Switchblade

A deep voice in the dark ~ "What did they do ?"  The hooded figure looks around, then leans into leans back  into the child's whisper, "These ... 'humans' ... and then tell me who."  The sound of ratcheting steel, metal grinding on concrete, nearby traffic outside the alley shows around the 2010's.

The child's whisper into his ear ... eyes begin to glow a rage in flesh stripped sockets, rusted bone worn through at the cheeks.

The man - "ooh ... and then noo ... "  A last rattle of iron closure as the child watches him rise ...

('Fire and Brimstone' by Death Valley Girls)

~ Switchblade ~

Directed by 

some human

Starring

literal droves of them


Written by

Alan Smithee

it's like an infestation ...


A Big Chicken Production

fuck 'em

~ A cargo ship plows for the harbor, knocking the fishing boats and tugs aside.

Voice on the telephone ~ Nervously voiced over the scene, "You don't understand, nobody can know where I'm going."

Woman on the other end ~ "I'm sorry, but we have to register your papers though the consulate."

~ The ship ignores all calls to stop as it approaches the docks at speed.

Voice ~ "No you don't."

 

~ The sirens sound ...

Other ~ A sigh ... "It will cost."

Voice ~ "I wouldn't trust it any other way."

~ It crashes the docks.

('Antagonist' by Nova Twins)

Guy with that voice on the phone and some local friends curious in the nightclub ~

Dead man drinking - "I don't know.  I don't know"  Drinks then waves for another.  "Goddamn it what is that Noise !?"

The cloaked man walks through the nightclub, security and police swarming too halt, any gunfire not deflected by his heavy bladed arms seems pointless anyway as his progress is continuous and in a very straight line, death meeting any who seek to damage him, the rest tossed aside.

DMD - "I don't know if they're connected I mean ... "  The drink comes, "Thank you now fuck off."  Slams it and calls after "Hey !  Get me another."  

The man tears the head from an attacker and beats down the next with it until both are crushed.

DMD - "I don't know if they're connected.  ...  "Do you hear that Sound !?"

The unknown man walks enters the nightclub, the bouncer cut through, the security responding.  The crowd parts while those without notice he walks through, the sweep of a heavy metal arm tosses a crowd inoffensively.

He's shot in the back by a security man covered in blood ~

Switchblade - Turns showing his flesh stretched over a rusted out skull, "Oh no ... oh no ... you've shot me full of holes."  The blades ratchet out from his arms as he turns, "But I've got no blood left to give so get ye no bowls."  Leaps forth.

~ Man at the table ~

DMD - "All they know is they were all by a ... rusty machete. ... maybe an axe.  Where's that fucking bitch with my drink !?"

Switchblade - Looming over the dead man drinking, "None left to give, but choke on your own, you will, for as long as you live."

The sound of rusted blade scraping rusted metal to black, music out.  The promised gurgling sound, then screams and more gun shots.
________________

Some guy in a local (big money district) government office, surrounded by others with their papers and random ass kissery as the obvious lawyer arrives ~

Politico - "Alright  everybody fuck off."

 

~ At the cafe, talking over the loud music, always the same one, Gabrielle waiting tables in the background, Raphael working in the kitchen behind the order up slot in the wall.

Miserella (because that's literally the first name I could think of that isn't of someone I know) - "Yah nobody knows where he went.  He  just started acting weird and then he was gone.  Cleaned out all the accounts and just ... gone."

Bets (short for Betsy ... ?) - "So there goes tuition ... "

Miserella - "Yeah.  All gone.  I can't even pay property taxes, that place is huge."  

 

Bets - (because people used to literally name their children that) "Can you at least sell off the art collection ?"

Miserella - "I've got some leech coming to look at it ... I don't know."

The scene from the club, her dad, "I don't know."

Miserella - "I don't know."

Bets - "So what like ... a Job !?"

Miserella looks at her like she may kill.

~ The waitress spits in the drink, eyes go wide at the scene, drops it and screams.

~ Detective - Voiced over the scream on a phone in the streets, "We have a what ?"

~ In the chief's office.

Chief - "We have a monster ... "  Leans back in his chair grinning ... a glance to the drawer ...

 

Detective - A sigh with a patient smile, "Please do."  Motions his silence as he gets up to close the office door.  All eyes look with concern as the window slats close to block their view.  He turns back to see the chief already chugging the bottle straight.  

Caps it and chucks it back to the drawer.

Detective - ... "Do you mind ?"

Chief - "I do.  A monster."  The ratcheting sound.  "And it won't fucking die."

Detective - Sloughs back to the chair ... "So why me ?"

Chief - "Because you've got the same issue."

~ The bullets fly as he nearly appears to walk between them shooting back, one shot and a forehead each.  Pockets the pistol and lights a smoke as another bullet tears the sleeve of his very nice jacket.  He looks angrily to the source still pointing scared, his pistol clicks a misfire.

~ Then oncoming fist.

Detective - "Yeah I may have that issue too."

Chief - "And why is that ?  Do you think."

Detective - Suddenly serious in the eyes, "Because fate is a merciless whore."  A flash of a grin and a drink from the bottle before passing it back.

Chief - "With a heart as cruel as the sea ... "

~ Miserella - Wearing a hotdog on a stick uniform at the mall with a big dumb hat demonstrating the name, "Fuck this."

Chief - Bottle toast, "Amen to that."  Drinks, caps and drops into the drawer.

Detective - Pulling his pack of smokes, "Do you mind ?"

Chief - "Disgusting habit."  Slams the drawer (the doubling's intentional).

('Cecilia' by Simon and Garfunkel)

Two black dogs run barking to the shredded outer fence of a property expanse, inside a frightened man packs quickly, stuffing cash to a bag and turning for the door.  Outside the security team closes in after the dogs.

~ While Miserella roller-skates around her massive empty house in her drive in theater uniform (movie screen on her head showing security footage of the scene).

The hounds stop barking at the cloaked man as his his legs split on two as now a tall beast looking down at these two.  He leaps over and bounds with blades ratcheting out, naked beneath the cloak but for the many straps required to hold together his appendages over flesh which seems similarly there to hold together what's rusted bone and blade.

~ then out the backdoor and into the pool.

He charges the attackers with a swipe to the bullets as though annoyances, side to side leaps now harder to track, and then into the fray.

Switchblade - "Overrated to be sated when the flesh is liberated to be dated to be freighted like you're supermarket baited now you're crated consecrated to be the future's waited there'll be flowers there'll be powers and lots of fallen towers as I scour and devour for every hour after hour ..."  To the last dropping his gun in terror before falling to his knees.  "So now you cower."

He smiles as the dogs run up, tearing the security man apart.  Looks to the sound of the starting engine then leaps away while the dogs take their screaming meal, the sound of crunching metal in the distance.
____

Detective - "And my fee ?"

Chief - "You're a 'Headhunter'.  Your fee's for a head.  Bring me a head and I'll pay you your fee.  So get the fuck out of here and start earning it, and by the way.  Interpol's waiting for you at your shitty little apartment."

Detective - "Fuck me."

Chief - "I'd rather fuck a lawnmower."

~ two

('Down by the Water' by PJ Harvey)

Miserella watches the huge fight breaking out directly in front of her Shake Shack counter annoyed, an equally stupid uniform with a hat like a shake with a straw sticking out of what would be her brain ... 

While in an unknown motel the detective watches a woman ride.

~ Switchblade jacks his arm, dropping a cable,  He pulls an old school portable television from his cloak, extra wiring hanging from.  He sets it on a stone. 

It's actually a pretty good fight.

In the motel ...

~ He scurries up the telephone pole.

She laughs sipping before the owner points to the stupid shack door to leave.

~ Jacks it in and drops down near, as the screen statics on to the next scene.
____

Security footage ~ 

Switchblade - Pulling his blades from the broken hood of the broken car, "Evil dragon you hide my prey but have him still, I will, you are not my first slay.  Inside I see the man you venerate, and so your foul scales I must penetrate."  

 

Tears the door off, then two fast stabs before walking away.  The two dogs are briefly seen as they circle at the bottom corner of the screen to follow dopishly.

 

...

 

Chief - "Interpol's still waiting at your shitty little apartment."

...

Detective - "I know."

...

Chief - "heh"
________________

Miserella - Flipping burgers on the barbecue while wearing a Red Rocket (see GI Joe) on her head, "What I already paid the year's property taxes so all I need is food."

Bets - "Um."

 

Miserella - "What !?  I Got this."

Bets - "Fine.  But you only eat hamburgers now."

Miserella - "Do You know where the kitchen is in this place !?  I skated all the fuck around it ... I have no fucking clue."

Bets - "I see."

 

...

Miserella - "I sleep in the living room now.  I set up little kitchen in the closet."

 

...

Miserella - "And fine I'm Selling the art the creepy guy's coming tomorrow.  You know the art world is strangely underground I had to meet him in a warehouse in the middle of the night at a warehouse with a Picasso wrapped in brown paper."

Bets - "And he was legit ?"

 

Miserella - "He was cash.  But he had it !  So ... "  Pulls out a calculator (?), "If I eat $3000 dollars a month ... that's ... huh."

Bets - "What about fuck around funds."

Miserella - "I have no idea how to unload doubloons."

Bets - "Did  you just say 'doubloons' !?  Why not just get a smaller house !?"

 

Miserella - "Because I want to be able to start a school for gifted youngsters."

 

...

 

Bets - "Is that a joke ?"

Miserella - "Yeah but the thing is I know if I sell it, I'll won't actually be able to again."

 

...

 

Bets - "Huh."

...

 

Bets - "What about like a party motel ?"

Miserella - "That's actually a way better idea." 
________________

Meanwhile at his shitty little apartment three men wait ...

Obvious lead - Reaching into his pocket, "Fuck this guy, I need a cup of coffee."  The two men smash the door open, he looks up from his lock-pick set ... "Jesus Christ.  You.  Make the fucking coffee."

First - "I'm sorry."  Sulks into the apartment.

Lead - "And you go wait outside, you get no fucking coffee at all."

Second - "aw."  Sulks away.
________________

 

In the morning ...

The detective walks through the smashed door.  "Jesus Christ."  To the lead on the couch, "You know I'd have expected you guys to use a lock-pick.

Lead - Puts down the coffee (the detective's stupid mug, he eyes it), "Local hires."

Detective - "Why would Interpol need local door crashers ?"

Lead - "Because, like the video you saw with your chief, the entire story, it's all a fake."

Detective - "No it's not."
____

Lawyer - "Yes My dear Miserella, yes it is."  Sets the painting down and moves on to the next.
____

Lead - "No.  I's not."
____

Lawyer - "Yes ... it is."

Bets - Leans into Miserella's ear and whispers, "He'll try to buy it later for way cheaper, saying it's still a high quality reproduction."

Miserella - (wearing a  20 foot gown) "I knew I hated this guy."  Walks to the painting and puts her foot through it, looks to the dealer's stunned eyes, "Next time you want to talk that shit to me we all watch another masterpiece die, I've got plenty to spare.  Next one."

Lawyer - "Needs restoration."

Miserella - Examines it closer, "How much ?"  Pulls a switchblade and switches it.

Bets - "Where the fuck did you even get that."

Lawyer - Clears his throat, "One hundred thousand."

Miserella - "On ?"

Lawyer - "One million plus at auction.  I get twenty percent."

Miserella - "Sold !"

~ three

Detective - "He's a man.  Disfigured.  Probably in pain.  Lost."

Lead - A laugh to himself leaning back, he takes the cup and drinks, detective eying the cup.  "Sure.  Two outta three, but he's not lost.  There is a pattern.  These men do have commonality."

Detective - "Then why haven't you intercepted him ?"

Lead - "Because it's a very common, commonality.  They're all perverts.  Pedophiles.  And we only know about it looking postmortem.  When it all come out.  Now.  What we've seen is, that the victims all knew he was coming for them, so they know that commonality.  One event."

Detective - "Like one particular girl.  Girl ?"

Lead - "Yes, it seems most likely to have been a female child."

Detective - "Have been ?  Was there a body ?"

Lead - "No.  Or maybe.  Frankly there's been a lot of bodies, it's hard to say.  But I mean these murders started ten years ago.  She'd probably be an adult by now."

 

Detective - "Yeah ... it does seem unlikely he could cross a street without reason some specific reason to, let alone track these people all over the world.  So why are we talking then, why do you think there's more targets here ?"

Lead - "Because there's been no ship of the damned crashing in to any other harbors yet."

Detective - "You think that was him ?"

Lead - "I know it was him.  And I know it wasn't complicated.  He could be working alone.  She may not even have a clue."
____

Bets - "That's a lot of dog chow."

Miserella - "I don't even know where those dogs fucking came from."
____

The woman's voice on the phone - "Of course.  But it will cost."

Desperate sounding man - "Of course it will cost.  About as much as you do.  Arrange it."

Pilot comm chatter as a large private plane descends for landing ~

('God's Gonna Cut You Down' by Johnny Cash)

The rear cargo door kicks open, the compartment flooding with dogs, the cloaked man extending bladed arms and cutting away.  Gunfire flashing through the windows as seen from outside the plane at night  from the responding security as he works his way, dogs leaping for throats amid the decompression paperwork.  A head flies by the ports, followed by a dog trying to catch it.

Makes the cockpit, the terrified pilot and co with the attendants alone remaining.

Switchblade - To the nearest attendant, "Descend we do leave your corpses to fate, if you've got left a reason to slate then fate will create for you, a way to see this through, if only that evil you lack."

Looks out the cockpit glass as the ground approaches.

 

...

 

Switchblade - "Or you might try the crates we hid in, in the back."  Smiles as the runway lights approach.

('Lost at  Birth' by Public Enemy)

He stabs the controls through with one arm after the other into the pilot's and co's stations.

The eyes go wide as they all turn to for the back, tripping over dogs and body pieces, a stewardess is overcome by the moment and carnage, falls apart and just screams ... 

~ Engines burst to flames.

Air crews in the padded steel crates, the lids slam shut.  The rescue trucks depart their garages, ground crews to station.  

~ Wings crumple, now just a complete fireball.

(2:30) It scrapes ground with no gear down, skidding with a bounce and a spin, wreckage in the air as  a  sealed cargo container filled with screaming attendants flies spinning by the camera's view.
____

Miserella - "There goes the Renoir ... "

Bets - Watches with concern as a couple of rottweilers run by ... "A Renoir would feed this many dogs for like a month."

Miserella - "Fuck !"
____________

Detective - Straightening his tie in the shitty motel mirror, "Now do you believe in monsters ?"

Woman (from  before) - Walks up behind and fixing his collar, she whispers in his ear with the voice on the phone from the beginning.  "I don't believe in shit."  And suddenly he's behind her, she looks back, "Neither God nor the devil."  He puts the flip razor to her throat, a tear from her eye.  "But yes I do believe in monsters."

Detective - Whispers in her ear  with a hand sliding around her throat, "One more call."

Woman - Terrified, "And then we're done ?"

Detective - Cuts a strap from her slip and smiles, "And then we're done."

~ Miserella washes examines her face in the bathroom mirror at the coffee shop, looks down to wash her hands and looks up as the detective slashes her throat from behind.  Then gone with no wound left but a definitive red stripe set into flesh.

('The Wind' by PJ Harvey)

The detective walks new streets smoking, watches an airplane descend for landing overhead ... 

Smoking in the crowd, past homeless camps and burning protests, police beatings and murder, sunglasses on.  A police shootout at the bank as the detective walks between the bullets, passing just before the panic explosion.

 

Detective - "God I love this town."  Looks at his watch.  "Like a drill-bit through the skull."

~ He screams with the dated drill's motor, trying to break the gurney straps as it enters through just behind the ear, eyes straining to see.  

Looks at his watch again, a smile as his phone rings ...

Chief - On the cell, "We've got a talker."

Detective - Looking around with a smile, "Already there."

('N.O.V.A.' by Nova Twins)

Back at the cafe ~

Miserella - "I fucking hated my father.  And I never even knew why.  Like one day I woke up, saw him at the breakfast table and it was like I really saw him for who he was and ... he looked so fucking Weak sitting there.  And I just fucking hated him for it.  I don't know."  

 

Sips ... "Then last night it finally hit me.  He's dead !  And I cried for hours so and I hate him for that too.  So then I cried some more.  Like rage crying"

 

Bets - "Hence coffee."

Miserella - "Yeah.  Hence coffee."

Bets - "You know I hated your father too.  There was just something creepy about him, the way he looked at me ... I'm just going to say I'm not surprised your mom left."

Miserella - "I'm not surprised what happened just after."

Bets - "Yeah ... "

 

~ sips

 

Miserella - "I had a dream about him once.  It was ... I don't know."

~ her dad at the nightclub - "I don't know."

Miserella - "I don't know.  But I hated him and now he's dead.  And that's not even why I want to cry, I don't even know why."

Bets - "I know why."

 

Miserella - "Yeah ?"

Bets - "Relief.  The inevitable.  And now it's done."

(The Lines by LA Witch)

~ intermission ~

Switchblade

~ Ten Years Ago ~

The 'Detective', though clearly not yet walks to house pulling a cart filled with Bibles ~

Detective - Looking up at the minor manor with a smile ...  "A Bible in every bedroom ... "  He looks at a folk art metal duck with frozen wind spinning wings.  A curious smile before giving them a spin, then turns fast to the gate, realizing he was watched.

Young Miserella on a bicycle watches him from the gate with a smile ~

Detective - Showing the source of that salesman smile ... "Well hello there !  Do you live here ?"

Miserella - Still smiling back, "Sometimes !"  Gets off her bicycle and leans it on the fence before walking directly through him, leaving him stuck in a thick viscous effigy of time, struggling to move in its jelly.

All slows down in

 

 his motion while time moves into a blur, until the lady of the house arrives and he's pulled back to our world.

Mom (prior 'the prostitute) - Smiles startled, "Oh !  Hello ... um.  Bible salesman. ... Really ?"  Heads for the door, unlocking it.

Detective - "I've ... been  stuck here.  For a year.  There was a girl ... she ... "

Mom - Suddenly serious, "Yeah.  Look.  I've got a guest coming ... you should go."

Detective - Analyzing ... "Hey can I have a glass of water ?"

...

Mom - "Sure.  But I'm not lying.  Pull anything and he will kill you."  Looks at the top of the Bible pile ... "Though That one ... you know my daughter might actually like that big one on top."

Detective - "Ah.  Yes ... 'The New Family Bible' ... very popular.  Beveled cover and God's own gold on the trim ... wait, daughter ?"

Mom - "Yeah.  Think you may already have met her.  Still wanna make that sale ?"

...

Detective - "Kinda !"

Mom - "That's the spirit.  Come on in !  Though please leave the rest of the cart, it'll be fine."

He follows with apprehension, looking back to the cart and the sky ... then in the greet waiting until the cup of water.  The sound of a motorcycle arriving, a sip as he watches her walk for the door just before the knock.  Switchblade, but as a normal man.  

Two smiles and a kiss in the frame.

Man - Looks at the salesman, "Huh.  Didn't think your kind still existed."  Takes the book from his frozen hands, looks at her.  "You're right, she's gonna love it."  A sideways smile at the salesman, "How much ?"

Detective - "Free for some answers.  Something very strange just happened to me."

Man - A shared look of concern with the mom, "Yeah ?  How bout a bill instead of that."

Detective - "Fair."

The door opens as the money changes hands ... two smiles trying too hard before the mom walks over with a hug.

Miserella - "You again."

The two men look at each other uncertain which she means, she walks for the stairs.

Detective - To the Mom, "No I mean there's something really wrong here."

Man - After Miserella, "Look.  Honey ... "

Miserella - "Don't call me that."

Mom - "Ohhh ... Les Mis ...

Miserella - "Stop."

And the man begins crumbling in pain, legs rotting from beneath him, arms scattering their flesh as all else returns to that viscous hell, the Detective banging on the banister becoming a twisted thing, screaming muffled through the fog like water, "Demon from Hell.  Demon from Hell ... DEMON From HELL !"

Miserella - Now holding the Bible, "You're right."  Looks at the detective, "I just fucking love it."  Turns back up the stairs.

('The Last Waltz' by Fangbanger)




~ Switchblade ~

Miserella's mom sits in the asylum, staring at the others in their varied madness, an orderly whispers in her ear, she looks back shocked.

Orderly - "Yes, you'll be under your husband's care."

Mom - "Oh God."

She nervously exits the asylum and sees an old and clean Cadillac waiting, the Detective leaning on it with a smoke.

Mom - "You ?"

Detective - "Yeah."  A drag before tossing to the dry grass.  "There was no other way."

Mom - "Miserella ?"

Detective - "We'll get to her.  You're gonna get it all back."

Mom - "I don't want it all.  I just want my daughter whole again."

Detective - "That's the plan.  But first.  We've got to kill the beast."

Mom - "But he ... "

Detective - "He's not what he used to be.  I'm sorry."

Mom - Looks the car over ... "No.  I don't believe that you are."  Gets in.

~ Now ~

('I Yam what I Yam' by Robin Williams)

In an abandoned manor room Switchblade watches Popeye sing on his little TV intently with an entertained smile, "Yuh."

~ The Cadillac drives the way to the manor, followed by three SWAT vans, then a limousine flying flags, surrounded by police cars and cycles, then the National Guard and last some curious kids on their bicycles.

He dances with the song, the television in hand as though a partner.

~ The entourage turns for the driveway, the Guard stopping at the gate and warding the kids off before setting up their camp.

A spin, "Ha."  He roars with the song, "I YAM WHAT I YAM !"

Miserella pulls out an earbud and looks around to see if she heard something ... then back in and playing on the phone.

~ The kids watch the Guard set up from  a tree a tree across the street, in the bathroom mirror Miserella dresses as an ice cream  monster for stand at the kiddie park.  She looks at the giant stuffed ice cream bar, not seeing the detective in the mirror, picks it up and heads for the door.

Switchblade - Stops in the hall in front the door, the many dogs passing and tearing.  He smiles as the blades ratchet ... "Wait here, beloved beast.  It's your enemies whose heats upon, we wish to feast."  He continues on with the last of the dogs.  Sounding again like the man he once was, "And feast we shall."

The Bible drops dusty from from the arm of his cloak with mechanical sounds as though the machine he's become was releasing it.  She stares at it frozen as he walks away.

~ five

('Hallowed be thy Enemy' by Public Enemy + Iron Maiden)

He tears of the already shredded cloak, blades switching out from all over the body, mechanisms spawning and forcing out random objects, stuffed animals, old toys for a girl, yet for everything dropped he seems to grow larger in his march.

~ Outside the detective turns his head as though something were detected throws down his smoke and starts walking the long drive for the manor.  The soldiers and police behind caught off guard by his lack of care for their presence shortly turn to follow, prepping their weapons on the way.

Switchblade builds to a run with a snarled expression.

~ The detective does the same while the small army behind sets up their distant front.

Miserella picks up the Bible and opens it.  Four leaf cloves collected and pressed, pictures of her and him with her mom.  Her mind puts it together, she turns the other way from the hall.

Switchblade's arms enumerated skittering wall and ceiling forward for the door.  An appendage scoops up a dog to give it love along the way before returning it to the masse.  The last object drops, a book of nursery rhymes open to a photograph of him reading it to her.

She hears her own voice, "Can we have a puppy ?  Daddy won't let us there."

Switchblade's voice - "Of course we can."

The door explodes from the inside  as he charges through, the dogs sweeping out fast in all directions.  The detective continues to charge for him, Switchblade charging still, the backup takes very defensive positions.

They open fire, the dogs are nimble, Switchblade swings but the detective isn't there.  Looking back, he's at the manor's blown door lighting a smoke before turning in to.  Switch's flesh then scattered by bullets, he turns to the attackers.

All the dogs stop looking to him.

Switchblade - "Eat him."

They turn for the manor as now all fire is on him.  He looks to the limo and smiles ... as he rhymes the bullets all seem to cyclone in time into the swinging of his blades, directs behind him.

"I'm not afraid of the orange fiddle rhyme.
I'll give you three or four in just a little time.
Hide and shut the door, ingest a little wine.
Have a little more, in gin it tastes just fine.  

! Because !

I'm not afraid of the orange fiddle rhyme.

I am the poet who loves the letter X.
That xylophone
Was a pile of old bone
But the dancers loved it's hex.

So why do we condone
All the broken down tones
Of the orange fiddle sex?

With the high low moans,
In erogenous zones
And foreign jest effects ?  

! Because !

Everybody loves the orange fiddle rhyme ...

I'll give you four in ... "

! Just a little time !"

Detective - Standing behind him, "Gotcha."  

He slashes a strap holding an appendage on with his razor.  As Switchblade turns he's always behind, another strap here and another one there, until he begins to stumble with blades dangling uselessly.  He turns for the manor door, the little monster staring.

Captain - "! Hold Fire !" ... a look for the strangeness of the outfit.

Parts falling off of his body he stumbles up the manor steps on burned away stumps to the door, nearly falling on her as she falls backward.

Miserella - "I ... I thought I imagined you."

Switchblade - Smiles, "You did."

The detective lands slicing on his back, he pulls back his head and slits the throat.

Miserella - Black oil covering her from the wounds, "Then ... the dream.  My ... father."

Switchblade - Weakening but unaffected in tone, "I'm so sorry."

The detective hacks as a madman ... "Die demon DIE !  Leave this poor girl alone.

Miserella - "No.  I want you to live."

Switchblade - Smiles again with love, "As you wish."

She remembers in tears watching movies with him and her mom, "Live."

('Live for Love' by Prince (just the opening until the lyrics)

The dogs leap over knocking the detective off his back, his arms and legs reforming as a man's again, all things around slowing for the detective as it was ten years ago, now experienced by the police as well, panicked fire useless against the unaffected dogs.

Flesh grows, wide eyed children watch from the neighboring trees as Switchblade's body turns slowly in the light as his flesh and mind returns (naked) ~

('Fire and Brimstone' by Death Valley Girls)

Detective - Now himself lost in staring ... "no ... ! NO !"  He strains to release himself from the thick field, until he does once again as before.

Switchblade - Swings a punch and reaches with the hand behind him, catching the detective by the throat, "You just think you're so damn clever, don't you."  He spins the detective into nearly as a hug from behind, chin held firm.

 

Looks at the limo across the field of throat ravaged police, dogs still chewing.  "Almost done."  Further to the gate beyond where Miserella's mother stands.  An embittered look, a thumb down.  

He cracks the neck and keeps on pulling until the head's torn off.  

 

Picks up a blade fallen off and examines it.  Inside the limo the last man harasses the driver to depart faster.  A blade through the windshield cuts the driver in two.

Switchblade - As he walks naked and complete for the car, looking over the screams and carnage in passing, "Ascending never ending ... toil and trouble but that cauldron never bubbled so it's all been leading to you.

"Descending and pretending ... oil and rubble with your pauldron clever doubled, a ball of sin and now you're pleading anew !

"Changed man ... man with a plan, the internet stans for a clue.

"Arranged and ... fans in the hand, your splinted wet clan in the dew.

"Spending ever bending, ascending and descending how ... low can you go ?  How far can you throw ?  Your soul, is it so, just pull and let it go, bestow ... you know ... I know."

Metal through the car's window, he pulls the man through and looks him close in the eye smiling.  "Where River Styx flows."  Miserella's mom walks up behind staring at the man with a winter's cold.

The sound of a blade through flesh, the eyes go wide and he drops.

They look at each other in tears before a  long awaited kiss, Miserella running to through the abattoir of a yard still wearing her monster costume.  Straight to credits as they join in the field from a helicopter view.

Credits et al ~

~ For K8 Panik and Alex Deville ~

('Who Made Who' by AC-DC)



(credits over their family fucking moment from Hell)

Miserella - Sitting in the manor's exploded entryway like a patio, "That's where I got the money.  The city got big time duped and wanted to pay out quietly damage and the carnage and what not."

Bets - "Oh !  ...  Cool."

('Don't Cry' by Fangbanger) 

(more credits)

Bets - "Have you decided what you're gonna study ?"

Miserella - Looking into her tea, "Education."

A look ...
_____

A bowling ball bag slams on the chief's desk with about fifteen pounds in it.

Chief - "Well it's about goddamn time."

Miserella's mom - Cold as ice, "Yeah.  My fee's for a head."

Chief - Leans back and reaches for the money drawer, "Gladly.  One of the worst we've see."   Looks up from the counting, "Oh !  Almost forgot.  Interpol's waiting for you at your shitty little fucked up mansion."
_____

Bets - "Party motel."

~ Mom (voiced over) - "Swell." 

Praetorians

A flicker of social media images, fashion and people camping, erection drugs and meeting singles in your area, violence of war and hate.  The longer it streams the more of the latter, the violence of war and hate.

While on streets the people size each other up, normal names becoming extreme in people's reactions.  The traffic more loud, horns blowing with rage screaming from the windows.

A man watching a woman pass bumps into another man and it ends badly.  The media streams flow across the screen, burying the fight in the rest of the posts.

Voiced over the static ~

"When the Amazons infiltrated Delphi's oracle, they took the temple as well.  Rich men telling secrets in their beds, then on their way to hear their sister's prophesy.

My body be a temple and all are welcome, so long as they've got a good story to tell."

A clearing in the woods where a slick '67 bumps side to side, that old suspension creaking ~

News footage of the incident amid the rest of the horrors, apparently one killed the other and fled.  Manhunt.  The wars of the world in a a world of war, people killed in the streets like a dog.

~ Car bumping.

Who the fuck kills a dog in the streets.  Some people do.  Some people did it, some people robbed a bank.  Everyone dead, it all went wrong.  A cop gets interviewed at the scene.

~ Scrolling through amid the rest with the sounds of climbing orgasm inside the car, until the screams.

A shot of gin slammed to the bar and slid across til caught and slammed.  With an annoyed glance at the television news hanging over the bar, a nod and some cash left behind.

The phone.

Narrator's voice - "We're sending a van."

Man - "Bullshit."

Voice - "You don't know me but I do know you.  And maybe you don't give one single fuck about the world anymore but what about facing this alone ?"

He looks around, this madness blooming.

Voice - "Living like a scavenger amid the rest of the damned."

A police car plows through the crowds to get away.

Man - Smiles at the chaos, "So maybe I live like a king.  Maybe it's what I always wanted.  Maybe it's what I am."

Voice - "Yeah ... I know you like to think that sometimes, but it never lasts.  Too late.  We already sent the van.  It was never very far."

Another blocking his way in threat gets his head slammed back into the bricks of his apartment building.

Man - Working the keys for the door, "I love you too mom."  Down the long hall for the end, "I'm gonna go get my sword and go save the world now.  Bye."  Hangs up and works the door lock to the apartment.

Voice sitting there on his couch, hangs up and pockets.  "They'll be here soon but we've still got a bit of time."

Man - "They sent another woman."

Voice - "You're notorious.  Honeypot 101 and I even packed the skirt."

Man - "Doesn't qualify you for this."

Voice - "I also put a president's hand in his own blender once, to get what I wanted."

Man - "And what was that ?"

Voice - "Your location."

Man - "And now you fuck me so I think I'm getting in that van for love."

Voice - "If it's required.  Is it required ?"

...

Man - "You're terrible at this."

Voice - "Really.  As you may delude yourself about what you are, and who, you're a good man.  Which means stupid when it comes to love.  So yeah.  I can pretend to love you.  I can make your every bedroom and blue dream come true.  Make you love me with all your heart for as long as it takes. 

"To get you in a van.  Any van will do." 

A smile she gets up from the couch and to the fridge, pulls a beer from it as her demeanor changes to a girlfriend flopping comfortably around his home like she lived there, or at least spends some time.

Throws herself to the couch and picks up the remote.  Flipping through channels and drinking, ignoring him completely.  "Hey you got any smokes ?  I forgot the store before it closed."  

Drinks flipping ...

"Oh !  I found a new band today !  Sheila, the insufferable bitch she may be, was actually playing decent music in her cubicle." 

Flips through the channels ... "Hey come here you ... is everything okay ?"

...

The man starts to laugh ... "Okay.  We can go to the van now."

Voice - "Yes !  I told them fucking you wasn't the answer but these assholes are like 67 style ... chief literally drives a Chevy Nova."

Man - "Holy shit !"  Heads with her for the door, sword in hand with a go bag. 

Voice - "Seriously."

Man - Stops before closing it, "You're doing it again, aren't you."

Voice - "You'll never know.  You know all those horrible things you like to think you are because it justifies what you know you have to do ?  I'm actually those things."

Man - "How many ?"

Voice - "Many."

Man - "All of them ?"

Voice - "Didn't today."

Man - Into the hall and closing the door, "What about yesterday ?"

Voice - Slams him to the wall and kisses him while the passersby in the hall do everything not to watch.  "Acting the girlfriend again, "Forgot to lock the door again."

Man - "I always have the distinct feeling I may never return."

Voice - Pulling away, "It's okay.  I got it."  Uses her key and heads down the hall, raises an arm to the ceiling.  "To the apocalypse !"

Man - "What do we put on the headstone ?"

Voice - Smiles back from the door, "They call me Monroe."

And out the front door, indeed a black van between two like painted SUV's some black suits on lookout.  The van door slides open, inside an armored man looking like combat armor was made made how it should have been.

Armored - "A sword."  He looks to Monroe, "Seriously.  A fucking sword."

Voice - "Probably won't even draw it."

The door slams shut and they roll.

The swordsman stares at the armored judging back, hilt of the down turned sheath in his hand like a scepter as he sits on the throne of a bench. 

The armored man assesses him cold.  "So what's your specialty ?"

Hail starts pounding the van roof while in the streets everyone scatters, the thunder sounds.  The swordsman looks to Monroe, "Who ranks here ?"

Monroe - "None of us.  We each have our specialties.  Chief decides when it's time to activate and chooses who's who for the situation."

Swordsman - "The chief ... 'he lives'.  So who's planning the op ?"

Monroe and the armored look at each other, the armored looks down.

Swordsman - "Ah.  Looking for a replacement.  I'm sorry for your loss."

Armored - "Hm.  We're actually looking for some magical bitch who thinks he can save the world with a fucking sword."

Monroe - "Never even uses it.  We're coming up on the docks."  The hail stops.

Swordsman - To the armored, "What's your designation son ?"

Armored - "Did you just ... okay first off, fuck off with that, 'old son'.  And secondly, my name, is Emilio Stephan."

Monroe - "Literally has no code name."

Emilio - Thumps his chest with a grin to the swordsman, "Nothing to hide."

...

Swordsman - "Did you actually have to fuck this guy ?"

Monroe - "No.  But the next one may still be a bit bitter."
________

Pilot - On a dock by an old sea plane, "No.  Absolutely.  No."

Monroe - "You know we really did have a good thing going and you knew a hell of a lot longer than were willing to admit."

Pilot - "Til your next mission."

Monroe - "And here you are my mission again."

Pilot - "No."

Swordsman - Gesturing to Emilio ignoring them while cleaning his gun, "Well what about that guy, he'll fuck you."

Pilot - Looks over and examines him while instinct raises his head to see back ... "No."

Swordsman - "Money ?"

Pilot - Looks in the air in consideration, across the docks, the gulls ...  "Yeah okay."

Swordsman - "Got a name ?"

Pilot - "Money.  Who the fuck are you ?"

Swordsman - "No idea but I've heard some neat theories."

Pilot - "Swell.  Load up, another storm front's on the way.  We got lucky for the gap and you have until the auto-pilot to think of a name, or I'm calling you Joe-Bim-Billy, Dim-Dally-Bitch-a-doodle-Pops forever."

Swordsman - "Joe will do."

Pilot - "Good enough."  Looks at Monroe before boarding, a sigh.  "I honestly fucking hate you."

Monroe - "So would I."

Pilot - "If you had a soul."

Monroe - "Sure man.  If I had a soul.  Let's go."

The seaplane takes off in the dusk of early fall, the wave of storm passing behind them.  It flies the western coastline headed south, beach side freeways showing their own collapse with the rest of the world.

Jammed traffic and rage on the road, protest stops a bridge, police line charges and further on south they go veering further from land.  Rounds the peninsula, then a low and solid thirty miles out.

Inside it's clear the pilot lives here, Monroe the only one comfortable sitting on the thin bed atop the cupboards.  A wall near the hatch of cutlery hung over a preparing station for meat, poles leaning the other side of it.

Among other things a sushi chef who likes to prepare the meat fresh from the water.  Signatures fetish hanging from around the world but if anyone were to notice, only those places with notable fish.

These are the reasons this pilot like to tell himself why, the knives hang by the door.

Joe - "Okay.  So what do we know here."

Monroe - "We know if we're all here and if I've only worked with one of you, there will be more.  We're mismatched as a team."

Joe - "Maybe."

Emilio - "Definitely."

Joe - Looks him over, "I don't know ... I think your action figure would look great with a sword."

Emilio - "Pfff ... true.  But you a broad op strategist, Chief was always mission to mission.  You don't belong on a team."

Joe - To Monroe, "And you usually work political ... they say you've open fired on a draw, but it's not what you do.  So I'd have to agree with that."

Money - Enters from the cockpit, "And there's no way in Hell I'm working with her, so that all sounds about right.  We are not alone.  What else we got ?"

Monroe - "You tell me."

...

Money - "I want you to know, that I absolutely have your back.  I know we're here to get something done, and that no matter what I may feel, nothing will stop that from happening.  But I still fucking hate you."

Monroe - "No you don't.  That's the problem.  I really liked myself when I was everything you wanted, that's what I want you to know but it was never really me.  You need to let her go, she was never there."

...

Money - "Yeah.  Got your back.  What else we got ?"

Emilio - "The enemy will be political and militarized, because of our individual talents.  We were picked up together only because of out our proximity on the map.  So there will be many of us.  So we know many people, are going to die."

Money - "Well at least someone's tellin' the truth."  Smiles, "Welcome to Guadalajara." 

The plane descends for low flight over land.

~ Praetorians ~

An APC door slams open, another team entirely exits one by one, a helicopter unloads three more, pilot last then slapping palms with our own.  Team after team, each their own way and of all kinds from around the world.

Two from across the way give a hard look, one drawing a line under his throat to threaten.  A private airstrip carved out of a field just outside the city with manor attached, the seaplane lands on its set wheels, they unload the last. 

One look and some might say the property was a local CIA post and they would be correct.  A few of the type seen remaining gives credibility to the notion the vans were theirs.

 

Though the way they observe shows they're 'monitoring a situation'.  It's not their slightly unkempt nature which gives the clue to what's really going on, but that of the FBI who linger close to the manor's back entrance.

These are one hundred percent mutineers.  AWOL.  These standard troops are revolutionaries, house guard a lot of mercenaries.  The teams converge on the doors, maybe ten total of forty counting pilots, one for each.

Each of their own way, some strange and some just fucking core.  The doors close after the last, guards return to post position in front of them.  One gives the other a snicker returned.

~ two

In the thin manor's hall which connects front to back and separates two broad wings, he stands before the front doors flanked well enough by mercs for either habit or show. 

Chief - Smiles, "Well hello children."  Emilio looks away annoyed.  "Those who know me, it's been a long time.  And welcome to the rest of you, who I know, better than you think."

An unknown in the crowd, hooded long coat ~ "The point ?"

Chief - A laugh, "Yes.  The point.  Is that the powers behind powers of this world have decided to wipe out the world's population, in order to start anew.  You've  just seen the initial effects of their plan.  But instead of that, we're going to kill them all.

 

"How's that for 'to the point' Ghost ?"

Another voice ~ "And then what ?  Their idiot children inherit the power.  They're even worse than the parents they hate in a long line of self mutilation and guilt.  But they're still heart-bound to their parents' wishes, cash bound to their legacy."

Chief - "We teach them fear.  You teach them fear.  And we burn their hard assets to the ground.  You say heart-bound Libra and I'm glad you asked because you're going to subvert them."

Joe - "And in the end ?"

Chief - "Rule the world."

They all look around at each other ... 

Another voice ~ "You mean you rule the world.  Look at all these spooks about ... you just want what they have.  Thinking you'll turn up somehow more worthy. 

"That's what everyone who wants it all tells themselves.  That they won't turn out to be like them but you will.  It's the nature of the beast."

Chief - "Warden the only thing I can tell you about myself that you don't already know, is that I will not survive this.  I mean you will rule this world.  All of you.

"Now.  That said, these agents are here to support you but make no mistake, they will put also you down, if they have to."

Corvallis - Clears his throat, "That is correct.  First off.  There are agents and officers all over the world, who do not believe as these people we are about to hunt do.  About the future of humanity.  We've done their bidding, maintained a status quo.

"Say what you will of it. 

"But this ... suffice to say it exceeds honor and oath.  So here we are.  We are not immune to this madness which takes over our world.  We were inoculated.  This process was how we came to know the extent of their plan."

Another voice ~ " 'Inoculated'.  So it's viral."

Corvallis - "No.  At least not in the way you mean.  It's a constant transmission through communication devices coupled with complimentary image triggers, resulting in heightened aggressive behavior.  The inoculation is effectively a hormonal stabilizer tuned precisely to this stream.

 

"The fact is they've tried viral.  They've tried a lot of things.  But synthetic viruses have a low life span in any competitive bio-sphere so like created terrorists, they become high maintenance, low yield.  They try a lot of things.  And we ... within the world's law enforcement agencies ... have become unhappy.

"Suffice to say."

Chief - "And they will keep trying.  Every bid for rule of the world, in their terms.  When enough people are dead to suit their equation, they'll sell that 'hormonal stabilizer' to the survivors, continuing transmission to insure any splintering tribes kill each other off."

Corvallis - "Other drugs will work, only not as well.  They know theirs is the one to sell because it's tuned to the hormonal response to the specific psychological triggers.

"This is what they do.  This is what their families have always done, one way or another.  Investigative bureaus looks at pragmatic solutions, seizing assets, tax evasion, Interpol games, but ... "

Chief - "They have declared war on our world, and they're winning.  We represent all of it.  They have infiltrated all of our governments, and turn them on their own people.  And so we're going to kill them all."

Corvallis - "Quietly."

Chief - "Ending all their lines."

...

Voice in the back ~ "You had me at rule the world."

As they claim and unpack in their shared rooms, converted to a barracks with cots, two per room so everyone picks their bunk-mate like it's a week before fucking prom.

"Yah I wanna rule the world, what's wrong with that !?  What wrong with you !?"

Lynx - Unpacking in their shared room with the voice from the back, "It's not even like ruling, just one vote in forty ... "

Voice - "If forty survive ... "

Lynx - "Menacing but true.  What freaks me out is one vote actually mattering.  A luxury when they get lost in the millions.  Like helping to promote a guy and he turns out to be an asshole, at least there's a millions of other suckers in equal denial."

Voice - "So like ... you wore a button and then a sticker !?"

Lynx - "Totally wore a button and a sticker."

Voice - "You're a fucking moron.  Electoral college is like we'll be, except they don't have as many guns.  Your vote means shit."

Lynx - "And you're a contrarian whore.  There's the popular vote, the electoral vote, and there's who's the better cheater.  Best two out of three wins.  That means two out of three times, your vote, matters.  So yeah I wear a sticker bitch, fuck you."

Voice - "I don't fuck my prey, go bunk to death with Monroe.  You just said you're afraid to rule the world because you're used to your voice not mattering.  Like a cowardly fucking princess ... so who's the contrarian whore now ?"

Lynx - "I swear to God when I shave you will always be the last pube standing.  No.  I mean people like you having a say.  At all.  It takes millions of votes to drown out the stupidity of your kind."

Voice - "My kind ?"

Lynx - "Yeah like ... whatever kind of flotsam that flops out when her mother squats in a random alleyway I'd imagine."

....

Voice - Tries to contain before the laugh breaks out.  "Okay that was good."

Fatigues on, they smile and face, M4'sup, they walk past the two confused but likewise prepared soldiers waiting at the door.

Jackal - Comm kit on and calling after while catching up, "I wanna rule the world."

Warden - An MP, "That's because you're a bitch."  Shocks him with a cattle prod.
________________

A long hall of the manor fast converted to base, left subtly reminiscent of a school's path between classes filled with kids except old and psychotic ~

Dore - "Ghost !"

Ghost - Turns slow to show his very self-satisfied grin, "Dore."

Dore - "Oh ... okay.  So you know."

Ghost - "Oh I know.  And then I spent some bounty on a whore whose name was your fucking mother.  You were taking too long."

~ Chief - Annoyed in the office like a visited principal, "Well ?"

Dore - All fucked up, "He sniped my kill and took the money."

Ghost - Equally bleeding, "And then I fucked his mother."

Dore - "You did not fuck my mother."

Ghost - "I did fuck your mother."

Chief - "Jesus Christ."

Ghost - "Used the dog ... for a condom."

...

Dore - "I'm going to fucking kill you now."

Chief - "You're going on mission now.  Together.  We settle all baby-antic bitch fits, here and now."

Money - In the office with Monroe instead of the others, "Oh no not at all sir we patched all that up."

Monroe - "I really think that's a good idea.  In general.  Quash all the beefs out the gate."

Chief - "Hmmm ... so how do you feel about throwing her out of an airplane ?"

Joe - Now in the office instead, "If he takes the plane to the water and sails north, and then flies over the city from that direction they'll think it came from a cartel.

"Path lines right up with the courthouse."

Chief - "I know a guy who might even want to take credit for that ... that's a pretty big status kill but still low key.  All the locals hate this mark.  Then what ?"

Joe - "You strip off all your gear ... "

Money and Monroe give him a look.

Chief - "And go to the fucking party !"

Ghost and Dore - "But ... "

Chief - "How the fuck are you two going to a party looking like this ?"

... disappointed ...

Dore - "Kill sniping bitch."

Ghost - "Dog's ass was way tighter than your sister's."

Joe and the chief watch all four walk out to the plane from the office window, Ghost and Dore even more fucked up now, office trashed.  Monroe practically skips with glee while Money trails behind the rest. 

He turns to the window and flies a very angry bird.

Joe - "Well ... if any of them kills the other at least we won't have to hear about it anymore."

Chief - "That's the plan."  

They take a drink watching the window.

~ three

Libra holds two children's heads to watch as their uncle is beaten to death with pipes, security strangled, all getting kicked before stomped into bone cracking.

Libra - Dressed and a nanny, she leans between their ears sweetly.  "We're gonna kill your daddy now.  And one day ... if you study real hard and drink your milk to follow in his footsteps ... "  An endearing little laugh ... "it could be you."

The boy struggles in tears to look away, the girls just stares into her uncle's dying eyes with near excitement, a fast smile ~

The plane flies over the capitol party, two chutes drop for the roof.  Inside ... the party !

Monroe - Dancing with Money, "I'm sorry about your airplane ... "

Money - "Don't."

Monroe - "Look.  We're married.  See these rings ?  So honey, we're just going to have to make it work.  Now look at me.  I'm going to teach you how I do what I do.  Look at me."

Money - "I'm looking."

Monroe - "Not really but it'll do.  Now imagine everything I want in a man."

Money - "I can't even imagine."

Monroe - "It's now your job to figure that out.  See those two guys over there ?  Totally scoping me because they can see you're a cold fish.  You don't need to know what I want.  Just guess !

"Nobody knows they want and if they did, the prospect of having it would terrify them.  They just want to be wanted.  And close enough wins the game.  It means surprises.  Which is exciting.

"While perfect is suspicious to suspicious people so ... I am sorry about your plane.  I really am."

~ As the plane flies, empty of personage but filled with boom and a panicking auto-pilot light, the courthouse ahead.

Money - A laugh, he moves a lock hair from her face and into the rest of her do.  Smiles, "Just a thing.  Guess I'm trading up."

Monroe - Smiles back, "There ya go."

The fuck-boys watch them kiss and turn away annoyed at the end of the song clip when the plane hits the courthouse.
________________

A distance from where the police are called in force to rush the courthouse scene after the explosion, arrival of press on the horizon.

Dore - Getting out of the shitty old truck with Ghost, "Ever heard of Suicide Mouse ?"  He checks his pistols and applies suppressors.

Ghost - Opening his briefcase to assemble the sniper rifle.  "Suicide Mouse.  Is that one of these fucks we don't know ?"  Opens a panel and pulls a fat wad of cash and hands it to him.

Dore - "Are you shitting me ?"

Ghost - "Half the gig.  Minus your mom."

Dore - Flips it through, all hundreds but four twenties on the bottom.  "Literally twenty dollars shy.  I swear to God."

Ghost - "So did she.  So Suicide Mouse."

...

Dore - A laugh, money in the bag.  "You're a sick fuck I thought you might like to know.  It's this cartoon made by Mr Walter Disney himself.  But it's so fucked up, they refuse claim it.

"So it floats around.  People making copies.  Doesn't matter who made it or how much it looks like a mickey, and by the way a 'mickey' was a word with a meaning, back in the day. 

"Like the two little pills on his breeches."

Ghost - A laugh, "Okay I'm in.  Fucked up how ?"

Dore - "Like, people died.  I looked into it.  Lots of stories, but one was verifiable.  So this film critic, very well know and still alive, was archiving old Mickey Mouse cartoons for like a historical compilation.  'Box set', when DVDs were invented.

"Hours and hours of these old cartoons, and most weren't put out for a reason.  Scraps and experimentals.  You know they watch them in a theater his assistant and him, and now he's bored as fuck.

"So he goes home and tells his assistant to watch the rest and like ... do a book report or whatever just give him the notes.  He doesn't fucking care anymore if ever he did.  So she does.  And on comes 'Suicide Mouse'.

Ghost - "She ded ?"

Dore - "She ded.  Walked right outta there mumbling 'Real suffering is not known.'  Then right the fuck home and kills herself.  No known issues, no psychology, just Suicide Mouse.

"But you know.  'Hollywood'.  People die for a lot of reasons."

Ghost - "Heard that."

Dore - "Good money.  So this critic's like on with the show.  Sends another assistant."

Ghost - "Damn.  She ded ?"

Dore - "'They say', less verifiably, that she was sent to the asylum for trying. All medical records are still locked down.  So he sends a third.  Does the report and walks away fine.

Ghost - "That's almost scarier."

Dore - "No shit.  But if you ask the critic about it, he'll just look you dead in the eye and say, 'Never saw that one'.  And it will absolutely be the end of that conversation."

Ghost - "And it's just ... out there."

Dore - "They can not stop it, without admitting, it exists."  Pulls a flash drive from his pocket, "Here ya go."

...

Ghost - "Disavowed."  Truly touched, "Thanks man."  Hand on his shoulder, "That's ... I'm sorry I put your grandmother on the internet."

Dore - "My grandmother's already on the internet."

Ghost - "I know."  Action loads, "Kill a motherfucker ?"

Dore - Action loads, "Kill a motherfucker."

Inside the event, Money and Monroe watch to see who's notified first of the explosion, marking them with a camera in the corsage, noting what kind of security joins whom.

While outside the function's street parking Dore uses the security confusion from the crash to climb a pole to affix a camera, before dropping back down to Ghost keeping watch. 

They duck for the alleyway, where Ghost grabs back up his leaning rifle.  Dore throws a hook on a rope to pull down the steps, and up the fire escape they go ... 

Now two blocks away watching ~

Dore - "Who's the mark ?"

Ghost - Adjusting the scope, "First guy out the door ... "

Dore - "Should be the one with the fastest intel and that would be one Mr Nancy while our new friends watch how everyone's security responds.  This tactical Joe could be alright.  What do you think of these two ?"

Ghost - "I know Monroe's solid, in her way.  If you know you know.  I've only seen the pilot drop agency spooks and run, but I am surprised he gave up his airplane."

Dore - "Clean slates.  Old cargo.  It means he's in or very interested in it looking like it.  I've seen him infiltrate, once, standard plays, shot to shot, door to door, knows when to and when not to."

Ghost - "I'd say the same about Monroe.  Here we go."

~ A pause and an exhale, a businessman with a woman both surrounded by security drops.
________

Inside the party the room goes active with the woman's scream, fast from curious rumor to security situation. 

They watch to see who's most protected, who already knows the safe room way, whose sensibilities stand out from the panicking rest, marking them all.  On the distant rooftop, nothing to be seen.

Ghost drives while Dore flips open a computer to the camera feed, watching the parking lot as security pours out first, then weeded through by the party goers, spots Money and Monroe stumble out like the rest of the fools for their cars and between two SUVs and over the bush unseen.

Dore - Closes the comp, "And done is done."

Ghost - Checks the mirror uninterested and eyes back forward, "I respect your father's cock." 

Dore stares unsure what that even means ... a thump behind as Money and Monroe flop over the back and pull over the tarp as they drive away, still in Guadalajara.

Driving off into the distance fade ...

Back in the manor the pictures and names checked, the last of the cars drives away, security goes inside.  A last pop of a small charge in the camera sends it spinning sailing into the street.

Pictures compared to film, cars and security of each noted, while Money and Monroe watch over, verifying their observations.

Through the quieted song ~

Ghost - In a coffee shop, to an unseen across the table.  "Yeah.  Everyone will be on mission, leaving just the Chief.  All alone.  Agencies packed it in to disappear again."

Guest - "Ghosting ?"

Ghost - "Something like that.  They don't tell me much."

Guest - "And the mission ?"

Ghost - "I don't know yet, no one does.  Just that it's big."

Guest - "Hitting our militia I think.  In for a surprise when they find the place empty."

Ghost - "I'd imagine so.  So am I in ?"

Guest - "Like Flynn."

The glasses clink, the song picks up and out to intermission.

~ nine minute intermission ~

~ after nine ~

Cartel spokesman - Standing with a crew brandishing their heavy arms, "And we will reign down more destruction from the skies, until you have released these people." 

Clears his throat and looks at the guy grinning wide while nodding and posing with the SAW.

SAW guy remembers and hands him the list, a serious nod to the camera, then wanders away with his head slung shy.

Spokes - To himself crossing names off, "Fuck this guy fuck that guy that piece of shit is a snitch ... ahhh ... "  To the camera - "We want Carlos back.  Give us back Carlos and we won't blow anymore things up for a while.

"And ahhh ... if you fuck with my people again ... we will shoot you in the knees."
____

Monroe - Dressed in bondage gear and holding a whip, "So you get the general gist then ?"

Local politician in a suit and tie with his pants off tied spread eagle to a shitty motel bed - "I would give you anything you want, if only you would be my wife."

Monroe - "Hmm ... "

~ sound of a whip cracking.
____

Spokes - "Then we cut your dick off, and we feed it to you.  And then we cut your head off, with your dick still in your mouth, and we shove it directly up your ass."

Other guy - "Directly."

~ Ghost watching on the internet in the dark - "yeah ... "

Spokes - "And then we deliver that mess of you to your wife."

Other guy - "Like when they deliver a flaming bag of dog shit.  We light you on fire and we ring the door bell, and then we run away laughing.  Then when she comes to the door ... "

Spokes - "Instead of a flaming bag of dog shit, it is you on fire with your own dick in your mouth and your head up your ass."

Other guy - "And what's funny about that is, she will immediately recognize you."

All - "OH !" and static out as they all fire in the air ~

Praetorians

Driving an inconspicuously dated van which appears vaguely ill in repair but with the engine that purrs ~

Lynx - Driving with Voice next to her in the front, Warden and Jackal in the back.  "So.  We're already friends and you're already friends ... "

Warden - "So to speak."

Lynx - "Right."  Eyeroll.  "Well that's why he teamed us with us and you with you, but why did he team you with us ?"

Jackal - "All standard issue grunts."

Voice - "Lots of that to go around.  What's up with you two."

Jackal - Smiles away from Warden, "I'm all you need.  He's just here because I'm on 'work release'.  And they needed someone to hold the leash."

Warden - "And save his ass regularly, as I did in the prison.  But we're friends, so to speak, because I agree with what he did, on a moral level.  Not so sure about how he did it though ... "

Voice - "Ooo."  To Jackal, "And what did you do ?"

Warden - "Classified."

Jackal - "But he sure as fuck had it coming."

Warden - "Fuck yeah."  Hard bones.

...

Lynx - Adjusts the mirror to her eyes directly on Warden, "Okay.  What's said in the van is classified.  It does not leave this van.  Swear it on your oath."  Moves the mirror to Jackal's eyes.

Jackal - "On my dead brothers."

Warden - "On his dead brothers."

...

Warden - "And my tags.  Whatcha got."

...

Lynx - Adjusts the mirror to normal, "So did we.  Except we actually got away with it."

Voice - Smiles back at Jackal, "Dumbass."

Jackal - Smiles back, "We can  assume by that you're here, that you did not.  But that the chief just happens to agree with what you did.  On his ... 'moral level'."

Lynx - "He wasn't gonna get away with it."

Voice - "We want to know how he knew."

Warden - "So we know who else might."

Chief - On the radio and scaring the fuck out of them, "No one alive.  I put you four together for no particular reason but instinct.  Felt right so I let it fly, and Warden is there, Jackal, because he is a literal brick shit-house."

Warden - "That is true."

Chief - "And because he always gets his man."

Warden smiles over to Jackal's roll of the eyes. 

Chief - "And good hunting.  I'm turning this fucking thing off.  Annoying.  Call it in when you're done or you're dead."  Static out.

...

Voice - "Wait.  Does ... that mean he did already know or that he didn't already know."

... they wait for a sound ...

Jackal randomly bursts out laughing uncontrollably until Warden shocks him again. "Hmm."  A snicker and a look out the window.

~ Praetorians ~

Credits as the van passes the people walking like it's to the rhythm, until here and there as they drive along, they're all starting to dance as the van passes.

Poking their way through the marketplace pedestrians twirling across as though it were nothing, then toward the city's edge.  A salute from all before the police car is seen, then all to normal and the music cuts out.
________________

A head from behind watches Ghost leave the coffee shop, pulls the phone and texts, "got him"

Still seen from behind, he leaves the shop and drops the phone in the passing trash.  Elsewhere in the world another sends another message.  

Images across the web encoding that information in ways only those who already know will understand.  References to ghosts and hauntings, references to things crossing over.  An article with a decorative pic of a coin flipping, tourist services to Guadalajara.

Around the world the suits see the screen and pass another message to another and another, all branching out into a network like a web across the world.

Emilio drives while Libra eats chocolate in that same shitty truck, now painted shitty white with and sprayed with dirt, both in civilian clothes.

Libra - "So what's up with the armor thing ?"

Emilio - "Prototype dragon-scale designed for the American military.  But it was debatably too expensive to make in mass production at twenty-five g's a pop, so their soldiers never saw them.  Mine was a demonstration model."

Libra - "Nice.  How'd you score it ?"

Emilio - "It was my specific fee, to be paid in advance, for a high fire solo infiltration.  Requisitioned so to speak, to be repaired upon completion."

Libra - "And ?"

Emilio - "And I was the god of death for a day."

Libra - "Ha !  Those are the good ones."

Emilio - "What about you what's your thing ?"

Libra - "Psychological infiltration like Monroe, but not by the same means.  I saw she picked you up you didn't sleep with her.  Neither did Joe.  I've never worked with her but I do know of her.  We're like the exact opposite sides of the classic female infiltration model."

Emilio - "Between you it covers a lot of territory."

Libra - "It's actually why we've never worked together.  Purely redundant."

Emilio - "But you don't sleep with them."

Libra - "No, I study them.  And I let them want to be studied.  I make them feel interesting, which would immediately cease upon sleeping with them.  It's a lot like being a reporter.  So what do you usually just ... walk in and shoot ?"

Emilio - "Honestly, yes.  That's ... what they call me for."

Libra - "But you're interested in expanding your repertoire."

Emilio - "Ah.  That's what you do."

Libra - "That's what I do.  It is genuine curiosity, I'm a curious person.  But right now it concerns the chief.  I think he agrees you're capable of more or you wouldn't be here with me in civi clothes instead of armor.  How's it feel ?"

Emilio - "I'm honestly kind of loving it, I have so many tiny pistols on me right now you have no idea."

Libra - "I fucking love my tiny pistols.  Need a light ?"

Emilio - "Got my own ... including the pack."

Libra - "Half my make-up and the bag itself."

Emilio - "Belt buckle."

Libra - "Cleavage piece."

Emilio - "Under each forearm."

Libra - "Child's play.  My heel's are fucking shotguns."

Emilio - "No shit ?"

Libra - "I can do a full splits hand-stand."

Emilio - "This will be required viewing."

Libra - "Hardcore lesbian."

Emilio - "Gay as fuck."

~ High fives.

Emilio - "I just don't think you can do that."

They drive sight-line from the outdoors cafe slowing down a bit, special guard at the gate to the seating with a metal detector and surprised guests, in the truck they burst out laughing.
____

Joe - Over the monitors huddled with many of the rest, watching the street-cam feed while the chief laughs evil ... "You're a mean old man."

They unload it all to the duffel all of the above mentioned and a few other things, though really the silenced pistols were the thing.  While in the cafe the governor appears nervously defiant, surrounded by guards.
________________

Governor - In Spanish at the cafe, "Can anyone even tell me who the Hell, this 'Carlos' Even Is !?"

On entering they act as the rest do, startled with a nervous laugh at the metal detector and armed guards then shooing away as though a bit scared.  To the table then set for them an order of coffees and menu request.

Libra - From a glance to the governor on the phone, "Well what do you think ?"

Emilio - "Wondering why it's not a good sniper gig, look at this fucker hanging out here in the open like this."

Libra - "No proper angle in this neighborhood, his security at least thought that far.  And it's election year he's got something to prove.  'Tough on cartels'."

Emilio - "There's a short life span."

Libra - "Exactly.  Good for votes but then no one's surprised.  We think the ones we hunt set him up for a hit to shut him up.  Knows things, but they don't give a fuck about this town."

Emilio - "So their cover's already in play for us, leaving it to the lieutenant governor.  How's he ?"

~ LG - With tears in his eyes, "Anything."

Libra - "The chief chose this town well.  Surrounded by cartel in a circle of protection that give every reason for any random acts of violence we need."

Emilio - "The perfect FOB."
____

Chief - "I actually chose it because it's where the party was at."

Agent Corvallis - "Good enough for me."  Turns to leave.
____

Libra - "Seriously though, how are we gonna kill this guy ?"

Emilio - "There was no particular plan on your end ?"

~ Chief - To Libra, "So I want you to kill this guy."

Libra - "Non specific."

~ Chief - To Emilio, "Just try to enjoy yourself."

Emilio - "Same here."

Libra - "Well we've got silverware."

Emilio - "Steaks it is."  The menus arrive, the nods and smiles til departed.  "How long do you think before the effects of their plan reaches here."

Libra - "Maybe never.  Keeping the local signals cleared of it is why we need full control.  America's fucked though, and so is Europe.  Riots everywhere, Russia too.  The Korea's are at war ... I don't think either will survive."

Emilio - "Destroy themselves and calling it conquest, leaving everywhere without them the safest place in the world."

Libra - "That's why Russia's been networking in removed places.  We tap theirs next."

~ They order.

Emilio - "What about China ?"

Libra - "They don't fight wars, they make the bullets everyone else needs to win them.  It's how it's been for literally seven hundred years.  Suffice to say they've closed their borders.  No one even knows."

Emilio - "Damn.  So this really is it then."

Libra - "It is."

They note the governor walking with four security and joining the two more with his family at the table."

Emilio - "Jesus he's got his kids with him."

Libra - "That's why I'm here, scaring children is my specialty."

Emilio - "That's what they say ... but I was hoping it was just a thing they say."

Libra - "They say a lot of things."

Emilio - "Kill any ?"

Libra - "One.  Teenager if that counts.  Followed in daddy's footsteps.  Industry cultists."

Emilio - "Heard about them."

Libra - "Everything they say is true.  See the two children there ?  There were very briefly once three.  Called it a miscarriage."

Emilio - "Jesus.  So why did they team us up ?  Any one of us could do this hit.  You I get but why me ?"

Libra - "You tell me, you're a friendly.  If you ever want to talk, I'm here and you have my word I won't fuck with you.  Clearly I'm not gonna judge you."

Emilio - "You actually make that sound reasonable."

~ They get their steaks and knives.

Libra - "Therapy paid the bills.  Three of my targets were clients, including that kid.  Must have thought he was talking to a priest telling me all that shit.  Here we go."

They watch the two children escorted by two security inside.