Crestfall Act 3

INT. NEON CITY POLICE STATION - SAME EVENING


It’s a typical night in the city’s police station. People are being ushered around in an organized yet chaotic manner. The station is filled with police, some undesirable people, and other random citizens filling out reports. Sitting behind her desk, Marie is filling out paperwork. Next to her is OFFICER ALOYO. He’s trying to convince her to go back home.

ALOYO
Seriously, Briggs. Your fiance just died! What are you even doing here? Get home. Rest.

MARIE
You think I wouldn’t love to do that? When I’m at home, all I can think about is Kent. At least when I’m here I can take my mind off of him for a while.

ALOYO
I can appreciate that, really I can. I just don’t know that it’s the smartest thing to have you here while you’re... emotionally compromised.

Marie’s phone RINGS.

MARIE
Okay, Aloyo. I hear you. Let me wrap up some of this stuff and I’ll head home for the rest of the day. I won’t even call in tomorrow.

The phone RINGING seems obnoxious.

ALOYO
Thanks, Marie. We’re all just worried about you. You better answer that.

Aloyo leaves while Marie answers her phone.

MARIE
Hello?

It’s loud in the station and very hard for Marie to hear who’s on the other line.

MARIE (CONT’D)
What? What do you mean? That doesn’t make any sense. She strains to hear. Suddenly a horrified look crosses her face.

MARIE (CONT’D)
Yes. That was me on the news.

She stands now with a resolve that shows the inner strength of this woman who’s reaching the end of what is possibly the worst day of her entire life.

MARIE (CONT’D)
If this is some kind of prank I will find you and I will make you pay.

She SLAMS the phone down and grabs her jacket as she walks past Aloyo and a few others.

ALOYO
Briggs, what’s going on?

MARIE
I need you and possibly another unit to come with me.

ALOYO
Alright, but you still haven’t answered my question.

MARIE
I just got a tip on that beast who killed Kent and dragged that woman away.

ALOYO
What? Really? Where?

MARIE
Sinecorp tower. Let’s move.


INT. SUITE 12 - SLIGHTLY LATER

Crestfall is still slumped to the chair. Blood is dripping from a wound on her face. She’s only semi-conscious as she hears the door CREAK to life as it STRAINS to open. Doctor Waters enters, flanked by two fully armed GUARDS.

WATERS
Thank you gentlemen I can handle everything from here.

GUARD 1
I’m sorry, Doctor. We’re under strict orders to never leave the prisoner alone with anyone.

WATERS
And why is that? Do you think she might hurt me? Is that it?

GUARD 2
Uh, no ma’am. It’s nothing personal, we’re just under orders to stand here and make sure nothing goes wrong.

WATERS
Oh, so now you’re here to tell me how to do my job. Well if that’s the case then I’m sure you can tend to her wounds. I’ll alert Quitlove to your medical abilities. I’m sure he will be pleased.

Waters turns to leave. The guards panic.

GUARD 1
I’m sorry ma’am. I’m sure Mr. Quitlove wouldn’t have a problem with the way you do your job. We’ll be right outside.

WATERS
You boys irritate me. Maybe you should find a vending machine or something. Just be gone for a while.

GUARD 2
Yes ma’am. We’ll stay out of your hair.

They leave and the heavy door SEALS behind them. Waters runs over to Crestfall. She examines the wound on Crestfall’s face then proceeds to give a quick, cursory examination to ensure that Crestfall is okay. She pulls out a rolled up pouch and as she opens it and prepares its contents, she speaks to Crestfall.

WATERS
I was wrong. I can admit that. Bob tried to convince me and I wouldn’t listen. You were my greatest achievement and I let success go to my head.

She’s holding a syringe and mixing up some compounds in tiny jars. She works furiously fast as she’s explaining.

WATERS (CONT’D)
After you left, Bob was killed. It took his death for me to see exactly what it was we were dealing with. I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring The Facility and everyone involved down. You have given me my chance.

She takes Crestfall’s arm and inserts the syringe. As she pushes down on the plunger, Crestfall’s head snaps and her eyes come to life. She doesn’t scream.

CRESTFALL
What?

WATERS
Give it a second. You’re dazed.

CRESTFALL
What did you do to me?

WATERS
I woke you up. Did you really think I could have tested you as long as I did and NOT find a way to kick start your system? This concoction is going to simulate the effects of a full three course meal. The effects will last you the entire night. In a few moments, you will be stronger than you’ve ever been.

Crestfall smiles.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF SUITE 12 - IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING


The two guards are standing outside of the door, jittery. They are uncomfortable with leaving Waters alone with Crestfall. It’s been too long and they’ve heard nothing.

GUARD 1
Alright. I’m going to let the doctor know that we need to be updated on what’s going on.

He walks over to the door. As he reaches for it, the door EXPLODES outward, knocking him unconscious. Crestfall stands there, wings stretched out. Waters is behind her. The second guard is on his radio.

GUARD 2
She’s out! Repeat: She’s out! Everyone get to Suite 12 now!

She punches him in the face and he’s out cold. Around the corner, a hand full of guards show up and OPEN FIRE. Crestfall turns around and shields Waters with her bulletproof wings.

WATERS
Get out of here! I’ve got a plan. Try to get Quitlove out in the open. We’re going to take him down.

Crestfall wordlessly acknowledges Waters. Crestfall turns to face the onslaught.

CRESTFALL
Hello, boys.

She lunges forward, flying down the hallway. The guards panic as their bullets fall harmlessly to the ground. Crestfall barrels past them. Her wings extended with such force, as she moves by them, the guards are knocked unconscious by their impact. Crestfall turns a corner at the end of the hallway. She’s met with more GUNFIRE.
Waters waits by the rubble of Suite 12’s door to ensure that Crestfall has cleared the way. She pulls out her cellphone.


CUT TO:


INT. GARBAZ’S APT.

It’s dark in his apartment. Garbaz believes that he sent Crestfall to her death. He’s sitting in a chair with a sealed bottle of whisky in hand. He just stares at it. The silence is interrupted by the sound of his phone RINGING. Garbaz is startled and drops the bottle. It SHATTERS. He clumsily answers the phone.

GARBAZ
Yes?

WATERS (O.S.)
It’s me. Our girl is okay.

GARBAZ
Our girl?

WATERS (O.S.)
You know who I’m talking about. She’s fine. She’s better than fine actually. We might be able to bring this whole thing down.

GARBAZ
Why should I believe you?

WATERS (O.S.)
There’s nothing I can say that will convince you to trust me. I just need you to do it. She’ll want you there. Besides, with your notes and my research we can stop everything Quitlove is doing through Sinecorp with The Facility.

GARBAZ
What about the police?

WATERS
I’ve already called the best person to handle this. Our girl is going to bring everything to a head. Meet me at the tower. Bring your notes.

He hangs up the phone.


INT. QUITLOVE’S OFFICE - SAME TIME


Quitlove is unhappy. He’s pacing back and forth. He’s alone in his office but he’s speaking like he has an audience.

QUITLOVE
How long have we been at this? How long? All I’ve been trying to do is genetically engineer a perfect human so that I can sell it to the highest bidder, make a boatload of cash, and retire to Tahiti with loads of hookers and cocaine! Is that too much? Now because of one stupid woman, all of my plans are down the crapper!

The intercom BUZZES.

THERESA (O.S.)
Sir, it sounds like you’re yelling. Is there a problem?

QUITLOVE
A problem? Yes, Theresa! There’s a big problem! I hinged my entire life plan on the shoulders of one easily manipulated little girl and she’s making it extremely difficult for me!

He throws random things around his office. This whatever a psychopath’s answer to a temper tantrum is. He’s pulling things off the walls and just overall making a mess.

THERESA (O.S.)
Sir, what would you like done about it?

Quitlove stands in the shambles of what was only a short time ago, his office. He catches his breath and composes himself.

QUITLOVE
Theresa, would you please send in The Brute.

THERESA (O.S.)
Yes, sir.

QUITLOVE
Thank you.

THERESA (O.S.)
One other thing sir.

QUITLOVE
What is it.

Her voice trembles. Her voice has never trembled before.

THERESA (O.S.)
Well, sir. It appears she may have broken out.

QUITLOVE
Ah. Well, let’s find out where in my tower she is and we’ll just send The Brute there.

THERESA (O.S.)
Very good, sir. I’ll handle this.

QUITLOVE
Yes, see that you do.

He calmly walks over to his overturned chair and picks it up, and throws it out of his multi stories high window.


INT. SINECORP TOWER HALLWAY - MEANWHILE


GUNSHOTS ring out through the entire building. None of the guards seem to understand that Crestfall is bulletproof. She also isn’t tiring. There’s a line of unconscious guards stretching back through the twisty caverns. If a person wanted to, they could follow the trail of pain back to her cell, but this is clearly in a different part of the building.

Crestfall makes her way through the crowd of guards. Quickly taking them all out. Equally as quickly, she becomes very bored. The hallway ends in a large corridor. There are no more guards. She stops and shakes herself off. She’s not tired, she’s just adjusting to the adrenalin rush.

Standing across from her with a vicious grin on his face is The Brute.

BRUTE
Brute.

CRESTFALL
Oh shut up already!

They charge at each other. Crestfall PUNCHES him in the face and he SLUMPS to the ground.

Crestfall continues running down the hallway on the opposite end. There’s a sign above the hallway that says “EXECUTIVE OFFICES”

The Brute GROANS and twitches.


CUT TO:


INT. QUITLOVE’S OFFICE


Crestfall is a little shocked to see the entire office in tatters. The only thing that hasn’t been destroyed is his desk and the only thing on the desk is a syringe.

QUITLOVE
You remember Doctor Waters right? She came to see me recently with this concoction of hers. She said that when I inject myself with it, it will give me powers not unlike your own.

He picks up the syringe and looks at it. He tosses it out of the giant hole in the window that his chair left behind.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
I think that we both know which side Waters likes to butter her toast.
Crestfall begins to lunge forward.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Ah! I wouldn’t do that. This is the part where I tell you exactly what’s going on. You see. I did know your father. He was a true genius. Maybe too much so. If he wouldn’t work for me then he wasn’t going to work for anyone. I have a lot of pull here in my ivory tower. I’ve been watching you for a long, long time.

He walks over to a hidden panel. It WOOSHES open. Inside are vials of blood with Jessica Crest’s name and ages attached.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Every blood draw you’ve ever had. I have them all right here. I’ve been studying your blood for a long long time.

He pulls out the most recent vial.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
This one should do.

He walks over to another panel. This one has the purple goo inside.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
Oh, science. I’ve been tampering with this particular compound for a while. It started with your father. He found a way to unlock the potential for super powers within his own DNA structure. We could never figure out why it wouldn’t work on anyone else, but that seemed a moot point. It worked on your dad, it worked on you.

He snaps both vials into an injector.

QUITLOVE (CONT’D)
And now. It will work on me.

CRESTFALL
No!

Her reaction is just a tad too late. He’s already injected himself. Before her eyes his muscles ripple and grow. He turns into a beast that looks a lot like The Brute.

Crestfall can’t bring herself to do anything except look on in horror.

He lurches forward. His back ripples and he SCREAMS out in agony as two jet black wings jut out of his back. They look black and leathery, like a bat or a demon. He regains his composure and stands tall. He’s much bigger than he was. He shakes his wings and they make a heavy WOOSH sound. His laugh is DEEP.

Crestfall snaps back to reality. Looking out the window down below she can see red an blue lights in the streets below. She charges at Quitlove and tackles him through the window SHATTERING the glass.


CUT TO:


EXT. SKIES ABOVE NEON CITY


They fight.

In the air they keep pushing each other away then using their wings to bash each other. Despite the difference in size, they are fairly equally matched.

Quitlove lunges at her and tackles her to the rooftop of a nearby building. He sits atop her and begins to pummel her with his fists.

QUITLOVE
You’ve ruined everything you stupid girl! All you had to do was everything I told you! You could be a general! You could be a goddess!

He punches her in the face. He’s suddenly overcome with pain. He rolls onto his side. Crestfall stands, bloody but not out of the game.

CRESTFALL
What’s the matter Q.L.? Am I too much woman for you to handle?

He sneers and grabs her again, launching into the air. They struggle a bit and he’s struggling against the pain again. He’s becoming noticeably smaller. He swings away at her. She grabs him by the shoulders and does a nose dive straight towards the ground. The force of the fall knocks him out. Just before IMPACT she rotates herself around to take the brunt of the hit.


CUT TO:


EXT. STREETS OUTSIDE OF SINECORPS TOWER


The impact left a small indent in the streets below. Marie is there with Aloyo. Both are shocked to see the two people who were just fighting in the air, now climbing out of a hole in the ground.

Quitlove is dazed. He’s back to his normal size, he still has the black wings but they are almost comically small now. He tries to reason with the police.

QUITLOVE
Officers! Arrest this woman! She’s accosted me. Broke into my building, tore apart my office. It’s awful!

MARIE
Sir, I’m going to need you to calm down.

She slaps handcuffs on Quitlove and puts him in the cruiser.

QUITLOVE
What’s the meaning of all this?

MARIE
We got a tip that you’ve been up to some naughty things Mr. Quitlove. I might have a bone or two to pick with you myself.

Garbaz and Doctor Waters are helping Crestfall to her feet.

WATERS
How are the effects of the serum?

CRESTFALL
They started wearing off around the time he started screaming in pain. What happened there?

WATERS
The stuff that your father affectionately referred to as “The Goo” really only does work on your DNA. The only other subject it’s gotten close to working on is The Brute and I’m sure we’ll find he’s somehow related to you or some crazy clone, or something. Quitlove had the right idea mixing your blood with The Goo, I had hoped it would wear off. I’m glad to see it has.

CRESTFALL
So, the vile you gave him wasn’t a fake?

WATERS
No. Why? Didn’t he use it?

CRESTFALL
No, he tossed it out of the window. He had his own stash up in his office.

WATERS
Out the window? I’ll see if we can get a team to make sure it’s nothing.

Garbaz gives her a big hug.

GARBAZ
What’s next for you now Jessica?

CRESTFALL
Next? Now I stay here. Protect my city.

GARBAZ
That sounds like an amazing idea to me.


EXT. NEON CITY ROOFTOPS - NIGHT - WEEKS LATER


Crestfall sits perched atop a gargoyle. She’s in a new jumpsuit from The Facility. Her blood red wings pulled back as she surveys her city.

CRESTFALL (V.O.)
It’s warm tonight in Neon City. The skies are clear. Everything seems to be at peace.

In the distance, a woman SCREAMS.

CRESTFALL
Finally!

She jumps off of the gargoyle into the night.


FADE OUT.

My assignment

MY TEACHER WANTED ME TO TALK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH COMICS, HOW I GO ABOUT SETTING UP MY FIRST DRAFTS, AND WHERE I SEE MY THIRD ACT GOING. HE WANTED ME TO DO THIS IN 200 WORDS. I DID IT IN 389. IF HE DOCKS ME POINTS, I DON'T CARE. THIS IS MY (SOMEWHAT ABBREVIATED) VIEW ON THE MATTER.

I’m a student of comics. That’s not to say I’ve been studying books on comics for years or I’m taking classes or anything like that. I’m just a huge, huge fan. Comics serve as an outlet the way few other things can and after reading them for so many years, I’ve come to understand the basic structure of storytelling within. There’s a different way to tell a horror story versus a super hero story and different ways to tell a western over a pirate story. The list goes on and on but there’s a pervasive theme that works through comics; and that is the marriage of picture and words. Writing comics for me is like writing a movie, and not in that they both use scripts, moreso in the way that the writer puts his ideas to paper and the director/artist brings those words to life.

The difficult thing for me when writing a comic is looking at the story from an artistic perspective. Since I’m not a visual artist, I’m very open to the artist’s interpretation of my work. It’s the essence of collaboration that really appeals to me in this medium.

In coming up with my first draft, I often outline my story with bullet points. I try to cover at least one bullet point per page so I like to have a bare minimum of twenty-two bullets to work from. As it gets down to the page itself, I take layouts from stories I love and single issues that flow well and I try to mimic those in my scripts. When I don’t know how to layout a page in a visually stimulating way, I go for the basic six-panel layout (two across and three down) and I have every bit of faith that my artist can make it striking.

In my climactic ending, Crestfall (the heroine of my story) is faced with the man who caused her condition. He’s manipulated her mentally and physically. She’s positioned herself in such a way that now she has the upper hand. Her biggest fear is finding out how far she’s willing to go. If she kills him that will be a choice she has to live with. But can she live with herself knowing that this monster is still around? It’s a morality question to say the least.