I Am The Night (Last Scenes)

Scene 151

(Rain lashing against the wires that help hold up the bridge that connects the centre island of Metropolis and Golden Hill, is quiet in the early hours of the morning for once. The world, well the one that everyone lives in; Metropolis is recovering from its sobering experience, the villain and terrorist of the last bastion of human hope has committed many horrendous crimes since he arrived on the scene, but none as bad as what he did at the open top theatre auditorium which held a charity auction just a couple of blood-soaked hours ago. His manic laugh can be heard echoing in John’s head, as he sits on a railing looking out towards a world covered in darkness and unknown. None of the surviving humans who came to make Metropolis out of the rubbles of New York know what is beyond their city gates or beyond the horizon where the sea keeps going.2

He just sits there, drenched in rain, his nose has a drop forming on the tip of it as he looks out towards the horizon and wonders what’s going on in the world at the moment. He can’t imagine how bad it is for Jilly’s mum and dad to be coping with the loss of their youngest child. He scratches his face a little where he’s forming a bit of shaving rash and wipes his eyes lazily of any dirt inside them. He can’t cry, its’ too late now.3

Flashback: It was at a party they had both attended a few months ago, she was sitting at the opposite end of the table and they were with all their friends and her family, who didn’t and would never approve of Jilly and John as an item, so he had decided to go out with a guy called Kent Hatcher, a guy who competed in the seasonal Ultimate Man competition. It was an event where the supremely fit at all the school’s, academies and so forth entered five participants each into a big event where they had to run thirty six kilometres, go through a obstacle course which was the length of five and a half kilometres and then to top it all they had to run a further ten kilometres and then get to the top of the Statue of Liberty and light a flame which signalled they had finished and were the winner. Kent was the favourite to win and he was a great sportsman. He remembers that night well. John had gone outside and had started feeling ill, looking at the beauty of the city covered in some sort of mist. While her friends partied away on the dance floor to cheese music, some sort of song that was popular during the days of 2007 she notices him taking a break and walks over in her flattering high heels and low cut dress, lilac and black. Her hair is loose as always, she hardly ever has it up.)4

Jilly: What’s the matter hun? (She says a little drunkenly, putting her hand over her mouth as she leans on the railings as well outside the nightclub.)5

John: Oh nothing. (He smiles at her.) Just I feel a bit hot that’s all. A bit under the weather right?6

Jilly: Headaches or something?7

John: No, no, no… (He pats her on the back.) My hand is hurting that’s all. (Shows her his hand which has turned a slight greenish colour) See?8

Jilly: (Hand over her mouth again, to stop a hiccup or something similar.) Oh yeah I see! (She giggles excitedly.) That’s broken isn’t?9

John: No! That’s shocking Jilly. You should know that it would be either a dark shade of black or purple if it was! I’m worried you want to be a doctor. (She giggles again and looks into his eyes purposefully. She slides over to him a little more as her skirt begins to lift up a little in the wind. He keeps looking at her as well, inviting her towards him and she parts her lips, waiting for him to move closer to her. She laughs a little, fluttering her eyelids at him and as he starts thinking about kissing her, Kent; who is very drunk shouts over to her when he’s on the dance floor, demanding she goes back in and dances with him. She looks around and smiles back at John, her hair was dyed black with purple streaks in it at the time, it contrasted with her pale colour of skin perfectly. She isn’t the prettiest of the girls around but the freckles on her face, her youthful looks and the way she dresses mesmerises everyone. He keeps calling, stumbling about on the dance floor like a drunken idiot. The moment is further ruined by a couple who might have just met, the man dragging the woman to the wall and snogging her aggressively. She responds by hooking her legs around his waist, clamping to him. Jilly and John both laugh about it quietly to each other and then she stops, looking serious.)10

Jilly: (Glancing at John, her mouth pursed open, her fingertip playing with his bottom lip, guiding itself along the entire length of it. He doesn’t do anything, he just lets her.) Do you think we’ll ever be like that? (John frowns a little and looks quickly at the couple. The woman desperately trying to take the man’s tie off in the background) I mean, do you think we’ll ever kiss? (She stops leaning against the railing and rubbing his hair gently, messing it up a little she whispers something in his ear and then walks off to join her drunken boyfriend. It was months ago now. Flashback is now over.)11

John: (Speaking quietly to himself in the back of the shop with Rafa, standing upright against the doorframe so he can see if any customers come in as well as provide an ear for John.) It’s… all my fault. (The camera focuses on him, rotating around slowly as he is sat on a wooden chair, his arms folded tightly, his head looking down and his feet on the table. He notices Rafa shuffle a little and disagree with him, nodding his head. He won’t say it though.)12

If I had controlled myself, acted like any normal person would and got on with my life then none of this would have happened. (Rafa encourages him to carry on.) If… (John loses his thoughts for a second and rushes his hand through his long, windswept hair, trying to soothe his mind and energize his brain.) At one point, my anger had faded away…13

Rafa: And now Mr John? (A look of concern comes across his face.)14

John: Maybe you can see what I’m up against. (He looks up at Rafa.) This man has no rules. He doesn’t value life at all, not like you, me and the majority out there. I can’t see people living in safety unless he’s dead…15

Rafa: So it’s returned again? 16

John: I don’t know anymore Rafa. I don’t know anymore what I have to do to stop him. (He shrugs his shoulders with all the effort he feels he can muster.) It’s getting worse… 17

I’ve asked myself constantly ‘Am I to blame for all those that died?’ To think there’s any doubt in my mind, means that I should stop trying to be a hero for the people. Even they are afraid of me…18

Rafa: (His lips emphasise his accented English.) To walk away, Jilly would have died for nothing! 19

John: Jilly died because of me Rafa. She stood up for me against him even though she disagreed with what I was doing. She said I would be consumed by this creature that inhabits me. I should walk away.20

Rafa: He wins! You lose! It’s a game to him Mr John. He enjoys playing one big nasty game and its people like him that we need someone to stand up to and defend us anyway they can! People like him just don’t care about morals or anyone; they’d watch the world implode on itself. 21

John: (Standing up, arms folded in a defensive manner. His hair touching his eyebrows, his eyes looking down so no one can look into them and see what he might be thinking in that dark mind of his.) To defeat him, I have to become like him. I don’t know if I can do that Rafa.22

Rafa: If you don’t, no one else will.23

(The screen goes black, before it opens up again we hear Jack-in-a-box’s voice again.)24

JIAB (Voiceover.): The hunter truly becomes the hunted.25

(Screen opens up again. This time it’s a press conference. Held before hundreds of journalists and writers, all standing up crowding around with news teams reporting live, Nick Kryzios, his ribs bandaged tightly beneath his smart, black uniform, his hat is off, showing his rapid balding head, which has turned a silver black hair colour. He stands there ready to give a press release.)26

Nick Kryzios: (We look around briefly and see thirty policemen all in normal uniform, dotted closely around the impromptu held conference outside on a nice day. He doesn’t let on about his injuries, not wincing in pain or anything.) I stand here before you today, as the Captain and Chief-in-Command of the MCPD. Two days on since the terrorist attack on our citizens and still this lunatic breed’s evil across our streets. He (We hear coughing and the flashing of cameras) won’t hand himself in and as a result we must stand firm, carry on with our daily lives and mourn for those that died two days ago and for those that have died in his reign of terror.27

Reporter#1: Just a question; how do we mourn for these people killed so ruthlessly when he’s out there now, killing more? 28

Nick Kryzios: (Starts talking slower than usual because of the pain in his ribs? Or because he wants to emphasise what he’s saying?) We are holding a state funeral service for all sixty-three people that were killed next week. (Leans forward) We must try and carry on. To stop what we are doing and cower is to hand him the streets and let him control us! We shall not bow to crazed madmen such as him! (He slams his fist on the podium.) 29

Reporter#2: (High-pitched female voice amongst the crowd. Her question sparks some grumbles.) Does Green Lightning work for you? Is he on the payroll? 30

Nick Kryzios: (Bites his lips a little.) Green Lightning is a vigilante. We do not have any of them in the MCPD and never will. They have to answer to the laws of the land, whether or not their intentions are the same as ours, which is capturing Jack-in-a-box and putting him in a court of law.31

Reporter#2: (Asks in a surprised manner, to try and get across his point, it’s almost a ‘you said what?’ sort of antagonistic approach.) So you would put away Green Lightning, even though he’s the cities only hope? (He laughs along with a few others.) The MCPD don’t seem to be capable of capturing such a criminal mastermind.32

Nick Kryzios: Like I just said (Getting a bit uncomfortable) He needs to answer to the laws eventually. The MCPD will get their number one target and I can guarantee it. (He says matter-of-factly. Flurries of questions are thrown at him because of his response but he carries on talking, ignoring them and holding his hand to his eyes a little as the flashes go off from the cameras and the lighting equipment.) 33

(Searching for sombreness amongst the baying press and trying to ignore other potentially risky questions being asked) I know that a lot of the public are scared of Green Lightning right now; I know that given the choice they’d want to see him in a court of law too. He has no right to take the law and re-write. (Looks around the media circus that surrounds him) If we let one vigilante off then soon we’ll have truckloads of them.34

Reporter#3: Captain! (She waves to get his attention.) Although the public are scared of both of them, isn’t it a bit extreme to class him as bad as Jack-in-a-box?35

Nick Kryzios: No. Not at all. (He says firmly)36

Reporter#3: But he has done more to clean up the streets than the MCPD could ever do right? The facts are there. (Nodding her head in clear apathy at his suggestion and in clear disbelief at what he’s saying)37

Nick Kryzios: (Laughing at the challenge made by a reporter.) What facts? If he has done anything then it’s that the darkness that cripples our streets is dominated by these two outlaws, where innocent people die and where millions of credits worth of damage is caused. I completely dispute your argument. The MCPD do not need vigilantes to catch terrorists, which is why we’ve set up our own taskforce to catch these two men… 38

(As Nick Kryzios starts telling them all about his plans on making the city safer; the camera turns to a man hunched up a little, making the effort to straighten his shoulders out a bit and with long greasy hair combed over to one side. He’s sitting in the corner, frittering credits away like a mad old man on a park bench doing something completely bizarre. He then looks up at the huge widescreen that sits directly opposite the Apple-dear building where MCPD HQ is and then starts giggling to himself quietly as unsuspecting people walk past knowing nothing.39

A little bit of litter tumbles across his view of the press conference and with the raised voices getting louder, a smile appears underneath his top hat that he’s wearing. Jack-in-a-box gets up, with a walking stick in his right hand, leaning on it a little, watching the press conference taking part. He stops a little further down the plaza, allowing everyone to walk past him without noticing who he actually is. 40

A lorry-pod is trundling by innocently and as it nears the Apple-dear it viscously, out of the blue smashes into a smaller car at the corner of the plaza causing noise and initial mayhem. As some people, including a few policemen run past JIAB to try and get to the scene, he just stands and watches. He fiddles in his greying overcoat pocket, stains on it from the fluid that initially went on his body all those years ago. He stops messing about, gets a remote-control out and eyeing the situation, the distracted press conference and looking at Nick Kryzios watching the small accident, he presses a button shakily and less than two seconds later, BOOM! A huge explosion rips through the lorry-pod, scattering bodies everywhere, people ducking for cover and Nick Kryzios jumping to the side of his podium to avoid any glass or sharp fragments. 41

Screaming and sirens are almost immediately heard along with shouts for help and more people running onto the scene trying to help out. JIAB marvels in the chaos, we just see him from behind, we can tell he loves this little distraction. Once again he shows up the law enforcement and makes them look weak and disorganised. Dropping the walking stick on the ground, he takes his hat off in a bowing-like manner and turning around slowly and observing Nick Kryzios’ movements he walks off, his little mission completed to full satisfaction.42

*Macrotus 00:00 – 02:04, Zimmer/Howard*43

Meanwhile, later on in the night, the wind blowing through the curtains, rattling and the bed in a mess, John is asleep, rolling over every now and then. The camera is above him, watching over him as John struggles to sleep properly. He ruffles the bed sheets again and rolls over once more before saving himself from falling out of bed. He wakes, we stare into his dark crystal eyes, heavy gasping, trying to control himself as lucid memories invade his mind. He sits up, sweating a bit and birds tweeting away. John looks across his apartment and with his head in his hand tries to regain some sort of composure. His lips chatter away furiously as he closes his eyes now and again to shake the memories out of his head.44

The next time the camera shows us John, he’s walking through the city dark at night, the smog covering the depths of the Metropolitan world he lives in, people still walking by, women in barely anything that resembles clothes are at street corners, trying to earn a living, dirty old men trying to get something off them in return for the credits. This city is poor, in the hands of maniacs and he can’t do anything about it. Smaller gangs at certain hang about their territories, shouting abuse at the innocent bystander that dare to shoot a quick look to see what the youth of the generation is doing: wrecking the city and turning it upside down, but it’s no longer just them. The bigger gangs are being squeezed by the man, full of hate and chaos deep within himself who has caused so much pain and thought provoking issues in John. He doesn’t know what to do anymore, he wants to help but every time he does he becomes looked upon as a terrorist, a rogue vigilante. Though he did start out as one, he became a symbol of hope for a city with none, the last remnants of humanity and now, Nick Kryzios has even turned against him. He just watches, the world will slowly burn itself into a cinder and no one will care.)45

Scene 1646

(A man, with a small knife in his left hand, a recognisable greying coat on, with the spatters of acidic material on it and burn marks is standing in the middle of the street for his ride. The bare audacity to do so when so many people know who he is, is quite unbelievable yet he hasn’t, somehow been recognised and spotted. A hunched stance, his coat tails waving about a little in the wind but his stance is unfaltering, just a bowed head, his greasy hair overlapping the collar of his aged suit and a knife in his hand is all we can see apart from the traffic and the noise created by a busily populated street. Our view is somewhat restricted however by the upwards camera shot taking place, solely viewing him and his movement, no one else’s. The traffic light goes green, he stops to make sure and with a slightly over-exaggerated limp starts to cross, all the pod-cars waiting for this slow, hunched man to get on with it and let them pass. It seems that for all the death and terror he is bringing no one for some reason can figure out who he is. 47

The camera shot still focusing on him, we watch him cross to the other side of the road before a large pod vehicle which is white with black writing on it passes by obstructing our view of the person we are following for only a few seconds. We then follow the white vehicle, ignoring the limping man who we no longer know where he went or what he was doing and turn the corner just as the vehicle does. It turns again, just a few metres into the new street and enters a security area. As the vehicle enters the security area a man in a bullet proof vest with sunglasses on comes up and taps on the vehicles window. The two people in the front, whose heads we can only just make out by the fuzzy camera work become clearer. We can’t see who they are or what they are doing but we can only hear the voices. They mutter something to each other quickly before unwinding the window.)48

*Why so serious? Zimmer/Howard*49

Security guard: Right then guys, passes? (Has a notepad and pen in his hand, gun holstered away.)50

Van driver: Um, yeah sure… (As both start rustling for their passes, the driver whips out his silencer instead and calmly shoots the security guard in the head. He drops backwards and we hear the sound of him hitting the ground.) There you go.51

(Three guys jump out of the back of the vehicle, all wearing police outfits, dressed as SWAT from the elite MCPD unit and one of them rushes into the guard room and with a circuit breaker key opens the barrier and lets the vehicle pod go through slowly. Another SWAT thug drags the body of the dead security guard away towards the rubbish and piles some rubbish bags over him, disguising his body. The third one walks quickly towards the parking bay for all security pods, like the one they are getting through, looks to his right and spots another security guard. Without hesitating, he aims and coldly shoots the security guard walking about in the parking bay about four times and we see a blurred figure make a slight noise and dropping to the ground.)52

SWAT Thug#3: Clear. (The vehicle pod soon goes past him and he keeps walking on, picking up the pace as the other two SWAT thugs run past him.)53

SWAT Thug#1: Ok, let’s go. (The other two guys, the ones that were in the front of the vehicle pod have parked it near the back entrance of the building that leads into the parking bay. They have gotten out and joined the three that secured the area for them. They walk, weapons raised to their hips instead of weapons down, towards the next security guard who is patrolling at the back entrance. With it is a code that they need to access to get into the building. He walks up to the security guard.) Hey there. Care to let us in?54

Security guard: (A little suspicious) you guys don’t normally come about that much. Getting something valuable are we?55

SWAT Thug#1: Yeah. Something like that. (The security guard checks all their passes very briefly, paying lip service to them and then pushes in the code. The door slides open and as he still has his back turned, the SWAT Thug sticks two bullets into his neck and middle of his back, killing him instantly. He falls against the wall and then collapses very slowly.56

The five guys then walk in, knowing full well they could have been under surveillance by the security guards in the CCTV room, however, they got told to take the day off and spend their ‘well earned’ money, so surveillance was off today. They approach the reception area where a beautiful blonde haired female is sitting, reading a magazine about men and their philosophies. To the right hand side of her is two more security guards, a small queue of people and some cashiers behind some old fashioned wooden counters all adjoined to each other and not with bullet proofing or anything like that. Inside the office down the far bottom is where the bank manager is discussing something with an old man and what seems like a rather tall, muscular black man standing up watching over things. )57

Excuse me, we’re here to transfer some credits downtown to the treasury. You have us booked right?58

Secretary: Um, let’s just have a look. (She looks down in the opened appointment book and then closes it.) Oh no, we don’t. You sure you were supposed to come today? (The two security guards look over briefly.)59

SWAT thug#1: Certain… (Gets his silenced pistol out and shoots her three times. She falls back off her swivel chair and some cries and gasps ring out. The two security guards, completely taken by surprise and out-numbered hold their hands up in surrender and are pushed roughly onto their knees by two SWAT thugs. The bank manager notices the disturbance and the man he is chatting to and his bodyguard look around. The bodyguard makes ready his sub-uzi and the magazine clicks.)60

SWAT Thug#1: We don’t want to hurt you. We just want the credits and then we’ll be gone. (He says calmly as the other thugs secure the area quickly and safely. All accountants are dragged over the counters and thrown onto the floor, holding their hands up above their heads just like the few customers and two of the SWAT thugs take all the credits out of the cashier points.)61

Bank manager: Who the fuck is doing this? (He sits on his chair looking out of his office through the tinted windows.)62

Don Borrelli: We’ll go and check for you. We don’t want no bother being done to our banks do we Sal? (He loads his pistol as he talks and then looks up at the bank manager who nods.)63

Bank Manager: Stay here Mr Borrelli. There are five of them…64

Don Borrelli: Punks wouldn’t dare touch me. I own more places then their mothers wombs have invited strangers… (He gets up and nods at his bodyguard who opens the office door.) 65

WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU EH? (He shouts down the hall towards the SWAT thugs, who turn around and spot a greying man, in his late forties strolling towards them with a loaded pistol and a black bodyguard with a semi uzi ready to go.)66

WELL COME ON THEN YOU LITTLE SHITHEADS! (He shoots the pistol up in the air and a few people move about a little jumping from the gunshot noise.) I’m Don Borrelli. Who the fuck is you lot eh? (In his strong accented Italian dialect. The SWAT thugs look unsure what to do.) Since when did the fuckin’ coppers start robbing my banks? I pay half you fuckin shmucks! (His face is reddened with anger and rage at the blatant criminal attempt of bank robbery on his own doorstep.67

A figure at the entrance of the bank stands there.)68

JIAB: I own them. My muscle, Don Borrelli. (He limps forward a little, towards Borrelli’s right hand side.)69

Don Borrelli: (Staring at him like dirt on the ground.) You fuckin’ wantin’ a war with me are ya’ hey?70

JIAB: Now, now, now… tis’ hard to stare at those with features less chiselled than yours Borrelli. (He smiles out of the gap in his mouth.)71

Don Borrelli: You break the code of the brotherhood, you break the contract, you take over hundreds of districts and you reduce the Mancini family into grabbing a spare credit from the bins and shit on the streets (Turns his nose up at JIAB and spits in his face.) You shithead! 72

JIAB: You flatter me too much. I’m sick of all you little gangs and their old, decrepit bosses moaning about me being the new boy taking over. You should want to embrace me right? I’m uniting the criminal underworld under my banner! (He laughs a little, the SWAT thugs stand still and watch.) So don’t think its ruthless expansion, it’s just me bringing life into your stupid, set ways… cos’ when this place goes down Borrelli, credits won’t be worth squat. So join me now…73

Don Borrelli: FUCK YOU! (He draws his pistol out and aims at JIAB but the SWAT thugs open fire on both him and his bodyguard and they get riddled with bullets, their bodies twitching between standing up and dropping to the marble floor with blood spewing out, splashing anything near by. We concentrate on watching the life fade away from this fatally wounded man, hearing the delayed clip-clopping sound of footsteps come up to him. A hand, gloved up grabs his collar, covered in blood and his head starting to loll a little bit is dragged upwards, inches away from JIAB.)74

JIAB: Tough luck old man, but I’ll leave you my calling card. (He places a lighter on the chest of Don Borrelli as he pushes him back down again, who groans a little as his life is slowly seeping out of him. The timed lighter detonates and to peoples horror, Don Borrelli, who no longer had the strength to say anything is now a human fireball, his skin melting in the flames, burning up as the fire eats anything in its way. Cries and screams and gasps ring out from people’s mouths as he limps off, execution style killing made, him and his thugs have just walked off with millions of credits and one less gang member to consider a threat.)75

Scene 1776

(Rafa’s shop is just about to close, the lights have been turned off, the displays finished for the next day and the money has just been counted up. He looks down the street and watches some kids, maybe about fifteen years old to twenty years old playing about, knocking an old bust stop with bats and spraying it with their logo and gangster signal. Laughing can be heard down the road, it’s eerily quiet at this time of night. He grunts to himself and shuts the door, locks it, hesitates for a second when he starts to walk away towards the back of his shop which doubles up as his workshop and house and whilst setting the alarm, hears a clanking noise in the back.)77

John: It’s me, don’t worry. (Rafa had gone into the back.)78

Rafa: I haven’t heard from you for a couple of weeks now John. (A sigh of relief comes over him that it was John and not some dubious character.) 79

John: I know. I’m sorry. (He looks red-eyed, scratch marks on his face, dirty, unwashed.) I’ve been exploring.80

Rafa: What exactly? 81

John: I’m not sure. (He looks down at the floor.)82

Rafa: You don’t make any sense to me anymore John.83

John: I’ve been looking around, watching people go about their normal lives, being themselves. I have envy, hate all inside me because I can’t escape what I am.84

Rafa: (Sitting down with John looking at him, his arms folded outstretched on the table.) I know you wanted to stop being Green Lightning because of Jilly… (He stops for a moment and observes John as he said that name. Nothing happens, immune to it now.) But it’s not that easy John.85

John: I know. (He says quietly. He puts his rucksack on his lap and starts digging around inside it looking for something, finally getting out a CD he has, it’s wrapped in soggy newspaper wrappings and he slaps it on the table.) 86

*Vespertilio, Zimmer/Howard*87

Rafa put this on please.88

Rafa: (Reaches for the newspaper wrapping and holds the CD up. Observing it slightly, he gets his shirt that he’s wearing and rubs some smudges off it.) What’s on it?89

John: I don’t know, but I found it outside my door. (Rafa looks at him sort of shocked and puzzled.) 90

Rafa: You think…91

John: I don’t know. (He snaps as Rafa loads it into the machine and on the television screen they have which is thirty inches, they keep looking. Suddenly like a bat out of hell, the black and white recording of JIAB appears out of nowhere. He sits down with his face smothering the camera recording on the CD and starts cackling, taking them both back a little bit.)92

JIAB (Recording.): Hello? You there? (Knocking at the camera screen) I’ve been looking for you. (He stops, gets his knife out and waves it at the camera screen slowly and then imitates a throat-slitting motion.) 93

You’re gonna’ be lying in a pool of your own blood John… Michael… Creed (taking extra delight in saying his full name.) I’m waiting for ya’, cos’ you wanted some so badly, don’t tell me that when I killed your little bitch (he spits the last few words out with venom) you suddenly wanted to walk did ya’? It’s only gonna’ get worse, you know where I’ll be! HA HA HA HA HA! 94

(The CD goes blank. John just sits there and stares at the screen.)95

Rafa: What are you gonna’ do now then?96

John: Looks like I don’t have a choice anymore. 97

Rafa: He knows who you are now, how much longer before he knows who your friends are or where they live? (Rafa asks quietly.)98

John: Putting him away is no longer the option that I can use. He knows who I am which means the only thing I can do is kill him. Putting him away won’t let him forget who I am or where I live…99

Rafa: John. He wants you to find him.100

John: I will.101

(At midnight, on top of the Apple-dear building, Nick Kryzios looks out towards the sea, wishing he was in a world away from all this trouble and death and destruction. He drinks some more red wine, slushing it around in his mouth, dipping his hand into some fish and chips too, which lay on the edge of the building. He looks down and smog is all he can look at.)102

Green Lightning: Why did you call me a terrorist? (He asks in a whisper. Nick Kryzios stops what he’s doing and turns around a little and faces Green Lightning.) 103

Nick Kryzios: You come back? You haven’t been seen for weeks.104

Green Lightning: Borrelli getting flamed got my attention... among other things.105

Nick Kryzios: (Starts drunkenly pointing at Green Lightning.) To me, you’re a violent, aggressive freak of nature who needs to be stopped. I can’t have both of you running about the city, destroying lives and trying to kill each other.106

Green Lightning: I am the night. (Nick Kryzios looks at him baffled by what he just said.) I am the night… I’ll help you, because I need to. You’re the saviour of Metropolis, I’m not, I never will be, I never intended to be… I can’t look after this place forever. I know that. All I’m asking is that you don’t get in my way.107

Nick Kryzios: It’s gone too far now.108

Green Lightning: You’re the face of hope Nick. I will never be untouchable or popular like you and I don’t intend to be. I just can’t figure out why you want me sent down with him.109

Nick Kryzios: You’re stepping on my toes son.110

Green Lightning: No, I’m helping you more than you could ever imagine… (He looks surprised, moves in a little closer.) Get it outta’ your system. (He knocks the glass out of Nick’s hand and it smashes.) I’ve got issues, but you don’t see me flashing them about. (Nick steps back a little bit.)111

Nick Kryzios: Tomorrow… why?112

Green Lightning: Don’t worry about it. (He gets his board out and jumps on it, looking at Nick Kryzios all the time. Nick stares at him, his glass breaking in his hand, a slow cocktail of drink, anger and jealousy is taking over him.)113

Scene 18114

(Green Lightning stands atop the Statue of Liberty, looks around and wonders. This is a city that never stands still, has too much going on but Green Lightning feels that he’s being left behind. He doesn’t know what to do, how to deal with Jack-in-a-box and the camera shows it in his eyes as we take a close look at the burning, luminous eyes of his. Inside them are haunting memories, reminders from the past that stick in his head, affecting his judgement. 115

The camera zooms around the figure of Green Lightning, showing the crumbling, rusting old Statue of Liberty, no longer in it’s former glory. We see lurid memories of him jumping off it and discovering his powers and limits. They zip in and out, seconds of frames and stills from the previous scene they were in, like injection shots into the brain he holds his head. The bright lights look dull to him now. Metropolis is no longer.116

He has realised that Jack-in-a-box has all the power and wealth in this city that anyone could possibly want, he’s created an empire and now wants to destroy everything in his sight.117

Meanwhile, the scene switches to Nick Kryzios, in his police uniform looking at himself in the mirror. He stands there, looking deep into his own reflection, he loosens his tie a little, starts playing with his fingers and then in a fit of rage, his face screws up and then suddenly he bangs the wall to the side of him in almost contempt and self-pity. He can’t stand this green freak taking his job away from him. He feels worthless, he knows he’s becoming an alcoholic, he wants Green Lightning dead, he wants JIAB dead and he wants the city to be his again. He looks down at his knuckles, bruised and reddened. His ego seriously damaged by these two and their war across Metropolis. People baying for his blood, politicians wanting to remove him because he’s ‘incompetent’ and suddenly he gets a knife and cuts himself along his hand, slowly, deeply. 118

Bright red blood seeps from the hand-wide cut he’s made. He looks down on it and then instinctively sucks the blood. Leaning against the wall heavily and sucking in air from his lips, he tries to calm himself down and ends up using the same fist he cut to smash his mirror up. Repeatedly he punches into the shards, the glass spraying all over the bedroom. After a few minutes of watching the shocking and unbelievable fall from grace of Nick Kryzios, in his own personal space, we watch him lick the blood off his hands and clothes, ripping the buttons off his shirt and wiping his left hand onto his bed sheets. He looks up, at the camera, a look of mournful regret with something else deep inside of him. Outside, he peers through the curtains in his apartment and watches the smog emerge again, he hears the pods go by, the day is beginning again and it’s another one which will bring death and destruction to many.)119

Rafa: So… 120

John: So what Rafa? (Looking around briefly as he fits some more missiles onto his board in his garage)121

Rafa: Do you know what you will do after all of this?122

John: Just be me again. I can work in your shop again right? 123

Rafa: (Walks up to him and watches the fitting process.) Maybe. (He smiles widely.)124

John: I’m hoping that Kryzios will help the city get back on its feet again. They need him a lot more than they need me…125

Rafa: (Shrugging) don’t mean to put a dampener on things but…126

John: What? (Looks up and pulls his goggles off his face.)127

Rafa: What if Kryzios doesn’t want to do that after all of this. Then you’ll be stuck as Green Lightning.128

John: The time is coming Rafa, when that choice will hit me in the face and I’ll have to face the responsibilities I’ve been trying to hide away from. (Gets up and starts walking away, leaving Rafa to finish off the job.)129

Scene 19130

(The city, even though it’s mid-evening the sky looks black as midnight. We go down onto street level, spotting a convoy of unmarked grey vans making their way through the myriad of streets and traffic lights. It turns right, then, zooming past a few slower pods, turns into a one way street, turning again about fifty metres down into an alleyway. About ten men get out of the van-pods after they park them up and with AK 47’s they stroll around into a destitute car park, walking towards a huge warehouse which looks like it hasn’t been used for about twenty years. Scaffolding poles and pallets scattered before the main entrance, a rusty double metal door only held up by a few hinges. A bulky looking, tall and muscular man opens the doors with one hand, palming them away. The ten men shuffle in there, with what we find astonishing. 131

The camera looks over the staircase leading from the door and we see chemicals being poured into vats, huge stoves with fire leaping out of them and people with white facemasks on and white protective clothing on walking about making what seems to be packages of small blue and white crystals, then patting them gently to make sure all the air is out of the plastic freezer bags they’re put in, resealed again and then put away into a container which already holds hundreds of the packages.)132

JIAB: You see, production is so far ahead, that when these little performers reach the streets, there is nothing the law can do. (He comes out from the shadows; his face is stained with the powder, dirty and blotted.) Varko: you know where they’re heading?133

Varko: Yes boss. (A huge bulky Siberian, who doesn’t speak very good English and has a heavy Russian accent, his presence is what matters more than anything. He translates what JIAB said to the counterparts who all nod and smile.)134

JIAB: What did they say Varko?135

Varko: Er… when is they going to be ready? (He says painfully in his accented, broken English.)136

JIAB: (Poking Varko with his walking stick.) Tell them they can have three tonnes of the stuff now…137

Varko: (Translating what was said but this time the mood dips a little and Varko looks scornful of what they said.)138

JIAB: (Walking up to one of the foreign counterparts and holding a gun to his neck, putting his face against his.) Well let’s see how much you love money when I burn this damn city down huh? Cos’ money won’t be around by the time I’ve sorted this place out! (Steps back a little and dusts his face off a little.) Don’t be so petty ok? (Foreign drug barons look a little intimidated.)139

Varko: (After translating JIAB’s threats, he gets a hurried reaction which sounds positive after the squirms made just a minute ago.) They say yes…140

JIAB: Alright! HA HA HA! Let’s ship in a revolution people! HA HA HA! (He shouts out to the people making the product who then all look up and cheer for him.) Let’s bust this town! (He swings his tick wildly in the air in jubilation.)141

Rafa: (In the shop with John, who is at the counter waiting for people to come in, boredom starting to settle in.) Ok John, I’ll be back in about an hour. I’m going to drop some stuff off to a few customers… (Holding four packages under his arm)142

John: Yeah sure. Don’t worry about the place, get some fresh air. (He rests his head on the palm of his hand, looking tired and out of this world. Rafa leaves when we hear the door close, slowly we start to zoom in onto John’s face a little more and a little more, gradually reaching into his pupils, when in their glassy reflection we see the door open again. The bell makes the noise informing us that someone has walked in and he gradually shakes himself out of his self-induced daydream to welcome the customer.) 143

Hey, welcome to ‘Rafa’s Electronics’ how can I help… (As he looks up, we see that he is looking directly at the cold face of Jack-in-a-box, along with four thugs, all armed with automatics. His powdered face is nearly giving way to the horrible scab and burn marks that dominate his face, the red lips he has have turned a little brown. His hair is still bleached a little and his face still full of anger. This time though, he looks smug.)144

*Vespertilio, Zimmer/Howard*145

JIAB: I’ve found you… at last. (A sense of achievement in his voice, he is quietly spoken.)146

John: Jack-in-a-box…147

JIAB: That’s my name, don’t ever forget it. (Smiles widely in the corner of his mouth)148

John: I knew that you’d come. (Comes around from the counter and faces him by only a few feet away.)149

JIAB: Our quarrel end tonight Green boy. This is where the revolution starts.150

John: Your insanity has clouded the judgement of what used to be a normal man right inside you. (Almost pleading)151

JIAB: No. I saw how rotten this place was from behind bars. It just took a little transformation. Believe me, I tried to forget this all happened, (runs his hands over his face and through his hair. His thugs encircle them) but it’s kinda’ hard to forgive and forget you know?152

John: You can’t judge humanity on what happened to you Victor.153

JIAB: No, you’re wrong, cos’ my people have become part of everything that’s essential to this corpse of humanity. I have people in the MCPD, I have wardens in my services (a split-screen quickly shows every prison cell in the Incarceration Centre being opened electronically by a few wardens with AK 47s. Prisoners start walking out of their cells, all two and a half million of them.) I’ve destroyed the economy (a screen showing all the stock market goings on, with hundreds of people in the financial centre looking on, phoning their bosses and such, all of a sudden its wiped off the screen, just like a huge rubber had got to it and erased everything off the screen, every single one of them. People start shouting, screaming and gasping in horror.) Everything is worthless John… (His thugs start trashing the place, knocking out the shop windows.)154

You see, this city doesn’t deserve a future, it ruined mine, it ruined millions of people through corruption and idleness and thanks to me, it’s all gonna’ change. (He smiles as the screen shows the parliament in showing and a grenade, attached are ten other small bomblets being rolled into the parliament hall where judges and politicians preside over matters.) That’s all gone now. Anarchy is the way forward now John. 155

John: We all have dreams…156

JIAB: HA HA HA! (Laughing dramatically.) Look where they got you huh? Your sister, dead! (Makes a smoking gun impression.) Your love of your life, she rejected you because of who you are; I mean… she even went out with an alcoholic called Kent, rather than you… I KILLED HER. (He laughs and giggles a little more, John biting his lips a little.) Nick… he’s gone a little on the mad side. It’s all down to you again…157

Does it sadden you John? (He gets a little closer) I wonder; how lonely you must really feel… (Steps back a little.) 158

John: You will pay for the actions you’ve done, not just against me but against everyone in Metropolis. 159

JIAB: The thing is, I really won’t. That truck out there has the nuclear bomb to finish this act off so good day to you John. (Gets a gun out and shoots John in the head with it, blood spatter slapping against the walls and over the counter. The thugs carry on tearing the place down and then they run off, JIAB slowly hobbling towards a large truck-pod, climbing up it, he shoves his stick inside and starts the engine up. 160

As it starts to make its way towards the Statue of Liberty, we see widespread rioting and murdering and looting on an unprecedented scale. Two men ganging up on a woman, another man is stabbing another to death, prisoners running into the streets, some attacking civilians as soon as they see them, others are smashing shop windows and stealing as much as they can. We see a glimpse of Nic Kryzios looking out of his apartment balcony holding a shotgun as flames dominate the night skyline, his eyes watery. His face is stone cold. 161

We focus on John, his body transforming into Green Lightning, a darker shade of green this time, his eyes awaken, his face full of determination.)162

*Like dogs chasing cars 00:00-03:37, Zimmer/Howard*163

JIAB: HA HA… HA HA HA! (His jackal laugh screaming at the top of his voice as he drives the truck-pod like a maniac, an alcoholic, hardly keeping it in one lane, it swerves, smashing other cars out of the way, sending them spinning out of control into the long line of MCPD cop cars chasing him and calling for non-existent backup. The world is going to be lost.) I love this job! HA HA HA! (Gasping for air because he’s laughing so much, he lets go of the wheel, waves out of the window at the police cars and leans out, feeling the air brush against him at high speed.)164

Oh god, I wish this was a full time occupation… (He says as he carries on leaning out of the window.) Get off the road old boy! (He smashes a car-pod out of the way, which unfortunately had an old man driving it at a relatively slower speed.) Jeez, I need to teach a few people how to drive a bit better! HA! (He slaps the steering wheel as his head rolls back laughing at his own crass and nasty jokes to himself.)165

Car cop#1: We need back up immediately! Any available units! (He shouts down to his radio while the truck-pod swerves dangerously ahead of him.)166

Radio: There ARE no available units. They’re all trying to stop the mass breakout. Over.167

Car cop#1: Jesus! (He slams the radio back into its hold, as he does so he notices a huge shadow above in the sky. 168

*And I thought my jokes were bad, Zimmer/Howard*169

He looks up out of his window quickly along with a few other cops and to his utter amazement he see’s a huge hover board darting towards the truck-pod, with what looks like carved out metal falcon wings, talons on each side of the board, making it look like a huge bird of prey from above. Standing tall on top of it is the new, darker, Green Lightning, who looks down at the large trail of destruction and then the ten cop cars following the erratic truck-pod and then he darts off again.)170

Ok actually, don’t bother with back-up, we’ve found some. (He says really deadpan.)171

JIAB: (Looking at the mirror and seeing Green Lightning jump onto the truck-pod.) Ah, looks like I’ve got company. Why does he always… (Swerves the truck pod, making Green Lightning stumble over and grip onto the canvas of the truck-pod) have… (Swerves again) to disrupt my plans hmm? (Swerves the truck-pod once again, though he can’t see Green Lightning in the mirror)172

Green Lightning: Hi. (He smashes the window door open and dives inside the drivers cab, elbowing JIAB in the face and gaining control of the steering wheel.)173

JIAB: Back off! No truck-jacking today you freak! (He smacks Green Lightning who then stumbles into the passenger seat.) That’s right, you get a front-row seat of what I’m gonna’ do with the fireworks yeah? (He carries on punching Green Lightning, who is defenceless and still weak from the gunshot earlier. Blood trickling from his mouth as the fist rains down on him, the truck-pod swerves even more, smashing up parked car-pods and going past some truly horrendous rioting.) 174

Since… you decided that you want to stop me AGAIN might I add (He says wistfully, whilst Green Lightning is slumped in the passenger seat having his life strangled out of him with the metal cane that JIAB carries along with him, who has forgotten about steering the huge vehicle he was in control of. Instead he is atop of Green Lightning killing him.) Then I’ll detonate the bomb right…now… (As he is about to, Green Lightning burns through the stick, grabs JIAB’s hand with his, burning him viscously with radiation and the shock sends JIAB flying into the drivers seat, the detonation stick somewhere in the drivers cabin.) JESUS SWEET MOTHER! ARGHH! (He cradles his hand as he tries to regain control of the steering wheel. 175

He looks around and see’s that Green Lightning has vanished. Smiling widely to himself, thinking that he fell out of the truck-pod, he rushes his hand everywhere trying to find the detonation stick and does so eventually. At the same time, unknown to him, as they were crossing over a bridge, Green Lightning tore back the canvas off as he stumbled out of the seat, saving him he gripped onto the side and the sheer force of the speed and him hanging on ripped it apart as the bomb fell out of its holding bay, onto the canvas and then gently plopped into the sea, its use voided by the water.176

Unbeknownst of what has happened, he looks up as he presses the red button on the detonation stick but nothing happens. His facial expression of confidence and victory turns into shock and soon a bitter sour expression comes across his disfigured face.) 177

What the hell… (He looks out of the window and to his utter contempt and anger finds out what has happened.)178

NO! NO, NO, NO! NO! NO! NO! (He scratches at his face in pain and disbelief, he shoots the windscreen in retaliation as the glass flies about.) WHY?? 179

(As he starts to think about what to do next, he notices that Green Lightning is now standing in front of the truck-pod about eight hundred metres away. He smiles, knowing it’s their last battle now. It’s too late for Green Lightning to rescue the rioting, ripping itself apart world he’s a part of. Now it’s just them two.)180

Ah, look who it is… (He puts his burnt and crisp looking hand to one side, concentrating on driving one-handed. Green Lightning doesn’t move, in fact we see him get his large flick baton out and watch it unfold.) 181

Oh you wanna’ piece of me do ya? Well I’ve give you some! I’ll give you some! HA! (He starts muttering to himself manically, concentrating on his target that is getting a little nearer.)182

WELL COME ON! I’m coming for ya’! I’m gonna’ give you what you’ve wanted! (He says passionately.)183

Green Lightning: This’ll be for my sister, for Jilly, for anyone else you’ve hurt and destroyed… (He says quietly as the loud, distant rumbling of the truck-pod gets a little nearer each second.)184

JIAB: He won’t know what’s hit him! HA! (The truck-pod starts getting faster now, we look at the dial and it’s past its safety limit. The hurtling truck-pod is going straight for Green Lightning.)185

I’M GONNA’ SWOT YOU OFF MY WIPERS LIKE A FLY! (He starts banging the steering wheel with jubilation and a lunatic sense of self-belief that exists within him.186

Meanwhile, Green Lightning gets on his hover board, with its new wings folded back in. He reverses back about a hundred metres and then looking straight at the truck-pod which is now getting closer than ever, he starts the hover boards run up. His baton in both hands, extended fully.)187

JIAB: I’M GONNA’ MAKE YOU ROADKILL! COME ON! (He screams at the top of his voice as finally both of them are only a hundred metres or so apart. He’s going so fast that when Green Lightning dodges to the left slightly, he shoves his metal baton into the axel of the front wheel and a violent jolt occurs where the other three wheels are carrying on but the front left one is skidding and not moving.)188

Ah. (The moment of realisation, as the truck-pod skids on its side, then flips over and carries on skidding into a department store, smashing straight through it and a huge amber fire breaking out as soon as the truck-pod stops moving. For a few minutes, the film would then focus on the trail of destruction left by the truck-pod, the cop cars stopping and them getting out of their car-pods looking on in amazement at what they saw.189

We watch, smoke billowing from the rubble and the destroyed department store, still with half a truck-pod visible amongst the debris. Green Lightning, his powers fading, we see his green muscular body, with only his neck and head human, the rest radioactive. A huge cut on his forehead is bleeding heavily, his lower lip is pulp and blood trickling out of his mouth, bruises and grazes cover his face and forehead. He searches through the rubble, desperately looking to see if there were any survivors in the department store. Tossing large pieces of rock away but then having to gather himself as his injuries are slowing him down. The emergency services are on hand and doing the same, pulling people out of the rubble.) 190

*The Finale part 1, Elfman*191

(Some of the civilians are amazed that Green Lightning is actually a human, voices can be heard saying things such as ‘that’s him mummy’ or ‘my god, he’s just like us’ or ‘get him some help he’s injured.’ But no one does, the people are too afraid to do anything, they don’t know what to do, but one thing is for certain, the MCPD won’t arrest him. The cops who were chasing JIAB stand from afar, not going near him.192

Jack-in-a-box, his arm shattered and burnt, blood trickling from his mouth, his face half burnt off, more than previously, his hair straggled and tinged, flopping over his face, his cane gone, struggling to get out of the drivers cabin, stands up and staggers towards a unknowing Green Lightning.193

As he gets to within a few metres of Green Lightning, he turns around and finds Jack-in-a-box standing before him, dangling like his life, almost on a piece of string)194

JIAB: Me… you, you… can’t exist (Coughing blood up) without me... (Blood pouring out from his abdomen area, his clothes ripped and burnt, he stands there, looking at Green Lightning who stares straight back at him, defenceless. JIAB rips out his knife and to his dying horror; he finds the blade snapped off. He holds it in front of Green Lightning.)195

Bollocks. (Then he collapses onto the floor, dead. Green Lightning looking at the dead body of his nemesis. No tears in his eyes, no reaction, no remorse. The scene closes.)196

Scene 20197

(At Jilly’s grave, in Central Union Park, near the Statue of Liberty, John, in a sweater, with blue jeans on, along with Rafa walks towards the cemetery made, dedicated to the victims of Jack-in-a-box and his year of terror. Thousands of gravestones line up in rows upon endless rows. John finds Jilly’s grave, pointing it out towards Rafa, who opts to stay behind, reading some of the other gravestones and who the victims were. It’s raining, but they don’t bother with an umbrella, it’s just a passing moment of a trip they are making, a small detour on their way to the prospective building site. 198

They’ve been scouting where to build their new business together, with John an investor into the new electronics shop. The city however, still hasn’t recovered, with millions of escaped convicts still out there, the economy still renders everything worthless and the MCPD still corrupt and the government totally destroyed. With no government, Nick Kryzios has been put in temporary governorship of the city, until elections can be held. No politicians or judge survived the bomb attack that happened. The police therefore, can shoot anyone they like they suspect of being a criminal since there is no justice system at the moment. 199

John puts a small red rose next to her grave but then senses something wrong. He looks to his left hand side and finds that the turf has just recently been dug up. He looks about, sensing something, he looks at the willows that grow, thrashing about in the small wind and for a minute, as if he was bordering on stupidity, wonders if Jilly is out there.)200

Rafa: You ok? (He shouts over as he notices John’s weird behaviour.)201

John: Um, yeah fine. (He looks at the signs of exhumation at Jilly’s grave and dismisses it.) Her parents are probably putting flowers in here or something… (He shouts back to Rafa, who falls for his pretend assumption.202

They walk away, out of Central Union Park and he looks back, magnetised by her grave.)203

Nah… (He dismisses his thoughts one more time and walks off, watching him though we see the back of a ginger-blonde young woman, we see her hand rubbing her abdomen a little, but that’s all we see, as the film closes.)204

THE END.205