OPENING SHOT INT Epsilon-One Weapons Testing Building: Essentially a long firing range with an assortment of test targets such as humanoids, vehicles, and accuracy bullseyes built up against a large wall of shock-absorbent polymers at one end.
An orange-suited tech standing at the opposite end of the range from the targets places the stock of a strange-looking double-barreled gun against her shoulder and kneels to brace herself, training the laser sight on a model of a kneeling humanoid in a two-handed shooting stance. She squeezes the trigger and a hail of shots erupts from both barrels as the stock compresses to absorb the recoil. The target explodes into fragments of fiberglass. The tech feels the side of one of the clips, and retrains on a standing target. The head of the humanoid explodes. The tech removes both clips and sets them down on the ground next to her. She lays the weapon down next to the depleted clips and picks up a datapad as Hanlon walks into the room.
Maitland hands the pad to Hanlon, and the camera cuts to over Hanlon's shoulder as he looks over charts and graphs on the screen. Hanlon runs his finger down the screen and taps one of the numbers.
Hanlon opens his mouth, but as he starts to reply, the door behind him bursts open and an office tech rushes in.
He thrusts a printout on a clipboard at Hanlon. Hanlon takes it and the camera cuts to over Hanlon's shoulder. Hanlon runs his finger down the page as he reads.
[TWENTY-TWO PINNACLE]
[FROM: VR High Command TO: All Personnel SUBJ: Immediate recall
All personnel report immediately to Blanca Mountain headquarters for further orders and dispatch regarding emergency response to abduction of High Councillor Katze Brenner.]
Hanlon turns a bright shade of white. Both techs turn and stare at him.
He wrenches open the door and runs down the breezeway towards the admin building.
INT Epsilon-One Admin Building Lobby: Sparsely decorated with fractal prints, the lobby connects the outside world to the three elevators servicing the fifteen upper levels and the eight sub-basements of the admin tower. A reception desk sits to one side of the room.
Sandford's hands fly over the desk console keyboard.
Hanlon breaks in.
Sandford frowns and raises an eyebrow, then nods.
He begins typing again.
Sandford glances up from the keyboard.
Sandford shrugs.
Hanlon turns toward the elevators and tosses a wave toward Sandford.
EXT Epsilon-One, Runway One: One end of the runway is carved into the rock face and ends in a sheer wall. There is a large open hole in an adjoining taxiway.
A jet transport painted in Epsilon markings rises up through the aircraft lifter and, as the surface of the lifter becomes flush with the pavement, advances onto the runway and rolls backward to the far end. As the engines spin up, Hanlon jogs across the tarmac towards the transport carrying a sports bag over his shoulder. The main hatch opens and a ladder extends itself from below the open door. Hanlon tosses the bag up through the door and climbs up the ladder. The hatch closes behind him. The transport's engines scream up to full power and the camera pans to follow it as it climbs sharply off the end of the runway.
To be continued.
Footnotage:
[1] From the Old French "tocsin," meaning "A signal, esp. an alarm signal, sounded by ringing a bell or bells."