Primeval transcript: 1x06 Part 1
Masterlist
Previously on Primeval.
Opening titles.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 1:
In Nick Cutter’s office, NICK CUTTER is playing golf, using a mug as the hole, and a leg bone as the club. CLAUDIA BROWN arrives.
Claudia: Shot.
Nick: Claudia Brown.
Claudia: Having fun?
Nick: Yes. Would you like to sit down.
Claudia comes down the steps, and sits.
Claudia: I’ve been thinking about Helen.
Nick: Ah. Okay.
Claudia: She saved my life. It was much less complicated when she was just the enemy.
Nick: Yeah. I gave up trying to predict Helen’s behaviour when she swapped our marriage for a package your in the Permian era.
Claudia: Maybe it was just a cry for help.
Nick: Counselling would have been simpler.
Claudia: Nick Cutter talking about his feelings? I don’t think so.
Nick: What? Try me. Ask me anything, anything you like.
Claudia: Do you still love her?
Nick: Ask me another one.
Claudia: Ooh, Coward.
Nick: Was there any … I mean, was there any purpose to your visit? Or is my love life the only item on the agenda?
Claudia: If we’re going to defend ourselves more effectively, then we’ve got to do something more than just react. We’ve got to discover why these anomalies are opening, and then predict when the next one will appear.
Nick: Well, you know, it may be possible to do that.
Claudia: Are you going to tell me how?
Nick: I’ve got ideas, but I don’t have any proof. I need more time.
Claudia: Fine. How does Monday morning sound?
Nick has gone back to playing golf, he shoots and misses. Claudia turns away, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Nick: You’re spoiling me now. Are you okay?
Claudia: Um, I haven’t been sleeping well. Bad dreams.
Claudia starts up the stairs.
Claudia: By the way, when those things were attacking us, you kissed me. On the lips.
Nick: I know.
Claudia: You do know sexual harassment is a serious disciplinary offence in the civil service?
Claudia leaves. Smiling.
FOREST OF DEAN TAKE 1:
At the anomaly site from the first episode, an anomaly is hanging in the same place as the first anomaly. Lights, tables and chairs are set up, like the area was being studied. A soldier runs towards the site. There is a sound off screen, and he takes off in that direction. There is a huge hole in the security fence.
Soldier: This is Charlie 1, security breach at section 15.
Whilst we hear radio chatter, we see the soldier in a distorted manner.
FOREST OF DEAN TAKE 2:
STEPHEN HART and Nick are at the hole in the fence with CAPTAIN RYAN and his men.
Stephen: No trail, no footprints, nothing.
Nick: Are you sure you didn’t miss anything?
Stephen: If there’s anything out there, we’d have found it by now.
Ryan: Must have gone back.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 1:
The lion enclosure. The lions are undertaking normal lion behaviour. The CREATURE jumps onto the roof of their enclosure, agitating the male lion. The creature breaks through, and jumps into the enclosure.
ABBY’S FLAT TAKE 1.
ABBY MAITLAND and CONNOR TEMPLE are sitting at the table. Connor is wearing a shirt and tie.
Abby: Okay. I’m a girl in a bar. Tell me I look nice.
Connor: You look nice.
Abby: Make it more personal.
Connor: I personally feel you look nice.
Abby: The complement, be more specific.
Connor: Well, you’ve got lovely legs, and fantastic…
Abby: Yeah, not that specific. Um, small talk. Flirty. Just not too flirty. Yeah?
Connor: I’ve seen you here before, haven’t I?
Abby: Oh, that’s good.
Connor: Oh, look, your glass is empty. Let me get you another one.
Abby: I’ll have a mojito, please.
Connor: Two mojitos coming up. Barman.
Connor clicks at REX who is sitting on the sofa.
Connor: Who do you think would win in a fight between Wolverine and Spider-man?
Abby: I said flirty, not nerdy.
Connor: That’s entry level comic book, Abby. It’s light, it’s fun.
Abby: But girls don’t talk comic books! If you want to be more successful with women, you’ve got to learn to compromise a bit. Find out what they like.
Connor: And pretend I’m interested. Until they want to snog me. No, I get it. But Abby, you know, to be honest, I think I can talk to women. I talk to you, don’t I?
Abby: We’re pals.
Connor: Yeah, I know. You can…
Abby: Come here.
Abby fixes Connor’s tie for him.
Connor: You can fancy somebody who’s a pal, can’t you? The two conditions are not mutually exclusive.
Abby’s gets a text as Connor leans in to kiss her. She picks her phone up and sighs.
Abby: It’s the zoo, something’s up. I’ve got to go.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 1:
Claudia is walking down a corridor with JAMES LESTER.
Claudia: He made a mistake about Helen. He should have told us about her. He was under enormous pressure. He predicted the temporal fault lines, and he’s been correct about the anomalies reoccurring, that’s not just luck. If there’s anyone who can help us predict and contain these things, it’s him.
Lester: How close is he to an answer?
Claudia: I don’t know. He couldn’t say yet.
Lester: Look, one day soon, an anomaly’s going to open up and thousands of these creatures, maybe millions are going to come pouring through. Lets hope he’s made his mind up by then.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 2:
Stephen exits the university. He is being followed by HELEN CUTTER. Stephen slows and turns, but Helen hides. He turns back around, and comes face to face with her.
Helen: In most eras of the world’s history, you’d be dead by now.
Stephen: Helen. What the hell are you doing here?
Helen: All this urban living’s mad human beings such lazy animals. Second-rate hearing, no sense of smell, no worthwhile instincts.
Stephen: Well, man has no predators, we have nothing to be afraid of except each other.
Helen: Well, that used to be the case, but times are changing, aren’t they, Stephen?
Stephen: What do you want?
Helen: A cold beer would be nice.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 2:
Abby is showing Connor into the lion enclosure. Other zookeepers are gathered around the hole in the roof.
Abby: See, at first we thought the lions had been fighting, but none of them are wounded. Then we realised we’d lost one.
Connor: You put it down somewhere, forgot where you left it. Happens all the time.
Connor taps Abby on the arm and points down, at a leaf covered in blood.
Connor: Looks like something got wounded.
Connor crouches down and takes a swab of the blood, whilst the other zookeepers are arguing about the hole.
Abby: Could it be a creature attack?
Connor: I don’t know. You need …
They both pause as a zookeeper walks past.
Connor: There’s no other proof, is there? All you’ve got is a missing lion. Maybe he just ran away to join the circus.
Abby: Oh, whatever.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 3:
Helen and Stephen are in the university café.
Stephen: Why don’t you just tell me what you want?
Helen: A meeting. With Nick and Lester. Tomorrow morning at 11. Here.
Helen hands Stephen a piece of paper.
Helen: No armed thugs, no ambushes. They’ll want to hear what I’ve got to say.
Stephen: They don’t trust you.
Helen: I don’t trust them, either. But this is serious.
Helen gets out a newspaper and gives it to Stephen.
Helen: Three people have disappeared in the last 48 hours. I know what happened to them.
Stephen: Creature. What kind?
Helen: It’s good to see you again, Stephen. You know, you were always one of my better students. Not the very brightest maybe, but always full of idealism and integrity.
Helen gets up and puts her backpack on, before kissing Stephen on the lips.
Helen: I miss that.
Stephen: Thank you. I’m touched.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 2:
Claudia walks in and puts her bag down.
Claudia: Hello?
There is a thumping and growling noise. She turns around to see a GORGONOPSID behind her. She backs away, and closes the glass door behind her. The gorgonopsid roars and charges through the glass. Claudia wakes up in a chair in an office. She was having a nightmare. She spins around in her chair to see if anyone noticed the nightmare. She spins the chair back and comes face to face with the gorgonopsid again. It roars, and she wakes up for real this time, still in the office.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 3:
Abby is feeding the elephants in the rain. She is being watched by the creature, with the same distortion as the soldier was viewed with earlier. The view is blocked as the elephants rush in to feed. Abby glances up, but doesn’t see anything.
TIM PARKER, Abby’s boss, is walking through the elephant house, talking on his mobile. The creature is watching him.
Tim: Thanks for calling. No, no sign of the lion as yet. We’re still hopeful, obviously. Yes, yes.
As Tim goes through a gate, the creature jumps to the floor behind him, and follows him out the door.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 3:
Lester walks into the office, followed by Claudia, Nick and Stephen. Abby and Connor are in another room.
Abby: Stephen was acting really strange this morning. Something weird is going on.
Connor: What’s new? Oh, I never said. The blood analysis came back from the lab. Most of it was from a lion, but some of it was from a bat.
Abby: Bats get everywhere.
Connor: Yeah, but it was some really weird DNA. They said they’d never seen anything like it before.
Abby: What does that mean then?
Connor: I don’t know. Yet. You expecting a call?
Abby: My boss. No ones seen him since yesterday. They found his stuff, but there’s no sign of him. He just vanished.
Abby and Connor look at the newspaper that Connor is holding. The headline is ‘Police baffled as third person goes missing’.
Abby: Better get back to the zoo.
Lester: Are you sure you don’t already know what this is about?
Nick: Sorry, what does that mean?
Lester: She’s your wife, you join the dots.
Claudia: Helen did save my life, so we should give her some credit for that. And if she does know something about the disappearances…
Lester: That’s a police matter. There’s no evidence of creature involvement.
Stephen: Yet.
Lester: Okay, fine. We’ll do it her way. But if this turns out to be another of her manipulative schemes, the deal’s off and she goes straight back on the wanted list.
PARK TAKE 1:
Helen approaches Lester, Claudia, Nick and Stephen, who are standing on a bridge over a large pond.
Helen: You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless.
Claudia: If there was a creature on the loose, we’d know about it.
Helen: At least 3 people have disappeared in the last few days.
Lester: Missing.
Helen: Killed. The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. It’s taken them for food.
Nick: Now how do you know that?
Helen: Because it nearly got me, too.
Stephen: What is it?
Helen: It has no name.
Nick: Then which era is it from?
Helen: It doesn’t come from any era. At least, not one that can be identified yet.
Nick: I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
Helen: Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You’ve known it ever since you first stepped into the past.
Nick: The future? Are you saying we’re being attacked by a creature from the future?
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 4:
Abby walks down a hill, past the sea lion enclosure. The creature is nearby.
PARK TAKE 2:
Helen: I’ve seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to stalk it’s prey. It could be right here now watching us and we’d never know.
Claudia: If it’s so clever, how did you see it?
Helen: I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences were down.
Nick: What does it look like?
Helen: Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile.
Nick: Hold on. What makes you so certain that it’s not some lost species that’s just disappeared from the evolutionary record?
Helen: No Nick. It’s not like any creature from the Permian, or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era, and then on into ours.
Lester: You know, I’m really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it’s the future as well. And apparently we can’t do a damn thing about it.
Claudia: How did it get here?
Helen: I have no idea. It was only when I got back I found out it was on the loose. Obviously my first thought was to do as much as I could to help.
Lester: How public spirited of you. Where can we contact you?
Helen: At my house. Of course.
THE CUTTER HOUSE TAKE 1:
Helen is in the living room, taking her boots off. Nick is sitting at the piano.
Helen: You could have redecorated.
Nick: I like it. Anyway, are you going to tell me why you were lying?
Helen: No idea what you’re talking about.
Nick: Well, you know, the others buy that line about you just wanting to help, but I’ve known you for longer than they have.
Helen: Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observations. But I got too fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching.
Nick: So you became the prey.
Helen: Yeah, I only just got away. Problem was, my escape route led me back here.
Nick: And it followed you. So this is your fault.
Helen: I could have walked away. But I didn’t. I stayed to help. I’m still human, Nick, I … I do care what happens. Believe it or not I do care about you.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 4:
Stephen and Connor are in Nick’s office. Stephen is tidying, Connor is spinning around on Nick’s chair and playing with the things on his desk.
Connor: What, and that’s all she said?
Stephen: That’s it.
Connor: What, nothing else? No details at all?
Stephen: Why? Put it down.
Connor: It’s just, I found some bat blood at the zoo yesterday.
Stephen: So?
Connor: Well, this bat blood had really, really screwed up DNA. I mean, you know, it’s probably nothing, but one of the lions went missing yesterday, and now Abby’s boss, he’s just disappeared as well.
Stephen: Where’s Abby?
Connor: She said she was working late.
Stephen: Meet me at the zoo, with as much back up as possible.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 5:
Abby is in the underground walkway, watching the sea lions. She steps backwards and bumps into Stephen.
Abby: Don’t creep up on me like that!
Stephen: I wasn’t creeping. I was walking, normally. You all right?
Abby: Why shouldn’t I be.
Stephen: There might be a creature here. We think it killed the sea lions and maybe your boss. The others are on the way.
Abby: You came on your own, just because you were worried about me?
Stephen: Well, you and the, uh, sea lions. I’d hate it if anything happened to them.
Stephen suddenly grabs Abby and pushes her against the wall.
Abby: What’re you doing?
Stephen covers Abby’s mouth and puts his finger to his lips.
Stephen: There’s something down here.
The creature drops down in the entrance of the walkway. It starts to move towards Stephen and Abby, but is distracted by the sea lions behind the glass. It runs when a group of soldiers come down the walkway, led by Ryan.
In the camel enclosure, Helen is sitting on a bench. Claudia walks in, talking to a soldier.
Claudia: We’ve really got to try and contain it. We can’t afford to lose anybody …
Helen: If you want to find its lair, you’re going to need dogs.
Claudia: Excuse me.
The soldier leaves as Helen gets up and approaches Claudia.
Claudia: You saved my life. Thank you. Although, now I come to think of it. You did leave it rather late.
Helen: Well, you know. You were doing so well without me. It was only when Nick ran off I thought I should intervene.
Claudia: He didn’t run off. He went to get help. He did everything he could to protect me.
Helen: He’s attracted to you, isn’t he?
Claudia: I have no idea.
Helen: It’s obvious you like him.
Claudia: It’s really none of your business.
Helen: He’s my husband.
Claudia: You left him. Remember?
Helen: You know, I can see why he’s interested. You’re his type, Claudia. Strong, independent, reasonably intelligent.
Claudia: Shall we stick to the point? So, what can you tell us about this creature?
Helen: It’s fast. Incredibly fast. And it can camouflage itself in almost any environment. To survive in the Permian it’s had to be highly adaptable, which is bad for us. Who knows? Maybe that’s how humanity meets it’s end, by becoming a food source for a more successful species.
1x06 Part 2
Previously on Primeval.
Opening titles.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 1:
In Nick Cutter’s office, NICK CUTTER is playing golf, using a mug as the hole, and a leg bone as the club. CLAUDIA BROWN arrives.
Claudia: Shot.
Nick: Claudia Brown.
Claudia: Having fun?
Nick: Yes. Would you like to sit down.
Claudia comes down the steps, and sits.
Claudia: I’ve been thinking about Helen.
Nick: Ah. Okay.
Claudia: She saved my life. It was much less complicated when she was just the enemy.
Nick: Yeah. I gave up trying to predict Helen’s behaviour when she swapped our marriage for a package your in the Permian era.
Claudia: Maybe it was just a cry for help.
Nick: Counselling would have been simpler.
Claudia: Nick Cutter talking about his feelings? I don’t think so.
Nick: What? Try me. Ask me anything, anything you like.
Claudia: Do you still love her?
Nick: Ask me another one.
Claudia: Ooh, Coward.
Nick: Was there any … I mean, was there any purpose to your visit? Or is my love life the only item on the agenda?
Claudia: If we’re going to defend ourselves more effectively, then we’ve got to do something more than just react. We’ve got to discover why these anomalies are opening, and then predict when the next one will appear.
Nick: Well, you know, it may be possible to do that.
Claudia: Are you going to tell me how?
Nick: I’ve got ideas, but I don’t have any proof. I need more time.
Claudia: Fine. How does Monday morning sound?
Nick has gone back to playing golf, he shoots and misses. Claudia turns away, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Nick: You’re spoiling me now. Are you okay?
Claudia: Um, I haven’t been sleeping well. Bad dreams.
Claudia starts up the stairs.
Claudia: By the way, when those things were attacking us, you kissed me. On the lips.
Nick: I know.
Claudia: You do know sexual harassment is a serious disciplinary offence in the civil service?
Claudia leaves. Smiling.
FOREST OF DEAN TAKE 1:
At the anomaly site from the first episode, an anomaly is hanging in the same place as the first anomaly. Lights, tables and chairs are set up, like the area was being studied. A soldier runs towards the site. There is a sound off screen, and he takes off in that direction. There is a huge hole in the security fence.
Soldier: This is Charlie 1, security breach at section 15.
Whilst we hear radio chatter, we see the soldier in a distorted manner.
FOREST OF DEAN TAKE 2:
STEPHEN HART and Nick are at the hole in the fence with CAPTAIN RYAN and his men.
Stephen: No trail, no footprints, nothing.
Nick: Are you sure you didn’t miss anything?
Stephen: If there’s anything out there, we’d have found it by now.
Ryan: Must have gone back.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 1:
The lion enclosure. The lions are undertaking normal lion behaviour. The CREATURE jumps onto the roof of their enclosure, agitating the male lion. The creature breaks through, and jumps into the enclosure.
ABBY’S FLAT TAKE 1.
ABBY MAITLAND and CONNOR TEMPLE are sitting at the table. Connor is wearing a shirt and tie.
Abby: Okay. I’m a girl in a bar. Tell me I look nice.
Connor: You look nice.
Abby: Make it more personal.
Connor: I personally feel you look nice.
Abby: The complement, be more specific.
Connor: Well, you’ve got lovely legs, and fantastic…
Abby: Yeah, not that specific. Um, small talk. Flirty. Just not too flirty. Yeah?
Connor: I’ve seen you here before, haven’t I?
Abby: Oh, that’s good.
Connor: Oh, look, your glass is empty. Let me get you another one.
Abby: I’ll have a mojito, please.
Connor: Two mojitos coming up. Barman.
Connor clicks at REX who is sitting on the sofa.
Connor: Who do you think would win in a fight between Wolverine and Spider-man?
Abby: I said flirty, not nerdy.
Connor: That’s entry level comic book, Abby. It’s light, it’s fun.
Abby: But girls don’t talk comic books! If you want to be more successful with women, you’ve got to learn to compromise a bit. Find out what they like.
Connor: And pretend I’m interested. Until they want to snog me. No, I get it. But Abby, you know, to be honest, I think I can talk to women. I talk to you, don’t I?
Abby: We’re pals.
Connor: Yeah, I know. You can…
Abby: Come here.
Abby fixes Connor’s tie for him.
Connor: You can fancy somebody who’s a pal, can’t you? The two conditions are not mutually exclusive.
Abby’s gets a text as Connor leans in to kiss her. She picks her phone up and sighs.
Abby: It’s the zoo, something’s up. I’ve got to go.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 1:
Claudia is walking down a corridor with JAMES LESTER.
Claudia: He made a mistake about Helen. He should have told us about her. He was under enormous pressure. He predicted the temporal fault lines, and he’s been correct about the anomalies reoccurring, that’s not just luck. If there’s anyone who can help us predict and contain these things, it’s him.
Lester: How close is he to an answer?
Claudia: I don’t know. He couldn’t say yet.
Lester: Look, one day soon, an anomaly’s going to open up and thousands of these creatures, maybe millions are going to come pouring through. Lets hope he’s made his mind up by then.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 2:
Stephen exits the university. He is being followed by HELEN CUTTER. Stephen slows and turns, but Helen hides. He turns back around, and comes face to face with her.
Helen: In most eras of the world’s history, you’d be dead by now.
Stephen: Helen. What the hell are you doing here?
Helen: All this urban living’s mad human beings such lazy animals. Second-rate hearing, no sense of smell, no worthwhile instincts.
Stephen: Well, man has no predators, we have nothing to be afraid of except each other.
Helen: Well, that used to be the case, but times are changing, aren’t they, Stephen?
Stephen: What do you want?
Helen: A cold beer would be nice.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 2:
Abby is showing Connor into the lion enclosure. Other zookeepers are gathered around the hole in the roof.
Abby: See, at first we thought the lions had been fighting, but none of them are wounded. Then we realised we’d lost one.
Connor: You put it down somewhere, forgot where you left it. Happens all the time.
Connor taps Abby on the arm and points down, at a leaf covered in blood.
Connor: Looks like something got wounded.
Connor crouches down and takes a swab of the blood, whilst the other zookeepers are arguing about the hole.
Abby: Could it be a creature attack?
Connor: I don’t know. You need …
They both pause as a zookeeper walks past.
Connor: There’s no other proof, is there? All you’ve got is a missing lion. Maybe he just ran away to join the circus.
Abby: Oh, whatever.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 3:
Helen and Stephen are in the university café.
Stephen: Why don’t you just tell me what you want?
Helen: A meeting. With Nick and Lester. Tomorrow morning at 11. Here.
Helen hands Stephen a piece of paper.
Helen: No armed thugs, no ambushes. They’ll want to hear what I’ve got to say.
Stephen: They don’t trust you.
Helen: I don’t trust them, either. But this is serious.
Helen gets out a newspaper and gives it to Stephen.
Helen: Three people have disappeared in the last 48 hours. I know what happened to them.
Stephen: Creature. What kind?
Helen: It’s good to see you again, Stephen. You know, you were always one of my better students. Not the very brightest maybe, but always full of idealism and integrity.
Helen gets up and puts her backpack on, before kissing Stephen on the lips.
Helen: I miss that.
Stephen: Thank you. I’m touched.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 2:
Claudia walks in and puts her bag down.
Claudia: Hello?
There is a thumping and growling noise. She turns around to see a GORGONOPSID behind her. She backs away, and closes the glass door behind her. The gorgonopsid roars and charges through the glass. Claudia wakes up in a chair in an office. She was having a nightmare. She spins around in her chair to see if anyone noticed the nightmare. She spins the chair back and comes face to face with the gorgonopsid again. It roars, and she wakes up for real this time, still in the office.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 3:
Abby is feeding the elephants in the rain. She is being watched by the creature, with the same distortion as the soldier was viewed with earlier. The view is blocked as the elephants rush in to feed. Abby glances up, but doesn’t see anything.
TIM PARKER, Abby’s boss, is walking through the elephant house, talking on his mobile. The creature is watching him.
Tim: Thanks for calling. No, no sign of the lion as yet. We’re still hopeful, obviously. Yes, yes.
As Tim goes through a gate, the creature jumps to the floor behind him, and follows him out the door.
HOME OFFICE TAKE 3:
Lester walks into the office, followed by Claudia, Nick and Stephen. Abby and Connor are in another room.
Abby: Stephen was acting really strange this morning. Something weird is going on.
Connor: What’s new? Oh, I never said. The blood analysis came back from the lab. Most of it was from a lion, but some of it was from a bat.
Abby: Bats get everywhere.
Connor: Yeah, but it was some really weird DNA. They said they’d never seen anything like it before.
Abby: What does that mean then?
Connor: I don’t know. Yet. You expecting a call?
Abby: My boss. No ones seen him since yesterday. They found his stuff, but there’s no sign of him. He just vanished.
Abby and Connor look at the newspaper that Connor is holding. The headline is ‘Police baffled as third person goes missing’.
Abby: Better get back to the zoo.
Lester: Are you sure you don’t already know what this is about?
Nick: Sorry, what does that mean?
Lester: She’s your wife, you join the dots.
Claudia: Helen did save my life, so we should give her some credit for that. And if she does know something about the disappearances…
Lester: That’s a police matter. There’s no evidence of creature involvement.
Stephen: Yet.
Lester: Okay, fine. We’ll do it her way. But if this turns out to be another of her manipulative schemes, the deal’s off and she goes straight back on the wanted list.
PARK TAKE 1:
Helen approaches Lester, Claudia, Nick and Stephen, who are standing on a bridge over a large pond.
Helen: You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless.
Claudia: If there was a creature on the loose, we’d know about it.
Helen: At least 3 people have disappeared in the last few days.
Lester: Missing.
Helen: Killed. The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. It’s taken them for food.
Nick: Now how do you know that?
Helen: Because it nearly got me, too.
Stephen: What is it?
Helen: It has no name.
Nick: Then which era is it from?
Helen: It doesn’t come from any era. At least, not one that can be identified yet.
Nick: I’m sorry, I don’t understand.
Helen: Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You’ve known it ever since you first stepped into the past.
Nick: The future? Are you saying we’re being attacked by a creature from the future?
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 4:
Abby walks down a hill, past the sea lion enclosure. The creature is nearby.
PARK TAKE 2:
Helen: I’ve seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to stalk it’s prey. It could be right here now watching us and we’d never know.
Claudia: If it’s so clever, how did you see it?
Helen: I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences were down.
Nick: What does it look like?
Helen: Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile.
Nick: Hold on. What makes you so certain that it’s not some lost species that’s just disappeared from the evolutionary record?
Helen: No Nick. It’s not like any creature from the Permian, or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era, and then on into ours.
Lester: You know, I’m really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it’s the future as well. And apparently we can’t do a damn thing about it.
Claudia: How did it get here?
Helen: I have no idea. It was only when I got back I found out it was on the loose. Obviously my first thought was to do as much as I could to help.
Lester: How public spirited of you. Where can we contact you?
Helen: At my house. Of course.
THE CUTTER HOUSE TAKE 1:
Helen is in the living room, taking her boots off. Nick is sitting at the piano.
Helen: You could have redecorated.
Nick: I like it. Anyway, are you going to tell me why you were lying?
Helen: No idea what you’re talking about.
Nick: Well, you know, the others buy that line about you just wanting to help, but I’ve known you for longer than they have.
Helen: Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observations. But I got too fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching.
Nick: So you became the prey.
Helen: Yeah, I only just got away. Problem was, my escape route led me back here.
Nick: And it followed you. So this is your fault.
Helen: I could have walked away. But I didn’t. I stayed to help. I’m still human, Nick, I … I do care what happens. Believe it or not I do care about you.
CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY TAKE 4:
Stephen and Connor are in Nick’s office. Stephen is tidying, Connor is spinning around on Nick’s chair and playing with the things on his desk.
Connor: What, and that’s all she said?
Stephen: That’s it.
Connor: What, nothing else? No details at all?
Stephen: Why? Put it down.
Connor: It’s just, I found some bat blood at the zoo yesterday.
Stephen: So?
Connor: Well, this bat blood had really, really screwed up DNA. I mean, you know, it’s probably nothing, but one of the lions went missing yesterday, and now Abby’s boss, he’s just disappeared as well.
Stephen: Where’s Abby?
Connor: She said she was working late.
Stephen: Meet me at the zoo, with as much back up as possible.
WELLINGTON ZOO TAKE 5:
Abby is in the underground walkway, watching the sea lions. She steps backwards and bumps into Stephen.
Abby: Don’t creep up on me like that!
Stephen: I wasn’t creeping. I was walking, normally. You all right?
Abby: Why shouldn’t I be.
Stephen: There might be a creature here. We think it killed the sea lions and maybe your boss. The others are on the way.
Abby: You came on your own, just because you were worried about me?
Stephen: Well, you and the, uh, sea lions. I’d hate it if anything happened to them.
Stephen suddenly grabs Abby and pushes her against the wall.
Abby: What’re you doing?
Stephen covers Abby’s mouth and puts his finger to his lips.
Stephen: There’s something down here.
The creature drops down in the entrance of the walkway. It starts to move towards Stephen and Abby, but is distracted by the sea lions behind the glass. It runs when a group of soldiers come down the walkway, led by Ryan.
In the camel enclosure, Helen is sitting on a bench. Claudia walks in, talking to a soldier.
Claudia: We’ve really got to try and contain it. We can’t afford to lose anybody …
Helen: If you want to find its lair, you’re going to need dogs.
Claudia: Excuse me.
The soldier leaves as Helen gets up and approaches Claudia.
Claudia: You saved my life. Thank you. Although, now I come to think of it. You did leave it rather late.
Helen: Well, you know. You were doing so well without me. It was only when Nick ran off I thought I should intervene.
Claudia: He didn’t run off. He went to get help. He did everything he could to protect me.
Helen: He’s attracted to you, isn’t he?
Claudia: I have no idea.
Helen: It’s obvious you like him.
Claudia: It’s really none of your business.
Helen: He’s my husband.
Claudia: You left him. Remember?
Helen: You know, I can see why he’s interested. You’re his type, Claudia. Strong, independent, reasonably intelligent.
Claudia: Shall we stick to the point? So, what can you tell us about this creature?
Helen: It’s fast. Incredibly fast. And it can camouflage itself in almost any environment. To survive in the Permian it’s had to be highly adaptable, which is bad for us. Who knows? Maybe that’s how humanity meets it’s end, by becoming a food source for a more successful species.
1x06 Part 2