Transcript 9: Someone Like Me (part 1 of 2)

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Transcript 9: Someone Like Me

Cast:
Dr.Fowler - Reginald Marsh
Schwester Crane - Anne de Vigier
Sam Milford - Bernard Lee
Miss Lindsay (Blonde) - Joanne D
Scott Maskell - Jeremy Burnham
David Alton - Tony Wright
Dr.Gordon - Gerald Sim
Charles - Jonny Bricks
Danny’s girl (Annabell) - Vivian Neves
Brett’s girl (Cynthia) - Diana Terry

Mysteries:

• The blonde who - as it later turns out is actually Mrs.Crane - is in the cast-list listed as “Miss Lindsay”, but not once addressed in the whole episode with this name.
• On Brett’s clock it is 3:10 am and the curtain is closed when Alton falls down the stairs. When Brett wakes up (from the noise) it's daylight and the curtain is open.
• Sam Milford, who allegedly “never moves without a regiment of bodyguards” arrives only with a driver, who also has to open doors and carry his papers too…

London, Chairman's Suite in the skyscraper of Milford Shipping Corporation

Portait of a man on the wall, modern orange sofas, business desk, a little bar. Scott Maskell loads a gun and places it on a desk. Someone's knocking at the door.
Scott Maskell
Yes.

Blonde
Mr.Alton is here, Mr.Maskell

Scott Maskell
Oh, good. Ask him to come in, would you?

Blonde
Would you come this way.

Scott Maskell
David! It’s good to see you. It really is.

David Alton
Nice to see you, Scott.

Scott Maskell
Come on in. How long has it been now, five years? Six?

David Alton
Quite a while.

Scott Maskell
Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.

David Alton
Thank you. It was quite a surprise to heard from you again.

Scott Maskell
Ah, yes, but I thought about you many times. And naturally, when this job came up, you were my first choice. As a matter of fact I had hoped we might had met last week.

David Alton
Yes, ... I’ve been in hospital.

Scott Maskell
Yes, so you said in your letter. Ah well, you're here now. That's all that matters.

David Alton
Um ... what excactly is this job?

Scott Maskell
Oh, plenty of time for that. We have lots of old times to talk over first. Let me get you a drink.
What will you have?

David Alton
Dry sherry.

Scott Maskell
Slendid choice. As a matter of fact, I have something rather special. We take the entire output from a bodega in San Lucardo Barameda.
David Alton begins to blink quickly and takes the gun off the table.
Tiny place. As far as I know it’s the only wine that’s still shipped in amphorae. Of course it should only be drunk, when perfectly chilled, but, frankly, my palate isn’t as discerning as it might be. And in any case I always feel it has a quite different buquet when drunk straight from the cask in the bodega.

David Alton aims the pistole at him, blinking faster. He shoots and Scott Maskell falls down. Horrified, he runs in the anteroom to the Blonde.

David Alton
I killed him. He’s dead. I killed him. Don’t you understand? I killed him. He's dead, I killed him.

She goes back with him into the office, where Scott Maskell is sitting in an armchair and talks on the telephone.

Scott Maskell
Ah ha ha. Yes, absolutely perfect. I’m totally confident we can now go ahead.
Bye. Now, what about that drink. Sherry, I think you said?

Credits

London, Westminster, 54 Queen Anne's Gate, Brett’s apartment, living room

Danny takes a tailcoat from the top of two big wicker baskets and tries it on.
How long are you be going for?

Brett carries a suitcase into the living room.
Six days, at the most. Believe me, I'm not going to stay there a minute longer than I have to.

Danny throws a white scarf around his neck.
Well you? Hmm.

Brett takes the scarf off, tosses it in the wicker basket and closes the lit.
Daniel. Will you stop fooling with that stuff. The van will be here for it in a few minutes.

Danny
What are you giving this stuff away for?

Brett
Because the jumble sale is the highlight of the celebrations. Each year, the family dives into it’s wardrobes and tributes it’s old clothes.

Danny
Whom is this coat from? Who did belong to this?

Brett
Must be one of my great-grandfathers.

Danny
Oh Ohh! He was also a magician on the side.
He pulls a deck of cards from the tailcoat.
Hm, Hmhmhm.
He shows off a card trick, conjuring a card from behind Brett's ear.

Brett claps politely.
I’ve seen you do that trick at least a dozend times and I am still unimpressed.

Danny throws all the cards in the air over Brett
One day, I’ll teach it to you.
Brett sighs and picks up the telephone.

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

David Alton drives by, parks the car and watches the entrance.

+++

Brett’s Apartment, living room

Danny has obviously opened the basket again, because he carries a cane, scarf and top hat. He is tap dancing. He throws away the cane and the cylinder and strikes a pose.
Who?

Brett rolls his eyes.
Oh, Ginger Rogers.

Danny
Got it.

Brett
Well I presume you have now finished the gambit of your impression…

Danny
Yeah.

Brett
… so you’ll be kind enough to put all that back in the hamper.

Danny grabs Brett’s suitcase and carries it to the door.
Well, ahm, let me carry this for you. Have a nice week, see you, when you get back.

Brett
Yes, we have a date. We’ll introduce you to Sam Milford.

Danny
Right. I’ve been trying to meet him for seven years.

Brett
Well, when you too, Daniel, are the richest man in the world, you will also be choosy about people you meet. ...

Danny klicks his heels and salutes military style.
Yes!

Brett
Now, make sure that hamper goes off.

Danny salutes military style again.
Yes. Good bye, your Dukeship.

Brett leaves, shaking his head.

Danny closes the door and is humming to himself. He takes a fur cape out of the box and put it on.
Hm, his family goes back even further than he thinks.

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

Brett stores his luggage into the trunk of the Aston Martin and drives away. He is being watched by David Alton, who immediately rushes to the phone booth to inform someone.

++++

Country road in forest

Brett drives a lonely road through the forest. The road is blocked by a car. He stops the Aston Martin, gets out and finds the car abandoned and locked.

Blonde
Help me! Please, help me! ... Over here! Help me!

He goes through the woods toward the voice and sees a woman lying on the ground, weeping. He runs to her and turns her over.

Brett
What’s the matter?

She begins to laugh. Someone hits him with a wooden club on the back of his head and he falls over. He sees Maskell and the Blonde woman look down together upon him before he faints. He has visions of bright lights, Sam Milford and wine pouring into glasses.
+++

Hospital Room

Brett wakes up with a plaster on his face and a head bandage. He is laying in a hospital bed, wearing a striped pajamas.
Oh ... ah ... ahhh.

Nurse Crane
No. Don’t try and talk for a minute. Let me make you a little more comfortable first of all.

Brett
Wha…?

Nurse Crane
There. Now I must tell Dr.Fowler that you are awake.

Brett
Please. Please. Where am I?

Nurse Crane
Blendhire General Hospital. You’ve had a very bad accident.

Brett
Accident? I don’t remember. ... I don’t remember.

Nurse Crane
Well. Don’t try and hurry it. It’ll all come back.

She goes out the door. Brett tried to sit up. He has a plaster on the left forearm and a bandaged left leg. A doctor comes in.

Dr.Fowler
Good morning, Lord Sinclair. Well, I must say, you’re a man who enjoyes his sleep. You were out cold for… what, was it twentyfour hours?

Nurse Crane
A little more.

Dr.Fowler
Now then: how do you feel?

Brett
Terrible.

Dr.Fowler
I would have thought you feel worse than that. Right. Let’s have a look at you then.
He takes Brett's pulse on his wrist. From outside are loudspeaker announcements to hear: Doctor Averey. Doctor Averey.

Brett
What happened to me?

Dr.Fowler
We don’t know. The pulse is good.
The nurse unbuttons Brett’s pajamas.
You were found at the bottom of a quarry. Your arm’s broken in two places. You got a twenty-three stitch gush on your leg. Multipe bruises and abrasions. You were quite a mess. Breathe in, will you?
He listens with a stethoscope on Brett’s chest.

Brett
Ahh, my head is splitting.

Dr.Fowler
Oh, I forgot about that. You got a bump on the head as big as a duck’s egg.

Brett
I was hit. There was a girl…someone came up behind me ...

Dr.Fowler
Yes, that makes sense. Hit you with the branch of a tree, I should think. Ah, we found tiny fragments of bark in the hair round the wound.
To the nurse
Get me four cc of Contraph.
Have you got any idea why you have been attacked?

Brett
No ideas about anything.

Dr.Fowler
No, that’s understandable. Still some concussion. You need a lot more rest. Anyway, don’t you worry. You are going to mend very nicely.
He pinches Brett’s left fingertips, which are not inside the cask.
You feel that?

Brett
Yes.

Dr.Fowler
Good. Good.
The nurse disinfects his right arm.
In a few days you’ll be as good as new. Mentally, that is. Of course the break and ??? will take a little bit longer.
He injects Brett with a syringe.
Right, there we are. I'll be here to see you tomorrow.

Brett
I ... and I ...
He falls asleep.

+++++++

Hospital Room

03.10 clock on the clock next to Brett’s bed.
David Alton covers Brett up, takes a tray with a bottle and a glass and goes into a stairwell. His shoelaces are open, he stumbles and falls down the stairs. Brett wakes up from the noise. He tries to ring for help.

Brett
Nurse.
He climbs out of the bed…
Nurse
.... and staggers towards the door ...
Nurse
... knocks over a room divider ...
Nurse
...and opens the door to the hallway.
The dilapidated hallway is covered with filth. A rat is sniffing around. Opposite his door is a tape recorder that Brett turns on. The recordings of typical hospital noises are heard.
Doctor Averey ... Doctor..
He turns off the tape and goes barefoot down the hall in a stairwell. At the foot of the stairs he finds the corpse of David Alton. Next door is the entrance hall of what is apparently an abandoned mansion with carved wood paneling, classic concrete-tiled floors, stained glass windows and a wide staircase to the first landing. Two camping chairs, a makeshift table made from wooden boxes, newspaper, open milk bottle, kettle and propane stove probably served the dead as a base camp. On the table Brett finds an envelope with large photos. There are pictures taken of his face, from different perspectives, and overlaid with a black raster. He puts back the pictures and carefully opens the door a crack to look outside. In the neglected garden he sees the sign of a real estate company: To be sold. With the names of the estate agents and the name of the house. A car pulls up and the nurse and the doctor excit. Brett closes the door and hobbles as fast as possible up the broad staircase.

Dr.Fowler enters.
Alton? Alton! Alton! Where the devil is he?

Nurse Crane
Perhaps he is ....

Dr.Fowler
Oh, never mind.. We better go upstairs and have a look at Sinclair. Come on.
Both go up the wide staircase.

Nurse Crane
Hmm.

Dr.Fowler turns around to the sound of the closing front door
Oh, have a look around for Alton. I think he must have fallen asleep somewhere.

Brett bustles down the hallway to his ‘hospital' room. He hides behind a door on the opposite side of the hallway. The nurse and the doctor go into Brett’s room and discover that he has disappeared.

Dr.Fowler to the nurse
Right, you check upstairs, I’ll take this floor.

Brett is limping down the stairs and makes it to the front door, where Maskell beats him unconscious.

Scott Maskell
He's down here. You couldn’t have given him a big enough dose.

The nurse and the doctor run down the stairs.

Dr.Fowler
I gave him as much as I dared. He’d been up to leaving already.

Scott Maskell
He’ll survive. Give him another shot now.

Dr.Fowler
No, I can’t. It’s too risky.

Scott Maskell
Give it to him.

Dr.Fowler gestures to his bag on the makeshift table.
Go on.
The nurse brings the bag. The Blonde comes out of the stairwell.

Blonde
Alton’s dead.

Scott Maskell
What?

Blonde
An accident from the look of it. He must have fallen. It makes things very complicated.

Scott Maskell
I want to bring the operation foreward 24 hours.

Dr.Fowler prepares a syringe.
Ah, no reason why we shouldn’t.

Scott Maskell
What about him?

Dr.Fowler injects Brett with the syringe.
No, I don’t need him anymore. Having him another day was just a luxury, really.

Scott Maskell
Then we’ll go ahead.

Dr.Fowler takes a very large knife from his bag and leans over Brett.

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

Brett sits in his Aston Martin in front of his house. He seems to just wake up, he looks dubiously at his left arm and touches his head. Then he gets out of the car, a little unsteady on his feet and walks haltingly toward the house.

+++

Brett's apartment, living room

Brett sits on the sofa, Danny opposite him on the low table.

Brett
You’re... You’re entitled to think I’m going out of my mind, if you like.
I’m not sure you wouldn’t be right. But everything I have told you is true. It happened.

Danny
I believe you. I believe you, cause I don’t think you could make up a story like that.

Brett
I’ve… I have been over it in my mind step by step.

Danny
Let`s go over it again, step by step. Every detail. Only this time, out loud.

Brett
There’re an awful lot of blank spaces.

Danny
Ohay, so… fill them in. Why don’t we start at the top?

Brett
Well… it started here. I took my bag down to the car. That was midday yesterday.

Danny
What?

Brett
I took my bag down ...

Danny
I mean, no, about the time? What did you say about the time?

Brett
Midday yesterday.

Danny
You’re wrong That was seven days ago, Brett.

Brett
Oh no. It can’t be. Can’t be. Look… before you… came over, I called my doctor. I’m going to see him later this morning. He can make some suggestions, maybe.

Danny
Yeah, that’s a good idea. Anything I can do for you?

Brett nods
Yes, uh, the uh ... The house with the hospital room…

Danny
Yeah?

Brett
Well, that was real. I didn’t imagine it. There was an estate agents board on the front door. The name was… Sumrie ... Phillipson and Hurst. The place was for sale. It was called ‘Lynsted House’.

Danny
Okay. There must be some association of these estate agents. It’s a good lead.

Brett
The hospital room is on the upstairs landing.

Danny
I’ll find your house and your hospital room.

Brett
If it turns out the house doesn’t exist, don’t tell me.

Danny
Come on, cheer up. See you later.

The phone rings. Brett picks it up.

Brett
Sinclair.
While he is listening, he starts to blink frequently.
++++

Medical practice of Dr.Gordon

Books on the semi-circular walls, an examination table, a small and a large desk.

Dr.Gordon
The x-Ray show no trace of any breaks in your arm, you have no sutures in your leg.

Brett
What about the back of my head?
He puts on his jacket.

Dr.Gordon
This is a trace of abrasions there. It is almost healt. From the little bit, I’d be saying it’s been healing for a week or more.

Brett
And the punctures in my arm?

Dr.Gordon
Yes, you had some shots, but you know, even with a blood test I doubt I could establish what was injected. I just want to know what you been up to, Brett.

Brett
You wouldn’t belive me even if I told you. Anyway… What is the diagnosis?

Dr.Gordon sits behind the big desk.
As always, you are in first class physical shape.

Brett
Stop pussyfooting, Phillip. Mentally?
He sits in front of the desk.

Dr.Gordon
Oh, these days we all live under preconditional stress. It gets on top of us sometimes. You could probably use a couple of weeks holiday.
He takes a file from a stack of papers on the desk.

Brett
Thank you, but I at least…
He looks at the stack of papers and picks up some photos of a woman. They are painted over with the same pitch as that which he saw of himself in the ‘hospital’.
What are these for?

Dr.Gordon
They’re surgeons reference drawings. The lady is going to have a new nose. The third in two years.

Brett
Do they always use these?
He holds up the photos.

Dr.Gordon
Yes, usually. Plastic surgery is an art form, you know. Sculpting in human tissue.

Brett
If… someone wanted to create a double… a perfect likeness… of me, for instance… would they use these or the real thing?

Dr.Gordon
Well, I imagine a bit of both. When a painter does a protrait, he makes reference sketches. But he… usually has the subject sit for him as well.

Brett
Thank you, Phillip. You really are a remarkable doctor.
He gets up and shakes the doctor's hand.
Twenty minutes with you and I feel one hundred percent fitter.

Dr.Gordon
I can’t imagine why ...?

Brett goes to the door
Oh that. One of these days I should tell you. Peace.
Greets and off he goes.
+++

Gas station and auto repair shop

Brett drives up with his Aston Martin.

Brett
Hello, Charles.

Charles
Milord.

Brett
How is business?

Charles
Fine. Business is fine..

Brett
Good. I noticed I’m am a little overdue with service, think you can take me in next week?

Charles
What’s the gag?

Brett
It’s no gag. I'm due for service.

Charles
But it’s all arranged, isn’t it? I mean the car’s coming in on Monday?

Brett
Not that I know of.

Charles
Here. Here look at this.
He shows Brett some papers from his pocket.
Lord Sinclair, Aston Martin, full service, collect car, Monday morning, eight a.m.

Brett
Ah, who arranged this?

Charles
You did, Sir. I mean, that’s your signature, isn’t it?

Brett
Yes. When was this sheet made out?

Charles
You should know. You were in here less than a couple of hours ago.
You alright, Sir?

Brett
Now, this may sound strange and I want you to bear with me: are you sure, absolutly sure, that I was here?

Charles
Unless you got an identical twin brother. And if you have, he’s got exactly the same car, and the same registration number.

Brett
Thanks, Charles.
Brett drives away. The mechanic looks uneasy after him.

+++

Chairman's Suite at the top floor of Milford Shipping Corporation

Scott Maskell
Well. I don’t think it’s too early for a celebratory drink, do you?

Blonde
It is going exactly as we hoped, but there’s still a long way to go. So let’s drink to the next stage.

Dr.Fowler
Why do you always need an excuse to drink? Why don’t you just fill the glasses?

Blonde
By the way, I told you I had a cable, didn’t I? The arrangements had been confirmed for Wednesday.

Scott Maskell
Oh yes. The timing is absolutely perfect. Your patient will be fully primed by then?

Dr.Fowler
He is ready now.

Scott Maskell
Why don’t you stand next to the bottle, old boy? It will save me walking backwards and forwards.

Dr.Fowler
He went to the garage this morning. There were no problems.

Scott Maskell
Excellent.

Blonde
What else do you have lined up for him?

Dr.Fowler
Ah well a big one comes tonight. He passes that, we’re home and dry.

Blonde
You know Wilde’s movements?

Scott Maskell
Oh yes. The phone tap was most informative.

Blonde
How will he react?

Dr.Fowler
Well, exactly as I expect him to, naturally. I shall be there as an observer, but ... I’m quite confident. He’ll fool Wilde.

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

Danny drives the Ferrari in front of Brett's house and parks. He briefly considers the leaflet of a property. Then he gets out and goes into the house. He is observed by Nurse Crane and Dr.Fowler sitting in a car on the opposite side of the street.

Nurse Crane
How do you think he will take the news?

Dr.Fowler
Ah, ???.

+++

Brett's apartment, living room

Brett opens the door and lets Danny in.

Brett
Danny.

Danny
Here is your house.
He hands him the leaflet.

Brett
That’s it. That's fantastic, that calls for a celebration. Get yourself a drink.

Brett
You get inside? You see the hospital room, hm?

Danny opens the bar, which is housed in a Chinese cabinet.
There’s no hospital room. There’s no house, There’s nothing.

Brett
What are you talking about, this is it.

Danny
It burned down this morning. We were on to something.

Brett
Daniel, I ... don’t know how, I belive they created a perfect double. A total mirror image. Someone who looks like me, talks like me, dresses like me, even drives the same car.

Danny watches him wordlessly.

Brett
What’s the matter? Don’t you belive me?

Danny
Oh yeah, yeah. I believe you. But why?

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

Dr.Fowler looks at his watch.
Mister Wilde is gona be late for his date.

++++

Brett's apartment, living room

Danny is sitting in an armchair with a drink.

Danny
Hey, I've got a date tonight.
He gets up and goes to the second chair where Brett sits with the leaflet.
Why don’t you call somebody, you know and we make it a foursome. We will go out for dinner.

Brett
Thanks all the same, Daniel, but I’d rather ...

Danny pats Brett's knee and his arm.
It will help you relax. You will really enjoy it.

Brett gets up, puts his arm around Danny's shoulder and guides him to the front door.
That’s exactly what I intend to be doing, relaxing.

Danny
Okay.

Brett
I curl up with… an old scottish friend.

Danny
Hahaha. Alright.

Brett
Have a nice evening.

Danny
I see you tomorrow.

Brett
And thanks for this.

Danny goes, Brett locks the door and sighs.

+++

Street in front of 54 Queen Anne's Gate

Nurse Crane is behind the wheel of the car.

Dr.Fowler
Now he goes. Don’t lose sight of him.
She starts the car and drives behind Danny in his Ferrari. He looks repeatedly in the rearview mirror and notice very quickly that he is followed by a car. He turns left repeatedly and finally stops at the roadside.

Dr.Fowler
?? Just drive straight on past.

Danny watches out carefully as they drive past him. He then continues his journey.

+++

Pinchbeck's Club and Bar

A bar with various couples having drinks, tables for four, separated from each other, where people eat, waiters who rush around, piano music.
A waiter serves two drinks for Nurse Crane and Dr.Fowler, sitting at a table.

Danny sits with his companion Annabell at one end of the bar. They have identical drinks standing before them and Annabell is listening.

Danny
You know, I… I saw it on television. You had to see it, to believe it. It was a miracle, a miracle that’s been around for years and you don’t even know it. I show you what I mean. Oh, Stanley. Could I have an egg, please?

Bartender
Egg?

Danny
Yeah, an egg, please. I mean it’s an astounding, an astounding thing.

The bartender hands him an egg.

Danny
Is that uncooked? I mean fresh?

Bartender
A fresh egg.

Danny
Fresh. Fresh, you feel it. How delicate and fragile it is. One little krrk and you get an omelet, don’t you.

Annabell
Haha.

Danny
You wouldn’t believe that this is one of the strongest structures in the world.

Annabell
Uh uh.

Danny
Let me show you what I mean.
He wraps his right fingers around the egg…
Just take it in your hand and if you just squeeze as hard as you c…
Squeezes….it breaks and the contents flies up to the ceiling and on the bar.

Bartender
Very good, Sir.

Danny
Stanley, you gave me the wrong egg.
He shakes his sticky hand while Annabell bites on her lower lip.

Bartender gives Danny a cleaning cloth.
Take this.

+++

Brett's apartment, living room

Brett sits with a magazine (probably a Sotheby-Antiques Auction catalog with ‘The Bronco Buster', an equestrian bronze statue of Frederic Remington on the front) and a cigar in his chair. He puts the magazine on the table, finishes his whisky glass and goes toward the bedroom when the phone rings. He picks it up.

Brett
Sinclair.

While he listens, he begins to blink faster.

+++

Pinchbeck's Club and Bar

Danny and Annabell are now sitting next to each other at a table, whispering. They are still observed by Dr.Fowler and Nurse Crane. Brett comes in the club and sits down at the bar.

Bartender
Good evening, Sir.

Brett
Scotch and water, please.

Danny talks very quietly to Annabell. He discovers Brett at the bar.
Brett. Hey. Hey, Brett.
He beckons, but Brett doesn’t notice.
That's my buddy, sitting there at the bar. I’m gonna talk to him, I’ll be right back, okay.

Annabell
Yes.

Danny kisses her on the cheek. He goes to Brett at the bar, still observed from Dr.Fowler and Nurse Crane.

Danny
Well there. Quiet night at home, eh?

Brett
Daniel.

Danny
With an old scottish friend, eh?

Brett
What scottish friend?

Danny
Scotch, scotch, drink scotch, scottish friend, remember?
He takes the glass from Brett’s hand and drinks his whisky.

Brett
Oh… oh, I thought like… coming out for a while.

Danny
Good. I would like you to meet the eighth wonder of the world. Her name is Annabell and she sits there.
He waves in Annabell’s direction.
We’ll gonna call her grandmother and we’ll make it a foursome, what you say?

Brett
No, Daniel. I… I don’t think I’ll be very good company tonight.

Danny studies him.
Okay. You’re the only guy in the world I’m gonna do this for. I’m gonna bring Annabell over to meet you.

Brett
I’d rather you didn’t.

Danny
One good turn deserves another. Not that I could remember when you did me a good turn… but I’ll do it anyway, sweetheart.

Danny returns to Annabell. Dr.Fowler nods to Brett.

Danny
I want you to come over and meet this friend of mine. He’s…
Brett is no longer at the bar.
Now, where did he go?
Danny observes Dr. Fowler
Here, finish your drink. And when you finish that, you can have mine. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.
He gestures the bartender.
Stanley.
He goes off. Annabell sips her cognac.
+++

Street in front of Pinchbeck's Club and Bar

Danny goes down the street and looks out. Brett calls him from an adjacent building site.

Brett
Danny? Danny! Danny.

Danny enters the site.
Brett?

Brett
Over here.

Danny
Brett?

Brett grabs him from behind around the neck. They wrestle and Brett tries to hit Daniel with a shovel.

Danny
Brett?

They fight. Brett falls backwards through a brick wall and some of the stones hurt him on the left forearm. Danny wants to help him, but Brett knocks him down. Brett stops and blinks faster. He drops the brick with which he wanted to kill Danny. Then he goes to his car. Dr. Fowler sits in it.

Brett
Hello Doctor?

Dr.Fowler
I am pleased. Very, very pleased.

Brett
Anything more tonight?

Dr.Fowler
No, you go home and get some rest. You surpassed my highest expectations.
He gets out.
I’ll be in touch with you on Wednesday. That’s the big day. Bey.

Brett drives away. Dr.Fowler is picked up by Nurse Crane in her car.

+++

Brett's apartment, living room

Brett comes out of the bedroom in a blue bathrobe and slippers. He turns off a floor lamp. He takes the Antiques Catalog, which he has previously read in the evening when it rings at the door. He looks at his watch, as it is obviously very late and opens the door.

Brett
Daniel? I thought you had a date tonight.
Danny only looks at him darkly.
What’s the matter? Didn’t she show up? Never mind, one of these days you find yourself a nice short-sighted girl, who wont care how you look…
Brett turns around and noticed Danny's unusually serious expression.
What is it?

Danny
You tried to kill me tonight.

Brett
Kill you? What are you talking about? What happened?

Danny
Don’t play any games.

Brett
I’m not playing games. What you mean, try to kill you?

Danny
You met me in a bar. You got up and walked outside. When I followed you, you jumped me.

Brett
I tried to kill you?

Danny
Yeah.

Brett
Did you tell me, where you were going tonight?

Danny
No, I didn’t.

Brett
Then it proofs it. They created a double.

Danny
Oh, come on. What are you talking ...

Brett
I don’t mean just somebody who looks like me, I mean a perfect, flawless copy.

Danny
What. They co... they couldn’t fool me.

Brett
They have. I haven’t set foot out of this apartment all evening.

+++
Brett is sleeping in his armchair and dreams of Sam Milford and a pistol. Ringing at the door wakes him.

Telegram messenger
Cable, Sir.

Brett reads the telegram and puts it in the pocket of the bathrobe.

+++

Chairman's Suite at the top floor of Milford Shipping Corporation

Scott Maskell puts on a bulletproof vest under his shirt. Dr.Fowler stands beside him and drinks.

Dr.Fowler
You are not taking any chances, are you? He won’t be shooting at you, you know.

Scott Maskell
I know, but one of my most engaging qualities is my extreme cowardice. When the bullets start to fly, I want all the protection I can get.

Dr.Fowler
Well, I better be moving. Good luck.

Scott Maskell
I hope we removed any dependence on the element of luck. I see you when it’s over.

Dr.Fowler goes to the door.

Scott Maskell
Just a minute.

Dr.Fowler
Hm?

Scott Maskell aims a gun at Dr.Fowler.
Haven’t you forgotten something? Don’t make any more mistakes, will you.
He gives Dr.Fowler the pistol.

+++++

Brett's apartment, kitchen

Brett and Danny sit in a corner of the kitchen island and drink coffee.

Danny
Hmm. There’s no question about it: You are the real Lord Brett Sinclair. No one in the world makes coffee as bad as you.

Brett brings fresh coffee cream from the refrigerator.
Oha, I thought I’d improved.

Danny
You have, it’s only disgusting.

Brett
Thank you.

Danny
I've been thinking about this double business. For a start, a plastic surgery job is really a big deal.
Brett put his thumb in his mouth and licks cream off while he is offering Danny from the cream.
No thank you, nothing is gonna help it.
While Brett mixes cream in his coffee, Danny goes to the refrigerator and fetches a small bowl with half a grapefruit, he then eagerly spoons out.
It’s one thing… you know, to do a face job, but then you have to find a guy and coach him in your mannerism. He got to pitch his voice a certain way, he’s got to learn gestures, he’s got to learn walks. Well a thing like that will take months.

Brett
You are right.

Danny
Yeah. Now for so much trouble, it’s got to be something enormous, a really important thing. Right?

Brett
Hmhm.

Danny
What special privilege do you have? Hm? What is there about your face, that causes so much trouble? Hm?

Brett
Well, I spent the entire night, thinking about it. All I did was hurt my ego.

Danny
Your ego? Why?

Brett
Daniel, there is nothing about me, that is worth all that endeavour.

Danny
Oh, I wouldn’t say that. There must be some…
He pats Brett reassuringly on the shoulder.
As a matter of fact, you’re right. You’d have to be out of your mind to wanna be you.

Brett
Money, lands, titles, estates ... they are all so tied up in trusts, even I can’t get….

DannyYeah, right.

While Danny continues to munch his grapefruit, Brett puts his hands in the pockets of the bathrobe and finds the telegram.

Brett
Oh, I forgot. This came from Sam Milford. He get’s into town today, wants us to see him later… Sam Milford? Well, that’s it, Daniel. That is, why they want a double.

Danny
What?

Brett
Well, think about it. What do you know about Sam Milford?

The man of the portait from the chairman’s suite and Brett’s dreams is driven in a Rolls Royce around Trafalgar Square. The RR is parked in front of a modern skyscraper, an employee looks around.

Danny Voice-over
Well, not many people get to see him anymore. He’s one of the wealthiest ship owners in the world, I know that. You know, five or six years ago he was a pretty big swinger, he used to run around a lot, then all of a sudden he shut up like a clam.

Brett Voice-over
Very few people know why. I do. Five years ago there were three attempts on his life. There been a few since. Now, he never moves without a regiment of bodyguards. His homes, his offices, all over the world are like bank vaulds. He is better protected than Ford Knox.
End voice-over.
Sam Milford enters the building.
+++

Lobby in the skyscraper of Milford Shipping Corporation

Sam Milford goes through the lobby into the elevator to the Chairman's Suite.

First Employee
Good morning, Mister Milford.
Passes briefcase to second employee

Sam Milford
Morning.

+++

Chairman's Suite at the top floor of Milford Shipping Corporation

Both leave the elevator. Second Worker passes third employee the briefcase.
Third Employee
Morning, sir.

Sam Milford
Morning.

Scott Maskell
Hello Sam. Welcome back to London.

Sam Milford
Hello, Scott. Nice to see you. You’re looking fine.

+++