LONDON 2201 - A PLAINLY DECORATED ANTE-ROOM: A YOUNG WOMAN WEARING AN 18TH CENTURY GOWN ENTERS THROUGH A SMALL DOOR, SHE WALKS TOWARDS THE FAR WALL AND STOPS TO FACE A LARGE ELECTRONICALLY OPERATED DOOR.
Anna Talbot twirls around in the ante-room like a model on a cat-walk. The deep green satin gown, embroidered with delicate shades of gold and turquoise, flare up to reveal the taffeta and linen underskirts, her white stockings and low-heeled, cream coloured shoes.
MASON (VOICE HEARD THROUGH A SPEAKER) Looking good Anna! ANNA Why, thank you kind sir. Anna smiles and looks up at the speaker grille, above which is a lens. She flutters the fan in her right hand and grasping the hem of her dress, curtsies. The elaborate wig, curled high upon her head wobbles precariously. ANNA Oops, forgot the damn thing was so jittery. She lets the hem of her skirt drop and reaches up to steady the wig as she rises. MASON You'll have to watch things like that. Keep your movements more refined. You won't be visiting a disco, you know. Anna frowns and pokes her tongue out at the lens ANNA Are you calling me unrefined? A sigh sounds through the grille MASON I wouldn't dare. It's just a last bit of friendly advice. You know I worry.
ANNA What's there to worry about? I'll only be there for five minutes. I'll do the scan, the recording and then leave. You're just jealous that I get to go this time and he's your favourite composer too. MASON Don't be silly. I'm glad for you. It's not often that we are allowed to visit someone like this and you are ideal for the job. He's not only your favourite composer but don't you have something in common with the guy? ANNA Well, our family has always claimed we were related to him, but we've never really had any means of proving it. Play soon Just have
MASON your cards right and you'll get all the proof you want. as well Historical Archives commissioned this jump.
Pan to the electronic door, a loud hiss is followed by the heavy clunking of the smooth metal bolts being withdrawn from around its exterior, precedes its opening to show a mist-filled room. ANNA Looks like our time window is ready. God, I'm nervous. MASON No need to be nervous, just approach him, ask him a question, touch him and your implants will do the rest.
A subdued ringing sound fills the ante-room and Anna puts a hand to her ear, from which hangs a ruby earring. ANNA
Hello? Oh, high James! Bad timing I'm afraid. Just off on a jump. I'll call you tonight. A faint electronic sounding voice is heard from the earring in reply. ANNA Thanks, speak to you later. MASON Anna, you should have checked that in. ANNA Mason gimme a break you're like a mother-hen. I'd just like to keep a personal recording of the encounter, that's all. It won't interfere with my implanted records, you know that. MASON You probably don't even know what a mother-hen is, do you? I should make you leave the communicator, it's regs, you know that. ANNA Well whatever a mother-hen is, you have to be one, and I won't tell anyone about my comms unit if you won't. What's more, I'll give you a copy of the file when I come back. How's that? MASON No good arguing with you now I suppose. The window won't be open long enough for you to go through decontamination again and drop the unit off. Just don't go operating it when you get there, it's going to look out of place in 18th century Italy. Pan to close-up of Anna's face as she rolls her eyes. ANNA I'm not stupid, Mason! See you in five.
She walks into the misty chamber and the huge door closes behind her. DISSOLVE TO: THE SISTINE CHAPEL - ROME - 1770 CAMERA PANS OVER THE FRESCO CEILING, SWEEPS DOWN OVER THE CROWD OF PEOPLE ENTERING. IN THE BACKGROUND IS HEARD THE QUIET SINGING OF RELIGIOUS MUSIC. CAMERA SWEEPS TO A DARK CORNER WHERE PART OF THE WALL RESOLVES ITSELF INTO A DOOR AND ANNA TALBOT STEPS THROUGH. THE DOOR CLOSES BEHIND HER AND BECOMES PART OF THE WALL AGAIN. SHE GASPS AND FLUTTERS THE FAN OVER HER OPEN MOUTH AS SHE GAZES UP AT THE CEILING. AS MORE PEOPLE ENTER SHE NOTICES THE PERSON SHE HAS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH AND STROLLS TOWARDS HIM. AS SHE DRAWS NEAR TO THE FOURTEEN YEAR OLD BOY SHE PRETENDS TO STUMBLE AND GENTLY COLLIDES WITH HIM. ANNA Oh, I beg your pardon, I am so clumsy! (she flutters her fan) YOUNG MAN It is I who must apologise Signorina, I fear I collided with you. (The boy, wearing a dark burgundy coat, his right hand hidden within its buttoned front, bows deeply and then stands up.) ANNA You are too kind sir. (Anna curtsies and waits.) The young man withdraws his hand from his jacket and offers it to Anna. She accepts it and rises. He holds her hand for a moment and then brings it up to his lips and gently kisses it. YOUNG MAN Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart at your service, Signorina. However, my friends call me Amadeus. I would count myself fortunate if you would call me Amadeus. (He smiles and releases her hand) ANNA
(Fluttering her fan profusely) Oh my! Signor Mozart! Your music is exquisite! MOZART You have heard my work? And please, call me Amadeus, Signorina? ANNA Who has not? Signor... Amadeus. And please, call me Anna. MOZART Anna? How remarkable, my mother's name is Anna. Are you here for the mass, dear Anna? ANNA Yes, this is my first visit to Rome and I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for the world. Such a beautiful chapel. Mozart nods in agreement and sweeps his hand around MOZART Need we look any further than such a place to gain inspiration? ANNA Indeed. But, Amadeus, I must delay you no longer. Your party awaits you. (Anna nods to a number of people that are accompanying the composer.) MOZART They will wait. (He smiles again and raises a hand conspiratorially to the side of his face) However, the mass does not interest me as much as Allegri's Capella. It will be performed shortly. ANNA You mean Miserere? MOZART Yes, it was composed sometime during the 1630s and is only performed on Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week.
ANNA I know the piece, delightful. Isn't it forbidden to copy or transcribe it? Mozart nods and sighs. MOZART Unfortunately, yes. To do so would not only be difficult, (he waves his hand around at the crowd) but would also render the copier, excommunicate. A pair of bawdy youths push passed them and Anna gets flung into Mozart's arms, her wig threatening to slip over her eyes. She reaches up to catch it and adjusts it quickly. ANNA Bloody idiots! I'm sorry?
MOZART
She blushes and extricates herself from his grasp. Her hand still fussing with her wig. ANNA Amadeus, I'm really sorry. I have to go. MOZART May I see you again, perchance for supper? She smiles wanly at him and backs away. ANNA I would love to Amadeus, but I fear it will not be possible. (She turns and gets lost from view in the crowd.) PAN TO CLOSE UP OF MOZART'S FACE AND THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT SHOWS THERE AND THEN FOLLOW HIS GAZE TO THE FLOOR WHERE A RUBY EARRING LIES GLISTENING, HE PICKS IT UP AND LOOKS AT IT QUIZZICALLY. AS HE TURNS IT OVER IN HIS HAND IT CHIRRUPS SOFTLY AND FLASHES, HE ALMOST DROPS IT BUT THEN EXAMINES IT CLOSELY AND RAISES IT TO HIS EAR. CUT TO:
ANNA SCURRIES TO THE QUIET CORNER, ONE HAND HOLDING HER DRESS UP SLIGHTLY, THE OTHER HOLDING HER WIG. AS SHE APPROACHES THE WALL IT RESOLVES INTO A DOOR WHICH OPENS SHOWING A MISTY SPACE WITHIN. ANNA STEPS INTO IT AND AS THE DOOR CLOSES ON HER SHE MOVES HER HAND FROM HER WIG AND REACHES FOR HER EAR, HER FACE SHOW THE REALISATION THAT HER EARRING (COMMUNICATION DEVICE) IS MISSING.
FADE OUT. LONDON 2201 - A PLAINLY DECORATED ANTE-ROOM: The large electronic door hisses open and Anna emerges from the mist filled room. She stumbles into the ante-room, one hand gripping the lob of her ear and the other hitting her forehead. ANNA Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! MASON (VOICE HEARD THROUGH A SPEAKER) Are you okay? There is no answer, Anna just fumbles with her ear, then checks her clothes, feels around the neckline of her dress. MASON Anna, you've got me worried now. What's the matter? ANNA I think... You think?
MASON You think what!
ANNA I think I left my comms device in the Sistine Chapel. Tinny laughter comes from the speaker grille and she looks up at it with a scowl. MASON Yeah, right. You had me going then for a second. Good joke... it was a joke, wasn't it? Tell me it was a joke, Anna.
ANNA It's no joke. Someone bumped into me, I fell against Mozart. I think he must have it. MASON Oh-my-God. You've contaminated the bloody time line! ANNA Don't you think I know that! Upload from my implants, Mason. See if my retina scans show where it went. Anna's eyes go opaque for a few seconds. A viewing screen appears on one of the walls and the interior of the Sistine Chapel fast-forwards to where Anna stumbles into Mozart. A flash of red shows tumbling to the floor. Within a few second the scene changes to Anna going through the doorway and for a brief second she looks up and out. The crowd parts and she sees Mozart turn and look to the dark corner into which she has disappeared. As the door closes he raises his hand and clips the earring to his ear and smiles. MASON Holy shit. He found it and wore it. I actually think he might have activated it! ANNA Of course he could activate it, the guy was a genius. Whilst listening to Allegri's Mysere he memorized it all and wrote it down, entirely from memory. If he could do that... MASON If he could do that he could easily activate the comms unit. Which also records, plays back... ANNA Oh no... MASON Oh yes... ANNA He's bound to find my ring tones then, too... MASON
Your ring tones? ANNA Yeah, The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute... Her wig finally falls to the floor and Anna flops down beside it and puts her head in her hands ANNA So, in a way, it's true. Our family is related to him. He got his inspiration from my bloody phone... FADE TO BLACK.