Underside
Issue: 1
Page One (one panel)
Panel 1. There are two men walking down an alley. It is late and raining, casting long shadows. Trash, in cans and not, litters the sides of the alley. A large dumpster is pushed up against the left side of the alley. Despite the bad weather and conditions, the two are joking about and smiling; one is taking a fake jab at the other's ribs. It is most likely autumn as they are both wearing jackets. The one on the left, ROBERT (Barsky), is wearing a black leather jacket. He is a shorter than JACOB and has a close cropped haircut. He is bulkier than Jacob as well, but obviously from working weights. The one on the right, JACOB (Cole), is wearing a tan trenchcoat that ends at his knees. He is thinner, but not anemically so, and has a runner's build. He has a sharp nose and a full head of tousled hair. Despite the weather the trenchcoat is open; he wears a button-up collared shirt underneath.
CAP / ROBERT:
How's your coffee?
Page Two (six panels)
Panel 1. The same two men are sitting in a diner on opposite ends of a booth. There is a window into an alley in the background. This gives the two men a view of nothing but the brick alley outside and the car parked there, but it shows that it is daylight now. ROBERT sits on the left and JACOB sits on the right. ROBERT is smoking and leaning back into booth. He has an untouched coffee mug in front of him. JACOB is hunched over his coffee, looking tired, miserable and dirty. The lapel of his coat is in ribbons and there is blood on his button down shirt. The elbows of his tan coat are black with muck. His face has a number of scratches on it, some of which have been bandaged.
JACOB:
It's cold.
Panel 2. Same as Panel 1, but ROBERT is taking a drag from his cigarette.
ROBERT:
Huh.
Panel 3. JACOB looks up from his coffee, the faintest slight betrayal of annoyance on his face as ROBERT exhales his smoke. ROBERT, as an old friend would be, is oblivious.
JACOB:
They let you smoke in here?
Panel 4. ROBERT flicks the ash of his cigarette into the coffee mug. JACOB continues to look at him. It looks as though normally JACOB's gaze would mean death, but he's obviously too tired to muster much of a sour look.
ROBERT:
I kept this place from getting knocked over a few years ago. They don't mind too much.
Panel 5. JACOB gives a tired smile, turning away from ROBERT, his right hand still holding his coffee. He seems to be surveying the coffee shop that the two are sitting in.
JACOB:
Figures.
Panel 6. ROBERT, mockingly, looks hurt by what his friend has said.
ROBERT:
Ah c'mon. It's not in that bad a part of town.
Page Three (six panels)
Panel 1. JACOB leans back, a small conspiratorial grin on his face.
JACOB:
No, I mean that you could stop a gunm'n.
Panel 2. ROBERT is taking another drag.
ROBERT:
Well, all in the life of a hero cop.
Panel 3. The two sit a moment is silence. ROBERT looks more aware, leaning in repose. JACOB continues to look exhausted, hunched over his coffee mug.
Panel 4. The same as Panel 3, but JACOB is speaking. He barely parts his lips to do so.
JACOB:
What the Hell was that thing?
Panel 5.
ROBERT drags off his cigarette, not looking his friend in the eye.
ROBERT:
Just another cracked out smoker; too much of something.
Panel 6. JACOB's eyes are now bright and wide, looking at his friend across the expanse of the table. His stature has become more erect, leaning in to ROBERT slightly.
JACOB:
Don't bullshit me Rob.
Page Four (three panels)
Panel 1. The shot of the alley from page 1 again, but this time a bright, evil pair of eyes can be seen behind the dumpster the pair is walking toward. Both JACOB and ROBERT continue to wander down the alley, enjoying each other's company and oblivious of any danger.
CAP / JACOB:
I've seen crackheads and junkies --
Panel 2. JACOB and ROBERT both recoil in surprise as the owner of the bright eyes jumps out from behind the dumpster into the alley. She is a vampire in the most feral state, a creature that has hungered for too long. She is wearing the shreds of a woman's suit and her very pale skin is contrasted with the alley muck that stains her. The vampire has fangs as the creature of legend, which have cut into her lips, causing blood to drip down the corners of its mouth. Her broken, jagged fingers are covered in grime and blood, forming something akin to claws. Let's just call her SUIT.
CAP / JACOB:
-- of all shapes and sizes --
Panel 3. The feral vampire lunges at JACOB grabbing him by the coat. JACOB tumbles backward at SUIT's advance, tripping over his own feet. ROBERT is reaching under his jacket for his service pistol (Glock 19).
CAP / JACOB:
-- and that was no crackhead.
Page Five (five panels)
Panel 1. Back in the coffeeshop, ROBERT is fixing JACOB with his best look of skepticism.
ROBERT:
So if it wasn't a junkie, what was it?
Panel 2. JACOB narrows his eyes as he looks at his oldest friend across the table. He's known ROBERT long enough to know that he is lying to him.
JACOB:
Do you know or are you fucking with me?
Panel 3. ROBERT stubs out his cigarette on the rim of his coffee cup, dubiously avoiding eye contact with his friend. Without looking up, he exhales the last of his smoke in JACOB's direction. JACOB does not look away.
ROBERT:
Look it was dark…
JACOB:
Which explains the teeth and the glowing eyes -- how exactly?
Panel 4. ROBERT looks over his shoulder with a slightly worried look on his face. JACOB does not break his gaze away from ROBERT.
ROBERT (whisper):
Keep your voice down.
ROBERT (whisper):
You want everyone in here to think we're crazy?
Panel 5. JACOB continues to lean forward across the table giving his friend an accusatory look. ROBERT is waving at the old woman tending to the restaurant behind the counter, smiling in his most disarming manner. It's a wide smile and looks completely disingenuous on the cop.
JACOB:
Then answer the question.
ROBERT:
Jesus, Jacob, do you always have to be such a fucking journalist? Let it go.
JACOB:
I've known you long enough to know when you're holdin' back.
ROBERT:
OK, look --
Page Six (four panels)
Panel 1. Back to the alley. JACOB is laying on his back on the floor of the alley with SUIT straddling him. Her broken fingertips have sunk into the lapel of his coat, giving her a death grip on JACOB. It lunges forward at his throat. JACOB, obviously terrified, is holding it back with his forearm across its collarbone. Spittle drips from its jaws onto his face. ROBERT, agitated and fearful himself, has drawn a bead on the vampire with his Glock, but hesitates to fear of killing his friend. His mouth is open is a soundless yell.
CAP / ROBERT:
-- let's just call her diseased.
Panel 2. With his free hand, ROBERT has grabbed SUIT by the hair on the back of her head, pulling him from JACOB. With his other hand he jams his service pistol into SUIT's back. He is yelling at SUIT, trying to get him to stop. Despite the assault from behind SUIT is still ravenously reaching out for JACOB, hands clawing at air. JACOB is scrambling backward on the floor of the alley, out from between SUIT's knees.
CAP / JACOB:
You mean like rabies?
Panel 3. ROBERT, still holding onto SUIT's hair, fires a round from his pistol, causing a large and bloody exit wound to open up out the front of SUIT's chest. A cloud of blood and bits explodes towards JACOB.
Panel 4. A close-up of JACOB's face, now covered in blood and chucks of flesh. He is stunned and terrified, his mouth hanging open as he stares at SUIT (OP).
CAP / JACOB:
Are you shittin' me?
Page Seven (five panels)
Panel 1. Back in the diner, JACOB is mirroring the look of horror from the last panel on the previous page. He is staring at ROBERT who is calmly reaching for yet another smoke.
JACOB:
Is it contagious?
ROBERT:
No, no, it's not that type of infection.
Panel 2. JACOB's expression hasn't changed much, his horror now mixed with a look of incredulity at his friend's casualness about the entire affair. ROBERT lights his cigarette, still mostly avoiding looking JACOB in the eye.
JACOB:
Not what type…? Rob, you've got to level with me here. If I need to see a doctor or get tested, I need to know.
Panel 3. ROBERT has stopped avoiding eye contact and is staring at his friend through his cloud of smoke. He looks as if he is trying to evaluate his friend anew.
Panel 4. Same as 3, but ROBERT is reaching into his jacket pocket for his car keys.
ROBERT:
Let's get out of here.
Panel 5. ROBERT and JACOB stepping out of the booth to exit the diner. ROBERT waves to the old woman behind the counter. She returns the gesture, accompanied by a hard, craggy smile.
JACOB:
Where are we going?
Page Eight (four panels)
Panel 1. JACOB and ROBERT are stepping out onto the neighborhood streets. The diner is sandwich between two tall, narrow brownstones. Trash has collected in the street gutters outside. It is an old neighborhood that has seen better days.
ROBERT:
I'm taking you to the hospital.
Panel 2. The two round a corner into an alley where ROBERT has (quite illegally) parked his unmarked police car. It is the same car from Page Two that could be seen from the diner window.
JACOB:
You said it wasn't contagious…
Panel 3. ROBERT has opened the driver side door and is about to step into the vehicle. He is banging on top of the cab.
SFX:
WHUMP!
ROBERT:
Get in the car, man! You wanted answers, let's go get some.
Panel 4. A large, establishing shot of the surrounding city landscape. There are no trees, but the steam rising from the city indicates that summer is long over and Autumn is well on its way.
ROBERT (OP):
Now just shut up and let me drive.
Page Nine (four panels)
Panel 1. The emergency entrance to a large hospital. It is a very modern looking building that looks as if it might have been molded from plastic. An awning of the same material extends out over a drive-through that leads up to the hospital doors. Large Roman letters on the awning spell out the name of the hospital as "St. Montreal's Hospital".
JACOB (OP):
Ya know, we wouldn't have to even be here if you hadn't shot her.
JACOB (OP):
Was the really necessary?
Panel 2. JACOB and ROBERT are walking up to the entrance on the sidewalk that runs parallel to the building and the drive-through, leading under the awning. Despite JACOB's insinuation, ROBERT seems relatively calm.
ROBERT:
Well, considering she was about to rip your throat out…yeah, I'd call it necessary.
Panel 3. The two are entering into the trauma ward, through a pair of automatic glass doors. The entire entrance under the awning is glass with aluminum joints in between the windows and doors.
By this time, it is very early in the morning, so the place is relatively calm. A station nurse is at the main desk which is directly across the way from the entrance doors. He is a young, latino man dressed in blue scrubs with a (too small to read) name tag pinned to his left breast.
JACOB:
There were two of us…we could have overpowered her.
Panel 4. ROBERT has reached the desk with the increasingly ruminative JACOB in tow. The nurse has noticed ROBERT's approach, looking up from whatever paperwork he was doing.
ROBERT:
Hey Howi. That perp they brought in a few hours ago around?
NURSE:
Yeah. She's down in the S.O.D. ward.
ROBERT:
Thanks.
JACOB:
Wh -- ? lady –
Page Ten (three panels)
Panel 1. Back in the alley. This time the frame is centered around the entrance of the alley, which is much busier than previously. There are two uniformed police officers standing around to whom ROBERT is speaking. One of them is writing notes into a black notepad. There is an ambulance there as well. Its lights are still flashing, covering the scene in alternating lights and shadows. The backdoors to the ambulance are open. Two EMTs are loading a stretched onto the back of the ambulance. The stretcher carries a black body bag.
CAP / JACOB:
-- was dead.
Panel 2. A frame from inside the ambulance looking out as the bodybag is loaded on board. In the center JACOB can been seen. He is sitting on something, possibly a trashcan, that is hidden by the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. He is watching the body being loaded, blanched and disconcerted, obviously unable to process what has just happen to him and his friend. Another EMT leans over him, busy sterilizing the many scratches on his face.
CAP / ROBERT:
Have a little faith, Jacob.
Panel 3. A more detailed shot of ROBERT speaking with the two uniformed officers. It all looks very routine with ROBERT discussing the event, cigarette in hand, while the junior officer continues to take notes into his pad.
CAP / ROBERT:
I've done this before.
Page Eleven (three panels)
Panel 1. The frame is centered on an elevator's doors opening, revealing JACOB and ROBERT standing within. The UP arrow is lit, indicating the elevator has been traveling down and has reached its destination. The elevator and what can be seen of the area surrounding it is very typical of a hospital; white, sterile looking walls, tile floor.
JACOB:
Seems quite 'round here.
Panel 2. As the two step out of the elevator, ROBERT stops to show his badge to a uniformed security man that sits at a desk to the left of the elevator. The security officer looks like he might be retired police; he's black with graying hair. Even sitting behind the desk, it is obvious that he is huge. He has a fleshy jowls, broad shoulders and, while sitting, his head is nearly shoulder level with JACOB.
ROBERT:
Early morning is always the slowest time at hospitals.
Panel 3. The two are walking down a white corridor. They are alone; there are no doctors, nurses, patients or even equipment.
JACOB:
So what's this thing the orderly was talking about?
JACOB:
What's the S.O.D.?
Page Twelve (four panels)
Panel 1. ROBERT has opened a door into an observation room. On the opposite side from the door is a window that looks into yet another room. A female doctor stands to the left of the window. She is white, short, somewhat plump, with short copper hair and glasses. She is reading over a chart as she looks through the window into the observation chamber. This is DELIA.
On the other side of the window is SUIT, lying in a hospital bed that faces the window. She is unconscious, covered from the waist down by the sheets of the bed. Her chest is covered in bandages and gauze, centered on the chest wound that ROBERT gave her. There is a single I.V. standing on the left side of the bed, which pushes a dark liquid into her arm. Having been cleaned up and not in her feral state, she is nearly unrecognizable. She is still extremely pale, though. Despite being wounded and unconscious she is restrained with thick leather straps.
On the right side of the bed sits a woman. She is dressed in a nearly monochromatic lady's business suit. A case worker, she waits patiently for SUIT to wake up. She holds her case file in a manila folder across her lap.
ROBERT (OP):
Special Operations Division.
Panel 2. A frame from the opposite side of the observation window. ROBERT has walked through the door and stands next to the doctor. JACOB hesitates, standing in the background. He looks through the window at SUIT, not quite recognizing her, trying to puzzle it out.
ROBERT:
Hey, Delia. How we doing?
Panel 3. Back in the observation room, the frame is a silhouette of the three observers. Delia has dropped the chart to her side and turned slightly to ROBERT. She is still keeping an eye on the patient.
DELIA:
Coming along nicely. We've got her patched up and the I.V.'s been in for the past six hours.
Panel 4. JACOB has approached the window while DELIA and ROBERT talk. He looks through the observation window with a rather confused look. His nose is nearly touching the glass.
JACOB:
What – is that…? It can't be…
Page Thirteen (four panels)
Panel 1. A frame of SUIT. She has sat straight up in bed, pulling at her restraints with inhuman strength. Now awake she has returned to her feral state, canine teeth extended into fangs, eyes open wide and burning with an impossible hunger. Even restrained as she is, she looks absolutely crazy and dangerous.
SUIT (burst):
RRRAAARRRRRR!!!
Panel 2. A frame that includes both SUIT and the case worker. She is completely unflustered by the demonstration and appears to be totally calm. SUIT continues to pull against the restraints, thrashing about in the bed.
CASE WORKER:
Now, Ms. McCalister, you'll need to calm down before we can begin to help you.
Panel 3. Back on the other side of the glass, DELIA and ROBERT are looking through the window with something reminiscent of satisfaction on their faces. ROBERT is even smiling slightly.
ROBERT:
Well, now, that should answer a few of your questions Jacob.
Panel 4. A frame of JACOB on the tiled floor of the observation room. He has scooted away from the window, legs kicked out in front of him. His eyes are the large bewildered saucers of those that do not believe that they see.
ROBERT (OP):
Jacob?
Page Fourteen (four panels)
Panel 1. JACOB is still splayed out on the floor. Having marginally recovered from the shock, he is looking off panel at ROBERT.
JACOB:
What the Hell is that?
Panel 2. ROBERT has entered into the panel, reaching down to give JACOB a helping hand. JACOB has accepted and is pulling himself off the floor with ROBERT's help.
ROBERT:
What does it look like?
Panel 3. JACOB has stood up and is beside ROBERT looking into the other room through the observation window. The light from the other room casts over them, causing both to look washed out. JACOB is still stunned, mentally reaching for the reality that seems to be eluding him.
JACOB:
It looks like a… --
Panel 4. Same as Panel 3, but JACOB has cocked his head slightly to the side, as a dog that does not understand what is before it. ROBERT, despite his best efforts, is smiling slightly.
JACOB:
-- …a vampire.
Page Fifteen (five panels)
Panel 1. JACOB and ROBERT are standing at the observation window. To their side is DELIA. The clipboard is at her side. She is no longer staring through the window at SUIT, but at JACOB.
ROBERT:
That's what it is. A Boabhan Sith, to be exact.
ROBERT:
A White Woman.
Panel 2. A frame of the observation room past JACOB and ROBERT. The case worker is still staring calmly at SUIT who has begun to revert to her human form.
CASE WORKER:
You've been neglecting your condition Ms. McCalister.
Panel 3. SUIT is now completely reverted to her human form, even if she is quite pale. She has turned her head to look over at the Case Worker, who continues her state of absolute calm. SUIT wears a befuddled look on her face.
SUIT:
I…uhmm…
SUIT:
Have I been in an accident?
Panel 4. The Case Worker flips open the folder she has had on her lap, examining the contents. SUIT, now more aware of the situation, is looking at her restraints with increasing worry.
CASE WORKER:
No, Ms. McCalister. You did miss three treatments, though, which resulted in your reversion to the feral state we discussed previously.
CASE WORKER:
During your…episode, you assaulted a police detective and his associate.
Panel 5. SUIT has shifted her gaze from the restraints to the Case Worker.
SUIT:
Wait…I assaulted someone? Was anyone hurt?
CASE WORKER:
No, ma'am. But this is still in violation of your probation.
Page Sixteen (five panels)
Panel 1. In the observation room, JACOB continues to stare at SUIT with disbelief, placing a palm on the observation window. ROBERT is watching his friend, waiting to move the conversation along until his friend processes what is before him.
Panel 2. DELIA has her eye on JACOB as well, but is talking to ROBERT, while gesturing with her pen at JACOB. ROBERT is seemingly proud of the way his friend is handling the situation.
DELIA:
So he's an outsider?
ROBERT:
Yep.
DELIA:
He's handling it pretty well.
ROBERT:
Yeah.
DELIA:
Did he melt down during the assault?
ROBERT:
Nope.
Panel 3. Same as Panel 2, but ROBERT's proud smile has given way to memories of the night before.
ROBERT:
Well…not completely.
Panel 4. DELIA has gone back to watching her patient through the observation window and making notes on the chart. She has a small smile on her lips. ROBERT is giving her a look of irritation.
DELIA:
Ah.
DELIA:
So did he scream or wet himself?
Panel 5. A closer image of JACOB as he was standing in Panel 1. ROBERT is speaking to him from off-panel. His look of confusion has begun to give way to one of almost wonderment.
ROBERT (OP):
Jacob, let's go get a cup of coffee.
Page Seventeen (five panels)
Panel 1. This is a mirror of Panel 1 on Page Two, with ROBERT sitting across from JACOB at a table, except this time they appear to be in the hospital commissary rather than in a diner. The coffee in front of them is contained in small paper cups. A small pile of cream and sugar sits in between the two. Both men, who have been up for more than 24 hours, show the signs of fatigue. However, JACOB does not have the shocked look he wore earlier on Page Two. In the background out-patients, hospital staff and relatives of patients form a line moving through the cafeteria checkout.
JACOB:
So you've got a vampire downstairs.
ROBERT:
Yep.
Panel 2. JACOB is staring at his cup as he tries to puzzle out the new information that has been handed to him over the past few hours. ROBERT has reached into his jacket in an attempt to find his cigarettes.
JACOB:
I don't get this at all.
ROBERT:
I told you at the beginning to let it go.
Panel 3. ROBERT has retrieved the pack of cigarettes from his jacket. The pack is crumbled and crushed. JACOB, becoming increasingly more animated as his journalistic instincts kick in, picks up a pack of sugar.
JACOB:
No, I mean, this brings up so many questions. Like how do you guys manage to cover this up?
Panel 4. ROBERT has fished a broken cigarette out of his pack. He is too busy shooting JACOB a quizzical look too notice the state of it. JACOB is emptying the sugar packet into his coffee.
ROBERT:
Cover it up? Why the fuck would we do that?
ROBERT:
The Special Operations Division is apart of the force just like the Vice Squad. We're not the CIA.
Panel 5. JACOB blows on his coffee as he gives his old friend a disbelieving look. ROBERT, cigarette in mouth, notices that the cylinder is nearly snapped in half. He seems more annoyed at this than at JACOB's line of questioning.
JACOB:
Then why doesn't the world know about this?
Page Eighteen (three panels)
Panel 1. ROBERT is flicking his broken cigarette onto the table as he answers his friend's questions. He is looking directly at him, making sure to emphasize the point that he has been attempting to make (in a sideways fashion) all along. JACOB takes a long drink from his coffee while maintaining eye contact with his friend.
ROBERT:
Because they don't want to know.
ROBERT:
I mean look at you. You've covered wars. You've been to fucking Afghanistan.
Panel 2. ROBERT is digging through the remains of his cigarette pack in the search for a whole one. JACOB is still looking at his friend, but blushing as ROBERT recounts his cowardice from last night.
ROBERT:
And you practically shit yourself when McCalister jumped us.
ROBERT:
And you did better than most.
Panel 3. Having successfully retrieved a cigarette, ROBERT is now gesturing at his friend with the smoke in hand, while his other fishes around in his jacket pockets looking for his lighter. Note to Letterer: Misspelling in second caption is intentional.
ROBERT:
Most people go catatonic. Or don't remember what happened.
ROBERT:
Starving vampires become junkies, werewolfs become escaped bears, specters become children playing games.
ROBERT:
People don't know because they don't wanna know.
Page Nineteen (four panels)
Panel 1. Having retrieved his lighter, ROBERT is busy trying to (unsuccessfully) light his cigarette. JACOB looks across the table at him. In the background a nurse has left the line and is approaching table.
ROBERT:
It's not like it's a conspiracy.
Panel 2. ROBERT has finally got the lighter to work. The nurse is now standing next to the table. She is speaking as ROBERT is about to bring the lighter to the tip of his cigarette. JACOB is smiling at ROBERT's inconvenience as she speaks.
NURSE:
You can't smoke that in here.
Panel 3. ROBERT has taken the cigarette from his mouth and throws it onto the table in a fit of disgust. The nurse has turned around and is walking back to the cafeteria line. JACOB is trying not to laugh openly at his friend.
ROBERT:
Fuck.
ROBERT:
Let's get out of here.
Panel 4. Both ROBERT and JACOB have gotten up from the table and are walking towards an exit that cannot be seen from the point of view of the reader. ROBERT is ahead of JACOB, indicating he got up first. JACOB is moving at a faster gait in order to catch up.
JACOB:
OK, so say you're right.
JACOB:
How come she's in a hospital instead of in a coffin? Why didn't you go Van Helsing on her?
Page Twenty (five panels)
Panel 1. The pair have left the hospital via the emergency room exit that they entered it from. JACOB is still trailing somewhat behind ROBERT, who apparently has been in a hurry to get outside for his smoke.
ROBERT:
She's got a condition that requires treatment. We should kill her for that?
ROBERT:
These people are citizens. Got all the usual rights.
Panel 2. JACOB has grabbed ROBERT by the sleeve of his jacket, forcing him to turn around and face JACOB. ROBERT, finally granted the succor of a cigarette, puffs mightily on the cylinder, filling the air around him with smoke. The shock JACOB has felt since the beginning has begun to face to be replaced by his professional curiosity.
JACOB:
"These people?"
JACOB:
You mentioned werewolves before. How big is this?
Panel 3. ROBERT shrugs, freeing his sleeve from JACOB's hand. He speaks around his cigaretter, lipping the filter. JACOB is becoming more excited the more he thinks about this.
ROBERT:
Christ, Jake. You've gotten your taste. The freak shows over – go home.
JACOB:
Are you crazy? I want to cover this.
Panel 4. ROBERT is now staring at his friend as if JACOB were crazy.
ROBERT:
Cover it?
ROBERT:
As in write a story?
Panel 5. JACOB looks like a kid who has found his presents before Christmas. He is powerfully excited.
JACOB:
Of course.
JACOB:
But not a story. Hell, I could make a career out of this.
Page Twenty-One (four panels)
Panel 1. ROBERT has closed whatever distance there was between him and his friend. His jaw is clenched, biting into the filter of his cigarette as smoke pours out of his nostrils. JACOB is taken aback by the sudden ferocity of his friend's demeanor.
ROBERT:
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
JACOB:
What? I thought you said there wasn't a cover-up?
Panel 2. ROBERT has taken the cigarette out of his mouth and is pointing it at his own temple as a suicidal man might with a gun.
ROBERT:
Are you out of your mind? Haven't you been listening?
Panel 3. ROBERT has turned away from JACOB and is walking back towards his car. He is gesturing his hands wildly in frustration as JACOB trails behind him.
JACOB:
Of course I have! This is the story of a century!
ROBERT:
No, no, no.
Panel 4. ROBERT, having reached the car, turns around to face JACOB.
ROBERT:
Do you think you're the only one who's had that idea?
ROBERT:
You start writing about this stuff and you'll end your career working at the National Inquirer.
JACOB:
But…
Page Twenty-Two (four panels)
Panel 1. ROBERT has grabbed JACOB by the shoulders as if he is about to start shaking him. JACOB's original curiosity has faded and is replaced by anxiety.
ROBERT:
No one wants to know about this.
ROBERT:
People don't wanna know why their children disappear at night.
Panel 2. ROBERT is still holding his friend by the shoulders, but his anger and frustration are gone. He seems genuinely concerned. JACOB himself seems worried.
ROBERT:
Think about all the wars you've covered that people here spend there days trying to pretend don't exist.
ROBERT:
If they can't handle that, they'll never believe you about this.
Panel 3. JACOB is looking at his friend with the sad hope of a true believer.
JACOB:
I can't believe that, Rob.
JACOB:
I won't believe it.
Panel 4. With his hands still on JACOB's shoulders, ROBERT has hung his head.
Page Twenty-Three (four panels)
Panel 1. ROBERT has let go JACOB's shoulders and looks him in the eyes.
ROBERT:
I guess it doesn't matter, then, if people think you're crazy.
ROBERT:
You are.
Panel 2. A brief pause between the friends as they take stock of each other.
Panel 3. JACOB bends his arm at the elbow, pointing a finger at his friend, leveling it at his mid-section. Despite himself, he is smiling. ROBERT has a crestfallen look.
JACOB:
So that means you're goin' to let me cover it?
Panel 4. ROBERT has turned his back on his friend and is walking towards the car again. JACOB is in the background, clearly quite happy as if he is about to break into a little dance.
ROBERT:
I'll need to get permission for a ride-along.
ROBERT:
But mark my words, Jacob… --
Page Twenty-Four (one panel)
Panel One. The single frame is of an old, dark wood wardrobe. It stands about the height of a person, with double doors on top and a single drawer on the bottom quarter. The doors and drawer are open. The drawer is filled with candles that are lit, providing light for the contents of the upper portion.
On the inside of the wardrobe doors and all along the interior are pictures of people. Some of the pictures have been cut from books, newspapers or printed out from the internet. Others look like they have been taken with all different sorts of film: black & white, glossy shots, instant camera.
The people in the pictures vary as greatly as the photos themselves. Some people are famous and recognizable; the president of the U.S., Lindsay Lohan, Bill O'Riley, Al Roker. The remaining pictures are of anonymous citizens, pictures taken in hallways, in stores, out of windows, in the streets or on trains. All of the people have one thing in common, though; each has a bulls-eye drawn in red marker around their head like a halo, with the center dot squarely on their forehead.
ROBERT / CAP:
-- …You're getting in over your head.
