Crestfall Act 1

EXT. NEON CITY - ROOFTOPS - NIGHT

CRESTFALL stands atop a gargoyle. Neon tubing runs down the sides of monumental skyscrapers throughout the city’s skyline. Crestfall is in her normal jumpsuit, her blood red wings folded back as she surveys her city.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
It’s cold tonight in Neon City. The air is still. It’s going to rain soon.

It begins to rain. Crestfall leaps into the air and spreads her wings. She flies into
the night sky.

CRESTFALL (V.O. CONT’D)
The drops on my wings are refreshing. But I know that the thugs in this town like the rain. They’ll be coming out of the shadows soon. Like roaches.

EXT. NEON CITY - ALLEY - NIGHT
A WOMAN shuffles her feet through puddles in the rain. She’s clearly nervous and questioning her decision to cut through the alley. She turns a corner and is met face to face with a wall. She’s startled.

WOMAN (TO HERSELF)
Now you’re jumping at walls. Just turn around and head back to the street.

She turns around and notices a small group of THUGS standing before her. Some of them hold baseball bats. They snicker amongst themselves. The THUG LEADER stands at their forefront, dressed in a tacky leather outfit.

THUG LEADER
You know, I was just talking to Lenny (he’s my best bud y’see) and I says to him, I says ‘Lenny, you know what I really want?’ And he says in his typical deadpan Lenny fashion, he says ‘Nope sure don’t’.

Tears are streaming down her face as thugs move in closer with each word spoken by the leader.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
They’re roaches, and I’m the exterminator.

THUG LEADER
So I explained it to Lenny. I says ‘What I really want is a new plaything.’ And baby, I want to play with you!

The woman’s SCREAMS fade into the rainy night sky.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
My name is Crestfall.

The leader grabs the woman by the arm. He’s tapped on the shoulder.

CRESTFALL
Excuse me.

The leader turns around to see Crestfall standing behind him. Her wings spread ominously. The few thugs that aren’t already on the ground, knocked out by her, are huddled off to the side cowering in fear.

CRESTFALL (CONT’D)
I don’t think she feels like playing right now.

The leader pushes the woman to the ground.

THUG LEADER
What are you ladies waiting for? Get her!

As their leader barks out order, the thugs gather their bearing and attack Crestfall.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
This is my favorite part.

She makes quick work of them utilizing a specialized hand-to-hand combat technique. Part of the technique involves using her wings as a weapon, folding her wings back and thrusting them forward. She makes quick work of the remaining thugs as the leader watches. If he’s nervous he doesn’t show it. The woman is slumped on the ground in the alley, drenched by the rain.

Crestfall opens her wings again. She turns around and stares the leader in the eye.

CRESTFALL
Now you and I get to play.

The leader takes some hokey stance that looks like something taught at a third rate karate school.

THUG LEADER
C’mon little girl! Let’s do this.

She walks over to him as he exaggerates his stance. He lunges towards her and she punches him in the face. He crumples to the ground unconscious. Crestfall walks over to the woman and helps her up. She escorts the woman out of the alley to well lit city streets. Crestfall WHISTLES to get the attention of a policeman.

Crestfall leaps into the sky and flies into the night once again. The woman looks on.


EXT. NEON CITY - ROOFTOPS - NIGHT

Crestfall perches once again on top of one of the city’s gargoyles. She resumes her overwatch.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
There was a time when I was more than an exterminator. More than just a vessel for vengeance. More than just a soaking wet avatar of justice. Once I was just...


INT. BRIEFING ROOM - UNDISCLOSED DESERT FACILIITY - DAY - 5 YEARS AGO

A small Army unit sits in a makeshift briefing room. Among them sits JESSICA CREST who is Crestfall sans wings or super powers. She’s dozing a little as CAPTAIN JONES explains the situation.

CAPTAIN JONES
Corporal Crest! Pay attention! The information you receive here may be the difference between life and death for you, or your sorry excuse for a squad.

JESSICA
Sorry Sir! I’m awake, I swear. I don’t know what came over me.

CAPTAIN JONES
You’d better be, for your sake and for everyone else’s.

He switches on a slide projector that shows various bombs and explosives. Based on the reaction of everyone involved it seems as if the information that being given is common knowledge amongst most of those involved.

CAPTAIN JONES (CONT’D)
As I was saying, there’s been a rise in the amount of IED’s that have been cropping up lately. Crest! That would be an improvised explosive device! I wouldn’t expect you to know that, seeing how you like to fall asleep during crucial briefings!

JESSICA
Yes sir! I’m completely oblivious to all things explosive. It’s a wonder I’m part of an Explosive Ordinance Disposal squad.

He stares her down. His face red with anger.

JESSICA (CONT’D)
Sir.

CAPTAIN JONES
You better watch yourself Corporal. If you weren’t the best bomb tech this side of the Euphrates, you’d be in some deep waters. We need you. But we also need you at your best. Wake the hell up.

A PRIVATE runs into the briefing room, slightly winded from running.

PRIVATE
Captain, Sir, EOD is needed in the field ASAP. Echo Company uncovered some funny looking thing they think might be a bomb.

The captain cuts off the private before he can finish and turns to the room.

CAPTAIN JONES
Clear out EOD. I don’t want any dead soldiers today. Do you hear me Crest?

Jessica smiles and turns to him before she exits.

JESSICA
Yes, Sir!


EXT. DESERT STREET OUTSIDE OF AN UNDISCLOSED CITY - LATER

Echo company is providing security around the perimeter of the area. One of Echo’s Lieutenants, LT. COOPER takes Jessica and her team to the device. He nervously keeps his distance as he points at the device.

LT. COOPER
Here it is. We’re not going to touch the thing. Everyone’s been instructed to steer clear.

The bomb seems pretty standard to Jessica except for the foot long cylindrical canister attached to it. There’s a window going down the side of the canister that shows it’s filled with a purple goo.

JESSICA
Okay, I need you to make sure no one and I mean NO ONE touches anything. Nobody moves or does anything.

The Lieutenant is angered by her glib speech.

LT. COOPER
Is that how they teach you to speak to an officer in EOD Corporal?

JESSICA
I don’t give a crap what you rank is right now... SIR! What I need right now is for you to listen to what I’m saying so I can save some lives!

The Lieutenant sees the truth in what she’s saying. He reluctantly backs down.

LT. COOPER
Should we don our NBC gear?

JESSICA
No! Do nothing!

Jessica kneels down to examine the canister there’s no distinguishing marks except for one small design that seems to be rubbed off. It seems to be a faded company logo. Her team hovers over her staring at the canister.

Lt. Cooper turns to leave, he knocks over a pile of rocks uncovering a wire that was buried in the dirt. The wire leads back to the bomb and is pulled taught by the LT’s actions. Jessica realizes what happens far too late. Horrified, she looks down at the canister, the lid slides open she is sprayed with the goo.

The bomb explodes.


INT. MILITARY HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT - WEEKS LATER

Jessica awakens startled. She looks around the dark room and realizes where she is. She notices nodes and wires attached to her body. She pulls them off. The machine by her bed BEEPS loudly. She knocks it over and it CRASHES to the ground then falls silent.

She sits upright in her bed as if contemplating her situation. She GASPS in an expression of discomfort. She wriggles around, reaching behind her to scratch her back. She looks at her fingers, they are covered in blood. She SCREAMS as her body lurches forward. She spasms again.

The skin between her shoulder blades is bleeding, it looks like two arms are trying to push their way out. She stops convulsing for a minute. She takes a couple deep breaths.
She lurches forward uncontrollably as two giant red wings burst from her back. She SCREAMS.

Three nurses rush in. Two of them attempt to hold her down while the third speaks in hushed tones in a phone at by the door.

She throws them across the room with no effort. The third nurse backs against the wall, terrified. Jessica is scared as well.

A MAN stands in shadow in the doorway. He waits for Jessica to settle down.

MAN
Good evening Jessica.

JESSICA
What is happening to me?

MAN
You seem eerily calm for a woman in your unique... predicament.

JESSICA
When you’re in my line of work, you get used to adapting and overcoming.

The man doesn’t move out of shadow, his face is obscured by darkness.

MAN
Yes, I’d imagine that’s true.

JESSICA
Where are the others? My team. Echo Company.

MAN
The’re dead. The blast radius was bigger than anyone could have anticipated. You, my dear, are the only survivor of the explosion.

She’s taken aback by this information. She regains her composure quickly.

JESSICA
What happens now?

MAN
That’s a good question, and it’s what I’m here to talk to you about.

The man steps into the dark room, closer to her bed. His face still obscured.

MAN (CONT’D)
I represent a group of people that would love to research your new... state of being. My facility is one uniquely equipped to help people with new and interesting physical attributes.

JESSICA
Who are you? Professor X or something?

MAN
Not specifically, but I am in a position to help you train and learn to utilize your talents for the so called “greater good”.

JESSICA
What’s the name of this facility?

MAN
For all their brains, my team couldn’t think of anything better than “The Facility”. I’m not asking you to make a decision now, just take my card.

He holds out a business card to her. She takes it.