S3-E7-COLOUR CLUES
INT. SURVEILENCE OPERATION - 5 - 1.4
LOCATION: Retrograde Small Bar
SLIM approaches GHOST to assist with his uptown
surveillance of the police Headquarters. He needs GHOST
because her pattern recognition and discrimination neural
nets are required to narrow down the large amount of
information.
GHOST
Mr WHINCHELL you want me to watch
the people coming in and out of
the police HQ?
SLIM
Yes but its not that simple. I
want you to build a file for each
person and record them until you
know their typical behaviour.
Then I want you to use that big
old powerful set of neural nets in
your steel noggin to look for edge
cases. The extremes, things that
don't look right and then record
each of those.
GHOST
But there will be hundreds of
people each day.
SLIM
I know but quite a few will be
repeats, regular workers. You get
recording, then me and Maurice
will go through the files and we
can refine the search parameters.
Its a perfect machine learning
task. GHOST I need you on this
one buddy, only you can do this,
humans would just get bored.
GHOST
Yes but that's because it is
boring.
SLIM
Well I'll come up and play some
poker with you to help pass the
time, how's that.
GHOST
Oh, Mr WINCHELL I would really
like that.
It would be a good opportunity to
improve my sparse matrix and also
take more credits out of your
account.
SLIM
Now that's a presumptuous
assumption young lady.
GHOST
Well, my calculations show an 88%
probability in my favour MR
WINCHELL, and if past performance
is a guide you might be just
digging for water under the
outhouse.
SLIM
Dang, you young whippersnapper
GHOST, you have my number. See,
that's what I mean, that's why I
need you on this surveillance. Now
don't be getting to cocky though,
I'm might have a run of good luck.
GHOST
Are you sure.
SLIM
Look if nothing else I'm helping
with the your avatar replacement
fund, think of it like a job.
GHOST
Oh, MR WINCHELL, you are kind.
OK, Let me know where and when you
want me. Don't forget to bring
those cards.
SLIM
Of course, I'll get back to you
this afternoon. (Pause) So
where's young DOILY, not seen her
for a couple of days.
GHOST
I think she has gone with JACINTA
to scavenge that old pirates base.
MS KOSCIOLEK thinks that if we can
fix up the doors and pressurise,
it might be a useful secondary
storage facility for her
'business'.
SLIM
Oh does she now. She certainly
doesn't miss any tricks does she?
GHOST
MS KOSCIOLEK is a very good
business women. (Pause) She
doesn't like my cocktails though.
She says they are too fluffy!
SLIM
Well, don't take it personally
GHOST, she has a gut like a dock
worker and only likes hard liquor
of the Scottish variety.
GHOST
MS KOSCIOLEK does let me wind her
clocks though. She says I have a
delicate touch with the winder
mechanism that only a machine can
do.
SLIM
Well, that's a rare privilege
GHOST, no one else is allowed to
touch her clocks. You must be a
very valued friend and thats
something she does not give out
lightly. OK then, I see you
later.
GHOST
Good day MR WINCHELL.
INT. COLOUR CLUES -5 - 1.6
LOCATION: ANGEL and MAY's Office.
SLIM returns to ANGEL and MAY's with ALEX after they had
both spent an exhausting few hours going through MAURICES
hair products collection and his magazines. SOPHIE
suggests she grabs ALEX implant buffer and processes it
into a form they can use in the VR Suite.
SOPHIE
Oh hi guys, Wow, you look like
you've been squatting with you're
spurs on!
SLIM
You've sure been looking up cowboy
speak, young lady!
SOPHIE
Yes, of course I have SLIM, you
are the customer, so I have to
interface with you, and that means
learning your lingo!
SLIM
Well, don't go getting in front of
yourself. You need to earn those
spurs.
SOPHIE
What as opposed to sitting on
them!
ALEX
SLIM, you're not going to win. If
you want my advice just retreat
gracefully now. It will be much
easier for everyone.
SLIM
Your probably right, the female of
the species and all that.
SOPHIE
Why thank you SLIM, that's so
kind!
ALEX
See what I mean! Now SOPHIE is
there any chance of a fresh cup of
that good old coffee? It was a
long, long afternoon!
SOPHIE
Of course, I made a fresh one when
I heard you were on your way. You
might want to gulp it down because
SHARROW is in the VR suite with
ZED. They are working
correlations. Its not going very
well. How did you go with
MAURICE?
SLIM
Well, we survived the witches at
the door and spent all morning
looking through his very extensive
collection of hair products, and
catalogues, but we couldn't really
figure anything out.
ALEX
Yeah kill me, if I see another
bottle or hair magazine. I can't
believe how much crap people put
on their hair!
SOPHIE
Did you have your implants
recording?
ALEX
I think so, I have them on buffer
loop.
SOPHIE
Good, because we can grab the
images of anything you have seen
and parse them through the neural
nets to pull out ingredient
correlations and then put that
through the data pool. Let the
computers do the heavy lifting.
Can you flick me the file?
ALEX
I think so, hang on.
SLIM
Mind if I sit down and grab a
coffee, need to rest my eyes. I
keep seeing hair products drifting
by. (Pause, sigh as he relaxes)
So folks what's this VR suite you
keep going on about?
SOPHIE
Oh, its our agencies secret
investigative sauce, if we tell
you we will have to kill you!
SLIM
Well let me get a coffee first!
Then you can have a go! (Chuckle)
SOPHIE
Seriously SLIM I think you should
take a look, if you understand it,
you might be able to figure out
how best to use it. Of course
their will be other cases in
future.
SLIM
Sure thing young lady. OH, my
neck hurts. Looking at all those
hundreds of catalogues is worse
than riding a riverbed.
SOPHIE
Just relax for a minute. Now I
just need to refine and run some
passer routines and throw this new
dataset into the pool. I take it
you have implants SLIM?
SLIM
Yes I do young lady same as yours,
its pretty much compulsory if you
are going to be part of the set up
at the inn. GANDER gave me a set
for my birthday.
ALEX
I wouldn't have thought it was
your thing kind of thing.
SLIM
You might be surprised at what my
kind of thing is. Don't be fooled
by my homey cowboy appearance.
What's inside might surprise you.
ALEX
Actually it probably wouldn't SLIM
I've worked with members of you
old team before. I know how it
goes down.
SOPHIE
Well, OK then, you two hardened
old killers can just buddy up and
ride down to the virtual reality
creek and water your horses.
SLIM
Does she normally mix her
metaphors like this?
ALEX
You have no idea!
SOPHIE
Come on lets go. The code is
waiting and SHARROW is about to
tear her hair out!
SOPHIE waves her hand with a swipe to transfer the
information
SLIM
So how does this work?
SOPHIE
Just relax and close your eyes.
Then select the channel link I
sent. I have preselected your
avatar body. Hope you don't mind,
its a cowboy of course.
SLIM
Well naturally young lady, nothing
else will do! Well OK then, see
you on the other side!
SOPHIE
ALEX you go in as well. I'm just
going to lock the doors, opaque
the windows and dim the lights. I
will see you in am minute.
ALEX
OK, if you say. I'm still not
comfortable with this stuff, might
take a few seconds.
SOPHIE
It gets easier the more you do it.
Believe me, just don't get to like
it more than reality. I have a few
friends who are still in rehab.
ALEX
Little chance of that, its not
that satisfying. I will
reluctantly admit that its useful
though in unexpected ways. Just
give me a second, let me set down
and compose myself. (Pause) OK I'm
ready.
THUNK DOOR LOCKS
CLICK OF SWITCHES
VR ENTRY SOUND.
SLIM
Wow, its not what I expected, it's
like a giant old fashioned
detectives office. That wall
chart it runs for twenty meters.
Interesting. I suppose this is
the virtual situation wall. Good
heavens young SOPHIE that's a very
suggestive costume you have, you
are a little young for that sort
of thing!
SOPHIE
Calm down SLIM, its my gamer
avatar, it may look sweet and
innocent but it's deadly.
ALEX
Sounds like poison candy to me.
SOPHIE
Only to those I don't like!
SLIM
So what's that wicked looking
sword on your belt!
SOPHIE
Something that'll cut you real
bad!
ALEX
Not much different from your mouth
then.
SOPHIE
Ho, ho! Need I tell you that the
female of a species is usually
much deadlier than the male.
ALEX
Well, Its starting to sound like a
theme as you stated. I feel sorry
for the male of whatever species
you are.
SOPHIE
Human silly (Giggle)
ALEX
Exactly! Right on sister! Put it
there.
HIGH FIVE SOUND
SLIM
So when you two have stopped the
red widow self congratulation,
might one of you tell me who
created this confabulation!
ALEX
Oh sorry there SLIM we were just
having a moment.
SLIM
Well this cowboy, is getting
impatient.
ALEX
So originally it was ZED's idea
then SOPHIE's assisted with
additional coding. Its basically
their gizmo.
SLIM
Well, I must say, I'm mighty
impressed with it all!
ALEX
Its saved our bacon several times.
Their work has helped us solve
several cases.
SHARROW
Oh, I see you're back from
MAURICES. So you survived then?
SLIM
Couldn't have done it without
ALEX. Its a vipers nest. (Pause)
So are you the chief scientist in
this simulation?
SHARROW
Well, not really but I do have
some computer science knowledge.
ZED and SOPHIE are the main
analysis engineers.
SLIM
So what does miss ANGEL do in this
world?
SHARROW
Well!
SOPHIE
She makes the sarcastic comments
and points out all the flaws in
our thinking.
ALEX
Yep, I'm kinda like the big old
house pet around here.
SLIM
I would venture that Ms ANGEL
might be the security brawn.
ALEX
Absolutely.
SLIM
Ms SHARROW must be the business
brains.
SHARROW
Why thank you SLIM.
SLIM
My pleasure, just stating whats
right in front of me.
ALEX
Jeez, your a smooth operator. I
but you never had problems with
the ladies.
SLIM
Well, lets just say,(Cough) there
have been moments, mainly in the
past mind. I'm like a horse
whisper for the ladies.
SOPHIE
Oh, that sounds spooky.
SLIM
Its a very fine skill, you have to
treat horses with respect, then
they treat you right back the same
way. Now how is this whole stage
show going?
SHARROW
Not good really. We just get a lot
of noisy results. ZED's trying
some filters but I don't hold out
much hope.
ZED
Oh my god, shush. There is some
work going on over here! I need
to concentrate. You not really
helping!
SLIM
Well, this is a mighty impressive
setup you've created here ZED.
Not even the government has this.
Well as far as I can tell, they
just too dumb.
ZED
Thank you SLIM I appreciate it
coming from you. Of course all
the really impressive stuff is
hidden, its the neural nets
behind the pattern matching, the
room is just the interface. It
looks cool, but doesn't really do
the hard lifting.
ALEX
Like I say a horse whisper, even
works on ZED. So SHAS any ideas?
SHARROW
No not really we need better data.
There are so many ingredients and
some have different names for the
same substance.
SOPHIE
Well its your lucky day, I have a
new data set fully labeled and
ordered. Here, catch.
DATASET TRANSLATION
NOISE
SHARROW
So what's this?
SOPHIE
Its all the standard ingredients
against the product names, from
MAURICES extensive collection. If
we correlate that to the products,
then the products to the
distribution as one match. You
have the sales records to the
salons of the products. That
means we, know by inference all
the chemicals at each store
location. We then correlate the
forensics against that and that
will tell us the stores that might
be the targets!
SHARROW
Oh thats good work. Thats
excellent SOPHIE.
ZED
You're so smart SOPHIE
SOPHIE
Why thank you ZED
ALEX
Oh crap, don't you two start that
again! Don't forget SLIM and
myself had to venture into the
viper cage, risking life and limb
and wade through a lifetimes
supply of bottles and magazines!
SHARROW
Yes good all of you.
ZED
Well the data is being processed
and we have already obtained a 90%
match for ten possible locations
in the Bencubbin. Oh no its up to
twenty, stabilising.
SHARROW
Shit, thats a lot to surveil.
ZED
Its better than the 150 we had
previously.
SLIM
If I might make a suggestion for
how we might narrow that down
further.
ALEX
Suggest away!
SLIM
Well, I am producing a file of all
in's and outs from police HQ. I
have GHOST running a surveillance
operation from a hotel room
uptown. Now we suspect that these
killers have some sort of quasi
government assistance. They
probably get a hefty backhander
from the mob that is pursuing you.
I suspect they have labelled you
as terrorists suspects. So
correct me if I wrong here, but if
we set up similar surveillance
operations of the comings and
goings from those salons, which we
can do from a safe distance, any
correlations would identify both
the killer and the location.
ZED
That sounds doable. Yes I think
that would work, it would
certainly be easier than entering
the premises and potentially
forewarning our killer of our
surveillance.
SHARROW
Twenty locations thats still a lot
of surveillance even with
camera's.
SOPHIE
Not if we get more help. Perhaps
the younger Cherries could do it.
We send them out in groups so they
can watch each other. As long as
one of the older ones has implants
we can use their eye feeds.
SLIM
That could work well, people don't
usually notice kids. They could
be playing soccer or tag, that
sort of thing.
I'll get on to RUDI and see what
she thinks. Leave that side of
things to me. You folks stay back
here and deal with the data which
will be considerable. I'll also
get the most recent correlations
out of GHOST, she is expecting my
assistance this afternoon.
INT. SALOON INTENTIONS - 5 - 1.7
LOCATION: Outside Beautiful Looks Hair Salon
The two killers interact with the RCBS kids that are
conducting the surveillance of the salon. Meanwhile SLIM
and the team are watching this occur through micro
camera's. Information of a previous incident at a
village called Darkforth comes to light.
EVADNE
You kids, skedaddle, stop kicking
the ball against the wall.
CHERRY 1
Or what lady, what you going to
do.
EVADNE
Bugger off, just get out of here,
you don't want to know what I can
do.
CHERRY 1
Well, if you touch me I will
scream and then I will get the
police to arrest you for child
molestation.
HENGE
Now look you little bastard. I
would do what she says. I'll cut
you little throat before you can
scream. No one would miss a
little street urchin such as
yourself. Look at those filthy
nails. Your no better than an
animal.
EVADNE
HENGE control yourself, remember
Darkforth, we had to leave before
we had completed our mission. The
client was most unhappy with the
resultant negative publicity.
HENGE
Well, all I did was clear a couple
of them from the streets.
EVADNE
Yes, it was fun wasn't it.
However we have a job to do and we
don't want to upset the clients no
do we.
Pan back to have SLIM and the team observing the video
recording.
VR SUITE SOUND
FOREGROUND
SLIM
Well, that was a close run thing.
There the killers for sure, I have
all sorts of alarm bells going
off.
SHARROW
There was that interesting
reference to Darkforth, I'm going
to start a search on that name. I
presume its a location. See what
it throws up.
SLIM
I'm going to tell the Cherries to
pull back surveillance, observe
from a distance only. I couldn't
live with myself if one of them
got hurt. These bastards are
creepy.
ZED
I have started running some
correlations from their face
biometrics against video from all
the locations.
SOPHIE
I have fed in the Darkforth
looking for new items. OH that
was quick. Oh SHARROW take a look
at these.
SHARROW
Oh wow, your right SLIM. I quote
'The village of Darkforth is
shocked at the disappearance of
five young children. Villagers
claim two strange women were seen
in the village. There are
persistent rumours of witch craft
from the local publican.
Police have cordoned off a large
oak tree in one of the nearby
farms and excavators were seen
digging around the tree.
SLIM
So our problem is we need to
determine the killers patterns of
behaviour. We need their
movements to establish an ambush.
I think they may be operating in
several salons at different times
because they have been seen by
several teams.
INT. NAIL INFILTRATION - 5 - 2
LOCATION: GANDERS Office.
SLIM reports back and GANDER ponders with ANGEL and MAY
how they may use this knowledge to their advantage. ANGEL
and MAY suggest that perhaps CANDY and RITA could visit
the shops and have their nails done and have a chat with
the Girls to gain useful information. In an unusual move,
they think that the queens will be able to defend
themselves if they need to due to their manly strength.
GANDER
So SLIM we think we may have
narrowed down the killer to an
area of hair salons. How do you
propose to move in determine the
location for the vermin
eradication program?
SLIM
Well, we have two potential
killers the short one is possibly
a manicurist because she mentioned
nails. We need a clean eradication
because we don't want news getting
back to their operator. We just
need them to vanish with no clues.
That means we need first class
surveillance and detailed
understanding of where they will
be and when.
GANDER
They are obviously a long term
team. That Dark-forth incident
that was seventeen years ago. To
have operated without getting
caught for that long suggests,
that these two bastards are canny
operatives. Its not going to be
easy.
Unless we are extremely cautious
we could spook them. That makes
eradication slightly more
difficult. We would also need to
get them in the same place at the
same time. It would also require
more personnel in the strike
force. The problem is we are very
short of personal this week. I
have a load of folks over at that
Pirate base trying to sort out the
doors and hiding it from the
authorities. This couldn't have
come at a worse time.
SLIM
Well MAURICE had an idea, but it
may be a little crazy.
GANDER
Crazy is normal around here SLIM
you know that! Spill the beans.
SLIM
Well, we need female operatives,
strong ones who perhaps could fend
off an impromptu attack. Even if
JACINTA and COSTAS where here I
can't see them being that useful
for the surveillance side.
GANDER
Yes I agree I can't see either of
them in a nail bar or the
hairdressers, JACINTA just goes to
the commissary for the regulation
shave cut. COSTAS just loves her
punk Mohican at the moment and can
you see them with painted nails.
(Laughter)
SLIM
Exactly. It would be hard to dress
them up to be girly even if they
were available. So we come back
to the MAURICE idea. Who do we
have that loves to act like girls.
GANDER
No SLIM, Jesus, you don't mean
those two!
SLIM
I don't like it either, but what
choice do we have only CANDY and
RITA are around at the moment.
The other girls are away.
Yep its about time those bitch
queens paid their dues.
GANDER
But they are potty mouthed bitchy
DRAG Queens, its obvious they are
not real women.
SLIM
Well, MAURICE thinks they are
sufficiently female looking
physically to perhaps get them to
pass. If we dress them down
enough. Give them some coaching in
how a women might speak and walk,
really tone it down.
GANDER
You can't dress down those mouths,
its impossible. Also they wear
wigs, how are they going to get
their hair cut?
SLIM
Well, MAURICE suggested they only
go in for their nails and use that
to chit chat to the saloon workers
to see if they can identify the
killers movements and patterns.
GANDER
Jeez, its risky, those two old
Queens are difficult to handle.
You can't domesticate a wolf no
matter how much you train it.
SLIM
I'm aware of that GANDER, but what
choice do we have. We can't send
in ANGEL and MAY and I'm sorry I'm
not about to send in the lovely
SOPHIE into a killers den. ZED is
too busy trying to sort out the
surveillance data and both of them
might be known associates of ANGEL
and MAY. I wouldn't be surprised
if these killers don't at least
have a friends and family list.
Hell, if we hadn't changed the
agency name they would be knocking
on the door at this very minute.
GANDER
No agreed SOPHIE and ZED, that is
unthinkable, even for me! (Pause)
OK then I reluctantly agree.
Tell MAURICE that if he has any
doubts at the end of the training
tell him to stop. We cancel the
whole idea and I will call back
the team from the pirate rock.
SLIM
Ok then. You never know, this
might just work.
GANDER
Fat chance of that, those bitches
are mean all the way to their
core.
SLIM
Tell me about it, I nearly had to
whip them last time.
GANDER
You think that would stop them.
Good luck with that!
INT. SHADE EXTRACTION - 5 - 3
LOCATION: RETROGRADE MAIN BAR
MAURICE is attempting to re train the DRAG Queens to pass
as normal women, but this is proving impossible. SOPHIE
suggests to MAURICE that she has an idea that will speed
up this training considerably.
CANDY
RITA I'm never tired of seeing you
in that dress, in fact I think my
mum used to have one the same!
RITA
Ohhh, bitch did you just shade my
mother?
CANDY
Well, I don't know about you
mother, but that dress belongs in
a museum!
RITA
Well, you should know, your so old
you could have thrown the first
brick at Stonewall.
MAURICE
Girls now stop this, you throwing
so much shade I can't see the
other end of the room. You need to
forget all of that, I need you to
talk, walk and act like ladies.
RITA
Well, MAURICE, reset, I'M A MAN IN
A DRESS, how the hell am I going
to walk and talk like a LADY.
MAURICE
Yes, well, I'm starting to realise
the enormity of the undertaking.
Look we need you to help find the
killer, don't you want to catch
the bastard who killed poor
Monica?
CANDY
Yes of course we do, its just so
difficult.
MAURICE
Well, then we have to practice,
remember perfect performance
requires prior preparation.
CANDY
Well, do our best MAURICE won't we
RITA?
RITA
Yes we will try.
MAURICE
OK, thank you. Right lets get back
to the stance. Now CANDY step,
walk, walk, stop, turn, walk. No.
No, no, just walk normally. No,
not like that. Move naturally
you're not on the catwalk.
CANDY
MAURICE these heels are just too
low, I am more comfortable in high
heels, its what I am used to. I
feel like an old nun in these.
Why can't I wear those classy
Jimmy Chose knock offs.
RITA
Honey you ain't never going to
look like a nun, not possible ah
ha. God would reject you!
MAURICE
Girls please, stop this bitch
queen act, its getting very old
and its not what we need. Women
just don't talk that that. Also
those high heels they are too
extreme for day to day wear.
Remember you are supposed to be
two married women out to have your
nails done, those shoes would be
evening wear.
RITA
Well I'm sorry MAURICE we really
normally only come out at night. I
don't like the sun on my face
makeup.
CANDY
May be thats why you look like a
vampire with that foundation!
MAURICE
Well you both need to lift your
act. This skunk queen isn't going
to fly, you need to get classy and
be fast about it. You have a week
to sort yourselves out or the
contract is off. Its about time
the old bitchy queen act was
updated anyway, the clients are
sick of it, hell I'm sick of it.
We need more class. Girls it's
time you emerged into the light.
(Clapping) Come on, come on, do it
again.
CHAIR BEING MOVED
AND SAT ON
SOPHIE
How's it going MAURICE, finishing
school programming not taking
hold?
MAURICE
SOPHIE, these old chooks are well
past prime. You can't teach two
old bitches new tricks. To much
of the wrong type of conditioning.
SOPHIE
Well, I have an idea. It nasty
and is probably illegal but I
think it will definitely work.
It's based on the mirror house
concept. The best bit is it
requires no effort on your part.
It might also sort these two out
longer term.
MAURICE
Oh tell me more. What nasty
devious methods have you devised
SOPHIE. Its not going to damage
them is it?
SOPHIE
Not at all, well only a little.
MAURICE
Well, I have got nowhere and we
are two days in. What have I got
to loose. Its about time these
potty mouths got there comeuppance
I'm sick of their antics.