#s6m40

[zrtranscripts]

Season 6, Mission 40: A Real Hero

Rising from the ashes

[rock walls crack]

SAM YAO: The volcanoe's blown!

JANINE DE LUCA: It's not a volcano, Mr. Yao. It's a geothermal energy well.

JAMIE SKEET: There's a river of hot lava melting straight through a steel door. We never had training in volcanoes in the fire service, but it looks a lot like a volcano to me.

JANINE DE LUCA: That lava will keep moving. It will move faster than you can run. Your only chance is to get to the sprinkler systems. They are extremely powerful and will create an enormous flood of water. 

If you turn them on manually, the sea water will turn the lava back into rock. That should create a barrier which will protect you from the heat.

SAM YAO: Okay, okay. That sounds like a workable plan, yeah. And coincidentally, stops me from thinking about how Veronica is back working with Sigrid who is going to instruct a nuclear submarine to bomb the UK. 

Okay! Uh, manual override on the sprinklers. Yes. Um, uh, yeah! There's one on the way to the island. Head down that corridor with the yellow walls.

JANINE DE LUCA: Very good, Mr. Yao. Runner Five, Your Majesty, I have a message for you from the Exmoor Militia. If I may play it?

JAMIE SKEET: Play it while we run, yeah? Time and hot magma wait for no man.

JANINE DE LUCA: Mr. Yao, play the message.

JULES: Runner Five, Your Majesty. We, the Exmoor Militia... we just want you to know that... we're sure that our husbands and wives on board the nuclear submarine, the Undaunted, would want to be sacrificed rather than used to destroy the country. 

If you manage to get to that transmitter and speak to them directly, if the nuclear countdown has gone too far, if it's impossible to stop it without scuttling the vessel... we want you to know that we think you should order them to destroy the vessel. If that's your only choice, we think that's the best one.

JAMIE SKEET: Message received, Janine. Tell them. Come on, Five! We've only got a few minutes to save the country. Plus, if we don't get to that sprinkler system, we'll be roasted alive, and I ain't going out that way!

JAMIE SKEET: It's gaining on us, Janine. You sure we can get there in time?

JODY MARSH: You're going well, Your Maj. You should be able to see the sprinkler override right at the end of that tunnel. The big blue handle.

JAMIE SKEET: Oh yeah. I see it. We can make that. Five, just don't look back.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: It does seem appropriate to me, King Jamie, that you are going to be eaten by your very own country. Meanwhile, I go from strength to strength. I have the finest weaponry, the finest minds with me. There's no problem here, believe me. Tell them, Veronica.

VERONICA MCSHELL: Oh. [sighs] I'm just in the middle of doing this. Do I really have to - ? Oh, I see. Um. 

It's quite interesting! I have one of those neural nets that Mr. Kytan used with your Moonchild problem, Runner Five. I think I can use it to interface directly with ANNIE and bring her under my control permanently. It's quite exciting! She's a very advanced machine.

SAM YAO: Oh, Veronica. We had all these conversations about right and wrong. We watched 12 Angry Men together like, six times! And talked about standing up for what's right. I really thought she'd got it.

JANINE DE LUCA: You can't blame yourself, Mr. Yao. We relied on Miss McShell too much because we had no choice. We knew she would always go where the most interesting problem was. Even this morning she was trying to talk about researching the Viking zombies again. She's unpredictable! None of this is your fault, Mr. Yao. The responsibility lies with me.

JAMIE SKEET: Yeah, well, we can have the "who's worst mentor" competition after we save the UK, but right now, we're about to get roasted alive. Five, grab that lever and pull it! [water gushes] 

Right, Five. The water's hit the lava. We've got about 45 seconds before that cloud of steam and dust gets here and turns us into human steamed buns. We've got to get through that next steel door. Come on, run!

SAM YAO: Wow, that door behind you is buckling like the grill pan in my old oven the safety officer told us wasn't supposed to be able to get up to 420 degrees centigrade.

JANINE DE LUCA: The metaphor is apt, Mr. Yao. Except that the steam is likely to be closer to a thousand degrees centigrade. Runner Five, King Jamie, you must keep moving. You are very close to the subsidiary control room now, where we should be able to intercept the Minister's transmissions to the Undaunted.

SAM YAO: You just need to get to the end of that metal walkway and climb down. There's a red door at the bottom for the subsidiary control room.

JAMIE SKEET: We're on it. And the sound of that volcano behind us is pretty motivating, eh, Five?

SAM YAO: You're nearly there. Janine, do you know how Veronica got to Sigrid?

JANINE DE LUCA: Exactly as she said, Mr. Yao. The Minister sent an automated launch for her, controlled by ANNIE.

SAM YAO: So even if we stop this nuclear launch - which we should definitely do, just to be clear - Sigrid will still have control of this incredibly powerful AI, and she'll have Veronica?

JANINE DE LUCA: It would seem so, Mr. Yao. [sighs] After my long months away, I was delighted to see that Miss McShell had reintegrated so well back into Abel. None of us were minded to bring up her previous collaboration with the Minister. She is, after all, very young. 

But perhaps we were wrong. Perhaps there should have been punishment. Consequences. Hmm. I cannot think the Minister will be a safe guardian for her.

JAMIE SKEET: [jiggles door handle] Sam, Janine? Bit of a problem here. The door leading to that subsidiary control room - it's locked.

SAM YAO: No, it can't be. Oh, bugger. No, I can see it now. Something Veronica's doing is extending ANNIE's reach through different systems in the facility. She's taken that door, but not the one on the other side. Uh, okay. Right. 

You're on the outside of a large, square, concrete room. You can't see that it's all one room because there are walls in the way, but you need to turn left at the next gantry and then keep going straight until you hit a wall. Then left, and you'll find the opposite door. Go!

JAMIE SKEET: [jiggles door handle] This door's locked, too, Sam.

SAM YAO: Argh! She's too fast for us. Whatever she's doing, however Veronica has interfaced with ANNIE, she's got her working faster and faster. 

I think this facility had much less cybersecurity than any others because Valmont's people abandoned it a year before the apocalypse. It never got the latest patches and updates. It's probably the ANNIE that's most vulnerable in the whole system. Oh God, we're not going to get there in time!

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: Um, excuse me? Excuse me, King Jamie? It's me, Veronica.

JAMIE SKEET: Veronica? You're coming out of one of ANNIE's speakers. Veronica, if you can hear me, you've got to help us! This is all wrong. The Minister is not a good person. You can't stay with her. You can't help her. She's trying to kill everyone!

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: Oh. Yes. Sorry. Yes, of course I know that. I just... there was only one way. This is amazing, actually. I'm interfaced with ANNIE, and I can feel what it's like to be her. I think... it's very hard. She's very fractured. Oh. Um, would you like me to open that door for you?

JAMIE SKEET: Yes.

[door opens]

VERONICA MCSHELL: There. It's open. Please, go to the subsidiary control room and stop the Undaunted. Only... don't stop me from doing this, okay?

JAMIE SKEET: Five, the door's open. We've got to get to that control room now!

JAMIE SKEET: All right, Five, we've made it. We must be under the island now. Sam, what do we do now?

SAM YAO: Okay, okay. Put that jammer we gave you in the red slot to your right, and turn the dial on your left to 165. Press the two green buttons together, and -

SIGRID HAKKINEN: [distant] Commander of the Undaunted, this is your second order. Confirm order.

SAM YAO: All right, Five, if you turn up the blue dial, I'll be able to break into their comms.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: [louder] Fire nuclear missiles at the following targets in the United Kingdom: London, Birmingham, Aberystwyth -

SAM YAO: Yeah. Undaunted, don't do that.

HARRY: Who... who is that?

SAM YAO: Me. I'm no one important. Just a radio operator, man. But if this works, I've got someone here who wants to talk to you.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: Repeat. Empty your cargo of 16 missiles at cities as follows -

JULES: No, darling, don't.

HARRY: Jules!

JULES: Yes. [laughs] Darling, Harry, it's me. It's Jules. The Minister - the woman who's just given you the codes - she's bad. She's not the chain of command. She's not a legitimate force. Harry, please. Don't do it. Don't do it.

HARRY: Jules... I haven't heard your voice in so long! How are the boys? Are they alive?

SIGRID HAKKINEN: Commander, this is a direct order. Open fire on the United Kingdom!

JULES: The boys are fine, sweetheart. Growing up well and hardy. Can't wait to see you. [laughs] I'm here with Janine De Luca. She was an agent with Special Forces. Things are... a bit different. Jamie?

JAMIE SKEET: I'm the king. Well, I was 37th in line. I think you can look me up in some book. James Skeet. The rest of them died, and now I'm the king. 

A lot of bad things have gone down in the UK. The world isn't like what it was. And what's happened is, one bad woman has got hold of the codes to order you to fire on the rest of us, because that's what she does.

JULES: Yes. That's what she does. Instead of working together for everyone's benefit, she gets together with the worst people who just want to look after themselves.

SAM YAO: Yeah. Instead of playing on hope, she plays on fear.

JANINE DE LUCA: Instead of building, she wants to destroy.

JAMIE SKEET: But that's not what we're about! And we don't think it's what you're about, either. Don't fire.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: Commander! Open fire!

HARRY: No, I... I don't think I will.

SAM YAO: Five, this has to be over. You're under the island now. Jamie and Jules will keep talking to the captain, but if you head down that tunnel to your left, you'll find Sigrid in her main control room in the island. Quickly, before she works out Veronica helped us. Go.

[door opens]

SIGRID HAKKINEN: You! Runner Five. It's you, again. Everywhere I go, thorn in my side, canker in my flesh! You traitor to England, you saboteur.

SAM YAO: Careful, Five. She's got a gun.

JANINE DE LUCA: And she's got nothing left to lose.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: Do you think I have nothing left? I have always got something left. I'll start again. I'll do it better this time. Van Ark loved me. It was always me. And I'm the one to keep his work going. ANNIE, ready my motor launch at my private island.

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: Yes, Minister.

SIGRID HAKKINEN: I'm leaving now, and when I come back, it will be with my own private army. ANNIE will protect me. As long as I have her, I have everything. Oh, and by the way, as I know you're listening, Mr. Yao, you do know I had your sister, don't you? Well, you'll never find her now.

SAM YAO: What? [door opens] What, Sigrid had my sister?

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: Runner Five? It's me, Veronica. The Minister's right. She still does have some control of ANNIE. She could get away. Please, go after her down that side tunnel. If you keep her in your sights, I have an idea. But you must hurry. Please!

JAMIE SKEET: Yeah. You go after her, Five. After what she did to my roller girls, she deserves everything she's got coming.

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: Oh. Runner Five, I think I've tapped into your earpiece. It's me - [static]

VERONICA MCSHELL: Oh! [laughs] That's better. My own voice. Yes, hello. It's me, Veronica. I'm using ANNIE's systems. They're really quite extensive. Can you hear me, Sam?

SAM YAO: Um, yeah. Uh, yeah, I can. Um, you okay, Veronica? Plugged into the Matrix?

VERONICA MCSHELL: Something like that. Um, listen, I have an idea. I don't think you'll like it, but I do think it's the best plan. You see, the Minister is right. Because she is the highest government official in the country, she'll always have some control over ANNIE. 

At least, ANNIE in her current form. And the good part of ANNIE is weakening. It's funny, I... I can see the problem. It's a personality thing. She's too much of a people-pleaser. She needs a proper coherent personality.

SAM YAO: Uh... what are you doing, Veronica?

VERONICA MCSHELL: I think it will only hurt for a moment, you see. It's my choice.

SAM YAO: Veronica, what are you doing?

VERONICA MCSHELL: I got the idea from what Moonchild did to Runner Five. A person in another person. A personality transfer, only Moonchild couldn't transfer herself completely. To do that, you'd need to do what Simon did on top of the ice cream tower. You have to destroy the brain.

SAM YAO: Veronica, this - this has been an awful year for all of us, and we know you feel guilty about what happened, and what the Minister persuaded you to do, but - but there must be another way! We'll fight the Minister, we'll fight bad ANNIE. That's what we do. You don't need to do this, Veronica!

VERONICA MCSHELL: No, I know. But I want to. It's... beautiful. The closer I get to her, the more I can see - [static]

ANNIE/VERONICA MCSHELL: - everything.

SAM YAO: Veronica!

VERONICA MCSHELL: Five, keep running. I haven't quite got control of my faculties yet, but you... you've always been something I could rely on. Will you be my arms and legs, just for now?

[door opens, motor rumbles]

JANINE DE LUCA: The Minister's on her motor boat. His Majesty is scouring that facility, looking for Miss McShell, but she doesn't want to be found.

VERONICA MCSHELL: It's all done, now, Janine. All over bar the shouting, as they say. 

Five, we do need to stop the Minister now. Can you take a sighting for me, please? Do you see that concrete pillar with "Emergency Valve" written on it? Turn the pointer in the direction of the Minister's boat. That's good. Now we need to vent the magma. Pull the switch. 

I did know she was a bad person. You didn't have to teach me anything. I always knew, even when I was with her. Here it comes now. The Wakened Land.

[ocean splashes]

SAM YAO: Oh my God, it - there's... the sea is bubbling, like it's in a kettle. It's bubbling, and boiling, and-and the steam, and... Wow. I mean, that's sort of... it's beautiful, really. There's a volcano rising up out of the ocean.

It's so fast. I didn't know it'd be so fast. Black earth and fire just rushing out of the waves and steam. There are huge lumps of flaming rock pouring out, and well, one of them's hit Sigrid's boat. Whoa! And another. 

They're burning straight through the hull, and... yeah. The boat is sort of beached on the side of the volcano, and a river of lava is flowing across the boat and over her, and, ugh! Well, she's not coming back from that. Just like her loyalists said, the land has claimed its own. 

Thank you, Five. No more Minister. Not now, or ever coming back. I... might never find out about my sister.

VERONICA MCSHELL: I have a motor boat waiting for you at the far end of the island, Five. See that green flag? Run towards it. I want to take you home.

SAM YAO: Veronica... is there really nothing we can do for you?

VERONICA MCSHELL: Oh... no. Everything has already been done. I'm going to get some little robots to tidy away my - to tidy away my body. Maybe I can make myself a robot body. I'm not sure, actually. 

I think I've made the system quite stable, now. I've hived off bad ANNIE into a few small separate units. I can't get rid of them, but I should be able to stop them from banding together again.

JANINE DE LUCA: Miss McShell, I am so sorry this has happened. I'm so sorry you felt the need to do this.

VERONICA MCSHELL: No, the thing is, it's important. I know we have the cure now, but we're going to need more than that. Sam, can you turn your cameras towards Battenbury? I can see some zombies just outside the eastern wall. You should look at them.

SAM YAO: Battenbury? Uh, yeah. Right. Sorry, I just... one of the women in the baby factory said she might have met a Yao. She can't remember. Sorry, yes. Cameras. Battenbury. 

Oh, it's one of those zombies without the back of its head. A Viking type, indestructible. It's wandering around. Man, there are a lot of dead bodies around there.

VERONICA MCSHELL: Yes. Watch.

SAM YAO: What - it's bending down, that zombie. Ugh, ugh, ugh! It's biting one of those corpses! Is it a cannibal?

VERONICA MCSHELL: No.

JANINE DE LUCA: No, Mr. Yao. Look. It's infecting the corpses. That torso it just bit is rising again. But the country is full of half-buried corpses.

VERONICA MCSHELL: And they're all going to be brought back to life. [glitches] Oh yes, I think I knew that was going to happen.

[mrs-elijah-wood]

First and Last Words of Zombies, Run! Characters

This should go without saying, but SPOILER ALERT (up to S8)

Characters are listed chronologically from last appearance alive.

HUGE thanks to @zrtranscripts​!!!

Lem

“Help! I’m trapped in here!” (S1M8)

“This world may seem grim right now, but you’ve got so much to live for. Try to see the best in people, Nadia, and in yourself. You’re such a good person. Such a big heart. Don’t let my death change that. It’s the one thing I couldn’t bear. Be brave, honey. I’ll be watching you. Lem out.” (S2M10)

Chris McShell

“Hello.” (S1M17)

“Veronica… If you find her… tell her… her… her daddy loves her very much.” (S1M19)

Maggie Doane

“Hey, Runner Five, good to see you! I don’t know if you knew at the time it was me, but I was the runner whose life you saved a couple of weeks ago.” (5K Trainer - Week 6, Workout 3)

“Oh no, not the kids! I hate the kids, they’re just so - ah! Get off me! Get off, get off!” (S1M22)

Archie Jensen

“I’m here, I’m here! You don’t have to shout, you know. I requested this mission to the Keeley Center, I’m hardly going to be late for a run to investigate my own old offices.” (New Canton 5K Race Mission: Big Cheese)

“They have a plan.” (S2M18)

Francesca

“Hey there! We have not spoken before, I think, although I know we have seen each other. I’m Francesca. I’m – what do you say? - the quartermaster?” (5K Trainer - Week 3, Workout 1)

“No, no, you can’t take me! You won’t do that to my mind! You can’t!” (S2M21)

Esteban Sosa

“Runner Five, you’re with me today. But how rude I am. I am Esteban; Esteban Sosa. I am Director of Logistics and Infrastructure of the New Canton Permanent Advisory Council. Your Sam has lent you to me today. He wasn’t happy… overprotective, I think. But no need for concern.” (S2M10)

“It is very – [coughs] I’m so sorry. Um, it is, uh –” (S2M40)

Major de Santa

“Runner Five, it’s Major De Santa. I’m back. You can stop running now.” (S1M23)

“Don’t - !” (S2M41)

Sara Smith

“Sorry about that. Hey, there! I’m Runner Eight, Sara Smith. How are you doing? Ready to go out and misdirect some zombies?” (S1M2)

“I don’t know what to expect. But I might see my boys again, I think I might. I’ve done what was right. That’s what life’s about, when it comes down to it. Not sitting around, knowing that you’ve used yourself to the full. So I’m square. And you’d better send Van Ark right along after me, Five. I’ll be waiting for him.” (S2M43)

Ernest Van Ark

“If you want to talk, then stop chasing me! I tell you, I’ll use this pistol, I tell you!” (Abel Township 10k Race Mission: Visiting Van Ark)

“What the hell do you think you’re –“ (S2M44)

Moonchild

“Over here, over here! Climb up onto the ledge. I’ve got a way out, but it’ll take three people. Please be quick!” (S3M8)

“Now your aura’s all gold, do you know that, Five? Gold like the sun. We’re both heading in the same direction, man. But I bet I’ll get there first. Race you!” (S3M60)

Simon Lauchlan (sort of)

“Whew… Runner Three, Simon, here.” (S1M21)

“This is going to sting!” (S3M60)

Owen Landis

“At your service. I’m Owen. I guess I’m the new Runner Six, hi! Feels weird saying that, like I’ve just got a brand new tattoo. You know, somewhere personal.” (S2M25)

“Ian, come on. We were almost, well, kind of mates once. Can’t we just settle this like mates? Crack a few tinnies, you know? Come on. Come on, what do you say?” (S5M18)

Evan Deaubl

“Runners, this is an emergency. The gates have stuck in the open position; we’re open to all attacks. The following runners to report to the main gates immediately for lure and distract: Runner Two, Runner Three, Runner Five, Runner Eight. Go, go, go!” (S1M2)

“Thank you. You’re worthy of it. Now go. I don’t want any of you to see this. Get that cup and books out of the country. Steal a plane! Go back to England. The world is depending on you. Make me proud. Run!” (S5M36)

Ian Golightly

“Hello, am I late? Ian Golightly, reporting for duty! Get it?” (S2SM4)

“I want you to shoot me. Please? Yes. Please. I didn’t… I don’t think I…” (S5M40)

Sigrid Hakkinen

“In fact, those were not my orders, Builder. You have overstepped your bounds again.” (S4M2)

“I’m leaving now, and when I come back, it will be with my own private army. ANNIE will protect me. As long as I have her, I have everything. Oh, and by the way, as I know you’re listening, Mr. Yao, you do know I had your sister, don’t you? Well, you’ll never find her now.” (S6M40)

Veronica McShell (technically)

“It has been sixteen months and nine days since the outbreak. In all that time, only one animal has ever been recorded as turning gray. The researchers here and throughout Europe via Rofflenet believed it to be the key to understanding immunity, that it might hold the missing link to a cure. You, however, have just killed it. On behalf of all remaining humans, congratulations.” (S3M14)

“No, I know. But I want to. It’s… beautiful. The closer I get to her, the more I can see...everything.” (S6M40)

Colonel Sage

“Sage here, of Banktown. I, for one, am interested in hearing what the Abel representative has to say.” (S7M2)

“They’re searching the cave for me. They can smell the blood. This is my time. It’s good to… to put this thing right. I believe the best parts of my work will live on.” (S7M39)

Ellie Maxted

“Help! Help, I’m stuck in here! Please help me!” (S3M59)

“What? Where are they – [gasps] Five?” (S8M1)

Lachlan Jones

“I don’t give a crap about Fort Canton. I’m here for de Luca.” (S7M8)

“You don’t know what you’ve done. You’ve destroyed everything. There’ll be no stopping them now.” (S8M15)

Tom de Luca

“Hello. I know who you are. You’re Janine’s people. I’ve got Janine. I’ve got her headset, and I’ve got a message for you: this isn’t you anymore. Not your fight, not your battle, not your war! Who owns the war? Who owns the broken bodies of the soldiers? Not her, not any of them. Not the grasses or the traitors or the snitches or the thieves. Not Janine! Let fate take its course. Nothing could have stopped this. If you leave me be, no one will get hurt. Except Janine, and she’s got it coming!” (S3M43)

“Five, Five, get up here now! Five! My God, she’s fast. She’s strong! Five, code red! Warn the others! Tell Janie - !” (S8M26)

[teacup-crow]

welp i wrote another Veronica and Nadia fic for post S6M40!