FADE IN:
INT. UNIVERSITY OFFICE - DAY
Modern cubicles clash with a centuries old room. ADAM VERLAIN (30, glasses, a life going prematurely gray) works between his computer and an ancient leather book on his too-neat desk. A note taped to his monitor warns, VINCENT 3:30!!
ADAM
(British, says to book)
There we go, luv. All set and ready for inspection and...oh, dear. Dies ist ein ausgezeichnetes Beispiel für eine frühe gedruckte Volumen. Can’t forget any umlauts, can we? Germany never forgives.
He saves the document, tenderly carries the book into --
AN OLD DARK ROOM
Mystical in its play of light and dust. Adam gently sets his book on a shelf with other antiquarian volumes.
IN A KITCHENETTE
Adam pours hot water into two spill-proof mugs.
UNIVERSITY OFFICE
Mugs in hand, Adam passes a cubbyhole office -- HAKIM (too well dressed) and JEREMY (a happy puppy who bites) in it.
HAKIM
(British)
Here, Adam -- you ever plan to finish that bloody Erasmus?
ADAM
Just put her on the shelf, Hakim.
JEREMY
(British)
Oy, is that tea? You never bring me any.
ADAM
-- Next time, perhaps.
He stops by ELIZABETH (pretty, convinced of her superiority to one and all) and sets a mug on her desk.
ADAM (cont’d)
Here you go.
ELIZABETH
Two lumps, splash of milk?
ADAM
Just how you like it.
ELIZABETH
Not now, thanks.
Both mugs wind up in Adam’s cubicle, then he picks up a book from her desk.
ADAM
Is this that Liber Chronicarum found in Romania?
ELIZABETH
What does it look like?
ADAM
Why’d Vincent give it to you? I’m more versant in Shedel, and I’ve nothing else going on.
ELIZABETH
You also keep raising questions about it.
ADAM
Well, she’s a lovely volume, but the binding’s not contemporary to her and --.
(looks inside)
Oh -- she is a facsimile.
ELIZABETH
Adam, it’s a book, not a her.
ADAM
But here! On the first verso page of text; look at -- .
She snatches the book away.
ELIZABETH
Give it over! Half the time you’ve no idea what you’re talking about.
He hesitates then heads off.
Jeremy slips up to grab the two mugs. She smirks at him.
ELIZABETH (cont’d)
Now, Jeremy...one of those is mine.
JEREMY
Last I heard, no means no.
ELIZABETH
And I’m sure you heard it just last night. Give it over.
JEREMY
Come and take it.
He sneaks away with both mugs. She follows him.
INT. UNDERGROUND LIBRARY VAULT - DAY
Row after row of shelving units hold recent books and files. Adam pulls out an auction catalog.
ADAM
It’s in here...I saw it...nineteen fifty-eight! Aisle six. Brilliant.
(in German)
Poor girl doesn’t think I know what I’m talking about.
He bolts to another aisle to sort through more catalogs.
VINCENT (O.S.)
Adam?
ADAM
Nein, das is zwei-und-sechzig. Forty-seven!? Oh, for god’s sake, people -- learn how to count! Sixty-two comes after sixty-one comes after sixty comes after fifty-nine comes after fifty-seven -- wait, wait, wait, where’s fifty-eight?
He finds a catalog jammed behind the rest, pulls it out, tenderly twists it back into shape, and looks inside.
VINCENT (O.S.)
Adam? Adam?
ADAM
Here we go, Elizabeth. You’ll thank me for this. Maybe give a kiss...
He starts down the aisle -- and VINCENT (proper, pale and thin as a Victorian ghost) peeks around the end.
VINCENT
(Veddy British)
There!
ADAM
Oh! Uh -- Vincent, we’ll need to revisit that Shedel and find out what the seller’s trying to -- .
VINCENT
Have you been down here all this time?
ADAM
Just -- just a bit. Our meeting’s not till half-past three.
VINCENT
It’s now four.
ADAM
Sorry, sir. I was just locating information on that Romanian Liber Chronicarum and -- .
VINCENT
Elizabeth’s archiving that. Haven’t you your own work to finish?
ADAM
The Erasmus Apophtegmatum. I’m done. Jeremy’s to photograph -- .
VINCENT
Then you’re free.
ADAM
We have hundreds more books -- .
VINCENT
Come on upstairs. And leave the catalogue, there’s a good lad.
Adam jolts and shoves it back...and puts more in order.
ADAM
Vincent, whoever does the shelving down here apparently knows neither the alphabet nor numeric sequence.
VINCENT
Adam! Come!
Adam switches the positions of two more catalogs then follows.
INT. UNDERGROUND HALLWAY - DAY
Narrow. Low pipes jut across the ceiling. Adam and Vincent duck to avoid them.
VINCENT
Is your passport in order?
ADAM
Sorry?
VINCENT
Your passport. Is it current?
ADAM
I suppose. Why shouldn’t it be?
VINCENT
When was the last time you used it?
ADAM
Six years ago. I had to visit New York’s Public Library to -- .
VINCENT
Then you’ve been to the states. Care to go, again?
ADAM
Oh, God, no. New York is perfectly dreadful. Tall and concrete -- .
VINCENT
I mean to Los Angeles.
ADAM
Is it more open than Manhattan?
VINCENT
Somewhat. I want you to fly over. Pick up a book we’ve acquired. Fly back. Nothing more.
Adam stops cold.
ADAM
Sir, is it -- is it the Alice Sixty-five?
INT. UNIVERSITY OFFICE - DAY
Modern cubicles clash with a centuries old room. ADAM VERLAIN (30, glasses, a life going prematurely gray) works between his computer and an ancient leather book on his too-neat desk. A note taped to his monitor warns, VINCENT 3:30!!
ADAM
(British, says to book)
There we go, luv. All set and ready for inspection and...oh, dear. Dies ist ein ausgezeichnetes Beispiel für eine frühe gedruckte Volumen. Can’t forget any umlauts, can we? Germany never forgives.
He saves the document, tenderly carries the book into --
AN OLD DARK ROOM
Mystical in its play of light and dust. Adam gently sets his book on a shelf with other antiquarian volumes.
IN A KITCHENETTE
Adam pours hot water into two spill-proof mugs.
UNIVERSITY OFFICE
Mugs in hand, Adam passes a cubbyhole office -- HAKIM (too well dressed) and JEREMY (a happy puppy who bites) in it.
HAKIM
(British)
Here, Adam -- you ever plan to finish that bloody Erasmus?
ADAM
Just put her on the shelf, Hakim.
JEREMY
(British)
Oy, is that tea? You never bring me any.
ADAM
-- Next time, perhaps.
He stops by ELIZABETH (pretty, convinced of her superiority to one and all) and sets a mug on her desk.
ADAM (cont’d)
Here you go.
ELIZABETH
Two lumps, splash of milk?
ADAM
Just how you like it.
ELIZABETH
Not now, thanks.
Both mugs wind up in Adam’s cubicle, then he picks up a book from her desk.
ADAM
Is this that Liber Chronicarum found in Romania?
ELIZABETH
What does it look like?
ADAM
Why’d Vincent give it to you? I’m more versant in Shedel, and I’ve nothing else going on.
ELIZABETH
You also keep raising questions about it.
ADAM
Well, she’s a lovely volume, but the binding’s not contemporary to her and --.
(looks inside)
Oh -- she is a facsimile.
ELIZABETH
Adam, it’s a book, not a her.
ADAM
But here! On the first verso page of text; look at -- .
She snatches the book away.
ELIZABETH
Give it over! Half the time you’ve no idea what you’re talking about.
He hesitates then heads off.
Jeremy slips up to grab the two mugs. She smirks at him.
ELIZABETH (cont’d)
Now, Jeremy...one of those is mine.
JEREMY
Last I heard, no means no.
ELIZABETH
And I’m sure you heard it just last night. Give it over.
JEREMY
Come and take it.
He sneaks away with both mugs. She follows him.
INT. UNDERGROUND LIBRARY VAULT - DAY
Row after row of shelving units hold recent books and files. Adam pulls out an auction catalog.
ADAM
It’s in here...I saw it...nineteen fifty-eight! Aisle six. Brilliant.
(in German)
Poor girl doesn’t think I know what I’m talking about.
He bolts to another aisle to sort through more catalogs.
VINCENT (O.S.)
Adam?
ADAM
Nein, das is zwei-und-sechzig. Forty-seven!? Oh, for god’s sake, people -- learn how to count! Sixty-two comes after sixty-one comes after sixty comes after fifty-nine comes after fifty-seven -- wait, wait, wait, where’s fifty-eight?
He finds a catalog jammed behind the rest, pulls it out, tenderly twists it back into shape, and looks inside.
VINCENT (O.S.)
Adam? Adam?
ADAM
Here we go, Elizabeth. You’ll thank me for this. Maybe give a kiss...
He starts down the aisle -- and VINCENT (proper, pale and thin as a Victorian ghost) peeks around the end.
VINCENT
(Veddy British)
There!
ADAM
Oh! Uh -- Vincent, we’ll need to revisit that Shedel and find out what the seller’s trying to -- .
VINCENT
Have you been down here all this time?
ADAM
Just -- just a bit. Our meeting’s not till half-past three.
VINCENT
It’s now four.
ADAM
Sorry, sir. I was just locating information on that Romanian Liber Chronicarum and -- .
VINCENT
Elizabeth’s archiving that. Haven’t you your own work to finish?
ADAM
The Erasmus Apophtegmatum. I’m done. Jeremy’s to photograph -- .
VINCENT
Then you’re free.
ADAM
We have hundreds more books -- .
VINCENT
Come on upstairs. And leave the catalogue, there’s a good lad.
Adam jolts and shoves it back...and puts more in order.
ADAM
Vincent, whoever does the shelving down here apparently knows neither the alphabet nor numeric sequence.
VINCENT
Adam! Come!
Adam switches the positions of two more catalogs then follows.
INT. UNDERGROUND HALLWAY - DAY
Narrow. Low pipes jut across the ceiling. Adam and Vincent duck to avoid them.
VINCENT
Is your passport in order?
ADAM
Sorry?
VINCENT
Your passport. Is it current?
ADAM
I suppose. Why shouldn’t it be?
VINCENT
When was the last time you used it?
ADAM
Six years ago. I had to visit New York’s Public Library to -- .
VINCENT
Then you’ve been to the states. Care to go, again?
ADAM
Oh, God, no. New York is perfectly dreadful. Tall and concrete -- .
VINCENT
I mean to Los Angeles.
ADAM
Is it more open than Manhattan?
VINCENT
Somewhat. I want you to fly over. Pick up a book we’ve acquired. Fly back. Nothing more.
Adam stops cold.
ADAM
Sir, is it -- is it the Alice Sixty-five?
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