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Fade iN:

EXT. LAS VEGAS - DAY/NIGHT

TITLES OVER: Shots of VARIOUS PEOPLE going about their lives:

   - having fun on Fremont St.

   - 2 people bump into each other and smile, while entering/exiting a Tropical Smoothie Cafe

   - working

   - making love

   - being mugged

   - tucking a child in for bed

  - mourning

DiSSOLVE TO:

INT. LAIR - NIGHT

PULL BACK to reveal these scenes are being projected onto the face of FATE (ageless, expressionless, eyes perpetually closed).

She pulls the key out of the lock, cutting off the image.  She tucks the master key (on a necklace) into her dress.

She feels along a wall of lock boxes. She walks along a corridor, around twists and turns, feeling her way along.

She finally finds the one she's looking for, feels the number with her finger.

She pulls the master key from her neckline, inserts it in the keyhole, and turns it.

A new image is projected onto her face. We ALTERNATE ZOOMING in on her face and on the key in the lock, then FADE INTO:

EXT. AIRPORT OUTLOOK - DAY

An airplane lands.  We FOCUS on another one at the terminal.

                                         Fate (V.O.)

Hector Clotho.  You did not tighten a bolt as tightly as you should have.  In 16 days, the gear the bolt is holding will disintegrate upon landing, resulting in a collision that will kill 76 people.  You will never know that you were responsible, and you will retire with a pension in 32 years.

BACK TO SCENE.

She pulls out the key, finds another box, and inserts it.  Again, we zoom in on her face and the key and FADE INTO:

INT. MONORAIL - DAY

A HAPPY TOURIST FAMILY rides the monorail.  FOCUS on a young boy, Brady.

                                         FATE (V. O. Cont'd)

Brady Lachesis.  The woman you will marry,  Laima Ford, was just born in Omaha, Nebraska. You will meet her on the first day of a new job in 21 years, live a happy life with her, and die of Emphysema 6 years before her.  Next summer your friend, Augustine Megara, will offer you a cigarette that he stole from his father, eventually leading to both your death and your wife's.

BACK TO SCENE.

She pulls out the key, finds another box, prepares to insert it, changes her mind, and inserts it in an adjacent box.

FADE TO:

INT. RECORD SHOP - DAY

We MOVE AROUND the record shop, inspecting a few SHOPPERS.  We finally settle on a clerk behind the register, Parcae.

                                         FATE (v. O. CONT'D)

Parcae Henderson.  Jon Decima is now walking in the store.  You will notice him, seduce him, and marry him.  You will have 3 children together before divorcing and spending your later years assisting the --

The CAMERA, while moving toward her, knocks over something on the counter, which Parcae bends over to pick up.  As she does, she misses Jon walking in.  Jon looks to where she should be standing, then turns and seeks help from another CLERK.

                                         FATE (V. O. CONT'D)

No... wait!  This isn't how it's supposed to happen!  Or is it...?  What am I doing?

BACK to SCENE.

She pulls the key out and feels it for blemishes.

She shakes it off, finds another box.

FADE TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

BALDWIN SCHLAGE and his daughter MOIRAE lounge around, reading.

                                         FATE (V. O. CONT'D)

Baldwin Schlage.  You were my other mistake.  35 years ago.  Your soul was destined to come into existence, but your intended mother died before she met your father. You had to be borne by different parents.  That, in turn, caused your daughter Moirae to be born as a different person.

Baldwin looks up, then AT CAMERA, and speaks without moving his lips.

                                         BALDWIN (V.O.)

What did you say to me?

                                         FATE (V.O.)

What?  Are you aware of me?

                                         BALDWIN (V.O.)

Of course.  What did you say?

                                         FATE (V.O.)

This isn't possible.

                                         BALDWIN (V.O.)

How could you have let my intended mother die if you control people's destinies?

                                         FATE (V.O.)

Some forces are stronger than me.

                                         BALDWIN (V.O.)

And what does it have to do with Moirae?

                  (shakes his head)

Eh... I don't believe in you.

He goes back to reading.

BACK TO SCENE.

Fate is startled out of her trance, but her eyes are still closed.

She leans against the bank of locks, thinks for a moment.

                                         FATE

I can fix this.

She gets up and makes her way along a corridor, feeling the boxes.  She finds the one she's looking for, inserts the key, and the projector starts. 

FADE TO:

EXT. DESERT - DAY

Some KIDS fire GUNS at bottles and such.  A bullet RICOCHETS off a rock.

EXT. DESERT (ELSEWHERE) - DAY

Moirae takes a photo with a nice camera.  The ricocheting bullet flies in and hits her in the back.

Baldwin sits in his car, reading.  He looks up just in time to see Moirae drop to the ground.

                                         BALDWIN

Moirae... Moirae, baby!

He runs out of the car and toward her, SCREAMING.

BACK TO SCENE

Fate pulls the key out, feeling accomplished, but then takes a moment to think and turns sad. 

She traces her way along the wall to another box, inserts the key. FADE TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

On his computer, Baldwin finds a photo of the 2 kids that fired the gun.

BACK TO SCENE.

Fate inserts the key in another lock.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY (Flashback)

The Kids that fired the gun find it in their parents' closet.

BACK TO SCENE.

Fate inserts the key in another lock.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Baldwin stands across from the Boys' FATHER, with the boys between them.  The Father is genuinely sad.  Baldwin gives up and leaves.

BACK TO SCENE.

Fate inserts the key in another lock.

EXT. SPORTING GOODS STORE - DAY

Balwin sits in his car, looking in at the store.

BACK TO SCENE.

Fate inserts the key in another lock.

EXT. SPORTING GOODS STORE - DAY (Flashback)

The Kids' FATHER purchases the gun.

BACK TO SCENE

Fate pulls the key out, traces her way along the wall to Box #1, inserts the key. FADE TO:

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY(Flashback)

Baldwin, in his underwear, sits at his computer, purchases 100 shares of stock in a company called Atropos Firearms.  Moirae comes up behind him and kisses him on the head.  He smiles and chases her out of the room.

BACK TO SCENE

Fate pulls the key out, BANGS her fist on the mailboxes, crying.

Someone grabs her shoulder and spins her around.  It's Baldwin.  His face is red and wet with tears, his knuckles bloody, his clothes tattered.

                                         FATE

You're him.  How did you...?

                                         BaLDWIN

Fate... destiny... causality... None of it's necessary.  She didn't have to die.

                                         FATE

It wasn't my choice.

                                         BALDWIN

Yes, it was.  You deliberately turned that key.

                                         FATE

It's who I am.

                                         BaLDWIN

I don't believe in you.

                                         FATE

I get that a lot.

Beat.

                                         BALDWIN

I've come to put a stop to this.

He pulls a knife out of his pocket.

                                         FATE

That's not enough.

                                         BALDWIN

We'll see.

Fate points to a box in the furthest reach of the wall.

                                         FATE

We enabled this path 35 years ago.  I know you'll kill me now.  But believe me when I tell you that you really don't want to.

He looks down, then back up at her.

                                         BALDWIN

Want... Desire... Free will... they all prove you don't exist.

                                         FATE

Free will is just an expression of your character, which you yourself have already written.

                                         BALDWIN

You're not talking your way out of this.

                                         FATE

Believe me... I don't want to.  But it's not my decision.

He presses the knife to her breast.

                                         FATE (cont'd)

Wait... before you... may I... touch you?

Baldwin grudgingly shrugs.

Fate reaches up and caresses his face.  She smiles for the first time.

                                         FATE (CONT'D)

Okay.  I'm ready.

He stabs her.  She caresses his arm, holding on to it as she slowly collapses.

She feels the blood coming from her chest.  Her eyes finally open.  She looks around and GASPS in ecstasy.

She opens a mailbox near her head, takes the master key from around her neck, places it inside, and closes the mailbox.  She smiles in epiphany.

Her mouth moves, but no sound comes out.

Baldwin leans down close to hear what she says.

                                         FATE (cont'd)

                     (whispering)

This is yours.

She dies with her eyes open and a smile on her face.

FADE TO WHITE.

BACK TO SCENE

Baldwin releases her, stands up, stretches, wipes the blood off his hands onto his shirt.  He rubs the back of his neck, feels a necklace.  He follows it around to the front and finds the master key.  He tries to take off the necklace, but can't. 

His eyes close, and he struggles to open them.

Helpless sadness overtakes him.

He finally gives in to his situation, gets up, inserts the key in a lock, and turns it.

FADE OUT.