Radio Play Script

Search No More
by
Matthew Horspool
for
The Voice

Air Date: Wednesday, 5th May, 2010
Air Time: 20:05 to 20:58

Please Note: only the  first three scenes have been presented here - this should cover approximately five minutes of edited content.

Introduction

[Electronic music.]

Voiceover: "Search No More.  Written and directed, in three episodes, by Matthew Horspool.  Starring {p1} as Aaron Thornton, {p2} as Mary Bridges and {p3} as Mark Bridges.  Episode 1.

[Music fades out.]

Scene 1

[Living room.  Aaron and Mary sit opposite each other on identical armchairs drinking tea out of china mugs.]

Aaron: it's the next generation: we've already got sat nav.  This little box which sits on your shoulder, or in a car, or wherever, and tells you where you are and where to go.  This little chip uses the same basic technology, but it's also got data transmission capabilities - so it's constantly sending its location out to our server.

Mary: and then what, the server sends where to go back to the chip or something?  What'd be the point?

Aaron: no no no!  It's a tracking device!  The software side is still being developed, but can't you see the potential?  Parents could keep track of their children in realtime!  Managers can keep track of their staff... obviously, they'd have to get consent first, but imagine how much more efficient it could make taxi companies, emergency services, that sort of thing?  This little chip on the side of a car, the taxi company sends out a query for the nearest car to the location of the customer...

Mary: ooh, yes, I see now!  It's quite impressive!  Something which... hmm... yes... I'm sure the government could find a use for that!

Aaron: the government?

Mary: of course.  Crime rate'd go right down if people knew they were being tracked!

Aaron: true... but hang on, what're you suggesting, we give this to everyone?  What's to say they'd use it?

Mary: will it fit into a neadle?

Aaron: yes... you're saying inject?

Mary: seems logical to me.

Aaron: yes, I suppose it does.  But this is fantacy at best.  I haven't got any government connections!

Mary: what about Mark?

Aaron: Mark?  I thought he was a clerk at the prosicution service!

Mary: no, that was years ago!  Has it really been that long?  No, he's the minister of justice.

Aaron: well, in that case...

Mary: quite.  I can set up a meeting if you like?

Aaron: if you like.  I've got work, of course, but I haven't taken a day's leave in goodness knows how long so they shouldn't have a problem with it.

Mary: OK!  Listen, I'll go home and have a word with him, see when he's free, and get back in touch.

Aaron: yup, that works!  More tea, by the way?  I was just about to go make a cup for myself...

[Faid out.]

Scene 2

[Kitchen.  Mary and Mark sit at the table.  Mark opens a bottle of ginn, pours a large measure into a glass and drinks deeply.  He speaks with a distinct slur.]

Mark: you don't drink ginn, do you?

Mary: no, can't stand it.  How many have you had today?

Mark: oh, only about... oh... five?  Six?  Somewhere round there.

Mary: glasses of that size?

Mark: yeah.  Gotta keep going somehow.

Mary: but why?

Mark: Why?  Why!  Oh, if only you went into work, you'd see why!  Crime rate's going through the roof, and it's all my fault!  Another guy murdered on the streets last night, you might've seen in the paper, that Brett Simmons chap, and it's all my fault!  Or that's what they say, anyway.  Not enough prevention.  I'm the Minister of Justice, it's my job to make sure this doesn't happen, but how can I?  Come on!  That murder was in Warwick, and here I am in London!  What was I meant to do, just suddenly appear, shout "Ahoy there, minister of justice, put that gun down and come quietly?"  As if he would've listened!  And now they're planning to no confidence me... six months I've been in work, six months!  And already they're telling me off for being twenty minutes late in in the morning and threatening to sack?  What the hell's wrong with this government?  It's only twenty minutes!  Sessions don't start on time anyway, what's the point of being there, sitting there, doing nothing?  I could spend that time drinking!  You sure you don't want one?

Mary: positive.  But I might have a sollution to the crime problem.

[Mark grunts.]

Mary: you remember me telling you about Aaron, right?

Mark: how could I forget?  Sat Nav researcher or something, wasn't he?

Mary: yes, and he's come up with a tracking device!  It uses Sat Nav technology and somehow sends out where it is to some sort of server.  You know me, I'm not very technical, but you get the idea.  Inject this little chip into everyone, when a guy appears in court you can present them with evidence to say exactly where they were, all thanks to this chip!

Mark: Well he can just come round and demonstrate this thing then, can't he?  It'll save my career if we can pull it off... get him here!

Mary: No, Mark, you don't even know him!  How about you meet him for lunch tomorrow instead?  You can get acquainted and take it from there.

Mark: Yeah, OK, just... whatever.  Let me see him!

Mary: OK, I'll ring him now.

Scene 3

[Aaron's bedroom.  Aaron sits on the edge of his bed.]

Aaron: sell it to the government?

[Fade in cinister music.]

Aaron: the wealth it could bring would be enormous if they like the idea.  They might even offer me a job!  I cansee it now - Aaron Thornton, Product Developer for the British Government... Not a particularly well-known job, but it's still something to brag about... Or is it?  When the public find out that I'm the man responsible for the new tracking system... Well, it's not exactly private, is it?  There'll be mass uproar as soon as it's announced!  I can't see many people being happy with being tracked, constantly.  I know I certainly wouldn't.  I'd be asking how long it'd be before they get sound and vidio in, and I'm the developer!  Goodness knows how many far fetched ideas they'd come up with... some of them perhaps not so far fetched as they might first seem.  I didn't develop it for this!  I did it because... well, I don't know... but I saw verification being a part of it.  A parent/children thing, or not even on a person - a person/phone, person/car, anything like that.  Not that I'll ever tell the government that, in case they get any other "great" ideas.  I'd pull out of this whole thing if it wasn't for Mary.  I'd hate to let her down, especially now.  I saw her today for the first time since I started university, and gosh has she changed!  She seems so listless!  She only got excited when I introduced her to this idea... if it makes her happy...

[Telephone rings in background.  Aaron grunts, rises, sound of footsteps is heard.  He opens a door, telephone volume rises significantly.  Footsteps continue for a short while until phone is answered.]

Aaron: Hello?

Mary: Hello there, it's Mary.

Aaron: Oh, hello.  Is everything alright?

Mary: yes, I've just spoken to mark.  He's agreed to meet you for lunch tomorrow in the Golden Lion, you know, the restaurant near...

Aaron: yes, I know the place.  Sounds good to me, I suppose.  What time, again?

Mary: Oh, about 1ish?

Aaron: Yup, that's fine.

Mary: OK.  Thanks.  speak to you soon.

Aaron: OK.  Bye for now.

Mary: Bye!

[The telephone is replaced on the hook.]