Skeleton Key
Two-hander · Thriller
Skeleton Key
Skeleton Key · Anthony Horowitz
1 / 1
Skeleton Key
Published by scriptsandsketches.com
In a chilling interrogation, Alex Rider finds himself trapped on a conveyor belt, facing the ruthless Conrad. As time runs out, secrets unfold and the stakes rise dramatically.
Duologue
Characters: ALEX, CONRAD
ALEX Rider has been captured, drugged, and taken to a factory to be interrogated by CONRAD, a merciless scar-faced man with a slanting mouth. Alex cannot move, he is lying on a conveyor belt that feeds into a crusher.
CONRAD:
Your name?
ALEX:
Alex Gardiner.
CONRAD:
Your real name?
ALEX:
I just told you.
CONRAD:
You lied. Your real name is Alex Rider.
ALEX:
Why ask if you think you know?
CONRAD:
My name is Conrad. We have met before.
ALEX:
Have We?
CONRAD:
Why are you here?
ALEX:
I'm on vacation with my mom and dad. Where are they? Why have you brought me here? What happened to the man on the boat? I want to go home!
CONRAD:
Where is your home?
ALEX:
I live in LA. De Flores Street, West Hollywood.
CONRAD:
No. Your accent is very convincing, but you are not American. You are English. The people you came with were called Tom Turner and Belinda Troy. They were agents of the CIA. They are now dead.
ALEX:
I don't know what you're talking about. You've got the wrong guy.
CONRAD:
Lying to me is stupid and a waste of time. I have to know why you are here. It is an unusual experience to interrogate a child, but it is one shall enjoy. You are the only one left. So tell me, Alex Rider, why did you come to Cayo Esqueleto? What were you planning to do?
ALEX:
I wasn't planning to do anything! My dad's a film producer. He's got nothing to do with the CIA. Who are you? And why have you brought me here?
CONRAD:
I am losing my patience! Tell me what I want to know.
ALEX:
I'm on vacation! I've already told you!
CONRAD:
You have told me lies. Now you will tell me the truth. This place, where you are now, is a sugar mill. The machinery used to be steam-powered but now it is electric. The sugar cane was shredded and then placed on a belt to be crushed. After that it was filtered. You, Alex, are at the beginning of that process. You are about to be fed into the crusher. I ask you to imagine the pain that lies ahead of you. Your toes will enter first. Then you will be sucked in one centimetre at a time. After your toes, your feet. Your legs and your knees. How much of you will pass through before you are allowed the comfort of death? Think about it! Whatever else it is, I can promise you that it will not be sweet. Tell me what I want to know and I will press the red button. It stops the machine.
ALEX:
You're wrong! You can't do this!
CONRAD:
I am doing this. And I am never wrong. Please, do not waste any more time. You have so little of it left ... how much did the agents know? Why were they here?
ALEX:
Please...
CONRAD:
You have perhaps fifty seconds more.
ALEX:
They were searching for a bomb. A nuclear bomb. They knew Sarov bought uranium from the Salesman. They came here with a Geiger Counter. They were going to break into the villa and look for the bomb.
CONRAD:
How did they know?
ALEX:
I don't know...
CONRAD:
Thirty seconds.
ALEX:
It was Turner. He found out from the Salesman. He was working undercover. They found out that he'd sold you the uranium and they came here looking for the bomb.
CONRAD:
Did they know the purpose of the bomb?
ALEX:
No! I don't know. They didn't tell me. Now stop the machine and let me go.
CONRAD:
No, I don't think so.
ALEX:
What?
CONRAD:
You've been a bad boy, and bad boys have to be punished.
ALEX:
But you said -
CONRAD:
I lied. Just like you.
