This story takes place over an indeterminate number of days but nothing of the characters' appearances will noticeably change over the course of the story. details of time and place are unimportant as there will be no reference to other events and everything is contained within one isolated location.
Most narration will be in the form of CHI-YUN's LETTER, which will be noted as such in the script. These captions should be lettered with a distinctive "handwriting" style, a bit untidy (but not illegible).
This page mirrors the details of ISSUE 9 PAGE 1.
A mostly dark panel, with a bare patch of concrete flood illuminated by a cone of harsh light from an overhead source.
No dialogue.
The same view of the same space. Now CHI-YUN is in view. She's stumbling and falling forward into the patch of light, as if she's been violently shoved or thrown there. She is in her typical "Chinese teen" form. What we can see of her from this angle shows severe cuts and bruising, as if she's been in a bad fight.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN is lying in the circle of light, looking back towards us. We can clearly see the blood and bruises on her face. She looks scared, but she's trying to rise.
No dialogue.
We now look directly down on CHI-YUN, as if we are standing over her. She's looking back up at us. But a large black boot -- our boot -- is STOMPING down on her face. (We don't need to show the moment of impact, but the image needs to be obviously very brutal.)
No dialogue.
This panel is entirely black, the only item on it being the caption.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Dear Grandfather,
Another entirely black panel, only here to complete the two-by-three grid and to give the captions somewhere to sit.
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I don't know where I am.
3. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Or what day it is.
Full-page panel of CHI-YUN sitting in a small room. It has a concrete floor, stone walls, a metal door, and no furnishings. Yes, it's unmistakably a cell. CHI-YUN is dressed in plain grey coveralls. She sits on the floor in a corner, knees drawn up, head down. Looking very tiny and vulnerable.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
But things are not too good.
A close-up of the bottom of the cell door. There is a slot for passing items through, covered by a sliding metal plate.
No dialogue.
The plate has been slid open from the outside. We can't see who has done this.
1. SFX:
Clank
A small dish of some unappetising mush is being pushed through the slot. Again, we can't see who is doing this.
No dialogue.
The dish sits on the floor by the door as the metal plate is slid shut again.
2. SFX:
Clank
In a wider view, CHI-YUN is still in the corner but has raised her head to look at the dish. We can see the bruises on her face from her earlier beating.
3. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
They have done something to block my powers.
4. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I think it's a drug in the food.
CHI-YUN is eating the food, using her fingers.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN is in a different room -- it's a bare room but we don't need to see much of it anyway. She is in a chair with leather straps holding her wrists to its arms. Her head is slumped on her chest in a dejected manner, though she is conscious. In front of her is a small table and on the table is a powerful lamp shining in her face. Apart from the lamp, the room is in darkness (which is why we don't need to show any details). Our POV is looking at her from the other side of the table.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
And I think they're trying to brainwash me.
2. CHI-YUN:
My name is Yun Yan Chih. My rank is Major. My cereal is Cornflakes.
3. CHI-YUN:
Mmmmmm Cornflakes...
Now a reverse view to show a figure on the other side of the table -- but because of the bright light shining at us we don't see much, just an outline and a fist banging down on the table.
4. INTERROGATOR:
Shut up!
Back to the view of CHI-YUN.
5. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
Do not talk. Concentrate on what I am telling you.
6. CHI-YUN:
Ummm... no, I forgot what that was.
7. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I don't think I'm very good at being brainwashed.
Two men in plain black coveralls, with sub-machineguns slung over their backs, are dragging CHI-YUN down a featureless stone corridor (literally dragging -- they have an arm each, she is limp, and her feet are dragging on the floor. They are walking away from us so we can't see what they look like other than they are Caucasian males with short military-style haircuts.
8. CHI-YUN (softly):
Are we there yet?
CHI-YUN is back sitting in the corner of her cell.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN is still in her cell. The door is open and an armed guard is motioning her out with his gun.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN walks past the guard, into the corridor. Another guard is there. The difference in size should be emphasized -- both guards are much bigger than the small, slim Chinese girl.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN is suddenly in explosive motion. She is delivering a high kick (just as SARA taught her in ISSUE 23) to one of the guards. The man is falling to the floor.
1. CHI-YUN:
Hii-YA!
2. SFX:
WHUMP
3. GUARD:
Offf!
CHI-YUN has turned and grabbed the gun of the surprised second guard.
No dialogue.
The guard hasn't let go of his gun, but that's ok -- CHI-YUN isn't trying to get it. Instead, she is holding it and falling backwards to the floor, dragging the guard down with her.
No dialogue.
And while flat on her back, she is using her legs and the guard's falling momentum to propel him right over her head.
No dialogue.
While the guard crashes to the floor, CHI-YUN is regaining her feet -- with his gun.
1. SFX:
Crash!
2. CHI-YUN:
Ha!
Close-up of CHI-YUN's head as the first guard's gun butt smashes into the side of it.
3. SFX:
Thunk
4. CHI-YUN:
Uhhhhh
CHI-YUN is back sitting in the corner of her cell.
No dialogue.
Back in the "brainwashing" room, CHI-YUN is again strapped to her chair and has the light in her face and her head slumped in defeat.
1. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
There is no point in fighting.
2. CHI-YUN:
There is no point in fighting.
3. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
Surrender and all this will be over.
4. CHI-YUN:
Surrender...
5. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
All we want is your loyalty.
6. CHI-YUN:
My loyalty...
Another reverse view of the man behind the lamp (still only visible as a shadowy outline).
7. INTERROGATOR:
So. We begin again: who are you loyal to?
8. CHI-YUN (off-panel):
I am loyal to...
Back to the view of CHI-YUN, and her head is now lifted and looking defiantly at her tormentor.
9. CHI-YUN:
Scooby-dooooooo!
CHI-YUN is once again being dragged down the corridor by the two armed men.
10. CHI-YUN (softly):
I have not even begun to be annoying...
A large, high-ceilinged, windowless office. Walls and floor seem to be austere white marble, with pseudo-classical half-pillars lining the walls. A single large black desk (possibly also marble) is the main feature of the room, though from this POV we can't see the man sitting behind the desk. We have seen this room before, back in ISSUE 14 PAGE 7.
A white-coated man is standing in front of the desk. This is CHI-YUN's INTERROGATOR, our first good look at him. The INTERROGATOR is Caucasian and elderly, with short-cropped white hair.
1. INTERROGATOR:
Progress is slow, Sir.
Close-up on the INTERROGATOR's unhappy face. He is obviously not relishing having to tell his superior this news.
2. INTERROGATOR:
The subject's psyche is hopelessly fractured. She does not react in the expected manner to any stimuli.
3. INTERROGATOR:
I can not break her in the time frame—
4. VOICE (behind desk, off-panel):
I am displeased. You will redouble your efforts or I shall be most displeased.
Same view. The INTERROGATOR is beginning to sweat.
5. INTERROGATOR:
Please, sir, if you would allow me to use chemical means—
6. VOICE (behind desk, off-panel):
Request denied. You must break the subject without the use of drugs.
7. INTERROGATOR:
But Sir—
8. VOICE (behind desk, off-panel):
Do not question my orders.
The INTERROGATOR is now in a corridor, a featureless stone corridor as we have seen CHI-YUN dragged down. He is talking to one of the armed guards.
9. INTERROGATOR:
Take the subject back to the interrogation room and secure her.
10. GUARD:
Yes, Sir!
Back in CHI-YUN's cell, she is huddled in the corner with her head down. A guard is standing in the open doorway.
11. CHI-YUN (softly):
Just five more minutes Grandfather...
Back in the big office, now we will show the person behind the desk. He has been seen before, the last time being ISSUE 14 PAGE 7. He is slim but broad-shouldered, dressed in an immaculate grey business suit. His hair is short, blonde, and styled in a boyish wave. His eyes are a steely blue-grey and his features are tanned and chiselled. He is PARSIFAL.
1. VOICE (off-panel):
Parsifal, why is this one so important to you?
2. PARSIFAL:
This one is not, Johann. She is irrelevant. But once she is ours, she will be our key to taking her friends.
3. PARSIFAL:
And they will be our key to finding the man that brought them together.
Now we see the man standing in front of the desk. This is also someone we have seen before, very briefly -- it's JOHANN (code name: WEAPON MASTER) from ISSUE 14 PAGE 7. He is tall and slim with very short blonde hair. He is dressed in a black uniform: just a buttoned-up, high-collared jacket and plain trousers tucked into knee-high boots, the effect being vaguely military. On the jacket's collar is an emblem: a silver "0" with a line through it. At his waist is a sword: a duelling sabre with an ornate hand guard.
4. WEAPON MASTER:
What do you mean?
5. PARSIFAL (off-panel):
For weeks somebody has been hitting our operations. Leaving no clue to his identity but systematically working his way up our chain of command.
6. PARSIFAL (off-panel):
That same man has been assembling teams of second-generation superheroes on every continent.
Close-up of PARSIFAL's emotionless face.
7. PARSIFAL:
Only one man is that methodical and relentless. Only one man could have the foresight, the organization, and the ruthless streak needed to build an army of superheroes to combat me.
8. WEAPON MASTER (off-panel):
You—You don't mean—
This is a flashback panel, so it should have some distinctive look -- muted colours, for example. We see what appears to be PARSIFAL facing another man -- a masked man in loose grey combat fatigues with matching boots and gloves, holding a TONFA (a martial arts weapon) in each hand. This is yet another face from the past, we've seen him in flashbacks such as ASTRA's history lesson in ISSUE 33 PAGE 20, but he's never been named before (it's FENNEC, in case you're not keeping up).
PARSIFAL and FENNEC are in some kind of small, stone-walled room (not unlike the rooms and corridors we're seeing in this issue) which seems to be a store room for gas cylinders. They appear to have been fighting -- both are covered in blood and wearing torn and tattered clothing -- but are currently standing a few feet apart and looking at each other.
9. PARSIFAL (voice-over):
"I mean that Fennec did not die with my father all those years ago."
CHI-YUN is strapped back into the chair in the interrogation room, same set up as before.
1. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
Who are you loyal to?
2. CHI-YUN:
I told you. We're an anarcho-syndicalist commune. We take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week.
3. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
*sigh*
Now we see the INTERROGATOR properly -- the reader's POV allows us to see him without the light shining in our faces. He's reaching a hand inside his coat.
4. CHI-YUN (off-panel):
I mean, if I went around saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me they'd put me away!
The item inside the INTERROGATOR's coat was a small, cloth-wrapped bundle, which he has now placed on the table in front of him and is unwrapping. We can see the contents of the bundle -- a small syringe filled with some dark liquid.
5. CHI-YUN:
What's that?
The INTERROGATOR, now standing next to CHI-YUN, is injecting the contents of the syringe into her forearm.
6. CHI-YUN:
Help! Help! I'm being repressed!
CHI-YUN's head is slumped forward onto her chest. The INTERROGATOR is seated once more and there is no sign of the syringe.
7. INTERROGATOR:
Now listen closely to my words.
8. CHI-YUN (softly):
Mm.
CHI-YUN is back alone in her cell.
9. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Dear Grandfather,
10. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I don't know where I am.
11. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Or what day it is.
The inside of GRANDFATHER YUN's house, as we saw back in ISSUE 38. GRANDFATHER YUN is here, sitting in a chair, with an attentive CHI-YUN (as a young girl) sitting on the floor at his feet.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
It seems so long since I was safe at home.
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
You would tell me stories. About my parents, and about the heroic people who rescued me from China.
3. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I thought I could be heroic and help people too.
4. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
But it isn't as easy as it seems.
A posed view of CHI-YUN with SARA, JAMES, FRED, PAUL/JEROME, and in the background DON watching them.
5. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
My friends make it seem easy.
6. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Like James, who is a real hero.
7. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
And Sara, who really wants to be.
Back to CHI-YUN alone in her cell. (This is the smallest panel on the page, making her appear even more tiny and lost.)
8. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
But I can't really remember...
9. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Can't...
Back in the interrogation room, the INTERROGATOR is injecting CHI-YUN again.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN alone in her cell again.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Dear Grandfather,
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Ummm...
Back in the interrogation room, CHI-YUN facing the INTERROGATOR with the light in her eyes.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN alone in her cell again.
3. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Dear...
4. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Dear...
Back in the interrogation room, CHI-YUN facing the INTERROGATOR with the light in her eyes.
5. INTERROGATOR:
Who are you loyal to?
6. CHI-YUN:
...
7. CHI-YUN (softly):
you
The interrogator is back in the big posh office, facing PARSIFAL.
8. INTERROGATOR:
She is broken.
9. INTERROGATOR:
She will be ready for you tomorrow.
In the interrogation room, CHI-YUN is strapped back in her chair but her head is up and her eyes wide open -- watching the INTERROGATOR, who is standing next to her and unwrapping a syringe from his leather pouch.
1. INTERROGATOR:
A good day for you today.
2. INTERROGATOR:
You are to meet our glorious leader at last! Are you happy?
3. CHI-YUN:
Very happy.
Close-up as the point of the needle approaches CHI-YUN's forearm.
4. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
Just a stabilizing shot, first.
5. INTERROGATOR (off-panel):
We don't want you embarrassing yourself in front of the leader, do we?
6. CHI-YUN (off-panel):
No! We don't!
Same close-up view. The needle is pressing against her arm -- but it isn't entering! Instead it is bending uselessly against a patch of skin which now looks like the scales of a reptile.
No dialogue.
Wider view to show the INTERROGATOR looking stupidly at the needle, and CHI-YUN looking gloatingly at him.
7. CHI-YUN:
Surprise!
The INTERROGATOR looks at CHI-YUN in horror as she effortlessly snaps the leather straps holding her arms down.
8. SFX:
snap!
9. SFX:
snap!
10. INTERROGATOR:
Oh no!
In a big panel, CHI-YUN is standing and holding the INTERROGATOR by the throat. Although she is half his size, she lifts him easily with one hand. In fact, her arm is about a foot longer than usual so he is actually lifted clear off the ground, legs kicking in the air.
1. CHI-YUN:
Oh yes!
Close up on their faces, CHI-YUN looking up at him. His hands are clawing at her hand but are unable to break her grip on his throat.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I could feel the drugs blocking my powers were wearing off.
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Not much, but just enough for me to make myself immune to them.
3. CHI-YUN:
You shouldn't have made me angry.
4. CHI-YUN:
You won't like me when I'm angry.
5. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
It took a lot of concentration.
Same close up. He is now apparently unconscious, eyes closed and head lolling in her grip.
6. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
And I'm not very good at concentration.
7. CHI-YUN:
Even I don't like me when I'm angry.
A view of a plain corridor. Two black-uniformed armed guards stand to attention either side of a solid-looking door. (They may be the same as we saw earlier, they may not be. It's unimportant.)
8. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
But once I'd done that, I could do—
The door between the guards bursts into splinters as a humanoid rhinoceros comes crashing out.
1. SFX:
CRASH!
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Everything!
A rhinoceros fore-hoof smashes into one guard's face.
3. SFX:
Smash!
The rhinoceros has spun nimbly (!) on one foot to face the second guard, who has raised his weapon to fire. The rhinoceros's left arm has now morphed into an octopus tentacle, which is wrapping around the gun. Its right arm has turned into a big cat's paw and is swiping at the guard's head.
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN (in human form) is running down the corridor, away from the unconscious guards and the wrecked door.
1. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I still don't know where I am. But if I can get outside, I can become a homing pigeon and get home.
In the same view, CHI-YUN receds away down the corridor.
2. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Why aren't there any windows in this place?
3. VOICE (off-panel):
Hey!
4. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Uh-oh.
Same view, and CHI-YUN is darting out of view into a side corridor.
5. VOICE (off-panel):
She's heading for the stairs!
6. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
I am?
CHI-YUN turns the corner of yet another identical corridor and is confronted by two guards with sub-machineguns levelled at her.
7. GUARD:
Halt!
In the form of a huge bear, CHI-YUN lunges at the surprised guards.
1. CHI-YUN:
RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
The bear crashes into the guards, who go down under the impact, guns firing wildly (and missing the bear).
No dialogue.
CHI-YUN is standing again (in human form) with the two unconscious guards at her feet. The POV of this panel should be such that we can't see who is behind her (and neither can she; her attention is on the guards).
No dialogue.
In close up, a hand has grabbed CHI-YUN by the back of the neck and rammed her face HARD into the wall.
1. SFX:
Smash!
We now see her attacker -- it's PARSIFAL. We see him from behind, and looking past him, we see that CHI-YUN has turned to face him, the wall at her back. Her face is covered in blood.
2. CHI-YUN:
Uhhh...
3. CAPTION (CHI-YUN's letter):
Stop the bleeding. Block the pain. And strike with the speed of a—
Same view. CHI-YUN is lashing out with a straight jab at PARSIFAL's face.
4. CHI-YUN (thought):
Cobra.
In close-up, PARSIFAL is dodging her jab with a slight movement of his head.
No dialogue.
Close up of PARSIFAL's fist hammering into CHI-YUN's stomach.
No dialogue.
Close up of the PARSIFAL's fist hammering into CHI-YUN's face.
No dialogue.
PARSIFAL has CHI-YUN pinned against the wall, his forearm hard across her throat. She isn't struggling.
1. PARSIFAL:
Who are you loyal to?
2. CHI-YUN:
To—to—
3. CHI-YUN (softly):
Black Zero.
CHI-YUN is prone on the floor, unconscious. PARSIFAL stands over her. He's beaten her without ruffling his immaculate suit.
4. PARSIFAL:
Take her away. Keep her fully sedated.
PARSIFAL is sitting behind the big desk in his opulent office. The INTERROGATOR stands in front of the desk.
1. INTERROGATOR:
Powers... she had superhuman powers...
2. PARSIFAL:
The drugs that suppressed those powers were in a delicate equilibrium with her metabolism. By introducing your psychoactives into her system, you weakened their effect.
3. INTERROGATOR:
Sir, how—how could I know—?
Close-up of PARSIFAL, his face cold and emotionless.
4. PARSIFAL:
You did not need to know, you needed only to obey.
Close-up of the INTERROGATOR's face, sweating.
5. INTERROGATOR:
I—I will not fail you again.
6. SFX:
Bang!
Same view. The INTERROGATOR's eyes are wide and staring.
7. PARSIFAL (off-panel):
No. You will not.
In a wider view, PARSIFAL watches the INTERROGATOR crumple to the carpet. There is a large red stain on the INTERROGATOR's chest and PARSIFAL holds a smoking pistol.
No dialogue.
The WEAPON MASTER has entered the room. He looks down at the INTERROGATOR's body at his feet.
1. PARSIFAL (off-panel):
Have him disposed of.
2. WEAPON MASTER:
And the girl—?
PARSIFAL looks at the WEAPON MASTER.
3. PARSIFAL:
We begin again. Find another man. Someone reliable.
Familiar view of the dejected CHI-YUN sitting in the corner of her cell.
4. PARSIFAL (voice over):
"I will have her broken."
5. PARSIFAL (voice over):
"And it must be done quickly. I need to use her to find my enemy."
Another scene. A darkened room somewhere. A man in pinned against the wall -- a BLACK ZERO thug (the trademark look is the black uniform and cropped blonde hair). He has a look of terror on his face. He is being pinned by a TONFA at his throat. Because it's a close-up POV of the thug, we can't see who is holding the tonfa. We just see it's a grey-gloved hand.
6. PARSIFAL (voice over):
"Before he finds me."
7. VOICE (off-panel):
Where is Parsifal?
Next: Spirit
All comments to: editor@heroes.force9.co.uk
© 2008 by David Meadows