Knights of Columbus #11

Issue Eleven: “Sheep’s Clothing, part 4: Like a Bell through the Night”

PAGE ONE

“Previously” page.

PAGE TWO

1/ Long panel establishing shot outside Milo’s clothing store. Only a few minutes have passed since the last issue, so it’s currently early afternoon. People walk up and down the Short North, enjoying the weather, as voices come from inside the shop.

CAPTION: The Short North.

VOICE: You sure you’re okay to close the store alone?

2/ Inside, Milo sits behind the front desk, still wearing his clothes from last issue. He props his legs up on the desk and leans back in his chair, reaching both hands behind his head in mock comfort.

MILO: Oh, yeah. I’m all over this.
MILO: Get the hell outta here and enjoy your night.

3/ Milo’s coworker heads out the door, slinging a backpack over his shoulder as he bids Milo goodbye. The little bell over the door dings on his way out.

SOUND EFFECT: Ding!

COWORKER: Have a good one, then, man.

4/ Milo kicks back in his chair and opens a comic book – specifically, a new issue of RASL by Jeff Smith – and immediately loses himself in it, oblivious to the world around him. The doorbell dings again.

MILO: Will do.

SOUND EFFECT: Ding!

5/ On Milo, comfortable as could be, as a voice breaks his silent reading time.

VOICE: Heads up, Mr. Reading-On-The-Job.

6/ Long panel as Rhiannon stands in the doorway, wearing pretty much exactly what she wore when last we saw her. She gives Milo a wry grin.

RHI: That’s the kind of crap that could get a man FIRED.

NARR (MILO): The funny thing about CREATION is...
NARR: ...you can't get there without a little DESTRUCTION.

PAGE THREE

1/ Milo puts down his comic book, smiling warmly to greet his friend.

MILO: And what brings YOU in today?
MILO: Looking for some tacky shirts? We have tacky shirts galore for all your tacky shirt needs…

2/ Rhiannon takes a seat on the edge of the check-out desk, resting her right arm on her knee and examining the cuticles on her left hand, held out in front of her.

RHI: I just had a REALLY intense meditation session with DONOVAN.

NARR: Case in point? This ongoing DONOVAN/RHIANNON thing.

MILO: Oh?

RHI: Yeah. He’s off to do some grocery shopping or something. Thought I’d stop in to say hello.

NARR: She's head over HEELS for him, and I sit back and watch all this and wonder how it's ever going to WORK OUT.

3/ Milo leans forward, propping his arm on the back of his chair and eyeing Rhiannon mischievously.

MILO: You’ve been having more than your FAIR SHARE of intense one-on-one time with Mr. Thatcher these days, haven’t you?

NARR: Now, I don't wanna be a NEGATIVE NANCY. Maybe things'll pull together for her and they can live HAPPILY EVER AFTER with tons of little HIPPIE DAUGHTERS and a few UPTIGHT SONS with BAD HAIRCUTS and INFERIORITY COMPLEXES.

4/ Rhiannon turns to face Milo, indignantly raising an eyebrow.

RHI: Oh, shut up.
RHI: Don’t you have your DATE tonight?

5/ Milo scoots forward to the edge of his seat, nervously gripping the desk.

MILO: I do! I’m so excited.
MILO: David said to meet him at EIGHT-THIRTY.

6/ Rhiannon maintains her position on the desk, leaning backward slightly with her weight propped up on her arm.

RHI: You know, it never occurred to me to ASK until now, but…
RHI: Does this DAVID have a LAST name, or is he like CHER, or IMAN or something?

7/ Milo grins like an idiot, cartoonishly rolling his eyes back into his head and swooning.

MILO: DAVID L. FRANK. Written all over my goddamn notebook.

8/ Rhiannon looks incredulous.

RHI: David L. FRANK?
RHI: Like L. FRANK BAUM?
RHI: Are you kidding me?

NARR: But they aren't gonna get there without some pretty nasty ROUGH PATCHES, right?
NARR: To create the HARMONY that these two are obviously HANKERING for, they're gonna have to DESTROY some things.

PAGE FOUR

1/ Milo gets up from his seat, leaning on his outstretched arms against the desk so he can get close to Rhiannon, childishly throwing his retort. Rhiannon recoils in indignance.

MILO: Says the girl who’s named after a STEVIE NICKS song.

RHI: Am NOT!
RHI: I’m NAMED after a QUEEN who became a GODDESS! Or something like that.

2/ On Rhiannon, her arms folded defiantly.

RHI: Besides, that’s not SOLO-Stevie.
RHI: It’s FLEETWOOD MAC.

MILO (off panel): Oh, forgive me.

3/ Long panel as Rhiannon moves off to the side, inspecting some particularly ugly shirts that hang on the opposite wall near the door, as Milo gathers up a stack of clear plastic hangers that have accumulated behind the desk.

NARR: And they've already STARTED, from the looks of things.

RHI: So what are you guys planning to DO on your little DATE?

MILO: I dunno exactly.

NARR: Rhiannon's had to tear down some pretty RESILIENT walls Donovan's put up against IDEAS that fly in the face of his RELIGION.
NARR: And in TURN, I can see that Donovan's changed HER, too. Brought her down to EARTH a bit. Got her HEAD out of the CLOUDS.

4/ Another Long Panel as Milo makes his way to the back room, Rhiannon remaining in the BG, still examining shirts. Milo’s arms are stacked high with hangers as he speaks.

MILO: I’ve been thinking about maybe taking him down to the ARENA DISTRICT?
MILO: We could catch a movie and grab a drink or something. It’s usually not too crowded down there on a Wednesday night.

NARR: None of this is a BAD thing. I don't want you to think I'm saying THAT.

5/ On Rhiannon, turning to face Milo on the other side of the room.

RHI: There’s supposed to be a COMIC BOOK CONVENTION there all day.

NARR: I'm just saying...it goes to SHOW. Creation...
NARR: ...and DESTRUCTION.

6/ Milo turns back to face her, considering that information.

NARR: I wonder if DAVID and I will be any DIFFERENT?

MILO: Oh, really?
MILO: Well, I’ll bet THAT’S something to see.

PAGE FIVE
1/ Cut to a FULL PAGE SPLASH, featuring the issue’s TITLE, CREDITS, and INDICIA. Andrew lies on the ground in the chaos of the Arena District, scrambling to get away from his attacker without really being able to get to his feet. Around him, scattered in the FG, are the decapitated bodies of Magda’s Zombies, and the machete that Andrew clings to desperately is covered in the congealed blood of the undead. His other machete lies behind him nearby, also stained in blood. Towering over Andrew, casting her enormous shadow over him, is Magda. She stands probably eight feet tall even on all fours, her ancient teeth dripping saliva and blood as she hovers over him menacingly. Her right paw is held up, preparing to strike at him like a cat would threaten a stuffed mouse.

CAPTION: The Arena District.

MAGDA: (monstrous balloon) Enough screwing AROUND, MacTiernan!
MAGDA: Kill all the Zombies you WANT, you’re never going to fend off this entire attack by YOURSELF! Where is the rest of your TEAM?!

PAGE SIX

1/ On Andrew, trying to scoot his way backward and away from her line of fire.

ANDREW: They’re on the way.
ANDREW: But you’re NOT going to win this one, Magda. Your son will NEVER –

2/ Magda roars at him, furiously.

MAGDA: YOU DO NOT KNOW MY SON!!!

LANDON (off panel): He may not LIKE him, but I ASSURE you, he knows him.

3/ Landon leaps into the panel in werewolf form, tackling Magda. They roll out of sight, fur flying as they swing at each other. They bare their fangs and growl menacingly.

MAGDA: GRaaahhH!!

LANDON: ROAAAHHH!

4/ Landon pins Magda to the ground, both of them chomping at each other as he holds her down, saliva flying this way and that.

LANDON: If you EVER had a shot at bringing me back into the FOLD, this WOULDN’T be the WAY!

5/ Magda hisses at him, angrily beseeching him to see things her way. She struggles to free herself from his powerful grip, pressing angrily against the ground.

MAGDA: The SUCCESSION has to be FOLLOWED!
MAGDA: Your FATHER would have –

6/ Landon viciously bats Magda across the face, sending a spray of blood across the panel. She grimaces and bares her fangs in pain as he shouts at her.

LANDON: DAD’S NOT HERE!

7/ On Andrew, trying to get to his feet and away from the tumult, as a shadow falls over him. He has retrieved both of his machetes, and is frightfully scrambling to get somewhere a bit safer.

SHADOW (off panel): I swear to god, it’s like a bigger, MEANER Jerry Springer.

8/ Andrew’s POV, as the shadow is revealed to be Beth, standing over him with only her arms transformed to werewolf form. The sun shines behind her as she reaches out to him with a furry paw, offering to help him up. She grins briefly and insincerely, the gravity of the situation not really leaving much time for warmer hellos.

BETH: Sorry we’re late.

PAGE SEVEN

1/ Long Panel as Landon and Magda fight. No longer pinned to the ground, Magda has leapt at Landon in attack, but Landon strikes her across the face with enough force to send her flying backward, toward the front of the panel.

LANDON: How DARE you come to this city and HURT PEOPLE – TARGET my WIFE! – just to further your ridiculous AGENDA! This is MY CITY now!
LANDON: NEVER AGAIN!

SOUND EFFECT: FWAPP!

2/ Beth helps Andrew to his feet, as he dusts himself off. He looks around in misery. All around, civilians run screaming through the streets as Zombies and Werewolves run amok, tearing up light posts and fire hydrants and scattering the streets with debris.

ANDREW: This is a MESS, Beth.
ANDREW: There are people everywhere.

BETH: I know.

3/ Close on Beth. She shakes her head in frustration.

BETH: And it doesn’t help that this isn’t some RANDOM THING.
BETH: This is our own PERSONAL DRAMA spilling into the streets.

4/ The two of them turn and walk back into the conflict, Andrew holding his machetes at his side and Beth baring her half-transformed arms. They look ready for business.
BETH: We’ve gotta get this situation under control, and FAST.

ANDREW: You ready to WOLF OUT?

5/ POV Change, over Andrew’s shoulder, as we now see Beth in full werewolf form. She turns to Andrew and growls.

BETH (newly monstrous balloon): Already there.

ANDREW: Good. I’ll do what I can with these ZOMBIES.

6/ Close on Andrew.

ANDREW: But we need to get the OTHERS down here.
ANDREW: We’re not gonna be able to do this ALONE.

PAGE EIGHT

1/ Cut to a Long panel. Back at the shop, Milo and Rhiannon now stand near the back of the room, sorting through a large round rack of clothes as they chat. In the FG, we see the shop’s back room, with a small desk on which rest a coffee machine and a tiny television. On the TV, the news is covering the events taking place in the Arena District. The door to the back room hangs open, it’s “employees only” sign plainly visible. Milo perks up when he hears the news.

MILO: You hear that?

TV: -Tina Eakin, live from the Arena District, where what appears to be WEREWOLVES have attacked-

2/ They enter the back room, Milo standing before the television with his hands on his hips, Rhiannon just now coming around the edge to see the TV, gripping the set with her hand as she reaches around to see it. The TV casts a faint light on their faces in the dimmed back room.

TV: -same ZOMBIE CREATURES who attacked CAMPUS yesterday have RETURNED, and this time they’ve brought some BIG, BAD FRIENDS-

3/ On Rhiannon.

RHI: Dammit.
RHI: We’ve gotta get DOWN there.

4/ On Milo, turning from the TV to face Rhiannon. Tina Eakin is reflected in his glasses.
MILO: Yeah, I’m gonna have to close the STORE.
MILO (small font, muttered): I am SO getting fired for this.

5/ On the TV, as Tina continues. Milo’s finger reaches out to turn off the television.

TV: -majority of the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS are NOT present, which leads us to ask, WHERE ARE-

6/ The TV goes dark.

7/ Milo and Rhiannon hurriedly make their way to the front of the store, Rhiannon nervously fidgeting with the edge of her shirt, as Milo slings a messenger bag over his shoulder. The lights in the store are now off, and the two make their journey to the front in the dark.

RHI: Milo, the Arena District is like, TWENTY MINUTES AWAY on foot.

MILO: I know. We’re gonna have to take the BUS.

8/ They stand outside the storefront, Rhiannon looking doubtfully into the street as Milo locks the door behind them. People pass by on the sidewalk, oblivious to the chaos going on just a few short blocks away.

RHI: The BUS?
RHI: The COLUMBUS BUS SYSTEM?
RHI (small font, muttered): God help us.

PAGE NINE

1/ Long panel as Milo and Rhiannon wait at the bus stop, the small black sign sticking up into the air declaring that it’s a stop for routes 2, 5, and 8. Milo glances around nervously as Rhiannon taps her foot impatiently.

CAPTION: Five minutes later…

RHI: Okay, how is it possible that not a single bus has passed in FIVE MINUTES?

2/ Milo turns to Rhiannon, explaining. Rhiannon digs in her pocket, looking for a cigarette at Milo’s request.

MILO: This is Columbus Public Transit. Expect little, be prepared to get even less in return. You don’t happen to have an extra smoke on you, do you?

RHI: I do. Do we really have time for that?

3/ Close on hands as Rhiannon points her pack of cigarettes at Milo and he pulls one out.
MILO: Yes and no.
MILO: I wanna show you a trick.

4/ Milo does his magic light-the-cigarette-with-his-hand trick, taking a long drag from the smoke as Rhiannon looks on.

RHI: I’ve already seen that trick. Like, a million times.

MILO: That’s not the trick.
MILO: You’ll see.

5/ Behind Milo and Rhiannon as a bus suddenly screeches to a stop in front of them, seemingly from nowhere. The bus is labeled “2: N HIGH to GRACELAND” in a digital banner by the door.

MILO: There you go. Never fails.

6/ Long panel as Milo makes his way onto the bus, leaning backward out the door to address a baffled looking Rhiannon. Inside the bus, we can see that it’s very full.

MILO: The moment you decide the bus is gonna BE a while and light up a CIGARETTE, the bus shows up.
MILO: It’s a proven science.

RHI: I’ll remember that.

PAGE TEN

1/ Cut to a Long Panel, back at the Arena District fight. Beth, in full Werewolf form, battles with a random Werewolf, their respective claws swiping at each other’s grim, bloodied faces. The werewolf roars at her in fury, its eyes crazed. Beth is poised to land a devastating strike against it.

WERE 1: RARRR!!!

2/ On Beth as her strike hits its mark, the werewolf recoiling from her claws as she swipes at the air and comes back with blood on her paws.

SOUND EFFECT: SCHRRIPP!

BETH: And STAY down, ASSHOLE.

3/ Beth turns abruptly, looking across the way to the fight taking place on the other side of the main courtyard area. Her sparring partner lies on the ground next to her, tending to its injuries in a defeated heap. Beth’s eyes go wide with concern as she takes in the battle around her.
BETH: Landon…

4/ On the opposite end of the courtyard, Landon and Magda’s battle continues. Landon’s head is rocked backward as Magda strikes him, drawing blood. She hisses vehemently as she swats at him, anger and hatred in her eyes.

MAGDA: You’ve spent LONG ENOUGH acting like a LOVESICK FOOL!
MAGDA: The BROTHERHOOD needs you! You have RESPONSIBILITIES!

5/ Landon stays low to the ground, his claws digging slightly into the cobblestone roads as he stares down his mother, blood dripping from his gored nose. He circles her menacingly for a moment, regaining his bearings.

LANDON: And coming to my new home, ATTACKING my friends…
LANDON: That’s your way of showing me that you NEED me?

6/ Long panel as Landon leaps, tackling Magda. They roll, sending a convention display booth crashing in all directions as they do. Fur and claws fly as Landon stares down at his mother’s angry face, his arm pulled back to land another strike against her as they tumble across the panel.

LANDON: Nice TRY, but it’s coming off a little INSINCERE!

PAGE ELEVEN

1/ Long panel, Bird’s Eye View, as they escape their roll and regain their footing, facing each other down again. This is seen from high above, and we can see that pedestrians still run screaming around them as they battle on the corner near the enormous stone archway.

MAGDA: Ever since you were a BOY, you’ve been controlled by your own ROMANTIC NONSENSE.

2/ On Magda, bleeding from the face as one of her ornate piercings has been torn out in the fight. She is old, and her exhaustion is beginning to show, this deep into the fight – but she’s not out yet, and she’s strong enough to keep going.

MAGDA: And now you’re letting your SELFISH pursuits hurt your FAMILY!
MAGDA: I’m ASHAMED, Landon.

3/ Landon circles her, his paw held up threateningly. He remains straight-faced, glaring at Magda with an unchecked intensity.

LANDON: I don’t CARE about the Brotherhood, MOM.
LANDON: I don’t care about TRADITION!

4/ They circle around each other, each teasing to strike first, neither doing it.
MAGDA: Of course you don’t, Landon. All you’ve EVER cared about was yourself! About getting what YOU wanted and everyone ELSE be DAMNED!

LANDON: This isn’t ABOUT me, Mom. It’s about making the right decision for my WIFE. Making the right decision for EVERYONE.
LANDON: You’ll NEVER understand that, Mother, because you and Dad never HAD what Beth and I have. You’ll NEVER know how it feels!

5/ Suddenly, there is a pop of gunfire and Magda is struck in the side by a single bullet, sending a squirt of blood flying from her side. It’s not a fatal shot, or a terribly significant wound at all, but it’s enough to break up the conversation. Magda looks furious.

SOUND EFFECT: Bam!

MAGDA: Who!?

OFF-PANEL: GOD, listen to you two!

6/ The gunman is revealed to be Andrew, wielding a smoking handgun and looking disgusted as the Arena District rages in chaos around him. He looks over in the direction of Landon and Magda in irritation, confronting them before moving on.

ANDREW: Seriously?
ANDREW: Spare me.

PAGE TWELVE

1/ Long panel as Andrew resumes what he was doing, working his way through the tumult and popping off rounds into Zombies, one by one. He uses only one of the two handguns he currently possesses, the second remaining tucked in the back waistband of his jeans, and he aims the gun with both hands, firing into the crowd carefully and steadily.

ANDREW: Come on, come ON!
ANDREW: Where IS everybody?

2/ A Zombie leaps from out of nowhere and lunges at Andrew, arms flailing. Andrew attempts to fire his weapon but it only clicks in response. His face goes white with fear.

ZOMBIE: Arrghh!

SOUND EFFECT: clik clik clik

ANDREW: Empty. Son of a BITCH.

3/ Andrew pistol-whips the Zombie in the face with the empty gun as he reaches behind his back for the second weapon. Unseen by Andrew is the SECOND Zombie, running up behind Andrew to attack as he attempts to deal with the first. The second Zombie runs toward them with a crazed stare, innards falling from the hole on his torso.

SOUND EFFECT: Thwack

ANDREW: Here we go.

4/ Long panel as the second Zombie reaches Andrew, and Andrew finally realizes that he’s there. He barely has time to look over his shoulder and swear before the Zombie is practically on top of him, but just in time Donovan shows up to the rescue, gripping the Zombie’s head and arm and pulling them in opposite directions with a violent grimace of determination.

ANDREW: Mother –

DON: Hey, Andrew.
DON: Funny story: I go to the NORTH MARKET to pick up a few GROCERIES for dinner, and what do I hear from over yonder?
DON: A giant battle going on, and me without a FORMAL INVITE.

5/ Blood flies everywhere as Donovan successfully rips the Zombie apart, its arm ripping from the torso in an explosion of flesh and gore. Donovan’s eyes light up with excitement, momentarily glowing a solid tiffany blue.

SOUND EFFECT: SCCHRRIPPP

6/ Close on Donovan, somewhere between amused and steely, battle ready and determined. His eyes revert to normal.

DON: You know how I hate to miss the giant battles.

PAGE THIRTEEN

1/ Cut to a Long Panel as Milo and Rhiannon sit on the bus, facing us as they occupy the seats that run perpendicular to the bus’s path rather than pointing forward. Milo examines his fingernails nonchalantly as Rhiannon folds her arms in frustration, looking around expectantly as though she only wishes she had a watch to check. In the seat ahead of them, a worn down and filthy homeless man sits, facing the front of the bus.

2/ Rhiannon’s patience runs out and she turns to Milo to complain, seen over Milo’s shoulder. She looks exasperated – not angry, but upset.

RHI: Okay, for REAL?
RHI: We’ve gotta be, like, the ONLY superheroes to ever take the BUS to the battle.
3/ Milo remains fairly calm, looking at her reassuringly.

MILO: I’m sure we’re not the ONLY ones.
MILO: Besides, it could be worse.

4/ Rhiannon thumbs in the direction of the homeless man ahead of her.

RHI: How could it be WORSE?
RHI (small font, muttered): This guy smells like a GARBAGE TRUCK!

5/ On the two of them as Milo explains, gesturing back and forth the indicate the road they are currently traveling on.

MILO: I don’t really know how it could be worse. That just seemed like the appropriate thing to SAY at the time.

MILO (small font, muttered): And yeah, you see that a lot on the bus. Homeless dudes.
MILO: ESPECIALLY on the NUMBER TWO, since it goes right up and down HIGH STREET all day long.

6/ Rhiannon looks over at the homeless dude, who has turned his head slightly as though he is scoping them out over his shoulder. Her eyes go wide as she gets a better look at him, realizing that his ear is missing, replaced by a mass of bloody scar tissue. Milo looks forward toward something off panel, oblivious.

RHI: That is…

7/ Close on the Homeless Dude, as we realize he’s actually a ZOMBIE, flesh rotting from his face all over, a huge portion of his lip torn off to reveal his rotten teeth.

RHI (off panel): …unless he’s NOT a homeless dude.

PAGE FOURTEEN

1/ Rhiannon leaps to her feet as Milo cries out to the passengers, pointing to the opposite side of the bus as he, too, rises to his feet.

MILO: EVERYBODY GET TO THIS SIDE OF THE BUS, NOW!!!!

2/ Everyone on the bus scatters, all clambering to reach the other side. Milo is the last to make it, still straddling the aisle as everyone else presses up against the opposite window.

MILO: There’s a ZOMBIE on the BUS!

PASS 1: What’s happening?!
PASS 2: Oh, my god!
3/ In his seat, having not moved, the Zombie faces the other side of the bus and hisses, strutting his head out as though he is actually roaring. Flesh flies from his mouth in small chunks.

ZOMBIE: HISSSSSIISSSS!!

4/ Rhiannon is pressed up against the opposite window with everyone else as Milo falls backward into the seat next to her, both of them facing the Zombie. She looks frightened, unsure of how to take out the Zombie in an enclosed space without hurting anyone.

RHI: Uh…Milo?

5/ On Milo as he holds his palms out toward the Zombie, little balls of condensed flame appearing before them as he gathers energy. The flames cast an orange glow on his glasses, illuminating the determined look in his eye.

MILO: Yeah, I’m workin’ on it.
MILO: Chill.

6/ Huge panel, outside the bus on High Street. An explosion rocks the bus, bursting out the side that no longer has people on it. The windows erupt outward as fireballs fly into the air outside, and startled pedestrians fall to the ground or run for their lives. Glass cascades down into the street like a ticker tape parade.

SOUND EFFECT: FA-BOOM!!!

PAGE FIFTEEN

1/ Long panel as Rhiannon lowers herself down out of the destroyed bus window, carefully avoiding the twisted metal and molten framework. Milo has already made his way out of the wreckage and stands on High Street with his hands on his hips, looking concerned. Traffic is stopped and people mill about trying to get a glimpse of whatever’s going on.

MILO: Okay, screw it. Rhiannon?
MILO: I need your PERMISSION for something.

RHI: Ugh.

2/ Having escaped the bus, Rhiannon approaches, curious. Milo continues to look south, toward the Arena District, judging the distance.

RHI: Alright, what’s up?

MILO: I think I can DO this, but I need to CHANNEL you for it.

3/ Close on Rhiannon, looking a little worried and nervous.

RHI: Okay…but be careful.
RHI: I don’t wanna be all DRAINED when we get into the FRAY down there.

4/ Milo cracks his neck as Rhiannon climbs on, locking her arms around his neck and looking very concerned about her safety. People in the BG gather to watch, realizing that they are witnessing two of the famous superheroes.

MILO: I shouldn’t need TOO much. Just a boost. I just can’t do it ALONE.
MILO: Hang on to my neck.

RHI: Alright, I’ll bite: What are we doing?

5/ Close on Milo as his eyes start to glow blue.

MILO: If I tell you, you won’t agree to it. Just hold on TIGHT.

6/ Close on Milo’s feet, clad in his favorite Sketchers, as he pulls back, preparing to leap.

MILO (off panel): And try not to SCREAM in my EAR.

7/ Suddenly, Milo and Rhiannon are tiny dots in the distance, suspended in mid-air as a faint jet stream appears behind them, charting the course of Milo’s impossible leap. Some civilians look up into the sky in shock, the scene still glowing orange from the flaming bus that Milo left behind.

SOUND EFFECT: SHOOM

RHI: (tiny font, in the distance) Jesus Christ!

PAGE SIXTEEN

1/ Cut to a Large Panel at the Arena District. Low angle shot as Milo and Rhiannon land. Milo lands squarely on his feet in the middle of all the chaos of the battle, with Rhiannon still clinging to him for dear life, sheer terror and excitement in her eyes. Milo looks shaken, but pleased with himself.

RHI: Holy CRAP! Did you just FLY?

MILO: I didn’t FLY so much as I LEAPT TALL BUILDINGS IN A SINGLE BOUND.

RHI: Can we do it again?

MILO: Don’t hold your breath. That little experiment took too much OUT of me to expect to see it again any time SOON.
2/ Andrew has now reverted to using his machetes to hack and slash at the many zombies still running about, and is currently running one zombie through when he turns his head to see that Milo and Rhiannon have arrived. He looks both irritated and relieved.

ANDREW: Milo! Rhiannon! It’s about TIME!
ANDREW: Get lost on the WAY or something?

3/ Rhiannon climbs off of Milo’s back, looking defiantly at Andrew.

RHI: Hey, Andrew, why don’t you untwist your PANTIES and relax a bit?

4/ On Milo, raising an eyebrow at Andrew.

MILO: Seriously, Man. Calm DOWN. We’re here.

5/ Milo jumps into action, taking a swing at an approaching Zombie and sending it flying off panel. His hands burst into flame as he punches.

MILO: And Andrew? Next time, try not to leave the teammates without CARS by THEMSELVES at the beginning of a FIGHT.
MILO: Least you could do is send a CAB…

PAGE SEVENTEEN

1/ Long panel as Andrew slashes at Zombies, with Donovan by his side, trying to fight a particularly vicious Zombie off of his back. In the BG, we see Beth and Landon battling werewolves, fur flying. Donovan looks irritated.

ANDREW: Oh, you’re RIGHT, Milo.
ANDREW: I do APOLOGIZE for my being so TERRIBLY inconsiderate.

DON: As much as you all seem to be ENJOYING catching up with each other, can we PLEASE just fight the BAD GUYS?

2/ Rhiannon holds out her hand in their direction, firing one of her concussive blasts.

SOUND EFFECT: CHOOM

RHI: Agreed.

3/ Donovan ducks for dear life as the Zombie that was clinging to his back is blasted off by Rhiannon’s energy beam, flying away into the BG.

SOUND EFFECT: CHOOM

DON: Jeez!
4/ Rhiannon looks off into the distance toward the Zombie she has just blasted, her hands smoking from the remnant of her concussive blast. Donovan approaches, looking startled but appreciative.

DON: HOO. Thanks for the ASSIST.

RHI: Anytime.

5/ Andrew swings his machete with all his might, chopping the head from one of the Zombies, sending blood flying. As he does, he looks over in the direction of where we last saw Beth and Landon, trying to get Beth’s attention.

ANDREW: BETH!

SOUND EFFECT: SCHLUNK

6/ Beth, still in werewolf form, crouches on top of another werewolf. They have clearly been fighting for a moment, and her combatant looks a bit worse for wear. Beth turns to face Andrew, looking inconvenienced by the interruption.

BETH: Not really the best TIME, Andrew. What’s up?

7/ On Andrew, looking concerned.

ANDREW: What we are doing is the OPPOSITE of getting this contained QUICKLY.

PAGE EIGHTEEN

1/ Full page splash as Milo leaps his way between two werewolves, using one of them as a step to jump higher into the air. He swings his fists at both of them, his flaming hands singing hair and showering crackling sparks as he does. The werewolves recoil, furious and injured. Milo does his best to remain stoic.

WERE 2: RAARRRGGH!!

MILO: Yeah, HI.
MILO: Look, I’m gonna LEVEL with you: I have a DATE in, like, three hours. Now, while you’d THINK that my DASHING GOOD LOOKS would have all the boys FIGHTING over me, it’s unfortunately NOT the case.
MILO: So I can’t really afford to let you people MESS THIS UP for me, m’kay?

PAGE NINETEEN

1/ Long panel as Milo stands with his flaming hands, surrounded by four werewolves, all bearing down on him with hunger in their eyes and saliva dripping from their jaws. Milo loses his composure, now looking very worried.
MILO: No?
MILO: That doesn’t convince you to end the FIGHT?

2/ Milo holds one hand out and fires a blast of flame into the group of werewolves, holding his other flaming hand at the ready.

MILO: Well, just for the record? All that came right from the HEART.
MILO: Next time, I won’t waste SINCERITY on ravenous, evil WEREWOLVES.

SOUND EFFECT: FOOSH

3/ One of the werewolves pounces on Milo, knocking him to the ground.

4/ The werewolf stands with paws on either side of Milo’s defenseless form, pinning him down. It snaps its jaws together inches from Milo’s face, as Milo looks up at it, terrified. Drool drips from the werewolf’s mouth.

MILO: (small font, muttered) Heavens to Murgatroid.

5/ Close on Milo’s face as a sudden blast of green energy flies across the panel, knocking the werewolf off of him. Milo grimaces in fear, having no idea what’s happening at the moment.

SOUND EFFECT: FFSHHAK

6/ Milo props himself up on his elbows and looks over at his savior: David. David stands over Milo, grinning, as green smoke emanates from his hands, held ready for more werewolf-battling.

DAVID: MILO.
DAVID: Funny seeing YOU here.

PAGE TWENTY

1/ Rhiannon, Andrew and Donovan all stand back to back in the middle of the battle as werewolves rampage behind them. Donovan’s eyes glow orange, Rhiannon’s hands smoke, and Andrew holds his machete out in front of him, dripping with blood.

ANDREW: This is getting COMPLETELY out of control, guys.
ANDREW: We need to –

2/ Andrew is interrupted as a werewolf leaps into the group, striking Donovan and sending him flying out of the panel.

WERE 3: Raarrr!
DON: Ugh!
3/ Donovan flies from the group, tossed like a rag doll, and bounces off a stone wall, crumpling to the ground. In the BG, Rhiannon shouts out to him.

RHI: Donovan!

4/ The werewolf takes another swing, sending both Rhiannon and Andrew flying out of the panel.

SOUND EFFECT: thok!

5/ Rhiannon bounces off the ground and lands in a crumpled heap, face down.

RHI: Oof!

6/ Andrew flies backward and manages to land a bit more gracefully, striking the ground and sliding backward in a sitting position. He loses his weapons.

ANDREW: Son of a BITCH!

7/ Rhiannon pushes herself up from the ground, getting up slowly and painfully. She glares off panel in the direction of Andrew, a look of sudden deadly determination in her eyes. Her hair hangs limply around her face, obscuring one eye.

RHI: Andrew.
RHI: Get rid of the civilians.

8/ Andrew turns to face her, still sitting on the ground and trying to compose himself. He looks confused.

ANDREW: Wait, what?

PAGE TWENTY-ONE

1/ Large panel as Rhiannon stands over Andrew. He remains on the ground, but Rhiannon has managed to get to her feet and stumble in his direction. She limps, unable to stand straight up yet, but her face is no less driven for her temporary disability. Her hands are held out wide at her sides, and in each palm, a ball of crackling white energy collects, drawing the energy from the air around her in flashing reverse-lightning bolts, coming OUT of the air and INTO her hands, condensing. Her eyes glow and the color of the air changes slightly around her as she draws the energies from around her, and Andrew looks up in awe at what is definitely the most badassed image of Rhiannon to date.

RHI: Right now, I’m gathering all the ANGER and AGRESSION in this area into one condensed SPOT, and when I let it GO, it’s gonna be a big enough blast to BREAK half the bones in every one of these werewolves’ BODIES.
RHI: But the innocent PEOPLE running around all over the place? They’re not WEREWOLVES, and they won’t be so lucky.
RHI: So get off your ASS, stop screwing AROUND…

2/ Close on Rhiannon, her eyes glowing bright tiffany blue.

RHI: And get RID of the CIVILIANS.

3/ Still on the ground, Andrew turns to face the opposite direction, shouting to Milo as he starts to drag himself up to his feet.

ANDREW: MILO!

4/ Milo and David fight bad guys back to back, Milo’s hands smoldering with flame and David’s hands emanating the green smoke of his energy blasts. Milo immediately knows what is needed of him, and he acknowledges Andrew only briefly.

MILO: I’m on it.

5/ On Milo as he looks up slightly toward the sky, touching his hand to his head as he projects a telepathic message into the crowd. His eyes glow blue.

MILO (psychic balloons): Attention all civilians in the immediate vicinity.
MILO: This is the Knights of Columbus.

PAGE TWENTY-TWO

1/ Long panel as a group of terrified civilians stop their rioting to listen to the message being beamed into their heads. They look confused but oddly comforted, the fear leaving their faces as they obey.

MILO (psychic balloons): I’m releasing the chemical into your brains that CALMS you in tense situations. Do not be alarmed; this is for your own safety.

MILO: I apologize for the INTRUSION, but it’s imperative that you leave this area IMMEDIATELY.

MILO: Please VACATE the premises in a CALM and ORDERLY fashion.

2/ Landon, in werewolf form, approaches Beth, who has now mostly reverted to human form, though her arms remain wolfed out. Beth looks excited, but Landon is confused. Beth is now in her underwear, the unfortunate side effect of transformation.

LANDON: What’s going on?

BETH: It’s working! Landon, look!
3/ Andrew runs a Zombie through with his retrieved machete, holding the undead cadaver up into the air as he turns to call out to Beth and Landon.

ANDREW: Beth, Landon!
ANDREW: Take cover, NOW!

4/ On Milo and David, as Milo drops his arms to his side, his eyes still glowing blue. David looks on, impressed.

MILO: Let’s go.

5/ The two of them run, Milo grabbing David’s hand, as they make their way toward the relative shelter of the large stone archway. In the BG, we see Rhiannon, glowing ever brighter as the energy gathers tighter around her. The street beneath her cracks, spiderwebbing outward with a sharp noise.

SOUND EFFECT: CCRRRACK!

6/ Now behind the support pillar of the archway, backs pressed against the wall for safety, Milo turns to David. David looks somewhere between terrified and thrilled.

MILO: Oh my god, Donovan’s still out there!

7/ Milo looks around the corner of the archway as Donovan runs over to him, no longer showing the orange eye glow of Ozymandias. Milo beckons to him.

MILO: Don, come on!

PAGE TWENTY-THREE

1/ Tall panel as Rhiannon lifts up off the ground, hovering slightly in the air. The energy balls in her hands have become solid glowing beacons, lighting up the entire panel as the lightning still crackles all around her. Her eyes glow brighter than ever before as she looks upward, her hair blowing around as though there were a fan right in front of her. The pavement beneath continues to be torn to pieces, heaving upward in shattered chunks of rock.

2/ Andrew runs, trying desperately to get to the archway.

3/ He leaps over a chunk of stone that has broken from the arch during the battles, jumping it like an Olympic gymnast. A werewolf snaps at him, only narrowly missing the opportunity to catch Andrew in its massive jaws.

4/ Andrew reaches the safety of the arch, on the opposite side from Milo, David and Donovan, and he meets Beth and Landon there, both in their underwear in human form. He takes a seat next to Landon. Beyond the arch, the world is glowing bright white with Rhiannon’s as yet unreleased energy, turning her into an off panel beacon, glowing like the sun.

ANDREW: Hey, Landon.

LANDON:…Hey, Andrew.

5/ Large panel as Rhiannon finally lets go. She hovers in the middle of the panel like an angel, her hair flying this way and that, as the energy releases itself in a shockwave around her, exploding outward with enough force to send the werewolves flying out the edges of the panel, tossed like dolls. The world goes white at the edges, lit by her explosive energy.

SOUND EFFECT: FOOM

6/ INSET PANEL as Rhiannon’s shockwave spreads outward, striking the edges of the archway and breaking off chunks of its stone façade, shattering the windows of the buildings around them, causing a nearby car to rock violently as its windows explode, setting off its car alarm.

SOUND EFFECT: EEE EEE EEE

PAGE TWENTY FOUR

1/ As the white glow fades, Andrew leans rigidly against the pillar of the stone archway, Landon and Beth embracing at his side. All three have kept their eyes closed tight, fearing the violent destruction taking place so close by.

NARR (MILO): Like I said, we're right back at that eternal DICHOTOMY.

2/ The white light having faded, Andrew peaks his head around the corner, carefully gripping the edge of the pillar. A large chunk of the stone tower has broken off, leaving a ragged edge around which Andrew can easily peer.

ANDREW: Okay…

NARR: It took a BIG BANG to bring the UNIVERSE to life.

3/ Long panel as we see Andrew’s view, the entire Arena District area a complete disaster. Andrew leans out further, surveying the destruction. Multiple werewolves lay about, crumpled in injured piles, reaching upward as they struggle to see through the pain. Decimated Zombie corpses are strewn everywhere, gathered in bloody groups. The stonework on all of the surrounding buildings is damaged, chunks of masonry collapsing all around, like an image of a war-torn third world country. In the midst of it all, Rhiannon lies in a heap, unmoving.

ANDREW: I THINK we’re in the CLEAR.

NARR: It takes SENSELESS WARS to give us our biggest TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS.

4/ On the other side of the archway, Milo and David sit side by side as Donovan leaps up to run to Rhiannon’s side. He disappears around the edge of the pillar as Milo and David compose themselves.

DON: RHIANNON!

5/ On Milo as he carefully addresses David, unsure of how to deal with these events.

NARR: It took a nice, bloody, CESAREAN SECTION to bring YOURS TRULY into the world.

MILO: Okay, so…
MILO: We both have a LOT of explaining to do. Who wants to go first?

6/ Long panel as David animatedly explains to Milo, gesturing in self-defense. Milo is duly intrigued, but recognizes the priorities at hand and doesn’t dwell. He gestures over his shoulder, toward the chaotic mess behind him in the square.

DAVID: Here’s the thing. I’m a WICCAN.
DAVID: But I didn’t USED to be able to DO any of this crazy stuff I can do NOW. It was just simple stuff, like anybody can do.
DAVID: Well, not ANYBODY, but –

MILO: Gotcha. What changed, and when?

DAVID: I found this book. The firepower you saw out there, it’s BORROWED MAGIC.

MILO: Book?

DAVID: Yeah, I can SHOW you. It’s –

MILO: Alright, hold your breath. Let’s deal with THIS first.

PAGE TWENTY-FIVE

1/ Long panel as Landon approaches, looking down at the panel as we see through Magda’s POV, looking up from her crumpled position on the ground. He looks disgusted and more than a little sad.

LANDON: Mom.

2/ Magda lays on her side in a broken heap, unable to move. She remains alert, her eyes still full of energy and darting around in frustrated defeat. She looks defiantly up at her estranged son, gritting her teeth uncomfortably.

MAGDA: Landon…

NARR: And today? Well...TODAY was a NIGHTMARE. But, like most NIGHTMARES, there's a BRIGHT SIDE.

3/ Landon kneels, looking at her as close to face-to-face as possible.

LANDON: What made you think this was the right way to HANDLE this?

4/ Magda finds the strength to shift her position, pulling herself up so that she lays on her stomach, paws out before her like a tired kitten. She looks away from her son, off into the distance, and resigns her face to the look of an embittered child, realizing her act of defiance has gained her nothing.

MAGDA: Ugh…
MAGDA: I think I have too many broken BONES to do much of ANYTHING besides sit here and HURT, if you don’t mind.

5/ Close on Landon, furious.

LANDON: You plotted to kill my WIFE, Mom. You tried to MURDER our FRIENDS, and take out a crowd full of INNOCENTS to do it.
LANDON: I am so far from done with you it’s not even FUNNY.

6/ Magda looks up at him with sadness, grasping the gravity of her failure.

MAGDA: I only did…
MAGDA: …what I thought I HAD to do. For whatever that’s worth.

7/ Landon sits down on the cracked pavement next to her, shifting uncomfortably in his boxers on the hard ground, as he rubs his head, looking at a loss for what to do next. She rolls her eyes at him in resigned irritation.

LANDON: Yeah. Well.
LANDON: I’m gonna come back to NEW YORK. Temporarily. But I’m not taking the position. I’m just overseeing whatever has to happen NOW.

MAGDA: Wonderful, Landon.
MAGDA: Now can you leave me alone to ACHE?

LANDON: Mom? Try something like this again?
LANDON: I’ll KILL you.

PAGE TWENTY-SIX

1/ Andrew stands in the midst of the collateral damage, hands on his hips, looking frustrated and confused, all too aware of the hell that will reign down for the situation that just took place. Beth approaches from behind, pulling on her overcoat, trying to approach him gently.

NARR: This was our most HIGH-PROFILE conflict TO DATE.

BETH: So…what do you think?

2/ Close on Andrew, turning to face her in disbelief.

ANDREW: What do I THINK?
ANDREW: I think this was a DISASTER.

3/ She joins him at his side, also surveying the damage they’ve wrought. She folds her arms uncomfortably in front of her, adjusting to the awkwardness of wearing nothing but the overcoat.

BETH: Yeah. I suppose so.
BETH: But hey, at least we took out the BAD GUYS and kept the civilian CASUALTIES to a minimum.

NARR: People SAW us. Helping people.

4/ Andrew turns to face her, beseeching her to realize the weight of their decaying situation. He looks not like someone who is upset about this one incident, but like someone who has seen the inevitable outcome of their entire operation, and he wants to make it clear to her that it will not end well.

ANDREW: Beth…this whole thing – this HERO shtick – it’s gonna blow up in our FACES. And SOONER, not LATER.
ANDREW: You REALIZE that, right?

5/ Close on Andrew, looking toward the ground and off into the distance as he mulls over his options in his head.

ANDREW: I have a meeting with Mark Shepard, the director of PARALLAX, tonight. He’s been experiencing some similar problems with HIS team.
ANDREW: We’ve been TALKING, and we’re not so sure there’s a neat resolution to the course this organization has PUT us on. Where this is GOING…it could get UGLY.

6/ They stand together, refusing to look at each other, as they shamefacedly take in their surroundings.

BETH: But…for now?

ANDREW: For now?

NARR: Maybe, just maybe...that's a START.

7/ Long panel as Donovan hunches on the ground, cradling Rhiannon in his arms. Her eyes remain closed, and her body remains limp, as he tries to reach her – fear in his eyes.

NARR: The BEGINNING of something NEW.

DON: Rhi?
DON: Rhi, come on, wake UP!

NARR: But you can't have something NEW without the END of things as we KNOW them, right?

PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN

1/ Long panel as we pull out to see the entire panorama, the decimated Arena District with Donovan and Rhiannon slumped in the middle, Beth and Andrew observing the mess, Milo and David approaching them from behind the pillar, and Landon getting up from his mother’s side, rejoining the group.

ANDREW: The only thing I know for SURE…

NARR: In the END, that's all it comes down to: ONE BIG CYCLE.

2/ On Andrew, his arms crossed and his face stern.

ANDREW: …is that we’re about to have a LOT to answer for.

3/ The group coalesces in one unit, minus Donovan and Rhiannon. All of them shake their heads, taking in the utterly destroyed appearance of the place, unable to believe that they were just in the thick of it. From off panel, Donovan calls to them.

NARR: Creation...

DON (off panel): You guys?
DON: It’s RHIANNON.

4/ Large panel as Donovan approaches, carrying the slumped figure of Rhiannon in his arms. She remains lifeless, her eyes closed and her arms hanging slack as he cradles her like a baby. His eyes betray his utter terror for her safety, as the group reels in shock at the sight of them. Smoke rises around them from the torn wreckage of the battle, and horrified tears stream down Donovan’s face.

DON: She’s in a COMA.

NARR: ...and DESTRUCTION.




NEXT: Ladies & Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space.