Narcicism, Cruelty and Emotional Sadism are actually a Learned set of Habits of Mind and Behaviour that are the direct result of Maladaptive Empathy and Emotional Openness -
EMPATHY + BETRAYAL = RESENTMENT + CRUELTY
NIGHT TIME. COUNTY HALL, SOUTH BANK. Inside the Sea Life London Aquarium housed inside County Hall, Sherlock makes his way along the blue-lit corridors and through the glass tunnels under the water.
TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT:
Ladies and gentlemen, the Aquarium will be closing in five minutes.
Please make your way to the exit. Thank you.
(He continues onwards until he reaches an enclosed area with benches where people can sit and look at the various tanks all around. A woman is sitting on one of the benches with her back to him.)
SHERLOCK:
Your office said I’d find you here.
VIVIAN:
This was always my favourite spot for agents to meet.
(She continues looking forward into a tank of sharks and other smaller fish.)
We’re like them: ghostly, living in the shadows.
(She turns to look at him. Behind him, fluorescent jellyfish swim in another tank.)
SHERLOCK:
Predatory.
VIVIAN:
Well, it depends which side you’re on.
(She turns away to look into the shark tank again.)
Also, we have to keep moving or we die.
SHERLOCK:
Nice location for the final act. Couldn’t have chosen it better myself.
But then I never could resist a touch of the dramatic.
VIVIAN:
I just come here to look at the fish.
(She stands up and takes a few steps closer to the tank.)
VIVIAN:
I knew this would happen one day.
(She turns to face him, her handbag hanging from her elbow.)
VIVIAN:
It’s like that old story.
SHERLOCK:
I really am a very busy man. Would you mind cutting to the chase?
VIVIAN:
You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?
SHERLOCK (precisely):
With good reason.
VIVIAN:
There was once a merchant in a famous market in Baghdad.
(Sherlock closes his eyes and lowers his head a little.)
SHERLOCK:
I really have never liked this story.
VIVIAN:
I’m just like the merchant in the story. I thought I could outrun the inevitable. I’ve always been looking over my shoulder; always expecting to see the grim figure of ...
MARY:
... Death.
(She comes into the room and stops at Sherlock’s side a couple of feet away from him.)
SHERLOCK (not looking round):
Hello, Mary.
MARY:
Hey.
SHERLOCK:
John?
MARY:
On his way.
SHERLOCK:
Let me introduce Amo.
MARY (staring at Vivian):
You were Amo? (Sherlock looks round to her.)
You were the person on the phone that time?
SHERLOCK:
Using AGRA as her private assassination unit.
MARY (to Vivian):
Why did you betray us?
VIVIAN: Why does anyone do anything?
SHERLOCK: Oh, let me guess. Selling secrets?
VIVIAN:
Well, it would be churlish to refuse. Worked very well for a few years. I bought a nice cottage in Cornwall on the back of it. But the ambassador in Tbilisi found out. I thought I’d had it.
(She looks towards Mary before returning her gaze to Sherlock.)
Then she was taken hostage in that coup.
(She laughs.)
I couldn’t believe my luck! That bought me a little time.
SHERLOCK:
But then you found out your boss had sent AGRA in.
VIVIAN:
Very handy. They were always such reliable killers.
SHERLOCK:
What you didn’t know, Mary, was that this one also tipped off the hostage-takers.
(Mary turns and stares at him.)
VIVIAN
(sitting back down and resting her handbag on her lap):
Lady Smallwood gave the order, but I sent another one to the terrorists with a nice little clue about her code name should anyone have an enquiring mind. Seemed to do the trick.
MARY:
And you thought your troubles were over.
VIVIAN:
I was tired; tired of the mess of it all.
(She sighs.)
I just wanted some peace, some clarity.
The hostages were killed, AGRA too ...
(she looks across to Mary)
... or so I thought.
My secret was safe.
But apparently not.
Just a little peace.
That’s all you wanted too, wasn’t it?
A family, home. Really, I understand.
(Mary glances across to Sherlock but his gaze is fixed on Vivian, who lifts her handbag as if in preparation to stand, and rests one hand on the open top of it.)
VIVIAN:
So just let me get out of here, right?
Let me just walk away. I’ll vanish.
I’ll go forever.
What d’you say?
MARY (furiously):
After what you did?!
(She starts towards the older woman.)
SHERLOCK
(beginning to follow her):
Mary, no!
(In a fluid movement Vivian stands, pulling a pistol from her handbag and aiming it at Mary, who stops and backs away.)
MARY:
Okay.
(She moves back to stand the other side of Sherlock.)
John is in the back of a cab with a phone to his ear.
JOHN (into phone):
London Aquarium. ... Yes, now.
(He hangs up.)
In the Aquarium, Vivian looks down at her pistol which she’s no longer pointing at anyone.
VIVIAN:
I was never a field agent.
I always thought I’d be rather good.
(Mary scoffs.)
SHERLOCK:
Well, you handled the operation in Tbilisi very well.
VIVIAN:
Thanks.
SHERLOCK:
... for a secretary.
VIVIAN:
What?
SHERLOCK:
Can’t have been easy all those years, sitting in the back keeping your mouth shut when you knew you were cleverer than most of the people in the room.
VIVIAN:
I didn’t do this out of jealousy!
SHERLOCK:
No? Same old drudge, day in, day out, never getting out there where all the excitement was.
Just back to your little flat on Wigmore Street.
(Vivian gapes.)
SHERLOCK:
They’ve taken up the pavement outside the Post Office there.
The local clay on your shoes is very distinctive.
(Close-up of Vivian’s dusty shoes.)
SHERLOCK:
Yes, your little flat.
VIVIAN:
How do you know?
SHERLOCK (quick fire):
Well, on your salary it would have to be modest and you spent all the money on that cottage, didn’t you, and what are you, widowed or divorced?
(He focuses in on a plain gold band on the index finger of her left hand.)
Wedding ring’s at least thirty years old and you’ve moved it to another finger.
That means you’re sentimentally attached to it but you’re not still married.
I favour widowed, given the number of cats you share your life with.
MARY
(nervously, watching Vivian closely):
Sherlock ...
SHERLOCK:
Two Burmese and a tortoiseshell,
judging by the cat hairs on your cardigan.
(Close-up of those hairs.)
SHERLOCK (quick fire):
A divorcee’s more likely to look for a new partner;
a widow to fill the void left by her dead husband.
MARY:
Sherlock, don’t.
SHERLOCK
(quick fire, his voice rising as he gets fully into his stride):
Pets do that, or so I’m told,
and there’s clearly no-one new in your life,
otherwise you wouldn’t be spending your Friday nights in an aquarium.
That probably accounts for the drink problem, too:
the slight tremor in your hand ...
(there’s a close-up of her slightly shaking gun hand, then a close-up of her mouth)
... the red wine stain ghosting your top lip.
So yes. I say jealousy was your motive after all –
To prove how good you are ...
(Vivian’s gaze turns to look towards the entrance as Mycroft walks in.)
SHERLOCK:
... to make up for the inadequacies of your little life.
(Vivian is still looking to where Greg now comes in followed by three uniformed police officers.)
MYCROFT:
Well, Mrs Norbury.
I must admit this is unexpected.
SHERLOCK (his voice dripping with sarcasm):
Vivian Norbury, who outsmarted them all.
All except Sherlock Holmes.
(He takes a step forward, holding out his left hand. Mary and the police officers behind her also step forward.)
SHERLOCK (softly):
There’s no way out.
VIVIAN:
So it would seem.
(She smiles a little.)
You’ve seen right through me, Mr Holmes.
SHERLOCK:
It’s what I do.
(She tilts her head to one side.)
VIVIAN:
Maybe I can still surprise you.
(Swiftly she brings up the gun and aims it at Sherlock.)
LESTRADE:
Come on.
(He points at her.)
Be sensible.
(Sherlock holds his hands out to the side. Vivian shakes her head.)
VIVIAN:
No, I don’t think so.
(She fires. In super-slow motion the bullet heads towards Sherlock who stands there unmoving. Mary, who had no doubt anticipated that this was going to happen, hurls herself sideways in front of him and the bullet impacts her lower chest. Blood sprays outward and immediately there is a large bloodstain on her shirt. Crying out, she falls to the floor against a nearby bench.)
VIVIAN (spitefully):
Surprise.
EMPATHY + BETRAYAL = RESENTMENT + CRUELTY
NIGHT TIME. COUNTY HALL, SOUTH BANK. Inside the Sea Life London Aquarium housed inside County Hall, Sherlock makes his way along the blue-lit corridors and through the glass tunnels under the water.
TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT:
Ladies and gentlemen, the Aquarium will be closing in five minutes.
Please make your way to the exit. Thank you.
(He continues onwards until he reaches an enclosed area with benches where people can sit and look at the various tanks all around. A woman is sitting on one of the benches with her back to him.)
SHERLOCK:
Your office said I’d find you here.
VIVIAN:
This was always my favourite spot for agents to meet.
(She continues looking forward into a tank of sharks and other smaller fish.)
We’re like them: ghostly, living in the shadows.
(She turns to look at him. Behind him, fluorescent jellyfish swim in another tank.)
SHERLOCK:
Predatory.
VIVIAN:
Well, it depends which side you’re on.
(She turns away to look into the shark tank again.)
Also, we have to keep moving or we die.
SHERLOCK:
Nice location for the final act. Couldn’t have chosen it better myself.
But then I never could resist a touch of the dramatic.
VIVIAN:
I just come here to look at the fish.
(She stands up and takes a few steps closer to the tank.)
VIVIAN:
I knew this would happen one day.
(She turns to face him, her handbag hanging from her elbow.)
VIVIAN:
It’s like that old story.
SHERLOCK:
I really am a very busy man. Would you mind cutting to the chase?
VIVIAN:
You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?
SHERLOCK (precisely):
With good reason.
VIVIAN:
There was once a merchant in a famous market in Baghdad.
(Sherlock closes his eyes and lowers his head a little.)
SHERLOCK:
I really have never liked this story.
VIVIAN:
I’m just like the merchant in the story. I thought I could outrun the inevitable. I’ve always been looking over my shoulder; always expecting to see the grim figure of ...
MARY:
... Death.
(She comes into the room and stops at Sherlock’s side a couple of feet away from him.)
SHERLOCK (not looking round):
Hello, Mary.
MARY:
Hey.
SHERLOCK:
John?
MARY:
On his way.
SHERLOCK:
Let me introduce Amo.
MARY (staring at Vivian):
You were Amo? (Sherlock looks round to her.)
You were the person on the phone that time?
SHERLOCK:
Using AGRA as her private assassination unit.
MARY (to Vivian):
Why did you betray us?
VIVIAN: Why does anyone do anything?
SHERLOCK: Oh, let me guess. Selling secrets?
VIVIAN:
Well, it would be churlish to refuse. Worked very well for a few years. I bought a nice cottage in Cornwall on the back of it. But the ambassador in Tbilisi found out. I thought I’d had it.
(She looks towards Mary before returning her gaze to Sherlock.)
Then she was taken hostage in that coup.
(She laughs.)
I couldn’t believe my luck! That bought me a little time.
SHERLOCK:
But then you found out your boss had sent AGRA in.
VIVIAN:
Very handy. They were always such reliable killers.
SHERLOCK:
What you didn’t know, Mary, was that this one also tipped off the hostage-takers.
(Mary turns and stares at him.)
VIVIAN
(sitting back down and resting her handbag on her lap):
Lady Smallwood gave the order, but I sent another one to the terrorists with a nice little clue about her code name should anyone have an enquiring mind. Seemed to do the trick.
MARY:
And you thought your troubles were over.
VIVIAN:
I was tired; tired of the mess of it all.
(She sighs.)
I just wanted some peace, some clarity.
The hostages were killed, AGRA too ...
(she looks across to Mary)
... or so I thought.
My secret was safe.
But apparently not.
Just a little peace.
That’s all you wanted too, wasn’t it?
A family, home. Really, I understand.
(Mary glances across to Sherlock but his gaze is fixed on Vivian, who lifts her handbag as if in preparation to stand, and rests one hand on the open top of it.)
VIVIAN:
So just let me get out of here, right?
Let me just walk away. I’ll vanish.
I’ll go forever.
What d’you say?
MARY (furiously):
After what you did?!
(She starts towards the older woman.)
SHERLOCK
(beginning to follow her):
Mary, no!
(In a fluid movement Vivian stands, pulling a pistol from her handbag and aiming it at Mary, who stops and backs away.)
MARY:
Okay.
(She moves back to stand the other side of Sherlock.)
John is in the back of a cab with a phone to his ear.
JOHN (into phone):
London Aquarium. ... Yes, now.
(He hangs up.)
In the Aquarium, Vivian looks down at her pistol which she’s no longer pointing at anyone.
VIVIAN:
I was never a field agent.
I always thought I’d be rather good.
(Mary scoffs.)
SHERLOCK:
Well, you handled the operation in Tbilisi very well.
VIVIAN:
Thanks.
SHERLOCK:
... for a secretary.
VIVIAN:
What?
SHERLOCK:
Can’t have been easy all those years, sitting in the back keeping your mouth shut when you knew you were cleverer than most of the people in the room.
VIVIAN:
I didn’t do this out of jealousy!
SHERLOCK:
No? Same old drudge, day in, day out, never getting out there where all the excitement was.
Just back to your little flat on Wigmore Street.
(Vivian gapes.)
SHERLOCK:
They’ve taken up the pavement outside the Post Office there.
The local clay on your shoes is very distinctive.
(Close-up of Vivian’s dusty shoes.)
SHERLOCK:
Yes, your little flat.
VIVIAN:
How do you know?
SHERLOCK (quick fire):
Well, on your salary it would have to be modest and you spent all the money on that cottage, didn’t you, and what are you, widowed or divorced?
(He focuses in on a plain gold band on the index finger of her left hand.)
Wedding ring’s at least thirty years old and you’ve moved it to another finger.
That means you’re sentimentally attached to it but you’re not still married.
I favour widowed, given the number of cats you share your life with.
MARY
(nervously, watching Vivian closely):
Sherlock ...
SHERLOCK:
Two Burmese and a tortoiseshell,
judging by the cat hairs on your cardigan.
(Close-up of those hairs.)
SHERLOCK (quick fire):
A divorcee’s more likely to look for a new partner;
a widow to fill the void left by her dead husband.
MARY:
Sherlock, don’t.
SHERLOCK
(quick fire, his voice rising as he gets fully into his stride):
Pets do that, or so I’m told,
and there’s clearly no-one new in your life,
otherwise you wouldn’t be spending your Friday nights in an aquarium.
That probably accounts for the drink problem, too:
the slight tremor in your hand ...
(there’s a close-up of her slightly shaking gun hand, then a close-up of her mouth)
... the red wine stain ghosting your top lip.
So yes. I say jealousy was your motive after all –
To prove how good you are ...
(Vivian’s gaze turns to look towards the entrance as Mycroft walks in.)
SHERLOCK:
... to make up for the inadequacies of your little life.
(Vivian is still looking to where Greg now comes in followed by three uniformed police officers.)
MYCROFT:
Well, Mrs Norbury.
I must admit this is unexpected.
SHERLOCK (his voice dripping with sarcasm):
Vivian Norbury, who outsmarted them all.
All except Sherlock Holmes.
(He takes a step forward, holding out his left hand. Mary and the police officers behind her also step forward.)
SHERLOCK (softly):
There’s no way out.
VIVIAN:
So it would seem.
(She smiles a little.)
You’ve seen right through me, Mr Holmes.
SHERLOCK:
It’s what I do.
(She tilts her head to one side.)
VIVIAN:
Maybe I can still surprise you.
(Swiftly she brings up the gun and aims it at Sherlock.)
LESTRADE:
Come on.
(He points at her.)
Be sensible.
(Sherlock holds his hands out to the side. Vivian shakes her head.)
VIVIAN:
No, I don’t think so.
(She fires. In super-slow motion the bullet heads towards Sherlock who stands there unmoving. Mary, who had no doubt anticipated that this was going to happen, hurls herself sideways in front of him and the bullet impacts her lower chest. Blood sprays outward and immediately there is a large bloodstain on her shirt. Crying out, she falls to the floor against a nearby bench.)
VIVIAN (spitefully):
Surprise.
Transcript courtesy of Ariane DeVere
https://arianedevere.livejournal.com/88515.html
"Meals at eight and five.
Toilet privileges twice a day.
Raise your voice, zap.
Touch the glass, zap.
You step out of line, you deal with me.
Please, step out of line.
Hmm? So how does it feel?
To spend all that time, all that effort... and, to see it fail so spectacularly?"
"Did it...?"
―Everett Ross and Helmut Zemo
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