51: Temples & Trolls

Evening in New York City. Our POV is somewhere in Central Park, and we can see the night skyline rising above the trees in the background. In the open area in front of the trees is a large white marquee tent. In the foreground is a familiar sign:

TEMPLE OF UNITY
HELP FOR BODY AND MIND
ALL WELCOME
FREE FOOD SERVED: 8PM

Although the night is dark, the area in front of the marquee is well illuminated with floodlights.

FIRST VOICE (off-panel):

So what's this groups' M.O.?

SECOND VOICE (off-panel):

Their meetings are a cover for their abductions. They identify kids with superhuman powers, drug them, and spirit them away.

Same POV. We can now see a few clumps of people—mostly young people, many of them probably homeless—walking across the open area towards the marquee.

FIRST VOICE (off-panel):

Ok. So what's our plan?

SECOND VOICE (off-panel):

Trojan horse. One of us gets abducted, then we can trace them back to their headquarters and gather enough evidence for the FBI to come in and shut them down for good.

Same POV. A steady stream of people is heading towards the marquee.

FIRST VOICE (off-panel):

Good plan. Who's going to get themselves abducted?

Splash panel, showing our heroes standing at the edge of the clearing. JAMES, FRED, SARA, WANE, and PAUL are all here. They are suitably dressed for a December night. James in is "civilian" clothes and carries the large art case that normally holds his SHIELD. They are all looking at Wane.

WANE:

Why is everybody looking at me?

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Central Park, New York City.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Thursday 18 December 2014.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

The day we take down the Temple of Unity.

A view of Sara, James and Paul. The group should be arranged so that Sara's captions are placed by each person that she is talking about, this being the way of introducing everyone by name for new readers.

SARA:

James doesn't have a super power so they won't want him.

SARA:

Paul is too old, they only want young people.

PAUL:

Plus, hypnotic regression is not a super power, it's a documented scientif—

SARA:

Whatever.

SARA:

And I was captured last time, so they know what I look like.

Wane looks suspiciously at Fred.

WANE:

What about Fred?

Fred has grabbed Sara's arm and is pointing off into the distance.

FRED:

Look!

Everyone is looking off in the direction Fred is pointing.

SARA:

Look at what?

WANE:

Stop trying to divert attention!

FRED:

No, look at the girl over there! See?

A distant view, from the group's POV, of the woman Fred is looking at. She is wearing a long black coat but is still recognisable as SUZI G (last seen in ISSUE 44 PAGE 5. A black scarf is wrapped around her neck, not necessarily obvious in this view but should be clearly visible in close-ups. Suzi shows no sign of being aware of the group, instead being fixated on the temple marquee.

FRED (off panel):

It's Suzi G!

Back to a view of our heroes.

JAMES:

Who?

Close-up on just James and Sara.

SARA:

James, you're the only man in America who would ask that!

SARA:

She's only the vocalist with the world's biggest-selling troll rock group!

JAMES:

Odd that she's interested in a homeless shelter, then.

Close-up on just Fred and James.

FRED:

It's odder than that. She had a mysterious injury in Houston last month—

JAMES:

The same time the Temple of Unity was set up there?

FRED:

Uh-huh. The exact same time there was that riot at their meeting. And a couple of the tabloids claimed she was seen at the riot.

Back to a view of the spot Suzi G was standing—she's gone!

VOICE (off-panel):

She's gone!

James is moving away from the rest of the group.

JAMES:

She ducked round the back of the marquee. Stay here, I'll scout it out.

WANE:

I've got your back!

JAMES:

No—we can't risk them seeing your face.

WANE:

Dude, what about your face?

James looks back over his shoulder at them, grinning as he pulls up his costume's cowl to cover his features.

JAMES:

I don't think that will be a problem.

They watch him move away. He is now (in the distance) taking his shield from its case.

PAUL:

Don't worry, I'll back him up.

Close-up on Paul.

PAUL:

Or should I say...

Same view. Paul's eyes are closed.

No dialogue.

Same view. Paul's eyes are open again and he's smiling. Yes, he's switched personalities, and his captions will be labelled JEROME from now on.

JEROME:

Jerome will.

Fred, Wane and Sara watch Jerome follow James.

WANE:

Is that multiple personality thing for real?

SARA:

Does it matter?

James is sneaking around the side of a big truck at the back of the marquee (obviously a truck the Temple uses to transport its stuff around in). He is concealed in shadow but we can see that he is in full costume (his street clothes must be hidden somewhere) and wearing the shield on his left arm.

VOICE (off-panel):

Hey! You're not supposed to be back here!

VOICE (off-panel):

Grab her!

James looks round the corner of the truck and we see (from his POV) Suzi G has been caught by two of the Temple thugs. One (Thug 1) has her arms pinned from behind and the other (Thug 2) faces her. Thug 2 has his back to James; Suzi and Thug 1 are facing him.

Temple thugs dress like doormen at nightclubs—superficially respectable but their smart jackets cover the wide shoulders and bulging biceps of a fighter. These two are Caucasian, with close-cropped blonde hair.

No dialogue.

James has stepped out into plain view, facing the thugs. Thug 2 has turned to face him.

JAMES:

I think you should let the lady go.

THUG 2:

What the f—

JAMES:

And mind your language in front of her.

Close up on Thug 2, who now has a pistol out and is pointing it at James.

THUG 2:

Put that—whatever—down. And no funny moves.

James has slipped his arm out of the shield's straps and is in the process of laying it flat on the floor, keeping his free hand in obvious sight and not taking his eyes off the armed man. This panel shows just James and Thug 2.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

My costume will easily stop that bullet but a shot will bring the whole temple down on us and wreck our chances tonight. So I'm happy to play along.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Besides—

Now we see Suzi and Thug 1, and we can see what James had obviously spotted—Jerome has snuck up behind Thug 1.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

—I know something he doesn't.

From behind, Jerome has Thug 1 in a choke hold. The Thug has let go of his own hold on SUZI.

THUG 1:

Urk!

The view widens to include Thug 2 (but not James), who is turning to see what's happening. Jerome is now lowering Thug 1 to the floor, the thug limp in his grip.

THUG 2:

What the—

Same view, and Thug 2 has turned his gun towards Jerome—but flying in from off-panel, James's shield has smashed into his gun arm, causing him to drop the weapon.

THUG 2:

You stop—Ow!

And a close-up on Thug 2 as James's fist smacks into his face.

SFX:

Crack!

James and Jerome stand beside the two unconscious thugs. James has the shield on his arm once more.

JAMES:

Where did the girl go?

JEROME:

She ran into the trees.

JEROME:

Shall I track her?

JAMES:

No, let's get back to the others. I have a feeling Fred can follow up on Suzi.

Close-up on Fred holding up some concert tickets. This is now back with the others, lurking at the edge of the clearing.

FRED:

I've got tickets for her gig tonight!

A full group view—obviously James and Jerome have rejoined them. James is back in street clothes.

SARA:

Cool! Let's go!

JAMES:

I'd rather focus on this mission.

FRED:

Come on, you can see that they're connected!

FRED:

The Temple will be here for a few days. The gig tonight might be our only chance to get close to Suzi.

Close-up on James looking indecisive.

FRED (off-panel):

You know it makes sense!

JAMES:

All right, but I still want to look around here. You three go to this gig. Wane, you're with me. You three—be careful.

A highway, illuminated by car headlights. From one unremarkable saloon car comes a familiar sound.

CAPTION:

Interlude: Highway 50, West Virginia.

MUSIC (from car):

But somewhere down the road, our roads are gonna cross again, it doesn't really matter when, but—

View of the car's interior, and the only occupant is our old friend DON, not seen since the controversial (!) ISSUE 48.

MUSIC (from dash):

—somewhere down the—

SFX (from DON's pocket):

doodle-oo-doo doodle-oo-doo—

Don is driving with his phone wedged under his neck.

DON:

This is an unlisted number, so whatever you're selling—

DON:

Doyle?

The apartment of bounty hunter MIKE DOYLE, also last seen in ISSUE 48. Doyle is here, talking on the phone.

DOYLE:

I've got information for ya. How close are you to D.C.?

VOICE FROM PHONE:

Few hours. What kind of information?

DOYLE:

Can't tell you over the phone. I'll meet you. Call you in the morning to tell you where.

Back on Don in the car.

DON:

Why should I agree to meet you?

VOICE FROM PHONE:

You want to find the shape-shifter, you'll meet me.

DON:

What—

VOICE FROM PHONE:

I'll call ya.

SFX FROM PHONE:

*click* brrrrrrrrrrrrr

In a small room—actually an area at the back of the Temple marquee—FAITH and BROTHER THOMAS (last seen together in (ISSUE 30 PAGE 12) are preparing for the Temple's service. Thomas has his back to Faith and is using a mirror to adjust his tie. Faith is in the long white gown of the TEMPLE SISTERS and is facing the third man in the room: Thug 2 from outside, holding a cloth to his bloody nose.

FAITH:

You're quite sure it was her?

THUG:

Yeah, yeah, Suzi G. Same as in Houston, with all that freaky—

FAITH:

And she did this to you and got away?

THUG:

Yeah! I mean—No, she had accomplices.

Thomas has turned round, taking an interest in the conversation.

THOMAS:

Powered accomplices?

THUG:

N—no. I don't think so. Just two guys.

THOMAS:

Very well. I will deal with it. You may go.

Faith and Thomas are now alone.

THOMAS:

I'll have her disposed of.

FAITH:

Nothing that can get traced back to us.

THOMAS:

Don't worry. I have something suitable in mind. Let me make a phone call—

Outside the marquee, James and Wane have merged with the crowd and are drifting towards the entrance.

CAPTION (voice-over, continuing speech):

"—You just concentrate on tonight's crowd."

WANE:

So I'm not getting kidnapped tonight?

JAMES:

No, but I want you to see the set-up so you'll be ready when we come back tomorrow.

James and Wane passing through the marquee entrance, under the watchful eye of the big temple security guards (thugs).

JAMES:

We're not going to get into any trouble tonight!

WANE:

Amen to that!

Inside the marquee, Brother Thomas and a dozen of the Temple Sisters (including Faith) are on the raised stage. A large crowd watches Thomas sermonizing. (There is no need to show James or Wane in the crowd.)

THOMAS (off panel):

I know why you come. Society has let you down. Thrown you on the streets. Abandoned you.

Extreme close-up on Faith. Her eyes reflect the faces of the crowd.

No dialogue.

Same view. The multiple faces in Faith's eyes have been replaced by just one: Wane's.

THOMAS (off-panel):

My friends, there is a hidden power inside you all.

The meeting is obviously over because people are streaming out. Thomas and a couple of sisters stand just inside the entrance, exchanging a few words with the faithful as they leave. James is walking past them—they pay no attention to him.

No dialogue.

Wane is one of the last to leave and has paused to look at Thomas when he is spoken to.

THOMAS:

I hope you found our message enlightening, young man.

WANE:

Uh, yeah, totally.

As the last few people exit behind him, Wane is still being detained by Thomas. We can see that one of the sisters has moved behind him and has a cloth held discretely in one hand.

THOMAS:

You're not here with anyone?

WANE:

No! I mean—no, nobody knows I'm in New York.

The sister has clamped the cloth over Wane's nose and mouth. He is trying to pull her hand away but it's fast-acting stuff and he's already far too feeble.

THOMAS:

Good. I am tired of complications.

WANE:

Mmmph!

Outside, James stands some distance from the marquee, looking back at it. He's off to one side so he can see the back of the marquee, where the big truck and a number of cars stand.

JAMES:

Come on, Wane!

From James's POV we see a couple of temple thugs dragging Wane out of the back of the marquee and towards one of the waiting cars.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Oh, come on! What was difficult to understand about "we're not going to get into any trouble tonight"?

James has his phone to his ear.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

I'm going to need Fred or Sara to locate him.

Again from James's POV, the car carrying Wane is driving off.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Come on Sara, pick up!

In a dark and crowded nightclub, GRANITE HEAD are on stage. Suzi G, in full "goth" stage make-up and clothing, is screaming into a microphone. The black scarf around her throat is clearly visible but just seems like part of her stage outfit. Behind her are the other three members of her band, last seen in ISSUE 44 PAGE 5. The three men are in troll gear and are playing a collection of grotesquely-adorned big drums, gongs, bells, etc.—not with drumsticks, with great metal hammers. The stage backdrop says "GRANITE HEAD" in a big blocky type face.

The people in the club are the music fans known as TROLLS. Studded leather and sharp accessories are common. Uglifying make-up is expected. The "hard-core" trolls wear tusks and horns (prosthetics or possibly implants). Not every patron of the club will look extreme—some will be relatively normal. But the overall effect should be wild.

In the crowd scene we can't pick out Paul, Fred and Sara. Their captions will come from a random location in the mass of bodies.

Running along the bottom of EVERY panel set in the club will be a monotonous "drum beat" caption: "DOOM DOOM DOOM" in big slab lettering, repeated as many times as needed to stretch across the panel.

PAUL:

I can't even hear myself think!

FRED:

What?

PAUL:

I said I can't—oh, forget it!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

A POV that allows us to see Paul, Fred and Sara are together (Fred in the centre), watching the stage over a mass of trolls' heads.

FRED:

Will you be quiet? I'm trying to concentrate!

PAUL:

ME be quiet?

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

This POV is looking directly into Fred's eyes. We see the stage reflected in them.

SARA (off-panel):

You get used to it, Doc.

PAUL (off-panel):

You mean after you lose your hearing?

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Same view.

SARA (off-panel):

Fred, something's wrong here.

FRED:

I know.

SARA (off-panel):

I mean, I think she's lip synching!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Extreme close up on Fred's eyes, with the face of Suzi G reflected in them.

FRED:

She is.

FRED:

Let's go somewhere to talk.

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Fred, Paul and Sara sit in a coffee shop: Paul and Sara on one side of a table, Fred on the other. They are by a window and outside we can see a neon sign across the street: "THE MINE". Trolls are queuing under the sign, being admitted by uniformed doormen.

The music captions will still run along the bottom of each panel, but in a smaller type to reflect the fact that it's much quieter.

PAUL:

I may never hear again!

SARA:

If it's too loud, you're too old.

PAUL:

What?

SARA:

If it's—ohhh!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Close up on Fred. He's tapping a cigarette on the table—but not lighting it.

FRED:

Suzi was at the Temple riot in Houston. Her memories of it are confused, but she did get injured. Her throat. It's damaged her voice. That's why she's lip synching tonight. She can't sing.

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Close up on Sara.

SARA:

Oh, God! Poor woman. Losing—

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Wider view to show Paul looking keenly at Sara, who has suddenly fallen silent.

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Same view. Sara is looking down at the table, not meeting the others' eyes.

PAUL:

It must be hard, to lose an ability like that.

PAUL:

A good thing she has band-mates she can lean on.

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Wider view, again, showing all three of them.

FRED:

Anyway. I couldn't see what her connection is to the Temple. But she hates them. Not just because of her voice. Something else in her past.

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Paul is standing.

PAUL:

Ok, then we need to talk to her. Let's find our way back stage.

SARA:

Do you have any idea what security is like for a high-profile rock star?

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Paul makes a sweeping gesture to encompass the three of them.

PAUL:

Nothing like what they need to keep out the three of us!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Now Fred is also standing.

FRED:

Most sensible plan I've heard all day. Let's do it!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Close-up on Sara, still sitting.

SARA:

<sigh>

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

James is in full costume, masked, shield on arm. He is vaulting over the railings that surround the park.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

On my own then.

James is sprinting down a sidewalk, passing cars snarled up in traffic.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

In my favour is Manhattan traffic. Their car can't move very swiftly.

James is swinging up a set of fire-escape stairs.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

As long as I keep it in sight I should have no problem following it.

James leaps from building to building across an alley.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

As long as they don't spot me.

James sprints along the edge of a building's roof.

No dialogue.

James leaps down off the roof of a building—

No dialogue.

—And grabs the railing of another fire escape as he falls, arresting his fall—

No dialogue.

—But not for long, as he continues his downward plunge—

No dialogue.

—and lands in a narrow street at the bottom of the fire escape, rolling with the impact.

No dialogue.

James, at the end of his roll, still in a crouch, looking up the street. Some distance away the Temple car is turning the corner.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

So far, so g—

VOICE (screaming, off panel):

Eeeeeeeee!

Same view. James's head has snapped round to the direction of the scream—the opposite direction to the one the car is vanishing in!

VOICE (off panel):

Scream all you want. Ain't nobody gonna hear you in this neighborhood.

Close up on James's face, showing indecision.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

It never rains but it pours.

VOICE (screaming, off panel):

Eeeeeeeee!

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Sorry, Wane.

James is sprinting in the direction of the scream.

No dialogue.

Sara is leading Paul and Fred down a back-stage corridor at the "Mine" nightclub. Fred is holding a handkerchief to his nose.

SARA:

Well, the doorman was a pushover.

FRED:

Speak for yourself!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

The trio come face-to-tusk with a pair of very big and very ugly trolls.

SARA:

Ah—hi! We're with the band! Can we—

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

The lead troll has roughly pushed Sara aside.

TROLL:

Scram, brat.

SARA:

Hey!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Paul puts himself between the troll and Sara.

PAUL:

No need for that. We just want to—

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

Close-up of Fred.

FRED (thought):

Paul! These guys aren't fans, they're here to kill Suzi!

CAPTION (music):

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

The troll is pulling back a clenched fist, intending to punch Paul.

DISEMBODIED THOUGHT:

And—

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

In a big action panel, the troll's punch lands. But not on Paul, who has ducked at the last possible instant. Instead, the punch connects with the brick wall of the corridor— and smashes straight through the wall with apparent superhuman strength.

SFX:

SMASH!

DISEMBODIED THOUGHT:

—They're high on troll dust.

DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM DOOM DOOM BOOM DOOM

A dark, refuse-filled back alley. There are three figures present: a well-dressed man, prone on the floor and apparently unconscious. A knife lies near his outstretched hand. A woman, dressed like a street-walker and just rising from where she has been thrown to the ground. And finally James, standing over the woman and offering his hand. I'll leave it to the readers to deduce what has happened off-panel.

JAMES:

It's all right. He can't hurt you now.

Close-up on the woman and James as he helps her up. Her clothing is dishevelled and her mascara running down her face. James isn't looking at her—he is looking away down the alley.

JAMES:

Do you have a phone? Call 911. He won't wake up till the police get here.

WOMAN:

I ain't calling no cops.

James looks at the woman as he pulls out his own phone.

JAMES:

I can understand that, ma'am, and I wouldn't ask you to do something that would put you in any trouble.

JAMES:

I don't have much time, I have a friend in danger. But someone needs to make sure this man can't hurt any more women.

The woman looks up into James's eyes and puts her hand on his to stop him lifting the phone to his ear.

WOMAN:

Go help your friend. I'll call the cops.

James is running back down the alley.

No dialogue.

James stands back in the street where he last saw the car. The car isn't there, obviously.

No dialogue.

Backstage at the club, the two trolls are menacing Paul while Fred and Sara look on helplessly.

No dialogue.

Elsewhere, two Temple thugs drag an unconscious Wane into what appears to be an abandoned building.

No dialogue.

James in the same spot, this a high POV looking down on him, showing that he's all alone and hasn't a clue which way to go.

JAMES's JOURNAL:

Now what?