Charlie Jade (2005) s01e01 Episode Script

We were living a lie.
A big lie.
They told us that parallel universes couldn't exist.
Let alone that you could travel between them.
The lie was dreamt up, packaged and sold to us by the Vex-Cor Corporation.
And set her free.
Gently.
We don't want the maiden voyage to be our last.
Madame Chair.
Her name's Essa Rompkin.
She runs Vex-Cor.
She and her board of directors were prepared to gamble it all away on what they were secretly trying to do.
Doctor? What does it say Dr.
Stillman? It says: "Our balls are bigger than your balls" Madame Chairman.
Cape City.
A real company town.
Vex-Cor's town.
They decided war was bad for business.
So they gave us peace in our time.
We all slept better leaving the running of the world to the 5 big corporations.
The most powerful corporation was Vex-Cor.
This is were I lived.
My name is Charlie Jade.
- Which way, Mona? - Uh turn right.
No, wait! Turn left.
Make up your mind honey, I'm running out of pavement here.
Sorry, the skid is full of holes tonight.
Come on, kid.
Where is he? College boy out in a ? Could be almost anywhere How long's been missing? Three months.
According heading west on Lennington.
And uh you're closing in.
Turn left on Betland then.
This time I'm really lost.
Visions This used to happen to me all the time.
I'd see places, things that weren't here.
But so real.
I thought I was losing my mind.
I'm a private investigator.
An independent contractor.
Charlie? Can you hear me? Loud and clear Mona, for a change.
- Where is college boy? - I don't know His signal just disappeared.
Mona is a tracker.
She's young but I liked her anyway.
She helped me stay under the radar.
Switching audio.
- Set 'em up, Dotts.
- Mister T.
Working late again? So are you and that warms my heart a little bit.
Better to work all night for yourself than split shift for the man.
Yeah, that's what you keep telling me.
High time, baby.
High time.
- Excuse me, sir.
Can I speak to you? - No.
Hello, where are you? Yeah, I hear you Mona.
I hear you too.
I got a location I picked up his signal, just for one second, in Broke Harbor.
You got the coordinates? You're sure you want to go there? Dotts was right.
Better to work for yourself.
Run your own show, write your own rules.
That was my life.
I was working a missing persons case.
That especially.
That was it.
Lot of my misper cases ended up in these neighborhoods.
But uptown, downtown, didn't matter to me.
As long as I got paid.
Found his car, Mona.
Where the hell do I go from here? Smell like chop-chop, Mona.
Parents rich.
So, what're you gonna tell them? - The truth.
- Which is what? How their kid isn't missing anymore? Missing people end up dead Tukarrs, everybody knows that.
Well then I guess your client will be disappointed to learn their son's shopping spree has come to an end.
I'll just tell them two of the city's finest are on the job.
That oughta cheer 'em up.
You fellows have a nice night.
Detective Sew Sew Tukarrs.
An old acquaintance.
Everybody makes choices in life.
He chose the easy way.
He became part of the system.
That means he gets to stick around and clean up the mess.
Thanks fellas.
Everybody's born with a rating classification.
I was born a C-3, a class 3.
Now I'm a C-2.
I changed my status on my own terms.
Jasmine.
Everyone else dreamed of being a C-1, upper-class.
I couldn't care less.
I had everything I needed.
Feeling lonely and neglected? A little.
How about you? I'll be about an hour.
I got to stop by the shop to put my toys away.
Not all of them I hope.
- What've you been doing all day? - Taking pictures.
Catching up on the news.
Vex-Cor earnings exceeded projections for the 7th consecutive quarter.
Aren't you glad I talked you into buying shares? - You take good care of me.
- So, hurry up.
Papa Louis, I need some first aid.
What you Charlie? The usual.
Got some new bruises.
You've had another sighting? Looked a lot more like a train to me.
Your pills aren't working anymore.
Channeling the spirits of the past is a gift.
A gift I could do without.
You want me to make them go away.
Forever.
Even if they're part of who you are? If it was my right arm I'd ask you to cut it off.
What part of you is sacred, Charlie? - It's a very nice orchid.
- Yeah A natural.
One of a kind.
Like Jasmine.
I don't know if those damn pills ever worked.
But nothing else did.
And I got gotten used to visiting Papa Louis.
Like playing with fire.
Who are you? What are you doing here? - I was sent here.
- You were sent here? By who? Who sent you? A police detective.
He gave me this.
Nothing I can do for you tonight.
Please.
I don't know where I am.
I don't know how I got here.
What's your name? Katie.
Katie Grayle.
Please, you have to help me.
Come inside, Katie Grayle.
Have a seat.
I'm listening.
I met a guy.
At the Glass Door last night.
- You know the place? - No.
Never heard of it.
- I don't get out much.
- It's a club downtown.
But I can't find it anymore.
Why don't you tell me about this guy? He said his name was Owen, or something like that.
We had a few drinks We danced, and danced He must have drugged my drink or something.
I remember driving in the desert He had his hands all over me I didn't even try to stop him He was holding me down I couldn't breathe What did you say the name of the club was? The Glass Door? I never go home with guys I meet in clubs.
Almost never.
Are you sure about the name of that club? There is no Glass Door in the directory.
That's what I'm telling you.
I've lived here for 9 years and everything's different now.
Yeah sure.
This is probably just the after effects of whatever drug he slipped you.
Can you tell me anything else about this guy? I got these.
I thought it was his wallet but there's nothing in here.
I don't care about him.
I just want it to be over.
I just want to go home.
Okay.
Where is home? Cape Town? Here, you mean.
Cape City.
No.
Cape Town.
I'm sorry, I've never heard of it.
Come on.
Hey, wait a minute.
Access granted.
It's beautiful.
Yes you are.
You said an hour.
Yeah, I kind of had an unexpected client.
And a stop at Papa Louis.
Yeah I was running out of pills.
When are you going to see a real doctor? When they stop telling me I'm delusional.
You've eaten? Don't change the subject.
- I'm hungry.
- Then eat.
Sorry, thanks.
Your message is cool and clear, doctor.
And right on schedule.
Water.
Some of us had it And some of us needed it.
This is where it all began.
I was wondering where you were.
I went for a walk.
Look around you, Reena.
What do you see? Do you see what I see? This place must never change.
But if Vex-Cor got their way, that's exactly what was going to happen.
I don't want to go, Karen.
I don't want to leave you here.
But you have to.
It's just a meeting at head office.
And you'll be back in two weeks.
You don't understand His name's Elliot Krogg.
He work for them.
He was Vex-Cor's Head of Research.
And he knew what was going to happen.
He tried to warn them but nobody listened.
So now he was on the run.
Honey, I think you need a vacation.
We both need a vacation.
Where would we go? Anywhere but this rathole.
There's still a few decent places left in the world.
This isn't a rathole.
I know what a rathole is I love it here.
You love it here? Every day, all day long? I go out, I travel all over the city.
Taking pictures.
You think my images are depressing.
No, no, no I didn't say that.
I didn't say that.
I said: I think that we should take a vacation.
I'd like to take you some place nice, that's all.
You didn't answer my question.
That was not a question.
No.
Hello.
Looking good Jaz.
As always.
What's on your mind, Sew Sew? It must be nice waking up in your world every morning.
How did you make up with that girl I sent you last night? Referrals from you I can live without.
Too bad for her.
Yeah? Why is that? Meet me across the street in half an hour.
You know the place.
What do you want, Sew Sew? Same girl, right? Doesn't look as pretty as she did last night, does she? Where did you find her? In an alley, not far from your office.
She was hit by a car.
- She said she was lost.
- And you let her go? Is this an investigation? No.
It's an interview.
- You know the difference.
- Yeah.
You know, she had your card on her.
You're gonna arrest yourself? Maybe your friend here can arrest you.
- I'm leaving.
- Notice anything different about her? - Yeah, she's dead.
- She doesn't exist.
Nothing in central data banks.
Why don't you try running her implant? That's just it: she doesn't have one.
No sign of background surgery.
Like vapor, hum? Airborne.
Not really there.
Why does it matter, Johnny? Just another dead, lost, nobody.
She won't be missed.
Help me - Hey, C.
J.
- Morning.
I need a complete rundown on this key card.
Anything you can get.
Name, address, What got you so fired up? Names and places, Mona.
Fine.
Hillcrest Towers.
Uh registered to the Vex-Cor corporation.
Yeah, what the hell is it? Vex-Cor execs are off limits to private investigation.
Just keep digging.
The apartment is the residence of an - 01 Boxer.
- You gotta be kidding me! Born 22 years ago Son of Brion, founder of Vex-Cor! Yeah, I know who he is.
Then why did you ask? Don't tell him I'm coming.
01 Boxer.
Son of Brion Boxer.
Founding father of Vex-Cor.
He was no C-1, he was a C-1A.
He lived above the law.
The spoiled brat is untouchable.
I heard the stories.
Mona, tap into his route map and find out where he's heading.
It looks like the Vex-Cor security zone.
What's the distance? Jasmine.
Hey Charlie.
Can you see me? - Am I coming through? - Sort of, you're breaking up.
Jasmine.
Jasmine, are you there? Where are you? Heading into the desert.
Whatever you're chasing, I hope it's worth it.
Yeah, me too.
Jasmine.
Jasmine, are you there? It's so crap.
Steady System 7.
That's it.
I believe we're ready.
Tukarrs told me it was a hit and run.
But Boxer's car there wasn't a mark on it.
Is it hot out there? Yeah, hot enough for a cold beer.
Fridge don't work.
37 even.
AC don't work neither.
Yeah, I noticed that.
Washrooms work? Nothing works But there's still out there.
You looking for someone? Seen a young woman? About 22, blond Stoned out of her mind a couple nights ago? What the hell are you talking about? It disappeared I don't know how t happened But I'd lost him.
It was a Vex-Cor chopper and I was sure he was on it.
He was giving me the slip and I wasn't gonna let that happen.
Where did that come from? I hope we won't need it.
Wait here.
Why does this tear me apart so much? Do you believe in what we're doing today? Come on you corporate piece of crap, where the hell are you? This is the moment Madame Chairman.
My only regret is that ill health prevents the man who designed these magnificent machines, the former CEO and founder of Vex-Cor, Brion Boxer, from being with us today.
To the future.
This is Elliot Krogg, let me in! Sorry Dr Krogg, we're on lock down.
No one either in or out.
You have to let me in! You have to stop! Stop the experiment! Take it.
Go! Stop! There it is.
We did it! - Shut it down Dr.
Stillman.
- I'm trying! I found one.
I can't believe it!