Sunday 6 May 2012

Scribble Pic: Hafaza

Given that she went down well, I thought I'd draw her. So here she is. It is Hafaza. Enjoy.

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Scribblers: The Monastery

Scribblers
"The Monastery"
by Steffan Alun

1.   EXT.  THE MONASTERY - Day 6.  0900

A large abbey, surrounded by a tall wall on all sides.  Tall trees are around the wall - the building and the grounds cannot be seen from outside.

A concealed gate opens in the wall -

Revealing FINESSE, SHIFT, CHRONAL, LYRIC, AMITY and WRAITH.

They walk towards the building.

FINESSE
This is it, guys!  The Monastery.

SHIFT
And this is private land?

FINESSE
Absolutely.

CHRONAL
Typical.  We all realise the free market isn't really self-regulating, right?

FINESSE
Of course.  But the Monk's in charge of this place.  He's completely trustworthy.

LYRIC
Says you.

FINESSE
Yes.  And I'm completely trustworthy too.

WRAITH
I don't like him.

FINESSE
Okay, can we have a quick show of hands?  Who trusts the Monk?

SHIFT
I do.  I can read his body language.  He's one of the good guys.

AMITY
I second that.  I can see his emotions.

LYRIC
I'm tentative.  I'm just not used to people keeping their identities secret from Scribblers.

CHRONAL
Finesse says he's trustworthy.  That's good enough for me.

WRAITH
I think he's evil.

AMITY
You think all strangers are evil.

WRAITH
Prove me wrong.

They reach the building, and are greeted by THE MONK and REBECCA GLASS.

FINESSE
Morning!

GLASS
Darling!  Welcome back!

FINESSE
Becca, Monk - you've met the team before.

The Monk nods, and shakes their hands in turn.

GLASS
I'll give you the tour, if you like.  I'm afraid it's a bit busy at the moment - it's a school day.

LYRIC
Wait - this place is a school?

CUT TO:

2.   INT.  MONASTERY - MAIN HALL - Day 6.  0905

Cosy but spacious hall.  Large staircase in the middle, curling to the left and right at the top.  Fussy little doors dotted asymmetrically around the ground floor.  Various STUDENTS and odd STAFF MEMBERS walking around.

GLASS and the MONK lead the way, followed by the SIX SCRIBBLERS.

GLASS
We have nearly fifty students here in all, divided into six classes.

CHRONAL
Divided at random?  Or do you have a mind-reading hat like in Harry Potter?

GLASS
Actually, we group them by powers.

AMITY
Oh, fun!  Can we guess the different classes?

GLASS
No.  I'll just tell you.

AMITY
I must say, Ms Glass, I'm going off you.

GLASS
I'll grow on you.

WRAITH
Like fungus?

GLASS
We have a class for linguistics.  Another for transformation.  We have perception, manipulation, time and the mind.

LYRIC
Right.  One for each Scribbler, then.

GLASS
Exactly.  The Scribblers' powers are renowned - and while the Scribblers themselves may be considered the best in their fields, those power sets are hardly unique.  We can't risk these children falling into the wrong hands.

SHIFT
That's the motive, then?  Train them up here so the bad guys don't get them?

GLASS
Exactly.

LYRIC
Well, that sounds perfectly innocent ...

CHRONAL
Is the school safe, though?  If you've got a building full of kids with Scribbly powers, that's a gold mine for bad guys.

GLASS
Don't worry.  The school is kept entirely secret.  We work with Retcon - there is no way any villain gets hold of any information on this place.

CUT TO:

3.   INT.  SECRET BASE - Day 6.  0910

Small, dark and concrete.  Covered in papers, like a war room.  FIVE FIGURES looking down at files and papers on a table.

The papers include, most prominently, full maps and blueprints of the school, lists of names and photos of various staff members and students, including the Monk and Glass.

One figure is clearly in charge - this is LATENT; 40s, snobbish, uptight, black costume with a red logo.

The other four figures are POINT 34 - currently in a bottle green Iron Man-style suit, but really a woman in her 60s, cruel and scatty - SPRINGER - 20s, male, lanky and quiet, in a light blue costume - with GRANITE and LONDON FOG.  All four are now wearing red logos like Latent's on their costumes.

LATENT
This is the target, and it has to be today.

POINT 34
Today?  That'll cost you.

LATENT
You'll be able to retire on my payment.

GRANITE
Okay.  Rules?

LATENT
You'll be taking out the Scribblers.

LONDON FOG
Yeah.  'Cause we've never tried that.

LATENT
The whole building is bugged.  I'll be guiding you.

LONDON FOG
I can't do nothing if Finesse is there.

LATENT
Objective one, then - separate Finesse from the others.  Objective two, don't kill any of them.  Objective three, don't kill or injure any of the children or staff.  Objective four, obey all my commands as you get them.

GRANITE
What about banter?  I like banter.  Can we banter?

LATENT
You can banter.

POINT 34
We'll make sure we don't name you.

LATENT
Goodness me, no.  You're about to take down the Scribblers.  I want my name all over this.

CUT TO:

4.   MONASTERY - LINGUISTICS CLASS - Day 6.  0930

THE MONK leads LYRIC into a classroom with TEN STUDENTS, including DEATH QUOTE (14, male, small, energetic) and DAN FISHER (15, beautiful, reserved).  The students are all in awe of Lyric.  At the front of the class is their teacher, ABROS (30, male, neat, calm).

ABROS
Good morning, headmaster.  And it's an honour to meet you, Lyric.

LYRIC
This is my class, then, yes?

ABROS
That's right.  All of my students can manipulate the world with words.  Just like you, sir.

Lyric gives him an unimpressed look.

Then he spots a poster on the wall.  It's the quick brown fox sentence with the words colour-co-ordinated, with arrows and circles labelling various parts.

LYRIC
I like this, though!  Who made this?

DEATH QUOTE
Um, I did.

LYRIC
Lovely colours.

ABROS
This is Mike, Lyric.  My star pupil.

Lyric approaches Death Quote.

LYRIC
Okay.  Can you show me your powers?

DEATH QUOTE
Um, I don't think I should.

ABROS
Go on, Mike.  Just a taster.

DEATH QUOTE
What if I ...?

ABROS
Come on.  We both know what you can do now.

DEATH QUOTE
Alright.
(quietly)
Handsome man.

LYRIC
Ow!

He puts a hand to his back.

LYRIC
That stings.

ABROS
When Mike arrived, he couldn't even describe anyone without killing them.  And now look!  The precision.

LYRIC
You describe people, and cause them pain?  Lovely.

Dan is singing to himself.  His voice is deep; the song mournful.

LYRIC
That feels better - is that you?

DAN
People heal when I sing.

LYRIC
You should meet Wraith.  He must be your nemesis - his singing hurts us all.

CUT TO:

5.   MONASTRY - PERCEPTION CLASS - Day 6.  0932

NINE STUDENTS, including RUPERT CAMPBELL (15, cautious, posh), who's busily writing in a battered exercise book, and LUCY (13, nervous), who's staring at Wraith along with the other remaining students.  Teacher APORIA (34, female, chubby, uncertain) is talking to WRAITH.

APORIA
So how do your powers work, exactly?  Can you fool CCTV?

WRAITH
Finesse says I shouldn't tell people.  I keep saying things to my girlfriend, and she breaks into our building.

APORIA
I'm assuming it's something to do with light manipulation ...

WRAITH
Stop talking.  Where do you find the kids?

APORIA
The headmaster and Ms Glass deal with that side of things.  They have contacts in other schools, and ...

WRAITH
Whatever.  What can these kids do?

APORIA
Okay, Lucy here can make anything look like it's made of wood ...

WRAITH
Worst power ever.

Lucy looks crushed.

WRAITH
Who's got good ones?

APORIA
Everyone's got good ones.
     (beat)
Well, Rupert's our top pupil - we call him Mirage.

She points at Rupert -

Rupert looks up lazily -

And shuts his book.

Wraith approaches him.

WRAITH
Hello, Mirage.  What can you do?  Make an oasis in the desert?

RUPERT
Just stuff.  I'm not in the mood, if that's alright.

WRAITH
Come on, son - I'm a Scribbler.  Surely I should be like a celebrity to you?

RUPERT
Sorry, yeah.  It's an honour to meet you.
(whispering)
Look, mate, I know you're here to shut this place down.  I don't blame you.  I know all about this place, and I knew you guys would come sooner or later.

WRAITH
Well.  That's interesting.

CUT TO:

6.   INT.  MONASTERY - MANIPULATION CLASS - Day 6. 0933

REBECCA GLASS and FINESSE in a classroom with EIGHT STUDENTS, including BETH (14, eager, precocious).  All students in awe of Finesse.

GLASS
I probably shouldn't say it, but I reckon mine is the strongest class.  These guys have a huge variety of powers.

FINESSE
I can tell!  I've never been in the presence of so many exciting powers in one room.

The students look thrilled.

FINESSE
Honestly, it's like a box of expensive chocolates when you've only ever had Quality Streets.  My teammates aside, of course.

BETH
Miss?  Is it true you once defeated the Rainbow Soldiers single-handedly?

FINESSE
No - I defeated the Rainbow Warriors single-handedly.  Although I could totally take the Rainbow Soldiers on my own.  What's your name?

BETH
I'm Beth, miss.

FINESSE
Pleasure to meet you.

CUT TO:

7.   INT.  SECRET BASE -  Day 6. 0934

Latent is now alone in her base, listening to the conversation between Finesse and Beth on a speaker.

She turns, and we see she's on the phone.

LATENT
Okay, interesting.  Finesse supposedly trusts the school more than any of them, but even she's not letting her guard down entirely.
(beat)
No, she trusts Glass entirely - they go back a long way.
(beat)
Must be the kids.  Makes sense, but still.
(beat)
No, I'm certain.  If she trusted the kid, she'd have said something.  See ...

Latent picks up a folder from the desk -

It's marked: FINESSE

LATENT
Beth is her sister's name.

CUT TO:

8.   INT.  MONASTERY - TRANSFORMATION CLASS - Day 6. 0935

SHIFT is with UMBRA (female, 50, severe, colourful) and EIGHT STUDENTS, in awe, including ZHOU (14, open, wise) and ZARITA (12, lazy).

UMBRA
Has anyone got any questions for Shift of the Scribblers?

Several hands go up, including Zarita's and Zhou's.

UMBRA
Zarita?

ZARITA
What kinds of animals can you become?

SHIFT
It's easy to forget all of them, but I like my big animals - bear, tiger, that kind of thing.  Small animals are handy for infiltration - housefly, flea.

ZARITA
How long did it take you to master them all?

SHIFT
Um, I just absorb them, really.  I can become any animal whose DNA I've absorbed.

ZARITA (sadly)
Oh.

UMBRA
Zarita here has very similar powers to yours, but she can't simply absorb the DNA.  She must study and understand each animal she becomes.

SHIFT
Well, I have a friend like that.  Spends a lot of time in his shed, reading up.  At least, I assume that's what he's doing ...

ZHOU
Do you keep your memories when you transform?

SHIFT
Yes, at first.  The longer I'm transformed, the more I start to lose myself.

ZHOU
I lost almost all of my memories the first time I transformed.

SHIFT
What's your name?

ZHOU
Zhou Xizhang.

SHIFT
Well, Zhou, it can be hard at first.  I had a friend who helped out a lot in the early days.  But the more you practise, the better you get.

ZHOU
I have good friends.

SHIFT
Excellent!  Rely on them.  It's handy to have friends who know how you're feeling.

CUT TO:

9.   INT.  MONASTERY - MIND CLASS - Day 6.  0936

AMITY is sitting in the corner, eyes closed.  ERNEST TAYLOR (67, gentle, tired) is standing nearby.  Behind him are NINE STUDENTS, looking over and pretending not to; they include AADITA (15, dramatic, enthusiastic) and RUFUS (16, fat).

TAYLOR
Are you ready?  The kids have been looking forward to your visit.

AMITY
I just need to get used to the noise.  It's not easy being surrounded by teenagers.  It's like being in school again.

RUFUS
Um, is it the emotions?

AMITY
Yes.  They're all over the place!

RUFUS
I can sense guilt.  It's horrible.

AMITY
Right, yes.

RUFUS
We're here to practice our powers, and make them better, and all it means is I hear it louder when people feel guilty.  I really don't like it.

Amity stands.

AMITY
Yes, that's it, isn't it?  You get better at your power, and it just makes it harder still in your everyday life.

AADITA
How do you balance both?  I struggle with it.

AMITY
I'm not sure that I do balance them, really.

AADITA
And you can't shut it off?

AMITY
No, I can't - what's your name?

AADITA
I'm Aadita.  They say I'm the top pupil in this class, but I can't sense people's emotions at all.

TAYLOR
We focus on all aspects of the mind in class ...

Taylor checks his watch.

TAYLOR
Alright, now - if you don't mind, Amity, we'd like you to speak with Aadita alone.

AMITY
Alright.  Why so?

TAYLOR
We'd like our top pupils to learn something from the Scribblers.  Just pointers and things.  There's a room you can use through here.

He opens a door in the back of the class.

Amity walks towards it.

AMITY
Alright.  One-on-one.  Like an Oxford seminar.

She enters the room -

And Aadita follows.

Taylor takes out his phone and starts typing.

CUT TO:

10.  INT.  SECRET BASE - Day 6. 0938

LATENT receives a text.

She reaches her phone.

Presses a button.

Close-up on the message: AMITY OUT OF CLASS.

CUT TO:

11.  INT.  MONASTERY - TIME CLASS - Day 6.  0938

CHRONAL in class with CONTRA (male, 32, spiky, extremely camp) and three students - RHIAN (14, blank), who's carrying a TEDDY BEAR, KELLY (16, wearing heavy make-up) and HAMISH (12, bullish).

CONTRA
I'm meant to send you out to talk with our top pupil now, but ...

HAMISH
She doesn't talk.

CONTRA
Hamish!  Don't be rude.

KELLY
I don't get why she's top pupil.  She never does anything.

CONTRA
Maybe if you turned up to classes in the right order, young lady ...

CHRONAL (to Rhian)
So this is you, yes?

Rhian looks up.

Smiles.

CONTRA
Wow, you're lucky.  Took me a fortnight to get a smile.

CHRONAL (still to Rhian)
So I'm meant to talk to you?

CONTRA
That's the idea.  Pointers on becoming a superhero, that kind of thing.  Are you interested, Rhian?

Rhian smiles at Contra.

CONTRA
Well, there we are then.  If you're happy, Chronal ...

CHRONAL
Well, why not?

Contra nods towards a door in the back.

CONTRA
Use my office.  And don't eat the sweets.

CUT TO:

12.  INT.  MONASTERY - CONTRA'S OFFICE - Day 6.  0939

A tiny, messy office - a computer covered in stickers on a desk covered in papers and mugs.  There are several enormous boxes of Haribo sweets around the place.  A posh computer chair and a dodgy plastic school chair are the only other furniture.

CHRONAL enters, followed by RHIAN and her bear.

Chronal sits in the plastic chair.  He gives the sweets a longing look.

Nods Rhian to the computer chair.

Rhian sits.

CHRONAL
Okay, you don't talk, but that's fine.  I love the sound of my own -

RHIAN (confident, wise)
We do not have much time.  I must know whom you trust.

CHRONAL
Hang on -

RHIAN
A friend of mine believes something will happen today.  The day the Scribblers come.  We will know whom we can trust, and whom ...  I believe there are enemies in this school.

CHRONAL
Right, okay.  I'll be honest with you, Rhian - that's why we're here.  To find out what's what.

RHIAN
I must know whom you trust.

CHRONAL
Hey, I'm the trusting kind.

RHIAN
Tell me - whom do you really trust?  Whom would you trust with your life?  Whom are you absolutely certain is on your side?

Chronal laughs in confusion.

Rhian looks serious and anxious.

Chronal calms down.  Serious now.

CHRONAL
Finesse.  Absolutely.  Lyric and Wraith and Amity.  And Shift.  Yes, all of them.

RHIAN
What of Ms Glass?  What of the headmaster?

CHRONAL
Rebecca's an old friend.  I basically trust her.  Finesse trusts the Monk, and that's good enough for me.

RHIAN
Would that it were good enough for me.

She grabs Chronal's hand.

When she speaks, she sounds far more like a lost child.

RHIAN
I'm so glad you're here.

Chronal stands.

Hugs Rhian.

CHRONAL
Okay.  Tell me everything that's worrying you.

CUT TO:

13.  INT.  MONASTERY - REFECTORY - Day 6.  1005

A relatively large room with long wooden benches.  Three ugly statues along one of the walls - one of a king, one of a queen, one of a thief.  FINESSE, LYRIC, SHIFT and AMITY sitting with a sandwich and piece of fruit each.  Only a handful of STUDENTS in the background.  No staff.  Wraith cutting up his apple.  Finesse eyeing up Lyric's banana.

AMITY
It's a bit empty, isn't it?

SHIFT
My moody youth said most of the kids skip fruit break.

FINESSE
Annoying.  Do you know how hard it is to get funding for these kinds of initiatives?

LYRIC
Well, that's private schools for you.
(beat)
Oh, yeah.  Chronal's not here.  Anyone else want to say it?
(beat)
Look, if you want the banana, just take it.

Finesse takes the banana eagerly.

CHRONAL and WRAITH arrive.  Chronal is carrying Rhian's teddy bear.

They sit.

CHRONAL
So, the free market isn't self-regulating.

LYRIC
We were just waiting for you to say that.

CHRONAL
Really, though.  Top pupil in my class is scared out of her wits by this place.  Won't even speak to anyone.  She insisted I take this bear to keep me safe!

WRAITH
My boy Rupert thinks we're here to shut down the school.

CHRONAL
Something's going on, and the kids know it.

AMITY
I don't know - I used to think there were evil conspiracies at my school too.

SHIFT
Yeah.  Although actually, our school was evil.
(beat)
Okay, fine.  Kids in boarding school getting paranoid, though.  That's still not exactly news.

CUT TO:

14.  INT.  MONASTERY - STOREROOM.  1007

A large, dark, dusty room, the walls full of old sports equipment.  A table in the middle - brand-new and light - with six candles and a lot of papers on it.  RUPERT, AADITA, BETH and ZHOU standing around it.

AADITA
Amity gave nothing away.  She seems a delight.  It's terrifying knowing it's all an act.

BETH
Are you sure, though?  Finesse was so nice.  She gave me great advice.  Maybe they aren't here to shut the place down?

RUPERT
If not, we're missing something vital.  But something's coming.  Look at this.

He moves the papers on the table to reveal a photograph.

Aadita picks it up to examine it.

It's of MR TAYLOR in the refectory, looking at the ugly statue of the queen.

AADITA
That's where the microphone is.

ZHOU
He must know it's bugged.

AADITA
Oh, God.  Zhou, I'm so sorry.

Zhou avoids her gaze.

Aadita puts a hand on his back.

RUPERT
We trust no-one.  If Taylor's in on it, any of them could be.  I still say, we trust no-one but the Scribblers.

The door opens -

MIKE and RHIAN enter.

MIKE
Okay, so Chronal trusts the head and Ms Glass.

BETH
You asked him, then, Rhian?

MIKE
She did.

RUPERT
Fine, okay, she'll speak to him ...

BETH
Oh, hush.

ZHOU
Wait.  Where's your bear, Rhian?

CUT TO:

15.  INT.  SECRET BASE - Day 6.  1009

LATENT on the phone.

LATENT
Alright, Taylor, what's the latest?
(beat)
You - what?
(beat)
Right.  Keep in touch.

She hangs up.

Redials.

LATENT
Alright, team.  New instruction.  Chronal is currently in possession of a teddy bear.  Do not, under any circumstances, allow that bear to be harmed.  Stay away from Chronal as best you can.  If the bear is given to anyone else, then you stay away from them instead.  Do I make myself clear?
(beat)
No.  No exceptions.  This overrides everything.  You see someone carrying the bear?  Then as far as you're concerned, that person is untouchable.

CUT TO:

16.  INT.  MONASTERY - REFECTORY - Day 6.  1010

Continued from Scene 13.

Finesse receives a bingly-beepy message.

FINESSE
Oh, what?  Someone's turned up at the pit.  One of us needs to get back.  Lyric, would you mind ...?

LYRIC
My turn, is it?

FINESSE
Take the Trans-Jet.  You can be back within the hour.

CUT TO:

17.  INT.  MONASTERY – STOREROOM – Day 6.  1011

Continued from Scene 14.

RUPERT
We need a plan.  But first we need to know what's going on.

MIKE
Rhian doesn't think the Scribblers are here to shut us down.

BETH
I agree.  Which means - hang on.  Surely that means someone else is coming today?

AADITA
Rupert - your mother's e-mail.  Would it still make sense if someone else was coming?

RUPERT
Yes.  Yes it would.  Oh, crikey.  Okay, Beth - whatever happens now, you stick with Aadita.

BETH
I can't skip class!  Ms Glass will go mental.

RUPERT
Let's not be childish here.  You're the most powerful student in the school.  If someone else is coming, there's a damned good chance they're coming for you.

A school bell rings.

RUPERT
Okay, everyone out.

Mike, Rhian and Zhou leave.

Beth looks to Aadita -

Who indicates that she should go ahead.

Beth leaves, leaving Rupert and Aadita alone.

AADITA
What's wrong with you today?

RUPERT
Nothing.

AADITA
You're being spiky, and not in the normal Ruperty way.  Are you alright?

Rupert leans on the table.

Drops his head.

RUPERT
Claire phoned last night.  She said a lot of things.  Saying it was hard, me being here.  She said - well, that's it, really.  She's got to move on.

Aadita walks to him.

Puts her hand on the back of his head.

AADITA
I'm so sorry.
(beat)
We'll sort this out.  Hey.  Hey.

She pulls him upright.

Makes him look her in the eye.

AADITA
Rupert and Aadita can sort this out later.  Right now, Mirage and Back-Up need to help their teammates save the school.

Rupert blinks hard.

Then smiles.

RUPERT
Alright, Back-Up.  Let's save the school.

CUT TO:

18.  EXT.  THE PIT EXTERIOR – Day 6.  1040

The TRANS-JET enters the building through the hangar.

CUT TO:

19.  INT.  THE PIT – ENTRANCE – Day 6.  1045

The entrance to the Pit is hi-tech but cosy – a dark red wooden door with lots of security gubbins attached.  LYRIC opens the door.

On the other side is INSIGHT (22, female, muscular, perceptive).

INSIGHT
Good morning, sir.

LYRIC
Call me Lyric.

INSIGHT
It’s an honour.  I’m Insight of Alternate Vertigo.

LYRIC
Oh, right – one of your teammates helped with the crater situation ...?

INSIGHT
Yes!  That was Dreamwave.  She’s my girlfriend – she’ll be so pleased you know who she is.

LYRIC
She probably saved hundreds of lives.  Um – would you like to come in?

CUT TO:

20.  INT.  PIT – LIVING AREA – Day 6.  1050

LYRIC and INSIGHT are sitting on the sofas with cups of tea – Insight sitting neatly, her back ramrod straight, Lyric curled up.

LYRIC
Alright.  You’ve got something to say?

INSIGHT
Yes.  Something happened last month – and it’s taken this long to get the government to agree that I can meet you to talk about it ...

LYRIC
Oh, just pop round next time.

INSIGHT
It’s not that simple.  Our team depends on grants and regular inspections – everything we do has to be by the book.

LYRIC
Alright.  Send me a text, then, and I’ll just happen to be in your neighbourhood.

INSIGHT
Oh!  Thanks.  But, really – we need to talk.  My team was tipped off to a major operation in the area – Cardiff, we’re from.  Lots of hired help moving in on a supposedly abandoned warehouse.

LYRIC
Okay, so far so common.

INSIGHT
By the time my teammates got there, the warehouse was nearly empty.  But a few filing cabinets were left – and in the process of being moved.

LYRIC
So you’re thinking these were – what, offices?

INSIGHT
No.  I think they were storing information.  I reckon the whole place was full of files.

CUT TO:

21.  INT.  SECRET BASE -  FILING ROOM - Day 6. 1051

An enormous room full of filing cabinets – all crammed in, as though moved in a rush.  No way to access most of them.

LATENT is among them, moving some of the cabinets.

LATENT
Gotcha.

She opens a drawer –

Removes a folder –

It reads: “SHIFT”

CUT TO:

22.  INT.  PIT – LIVING AREA – Day 6.  1051

Continued from Scene 20.

INSIGHT
And – look, we managed to get hold of one of the files.  It’s really not good.  It included a massive amount of intel on Wraith.

LYRIC
What kind of thing are we talking?

INSIGHT
Everything.  Absolutely everything.  Name, family, friends, medical history, his bloody shoe size.  And a few pages on other Scribblers too.

LYRIC
Bugger.  Okay, so we have to assume there are folders for everyone.  Let’s assume worst-case scenario – full details in all of them.  Did you find out who owned the warehouse?

INSIGHT
An illusionist called Latent.

LYRIC
Never heard of him.

INSIGHT
Her.  And no, you haven’t.  No-one has.  But she’s managed to collect all this information, to buy this warehouse, to amass enough money to hire an army and – she sent us a very expensive assassin when we got hold of her files.  We had to be moved for security purposes.

LYRIC
Right right right.  So she’s invisible.  And how did you find out about her?

INSIGHT
An anonymous tip-off.  There’s a chip in her armour somewhere.  Someone’s working against her.

CUT TO:

23.  INT.  MONASTERY - REFECTORY - Day 6.  1055

The room is now empty except for MR TAYLOR, who’s standing by the ugly queen statue.

TAYLOR
Latent.  I have news.

INTERCUT WITH:

24.  INT.  SECRET BASE – Day 6.  1055

LATENT standing above the table, which is now covered in information on Wraith.

LATENT
Okay, give it to me.

TAYLOR
Lyric’s left the building.

LATENT
What.

TAYLOR
Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner – couldn’t slip away.  He’s gone back to the ... is it called the Scribbler Pit?

LATENT
Thank you, Taylor.

She grabs her phone.

Dials.

Phone to her ear.

INTERCUT WITH:

25.  EXT/INT.  CARRIER – Day 6.  1055

A small black flying vehicle in the sky, door built into the back.  POINT 34 driving, with GRANITE, LONDON FOG and SPRINGER in the back.  All belted in apart from Granite, who’s walking around.

SPRINGER
Hello?

LATENT
Springer, I need one of you to head for the Scribblers headquarters.  Not you or London Fog – we need you two at the school.  But if either of the others fancies a one-on-one fight with Lyric –

SPRINGER
I’ll get someone on it.

He hangs up.

SPRINGER
Latent needs someone to head for the Pit.  Lyric’s gone back there.

GRANITE
Ooh, ooh, me!  He has good banter.

POINT 34
You’re a child.  Yes, go.  We’re a stronger team without you.

GRANITE
Well screw you, lady!

Granite opens the door in the back –

The others hold on to their belts –

And Granite jumps!

POINT 34
I hope she cracks her face.

LONDON FOG
Oy!  Leave ‘er alone.

POINT 34
Oh, let’s not fight.  We’ve got a job to do.

London Fog looks furious.

CUT TO:

26.  EXT.  THE MONASTERY - Day 6.  1200

The black carrier landing in the grounds.

The doors open, and POINT 34, SPRINGER and LONDON FOG exit.

Approaching the school.

The dinner bell rings in the distance.

CUT TO:

27.  INT.  MONASTERY - MAIN HALL - Day 6.  1202

Many STUDENTS, including ZHOU, DEATH QUOTE, DAN FISHER and RUFUS, gathered around – this is a lunchtime hang-out spot.  Also present are FINESSE and GLASS, talking, and AMITY, SHIFT, WRAITH, ABROS and APORIA.

GLASS
Will you stick around for the afternoon?

FINESSE
Definitely.  I’m desperate to see the practical lessons.

GLASS
Wonderful!  The kids have been wired about performing for the Scribblers themselves.

FINESSE
So, are the lessons held in the classrooms?

GLASS
Good grief, no, they’re not.  As though we have the money to fix our classes after every lesson.

Amity turns to face them.

AMITY
Actually, I was wondering – where does this place get its money?  Do the parents pay to train their kids or something?

GLASS
No no.  We get by on donations and –

A BANG on the door.

The four Scribblers alert.

AMITY
Arrogance and nervousness.

FINESSE
London Fog and ... someone I don’t know.  Rubber bones.

BANG.

SHIFT
Just two, then?

FINESSE
Yes.

AMITY
No.

BANG.

AMITY
I can feel three people.

FINESSE
Okay, someone with no powers then.  Master of kung-fu I bet.  Or – oh, I know, it’ll be some idiot with a bow and arrow.

The doors come CRASHING down.

Revealing POINT 34.  SPRINGER and LONDON FOG some way behind.

FINESSE
Oh my gods.  That is beautiful.

POINT 34
We are here for the Scribblers.  There is no need for anyone else to be harmed.

WRAITH
Ha!

FINESSE
Yeah, sorry love.  There’s just no way you can begin to take us.

SHIFT
You should know better, Foggy.

LONDON FOG
Don’t call me that.

POINT 34
Okay, in that case, someone else is getting harmed.

She raises an arm –

Shoots a BOLT –

Which hits Rufus’s leg -

Rufus SCREAMS.

Collapses.

Springer – horrified.

Runs towards an interior door.

DEATH QUOTE
Coward.

Springer SCREAMS –

Limps through the door.

Wraith and Amity look at each other.

Chase Springer.

Shift becomes a GORILLA –

Dives for Point 34 –

Who flies!

Up –

Across –

Down.

Grabs Zhou.

POINT 34
I’ll be waiting.

Aims down at the floor –

Shoots.

Collapses through the weakened floor, Zhou in her arms.

The gorilla becomes SHIFT again –

And heads for Rufus.

Dan Fisher is singing.

FINESSE
Becca, what’s directly underneath us?

GLASS
The corridors.  The kids’ training area.  They’re enormous.  You’ll never find her.

FINESSE
Trust me.

GLASS
Oh.  Yes.  Okay, but they’re built on countless levels.  They’re like a 3D maze.

Finesse grins –

And dives down the hole.

Shift looks at the hole.

Back to Rufus.

Dramatic wound on his leg –

Healing – slowly, but surely.

Shift jumps down the hole.

28.  INT.  MONASTERY – CORRIDORS - Day 6.  1206

Dark, rocky corridors, twisting randomly, the path splitting in all directions – including downwards and upwards.  FINESSE walking purposefully.

A CHEETAH catches up –

Becomes SHIFT.

SHIFT
Hello!  Just thinking – should you really be down here?  You’re really needed in the school.

FINESSE
I’m heading for the known child maimer.  Don’t worry about the school.  Becca can handle it.

CUT TO:

29.  INT.  MONASTERY - MAIN HALL - Day 6.  1207

Continued from Scene 27.

London Fog is sneaking towards a door.

ABROS
No you don’t.

When he speaks next, it sounds as though four other voices speak at the same time.

ABROS
Cage.

A cage materialises around London Fog.

LONDON FOG
Oh, you don’t know me very well, mate.

London Fog becomes SMOKE –

Slipping through the bars –

Becomes LONDON FOG again, clumsily, tripping and falling.

LONDON FOG
Ow!

GLASS
While you’re under my roof – mate – you won’t be using those powers again.

LONDON FOG
Oh, Jesus, another one.  Can’t you people let me use my powers in peace?

She lunges at Abros –

ABROS (echoing)
Staff.

A staff materialises in his hands –

He swings –

London Fog curls out of the way –

Lands in front of him –

Drops to the ground –

Kicks his legs out.

Abros lands on the floor, hard.

The students PANICKING.  Running!

Death Quote heads further into the school.

ABROS
Aporia, get them all to safety.  Ms Glass, if you could keep this trespasser in check ...
(echoing)
Helmet.

A metallic helmet appears on his head.

He swings the staff again.

CUT TO:

30.  INT.  MONASTERY – TIME CLASS – Day 6.  1208

RHIAN and HAMISH eating lunch together - sandwiches.

HAMISH
Don’t you get bored of people asking you why you don’t talk?

Rhian looks up at him, then back to her food.

HAMISH
Um.  Why don’t you talk?
(beat)
It doesn’t make you cool, you know.

DEATH QUOTE enters.

DEATH QUOTE
You need to get to the corridors.  You’re the only one who can help her down there.

Rhian gets up.

Appraoches Death Quote.

RHIAN
Finish my sandwiches.  They are ham and cheese.  I made them because I know they are your favourite.

She leaves.

DEATH QUOTE
But ...
(beat)
How did she know I’d be eating them?

HAMISH
She just does stuff like that.  So, how come she talks to you?

CUT TO:

31.  INT.  MONASTERY – CORRIDORS – Day 6.  1209

POINT 34 running through the corridors, carrying ZHOU.

ZHOU
If you can fly, why do you run?

POINT 34
You have been kidnapped, boy.  Know your place.

VOICE (OOV)
Takes a lot of energy to fly.  What does that suit run on, exactly?

Point 34 stops.  Ahead of her, the source of the voice – CHRONAL.

POINT 34
Impossible.  How did you get there so quickly?

CHRONAL
Oh, this wasn’t quick.  Took ages.  But, y’know, time flies when you can slow it down.  Want to find out if I can speed up my fist enough to break your suit?

POINT 34
It would be my pleasure.

She raises an arm –

Freezes.

Sees the TEDDY BEAR in Chronal’s hand.

POINT 34
No.  Not you.

Aims downwards –

Shoots the rock!

Dust everywhere.

CHRONAL
My eyes!  My beautiful sensitive eyes!  And my asthma!

CUT TO:

32.  INT.  MONASTERY – GYM – Day 6.  1210

An old, unused gymnasium.  Dusty and old-fashioned.

SPRINGER runs in.

WRAITH and AMITY follow.

Springer runs for the opposite wall.  Runs his fingers along it.

WRAITH
Dude.  What are you doing?

SPRINGER
Bad move following me.

He backs away from the wall.

Runs for it –

Bounces off the wall like rubber –

Lands on Wraith –

Who becomes invisible –

Springer being jostled by invisiWraith.

Amity holds up her hand –

SPRINGER
Pfft.

AMITY
Something the matter, mister?

SPRINGER
Oh, I don’t know.  Just a general malaise.

AMITY
How would you like to talk about it?

It’s as though her words make Springer snap out of it –

He jumps –

Lands –

And bounces towards Amity.

CUT TO:

32A.  EXT.  MONASTERY – Day 6.  1212

Behind the Monastery, some distance away from the building, is a woodland.  A six-foot-round hole among the trees, with a large steel trapdoor attached – currently open.  A circular locking wheel attacked to the door.

CHRONAL climbs out, coughing.

Closes the trapdoor.

Turns –

Turns –

Turns the wheel.

Gets up.

Turns around.

RHIAN has arrived.

CHRONAL
Oh, hello!

RHIAN
I was sent here by my friend.  I must enter the corridors.

CHRONAL
Rubbish idea.  It’s full of villainy and heroism right now.

RHIAN
Are people in danger?

CHRONAL
Well, yes.  One of the attackers kidnapped a pupil.

RHIAN
Whom?

CHRONAL
I don’t know him – his name’s Zhou, I think?

Rhian’s eyes widen.

CHRONAL
You know him?

RHIAN
My friend trusts him.

CHRONAL
Not you?

RHIAN
There are only two people in the world I trust.

CHRONAL
Me and your friend, yes?

RHIAN
I must enter the corridors.  No-one can navigate them as well as I can.

CHRONAL
Really?  Okay.

He bends down to look her in the eye.

CHRONAL
Then you add one more to your trustworthy list, okay?  You trust Finesse.  Absolutely and completely.  With your life.  You trust me?  Only a fool trusts me but mistrusts her.

Rhian holds his gaze.

RHIAN
I will do my best.

CHRONAL
Good.  I’ll get the door, then.

He turns back to the trapdoor.

CUT TO:

33.  INT.  MONASTERY – PASSAGEWAY - Day 6.  1214

ZARITA is hiding in a closet, full of stationary, a crack in the door letting in light.

She hears FOOTSTEPS outside.

Holds her breath.

The footsteps get louder.

Stop.

Someone is outside – blocking the light from the crack.

The doors open!

It’s SHIFT!

SHIFT
Hello.  Is this where the cool kids hang out now?

ZARITA
How did you find me?

Shift helps her out of the closet, and they start walking towards an exit.

SHIFT
I tend to notice tiny sounds and movements.  Sort-of a side-effect.

ZARITA
Can you teach me to do that?

SHIFT
I’m not doing your homework for you.

The exit the passageway –

CUT TO:

34.  INT.  MONASTERY – REFECTORY - Day 6.  1215

SHIFT and ZARITA enter the refectory.

MR TAYLOR is already here.  Speaking to the statue of the queen.

TAYLOR
Latent.  Latent!  Come on.  We’ve got a problem.  Point 34 says she’s lost contact with you.  Are you there?  She says Granite’s on the way to the Scribblers’ base, but it’ll take time, and we don’t want Lyric being warned-

He turns around.

SHIFT
This is an odd thing to be doing during an attack.

TAYLOR
She has my son.

SHIFT
Come again?

TAYLOR
You heard everything?  Yes, I’m in contact with the terrorist.  But she kidnapped my son, you’ve got to help me ...

SHIFT
Oh, I’m sorry, Mr Taylor.

She looks him up and down.

SHIFT
I can read body language.  Side-effect of the whole power set thing.
(with contempt)
Do you even have a son?

Taylor scowls.  Vicious.

Blinks.

Zarita’s eyes become entirely black.

She becomes a CAT, grotty like a stray –

Shift becomes a GORILLA –

The cat scratches away –

Taylor runs out of the room -

The gorilla pins down the cat –

And the cat becomes Zarita again –

And the gorilla becomes Shift, restraining Zarita.

SHIFT
A cat?  A cat?!  What sort of homework are they setting you?

Zarita becomes a BOA CONSTRICTOR –

Starts wrapping around Shift –

Who starts developing rhino skin.

SHIFT
Oh, hell.

CUT TO:

35.  INT.  MONASTERY – CORRIDORS - Day 6.  1217

FINESSE running through the corridors.

RHIAN arrives, walking in the other direction.

FINESSE
You shouldn’t be here!  There’s beautiful-but-deadly armour down here!  And a psychopath inside it.

Rhian reaches out her hand.

Finesse looks at it, and frowns.

Takes her hand.

Rhian tugs her towards a fork – heads left.

FINESSE
You know your way around?

Rhian turns to look at her.

Nods.

FINESSE
Lovely.
(beat)
Now my prey and I have a child each.  That’s only fair.

CUT TO:

36.  INT.  MONASTERY – GYM – Day 6.  1218

SPRINGER looks exhausted.  His back is to the wall, his fingers feeling the surface underneath.

AMITY is staring him down.

Tears form in Springer’s eyes.

Springer is tripped by nothing.

SPRINGER
I’ll ... get ... you ...

His fingers press part of the wall –

Which clicks –

SPRINGER
Got it.

A hidden door opens in the wall.

Springer heads in.

Amity runs after him.

CUT TO:

37.  INT.  MONASTERY - STOREROOM.  1219

SPRINGER enters – the kids’ secret hideout from Scene 14.  AMITY follows.

SPRINGER (whispering)
Okay, stop.

AMITY
Excuse me?

SPRINGER
Is the other one in here?

WRAITH (OOV)
Baps.

Springer closes the door –

With effort.

SPRINGER
Okay, bullet points.  I was working undercover – just your basic hired help, trying to dig up some dirt on Niobe.

WRAITH
You’re telling us you’re not a criminal?

SPRINGER
Deep cover.  Can’t prove it, but –

AMITY
I believe you.  Your emotions have been weird ever since you arrived.

SPRINGER
Okay, great.  Anyway, a couple of months ago, I get headhunted.  Someone new.  Latent.

AMITY
Right.  Who’s that?

SPRINGER
That’s the thing.  No-one has anything on her.  I went through every channel.  No footprints at all.  So, now I’m curious, because she’s got some huge operations.  I play it safe, then last month, I sent an anonymous tip-off to Alternate Vertigo.

WRAITH
Why those guys?

SPRINGER
They were obscure.  They were at the time, anyway, before they saved the Prime Minister from that robot bear thing.  But Latent moved fast – no idea where the leak was, but by the time the team turned up to her warehouse, she’d cleared the place out.

AMITY
Okay.  Major player, then.  Lots of resources and probable spies.

SPRINGER
There’s nowhere she can’t get to.  That’s why she’s attacked this place.  Secret school even the Scribblers don’t know about?  Gingerbread house.  And she times it for your visit, to prove she can.

WRAITH
She’s got a mole inside the school, then?

SPRINGER
Oh, yes.  Ernest Taylor.  Not just that, though.  This room here?  It’s the only room she doesn’t know about.  The only room in the whole school that isn’t bugged.

AMITY
It won’t be long before she knows about it, though, right?

SPRINGER
We need to keep up the act now.  Just one last thing – you know the SPP?

AMITY
Those guys.  Hate them.

SPRINGER
They’re hers.  Just a heads-up.

Wraith becomes visible in shock.

Horrified.

CUT TO:

38.  INT.  MONASTERY - MAIN HALL - Day 6.  1221

ABROS and LONDON FOG are fighting hand-to-hand.  GLASS is still here, concentrating on London Fog.  Abros’s staff has been snapped, discarded.

LONDON FOG
You fought better with the staff.  So, what?  You can only use each word once?

ABROS (echoing)
Shield.

A thick plastic shield, like a riot shield, materialises in his hand.

Absros bashes London Fog –

Who grabs the top of the shield –

And starts pulling to get it away.

LONDON FOG
Or – no, hang on.  Oh, this is too good.  That shield!  You’re Defense Knight?
(beat)
Oh, come on.  Banter with me.  You were, though, weren’t you?  This is where you wound up.  Police checks can’t be much cop, then.

ABROS
I’m not a criminal.

LONDON FOG
Oh, no?  Framed in the end, were you?  Did the tabloids apologise for their boo-boo?

VOICE (OOV)
Don’t say boo-boo.

The voice belongs to CHRONAL, who has dramatically turned up again.

London Fog turns –

- very –

- slowly –

- around.

CHRONAL
Um, is that true, though?  You’re Defense Knight?

ABROS
I once went by that name, yes.

CHRONAL
I liked you!  Kept winding Lyric up by saying we’d replace him with you.
(beat)
Hang on.  What’s she looking at?

London Fog is staring at Chronal’s teddy bear.

CHRONAL
Okay, unfreeze.

London Fog moves at regular speed.

Stays still.

CHRONAL
Fancy a scrap, Foggy?

LONDON FOG (quietly)
Don’t call me that.

CHRONAL
Oh, you’re scared, aren’t you?  Hey, Rebecca, keep an eye on her, will you?

CUT TO:

39.  INT.  SECRET BASE - Day 6.  1223

LATENT surrounded by papers.

Her phone rings.

LATENT
Taylor.  Speak to me.

INTERCUT WITH:

39A. EXT.  MONASTERY - Day 6.  1223

MR TAYLOR behind the building.  Behind him – close, but distant enough for privacy – STUDENTS are lined up like a fire drill.  THE MONK, UMBRA and CONTRA are here as well.

TAYLOR
Where the hell have you been?

LATENT
Watch your tone, Taylor.  I’ve been busy.

TAYLOR
Okay, well, there’s only a million things we need to talk about.  First off, your suit of armour shot a child.

LATENT
What?!

TAYLOR
He’s fine, but-

LATENT
Which child?

TAYLOR
One of mine.  Rufus.  Anyway, on top of that, she’s taken a child hostage, and it’s only bloody Zhou Xizhang.

LATENT
Oh, lord almighty.  I’ll get in touch with her.

TAYLOR
Right, wait, though.  One of the Scribblers caught me speaking to you –

LATENT
That’s fine.

TAYLOR
That is not fine.  My cover’s blown.

LATENT
It makes me look dead clever, though.  Sneaking my agent in under the Monk’s nose.

TAYLOR
They’re going to arrest me.

LATENT
You’ll be fine.

TAYLOR
So, I had to set a student on the Scribbler – one of Umbra’s girls – and Rebecca bloody Glass hasn’t taken her bloody hands off London Fog since she first turned up.

LATENT
Are you really this stupid?  You need me to hold your hand through every little thing?  Taylor, take out Glass.

Taylor clenches his teeth.

TAYLOR
Fine.

He hangs up.

Blinks.

Umbra’s eyes turn black.

CUT TO:

40.  INT.  MONASTERY – REFECTORY - Day 6.  1225

ZARITA is unconscious.  SHIFT is examining her head.

SHIFT
No wounds.  Good job, me.

A crowd burst in – RUPERT, BETH, AADITA and DEATH QUOTE.

They head for the queen’s statue.

Rupert punches it –

Again –

Again –

And on the fourth time, the head snaps off.

Aadita pulls out some wires.

Beth pulls a pair of nail scissors from her pocket.

Cuts through the wires.

BETH
Note to self.  Get proper wire clippers.

DEATH QUOTE
Nah, I like these.  They’re makeshift.

RUPERT
Okay, definitely broken?

AADITA
Absolutely.

RUPERT
Okay.
(looking over)
Shift.  We need to speak to you.

CUT TO:

41.  INT.  MONASTERY – REFECTORY - Day 6.  1228

RUPERT and SHIFT are sitting facing each other, with AADITA, BETH and DEATH QUOTE around the same table.

SHIFT
So you knew Taylor was a spy?

RUPERT
Only since this morning.  But we’ve known the whole place is bugged for a long time.

AADITA
We have a secret base – the only room in the school that’s not bugged.

BETH
We’ve been proper spies.  We only talk in code in the rest of the school.

DEATH QUOTE
We thought there was something wrong with the school itself.  We thought you were coming to shut us down.

AADITA
We only started to work it all out today.

RUPERT
Thing is, there’s this secret.  And it’s really very secret – and you’re going to have to act like you don’t know it, or you’re going to lose her forever.

SHIFT
Lose who now, sorry?

AADITA
Latent.

SHIFT
Um ...

DEATH QUOTE
She’s this supervillain.  We all know about her, but she’s mega-secret.

BETH
She has all sorts of information on this school.

RUPERT
She’s attacking it to make it look like there’s no connection between her and this place.  But there is.  Because Latent is my mother.

BETH
This is really secret.  You can’t tell.  They’ll take him away, and we need him.

RUPERT
I know more than she knows.  I’ve hacked her e-mail.  I know some of her hiding places.  But she’s good.  If she finds out the Scribblers know who I am, she’ll vanish.  Properly vanish.

BETH
It’s been insane here.  The staff didn’t want the Scribblers to come, because they know about Mirage’s mother.  So you can’t tell anyone.

SHIFT
Alright, yes, I understand.  This is between me and my team.

RUPERT
Thank you so much.

SHIFT
But speaking of my team, I’ve got to get word to my teammate that a stupid rock woman’s on her way to beat him up.

DEATH QUOTE
Really?  We should send Beth.

BETH
Oh, hush.

SHIFT
What’s your power?

BETH
I amplify other people’s powers.

AADITA
Yes – by a factor of a million.

BETH
It’s not that much.

RUPERT
Seriously.  Beth packs power.  Actually, I think she’d be better away from the school.

SHIFT
Okay.  Here’s an idea.  Beth.  How’d you fancy heading to my headquarters?

BETH
Um, yes please!

SHIFT
Good.  How do you feel about travelling on horseback?

CUT TO:

42.  EXT.  THE PIT EXTERIOR – Day 6.  1231

GRANITE arrives at the Pit.

She begins to climb the wall.

CUT TO:

43.  INT.  PIT – LIVING AREA – Day 6.  1232

LYRIC and INSIGHT are drinking their tea.

LYRIC
I had no idea it was so hard to keep a team going on that level.

INSIGHT
It’s totally worth it, but yeah, there’s so much work to do.  And the others are terrible when it comes to paperwork – before I arrived on the scene, they had these piles of-

She sits up straight.

Puts her tea down.

LYRIC
What is it?

A loud crash some distance away.

Lyric’s on his feet –

Heading for the door –

And Insight follows.

CUT TO:

44.  INT.  PIT – HANGAR – Day 6.  1233

The Trans-Jet is parked in the hangar.  The doors to the hangar are bent.  GRANITE is standing in the middle of the room.

LYRIC arrives.

INSIGHT behind him.

GRANITE
Swordman!

LYRIC
Oh, God, it’s you.

GRANITE
How nice your face is looking.  It’d be a shame if it got punched in the face by a rock.

LYRIC
You’re really bad at banter.

GRANITE (upset)
I like banter.

INSIGHT
Jump in three seconds.

LYRIC
What?

Granite grows a rock in her hand –

Throws it at Lyric’s legs –

Lyric jumps –

The rock lands harmlessly behind him.

LYRIC
Ystradebol.

Lyric’s sword appears in his hand.

LYRIC
New power, then?

GRANITE
Ooh, you noticed!

Granite grows a new rock in each hand.

Walks towards Lyric.

GRANITE
Got the best training money can buy.

LYRIC
Shame you couldn’t afford to improve your face.

GRANITE
Shame you couldn’t afford to improve your mam.

LYRIC
Seriously.  Very poor banter.

Granite hurls a rock –

Which Lyric deflects with his sword.

LYRIC
That’s fine, though.  Reminds me of life with Wraith.

Granite hurls her second rock.

LYRIC
Shield.

A metal shield appears in his hand –

And the rock bounces off.

GRANITE
Let’s try a bigger one this time.

She puts her hands together –

And a larger rock grows between them.

LYRIC
I do like a big one.

CUT TO:

45.  EXT.  MONASTERY - Day 6.  1235

UMBRA is standing outside a back door.

She walks towards it –

Bounces back.

Walks towards it –

Bounces back.

As this continues, CONTRA approaches.

CONTRA
You alright, Umbra?  You’re being a bit of a freak if you don’t mind me saying so.

Umbra turns.

Her eyes are black.

CONTRA
That doesn’t look good.

Umbra melts into her SHADOW –

Which becomes solid black.

The shadow punches Contra’s shadow in the head –

And Contra is thrown forwards.

CONTRA
Ow!  Get off!

The shadow kicks Contra’s shadow in the stomach –

Karate chops its neck –

And headbutts it.

Contra collapses.

CUT TO:

46.  INT.  MONASTERY – PASSAGEWAY - Day 6.  1236

WRAITH and AMITY walking from one direction.

They spot APORIA with LUCY coming from the other.

APORIA
Scribblers!  Have you seen Hamish?

WRAITH
We haven’t seen anyone.

AMITY
Stop acting suspiciously, Wraith.  No – one of the children?

APORIA
Yes.  Can you help me find him?

WRAITH
Yes.  Let me just use my lost child radar.

AMITY
Don’t be difficult.  I’ll use my lost child radar.

APORIA
Alright.  Wraith – can you take Lucy to the playing fields out the back?

WRAITH
Okay.  Um, I’m sorry I said you had a rubbish power earlier.

AMITY
You said what?!

CUT TO:

47.  INT.  MONASTERY – MAIN HALL - Day 6.  1236

RUPERT, AADITA and DEATH QUOTE enter from within the school.

RUPERT
No-one here.

AADITA
Should we see if we can find them?  Maybe London Fog got away.

DEATH QUOTE
No way is she escaping you-know-who.  Bet she’s just taken her to her office.

AADITA
Yes!  Ha, bet Ms Glass is giving her a right telling-off.

They hear a sound –

And look towards the door –

UMBRA enters.

RUPERT
Miss!  Do you know where –

Umbra melts into her SHADOW.

AADITA
Run!

And she jumps into the hole!

CUT TO:

48.  INT.  MONASTERY – MIND CLASS - Day 6.  1237

CHRONAL enters.

CHRONAL
Hello?

Behind him, AMITY and APORIA follow.

CHRONAL
Oh, hello!

AMITY
Have you seen a pupil in here?

CHRONAL
No – lost, is he?

APORIA
He must be hiding somewhere.  They wouldn’t have hurt him.

CHRONAL
Okay, we’ll search the building.  I’ll head west.

AMITY
No!  Rule one – we don’t split up.

CHRONAL
Rule zero.  We split up, because we can take everything these guys can throw at us.
(beat)
Tell you what, though.  If you happen to bump into Finesse, can you give her this?

He hands Amity the teddy bear.

CHRONAL
And in the meantime, protect it with your life.

AMITY
Why?  What’s so important about the bear?

CHRONAL
I’m not sure yet.  What I do know, though, is that it’s a little girl’s teddy bear.  And she trusted me with it.  So under no circumstances do you allow that bear to be harmed.

CUT TO:

49.  INT.  MONASTERY – PASSAGEWAY - Day 6.  1238

WRAITH and LUCY making their way towards the exit.  An open door to the right.

The door opens –

It’s MR TAYLOR.

Wraith and Lucy vanish.

Wraith’s POV:  running towards the open door.

CUT TO:

50.  INT.  MONASTERY – SWIMMING POOL - Day 6.  1238

The room is pitch black.

WRAITH and LUCY enter.

A SPLASH is heard.

WRAITH
Lame lame lame.

The light is switched on.  A small swimming pool is revealed, stacks of wooden chairs surrounding it.  There is a Wraith-shaped gap in the water.

One stack of wooden chairs collapses –

Landing in the water.

Then another –

And another –

WRAITH
What are you doing?

LUCY
We’re hiding, aren’t we?

WRAITH
Yes.  Taylor’s a bad guy.

LUCY
He must’ve turned on the lights.  He’ll be in any second.

WRAITH
I’m invisible.

LUCY
No good being invisible in the water.

She jumps in –

And the door opens.

TAYLOR walks in.

Looks in the swimming pool.

Full of wooden chairs.

WOODEN WRAITH and WOODEN LUCY blending in.

Taylor leaves.

WRAITH
Okay.  Good power.

CUT TO:

51.  INT.  MONASTERY – CORRIDORS - Day 6.  1240

RUPERT, DEATH QUOTE and AADITA running down corridors – UMBRA’S SHADOW chasing them.

RUPERT
Does anyone know where we’re going?

AADITA
Er, I thought we’d just try to lose her.

RUPERT
We won’t.  She doesn’t tire in her shadow form.

AADITA
“Shadow form” sounds cool.

Rupert smiles.

DEATH QUOTE
I could try injuring her.

AADITA
Do you know if you can affect shadows?

DEATH QUOTE
Doubt it.  But she’s not really a shadow.

RUPERT
Don’t try.  Maybe you’ll kill her.  Give me some space.

He stops running.

The others keep going.

Umbra’s shadow catches up –

And Rupert becomes FOUR RUPERTS.

Umbra’s shadow swings for the first shadow –

No effect.

MS GLASS appears.

Umbra attacks her shadow.

RUPERT
Okay, not afraid of the deputy.  Let’s see if I can’t scare you a bit.

The SIX SCRIBBLERS appear, along with THE MONK and various STAFF MEMBERS.

Umbra’s shadow attacks their shadows in turn.

Aadita and Death Quote watch from a safe distance.

DEATH QUOTE
I’m losing count of his illusions.  There must be at least twenty.

Aadita doesn’t answer.

She watches Rupert, who’s safely behind the illusions.

DEATH QUOTE
Oh, okay.

AADITA
What?

DEATH QUOTE
I heard what happened between him and his girlfriend.

AADITA
Don’t describe her!  You’ve probably given her a dead arm or something.

DEATH QUOTE
Good.
(beat)
You know there was someone else, right?

AADITA
What?

DEATH QUOTE
He’s pretending it doesn’t hurt, because he’s him.  But she’s been with her new boyfriend for a while now – and yes, I’ve labelled him too.  And I’ll do it again.  Scummy man.

AADITA
Do you think he’s alright?

DEATH QUOTE
No way.  He’s losing everything today.

AADITA
His girlfriend and his mother.  He’s going to need us more than ever.

DEATH QUOTE
Just ... don’t move in yet.  You’ll have time.

Aadita watches Rupert.

Bites her lip.

CUT TO:

51A. INT.  MONASTERY – TIME CLASS - Day 6.  1243

MR TAYLOR enters.

Moves around the class, fast.

Checking under every desk.

Under the fourth –

HAMISH.

TAYLOR
Gotcha.

CUT TO:

52.  INT.  MONASTERY – HEADMASTER’S OFFICE - Day 6.  1246

A large, comfortable office with an impressive desk and large, comfortable chair for the head.  GLASS and LONDON FOG are sitting on wooden chairs on the other side of the desk.

LONDON FOG
If my employer doesn’t pay me because you wouldn’t let me off the lead, you’ll owe me big time.

GLASS
How many times have you fought the Scribblers, did you say?

LONDON FOG
Four times!  Nearly defeated Amity once.

GLASS
Four times.  And they never once killed you for being annoying?

The door opens –

And HAMISH enters.

GLASS
Hamish?

His eyes are black.

Glass jumps to her feet.

GLASS
Oh, bugger, not Taylor.

Hamish burps.

Glass turns to look at London Fog.

GLASS
Disgusting power.

LATENT’s voice in London Fog’s ear.

LATENT
That boy makes people see into the past.  Right now, Glass is looking at you five minutes ago.  Get out, Fog.  Do your job.

London Fog grins –

And walks slowly for the door.

She leaves with Hamish.

Glass is still staring at the spot where London Fog was previously.

GLASS
Oh, God, I’m getting a repeat of your ramblings.  You’d better not be speaking right now.

CUT TO:

53.  INT.  MONASTERY – MAIN HALL - Day 6.  1248

LONDON FOG walks into the centre of the room.

Becomes GAS –

Which spreads –

And spreads –

Through all the doors into the school.

CUT TO:

53A.  INT.  MONASTERY – PASSAGEWAY - Day 6.  1248

TAYLOR walking along on the phone to LATENT.

LATENT (OOV)
You’ve got five minutes, Taylor, before London Fog’s gas knocks everyone out.  Make sure she doesn’t kill anyone.

TAYLOR
I’m on it.

LATENT (OOV)
Glass is out of the way.  Where’s Finesse?

TAYLOR
Oh, Finesse won’t be a problem.

CUT TO:

54.  INT.  MONASTERY – CAVERN - Day 6.  1248

A large underground rocky chamber, connected to the corridors.

POINT 34 runs in with ZHOU, and throws him to the side.

ZHOU
You will lose.

POINT 34
Don’t threaten me.  It’s embarrassing.

RHIAN leads FINESSE into the room.

FINESSE
Ah, there’s nice.  Thanks, Rhian.

Rhian smiles.

Runs to Zhou.

Grabs his hand.

ZHOU
Hello.  Nice to see a friendly face.

FINESSE
Alright, pretty armour –

POINT 34
Oh, I’m far more than just pretty armour.

FINESSE
Shut up.  I was talking to the armour.

POINT 34
So, tell me.  What’s the logic here?  You can’t beat me.  We’re a quarter of a mile below the school.  You have two children’s powers to use.  Children’s.  And you’re expecting to beat me?

FINESSE
I will absolutely beat you.

Point 34 raises her arm –

Shoots a bolt –

FINESSE (echoing)
Shield.

Abros’s shield materialises in her hand -

The bolt bounces harmlessly away.

FINESSE
But you’ve seriously underestimated me if you think I’ve only got two powers.

She vanishes.

POINT 34
I can still see you.  Heat-seeking vision.

Finesse appears behind her –

And punches the back of her head with an enormous CLANG.

POINT 34
Aargh!

FINESSE
That was an illusion, not invisibility.  Oh, the toys I have.

Point 34 swings around –

And slows down –

Finesse punches with incredible speed –

Dents Point 34’s chest.

FINESSE
Chronal was right.  Armoured lady.

Point 34 flinches and howls.

FINESSE
Your friends are down here, Rhian.  Thank them for me.
(echoing)
Wood.

Point 34 looks down at her leg to see it covered in wood.

FINESSE
Let’s see how you burn.

POINT 34
No!

Point 34 presses a button on her suit –

And the wooden leg comes off, revealing her human leg –

And the wood turns back into metal.

FINESSE
Yeah, that wasn’t a real spell.

She kickes her in the ankle –

Point 34 trips.

FINESSE
I’d get out of that suit now.  if you’re still wearing it in five seconds’ time, it’ll be the last thing you ever wear.  Because an old friend of mine lives in this school now.

CUT TO:

55.  INT.  MONASTERY – HEADMASTER’S OFFICE - Day 6.  1251

GLASS is swinging at nothing.

GLASS
Get back here, Fog.

The door opens –

And KYLE enters.

KYLE
Becky!
(beat)
Ooh, hang on.  Who’s doing that?

A purple spark appears from Kyle’s head –

CUT TO:

56.  INT.  MONASTERY – CAVERN - Day 6.  1251

Continued from Scene 54.

Point 34 has now taken off her suit.  She’s wearing a tight black outfit underneath.

A purple spark hits the suit –

Which fizzes and sparks.

FINESSE
Dead now.

POINT 34
Oh, you think you’re so clever.  But this was always a distraction.  Without you, my teammates will have brought down your friends.  While you’ve been amusing yourself with your toy box, the Scribblers have been disgraced.

FINESSE
Now, now.  Apparently, there’s something you haven’t realised.  My team mates are perfectly capable of saving the day without me.

CUT TO:

57.  INT.  MONASTERY – CORRIDORS - Day 6.  1252

TEN RUPERTS running circles around SHADOW UMBRA.  DEATH QUOTE and AADITA behind them.

Shadow Umbra becomes UMBRA again –

Revealing REBECCA GLASS standing behind her.

AMITY steps forward –

Holds out a hand –

And Umbra’s eyes return to normal.

RUPERT
You can undo it!

AMITY
As it turns out.

Behind her, KYLE is looking after unpossessed ZARITA and HAMISH.

CUT TO:

58.  EXT.  MONASTERY – Day 6.  1253

TAYLOR on the phone.

TAYLOR
I need to leave.  Your soldiers have failed.  I – what?

WRAITH and CONTRA appear, holding an arm each of Taylor’s.

CONTRA
You’ve been such a knob, Ernest.

CUT TO:

58A.  INT.  PASSAGEWAY – Day 6.  1253

The passageway is full of GAS.

CHRONAL enters –

Freezes the gas in place.

CHRONAL
Alright, Foggy.  I know the rules.  You remain gas for half an hour, you’re gas forever.  Let’s say you turn back now, and I don’t speed up that process.

Beat.

The gas becomes LONDON FOG.

LONDON FOG
I hate you most of all.

CHRONAL
That’s nice.

CUT TO:

59.  INT.  PIT – HANGAR – Day 6.  1254

LYRIC with sword and shield fighting GRANITE, now bigger and rockier than ever.

LYRIC
Darts.

Darts materialise in mid-air –

And shoot towards Granite –

Bouncing off.

Lyric drops his sword.

LYRIC
Hammer.

A sledgehammer materialises in his hand –

Which he swings –

CRUNCHING against Granite’s side.

GRANITE
Oh, stop!  My sides are splitting.

LYRIC
You’re so sad.  Anvil.

An ANVIL materialises above Granite –

Falls –

Landing on her head, hard.

Drops to the ground.

GRANITE
That hurt.

She puts her hands together –

Starts growing a boulder –

Which gets bigger –

And bigger –

INSIGHT opens the door –

SHIFT and BETH run through.

SHIFT becomes a RHINO –

Tackles Granite –

Beth holds her hand towards Lyric –

LYRIC
VICTORY.

And everyone fades away.

CUT TO:

60.  EXT.  MONASTERY - Day 6.  1300

Out in front of the school.  The SIX SCRIBBLERS have gathered POINT 34 – holding her suit, SPRINGER, GRANITE, LONDON FOG and MR TAYLOR.  THE MONK, REBECCA GLASS, KYLE are present, as are AADITA, BETH, DEATH QUOTE, RHIAN – who has her BEAR back, RUPERT and ZHOU.  An armoured police van is present with TWO OFFICERS standing ready.

CHRONAL
Well, you’ve all done remarkably poorly, villainous ones.  Two out of ten.

GRANITE
You win some you lose some.

AMITY
You’ll all get what’s coming to you.  All of you.

She smiles subtly at Springer.

TAYLOR
Yes we will.  We’ve got Latent on our side.  You’ve put yourselves in opposition to her.  That is a dangerous place to be.

GLASS
Grow up, Taylor.  Do you know how hard it is to find a new teacher when term’s already started?

FINESSE
Oh, and Point 34.  If you ever fancy a rematch, I’d be well up for it.  You know.  If you design some good armour at some point.

Point 34 prods an arm –

Which drops off.

POINT 34
You’re so smug, aren’t you?

Suddenly, she raises the arm –

Shoots a bolt –

Which hits the Monk in the heart.

The Monk looks down.

A hole in his chest.

Blood spreading.

He falls to his knees.

KYLE
No – not him –

POINT 34
Something for you to remember me by.

BETH
Dan, we need Dan, he can –

FINESSE
No, Beth.

DEATH QUOTE
He can fix anyone.  He can heal him ...

FINESSE
Thing is, right.  The Monk.  I met him a month ago, and he was in a far worse state than this.  A whole school dedicated to training superheroes?  That’s nothing compared with personal tuition from me.

The Monk stands.

The hole heals.

FINESSE
So, whatever your boss thinks she knows about this place.  Make sure she knows this.  The headmaster has been trained by Finesse of the Scribblers.

The Monk approaches Point 34.

Close – eye to eye.

Reveals a knife from his robes.

Cuts off his hand.

FINESSE
And now he is immortal.

The hand grows back.

CUT TO:

61.  EXT/INT.  POLICE VAN - Day 6.  1310

POINT 34, SPRINGER, GRANITE, LONDON FOG and MR TAYLOR in the back.  A voice in Springer’s ear.

LATENT
Don’t you worry.  You won’t spend long in there.  I’ve got the SPP working on this.  Odds are you’ll be out within the month.

Springer smiles sadly.

LATENT
But tell Point 34 for me.  She disobeyed me.  Twice.  I specifically told her not to harm the staff or pupils.  I’ll see to it that she rots in prison for the rest of her days.

CUT TO:

62.  INT.  PIT – LIVING AREA – Night 6.  1900

The SIX SCRIBBLERS chillin’ in da Pit.

CHRONAL
That was a good day.  Enjoyed that a lot.

AMITY
Yes.  But now we have a problem.  Latent managed to get to a school so secret even we didn’t know about it until last month.  And she’s in control of the SPP.

CHRONAL
... Serebii’s Pokémon Page?

LYRIC
No, hang on – the SPP?  The Social Preservation Party?

WRAITH
Rubberman said Latent owns them.

FINESSE
Then that’s a major problem.  There are hundreds of members of that party.  Maybe over a thousand.

SHIFT
And three of them are MPs.

CHRONAL
Okay.  Well, now we know.  We’re one step ahead.  That’s a chink in her armour.

LYRIC
And we’ve got the information from Insight.  That’s chink two.

WRAITH
Don’t say chink, it’s racist.

SHIFT
And Rupert’s her son.  Hence her link to the school.  Presumably, she wants him trained up to join her business.

CUT TO:

63.  INT.  MONASTERY – HEADMASTER’S OFFICE – Night 6.  1910

THE MONK and REBECCA GLASS addressing someone.

GLASS
Okay, what the hell was today all about?  We’re trying to keep it all together here, and the day the Scribblers arrive, you mess everything up.

Their guest is revealed – LATENT.

LATENT
You should be thanking me.  I did you a favour.

GLASS
You will explain yourself.

LATENT
I wouldn’t attack my own operation, would I?  I’ve thrown them off the scent.

GLASS
We are not your operation.

LATENT
My dear Ms Glass.  I’m afraid you are.  Without me, you’d have no funding.  This whole place is me.  Make no mistake, though.  You are Plan A.  I have plans B to K ready to take your place.

GLASS
We’ve made ourselves perfectly clear.  We’ve accepted your son.  That’s the deal.

LATENT
No.  That isn’t the deal.  The deal is, I paid for this place, you do what I want.  Don’t worry – I’m hands-off now.  But understand this.
(beat)
There is a war coming.  A battle of the underworld.  Niobe has taken her first shot.  Sintaro is regrouping.
(beat)
I’ve survived as long as I have because I’ve stayed off the radar.  Now, I don’t have that luxury.  This war will be won by notoriety.  I needed to make myself known to the Scribblers.
(beat)
The war will begin soon.  And with this school, I intend to win it.

THE END