1. Conduit [EIGHTH DRAFT]
By
Liam Cairns
Liam Cairns lcairns95@gmail.com
07889846531

2. TITLE CARD:
The following film is inspired by true events.
1 INT. RECEPTION AREA - POLICE STATION -- DAY 1
SAMANTHA ELLIS, mid twenties, is seated in the lobby
nursing a CUP OF COFFEE in her hands. From her bored
expression and slouched shoulders it is very clear she has
been waiting for some time.
Two CONSTABLES stand idle by the water cooler chatting
nonchalantly. The RECEPTIONIST types on her COMPUTER as if
her fingers are locked in rigor mortis. A PRISONER in
HANDCUFFS is lead aside by another OFFICER.
Samantha checks her WATCH and rolls her eyes, looking
around for anything of mild interest. The reception desk
has a calender marked: SEPTEMBER 12th 2012. To the right
of the calender is a NOVELTY POLICE FIGURINE.
Samantha barely chortles as she raises the polystyrene cup
to her lips. She grimaces at the taste of cheap instant
coffee. Samantha pours the last of the vile beverage into
a nearby PLANT POT, scrunching up the cup with contempt.
DI YOUNG, mid thirties, and CONSTABLE MILGRAM, mid
thirties, enter the reception area via the AUTOMATIC
DOORS. Young carries with him a CLIPBOARD that contain
official-looking DOCUMENTS. Samantha watches them with
interest; just the men she has been waiting to see.
Milgram has been telling Young a joke, the punchline of
which he has just reached, and they proceed to crack up
with laughter. Samantha sighs at this delay.
They finally make their way to her position.
MILGRAM
Sorry to have kept you waiting
love we were unfortunately
delayed.
SAMANTHA
(Mutters)
So I noticed.
Young flicks through his clipboard to the appropriate
page.
YOUNG
So you are Mrs. Samantha Ellis?
SAMANTHA
That’s right yes.
(CONTINUED)

3. CONTINUED: 2.
YOUNG
And you were the victim of a
mugging last February?
SAMANTHA
Indeed. The slimy git ran off
with my best Gucci.
The officers are puzzled.
MILGRAM
Pardon?
SAMANTHA
My handbag. Lilac felt, hot pink
with velvet interior. Matching
purse and all. Out of interest
you haven’t found them have you?
There was a phone and mp3 player
in there too I’d like to get
back/
YOUNG
(Interrupts at /)
Well that’s not really our
department but we can check for
you later on to see if anything
has turned up.
SAMANTHA
Oh that would be brilliant thank
you.
MILGRAM
Shall we get started then?
2 INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS 2
Milgram and Young walk in unison with Samantha following.
YOUNG
Since the time of the incident we
have been using the description
you gave us of the suspect to
search our database for any
leads.
MILGRAM
Nine out of ten he’s a
re-offender.
YOUNG
All fairly standard really. And
yesterday we found a match.
(CONTINUED)

4. CONTINUED: 3.
SAMANTHA
And I’m here today to identify
him?
MILGRAM
Pretty much yeah. You just point
the finger at him, sign some
papers and you’re free to go.
SAMANTHA
You really are Hertfordshire’s
finest.
The officers chuckle.
YOUNG
Well we try to keep the taxpayers
happy!
At this point the officers have halted by a heavy-looking
DOOR.
MILGRAM
Well here we are.
YOUNG
Oh before we go in Samantha, I’ll
just need you to sign some
release forms.
He passes her his CLIPBOARD, the PAGES turned to the
appropriate position, with a PEN.
YOUNG
It’s all basic protocol, just so
the government knows that you’ve
consented.
MILGRAM
(To YOUNG)
And we don’t get sent to Atilla
The Hun in human resources!
SAMANTHA
Oh don’t worry gents, I wouldn’t
let you fall into anyone’s
clutches.
She barely glances at the document, casually scribbling
her signature down. Young takes it back and quickly checks
everything is in order.
YOUNG
Excellent. We are ready to go.
Constable Milgram will show you
to the viewing area.
(CONTINUED)

5. CONTINUED: 4.
MILGRAM
This way Samantha.
He pulls down the handle and the door opens.
3 INT. CONTROL ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 3
Samantha is the first to enter the control room seen
earlier. The room is a canvas white with only one TABLE
and TWO CHAIRS.
The table houses the COMPUTER MONITORS and CCTV MONITOR
previously seen. Resting to the left of them is a METALLIC
CONTROL PANEL labeled: CONDUIT BOX. A row of METALLIC
SWITCHES is adorned upon its face, each one
chronologically labeled with a number from 10 to 450.
MILGRAM
If you’d like to take a seat by
those switches there, we can
begin.
Samantha is perplexed but co-operates. She lowers herself
onto the chair, cautiously examining the conduit box.
SAMANTHA
I don’t understand. Where’s the
suspect?
Milgram points to the monitor. The image of an
INTERROGATION ROOM can be seen. Like the control room
there is only one table but it is vacant of any
miscellaneous items. HARRY DAWKINS, mid-twenties, is
seated by the table.
SAMANTHA
(To MILGRAM)
Is that him?
Milgram nods. Samantha returns to the image. Officer Young
enters from the bottom of the frame and sits opposite
Harry.
MILGRAM
His name’s Harry. Local boy. Did
four years for breaking and
entering. A worthless scumbag
through and through. But, take
comfort that, unlike his other
victims, you now have the
privilege of being his last.
He pulls out a PACKET OF CIGARETTES, takes one out and
begins to light up.
(CONTINUED)

6. CONTINUED: 5.
SAMANTHA
Is that allowed in here?
MILGRAM
(Chortles)
Would I be doing it if it wasn’t?
4 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 4
Young reads nonchalantly from his clipboard before placing
it in front of him. He refers to it now and again as he
interrogates Harry.
YOUNG
You’ve been a bit of a bad lad,
haven’t you Harry? Burglary,
breaking and entering, car theft.
HARRY
In the past yeah but not
recently.
YOUNG
Really? Because that’s not what
the woman down the hall says. She
was mugged last February-
HARRY
My heart bleeds.
YOUNG
-in your area. You have the
history and the motivation. So
please Harry, for your sake, go
easy on yourself.
HARRY
I wasn’t at home in February, I
was staying in London with some
friends. You got nothing on me
copper. Now can I please take
this crap of my arm?
He holds up his right arm. WIRES are attached at various
points to his veins and muscles.
YOUNG
Sorry Harry that’s out of the
question. But just so you get the
message...
Young signals to the CCTV camera in the room.

7. 6.
5 INT. CONTROL ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 5
Milgram spots the gesture on the monitor.
MILGRAM
(To SAMANTHA)
That’s our cue. If you’d just
like to flick the switch to your
far left.
Samantha finds the first switch on the conduit box. She
flicks it to a down position. The blurred image of Harry
suddenly jolts in his seat. She gives Milgram a smile.
MILGRAM
Still feel like the victim now?
SAMANTHA
Like hell. This bastard deserves
everything he gets.
6 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 6
HARRY
(Startled)
The hell?
YOUNG
The voltage increases every time
you lie to me Harry. Don’t make
this harder than it has to be.
HARRY
No way this is legal man! You
can’t torture a confession out of
me. I want my lawyer, pig! I had
bugger all to do with that
mugging.
YOUNG
(Sardonically)
Right, you were in London with
friends...oh, and I won’t
tolerate language like that.
He signals to the CCTV camera.
7 INT. CONTROL ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 7
MILGRAM
(To SAMANTHA)
And the next one along please.
Samantha’s finger finds the correct switch and activates
it.

8. 7.
8 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 8
Harry’s muscles contort, the shock lasting much longer. He
has begun to pant. Young leans in closer, pushing the
clipboard in front of Harry, the contents turned to a
GREEN PAGE.
YOUNG
Are you listening Harry?
Young waves to the CCTV. Harry recoils in agony, the shock
wracking his body. Drooling at the mouth, he can barely
look up from the pain. Young points to the page.
YOUNG
No one’s coming for you. Section
10A of the 2001 counter terrorism
act gives us the right to hold
you without charge and deny you
access to legal aid. So no
lawyer, no phone call, nothing.
HARRY
Lay off, please...I didn’t mug
her I didn’t mug anyone...
YOUNG
You’re not doing yourself any
favours by keeping this up.
You’re only causing yourself more
pain.
HARRY
No, no, no, no please no. No!
Young raises his hand for the CCTV camera. Harry releases
a guttural SCREAM as his skin blisters from the heat of
the wires, the chair almost levitating from the voltage.
The shock ends as quickly as it came. Harry bends his head
towards the surface of the table in delirium.
9 INT. CONTROL ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 9
On the CCTV monitor, Harry vomits blood onto the surface
of the table. Samantha’s smile disappears and is replaced
with discomfort.
SAMANTHA
Oh my God, is that blood?
MILGRAM
Well done Samantha. You got him
good. The next one will be fatal
for sure.
(CONTINUED)

9. CONTINUED: 8.
He produces the CIGARETTE PACKET and holds it out to
Samantha.
MILGRAM
Fag?
Samantha attempts to rise from her seat. Milgram abruptly
holds her shoulders down, trapping her like a vice.
MILGRAM
What’s the matter? Where are you
going?
SAMANTHA
I can’t do this anymore. This is
too much.
MILGRAM
Nonsense. You’ve been doing so
well. Justice is almost complete
and you can go home.
SAMANTHA
This isn’t justice, it’s sadism.
Milgram takes his cigarette out of his mouth, suddenly
becoming more stern.
MILGRAM
Sadism?
He pushes the cigarette into the palm of his hand
extinguishing it.
MILGRAM
You were quite happy to punish
him a few seconds ago. But as
soon as it gets too real you take
the moral high ground? Spare me
your hypocrisy. Deep down we’re
all sadists, even you Miss Ellis.
Samantha is shocked at this radical new turn. She
struggles for her life but Milgram keeps her locked in
place.
MILGRAM
You didn’t sign a sweet wrapper
Miss Ellis. You signed a
government contract. If you
refuse to carry on, you will be
prosecuted and you will face time
in prison. So with all due
respect, stay where you are or I
can’t be held responsible for
what happens to you!
(CONTINUED)

10. CONTINUED: 9.
Milgram turns up the volume on his RADIO keeping his sight
trained on Samantha.
YOUNG
(O.S.)
This is it Harry. The end of the
line. Another jolt and you’re
finished.
10 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 10
Young has risen from his seat. He casually strides over to
Harry’s side. Harry is vaguely aware of what is happening,
his condition in a critical state.
YOUNG
But we can make it all go away.
He turns the pages of the clipboard to another place.
YOUNG
If you sign here, we’ll stop the
interrogation. Your cooperation
will be noted and, who knows,
maybe you’ll only get a few
months with parole. You may even
do your jail time somewhere sunny
like, oh I don’t know, Iraq,
Afghanistan, Iran, who knows.
What do you say Harry? Up for a
little plane ride?
Young holds up the clipboard for Harry and clicks a
BALLPOINT PEN for Harry to use. Harry glances over the
confession.
He makes his decision and spits all over the PAPER,
spraying the document with his blood and saliva. Young
drops the clipboard.
YOUNG
You fucked up this time.
Young marches over to the CCTV camera and looks directly
into it’s lens.
11 INT. CONTROL ROOM -- CONTINUOUS 11
YOUNG
(O.S.)
Flick the last switch Samantha.
She looks to Milgram for support.
(CONTINUED)

11. CONTINUED: 10.
SAMANTHA
(Rapidly)
Please I can’t do this. I just
want to go home. I’ll do anything
but not this. Please I just want
to leave.
MILGRAM
(Soothing)
Calm down Samantha. You’ve just
been given an order. Flick the
last switch and you can go home.
SAMANTHA
I can’t do it. I can’t kill him.
What if it’s not the right guy?
MILGRAM
Of course it is. And you would be
doing society a favour. Her
majesty’s government is grateful
for all your efforts but all you
have to do now is just finish
this. And then you can go.
SAMANTHA
There must be another way.
YOUNG
(O.S.)
What’s keeping you in there? Do
what you’re bloody told Miss
Ellis!
MILGRAM
See now you’ve upset him. Just do
it. Flick the switch.
Samantha hesitates. She stares mournfully at the conduit
box. Milgram suddenly barks at her.
MILGRAM
Flick the God Damn switch!
There is a moments pause.
Samantha pushes the last switch to it’s down position.
CUT TO BLACK
12 END CREDITS 12