Workshop Wednesday

Today we conclude episode two of The Follower. After all the setup in the first two acts of this episode we finally get to some action, and it's a nice, long sequence. Much more superheroics than we've had so far, and it fits nicely into the style of the series. Plus, for those fans of Apathy, we finally get to see him step up and be a bit of a hero (in his own way).

Remember to catch up on the previous adventures of The Follower in the Works of Mike FinkelsteinWhat's that, you want to read various creative works from Asteroid G Lead Editor Mike Finkelstein? Well, if that's what you want... archive before reading this section.

The Follower: Episode 2, Part 3

"Rock 'n Roll Horror Show" Concludes

EXT: CITY STADIUM, PARKING LOT, NIGHT.

FADE IN

The goons drive up to the arena in a black van. BRUISE is in the driver's seat. We hear the radio playing as they drive up.

THE FINK (V.O.):

You're back with the Way Too Early Show on 91.5 WMRR. What'd you guys think of that opening act?

SPARKY (V.O.):

Silent Agony killed it.

THE FINK (V.O.):

Sure, if you like crappy hair metal.

MISS MAB (V.O.):

You're just a music snob, FINK.

INT: GOON VAN, PARKING LOT OF CITY STADIUM, NIGHT.

SFX: Radio click. Car engine dies.

BRUISE turns off the car, then looks around at his goons.

BRUISE:

Okay, boys, we're in an' out as fast as possible. No killin', no hostages, nothing. Got it?

Everyone nods, and they pile out.

EXT: CITY STADIUM, PARKING LOT, NIGHT.

SFX: Faint sounds of heavy rock music.

The goons all pull on black ski masks, except for BRUISE since he's already dressed head-to-toe in leather. They load their weapons, close up the van, and march down to the Arena.

INT: CITY STADIUM, MAIN ATRIUM.

NORM:

So, this guy you know...?

BUCK:

Yeah?

NORM:

What happened to him?

BUCK:

He finally tried to rob the place.

NORM:

Oh yeah, how'd that work out.

BUCK:

He's good. Writes to me once in a while from prison.

INT: CITY STADIUM, REFRESHMENTS AREA, NIGHT.

OBVIOUS:

Come on man, you gotta do something.

APATHY:

Why? I know I'm right. Why worry about what that DUDE says? Yeah, he got under my skin a little, but whatever. He can be a sellout if he wants to.

OBVIOUS:

And you actually care about that?

APATHY:

All I can about is the music. Music is better when the people making it care. He stopped caring.

DUDE and FOLLOWER walk up.

DUDE:

No, I just saw the truth. I saw what it takes to make it big and get my music out to as many people as possible.

FOLLOWER:

He doesn't think you're a hero.

APATHY:

Sellouts don't make music. They make crap.

FOLLOWER:

I told him you were.

DUDE:

Seems like all the crap ‘round here comes from you.

RANDOM NEARBY PEOPLE:

Ooooooh!

FOLLOWER:

So we need to prove you're a hero.

APATHY:

I don't have to prove anything to him.

DUDE:

You're nothing but a washed up has-been who can't even get his own act.

FOLLOWER:

Act?!

OBVIOUS:

FOLLOWER?

FOLLOWER:

You keep calling it an act. Being a hero isn't about money or fame or anything like that. It's about helping people.

APATHY:

FOLOWER, man, let it go.

FOLLOWER:

No! He's being... quite silly!

FOLLOWER looks shocked at his own words, then composes himself.

FOLLOWER:

I'm sorry for that outburst.

APATHY:

That was an outburst?

FOLLOWER:

It was uncalled for. Words can hurt.

DUDE decks FOLLOWER, laying him out.

SFX: Distant scream.

INT: CITY STADIUM, MAIN ATRIUM, NIGHT.

BRUISE leads the way as the goons charge off towards the administrative offices. As they pass a couple of people, they motion them to lay down on the ground and stay down. We reach the offices, and a couple of security guards pull out guns. SVEN dodges in and shocks the guards, quick, with a stun gun. The guards drop while a secretary in the office looks on, stunned.

SFX: Secretary scream.

INT: CITY STADIUM, REFRESHMENTS AREA, NIGHT.

FOLLOWER is knocked out on the floor with OBVIOUS checking on him.

DUDE:

Pathetic.

OBVIOUS:

Someone should check on that scream.

DUDE:

I'll go.

APATHY:

(contemptuous) As a hero?

DUDE:

(just as contemptuous) As the only hero here.

DUDE runs down the hallway. APATHY looks down at OBVIOUS and FOLLOWER.

APATHY:

How is he?

OBVIOUS:

He'll be fine. You should go see what's up.

APATHY looks around, sighs, finishes his beer, then heads off after DUDE.

INT: CITY STADIUM, BACK OFFICE, NIGHT.

BUCK walks up to the SECRETARY with a duffel bag.

BUCK:

Fill it with the night's take.

The SECRETARY opens the lock box in front of her and starts to fill the bag. SVEN is off searching the office for anything else worth taking. BRUISE leaves and walks off towards the concession stand. The other two goons stand guard over the office.

INT: CITY STADIUM, MAIN ATRIUM, NIGHT.

DUDE runs up, sees the guns, and runs off in another direction. The goons start to chase him, and then APATHY dives in and grabs one of the goons around the legs, tripping him. He hits the floor and gets knocked out when his head hits the tile.

The other goon turns around as APATHY stands up. The goon sees his friend on the ground just as APATHY smashes his face with a hard elbow. This goon goes down as well. APATHY picks up the guns, looks around, finds and random plastic bag, and shoves all the guns into it. He then runs to the office.

INT: CITY STADIUM, BACK OFFICE, NIGHT.

APATHY, dives into the office while SVEN and BUCK are distracted looting the place. He ducks behind a desk so the goons can't easily see him but he can see the goons if they come past. SVEN moves past to check on the other goons and APATHY sticks out his foot, tripping him. APATHY then kicks SVEN while he's down, knocking him out. He then dives back behind the desk. BUCK turns around at the noises and sees SVEN, unconscious, on the ground.

BUCK:

Whoever is out there, I got a gun, man. Stay outta my way.

APATHY looks around and sees a fire extinguisher. HE waits until BUCK's back is turned, then grabs the extinguisher . Taking a deep breath, he then runs up behind BUCK, drops to his knees, and slides up. BUCK, expecting a guy standing up to come in, is caught off guard, and before he can aim his gun enough to fire, APATHY is spraying him in the face with the extinguisher. BUCK scrabbles at his face and APATHY lays him out with a right hook.

INT: CITY STADIUM, CONCESSION STAND, NIGHT.

BRUISE has collected a decent stash of cash, and an ice cream, from the concession area. He starts to move back to the office, and that's when he sees the two guys on the floor, with security starting to move in. Bruise backpedals and runs for the exit. He tries for his keys and fumbles them, sending them skidding off down the hall.

APATHY is at this point charging out of the office with the extinguisher.

CLOSE UP: APATHY'S EYES

CLOSE UP: BRUISE'S EYES

WIDE SHOT: Western-style heads up.

We see the two, APATHY and BRUISE, size each other up. It's a tense moment, and then BRUISE bolts for the door, leaving his keys. APATHY runs to the door, then sees how far ahead the BRUISE is, and just lets it go. He sees the keys and picks them up. Then he walks to a phone and calls the cops.

INT: CITY STADIUM, REFRESHMENTS AREA, NIGHT.

We see APATHY, OBVIOUS, and FOLLOWER all sitting around a table. The lights are up and people are milling out. Meanwhile, the cops are going over the place but it looks like whatever investigation they conducted is largely over.

FOLLOWER:

So you took care of four guys?

APATHY:

Apparently.

FOLLOWER:

You can't remember?

OBVIOUS:

He knows how many. He's just playing cool.

APATHY gives him a look. FOLLOWER looks smug.

FOLLOWER:

See? I told you there was evil still.

APATHY:

Psh, there's always crime.

FOLLOWER:

And you fought it.

OBVIOUS:

He did, indeed.

DUDE approaches at this point.

DUDE:

So, you took out four guys?

APATHY shrugs.

DUDE:

Yeah, I got two. They chased me, and I took 'em out.

FOLLOWER looks over at APATHY.

FOLLOWER:

I thought the cops said they got four perps total?

APATHY:

Did they?

OBVIOUS:

Security cameras had footage of DUDE running away, scared. Yeah, you said something about him running away scared.

APATHY:

Did it?

FOLLOWER:

And that you had to take the goons out before they hurt him, or any innocent bystanders.

APATHY:

Did I? Huh.

The heroes all look at DUDE.

DUDE:

I... uh...

FOLLOWER:

Told you he was a hero.

APATHY:

Meh, who really cares about something like that?

DUDE and APATHY stare at each other for a moment, and then DUDE wanders off.

FOLLOWER:

I care!

OBVIOUS:

DUDE did, too. Clearly.

APATHY:

I'm bored of this scene. We should go catch a flick.

FOLLOWER:

Or we could patrol.

APATHY:

Hey, we could patrol.

APATHY and OBVIOUS laugh. FOLLOWER doesn't get the joke.

EXT: ETIQUETTE'S NIGHT CLUB, NIGHT.

BRUISE walks up to the club, sweating ad out of breath. ENEMY is out front, talking to a couple of goons. These depart in a black vehicle on some mission.

ENEMY:

BRUISE! I thought you were guarding the package.

BRUISE:

I... uh... I went out for some smokes.

ENEMY gives him a look.

ENEMY:

As long as that was all you did. I heard there was a commotion over at the concert hall. Some ruffians attempted a heist.

BRUISE looks shifty.

BRUISE:

Really? Huh.

ENEMY is quiet for a second. Then she sighs.

ENEMY:

Can I have a cigarette?

EXT: CITY STADIUM, PARKING LOT, NIGHT.

We see the three heroes walking out of the Arena into a now empty parking lot, the Follower van off to one side, and a black van nearby.

APATHY:

Can we make a pit stop off at Motaba Burger?

FOLLOWER:

I guess, yeah.

As they walk past the black van over to the Follower van, APATHY pauses, and then reaches in his pocket. He walks over to the van and uses the keys he found on the ground to get into the bad guy van.

FOLLOWER:

Nice van.

OBVIOUS:

It's not his.

APATHY:

It is now.

OBVIOUS:

Spoils of war?

APATHY:

I doubt the owners are gonna want it anytime soon.

FOLLOWER:

Why's that?

APATHY:

Because they're currently being processed by our city's finest.

OBVIOUS:

Seems wrong, though.

APATHY:

Better than letting it rot here for 3 to 6 months until the owners come back for it, if they ever do.

APATHY starts the motor. We pan out as FOLLOWER and OBVIOUS walk over to their vehicle.

MUSIC: Modern rock, playing full blast.

EXT: ETIQUETTE'S NIGHT CLUB, NIGHT.

ENEMY and BRUISE finish up their smokes and go inside.

INT: ETIQUETTE'S NIGHT CLUB, BASEMENT CELLS, NIGHT.

Inside, we stop with a shot of STEINGARDEN and her PA working diligently in the cell. What few furnishings there were have been torn up and are in the middle of being refashioned.

STEINGARDEN:

Once I get this throw rug finished, we can start work on the curtains.

PA:

Just don't forget we're on a tight schedule here. In two days you start the talk show circuit. I really don't wan to have to try and rebook all those shows.

The PA looks up as ENEMY and BRUISE come into view.

PA: STEINGARDEN is a very busy woman. This whole situation has caused me nothing but trouble. I've already cleared her schedule for the next couple of days, but we need to speed up this whole kidnapping if we're to keep any semblance of a schedule. So, how are negotiations going? Can we pencil in a payment and exchange for day after tomorrow?

FADE TO BLACK.

CREDIT ROLL.

End Episode 2, Part 3:

So that's episode two. Next week we build to the big confrontation with Etiquette man (who was amusingly barely in this episode at all). The confrontation is key as it would set up the next arc of the season (although I think I only have two more episodes written past this climactic act). We'll see where the action goes from there. Same Follower Time, Same Follower Channel.