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BACKSTORY PAGE

Previously On. Runs along the left side of the page interspersed with downsized panels from the previous issue where/if space permits.

            Dimitri Sokolov makes bad decisions. Fleeing from a failed drug deal, he encountered the Shadowmancer, a sorcerer capable of manipulating the essence of shadows and drawing knowledge from the darkness. In a fit of desperation, Dimitri grabbed a mysterious ritual knife and buried it into the old warlock’s heart. The blow let off an explosion of magical energy and left Dimitri baring the mantle of the Shadowmancer.

            Since gaining his powers, Dimitri has been hunted by gangsters who blamed him for the police interrupting their drug deal. After seeing his abilities, they hired a fire mage to kill him but even that was not enough. Their final battle occurred during a complete eclipse of the sun and was a slaughter.

            Since then, he has pursued the neo-Nazi criminal organization all the way to a militia compound in eastern Oregon. There he destroyed the group utterly along with their leader. Unfortunately, he returns home bearing the burden of the innocent who also became his victim…

Character Bios. Runs along the right side of the page and each section is matched with a close up of the character’s face.

1. DIMITRI SOKOLOV:       Dimitri has worn many hats amateur martial artist, gangster, graduate student, and sorcerer. He’s the child of a family of Russian immigrants originally from the east coast. After his mother died in childbirth, his father let Dimitri be raised by his Uncle Vlad, who installed the boy with a strong Mafiosi sense of honor.

2. NIKKI BARNES:              Nikki was an undergraduate at PSU. Originally from Seattle, she came to Oregon to attend college. Soon after arriving she met Dimitri and the two have had a close relationship until their recent breakup. She is currently recovering from a painkiller addiction.

3. DAVID HUGHES:            David is a graphic artist who lives next door to Dimitri and Nikki. They were only generally acquainted until recently, when Dimitri confided in him that he had begun to hear voices. He has a soft-heart for charity cases.

4. JUSTIN AVERY:               Justin is a reporter for the Oregonian. He keeps an open mind and pursues his story no matter where it leads him, and never lets his assumptions get in the way of the truth. He has recently begun a romantic relationship with David.

5. JAMES STALLWORTH:  James is a detective in the Portland Police Bureau. A lifelong resident of the city, he joined the force out of a genuine (some might say naive) desire to protect his community. He frequently has hunches which help him close cases, the result of latent psychic abilities.

6. ROSA MENDOZA:           Rosa is an ambitious young detective on the Portland police force, and James’ new partner. A recent transplant from Los Angeles, she’s anxious to keep her career on the fast track, and is aiming to eventually work her way into city hall.

7. PIERRE JEAN-PAUL:      Pierre holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy from Xavier University of Louisiana, and is an expert practitioner traditional African mysticism as well as New Orleans Voodoo. He takes his responsibility for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of his patients very seriously.

8. MEGAN PAX:                   Megan was the daughter of a fascist militia commander with a cheerful and trusting disposition. She had a relationship with Dimitri which ended when he killed her father. When she attempted to avenge his death, Dimitri was accidentally killed her as well.

PAGE ONE (four panels)

Panel 1. A car reflected in a crow’s eye.

1. NIKKI (CAPTION):          Thank-you for your being here with me.

Panel 2. MUNIN looks down on the street from the roof of DIMITRI’s apartment building. DAVID is helping an unseen woman out of the backseat of the car.

2. NIKKI (OFF):                    I was worried that it would be awkward seeing him again.

Panel 3. DAVID looks at the woman whose face is just off panel.

3. DAVID:                              You don’t have to explain to me.

4. NIKKI (OFF):                    I know- just… Thank-you.

Panel 4. A close up of the woman, revealing that it is NIKKI.

5. NIKKI:                               It’s been a long time.

PAGE TWO (six panels)

Panel 1. A close up of a hand holding an old book.

1. DAVID (CAPTION):         It hasn’t been that long.

Panel 2. DAVID and NIKKI enter the apartment building together.

2. NIKKI:                               Hasn’t it? It feels like it’s been so long.

Panel 3. A hand copies sigils from the book on the floor in white chalk.

3. NIKKI (CAPTION):          How is he?

Panel 4. DAVID and NIKKI walk up the stairs.

4. DAVID:                              Good, he’s- ah… good.

5. NIKKI:                               Did you tell him? I mean, does he know I’m here?

Panel 5. DIMITRI sits cross legged in the middle of a circle of sigils with the book on his lap. His face is cut off by the top of the panel. Crows are perched on every piece of furniture.

6. DAVID (CAPTION):         No, I haven’t told him. But I’m sure he knows you’re here.

7. NIKKI (CAPTION):          What does that mean?

Panel 6. DAVID and NIKKI stop in front of the door to DIMITRI’s apartment. DAVID stops short as he’s about to open it.

8. DAVID:                              He may be a little bit… different, then you remember him.

9. NIKKI:                               Different how?

10 DAVID:                             It’s hard to explain.

PAGE THREE (one panel)

Panel 1. Intro page. DAVID opens the door and they enter an apartment filled with crows perched and silently watching them. NIKKI is surprised and speaks over her shoulder to DAVID. The windows are all open a few crows fly in but most are still. DIMITRI is meditating shirtless in the center of the flock with HUGINN and MUNINN on his shoulders.

1. DIMITRI:                           Hello, Nikki.

2. NIKKI:                               Hard to explain you say?

PAGE FOUR (five panels)

Panel 1. NIKKI ties to be casual. She puts her bag down on a chair and disturbs the nearby crows which startle her.

1. NIKKI:                               So… How have you-

2. CROWS:                             Caw, caw.

3. NIKKI:                               -been.

Panel 2. DIMITRI stands. MUNINN perches on his outstretched finger. HUGINN flies towards DAVID and NIKKI. The other birds are settling down again.

4. DIMITRI:                           I’m fine.

5. ANONYMOUS:                She’s plotting something.

6. DIMITRI:                           You left because you didn’t think you’d be safe here, and I think you were right.

Panel 3. A close up of NIKKI looking askance at HUGINN, who has landed on the table and is hopping towards her curiously.

7. ANONYMOUS:                She fled because she feared for herself. Now she returns because she has a use for you.                      

8. DIMITRI (OFF):                I don’t want to be rude, but we shouldn’t be near each other.

Panel 4. DAVID and NIKKI sit at the table. DIMITRI moves to join them while gently cradling MUNINN, who caws up at him. HUGINN continues to look at NIKKI quizzically.

9. NIKKI:                               I need help, and I don’t know where else to turn.

10. ANONYMOUS:              She is not the only snake. She will draw you into a nest.

11. MUNINN:                        Caw, caw! Caw!

12. DIMITRI:                         It’s alright sweetheart, she won’t hurt him.

Panel 5. DIMITRI sits down at the table. MUNINN hops over to fuss over her brother.

13. DIMITRI:                         This isn’t a good idea. Whatever your problem is I can only make it worse.

14. NIKKI:                             It’s not me… it’s my father…

PAGE FIVE (five panels)

Panel 1. A close up of MUNINN trying to straighten her brother’s feathers with her beak. HUGINN tries to shake her off by fluttering his wings.

1. DIMITRI (OFF):                It doesn’t matter who has the problem, my help won’t make things better.

Panel 2. A close up of DAVID and NIKKI sitting next to each other.

2. DAVID:                              Really, Dimitri, I don’t know what happened out in the desert, but-

3. DIMITRI (OFF):                No, you don’t.

Panel 3. DIMITRI holds HUGIN and MUNINN, each in the palms of his hands.

4. DIMITRI:                           I’m really trying my best to be nice about this, but you don’t want me anywhere near trouble, of any kind. Not unless you want to make it much, much worse.

Panel 4. A close up of NIKKI looking anxious.

5. NIKKI:                               Look, Dimitri. You have every reason to be angry with me, but-

Panel 5. A close up of DIMITRI. He is holding up HUGINN to his ear as though the bird was whispering to him.

6. DIMITRI:                           I’m not angry, I’m worried. This is not a good idea.

PAGE SIX (five panels)

Panel 1. A group shot. DAVID is trying to act as peacemaker, but DIMITRI remains unimpressed. NIKKI looks worried.

1. DAVID:                              Let’s just hear her out and get all the information before we make any decisions.

2. NIKKI:                               All I ever really told you about my family was that they had money, but my father is the owner of TsarSoft, a software company.

3. DIMITRI:                           Never heard of them.

Panel 2. A sepia toned close up of a conversation between NIKKI and her father, MR. BARNES, who is a serious looking man in his forties, dressed in tech industry business-casual attire.

4. NIKKI (CAPTION):          I’m not surprised. They mostly do government contract work.

5. NIKKI (CAPTION):          My father’s been acting strangely ever since I came back home. Now that mom has passed away, I’m the only one he has left, so I confronted him about it.

6. NIKKI (CAPTION):          He kept trying to put me off, until finally he admitted that he’s being blackmailed.

Panel 3. A close up of DIMITRI, he’s distracted feeding his crows.

7. DIMITRI:                           Call the police.

8. NIKKI (OFF):                    He can’t. The blackmailers have made it look like he has under the table deals with foreign governments. If the police are involved, he’ll lose his contracts.

Panel 4. A group shot. DIMITRI looks annoyed and even DAVID seems dubious. NIKKI is very concerned.

9. DIMITRI:                           ‘Made it look like’? If you really believed that, you’d have gone to the police a long time ago.

10. DAVID:                            Even I have a hard time buying that line.

Panel 5. A close up of NIKKI looking miserable.

11. NIKKI:                             I know, I-

12. NIKKI:                             -Even if he made mistakes in the past… he swore those deals are over… and he’s still my dad…

13. ANONYMOUS:              Half-truths and subterfuge. She shows you her heart because she believes you value it.

PAGE SEVEN (six panels)

Panel 1. A close up of DIMITRI. He still seems unmoved.

1. DIMITRI:                           So, pay them.

Panel 2. Group shot.

2. DAVID:                              You’re not being serious.

3. DIMITRI:                           I am.

Panel 3. DIMITRI returns to his book.

4. DIMITRI:                           If dad wants to play spy vs spy that’s his business, but blackmail like this is the price of entry.

5. DIMITRI:                           I still think your best option is to go to the cops and come clean about everything. His rich and white so I’m sure they’ll cut him a deal if he gives states evidence.

Panel 4. DIMITRI begins to meditate again, while NIKKI stands up from the table.

6. DIMITRI:                           But if you insist on trying to keep all the skeletons in the closet, then you have to pay them. They’ll keep coming back for more of course, but you’ll just have to write it off as a business expense.

Panel 5. NIKKI begs DIMITRI on her knees while he tries to calm her down.

7. NIKKI:                               Please, Dimitri. I don’t care what happens to the blackmailers, I just don’t want my dad to be killed! And that’s what’s going to happen if he stays involved with these people!

8. DIMITRI:                           Get up. This is ridiculous.

9. NIKKI:                               I’ll do anything, please!

Panel 6. NIKKI has broken down into tears and DIMITRI is holding her and trying to comfort her.

10. DIMITRI:                         I’ll only make this worse, I’m telling you-

11. NIKKI:                             You’re the only one… the only one I can count on. I’m so scared…

12. ANONYMOUS:              You are weak.

PAGE EIGHT (six panels)

Panel 1. Establishing shot of a plane landing at SeaTac Airport.

Panel 2. DIMITRI and NIKKI leave the airport with their bags and head towards a taxi. DIMITRI is carrying HUGINN and MUNINN in a bird cage.

1. DIMITRI:                           This is not a good idea.

2. NIKKI:                               I know you’re not happy about this… but thank-you.

Panel 3. The TAXI DRIVER shakes his head and smirks. They get into the back seat with the bird cage between them.

3. TAXI DRIVER:                 Those things must have been fun to take through airport security.

4. DIMITRI:                           Mmn.

Panel 4. DIMITRI continues to brood in the backseat.

5. TAXI DRIVER:                 You’d think they could’ve flown themselves, eh?

6. DIMITRI:                           I’ll give you a fifty-dollar tip if you don’t say another word.

Panel 5. A close up of the TAXI DRIVER who is about to speak, but catches himself.

Panel 6. The TAXI DRIVER flashes a thumbs up.

PAGE NINE (five panels)

Panel 1. A close up of NIKKI. She’s trying to make amends.

1. NIKKI:                               I wanted you to know- I’m sorry. It was a bad time for me when I left…

Panel 2. A close up of NIKKI’s hand on DIMITRI’s knee.

2. NIKKI (OFF):                    I never really stopped to think about what you were going through… I’ve regretted that ever since I came back to Seattle.

Panel 3. DIMITRI removes her hand.

3. DIMITRI (OFF):                You made the right choice.

Panel 4. DIMITRI looks out the window and continues to brood.

4. DIMITRI:                           You believed you were in danger around me, and you were right.

5. DIMITRI:                           The moment I’m finished here, I’m flying back to Portland and we’re never meeting again.

Panel 5. NIKKI looks away and tries to obscure the fact that she is upset.

6. NIKKI:                               I- understand…

PAGE TEN (six panels)

Panel 1. Establishing shot. The car arrives at a mansion on Lake Washington. Two people are waiting for them at the door.

Panel 2. They get out of the car. DIMITRI pays the driver. NIKKI removes the bags. MR. BARNES and BRANDON approach them. MR. BARNES has some family resemblance to NIKKI, and dresses like he’s trying to emulate Steven Jobs. BRANDON is a young executive with short blond hair and a sharp suit, he has a silver pocket watch chained to his belt.

1. MR. BARNES:                   You’re here. Brandon, why don’t you help with the bags.

2. BRANDON:                       Here, Nikki. I’ll take those.

Panel 3. BRANDON sticks his fingers through the bars of the bird cage. In the background DIMITRI turns his head to look at him. HUGINN shies away. MUNINN regards him the finger with contempt.

3. BRANDON:                       Polly want a cracker?

4. DIMITRI:                           Don’t irritate the birds.

Panel 4. MUNINN snaps at the finger and BRANDON recoils in pain.

5. BRANDON:                       OW!

6. ANONYMOUS:                He feels threatened. He will be hostile until you hurt him

Panel 5. DIMITRI and MR. BARNES shake hands. MR. BARNES has a slick politician’s smile, but DIMITRI remains impassive.

7. MR. BANRES:                   Pleasure to meet you. I’m Nichole’s father.

8. DIMITRI:                           Dimitri.

9. ANONYMOUS:                You frighten him, but he knows that he is impotent. He seeks to manipulate you.

Panel 6. MR. BANES and NIKKI both take DIMITRI inside, trying to be very friendly. BRANDON follows them with the bags and staring death at the crows.

10. MR. BARNES:                 Let’s go inside. I’ve had a room prepared for you. We can talk business after you’ve settled in.

PAGE ELEVEN (six panels)

Panel 1. MR. BARNES and NIKKI take DIMITRI into a luxurious guest suite.

1. MR. BARNES:                   Here it is. If there’s anything you need-

2. DIMITRI:                           This will be fine.

Panel 2. MR. BARNES and NIKKI whisper to each other outside the suite. Inside DIMITRI is directing BRANDON who is still carrying the bags.

3. DIMITRI:                           Put them down there.

4. MR. BANRES:                   He’s an odd duck. Are sure he can really do what he claims to do.

5. NIKKI:                               He didn’t claim anything. I claimed it because I saw it. He’s suspicious of you, and frankly I’m not sure I blame him.

Panel 3. DIMITRI lets his birds out of their cage. BRANDON has gone to whisper with the others.

6. HUGINN:                           Caw.

7. MUNINN:                          Caw caw!

8. DIMITRI:                           I’m sorry sweetheart. Society is the true prison; we just can’t see the bars.

9. BRANDON:                       This guy is a couple of fruit loops short of a bowl.

Panel 4. In the background DIMITRI begins to examine his room, while the other three converse at a low volume outside the door.

10. BRANDON:                     I don’t know what kind of pack of goods this guy is trying to sell you, but I still think our best bet is to pay these people off.

11. NIKKI:                             He’s not trying to sell us anything. I came to him, and, for your information, he recommended we do the same thing. I told him, no pay-offs.

Panel 5. BRANDON tries to put his arm around NIKKI, but she brushes him off. MR. BARNES looks troubled. In the back ground DIMITRI is checking behind a painting.

12. BRANDON:                     If that’s what even the so-called ‘expert’ has to say, maybe it’s time to consider it.

13. MR. BARNES:                 No, she’s right. I want out of this whole thing. If we let them keep the blackmail, they’ll use it to drag us in deeper and deeper.

Panel 6. The trio turns around to look and DIMITRI who is punching a hole in the wall behind the painting.

14. BRANDON:                     Look, I don’t know what you think this guy is going to do but-

15. BRANDON:                     What the hell!?

PAGE TWELVE (six panels)

Panel 1. Everyone comes back into the suite where DIMITRI is pulling his fist out of the wall.

1. NIKKI:                               Dimitri, what are you doing?

Panel 2. DIMITRI puts a surveillance device from the wall into NIKKI’s hand. BRANDON and MR. BARNES stand back and look nervous.

2. MR. BARNES:                   I’m sorry. I didn’t know if I could trust you.

Panel 3. NIKKI looks back at her father who hangs his head in shame.

3. DIMITRI:                           Will you remove the others by yourselves, or would you like me to punch more holes in the walls?

4. MR. BARNES:                   I’ll have the others removed.

Panel 4. NIKKI storms out past BRANDON and her father. She throws the bugs towards MR. BARNES as she passes.

5. BRANDON:                       Nikki, wait!

Panel 5. MR. BARNES stops BRANDON from going after her. DIMITRI walks up behind them.

6. MR. BARNES:                   Take it easy, she’ll calm down.

7. DIMITRI:                           She’s not the one you have to worry about. We’ll have our meeting now. I want all the bugs gone when I get back, and I will check, understand?

Panel 6. BRANDON looks angry, but MR. BARNES again holds him back.

8. BRANDON:                       You can’t talk to Mr. Barnes like-

9. MR. BARNES:                   It’s alright, Brandon. They’ll all be gone, I promise.

PAGE THIRTEEN (five panels)

Panel 1. An exterior shot of the back of the house. Large windows reveal MR. BARNES office where he is meeting with DIMITRI and BRANDON.

1. MR. BARNES:                   They want a hundred grand to start with, deposited into a private bank in Zurich.

Panel 2. BRANDON stands and plays with his pocket watch. DIMITRI and MR. BANRES sit on opposite sides of a desk in a large open office.

2. MR. BANRES:                   They communicate through messages left on my private phone line, and they’ve already made it clear that this is only their first demand.

3. DIMITRI:                           What evidence are they threatening you with, exactly?

Panel 3. A close up of BRANDON who is still playing with his watch and trying to look disinterested.

4. BRANDON:                       They have copies of certain… internal spreadsheets. Hacked them right out of our system.

5. ANONYMOUS:                He chooses his words carefully. He fears to reveal his own guilt.

Panel 4. DIMITRI ignores BRANDON and speaks only to MR. BARNES.

6. DIMITRI:                           I work with people, not computers.

7. MR. BARNES:                   I know, Nichole told us as much.

Panel 5. A close up of MR. BANRES who seems to have been rendered apathetic by his helplessness.

8. MR. BARNES:                   My cyber security people assure me that someone opened a back door for the hackers. I’ve already had a list prepared of everyone who would have that kind of access.

9. ANONYMOUS:                He knows it’s his protégé. He fears the answer so he does nothing and pleads to be saved.

PAGE FOURTEEN (five panels)

Panel 1.  A close up of DIMITRI, he sits back in his chair.

1. DIMITRI:                           Before we proceed further, I want to make one thing very clear. I’m not a hitman. I won’t kill anyone for you.

Panel 2. MR. BARNES looks uncomfortable. DIMITRI seizes on this and leans forward to put the pressure on him.

2. MR. BARNES:                   No one’s asking you to-

3. DIMITRI:                           Nikki told you what I do. I know why you sent her to bring me here.

Panel 3. A close up of DIMITRI as he stands up and continues to lecture.

4. DIMITRI:                           I’m here to make sure that she’s safe. I don’t work for you, and I could care less what happens to your company.

Panel 4. BRANDON begin to object, but DIMITRI cuts him off.

5. BRANDON:                       We’re paying you-

6. DIMITRI:                           I don’t want your money. You’re in a dirty business and its going to catch up to you eventually. I don’t want anything tying me to you.

Panel 5. DIMITRI stalks out of the office. He points at BRANDON who fumes. MR. BARNES looks on helplessly.

7. DIMITRI:                           I’ll start meeting with the people on that list tomorrow. Starting with this asshole.

PAGE FIFTEEN (six panels)

Panel 1. NIKKI approaches DIMITRI’s room.

Panel 2. NIKKI looks around and notices that the bathroom door is ajar. The hole in the wall has been covered with plaster.

1. NIKKI:                               Dimitri? Are you in here?

Panel 3. A close up of DIMITRI’s hand turning off the water in the shower.

Panel 4. NIKKI watches as DIMITRI steps out of the shower.

2. NIKKI:                               Can we talk?

3. DIMITRI:                           Don’t bother to knock, I guess.

Panel 5. NIKKI hands DIMITRI a towel which he takes.

4. NIKKI:                               It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked before.

Panel 6. DIMITRI walks back out into the main room, drying his hair. NIKKI follows him and checks him out as she does so.

5. DIMITRI:                           Fair enough. What is it you want to talk about?

PAGE SIXTEEN (six panels)

Panel 1. DIMITRI has wrapped his towel around his waist and they sit down on the bed.

1. NIKKI:                               I wanted to apologize.

2. NIKKI:                               I had no idea they’d try and spy on you like that.

Panel 2. A close up of DIMITRI, he begins to roll a joint on the nightstand.

3. DIMITRI:                           Your dad’s paranoid. Probably a good idea, given the company he keeps.

Panel 3. DIMITRI lights up, while NIKKI watches.

4. DIMITRI:                           I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s the only reason I’m here. Parents disappoint their children, and it hurts like hell.

5. NIKKI:                               I know your father disappointed you.

Panel 4. DIMITRI blows a puff of smoke and hands the joint to NIKKI.

6. DIMITRI:                           I never let my father close enough to disappoint me. It’s something you may want to consider.

7. NIKKI:                               Whatever happened that made you so cynical?

Panel 5. NIKKI also blows a puff of smoke, but starts to cough. DIMITRI takes the joint back.

8. DIMITRI:                           You’re not romantically involved with this Brandon guy, are you?

9. NIKKI:                               *cough* No, why do you ask?

10. ANONYMOUS:              She lies.

Panel 6. DIMITRI lies back on the bed and continues to smoke while NIKKI slides next to him.

11. DIMITRI:                         Because I’m worried about you. And I don’t know what to do about it.

PAGE SEVENTEEN (seven panels)

Panel 1. NIKKI puts an arm around him and prepares to kiss DIMITRI.

1. NIKKI:                               I know one thing you can do.

Panel 2. They kiss.

Panel 3. DIMITRI gently pushes NIKKI away.

2. DIMITRI:                           Stop.

Panel 4. DIMITRI stands up and walks away from the bed. NIKKI looks angry.

3. DIMITRI:                           I met someone else after you left-

4. NIKKI:                               Look! If this is your way of getting back at me, because you think Brandon and I…

5. DIMITRI:                           You still don’t understand…

Panel 5. DIMITRI continues to smoke and talks to the wall.

6. DIMITRI:                           She’s dead now.

7. DIMITRI:                           You still don’t get it, but I’m a fucking jinx.

8. DIMITRI:                           Lady, you’re already sitting on a time bomb, and you just dragged in the one person absolutely guaranteed to make this situation worse.

Panel 6. DIMITRI directs NIKKI to the door without looking at her and she leaves.

9. DIMITRI:                           I don’t know how to protect you, but I do know it’s not by letting you get any closer to me.

10. DIMITRI:                         I think you should leave now.

11. NIKKI:                             Fine, if you want to be alone-

Panel 7. DIMITRI watches NIKKI leave.

12. NIKKI:                             -that’s just what you’ll get.

13. ANONYMOUS:              You have changed nothing! Events proceed unhindered.

PAGE EIGHTEEN (seven panels)

Panel 1. An establishing shot of the house in the morning.

1. BRANDON (OFF):            Listen here! Nikki called me in tears last night, because of what you said to her.

Panel 2. DIMITRI is sitting casually in an enclosed office space set up for interviews. BRANDON is standing in front of him trying to look stern.

2. BRANDON:                       Now, I don’t know who you think you are, but-

3. DIMITRI:                           You can shut up now.

4. BRANDON:                       Excuse me?

5. DIMITRI:                           I already know you’re the mole.

Panel 3. A close up of BRANDON making his poker face.

Panel 4. A repeat of the previous panel.

6. BRANDON:                       I have no idea what you’re talking about.

Panel 5. DIMITRI leans back and puts his feet up on the desk.

7. DIMITRI:                           That might have been the worst attempt at a lie I’ve ever heard.

8. BRANDON:                       Alright! It’s time someone finally stood up to you, you conceited son of a-

9. DIMITRI:                           I told you to shut up!

Panel 6. DIMITRI stands up and leans over his desk to shout at BRANDON who subtly backs down.

10. DIMITRI:                         I don’t give a shit about you! I want to talk to your paymaster, directly! Pass on the message for me, errand boy!

Panel 7. BRANDON sulks, but DIMITRI sits back down and dismisses him with a wave of the hand.

11. BRANDON:                     I’m telling you, I’m not-

12. DIMITRI:                         And I told you, we’re past that bit. Deliver my message. I’ll be waiting.

PAGE NINETEEN (seven panels)

Panel 1. BRANDON storms out of the house and slams the door behind him.

Panel 2. BRANDON gets into his convertible. In the background a murder of crows watches him from the roof.

1. BRANDON:                       That bastard!

Panel 3. BRANDON drives through the city, but high above him HUGINN and MUNINN are flying after him.

2. BRANDON:                       Wait until the bitch hears about this.

Panel 4. BRANDON checks his rearview mirror to be sure no one is following him, but the street is empty.

3. BRANDON:                       Fuck me, fuck me… How did I get involved in this?

Panel 5. BRANDON parks his car near a small park, where an old man is on a bench feeding birds from a loaf of bread in a store bag.

4. BRANDON:                       We’re going to have to take him out! There’s nothing else for it now.

Panel 6. BRANDON stampedes through the birds, sending them flying, while the old man shakes his head sadly.

5. BRANDON:                       Out of my fucking way!

Panel 7. The birds settle back down and HUGINN and MUNINN are among them. The old man begins feeding them scraps of bread again.

6. OLD MAN:                        Young people are always in a hurry.

PAGE TWENTY (six panels)

Panel 1. BRANDON heads into Pike’s Place.

Panel 2. BRANDON steps into a shop.

Panel 3. HUGINN and MUNINN subtly perch up by the ceiling outside the shop.

Panel 4. BRANDON ducks down into a lonely corner and whispers into his cellphone.

1. BRANDON:                       We need to talk, it’s important. I’m in Pike’s Place now. No one followed me.

2. BRANDON:                       Yes, I’m sure. I’m came here to get lost in the crowd first, just to be certain.

Panel 5. HUGINN and MUNINN look down on BRANDON as he leaves the store trying to be inconspicuous.

Panel 6. BRANDON leaves through a service area.

3. BRANDON:                       Fucking tourist trap.

PAGE TWENTY-ONE (six panels)

Panel 1. BRANDON enters a back alley and passes by a small gang of punks. He takes a set of stairs belowground.

1. PUNK:                                You’re not supposed to be here now.

2. BRANDON:                       I called ahead.

Panel 2. BRANDON bangs on a basement door. The DOOR PUNK speaks through the door.

3. BRANDON:                       Hurry up, let me in.

4. DOOR PUNK (OFF):         You’re not supposed to be here.

5. BRANDON:                       What are you guys twins or something? I called ahead. Now let me in, it’s important.

Panel 3. HUGINN and MUNINN sit on top of an overhanging light in the alley and watch BRANDON go through the door. Another punk, the DOOR PUNK, was behind the door and opened it for him.

6. DOOR PUNK:                   If the boss doesn’t agree, it’s your head.

7. BRANDON:                       When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.

Panel 4. HUGINN and MUNINN swoop into DIMITRI’s arms. He is wearing his shadow armor and the punks don’t seem to notice him.

8. DIMITRI:                           Good work my lovelies.

Panel 5. DIMITRI pulls himself and his birds into the shadows.

Panel 6. A blob of darkness slides underneath the door. BRANDON’s voice comes from inside.

9. BRANDON (OFF):            We have a big problem.

PAGE TWENTY-TWO (four panel)

Panel 1. The shadowy form of DIMITRI moves through the underground tunnels. Voices come from a room ahead of him.

1. JESS (OFF):                        No, we don’t. Everything is going exactly according to plan.

2. BRANDON (OFF):            This guy Nikki hired knows everything! I have no idea how. We have to take him out! He sent me here with a message for you.

Panel 2. DIMITRI passes under a light attached to a motion sensor as he approaches a doorway into a larger area.

3. JESS (OFF):                        I know that already, you stupid fool! The only reason I’ve been using you in the first place is to bring him here.

4. BRANDON (OFF):            What the hell are you talking about?

Panel 3. DIMITRI raises his hand to shield his eyes as he is blasted with light.

5. JESS (OFF):                        Ah! He’s arrived.

6. DIMITRI:                           I know that voice…

Panel 4. JESS sits, smiling smugly, and surrounded by more punks who are armed and acting as guards. DIMITRI grits his teeth and prepares for a fight. BRANDON stands off to the side looking totally shocked and bewildered.

7. JESS:                                   I’m baaaack.