Excerpt from my Script Frenzy 2012

ACT 1/SCENE I
FADE IN:


INT. ARKHAM ASSYLUM HALLWAY. MIDDAY.

A bunch of students in lab coats are lined up along a wall. There is a GUIDE instructing them to do so. At the end of the line are two women that seem to be giggling like school girls and talking and whispering to each other. DR. HARLEEN QUINZEL- (22) BLONDE; ATTRACTIVE; MISCHIEVIOUS.
DR. HELENA ROSE BARTONELLI- (23) DARK-HAIRED; ATTRACTIVE; VERY KIND AND STUDIOUS, EVEN SHY AT TIMES

GUIDE
All right, are we all accounted for?
(Looks down the line at HARLEEN and HELENA.)
Um. Hello, was our tour interrupting your conversation?

HARLEEN
Hey my taxes pay you salary lady! How about holding that attitude and lets get this show on the road. Thank you!

The other students begin clapping and cheering for HARLEEN.

GUIDE
(To herself) They don’t pay me enough for this.

(To the class) Okay, ladies and gentlemen this is Arkham Assylum, where we house the most physiologically dangerous of Gotham City’s criminals. The facility is arranged by the less dangerous cases toward the top, and the most dangerous cases at the bottom. Can anyone name me some criminals that may be in this facilty.

The students and goes up and the guide picks a boy student toward the middle of the line.

GUIDE
Okay. You in the blue shirt.
STUDENT 1
The Riddler “Edward Enigma”

GUIDE
That is very good! Edward Enigma...and as a side note it is important that we address our cases by their given names, as we don’t want them to allow them to connect with their actions outside of our facility.

If we can make any of our cases capable of living out in the real world we must so as much as we can to disconnect them from their criminal aliases.

Now Mr. Enigma is what we call a medium threat case, can anyone tell me where he would be located in our facility?

The students hands shoot up again and GUIDE walks down the line and picks out HELENA.

GUIDE
You.


HELENA
Um. He would be toward the center of the facility, since he is only a moderate threat.


GUIDE
That’s right. Mr. Enigma is located in the center of Arkham, whereas, criminals such as Harvey Dent, Jack Napier and Basil Karlo would be located in the basement of our facility, under heavy surveillance.


HARLEEN
Two-Face, Joker, and Clay-face.


GUIDE
That is correct. But do not speak out of turn Ms....


HARLEEN
Doctor... Dr. Harleen Quinzel.


GUIDE
Dr. Quinzel, but we do not call them by their criminal aliases. Thank you! Let’s proceed!

The guide and the students walk off camera.

ACT 1/ SCENE II

EXT. ARKHAM ASSYLUM – NIGHT

HARLEEN and HELEN are both wearing all black and each have black duffle bags, they are plotting to break into Arkham Asylum. They are arranging their supplies.

HARLEEN
Can you believe the nerve of that woman? I mean, does she know who I am? Dr. Harleen Quinzel, I graduated at the top of my class, and they came looking for me not the other way around. I swear, just you watch, I will own this place one day.

HELENA
Yeah, that is if we don’t get caught and then end up in here?

HARLEEN
Oh Helena, don’t be so paranoid, Arkham Assylum is only for the psychologically unstable criminals,

HARLEEN (CON’D)
people like you and me will never get locked away in a place like this.

HELENA
Really comforting Harley!

HARLEEN
Well let’s hurry up before someone sees us.

They put on black ski masks and HELENA takes a small cross bow out of her duffel with a bow connected to a long rope. She shoots it off into the distance, the rope tenses up and she ties it off.

HARLEEN
Well here goes nothing!

HARLEEN Grabs her zip-line piece and puts it on the robe. HELENA puts hers on behind her and they both fix their harnesses.

HARLEEN
One three. One…Two…Three.


They slide down the zip-line, on to the platform of Arkham’s steel door. They both unhook themselves from the zip line

HELENA pulls out a card with a keypad attached. She puts the card in the door’s card reader and begins to tinker at the buttons on the keypad, and within a few moments the door slides open.

HARLEEN
(Looks at HELENA impressed)
Maybe you are more like your father than you let on.

HELENA
That is not funny, Harley. Let’s hurry up and get this done.

HARLEEN
Sorry! So touchy!

They creep in and whisper to each other.

HELENA
Okay, the chemicals are stored in the very bottom, in the right wing of the basement. We have to be careful because there are a few guards. Come on.

They walk to the edge of a rail.

HELENA
Harley, didn’t you say you were a cheerleader?

HARLEEN
Yeah, why?

HELENA jumps off of the rail, free falls, grabs onto a pipe, flips over it, and lands at the bottom floor. HARLEEN then does the same thing.

HARLEEN
*laughs* Wow! What a rush!

HELENA places a figure over her lips and then points at a couple of guards in front of a doorway. She pulls a cloth out of her pocket and HARLEEN does the same. They both sneak behind the guards and put their cloth over their guard’s mouth until they pass out.

HELENA and HARLEY stay close and low, creeping through the basement. Until they find a locked door labeled “LABORATORY”.

HELENA
(Whispering) Keep a look out.

HELENA takes the card with the keypad out of her pocket again and puts it into the card reader beside door and does the same thing she did with the other door. She tries the door handle and it is unlocked. She goes inside the room.

HARLEEN then looks ahead to find JOKER’s cell she in intrigued by it and begins to walk closer. We only see a silhouette of JOKER staring back at HARLEEN. She notices that he is tilting his head, at first HARLEEN does not know what he is doing but realizes that he is signaling her, because there is a guard coming toward their area. The guard walks in HARLEEN has jumped up on the pipes above her.

JOKER begins to laugh diverting the guards attention.

GUARD
Hey funny boy cut it out, don’t make me come in there.

JOKER stops laughing.


GUARD
That’s what I thought! Keep it down in here.

Guard walks off. HELENA comes out of the room and HARLEEN jumps down.

HELENA
What happened?

HARLEEN
I’ll tell you when we get the hell out of here. Did you get it?

HELENA
Yeah. Yeah I got it! Come on let’s go.


ACT I/ SCENE III:

INT. HARLEEN AND HELENA’S APARTMENT- LATE NIGHT


The living room area is empty. It is late at night/ early in the morning when there is a knock at the door. HELENA comes in a bath robe. She walks up to the door. She checks her watch, wondering who world come to this door at her apartment this late.

HELENA
Who is it?


GRANT
(On the other side of the door)
It’s Grant. Open up.


HELENA unlocks the door and throws her arms around him.

HELENA
Grant! What are you doing here? I’ve missed you so much.

GRANT
You think I would miss your graduation? Are we just going to stand in the hallway or can I come in?

HELENA
I’m sorry! Come in!

They come inside the apartment and flash forward to them drinking tea laughing and reminiscing.

HELENA
So what have you been up to?

GRANT
Well, I have been doing some work in the mayor’s office. Everything looks promising. What about you?

HELENA
Well, me and Harley go an internship at Arkham.

GRANT
No way! Congratulations Helen! I knew you could do it.

HELENA
Well, I guess it was pretty easy, we both got valedictorian.

GRANT
So how is Harley?

HELENA
She is just fine. You know every week she has a new obsession.

GRANT
What is she over her Jack Napier groupie phase?

HELENA
Not exactly. Only now, she is become obsessed with the effects love and the human psychosis.

GRANT
Wow! That is interesting!

HELENA
What are you talking about it is barbaric. I mean, what is so wrong about love where you have to make it such a bad thing?

GRANT
You would think that.

HELENA
What’s that supposed to mean?

GRANT
You have always been a dreamer and an optimist.

HELENA
What’s wrong with that?

GRANT
Nothing is wrong with that, but I am what you call a realist and I can see where she is coming from love can drive people crazy, and get them to do things that they wouldn’t normally do. It makes the throw caution and morals to the wind.

GRANT (CON’D)
Love is powerful!

HELENA
Does that make it a bad thing?

GRANT
No, not all! It make the mother do whatever it take to save her child. It gives her supernatural powers. It is pretty remarkable when you think about it.

HELENA
Yeah, but it is no reason to call a person crazy or make a person a criminal.

GRANT
*laughs*

HELENA
What’s so funny?

GRANT
You. You are such a princess. You probably still believe that one day your prince will come on his white steed.

HELENA
Cute. Grant. Real cute.

GRANT
Helen, I am not making fun of you. I like that about you. You are so innocent, incorruptible.

HELENA
You mean considering who my father is.

GRANT
So your father was a mob boss big deal. Mine was to and look how I turned out.

GRANT (CON’D)
Helen, you are the only person I know I can trust.

HELENA
Really Grant?


GRANT
Yes…Really. You are my best friend


HELENA
Grant? Have you ever thought about being, you know, more than friend?


GRANT
Helen, you are like a sister to me.


HELENA
Wow!(holds her cheeks)

GRANT
Helen, you are, a great beautiful person. Any guy would be lucky to have you. It is just that…

HELENA
I’m no Harley!

GRANT
Helen, it is not like that.

HELENA
It’s okay, I get it. It is no secret that you like her and why no, she’s pretty, smart, outgoing, blonde.

GRANT
Helen, come on! (Hugs Helen)One day you are going to find your prince, I promise you, and he is going to be so much better than me.

HELENA
I am going to bed.

GRANT
Yeah, I am just going to crash here on the couch. There are a few relatives I am trying to hide out from at least for a couple of days.

HELENA
Stay as long as you like. (comically sexually) I am sure Harley won’t mind.

GRANT
*laughs* Cute! Good night, princess!


HELENA
Good night, Sir Grant! (Curtsies)

HELENA walks to her room and GRAND lays down on the couch.

ACT 1/ SCENE III

INT. HARLEEN AND HELENA’S APARTMENT. – MORNING

HARLEEN and HELENA are working on the dining room table with a chemistry set with beakers, Bunsen burners, tubes etc… GRANT is still sleeping on the couch.

HARLEEN
So when did Grant get here?

HELENA
Last night!

HARLEEN
Wow! He looks good!

HELENA
Can you hand me the beaker over there.

HARLEEN hands HELENA a beaker and grabs two vials.

HARLEEN
Do we put in the chemical X and pheromones yet?


HELENA
Sure.

HARLEEN pours both vials into a bubbling beaker and stirs it. Then takes the beaker off of the burner. She grabs a dropper and puts the liquid in it.


HELENA
You might want to dilute that.

HARLEEN walks over to GRANT and drops a few drops out of the dropper and into GRANT’S mouth


HELENA
Harley, what did you do that for?


HARLEEN
We had to test it. Come on Helena, don’t act so new.


HELENA
We don’t know how strong it is.


HARLEEN
Come on, it is just a few drops, it might not even work. Now we need to wake him up.

HARLEEN shakes GRANT. GRANT opens his eyes.

HARLEEN
Grant, wake up!


GRANT
Harley! Good morning beautiful. I was just dreaming about you.
HARLEEN
Really?


GRANT
Wow! You look so beautiful.


HARLEEN
Grant, stop you are making me blush.

GRANT
Can I talk to you? In private?

HELENA
Don’t mind me! I can take a hint, I have to get to the library anyway. Bye. Have fun.

HELENA leaves

GRANT
(Whispers to HARLEEN)
Let’s go to the roof.

ACT 1/ SCENE IV

EXT. ROOF TOP.- MIDDAY

GRANT takes HARLEEN and sweeps her up in his arms then kisses her.

GRANT
I love you Harleen Quinzel! I just want to ask you if you would be you girlfriend


HARLEEN
Grant that is sweet, but I have to say, that I don’t believe you.


GRANT
What must I do to prove it to you Harley? I will do anything. You name it.
HARLEEN
I don’t know Grant.

HARLEEN begins backing up, until she reaches the edge of the building. She looks down at the passing cars at the bottom of the building.

HARLEEN
Would you die for me Grant?


GRANT
In a heartbeat Harley!

HARLEEN
Prove it! Jump off this ledge! (Looks up at GRANT) If you truly love me Grant jump off this ledge, and I will believe you when you tell me you love me.

GRANT steps up onto the ledge and then jumps off. HARLEEN laughs evilly.

HELENA comes up on the roof.

HELENA
There was a commotion downstairs and no one was in the apartment.

Harley, where’s Grant?

HELENA looks over the ledge and begins screaming. Then runs back down the stairs from the room.

HARLEEN laughs again.

ACT 1/ SCENE V

EXT. GRANT’S GRAVE SITE – RAINING MIDDAY

HELENA and GRANT’S friend’s and family are at GRANT’s grave site with umbrellas, and dressed in all black. They all leave until only HELENA is left. There is a close up of her face, she is distraught.


ACT 1/ SCENE VI

INT. ARKHAM ASSYLUM- DAY

HARLEEN and DOCTOR are walking down a hall way. HELENA lags behind in her own world. They each old a clip board, wear a lab jacket and nametag. They all also have an access key card on a lanyard around their necks

HARLEEN
So all I am suggesting is that we dig deeper in to Joker, I mean Jack Napier’s brain and just find out who or what he is in love with and then we will be able to crack him, for sure.

HARLEEN, DR. BRYCE, and HELENA walk into DR. BRYCE’s office. Harleen goes to his water jug and gets a cup of water.

DOCTOR
I tell you, you are obsessed with this.

HARLEEN
What can I say? I am confident.

HARLEEN takes a sip of water and sets it on the desk. She digs in her pockets for her pills.

DOCTOR
Well, I guess I don’t see the harm in going down there at least you will be able to understand what a hopeless case that he is.

Helena, are you feeling okay? You don’t look so hot.

HARLEEN
Oh, she is fine she is just still grieving over her friend’s suicide.

HELENA looks at HARLEEN shocked and angrily, like she can’t believe how calm and callice she is.

DOCTOR
Helen, you should not be here. You can take the day off. You are in no condition to work. I insist.

HARLEEN
That is so nice of you Dr. Bryce.
(To HELENA) Isn’t that nice of Dr. Bryce Helena? You go home and get some rest!

HARLEEN and DR. BRYCE continue to talk and leave the office leaving HELENA alone in the office. HELENA pulls out the “potion” and pours it in HARLEEN’s drink and walks down the call in the opposite direction, smirking evilly.

HARLEEN comes back in with her pill in her hand. She slides it in her mouth and downs the water.

HARLEEN
Wait up I had to take my meds.

HARLEEN runs off into the opposite direction.