This issue takes place over a couple of days immediately following the end of issue 30. Weather conditions and clothing will therefore be appropriate for late November on the East Coast.
Narration in this issue is in the form of SARA's internal first-person monologue, which should be indicated on-panel by a distinctive "hand-writing" lettering. These captions will be marked in the script as "SARA's monologue" to distinguish them from third-person narrative captions.
The main room of the hotel suite our heroes were occupying at the end of last issue. SARA, FRED, JAMES, CHI-YUN, and PAUL are all here. SARA and FRED share a couch and both have computers on their laps, JAMES reads a newspaper, PAUL reads a book (we don't need to show what), and CHI-YUN is cross-legged in front of the TV. Sunlight streams through the window. This is a full-page panel, despite the fact that nothing much is happening in it, establishing the tranquility and "ordinaryness" of the scene.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
2. CAPTION:
3. CAPTION:
4. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
5. SFX (FRED's computer):
6. VOICE (FRED's computer):
7. SFX (SARA's computer):
8. VOICE (SARA's computer):
Just a view of FRED and SARA now, as they look at their screens.
1. FRED & SARA (simultaneously):
2. FRED & SARA (simultaneously):
Same view. FRED and SARA exchange bemused glances.
3. FRED:
Same view as FRED and SARA each read from their screens.
4. SARA:
5. FRED:
6. SARA:
7. FRED:
8. SARA:
In a wider view of the room, everyone is staring at FRED and SARA.
No dialogue.
Everyone is staring blankly at SARA and FRED, who are looking equally blankly back at them.
1. FRED:
2. SARA:
PAUL is looking at a hand-held PDA, tapping the screen with a stylus. JAMES is standing.
3. PAUL:
4. JAMES:
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
6. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
JAMES is behind the couch and leaning on the back of it so he can read from SARA's screen. We're still looking at the couch from the front so we don't see the screen.
7. SARA:
8. JAMES:
9. SFX (SARA's computer):
10. VOICE (SARA's computer):
A close-up of SARA's computer screen, allowing us to read what SARA and JAMES are now reading. It's an e-mail message (this should be obvious from the screen layout, though it shouldn't be identical to any of today's proprietary e-mail clients) with the following text:
From: sylvia@boulevard.com To: Sara
Subject: Diana Just
If you get within 1000 miles of Princeton University, I will personally
kill you. And cut off your allowance. I don't care what Don tells you
to do, I'm your Mother.
S.
SARA has slammed the lid of her computer shut.
1. SFX:
SARA looks back at JAMES.
2. SARA:
JAMES and SARA are both standing now. The others are just looking at them.
3. JAMES:
4. FRED:
JAMES is heading out of the room as he speaks.
5. JAMES:
6. JAMES:
He has left. The others are still in the room.
7. CHI-YUN:
8. SARA:
The five sit in their rented SUV in a parking lot. It's morning. There are very few cars in the parking lot and no people around. In the background is a big building -- four storeys, modern architecture, lots of glass -- but the focus of the panel needs to be on the SUV, so we can see inside to identify who is speaking. JAMES is driving, PAUL is next to him, the others are in the back. Note that JAMES is in full costume, including mask. The others wear heavy coats suitable to the season.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
2. PAUL:
3. JAMES:
4. PAUL:
5. FRED:
6. FRED:
JAMES has opened the door and is stepping out. We can now see that he's carrying his SHIELD in his hand.
7. PAUL:
8. JAMES:
9. PAUL:
JAMES is outside the vehicle, in the process of slamming the door shut. The SHIELD is now securely strapped to his left forearm.
10. PAUL:
11. PAUL:
12. JAMES:
JAMES is walking, alone, towards the building. PAUL has the window open and is calling after him.
1. PAUL:
2. JAMES:
JAMES is walking alone towards the building entrance, past a sign: "Center for Advanced Physics". The vehicle is off panel behind him, but we hear a sound effect from it.
3. SFX (off-panel):
JAMES is still on the path to the building. SARA has caught him up.
4. SARA:
They enter the building together, into a large, open lobby.
5. JAMES:
6. SARA:
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
A close up of a panel on a wall which shows a building directory. We see:
306 Campbell J.
307 Willy L.
308 Just D.
309 Richardson R.
310 Stine G.
311 Gillett S.
(There are obviously more names but the panel borders can cut the list off.)
8. SARA (off-panel):
9. JAMES (off-panel):
The cluttered office of a busy academic. Shelves bulge with books and magazines, a computer sits in the corner of the desk, a coffee pot and a potted fern share a side table, and two functional but not very welcoming chairs are pushed back out of the way. The door has a frosted glass panel through which we might be able to see the shapes of her two visitors (though it's more likely that the door will have to be out of view in this panel). DIANA JUST sits behind the desk. She is black, tall, thin, and has a lot of grey in her short hair. She's in casual office wear. Somewhere there should be a coat on a peg or hanger. Her head is bowed over some papers that she's writing on.
1. SFX (door):
2. DIANA:
JAMES and SARA stand in front of her desk. Her head is still down.
3. JAMES:
4. JAMES:
5. DIANA:
6. JAMES:
NOW she looks up. This is a close-up on her reaction and her eyes are very wide.
7. DIANA (softly):
Same close up. Now she's scowling in anger.
8. DIANA:
Close up on JAMES, talking.
1. JAMES:
Identical view, but DIANA's hand is slapping JAMES, an open-handed slap on his cheek. He doesn't flinch.
2. SFX:
Now we see JAMES and DIANA facing each other in profile (just head shots). Perhaps surprisingly, they are virtually eye-to-eye -- she's as tall as JAMES.
3. DIANA:
4. JAMES:
Same profile view. She's slapping him again.
5. SFX:
Same view (without the slap). She has metaphorical steam coming out of her ears. JAMES is as infuriatingly calm as always.
6. JAMES:
7. DIANA:
8. JAMES:
In a full-length view, we see DIANA's hands balled into fists at her side. She REALLY wants to hit him again.
9. DIANA:
10. DIANA:
JAMES and SARA exchange puzzled looks.
No dialogue.
They look back at DIANA.
1. JAMES:
DIANA just glares at him.
2. DIANA:
3. JAMES:
DIANA is picking up her coat.
4. DIANA:
5. DIANA:
Now she's heading out of the door.
6. DIANA:
7. DIANA:
8. DIANA:
SARA and JAMES are left looking at the closed door.
9. SFX (door):
JAMES and SARA look at each other.
1. SARA:
2. SARA:
3. JAMES:
DIANA is stepping off the stairs into the downstairs lobby. She's wearing the coat she previously picked up. Off to one side, someone is sitting with an open newspaper hiding his face. (From what we can see of the clothing, we might deduce that it's FRED.)
No dialogue.
DIANA is mid-way across the lobby, heading for the front door. FRED has lowered the newspaper and is looking at her.
No dialogue.
DIANA has stopped and is looking at FRED.
No dialogue.
FRED hides behind the newspaper once more.
No dialogue.
...And DIANA leaves through the front door.
No dialogue.
JAMES and SARA are back in DIANA's office. They are looking around the room but not actually *searching* the room, just looking.
1. SARA:
2. JAMES:
JAMES is at the door, his hand on the handle. She is behind him, looking at his back.
3. SARA (softly):
They both enter the lobby to find FRED waiting for them.
4. FRED:
5. JAMES:
6. FRED:
7. JAMES:
The three of them are leaving the building together.
8. FRED:
9. FRED:
They are all back in their vehicle again, driving down a suburban street. This time, PAUL is driving.
1. SARA:
2. PAUL:
3. JAMES:
Still driving. This can be a closer view of the interior of the vehicle.
4. CHI-YUN:
5. JAMES:
6. FRED:
Close up on FRED, pointing off to one side of the road.
7. FRED:
8. FRED:
The vehicle is turning off towards what might be a small wooded park -- except it's a park surrounded by a high chain-link fence. A sign reads: "ACCESS POINT 13" and another reads "PRIVATE LAND". The gate, however, stands open.
No dialogue.
The vehicle is parked by a small, squat, concrete building and the group is getting out. Another car is parked nearby. The building's plain metal door stands ajar. The building really is small -- it just needs to be enough to house the top of a stairwell, as the interesting stuff is indeed underground.
1. JAMES:
2. SARA:
3. JAMES:
JAMES is by the door, pushing it open.
4. JAMES:
They are now heading down a set of stairs. It's a plain, square, concrete shaft, sunk an unknown distance into the ground, with stairs wrapping round it. The way is lit by wall-mounted lights. It's all very bare and functional. JAMES is leading the way, PAUL is behind him, then FRED, CHI-YUN, and SARA.
5. PAUL:
6. JAMES:
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
They are at the bottom of the stairs, in some kind of cramped control room. There are a couple of computer monitors on a desk, maybe some boxes stacked up in a corner, and not much else. A single closed door in one wall has a sign that reads "MAINTENANCE ACCESS".
8. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
9. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
10. JAMES (softly):
11. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
JAMES is opening the maintenance door.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
JAMES has stepped through into a long tunnel. It curves gently away from them in both directions (particle accelerators, at least this type, are circular). It's high enough for them to stand comfortably and wide enough for at least two abreast. The door is on the outer wall of the curve. Running along the inner wall are bundles and bundles of thick cables and thin pipes.
2. CHI-YUN (softly):
3. FRED (softly):
4. FRED (softly):
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
They set off along the tunnel, to their left. JAMES leads, then FRED and CHI-YUN, PAUL, SARA. PAUL has his hand on the inner wall of the tunnel.
6. PAUL:
7. JAMES:
8. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
They round the bend of the corridor and see DIANA ahead of them, still some distance off. She is motionless, facing the inner wall of the tunnel, and intent on the screen of a hand-held computer.
1. JAMES:
2. FRED (softly):
3. PAUL (softly):
JAMES is striding towards DIANA, the others following. She's angry, shouting back at them.
4. FRED (softly):
5. DIANA:
JAMES is now only a few yards away.
6. JAMES:
7. DIANA:
8. JAMES:
There is a sudden burst of steam from one of the pipes running around the inner wall of the tunnel. It forms a big cloud between DIANA and our heroes. We can see her dimly through the cloud (our POV is on the heroes' side).
1. SFX:
2. SFX:
3. DIANA:
4. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
6. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Small close-up on FRED who has his hand to his mouth and blood seeping through his fingers.
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
In the big cloud of steam, we see a shape. It's indistinct, just a black shadow, but it is definitely humanoid.
8. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
9. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
10. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
The steam is rapidly dispersing, and we get a clear look at the figure (though wisps of steam can still cling to it in an artistic manner). It's generally the size and shape of a man, slim and sleekly muscled. A few features mark it as distinctly inhuman, however. For a start, although it is apparently naked, it's sexless. Its skin is black -- not human black but the matt black of a lump of basalt. It has the head of a jackal. And its eyes are glowing red slits.
It stands, poised on the balls of its feet, arms loosely at its sides, looking around with no recognisable expression. This will be a full-page splash panel so we get a good look at it. We (and SARA) will refer to this creature as AVATAR.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
DIANA is the first to move. She is taking a step towards AVATAR, hand outstretched. Her face is puzzled -- this doesn't seem to be what she expected. But she doesn't appear afraid.
1. DIANA:
2. DIANA:
AVATAR pivots and one straight arm lashes out and catches DIANA on the side of the head.
3. SFX:
4. DIANA:
In a wider view, we see the others react as DIANA crashes limply into the side of the tunnel. JAMES and PAUL are both stepping forwards. (PAUL has let JEROME's personality take over, so his captions will be labeled JEROME from now on.)
5. SFX:
6. JAMES:
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
JEROME is a stride ahead of JAMES when AVATAR spins to face him.
8. JEROME:
Small close-up panel showing AVATAR's fist moving towards JEROME's head.
No dialogue.
JEROME has evaded the punch and has AVATAR's wrist in a two-handed grip, while pivoting ready to throw AVATAR to the ground in a fancy judo move.
1. JEROME:
2. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
AVATAR is still on his feet and JEROME is flying through the air and crashing violently into a wall. AVATAR's arms are flung out to the sides -- he was not only fast enough to avoid the throw, he was also strong enough to throw JEROME across the tunnel without much effort at all.
3. SFX:
4. JEROME:
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
JAMES steps up, SHIELD raised.
6. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
8. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Amazingly, AVATAR seems to recoil away from the raised shield.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Then, in a movement so fast that it b-l-u-r-s across the panel, AVATAR is behind JAMES and smashing him in the back of the head with an elbow. JAMES is going down.
2. SFX:
3. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Now FRED is next in line, facing AVATAR alone.
4. FRED:
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Close-up on FRED's eyes. AVATAR's face stares back at us from within them.
6. FRED:
Same close-up. But now FRED's eyes are his normal brown and the image of AVATAR is gone.
7. FRED:
AVATAR casually back-hands FRED, taking him out.
1. SFX:
2. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
AVATAR turns his gaze on where CHI-YUN and SARA stand together. They are against the tunnel wall, not blocking his progress.
3. CHI-YUN:
4. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
5. CHI-YUN:
6. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
AVATAR has stepped up to SARA and is leaning forwards to put his head on a level with hers. They are face-to-face. But it's not doing anything. Just... looking.
7. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
SARA is on her knees, hands covering her face. AVATAR looks down at her. He hasn't apparently touched her.
8. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Leaving the two girls -- SARA on her knees and CHI-YUN standing but looking completely indecisive -- AVATAR takes off down the tunnel at a run. Again, he's moving so fast that he seems to blur across the panel.
1. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
CHI-YUN looks down at SARA, who still hasn't moved.
2. CHI-YUN:
3. SARA (softly):
4. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
CHI-YUN looks back up the tunnel, to where none of her friends are moving.
No dialogue.
A cheetah (CHI-YUN, obviously) racing down the tunnel in the direction AVATAR took. Alone.
5. CAPTION (SARA's monologue):
Next: Astra
All comments to: editor@heroes.force9.co.uk
© 2006 by David Meadows