Knights of Columbus #19

Issue Nineteen: “Malicious Intent, part four: Reunion.”

PAGE ONE

“Previously” page.

PAGE TWO

1/ Long panel as we open on Donovan's car, cruising down the same stretch of highway that Rhiannon drove in MALICIOUS INTENT, PART ONE. It is now nighttime, and the half-moon hangs high in the sky, surrounded by a blanket of stars. The car zips past us, heading off into the distance toward the left of the panel. From inside, we hear voices.

CAPTION: En route to New Hope, Ohio.

MILO (off panel): My name is GERALD, my partner's name is…GEOFF…we live in…um, GUANTANAMO BAY…and we design GADGETS.
MILO: David, go.

2/ Long Panel, viewing inside the car as though the camera is placed on Donovan's car's hood. Donovan drives, looking vaguely irritated, Milo sits in the passenger seat, looking over in Donovan's direction while acknowledging David with the tilt of his eyes, and David sits in the back seat, leaning forward to involve himself in conversation with the two men in front. David looks thoughtful, trying to think for his round of their driving game.

DAVID: Okay, um…my name is HERBERT, my partner's name is HUMPHREY, we live in…HIROSHIMA? And we sell HOMO-EROTIC ART.

MILO: Ooh, good one.

DAVID: Thanks.

DON: You guys are ridiculous.

3/ David leans further toward the front of the car, gripping the headrest of Donovan's seat as he speaks to him encouragingly.

DAVID: Don, it's your turn.

4/ On Donovan, looking indignant and uncomfortable as he drives, not looking away from the road.

DON: I am NOT playing this stupid game.
DON: This is SERIOUS, guys. Rhiannon's in TROUBLE.

DON: Can NOT believe we're having this conversation.

PAGE THREE

1/ Milo turns to Donovan, whose hands on the steering wheel intrude into the panel as Milo speaks. He looks annoyed with Donovan.

MILO: Yes, Donovan, I agree. I'M worried, too.
MILO: However, my concern for Rhiannon notwithstanding, we still have a long-ass car ride ahead of us, and I intend to make the BEST of it.

2/ Donovan turns angrily toward Milo, clearly feeling that he's surrounded with children.

DON: I just don't think that it's appropriate to -

3/ Milo snaps at him, tossing his hands up in frustration and glowering at Donovan.

MILO: Oh, my God.
MILO: Will you just shut up and PLAY!?

4/ Donovan begrudgingly returns his gaze to the road ahead of him and contributes his round in the game, looking as though he hates every minute of it.

DON: ::sigh::
DON: My name is ISSAC, my girlfriend's name is ISABEL, we live in INDIANA and we're INVESTMENT BANKERS.

DON: Happy?

5/ Milo looks away, lighting a cigarette with his flame-wielding magic trick. He resists the urge to grin at Donovan's attitude, pretending to complete nonchalance.

MILO: Now, see?
MILO: Was that so hard?

6/ Without actually turning away from the road, Don addresses Milo via body language as David hovers overhead against the headrest. Donovan shrugs in resigned disbelief.

DON: How am I the BADGUY for thinking we should take this SERIOUSLY?

DAVID: Don't ask him questions like that.

PAGE FOUR

1/ Milo turns toward Donovan in full-on debate mode, raising his eyebrows and speaking as though his viewpoint is the most obvious thing in the world. He holds his cigarette toward the crack he's rolled down in the window.

MILO: BECAUSE, Donovan, though I fully agree that sometimes it's better to be SERIOUS?
MILO: YOU have a fixation with it.

2/ Donovan turns defiantly toward Milo, looking away from the road. He narrows his brow at this accusation, offended.

DON: A FIXATION? Come on.

3/ Milo tilts to his side, leaning seriously toward Donovan as he talks, his cigarette drifting away from the window and closer to his chest. He looks as though he's given this a lot of thought, and is relieved to be sharing it aloud.

MILO: I mean it!
MILO: In any given situation, you will mope and scowl your way through the WHOLE ordeal, disregarding for even a moment the possibility that not everything's an EPIC POEM.

MILO: David, am I right?

4/ David looks over at Milo from his perch behind Donovan's head, waving himself off as wanting nothing to do with the debate. Donovan, in front of him, looks beseechingly at Milo, trying to understand where Milo's coming from and clearly not finding the logic in it.

DAVID: I'm staying out of this.

DON: Rhiannon's in TROUBLE!
DON: How is that NOT serious and upsetting?

5/ Long panel as we see all three of them, head-on. David leans back against the back seat and resigns himself to being a bystander in their bickering, as Milo continues speaking slowly and deliberately to Donovan, as if Donovan were a child. Donovan starts getting angry, looking straight at the road but growing visibly indignant with Milo's down-talking and failure to see Donovan's point.

DAVID: Here we go.

MILO: It IS serious and upsetting.
MILO: But pouting about it the whole way THERE isn't going to make her any SAFER. It'll just make US stressed out and DISTRACTED.


DON: Either THAT, or JOKING about it the whole way there will make us DANGEROUSLY UNPREPARED!

PAGE FIVE

1/ Milo continues to look at Donovan, maintaining a cool composure as he attempts to get Donovan to see things his way.

MILO: No, man, it WON'T.
MILO: Look, it's called 'DIFFUSING THE SITUATION WITH HUMOR.'

MILO: If you run around all SERIOUS all the time, you're just gonna fry your NERVES and you won't be of any use to ANYBODY.

2/ On Donovan, looking begrudgingly at the road as Milo continues.

MILO: (off panel): You need to learn how to RELAX, Donovan.
MILO: Try not to take yourself so SERIOUSLY. It's bad for your HEALTH, mentally AND physically.

3/ Donovan turns to Milo, who looks at him in surprise at Don starts to smile, barely containing his laughter.

DON: Oh, Milo. You kill me.
DON: You're RIGHT, I guess…but you still kill me.

4/ On Milo, getting mad.

MILO: What?
MILO: What are you laughing at?

5/ Donovan no longer contains his amusement, a broad smile crossing his face as he tries to talk through inevitable laughter.

DON: I'm sorry, it's just -
DON: Milo the THERAPIST cracks me up.

DON: I'm not laughing AT you, I'm laughing WITH you.
DON: I promise.

6/ Over Donovan's shoulder, we see David behind him, raising his hand to point himself out as he laughs, leaning forward a bit from the back seat.

DAVID: I'm laughing AT him.
DAVID: You can laugh AT him WITH me, if you want.

DON: Ha!

7/ Milo angrily crosses his arms and stares straight forward out the window, as David leans up and grips the back of his seat, smiling.

MILO: I hate you guys.

DAVID: It's your turn, Milo.

PAGE SIX

1/ CUT TO a close up on Magda's hand, pointing a finger at the schematics that lay spread across a long, glowing white table. The schematics are a transparency, backlit by the brightly lit table, and they show a convoluted map of the abandoned sewer systems in which the Brotherhood and other creatures of the Underground propagate. Magda still wears her overcoat, and the sleeve hangs limply into the panel, stained with the dark of sewer water she acquired while fleeing Parallax in the labyrinthine tunnels.

CAPTION: New York City. The underground headquarters of the Vladic Brotherhood.

MAGDA: There.

2/ On Magda as she turns to one of her Brotherhood subordinates, looking determined. Her ancient eyes are weary with concern for her absent son. She is lit from beneath by the table, making her look all the more General-esque as she barks out orders.

MAGDA: That's where Shepard's men AMBUSHED us.
MAGDA: They haven't had LONG, so I say our SEARCH radius starts THERE.

MAGDA: Three teams of FIVE MEN EACH, and we work our way out from there.

3/ Long Panel as we pull back and see her standing before the table with two of her most trusted confidants, standing on either side of her. The one on the left - MAN 1 - looks at her in surprised confusion as the other listens politely, taking in her commands. She looks at MAN 2, aware of how closely he follows her word. Behind them, we can see that they stand on the main stage of the Brotherhood meeting chamber, and that Magda has fashioned it into an emergency War Room, with countless Brotherhood members running to and fro in the BG, preparing to send out well-prepared search parties.

MAGDA: If we take that many men, maybe MORE, we can fan out in all directions and cover the most ground in the LEAST time, hopefully without creating teams so small they can be PICKED off.
MAGDA: The longer we WAIT, the harder this GETS, so I say we move FAST.

MAN 1: I don't understand.
MAN 1: We've lost people before, and we don't DO this. Why all this for one man?

4/ Magda turns to MAN 1 furiously, her face a scolding glare that suggests he shut his mouth and do as she says or there will be serious consequences.

MAGDA: Because he's my SON, you witless MISCREANT.
MAGDA: What do I LOOK like to you?

LANDON (off panel): Mom?

5/ Landon leans against the edge of the stage archway facade, the curtains bunched up behind him. He was apparently undetected in the tumult as he returned, and he stands by his lonesome as he slumps against the edge of the stage, looking like he needs about two years of rest. He still appears as he did the last time we saw him, in tattered jeans and no shirt, covered in bruises and wounds, a new bandage placed over a dark, bloody spot on his side where Samson removed the bullets from his wound. He puts pressure on the bandage with one hand as he leans heavily against the wall.

LANDON: You can call off the TROOPS.

LANDON: Thanks, though.

PAGE SEVEN

1/ Magda races to Landon's side, startled and relieved to see him, but he waves her off, not wanting the unnecessary attention. He grimaces as he moves, wincing against the pain in his side.

MAGDA: Landon!

LANDON: No, look, I'm okay.
LANDON: I just…need a SHIRT.

2/ Landon turns to walk toward the other side of the stage, and Magda orients herself to follow alongside him. As they embark across the long wooden floor, a random Brotherhood member hands Landon a spare black T-Shirt, folded neatly. He grabs it as Magda looks questioningly at Landon, still shocked by his return.

MAGDA: How did you get AWAY from those people?
MAGDA: I was ready to send an ARMY after you.

LANDON: Ha. It's a LONG STORY, but it's not what matters right now.

3/ Long Panel as Landon finishes sliding the T-Shirt down over his head, pulling it past his stomach. He looks filled with a newfound mission, crossing the stage with a driven intensity as Magda follows alongside him, to the left. He questions her without looking away from his destination, and she looks at him curiously, continually surprised.

LANDON: The ARMORY.
LANDON: Is it still where I REMEMBER it being?

MAGDA: The armory? Yes, but may I inquire WHY?

4/ As they reach the stage door at the far end of the stage, Landon reaches for the knob, turning to face a confused-looking Magda with a look of barely contained venom on his bruised face.

LANDON: Because I have a SCORE to settle, Mom.

5/ They step through the stage door to a landing atop a long flight of concrete stairs. We see them from below, as though we stood at the foot of the stairwell. The stairs were once painted a burgundy red, but the paint has cracked and wilted in time, as we can see the off-white color that originally adorned the steps. Overhead, harsh yellow lights shine from inside rusted light cages, casting uncomfortable shadows in the stairwell.

LANDON: And I have to settle it QUICK.

PAGE EIGHT

1/ Long Panel as they descend the steps, reaching the bottom. Beyond the stairwell is a deep, militaristic looking room, adorned down the middle with a series of stainless steel tables cemented to the floor. Along both walls of the long room are a series of metal lockers, tall and ominous in their complete lack of age or degradation. They all have blinking red lights where a traditional lock would normally be. Landon leads as Magda races to keep up with his determined gait.

LANDON: Thadeus's raids are racking up a BODY COUNT, and it's being BLAMED on US.
LANDON: They've got SUPERHUMANS after us, now, and we need to make a nice big SPECTACLE of ourselves in the process of stopping THAD if we expect to call the POWERED types off.

LANDON: So I'm gonna go in shooting, and I'm gonna make sure it makes a LOT of noise when it happens.

2/ Magda turns to Landon as he stops at one of the lockers, trying to get him to calm down and think more rationally. She looks scoldingly at him, disliking his thought process.

MAGDA: Well, son, that's all fine and DANDY.
MAGDA: But you don't DO IT by going in SOLO like you're RAMBO or some other such NONSENSE. You take a team of WEREWOLVES with you and you tear the place APART.

3/ Landon looks inside the open locker, rooting around for the weapons he needs. He never stops in his busy gathering, not even to look at Magda as he speaks to her.

LANDON: I don't have TIME to organize a RAIDING PARTY.
LANDON: I need to get back to COLUMBUS.

4/ Finally, Landon pulls away from the locker and brandishes a high-tech, black-ops style shot gun for Magda to see, waving a bizarre looking bullet in the air with his free hand and looking at her questioningly. The bullet is a silver round, with a hollow glass chamber in the middle filled with some liquid, and a series of markings around the edge of the tip.

LANDON: There's BIG BAD going down with the KNIGHTS, and they don't even KNOW IT yet. I've gotta get there and pass the warning ALONG.

LANDON: These are the silver-tipped EXPLODING ROUNDS we were introducing when I LEFT?
LANDON: With the HOLY WATER payload?

5/ On Magda's hand as she holds one of the bullets out for Landon to inspect. Now that we can see it close up, the markings around the tip are a series of varying Holy symbols, etched into the silver carefully and precisely.

MAGDA (off panel): Better. They're version two-point-oh.
MAGDA: The carvings on the tip depict a CROSS, an ANKH, a STAR OF DAVID…you get the IDEA.

MAGDA: Vampires and HOLY SYMBOLS aren't good BEDFELLOWS.

PAGE NINE

1/ On Magda, looking at Landon seriously - almost pleading.

MAGDA: You're SURE you can do this ALONE?

2/ Landon locks eyes with her, holding the shotgun like a security blanket as he prepares for what his mother obviously views as a suicide mission. The gash on his temple where Mark struck him with the butt of his gun has mostly dried, and leaves a dark red chunk of congealed goo on his face.

LANDON: I'm not sure of ANYTHING, Mom.
LANDON: Never was, never will be.

3/ Close on Landon as he narrows his gaze on her, questioning her directly and expecting an honest answer in spite of her proclivity to dance around the truth.

LANDON: But I need to know one thing: these ARE Thad's raids we're getting BLAMED for, right?
LANDON: We haven't abandoned the old code?

4/ Magda stares back at him, not a hint of deception in her eyes.

MAGDA: I swear on your Father's GRAVE.

5/ Landon pulls back on the gun, popping a round into the chamber with a satisfying click. He looks over the edge of the gun at his mother, a renewed determination on his face as he steels his resolve.

SOUND EFFECT: CHUNK

LANDON: Alright, then.

6/ He turns and walks away from her, headed back toward the staircase on his mission to take down Thadeus. She looks after him as he goes, a mix of fear and newfound admiration on her face as she sees something of her late husband in him, heading off on a new crusade.

LANDON: I've got work to do.

PAGE TEN

1/ CUT TO a Long Panel of Rhiannon, Andrew, and Beth - all hanging helplessly from their restraints against the old abandoned pieces of machinery they are strapped to in Malice's main Altar Chamber. The room, for the moment, seems abandoned save for the prisoners, and the only light is from the source lights and candles that line the walls and floors. Beth turns to Rhiannon, obviously in the middle of a conversation they've already been engaged in.

CAPTION: New Hope, Ohio. Headquarters of Malice and his Cult.

BETH: So Detective SPACEY is DEAD?

2/ On Rhiannon, looking stressed and exhausted from her long hours of hanging from the machine, as she looks at Beth in confirmation.

RHI: Yeah. This MALICE guy we're dealing with, he impersonated Spacey's dead WIFE to pump him for information.
RHI: Ostensibly information about US, which, as you know, turns out to have been a waste of TIME once we started getting all the public ATTENTION.

3/ On Beth, looking irritated with the entire situation.

BETH: He said he went after Spacey because he wanted to get to US?

4/ Rhiannon continues as Andrew hangs not far away, watching her speak with interest and looking as though he's trying to connect the dots from the information he's getting.

RHI: That's what he SAID.
RHI: Apparently it was this WIFE of Spacey's that LED John to us in the FIRST place.

ANDREW: What's THAT about?
ANDREW: That seems like a whole other THING.

5/ On Rhi, looking as intrigued by that bit of info as Andrew does.

RHI: I know, right?
RHI: I thought that bit was interesting, TOO.

RHI: I don't know what to MAKE of it, and I'm not sure MALICE does, either.

PAGE ELEVEN

1/ On Andrew, looking frustrated as he addresses Rhiannon. He hangs limply, trying to be as comfortable as possible so he can think straight.

ANDREW: I'm trying to put all the information together into something COHERENT, but I'm not really having any LUCK.
ANDREW: It's like something's interfering with my THOUGHT process.

2/ Rhi looks over at him, acknowledging his frustration with an equally frustrated look, suggesting that she, too, long ago gave up on trying to use her abilities to any solid effect while under Malice's guard.

RHI: Don't bother.
RHI: It's like I said, there's a POWER DAMPENER thingamajig that Brother Mike's pumping out. Short circuits MENTAL ABILITIES.

RHI: I guess your INFO-FILTERING deal counts as a “psychic power,” as far as the spell's concerned.

3/ Andrew and Rhi hang there, consulting. Andrew still has a hint of hope on his face, while Rhi has clearly resigned them all to the desperate need for outside rescue.

ANDREW: Is Brother Michael doing it ALONE?
ANDREW: Or is the whole CULT involved?

RHI: I think he's got backup, but the rest of these guys are AMATEURS, so he's basically running a one man show for Malice's benefit.
RHI: That's how I got through a couple of times - by taking MIKE out of the equation.

4/ On Andrew, probing.

ANDREW: You said Malice impersonated Spacey's WIFE.
ANDREW: Is he a SHAPESHIFTER, or was it a GLAMOUR?

5/ Andrew and Rhi consult, Andrew thinking and Rhi dismissing.

RHI: It's possible that -

BETH (off panel): He's not a shapeshifter.
BETH: It's a GLAMOUR.

6/ Beth looks over at them, confident in her assessment but mostly just annoyed.

BETH: He doesn't SMELL like a shapeshifter.

PAGE TWELVE

1/ Rhi looks over at Beth, looking somewhat grossed out, but mostly ambivalent. Andrew looks at her with relief, as though he's been desperately waiting for someone else to say this for years.

RHI: That's gross.

ANDREW: THANK you.

2/ Beth looks back at them, offended and annoyed.

BETH: Oh, whatever.
BETH: It is NOT gross.

3/ Andrew looks over in her direction, pleased to have something different to focus on for just a moment. He raises his eyebrows as if to say “I told you so.”

ANDREW: No, I'm pretty sure it's GROSS, Beth.
ANDREW: I've always thought it was gross.

4/ Rhiannon nods, looking mock-seriously at Beth.

RHI: Totally gross.

5/ Beth looks away from them at a random spot on the wall in her irritation. She furrows her brow in indignant refusal.

BETH: That's RIDICULOUS.
BETH: Just because -

6/ Rhiannon suddenly looks off to the side, as if she heard something behind her and far off in the distance. She appears to be straining to hear it again.

RHI: Wait, shut up.

RHI: I can FEEL it.

7/ Close on Rhiannon as she turns back to her friends, suddenly white with anticipation.

RHI: They're coming for us.

PAGE THIRTEEN

1/ CUT TO a Long Panel as Landon makes his way through the dark sewer tunnels, holding a handgun out in front of him in anticipation of ambush. He walks slowly and deliberately, looking over the side of the gun as though he's trying to see around the next corner before he even gets there.

LANDON: Come on, Thad old buddy…
LANDON: Where ARE you?

2/ CUE FLASHBACK as the remaining panels for the next page and a half are all rounded, memory panels. Some time after Landon's initial turning of Beth, he stands in the doorway to his apartment, having just opened the door to a knock. He wears a black, long-sleeve TOOL T-Shirt, and his shorter hair is an unkempt mess, as though he were just getting ready for bed. He still wears a pair of old blue jeans. A toothbrush hangs from his mouth, with a hint of toothpaste foam leaking from the edges of his startled blank expression.

LANDON: Hullo?

3/ Standing in the hallway of his apartment building, dripping on the crimson hallway carpeting and looking miserable against the earth-tone wallpaper of the apartment building's shared spaces, is Beth, soaking wet from the rainstorm that must have been pouring down outside. She wears a cream colored v-neck t-shirt, with a light blue button-down dress shirt clinging hopelessly to her slumped shoulders. Her hair hangs limp over her shoulders as she stares at him in resignation, make-up running from her red, swollen eyes.

BETH: Can I come in?

4/ Landon opens the door to his apartment the rest of the way as she glides past him in a flustered hurry and makes herself at home. Landon's apartment is cleaner then the last time we saw it, and we see that when he cleans he has reasonably good decorating taste. The floors are hardwood, and his furniture is all matching tones of dark wood. Black-framed prints of faux-French coffee house posters adorn the walls and the lighting is dim source light, from multiple stylish Ikea lamps around the room. He has a small glass dinette table against one wall, with some fake flowers atop it and an image of the Eiffel Tower framed in black overhead. A small television on a classy stand sits next to a reasonably large DVD collection on an adjacent bookshelf. Landon watches Beth with interest as she storms past him.

LANDON: Yeah, I suppose you can.
LANDON: What's up?

BETH: Look…I need your HELP.

5/ Beth turns to him, fear and desperation in her eyes.

BETH: I'm terrified.

6/ Breaking the tension for a moment, she turns to her side, acknowledging the appearance of the apartment. Her face relaxes a little.

BETH: Your place looks nice, though.

PAGE FOURTEEN

1/ Landon looks at her in confusion and concern, holding the dripping toothbrush in his hand. He uses his free hand to pull up the sleeves on his shirt, allowing them to rest at mid-forearm length.

LANDON: Yeah, I clean up pretty well.
LANDON: Now, what's going on?

LANDON: You're terrified? Of what?

2/ Beth stands in the midst of the apartment, not touching anything in her tense fit, afraid to allow herself to get comfortable any more than necessary. She yells at him.

BETH: Of what?
BETH: Of WHAT!?

BETH: You turned me into a goddamned WEREWOLF!

3/ Landon raises his hands to fend her off and calm her down, holding them out in a “whoa” motion as the toothbrush waves in the air. His eyes go wide, surprised.

LANDON: Whoa, okay…I have neighbors, here, so let's try and take it DOWN a notch?
LANDON: CALM DOWN, and TALK to me.

4/ Beth looks at him pleadingly, distraught. She pulls her arms tight around her body. Landon, barely in the panel, is unsure of what to do, physically. He wants to hug her to calm her down, but is afraid to get too close to her at the moment - so he hovers.

BETH: I can't be around my FRIENDS - my FAMILY! - without wanting to EAT THEM, Landon.
BETH: I've been LOCKING MYSELF in the BASEMENT every time there's a FULL MOON! I can't LIVE like this!

LANDON: Okay, well, the FULL MOON thing won't be a PROBLEM.
LANDON: I can give you a DRUG that -

5/ On Landon, listening, as Beth - who peeks in the edge of the panel - rants at him.

BETH: You have a normal apartment, and normal CLOTHES, and that means that you don't just HIDE UNDERGROUND or something.
BETH: You have a LIFE.

BETH: I don't know who else to TURN to, or I wouldn't have COME here…
BETH: But you have to HELP me.

6/ On Beth, making an angry ultimatum.

BETH: You have to show me how to LIVE with this.

PAGE FIFTEEN

1/ We return to the present as Landon approaches a turning point in the long sewer tunnel, walking carefully and quietly beneath the winding network of pipes and valves tat hang overhead in the dank tunnel. From around the corner, we see a cascade of light coming from somewhere nearby, filling the end of the tunnel with its glow. Seeing Landon from behind, we see the shotgun he loaded when speaking with Magda, strapped to his back like a bandolier.

2/ We stand on the other side of the corner, the source of light to our backs, as Landon peeks around at us, leaning against the wall with his handgun held close to his chest and pointed upward, prepared to turn and fire around the edge if need be. He sees what's around the corner and looks on with grim acknowledgement of the fact that he's arrived at his destination, for better or worse.

LANDON: Bingo.

3/ Long Panel as Landon looks around the corner and we see what he sees: an abandoned old subway terminal, clearly left for dead at least thirty years prior, from the look of the original décor and withered paint scheme. In the middle of the terminal sits an abandoned Subway Car, its once shiny metallic hull now faded and scuffed and worn down to a dull gray as it sits idly on a forgotten stretch of track set six feet deep into the concrete floor. The archway of a derelict old tunnel for the railcar looms over one end of the room, the tracks fading off into oblivion, the upward-most edge of the tunnel lined with high-mounted sets of large candles, melting against the wall and downward in a glorious mass of dried wax. Presumably, a similar tunnel entrance sits at the opposite side of the room, out of sight from this angle. Several thick, concrete pillars reach from floor to ceiling down the length of the room, also covered in makeshift shelves lined with melting candles. The electric lighting inside the old railcar is somehow active, casting the only non-candle light in the room and serving as a gigantic, powerful nightlight to cast the room in the same glow it would have if the original overhead lighting still worked, but the rail car's large windows are covered over with rusted metal prison bars, making it look impenetrable. The concrete floors of the station have been covered in places with old decorative rugs, topped with ornate bookshelves and seating arrangements cobbled together from thrift stores, all organized around old decorative coffee and dinner tables. Some beaten down high school lockers have been reclaimed and line one wall, serving as a storage place for the personal belongings of Thad's defectors. A hundred feet away, sitting in the middle of the great reclaimed room, sits a group of Thad's Defectors themselves: two vampires, one werewolf in human form, all sitting around a coffee table and playing a board game.

4/ Landon turns back to the hallway and pulls back on his gun, preparing for his attack.

SOUND EFFECT: CLICK

5/ CLOSE ON Landon, holding up his weapon and contorting his face into a determined mask of angry self-confidence.

LANDON: Wish me luck, Mom.

PAGE SIXTEEN

1/ CUT TO a Long Panel as we find ourselves in the break room of Malice's headquarters, where Michael and a nameless Monk sit at a folding metal table in folding metal chairs, playing a game of Magic: The Gathering. The light comes from the old fluorescents mounted on the corkboard walls, the gaping hole in the wall hastily covered over with spare plywood.

MIKE: No, look, you're not…you're not LISTENING to me.
MIKE: He's TAPPED, and that means that you can't USE him until your next TURN.

2/ The monk looks across the table at Mike, protesting in frustration with their failure to agree on the actual rules of the game.

MONK: Right, NORMALLY.
MONK: But it says RIGHT HERE on the CARD that I can untap him if I spend THREE COLORLESS MANA.

3/ Mike sets his hand of cards down on the table, resigning himself to a lengthy explanation of the rules and breathing a visible sigh as he looks up at his opponent.

MIKE: OKAY, but not without SACRIFICING a Rampaging TROLL, which you don't -
MIKE: What the hell?

4/ Over Mike's shoulder as he looks up at a wall of monitors mounted across the room, with video feeds from the security cameras all over the building. They glow down at him ominously. On one of the monitors, we see three unexpected guests wandering into the same entrance Rhiannon used.

5/ Mike gets up from his seat, moving closer to the monitors. They reflect on his wide eyes as his face goes slack with recognition at the sight of the new interlopers.

MIKE: Oh, my God.

6/ He turns, shouting out to Malice, hoping that wherever Malice is, he can hear the shout. He is frightened, and he clearly has been made aware of who Milo and Donovan are and how powerful they can be.

MIKE: MALICE!!!

PAGE SEVENTEEN

1/ Malice stands in the doorway, having already anticipated that Michael would be shouting for him soon. He looks at Mike expectantly, but not quite sure of whether he should be worried or not. Mike turns to him in alarm.

MIKE: You've got to see this, sir.
MIKE: They're in the BUILDING.

2/ On the monitor as Mike points at it, drawing Malice's attention to the correct screen. On the video, we see Milo, Donovan and David, wandering through the building, looking about tensely. Milo leads.

MIKE: Woodyard, Thatcher, and an…UNKNOWN.
MIKE: He's walking closer to Milo, so I dunno - friend, boyfriend? Something.

3/ Long panel as Malice turns to walk out of the room, pulling the long red overcoat he loves so much off his shoulders and revealing the crimson button-down underneath. Mike follows behind, jumping into action alongside his newly alert leader. Mike looks worried but hopeful, while Malice looks ready for the next stage of his plan, taking everything very seriously.

MALICE: Get everyone ready.
MALICE: I want the weaker monks to form the first perimeter defense, armed and ready for anything. Third Tier monks form the second wave, and onward down the line, back through the building.
MALICE: I want the strongest monks HERE, guarding the prisoners in the CHAPEL - except for you. You stay with me, keep the DAMPNERS running.

MALICE: If I give the word, get the strongest monks OUT of there. We can't afford to LOSE them over something I can handle myself, my OWN way.

MIKE: Okay, but, uh…we're gonna be ALRIGHT, aren't we?

4/ On Michael, looking hopefully at Malice, trying to hide his sheepish concern.

MIKE: I mean, it's not exactly as though they could get any, uh, serious WEAPONRY in here, right?
MIKE: We have SPELLS against that sort of thing.

MALICE (off panel): Don't be an IDIOT, Michael.
MALICE: They don't NEED weapons.

5/ On Malice, turning to face Michael importantly, stressing the seriousness of the situation and leaving no room for doubt about how cutthroat they are about to have to be.

MALICE: Milo Woodyard IS a weapon.

PAGE EIGHTEEN

1/ CUT TO two of Malice's monks, seen in a CLOSE UP on their arms as they run to intercept Milo, Donovan, and David. They are armed with handguns, given their lack of magical expertise, and they sweat profusely as they race through the poorly lit building to their terrifying encounter.

2/ They stop at their destination and MONK 1 turns to MONK 2, fear in his eyes.

MONK 1: Man, I am scared out of my frigging PANTS right now.

MONK 2: Don't worry. Just do what Malice said and TAKE THEM OUT. Don't kill them, just go for the LEGS.
MONK 2: As long as Mike's spells hold up, they shouldn't even have any of their ABILITES.

3/ Suddenly a light falls over them and we can see that they stand at the foot of the concrete flight of steps that Rhiannon descended when she passed through the metal sliding doors and entered into the second deepest portion of the building, beyond the main warehouse floor. They take their stances, holding their guns at the ready as the doors slide open and bathe them in moonlight.

4/ Long, large panel as we see through the Monks' eyes. Standing in the open double doorway, backlit by the moon and stars through the big windows in the main room, are Donovan, Milo and David (left to right, with Milo standing a little further forward). Despite the Monks' belief in Mike's power dampener, they clearly have use of their powers. David's hands emit the green smoke of his borrowed magic, Donovan's hands are clenched in the barely restrained fury of his tenuous control over Ozymandias - his eyes glowing orange - and Milo holds his hands at chest height, one upturned, palm facing downward, the other tossing a small round globule of burning flame laterally across his chest, preparing to catch it on the back of his other hand.

5/ Long panel, smaller as we see Milo up close, smiling though the dark lenses of his glasses, still backlit by the moon. He catches the small orb of fire on the knuckles of his upheld right hand, and we see that it's not an orb at all but a disk, like a coin. He lets it rotate across his knuckles like a magician doing a coin trick, holding his other hand open in the air as he grins a challenging grin at the monks. The disk of fire emits a burning trail of orange flame, floating past Milo's face.

MILO: Evening, fellas.

6/ With a subtle flick of his wrist, Milo upturns his hand and extends his palm toward us, sending the disk of fire flying toward the reader - and consequently, the monks. A trail of flame follows the disk as it flies away from him, and Milo's face turns serious, an action-oriented grimace replacing his taunting smile.

MILO: Heads or tails?

7/ Pull back a ways, and we see the monks looking upward in surprise, their guns still held at the ready, as the disk of fire floats across the room and descends to the floor between them, seemingly a missed shot.

8/ Monks' POV as they look down at the ground, the glowing disk resting on the floor between their two pairs of booted feet. As the fire oozing from the disk seems to fade to smoke, we see that Milo has crafted this particular light show fairly well, and the orange disk of flame is shaped with a small image: a single hand, holding its middle finger up at the monks in a taunting gesture.

PAGE NINETEEN

1/ Long Panel as the monks are sent flying backward by the large explosion of Milo's time-delay disk-bomb. They fly like rag dolls, arms and legs extended outward in front of them as they scatter.

SOUND EFFECT: KA-BOOM!

2/ LOW ANGLE as David leaps on one of the Monks, the Monk's clothing tattered and shredded and his skin scuffed and somewhat burned by Milo's controlled explosion. David plants his foot on the Monk's aching chest, grabbing the gun out of the Monk's grip with one hand and waving a plume of green magical energy dangerously close to the Monk's face with the other.

3/ As the fight goes on in the BG, Milo slides open the next, deeper metal door and looks further in the building, holding his right hand behind him, prepared to strike as it glows hot with a ball of hand-consuming fire and a wispy trail of flame flowing outward as he moves.

SOUND EFFECT (door): SCHUNK

4/ MONK'S POV as Donovan pounces on the other Monk, reaching out to grip the man by the throat as his helpless hands wave upward into the panel. Donovan's eyes burn orange with fire that leaks outward along the sides of his face, his free hand pulled back in preparation for a devastating punch.

5/ The Monk looks up at Donovan in terror, trying to fend off the punch with one hand while struggling to free his neck with the other. He cries out, confused and frightened.

MONK: How do your powers even WORK in here?!

PAGE TWENTY

1/ CUT TO the Altar Room, where Rhiannon, Andrew and Beth look on in confusion as a frustrated Malice tosses Brother Michael's unconscious body to the floor. Mike falls in a useless heap, blood running from his nose as his eyes roll back in his head. Malice throws him unceremoniously, like a child tossing a toy that offended him by breaking.

MALICE: Everybody OUT!
MALICE: It's just ME and the PRISONERS!

SOUND EFFECT (Mike): THUMP

2/ Rhiannon looks down at Mike's body in surprise, actually a little concerned for the man and his fate.

RHI: Holy crap!
RHI: What happened to Mike?

3/ On Malice, glowering over at her in impatient intensity.

MALICE: Your people. Took him out with some SPELL from a DISTANCE.
MALICE: Looks like our little REUNION won't go exactly as I'd PLANNED.

4/ Beth turns to Rhiannon, reassuringly.

BETH: He's not DEAD, Rhi.
BETH: People…SMELL different when they're dead.

5/ Malice looks at Beth with disgust as he walks past her, walking toward Rhiannon.

MALICE: That's GROSS.

6/ Andrew looks over at Rhiannon hopefully, who is out of the panel, as Malice walks by him. Malice casts him a cursory glance, looking at Andrew like he's the dumbest person Malice ever met.

ANDREW: Rhi, can you use your POWERS now?

MALICE: No, she CAN'T.
MALICE: I may have too much on my plate to block out the whole BUILDING, but I can certainly keep the CONDUIT from causing any trouble without much EFFORT.
MALICE: Michael was a CONVIENIENCE, not a LINCHPIN.

7/ Malice approaches Rhiannon, pressing against her the way a man grinds against a new lover against the wall of a dance floor, one arm pressed to the machinery near her waist, the other pressed to the machine by her head, and he whispers fiercely directly into her ear as his body presses uncomfortably close to hers.

MALICE: Face it, Rhiannon.
MALICE: I know your MIND now. Your powers come back when I SAY they do.

MALICE: For NOW, you're a powerless little girl, a guy who THINKS too much, and a WEREWOLF who can't GET IT UP.

PAGE TWENTY-ONE

1/ CUT BACK to Landon, as we see a view as though we stand underneath the rail car itself, with the subway train over our head and the wall surrounding the tracks before us. Over the edge of the wall, in the distance, we can see the group of distracted Defectors playing their board game, as Landon's feet shuffle by, closer to us, as he sneaks past them undetected.

2/ Landon jumps over the wall in a fluid leap, finding concealment underneath the train.

3/ Down inside the track depression, Landon removes the shotgun from his back and holds it by his side as he grips his handgun at the ready, a silencer now placed on the barrel. He takes a moment to compose himself as he glances upward in the direction of his currently unseen targets.

LANDON (small, whisper): Alright, assholes.

4/ Landon pops up, over the edge of the wall, and trains his gun on its target. He pulls the trigger, and we see a muzzle flash as the bullet streaks across the panel and off toward the Defectors in a rapid bright line.

LANDON: Duck and cover.

SOUND EFFECT: THUP

5/ Long panel as we find ourselves in the midst of the Defectors, all looking on in shock and horror as the Vampire on the right's shoulder explodes in an eruption of gore, his arm devastated by the path of the bullet. The two remaining men are immediately alert, their game forgotten as the injured Vampire topples backward out of the panel.

SOUND EFFECT: ZZZIIP!

SOUND EFFECT: SCHRAPP

PAGE TWENTY-TWO

1/ The Vampire and Werewolf, having recovered from the shock, turn in the direction of the gunfire, furious at the sudden loss of their friend. The leap up from their seats, ready to strike back against whomever fired the shot.

WEREWOLF: The HELL?!

2/ Back in the track depression, Landon drops down, the handgun now discarded before him as he cocks the shotgun and prepares to leave his relative safety behind.

SOUND EFFECT: CHUNK

3/ He jumps up, propping himself on one hand as he swings his legs out into the open and the rest of him follows, the shotgun gripped in his free hand. No longer hiding under the tracks, he is a moving target in the midst of the abandoned old subway station.

4/ Landing on the ground in one graceful motion, he spins on a dime, his body low to the ground and his leg outstretched, as he turns and fires into the upper left chest of the approaching Werewolf, cutting his attacker down before the werewolf had a chance to land a single blow. The werewolf's upper chest erupts in violence.

SOUND EFFECT: BLAM!

5/ Landon, now completely on his feet, swings himself around, clocking an attacking Vampire in the head with the butt of the shotgun, toppling the Vampire with a satisfying crack, causing a spurt of blood to fly upward, and out of the panel.

SOUND EFFECT: CRACK

6/ Landon looks down at the toppled Vampire's body, out of panel, and fires a single shotgun round into it. Blood flies up into the panel, dusting Landon.

LANDON: Stay down.

SOUND EFFECT: BLAM!

PAGE TWENTY-THREE

1/ Long Panel as Landon, having dispatched the first round of three Defectors, storms deeper into the hideout, waltzing determinedly alongside the fortified old train as he cocks his shotgun once again, a look of stern retribution on his face. In the BG, we can see the end of the tunnel that was obscured to us before, and it looks much the same - highlighted by a melting mass of giant candles.

SOUND EFFECT: CHUNK

2/ Suddenly, a vampire comes running furiously at Landon, swinging fists and basically running a suicide mission in an attempt to stop the intruder. Landon poises himself for balance, preparing for contact.

3/ Fluidly, Landon swings the butt of his shotgun upward, into the Vampire's stomach. The Vampire doubles over, reeling from the shock.

SOUND EFFECT: THUMP

4/ In the same motion, Landon rotates and brings the butt of the gun down vertically on the reeling Vampire's head, sending a gush of blood flying from the point of impact. He grimaces at the gore, unaccustomed to such violence in recent memory.

SOUND EFFECT: CRACK

5/ Landon spins, bringing his gun up to point directly in the face of an unseen attacker - an attacker who stands calmly behind him, and who does not flinch when the gun is brought to bare on his face.

LANDON: Thadeus.

6/ On Thadeus, having snuck up behind Landon. Thadeus looks directly into the barrel of the gun, unafraid as he addresses his old friend. He smiles sardonically, already certain of his fate.

THAD: Go ahead.
THAD: Do it.

PAGE TWENTY-FOUR

1/ The barrel points head on at Thad's vulnerable face, and Thad smiles as he hears the tell-tale click of an empty chamber. Behind him, blood coats the side of the old Subway Railcar, evidence of Landon's rampage-about-to-backfire.

SOUND EFFECT: CLICK

2/ Close on Thadeus, grinning in a way that barely conceals a boiling anger.

THAD: Great.

3/ Before Landon can react, Thad reaches out at lightning speed and grips the end of the shotgun, wresting it from Landon's grip. Landon reaches out in protest, but Thad was too fast for him and there's nothing he can do.

4/ Suddenly, Thad gives a violent kick to Landon's stomach, sending Landon toppling backward into an open door on the fortified Subway Car. Landon scrambles for balance, but he's been caught off guard. Thad looks deeply satisfied at this moment.

THAD: Good planning never WAS your STRONG SUIT.

5/ A random werewolf member of the Defectors pushes the sliding Railcar door shut, grinding along its inset door tracks to slam shut behind Landon, trapping him inside behind the barred windows.

SOUND EFFECT: SCHUNK

6/ Landon races forward, gripping the bars and shouting furiously out to Thadeus, who stands by watching with what appears to be a total lack of surprise or interest.

LANDON: THADEUS!
LANDON: You son of a BITCH!

LANDON: I'll KILL YOU!

7/ Thad looks at Landon through the bars, grinning.

THAD: Make yourself at HOME, Landon.
THAD: You'll be staying a while.

PAGE TWENTY-FIVE

1/ CUT BACK in Long Panel to Malice's headquarters, where we find the prisoners left seemingly unattended. Rhiannon and Andrew are closest to the panel, looking up in surprise as Donovan, Milo and David arrive, running into the room and looking sweaty and adrenaline-pumped from the series of battles they had to fight to get this far.

MILO: Oh, thank god.
MILO: You're OKAY.

RHI: Donovan!

DON: Rhiannon!

2/ Milo runs to Beth, setting to work on the rope that binds her to the machinery. She looks at him forbiddingly as he speaks, trying to get his attention. Behind them, Donovan arrives at Rhiannon's side and they kiss, looking as though they haven't seen each other in years.

MILO: Give me TEN SECONDS and I'll have you OUT of here.

BETH: Milo.

3/ Milo looks down from the knot in frustration as Beth shouts at him, glancing over his shoulder to indicate that there is someone behind him. He looks at her questioningly.

MILO: I've just gotta figure out these KNOTS so I can -

BETH: MILO!

MILO: What!?

4/ Milo turns to see Malice standing behind him, his hands held together in one silent clap as he looks Milo up and down. He still wears his casual outfit, with the red dress shirt and black pants. He smiles.

MALICE: I considered, briefly, the possibility of doing the dramatic “SLOW CLAP,” to mark my entrance…
MALICE:…but that would've been a little over the TOP, I think.

5/ Milo stops dead and stares at Malice distrustfully, sensing something wrong. Behind him, the rest of the group freezes, watching the exchange with bated breath.

MILO: Do I…do I KNOW you?

6/ Malice walks a little closer, looking at Milo with a cocky grin, as though he already owns Milo and is posed no threat by Milo's presence.

MALICE: Oh, you do, Milo.
MALICE: But a lot's happened between then and NOW, and I'm not one to dwell on the PAST. I must say, though, that I've been a fan of yours for quite some TIME.

MALICE: All of you, actually. But especially YOU, Milo.
MALICE: You're running with a PACK, these days - and yet you remain undiminished.

7/ Milo steps closer, looking like he's on the verge of some realization that we can't understand. Behind him, Andrew looks from Milo to Malice, absorbing the situation with interest.

MILO: HOW do I know you?

PAGE TWENTY-SIX

1/ Milo and Donovan look tensely at Malice, with Rhiannon hanging helplessly between them, all three transfixed. Malice creeps into the panel, indicating the three of them with a sweep of his hand.

MALICE: And WHAT. A pack. It IS. I could write VOLUMES.
MALICE: The new Millennium's very own HOLY TRINITY, standing right before me. The MASTER, the INITIATE, and the DIVINE FEMININE.

MALICE: A KODAK MOMENT, if I've ever seen one.

2/ Malice turns to Beth, who looks at him with as much venom as she can muster.

MALICE: And in the MIDDLE of that ISOSCELES TRIANGLE?
MALICE: Who do we have but our very own symbol of the hermaphroditic DIVINE?

MALICE: BETH, with your NO-NONSENSE attitude and your FEMINIST GUSTO - but inside you is a DIFFERENT story. The ability to transform at WILL into a hulking BEAST of unmitigated VIOLENCE and RAGE: the very SYMBOL of Martian Masculinity.

3/ Malice turns to Andrew, who tries not to show fear, but studies Malice intensely, probing him for accidentally leaked information.

MALICE: And ANDREW.
MALICE: The ALPHA MALE who just can't keep his privates…well, PRIVATE.

MALICE: But that's not where your STRENGTHS lie, is it? No, sir…you are a THINKER. Hording and gathering information with your heightened sense of REASONING…
MALICE: All lunar, FEMININE traits, at the core.

4/ Malice turns away, looking idly at his hands, almost distant. He seems to be absorbed in the moment, wrapped up in some bizarre notion of destiny and synchronicity. He is not particularly concerned with the possibility that turning his back to the team could get him hurt - he knows they won't hurt him at all.

MALICE: And the two of you DANCE your silly, unsatisfying DANCE -
MALICE: - or is it, in fact, intensely satisfying? -
MALICE: -never able to CONSUMMATE that confused, irrational love…

MALICE: And you do it ALL in the presence of your own immaculately conceived LOVE CHILD; namely, that pesky little TRINITY we just discussed.
MALICE: What an adorable family you ARE.

5/ He turns, glaring at Milo demandingly.

MALICE: Milo.
MALICE: Come to ME now.

6/ Milo walks into Malice's arms, cradled by the villain like a spurned lover returning to the fold. Malice caresses Milo's cheek with the back of his hand, pressing his own cheek against the top of Milo's down-turned head. He looks off into the distance dramatically as Milo stares into Malice's chest.

MALICE: I've been waiting for you a long, long time.

7/ Rhiannon looks on, disbelief in her eyes. Her jaw hangs slack as Andrew hangs nearby and Donovan looks on at her side.

RHI: Seriously?

8/ Closer on Rhiannon, switching to anger as she pulls against her restraints, shouting furiously at everyone and no one.

RHI: SERIOUSLY!?

PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN

1/ FULL PAGE SPLASH, finally featuring the issue's TITLE, CREDITS and INDICIA as Milo tilts his head back in ecstasy, Malice kissing his exposed neck with unrequited passion, holding Milo close to him tightly like a jealous lover.

NEXT: The Tesseract!

Knights of Columbus #18

Issue Eighteen: “Malicious Intent, part three: The Trap.”

PAGE ONE

“Previously” page.

PAGE TWO

1/ The morning sun shines through slatted window blinds in the small hotel room as we find Beth, lying wrapped in the hotel bed’s flimsy blankets. Her hair cascades down over her face as she slowly wakes, opening her eyes as she rests her head on her outstretched arm. Beside her on the nightstand, an alarm clock screams.

CAPTION: New Hope, Ohio.

SOUND EFFECT: EEEET EEEET EEEET

2/ Beth sits up in bed, looking around with disorientation as she rubs the sleep from her eyes. She wears a plain white T-Shirt, overlarge, suggesting that it probably belongs to Landon. She reaches over with her free hand and turns off the alarm.

3/ She stretches as she sits up further in bed, acclimating herself to the new day. Her mouth open wide in a oxygen-heavy yawn, her arms reach to the sky on her right and left, her muscles opening to let in a new day and new air.

BETH: Yaawwwwwnnn.

4/ She looks around in the semi-darkness, realizing she’s alone as the rows of light from the window blinds fall horizontally across her face. She calls out to Andrew, confused.

BETH: Andrew?

5/ Beth’s POV as we see Andrew’s bed, already made up and tucked tight as his bag and jacket lay forgotten at its bedside. On the nightstand adjacent, Andrew’s phone blinks brightly, his alarm going off even though the phone is on silent. Andrew is nowhere to be found.

PAGE THREE

1/ Outside, in front of the hotel, Andrew hovers over the open hood of Beth’s car, pouring a quart of oil into the open oil tank. He has clearly already showered and prepared for the day, a maroon button-down with a gray undershirt and dark blue jeans already adorning him neatly as he waits for his companion, hunched over the engine with a focused, in-the-zone look on his face. The morning sun shines overhead, illuminating most of him despite the shadow from the car’s hood.

SOUND EFFECT: Glug Glug Glug.

2/ Beth leans against the hotel room doorway, in her white shirt and pajama bottoms, looking warmly but a bit awkwardly out at her friend as he tends to her vehicle. He is hunched over, close to us, and he doesn’t notice her at first.

BETH: And good morning to YOU, too.

3/ Andrew turns, looking up from the oil change and slamming the hood of Beth’s car. The hood catches the sunlight as it shuts, and Andrew leaves his hand resting on the warm metal as he turns to greet Beth. He is clearly still bothered by the previous night’s events, and is trying to dodge the topic before it ever comes up.

ANDREW: Oh, hey.
ANDREW: I refilled to OIL in your CAR. It was running low.

SOUND EFFECT: SLAM

ANDREW: You ready to go?

4/ On Beth, her smile turning slightly serious as she veers the conversation into the realm of the uncomfortable.

BETH: Well, thank you, Mr. Maintenance Man.
BETH: You know…we should probably discuss last NIGHT, here. I think –

5/ Andrew looks at her, seriously. He’s being as polite as possible while also stressing that his word on this is final. He looks her straight in the eyes.

ANDREW: Actually, Beth?
ANDREW: No, we shouldn’t.

6/ Beth looks straight at him, contemplative. She says nothing.

BETH: …

7/ Beth turns to head back into the relative darkness of the hotel room, looking a little hurt but otherwise relieved. She brushes her hair behind her ear, trying to look casual.

BETH: I’ll be ready in ten minutes.

PAGE FOUR

1/ CUT TO Rhiannon, hanging limply by her arms from the same forgotten piece of machinery, a look of indignant irritation and arrogance on her face, the blood-caked wound on her temple still dark and congealed. Her brow is furrowed in a straight line as she balks, deadpan.

CAPTION: Outside New Hope. Malice’s Base of Operations.

RHI: You’re kidding me with this, right?

2/ Brother Michael looks at her a little pleadingly as he waves a spoon covered in something pink at her face. He wears a less bulky version of his usual Red Robes – a more casual, non-ceremonial look of lighter, more comfortable cotton, with a loose hood that hangs down his back. He is trying his best to look friendly as he waves the spoon, holding a clear plastic cup of fruit and yogurt parfait in his other hand.

MIKE: Look, I just…
MIKE: I KNOW it’s degrading, alright?

MIKE: But you can’t NOT EAT, and I can’t LET YOU OUT, so can you maybe try to work with me, here?

3/ Rhiannon pulls back a bit, raising a distrustful eyebrow at the spoon that Brother Michael is waving in her face, relenting but doing so unhappily. Michael looks relieved as he continues to extend the spoon.

RHI: God, FINE. OKAY.
RHI: But I swear to God, this rates in the TOP FIVE most humiliating things I’ve ever done.
RHI: And I’ve dated FETISHISTS.

MIKE: Thank you.

4/ Silent panel as Rhiannon allows Mike to feed her, taking the yogurt from the spoon in her mouth and looking a little surprised as she enjoys it.

5/ Long Panel as Rhiannon looks at Mike, curious and pleasantly surprised. He raises his eyebrows in agreement, gesturing at her with the container of fruit parfait. For a moment, they seem genuinely friendly with each other.

RHI: What IS that?

MIKE: It’s a…it’s a McYOGURT, actually. With Granola?

RHI: That’s kinda not bad.

MIKE: I know, right?
MIKE: I mean, who’d’ve thought?

PAGE FIVE

1/ Malice enters the main chamber from somewhere off to the side, in an unseen personal office of some sort. He is still dressed in his casual outfit from the previous issues, though it’s clearly a different ensemble of the same colors. He wouldn’t wear the same clothes two days in a row, just the same colors. He looks at the two of them with something like cautious disgust and disbelief, his eyebrows arched, though there’s enough good humor in his demeanor that he’s probably joking.

MALICE: Tell me my people are not regularly debating the merits of FAST FOOD PARFAIT with the prisoner.
MALICE: Please.

2/ Rhiannon, hanging from her restraints, smiles warmly to greet Malice, as though they’re old friends. In reality, she’s just being a smart-ass. Michael turns and smiles faintly at his leader, with a bit of startled fear in his demeanor.

RHI: Hey, Malice.

MIKE: Oh, hey, Malice, uh, sir. I was just…
MIKE: Making small talk, I guess.

3/ On Rhiannon as she jabbers warmly with Michael, looking curious without looking rude. She’s clearly taken a new tack of constantly looking unimpressed or even pleased with her environment, trying to get under Malice’s skin.

RHI: Hey, Dudeman. Uh, Brother MIKE, or whatever.
RHI: Howcome he doesn’t use the phony STAR WARS diplomat voice when he’s got you alone? You special?

4/ Mike turns back to Rhiannon, smiling and gesturing to himself with his thumb, a little proud. Beyond him, Malice looks irritated with the exchange, glaring distrustfully at Rhiannon.

MIKE: Oh, that’s because I’m the RED MONK. It’s kind of like an, um…EXECUTIVE OFFICER, sort of?
MIKE: I run the show whenever Malice isn’t around.

5/ On Rhiannon, probing inquisitively as the two men look on, assessing her. They are probably a little closer to her than they should be, putting themselves at risk.

RHI: Do you do SPELLS and stuff, too?
RHI: Like the POWER DAMPENER spell, and all that?

MIKE: You bet.

6/ Suddenly, Rhiannon lifts her unrestrained leg and kicks Michael square in the balls, grimacing with the force of her own kick. Michael doubles over in pain instantly, and Rhiannon uses the brief window of time lapsed in the power dampener spell to lash out at Malice, a flash of pink light shooting from Rhiannon’s forehead. A similar flash appears on Malice’s head, and he recoils in surprise and pain, grabbing his head as he reels from Rhi’s probing attack.

RHI: Good.

MIKE: AGHH!

MALICE: Yaghhh!

PAGE SIX

1/ CUT TO another place and time, as we cue Malice’s flashbacks that Rhiannon is extracting from his head. The panels on this page are all curved, hazy panels, indicating flashback. A frightened, upset looking woman looks down at someone off-panel, disbelief in her eyes.

WOMAN: What are you SAYING, T.J.?

2/ A small boy – Malice at a very young age – looks up at her, his face a mask of important seriousness. He’s no older than nine, but his face looks like it could carry the worry of a 52 year old.

MALICE: It’s like I SAID, Mom.
MALICE: Dad was with another LADY. He was…DOING things to her.

MALICE: Bad things.

3/ Little Malice peeks around a hallway corner in an old, shabby home. Clearly, they did not have much money. Beyond the corner’s edge, we see a messy wood shop, filled with band saws and lumber and pegged walls for an arsenal of tools. In the midst of the wood shop, lit in an overhead light that gives an eerie yellow glow, we see Malice’s parents, hashing it out. His mother’s hands are out in protest, and his father stares angrily at her.

MOTHER: How COULD you!?
MOTHER: After everything we’ve BEEN through the past few years! How could you DO that to me?

MOTHER: TO US!?

4/ Malice’s father grabs his mother by the neck, pressing her against a corkboard wall. Various tools hang around her head, and she stares up at her husband in terror as he pulls back his fist, preparing to pound her face in.

FATHER: You think you can just WALK INTO MY WORKSHOP and ACCUSE ME of this CRAP?!
FATHER: Think you can come in here and throw this at me while I’m WORKING?!

5/ On Malice’s father as his fist comes down, striking his Mother’s off-panel face as her arms wave in useless self-defense. Beyond them, we see Malice peeking around the corner, watching. As the father strikes his wife, small flecks of blood fly up into the panel.

MOTHER: Tom, NO!

SOUND EFFECT: THUD CRUNCH

6/ Behind the wall, turning away from the nightmare he deliberately incited, is young Malice, looking into space and grinning wickedly as he marvels at how successful his plan was. Beyond, in the BG, we can see the shadow of his parent’s violence caught in the swinging overhead light bulb, silhouetted against the wall in a terrible pantomime.

PAGE SEVEN

1/ Back in the present, Malice recovers, glaring furiously at Rhiannon as he turns his head slowly upward, his eyes seething with barely contained hatred and rage.

MALICE: Nice.
MALICE: Not often somebody gets a peek inside my HEAD.

2/ He grabs Rhiannon by the mouth, cupping his hand tightly over her face just below the nose, and presses her head hard against the machinery behind her. He pulls his fist back to strike, a disturbing mirror image of his father.

RHI: Mff!

3/ On Rhiannon as Malice punches her across the face, a bit of blood flying from her newly broken skin as she turns away in shock and pain.

SOUND EFFECT: THOK

4/ Malice pulls back, staring furiously at her as he holds his punching hand aloft, Rhiannon’s blood dripping from his cracked knuckles. His hair dangles wildly in front of his face.

MALICE: Do it again, Bitch? I’ll break your LEGS.
MALICE: As is, they’re about to be TIED DOWN like the rest of you.

5/ Malice turns away from Rhiannon and walks toward the altar, as Brother Michael still lies on the ground, holding his wounded manhood and staring up at Rhiannon in painful resentment. Malice looks down at him as he passes, disgust marking his features as he addresses his second in command.

MIKE: JEEZ, Lady!
MIKE: I was TRYING to be NICE to you!

MALICE: Brother Michael?
MALICE: When you’re done CLUTCHING your BALLS? Do your damn JOB.

6/ Rhiannon lunges against her restraints, lashing out in Malice’s direction as she screams in combined anger and fear. Spittle flies from her mouth as the new blood runs down her wounded lip.

RHI: GOD!
RHI: You are SUCH a DICK!

PAGE EIGHT

1/ CUT TO a Long Panel as we find Milo and David, sitting in Milo’s apartment and playing Xbox games. David is engrossed in the game, while Milo temporarily sits aside his controller to take a long drag from a fat joint. It is now late afternoon, and the apartment is growing dark in the fading light from outside. Most of the light comes from the television – a surreal, blue light. There is a knock at the door.

SOUND EFFECT: Knock Knock

2/ Outside the door as Milo opens it and looks out, curious in the fluorescent glow of the hallway’s nighttime lighting.

MILO: Hello?

3/ Standing in the hallway, looking importantly at Milo, is Donovan – his face a fit of stress and worry. He stands awkwardly, knowing that there is some unexplained tension between he and Milo but deciding this is too important to care.

DON: We need to talk.

4/ Milo looks at him with narrowed eyes, his displeasure at seeing Donovan clear and unrestrained. He leans against the doorway, keeping Donovan in suspense as to whether or not Milo will invite him in.

MILO: Is this about Rhiannon?

5/ Donovan looks at Milo pleadingly, silently begging him to put aside whatever’s going on between the two of them and cooperate with the current situation. He never breaks eye contact.
DON: Yes.

6/ Milo turns, heading into the apartment, but he swings the door the rest of the way open, inviting Donovan in. He looks back over his shoulder to extend the invitation, formal but not pleasant.

MILO: …come on in.

PAGE NINE

1/ CUT TO A FULL PAGE SPLASH, with the issue’s TITLE, CREDITS, and INDICIA. We find Landon, tied to a chair in an underground chamber somewhere in New York, as two men – only their legs and arms in the panel as they study their captive – look on, one of them brandishing a handgun at his side. The walls are wet, moldy stone, but clearly manmade, as though this was once some sort of maintenance control room for the local sewer system. The overhead lights are harsh yellow swinging light bulbs, giving the scene an intense, claustrophobic interrogations feel to it. Landon himself is a mess. He has clearly transformed into a werewolf and back since we’ve last seen him, and his clothes are in tatters. His jeans remain, but they are little more than shreds covering his indecent parts, while his shirt is almost entirely gone save for a few bloody white strips dangling from the sweatier parts of him. His hair is caked with dirt and sweat, and his tightly clenched eyes are marked by a single black bruise under the left eyelid. He sits on a old wooden chair, once painted white but now faded with age, and his hands are tied behind his back with tight rope, trapping him against the wooden slats of the chair’s back. His ankles are bound to the chair legs with duct tape, his bare feet caked in mud.

CAPTION: New York City. The Sewers.

PAGE TEN

1/ Landon slowly opens his eyes, wincing in pain. He looks around himself, disoriented.

LANDON: Whuh…
LANDON: Where am I?

2/ Standing over Landon, looking down at him appraisingly, is Mark Shepard, looking only slightly tussled from the fight. Presumably, he left most of the heavy lifting to his teammates. The light swings behind him, and in its glare we can see his two team mates: the Big Bruiser with the meaty arms and the diminutive little woman with the electric hands, though they currently are not emitting electricity. The two stand behind Mark, watching.

MARK: You’re someplace safe.
MARK: You fought us and LOST, after your Mother split. There’s a bullet or two in your SIDE, and you’re going to be very SORE tomorrow from the beating DUGAN gave you.

MARK: It was a good fight, though. We’ve never gone up against a WEREWOLF so…TENACIOUS.

3/ Landon glares up at Mark angrily, his movement limited by the chair. His brow is heavy; his stare shooting up from beneath it like daggers.

LANDON: And WHY, exactly, am I tied to a friggin’ CHAIR?

4/ Mark sits opposite Landon, in a matching chair. He sits in the chair backward, leaning his forearms against the chair back as he keeps the gun in sight and locks eyes with Landon, looking more matter of fact than anything else.

MARK: Because YOU, sir, are a valuable PRISONER.
MARK: With the way you BROTHERHOOD people have been acting lately, having a CHURCHILL under lock and key is not a bargaining chip you throw away LIGHTLY, am I right?

5/ Landon breaks eye contact with Mark, looking around the room impatiently, taking in his surroundings as he struggles against his restraints.

MARK (off panel): How many people have your RAIDS killed in the last few months? Thirty? FORTY?

LANDON: Hold your horses, HOSS. You’ve got your story MIXED UP, here.
LANDON: Where’s THADEUS? He was with us in the TUNNEL.

6/ Close on Mark, smilingly slightly as he stares straight at Landon. He pokes the side of his head with the gun barrel as if to say “think.”

MARK: He did what Thadeus Winthrop does best.
MARK: He RAN.

PAGE ELEVEN

1/ On Landon as he looks back at Mark, irritated.

LANDON: Son of a bitch.
LANDON: What did you say your name was?

2/ Mark stares at Landon, answering all his questions patiently, with no further amusement on his face.

MARK: Mark Shepard.

LANDON (off panel): And you guys are PARALLAX?

MARK: That’s us.

3/ Landon looks down at his restraints, starting to look a little upset. He wiggles, trying to judge the strength of the chair.

LANDON: Okay…I can NOT believe I’m actually about to SAY this, but…I’m friends with ANDREW MacTIERNAN.
LANDON: From the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.

4/ Mark stands up from his chair, pushing it aside lightly. He still looks straight at Landon, looking unimpressed. Behind him, the Big Man cracks his knuckles.

MARK: And I’m friends with GANDHI.
MARK: You can tell us where the next ATTACK will be, or Sadie here’s going to fry the hair off your head while Dugan breaks every bone in your BODY.

MARK: Simple enough?

5/ Landon shakes and jumps in the chair, screaming furiously at Mark.

LANDON: DAMMIT!
LANDON: It’s NOT the BROTHERHOOD!

6/ Mark lunges forward, cold-cocking Landon in the forehead with the butt of his pistol. Landon rocks backward, blood flying from the point of impact as he reels from the pain.

SOUND EFFECT: CRACK!

PAGE TWELVE

1/ Landon looks up, gathering his calm again. Blood oozes from the new open wound on his forehead as he speaks, calmly and directly.

LANDON: Listen. Burgess was ASSASSINATED, in…in APRIL, I think.
LANDON: Because of THAT the Brotherhood has split into two CAMPS: The traditionalists, and the DEFECTORS.

2/ On Mark, listening as he looks down at his captive, his two team mates standing by in the BG, listening intently. Mark stands with his hands at his sides, poised for action if necessary.

LANDON (off panel): The DEFECTORS are calling for REFORM, but they’re doing a PISS-POOR job of it.
LANDON: THAT’S who’s making these ATTACKS you’re hitting me for. THADEUS is LEADING them.

3/ Landon looks away, remembering, but keeps his eyes slanted toward Mark, not trusting him not to hit him again.

LANDON: You seem to know who he is. He was my BEST FRIEND for YEARS, until he freaked and tried to kill my GIRL –
LANDON: -BETH, Andrew’s best friend.

4/ Mark listens, stepping slightly closer, as the girl he called Sadie steps from out of the shadows and approaches behind him, cautiously.

LANDON (off panel): But, look – Thad’s a DANGEROUS guy.
LANDON: Something in there SNAPPED a long TIME ago. Somebody’s gotta STOP him, and that’s what I’m out here trying to DO.

5/ CLOSE ON Landon, his eyes narrowed angrily as he looks up at his captors, glaring from beneath his furrowed brow.

LANDON: Until you yokels came along.

6/ Mark is tired of listening. He reaches his hand up over his shoulder, palm up, as he asks Sadie to hand him what he wants. He still never breaks eye contact with Landon. Behind him, Sadie reaches for something attached to her belt.

MARK: Sadie, hand me the TASER.
MARK: I wanna do this MYSELF.

7/ Virtually the same panel, save for two things: the look of utter surprise on Mark’s face, and the bloody arrow that has just unexpectedly run through his outreached hand, sticking out both sides and dangling a chunk of Mark’s flesh from the pointed arrowhead. Behind him, Sadie looks up in surprise.

SOUND EFFECT: ZZZIIPPP

PAGE THIRTEEN

1/ Mark doubles over in pain, clutching his damaged hand. Behind him, Sadie shouts out as another arrow comes flying, narrowly missing a second strike against Mark. Sadie is poised for action, scanning the room for their attacker.

MARK: JESUS CHRIST!

SADIE: Get down!

2/ In the shadows of an alcove on the far corner of the room, connected to a long corridor that dissipates into darkness, we see a dark figure notch another arrow in his hefty, military-issue bow, stretching it back to fire another round. The man is tall and broad, his features concealed in the darkness.

3/ Long Panel as Landon looks on in shock from his imprisonment in the chair as chaos erupts around him. Sadie runs by the panel, only her leg in sight, as another arrow sinks deep into the flesh of her thigh. Behind him, in the BG, Dugan looks ready to leap into action. On the ground between Landon and Sadie is Mark, doubled over in pain and trying to pry the arrow from his palm.

LANDON: Son of a –

SADIE: YAGGH!

4/ Dugan goes after the attacker, lunging at the shadowed figure as the man creeps out of his dark concealment. His face still obscured by shadow, the man drops his bow to his side, dangling in one hand, as he simultaneously kicks at Dugan’s stomach and blocks the big man’s errant punch with his free hand. Dugan stumbles back, off-balance and off-guard.

5/ Close on Dugan’s leg as the attacker spins and sinks a combat knife into the flesh of the big man’s calf, deep into the muscle. Dugan cries out in pain.

DUGAN: AGGHH!

PAGE FOURTEEN

1/ Landon looks up in fright from his chair as the cluster of Parallax members lay incapacitated around him. He struggles against his bonds as he speaks, the chair wobbling precariously.

LANDON: Listen, I don’t know who you ARE or what you WANT, but I’m not in a hell of a POSITION here and –

2/ Behind the chair, we watch as the still unseen attacker uses the bloody combat knife to slice the ropes holding Landon in place, freeing him. Landon’s hands pop loose, flexing and unflexing in their newfound freedom.

SOUND EFFECT: SHUNK

ATTACKER: Shut up.

3/ Long panel as the attacker, face still concealed, lifts Landon up from the chair and kicks the old wooden chair across the room, toward us. He pulls Landon up and spins him, keeping Landon off balance and completing what has essentially all been one long ballet-like performance of unstoppable efficiency.

LANDON: Hey!

4/ Landon grimaces as the man presses him against the cold stone wall, pointing a handgun into Landon’s back and pressing hard against his shoulder blades with his free hand. Only the attacker’s mouth is visible, hanging into the edge of the panel. It appears to be a younger white man with an unkempt mess of stubble that you wouldn’t call a beard. From what we can see of his body, he wears a black Kevlar vest with a gray, long-sleeve undershirt, its sleeves pulled up to mid-forearm.

ATTACKER: Landon Adams.
ATTACKER: I need you to listen and I need you to listen GOOD.

5/ A bit closer on Landon as he turns his face from the stone wall, trying to look back over his shoulder. His face is cautious surprise as he realizes that he recognizes the attacker’s voice.

LANDON: Sa…Samson?

PAGE FIFTEEN

1/ Long Panel as Landon turns, the attacker letting up so that he can face his old acquaintance. Samson Paul smiles at him, though he still brandishes the gun. He drops the gun slightly, gripping it in both hands, letting his amusement show as he resigns his identity to being blown. He is a muscular man, with the look of Thomas Jane from THE PUNISHER, his short dark hair a sweaty mess on the top of his squareish head. Landon’s face is pure shock.

SAMSON: You always were a damn perceptive son of a bitch.
SAMSON: Guess that blows my cover.

2/ Landon is confused and a little angry, not sure how to take this sudden blast from the past. He pushes himself away from the wall, staring at Samson with a furrowed brow.

LANDON: Jesus, Samson.
LANDON: What are you DOING here? Do you have any idea how long Beth and Andrew have been LOOKING for you? YEARS, Sam. TWO YEARS.

LANDON: Did you just KILL all these people? I couldn’t really –

3/ Samson stares right at Landon, his jovial demeanor evaporated and replaced with urgent seriousness. He cuts him off and jumps right to the point, the gun dropping in front of him, though he still keeps both hands on the grip, just in case.

SAMSON: I didn’t kill them, they’re just down for the count. Sedative-tipped arrows. These people still have a ROLE to play.
SAMSON: Not to skip past the PLEASANTRIES, Landon, but I need your attention, here. It doesn’t really matter where I’ve been.

SAMSON: You need to know something.

4/ Landon withdraws, bothered by this sudden change of tone. He begins to get angry with Samson, raising his voice.

LANDON: Now, wait just a damn minute!
LANDON: I want some answers!

5/ Samson ignores him, becoming terse and forceful, his brow creasing and his eyes becoming more intense as he stares down the other man.

SAMSON: Landon, you need to shut up and listen to me. It’s not about WHERE I’ve been, it’s about WHEN.
SAMSON: All of this, everything you and your friends have been a PART of – it’s bigger than you THINK it is. What you people have been doing resonates down the line for YEARS to come.

6/ Landon shuts up, listening intently as Samson continues. Landon’s face contorts, struggling to take in the confusing message, aware that he’s getting all the information Samson intends on giving.

SAMSON (off-panel): You’ve got maybe two DAYS left before Milo changes the rules, and when he DOES?
SAMSON: You all need to be ready for what he’s getting you into.

7/ On Samson as the intensity fades away. In a show of good faith, he turns the gun around and extends it to Landon, grip first. He smiles, looking once again pleased to see a reminder of the past – clearly a much needed remedy to whatever Samson has been through since his disappearance in Rome.

SAMSON: Now let me get those BULLETS out of you before you BLEED to death.

PAGE SIXTEEN

1/ CUT TO Brother Michael, walking into an old employee lounge in Malice’s abandoned warehouse/factory. The lighting is poor, but present – old, faded light bulbs casting a garish glow across the dirty old break room. Posters of cats hanging on wires adorn the push-pin cork-board walls as Michael talks on his cell phone.

MIKE: Yes, MOM, I know.
MIKE: I couldn’t possibly forget about LUNCH tomorrow when you’ve called me every day this week to REMIND me, could I?

MIKE: Alright. Love you, too.

2/ Michael flips shut the cover on the phone, pressing his hand to his forehead in disbelief. He leans against a rusted old yellow refrigerator, exhausted from the conversation with his mother.

MIKE: Sheesh.
MIKE: If it’s not coming from the OVERLORD, it’s coming from the MOTHERSHIP.

3/ Michael opens the fridge and look inside, the interior light shining on his face. He roots around inside with his free hand, looking for something to drink.

4/ He pulls out a cardboard carton of milk and chugs it, tipping his head back as he drinks, milk running down his chin and into his beard. Suddenly, the barrel of a handgun enters the panel, pointed at Michael’s unsuspecting head. Michael’s eyes drift sideways, acknowledging the gunman.

VOICE (off panel): I’d refrain from making any sudden moves if I were you.

5/ Close on Michael, concerned but not necessarily scared as he drops the carton from his face and looks at the gunman – though he never actually lets go of the carton.

MIKE: Who the hell are you?

6/ On Andrew, stepping from the shadowy corner of the break room with the hand gun pointed at Michael’s head. He creases his brow, irritated – but not unnerved - by Michael’s unimpressed demeanor.

ANDREW: I’m SANTA CLAUS.
ANDREW: Who the hell are YOU?

PAGE SEVENTEEN

1/ CUT TO Rhiannon, looking somewhat fearfully at something off panel.

RHI: What IS that?

2/ Malice holds an empty vial with a sharp hypodermic needle over his head, tapping the glass and watching how the candle light plays on its smooth surface. He smiles.

MALICE: It’s a SAMPLE COLLECTOR.
MALICE: I’ll be taking some of your BRAIN FLUID, now. For my OWN purposes.

MALICE: You mind?

3/ He suddenly jabs the needle hard into Rhiannon’s neck as she recoils in pain. The vial begins to fill with a bright white liquid as she cries out, Malice’s wicked grin showing how indifferent he is to her pain.

RHI: Ah, GOD!
RHI: I MIND! I MIND!

4/ Out of nowhere, one of Malice’s monks comes flying from a hallway that branches off from the far end of the room, by the altar. He crumples into a useless heap in front of the makeshift altar, not dead but certainly knocked out by whomever threw him there from the shadows. He bounces once, landing in a contorted position.

SOUND EFFECT: THUMP

5/ Malice turns abruptly, the vial in his hand now full of milky white fluid. He is furious and surprised, having thought of his fortress as impenetrable. Rhiannon looks up hopefully, though she is disoriented.

MALICE: The hell!?

6/ Large Panel as Beth steps out of the shadows, her arms wolfed out and her claws bloody, though the rest of her remains in human form. She looks menacingly at Malice as she poses in front of the altar, the Mayan glyph hovering in the background. At her feet, the crumpled monk lays helplessly on the cold floor.

BETH: Hey, there, Studmuffin.
BETH: You look like the man in CHARGE.

PAGE EIGHTEEN

1/ Long Panel as Beth lunges at Malice, swinging one of her hairy, clawed hands as she balls it into a giant fist. Malice, calm as can be, extends an open hand and smiles, Beth’s attack smacking helplessly into the energy force field he’s created. The kinetic energy of her punch is displaced, bouncing off the shield in a bright flash.

MALICE: Please.

SOUND EFFECT: FSSHAKK

2/ Beth bounces off the shield, flying backward through the air in a long arc, toward the altar end of the room. Rhiannon cries out.

RHI (off panel): BETH!

3/ Beth picks herself up off the floor, shaking her head in disoriented pain.

BETH: Ugh…

4/ Malice remains in place, hovering near Rhiannon, as he looks toward Beth. He smiles, amused by the attempted attack, as Rhiannon calls out to Beth encouragingly.

RHI: Beth, WOLF OUT on his ass!
RHI: What’s wrong with you!?

MALICE: For shame.
MALICE: It looks like SOMEBODY got a convenient case of STAGE FRIGHT.

5/ On Beth as she looks up from her helpless position on her knees. She holds the back of her furry hand to her bleeding lip, looking over the edge of her hand at Malice with anger and fear in her eyes.

BETH: You’ve gotta be kidding me.

6/ Over Beth’s shoulder as she looks down at her hand, transforming back into human form before her eyes. She goes rigid with fear.

BETH: I can’t TRANSFORM.

PAGE NINETEEN

1/ CUT TO Milo and David, in Milo’s apartment. They look worriedly at Donovan, who is currently off panel. Milo looks uncomfortable having a conversation with Donovan, but is roughing it out because of his concern for Rhiannon.

MILO: How long has Rhiannon been GONE?

2/ Donovan stands in the kitchen, lit by the overhead light. Night has progressed onward, and the room is now lit entirely by artificial light.

DON: Two days. This is day three.
DON: Beth and Andrew went after her yesterday, but I haven’t heard back from THEM, either.

3/ Milo turns away, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he contemplates.

MILO: God, I wish somebody would have told me this EARLIER.

4/ Donovan looks awkwardly at Milo, not sure how to word his response.

DON: Well, you’ve had…you know, STUFF going on.

5/ Milo turns back to Donovan, irritated by this comment. He calls him out on it threateningly as David stands by, chastising Milo with his eyes and trying to keep him focused on the situation at hand.

MILO: And what the hell is THAT supposed to mean?

DAVID: Milo.

6/ Donovan gets pissed, his civil demeanor disappearing as he lays it on the line for Milo.

DON: Milo, I’m not doing this with you right now.
DON: All that matters is that they told me to stay put, and I don’t think I can. I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.

DON: Do you, or do you not, want to help?

PAGE TWENTY

1/ Milo’s posture turns childish and confrontational, his fists balled up at his sides as he snaps at Donovan. Behind him, David places a hand on Milo’s back, attempting to calm him down and avert a brewing fight.

MILO: Not doing WHAT with me, Donovan?

DAVID: Milo, come on…
DAVID: He’s right. This isn’t the TIME.

2/ On Milo, staring angrily at Donovan as he speaks to David, his face growing angrier and angrier as he finds himself on a pedestal.

MILO: No, screw that.
MILO: Donovan was all about cozying up and being friendly with me when he was still trying to get into Rhiannon’s PANTS –

3/ Close on Donovan, his own anger boiling, though he is remaining more level-headed than Milo. He gives a furiously cautioning look, his head lowered and brow pulled tight as he speaks, his mouth barely moving.

DON: Watch yourself, Woodyard.

4/ Milo gets closer, continuing his rant as he slowly approaches Donovan, crossing over from the foyer into the kitchen proper. Donovan is now visible in the edge of the panel as David looks on in the BG, helpless to stop the confrontation.

MILO: - but when you and I started dating, POOF: he drops off the face of the earth, all wrapped up in his little GIRLFRIEND, no longer FORCED to pretend he was OKAY with the GAYS.

5/ Donovan is getting pushed to the edge, and he gestures with his hand, suggesting Milo back off. He continues to speak in his measured tone, not yet raising his voice.

DON: You should really not PUSH me right now, Milo.

6/ Milo finally breaks into flat out yelling as David turns away in the BG, giving up.

MILO: Or you’ll WHAT, Donovan!?
MILO: Throw a goddamn BIBLE at me? What are you gonna DO!?
MILO: WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?

7/ Suddenly, Donovan loses his temper, grabbing Milo by the collar and slamming him against the kitchen wall, scattering wall art and leaving a small indent in the plaster where the back of Milo’s head strikes.

SOUND EFFECT: SLAM!

PAGE TWENTY-ONE

1/ On Milo, viewed over Donovan’s shoulders and head, as he is pressed up against the wall. He stares fearfully at Donovan, totally surprised by Donovan’s forcefulness. Donovan shakes with anger, spilling it all to Milo in one long diatribe.

DON: You wanna know what I think about gay people? You got it.
DON: Do I LIKE it? Not really, no. But do I think that anyone should ever be denied their rights just because they don’t line up with MY beliefs?

DON: Of course not.

2/ On Donovan, staring straight into Milo’s eyes.

DON: I don’t think gay rights should EVER have been a voting issue, because NO American should ever have to PROVE he’s worthy of the same rights as everybody ELSE.

3/ Long Panel as Donovan continues pressing Milo against the wall, Milo looking stricken with fear and awe as Donovan rants.

DON: Unfortunately, it has been MADE a voting issue. Like it or not, that’s REALITY.
DON: And your people want to bitch and moan about being marginalized while the single most visible portion of your demographic insists upon showing the world what a bunch of drug-addled SEX ABUSERS you all are – even YOU, Milo, when I know perfectly goddamned well that you’re BETTER than that.

4/ On Donovan, as he continues angrily.

DON: But the government’s NOT gonna step in now that it’s a voting issue – not if they don’t want a full-scale UPRISING on their hands – which means that you need to STOP crying to your congressman and START trying to win over the American PEOPLE.
DON: Winning over the voters means cleaning up your damn ACT, Milo – end of story.

5/ On Milo, no longer scared but intrigued and a little sad.

DON (off panel): And until you can DO that? Until you can accept the REALITY over the IDEAL, and WORK with it?
DON: You will ALWAYS be marginalized.

DON: That is the way it IS, Milo, because this is AMERICA, and the only people who get away with living in a FANTASY WORLD are the CHRISTIANS.

PAGE TWENTY-TWO

1/ On Donovan, still holding Milo up against the wall. He changes tacks, and his expression changes with it. No longer indignant and frustrated, he now grows suspicious and interrogative.

DON: But here’s the THING. I think you’ve cooked up your handy little SELF-RIGHTEOUS excuse, and it’s all a load of CRAP.
DON: I think you know EXACTLY what’s up between you and me, and you’re not being STRAIGHT with me.

DON: Pardon the pun.

2/ On Milo, trying to get away from the wall, mistakenly believing that Donovan has spoken his last and that he’s about to relent. Donovan presses back, regaining control over Milo.

MILO: Donovan, I –

DON: No. Shut up.
DON: I have been NOTHING but a decent friend to you, and I deserve a little HONESTY.

3/ On Donovan, looking angrily at Milo and making an ultimatum.

DON: So tell me, Milo, and tell me TRUTHFULLY.
DON: What the HELL is going ON with you?

4/ Milo brushes Donovan’s hands aside with his own, and Donovan lets up, allowing Milo to step away from the wall. Milo looks Donovan square in the eyes, honest and apologetic.

MILO: Donovan…look.
MILO: Maybe I haven’t been 100% honest with you. Maybe you’re right.

MILO: But right now? It doesn’t matter.

5/ On Donovan, calming down and looking at Milo as he speaks.

MILO (off panel): We have a friend who may be in trouble, and we have to DO something.
MILO: But for what it’s worth?

6/ On Milo, raising an impressed eyebrow, though his expression remains serious.

MILO: I just gained a boatload of RESPECT for you.

PAGE TWENTY-THREE

1/ CUT BACK to Michael and Andrew, alone in the break room in Malice’s headquarters. Andrew is off panel save for the gun in his hands, pointed at Michael. Michael holds his hands up and open, in a “calm down” gesture as he speaks, looking at Andrew and speaking slowly and calmly, as if to a child. He tilts his head, and looks like he’s struggling to find the best way to handle the situation.

MIKE: Whoa, okay, Inspector Javert, listen…
MIKE: I’m not…I’m not really BIG on the whole VIOLENCE thing, but, uh…

MIKE: …you’re gonna want to put the gun DOWN.

2/ Andrew continues to point the gun, looking unimpressed.

ANDREW: And WHY would I wanna do that?
ANDREW: You people are holding my friend CAPTIVE. And you MIND-CONTROLLED an innocent TOWNSWOMAN into CALLING us so you could CAPTURE my friend.

ANDREW: I’m pretty sure that calls for AGGRESSIVE NEGOTIATIONS.

3/ Michael continues backing up, still gesturing with his hands.

MIKE: Yeah, okay, I know all that, but seriously?
MIKE: I’m more of a, uh…FOLLOWING ORDERS kind of guy, and that’s….kind of the nature of the GAME here, right?

MIKE: I mean, Malice says JUMP, and I’m up, so am I REALLY the guy you wanna be having this conversation with?

ANDREW: That townswoman is still recovering from what you people did to her. We saw her an hour ago.
ANDREW: If you’ve harmed so much as a HAIR on Rhiannon…

4/ Faster than Andrew can react, Michael reaches out and takes the gun from him in a perfectly executed police disarming move. Andrew recoils in surprise.

5/ In one fluid movement, Michael spins and sinks a kick square into Andrew’s chest, sending him flying into the corkboard wall of the break room. The wall gives way behind him, causing Andrew to tumble precariously through and into the next room. The gun still in his hand, Michael curses.

MIKE: Dammit.

SOUND EFFECT: CRASH

6/ As Andrew lays prone on the ground in the adjacent room, looking up at his attacker, Michael steps through the new hole in the wall, the gun trained directly at Andrew’s head. Chunks of corkboard dangle pointlessly from the shattered wall.

MIKE: Nobody ever listens to me.

PAGE TWENTY-FOUR

1/ CUT TO Malice, standing over Beth as she scrambles on her knees, confused and terrified. He looks down at her with a wicked, insincere smile, his head cocked to one side.

MALICE: Big, bad BETH.
MALICE: Enchanted.

2/ On Beth as Malice suddenly and violently kicks her in the gut, bringing his foot up into her already exposed underside and knocking the wind out of her. Her eyes bulge as she gasps for air, Malice’s thick, heavy boot raising her several inches off the ground.

MALICE: I’m not impressed.

BETH: OOF!

3/ Long Panel over Malice’s shoulder as he looks down at Beth’s bruised body, curled in the fetal position and twitching on the metal floor, no longer even possessing wolfed-out hands. He holds his hands at his sides, ready to strike if need be.

MALICE: I guess we’ve been off the LYCANTHROPENE a little too LONG, haven’t we, Mrs. Adams?

4/ Malice turns toward the same hallway that Beth emerged from as Michael rounds the corner, walking Andrew ahead of him with the gun pressed to Andrew’s temple. Andrew’s hands are tied behind him with a scrap of industrial wiring. Malice smiles at the sight of it as Beth convulses on the ground.

MALICE: And lookey HERE…

5/ Malice turns down to smile at Beth, reveling in Beth and Andrew’s total defeat.

MALICE: More COMPANY.

PAGE TWENTY-FIVE

1/ Long Panel as Malice approaches Rhiannon, rolling up the sleeves of his button-down shirt. She looks at him helplessly, distraught.

MALICE: I’m GLAD, honestly, that we could all be TOGETHER for this.

2/ Over Rhiannon’s shoulder as Malice looks at her, genuine and sincere as he gives something approximating a sad smile for the state of Rhiannon’s team, but assuring her that it will be worth it.

MALICE: When the time for my ASCENSION comes, it’s gonna be BIG.
MALICE: I’d hate to do it without an AUDIENCE.

3/ Rhiannon glowers furiously, hanging from her restraints.

RHI: Eat me.

4/ Malice turns away from her, walking off to join Brother Michael in restraining Andrew and Beth with rope on their own chunks of abandoned machinery. Michael is already at work in the BG, tossing Andrew against an old load lifter only ten feet from Rhiannon’s perch.

MALICE: With pleasure.

5/ Over Rhiannon’s shoulder as she observes Brother Michael, determining whether or not he’s sufficiently distracted for her to attempt to use her powers for anything. He is deeply involved in tying up Andrew, who looks like he’s taken quite a beating with the butt of a gun himself.

RHI (muttered, small font): Mike’s got his hands full…
RHI: Not gonna get another WINDOW.

6/ On Rhiannon as she focuses, concentrating hard as a flash of pink light emits from her forehead. Her brow furrows tightly with the strain of reaching past Brother Michael’s power dampeners, but she ultimately gets through…

RHI: God, let this WORK.

PAGE TWENTY-SIX

1/ LONG PANEL as we CUT BACK to Donovan, Milo and David, as Don and Milo are simultaneously hit with whatever psychic message Rhiannon just sent. Donovan doubles over and Milo leans back, both gripping their heads as pink flashes emit from their foreheads. David watches in surprise, unsure of what to do.

MILO: GYAHHH!

DON: ARRGGH!

2/ David leans over Donovan, who is closest to him. He tries to get a look at Donovan’s face, placing a concerned hand on Don’s back. He can’t figure out what’s going on, but really wants to help.

DAVID: Guys, Omigod –
DAVID: What’s going ON?

3/ Donovan rights himself, still gripping his head in pain with his eyes clenched shut as he attempts to look at David. By Donovan’s side, Milo doubles over, unable to concentrate until Rhiannon’s message ends.

MILO: It’s –

DON: It’s Rhiannon!

4/ Milo looks up, the pain subsiding slowly. He grits his teeth and stares at David, worried and startled.

MILO: She just CONTACTED us – TELEPATHICALLY.

5/ Donovan turns to Milo, both of them now getting their bearings back as the message subsides. Milo looks at him in agreement as Donovan looks fearful.

DON: But it was more like a cry for HELP – a SCREAM – than anything else!

PAGE TWENTY-SEVEN

1/ They turn to David, who looks ready for anything he can possibly contribute to help. He looks back and forth between the two of them.
DAVID: So what do we DO?

2/ On Donovan, looking determined.

DON: We go HELP her.

3/ LARGE PANEL as Donovan storms out of the Kitchen of Milo’s apartment, David looking after him as Milo rubs his head in pain. The three of them have decided – it’s time to go face Malice, and get back the rest of the team.

DON: And we leave RIGHT NOW.




NEXT – Reunion!