The sun sets through the trees in a less-used part of Wimbledon Common. The TARDIS stands on the grass beside a murky wall. A bus stop can be seen beyond a deserted bench. There is the sounds of alarmed voices and a car horn. Through the thicket, DODO runs up to the TARDIS and, pausing for breath, grabs the handle of the hatch on the door and tugs on it. It refuses to budge. She hauls on it again, kicking the door angrily. Suddenly the door swings inwards and the DOCTOR sticks his head out, surprised and annoyed.
DOCTOR
What the... Who are you?
DODO
I can’t get this open!
DOCTOR
I’m not surprised child. It doesn’t open.
DODO
Then where’s the telephone?
DOCTOR
What did you say?
DODO
The telephone! This IS a police telephone box, isn’t it?
DOCTOR
I’m afraid not, you have made a mistake!
DODO
Mistake?
Dodo, fuming, points to the sign above the doors.
DODO
“Police Public Call Box”. See? “Police telephone box free for use of public, advice and assistance obtainable immediately, officers and cars respond to urgent calls, pull to open!” And I need the telephone!
DOCTOR
Why?
DODO
I need an ambulance, a little boy’s been hurt down that lane!
DOCTOR
I’m sorry, but you will have to find another police box. There is no phone here for you to use.
DODO
What are you even doing inside this? Are you the police?
DOCTOR
Of course I’m not the police! Good gracious, I’m not a policeman! I am a doctor.
DODO
Doctor? Then you’ve got to help.
DOCTOR
A doctor of science, child! I’m afraid I can’t help you. I’ve interfered with the affairs of others more than enough today. Now. Run along and find yourself another police box.
With a stern look, the Doctor retreats into the TARDIS and slams the door. Dodo stares at the police box with stunned silence for a moment. There is the distant sound of sirens. Dodo shakes her head and tries the door. It’s not locked. She frowns.
DODO
There’s something odd going on here.
She charges through the police box doors. Fade to black.
---
White on black, words type themselves out, one by one, building up into:
-C-DAY-
-BY
-EWEN
-CAMPION-CLARKE
Then...
-4-
---
White on black, words type themselves out, one by one, building up into:
-C-DAY-
-BY
-EWEN
-CAMPION-CLARKE
Then...
-4-
---
1. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
Fade up. FIDLER sits at the desk. Before him stand BEN, POLLY, THE DOCTOR, KITTY, STONE and SIR CHARLES SUMMER.
POLLY
Look, you simply must believe us, Mister Fidler! They are building robots in Covent Garden, and those robots can kill people!
FIDLER
I believe you. Covent Garden is home of the Valkyrie Project, an offshoot of WODEN. The war machines are stored in a warehouse in its component parts. If ODIN has rebelled, it could be using them to build them. I have already sent a man to investigate the Covent Garden area.
DOCTOR
He could be in tremendous danger.
FIDLER
He is aware of the danger, “Doctor”. If he hands in a positive report, then the army will be in the market in fifteen minutes.
Stone frowns and sits forward.
STONE
If you knew all this, why come here and demand explanation?
Fidler smiles unpleasantly.
FIDLER
I had to be sure how much you all knew.
He stands up and draws a gun.
FIDLER
And you all know FAR too much.
The Doctor glares at Fidler as the others raise their hands.
KITTY
That’s not fair, YOU were the one that told us!
FIDLER
I know. Which is why I can guarantee everyone else in this room is a security risk and must be dealt with appropriately. No one must know of this. No one.
He aims his gun at the Doctor.
DOCTOR
That, my friend, would be a grave error on your part.
FIDLER
How so?
DOCTOR
I am the only one who can stop ODIN. It is, after all, listening to this conversation through the relay point built for your press conference.
Fidler glances at the ODIN unit. Its eye is still glowing. Fidler’s face falls.
FIDLER
No... It can’t be...
Ben steps forward and brings his fist down on Fidler’s gun arm, knocking the pistol to the ground. He follows up by socking the surprised company secretary on the jaw. Fidler spins reeling against the far wall. He crashes into the fake ODIN with such force the computer topples over, causing an explosion with lots of smoke. Fidler convulses as he rolls off the wreckage and slumps dead to the ground. The rest of the computer explodes.
2. EXT. COVENT GARDEN (DAY)
A man in casual clothes, MICHAEL, walks through Covent Garden market past fruit and vegetable merchants wheeling their wares around.
3. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Michael pauses by the warehouse and runs his hand over the door.
MICHAEL
They've painted out the number...
He moves across to a window and peers inside.
4. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Thor is gliding past the slumped form of TOM and the WORKERS.
THOR
Stand by. Warning. We have been detected.
The technicians lift their heads in unison and turn to face the grubby windows on the wall beyond Thor. Through it can be seen Michael, peering through. Thor turns to face the window. We see Michael through the POV of ODIN.
5. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
This is shown on the screen. A large group stand to one side of processed humans – CONVERTS – who we do not see clearly, except they are all standing straight and wearing the metallic headphones. Another human is being processed.
ODIN
Recognize: Michael Bruck, security member of Delta Technologies Foundation. There is no threat.
THOR (VO)
Bruck’s presence is sooner than anticipated.
ODIN
Analysis confirms there is no threat. Resume work.
6. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Thor turns to face the workers.
THOR
Resume work.
The workers stiffly rise and go to work, unpacking boxes and moving the electric cart.
7. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Michael turns and runs for it. We pan up to see the silhouette of the Post Office Tower as the sun starts to set.
8. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
There is still smoke pouring out of the ruins of ODIN. Polly is helping Ben get to his feet while Kitty and the Doctor aide Stone. Summer checks over Fidler’s body.
SUMMER
He must have been killed instantly.
STONE
Yeah, well, he deserved it. He was going to kill us, and now he’s dead, the rest of us are safe – unless you’re going to spill the beans, Charlie boy.
SUMMER
Far from it, Mister Stone. And by the way, I’m not going to be interviewed by you of all people!
DOCTOR
You’ve got all our priorities mixed up! Earth itself is in danger!
BEN
Chances are, the army are already taking care of it.
KITTY
Yeah, I mean, they probably know what they’re facing.
BEN
Those machine won’t leave that warehouse without a fight.
DOCTOR
And if they don’t?
STONE
He’s right. We better get out of London while we still can.
DOCTOR
And go where? Hmm! It won’t stop people’s lives being in danger! People are dying here and now... we have to do something.
KITTY
Do what?
DOCTOR
One plan at a time, my dear! No, there’s still something missing in all this... Wait a moment. How did you two know about Covent Garden in the first place?
STONE
Oh, that? We were attacked by Major Green, another part of the circus. He said that there was something big happening in Covent Garden.
DOCTOR
I find it highly unlikely that Major Green – especially now he is a walking corpse possessed by an alien power – would accidentally let slip an important detail like that. So unlikely, in fact, I doubt it was a mistake at all.
He looks significantly at the others.
BEN
Anyone else getting a bad feeling about this?
DOCTOR
My friends, this is nothing. Nothing compared to what’s coming.
POLLY
Why?
DOCTOR
It’s a trap. A trap that’s going to swallow us all.
STONE
What do you mean?
DOCTOR
Think about it my dear. What is the GPO Tower for, hmm? It beams television and radio waves into and out of London. Now we now that ODIN is in the tower, and it can take over the brains of human beings.
SUMMER
You mean, it’ll use the tower as a, a kind of booster?
DOCTOR
Yes, of course! You didn’t really think it planned to take over the world by ringing people up, one by one, did you? Instead, that power will cover the whole city – and anyone that escapes the field by luck or design...
Polly swallows as the realization hits.
POLLY
Are left for the war machines.
The Doctor glowers.
DOCTOR
Precisely. We must stop the attack!
FIDLER (VO)
Not so fast, Doctor.
Everyone whirls around to see the source of the voice. Stiffly, Fidler gets to his feet. His glasses are broken and hang crooked on his face – which is now showing bruises outlining his skull.
FIDLER
All threats are to be eradicated.
9. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (NIGHT)
The sun has set behind the windows. WALLIS approaches ODIN.
WALLIS
Preparations are being made for thought control. Tests confirm a city-wide broadcast will be possible in forty-seven minutes.
ODIN
War Machine conquest no longer necessary. Status of preliminary transmission?
WALLIS
The charging process has begun. In ten minutes it will reach critical.
ODIN
Units designated Thor, Vali and Baldur will detain the military and provide distraction until final transmission is prepared.
THOR (VO)
Confirmed.
10. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (NIGHT)
The others back away as Fidler advances towards them. Stone scrambles out of the way as he is the nearest to the undead company secretary.
DOCTOR
He’s one of them now.
KITTY
A zombie?
DOCTOR
Indeed. I want you all to run for the exit when I say so...
FIDLER
The military attack is already going ahead. They will be converted and become like me. With no military to defend it, London shall fall. Humanity will fall. The flesh is weak. It will always fail.
BEN
Doctor...
DOCTOR
Ben! Do as I say.
Fidler continues to close in on them, and Stone is still the closest.
FIDLER
You reacted perfectly, as the strategy demanded. But you still should not have involved yourself, Mister Stone. You were warned.
Fidler flings out an arm and Stone is sent crashing over the desk and collapses. Ben charges the zombie, but is hurled backwards, knocking Polly and Summer over. He continues to advance slowly on the Doctor.
FIDLER
We have expended much time and resources on you, Doctor.
The Doctor grabs Fidler’s arms as they go for his throat, and for a moment Fidler is surprised by the Doctor’s strength, then his left hand breaks free and clamps itself around the old man’s throat.
FIDLER
No more.
Stone, concussed, charges Fidler. The impact knocks the Doctor free and Fidler stumbles back, struggling to stay upright. Fidler grabs Stone and strikes him repeatedly. Then his arm snaps down in a lethal karate chop against the journalist’s unprotected neck. Stone falls heavily, eyes wide, and dead. Fidler straightens up to face the Doctor again.
FIDLER
The day of reckoning has...
There is a shockingly loud gunshot. Then two more. Surprised, Fidler sways and spins to see Kitty is standing behind him, shaking, and holding Fidler’s abandoned gun with both hands. She shoots Fidler again in the chest, twice. Fidler staggers backwards and trips over Stone’s body and collapses.
KITTY
That was for Tony.
An uneasy calm settles as Ben and the others get to their feet. The Doctor rubs his neck, slightly out of breath.
SUMMER
What do we do now?
DOCTOR
We must stop the army because they are slaughtered.
Summer heads for the door.
SUMMER
My driver, Kennedy, should be due here soon, we can...
Suddenly, Fidler sits bolt upright. There are smoking holes on the front of his chest and the darkening has accelerated on his hands and face. Polly cries out as he stiffly rises once more and turns to face them.
FIDLER
You cannot defeat me. This animal organism is caught between life and death, supported by bio-energy transmitted directly from ODIN. We are the future. We are--
Kitty raises the gun and fires the last shot in the middle of Fidler’s forehead. He falls backwards again, jerking. Kitty turns to the others.
KITTY
Run for it!
They all scramble out through the doors as, with intense effort, Fidler struggles to roll over, but no longer possesses full control of his limbs.
11. EXT. COVENT GARDEN (NIGHT)
A siren sounds and several SOLDIERS run down a road. An army truck carrying more solders drives down the road. The truck comes to a halt and the back opens down.
CAPTAIN
Right, on the double!
The soldiers disgorge from the truck and run along the road as another truck draws up and does the same. The soldiers stop for a moment behind cover, checking the area. After a moment they move forward and set up positions at all exits to the warehouse area. A metal sign by the side reads “DANGER KEEP OUT MILITARY MANOEUVRE.” GENERAL RUTLIDGE, a walrus-moustachied fat soldier, emerges. Michael emerges, carrying a pair of binoculars.
RUTLIDGE
Mister Bruck, good to see you. This is the building?
MICHAEL
It is, sir. There’s a strange lack of any radio or electrical activity in the area.
RUTLIDGE
Well, it makes sense. These chaps don’t want to draw attention to themselves. Now, I gather there is a large amount of explosives in there and, er some kind of remote controlled army tank.
MICHAEL
It’s a new form of war machine, General.
CAPTAIN
How many people are inside?
MICHAEL
Hard to say. At a guess, about twenty.
RUTLIDGE
Are they from the DTF as well?
Michael bristles.
MICHAEL
That has yet to be confirmed, sir. In either case, we don’t know how they’ll react. They might either run or fight.
CAPTAIN
If they try to run, then they won’t get far. We’ve got a couple of platoons covering the back of the building, and my lads watching both ends of this road watching the front.
12. INT. WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
A large red sign bearing the legend “ALERT” blinks on and off. Thor, Baldur and Vali are moving between the workers. Thor moves towards the front entrance.
THOR
The armed convoy is moving beyond that door. Bearing two-hundred and fifteen degrees.
BALDUR
Action must be taken at once. All threats must be eradicated.
VALI
They have arrived ahead of all predictions.
ODIN (VO)
The transmission is almost prepared. Delay the humans for another three minutes. Eradicate humans if necessary.
THOR
Confirmed. Preparing to generating communications blanket.
13. EXT. COVENT GARDEN (NIGHT)
Rutlidge takes the binoculars from Michael and peers through them.
RUTLIDGE
Best assume these fellows could be dangerous, then, Bruck?
MICHAEL
Yes, sir.
CAPTAIN
We can handle it, sir.
RUTLIDGE
Course you can, Captain. Go to stage one.
The SERGEANT speaks into a large field telephone.
SERGEANT
Calling Alpha Patrol, calling Alpha Patrol. Your objective number one: reconnoiter and report. Go ahead, over.
14. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
A CORPORAL talks into a chunky green RT. More soldiers are behind him.
CORPORAL
Alpha Patrol calling. There’s no sign of anyone. There’s a door here. Do we go in, over?
RUTLIDGE (VO)
Hello Alpha Patrol? General Rutlidge here. Search entire building, take your time - and be prepared for anything.
CORPORAL
Sir. Proceeding into the rest of the warehouse - out. Sir?
A strange hissing crackling noise emerges from the walkie-talkie.
CORPORAL
Things are playing up.
With a shrug, he switches the unit off, snaps down the aerial and hands it to a subordinate.
CORPORAL
Take that, follow me and keep down. Let’s go...
He kicks open the unlocked door and strides in. All bar three soldiers enter. These ones stand guard outside the alleyway.
15. EXT. OUTSIDE THE SCIENTIFIC CLUB (NIGHT)
Ben, Polly and Summer are scrambling inside Summer’s private car as the undead form of Fidler lurches out the doorway. Blood trickles down its skeletal face.
FIDLER
Alllllllllll ALL threats are... are too...
He stumbles towards the car as Polly ducks inside and slams the door. His fist thuds with sickening force against the top of the car as it accelerates down the street. The shambling zombie struggles to follow it.
FIDLER
Eradicate! Erad... erad... radicate!
16. INT. WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
The Corporal leads the soldiers into the warehouse. It is apparently deserted. Suddenly there is the whirring noise of the War Machines as Baldur smashes through a flimsy wall of cardboard boxes, having been hidden directly opposite the main entrance.
BALDUR
All threats are to be eradicated!
CORPORAL
Scatter!
The soldiers move in different directions as Baldur fires a jet of toxic gas at the crowd. Two soldiers scream, wretch and fall dead as Baldur glides forward. The Corporal’s group move to behind a pile of crates and take aim at Baldur as it glides forward.
BALDUR
All threats are to be eradicated.
CORPORAL
FIRE!
The soldiers open fire and sparks dance over Baldur, but it is otherwise unharmed. Vali turns around a corner, behind the Corporal’s group and raises both mallets.
VALI
Defiance will not be tolerated.
The remaining three soldiers storm inside and open fire on Baldur, who is turned away from them. They stop short as they realize that at the end of the long corridor they stand before, is Thor, now gliding towards them.
17. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
Rutlidge, the Captain and more troopers run down the street. The sounds of gunfire can be heard. The Captain is struggling with his own R/T.
18. INT. WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
The soldiers reach the exit and one after the other scramble outside as Thor trundles down the long passage towards them. The Corporal draws his pistol and empties it at the approaching War Machine as the others escape.
THOR
You will not escape. All threats must be eradicated.
The Corporal, out of ideas, hurls the empty handgun at the approaching Thor and dives outside, slamming the door shut behind him. Thor does not slow down, but continues to motor towards the closed door.
19. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (NIGHT)
The handful of remaining soldiers are running out of the warehouse. One is limping and another needs to be supported. The petrified Corporal runs over to Rutlidge and the Captain.
RUTLIDGE
What in heaven’s name is going on in there?
CORPORAL
It’s no use, sir, the machine, it, it wiped us out...
CAPTAIN
What machine?
Suddenly, the doors smash open and the Thor machine glides forward. Everyone boggles, and the corporal points at it.
CORPORAL
THAT one, sir!
CAPTAIN
It’s smashed through like, like they were made of balsa wood...
RUTLIDGE
Some kind of reinforced bodywork. Fall back positions!
The nearby soldiers split up, with most sprint down the street as fast as they can. The others take the side streets to the left and the right. Thor heads straight ahead.
THOR
All threats are to be eradicated.
Baldur and Vali emerge from behind Thor.
- to be continued...
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