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RAPID CITY #22 BY JOSH DAHL JOSHDAHL@HOTMAIL.COM Page 1 Panel 1 Big battle elsewhere. 5 panels Large panel. Midnight, a street in the center of Rome, Italy. A modern looking city street which has been deserted. In the center of an intersection, a very large man with bone-white skin and bulging muscles is pounding the ground in frustration and rage. He is moaning in Italian. BRUTTO No. No. Perch successo a me? Panel 2 Close on his slightly monstrous face as he cries out. BRUTTO Nessuno mi capisce! Panel 3 A very similar image to panel 2, but now it is on a TV screen with CNN style news banners scrolling by. The main caption reads "Il Brutto captured in Rome." TV ...sketchy, but authorities in Rome have confirmed that the notorious international super-criminal has been taken into custody. Panel 4 Another TV shot. This time there is a slick looking news-reader reporting the story. Behind him (or her) is a graphic of the adventurer in question. This Aldous Gallant. He is a pulp-era adventurer and some kind of cross between Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. TV Still unclear at this time is the fate of worldrenowned adventurer, Aldous Gallant, who was reportedly injured during the confrontation. Panel 5 Shot of a wide monitor that has its display divided into 6 or more smaller panels, more than half of them are showing the Brutto story. The others are regular news. This monitor is in a mostly dark room. There is a word balloon coming from off panel. The word "MUTE" in in the corner of the screen. SWITCHBOARD Mom? It's me. Are you watching the news? Page 2 Panel 1 In the bunker. 4 panels Wider shot of Switchboard sitting in her bunker and talking on a cell phone. Her balloons are separated

by enough space that it looks like someone else is talking between them. Caption Switchboard SWITCHBOARD It looks that way. I know, it's so hard to believe. SWITCHBOARD After all this time.... I just assumed he was dead. SWITCHBOARD I don't know. I imagine there's a whole line of countries waiting to get their hands on him. Panel 2 Close on Switch talking and looking a little sad. SWITCHBOARD Will you be ok? Do you want me to come over there? SWITCHBOARD Mom, just turn it off. Go read a book. I'll give you a call if anything else happens. SWITCHBOARD Ok. I love you. SWITCHBOARD Bye. Panel 3 Panel 4 Her sitting alone and quiet for a moment. Switchboard touching a touch-screen display which has a contact list on it. SWITCHBOARD Alright, for anyone listening, a little rumor control. SWITCHBOARD There's already nonsense flying around, but these are the facts as we know them. SWITCHBOARD Just a few hours ago, Aldous Gallant was injured in a battle with Il Brutto. SWITCHBOARD Gallant's at a hospital in Rome. It looks serious, but they aren't talking and that's about all I can get. Page 3 Panel 1 Kinetic and Coil. 4 panels Tight close up on Kinetic's head, it is a side-view

so that we can see his earpiece clearly. What we can see of his face is angry and focused ahead of him. SWITCHBOARD (through Kinetic's earpiece) Brutto, it seems, turned himself in without a fight. Panel 2 Pull back slightly, we can see more of Kinetic and possibly some of Coil, who is still backed up against a wall in front of Kinetic. Kinetic is touching the earpiece and talking. Kinetic KINETIC Ok. I'm following up on that thing. I'll get back to you in a few. Panel 3 Caption Coil, now clearly shown in front of Kinetic. Coil COIL Was that her? Was that Switchboard? Panel 4 As large a panel as can fit the page. Kinetic, enraged, swinging a charged up fist toward Coil's head. Coil doing his best to block it with wire covered gauntlets. KINETIC Son of a bitch! Shut your mouth. Page 4 Panel 1 What had to be done. 5 panels Kinetic over Coil and shouting down at him. KINETIC You don't ask about her. After what you did, you don't even get to say her name. COIL I did.... Panel 2 Close on Coil looking up at Kinetic. He is slightly sneering. COIL I did what I had to do. Panel 3 Coil starting to stand, Kinetic still over him. KINETIC You set her up. Attacked her. You tortured her. That's what you had to do?

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COIL They would have killed her. Panel 4 Now Coil is getting back in Kinetic's face. He is holding back his anger. COIL As soon as they cracked her passwords, she would have been useless to them and she would have been dead. COIL When I told Crux that I wanted her, to kill her slowly, I saved her life. Panel 5 Both of them standing. KINETIC Why would you do that? COIL I'm not the guy you think I am. Page 5 Panel 1 Depth. 5 panels Kinetic aggressive and full of hate. KINETIC Then why were you there? Why didn't you just stop them? Panel 2 Coil moving slightly away and being very calm. COIL You've been in over your head since the day you started. And I've been trying to tell you all along, this is way bigger than you or me. Panel 3 Both of them arguing. COIL You think King Shard just happened to be in Rapid City that day? He just happened to find Crux's hide-out? COIL Or do you think maybe, just maybe, someone tipped him off? KINETIC You're lying. Panel 4 Coil putting up his hands dismissively. COIL That's fine. You don't have to believe me. Just do what you have to do.... I can't be talking to you

like this. Panel 5 Large panel with Kinetic swinging a fist at Coil. As Coil moves to block it, his wires splay out wildly. He is preparing to ensnare Coil, but the reader does not know that yet. KINETIC Good. Page 6 Panel 1 The message. 6 panels They are close-quarters grappling. Kinetic is winding up another blow and Coil's wires are already taking hold of Kinetic's arms. Kinetic slams Coil in to the wall behind him. The wires are taking stronger hold, entangling the two of them. COIL Just list-UH! Panel 3 Still in close-quarters, Kinetic grimaces as Coil tightens all of the wires that are now constricting Kinetic. COIL Listen. Panel 4 Coil's mouth whispering in Kinetic's ear. COIL There's a super villain crew, right now, planning to steal some very dangerous.... Panel 5 Wider shot, Coil still over powering Kinetic. And still seemingly whispering to him. Kinetic is struggling. Coil might have a whispery thin word balloon, but we are too far away to hear what he is saying. Pulled back further to see the two still struggling. They look small and isolated on the street. Piledriver and Icicle. 5 panels A small, urban, SUV-lite, type vehicle wobbles its way along a thin two-track road through a thick green forest. That SUV coming to a stop in front of a trailerturned-cabin on a small cleared plot of land near a lake. Closer on Icicle and Piledriver getting out of the vehicle. She had been driving. They are wearing comfortable, summer, civilian gear.

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Icicle and Piledriver ICICLE This is it. PILEDRIVER You used to come up here when you were little? ICICLE Sometimes. My asshole step-dad used to make us come out here. I hated it. Panel 4 They are in front of the SUV, she is facing the cabin, he is facing the lake. Large shot. PILEDRIVER It's nice to be out here, away from Rapid City. ICICLE This place is a dump. Panel 5 Page 8 Panel 1 She watches him walk down toward the water. Grasshoppers buzz around. Plan B. 5 panels She is walking up behind him, she looks serious, he is squinting in the glare off the water. ICICLE You saw how we got here, right? You think you could find this place again? PILEDRIVER Sure. With my powers, I can feel places. I don't need a map, I just know where things are. ICICLE Good. Panel 2 The two of them talking. ICICLE Listen. I don't trust this Coil. If anything goes wrong, if you even get a hint of something you don't like. Run. ICICLE Meet me here. PILEDRIVER You think something's gonna go wrong? Panel 3 Larger shot of Icicle icing up. With one iced up hand, she is raising a spiked ice-helmet on her head. ICICLE

Something always goes wrong. Whatever happens, we both have to be ready. Panel 4 Shot of Piledriver doing some flexing move. The ground around him starts to raise in ripples and waves. Immediately around him it is formed like a bowl dipping into the ground. PILEDRIVER Believe me. I'm ready. All I've got to do is get everyone out of there. I can do that with my eyes closed. Panel 5 Piledriver moving in his dirt-bowl closer to Icicle. She is up on the edge of the dirt-bowl, which she is icing the edge of, and he is below her looking up. ICICLE In case I can't.... In case we get split up, we'll have a plan. Page 9 Panel 1 Back door. 5 panels Piledriver rising up on dirt to be level with Icicle. They are slightly elevated and surrounded by rippling dirt. PILEDRIVER In case you can't what? Are you still afraid of going underground? Panel 2 She is pulling away from him, walking high on ice-spike stilts. He follows her. ICICLE I'm not afraid. I just don't like the idea of a situation where every mistake is fatal. PILEDRIVER That's been every day for us. PILEDRIVER Just one more time, though, and we're out. Panel 3 He takes her hands and they face eachother. PILEDRIVER Do you trust me? Panel 4 Together, they begin to descend in a dirt-bowl. The ground is lowering beneath them. PILEDRIVER I can get you out of there. Safe. If you can trust me. ICICLE

I do. I just.... PILEDRIVER Let me show you. Panel 5 Shot of them sinking still lower. They are at about eye-level with the surrounding ground level. The dirt-bowl has become a dirt-bubble. He is raising his arms to control the dirt and she looking around nervously. Face your fear. 6 panels Down inside the bubble. Looking up past them there is a wide shaft of air leading up to the surface. ICICLE I don't like this. I feel trapped. PILEDRIVER You're not trapped. You're here with me. PILEDRIVER I'm in control now. Panel 2 Close on them talking, still in the light beaming down through the shaft. She looks nervous still. ICICLE It's too close. Something could go wrong PILEDRIVER No. I'm controlling everything. I'm going to take you further down now. Ok? Panel 3 Close shot of her looking up at that shaft of light. She is nervous. Her balloon is small and weak. ICICLE Ok. Panel 4 Very similar shot, but now the light has almost completely closed off. In heavy shadows, her nervousness looks like terror. Total blackness. Similar to the previous close shots of Icicle, all we can see is some of her ice crystals beginning to glow. Ice glow. 5 panels The two of them together in the bubble. They are lit by a very faint glow from her ice armor. He is smiling at her.

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PILEDRIVER Your ice. It's glowing. ICICLE It always glows, but no one ever sees it. PILEDRIVER It's beautiful. Panel 2 Piledriver has one hand out stretched in a purposeful way. PILEDRIVER We're moving fast now. Can you feel it? We're out under the lake. ICICLE Under it? I don't like this. I'm scared. Panel 3 Piledriver with his arms bowed out, mimicking the shape of the bubble. Icicle is within his armspan, looking small and timid. PILEDRIVER I've got you. You're safe. ICICLE Do you promise? Panel 4 Panel 5 Tight shot on a drip of water dripping into the bubble from above. That same drop now frozen in to a small icicle. Piledriver's speech comes from off panel. PILEDRIVER I promise. Page 12 Panel 1 Black Flag and The Cut. 5 panles Black Flag standing in his workshop. He is surrounded by electronics components and spray-painted anarchist slogans and stencils. He is wearing a wife-beater shirt. He is staring seriously at a blank patch of wall next to an open door which leads to another part of his workshop. BLACK FLAG You ready? Panel 2 A wider shot, we can see more of his workshop and we can now see that Black Flag and The Cut are on opposite sides of that wall he is looking at. The Cut is standing back from it about 10 feet. They can talk to each other through the open door. The Cut is holding a black device about the size and shape of a car stereo.

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THE CUT Yeah, boss. Tol' you there's nothin to get ready. Jus' do it. BLACK FLAG Ok, then go. Panel 3 The Cut suddenly charges toward the wall. THE CUT Right. Panel 4 The Cut is making contact with the wall and there are energy lines emanating from what seems to be his contact point. Reader will mistake this for impact lines. SOUND EFFECT zoop Panel 5 The Cut coming through the wall on Black Flag's side. The wall is undamaged. He is emerging from a "zoop" energy field similar the the one in the last panel. He is nearly stumbling into Black Flag. THE CUT Look out. BLACK FLAG Careful. Panel 6 The Cut righting himself and handing the device to Black Flag. THE CUT That's done. Did it work. BLACK FLAG Let me see that and I'll tell you. Page 13 Panel 1 It worked. 4 panels Black Flag holding up the device, showing a row of lights. Four pairs of red/green lights, all with the green one lit. Black Flag is proud and smiling. Cut is leaning over him trying to figure out what BLACK FLAG Ok, looking good. BLACK FLAG All four triggers have been tripped. It worked. THE CUT Jus' like that? Panel 2 Black Flag pointing back to the undamaged wall which

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The Cut just came through. The Cut is reaching out toward the device. BLACK FLAG Yeah. It's sensitive to your powers. As soon as you teleport it'll start counting down. BLACK FLAG Now, all you got to worry about is dropping it. THE CUT Bang on, mate! Lemme jus' get a look at that then. Panel 3 Panel 4 The Cut throws the device hard against the wall. Black Flag surprised and angry. BLACK FLAG The hell!? What's wrong with you? THE CUT This a test, innit? Page 14 Panel 1 The test. 5 panels The Cut standing nonchalant as Black Flag picks up and examines the device. THE CUT When I teleport, yeah, I gotta be movin'. The longer the jump, the faster I gotta be. Those vault walls is a meter thick. THE CUT When I come through there, I ain't gonna be able to set it down on no pillow. It's gonna land hard, innit? Panel 2 Black Flag closely examining the device. All four green lights are still lit. BLACK FLAG It works fine. BLACK FLAG Which I could have told you if you had just asked. I don't build junk. Panel 3 The Cut casually gesturing toward an anarchist poster. THE CUT If it can't take a good smashing, it wasn't any good to start with, right? THE CUT Isn't that what you lot are always on about?

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The two of them talking. They are both forcing a relaxed posture, but they are testing each other's reactions. BLACK FLAG How do you mean? THE CUT Anarchists. "Smash the system", "Kick out the jams" and all that, right? BLACK FLAG Something like that. What about it? Panel 5 Still talking. THE CUT Never saw the point. You just do whatever you want, innit? Tha's the same as everyone does, yeah? No one does what they don't want. THE CUT So why you gotta call it "anarchism"? Why not "doin' wha'ever I want"? BLACK FLAG You're buying in to a very narrow stereotype. THE CUT Sure I am. Because tha's what I want to do. Does'at make me an anarchist? Page 15 Panel 1 Is that Anarchism? 5 panels They are still talking. THE CUT Seriously though, I don' get "anarchism". All this makin' bombs and plannin' jobs, hows'at fit in? BLACK FLAG Look, I gotta eat. And between some nine-to-five that just feeds the system, or finding ways to smash some part of it? BLACK FLAG I'll take smashing every time. THE CUT Translation: I like to blow stuff up. Panel 2 Panel 3 Black Flag look serious. Black Flag smiling. BLACK FLAG You're the one needs a translator.

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The Cut with a sly smile. THE CUT 'sfunny though.... Panel 5 The Cut looking distractedly at some of the tools in Black Flag's workshop. THE CUT You're so keen on smashing stuff but your power's makin' stuff. Queer, innit? BLACK FLAG No. BLACK FLAG It's ironic maybe, but it ain't queer. Page 16 Panel 1 In the Keno parlor. 5 panels Shot of three TV screens in a row. The two on the ends are showing Keno numbers coming up. The one in the middle is tuned to a cable news channel where pundits are discussing the Brutto/Gallant situation. Word balloon coming from off panel. CLAW HAMMER Awww, come on. Panel 2 The place is a corner convenience store which also has a Keno "parlor". The floor space is shaped like an "L" with the sales counter in the center. The entire short side of the "L" is devoted to Keno and other lottery products. There are three tall round table with bar stool positioned at them so that every seat has a view of the screens. There is a pair of old men at one of the other tables. At the center table is a huge man build like wrestler. He can barely fit into his t-shirt. He has a few Keno slips in front of him as well as a large styro-foam coffee cup. He is gesturing with frustration toward the screens. Maurice, the early middle-aged guy at the counter is leaning forward to talk to Claw Hammer. Claw Hammer CLAW HAMMER Change this, will ya? They just keep saying the same stuff again and again. Who wants to see this, anyway? MAURICE I've got every episode of 24 on DVD back there, but the boss won't let me play 'em. MAURICE

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No one would gamble if they were watching something they liked. Panel 3 Focus on Maurice talking. MAURICE But you repeat the same bad news a thousand times and it starts to sink in. When people feel hopeless like that, then they really start buying tickets. Panel 4 The two of them talking. CLAW HAMMER Hopeless? No. People gamble because they're hoping to win. MAURICE Trust me. I've seen it happen. It isn't that they hope to win, it's that the don't care about losing. Panel 5 Shot of Claw Hammer. Maurice's balloon comes from off panel. MAURICE Think about it. You really come in here because you're gonna hit Keno someday? Or is it because in here, when you take a hit, at least it's a hit you chose? Page 17 Panel 1 Panel 2 Kinetic and Switchboard. 3 panels Shot of the skyline on the outskirts of downtown, going toward Switchboard's bunker. Red Devil floating high above, he is nearly invisible in his energy for. A translucent skeleton covered in very faint reddish flames. He is watching Kinetic approach the bunker. Red Devil, still nearly invisible, alights on the top of the broadcasting tower above the bunker. Red Devil Knock knock. 5 panels Close on Kinetic's feet touching down in the worn out patch of ground outside Switchboard's back door. Looking down from Red Devil's point of view, we can see a small Kinetic far below. Shot of Switch in a dark room looking at a monitor showing Kinetic at her back door. This is a very similar angle to Panel 2, but much closer. He is pressing an intercom button. SOUND EFFECT

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bzzzzz SWITCHBOARD I see ya. Come on in. Panel 4 Kinetic in the hall between the outer door and the central bunker. Desperado is in the doorway to the central bunker. Switch's balloon comes from off panel, in the bunker. DESPERADO Make it quick, ok? We're on our way out. SWITCHBOARD Oh, relax, Dess. We can take a minute. Panel 5 Kinetic entering the bunker past Desperado. Switchboard is standing up to reach a wall mounted touch-screen. SWITCHBOARD Hey, Kinetic, what can I do for you? KINETIC I just heard a rumor, I guess. I was hoping you could check it out for me before I go running off half-cocked. SWITCHBOARD Good idea. You hear this stuff about Il Brutto? Page 19 Panel 1 The Bad. 5 panels Kinetic and Switchboard talking. KINETIC Yeah, no, I was doing this other thing. So, what happened? SWITCHBOARD He turned himself in. The Italian police were keeping him in a regular holding cell. They said he didn't even put up a fight. KINETIC Wow, I wish they could all be that easy. Panel 2 Switch talking. SWITCHBOARD Well, he managed to put Aldous Gallant in the hospital before he surrendered. In fact, we're closing up shop here to go see my mom. I think this might be hitting her harder than she is letting on. KINETIC Does she know Gallant?

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SWITCHBOARD No. Well yeah, but no. Brutto used to fight my grandad all the time. Once he kidnapped my mom when she was little. Panel 3 Focus on Switchboard's gloved hands holding the iron bar that she uses to focus her power. KINETIC Your grandad? I thought it was your dad that was Switchman. SWITCHBOARD He was. But his dad was the original. In World War Two. Panel 4 Switchboard talking, off in her own little world. SWITCHBOARD I don't think she ever got over that kidnapping. Grandad saved her, but the trauma stuck with her. SWITCHBOARD I can't imagine what this must be like for her. Brutto's so scary, even on TV, and she was just a little girl. Panel 5 Switchboard snapping back to reality and talking to Kinetic. SWITCHBOARD I'm sorry, this is all I've been hearing about all morning. What did you say you wanted? Page 20 Panel 1 The question. 5 panels The two of the talking. KINETIC Well, I kind of heard a rumor, some very specific details actually, about a robbery that is being planned. But I don't know if it's legit or some kind of wild goose chase. SWITCHBOARD So you want....? KINETIC I think that you might be able to confirm if some of these details are on the level, and if they are.... Panel 2 Switchboard already sorting information on her touch screen. SWITCHBOARD Then maybe there's something to this rumor. Ok,

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what've you got? KINETIC Like I said, not a lot. Can you look for anything about a some very powerful artifact, with heavy security.... SWITCHBOARD Yeah, sounds familiar. Go on. KINETIC That has been moved to a new location, for security reasons. Panel 3 Switch still working at sorting through streams of information. SWITCHBOARD Mm-hmm. Ok. Ok! SWITCHBOARD Here's something. Looks like an additional private security team being re-directed to a new location. Just two days ago. Does that line-up? KINETIC It might. It's enough to at least check it out. Where is it? Panel 4 Switchboard under-lit by her computer screen, looking pleasantly surprised. SWITCHBOARD Oh! Good idea. I'd never look there. Panel 5 Kinetic, Desperado, and Switchboard outside the backdoor to her bunker. Desperado is turning a key in the door. Switchboard is wearing a back-pack and a jacket. Kinetic's gauntlets are charged with power. KINETIC Thanks a lot. SWITCHBOARD No problem. Good luck. Page 21 Panel 1 One more thing. 6 panles High angle shot of Kinetic bounding skyward. He is in the foreground and Switchboard and Desperado are below him in the background. He is looking down at them. Tight shot on Kinetic's face. He is frowning in thought. Kinetic landing in front of Desperado and Switchboard

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who had begun to walk away from the door. They are surprised by him. DESPERADO Hey! SWITCHBOARD Oh! Is something wrong? KINETIC Yes. I'm sorry. I just want to ask you something. Panel 4 Kinetic looking very serious and talking to Switchboard. KINETIC That night, when Coil attacked you, did he hurt you? Panel 5 Switchboard looking stunned. Desperado is stepping toward Kinetic, protective of Switchboard. SWITCHBOARD What? Why would you... DESPERADO Dude! What's your problem? Panel 6 Kinetic turning away from them, perhaps leaping into the air. KINETIC Never mind. It doesn't matter. Page 22 Panel 1 3 panels Shot from Red Devil's POV up on the tower of Kinetic blasting away. Word balloon coming in from off panel. RED DEVIL He's on the move. Heading....uh... I guess that's west. Panel 2 Similar shot, but now we can see Red Devil looking down and talking into a phone. RED DEVIL He's fast, that's for sure. But I can stay on him all the way there. RED DEVIL Question, what do we do when the rest of the crew shows up and this hero is still there? Panel 3 Big shot revealing that it is a grinning Coil on the other end of the call.

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COIL We'll probably kill him. Caption Continued next issue.