intelligence – to create a computerised version of themselves. Did you catch the news on the way here?

AARON:

They made all this illegal. It can never be used…

EVAN:

Philistines. The applications of this technology are incredible. When Kurzweil predicted a technological singularity, he said a machine exactly like this one would make it possible. I have made it possible.

But there’s more. You know that in the past I worked towards developing cures for mental illnesses – creating ways to augment the human brain, or replace bits that get damaged. In the past I’ve devised ways to save people’s memories, but now I can do much more than that…

AARON:

I still don’t see why you were to desperate for me to come here.

EVAN:

Do you remember the day of the marathon, Aaron?

AARON:

How could I forget.