VINCENT
Yes. It’s finally been settled.
ADAM
Are we absolutely certain about this? I’m always wary when some person discovers a book worth a million pounds in their attic -- .
VINCENT
Casey Blanchard’s not some person.
ADAM
Who is she, then?
VINCENT
Adam...have you never seen Ilithium Four?
ADAM
God, no. She’s a classic work of Science-Fiction and I’ve no interest in witnessing a desecration of -- .
VINCENT
I’ll lend you my DVD. She’s one of the leads. The book was bequeathed to her by her grandfather. And yes, we are certain this is an actual eighteen-sixty-five presentation copy of Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland.
ADAM
So I...I’m actually going to get an Alice. Sir, please don’t toy with me. You know what happened with my father and a copy of this book.
VINCENT
That’s why I’m sending you. You’re one of the few people here I can trust to treat it with the respect it deserves. You’re not even to stay the night. Bring it straight back.
He leads Adam into the tiny elevator.
VINCENT (cont’d)
Your itinerary’s on your desk. Once you’ve turned the book over, you’re free till Monday. Your mother has a B and B in Sheerness, hasn’t she?
ADAM
No, she and I live in Epping -- .
VINCENT
Supposed to be a lovely weekend. Why not take her down? Go bathing on the beach.
ADAM
I -- I can’t swim, so I don’t do that -- .
VINCENT
Well...I suppose that does lower your chances of being drowned.
ADAM
Somewhat.
The doors close. A maintenance man steps from a shadow. He pulls out a cell phone.
INT. AUSTRALIAN OFFICE - DAY
Expensive. Sydney Harbor spread out below. TOMMY DOUGE (60, still Mr. Rough-and-Tumble in a thousand dollar suit) slams a phone down. Behind him is BRENDA (too elegant to be real). Behind her is an étagère with several gorgeous books on view.
TOMMY
(Australian)
Son-of-a-bitch, that bloody university got it!
BRENDA
(Australian)
Got what, Tommy?
TOMMY
The Alice Sixty-five.
BRENDA
How can they get if you’re getting it?
TOMMY
I waited to see if that bloody American bitch’d sell it to me. I even offered twice what it’s worth.
BRENDA
Crikey. It’s immoral to turn that much money down.
TOMMY
You’re right, Brenda. Well, I tried playing nice. But I’ve been after an Alice Sixty-five for thirty bloody years. So, change of plan. You’re off to Los Angeles. I'll follow, Thursday. I want that bloody book in my hand the second I arrive. I don’t care what it takes.
INT. JUMBO JET - DAY
Adam sits in an aisle seat, next to a pleasant INDIAN COUPLE and their KID, who looks like trouble. A ruck-sack, hardcover book and laptop computer sit in his lap. He wears a light jacket.
BRENDA (O.S.)
What about the university?
TOMMY (O.S.)
They better not get in the way.
Adam looks at a DVD box holding an action Sci-Fi movie titled Ilithium 4. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT stops by him.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Excuse me, sir, you’ll need to put those things under the seat in front of you. We’re at take-off.
He leans over to do so. The jet moves.
The kid watches Adam and then WHOOSH -- vomits on the back of his jacket!
Adam cries out and bolts from his seat. The flight attendant hurries back as the kid’s mother tends to him.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT (cont’d)
Don’t move, don’t move, you’ll get it everywhere and we’ve a twelve hour flight ahead! Just remove your jacket.
ADAM
How?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Hold out your arms.
He does. Another flight attendant helps the first one slip his arms through the sleeves and hold it so all the vomit stays caught in the jacket.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT (cont’d)
I’ll clean it best I can and return it to you after take off. Now please be seated. Buckle up.
Adam nods and sits, now eyeing the kid, warily.
INDIAN MOTHER
So sorry. His first airplane trip, and his stomach is weak.
Adam makes himself smile. The kid just looks back.
EXT. HEATHROW - DAY
As the jumbo jet takes off, Adam SCREAMS.
INT. LAX - DAY
Adam exits customs, haggard and dressed like a glittery Bollywood star, laptop slung over one shoulder. His clothes are in a trash bag; his rucksack in the other hand, his book peeking from it.
(Australian)
Son-of-a-bitch, that bloody university got it!
BRENDA
(Australian)
Got what, Tommy?
TOMMY
The Alice Sixty-five.
BRENDA
How can they get if you’re getting it?
TOMMY
I waited to see if that bloody American bitch’d sell it to me. I even offered twice what it’s worth.
BRENDA
Crikey. It’s immoral to turn that much money down.
TOMMY
You’re right, Brenda. Well, I tried playing nice. But I’ve been after an Alice Sixty-five for thirty bloody years. So, change of plan. You’re off to Los Angeles. I'll follow, Thursday. I want that bloody book in my hand the second I arrive. I don’t care what it takes.
INT. JUMBO JET - DAY
Adam sits in an aisle seat, next to a pleasant INDIAN COUPLE and their KID, who looks like trouble. A ruck-sack, hardcover book and laptop computer sit in his lap. He wears a light jacket.
BRENDA (O.S.)
What about the university?
TOMMY (O.S.)
They better not get in the way.
Adam looks at a DVD box holding an action Sci-Fi movie titled Ilithium 4. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT stops by him.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Excuse me, sir, you’ll need to put those things under the seat in front of you. We’re at take-off.
He leans over to do so. The jet moves.
The kid watches Adam and then WHOOSH -- vomits on the back of his jacket!
Adam cries out and bolts from his seat. The flight attendant hurries back as the kid’s mother tends to him.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT (cont’d)
Don’t move, don’t move, you’ll get it everywhere and we’ve a twelve hour flight ahead! Just remove your jacket.
ADAM
How?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Hold out your arms.
He does. Another flight attendant helps the first one slip his arms through the sleeves and hold it so all the vomit stays caught in the jacket.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT (cont’d)
I’ll clean it best I can and return it to you after take off. Now please be seated. Buckle up.
Adam nods and sits, now eyeing the kid, warily.
INDIAN MOTHER
So sorry. His first airplane trip, and his stomach is weak.
Adam makes himself smile. The kid just looks back.
EXT. HEATHROW - DAY
As the jumbo jet takes off, Adam SCREAMS.
INT. LAX - DAY
Adam exits customs, haggard and dressed like a glittery Bollywood star, laptop slung over one shoulder. His clothes are in a trash bag; his rucksack in the other hand, his book peeking from it.
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