The Fire Below
by
Andrew Morris
EXT. SCENE - COUNCIL TAVERN. ROOF. (NIGHT)
It is a pleasant, if chilly, evening on Division Street in the south end of Wicker Park. Up and down the street, the bars and cafes are bustling with traffic, teeming with young professionals. Vibrant and carefree, they meet, greet, drink and eat, and otherwise conduct the very human traffic of a cool November evening in the entertainment district.
Atop one such enterprise, the Council Tavern, three gargoyles sit. BROOKLYN and LEXINGTON are seated side by side on the parapet with a nine-men’s morris board scratched into the coping tile between them. They are playing with bottle caps: LEXINGTON’s are right-side up, by way of playing black, and BROOKLYN’s are upside down, playing white. BROOKLYN leads, five pieces on the board to four. BROADWAY is perched at the front edge of the roof, watching the people below.
Caption: 1934 W. Division St., Chicago. 8:37 PM, November 16, 2012.
LEXINGTON makes his move, a defensive one. He takes none of BROOKLYN’s pieces. He is in trouble here: he has two pairs of pieces that are blocked apart by BROOKLYN’s.
BROADWAY watches as one couple comes out of the bar across the street, talking lightly and inaudibly. They embrace and kiss in the street. BROADWAY sighs.
BROOKLYN gives it a little thought, and then makes his move, making a mill and taking one of LEXINGTON’s pieces with a small grin. LEXINGTON snorts in frustration.
BROADWAY
You guys almost done?
BROOKLYN
Almost.
BROADWAY
I’ll play winner.
BROOKLYN
Sounds good to me.
LEXINGTON
You haven’t won yet.
BROOKLYN
No, not yet.
LEXINGTON makes his move, flying one of his pieces across through BROOKLYN’s defense, making a mill, and taking one of BROOKLYN’s pieces. BROOKLYN is startled, and glares at him. LEXINGTON meets his glare with a smirk.
LEXINGTON
Take that.
BROOKLYN
Flying is cheating.
LEXINGTON
It is not. That’s how Hudson plays.
BROOKLYN
How would you know that? How’d you get him down that far?
LEXINGTON
I didn’t. He told me.
BROOKLYN shakes his head and focuses back on the board.
BROOKLYN
Whatever. No point in fighting the inevitable.
BROADWAY
Then what are we doing here?
BROOKLYN
Fighting boredom.
LEXINGTON
As long as we’re fighting something.
BROADWAY
Losing at that, too, I think.
BROOKLYN
You said it.
LEXINGTON
Well, what else are we gonna do? It’s been dead quiet the last two weeks. I’m almost hoping for trouble to come to us.
BROOKLYN
Careful what you wish for.
BROOKLYN reaches for one of his pieces and, confidently, moves it. Then he suddenly realizes his error.
BROOKLYN
Wait, no.
LEXINGTON
Too late!
LEXINGTON picks up his piece and moves, triumphantly, but before he can finish the move, there is a pair of explosions in the street, rattling all three gargoyles and sending the game pieces over the edge of the roof. Lights go out on one side of the block and the street lights go out, dropping the street into darkness. People in the street panic and scatter. Below, a manhole cover comes clattering down into the street directly in front of the tavern. BROOKLYN, LEXINGTON, and BROADWAY spring to the front of the building, all three taking up defensive postures.
BROADWAY
Whoa!
Below, long huffs of black smoke emerge from the blown manhole, and a squealing roar comes up from the street.
LEXINGTON
What is that?
BROOKLYN
You wanted trouble? Here it comes.
EXT. SCENE - COUNCIL TAVERN. ROOF. (NIGHT)
The street below is closed, the revelers cordoned off to the ends of the block. Fire trucks and ambulances are parked below, along with several police cars. The emergency workers are finishing up their duties. Nearest the blown manhole is an electric company van, with a trio of workers (including foreman BARNEY) standing by, waiting. A TV REPORTER is at the end of the block giving the update.
REPORTER
Thanks, Dave. Yes, a big scare this evening in Wicker Park as an explosion rocks the 1900 block of Division Street.
As the reporter continues, the gargoyles remain perched on the edge of the roof, just watching.
REPORTER
Witnesses say that an explosion in an electric manhole sent the 300 pound iron cover flying into the air and crashing back in to the street, narrowly missing the front of the Council Tavern. Pablo Hernandez was working inside and tells us more.
The REPORTER stops briefly as the video of this interview plays out, unseen.
LEXINGTON
So, where’s the trouble? One blast, and that’s it?
BROOKLYN
Keep your eyes out. Something may still be up.
BROADWAY
You think this was meant for us?
BROOKLYN
Could be. Could be blamed on us. I don’t know. Those guys we beat a couple weeks ago were big business. They could try something like this.
LEXINGTON
See anyone familiar down there?
BROOKLYN
No, not yet.
BROADWAY looks around.
BROADWAY
I do. Look over there.
He points, and they look. On one end of the block, MATT PEGRAM, dressed in work clothes, shows his employee badge and is admitted through the police line. He approaches the work van.
EXT. SCENE - COUNCIL TAVERN. SIDEWALK. (NIGHT)
MATT
Hey, Barney.
BARNEY
Hey, Matt. Sorry to get you out so late on a Friday.
MATT
No, it’s okay. I don’t live far from here. What you got?
BARNEY
I got another explosion with no explanation. We cleared things out a bit so the cops could have a look. They didn’t see anything.
MATT
As usual.
Meanwhile, at the end of the block:
REPORTER
We’re told this is the eighth incident since September, and while no injuries are reported, that’s not been the case in the past. Back at the beginning of October, a driver and passenger in Logan Square were seriously injured by a flying manhole cover when it struck their car. Chicago Police say they don’t think this is anything other than an accident. Edison officials say they are investigating. Reporting live from Wicker Park--
MATT and BARNEY continue talking.
MATT
Gonna have to do something about this. Can’t keep flipping covers all over the place.
BARNEY
No kidding.
MATT
You see anything?
BARNEY
Nothing. We burned out the street light cable. That’s about it.
MATT
Again?
BARNEY
Yeah, again.
MATT
Where’d the cover go?
BARNEY points to the cover, which has landed a good ten or fifteen yards away. MATT whistles.
MATT
Wow. Good distance.
There is a motion from the roofline, and MATT looks up instinctively.
EXT. SCENE - COUNCIL TAVERN. ROOF. (NIGHT)
Above, BROOKLYN and LEXINGTON duck down. BROADWAY raises his hand to wave. BROOKLYN reaches up and pulls him down as well.
BROADWAY
What?
BROOKLYN
Can’t do that.
BROADWAY
Why not? He knows us.
BROOKLYN
Yeah, and the rest of them don’t. Keep down.
LEXINGTON
You think this was an accident?
BROOKLYN
If this has been going on since September, then yeah. I don’t think it’s anything to do with us.
LEXINGTON
Lot of accidents, don’t you think?
They peek up over the parapet. MATT has turned his attention to the manhole and is going down into it.
BROOKLYN
I think...I don’t know. What do you think Matt is doing here?
BROADWAY
Working, I guess.
BROOKLYN
Working doing what?
BROADWAY
I don’t know. Investigating?
BROOKLYN
Maybe we should find out.
LEXINGTON
What do you mean?
BROOKLYN
I think we owe him a visit.
LEXINGTON
I thought we were lying low.
BROOKLYN
We are. But he does know about us already. And he’d be the right one to know if there’s something here for us.
BROADWAY
Come on, then. What are we waiting for?
BROOKLYN
Lex, you in?
LEXINGTON
Yeah.
BROOKLYN
Let’s go.
The three of them creep away to the side of the roof, staying well out of sight from the street, and, in an inconspicuous spot, jump off into the wind and start gliding west.
EXT. SCENE - COUNCIL TAVERN. SIDEWALK. (NIGHT)
MATT comes up out of the manhole.
MATT
No, you’re right. Nothing much going on down there for me.
BARNEY
Again.
MATT
Again. Ugh. I hate chasing ghosts.
BARNEY
You and me both. We OK to put things back?
MATT
Yeah, go ahead.
He looks up to the roofline again. There’s nothing going on up there any more, of course.
MATT
Hey, Barney?
BARNEY
Yeah?
MATT
You ever see anything strange out here?
BARNEY
(laughing)
How long of a list you want?
MATT
I don’t mean that. I mean, like, strange creatures, that sort of thing.
BARNEY
Saw a raccoon eating a cabbage once. Seen a few coyotes, that sort of thing.
MATT
Anything up in the sky?
BARNEY
What, you mean like, gargoyles or something?
MATT
Something like that.
BARNEY
Hey, I work underground. If I wanted to watch the sky, I’d be climbing poles. Anyway, they’re all in New York, I thought. Thank goodness.
MATT
Suppose so. G’night. Gimme a call if something comes up.
BARNEY
Sure thing. G’night.
He turns to his crew.
BARNEY
A’right, guys, let’s go.
The crew sets to work as MATT departs down the street. As he passes the police cordon, he takes off his hard hat, smooths back his hair, and looks up at the night sky. It is quiet.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S GARAGE.
The garage door labors open, and light filters in from the alley, revealing a mess. MATT has half a two-car garage: the other half is occupied by a beaten-up hatchback, and the shelves along the back of the garage are stuffed with the usual detritus of the shadetree mechanic: loose tools, oil bottles, and so on. MATT backs his truck in from the alley. He gradually eases back toward the back wall, stopping short of the shelves, long practice having taught him exactly where to stop. He shuts off the motor, carefully opens the door, and eases out of the truck. He reaches for his tool bag and hard hat, and then shuts the door. He yawns broadly, and then works his way back to the back door of the garage, hitting the button to shut the garage door. The door rattles and wheezes down.
Suddenly, the door motor strains, clicks, stalls.
MATT
What? Come on, not now.
He begins searching for the obstruction. Suddenly he sees three blue, clawed, fingers under the door, pulling up, quickly joined by three more. Shocked, he stumbles back.
MATT
Oh, no, no, no!
He recovers enough to search quickly for a weapon. He reaches into his tool bag and extracts an engineer’s hammer. Gripping this and wielding it over his head, he prepares for whoever is coming. Finally, the door gives up, reverses, and draws up. The light from the alley expands to light MATT full-length, and there, in silhouette, is BROADWAY.
BROADWAY
Hi, Matt!
MATT is stunned and says nothing, continuing to wield the hammer. BROADWAY steps inside. Behind him, BROOKLYN and LEXINGTON drop down from above the garage, fold their wings, and follow him in.
MATT
Get out.
BROADWAY
Hey, lighten up. It’s us. Hey? Matt, put that down, we’re friends. See?
He spreads his hands. MATT relaxes slightly.
MATT
Friend?
BROADWAY
Yeah. Friend.
BROOKLYN
Friend good.
MATT
Friend...good?
He shakes himself slightly, then lowers the hammer, reaches around, and switches on the garage light, revealing all three gargoyles clearly. He is shocked to see them.
MATT
Jumped up Jesus from Joliet. You came back. Why’d you come back here?
BROOKLYN
Hello to you too.
MATT
Yeah, fine, hello. Lovely to see you. And--wait, how are you?
BROOKLYN
Fine, all healed.
MATT
No way.
BROOKLYN
See for yourself.
He draws back his wing to show his right flank. There is a scar there, but no further sign of his wounds.
MATT
No way! How?
BROOKLYN
I’m a fast healer. With a little help.
MATT
Wow. Well, that’s good news. I thought for a while it wasn’t going well, and that you--well, might be, um...
BROOKLYN
Out for revenge?
MATT
Kind of, yeah.
BROADWAY
(disappointed)
Oh. Really?
MATT
Well, I don’t know, do I? I only met you the one night. So, what does bring you by?
BROOKLYN
Wanted to talk to you about something. Can we come up?
MATT
Sure, come on.
He puts the hammer back in his bag, collects his things, switches off the light, and exits the back of the garage, followed by the three gargoyles.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S HOUSE. KITCHEN.
MATT unlocks and opens the back door, and all four of them enter.
MATT
Truth be told, I was starting to worry about you.
BROADWAY
Oh, yeah?
MATT
Yeah, a bit. Wasn’t sure if you’d headed home, or what. You want a pop?
BROOKLYN
No, thanks.
BROADWAY
Yeah, if you got one.
LEXINGTON
Me too.
MATT opens the refrigerator and pulls out three cans of pop, handing one each to BROADWAY and LEXINGTON.
LEXINGTON
Thanks.
MATT
Y’welcome. So what did you want to talk about?
BROOKLYN
That blast tonight.
MATT
Yeah, the one over in Wicker Park? Wait, was that you up there?
BROOKLYN
Yeah, you saw us?
MATT
I guess I did.
LEXINGTON
What’s been going on with the explosions? The news said this was the eighth since September.
MATT
Tenth, actually. They’ve been getting closer to downtown, too. The first couple were down by the old steel mills down south, down in the hundreds. Bit of a nuisance, but nobody was around, so nobody much noticed the first one.
BROOKLYN
And the second?
MATT
Caught a car. Someone drove right into the open hole. We paid them for the broken axle, figured at first someone had taken the cover off to the scrapyard, but our guys found the cover up the block a bit.
BROADWAY
Your guys?
MATT
Yeah, our guys. I work for the electric company. Engineering.
BROADWAY
Oh.
MATT
So that’s how I get involved. I’m supposed to figure out how to get it fixed so it stops happening.
BROADWAY
So you’re like a detective?
MATT
In a way, yeah. Not really, but for something like this, I guess I kind of am.
LEXINGTON
So what have you got?
MATT
Why?
LEXINGTON
What do you mean, “why?”
MATT
Why are you asking? This is just boring work stuff.
BROOKLYN
Explosions?
MATT
It’s the power company. Stuff blows up all the time.
BROOKLYN
Really, though.
MATT
Really, there’s a lot about it I’ve got to be careful talking about. Because I’m not sure this is all just accidental. In fact, I’m pretty sure it isn’t.
BROADWAY
Go on.
MATT
Nuh-uh. First, tell me why you’re interested.
BROOKLYN
Because we need something to do besides sit around.
MATT
What, city like this, you can’t find something to do?
BROOKLYN
Face like this, it gets kind of hard.
MATT
Okay, point taken, but still. I mean, I don’t know, but seems to me if I could fly around the city--
BROOKLYN
Glide, actually.
MATT
--if I could glide around the city, I’d be taking full advantage of it.
LEXINGTON
We’ve done that already.
MATT
Really?
LEXINGTON
Not like we can get too far. This city is really flat once you get too far out. Makes it hard to get back.
BROOKLYN
But there’s more to it than that. We have a bit of a saying, that a gargoyle can no more leave off protecting its castle than stop breathing the air. That is our lives.
BROADWAY
Yeah, that’s right.
BROOKLYN
And we haven’t had much to protect since we got here.
MATT
Yourselves, at least.
LEXINGTON
At most, really.
BROADWAY
And it’s got to be more. It’s not just saving ourselves. It’s saving more than that.
MATT
So, are you thinking you can help protect the city here?
BROOKLYN
Are you?
MATT looks at him, and then grins and shakes his finger at BROOKLYN.
MATT
Oh, you are crafty, aren’t you?
BROOKLYN
Well? How about it?
MATT
All right. I get it. I’d be lying if I said I was following this just for my paycheck. If you’re offering to help, you’re on.
BROOKLYN
Great. Where do we start?
MATT
Right here. You wanted to know what I’d got?
LEXINGTON
Yeah.
MATT
Let me show you.
He goes to the kitchen counter, moves a couple of things, and pulls up a model of a manhole cover about the size of a coaster. It has a sort of castellated ring under the rim and one or two other filigrees. He hands it to LEXINGTON.
MATT
The third lid blew off in the middle of September. That one was right near a park, and it just so happened that the alderman was having a press conference right when it happened. The next day, we had a guy in from some outfit called Weiner Iron Works, and he was selling those.
LEXINGTON
What is it?
MATT
New model of manhole cover. Twice as expensive, but equipped to better mix the flow of gases through the generation of hypersonic twin-tail vortices.
BROADWAY
What’s that mean?
MATT
Nothing. Total gibberish, as far as I can tell. Didn’t have any reason to trust the guy, anyway. He sounded like a huckster from the moment he came through the door. And he kept on coming through the door, like clockwork, the morning after every one of these blasts. I’m sure he’ll be in tomorrow morning too.
BROOKLYN
You think he’s got something to do with it, then?
MATT
I suspect it. No way for me to know, though. I’m always there an hour after the fact, and all the stuff I get in the lab won’t tell me anything useful.
BROADWAY
Well, we were there for this one.
MATT
What did you see?
BROADWAY
Big flash and a double boom, like, “whomp-whoom!”
MATT
“Whomp-whoom,” huh? Yeah, that fits. Sounds like it was a gas explosion.
LEXINGTON
There’s gas down there too?
MATT
There’s not supposed to be.
BROADWAY
So how’s it getting down there?
MATT
Good question. Has to have been something in the past couple of months, though. We never had this problem before that.
BROADWAY
And that’s why you’re suspecting this guy.
MATT
It’s a big part of it.
BROOKLYN
Who is he?
MATT
Sidney Harding, sales guy.
BROOKLYN
Doesn’t sound familiar.
MATT
Would it?
BROADWAY
Oh, you’d be surprised.
BROOKLYN
Well, we can go out on patrol, anyway, see if we find anything.
MATT
Probably won’t find much of anything in the next couple of days, anyway. Hasn’t been happening more than twice a week. Small mercies.
BROOKLYN
What do we look for?
MATT
Anything odd, anyone working around the facilities who shouldn’t be.
LEXINGTON
Which means?
MATT
Well, hard to tell, but give me a call if you see something.
BROADWAY
A call?
MATT
A phone call--oh, probably not, huh?
BROOKLYN
No, you know, our credit’s not so good.
MATT
Well, but, hang on.
He digs into the kitchen drawers and, after a moment, pulls out an older cell phone.
MATT
How’s that? Think I’ve even got the old holster somewhere in there.
LEXINGTON
Does it work?
MATT
It will. I’ll get it charged up, and I’ll get it reactivated. Should be ready tomorrow night.
LEXINGTON
Thanks.
MATT
Thank you. Hey, it’s not too late. You guys hungry?
BROADWAY’s ears perk up, and he grins.
EXT. SCENE - MATERIAL YARD (NIGHT)
A typical material yard in the industrial section of town, stocked with concrete pipe, barricades, and other miscellanea used in contract work. There is a late model car parked in the yard. A service van, marked “Capable Contracting,” pulls in and stops next to the car. The driver, ALEX, gets out, and walks over to the car as its driver’s side window lowers, revealing SIDNEY HARDING, a salesman, who is wearing a very loud sportcoat.
SIDNEY
How’d it go?
ALEX
Fine, Mr. Harding. No trouble at all. I heard about it on the radio.
SIDNEY
You did fine, Alex. Nice work.
ALEX
How soon you going to need us again? We gotta get those tanks filled.
SIDNEY
Week from tonight.
ALEX
Week from tonight’s a holiday. Foreman’s not gonna want to pay holiday rates.
SIDNEY
I tell you what. You tell your foreman that something came up. And, ah, give him that for old Sid, huh?
SIDNEY gives him a stuffed envelope.
ALEX
Well, that’ll give him a nice Black Friday.
SIDNEY
That’s the spirit. One more job ought to do it. I’ve almost got it.
ALEX
Whatever you say. Where’s the job gonna be?
SIDNEY
Ah, well, you know, hard to say with these things. In town, anyway. Look, don’t worry about it. When I know, you’ll know.
ALEX
All right, okay. The guys don’t much like surprises, though.
SIDNEY
What surprises? There’s no surprises here, except good ones. Look, I close this deal, you guys are gonna be doing fine. You’re gonna like that surprise, trust me on that. Don’t worry about a thing, babe, I got your back. You take care of your foreman, I take care of you. Okay?
ALEX
Okay.
SIDNEY
All right. Look, I gotta run. Just keep your phone on and those tanks filled.
ALEX
Yeah, all right.
SIDNEY drives off and ALEX returns to his truck.
EXT. SCENE - AERIAL (NIGHT)
BROOKLYN is flying alongside GOLIATH, with BROADWAY and LEXINGTON trailing them. They are on patrol.
Caption: 7:28 PM, November 17, 2012.
BROOKLYN
So that’s why he suspects something is going on here.
GOLIATH
He may be right. Do you think this is directed at us?
BROOKLYN
Probably not. He says this has been going on for over a month now.
GOLIATH
I see your point. But it sounds like the explosion that caved in part of the Labyrinth last summer.
BROOKLYN
That’s what I thought, too. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but...
BROADWAY
Never count on it.
BROOKLYN
Yeah.
GOLIATH
And even if not against us, then it is still an attack on this city.
BROOKLYN
That was how Matt looked at it, too.
GOLIATH
Then let’s defend it.
BROOKLYN
I’d hoped you would say that.
LEXINGTON
Yeah.
BROADWAY
Right.
GOLIATH
Do we know what we are looking for?
BROOKLYN
He said look for anyone who shouldn’t be working on the facilities.
BROADWAY
What’s that mean?
BROOKLYN
I’m not sure. Trust your instincts, I guess.
EXT. SCENE - STREET (NIGHT)
A service van is parked in the middle of the street. Behind it is an open manhole, with barricades all around. The yellow light is flashing on top of the van. Two workmen, NICK and TYLER, are here, getting ready to go to work. NICK is in the back of the van, preparing materials, while TYLER is outside, behind the van, setting up on the street.
TYLER
Ya listening to me, Nick?
NICK
What?
TYLER
I’m telling ya, without Urlacher the Bears got no chance this season.
NICK
Yer full of it, Tyler.
TYLER
Yer full of it. They gotta get the ball down the field. Who’s gonna get the ball down the field for them with no Urlacher?
NICK
You got enough braid in that kit?
TYLER
Uhh...
He looks down in the manhole.
TYLER
Yeah, looks...well, toss me another. If we need it, we got it.
NICK
Right.
NICK pulls a couple of extra braids out of the van and tosses them to TYLER.
NICK
Anyway, ya got Cutler, ya got Hester. What ya need with Urlacher?
TYLER
Cutler ain’t got the arm, man. And, Hester? Seriously?
There is a quick rustle, and a dark shape glides overhead.
NICK
Hey, you see that?
TYLER
Quit changin’ the subject.
NICK
Naw, man, straight up. You see somethin’?
TYLER
Ain’t seen nothin’ but yer ugly mug all night. You got that kit ready to go down yet, or what?
NICK
Yeah, just about.
TYLER
‘Cause if I gotta go on overtime again tonight...
BROADWAY
Your shift’s over, anyway.
He appears from the alley. Both NICK and TYLER are shocked.
TYLER
Whoa, whoa, whoa...
NICK
What the--
LEXINGTON drops into the street behind the van and begins approaching.
TYLER
What is goin’ on here?
BROADWAY
That’s kinda what we want to know.
BROOKLYN drops onto the top of the van, and looks down over the edge at TYLER.
BROOKLYN
Yeah. How about you tell us what’s on your ticket for the night, huh?
TYLER
What? Wait, who are you? What are you?
BROOKLYN
Security, and it’s about time we shut you down.
NICK
Ty! Catch.
NICK slides a crowbar out of the back of the van, and TYLER picks it up, and steps back away from the van.
TYLER
I don’t think so. What the hell are you, anyway?
BROADWAY
You not listening, or something?
LEXINGTON, remembering suddenly, pulls the phone from his belt, and takes a picture, then texts it out.
TYLER
OK, get back. I don’t know what’s goin’ on here, but that’s far enough.
BROADWAY
What, this? (Steps forward) Or this?
TYLER
Stop where you are, I’m warning you.
GOLIATH lands in the street facing the back of the van.
GOLIATH
No, we’re warning you. We know what you’re up to.
BROADWAY
How are you getting the gas in?
TYLER
What gas? What the hell are you talking about?
LEXINGTON steps in closer as BROOKLYN jumps down from the top of the van. All four are braced for a fight now. TYLER swings out defensively with the crowbar.
TYLER
I said get back!
NICK, who has been watching this quietly from inside the van, has meanwhile picked up a manhole hook. Coiling himself on the back of the van, he suddenly jumps out and onto BROOKLYN’s back. BROOKLYN snarls, and flings NICK forward toward TYLER. He lands, rolls, and then staggers to his feet, taking the manhole hook back up as he does. The eyes of all four gargoyles light as combat is begun.
BROOKLYN
We can do that too. Come on.
NICK and TYLER are standing back-to-back, NICK facing BROOKLYN and LEXINGTON, TYLER facing BROADWAY and GOLIATH. All four gargoyles are advancing on them. NICK and TYLER are anxiously winding themselves up for the fight. Suddenly, a tinny version of the “Colonel Bogey March” pipes up from LEXINGTON’s belt. With an apologetic look to his comrades, he reaches for the holster and draws out the phone.
LEXINGTON
Always at the worst--excuse me a moment. (answering) Hello?
As he talks, the others continue their standoff, but somewhat less tensely.
MATT (ON PHONE)
Lexington?
LEXINGTON
Yeah?
MATT
What’s that photo that you sent?
LEXINGTON
We found these guys messing around in the street. Thought you should see them.
MATT
Why?
LEXINGTON
Well, we’re about to take care of them.
MATT
What? Why?
LEXINGTON
I thought that’s what you were talking about doing.
MATT
No!
LEXINGTON
No? What do you mean, no?
MATT
Where are you right now?
LEXINGTON
We’re facing them down right now.
MATT
Well, stand down!
LEXINGTON
What do you mean, stand down?
BROOKLYN and BROADWAY look at him, then each other.
MATT
That’s a telephone company crew. That’s nothing to do with us.
LEXINGTON
How do you know?
MATT
I just know.
LEXINGTON
So we don’t have to worry about these guys?
MATT
No, let them go.
LEXINGTON looks at the others.
LEXINGTON
He says let them go, these aren’t our guys.
GOLIATH
How does he know?
LEXINGTON
He just says he knows they’re a telephone company crew.
NICK
Well, he’s right.
TYLER
Who’s he?
BROOKLYN
Friend of ours. Hang on.
GOLIATH
So what are we looking for?
LEXINGTON
Goliath wants to know what we should be looking for.
NICK
Goliath?
BROOKLYN
Quiet.
MATT
Squarish cover, says “Edison” on it.
LEXINGTON
Square cover. Oh. That’s different.
MATT
Yeah, sorry, I should have explained that.
LEXINGTON
Would have helped. OK, hang on.
He looks to GOLIATH.
GOLIATH
Stand down.
They do.
GOLIATH
Tell him we are leaving.
LEXINGTON
OK, we’re leaving.
MATT
Are those guys OK?
LEXINGTON
Yeah. I think so.
MATT
OK, come on back. I’ll show you what to look for.
LEXINGTON
Got it, see you soon.
He hangs up and puts the phone back on his belt.
LEXINGTON
He says come back in.
GOLIATH
Right, let’s go.
LEXINGTON, BROOKLYN, and BROADWAY depart.
GOLIATH
We are sorry for this. Please fix the lines to New York.
NICK
Yeh, sure.
GOLIATH leaves. After a moment, NICK and TYLER lower their tools.
TYLER
Nick?
NICK
Yeah?
TYLER
Did that just happen?
NICK
Yeah, I think so.
TYLER
You OK?
NICK
Yeah. You?
TYLER
Yeah. You know what?
NICK
What’s that?
TYLER
I’m not all that worried about the overtime now.
INT. SCENE - EDISON OFFICES. MIKE’S OFFICE.
MIKE BENSON is in his office, with the sign on the door announcing he is the manager of the engineering department. MATT approaches and taps on the door.
Caption: 1:35 PM, November 21, 2012.
MATT
Hey, Mike, you needed something?
MIKE
Yeah. Come in, have a seat. We gotta talk about this manhole thing.
MATT
Yeah.
He goes in and sits down.
MIKE
We any closer to a deal?
MATT
No.
MIKE
Really?
MATT
Really.
MIKE
Because I’ve got a call in a few minutes with public affairs. The Mayor’s office is wanting to know what we’re doing.
MATT
I’d expected that.
MIKE
And?
MATT
Tell them we’re still investigating the problem and we’re hoping to address the root cause.
MIKE
Sounds an awful lot like saying we aren’t doing anything.
MATT
Well, that’s not true. I’m working a new angle, and I expect to have results pretty soon.
MIKE
I see. Shut the door.
MATT reaches over and closes the door.
MIKE
You know Sidney’s been working angles of his own, right?
MATT
At the city?
MIKE
Yes. They want to know why we haven’t gone ahead if it’s going to solve all our problems.
MATT
Because it won’t. Or because he can’t prove any of that.
MIKE
We can’t disprove any of that, either.
MATT
Mike, Sid Harding’s a scammer. I can’t prove it, but I just feel it.
MIKE
That may be, but he’s also an ace salesman, and right now he’s really making the sale at the city. I get what you’re saying, but we’re running out of slack here.
MATT
Look, can you get me a couple of days? I’ve almost got it, I’m sure of it.
MIKE
I can try. No guarantees, though.
MATT
Understood. Thank you.
MIKE
Matt, I need results on this. Monday, no later.
MATT
Monday. Got it.
MIKE
Good. Go on, get out of here. Have a happy Thanksgiving.
MATT
Thanks, boss. You too.
He stands up and leaves.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S HOUSE. BACK BEDROOM.
LEXINGTON sits in front of the computer. He is in an online chat that runs like this:
tinman > Hey, Amp, you on?
Amp > M8!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tinman > Hi!
Amp > WHERE ARE YOU?
tinman > Can’t say yet. Goliath thinks it’s too dangerous.
tinman > He thinks the lines may be traced.
Amp > Well, they could trace you anyway if that were so.
tinman > Could be.
Amp > *I* may trace you anyway if you don’t say.
tinman > Come on and do it. Would love to see you here.
Amp > Are you guys still doing OK? Haven’t heard from you since Hallowe’en. Is Brooklyn OK?
tinman > He’s all right now. We got help. We’re fine.
Amp > Why did it take so long for you to log back on?
tinman > We don’t have a computer. I have to borrow one from this guy we met.
Amp > Oh, right.
tinman > Same guy who patched Brooklyn. We’re helping him with a problem.
Amp > What problem?
tinman > They’ve had manholes blowing up. We’re helping track down who’s causing it.
Amp > Manholes?
tinman > Cable vaults.
Amp > Oh, I see. They had that happening here in London a while back, too.
Amp > Let me know what you find.
tinman > Sure will. How are you guys doing?
Amp > Fine. Been pretty quiet here.
Amp > Lonely.
tinman > Same.
LEXINGTON looks wistfully at the screen.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S HOUSE. DINING ROOM.
MATT is sitting at the dining room table with a cup of coffee, looking a bit dejected. BROOKLYN is seated across from him, straddling the chair, while BROADWAY and GOLIATH are standing.
MATT
So, that’s the score right now. I’ve got to get this figured out by Monday or Sidney makes a sale.
BROADWAY
I think you’re missing the bigger picture here.
MATT
I’m not. I know it’s putting people in danger. Thing is, we buy these things, it may put the problem to rest for a while. But then what happens next? He decides he needs to up his sales targets?
GOLIATH
And the extortion continues.
MATT
Exactly.
BROOKLYN
Well, we haven’t had any luck so far.
MATT
I know, and that scares me. Either he’s a lot more clever than he seems, or he’s saving up for one grand finale.
GOLIATH
He doesn’t seem like the clever type from what you have described of him.
MATT
He isn’t. At least he’s not as clever as he thinks he is.
GOLIATH
But that still makes him dangerous.
MATT
Oh, no debate. Maybe more so.
LEXINGTON comes into the dining room.
LEXINGTON
Have we tracked him down yet?
BROADWAY
Still working on it.
LEXINGTON
Can’t we just take the fight to him?
BROOKLYN
I wouldn’t mind getting in front of this one myself.
MATT
On what basis?
LEXINGTON
You know him. You said yourself he was a huckster.
MATT
And I could be completely wrong about that.
GOLIATH
And if we attack him wrongly, it could put us in trouble. No. We catch him in the act.
HUDSON (OFF)
Well, you lot won’t do that from here.
LEXINGTON
Gotta find him first, Hudson. It’s a big city.
HUDSON grunts, stands up, and comes in from the living room.
HUDSON
Not big enough for all this talk. He wants a big event?
BROADWAY
Sounds like it.
HUDSON
And what makes a big event?
MATT
Big impact.
BROOKLYN
Lots of witnesses.
LEXINGTON
Breaking something important.
HUDSON
All true. But he is not that clever. You said so.
MATT
I’m pretty sure of it.
HUDSON
So what is a not-clever man going to look for? Inspiration. And what is the biggest event in town according to the television? Black Friday. The advertisements talk of nothing else.
MATT puts his hand to his head, in realization.
BROADWAY
Maybe so, but where?
MATT
Where the manholes and the stores both are. Downtown.
BROADWAY
And you will have people lining up good and early. Easy targets.
MATT
Guys, you are brilliant.
HUDSON
Thank you.
MATT
It’s still a long stretch. Probably, from the main library up into about Lincoln Park or so, a good two or three miles.
GOLIATH
We can cover that easily enough. We will survey the area tonight.
MATT
And, please be careful. Sid’s the kind of guy to pin it on you.
GOLIATH
We have long experience with that.
MATT
I’m sure. I just don’t want you guys getting hurt over this. And I don’t want him coming back with gargoyle-proof manhole covers next year, or something.
LEXINGTON
How would that even work?
MATT
I don’t want to find out.
BROOKLYN
Let’s go.
He stands, and they begin to exit.
MATT
Goliath? Do you have a moment?
GOLIATH
Yes.
He goes around the table as the others exit. Once they are alone:
MATT
You guys are going to be okay working on this?
GOLIATH
Better, I think, than if we were working on nothing at all.
MATT
Good, good.
He is silent a moment.
MATT
You all trust me?
GOLIATH
Yes.
MATT
Why?
GOLIATH
That is a strange question. Why should we not?
MATT
Just that, that first night. I’ve been thinking about it. If I were looking from the outside, I’d almost think it was a bit too convenient that I was in the right place at the right time.
GOLIATH
You have trusted us. Why?
MATT
I don’t know. You just sort of have that, aura, I guess.
GOLIATH
As do you. We have long experience protecting ourselves. Knowing who is trustworthy is essential. We can care for ourselves. Do not worry.
MATT
Yes. You’re right. All right. Listen, I could get some things and fix Thanksgiving dinner. Would you be interested?
GOLIATH
Thank you, but no. It is not our holiday, and as Brooklyn would point out, we have had little to be thankful for recently.
MATT
You’re alive.
GOLIATH
Besides, shouldn’t you should celebrate with your own clan?
MATT
Yeah. I guess.
GOLIATH
We will let you know what we find.
MATT
Thanks. Good hunting.
GOLIATH exits and the back door closes.
MATT
If only I had a clan to go to.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET, CHICAGO. (NIGHT)
It is morning downtown. Lines are forming already outside of the stores, mostly orderly. Many of the people, especially at the heads of the lines, have folding chairs out. By the curb sits a police cruiser containing officers KYLE MILLER and ERIC SANCHEZ, keeping watch.
Caption: State Street. 5:05 AM, November 23, 2012.
Up the street comes a service van marked, “Capable Contracting.” It pulls up hesitantly, stops in the street, starts again, stops again, and then pulls to the curb. Inside is ALEX, driving, with OSCAR in the passenger seat.
INT. SCENE - SERVICE VAN.
ALEX pulls out a map and looks at it, then looks up.
ALEX
I don’t know, man. This looks wrong.
OSCAR
He said 64 South State, right?
ALEX
That’s what I thought he said, but, man. We got eyes on this.
OSCAR
Well, maybe you should--
He is interrupted by a sharp pounding on the side of the van, which makes both of them jump.
VOICE (OUTSIDE)
Hey! Move it!
ALEX opens the window and looks out. Officer ERIC SANCHEZ steps around, glaring at them.
ALEX
What is it?
SANCHEZ
City shut down all permits for Black Friday, same as every year.
ALEX
Well, we got a trouble call.
SANCHEZ
There isn’t any trouble down here and I mean to keep it that way. Now scram.
ALEX
Look, can I get my foreman out here first? Maybe he can take care of it.
SANCHEZ
All right. Get him here in fifteen minutes, though, or I’m gonna have you towed out.
ALEX
Fair enough, thanks.
ALEX pulls out his phone and dials a call as SANCHEZ departs.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET, CHICAGO. (NIGHT)
SANCHEZ walks back behind the van to his cruiser, which is parked on the curb there. He gets in the driver’s side. Officer KYLE MILLER is on the passenger side, reading the paper.
MILLER
What’d he say?
SANCHEZ
Says they got a trouble call down here. I’m letting him get the foreman out.
MILLER
Huh.
SANCHEZ
Weird thing, though. Normally they won’t send a contractor out for trouble. I thought they gave that to their own guys.
MILLER
Eh, it’s Black Friday. Everyone’s probably off. Same reason we’re here.
SANCHEZ
Maybe why you’re here. I can use the O.T.
MILLER
Yeah, yeah.
INT. SCENE - SERVICE VAN.
ALEX is on the phone to SIDNEY.
ALEX
Yeah, Sid, I know what time it is. Yeah, but you gotta come down here. We’re sticking out here like a kangaroo with two heads and we already got bawled out by the cops. I know, Sid. I wouldn’t be calling you otherwise. All right. Make it quick, please.
ALEX hangs up.
OSCAR
Well?
ALEX
He’s on his way.
ALEX starts nervously tapping on the dashboard as they wait.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. ROOFTOP. (NIGHT)
Not far away, LEXINGTON and BROOKLYN land on a rooftop, watching what is going on below them.
BROOKLYN
What do you think?
LEXINGTON
They have the police right there. I don’t know.
BROOKLYN
Get a picture to Matt?
LEXINGTON
Yeah.
LEXINGTON pulls the phone out and takes a picture. He begins composing a message.
BROOKLYN
I hope this is it, finally.
LEXINGTON
It could be. There hasn’t been anything else out here.
LEXINGTON sends the message.
LEXINGTON
Now what? Wait here?
BROOKLYN
I think so. At least until we hear back.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. (NIGHT)
Below, a nice-looking car pulls up to the curb behind the police cruiser. SIDNEY HARDING gets out, casts a worried look at the police cruiser, and then goes up to the door of the van.
SIDNEY
Alex!
ALEX (INSIDE)
Yeah!
SIDNEY
What is the deal here?
ALEX opens the van door.
ALEX
Is this the right spot?
SIDNEY
Yes, I told you that.
ALEX
Are you sure? There are a lot of people around here.
SIDNEY
And how’s that different from anywhere else?
SANCHEZ walks up.
SANCHEZ
Morning. You the foreman?
SIDNEY
The what?
ALEX
Yes, he’s the foreman.
SIDNEY
Yes, I’m the foreman.
SANCHEZ
Okay. What are you doing here?
SIDNEY
Talking to my crew.
SANCHEZ
Okay. That’s nice. What is your crew doing here?
SIDNEY
We have an emergency job.
SANCHEZ
What kind of emergency job?
SIDNEY
Well, uh, you know. An electric one. In the manholes.
SANCHEZ is becoming visibly frustrated.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. ROOFTOP. (NIGHT)
BROOKLYN
Ooh, this looks promising. Get a shot of this guy.
LEXINGTON
Uh, the camera on this phone isn’t good enough to make him out.
He studies the street briefly, drawing his thumb across the scene.
LEXINGTON
Be right back.
BROOKLYN
Where are you going?
LEXINGTON
Need an aerial shot.
BROOKLYN
Watch yourself.
LEXINGTON
I will.
LEXINGTON leaps off into the wind, holding the phone at the ready, and heads up over the street briefly before doing a chandelle to return just above street light level, just out of obvious sight.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. (NIGHT)
ALEX
We got a report of a slow burn on the number sixty-five circuit. If it’s not taken care of right now, it could fombulate the entire center city grid.
SIDNEY
Right. What he said.
SANCHEZ
Uh-huh. You guys got a permit for this work?
SIDNEY
Well, officer, I’m sure I have one right here.
SIDNEY begins to reach into the inside pocket of his coat.
SANCHEZ
Mister, if the permit is going to consist of little green papers, you’re going to jail for the weekend.
SIDNEY freezes, and looks guilty.
SIDNEY
Ulb.
SANCHEZ
You got a job? Go ahead, get on with it, whatever it is, and get out of here.
SIDNEY
Yes, sir.
There is a soft whooshing sound from above as LEXINGTON passes over, photographing SIDNEY in the process. SANCHEZ’s eye is drawn by the motion, and he looks up sharply to see LEXINGTON passing by, very faintly lit and quickly passing out of sight. His eyes widen in shock.
SIDNEY pulls his hand out of his pocket, oblivious to what is happening.
SIDNEY
Okay, guys, let’s get on with it, like the man said.
ALEX
Okay, boss.
SANCHEZ
Right, thanks.
SANCHEZ turns and goes back to the police cruiser.
ALEX
That’s another fifty bucks for saving your hide.
SIDNEY
Now, that was not our deal.
ALEX
Neither was having you come in and babble to the cops.
SIDNEY
Now, look.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. ROOFTOP. (NIGHT)
LEXINGTON lands back on the roof.
LEXINGTON
Got it.
BROOKLYN
Yeah, and that policeman saw you, I think.
LEXINGTON
I couldn’t help that, but I got a good shot of the guy.
He begins sending the photo out.
LEXINGTON
Is he looking up here?
BROOKLYN
No, looks like he lost you.
INT. SCENE - POLICE CRUISER.
SANCHEZ gets in and sits down, still somewhat confounded. MILLER still has his head down in the paper.
MILLER
Got it taken care of?
SANCHEZ
(softly)
Yeah.
MILLER looks up at him.
MILLER
Sanchez, you okay?
SANCHEZ
Yeah, I just...
He shakes himself.
SANCHEZ
Yeah, I just thought I saw something.
MILLER
These guys moving?
SANCHEZ
I gave them the okay to do their job. The foreman’s a bozo, though.
MILLER
Hmph. What do you expect on a holiday.
MILLER puts his head back down in the paper. SANCHEZ looks out of the windshield toward the sky, looking around.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. ROOFTOP. (NIGHT)
LEXINGTON and BROOKLYN are watching the scene below as ALEX and SIDNEY argue in the street. SIDNEY finally throws up his hands, turns, and walks back toward his car. There is a chime from the phone, and LEXINGTON pulls it out, looks at it, and grins.
BROOKLYN
What’s he say?
LEXINGTON shows him.
LEXINGTON
“Tally ho.”
BROOKLYN
Let’s get the others.
They go to a side of the building away from State Street and leap off into the sky.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. (NIGHT)
ALEX and OSCAR begin setting up on the street. They open the back of the van to reveal several compressed gas tanks. They pull out a couple of manhole hooks and begin hooking the manhole cover, which is in front of the van.
ALEX
We gotta move on this one. That cop’s gonna hound us out of here.
OSCAR
No kidding. How long you want for this one?
ALEX
Probably about twenty minutes. Try to get it about the time the stores are opening. And, lift.
They lift and pull the cover aside. OSCAR looks down.
OSCAR
It’s a big ‘un. Gonna be a big blast.
ALEX
Get the igniter wired and set. I’ll get the gas set up.
OSCAR begins to go down into the manhole as ALEX goes to the back of the van.
EXT. SCENE - AERIAL. (NIGHT)
LEXINGTON, BROOKLYN, GOLIATH, and BROADWAY are gliding in formation along the street, watching out.
BROADWAY
There he is.
He puts two claws in his mouth and whistles sharply. A moment later, HUDSON ascends into formation, carrying BRONX. GOLIATH turns the formation around and they all reverse course.
HUDSON
You have him?
LEXINGTON
Right downtown. Matt confirmed it.
GOLIATH
And he is not alone.
BROOKLYN
Police watching over him and a few dozen other people nearby.
GOLIATH
Then it won’t be safe to intercept him where he is.
BROOKLYN
I don’t think so.
LEXINGTON
There he is.
GOLIATH
Surround him. He will not go far.
The formation spreads as they flare out to take up positions nearby.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET (NIGHT)
ALEX and OSCAR are quickly wrapping up: ALEX is winding up the hose, and throws it into the back of the van and shuts the doors. He waves to the police cruiser, and SANCHEZ waves back with false cheer. ALEX goes back to the front of the van. He and OSCAR grip the manhole hooks and slam the manhole cover back into place.
OSCAR
All lit up. Let’s get out of here.
ALEX
This better be the last of these.
They climb back into the van. ALEX starts it up and drives off. In the darkness, it is barely possible to see a couple of shapes following him through the air.
INT. SCENE - SERVICE VAN.
ALEX is driving the van down the street.
ALEX
What do you think, Oscar? We gonna pull this one off?
OSCAR
I dunno, man.
ALEX
Me neither. I think this Sidney guy’s wack.
OSCAR
Yeah, probably, but for five grand, I can live with a little of that.
There is a thump on top of the van.
ALEX
You hear something?
OSCAR
Yeah. You shut the toolbox, right?
ALEX
Of course I did.
Suddenly, BROADWAY appears over the top of the windshield, looking in, eyes alight. Both ALEX and OSCAR scream, and swerve the van to the curb, bringing it to an abrupt halt. BROADWAY flies off the roof of the van and to the ground, rolls, and recovers. BROOKLYN rips the driver’s side door open and comes in. ALEX screams again and pinwheels back, before trying to escape over OSCAR through the passenger side door, but LEXINGTON is already there, blocking the way. OSCAR attempts to punch LEXINGTON, who deflects the punch and throws him into the back of the van. BROOKLYN grabs ALEX, spins him around, and pushes him against the back wall of the cab.
BROOKLYN
I don’t think so. You stay here.
LEXINGTON goes into the back of the van and examines some compressed gas tanks there, as BROADWAY enters through the passenger door.
ALEX
Wh--what--
BROOKLYN
Special security detail. What are you up to tonight, boys?
LEXINGTON
Flammable gas.
BROOKLYN
Going to pop a few covers off tonight?
ALEX
Just the one.
BROADWAY
You could kill people with that stunt.
LEXINGTON
And we don’t like that.
OSCAR recovers enough to take up a manhole hook and swings it at LEXINGTON. He’s not having that. He catches it. His eyes light, he hisses viciously, and kicks OSCAR right in the belly, right through the back doors of the van. LEXINGTON jumps down from the back of the van, brandishing the manhole hook. OSCAR rolls over, landing at GOLIATH’s feet. OSCAR looks up. GOLIATH looks down at him, sternly.
BROOKLYN
Now, who put you up to this, or do you want to follow your partner there?
ALEX
H--Harding. Sidney.
BROOKLYN
Sidney Harding. Thank you. Where can we find him?
ALEX
I don’t know.
BROADWAY
Never mind that. How are you triggering the gas?
ALEX
Igniter in the manhole wired to the lines. It’s already lit. It goes off when enough air gets in.
BROADWAY
How long?
ALEX
I don’t know.
BROOKLYN
(fiercely)
How long?!
ALEX
Maybe five minutes!
BROOKLYN
Lex! You get that?
LEXINGTON
Yeah.
BROOKLYN
Get Matt on the line.
LEXINGTON takes out the phone and dials.
GOLIATH
Is that hose connected?
LEXINGTON looks over at it.
LEXINGTON
I don’t think so.
GOLIATH
Bronx! Hold.
BRONX jogs over and puts two paws onto OSCAR, pinning him to the ground. GOLIATH steps over him and reaches into the van.
During the conversation that follows, he pulls out the hose, measures it, and snaps it in half. He takes one half of it and throws it to the front of the van, where BROADWAY takes it. GOLIATH returns to OSCAR and begins to tie him up with the hose.
MATT
(on phone)
Lexington? You all right?
LEXINGTON
We got them.
MATT
You’re kidding me, really? Already?
LEXINGTON
Yeah, but we got a problem. They put gas in the manhole and they say it’s been lit up already. We got less than five minutes.
MATT
Oh, boy.
LEXINGTON
What do we do?
MATT
Gimme a sec. Uh.
LEXINGTON
Time’s ticking.
MATT
Can’t ventilate it. Can you flood it?
LEXINGTON
With water?
MATT
Yeah.
LEXINGTON
I think so.
MATT
Do it.
LEXINGTON
On it. Call you back.
LEXINGTON hangs up.
LEXINGTON
He says we have to flood the manhole.
GOLIATH
How?
LEXINGTON
Gimme the van. I got this.
EXT. SCENE - STATE STREET. (NIGHT)
A faint wisp of smoke rises up from the manhole, unnoticed by officers SANCHEZ and MILLER and the people on the street. There is the roaring of an engine nearby as the service van flies up the street. It pops into view. At the last moment, LEXINGTON leaps out of the back and hits the air, jogging to the side and leaping up onto a nearby building. The van vaults the curb and slams directly through a fire hydrant, bounces and crashes into the stores across the street. The crowd screams and scatters. MILLER starts up from his paper. SANCHEZ leaps from the patrol car. Water geysers up from the broken fire hydrant and floods into the street, into the manhole, which gives off a few wisps of steam. SANCHEZ runs toward the van, looking into the driver’s side, and then looking back the way it came. He sees a weird shape along the street.
SANCHEZ
Kyle! Get this!
MILLER runs over, yelling into his radio as he comes up. SANCHEZ runs back the way the van came, and toward the shape.
SANCHEZ
Hey! Stop! Police!
LEXINGTON climbs up the building partway and comes into full view of SANCHEZ, who draws up to a stop upon seeing him.
SANCHEZ
No.
LEXINGTON
Officer, your perps are tied up in the next alley. Go get ‘em.
SANCHEZ
What?
LEXINGTON
Go on. They won’t wait long.
He scrambles up the building and up over the parapet, and is gone.
SANCHEZ
No, wait. Wait!
He looks down the street and runs to the alley. There, ALEX and OSCAR sit, back to back, tied up with torch hose.
SANCHEZ
(into radio)
1467, need a unit at Madison and State.
RADIO
1467, we got units coming. C.F.D. enroute.
SANCHEZ
(to ALEX)
I think you’re in trouble now, guys.
ALEX
Less than we just were, thanks.
OSCAR
Is that creature gone?
SANCHEZ looks at him. His stern facade slips for just a moment; he is not the only one who saw the gargoyle tonight. Sirens approach from all angles as the lights of the shops begin to come on.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S HOUSE. DINING ROOM.
MATT enters from the back door, carrying two large take-out bags. He sets them on the table. A moment later, there is a tap on the door.
MATT
Come in!
GOLIATH opens the door and enters, followed by BROOKLYN, LEXINGTON, HUDSON, and BROADWAY.
MATT
Hi, guys. Welcome.
GOLIATH
You called?
MATT
Yes, I did. Couple of things. First of all, I sent your photos over to our security guys. They’re working on Sidney, but I don’t think he’ll be a problem again.
GOLIATH
That is good news.
MATT
‘Course, I had to do a little explaining how I got the pictures in the first place, but I think I managed it. Weiner Iron Works is officially off our list.
BROADWAY
So what’s in the bags?
MATT
The second thing.
He opens one bag and pulls out several wrapped hot dogs, and puts them on the table.
MATT
I’m not necessarily the finest representative, but on behalf of the people of the City of Chicago, and especially their electric utility, I would like to thank you for your service. It’s not a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but I hope it is a fitting token of our gratitude.
BROOKLYN
We took down Weiner, so you brought wieners.
MATT
Yes, I did.
GOLIATH
You need not have done that.
MATT
Of course I did. You are in the Midwest now. Food’s how we say thanks.
BROADWAY
Can we, Goliath?
MATT
I’m not freezing two dozen Chicago dogs.
GOLIATH
Yes, all right.
BROADWAY
Yeah. Thanks!
All of them but GOLIATH pick up the hot dogs and unwrap them. BROADWAY’s eyes bulge. HUDSON sniffs at his, suspiciously.
BROADWAY
Oh, wow. That’s a lot.
MATT
First time having a Chicago dog?
BROADWAY
Yeah.
HUDSON
What is this green stuff?
MATT
Pickle relish.
HUDSON
Oh?
MATT
It’s fine. Trust me on that. Goliath, have one.
GOLIATH
May I make a telephone call first?
MATT
Of course.
GOLIATH
Thank you.
He goes into the kitchen.
LEXINGTON
That reminds me. I have your phone.
MATT
Keep it. You’re getting more out of it than I would.
LEXINGTON
Thanks.
INT. SCENE - MATT’S HOUSE. KITCHEN.
GOLIATH has the phone to his ear as the recording plays.
OPERATOR
...Your call cannot be completed at this time. Will you try your call again later? Thank you.
GOLIATH sighs, and hangs up the phone. Cut to black.
=END=