![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Genre: Parody
Summary: Olivia investigates a new instance of the "pattern" in downtown Salt Lake City.
Notes: Thank you to reilithion for converting to html for poor computer illiterate fanfiction writing fools like me.
iPod - A Fringe Parody
FADE IN:
EXT. STREET - SALT LAKE CITY
A busy street with many pedestrians and heavy motor traffic is shown. Tourists, business men, and students all hurry along the street seeming oblivious of their surroundings. Traffic and construction noise in the background cover up any conversations that are occurring. A STUDENT with his headphones in steps into the street while looking at an mp3 player in his hands. Oblivious to the fact that the cross-walk light has turned red he crosses the street and is halfway across before he looks up - directly into the headlights of an oncoming train. Blood splatters and coats the window over the driver as the train hits the STUDENT.
INT. FBI OFFICE
Fancy three dimensional lettering dances across the bottom of the screen in block lettering announcing the location as office of PHILLIP BROYLES. Broyles sits behind his desk with OLIVIA DUNHAM standing at attention before him.
Agent Dunham, you will be investigating a potential instance of "the pattern" (he uses his hand to make quotation symbols as he speaks) in Salt Lake City.
May I ask what happened there, sir?
No, you may not!
A university student was killed earlier today. There have been reports of many similar deaths in the past few months. We believe that the electronic device that was found in the possession of all the victims may have been involved. Some kind of mind-control device.
Broyles brandishes a picture of the student that was killed by the train, his headphones in clear view.
You want me to travel to Salt Lake City to investigate mind control devices, sir?
That's what I just said, and take your little sidekicks with you. They keep trying to get into our secured building. Not as secure as you would expect for an government operated building.
If I can get them to come with me, I certainly will.
Report back to me when you have more information. Dismissed!
Olivia turns and leaves Broyles office as Broyles watches her.
INT. BISHOP HOUSE
PETER BISHOP stands in the kitchen of the Bishop home folding his arms crossly as he stands near a sink overflowing with dirty dishes. Olivia stands across from him attempting to look convincing.
No, I'm not coming. If you want my father to go with you, you can take him yourself.
Please, Peter. You know that he needs to be with you, that you are responsible for him. I need you to come with me. Don't make me blackmail you again.
Peter turns to face Olivia, looking somewhat panicked.
What is it this time? Involvement in Middle-Eastern terrorism? Mafia connections? My secret voting ballot stock pile in Cambodia? You know about the tattoo my cousin
gave me in sixth grade? You know what I did last summer? You know that I dress up my cat?
Yeah, the third and fifth one.
Oh, okay then. Just let me pack a bag.
Peter exits the room and Olivia follows him for a few steps, enough to see into the connecting room. WALTER BISHOP is dancing, holding his arms around an imaginary partner as he hums a tune by Cher to himself. Walter is only wearing a multicolored poncho and a pair of boxer shorts.
EXT. UNIVERSITY OF UTAH CAMPUS - MORNING
The ubiquitous three dimensional letters show the current location as the University of Utah. Olivia, Peter, and Walter stand in a crowd of students, many wearing university sweatshirts and other university apparel. Walter is looking around at the students and university with wide-eyed curiosity.
Why are we even here? (he speaks loudly to be heard over the din of the student body)
Most of the victims were students. And look, many of them are wearing the same headphones as the victims.
Sure enough, many of the students are wearing headphones as they walk across campus. Olivia attempts to catch the attention of a few of the students, but they step around her without acknowledging her presence. Finally, Olivia steps directly in front a FEMALE STUDENT.
Excuse me, please.
What?
Can you tell me where you got those?
Got what?
Your headphones?
From the store, duh.
The student rolls her eyes and walks away, putting her headphone back in her ear. Olivia sighs and turns back to Peter to find that Walter has walked away.
Where is he?
Who knows.
They look across campus and eventually spot Walter having a conversation with several students. As Peter and Olivia approach the students leave.
You can't just walk away from us like that, Walter.
Ah, yes. But I was gathering information. I have found where the young people are getting these devices from. Truly, I should have suspected as much.
What do you mean?
I worked on an experiment similar to this back in the 70's. We used sound frequencies to set up patterns of harmonic interference in the hippocampus in order to increase neural activity. We were hoping to be able to use sound activity to render some level of control over our subjects, but the results were inconclusive. My lab partner at the time, Steve Jobs,
must have continued the experiments after my unjust incarceration.
Walter, you were institutionalized in a mental hospital after you killed someone. That is hardly unjust.
That's wonderful, Walter. Where did they say they got the devices.
A store that sells apples, in the nearby mall.
Peter and Olivia raise their eyebrows but start walking across campus with Walter trailing after them as he tap dances to his own humming.
EXT. DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY - DAY
Three dimensional letters pronounce the location as The Gateway Mall in Utah. Olivia, Peter, and Walter stand near a fountain observing the crowded outdoor mall. Many of the pedestrians are wearing white headphones similar to those seen on the deceased student.
My lord, they are everywhere.
Olivia appears to be skeptical but is also keenly observing the phenomenon.
So, we're looking for a store that sells apples?
They look around for a moment, watching the crowd as they examine the stores.
There! (he points to the Apple store, just beyond a fountain in which young children are playing in)
Olivia and Walter look in the direction that Peter is pointing in and take in the sight of the Apple store, glass windows sparkling in the sunlight.
Alright, let's go.
Let's go? We aren't going to infiltrate their organization? We aren't going to dress up like employees and try to get information by subterfuge? We aren't- (Walter is cut off by Peter pushing past)
Let's go.
Olivia and Peter go down the steps to the Apple store leaving Walter sputtering about being interrupted.
INT. APPLE STORE - DAY
The Apple store is crowded, with a group of people in cowboy apparel moving rowdily and noisily in the background. An APPLE EMPLOYEE, identifiable by his bright aqua shirt approaches Peter and Olivia.
Welcome to the Apple store, can I help you?
Peter and Olivia exchange glances before both speaking at once.
I'm agent Dunham. We'd like to speak with you about several people who were using one of your products at the time of their death.
We're looking to buy some electronic equipment. What do you have in devices that amplify audio waves?
I'm sorry, you'll have to speak up.
Peter and Olivia once again speak simultaneously.
We're trying to investigate a murder conspiracy that involves your products.
What do you have that uses white headphones?
The Apple Employee shrugs and gestures to the noisy cowboys.
I still can't hear you.
We're investigating-
We want to buy one of those. (he points to the display of iPods)
Great. Let me tell you about our extended warranty.
The Apple Employee leads them over to the iPod display just as an electrical current sparks in the background, violently electrocuting one of the cowboys, who writhes and screams before falling to the floor, clearly dead.
Don't worry about it. That happens all the time.
Peter and Olivia exchange disturbed glances as the body of the cowboy is dragged through an ominous metal door in the back of the store.
INT. CAFE ON MAIN STREET - AFTERNOON
Walter is sitting at the bar in a cafe, holding up an empty coffee mug. He has half of a slice of apple pie in front of him.
Miss? Coffee?
The waitress ignores Walter and continues on her way. Peter and Olivia approach from behind and take a seat on either side of him. Peter is tightly clutching a shopping bag with the Apple store logo.
Where were you?
Peter begins to struggle with the iPod packaging in an amusing manner.
Well, you two went off on a secret mission so I went in search of food. Nice to have fresh brewed coffee. Or it would be. (Walter waves his cup as the waitress rushes by with plates of food) Coffee, please!
Peter continues to struggle in the background, the lid of the iPod box popping off and clattering to the floor. Peter disappears beneath the counter in search of it.
Walter, you can't just wander off in a strange city without letting us know where you're going.
Peter resurfaces with the cover and continues to attempt to pry the iPod from its box.
Miss, my coffee!
Walter, are you listening to me?
Peter also gets to his feet, holding the iPod in the air triumphantly.
I got it out of the box!
Most of the patrons in the cafe are starring quietly. Olivia buries her head in her hands, clearly embarrassed.
Let's go to the lab and analyze this thing.
Olivia leads Walter away from the counter just as the waitress pours his coffee.
My coffee! My pie!
You can have some on the plane.
Walter looks upset as he is led from the cafe by Olivia, while Peter has sat back down and placed the headphones in his ears, enamored by the iPod. He begins to bob his head from side to side as he listens to music. Olivia reappears and takes Peter by the arm and leads him out of the cafe.
INT. FBI OFFICE
Olivia is standing once again in front of Broyles desk. Three dimensional lettering announces the location. He holds a file folder marked "Top Secret" in his hands.
So, your report is inconclusive. You never did determine if the Apple products were sending these students to their deaths?
No, sir. But we do believe that they have some strange effects on users. We have yet to be able to get Peter to remove the headphones from his ears. However, Walter has confirmed that he worked on something similar in his days at Harvard.
We will mark the incident as part of the pattern then. (Broyles begins to write upon the file)
But, sir. We really don't have much evidence to support that.
Here is you next case file. (Broyles hands her a file) Your airplane tickets are already enclosed. See you next week.
Yes, sir. I'll go pick up Walter and Peter.
Olivia walks away from the office as Broyles places his file into a file cabinet in a drawer neatly labeled with the words "The Pattern". He opens a drawer in his desk and pulls out an iPod, placing the ubiquitous white headphones in his ears and smiles ominously.
The End