SCENE #1 SCENE: EXT, A BURNED OUT CITY, NIGHT The camera is trained on a scene of mass chaos. Daleks are everywhere, as are even more Ogron and Robomen foot soldiers. Bombed out ruins are prominent in the foreground. It is raining, and thunder and lightening are present. Also, in the background, can be heard the sounds of distant small arms fire. CUT TO: EXT, SEVERAL VEHICLES AMID THE RUINS The camera settles on a line of vehicles stopped because of the weather. Most are rugged, thickly armored affairs with heavy weapons prominent, or troop transports of some kind. However, the camera soon settles on one small, insignificant vehicle, almost forgotten in the hustle and bustle. CUT TO: INT, SMALL VEHICLE The camera is now looking in at the vehicle, starting on the passenger (camera left) side. Sitting in the vehicle in the front passenger seat with a dim light shining on him is THE MASTER, who looks very disconcerted. The camera then starts to pan from left to right, to reveal the rest of the group inside the vehicle. Behind THE MASTER sits PSYCHO NYSSA, calmly pointing THE MASTER's own TCE device at his head. Beside them both and sitting behind the vehicle controls is ADRIC, who is carefully looking outside the front window at the mess outside. Each of them is quiet. CUT TO: EXT, CONVOY The small vehicle with the three can be seen on the left side of the screen in the foreground. On the right and coming towards the camera from behind the vehicle is DALEK #1. The eyestalk on this Dalek is shuttling from side to side, looking things over and periodically issuing orders at the weary Ogrons in the convoy, all of whom seem to be ignoring it completely. DALEK #1 MOVE! THIS CON-VOY MUST MOVE IM-MED-I-ATE-LY!! THE DAL-EK RACE WILL NOT BE STOPPED!! MOVE! As DALEK #1 says the latter, its eyestalk momentarily shuttles toward ADRIC before continuing on along the vehicle side. DALEK #1 THIS CON-VOY MUST.... Suddenly, the Dalek stops what it is saying, as it suddenly realizes that something appears to be just a tad wrong. Slowly, it turns its eyestalk back toward the being in the vehicle. CUT TO: EXT, SMALL VEHICLE ADRIC stares back at the Dalek with a completely neutral look. CUT TO: INT, SMALL VEHICLE (ADRIC POV) The Dalek starts agitating excitedly. DALEK #1 (frantically) AT-TEN-TION!! HU-MAN IN-TRU-DORS!! AT-TEN.....!!! ADRIC has seen enough. He guns the vehicle straight into the Dalek, then turns away into the bombed out city. No one bothers to even pursue him. As he does so, the first bars of music can be heard (Burning Bridges, by Mike Curb Congregation).... ***** SCENE #2 SCENE: INT, THIS TIME ROUND The bar is in a shambles. The sound of gunfire and fighting can be heard in the distance. A number of the usual denizens are present, but all are huddled to the ground or otherwise taking cover. It is obvious that a huge battle is being waged outside, which everyone is trying to avoid. ADRIC has sit THE MASTER down at a seat. A couple surviving members of the ADF have their guns trained on the timelord. ADRIC is examining a briefcase THE MASTER was carrying. His attention settles on some data discs. He pops the data discs into a portable reader, and examines the read out. ADRIC Tsk, tsk, tsk. And what's all this stuff, I wonder... THE MASTER (trying to sound suave and confident) Just passes and letters of transport through the Dalek lines. ADRIC shuffles through some of the discs, then looks up. ADRIC Hey, Zoe? Can you come over here for a moment? (to THE MASTER) Selling us out again, I see. What, have you and the Daleks come to another understanding? THE MASTER fidgets. THE MASTER Yes, something like that. ADRIC So, going to tell us what the Daleks have got you doing? THE MASTER Not particularly, no. One of the ADF troopers cocks their weapon. THE MASTER (vaguely) Oh, just overseeing the transport of some necessary documents... ADRIC looks at him dubiously. ADRIC Documents? THE MASTER Yes, files... clerical... ADRIC gives him a "you've got to be shitting me" look. ADRIC Clerical, huh? (Pause) So, mind telling me what you were doing out there? THE MASTER (shrugging) Oh, perhaps I was looking for some power modules for my TARDIS. I can't move, after all, without my TARDIS... ZOE arrives. ADRIC hands her the portable reader. ADRIC You can read Dalek machine code, right? (indicating data discs) Translate some of this for me, will 'ya? ZOE (taking reader) Sure thing. ADRIC looks once more into the briefcase and finds several heavy bars. He starts to examine them. THE MASTER looks at them nervously. ADRIC What are these? THE MASTER (hurriedly) Uh, lead bars. ADRIC Lead bars? THE MASTER Uh, yes. The bag was suppose to be dropped into the water when captured. Er, um, unfortunately, you surprised me... ZOE (looking at reader) All of this has something to do with materials for a prototype of some kind of anti-Cybermen weapon. Codename is Tannenbaum.... As ZOE reads, ADRIC gives one of the bars a very close look. Suddenly, he notices that some of the grey is scratched off... and beneath is something very shiny and gold colored. ADRIC suddenly realizes what it is he is holding. ZOE continues. ZOE (looking at reader) The convoy... ADRIC looks up from the bar. ADRIC (hurriedly) That's enough, Zoe. He shuts the reader down before Zoe can read any more. ZOE (annoyed) Well, geez... ADRIC ignores her. Instead, he turns back to THE MASTER, who now knows that ADRIC has figured something out. For a moment ADRIC considers what to do. Then he points to a table off to one side, and man-handles THE MASTER in that direction. ADRIC Come along, timelord. I think we'd like to have a few words with you... As he escorts THE MASTER, he passes PSYCHO NYSSA. ADRIC (pointing) Uh, Nys. Could you please hand me that bottle of Brandy over there? PSYCHO NYSSA looks at him as if he were crazy. PSYCHO NYSSA What do you want to give the good brandy to _him_ for, Swamp rat? ADRIC Never mind, just give me the Brandy, will 'ya? THE MASTER I must protest... this is no way to treat an important character such as... ADRIC Sure it is, timelord. You and I, we're just going to have a drink. ADRIC starts to pour a glass out for THE MASTER. A really, really, big glass. ADRIC A nice, sociable drink... ***** SCENE #3 SCENE: INT, A STOCK ROOM This stock room is situated in a building far behind the front lines. Some UNIT personnel can be seen, but mostly it's just a place where large amounts of ammunition and supplies have been dumped. The stock room is filled with various items, not all of which are what you would expect to find in a supply depot. Besides guns and ammo can be seen numerous bottles of alcohol, a few racy magazines, and a Confederate flag. Country music can be heard being piped in from somewhere. In the middle of the room is a man sitting at a table (NUMBER ONE). In front of NUMBER ONE is a box of jewelry, which he is currently closely examining with a jewelers eyeglass. Also visible in the room is another person, who is quietly moving boxes around. ADRIC goes up to the man at the table. ADRIC Number One....? NUMBER ONE (still examining jewelry) Yeah, whaddya want? ADRIC I want to talk to you for a couple of minutes. NUMBER ONE stops what he is doing, and looks up at ADRIC NUMBER ONE What about? ADRIC sits down on some boxes. ADRIC I have this deal I've been working on, thought you might be interested in helping me out. NUMBER ONE Oh? What kind of deal? ADRIC glances pointedly at the other person in the room. ADRIC A _private_ deal. NUMBER ONE Oh, yeah? (To other guy in room) Hey, Darren. Go get yourself a haircut. DARREN nods and leaves the room. NUMBER ONE starts putting the jewelry away. NUMBER ONE Heard the Docs have got themselves a yacht and are taking it to Gallifrey. ADRIC nods in the affirmative. NUMBER ONE shakes his head. NUMBER ONE What the hell does he need a yacht for? What's he going to _do_ with a yacht? ADRIC Who cares, so long as it keeps him out of our hair for a few days. NUMBER ONE looks ADRIC over critically. NUMBER ONE OK, kiddo. What is it? What is it you want? ADRIC Well, to start off with.... I need fifteen plasma rifles, two 50k energy cannons, two rocket launchers, and enough food and power packs to keep a squad of Companions in the field for three days. NUMBER ONE Oh. Is that all? ADRIC No. I also need the intelligence reports for this entire sector and I need them all within the next two hours. NUMBER ONE That's nice. And what's in it for me? ADRIC A piece of the action. NUMBER ONE What kind of action? ADRIC This kind. ADRIC pulls one of the gold bars from out of his knapsack. He hands it over to NUMBER ONE, who is very impressed. NUMBER ONE WHOA!! Come to daddy! NUMBER ONE looks it over, puts it on a scale, then picks up a communicator. NUMBER ONE Hey, Izzy? Yeah, it's me. Look, can you get me the price of gold on the Gallifrey exchange? Yeah, now, and hurry it up.. NUMBER ONE puts down the communicator and begins weighing the gold bar. NUMBER ONE (excitedly) How many more where this came from? ADRIC 140,000 NUMBER ONE's eyes begin to bulge. NUMBER ONE 140,000?!?? _140,000_?!!!! Kid, have yourself a bottle of booze, you're beautiful!! (checking readout on scale) Where is it? ADRIC In a bank. NUMBER ONE stops what he's doing, and turns to ADRIC. NUMBER ONE A bank? You're getting pretty ambitious there, kid. I mean, I know you're pissed off at the Docs and all, but do you really think you can blow a bank and get away with it? ADRIC It's behind enemy lines. NUMBER ONE contemplates that bit of information. NUMBER ONE Behind enemy lines... this could be the perfect crime! The communicator beeps. NUMBER ONE picks it up. NUMBER ONE Yeah... yeah, right Izzy... (writing something down on paper) Ok, I got it. Thanks! NUMBER ONE does some quick calculations. Then he whistles. NUMBER ONE (whispering, awed) Sixty million credits. SIXTY MILLION CREDITS!!! (to ADRIC) What else do you need? Suddenly, a voice from above (FITZ) sounds. FITZ You can probably use some armor! ***** SCENE #4 FRANCOIS Francois have orders. This bank not fall into hands of Doctor person!! ADRIC Of course not. It's not going to fall into the Doctor's hands. It's going to fall into _our_ hands. You see, we're just something of a private enterprise operation here. FRANCOIS (confused) But... you all mostly Companion people... PSYCHO NYSSA No, we're not quite, not this time. (pause) Do you know what's inside that bank? FRANCOIS nods negatively. NUMBER ONE There's six hundred million credits worth of gold in that bank. FRANCOIS's eyes start to bulge. ADRIC That's about six-point-two-seven-eight _Billion_ Ogron grobbits. FRANCOIS's eyes bulge even farther. He looks at the three in turn. PSYCHO NYSSA And just so you understand, all you have to do to get an equal share of that money is to crank that turret around, and blow a hole through that door... --excerpts from "Adric's Heroes"