The Vanishing Man
Pilot Transcript

Last Updated 7th June 2000

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Part Two

[Scene: Alice's solicitor's office, she is leaving to go to Nick's prison for a visit when she is stopped by Gordon.]
Gordon: Alice..I thought this might be of use (holding up a report).
Alice: What is it?
Gordon: A report by the American Chemical Federation on the possible side effects of hilium-nitrate.
Alice: Nitrate..?
Gordon: Yes..An organic compound of Nitrogen-trioxide containing an experimental isotope derived from the stuff your man was manufacturing. (gives her the report)
Alice: Yes, well we still haven't proved that.
Gordon: And we still have to.
Alice: Yes thank you Gordon, I'll look at it when I get back (hands back the report).
Gordon: From where?
Alice: Thame Park, I'm meeting Cameron about the appeal.
Gordon: What appeal?
Alice: Oh didn't I tell you? I got a photocopy of the fax he sent (at Gordon vague expression) the flight plan he sent to the CCU? He got one digit wrong and it ended up at a laundry and dry-cleaning service in Swindon. He's lucky they've got a computerised mailing system that keeps everything on file. Well we've got enough evidence, the appeals going to be a synch!
Gordon: And your going to see him now.
Alice: Look, you were the one who put the case on my desk, you can hardly complain when I succeed.
Gordon: I'm not complaining I'm just asking you to prioritise.
Alice: Yes, Lawrence can wait!
[Scene: Nick's Prison. He comes out of his cell and makes his way to the showers. He is wearing only a white T-shirt and blue jeans. He has a towel and a bar of soap. There are others already in the showers. Alice meanwhile is waiting to see Nick and is pacing around at reception. Three prison guards then come in one of which is Gimson..]
Alice: Cameron, Nicholas, 3715-double 9-83, come on you know why I'm here..(Note possible gaff here, in previous scenes Forstater says the numbers 371-double 5-983 in reference to Nick..).
[Scene: Nick is in the shower (alas no ladies we don't get to see much..got nice legs though..!) The guards are now just outside the shower room, including Gimson. All but one of the other prisoners leave the shower room.]
Gimson: Wing secure lads..?
Guard: Yeah
[Scene: The guards slowly make their way towards Nick. Nick alas has dropped the soap but as he bends down to retrieve it his feet start to disappear.. soon his legs are gone, then his torso...hands everything disappears from his view, leaving nothing behind but what looks like an empty shower cubical. The guards now enter the shower room, and tell the remaining in-mate to leave.]
Gimson: (to prisoner) Piss off.
[Scene: The guards walk towards the only shower cubical that's on, and which they think Nick is in. They each produce a metal stick which extends a bit like automatic umbrellas do. However when they reach the cubical, Nick isn't there. Well he is there, they just can't see him is all!]
Gimson: Where'd he go? Cells! (they leave to check the cells)
[Scene: Nick walks towards a mirror, and wipes off the condensation, however nothing is reflected back at him. He can't see himself. All he can see is the back of the shower room. As he walks all we can see are the wet footprints he leaves behind as he walks out of the shower room. Meanwhile Gimson and co. have gone back to the cells.]
Gimson: Right, everyone out of their cells! Move it, (to a fellow guard) check 53, come on move it! move it! (to guard again) Anything? (guard shakes his head)
[Scene: Gimson then notices some wet footprints running down the cell wing. We then switch to reception where Alice is still waiting to see Nick. An alarm can he heard in the background, as can PA announcements. Gimson then comes to reception...]
Gimson: Miss Grant, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
Alice: I beg your pardon?
Gimson: On your way please, now!
Alice: You can't do this! I'm here to see my client.
Gimson: I'm afraid your client has caused this alarm, he's escaped.
Alice: That's impossible he has no reason to escape.
Gimson: Well you can talk about that when we find him, in the meantime you'll have to go.
Alice: I want to see the governor.
Gimson: Ah..he's not here.
Alice: Then I want to see him the moment he gets back. And I warn you Mr. Gimson, any harm comes to my client and I will have an independent doctor and photographer in here before you can blink.
Gimson: Through here (he leads her through a metal detector like the gate you walk through in airports).
Alice: Do you mind! (turning to face Gimson).
Gimson: What?
Alice: Just keep your hands to yourself all right.
Gimson: I didn't touch you (they move towards Alice's car outside in the visitors car park).
Alice: I want to know the moment there's any news.
Gimson: Right.
Alice: Nick Cameron is innocent. If he gets hurt you'll be the ones who pay. (unlocks her car by pressing a button on her key ring) Do you get my meaning Mr. Gimson?
Gimson: Yes fully Miss Grant, thank you.
[Scene: Gimson goes back to the prison, and Alice turns to get in her car. However the back door has opened mysteriously, and she shuts it with a puzzled expression on her face. Meanwhile back at the prison...]
Gimson: Well?
Guard: We got the men on line up, every cells empty, there's no sign.
Gimson: Where's the governor?
Guard: Called him, he's on his way.
[Scene: Alice is driving along a road. She puts a tape in the cassette player. A little while later Nick is seen sitting up on the back seat of her car. He is now visible and naked! Alice spots him and starts to scream. Nick screams back..]
Nick: Calm down, calm down (spots something) look out!
[Scene: As Alice is still screaming and looking at Nick, she is no longer paying attention to the road, and promptly drives off it through a hedge and crashes into a tree. It's quite amusing really! We then switch back to the prison where Gimson is explaining what's happened to Forstater.]
Forstater: What happened?
Gimson: We waited until he showered, and then went to do what you said.
Forstater: Yes.
Gimson: Suddenly he wasn't there anymore, I thought somehow he must have slipped back to his cell, but he wasn't there either. I don't know it was like he just disappeared..
Forstater: Dissappeared..?!
Gimson: Into thin air!
Forstater: Oh my god..
[Scene: The car crash site. Both Alice and Nick are fine. They are circling Alice's car, Alice walking backwards away from Nick who only has a newspaper to hide his...Um...bits! He is trying to convince her he was invisible..]
Alice: No!
Nick: Please listen to me!
Alice: Keep away from me!
Nick: I'm not going to hurt you!
Alice: Why are you telling me this?
Nick: Because it's true! I was invisible! I was in your car, in the back, you didn't see me.
Alice: I did see you! That's why I crashed.
Nick: No in the corridor, before, in the lock up. Um, keep your hands to yourself all right, that's what you said! You see, I was there, it was me!
Alice: No.
Nick: They searched your car, there were cameras, how else do you think I got here?
Alice: What invisible?
Nick: Yes!
Alice: But how?
Nick: Guigees, Bastards! It was nothing to do with suntans!
Alice: What are you talking about?
Nick: Two weeks ago I volunteered, they said they need people to get a suntan, but they were lying!
Alice: Who? Who's Guigees?
Nick: I don't know...ask Forstater! God, what have they done to me? You can see me..?
Alice: What..?
Nick: Can you see me..?
Alice: Yes!
Nick: I don't want to be invisible, I don't want any of this.
Alice: You have to go back.
Nick: No!
Alice: This is so stupid! You have a first class case for an appeal. Give me three months and I can have you back on the street, but this isn't going to help!
Nick: I can't go back.
Alice: Why not!?
Nick: Becuase nobody knows about Guigees. I knew it the minute they came into the showers, nobody knows about Guigees except me. And you think they're gonna let me tell anyone else?
Alice: Well, what are you saying?
Nick: They wanted me dead...and now they'll know it's worked so they'll want me back. I'm a bloody guinea pig (A police siren can now be heard in the background, and it's getting louder) And what do you think they're gonna do to me next?
Alice: Look, Nick this is all really far fetched..
Nick: (almost shouting) You go and stop that car, and you can forget about the appeal. I swear to god you'll never see me again! (Alice let's the car go) Look, I need your help (Clasps the paper in his hands in an almost pleading motion) Just for today, then I'll get out of your life...
Alice: (she looks down, and Nick suddenly realises he shouldn't have moved the paper, and promptly puts it back where it was!) You'll need some clothes...there's some sport kit in the trunk, it'll probably fit.

End of Part Two

Top back to part 1 onto part 3

Written by Anthony Horowitz
Transcribed by Liane Frydland