More Crestfall

EXT. NEON CITY ROOFTOPS - NIGHT


Crestfall is perched upon one of Neon City’s many adorning gargoyles. She finds these gargoyles convenient perches due to their frequency of placement. This is mirroring where we left at the beginning of the first act. We’re back to the exact moment we initially left her. The rain still pours down in buckets. THUNDER rolls in the distance.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
A lot has happened in these last two years. I thought my time in EOD would define who I was for the next few years. I never thought I’d be on some quest to avenge anyone, let alone myself or my parents.

She leaps in the air once again. Flying straight up. She may have tears in her eyes or the rain might just be smacking her cheeks. She stares straight up, unblinking.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
I can do this! How can I do this? It doesn’t make any sense. I’m supposed to be with my team, disarming bombs and making things safe for the other troops. Now I’m so far above them. Not figuratively. I have to get this figured out. If I can get answers for me then I can make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

She stops miles above the city. She hovers, overlooking the city scape. A plane flies right past her, she’s too far in her own mind to notice.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
No more time for second guessing. No more time to sit around moping and wondering “what if?” Now it’s time for action. I have to find the source and cut off it’s head.

She steels herself. A newfound surge of courage courses through her. Back down in the streets GUNFIRE is being exchanged. She hears and dive-bombs down into the streets.

CRESTFALL
Showtime.


EXT. NEON CITY - CORNER OF KONTOR BLVD. & SCHUR ST.- NIGHT


JOE is leader of The Kontor Kings, a local gang who are trying to stake a claim in this dirty corner of Neon City. He’s meeting with BRIAN, rival leader of the Schur Street Hellions, who are also trying to stake a claim. Each leader is backed by about five thugs who stand around and look menacing. They meet each other in the street.

JOE
Brian.

BRIAN
Joe.

JOE
We’ve got some things we need to work out. Some, let’s call them, boundary issues.

BRIAN
Yeah we do. You don’t seem to know where your boundaries are.

JOE
Excuse me? Are you trying to tell me my boys’ business?

BRIAN
Nope. I’m trying to tell you yours!

JOE
These streets are mine! You better back off.

Joe pulls out a gun. This is met with Brian pulling out a gun of his own. Each member of both gangs respond in kind, weapons drawn and at the ready.

BRIAN
Alright, bro. Let’s just chill out. We don’t want to do anything rash.

JOE
No we don’t. You need to tell your boys to back off my turf. These streets are claimed.

BRIAN
Maybe so, but maybe...

A GUNSHOT rings out before Brian can finish his thought. Brian and Joe drop to the ground. GUNFIRE is exchanged from either side. Bullets whip over their heads as they lay on the street both with their eyes closed. The shooting stops. They slowly get up and survey their surroundings. The gang members from both sides are all laying on the ground, unconscious. They stand back to back.

JOE
Yo, man. What happened? They get shot?

BRIAN
I don’t think so. They couldn’t have all been shot. It looks like they’re breathing.

JOE
What could have done this?

CRESTFALL (O.S.)
What or who?

They’re startled at the sound of her voice. Frantically, they’re searching from the safety of the street for any sign of the voice. One never leaving the other’s back.

BRIAN
What do you want?

JOE
Who are you?

Still in shadow, she taunts them.

CRESTFALL (O.S.)
Your boss. How can I find him?

JOE
Hey! I’m the boss here. These are my streets!

A garbage can flies over their heads and CRASHES behind them. They spin around to the source and fire their guns, emptying the magazines.

CRESTFALL (O.S.)
No. These streets are mine now. All of them. Tell your “friends” that crime is no longer a lucrative source of income in Neon City. A bomb’s about to blow up.

BRIAN
A bomb?

CRESTFALL (O.S.)
Figuratively.

JOE
Look, I don’t want any trouble. You’re looking for Quitlove.

BRIAN
Joe!

JOE
Alexander Quitlove! He runs Sinecorp. He’ll kill me if he finds out I told you. But if you think you can take him down. I say go for it.

BRIAN
We’re screwed! Everyone is screwed!

Crestfall steps out of the shadows behind them and SMACKS their heads together, knocking them out.

CRESTFALL
You are now.

She CLICKS off the video recording device she was carrying with her. She now has some evidence worth using against Quitlove.


INT. SINECORP - QUITLOVE’S OFFICE - NIGHT


Quitlove sits at his desk in his big office. He’s working on stacks of paperwork. It’s raining outside and SIRENS can be heard wailing down the streets below his 34th floor window. His assistant JEREMY is there with him.

QUITLOVE
Running the world is tedious work Jeremy.

JEREMY
The world, sir?

QUITLOVE
Well, not “the world” per se, but Sinecorp as a whole.

JEREMY
Yes, sir.

QUITLOVE
The thing about villainous plans, Jeremy, is that you never quite know who to trust.

He walks over to Jeremy and throws his arm over Jeremy’s shoulder. Jeremy’s pants are wet.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
You seem nervous, son. Are you nervous?

JEREMY
Maybe a little, sir.

QUITLOVE
Well what on Earth for?

JEREMY
It’s my first day and you’ve told me quite a lot about your business plans for the future. I’m just intimidated I suppose.

QUITLOVE
Don’t be intimidated Jeremy!

A GUNSHOT. Jeremy’s lifeless body slumps to the floor.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
I haven’t told you half of it.

The intercom BUZZES.

THERESA
Sir. I’m sorry for bothering you. I have The Facility on the line.

QUITLOVE
Perfect! Thank you, my dear.

THERESA
Shall I have a cleaning crew come up?

QUITLOVE
Why don’t you give me a little time with my new throw rug. I want to see how it goes with the rest of my office.

THERESA
Yes sir. One final thing, the girl you’re expecting should be on her way here shortly.

QUITLOVE
Ms. Crest? Already? She’s earlier than I expected! Good. Very good indeed.


INT. GARBAZ’S APARTMENT - THE NEXT DAY


Garbaz and Crestfall sit and review the video footage of the fight from the night before. The audio is a little sketchy but it’s easy to make out the important things.

CRESTFALL
So, what do we do with this? We take it to the cops right? Some attorneys?

GARBAZ
We will do that. We will. But first we need to figure out which cops we can trust.

CRESTFALL
So where does that leave us? I can’t just sit here and wait for him to show his hand.

GARBAZ
Maybe you don’t have to. Maybe you can force it.

CRESTFALL
I don’t understand.

Garbaz gets up and opens the door into the dinning room. On the table is a lot of food. A veritable feast prepared for her.

GARBAZ
We take the fight to Quitlove. We stop playing defense. We stop fighting from the shadows. We take a proactive stance. We hit him where he lives and we sock him where it hurts. What do you think?

Crestfall grins.


INT. SINECORP - QUITLOVE’S OFFICE - AFTERNOON


Quitlove is almost giddy. He’s pacing his office like a boy on Christmas Eve.

QUITLOVE
This is it. The last steps of my first phase. The culmination of my life’s work is coming to pass.

The doors open and his security team enter.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Welcome gentlemen. You’ve all been chosen to bear witness to history. Well, one of you will live it. The others will bear witness. If they survive. Gentlemen I need a volunteer.

Everyone raises their hand in a militaristic manner. No one more enthused than the next. Quitlove walks in front of them, inspecting them like a platoon leader would. He stops in front of MILES, very tall, muscular. Large and intimidating.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Miles hmm? Do you think you could be a Brute?

MILES
A Brute sir?

QUITLOVE
You heard me. Do you think that you could handle being a brute?

MILES
No, sir! If I’m going to be a Brute, I’m going to be the best Brute! I will be THE Brute sir!

QUITLOVE
Yes. I like you.

Quitlove walks over to the cylinder on the wall and attaches it to a large gun shaped syringe.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Yes, I like you quite a lot Brute. You’ll be my first soldier, if this trial run proves fruitful. Your brothers here will follow your lead shortly. By the way, this will hurt a lot.

Quitlove shoves the giant needle into Miles’s neck and squeezes the trigger. The purple goo moves into his veins. Miles SCREAMS in agony and is brought to his knees.

MILES
Dear God! It hurts!

The security team nervously back away from their comrade who’s writhing on the floor in agony.

QUITLOVE
Steel yourselves men! Nothing worth doing is easy! Pain and sacrifice pave the way to prosperity and wealth! This man on the floor in front of you is no one to pity! He’s to be admired! He’s to be emulated!

As he lies on the floor, Mile’s clothes rip as his muscles bulge through, blood pools beneath him as his skin can no longer contain his insides. His body has taken on an unnatural purple hue. He’s no longer screaming. Just growing.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Fascinating. Are you still with us Miles?

Miles no longer exists. There is only The Brute.

BRUTE
No. Miles. Only. Brute.

He rises to his feet. He towers over everyone. Standing at about 8 feet tall. He stands a grotesque figure in the otherwise pristine office.

QUITLOVE
Ah, yes. Brute. How do you feel Brute?

Brute doesn’t respond. He just stands there BREATHING HEAVILY.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Very good.

The security team is looking nervous.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Brute?

Brute looks at him inquisitively.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Kill.

The Brute lets out a blood curdling ROAR. He runs towards his former teammates. He tears off their limbs one by one. Tossing a few through the 34th floor window. Quitlove observes, LAUGHING. As Brute twists the head off the last of the security team, Quitlove walks over to him and attempts to put his arm around him.

BRUTE
Brute. Good?

QUITLOVE
Yes. Brute very good! Very good indeed.

Brute CHUCKLES an unholy chuckle.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
And call me “dad”!

BRUTE
Dad.

Quitlove hits the intercom button.

QUITLOVE
Theresa, I think we’re ready for some field testing.

THERESA (O.S.)
Very good, sir.