IYM BULLPEN

Stephan walks out of the elevator and into the bullpen. The area is filled with futuristic cubicles. As he crosses the room, we see people working hard in their cubicles. Some sit at their desks with slick surfaces with data, windows, and videos running). There are no computers or laptops, just active surfaces. Some of the workers are talking and interacting with their invisible AI colleagues. We see and hear nothing of the AI’s exchange. Mellow classical music plays in the background.  Stephan passes in front of a cubicle where Sandra sits. Seeing him, she emerges from her cubicle. We see static as she moves out of the energy field zone. She jogs after him.   

SANDRA: Stephan! Stephan!

He stops and turns to look at her and smiles coyly.

STEPHAN: What’s up, Hotstuff? No harassment intended! I spent the weekend watching the Godfather saga. Bad influence. You should see the look I gave my driver.

She blushes.

SANDRA: I rescheduled all of your appointments today as per Karis’ request.

STEPHAN: Thanks, sweetheart. You look nice today.  

She blushes again.

STEPHAN: I gather they’re waiting for me in the conference room.

SANDRA: Yes. Karis, Rob, and Jerry. 

Stephan is surprised.

STEPHAN: Jerry, really? He never shows up in person. He always vid-streams from his lab. I guess things ARE serious.

SANDRA: Did you receive the report?

STEPHAN: Yep, I scanned it on the way over.

He seems a bit off-kilter.

STEPHAN: I didn't even have time for a coffee. 

SANDRA: Do you want me to get you one?

STEPHAN: No thanks. Thunder Dome time. 

He walks away with a quickened stride, leaving Sandra beaming at his godliness.

LANDING FIELD - MORNING

A blimp/airship lands smoothly besides a row of identical aircraft. The door opens, and a stairway deploys, easing onto the tarmac. 

At the same moment, a black limo pulls up to a stop. The passenger door opens, and Alisa Estabon gets out. She’s fit, donning a black suit with an FBI badge on the lapel. With a superior IQ, she is the youngest FBI agent in her division. She walks toward the airship as Helen Farber, the Governor’s right-hand, attractive mid-forties conservatively dressed(describe) descends the air-stairs.

ALISA: Welcome to New Breton! I just arrived myself.

Helen goes to shake Alisa's hand.

HELEN: Alisa Estabon, I presume?

ALISA: You must be Helen.

The two women proceed to Alisa’s Limo. 

HELEN: This case is of the governor's highest priority, and we must act fast if we want to prevent an all-out panic. First things first, we need to determine what or who caused this.

ALISA: I suspect it’s directly related to IYM’s AI system.

As they are about to get into the car, Helen stops and looks at Alisa with an authoritative intensity.

HELEN: If I were you, I would refrain from allegations until we have all the facts.

Alisa nods in agreement. They get into the car.

POLICE STATION BRIEFING ROOM 

All the walls are filled with projections of police files, the photos of 3 recent suicide victims, and details of their lives and deaths clutter the holographic board. Bud and Philip (describe) are examining them.  

PHILIP: How would you explain this mess?!

BUD: Well, Helen Farber, from the Governor's office, suggests we’ll find more answers at IYM.  Somehow these deaths may be related to their AI program. 

PHILIP: We’ll need a court order if we’re gonna deal with the folks at IYM. Did I hear she’s bringing a federal officer with her?

 Bud looks at Philip, obviously irritated by the idea.

BUD: Yup. Must be some heavy shit if the Feds are on board. 

FBI’S CAR

Alisa and Helen are being driven through the well-ordered and immaculate streets of downtown New Breton. Alisa is looking out the window, astonished at what she sees. Helen is absorbed with a report on a digital sheet.

ALISA: Wow! Look at this place. When I was here ten years ago, it was nothing more than a dust bowl. 

HELEN: It’s now one of the country's most advanced and affluent cities. The unemployment rate is less than 2%. And it’s all thanks to IYM.

ALISA: I gather the town folk is pretty loyal to their benefactors, then?

She looks Alisa up and down. This girl may be trouble.

HELEN: Alisa, I hope you’re not one of those ill-informed snap-to-judgment types... assuming that corruption lies at the foundation of all leadership, blah, blah, blah. 

ALISA: Excuse me?

HELEN: I’m sensing you’re not a fan of IYM.

ALISA: I’m here to assess the situation with an unbiased and open mind. I’m curious why you feel the need to defend IYM so readily.  You yourself said that we’re lacking enough data to make a judgment one way or the other.

HELEN: Well, I’m here to ensure that New Breton is safe and that the order is contained.  There’s no room for hasty judgments and flippant attitudes. This “situation’ could easily fester into a horror show if we’re not lucky.

ALISA: So you’re here to provide a public service, then?

HELEN: That’s my job.

ALISA: Well, I’ll just come out and say it then.  Is IYM paying you or the Governor to suppress intel on their potential ’horror-show’  AI program?

Helen is upset but kind of likes Alisa’s gumption. She keeps her cool.

HELEN: I like your gumption, kid.  And in answer to your blatant and somewhat insulting question. NO. 

Helen lifts up her arm, showing her ‘human interface bracelet,’ hits ‘heart monitor’, and shows it to Alisa.

HELEN: As you can see, I speak the truth.

ALISA: Just attempting to assess IYM’s reach of influence, Mame. The real question is, how deep into their data are we gonna get?

Helen nods and lets out a long breath.

HELEN: Well, considering that we own the majority of shares in the facility, their data core will be wide open to us.  

ALISA: We?

HELEN: Yes, we ... the United States government. That’s why you’re here, to supervise and uncover what they’re doing to remedy the problem and to assess if there is a more menacing threat.

ALISA: So, does this mean you’re my boss?

Helen gives her a sideways grin.

HELEN: As a matter of speaking, yes.

ALISA: Got it. Sorry for the third degree. 

Helen enjoys playing with Alisa’s nerves.

HELEN: First on the agenda is to stop by the Sheriff's office and reassure them that everything’s under control. 

ALISA: It is?

POLICE STATION BUD’S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER

Bud and Helen are having a heated argument while Alisa and Philip are watching, amused.

BUD: Let me tell you something... In the last decade, we have not had any deaths other than natural causes. Three innocent people lost their lives today... you're telling me that it may be related to IYM’s AI system and that we can't do anything about it?! People are screaming for answers... What do I tell them exactly?

HELEN: Look, this is a highly sensitive situation. We can't just tell everyone that there’s a glitch. There are millions of people using IYM AIs. We’ll have an all-out uprising if we don’t handle this properly.

ALISA: More like a billion people. Since the introduction of the chip, IYM AI’s have permeated all aspects of our daily lives. If there’s a system bug, we could look at the world’s first virtual pandemic.

Once again, Helen gives her a look.

PHILIP: Then, what’s the problem? Get us our court order, and we’ll turn the company upside down! 

HELEN: Again... we are happy to keep you in the loop, but this falls under Federal jurisdiction. You may need a warrant, but I DON’T. Your jurisdiction is with your citizens, and I suggest keeping things on the down low until we have answers.

IYM CONFERENCE ROOM

The discussion is getting hot.

KARIS: It’s just a matter of time before they barge in with a federal warrant to inspect our core data!

JERRY: They don’t need a warrant; they are freaking own the place; many thanks to you two! In any case, I’m ready for them. I can’t find anything wrong with our system. Whatever happened to those people is beyond our reach of understanding... and responsibility.

Jerry still looks down at his data, and Rob is getting pissed off.

ROB: Well, obviously, something went wrong! And if this little hiccup hits the media, we’re screwed! Not to mention, we can be charged with negligence under the Artificial Intelligence Integration Act! And frankly, Jerry, you’d be first in line on the gallows for that one!  

 At this moment, Stephan walks into the room, still beading with sweat over his harrowing ride on the super stream highway. 

STEPHAN: Sorry for the delay, folks; just getting my sea legs back. Who here is working on teleportation... Is that you, Jerry?  I think you could step it up a bit!

They all turn and look at him, annoyed and not amused. Stephan regains a serious attitude. He sits and removes his watch, and sets it down on the table. A flow of information is deployed. Most of it is about the three victims.

STEPHAN: I haven’t had time to really delve deep into the case yet.

KARIS: Let me help you out! Three of our AI units apparently drove their owners to suicide this morning!

She looks at Rob and Jerry.

KARIS: I’m I forgetting something?!

They shake their head in a ‘No.’ She then turns back to Stephan, who is now not so chipper.

KARIS: My question is, if it is an external cyber attack, how did they get into our system?!

JERRY: That’s a really good question. Since I am.

Karis cuts him off.

KARIS: If it’s not an external attack, and let’s say our system does have a glitch, how is it that we didn’t see it coming?!

POLICE STATION BUD’S OFFICE

Alisa is pointing at a cluster of red dots on the floating projection of a city map.

ALISA: Whatever happened, it looks like it was isolated to this sector. Directly within a five-mile radius. We did check the data stream chart and a spike showed up for a little less than 5 minutes. 

BUD: What type of spike?

Alisa brings another graph up.

ALISA: We may not have access to IYM core data yet, but we do have a profile of this type of IYM data stream specs they are transmitting. 

She is pointing at a red curve.

ALISA: This one is associated with IYM AI mental health support program.

PHILIP: Mental what?!

ALISA: People need psychiatric, life coaching, and counseling. It covers a wide range. 

He looks at her, confused. Helen, annoyed, intervenes.

HELEN: Therapists, you know, to help them with their issues.

BUD: So you’re telling me that Mental Health Avatars are driving people to kill themselves?

ALISA: That’s what it looks like.

HELEN: But, at this stage, it’s just a theory.

Alisa is getting irritated by Helen's noncommittal attitude. How much proof is she gonna need to get the ball rolling here?