Crestfall (end of act 2)

INT. GARBAZ’S TRAINING ROOM - AFTERNOON


Crestfall is punching a punching bag suspended from the ceiling. The intensity with which she does this shows that her determination is at its peak. We don’t see Garbaz on screen but his words are driving her.

GARBAZ (V.O.)
We cannot underestimate our enemy, Crestfall. We can’t simply assume that he’ll hear you’re coming and throw in the towel. We have to be prepared to fight. We have to be prepared to face a danger greater than anything we’ve faced yet. We have to be ready to die.

Crestfall punches the bag so hard that it FALLS to the ground.

GARBAZ (V.O.)
And by that, I mean that you have to be ready to die. In order to bring this man, Quitlove, to justice. You have to throw yourself to the wolves both proverbial, and actual. The threat of death looms over you and you must embrace it, or you must turn away now.

She stares at the bag on the ground. Sand spilling from its torn seams. Her gaze lingers on it for a moment.

GARBAZ (V.O.)
I know you’ve worked hard to get here. I know that you’ve suffered. I know that the pain you’ve put yourself through is more than you can imagine would ever be inflicted on you by another.

Crestfall looks at her hands. They are bloody from the force with which she hit the bag.

GARBAZ (V.O.)
You’d be mistaken. Alexander Quitlove will make every pain you’ve ever felt, seem like a stubbed toe. His perpetuation for evil can not be outshined. You must show him that your good, will kick his evil’s butt.

Crestfall stands up straight as she hears this. She becomes more stoic. She spreads her wings as a wave of inspiration crosses her demeanor.

GARBAZ (V.O.)
You have to show him that no longer will the good people of this city follow his rule of fear. No longer will we stick to the shadows and timidly fight from the sidelines. No longer will we allow his guns in our schools, his drugs on streets. No longer will we tolerate his whores on our corners and our money to line his pockets. It’s time for Alexander Quitlove to pay the piper.


INT. VAN - PARKED ACROSS FROM BANK - AFTERNOON


THOMAS and JERRY are sitting in the van. They’re clearly nervous. They are a part of RALEIGH GANG, one of the biggest gangs in Neon City.

JERRY
Look, Thomas, I’m just freaked out is all. I mean, what about those stories?

THOMAS
What stories, Jerry?

JERRY
You know the ones!

THOMAS
Are you talking about that supernatural so-and-so everyone’s been talking about?

JERRY
She ain’t no “so-and-so” Thomas, she’s an angel!

THOMAS
An angel, right.

JERRY
She is! Freddy saw her with his own eyes! Said they was roughing up some skirt in the alley a couple of days ago, and this angle swoops out of Heaven, knocks them all down in a blinding flash, and takes the girl with her up to the pearly gates!

THOMAS
Sounds like a load of garbage to me.

JERRY
Freddy might be a lot of things, but he ain’t no liar.

THOMAS
What’s that got to do with us anyway?

JERRY
Just got me thinking about the work and all is all, man. I mean it goes back to that whole thing of “if God is for us, who can be against us” kind of thing. If they have angels what do we have?

THOMAS
We have The Brute.

JERRY
The Brute? Isn’t that just a rumor?

THOMAS
You can believe that an angel came down from “on high” to rescue some dame in an alleyway, but you can’t believe that the boss concocted some formula to make a super strong dude?

JERRY
You might have a point there.

THOMAS
Stop freaking out about nothing and let’s get ready to do this.

They pull ski masks over there faces.

JERRY
When are the others showing up?

THOMAS
Most of the others are inside already. We burst in, start the commotion, and the others join us. We got the element of surprise and no one has to get hurt too bad.

They reach in the back seat and each grab a shotgun and a large gym bag.

JERRY
Let’s do this!

THOMAS
Raleigh Gang, represent!

They get out of the van.


EXT. SKIES ABOVE NEON CITY - AFTERNOON


Crestfall is flying above her city. Re-invigorated after the pep talk that she received from Garbaz. She darts in between buildings as she tests her speed.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
Garbaz is right. I have to do this. I’m the only one who can. My parents were killed by this psycho and he’s been manipulating my entire life ever since. He wants me to be his little pawn. Yeah, that’ll happen.

She shoots through the air straight up and hovers over her city.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
Am I ready to die though? Am I ready to put it all on the line? If I do have to die, will my sacrifice be in vain? Will anyone even notice?

Miles below, an alarm RINGS.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
It doesn’t matter what I think now. Trouble’s going down and I can stop it.

She dives towards the sound of the alarm.


EXT. NEON CITY - BANK - AFTERNOON


Thomas and Jerry are outside the bank shooting towards the entrance. There are three other masked individuals carrying a limp fourth to the van. The alarm RINGS loudly. One of the masked gang members tries to start the van. It refuses.

JERRY
Oh man, oh man. What do we do Thomas? What do we do?

THOMAS
Just chill out Jerry. It’ll be fine.

They’re taking cover behind some parked cars and bullets are FIRED back from the bank.

JERRY
I didn’t think security guys had guns!

THOMAS
They don’t usually. The recon on this mission was Freddy’s job. Still believe that whole thing about “angels”?

JERRY
That two-timer! Next time I see him I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!

The shooting has halted.

THOMAS
Shut up for a second, Jerry. You hear that?

JERRY
I don’t hear nothing.

THOMAS
Exactly. They ain’t shooting anymore.

Thomas sticks his head in the van.

THOMAS (CONT’D)
Yo! What’s going on in there?

The van is empty. Thomas is panicking.

JERRY
You know that thing about angels Thomas?

THOMAS
Yeah, Jerry?

JERRY
I believe it.

Thomas steps out of the van to see Crestfall hovering above him. The other gang members neatly tied up and sitting on the corner. Jerry has wet himself.

CRESTFALL
Your friend will be fine. He’s been shot but it’s nothing serious. Time for you guys to turn yourselves in.

There’s a faint BOOM in the distance. Thomas smiles. Jerry freaks out. Jerry runs over and falls to his hands and knees in front of her.

JERRY
Tell God I’m sorry! I’m sorry for my wicked ways! I deserve His punishment!

BOOM

CRESTFALL
What are you talking about?

JERRY
My dear, Angel! Descended from above to dish out our punishment. Take me with you into the heavens so that I might be blessed!

BOOM

CRESTFALL
You’re crazy. Get over there! And you, what’s with the grin?

BOOM

THOMAS
Me? Oh, nothing. I would just like to introduce you to our big brother. Ms.
Angel-lady, meet The Brute.

The Brute’s arm smacks into Crestfall sending her flying through the wall of the bank.


INT. BANK OF NEON CITY


Crestfall flies through the front wall, lands on her back and skids to the counter. One of the GUARDS who’d been observing is now standing over her looking dumbfounded. A series of BOOMS can be heard as The Brute comes closer to the entrance of the bank.
ANOTHER GUARD opens fire on The Brute as he casually makes his way up the stairs into the building. The customers all flee in a loud mass leaving only the TELLERS behind the counter, the BANK MANAGER, the guards, and a roughed up Crestfall.

CRESTFALL
Okay, that hurt. A lot.

The Brute comes into the bank as Crestfall gets to her feet.

BRUTE
Brute hurt.

CRESTFALL
No, no I’m Crestfall. I think you have me confused with someone else.

BRUTE
Brute hurt!

CRESTFALL
Oh! You’re Brute, and you’ve come to hurt me?

BRUTE
Yes.

CRESTFALL
Yeah, that’s not going to work for me.

Brute runs towards her, faster than his size would allude to. He swings at her again with his giant arms. She flies through the ceiling.

The guards shoot at him. He walks over to one of the guards and rips the guard’s arms out of their sockets. He leaps through the new skylight he and Crestfall just created.


CUT TO:


EXT. NEON CITY - PARK


MARIE and KENT are strolling through the park with a picnic basket and blanket. Marie lays out the blanket while Kent pulls out a bottle of wine.

KENT
You know how much I love you, Marie.

MARIE
Oh, Kent. I do.

He hands her a glass of wine.

KENT
Well there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.

She places some sandwiches she’d made earlier out on the blanket.

MARIE
Ask me anything, my darling.

KENT
Marie, will you...

Crestfall lands on top of the sandwiches. The force of her landing leaves an IMPACT on the ground and the blanket is lost beneath her. Marie SCREAMS. Crestfall is bloody. She’s bruised and clearly has a couple of fractured bones.

CRESTFALL
Run.

Her voice is a whisper. Kent runs over to her.

KENT
I’m a doctor. Don’t move. You’ve just had a terrible accident.

CRESTFALL
Brute. Run. Run away.

MARIE
Kent? What is she saying. Baby, call the cops! Call an ambulance! Do Something!

KENT
Honey, I love you but I need you to shut the heck up for a minute.

He runs his hands down Crestfall’s neck to check for damages.

KENT (CONT’D)
Your spine seems to be in tact but we do need to get you to a hospital. Let me get my phone.

The Brute lands with a THUD next to Crestfall. His feet buried in the ground up to his ankles. He lets out and loud ROAR and swings at Kent’s head, removing it from his shoulders. Marie SCREAMS again and passes out.

BRUTE
Brute!

Crestfall pulls herself up slowly. She brushes herself off and shakes her head to try to quell the dazed feeling she has from being knocked across the city.

CRESTFALL
Okay. We get it. You’re Brute. You hurt people.

She stumbles to her knees, and somehow manages to stand again. She stretches her wings and finds her inner strength.

CRESTFALL (CONT’D)
Well I’m Crestfall. I fight for the hurt. I fight for the tired. I fight for the victims of your violence.

Brute seems to be stuck in the ground. He can’t move forward. She slowly, deliberately moves towards him.

CRESTFALL (CONT’D)
You don’t get to smack people around anymore. None of your kind. Not you, not Doc Waters, not Quitlove.

At the sound of Quitlove’s name, Brute finds a renewed strength as well.

BRUTE
Dad!

Crestfall realizes what Brute means.

CRESTFALL
Are you serious? He’s your father?

Brute swings his arms at Crestfall again, she dodges easily. She punches him a few times and strikes him with her wings. He’s unaffected. As she moves around him, he stands there taking it.

BRUTE
Brute. Hurt.

He steps out of the ground that held his feet captive. He lunges at Crestfall, dazing her.

CRESTFALL
Oh, crap.

He SMACKS Crestfall on the head, knocking her out instantly.

BRUTE
Brute. Dad.

He grabs her leg and drags her behind him into the horizon.