[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 7

J.R.R. THORNE

I thought as much, fortunately, I’ve come prepared.

J.R.R. Thorne swings the chair around.

J.R.R. THORNE

Observe the video, Dr. Noble. I think you’ll be interested to see this.

J.R.R. Thorne holds Frank Noble’s head up to be able to see the video screen.

J.R.R. THORNE

Are those your parents, Dr. Noble?

Frank suddenly becomes more animated, and begins to struggle at the restraints.

FRANK

What are you doing?

J.R.R. THORNE

I thought as much. I do my homework Dr. Shadows, and I’ve come to learn that certain violent and sudden psychological trauma can undo these ‘psychic barriers’ you speak of. Let’s find out, shall we?

DOC SHADOWS

You know I do not condone to the harming of innocents. That was part of our arrangements.

J.R.R. Thorne picks up the phone and looks at Doc Shadows

J.R.R. THORNE

In this war, Dr. Shadows, there ARE no innocents.

Precyber 41

Norne ups the ante.

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[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 6

J.R.R. THORNE

Your opinion isn’t necessary, Dr. Noble. In fact, if you had simply cooperated in the first place none of this would have happened. You’re a normal flesh and blood human being, like I am. If you can’t understand the logic of what I’m doing, then you’re just not cut out to be among the living…you’re no better than everyone else who blindly sits by and lets these demigods run amok about the earth.

DOC SHADOWS

(chuckles)

Am I a demi-god then?

J.R.R. THORNE

It is interesting Doctor Shadows, that you question my logic. You didn’t question it when you joined my organization. Are you doing so now?

DOC SHADOWS

(pauses)

No. It is necessary.

J.R.R. THORNE

Then proceed with your interrogation.

Doctor Shadows squats down on his legs and stares again into Frank’s eyes. There is a brief visible struggle.

DOC SHADOWS

Amazing…he’s still holding on some how. He’s got something he’s using as a psychic barrier against me….I’ve never seen such willpower.

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 5

DOC SHADOWS

Yes, he’s weakening…one more time and I should have it. I’m ready to begin at any time.

J.R.R. Thorne flips a switch on the side of the chair, causing Frank to jolt as if from an electric current.

J.R.R. THORNE

Why waste a perfectly good telepathic probe when you can do it the old fashioned way…

Doc Shadows turns off the switch.

DOC SHADOWS

That wasn’t necessary.

J.R.R. THORNE

Of course it didn't help get the information from him, but I think it was, Doctor Shadows, very necessary. It was the kind of necessary that a young mother feels when she shoots the man that ran over her child and drove away into the night, it’s the kind of necessary our founding fathers felt when they dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor, and it’s the kind of necessary that I’ve felt every day of my entire life for the last twenty years. I assure you Doctor Shadows, it was and is necessary.

DOC SHADOWS

I believe your logic has a few flaws in it Thorne.

FRANK

(weakened)

I’ll second that

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 4

J.R.R. Thorne and Dr. Shadows enter from opposite ends and begin to walk around the chair.

J.R.R. THORNE

Well Dr. Noble, have you changed your mind about giving me the formula?

Frank Noble slowly looks up.

FRANK

Isn’t that already sort of formulaic?

J.R.R. THORNE

Ah yes, evil villain tortures hapless scientist to obtain secret formula to conquer the world, isn’t that it?

FRANK

Something like that yes. It sounds a lot like the shows I watched growing up as a child.

J.R.R. THORNE

Ah, but you see Dr. Noble, the difference between your little television shows and THIS is that you are not only watching but feeling this…feeling the pain searing through your nerves, feeling the unreality of staying awake for 96 hours straight searing through your entire consciousness. You’ve managed to resist Dr. Shadows so far, but do you really think you can continue?

Doc Shadows stops walking around the chair and looks into Frank’s eyes.

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 3

Shadows sees this. He steps up behind Frank, touches him with one finger and puts him instantly to sleep. He picks Frank up in both arms goes outside.

EXT. OFFICE PARK – AFTERNOON

Doc Shadows takes an unconscious Frank and puts him to the car waiting outside.

Inoria and Hawkqueen stand over the broken robot.

Doc Shadows drives away with Frank, unseen or unnoticed by anyone.

INT. INTEROGATION CHAMBER - NIGHT

A single chair with restraints bolted to the floor with Frank Noble sitting in it. There is a video monitor which cannot be seen by the audience, the lighting is poor, with a bright light shining directly on the seat. Frank Noble has his head down, barely conscious.

VOICE FROM MONITOR

(off screen)

An in other news today, Weather Man destroyed the small island of Tomako, killing at least 34 people and rendering the rest of the island's population homeless. United Earth heroes showed up a few hours later to arrest him, but by then the worst of the damage had been done…

The monitor statics.

VOICE FROM MONITOR

(off screen)

and in other news today Doctor Smiley single handedly wiped the memories of at least seven people, medical experts are unsure if they’ll be able to restore the [static] and in other news today the Pterodactyl razors a young couple in …

Sylvester

I have a swollen lower lip making reading ...difficult.  We'll resume next week.  Likely will record several in a row.

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[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 2

Fade In:

EXT. DOWNTOWN OFFICE PARK – AFTERNOON

A giant robot walks down the street. It vaporizes a car. A large hovercycle pulls up and INORIA and HAWKQUEEN get off.

FRANK NOBLE walks down the street, speaking into a cellphone.

FRANK

Yes, I've nearly got it working. Its pretty amazing stuff. So far its refracted literally everything that I've thrown at it. This could mean unlimited room temperature superconductivity...

Frank ignores the robot. Just another day and battle in the city. Hawkqueen and Inoria do battle against the robot in the background while DOCTOR SHADOWS gets out of a black sedan and follows Frank into his lab. Frank does not see Dr. shadows.

INT. LAB - AFTERNOON

Frank sighs, puts on a pair of goggles and fires up a laser which bounces off a thin sheet of something shiny and tinfoil like. (Reflexium.)

Doctor Shadows watches this, still unseen.

FRANK

If I coat it with a little of this... (Sprays something on the sheet)

The robot walks by the window. Inoria is hanging onto its leg, banging on it with something bulky and metal to utterly no effect.

Frank tries the laser again, this time it is much stronger.

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 1

Copyright 2014 Red Anvil Amalgamated

“Tossing Grenades at Windmills”

Screenplay by

T.C. Ricks

Reading Draft

2006

Major Characters

Frank Noble (Grenademan) - A brilliant scientist in his late twenties; smart, idealistic, moderately handsome but hopelessly socially inept. His hidden alterego, "GRENADEMAN" always speaks in capital letters, possesses no fear whatsoever, and has a mirthful bizarrely screwed up perspective of good, evil and reality. He is insane.

Doc Shadows (Archelius deShade) - A strong powerful man, with noble features he always hides behind a gas mask and fedora. One of the first metas, he has telepathically tricked Death into leaving him alone to give himself immortality. He hates what metas have done to the world and is determined to make it a better place. At all costs.

Hawkqueen (Katrina Dasalgo) - A beautiful empath of the past generation. She is the paramount protector of the city and a skilled warrioress. She works with two empathicly linked hawks, Trouble and Double Trouble.

Inoria - (Jaycee Defoe) - A technowizard, sexy with a bizarre sense of humor. She is the protege of hawkqueen and hopelessly smitten by Frank Noble, despite his insanity. Likes things that explode.

Chainsaw Fred (Fred Noble) - Hates crazy idiots in costume. Owns a hardware store. Frank's pragmatic older brother. Mechanically brilliant, willing to do what must be done to protect his family. Even Frank when he puts on a costume.

J.R.R. Thorne - The villain. He is determined to trick Shadows into building a device which will allow him to steal the technological secrets of a generation and make him a very rich man. He hates metas and has developed a powerful PAC to help him do so.

Love Letter to Julia #1

We are reading Dangerous Liasons together, and my lovely wife requested I write her a love letter.  I did.  I am sharing it with the world for our first anniversery tmrw.

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Gone Fishing

Reader Questions are Asked For.

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Gone Fishing

Reader Questions are Asked For.

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[Seventh Seal] Page 94 - Chapter 6

Dedicated to my lovely wife Julia Carlson Ricks.  This was originally part of a deal for a cover and a graphic novel with an artist who is a friend of mine, but alas, she had other projects she had to move on to and reverted the rights of the script to me.  Someday I may ping her and ask to share with you the delightful art she did for the first chapter, but for now, words will have to suffice.

I'm not sure when, if ever, I'll be able to have this put to art.  Maybe a kickstarter someday but there are at least two other projects that must come before it; Forever West and a second Fate of Inglemia book.  But at least I can share the script with you.

I hope you enjoyed.  More content will appear from time to time here.  Enjoy!

[Seventh Seal] Page 93 - Chapter 6

Row 1 Box 1 Vesuvius and Sluice look at an unaware Jesra and Pete.

Sluice: Still doesn't seem right that they can't know we're watchin em.

Vesuvius: Yeah Nungo's a jerk.

Sluice: So why don't we just ignore him?

Vesuvius: Never know when he might be watching....

Row 1 Box 2 Vesuvius leaps up on Sluice's shoulder.

Vesuvius: Besides, if we disobey him he might erase their memories.

Sluice: Sigh.

Vesuvius: Hey. We'll do what we can.

Row 2 Box 1 Close up of Sluice and Vesuvius looking at each other smiling.

Sluice: Like the wa-

Vesuvius: Hey shhhh! Remember what I said about him watching, he can read lips.

Sluice: Heh.

Row 2 Box 2 Sluice and Vesuvius look peacefully at Jesra and Pete kissing, wand in Jesra's hands.

-Fin

Precyber - Chapt 38

Clarke and Emily have a ....happy reunion.

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[Seventh Seal] Page 92 - Chapter 6

Row 1 Box 1 Jesra looked at Pete.

Jesra: So....

Row 1 Box 2 Pete shrugged and smiled.

Pete: They said that they would be back in a few weeks when they put things back together on the other side.

Row 1 Box 3 Jesra shook her head.

Jesra: It seems...dumb. We should be learning things. Preparing for things.

Row 2 Box 1 Pete hugs Jesra.

Pete: They just have their own way of doing things I guess.

Row 2 Box 2 Jesra looks up at Pete.

Jesra: So what does it mean that you're a 'lynchpin'? Do you have magical powers or something now?”

Row 2 Box 3 Pete tries extending his finger to zap a rock.

Row 3 Box 1 Nothing happens.

Row 3 Box 2 Pete shrugs.

Pete: I guess not.

Row 3 Box 3 Jesra smiles.

Jesra: Look.

Row 3 Box 4 They both see Amanda's wand lying on the ground.

[Seventh Seal] Page 91 - Chapter 6

Row 1 Box 1 Narration off Panel: Everything changed that day.

A row of troll prisoners walk through a portal in chains looking dismayed.

Sluice and Vesuvius look on, quite pleased.

Row 1 Box 2 Narration off Panel: And while the world was not perfect...

Slither climbs out of the trashcan.

Row 1 Box 3 Narration off Panel: A temporary balance was achieved.

Slither moves through a portal back home.

Row 2 Box 1 Narration off Panel: And a bridge between two worlds was created.

Nungo shakes hands with Forsalio with Pete, Jesra and Klery next to him.

Row 2 Box 2 Narration off Panel: That was good, because quite frankly we could use all the help we could get....

Forsalio waves and heads through a portal.

Row 2 Box 3 Narration off Panel: And for a time, the two young humans could resume their lives and for a time pretend that things were normal.

Jesra and Pete looked at each other, smiling.

Precyber - Chapter 38

Clark gets his old job back.

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[Seventh Seal] Page 90 - Chapter 6

Row 1 Box 1: All three of them close their eyes.

Row 1 Box 2: Horus throws Sluice backward a great deal.

Horus: Insolent troll!

Row 1 Box 3: A huge amount of energy surrounded by Helvetica characters, floating papers, and shadow images of the modern world surround the three.

Row 2 Box 1: Lightning pours the other direction in the link that Horus has established with them for the ritual.

Row 2 Box 2 Horus begins to burn, and roars upward in pain.

Row 2 Box 3 Horus is reduced to a screaming skull.

Row 3 Box 1 Horus is reduced to nothing but a pile of ash.

Row 3 Box 2 The trolls fighting for Horus all look back in horror.

Row 3 Box 3 The trolls all throw down their weapons.