Mort Flintwich and the Outworlder War – Episode 3 – Don’t Stare Too Long

Below we present the complete text of Don’t Stare Too Long; episode 3  of Mort Flintwich and the Outworlder War.

Mort Flintwich and the Outworlder War

EPISODE #3 – Don’t Stare Too Long

by Philip Craig Robotham

Cover illustration by Philip Craig Robotham

Copyright 2022 Philip Craig Robotham

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Episode 3: Don’t Stare Too Long

Mort Flintwich considers himself a charlatan… but he can see ghosts – real ghosts. Claudette Moreland is a kid with a supernatural gift. And a gangster named Caesar Cordova wants to use her to win a gang war. Star City is getting stranger.

Don’t Stare Too Long

CAST LIST

MORT FLINTWICH

JAKE SPENCER

CAESAR CORDOVA

MADAM SOFIA MALEFICENT

LILLY MORELAND

CLAUDETTE MORELAND

WU CHENG

OUTWORLDER SPOKESBEING

BRUNO

JULIO

SANCHO

LITTLE GIRL IN TRAFFIC

JIMMY

STAN

CHARITY COLLECTOR

DOCTOR

RECEPTIONIST

WAITRESS

CUSTOMER #1

CUSTOMER #2

WOMAN (KNOCKED OVER BY LILLY AND SANCHO)

MRS HARGREAVES

POLICEMAN #1 (WHO DIES)

POLICEMAN #2 (AT WAREHOUSE)

POLICEMAN #3 (AT WAREHOUSE)

SCRUG

SCRAT

OUTWORLDER (RIVAL TO THE SPOKESBEING)

OUTWORLDER MINION (KILLED WITH SWORD ON STREET CORNER)

OUTWORLDER MINION (ATTACKING LILLY)

OUTWORLDERS

GANGSTER SPOKESMAN

GANGSTERS

OUTWORLDER LEADER

SFX ARTISTS

SCENE 15: INT – BACK ALLEY – TWILIGHT
(MORT, JAKE, JULIO)

1. MUSIC: OPENING THEME
2. NARRATOR: Mort Flintwich and the Outworlder War, Episode 3: Don’t Stare too Long.
   It’s 1934 and Star City, a depression-era town gripped by unemployment and crime, is gripped by the rumblings of a hidden but desperate war for the future of the human race.
   Previously:
   Lilly Moreland and her powerfully magical daughter, Claudette are being hunted by the crime-boss, Caesar Cordova. He wants to use Claudette to summon monsters from another dimension as allies in the gang war he is currently losing.
   The two women seek the aid of Mort Flintwich, a medium-for-hire who only pretends to be a charlatan, but he turns them away because of a prior agreement not to interfere in the business of the Cordova gang. Furious, Lilly arranges for Cordova to receive an anonymous tip that Mort has violated his agreement.
   Cordova sends his thugs after Mort, kidnapping a friend of his for leverage, and blowing up his office. Mort then makes a deal with a ghost to find where Lilly and Claudette are in exchange for a magically binding favour.
   As Mort sets out to find the women he discovers that the favour requires him to attempt to close the dimensional gate Cordova plans to open (by killing Claudette if necessary).
3. SOUND: (WALLA) STREETLAMP HUM – CAT – NIGHT AMBIANCE – ESTABLISH, FADE UNDER AND OUT.
4. JAKE: Mort? Come on, Mort? You can’t do this!
5. MORT: For Pete’s sake, Jake. Since when have you believed I could kill children?
6. JAKE: Oh, I don’t know. Since you made a binding magical deal with a psycho spirit in a sewer, maybe?
7. MORT: And, maybe, you should pay more attention. She didn’t override my conscience, remember?
8. JAKE: You mean you don’t have to kill the little girl?
9. MORT: For a manifestation of my own neuroses, sometimes it’s like you don’t know me at all.
10. JAKE: Oh, shut up. And why are we creeping around this back alley? Your women are at least two alleys over.
11. MORT: Cordova’s boys are looking for Lilly and Claudette. And we don’t want ’em to be found, right? But they’re hiding out in an alley full of trash because the whole area’s crawling with gangsters.
12. JAKE: Yeah, and why is that? They shouldn’t have any more of an idea where the women are than we did.
13. MORT: My guess is Cordova’s put some sort of general magical trace on the kid.
14. JAKE: Well, when you put it like that…
15. MORT: At least we’ve got one advantage, here. This is where I grew up. The kids at the orphanage used to play all through these alleys and buildings.
16. JAKE: Weird that Lilly would pick this area to hide in then.
17. MORT: Weird, but useful. But what we need right now is a distraction. Something to lead Cordova’s thugs away from here.
18. JAKE: And how do you propose to accomplish that?
19. MORT: Like this. (CALLING OUT) Hey, peanut-brain. You, tryin’ to grab Lilly Moreland? You ain’t got a chance.
20. JAKE: Aw, hell!
21. JULIO: Oh, that ain’t you down there is it, Flintwich? When I get my hands on you you’re gonna wish you was deader ‘n dog meat. C’mon boys.
22. THUGS: (AD LIB) Let’s get him. Kill that mug. We’re gonna make you hurt so bad. Etc.
23. SOUND: RUNNING FEET – UNDER TIL NEXT SOUND.
24. MUSIC: TIME PASSING TRANSITION – LET IT FINISH
25. JAKE: You weren’t kidding about knowing your way around these streets, were you?
26. MORT: Nope. And it’s gonna take those goons an age to find their way back to where Lilly and Claudette were hiding. Now all we’ve got to do is pick ’em up first and get ’em to that safe house o’ mine.
27. JAKE: Assuming they’re even still there.
28. MORT: They’re still there. See.
29. CLAUDETTE: Mom, your nose is bleeding again.
30. LILLY: (COUGHING) What? Don’t worry about it. C’mon. It’s dark enough to try and get out of here.
31. CLAUDETTE: But mom… You sound sick.
32. LILLY: I said don’t worry about it. It’s the stink of all this garbage.
33. CLAUDETTE: (UNOCONVINCED) Okay, but where are we gonna go? I’m cold… and hungry.
34. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH – LET IT FINISH
35. MORT: I’m gonna suggest my place.
36. LILLY: Don’t come any closer.
37. SOUND: HAND GUN COCKS – LET IT FINISH
38. LILLY: (SURPRISED) Mort? What the hell are you doing here? Planning to turn us over to your friend, Cordova? A little gift to shore up that cosy little agreement you have?
39. MORT: Cordova got it into his head that I was helping you. He blew up my office. I don’t think that agreement’s worth anything anymore.
40. CLAUDETTE: Mom, put the gun away.
41. LILLY: (COUGHING) Quiet, Claudette. Why should I believe you?
42. MORT: How about because I could have brought a dozen goons with me, but instead I led ’em away and came back to get you alone?
43. CLAUDETTE: Mom, he’s here to help.
44. LILLY: No, he’s not. He had the chance to help this morning. He turned us down. What’s in this for you, Mort?
45. MORT: We don’t have time for this, Lilly. We’ve got to get out of here. Now.
46. LILLY: I’m not going anywhere with you and I’m quite prepared to put a bullet in you to prove it.
47. CLAUDETTE: Mom, he can help us. I’ve seen it.
48. MORT: Please, Lilly, I’m sorry about this morning. I should’ve helped you. But I didn’t know if you were on the level. And now, we’re all in the same boat. You can trust me. You know me.
49. SOUND: GUN UNCOCKS – LET IT FINISH.
50. LILLY: People change, but alright. I’m only agreeing because Claudette thinks I should. And if you betray us, I’ll make it my mission in life to kill you.
51. MORT: Fair enough. (TO CLAUDETTE) I’m grateful to you, kid. But we need to head over two blocks and through an old warehouse.
52. LILLY: (SUSPICIOUS) A warehouse? Why?
53. MORT: I think Cordova’s been trying to track Claudette magically. The warehouse is iron. By going through it, any enchantments will be broken. We’ll head to the safe house from there.
54. LILLY: Oh, you are NOT talking that magic mumbo-jumbo again?
55. CLAUDETTE: He’s magic too, mom. I can see it.
56. LILLY: Looks like everyone’s magic but me.
57. CLAUDETTE: I keep telling you, mom. You’ve got magic too.
58. LILLY: I’ve had enough of this rubbish. You know things sometimes, don’t ask me how, but it ain’t magic.
59. CLAUDETTE: But-
60. LILLY: I once saw a guy at a carnival cold read an entire crowd, so stop with the arguments.
61. CLAUDETTE: Mom, it’s true. We’ve-
62. LILLY: Stop it! I’m not looking for membership in your make-believe club. I want to get us through the day alive. (STARTS COUGHING BADLY).
63. MORT: Are you okay?
64. CLAUDETTE: She’s sick.
65. LILLY: It’s nothing. A bit of a cough. Let’s go.
66. MORT: Alright.
67. JAKE: I’ll meet you on the other side of the warehouse. You know I can’t go through there.
68. MORT: (STAGE WHISPER) Still trying to pretend you’re real, huh?
69. LILLY: What’s that?
70. MORT: Nothing. We need to go this way.
71. OUTWORLDER: (HISSING) Oh, and what is this? There is weakness here. Easy prey?
72. CLAUDETTE: Mom? Something’s here.
73. MORT: Oh, hell!
74. OUTWORLDER: The little one hears me. Will it be sad if I eat its mother?
75. CLAUDETTE: Mom, there’s something near us.
76. LILLY: Claudette, we don’t have time for this.
77. CLAUDETTE: I can’t see it, but I can hear-
78. MORT: It’s okay, Claudette, I can see it. You and Lilly get behind me.
79. OUTWORLDER: He sees me! The medium who lost his gifts sees? (REALISATION) Deceiver!
80. MORT: Damn it!
81. LILLY: What is this, I can’t see-?
82. OUTWORLDER: Perhaps I should show myself. Here, woman. See and despair. Your life-force is weak. You are no longer safe from attack.
83. CLAUDETTE: There it is. It’s made itself visible.
84. LILLY: What the hell is that thing? It’s all teeth and arms.
85. MORT: It’s an outworlder. A predator that likes to pretend it’s a ghost. They’re not usually dangerous.
86. OUTWORLDER: Except to those who know our secrets… and those who are weak and nearing-
87. LILLY: Get away from me.
88. MORT: You must be sicker than you know, Lilly. It wouldn’t see you as prey otherwise.
89. CLAUDETTE: Can’t we keep it back?
90. MORT: Just one alone? I think so. Hold Lilly’s hand.
91. OUTWORLDER: Hmpf! Sharing life force is a cheap trick. But you’ve stopped me… for now. Things are changing mortals. I can feel it. My people are coming soon.
92. MORT: Stop whining. I’m tired of the sound of you.
93. OUTWORLDER: (TO LILLY) Goodbye for now, woman. There are other places to hunt, but I’ll be back. (TO MORT) And as for you, Mort Flintwich… word will spread. You wont be ignored any more.
94. SOUND: WHOOSH OF OUTWORLDER’S DEPARTURE – LET IT FINISH
95. LILLY: What the hell?
96. MORT: Damnit! I’ve been trying to keep off their radar forever… (BEAT) Come on. We’re going, before anything else can happen.
97. LILLY: But-
98. MORT: You can tell me about how you don’t believe in any of this stuff later. Right now, let’s move!
99. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS DEPART – LET IT FINISH.
100. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 16: INT – SAFE HOUSE – NIGHT TIME
(MORT, LILLY, CLAUDETTE, JAKE)

101. SOUND: DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
102. MORT: Okay, this is the place. Home sweet home. At least, for the next few days. Pardon the dust. I gave the maid the last couple o’ years off. Let me hang up my coat and I’ll show you around… there we go!
103. SOUND: A SHEET OF PAPER LANDS ON THE FLOOR – LET IT FINISH.
104. JAKE: Mort, I think you dropped-
105. LILLY: Hmpf. I wouldn’t have picked you for a place like this.
106. JAKE: What do you mean?
107. LILLY: It’s homey, aside from the dust. Comfortable chairs. Warm colors. A functional kitchen. Almost has a woman’s touch about it. Doesn’t seem like you at all.
108. MORT: It came furnished. None of this is my doing.
109. LILLY: Expensive too. How’d you manage it?
110. MORT: I had some savings from… well, a time when I wasn’t quite as honest as I am now.
111. LILLY: Well, don’t worry about us settling in. (COUGHING) We won’t be staying long. We’ll be leaving in the morning.
112. MORT: Where will you go?
113. LILLY: I want to get Claudette out of the city. Then I want to fix Cordova’s wagon. I was thinking of trying the docks. There’s always someone down there who’ll ferry you if the pay’s right.
114. MORT: You got any cash?
115. LILLY: It doesn’t always take cash. Why? You looking to get paid for helping us?
116. MORT: Easy Lil. I’m not your enemy and I don’t take advantage of damsels in distress.
117. LILLY: Hmpf!
118. MORT: I think Cordova will have canvassed the docks with your pictures by now. There’s no telling who’ll be waiting for you.
119. LILLY: Yeah, well. We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it. Meanwhile, I’m keeping this gun loaded and one eye on you, buster-
120. MORT: Sheesh! Claudette, let me show you your room, okay? Your mom and I have to talk.
121. CLAUDETTE: Please don’t fight.
122. MORT: What makes you think we’re going to do that?
123. LILLY: Me. She knows me too well (COUGHING).
124. MORT: Well, I’m hoping it won’t come to that. Come on, I’ve got some great books in there you can read.
125. CLAUDETTE: (EXCITED) Like what?
126. MORT: I’ve got Winnie the Pooh, The Wizard of Oz, Doctor Dolittle, Treasure Island, The adventures of Sinbad the Sailor, Peter Pan. Take your pick.
127. CLAUDETTE: Any of them?
128. MORT: Sure thing. I take it you like books?
129. CLAUDETTE: I love books!
130. MORT: Well they’re all on the shelf. In you go.
131. SOUND: DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
132. CLAUDETTE: Thank you!
133. MORT: Whoah! Okay. (LAUGHING) She’s a hugger.
134. CLAUDETTE: Goodnight, mom.
135. LILLY: Goodnight, honey.
136. SOUND: DOOR CLOSES – LET IT FINISH
137. LILLY: (BEAT) I want you to stay away from her.
138. MORT: What?
139. LILLY: She likes you, so stay away.
140. MORT: Hang on, I don’t-
141. LILLY: I mean it, Mort. I know you mean well, but she makes attachments fast, and she gets heart-broken easy. (BEAT) I wouldn’t have picked you for having kids’ books around.
142. MORT: They came with the place. I never thought I’d have a use for ’em. Can I get you a-
143. JAKE: (INTERRUPTING) Uh, Mort. This doesn’t look good.
144. MORT: What?
145. SOUND: GUN COCKS – LET IT FINISH
146. MORT: Oh!
147. LILLY: I think you better keep your hands where I can see ’em, Mort.
148. MORT: What’s with the cannon? I thought we were starting to get along.
149. LILLY: You dropped this when you let us in. It’s a letter from Caesar-
150. SOUND: DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH
151. CLAUDETTE: Mom? I forgot to-
152. LILLY: Go back into your room, honey.
153. CLAUDETTE: But Mom?
154. LILLY: Now, Claudette.
155. CLAUDETTE: (ANGRY) You’re messing everything up!
156. LILLY: Claudette! Do as I say.
157. CLAUDETTE: (PEEVISH) Ugh!
158. SOUND: DOOR SLAMS – LET IT FINISH.
159. MORT: Now don’t go jumping to conclusions, Lil.
160. LILLY: Don’t “Lil'” me. To think I almost started to trust you. You’ve been intending to hand us over all along. Are his men on their way here already, or were you gonna wait until we were asleep?
161. MORT: You got it all wrong, Lil. I could have turned you over to Cordova twice already.
162. LILLY: Don’t lie to me!
163. JAKE: Come on, Mort. You’ve got to convince her.
164. MORT: Think it through. Drawing off Cordova’s men? Breaking the magical trace? These aren’t the actions of someone who’s going to double-cross you.
165. LILLY: Sure they are. You’d do anything for Jesse, and, according to this note, Cordova’s got her. Maybe you’re delaying while you negotiate a better price.
166. MORT: You already know what happens to guys who try to negotiate with Cordova, Lil. They end up mailed home in pieces. I’m not that stupid. You know it.
167. LILLY: So explain it to me.
168. MORT: Alright. (BEAT) Cordova wants to find you. He wants to find you bad. And he did offer me a deal. That letter was left at my apartment. But I turned him down, Lil, I swear it. I turned him down and I’m trying to buy some time to figure this out.
169. LILLY: You know I love Jesse too, but if it came down to a choice between her and Claudette-
170. MORT: He blew up my office, for crying out loud. That’s how bad he wants you. And I brought you here because I’m in his crosshairs now too. I need answers, Lil. And you’ve got ’em.
171. LILLY: No. We’re leaving.
172. JAKE: Damnit!
173. MORT: Lil, c’mon? Where are you gonna go?
174. LILLY: Somewhere else. It’s not safe here. I can’t trust you. And I won’t risk my daughter. Cordova’s gonna pay for doing this to us.
175. MORT: Okay. Okay. I can’t stop you, but point that thing somewhere else for a bit, will you?
176. LILLY: If you give me a reason to, I’ll shoot you where you stand. (BEAT) Claudette? Claudette, come out here now, sweetie. We’ve got to go.
177. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS TO DOOR – LET IT FINISH.
178. SOUND: DOOR OPENING – LET IT FINISH.
179. LILLY: Claudette? (BEAT THEN CALLING FROM OTHER ROOM) Oh no. The window’s open. She’s gone.
180. MORT: I swear this had nothing to do with me.
181. LILLY: (APPROACHING) Damnit. She’s run off. (STARTS COUGHING CONVULSIVELY)
182. MORT: Lilly, are you okay?
183. LILLY: (COUGHING) I’m… I’m-
184. SOUND: BODY DROP – LET IT FINISH
185. JAKE: She collapsed.
186. MORT: Aw hell. This is all I need. Lilly? Lilly, wake up! Lilly!
187. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH

SCENE 17: INT – SOFIA’S PLACE – NIGHT
(SOFIA, CLAUDETTE, JULIO)

188. SOUND: MATCH BEING LIT – LET IT FINISH.
189. SOFIA: There. Some candle light makes the place less dark. What do you think, cat?
190. SOUND: CAT MEOWS – LET IT FINISH.
191. SOFIA: I know. It leaves a lot to be desired. Half the ceiling’s missing. It smells of rot and mould. And it’s cold as an ice box. But it’s easy for Mr. Cordova to find us here and he’ll want to see me tonight, so we need to be ready. (BEAT) First I need to take another look at the ritual.
192. SOUND: PAGE TURNS – LET IT FINISH
193. SOUND: CANDLESTICK BEING KNOCKED OVER – LET IT FINISH
194. SOFIA: (ALARMED) Who’s there?
195. CLAUDETTE: (ON THE EDGE OF TEARS) It’s me, Granny. Sorry for knocking things over. I couldn’t find the door so I climbed in the window.
196. SOFIA: Claudette? How did you get here?
197. CLAUDETTE: I’m good at finding people. I think it must be one of my abilities. I think about someone and I know where they are… at least I do if they aren’t on the other side of running water. For some reason I can’t find people if there’s running water in the way.
198. SOFIA: Yes, but…
199. CLAUDETTE: Oh. Yeah, I can’t find magical people either. I found your cat, though.
200. SOFIA: Ah, I see. (TO THE CAT) Why is it that it’s always the ones you care about that betray you? Hmmm? (BEAT) (TO CLAUDETTE) Your timing couldn’t be worse, child. I’m expecting some dangerous visitors any minute.
201. CLAUDETTE: (BREAKING INTO TEARS) Please don’t send me away. Mom’s gotten into a big fight with Mort. She’s messing everything up and wants to take me out of the city tomorrow.
202. SOFIA: Oh, child. Don’t cry. You got her to ask for Mort’s help then?
203. CLAUDETTE: (THROUGH TEARS) Yes, but Mort said “no”. And then Mom told Mr. Cordova’s men that he knew where to find us. And Mr. Cordova blew up Mort’s office. And then Mort did find us. But mom doesn’t trust him. And they were having a big argument because Mr. Cordova kidnapped a friend of his and gave him until tomorrow midnight to hand us over. But Mom won’t believe him when he says he won’t do it. And Mort is nice. But mom’s afraid. And I don’t know what to do. And… And…
204. SOFIA: Easy child. Everything is going to plan. They’ve already made friends again and are worried about where you’ve gone.
205. CLAUDETTE: How do you know?
206. SOFIA: I don’t know much at all, really. I can’t see magically active people well.
207. CLAUDETTE: You’re lying?
208. SOFIA: I’m guessing. But it’s a reasonable guess that whatever they have been fighting about will be forgotten once they realise you’ve run away.
209. CLAUDETTE: You know Mort and Mom are magical, too?
210. SOFIA: Mmmm. But your mother’s gift is something subtle. Something she doesn’t even realize she does. (BEAT) Mr. Cordova’s men are coming here and you can’t be seen when they arrive. (BEAT) I’m sorry, but I have to send you away. Right now.
211. SOUND: KNOCKING ON DOOR – LET IT FINISH
212. JULIO: You there, witch?
213. SOFIA: (STAGE WHISPER) You have to trust me, Claudette. I can’t let them find you yet. Not all the pieces are in place.
     Get in the cupboard. After you hear me leave, wait a few minutes, then go out the window.
214. CLAUDETTE: (FIERCELY) You have to help us. Promise me you’re on our side.
215. SOFIA: Haven’t I helped you so far? Aren’t I helping you now? You haven’t been caught yet, have you? Now hide in the cupboard! And don’t hug me, girl. You don’t know anything about me.
216. SOUND: LOUD BANGING ON DOOR – LET IT FINISH
217. JULIO: Witch! Are you in there? (BEAT) C’mon, we’re running late, already.
218. SOFIA: (YELLING) Keep your hair on. I’m coming. (TO CLAUDETTE) Now go!
219. SOUND: CUPBOARD OPENS AND CLOSES – LET IT FINISH.
220. SOFIA: (YELLING) It isn’t easy for someone my age to get up and get to the door. You ought to have a little more respect.
221. SOUND: DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
222. JULIO: Yeah, well. The boss wants to see you. And, like I said, I’m already running late. We don’t have much time.
223. SOUND: SOMETHING CRASHES INSIDE – LET IT FINISH
224. JULIO: What’s that?
225. SOFIA: Your boss’s cat. He gave her to me to look after. She’s a bit curious.
226. JULIO: Maybe we should check.
227. SOUND: MEOW – LET IT FINISH.
228. SOFIA: Here she comes. (BEAT) Here, into my pocket little one. What did you knock over this time?
229. JULIO: This place is a ruin – even for a squatter’s residence. You’re lucky it’s stood up this long. But we haven’t got time for anything else.
230. SOFIA: Well, I’m ready. Let’s go!
231. SOUND: DOOR CLOSES – LET IT FINISH.
232. SOUND: (BEAT) THEN CUPBOARD OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
233. CLAUDETTE: They’re gone. I need to… what’s this?
234. SOUND: MAGICAL HUM – LET IT FINISH.
235. CLAUDETTE: It’s a book. It feels… I’m taking it with me.
236. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 18: INT – CAESAR’S HQ – NIGHT
(CAESAR, GANGSTERS, OUTWORLDER-SPOKESBEING)

237. SOUND: LOTS OF BUSTLE AND SETUP – ESTABLISH AND UNDER
238. CAESAR: The foyer’s the only space large enough for this, so put those candles over there. And spread them out along the edges of the circle.
239. BRUNO: Why are we doing this, boss? It makes no sense.
240. CAESAR: I’m going to put an end to this war. (TO OTHERS) Make sure you don’t smudge the lines. Your lives may depend on it.
241. BRUNO: But Boss-
242. CAESAR: Trust me. As soon as the old witch gets here we’ll have everything we need.
243. BRUNO: But she said you needed the girl for this to work.
244. CAESAR: I know what she said. But we’re out of time.
245. SOUND: RUNNING FEET APPROACHING – LET IT FINISH.
246. JOEY: Boss? Boss!
247. CAESAR: Over here.
248. JOEY: There you are, Boss. The gambling houses just fell. Boscone and Tremere have everything. The last of our gang’s on the run.
249. CAESAR: (TO JULIO) I told you. We’ve run out of time.
250. BRUNO: But the witch ain’t here, boss.
251. CAESAR: We’re out of time. Boscone’s on his way. He’s won. I’ve got nothing left but my family and these last few men who stayed loyal.
252. BRUNO: So, what now?
253. CAESAR: I am not going to lose anyone else. Put those mirrors in place, facing each other behind the circle, then clear everyone out.
254. BRUNO: But Boss, this is dangerous. Remember what happened last time. It’s not like you to make these choices; trying to kidnap a kid, playing with dark forces.
255. CAESAR: Are you questioning my orders, Bruno?
256. BRUNO: You’re breaking your own rules and I’m worried about you, boss. We should run for it. There are other towns. Other cities. We could…
257. CAESAR: We wouldn’t make it outside the city limits. And when it comes to saving my family, the rules don’t apply. Besides, if this doesn’t work we’ll all be dead soon enough anyway.
258. BRUNO: Okay, Boss. But I’m staying.
259. CAESAR: Bruno…
260. BRUNO: Nu-uh. You’ll have to shoot me.
261. CAESAR: Alright, it’s fitting that my right-hand man be by my side. Stay.
262. BRUNO: You heard the Boss. Put those last items in place and vamoose. If we’re still alive tomorrow, you’ll all have jobs to come back to. If not, good luck.
263. SOUND: FEET EXITING – DOORS BEING CLOSED – LET IT FINISH.
264. BRUNO: Okay, Boss. It’s you and me. What now?
265. CAESAR: There’s an army of things on the other side of those mirrors. They used to be part of this world (though I don’t think they were natural to it, even then). They got banished in ancient times.
266. BRUNO: For real? Monsters?
267. CAESAR: If we bring them back and can keep them under our control, we’ll have all the help we need to put down Boscone, Tremere, and anyone else that tries to stand in our way.
268. BRUNO: So how’s it work?
269. CAESAR: It’s pretty simple. Don’t step inside the circle while I read this out… Varshna, Vishnaya, Varisvaya. Nintook palambiel marathusiel dy-et. Murusamiel, Darvidaya, Marishna!
270. SOUND: REVERBERATING MAGICAL BAMF! – LIKE AN EMP GOING OFF. POWER UP AND HUM UNDER.
271. BRUNO: Aargh! Boss! Boss, your nose. You’re bleeding.
272. CAESAR: It’s alright. It’s the portal opening.
273. SOUND: SHOOP OF PORTAL OPENING – LOTS OF CHITTERING-GROWLING NOISES – UNDER.
274. BRUNO: What are those things?
275. CAESAR: Outworlders.
276. BRUNO: I’ve never seen anything like them.
277. CAESAR: They’re invisible to ordinary people unless they want to show themselves. The reason you can see them is that you were part of the ritual.
278. BRUNO: Ugly… and so many of them. All teeth and arms and long tails. They’re like black salamandars with extra limbs and way too many teeth. (DISGUSTED) Animals.
279. SOUND: ELECTRICAL CRACKLE. APPROACHING CHITTERING. – UNDER AND STOP
280. OUTWORLDER SPOKESBEING: Animals? We are not animals. (BEAT) Who summons us back to our home?
281. OUTWORLDERS: Yes, who? Who? Etc.
282. SOUND: ZAP – LET IT FINISH.
283. SPOKESBEING: What is this barrier? Magical energy?
284. SOUND: ZAP – LET IT FINISH
285. SPOKESBEING: Ugh! Why are we contained? Have we escaped one threat only to face another?
286. CAESAR: What threat do you speak of monster?
287. SPOKESBEING: My race is being exterminated. In the mirror realm, something has awoken. Something hungry.
288. CAESAR: And you have been looking for a way out?
289. SPOKESBEING: We have been working to break down the walls between our worlds and it has been attracted by the weakening of the barriers.
290. CAESAR: How have you survived?
291. SPOKESBEING: We have hidden ourselves from it underground. But, as we grow closer to freeing ourselves, its power grows too.
292. CAESAR: Then I think I can help you.
293. SOUND: ZAP – LET IT FINISH
294. SPOKESBEING: Ungh! Set us free!
295. CAESAR: You will be free… When you have met your obligation.
296. SPOKESBEING: What obligation?
297. CAESAR: I have enemies. Kill them and you will be free.
298. SPOKESBEING: Pah! Thousands of years, we have been gone, and still you think only of killing one another.
299. CAESAR: What do you care?
300. SPOKESBEING: We don’t. We find you pathetic.
301. CAESAR: Then you will do what I ask?
302. SOUND: BAMF. POWER DOWN – LET IT FINISH.
303. SPOKESBEING: Pathetic. Your summoning is imperfect. You couldn’t keep the portal open. Not enough power. Weakling.
304. CAESAR: (PANTING) Perhaps. But the barrier remains. I can hold you, and those who came through with you, here forever.
305. SPOKESBEING: No, not forever. Your lifetime is the blink of an eye. We could outlast you… and when you die we would be free regardless. But we will perform this service for you. Killing humans is… fun! Who do you wish us to kill?
306. CAESAR: Tommy Boscone and his minions. Dillon Tremere and his minions. Those men of my own who abandoned me to go over to their side. And Mort Flintwich, who betrayed me.
307. SPOKESBEING: Consider it done.
308. SOUND: POWER DOWN – LET IT FINISH.
309. SOUND: WHOOSHING – FADING UNDER.
310. OUTWORLDERS: TRIUMPHANT HOWLS AND CACKLES – FADING.
311. SPOKESBEING: We will return when they are dead, weakling. Bwahahahahaaha… (FADE)
312. CAESAR: (EXHAUSTED) They’re gone.
313. BRUNO: Boss, what were those things? They had too many arms and way too many teeth.
314. CAESAR: They are the tools needed to win this war.
315. BRUNO: I don’t know, boss. I don’t think things like this were meant to be messed with by the likes of us.
316. SOUND: KNOCK ON DOOR – LET IT FINISH
317. JULIO: Boss, you in there? I brought the witch.
318. CAESAR: Open the door.
319. BRUNO: Sure, boss.
320. SOUND: DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH
321. SOFIA: What have you done?
322. CAESAR: Your nose is bleeding.
323. SOFIA: What have you done?!
324. CAESAR: I couldn’t wait.
325. SOFIA: Idiot. You didn’t have the power to create a stable gate. And I’m guessing you are too stupid to have bound the ones that came through.
326. CAESAR: They are doing my bidding, witch. And all without your help.
327. SOFIA: How many? How many came through?
328. CAESAR: About twenty or thirty.
329. SOFIA: Too many.
330. CAESAR: You wanted to let in an entire army.
331. SOFIA: Yes, but one you could command.
332. CAESAR: As I said to you, the ritual worked. They are doing my bidding.
333. SOFIA: Ha. They are paying the price of entry, but as soon as they complete the task, they will be free, and will return… for you!
334. CAESAR: They are under my control.
335. SOFIA: No. You didn’t have sufficient power to control them. You have set them free. And I am leaving.
336. CAESAR: No. You will stay. You promised me an army.
337. SOFIA: I promised you an army if you followed my directions, but instead you may have doomed us all.
338. CAESAR: What?
339. SOFIA: Those things are far more dangerous than you realise, and vindictive. They will return here looking for revenge.
340. CAESAR: For what?
341. SOFIA: For daring to bind them to your will. If you survive this, call upon me and I will come. It’s possible that, once free, they may choose to disperse and bother you no more. We will see.
342. BRUNO: Boss?
343. CAESAR: Let her go. We don’t need her. For now.
344. BRUNO: But what will we do if they come back?
345. CAESAR: I am strong enough. Whatever she says.
346. SOFIA: For what it’s worth I hope you survive. Still, I fear that you won’t. This changes everything.
347. CAESAR: (SARCASTIC) Sorry to mess with whatever agenda you had in all this, witch, but I was never going to be your play thing.
348. SOFIA: Hmpf. (BEAT) We will see. (CALLING AS SHE LEAVES) Farewell.
349. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 19: INT – SAFE HOUSE – NIGHT
(MORT, LILLY, CLAUDETTE, JAKE)

350. MORT: Damnit, I don’t have time for this. I need answers and a plan if I’m to save Jesse.
351. LILLY: (GROANS)
352. JAKE: Mort! Lilly’s coming around.
353. MORT: I can see that for myself, Jake.
354. LILLY: Ugh. What? What happened?
355. MORT: You started coughing and passed out, Lil. Are you okay?
356. LILLY: (PANICKING) Where’s Claudette?
357. MORT: She’s still not here. You’ve been out for about an hour and a quarter and you’re running one hell of a fever. Lil, I’m worried. Are you okay?
358. LILLY: (COUGHING) I’m fine.
359. MORT: I don’t think so. I think you’re sick.
360. LILLY: I’m fine. (REALIZING) And you haven’t turned us in to Cordova? But that’ll have to wait. We’ve got to find Claudette.
361. MORT: (WRYLY) Apology accepted. (BEAT) But I’ve got no idea where Claudette is.
362. LILLY: You found us before.
363. MORT: That was kind of a one-time deal. I had to call in some… er… “magical” favours. I can’t afford to do it again.
364. JAKE: You’re telling me.
365. LILLY: Are you serious? You’re still talking about that mumbo-jumbo? She’s out there, alone. And Cordova’s goons are combing the city for her.
366. MORT: Well, there’s some chance they are looking for both of you and, unless they’ve seen Claudette up close, won’t expect to find her alone… (SUDDENLY IN PAIN) Argh!
367. LILLY: (ALSO IN PAIN) Ungh!
368. LILLY: What’s happening? Your nose started bleeding.
369. MORT: Yours too. (GRUNTS) Oh, that hurt!
370. LILLY: What? What hurts?
371. JAKE: Someone in the city made use of some bad juju. I think we’ve got a problem.
372. MORT: Hang on a second, Lil. I need to-
373. SOUND: MAGICAL CHIME – LET IT FINISH.
374. MORT: (BEAT) (RELIEVED) Ah, that’s better. I think something else happened too.
375. JAKE: Huh?
376. MORT: The pact I made with Jenny Mulrooney. I think it activated.
377. LILLY: Mort, you’re not making any sense.
378. JAKE: Aw Hell! That means the outworlders are breaking through. But Cordova’s on the other side of town.
379. LILLY: Mort, did you hear me?
380. JAKE: Something on that scale, well… If that hit you and Lil all the way out here, Mort, it probably hit Claudette as well. She’s gonna need some-
381. SOUND: THUMP FROM OTHER ROOM – DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
382. LILLY: Claudette? Is that you?
383. CLAUDETTE: (IN PAIN) It’s me, momma.
384. LILLY: (FORGETTING MORT) Claudette! What were you thinking? You can’t run away like that. Don’t you realise what could have… Your face! Claudette, what happened?
385. MORT: It’s okay. She’s “active”. The nose bleed means she got hit by the same thing we did. C’mere Claudette.
386. CLAUDETTE: It hurts.
387. MORT: I know. Look at me. (BEAT) Okay, now I want you to center your thoughts. Think of something good. Something that you enjoy. A place or a memory, maybe a book. Got it?
388. CLAUDETTE: Yes.
389. MORT: Okay, now build a wall around that place. Feel the pain being blocked out. Can you do that?
390. CLAUDETTE: Yes. I think so. It-
391. SOUND: CHIME – LET IT FINISH
392. CLAUDETTE: It’s gone.
393. LILLY: (COUGHING) It must have been physical… or like radio waves or something.
394. MORT: It was magic, Lil. The sooner you accept that…
395. LILLY: I don’t. I won’t. Why’d it effect us differently? Why’d it effect me at all?
396. MORT: I know you don’t think you’ve got any magic, but it’s clear you do. The nosebleed-
397. LILLY: Could be a coincidence. I’ve had at least three already today.
398. MORT: Maybe. But I can see the magic in you – it’s faint, but it’s there. And you saw that thing when it revealed itself earlier today. We’re like antennas. You’ve got less receptivity because your powers-
399. LILLY: I don’t have powers!
400. MORT: Because your powers, whatever they are, are subtle. Claudette was overcome by it because she’s a powerful receiver. (TO CLAUDETTE) How are you feeling, now, honey?
401. CLAUDETTE: Much better, I think.
402. LILLY: Then it’s high time you explained yourself, miss. What were you thinking?
403. CLAUDETTE: Mom, I’m sorry. I-
404. LILLY: That’s not good enough. Do you have any idea how scared we were? What could have happened to you-?
405. CLAUDETTE: Mom, it’s okay… I… I went to get us a book.
406. LILLY: A book?
407. CLAUDETTE: Yes, I think it will help us.
408. LILLY: Claudette? Look at me, baby. Are you telling me the truth?
409. CLAUDETTE: Um… Of course.
410. LILLY: Where did you find this book?
411. CLAUDETTE: Oh… um… I kind of saw it… in a vision.
412. LILLY: Like the one you had of Mort?
413. CLAUDETTE: Yeah. Exactly.
414. LILLY: Claudette, is this on the level? You never used to have visions… I’m not sure…
415. MORT: Claudette’s powerful, Lilly. She may be coming into new abilities.
416. LILLY: I… I’m sorry, but this is all so-
417. MORT: Yeah, it must taste like ashes.
418. LILLY: What?
419. MORT: Me being right, twice in one day, about something like magic. (TO CLAUDETTE) Come on over to the sink, kiddo. We’ll wash the blood off your face.
420. CLAUDETTE: Yours too.
421. MORT: What? Oh, yeah. I forgot. (BEAT) Then we’ll take a look at that book.
422. SOUND: WATER RUNNING. SPLASHING.
423. MORT: Okay. There we go. That’s better now, isn’t it?
424. CLAUDETTE: (WHISPERING) Mom keeps messing everything up. She’s so… boring.
425. MORT: (QUIETLY, JUST FOR CLAUDETTE) I think the word you want is “mundane”. And I also don’t think you’re being fair. She’s trying to keep you safe, and, running off like that…
426. CLAUDETTE: She doesn’t understand.
427. MORT: Nobody’s perfect, Claudette. She’s doing her best – but she’s also got her own demons to fight. And her top priority is protecting you. You didn’t do her any favors running away. Why did you go?
428. CLAUDETTE: I heard you fighting. Mom wanted to leave… and we need you. I had to do something so that she’d-
429. LILLY: (AT A DISTANCE) Is this the book you brought back Claudette?
430. CLAUDETTE: Yeah, that’s it. But I don’t think we should…
431. LILLY: I can’t make head or tale of this.
432. MORT: Let me take a look.
433. CLAUDETTE: But…
434. LILLY: It looks like Japanese to me.
435. MORT: Chinese. And an ancient version.
436. LILLY: You read Ancient Chinese?
437. MORT: No, but I recognize some of the characters. See, here… and here. I don’t know what they mean.
438. CLAUDETTE: (RELIEVED) Good… I mean… um-
439. LILLY: How come you know so much anyway?
440. MORT: Believe it or not, I used to study magic. I don’t use my abilities much these days, but I used to… and back then, I tried to learn everything I could about using ’em well.
441. LILLY: You think you can really talk to the dead, don’t you?
442. MORT: (SLIGHTLY EMBARASSED) Yeah.
443. LILLY: But if you believe this stuff, why’d you stop? It’s not like you’ve got a reputation to protect.
444. MORT: Cute. There are a handful of genuine mediums in town. We don’t get along but we cooperate from time to time.
445. LILLY: Like who?
446. MORT: Naomi Walker works up-town and poaches my customers when she can, Wu Chang sticks to himself over in China town, working the tourist dollar. There are a handful of others.
447. LILLY: So?
448. MORT: We’ve all noticed something weird has been happening to the ghost population. And to people who were too open about their ability to see real ghosts.
449. LILLY: That sounds ominous.
450. MORT: I guess it does. I hate that the one we saw today realised I can see ’em. Can we changed the topic now?
451. LILLY: But… Well you understand, about what Claudette’s going through, I mean?
452. MORT: A little, yeah. I think so. She’s way more powerful than me, but I get what’s going on for her.
453. LILLY: Explain it to me.
454. MORT: Even as a little kid I could hear and see ghosts. Jesse was like you in lots of ways. She didn’t like me talking about it. It made me different. Claudette reads minds, right?
455. LILLY: Yeah. (BEAT) Mort, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought you were going to hurt us. And I get how hard this must be for you, with Jesse in Cordova’s hands… It’s… we’ve had to be so careful…But, about the book… if you can’t read this, then it can’t be much help to us, right?
456. MORT: There’s someone I know who might be able to read it. If Claudette’s right, then this might have the answers we’re looking for.
457. CLAUDETTE: (GUILTILY) Um-
458. LILLY: (COUGHS)
459. MORT: It’s okay, Lil. I haven’t given you much reason to trust me. Not after the beginning. But I think Claudette may have brought us what we need.
460. SOUND: DISTANT HOWL – LET IT FINISH
461. CLAUDETTE: Mort?
462. LILLY: Did you-?
463. MORT: Yeah, I heard it too.
464. CLAUDETTE: I think they’re coming this way.
465. LILLY: What? What are coming this way?
466. MORT: I think you’re right. I can feel them. We have to get out of here.
467. LILLY: Damn it, Mort. What can you feel? I’m sick of being an outsider in my own daughter’s life. Tell me what’s going on.
468. MORT: Lilly, you have to trust me. I don’t know what’s coming, but it’s bad and I can feel it. So can Claudette. And we have to leave. Now.
469. JAKE: Mort. This is bad. I have to get out of here.
470. MORT: Find us at the warehouse.
471. JAKE: Alright. I’ll see you later.
472. SOUND: SHOOMPF OF GHOST DISAPPEARING – LET IT FINISH.
473. LILLY: What warehouse? Who are you talking to?
474. MORT: No-one. A ghost. It doesn’t matter. We have to go. Are you able to travel?
475. LILLY: (COUGHING) Don’t worry about me.
476. CLAUDETTE: No. Stop. It’s too late!
477. SOUND: WINDOWS SMASH – LET IT FINISH
478. SOUND: RUSHING WIND – APPROACHES AND FINISHES
479. SOUND: HOWLING – UNDER
480. OUTWORLDERS: (AD LIB) Prepare to Die. Be afraid. We will crush you. We will eat you. Etc.
481. LILLY: Something brushed past me. (PAIN) Argh! It’s got claws. (BEAT) It’s grabbed me!
482. MORT: I see them. They’re outworlders, alright! Damnit, they’re going for Lilly first.
483. CLAUDETTE: You leave my mom alone!
484. SCRUG: Tasty little treat, aren’t you. Are you ready to die? Or shall I kill your mother first?
485. CLAUDETTE: Leave… us… (SHRIEKED, ECHOING) ALONE!
486. SOUND: MAGICAL BAMF! – LET IT FINISH
487. OUTWORLDERS: (SHRIEKING) (AD LIB) Flee! It hurts! Etc.
488. SOUND: RUSHING WIND (FADES OUT)
489. LILLY: (BEAT) (GASPING) What happened?
490. MORT: They’ve retreated. But they’ll be back again, soon.
491. LILLY: What was that? It felt…
492. MORT: It was an intrusion into the physical world of something else. They’re outworlders. We saw one earlier. They pretend to be ghosts but they’re altogether alien.
493. LILLY: Is this because they know you can see them now?
494. MORT: No. This is something different. Quick, grab the book, we have to go.
495. LILLY: Got it.
496. CLAUDETTE: (PASSING OUT) Ugh!
497. SOUND: BODY DROP – LET IT FINISH.
498. LILLY: Claudette! Are you okay?
499. MORT: She’s passed out. That mind blast came from her. It’s exhausted her reserves. She’ll be all right, but I need to carry her. Leave her to me.
500. LILLY: All right. Which way?
501. MORT: Down. To the cellar. We’re going to use the sewers.
502. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 20: INT – THE SEWERS – NIGHT
(MORT, LILLY, CLAUDETTE)

503. SOUND: DRIPS, PIPE NOISES, OCCASIONAL STEAM – ESTABLISH AND UNDER
504. SOUND: HOWLS IN THE DISTANCE – ESTABLISH AND UNDER
505. LILLY: They sound angry.
506. MORT: They are. They can’t find us.
507. LILLY: Why not? It can’t be the smell.
508. MORT: No. It’s the iron pipes. They interfere with supernatural tracking. But they know we’re here somewhere.
509. CLAUDETTE: (GROANS) Mmmmm.
510. MORT: I think she’s coming around.
511. LILLY: Claudette? Are you okay, honey?
512. CLAUDETTE: It’s so dark.
513. LILLY: (COUGHING) We’re in the sewers with Mort. We’re hiding.
514. MORT: But we can’t stay here. We’ve got to move on.
515. LILLY: Why? I thought you said they can’t find us because of the iron.
516. MORT: No. The iron down here interferes with their tracking, but there isn’t enough of it to stop them for long.
517. LILLY: But if it…
518. MORT: They’ll soon figure out where we’ve gone and the chase will be on again.
519. LILLY: But now she’s awake can’t Claudette, or you, chase them off again?
520. MORT: It takes a huge amount of power. I’m not strong enough. I think Claudette’s power is off the charts, but she’s more likely to kill herself than achieve another win.
521. LILLY: (STARTS COUGHING) Why… am I even… listening to you? (COUGHS MORE) We… should… take our chances.
522. CLAUDETTE: Mom, stop it! You know Mort’s right. We need to listen to him.
523. LILLY: (COUGHING BUT RECOVERING) He’s not saying anything. We can’t run. We need a plan.
524. MORT: I’ve got a plan. Remember how we broke Cordova’s trace on Claudette? Iron doesn’t just interfere with their tracking ability. If we surround ourselves with it, we can break it.
525. CLAUDETTE: Mom, you’ve got to listen. Please!
526. LILLY: Easy, Claudette. I’m convinced.
527. CLAUDETTE: You are? But… okay then.
528. LILLY: But how far is it? And how long will it take to get there?
529. MORT: Too damn long. Every minute makes it harder to get Jesse back.
530. LILLY: Mort…
531. MORT: Okay, Alright. There are some offices attached to a warehouse a couple of blocks away that are made of iron. The warehouse area isn’t (and that’s where we’ll come out) but those offices will be impenetrable to magic.
532. CLAUDETTE: What about your friend?
533. MORT: (SURPRISED) You’ve seen him?
534. CLAUDETTE: No. But I’ve heard you talking to him.
535. MORT: Hmmm. Yeah, well. He’s gone for now. Let’s not talk about him, okay?
536. CLAUDETTE: If you like.
537. LILLY: (TEASING) Are you being haunted, Mort?
538. MORT: It’s complicated, and we don’t have time right now. We’ve got to get moving.
539. LILLY: Okay. Lead the way.
540. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 21: INT – BOSCONE’S WAREHOUSE -MIDNIGHT
(MORT, LILLY, CLAUDETTE)

541. SOUND: SCRAPING OF METAL DOOR OPENING.
542. SOUND: DISTANT SIRENS – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
543. MORT: Okay, we’re here. This is the warehouse. Lilly, you’re first. Head up those stairs but keep your head down. There shouldn’t be anyone here at midnight, but you never know.
544. LILLY: Okay. Here I go.
545. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ON METAL STAIRS – LET IT FINISH
546. LILLY: Oh, Hell. Mort! Don’t send Claudette up here.
547. MORT: What? Why not?
548. LILLY: Trust me. Don’t bring her up.
549. MORT: We’ve got no choice, Lil. We’ve got to get up into the offices.
550. LILLY: Something bad happened here. There are bodies. Lots of bodies.
551. MORT: What?
552. SOUND: MORT AND CLAUDETTE ON METAL STAIRS – LET IT FINISH
553. MORT: Claudette, don’t look sweetie. Oh my…
554. LILLY: Damn it, Mort. I said don’t bring her up.
555. MORT: I couldn’t leave her there.
556. LILLY: Well, keep your hand over her eyes.
557. CLAUDETTE: Mom, what…?
558. LILLY: Believe me, honey. You don’t want to see this.
559. MORT: I wish I couldn’t. I think I’m gonna be sick.
560. LILLY: Some tough guy you turned out to be. What could’ve happened here?
561. MORT: It’s the outworlders.
562. LILLY: They got here ahead of us?
563. MORT: I don’t think so. The ones that are chasing us are still behind us… and will be coming through soon. We need to get up into those offices up there.
564. LILLY: Are they all this savage?
565. MORT: I never thought so, but I do know they can kill. On their own they’re fairly harmless, so maybe they get stronger in a pack. I don’t want to find out first hand.
566. LILLY: But who are these dead guys?
567. MORT: Come on keep moving. I’ll explain as we go. Try not to step in anyone.
568. CLAUDETTE: Mom, I’m scared.
569. MORT: Sorry honey. Keep your eyes closed. We’ll guide you.
570. SOUND: WET SQUEALCHING FOOTSTEPS (PUDDLES ETC.) – ESTABLISH AND FADE
571. CLAUDETTE: I didn’t think it could smell worse than the sewers.
572. LILLY: Like copper.
573. MORT: Try not to think about it. We’re going to have to clean your shoes off later.
574. LILLY: So who are these men?
575. MORT: They belong to Tommy Boscone. (BEAT) I didn’t expect anyone to be here… and I guess no-one is anymore. There must be at least thirty of them. We’re lucky.
576. LILLY: How so?
577. MORT: If they were alive, and here, when we arrived, they’d have heard us coming in and we’d have a tricky bit of explaining to do. As it is…
578. LILLY: No-one’s ever going to explain anything to them again. (BEAT) But why’re they dead? Is it an invasion?
579. MORT: Maybe. But more likely the things that did this were summoned using bad magic and sent after specific targets. That puts Caesar Cordova at the top of my list of suspects.
580. LILLY: (COUGHING) You think Cordova ordered this?
581. MORT: I’m almost sure of it. He’s at war with Boscone and Tremere. I’m willing to bet he’s got teams of outworlders doing this all over town. Also there’s the pact I made.
582. LILLY: What?
583. MORT: I made a pact with a ghost named Jenny Mulrooney to find you and Claudette. The deal was that I would try to close a gate – a kind of magical doorway – that Cordova was planning to open. The pact activated a few minutes before we were attacked.
584. LILLY: I’ve never pictured Cordova as a monster. As bad guys go, he’s always had principles. But he came after Claudette, and now this? I want to hurt him bad.
585. MORT: (DISTRACTED) Uh-huh. (BEAT) (PUZZLED) There’re no ghosts here.
586. LILLY: What?
587. MORT: This much death and not a single ghost.
588. LILLY: I don’t…
589. MORT: Sorry. It’s a theory. I’ve been wondering why ghosts have been disappearing while the outworlders have been getting more common.
590. LILLY: And-
591. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS CLIMBING METAL STAIRS – UNDER UNTIL NEXT SOUND.
592. MORT: And, I don’t know. They’ve been finding their own way through from wherever their world is in small numbers without help.
593. LILLY: So what’s changed?
594. MORT: There have been more and more of them coming through. And I think they are feeding on ghosts when they get here. I think these things drink our souls when they get detached from our bodies.
595. LILLY: And you’ve reached this conclusion because?
596. MORT: There should be at least a handful of ghosts associated with a massacre like this. It makes no sense that there are none.
597. SOUND: HOWLS – LET IT FINISH.
598. MORT: They’ve found us. We’ll be next if we don’t get inside those offices. Here let me get the door open.
599. SOUND: KEYS – DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH
600. MORT: Inside. Quick.
601. SOUND: DOOR CLOSES – HOWLS ARE MUFFLED – LET IT FINISH.
602. CLAUDETTE: (WHISPERING) Now what?
603. MORT: Get your heads down out of sight. This should break the connection.
604. SOUND: BAMF – LET IT FINISH.
605. MORT: Now, we have to wait.
606. CLAUDETTE: But why would Mr. Cordova be doing this? Didn’t he want me alive?
607. MORT: I don’t think it’s you they’re after. I think they want me. You’re in danger because you’re with me.
608. LILLY: I knew it! Mort… (COUGHING) I can’t…
609. MORT: Put a hand over your mouth, Lilly. Now the connection is broken we’ll be okay so long as we don’t attract their attention…
610. SOUND: HOWLING INCREASES – THEN FADE UNDER AND OUT.
611. SPOKESBEING: The connection has been broken.
612. OUTWORLDER: They have gone. We cannot sense them.
613. SPOKESBEING: Our obligation has been met. We are free!
614. OUTWORLDER: What will we do?
615. SPOKESBEING: We will return to the human.
616. OUTWORLDER: (SUSPICIOUS) What are you up to, brood-brother? You have always wanted freedom, and we can now be free.
617. SPOKESBEING: Do you wish to challenge my directions?
618. OUTWORLDER: We are not in our own lands now. The rules of caste and supremacy need not apply here… unless you wish to apply them.
619. SPOKESBEING: I do.
620. OUTWORLDER: You always were ambitious.
621. SPOKESBEING: We have combined our powers here to great effect. We can affect this world in new and powerful ways when our powers are combined. We can bring our people through…
622. OUTWORLDER: You talk of rescue. You are free from the hive consciousness. But I think you wish to rescue our people from that thing that seeks our destruction only to enslave them.
623. SPOKESBEING: It is our way. The masters draw upon the weaker castes and feed upon their power to assert their will. Alone we are scavengers. Together, we can shape reality.
624. OUTWORLDER: But we can’t all rule. We are absorbed into the hive consciousness of the masters. In this world we could start again. We can be free.
625. SPOKESBEING: I only wish to…
626. OUTWORLDER: You wish to re-establish our slavery, but we are few, far too few to oppose even one of the smaller hives.
627. SPOKESBEING: I have a plan. One that will work. Why should I not rule?
628. OUTWORLDER: Because I wish to be free. And so I must oppose you.
629. SPOKESBEING: You can try. (ATTACKING) Aaargh!
630. OUTWORLDER: No. No! I will not let you… Aaaargh!
631. SOUND: WET SLICING NOISE FOLLOWED BY CHOMPING NOISES – ESTABLISH AND FINISH.
632. SPOKESBEING: It appears you will remain free after all. If death can be called freedom. (TO THE OTHERS) Who of you will join yourselves to my consciousness?
633. OUTWORLDERS: (AD LIB) We will. Yes. Master. Etc.
634. SPOKESBEING: Then we return to the human who summoned us.
635. SOUND: EXULTANT HOWLS, THEN FADE.
636. LILLY: (COUGHING) Those things are crazy!
637. MORT: You could hear them too? They’re way more physical when they are in groups. (BEAT) I think they’ve gone. But right now, I’m more worried about you, Lil. Are you sure you’re all right?
638. LILLY: I think so. Don’t fuss, I’m fine. But what do we do now?
639. MORT: Now? I think we may have caught a break. If Cordova thinks I’m dead, and it looks like that’ll be their line when they return, then there’ll be no need for him to hurt Jesse. 
640. LILLY: That’ll get you off the hook as far as Cordova goes – at least for now, but what about us? If those things go back and kill Cordova, maybe that’ll fix our problem as well.
641. MORT: I don’t think so. The one who ended up in charge was saying they still want to bring the rest through. For that they need Cordova and, I’m guessing, they will also want to grab Claudette.
642. LILLY: (COUGHING) So, is this where you cut and run?
643. MORT: Um… what?
644. LILLY: A fresh start? Maybe another city? Mort?
645. MORT: Damnit. I-
646. CLAUDETTE: Please, Mort, don’t go!
647. MORT: Aw, hell. What kind of guy do you think I am?
648. CLAUDETTE: But-
649. MORT: I’m seeing this through. I can’t shake that pact for a start. But right now, there’s someone I need to see.
650. CLAUDETTE: Who?
651. MORT: I think he might be our best chance of finding a way through this. Put the book you’ve been carrying on the table, Lil.
652. LILLY: Over here? There’s not much space. You’d think the office’d be a little less cluttered. And less dusty.
653. MORT: I was forgetting you used to be an accountant of sorts.
654. LILLY: Some habits are hard to shake.
655. MORT: Gangsters are pretty particular about tracking the money, even if they aren’t tidy. The police’d love to get their hands on those notebooks, for example.
656. LILLY: We don’t have time for that, now, though. Can’t we get out of here and put Claudette to bed. She’s been up all night.
657. CLAUDETTE: (YAWNING) I’m not tired, Mom. Honest.
658. MORT: Sorry, Lil. We’re not staying long. I need to confirm something and then we’re out of here.
659. CLAUDETTE: You don’t need to rush on my account.
660. MORT: There’s somewhere I think we need to go. Claudette, you’ll have to come as well. We’ll all get some sleep a little bit later, but right now… let me see that book.
661. LILLY: Alright. Here it is.
662. SOUND: PAGES TURNING – UNDER AND LET IT FINISH.
663. LILLY: So?
664. MORT: Don’t rush me. (BEAT) It’s like I thought. Unreadable.
665. LILLY: (DISGUSTED) You idiot.
666. MORT: I’m pretty sure I know someone who can translate it for us,
667. CLAUDETTE: (WORRIED) What?
668. MORT: Another medium. Aside from Naomi Walker, he’s my biggest rival and the most gifted spiritualist in the city. His name is Wu Cheng.
669. LILLY: He’s one of those mediums you mentioned earlier, right?
670. MORT: Yeah. He works out of China Town – tourist dollars and Chinese speaking clients.
671. LILLY: And you think he can read this?
672. MORT: Yeah, I do. If it’s as important as Claudette says, he may be our only hope of figuring this mess out.
673. CLAUDETTE: (NERVOUS) I don’t know. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a good idea showing this to a stranger.
674. MORT: We can’t read it ourselves, Claudette. Not without help. And he may not want to help us. But I’m hoping I can convince him.
675. SOUND: BOOK CLOSING – LET IT FINISH
676. MORT: Come on. I’ll bring the book. We’ve got to hurry.
677. LILLY: Where, though?
678. MORT: We’ll go back to what’s left of the safehouse later, but for now… we’re going to Chinatown.
679. SOUND: SIRENS APPROACHING – THEN HALT.
680. CLAUDETTE: What’s that?
681. MORT: Damnit! The police. We can’t afford to be found here.
682. LILLY: Could this day get any worse?
683. MORT: You had to ask, didn’t you?
684. SOUND: DOORS CRASH IN – LET IT FINISH
685. POLICEMAN: (AT A DISTANCE) What the hell happened here?
686. POLICEMAN #2: (AT A DISTANCE) It’s another massacre. I’ll call it in.
687. POLICEMAN: (AT A DISTANCE) The whole city’s gone mad. I’ve never seen carnage like this.
688. POLICEMAN #2: (AT A DISTANCE) Cordova’s found a way to hit back. Maybe he brought in some out-of-towners.
689. POLICEMAN: (AT A DISTANCE) Maybe, but this is so far beyond his style. I don’t get it.
690. POLICEMAN #2: I’ll be right back.
691. SOUND: RUNNING FEET DEPARTING – FADE OUT
692. MORT: Come on. We’ve got to get out of here.
693. LILLY: How?
694. MORT: See up there? There’s a hatch. If we’re quick, we can get through before they come up.
695. LILLY: But that’ll put us on the roof.
696. MORT: That’s right. There’s a ladder down the back into the alley. (BEAT) But we better take our shoes off before we go. Lace them and hang ’em round your necks.
697. CLAUDETTE: Why?
698. MORT: That blood we walked through getting here is going to make a trail that even Star City’s finest can follow. I’m still hoping we can be gone before anyone’s the wiser.
699. LILLY: Okay. Let’s go. But Jake, if that book lets you take the fight to Cordova, remember I still want a piece of him.
700. MORT: You haven’t changed a bit, have you?
701. MUSIC: SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.
702. NARRATOR: Can Mort protect Claudette and Lilly from Caesar Cordova? Will Lilly ever be able to trust Mort? Will the Outworlders that Caesar summoned succeed in turning the tide of the gang war and will Caesar be able to maintain control over them? Tune in to episode 4 and find out.
703. MUSIC: CLOSING THEME AND CREDITS – LET IT FINISH.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Philip Craig Robotham grew up in a house full of books and has held numerous jobs as a teacher, computer programmer, graphic and web designer, an e-learning consultant and, most recently, writer. He currently lives in Victoria, Australia with his wife and two sons. When he was younger and fitter he enjoyed martial arts, but in recent years his hobbies have tended towards more sedate fare (board games, movies, books, and role-playing games).

He is extremely grateful for the encouragement he receives from his biggest fans — his wife and two boys — all of whom read and enjoy his scripts and, in general, make his life worth living.

You can contact the author regarding performance rights (or simply to say hello) through his website: https://www.weirdworldstudios.com.

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This post and all its content is copyright © 2013 Philip Craig Robotham and has been released under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license. This play cannot be reproduced, shared, or performed commercially without the written permission of the author.  The production of derivative content, merchandise, or creative works and materials is expressly forbidden under this agreement. However you may share, reproduce, and perform this play freely so long as authorship is acknowledged, no money changes hands, and the play is not modified in any way.

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