Precyber Chapter 48

Things move forward.

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[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 20

BANK TELLER

Well, you’re at the right place to do it.

The Bank Teller takes the deposit slip.

BANK TELLER

You didn’t quite add these numbers up right.

OLD MAN

Eh? I’ll have you know I was an accountant for 25 years before I retired, and if there is one thing I know, it’s numbers.

Three figures appear at the entrance of the bank; one dressed like a Duck (DUCK AVENGER), one like a chicken but with bright red diamonds in the feathers (RED DIAMOND BACKED HEN), and the other is dressed like an owl (SPOTTED WOOD OWL).

DUCK AVENGER

Yes, I know numbers too.

Duck Avenger fires gun into the ceiling.

DUCK AVENGER

All right everyone; this is a hold up in the name of oppressed waterfowl everywhere.

Duck Avenger begins taking money and jewels from various patrons, while the other two help.

DUCK AVENGER

Now I’ll have you know that this is no common run of the mill hold up, no sir. Is it Spotted Wood Owl?

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 19

ISAAC

Cool!

Fred Noble looks at Frank a little suspiciously.

Frank ignores him and proceeds to toss the smoke grenade at the same pile. Smoke covers a wide area. A wind picks up and blows the smoke back at everyone in the test area. They start coughing.

FRANK

Note to self-Obtain gas mask. Now testing sleep grenade.

FRED

SLEEP grenade? Is that safe?

FRANK

Perfectly. oops.

Frank accidentally drops the grenade. A large cloud covers them all and they fall asleep.

Screen goes black.

Some time later, Frank wakes up with Fred standing over him, visibly annoyed. He points to two labels on the grenades marked, "Flash" and "Explosive".

FRED

You can test those when the kids aren't around.

FRANK

Er...right.

INT. BANK - DAY

Camera shows a large bank bustling with people. There is a large vault visible in the back behind the tellers, and a lined cordon shows several people waiting. An old man, waiting in line walks up to a bank teller.

OLD MAN

I want to deposit my money.

Precyber - Chapter 47

Clarke learns of the spark for Project Hammerfell.

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[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 18

FRED

After dinner I guess.

FRANK

Excellent.

EXT. JUNKYARD - DAY

Frank, Fred and his two sons are all wearing improvised combat armor.

ISAAC

Dad, is this stuff necessary?

FRED

Yes it is. You ready to test this stuff out Frank?

FRANK

ABSOLUTELY. I mean, absolutely. We'll start with the easiest stuff.

Frank goes down and takes a grenade from his belt and tosses it at some mannequins that are standing up. A slick puddle of liquid splatters all over the place and the mannequins fall down. The kids cheer.

FRANK

The slick grenades work.

Frank takes another grenade off of his belt and tosses it at a large pile of junk. The grenade goes off and thick green paint explodes all over the target. It glows faintly.

FRANK

Paint grenades. Check.

ISAAC

What does that do Uncle Frank?

FRANK

Aside from the fact that it looks cool, you can use it to track people who get it on them.

[Script] Tossing Grenades at Windmills - Page 17

Frank Noble looks a bit nervous about all of this conversation for some reason.

FRANK

Actually, speaking of 'inventions' I've got a new job since I lost my fellowship with Kensington.

FRED

Can you believe that?! You should sue. Are you SURE you don't remember who put you in there?

FRANK

Afraid not. At any rate, I've got an idea for a potential job as a special effects coordinator-

ISAAC AND ARTHUR

Cool!

KAROL

That sounds like an excellent idea.

FRANK

But I'm going to need a few things to show them what I can do. I was wondering if I could get your help with some of the simpler mechanisms.

FRED

I suppose. I don't know. Things are kind of busy at the hardware store. Still, I suppose I can.

Karol Noble hugs her husband and kisses him. The kids cheer.

FRANK

When do we get started?

[The 500] Getting it Right

We asked ourselves if we knew what we were doing but we knew we didn't.  I stared at the aged oak railing that had been worn away by wind and rain and looked out across the shields that told me I knew what I needed to know already.  A line of plastic shields and frowning faces snaked its way down the street and around the corner.

How many were there?  How many of them wanted to be here? And yet I knew that they were not ready for what was to come.  A peaceful protest (minus a few morons who decided burning a convenience store was the key to social change).  They kept staring at me.  They were staring at us.

For a supposedly free country, it sure didn't feel that way when I looked at the firehoses, the tear gas grenade launcher, the plastic truncheons and the tasers.  It was about control.  It was about the status quo.

But the world was turning.  And that thin plastic line wasn't enough to stop it.  They could murder one or two of us, but they couldn't change the truth.  The biggest wall to that was the wall of ignorance, maintained by those who wanted to live in a sanitized Andy Griffith world long passed.

And then someone began to sing a hymn.  It was catchy, and while I was terrible with the lyrics I could join in on the chorus.  The plastic line shifted nervously.  They didn't like this.  They didn't want this.  But they held firm.

Then we joined hands and began to march to the park.  That caused them to freak out.  We were 'attacking' them, so they opened up with the tear gas.  It felt like I had salt and vinegar poured down my throat.  A lot of others scattered, but I held still.

Then they leapt forward and began to beat me.  There in the shadows of twilight, my skin color didn't matter.  My social status didn't matter.  I was a threat to the status quo.  I was a threat to their order.  They didn't like it.

I heard someone moan as the defenders of 'justice' began to beat them.  They were being filmed, but they didn't care.  The Wall of Ignorance would protect them.  As I blacked out I wondered...will we ever have justice? Maybe.  But it will be earned one martyr at a time.