Precipice Edge

Scott walks through the woods, passing campers in their tents and at the tables ... smoking, fucking, arguing, laughing, passing them by on way to the cliff, he's oblivious.  Stunned in the eyes, stoned in the mind, the wind behind blows all their noise away.

Overlooking the precipice edge he lights a blunt and breaths in deep.  Staring blank ... he falls to his knees.  Breathing heavy into sobs, out of madness laughing, and roaring to the moon above.  His body convulses twitching as some internal growth unseen sets in, straightening his arms then the legs, throwing him back from cliff's edge.

Breathing hard into the calm returning he looks to the dropped and smouldering blunt in the pale dry grass.  The tiny cracking ... smoke rises, he stares.  He swipes it from the shot and spits to the ember, coughing heard, the sounds of other campers return as he stands tall, stretching into flex.

Blunt in the mouth, another coughing fit breaks the moment.  Then a grin, the the blunt's swiped from his face.  He looks to the side ...

Roger - Takes a deep hit and passes, words struggling back the smoke.  "Shit'll kill you, you know."

Scott -  "It can get the fuck in line."  Inhales ... "We got a gig."

Roger - "Heh ... "

Scott coughs another fit ...

Roger - "You sure ?"

Scott - Breath returning laboriously, "Yeah.  I'm sure."  Looks at the blunt.  "Need edibles."  Throws it down and stomps it to unknown campers' cheers.

~ The Precipice Edge ~

Their converted school bus spins tires down the road out of the woods and on to the the highway, engine roaring under the blower, matte black and dirty, smoke pouring from the windows like it was born in Hell.

Inside, the campers seem oblivious, along for the ride as Roger drives.

Passing the traffic, swerving through and between like a bird in flight, the city lights glow on the horizon  ahead.  

Roger - "This shit's gonna kill you you know."

Scott - A look ...

Roger - Lights a smoke.  "I mean these gigs.  You need to stop."

Scott - "Then who feeds the kids ?"

Roger - A glance to the likely useless stoner pile in back ... "They really are helpless aren't they.  Adorable.  But helpless."

Scott - "Yeah ... "

Roger - "Look.  I mean you're addicted to this shit."

Scott - "We're all addicted to this shit."  Grabs the blunt from his mouth.

Roger - "No.  I mean death.  

Scott - "So did I."

Roger - "No.  No fucked up jokes.  It's not right.  You've got it all twisted up in your mind.  You're obsessed.  And all these fucks ... you keep em around to witness it."

Scott - "And you ?"

Roger - "I'm your voice of fucking reason."

Scott - "Damn good mechanic too.  You know I can't die."

Roger - "Thank you.  No deflections.  Why did you take this gig."

...

Scott - "Needs doing.  Nobody else will.  Probably nobody else can."

Roger - "And do you think the world will stop turning without you ?  It's killing you.  Inside.  And when you die on the outside ... then what ?"

Scott - "I'll answer the phone."

Roger - "Yeah that'll be me calling you a dumbass.  As long as you know, you can fool all these hippies, but you cannot fool, your voice of reason.  I see it.  You are looking hard, for the one thing you cannot have.  So what's the gig ?"

Entering the city ~

Past the sex district (a bit like New York used to be off the Lincoln tunnel) and into an alley.  

 

Roger - To Marsha (total hippie) seating herself at the wheel with wide eyes over all the switches, she starts flipping them."Nowhere to park the Beast, just keep her rolling."

Marsha - Mad in the eyes with excitement, "Gas money ?"

Scott - "Earn it."

Marsha - Giddy, "Heee ... go.  Go go go."  Flips switches ... a look ... Go !"

They depart, the door slams as the Beast skids to catch its loaded girth up to the hopped motor.  They watch it skid though a turn ... police start their sirens.  

Watching the wailing sounds and engine roaring as though through the buildings, circling the block an getting loud again.

Marsha - As is screams past, "Whoo !"

They watch as it fades again ...

Scott - "Marsha's not useless."

Roger - "No she is not.  Cab."

Scott - "Yep."  One pulls up.

They get out at the inner city motel.

At the desk ~

Hotel Manager (Bob) - "Fuck you."

Scott - "Please.  In and out."

Bob - "Cut."

Scott - "Five."

 

Bob - "Seven."

Scott - "Fine."

Bob - "Fuck you."  Tosses him the keys.  "Roger."

 

Roger - "Bob."  Catches his set.
________

In dreams ~

Devil - Whipping Scott, "But you will.  And then ... this."  Another lash.  "Another world to escape in ?"  A lash, "Another dream in which to hide from it ?"  Lash.  "It will all be for naught.  There is only this.  A lash.

Scott sleeps in his motel bed with an occasional twitch.

Coffee in the shitty motel lounge ~

Roger - "So.  Has your pulse returned ?"

Scott - "Oh ... fuck ... Off.  Yes.  I have a pulse."

Roger - "Let's see." ... "Let's ... see."

Scott sticks out his arm, Roger feels around the wrist looking ... then looking harder.

Roger - Throws down the arm annoyed, "Dead as a door nail."

Scott - "So what.  Eat my fucking vegetables ?"

Roger - "It would help."

Scott - "Help what."

Roger - "What the fuck are you even doing here ?  Why aren't you ... "

Scott - "Dead ?"

 

Roger - "Not that I would miss these chats in such mystifying locales, but yeah.  You seem intent on it, and you've already got it, you undead motherfucker."

Scott - "I guess there's your answer.  I'm not looking for death, death is looking for me and I know it.  You know why I always take the gig ?  As long as I'm necessary."

Roger - "And when the world's done with you ?"

Scott - "I'll leave a hideous corpse."

Roger - "You are a hideous corpse.  We need to get your heart pumping again, drink more coffee."  Looks at his watch, "We're walking."

Scott - "Fuck that."  Slams the cup.

Roger - "Fuck you."  Slams his, they head for door.  "Thanks Bob."

Bob - "Fuck you both kindly and have a nice day."

They open it as the Beast roars by with the sirens, hippies screaming, followed by the police and news choppers.

...

 

They start walking. 

~ two

Walking with sirens in and out in the distance ~

Scott - "What about you ?  Why the Hell are you still here if it's all a lost cause."

Roger - "Didn't say that.  I said you are.  I just like driving the bus."

Scott - "Bullshit.  That's not why.  But also yeah she's a sweet ride.  Tell the truth.  You love this shit."

Roger - "I love getting this shit done.  Who else is stupid enough, like you say but ... "

Scott - "Mm-hm.  Just say it."

Roger - A sigh ... "Yeah it's for the hippies.  They're like an adorable pile of occasionally sexy kittens with infinite weed."

Scott - "Serious weed magnets."

Roger - "Mm-hm.  And there's also Marsha."

Scott - "There is definitely Marsha."
____

The Beast leads the pursuit through a parking garage, screaming hippies piing to sides with each turn to a laughing Marsha.  She watches them in the rear view, an evil look and a grin before a hard turn, screams ...
____ 

Scott - "But that's not why and I already know the truth.  Thanks man.  You too."

...

Roger - "You're welcome."  Eying the passing fast food, "Burger ?"

Scott - "Burger."

While Marsha drives through the morning suburbs, lawns watered and mowed, smoke pouring, police in tail.  Two cops at the end of the road ~ 

One - Puts up a hand to 'halt' while the other rolls out the wheel spikes, the bus's entourage approaching.  "They'll stop."

The bus guns ...

One - "Or ... "  He looks around the suburb ... a lady looks up from her gardening at the blaring sound mixed with screams and smoke.  "Or this could go a lot of ways."  Others walk out of their house to see as the first cop firms his stance.

The bus tires roll over unharmed.  "Whooo !"

Two - "Huh.  Heard of those.  ... Oh fuck."  The first police car's tires blow, swerving as the pile up begins ... the police choppers follow while the news remains to film.
____

Child eating cereal while watching TV ...
____ 

They pile ...
____

An old coupe eating ice cream ...
____

And pile ...
____

Bob at the motel - "Marsha ... "
____

And piled.

Police helos fly over a quiet city street, bus missed in the alley as it creeps out the other way.

Marsha - Talking over her shoulder while driving, "We're gonna have to hit some races soon or we're all out of gas.  There's a hose."

Hippies in a wide eyed pile ... one lights as joint.
________

Eating burger ~

Roger - "What's the plan then ?"

Scott - "We try diplomacy first."

Roger - "Right, because that always works."

Scott - "But then we don't need to feel bad."

Roger - "Was I supposed to ?"

Scott - "Sociopath."

Roger - "Amiable sociopath, to you."

Scott - "Just saying."

Roger - "Fucking corpse."

Leaving the burger joint ~

Roger - " 'Just saying', you're an undead motherfucker."

Scott - "Be nice you.  And what kind of man would choose to hang around an undead motherfucker anyway, but a goddamn sociopath."

...

Roger - "Touche.  How's the pulse ?"

Scott - "Pulse is fine.  We're almost there."  Walks faster.

Roger grows serious as he watches him step ahead, many thoughts behind his eyes.  He catches up.
________

On one side of the screen a bright light, the other pitch darkness.

Dark - Forming into a shadowed face, looking downward.  "So here we are, once again.  Another Hell for another servant.  Torturing your own for you, once again, because you've got not the guts to do it yourself."

Light - Face forming, "Heart.  I've got not the heart."

Dark - A laugh, "To enjoy it."

Light - A sideways look, "I enjoyed yours ... "

Dark - "I'll remember that.  When I deliver the same, to yours."

Light - "I'd appreciate that greatly, thank you very much, you otherwise useless ass."  Flashes out.

...

The darkness growls before the shadows fade to black screen.
________________

Walking ...

Scott - "I don't know.  Sometimes I do wonder about Him."

Roger - "Yeah ?  And why is that.  The suffering of innocents He ignores until someone as stupid as we are shows up to clean up His mess for him ?"

Scott - "Yeah ... that's a reason.  But really, it's the games.  It's one thing to do the deeds and pick up the check, but ... "

Roger - "But it always turns out someway that proves Him right."

Scott - "Right.  Like He's weaving Hell on Earth just so the lucky few survivors get to see how cool He is."

Roger - "And then He'll blame the devil."

Light - Walking with them, the recognizable face, "Crisis of faith ?"

Scott - "God damn it."

Dark - "Sounds about right to me."

Roger - "Jesus Fuck."

Dark - "Oh yeah."

Light - "You were saying, 'The Devil."

Dark - "Evil with a D bitch.  Yes.  I was saying, look at this fool who follows you.  Unto his own end through your torture and mine.  And he has no idea even why ?  How is this free will."

Light - "Oh !  Good start ... so make the pitch."

Dark - A sigh.  Looks to Scott, everything you want.  Wildest dreams and such ... um ... piles of gold."

Light - "Or ... doing the right thing for nothing at all."

...

Scott - "I can't tell if you two are horrible at this, or possibly very good."

Roger - "Seems halfhearted."

Scott - "Like they're just playing the role but completely forgot why."

Roger - "Saying the same catch phrases so many times ... over and over ... "

Scott - "It's like they've got no free will at all !"

Light and Dark stop in their tracks with wide eyes watching them walk away ...

Dark - "I can see why you hate this one so much."

Light - "Love."

Dark - "Uh huh.  His tortures will be exquisite."  He fades away.

Light - Smiles ... "Excellent."  Gone in a pop.

~ as the bus pulls into the car show billowing its smoke ~

While on the long walk Scott and Roger walk by the homeless camp lining the street, people stepping out of their shelters to flex or twitch as the case may be.

Bets taken on the races ...

 

The twitch and flex in both places, shelters and cars ... and then the races while the camp dances to the boombox.  The Beast is a slow starter but it pulls ahead when the fire kicks in shooting from the side mounted stacks (Marsha's having a great old time while the crew smokes the locals out).

~ Afterparty.

~ three

Scott - "Poison."

Roger - "It was her, wasn't it."

Scott - "I guess she thought it was easier than the break-up.  And the old boss.  Death curse.  Killing me was the only thing they agreed on, without even knowing it."

Roger - "Why ?"

Scott - "Hated my ex.  Killed my cat."

Roger - "Damn."

Scott - "Then came my best friend ... hand around my throat.  Wanna talk about trust issues ?"

Roger - "He really did throw it all at you.  Got close.  Warmed right up to you."  A look to the side and a spit.  "Such bitchery."

Scott - "It's pathetic, he does it from hiding because he knows.  So the hunt goes on."

Roger - "Do you get mad at his victims ?  The ones he turns on you ?"

...

Scott - "I try not to ... but it always rings in the back of the mind that he uses their already existent natures.  Like maybe that side wouldn't have taken over, but it was always there."

My friend was always secretly jealous, I saw it, but always came up with or created ways to avoid the actual path.  My ex ... my boss ... both very territorial women, each feeling I was being taken from them by the other.  It was there ... but ... "

Roger - "But if you weren't being hunted, if they never knew you ... "

Scott - "They wouldn't have gotten the good parts either.  Both were going nowhere fast, using up whatever man they could, however they could, to survive.  I kept them going a minute, we did things."

Roger - "Things worth dying for ?" ... they pass a bodega with some street standing in front of it.

Scott - Smiles ... "I guess so.  Smokes."

Roger - "Sodas."

Scott - A glance to the corner, "Weed."

Roger - "Yep."

Scott enters the store while Roger talks to the guys on the corner.
_______

The bus crosses the finish line just before the competing truck.
_______

Roger - Rolling, "Is that when it started ?"  Licks it, "When you started feeling ... "  Lights.

Scott - "Like a patchwork fucking Frankenstein ?  No.  Gimme."  Smokes.  "That was always true."

Roger - "Huh."  Takes and hits, "I'm just wondering if you did die, maybe you're not the same person anymore.  Maybe you're not even a person at all, like on some sort of remote control."

...

Scott - "That is the most fucked up cruel possibly true thing you ever said to me."

Roger - "Is that when you started feeling like 'her' ?"

...

Scott - "No.  But it might be when ... 'she' ... " a look ... "became more undeniable."

Roger - "So maybe she always was you, and all that died was the lie."  Smokes.

...

Scott - "Second most most fucked up yet possibly true thing you ever said.  Enough.  I tap out you win.  "Your turn.  What the fuck happened to you.  You were gone for years and all you've told me since is 'some shit went down'."

Roger - "And it got ugly."

Scott - "Yeah, some shit went down and it got ugly.  So ?  All this lovely time in the sun with sodas and weed and your good old friend."

Roger - "Sorry doll.  I don't know you."

...

Scott - "That actually hurt."

Roger - "Good.  So maybe I do.  You knew what I was off to do, how pretty was it gonna be ?"

Scott - "Yeah but ... you know I'm not the only one who came back different."

Roger - A sigh ... stops walking.  "Yeah.  So we got there.  There were all these people in rooms, a whole complex of ... horror.  One room a dead girl hanging by her wrists, posed in the rigor to tantalize beyond, another one in a chair still twitching from the voltage that killed her ... dome guys gathered around ... laughing nervously ... no idea that in that moment they were indoctrinated, that forced laughter the key.

"Another room a fat man rage fucking something you couldn't see beneath his ... disgusting girth.  The next a man strangles a woman to death while cumming, a cat distracted him and just the worst time, he swatted it away and tried to get back into it ... but the moment was gone.  

"Another and another and another ... then came the meat processing facility.  Like the back room of a fifties diner, old tiles, faded and blood stained yellow and white check, old meat grinders dropping our hamburger on the floor next to a couple of shovels, vintage round clock on the wall above.  That's when I finally got it.

"They were making art.  

"The entire passageway, the entire complex, filled with rooms and horror.  They were making art.  And it was beautiful.  Like Hell.  I went insane."

Scott - "That's the part I did know.  You blew cover and ... "

Roger - "Yeah.  No regrets."

Scott - "None taken."

Roger - "That's when I really understood.  Not only the depth of evil, truly Hell on Earth being physically created on these bodies, but how much everything we've trusted all this time, protected it.  Everything we stood for, everything we believed in.  Fought for.  Killed for.  Died for.

"It was for this.  So yeah.  Even if it destroyed our world, it had to stop.  You know me.  I calculate.  'Caring' is not in my protocol.  That was the day I learned to give a fuck.  The day that old me died.  The one you knew."

Scott - "The one I know.  Giving a fuck looks good on you."

Roger - "Thank you.  You look about the same dead."

Scott - "Thanks.  Roll it up."

Roger - "Yes sir ... "  Pulls out the bag.

~ Intermission ~

Precipice Edge

Marsha - At the shop shop, "I need a new body for the Beast."

Nails - "Anything to do with you being all over the six o'clock news ?"

Marsha - "Everything to do with that.  In three hours, you keep my winnings and the blower and the stacks."

Nails - "What the fuck am I gonna do with the stacks ?"

Marsha - "Five o'clock news.  Others will try."

Nails - "Yeah ... you know more people would have bet against you if it weren't for all that press."

Marsha - "You mean all that awesome ?  And I need the tank from the other bus mounted."

Nails - "In three hours."

Marsha - "I believe in you."

Nails - A look ... "What color."

Marsha - "Schoolbus orange."

Nails - "What city."

Marsha - (: "This one."

Nails - "How 'bout we give it the number from the one that rides that suburb you trashed."

Marsha - "That's a terrible idea.  Make it so."

Nails - "We're gonna need your uh ... " looks to the hippies ...

Marsha - "Hippies."

Nails - "Yeah.  Do you trust them with rivet guns ?"

Marsha - "Some of them ... "

Nails - "And the crane ?"

Marsha - "None of them.  I'm rated."

Nails - "For a shop crane."

Marsha - "Yep !"

Nails - "Where the hell did they find you ?"

Marsha - "Hanging around the grand prix."
____

At the grand prix holding up the trophy.
____

Nails - "Though I recognized you ... 'Marsha'.  Wanna a new job ?"

Marsha - "Maybe when this one expires."

Nails - A laugh, "That might be a while."  He motions over an assistant and whispers in the ear.

Hammer - "A school bus ?" ... "Yeah I now where there might be one."

Nails - "Legitimate.  No one looking for it."

Marsha - "You were gonna rob the school weren't you."

Hammer - Smiles ... "Maybe."

Marsha - To Nails, "You know maybe I work here after this gig, I need to pick up an old guy first and then drop him off."

Nails - "So I hear.  Around the way.  Do you have any idea ... "

Marsha - "Yes."

... 

Nails - "Alright Miss 'Schoolbus Orange', but just so you know, that's why the discount.  Those are not one but two big hits.  Some people don't mind one and some the other but I don't mind both."

Marsha - "And both tanks filled."

Nails - "But I like to now things.  For the gas."  Leans forward, quietly.  "Where you gonna take 'em when it's done ?"

Marsha - "From whence they came ... "

Scott - Coughing hard, he passes back the joint in a hurry.  "Need ... " hack " ... Coffee."
____

Roger - Watching Scott break up the weed into a to go cup ... "What the fuck are you doing ?"

Scott - "It works."

Roger - "Why the fuck out of all these hippies and road, have I heard of no one doing that, ever ?"

Scott - Stirring the cup, "No idea.  But as long as it's got the creamer fats to absorb the THC ... it works.  But you know I've wondered that myself.  You should try it."  Sips ... a smile, "It'll make you a believer."

Furrowed brow ... he pulls out the bag.
____

Laughing their way down the street ...

Roger - "Well ... ho ... lee ... shit.  Why does nobody do this !?  It's fucking perfect !"

Scott - "Ye of little faith."

Roger - "Where'd you pic this hit up from ?"

Scott - "Five years breathing that toxic air ... hence the cough ... and then dealing with humans of course, a solution was required.  You ever try talking to these bastards !?"

Roger - "That I have ... that I have.  They say killing's hard ... but sometimes they really do make it harder not to.  So how are we going to do this."

Scott - "Simultaneous, exactly the same time, or we just wasted it.  Otherwise, it's like any other gig."

Roger - "You sure about that ?"

Scott - "Sadly, very.  Regardless of what that may mean."

Roger - "Hm."  Drinks ... "This is seriously the good shit though.  We need to spread the word."

Scott - "Just did."

Roger - Drinks, "Now.  Are we sure about this one ?"

Scott - "Doesn't matter anymore, we're paid in advance."

Roger - "Un fucking believable."

Scott - "Just you and me, with no one over our shoulders while we check the loot."
____

While Marsha works the crane, lowers the body to the frame ~

Roger - "What about Marsha ?"

Scott - "What about her ?"

Roger - "I think she's earned her slice."

Scott - "And a slice she will have."
____

Marsha - "Thanks Anael ... "

Nails - Suddenly out of breath like a heart attack, "Jesus fucking Christ don't ever call me that here."  Breathing heavy and holding his chest.  "Or anywhere you scared the fuck out me.  You're welcome."

Marsha - "Still thinking about that opening in the shop ?  Still interested."

Nails - ... "You're not gonna want it."  Lights a cigarette, "Not when this is through."

Marsha - A bit of cool veneer falls off, "When ... what's through.  What do you mean ?  I know what kind of ears you've got to the ground.  Why would this be on your radar ?"
____

Voiced over while Roger and Scott walk ~

Nails - "It's about the Dichotomy."

Marsha - "Between what ?"

Nails - "No.  'The' Dichotomy.  It's a name."

~ Scott looks to the side at Scott in quick assessment.

Nails - "Or maybe more like an identity.  A title."

~ Roger glances back with a nod.  "Ready."

~ Scott with a smile, "I believe you."
____

Nails - "I mean only what I said.  Just my intuition, but sure.  If I'm wrong and you still do want job, okay."  The head for the shop door into the light, "I'll try you out I fucking hate working the crane."

Marsha - "I fucking love the crane."

Nails - "Don't ever fucking lie to me again."

~ five

Watched by Light and Dark ~ 

Roger - "I only met Him once directly." (true story) "I looked around at the world, after I found out how Heaven was powered, I found out a lot of things in the hunts.  It wasn't that I lost faith, it's that what I did have faith in was a lot of bullshit.  Not that it wasn't real, but that it was.

"I went mad about, slow brew, days ... and then I pulled my good knife and called Him out.  Right then and there, He was doing down.

"And I heard His voice saying He's on His way, walking up this street from this direction and to meet him at the corner."

Scott - "Crossroads."

Roger - "Yes sir.  I sheathed ans started walking ... "  Shakes his head slow ... "And there He was.  The absolute last kind of guy you wanna fight.  Six and a half feet tall and built like a brick.  Wrap around shades that for some reason didn't look stupid on him, long ass hair blowing in the wind like the wind was made to blow it.

"Hiking gear, with a vest and pockets, no pocket overstuffed, nothing sagging.  Goddamn perfect.  Takes one look at me and smiles and just says, 'Mm-Hm.'  Keeps on walking.

"That's when I knew.  When I understood.  God is a traveler, he created the world to explore it, but that could only be fun, if free will existed.  It had to be unpredictable.  And now that He's got that, he has no interest in ruling it at all.  Only in exploring it."

Scott - "So do you consider that God or Jesus ?"

Roger - "Same thing in that context.  Jesus is God's Avatar, like in a game."

Scott - "You mean our world."

Roger - "Well.  We digress.  Really, all I know is that God is a traveler who wanders the Earth.  The rest is supposition as to why."

Scott - "Makes sense.  Did you ever consider the parallels of Lucifer's tale with that of the Christos ?"

Roger - "Jesus Christ."

Scott - "Yeah that's the one.  Lucifer was the firstborn, so is said of Jesus, and being cast out in spirit is to be born into flesh, there was no Hell at the time of these tale, it was Heaven and Earth.  Hell came later."

Roger - "Heard of it."

Scott - "Yeah you know all that, I'm just connecting the dots to show you a picture."

Roger - "I already see it.  And in  the end, both cried out forsaken."

Scott - "So they say."

Roger - "So they say ... but do you think that it's true ?"

Scott - "I don't think they're the 'same being', no.  I think there's a lot of parallels, and maybe that tells us something about how God treats His children."

Roger - "And you're talking to me about crisis of faith."

Scott - "There's no crisis I already said.  We were paid in advance, this is a job now.  Faith has nothing to do with it."

Roger - "You make it sound so easy."

Scott - "It is that easy."

Roger - "Maybe for you it all got easier over time, but for me, it got harder."

Scott - "Why ?"

Roger - "Lack of finality.  The grind.  You know if you work in a burger joint you get sick of burgers."

Scott - "Not sure that I would."

Roger - "Exactly.  We're almost there, weapons check."

They fade from the world as though cloaking in reverse, the rest of the streets becoming shaky transparencies, themselves now armored, drawing sword to examine.

Scott - Eying Roger's, "Whatchu got ?"

Roger - "Chinese war sword.  Made for two things, taking heads and chopping wood.  Excellent for both."  Eying, "You ?"

Scott - Giggles, "Excalibur."

Roger - "You dork."

Scott - "Yah."

They and the world returns to normal as they sheathe, Scott flickers briefly as female.
____

Marsha - "They're almost there."

Nails - "I know.  I got something for you."

Marsha - "Yeah ?  Why ?"

Nails - Smiles, "You're quick.  But why not I'm in a good fucking mood."  He looks to the hippies loading back into the bus ... "It's a job."

Marsha - "I can't trash this bus, we got as good out here."

Nails - "No no.  You drive this."  He motions to the hot-rod.  "It's hot as hell and I need it disposed of, however." ... "I also need a burger from crosstown.  How you perform these two tasks is entirely up to you."

Marsha - "Excellent.  What's the pay."

Nails - Reaching into his pocket for some cash, "Best burger you ever will eat, on the house."  Drops a couple of twenties in her hand.  "With the fries.  You don't even know the fries.  Try and come back in  something we can chop.  But absolutely not in this conspicuous piece of evidence right here."

Marsha - "What's the crime ?"

Nails - "Asking too many questions."

Marsha - "There's literally a body in the trunk isn't there."

Nails - Another twenty, "And the shakes."

Marsha - "They'd better be damn good shakes."

Nails - "You tell me when you come back with one for yourself but don't touch it one the way now.  I wanna see your face.  Six grand when you do plus whatever for the next car, take it or leave it.  Better get back before it melts, if you really wanna know."

Marsha - ... "I wanna know.  What's this joint called."
____

The tires screech away ...

Nails - Laughs watching ... 

Hammer - "Did you get one for me."

Nails - "Fuck you."

Hammer - "Grand if I get back first."

Nails - "My ass."  Reaches for his money.  "Get me the full trio and I want that fucking shake cold."

~ six

Scott - Eying Light and Dark as they watch from a diner window, "Everything they took from me, was like having another little piece of my soul torn out.  I never let on how much it hurt me, I never wanted them to have that satisfaction.  But it did."

Roger - "And when they fell ?"

Scott - "I laughed.  Such satisfaction, only the tortured can know, if only they're lucky enough for revenge.  But that's what ends up making us the same."

Roger - "No.  It doesn't.  You were the righteous, and they were the thieves in the night.  They never would have stopped and you know it so now there's no need to torture yourself.  Enjoy the peace."

Scott - "Oh I do.  Fingers.  Toes.  Kidneys.  I enjoyed all the pieces."

Roger - A look ... "Stop sidestepping.  You know what I'm saying."

Scott - "Peace is a dream, reality is the night."

Roger - "That's not helpful."

Scott - "Colors.  Colors.  C-c-c-colors.  Colors."

Roger - Laughs, "Don't you Ice-T at me when I'm making a point.  Trying to save your soul."

Scott - Soul's fine.  It grows back."

Roger - "Then why you dodgin' ?"

...

Scott - "Fine.  I'm doing it because it' the right thing to do."

Roger - "And the payday in advance ?"

Scott - "Well.  That just makes it funny."
_______

The car leaps off the cliff over the water, Marsha picks herself up from the dirt and starts walking for the diner ahead.  Inside ~

Raphael - Through the kitchen window, "Now there she is."

Gabrielle - Takes one of two bags and two shakes off the shelf and walks to Marsha, "Have a seat."

Marsha - "You ... huh.  I'm in a hurry."

Gabrielle - Sits at a table and pulls the burgers out, sets one across from her and one for herself, pulls out the fries.  "No you're not.  Stop getting distracted by side quests."

Marsha - Looks at her while she takes a bite ... "Fuck."

Gabrielle - "Mm.  I swear to God I can never get sick of these."
________

Roger - As they stand before a back alley door, "You ready ?"

Scott - Pulls the sword as one world fades to another again, "For Love and Camelot."

Roger - Pulls his, "For unification."
________

Hammer - Pulls up skidding, enters.  "Well look at you."  Grabs the other bag and shakes off the shelf, grins his way out the door.  "Distracted again."  

Marsha - Watches him skid off ... "You just cost me a thousand dollars."  Looks at her bitter, then fades into a smile.  "How you been ?"

Gabrielle - Smiles weakly, "Dead inside.  Healing.  Recovering.  You're right.  It does grow back."

A tear down Marsha's cheek.
 

Roger and Scott enter the door into the light.

Roger walks into Hell and Scott into Heaven, the armies of each charge forth and it's on.  Gabrielle holds out her keys.

They battle, she drive, accelerating into her madness and streaming tears.
________

Light - Stand up from his throne, a slaughter of angels before him, "How dare you ... " 

~ While Dark just grins and lays his head on the stone.

Dark - "A story first.  If you will hear my last words, a story which never was told."

Roger - Looks at his watch, "I'm sure your counterpart's wasting the same time, why not."
____

Light - "I am your maker.  Your creator.  And you dare ... "

Scott - "No you're not.  Or you'd have seen this coming."  Spins the blade, "Now throw down."

Light - ... "Grins ... "  A blinding light as he draws.
____

Dark - Grinning sideways while awaiting the chop with pleasure, "Eve was hungry, do I taught her how to eat.  And I taught her more."

~ Light - In a blocked strike, "Good."

Dark - "And evil ... heh.  I split the apple in two and inside, two seeds.  One was black and the other, skinless white.  It told her that one was the day.  And the other darkest night."

~ Light - "I gave you everything that you are."

Roger - Raises the blade, "You said this was original."

Dark - "It is.  It's nothing to do with good nor evil at all.  Never was, these are absolutes.  And where in the world do absolutes truly exist, no.  It taught her binary.  The core of all mathematics."  Bursts out madly laughing, "And your species has been addicted to counting ever since !"
____

Scott - Running him through, "You both paid in advance."

~ Dark - Calming with the thought.  "Heh.  Good one."  The chop.

The world fades back to the chop shop, and them away with it.  Marsha falls out of the car ... Hammer eating a burger with Nails.  On fours she struggles to stand and works her way to them.

Marsha - "What ... what's happening to me ?"

Nails - Slurps the last of his shake, "Easy kid.  It's just a game."

Marsha - The look on her ace straightening, the powers of light and dark swirling in the other world to the blades in each hand.  "I ... I am ... "

Nails - "That's all that needs saying.  Now get the fuck out of here, stop getting distracted by side quests."  Ignores her back into burger.

She looks at the bus, smoke puffing out from within, 'Midwich SD 319' on the side.  She walks to.

The voice of Dark - "And so God made the game."

The voice of Light - "So She can play it."

~ X O ~

In the Beginning

As told by Gabrielle of Seraphim, Daughter of The Name.

(the voice of all narrated portions and functional descriptions)

Gabrielle (voiced over) - "Their world was lost."

A darkness crosses over the complex, blotted out stars showing the black ship's path.  The newly forming city as it's buildings arrange into their configuration, now a massive metropolis.

Seen how these connecting spires between these asteroids twist the city, turning gears within the structures, always reforming while the populace seems to adapt with it, as part of the machine.

The cruiser drops a single pod, seen only in the flash of launch, the craft's hull a brief shallow before gone.  Drifting through the passive shielding, the sound of water splashing gently on a shore.

Gabrielle - VO, "And yet they survived."

 

Over the city as the buildings take form, walkways spinning through to place, linking the sites.  The player flies through these credits and creations while the around massive sculptures of deities with demonology counterparts.

 

Baal as Zeus is slain by Astaroth as Astarte to Athena, through neighborhood tribes and their favored ways.

 

Weaving the walkways and travel tubes across the city the hover cars fill as roadways channeled between by their construction, into paths.  Which will no doubt be a lot of fun to race through.

t the center in the last formation, Prometheus looms reaching from the ground, torch held high.  As if he were pulling from the underworld's grasp to raise his torch, with echoes of the Killer's Tale.

 

~ song over ~

Gabrielle - "They called me beast when I told them I'd use their world to enter yours."

 

Approaching the skyway networks for foot travel sprawl from the lighthouse as the urban core.  All seems to network from cables and tunnel systems climbing his form.

Gabrielle - "They were right."

 

The ship mingles with the rest of the traffic at the Promethean Lighthouse, the capitol apparent.

~ as the traffic passes the lighthouse ~

 

Mayor - Back turned staring out the window at that chaos in all the streets so far below.  "We need death.  And they say you revel in it.  I know who they say you are, and I know what.  They say you are.  So I think you've come here to kill them all."

Death - Pistol to the back of the mayor's head.  "Your problems run deeper than that, 'Mr Mayor', you're infested.  And what I'm here to do, is to choose."

Mayor - " 'Well a Death I don't know has come callin' my name ... O Death I've heard you singin' me loud, but I do not know your name.  Oh no I do not know your name.'  A thing they used to sing in the pit. 

"So you pull that trigger or you go to Hell.  It's right outside."

The shot before the banging on the door, Death has a very big gun. holstered before striking the floor with scythe scythe, shattering out the windows. 

The door breaks down, a swipe with the scythe until it stops on something hard.  The robot looks down grinning, Death has mixed feelings about robots.

 

Pistol to the robot's eye, fired and blowing it out, that robot's shitty grin turns to rage before it punches Death back across the office and out the window, slowing in time, Death throwing the bird on the way out.

 

~ Outside, Death falling wide eyed over the city, view freezes at ~

 

"Please allow me to introduce my self ..."

 

~ Death ~

 

 

"... I'm a man of wealth and taste."

Time slowly picks up with a fast forwarding tape sound to normal again as the view moves several blocks away, the Dragon plane flies under heavy fire.  

 

Missile hits from the pursuers are in the song, two times.  Camera to normal speed on the second.

 

Learner and Killer on the wing gun-pods dealing with their pursuers and blockades, Explorer controlling from the pilot seat, heavy pursuit from an apparent municipal military.

Death lands on its top hull, under fire from the window and traffic ("I wanna rock !").  To and through the hatch.  Takes the co-pilot seat, the Explorer gives a suspicious look, Death grins back and the Explorer's off to the overhead gunnery.

One could also take the gunnery instead, but why.  You just said you wanna rock.  Personally flying large aircraft sideways between buildings is one of my favorite things ever, and we'll try to keep the controls friendly for that.

 

Fore-guns under pilot control, mid tracking along course while their craft escapes trailing its damage smoke.  A level for flying in cover of woven paths through the structures, going over the skyline allows an easy lock.

Hover cars bounce off buffered by their grav-fields and spinning aside, a hard barrage from the pursuit as soon as the plane enters any open wide streets without regard for collateral, only getting the lock.

'Priority target'.

 

Nearing the city wall now crushed in a crawl of massive beasts from the outlands, the gun anti-air mounted among the greater the anti-aircraft spin up to assist the plane's escape.

The city hunters now given an open field, launch a final coordinated barrage of missile lock after them before turning away pelted or downed by the beasts' own assault.  But missiles counting beyond shoot down, many do hit, finally blowing the engines.

The last descent under power-glide over the wall and into the wood.  

Practically built for crashing and no gear down, it skips off its smooth underside before gouging a road through the trees and finally ceasing in smoke where seen on the craft's side. 

 

'The Dragon'.

 

A pin-up breast feeding a baby dragon while looking innocently away.

________________

 

As the fire crew arrives the Dragon's mostly intact wreckage, the Killer and Learner each exit with a struggling body bag slung over shoulder with Death still excited from the flight.

Explorer - "I'm only saying for the obvious reasons, that I'm just the better at flying.  Not saying you're the worst pilot I've ever seen, nor commenting on what just happened.  Which was horrible."

Death - "What's the point of being alive if you never get to do it yourself ?  I think I did great for a first time."

 

Learner and Killer  plop the body bags to the ground and pull the cords.  A very old man and woman struggle their way out cursing in ancient epitaphs like 'darn' and 'rapscallion'.

A cane first wiggles out of the bag, the old man jumps to his feet brandishing, "I swear to gosh damn Cowboys if you harm a hair on her head ..."

Soldier from the fire - "Granpa ?"

...

Grandma - "It's you ... it's really you ... look Hector, he looks just like you in your uniform."

Grandpa - "The Hell he does.  I wore a real uniform."

Grandma - "You were a fascist dear."

Soldier - Paying with concern ... "Did you have to rough them up so much ?"

 

Death and the crow look at them.

Killer and Learner - "Yes."

 

Celebration at the nights fire ...

In situations such as these, particularly at night, the innocents the player killed in the prologue are among the crowd standing still among the dancing, staring cold.

In the dawn Death sleeps curled with the scythe, a combat boot nudges.  A throat clears.  

 

Commander - "You've been working my soldiers for gigs again."

Death - An arm flops up with a boney finger, " 'Liberating'."

Commander - "For profit."

The crow lands behind the commander becoming human.

Explorer - "For fuel."

 

Commander - "That coin won't help you here.  Fuel and supplies are all locked down in this camp.  There's a war going on you know."

Death - "They come and go.  Just like us."

Commander - "Go where ?"

 

Death - "Robbing a bank in fact."

 

Explorer - "Want in ?"

 

Killer - Waking, "I don't wanna do the bank job."

 

Learner - Mumbling asleep, "We already talked about it." 

Killer - Rolling back over, "Gotta bad feeling."

Learner - "We all do.  Doing it anyway."  Back to sleep.

Commander - "And in fact we do want in."

Learner and Killer sit up wide eyed.

 

...

Death - "No."

 

Explorer rolls eyes and works the wreckage ...

Commander - "It's across the street from the courthouse.  We want it boom.  All we need you to do is to escort the operator to it.  Which sounds like the perfect distraction for your little ... 'bank job'."

Death - "You saying we can't boom ?"

Commander - "I'm saying you're inconsistent.  The courthouse is also being used as a temporary reinforcement point for their next gambit, and there's intel we want off that desk."

Death - "You saying we can't intel ?"

Learner - "We can totally intel."

Commander - "You're inconsistent.  With the tunnels running underneath it, it's a strategic location (the player's introduction to the war map) which could change the tide of this war, and that intel may be a leg up exactly where we need it.  So fuel for a week."

Death - "A month."

Commander - "A week.  And food."

... stomach sounds ...

Commander - Smiles turning away, a pause.  "Did you really have to rough those old people up so much ?"

All - "Yes."

________________
________

 

Unlockable mini-mission ~ 

 

8-bit sidescroller with the grandparents bouncing around the plane as it flies mid combat (the opening), destroying everything while laughing maniacally until you weaken them like pokemon and capture them.
________
________________

 

In the command tent, commander at the desk with the Operator standing to hear all about it, head cocked annoyed with a crackling sound.

 

Commander - "A week.  And food."

 

...

... stomach sound ...

________

 

At the Dragon crash in mid repair ~

 

Learner - Looking the Operator over, "Are you going to make us walk really slow while we have to protect you from everything ?"

Operator - Looks a moment then pulls up a sleeve to a computer set over raw bone and flesh, adjusting old dials.  Sounds going through combat radio transmissions and intel archives, recorded wars, a series of commands given during until the voices focus.  "Possibly."

 

Killer - "Are you making a joke ?"

Operator - A radio tune wave of static.  "Likely."

Explorer - "Well we won't."

Operator - "A very loud distraction so I can get my job done."  Points.  "You."

Death - "Possibly."

Operator - "May need my help to.  Pull it off."

Killer - "Looking for a cut ?"

Operator - "If weak asses be saved, I am yes."

 

Death - "You can have mine.  I need to get the Dragon ready for your likely to be an emergency evac.  Someone broke it."

 

The Explorer stares ...

 

Death - "You're with the crow." 

Explorer still staring ... the eyes go wide ...

Death - "And I don't know what they told you about me ..."

Operator - "They said insane."

Killer - "And ?"

Operator - "Unreliable."

Learner - "And ?"

Operator - "Dangerous to their cause."

Explorer - "Which is ?"

Operation - Adjusts its dials until a face holograms beneath its smooth mask.  "Victory."

Death - "So how much would 'command' pay for that do you think."  Smiles, "We'll discuss it after the op."  Back to the repairs.

...

 

Operator - Mask fading from visibility leaving only the new face, "Caring.  Getting paid.  Lovely thoughts."  

 

It turns to the Explorer with the disturbing attempt at a normal smile, as though the flesh were trying to grow into it around its deathly bone. 

...

Explorer - "Why me."

Killer - "Your turn."

Learner - "Just remember to walk Really ... Slowly ... Especially if it's talking and Don't let it get stuck in doorways."

Operator - Face squirming, it squelches in.  "What the fucking !?"

Explorer - "Seriously.  It's been an issue."

Killer - "Doors are the worst ... it's like they're just ... gone forever ..."

 

Learner - "So what did your 'intel' say about the library across the other street from the bank ?"

Operator - "A library is relevant ?"

Death - "The package was right.  It's going to be a Very loud distraction."

Explorer - "And also gas money.  Money for gas."

Money for Gas

Gabrielle - "Yes ... the director ... I'm surprised you'd even care, good eye.  It's true.  People tend to understand their own lives better when told back to them like a story."

The view along the border, the many varied outposts and possibilities for entrance, guards in their designated patrols and stopping to chat.

Gabrielle - "That's why it works.  How is only technical.  It helps them to see the point, but it also helps them to forget what's not to be remembered."

Along to the river which most closely holds their border, the players underwater, now to choose where to exit to the surface to cross.

Gabrielle - "Everyone's the hero in their own story.  Especially you."

Night's darkness as they step from the water in wet suits and breathers looking for a good line to break through into the city.  In control of whichever character chosen and able to swap between including the crow who can fly over for spotting.

There are no un-patrolled regions, so the difficulty of any crossing will depend on the varieties of war and where troops are pulled to cover.  These parameters can theoretically be manipulated.

 

One could choose to use active battle as a cover or use a thinned area of the line, but they must kill everyone who sees them, before they can call in the sighting.  Weapons have suppressors.

~ auto-director notes ~

 

The compiled scene spliced through with a classic action lineup walking in slow motion, but dressed as civilian dorks down the sidewalk.

 

Edits from camera points at the passing corners to critical hits, assassinations.  Particular focus on the crow flyovers as a refrain if relevant.  If a quiet entry, the focus on the nearby guards as the team passes near and undiscovered.

 

When through, they strip their swim gear to said dumbest civilian wear ever.  Last shot realizes they'd been walking backwards in the lineup shots as they round the corner and away.

 

~ exploring the city til dawn ~

 

('Skids' by Pain Teens)

 

 

The underworld is experiencing a golden age, with the patrols distracted by war and regiment, while everyone else flocks to forget about it.  An understanding is forged between overworld and under.  That evil is intrinsic in the world and will always occur, as will good.

 

A quiet acceptance made both ways, so long as each resolves its own in matters affecting the other.  Law is law and plays as it does while corruption sweeps the hand in maintenance of this quiet peace.

 

Godfathers feed children forgotten by war, which makes loyalty unquestionable, the history of the term 'Godfather' being literal.  So many orphans in a period when so few would be willing to adopt.

 

And so to the streets.

Creative punks paint the streetlights in deep hues, dimming to burgundy shadows and forest highlights, offset blues and purple bringing an exaggerated coloration to all.  

 

The streets were once filled with light in a blinding effort to decorate the city's underground.  As though being seen would shame them into 'being good'.

 

So they paint them to make their world beautiful instead, shooting out the ones that bleach the picture painted.  Perhaps the player buys colored bulbs to decorate favorite places, mark trails, or just shoot them out for the dark.

 

When arriving the mission area, observations ~

 

This courthouse is of interest because  the military appears to be assembling a forward operating base.  Ground level with a wide main street to suffice for an airstrip, the overseeing general ranked for the intel sought.

Neighborhood commandeered, the population's one in ten military here, watching guards where the teams aren't building and converting for a fall-back front.  They try to ingratiate themselves with the people, doing as they do.  

 

Once established the populace would be entirely soldier, civilians only workers maintaining.  Where there's construction, the military's thick.  A tone annoyed where recently graffitied showing their frustration at this plan of integration, the simpler to take it.  

 

They glare at the players passing through.

 

One turns to face watching with challenge, hand on the rifle.  The other scrubs away at the paint, sees the players and stands, a hand on the pistol arrogantly more than threatening.  They do nothing.

One could go ballistic right here and take on the entire literal army and gold star on you, you've won the war.  One could however thin numbers in strategic areas while the main army advances.

The war-map is ongoing and constantly in flux, battles by pure chance and odds, essentially the game playing chess with itself while the player tries to bonus one side.

~ two

~ and when the you're done fooling around ~

 

(auto-directed cut)

The Killer walks into the bank and past the security guard, smiles and points. "Robbin' you."

A head and a laugh as the Killer walks for the teller, and pulls a large bag from the backpack with a dollar sign on it, throws it over the firewall to the teller (Cassandra).

Killer - "It's traditional."

 

The two shoulder mount guns pop from the Killer's pack, one with a picture painted of an angel, the other a devil, each locking it's own target among the security, another gun in each of the Killer's hand.

 

The door guard at the Killer's back now to moves slowly for his pistol to test the angel shoulder gun, it moves side to side to infer 'no', while the devil gun turns for the guard and nods 'yes'.

____

 

Learner - To the librarian at the desk, "Where are the comic books ?"

The librarian shakes head with furrowed brow in absolute and obvious judgement concerning taste in literature and points to the card catalogue files with a deep and menacing laugh ...

____

 

Explorer - To the operator, "You'd have been more useful with the Dewey decimals."  Turns to a bird and flies away.

____

 

Learner - In the library digging through the card strewn everywhere, "But what does it all mean ..."

 

The readers stare rudely ...

____

 

Operator - "What a very rude bird I just saw ... "  Note the linguistic assimilation.  Pulls a one shot grenade launcher from the satchel and loads.  Snaps shut.

____

Learner - Eye-roll back at the rude readers and tosses a grenade over the shoulder. "Flee screaming."

____

 

The Killer fires all the guns in the air until they do from the bank.

____

 

The operator blows the courthouse front door, alerting the guards from within.  Another pop for the first stupid row.  Tears off the clothes over the suit, helmet returning over in a radio cackle. 

Another grenade popped through sending, out more bodies.

____

 

The Learner in the library looks side to side ... silence.  Glances over the edge of the grenade's hole, a squad points guns up.  Learner pulls back.

... silence ...

 

Eyes side to side ... drops another grenade through the hole.

____

 

The Killer's guns snap to a teller (Daphne) ~

Killer - "That little red button you're thinking about right now, that dirty little secret you've got stashed right under your desk ?  You should definitely push it now.  Very aggressively."

 

The angel gun nods, the devil nods harder.

 

Hesitation ... the alarm button pushed.
____

Killer - To Daphne, "It's okay.  You can go."

 

Daphne - "I think I'd rather stay."

____

 

The Explorer lands in a spin across the courthouse rooftop flesh as the guards are distracted peering over to the explosions, slicing cloak's edges through necks and lopping their heads across the line.

____

Killer - "Trying to start a revolution ?"

Daphne - "Bored."

Killer - "Hm."

 

Cassandra - "You are so Weird."

 

Daphne - "But we're immortal !"

Cassandra - "My god every time."  Sighs to the Killer, "It's true.  And we were just talking about how having jobs may be a literal Hell.  Like actual.  So can we just like ... 'mercenary' with you for a while ?"  

 

Daphne - "Yeah we wanna live in the woods now."

 

They dig in their purses for their guns, pulling excellent pistols (from The Special Not a Valentine) and beginning the checks.

____

 

Outside the bank the police form line.

Megaphone cop - "Come out ... with your hands ... up ... and we will shoot you."

 

~ The Killer's Way ~

 

('Peeps' by Public Enemy)
 

Pretty simple.  Kill everything while it just keeps coming, until the arrival of the others behind them and the pick-up to sweep them away.  

 

Daphne and Cassandra are indeed immortal, though clothing is not.  Infinite ammo and purse grenades.

For around the length of the song, to be edited according to how long the player can reasonably hold out against literally everything.

At that point, the Learner and Explorer pop from the manhole and courthouse door respectively, firing on the line from behind.

 

There the song flips to 'Pleasures of the Flesh' (see final cut) while the Dragon descends in the very far distance, without most police notice.

~ The Learner's Way ~

 

('Dueling Banjos' by Roy Clark and Buck William)

 

 

As the Learner drops into the empty tunnel, silence but for a distant alert.

 

Death - On the comm, "Don't forget what you learned in Midwich."

Learner - Bitter ... "I learned nothing in Midwich."

Death - "See those power cables ?  Some things work differently here, with such a large electrical grid to play with.  Have fun storming the castle."

 

...

 

Death - "That was a reference and a pun."

 

Learner - "O my god just shut up."  Comm out with Death's evil laughter ...

____

Two guards playing poker on a tunnel map ~

1 - "Why does everyone else get to go to the front ?  I really think I could personally turn the tide."

2 - "Ha !  You talkin'.  They say we still need to guard stuff !  Because we're dumb guards."

1 - "Yeah ... I suppose you're right ..."

2 - "I know I ... hey you hear that ?"

From down the hall a distant flickering blue light, a building destruction and rumble, a roar "Un-lim-i-ted- !!! POWER !!!" 

Distant screams before the lights go out in silence ... a flash of blue with evil laughter amid more screams into silence.

...

1 - "No."

________

 

The Learner's discovered electrical abilities have far greater effect in a heavily gridded area, in these tunnels better than anywhere else.  

 

Lined all the way through with heavy cables to tear out and use in thrust forward (locks on the same way as with the Gecko-Gun), leaping into a torn cable or outlet and out another make the Learner is nearly unstoppable. but it is very loud.  

 

Unprepared for by the enemy, ultimate power is enjoyed while knocking out the local power grid, done intrinsically.

 

The Learner's 'Rose Colored Glasses' make the bodies pop into coins on their death to the music when killed by magics, making it possible to pick whatever outfit components and gear the player doesn't already possess, plus cash and ammo.

Its all about the speed.

 

Taking out the grids ahead and waiting too long will cause them to fill where there is no grid to blow.  While destruction of the grid pulls the learner forth at greater and greater speed, a high powered magnetism but when momentum is lost, it's lost.

Night vision works poorly with the sparks, stuck in the dark with a gun, shooter world.

The military has a limited count, so working your way through here will diminish their numbers, forcing reinforcement from somewhere else, depending on if the enemy AI/chess opponent bothers.

If the the enemy AI spots a lot of extreme activity as a result of their usage, it may patrol heavier or not, may increase patrol on exits, or shut down nearby business by making it an operating base.  

 

Depends on what the opponent AI chooses.

The underground tunnels are practically bonus level for the Learner, everything's lined with cables, unlimited power, things flee screaming, Learner laughing gleefully mad.

Exiting the nearby manhole is triggered by picking up the map the guards were playing poker on, out behind the line firing on the Killer.  The Explorer exits the courthouse in the near distance, triangulating with the Killer and surrounding the police.

 

In the streets the electrical powers tear up underground cables, and can be used to pull the Learner from one place to the next, including up the building sides, ripping out the walls from the wires within.

It's all very distracting, but hasn't reached 'full charge' yet.

In the far distance the Dragon warplane descends burning (again) for the landing on main street, cutting through and crushing the remaining patrol between them, skidding away into the distance ...

...

The air pursuit follows.  Catch up and board, same ending as the Killer.

~ The Explorer's Way ~

('Discordia' by Crash Worship)

As the lights flicker then out in sparks (see Learner), the courthouse flickers in darkness to its historical version.  Protestants putting witches on trial in cages to be sprung.  See the Goddess section of The Book of Names, for names.

With the lights out in the capitol it's pretty much a horror level with the Explorer the monster.  Taking heads with cloak's edge before becoming bird to avoid their fire, human again in a swirling carnage through the halls.  They flee screaming. 

Can pick up guns but drops them on becoming bird.

Top to bottom of the building, a distraction while the Operator sets the charges working ground floor up, cloaking between.  Present but unseen, possibly bumped into but will duck or block accidental slices.

The best way to play this character I think would be to examine a room unseen, imagining the courtroom with active ghost trial accusing the witch.  Plotting the targets before striking.

Though ghost they do represent modern guards, and any left standing will be problematic.  Those gathered for the trial are in fact soldiers taking order from a colonel at the podium, seen only in flickers of lights flashing on and off.

 

While in the dark the accused stares at the Explorer, muskets in the dark do the damage of heavy fire in the light.  As such through the hallways and through the front door, exiting into modern behind the line firing on the Killer.

At around the halfway point, second floor courtroom, the Explorer passes the Operator making a kill from one shadow to the next, appearing as Giovanni de Ventura (the historical plague doctor).

 

From there on bodies on the floor ahead, reinforcements investigating why until the front door.  The Learner exits the manhole cover in the near distance upon exit, triangulating the line firing one the Killer with but behind.

 

They're both extremely distracting as is the building collapse, transitioning between bird and kill through it is nearly a free for all.

The Dragon descends the main street in the distance for pickup, holding the line.  Also don't let it it hit you.  Chase after its overshot under reinforcement fire, board and escape, see above.

~ three

The Killer kicks open the front of the bank to the waiting line with Daphne and Cassandra, they all open fire.  The Explorer hits them from behind, exiting the courthouse, the Learner pops from the manhole.

The insignia on the Dragon's nose pulling back to the view as it flies.

From here the clips edit between the gun cam's on the killer's shoulders to a slow turn view of the three open firing to the spinning through of the Explorer lopping heads, the guards fleeing Explorer and the destructive Learner's charge through the tunnels, now the only light.

 

~ The Dragon descends to land in the broad main street, the people flee.  

Cuts through the fire fight criticals, the three companions surrounding and shrinking then panicked circle.

~ No gear down it lands sparking through the street, sending any cars in its path flying.

Whomever one plays if it hits them, they will die as it skids through the last of the line, ending it all, and down the street gone.

...

The pursuers following it.

The players run for it, and more police do come until the boarding.  The Killer with Daphne and Cassandra likely last, slowed by the massive money bag.  

 

Cover em !

 

Death waits at the glitchy rear bay door to manually pump it closed after them, waiting for the Operator, they shake their heads, he closes.

 

Heavy hydraulics pump the landing gears open, raising it before takeoff, gunneries filled without the player's need, and off they go.

________________

 

In the settlements atop the structures built around the massive beast of the Learner's tale, rough structures intertwined and connecting to the distant mountain ranges, high above the thick jungle canopy.

Home.  

At the war encampment's airstrip, at the top and inside the plane's open cargo hatch, the Mechanic at it's repair.

Explorer - "So ... you want to live in the woods."

Daphne - "We are in the woods."

Cassandra - "Actually we're in an airplane."

Daphne - "But it's in the woods !  Who side are you on !?"

Explorer - "Apparently mine, prattle on and on (looking one to the next).  She's right."

Mechanic - Passing by between tasks, "We do need gunners when the team's away."

Explorer - "And who the hell are you !?"

Death - Walking through, "We need him."

...

Explorer - To the two, "Are you useful ?"

Daphne - "We can also cook."

Cassandra snickers, arm slapped, innocent smiles and nods.

________

Death - Leaves the plane, cut with scenes of soldier painting skulls on their faces.  Enters the command tent, the commander dead in the chair, soldiers gathered in silence.  "God damn it.  I actually liked that one.  I'm sorry.  Who's up ?"

 

They look around ...

Soldier - "No one is.  They hit our entire command.  Only the top ... but all the field commanders are fine, no reports.  No sabotage, no ..."

~ Soldiers painting skulls on faces.

Death - "Did the operator check in ?"

Soldier - "Did not."

Death - "Anyone know what was in that intel it was sent for ?"

Soldier - Looks to another in the corner, a shrug whatever and looks away, "It was something ... 'archaeological'.  Fuck sake.  This was all about ... fucking archaeology."  

 

An exhausted laugh staring at the dead commander ...

 

Soldier - "We all ... you know we ..."  Looks at Death.  "We liked this one too."

 

~ Skulls painted.

 

Soldier - "Orders."  A salute.

 

Death - "No."

 

Soldier - "You're the only one left who's ever had a plan.  The commander was trying to recruit you already, and we've seen your file.  Sir.  We are reactivating you.  As of now.  Or you're under arrest for AWOL.  As of now."  Salutes and the rest all follow, "Your Orders Sir !?"

 

 

Soldier faces getting painted with skulls.  This is where it becomes a strategy game, companions dispatched to tip balances as played.

 

With the music a dramatic tutorial as ranks and divisions are highlighted and selected, cycled through with the a front line getting established to start with. 

Through the types and to the airfield, planes and airships for war and and through armored the divisions.

A hard curve on the zoom to each with a sweep, views through all the faces and readying of arms, vehicles and lines.  While the menu auto highlights and runs their initial preparation allowing the player see their controls and surly looks.