EXIT CITY

Story Title: ...and lo, He shall appear.

Written by: E. D. Bass - iamericbass@gmail.com

Talent Search Submission: Writer

PAGE ONE

Panels: 4

panel 1:

MCCORMICK and MILLER are walking passed the yellow caution tape of the crime scene into the Library/Den of an upscale townhouse of the victim. The owner spent a great deal of money to make it look comfortable, homey, and lived-in with professionally distressed antique-esque furniture, bookshelves full to the edges with books of every sort and size. It should look like the home of a very wealthy professor or author. Among the traditional look of the environment, in a darkened nook towards the back of the room is a small, but highly advanced lab.

Panel 2: (inset)

A reverse two-shot of Miller and McCormick, McCormick is focused on the room.

Miller:

What do you need?

McCormick:

Almost finished.

Panel 3: (Inset)

Same as P1/P2 – Miller is side-eyeing McCormick with a skeptical look.

Miller:

We just got here…

Miller:

Yanno what...nevermind.

Panel 4:

Wide Two Shot – We see McCormick in the center of the panel, the background of the hallway behind him. In smaller panels, we see aspects of the room: a pile of graphite on a desk, a book resting on the arm of a chair, a futuristic 3D Printer with a cube on its display, a pile of graphite in a corner, things that seemingly have no connection to the crime. The look on McCormick’s face should be flat.

Page two:

panels: 5

Panel 1:

Reverse angle of Miller sitting on the car-hood as McCormick walks down the sloping sidewalk to the driveway. While uniformed cops and a few plainclothes cops are canvassing and keeping the onlookers behind the first line of caution tape. McCormick is walking with his hands behind his back and his head looking down.

McCormick:

I’m done here. And while a few more hours would render certain aspects of this crime with more clarity, I do have a person of interest.

Panel 2:

Det. Miller meets Det. McCormick at the end of the driveway. In the background, random patrolmen are milling about, taking statements from neighbors, and canvassing.

Miller:

I accept that you have a brain that is, for lack of a better word, weird.

Miller:

But how you got from Dumbledore’s digital den to an actual suspect is dizzying.

Panel 3:

Both detectives are walking toward the car, one on either side of the car, with patrolmen nearby.

Miller:

Also, you look like a man who’s having a horror movie flashback.

McCormick:

I’m experiencing a memory trigger. An item in Dr. Ardmore’s office initiated the trigger.

Panel 4:

Miller and McCormick are in the car; Miller is in the driver’s seat, and McCormick is staring out of the passenger's side window.

Miller:

How is it possible that there’s Non-Dimensional neural tech in a dead victim’s crime scene?

Panel 5:

Close on McCormick’s concerned face and furrowed brow.

McCormick:

It’s not.

Page three:

panels: 4

Panel 1:

Reverse Angle - Miller and McCormick are standing behind the two-way mirror in the Interrogation Observation Room in the police station. A rather relaxed man with perfect posture sits in the Interrogation Room, at a table with one additional chair. The seated man is DR. PONTIUS THEODORE MINIVER, an austere man in his mid sixties wearing glasses with a unique frame, gray curly hair, neatly swooped to one side. He’s a young sixty as the lines on his face are faint, but noticeable.

Miller:

This guy has been in there about forty-five minutes and hasn’t said a word or made a request. Who is he?

McCormick:

He is Dr. Pontius Theodore Miniver, the unparalleled expert in Human Bioengineering. I saw his name on a note in Dr. Ardmore’s home office.

Panel 2:

MCU – We see Miller and McCormick looking past us, and at Dr. Miniver. McCormick’s brow is slightly furrowed and his eyes are in a skeptical squint. Miller’s head is tilted toward McCormick, also with a slight skeptical expression.

Miller:

I’m starting to smell that you know this guy. Why is that?

McCormick:

Your instincts are correct.

Panel 3:

The two detectives are angled towards each other.

McCormick:

Because I have the distinct impression that I do know the good doctor, but I have no memory of us ever meeting.

Miller:

What do you want to do about it?

Panel 4:

CU – McCormick has a determined look on his face, slightly agitated, yet determined.

McCormick:

Let’s meet the good Dr. Miniver.

Page four:

panels: 5 – talking heads

Panel 1:

INT – The Precinct Interrogation Room. McCormick is seated with a legal pad in front of him, as Miller is leaning back against the wall behind McCormick. Miniver is sitting with his hands clasped together in front of him. Sitting with the same perfect posture.

McCormick:

Dr Miniver, I’m Detective McCormick, and this is my partner, Detective Miller.

McCormick:

I’d like to thank you for coming down here at such short notice. We’d appreciate any assistance you could offer.

Panel 2:

Medium Close-up – Miniver has a very open and expressive face, and an easy smile, which he flashes while speaking to both detectives.

Miniver:

Det. McCormick, I am here to help in any way I can; however, I don’t fully understand how I can be of use to you.

Panel 3:

Wide Two shot of Miller and McCormick.

McCormick:

Are you familiar with the Bio-Geneticist Dr. Edward James Ardmore?

Panel 4:

Reverse Angle on Miniver – Miniver doesn’t move, yet still displays the same open smile and calm demeanor.

Miniver:

I’m afraid that name means nothing to me, Detective. Why do you ask?

Panel 5:

Miller and McCormick trade a skeptical look at each other.

Panel 5:

Close on McCormick. A slight expression of irritated disbelief.

McCormick:

He was found dead earlier this evening.

Page five:

panels: 10

Panel 1:

A close-up of Miniver’s hands as he gently touches his smartwatch with his ring finger.

sfx:

tck.

Panel 2:

Miniver’s posture changes. He’s sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed. He looks smug, but not in an exaggerated way, with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile.

Panel 3:

Miller and McCormick are looking around the room, confused.

Miller:

What the fuck is this now?

McCormick:

The room’s dead.

Miniver (OC):

Detectives! Pay attention.

Panel 4:

Miniver is still relaxed, sitting back, and arms folded.

Miniver:

We don’t have much time, so I will err on the side of brevity.

You’re to cease any and all investigations into me and my “work”, immediately.

Panel 5:

Both Miller and McCormick have the same look of “WTF?” on their faces

Miniver:

Please. Don’t speak.

Panel 6

Wide Shot – Miniver is now leaning on the interrogation table just as before, one hand resting on the forearm of the other, near the smartwatch.

Miniver:

Although it’s natural and expected, I would caution you both to ignore the

gnawing urge to “thwart my evil schemes”.

Miniver:

However, I doubt Det. Doralis Miller’s Dominican abuela would

survive another hurricane season.

Miniver:

Or that Det. Baird McCormick’s thrice-recovering addict brother

would survive his next overdose.

Panel 7:

A close-up of McCormick. Angry.

Panel 8:

A close-up of Miller. Pissed.

Panel 9:

Medium close-up of Miniver’s face. Pleased.

Miniver

Good.

Miniver:

Now that we understand one another, I’m going to return function

of the room to you, at which time I will take my leave.

Miniver:

And if at any moment you decide to resume your current course of action,

I’ll resume mine. Good day to you both.

Panel 10:

Close on Miniver’s finger touching his smartwatch.

Sfx:

tck.tck.