Cabal Two Parter Script

CABAL – TWO PART OPENER Written by John Freeman (www.downthetubes.net) in 1995 for Judge Dredd Megazine 3.07-3.08. It was drawn by Adrian Salmon and colured by Pete Smith. This script is © 2014 Rebellion This story was re-published in Judge Dredd Megazine Issue 349 Page 1

CABAL TWO PART PREQUEL BY DEATH’S DARK LIGHT Script: John Freeman PREAMBLE... Mega City One, 2116AD. The Exorcist Judges are an elite cadre of warriors in Mega City One – a special force within Psi Division dedicated to the defence of the City from supernatural horror. In the aftermath of Necropolis and Judgement Day, only a token force survived and those who remain are stretched thin acros the metropolis. In a foray into the Under City to destroy a vampire race alongside Psi-Judge Karyn, many of the judges assigned to protect the North West Hab Zone were wiped out. Now, only four Exorcist Judges remain to wage holy war against demonic and paranormal incursions, lead by Judge Caliban, a battle hardened veteran who has seen much horror in his life time. His sanity in question, he now faces another mission against a dangerous foe... David – thinking about the McGruder thing, setting this two parter just after CONCRETE SKY gives the Cabal time to be 'set up' for 'present day' Judge Dredd stories (2118 by the time we get to one...). Given their 'secret' nature I imagine re-stocking weaponry etc will be done in a very clandestine manner and may provide opportunites for stories where big Judge arms shipments are beig re-routed as the Cabal access the Judge computer Nets, keeping their existence secret. But someone might notice and investigate... You could run more than one 'back story' as suspicions are aroused that something or someone with a lot of power is at work in Mega City One. Volt, knowing nothing about the Cabal, might suspect a potential coup... and perhaps the Cabal have started to off 'witnesses' and Shenker can't say anything, knowing that if he does he'll contribute to a far greater threat – the breaking of barriers between realities. It might give him a bit of back story you can use elsewhere as much or as little as you like. He's been around a long time – it may be worth thinking about bringing him down in a year or two...


CABAL TWO PART PREQUEL BY DEATH’S DARK LIGHT Part One Adrian – I may be a little bit more wordy in my panel descriptions in this script. Feel free to adapt as you see fit. Major things we've talked about: One head shot per page, pull out more, no head shots the same size side by side. One panel is the focal point of the page and pick the right one... And stretch yourself with more overhead shots which I know you can draw! Have fun... (Oh, I love bullying artists...)

Page One Frame One Establishing shot. THE SOLOMON GRUNDY BLOCK, NIGHT TIME. Make it a bizarre-looking block, Adrian, a little out of kilter in its appearance compared with its near neighbours. Most of the action should take place towards the top of the building to give us more compact action. It's a dark and stormy night. Maybe up angle from the base of this godawful place, people scurrying by, one looking up, their face caught in the lightning light, looking worried. Just punching a few buttons and scene setting but this is a two parter and you'll need to pack a lot of info into one frame. BX: SECTOR 44, MEGA CITY ONE. 2116AD. NIGHT TIME IN THE CITY... BALLOON FROM TOP OF BUILDING: ASMODEUS, BEZMATAKAL, TRECORUM SATIS DEE.. Frame Two Largish Interior shot of the flat belonging to mild-mannered DABRON SCHWITZHER, an archivist from the Mega City Museum of Mid-Eastern Relics, who is recanting an ancient spell in his flat, the floor marked with a pentagram from the blood of a dead rat, mixed with his own. A nasty looking knife is beside him, bloody. He holds his right arm up, energy flashing from what we will see in the next frame is a ring. In his other hand he is holding a china plate. Trust me. There's a reason. "Magic Made Easy" and "How Magic Helped Me Win the Mega City Lottery" Books are also much in evidence, maybe on a shelf to left or right of frame. This guy is a simp and he's messing with the wrong sort of hobby. An illegal hobby – black magic and demon lore. Lightning crashes past an open window and a curtain blows in a harsh wind, sending papers and the candles blowing. DABRON: IT'S WORKING... I CAN FEEL IT... BX; MEET DABRON SCHWITZER, ARCHIVIST FOR THE MEGA CITY MUSEUM OF MID-EASTERN ANTIQUITIES. A MAN OBSESSED WITH THE OCCULT...


Page One CONTINUED... Frame Three Pull in on him, now, so we can see the ring, inscribed with a pentagram fashing with arcane power as he scrapes it across a plate. Dabron should look completely manic and crazed. Spikey hair, weird glasses perhaps. A real fruit loop. In front iof his face a break in the barrier between realities is beginning to open, a vospinning vortex will form from one small light point which casts strange shadows across Dabron's face. BX: – AN OBSESSION SUPPORTED BY THE THEFT OF UNCATALOGUED RELICS. BX: HE SCRAPES THE STOLEN RING ACROSS A CHINA PLATE. A PLATE HIS MOTHER LEFT HIM IN HER WILL. BX: A TREASURED OBJECT ABUSED IN PURSUIT OF POWER. Frame Four A spinning vortex opens in front of him – a shape forming within it – BX: POWER THAT WAS NEVER HIS TO COMMAND. DABRON: YES! Frame Five He screams in horror as a clawed hand rips into him from through the vortex. With all these stories, try to keep the X-Files/good Doctor Who approach, Adrian (maybe have a look at how Charlie Adlard does it in the comic?) – as much horror and violence as off screen as possible. Lights going out, overheads exploding, everything but the actual act those fourteen year olds really want to see... but by leaving it to their imagination and having the occasionally creepy visual and a lot of face reaction shots, we'll give the strip a stronger edge... DABRON (OPEN CASE, RUNNING INTO FRAME SIX): YEEEEARGH* Frame Six Exterior Shot (doesn’t need to be big, see how it works) of the Block as lightning hits the top of the building, blowing the top off it with an almighty explosion – really impressive!


Page Two This is a talkie page. Vary it by changing angles, moving around the charcaters and coming up with different angles to keep it moving. The action on the screens with the Exorcist Judges provides a strong action visual to keep it interesting, I hope. Frame One Cut to: Exterior, Justice Central, same night, same weather. Use a similar shot to one you used in the Karyn stories to keep things consistent. BX: ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY... MCGRUDER: WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH WEATHER CONTROL? I'M TRYING TO THINK HERE... SHENKER: CHIEF McGRUDER, IF I COULD HAVE A BRIEF WORD... Frame Two Overhead interior. McGruder's office. Lightning crashes across the sky from a window, illuminating her harsh, Cursed Earth scarred features. McGruder is poring over the schematics of the second stage robo judges who caused so much trouble for Dredd last year. Shenker is in the doorway to the office, his figure casting a long shadow into it. MCGRUDER: YOUR BRIEF WORDS ALWAYS GIVE ME STOMACH ACHE, SHENKER. SHENKER: IT'S ABOUT THE EXORCIST JUDGES. Frame Three Shenker stands in front of a major viewing screen in the room, a shot of Exorcist Judges in action with CALIBAN in command, up against a demon that looks like a cross between a giant scorpion and one of those godawful TV Gladiators. McGruder is standing to Shenker’s right or second in frame, in foreground sneering. The Exorcist Judges will not do well in these visuals and we see Caliban's apalled look as he loses some of his team towards the end of the page. have some small screens alongside the big one to show individual reactiuons and other shots, 'live from the fight'. McGRUDER: THOSE ARROGANT MUNCE SUCKERS... WHAT ARE THEY UP TO? SHENKER: NOTHING LESS THAN THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION... MCGRUDER: GRUD SPARE ME ANOTHER GLOOM AND DOOM PREMONITION FROM THE HEAD OF PSI DIVSION –


Page Two CONTINUED... Frame Four Standing in front of visuals of the four remaining Exorcist Judge as the battle continues. CALIBAN is one of them. as the Scorpion thing grabs one of the Exorcist Judges, weapons fire bouncing off it and laughing at upraised crucifixes etc. Shenker is gesturing towards the screen as McGruder looks on, frowning and sceptical of what she’s hearing from her chief psi. SHENKER: THEY’RE SIMPLY AREN’T ENOUGH EXORCISTS TO DEAL WITH THE DANGERS THIS CITY FACES FROM OTHER REALITIES, MA’AM. ... SHENKER2: – AND REPLACEMENTS ARE INCREASINGLY HARD TO FIND. Frame Five Shenker, Close up. He’s touching a wrist communicator with one finger. Big agonised shot of Caliban behind him (up shot, maybe) as off-screen blood spurts all over him. SHENKER: BUT I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE... WRIST COMMUNICATOR (JAGS); PSI-CONTROL TO SHENKER... WRIST COMMUNICATOR (JAGS) 2: SOLOMON GRUNDY JUST WENT CRITICAL, AS PREDICTED, SIR. STREET JUDGES ARE CALLING FOR EXORCIST SUPPORT... SHENKER: ACKNOWLEDGED.


Page Three Frame One Largish panel. Shenker, McGruder in foreground (McGruder gesturiung back towards the tabel covered with the robot schematics etc.) as on screen we pull back to see one dead disgusting scorpion thing, lots of dead Exorcist Judges and one very distressed looking Caliban looking dowanwards, shoulders slumped. The Exorcist Judges are already hurryiong towards an H-Wagon, one of them calling to Caliban as he stares down at his dead comrade. Adrian – the idea behind these back visuals is to show Caliban him leading a squad of Exorcist Judges in a battle and losing one of their number – anything that will generate a little sympathy for the character in these two episodes. One should definitely die and there should be a look of appalled horror on Caliban’s face. McGRUDER: SHENKER... I’M A VERY BUSY CHIEF JUDGE... THESE DESIGNS FOR THE NEW ROBOT JUDGES STILL NEED APPROVAL– SHENKER: WITH RESPECT, MA’AM – ALLOW ME ONE HOUR FORTY THREE MINUTES OF YOUR TIME... SHENKER2: – AND I WILL OFFER YOU A WEAPON THE LIKE OF WHICH THIS CITY HAS NEVER SEEN. Frame Two Pullout, Justice Central Shot – and Shenker’s personal H-Wagon screams from it. Oh come on, please tell me there’s a Shenker’s personal H-Wagon, just like Bill’s Airforce One. There isn’t? Well, Adrian, it’s your lucky day... big psi symbol on it... MCGRUDER: YOU’D BETTER NOT BE SASSING ME ABOUT THIS, BOY... SHENKER: CHIEF McGRUDER – I NEVER SASS. NOT EVEN AT WEEKENDS.

PAGE THREE CONTINUED OVERLEAF....


Page Three CONTINUED... Frame Three DEMONIC MAYHEM IN SOLOMON GRUNDY! The demons rip their way through the block’s largest shopping mall in a tribute to Rmoero’s Night of the Living Dead, delighting in the death they are causing. Citizens are being killed left right and centre! They’re capable of blasting people and things (they don’t care which) with lancing beams of energy. It’s bloody murder and no mistake! Judges in the foreground are blasting away to no effect. Maybe they’re side by side with block defence guys, who can look terrified. The lead street judge is screaming into a hand mike with one hand, shooting demons with his Lawgiver with the other, his face away from the demons looking directly at the audience. BX: SOLOMON GRUNDY BLOCK... DEMONS, VARIOUS (SPLIT UP BALLOONS INTO SINGLE WORDS): RENEW... ABSORB... CONSUME... TERRIFIED BLOCKDEF GUY: WHERE ARE THESE THINGS COMING FROM? TERRIFIED BLOCKDEF GUY: WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM?! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?! LEAD JUDGE: CONTROL! WHERE’S THAT EXORCIST SQUAD? WE NEED THEM NOW! OFF FRAME, FROM ABOVE: STOP SCREECHING, BOYS – Frame Four Largest panel on page. Establishing shot of the same four Exorcist Judges looking mean assed and well hard, as per the uniforms from The Concrete Sky., lead by Caliban, who we saw in Shenker’s visuals. They’re armed to the teeth with all the accoutrements you’d expect from this specialist judge squad – holy water grenades, crucifixes, stakes, etc. Caliban carries a Holy Sword – a bloody vicious looking weapon which crackles with arcane energy. Arm ECKHART, SAMUELS and BRAUN as you see fit but Braun is the team’s scout, and will be carrying a Psi Scanner which amplifies his own innate psi abilities to detect trouble. The way you could play this is to have the Ex Judges dropping from the roof or from a level above so we’re looking up at them from the lead street Judge’s pov, shooting at the demons as they come – maybe the H-Wagon hovers in the sky above them (the top of the block open to the sky) NB A small, spherical SPY IN THE SKY CAMERA, Shenker’s ears and eyes, floats near one of the Ex Judges throughout the whole story. Suggest it’s Eckhart as he’s the last bar Caliban to go. The Judges know it;s there – it wouldn’t be abnormal proceedure. CALIBAN: ... IT’S BEED A BAD ENOUGH DAY ALREADY AND I DON’T NEED A HEADACHE ON TOP OF IT!


Page Four Frame One The Ex Judges land alongside the lead Judge who isn’t impressed with this grandstand entrance. The Ex Judges are still firing as they go. LEAD JUDGE: CALIBAN! WHAT KEPT YOU?! CALIBAN: YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW. BRAUN, GIVE ME A FINAL TARGET. SAMUELS, EKHART – YOU’RE WITH ME... CALIBAN: HIT THESE SCUM HARD AND FAST – NO QUARTER ASKED, NO QUARTER GIVEN! Frame Two The Exorcist Judges weigh into the front line of demons, cutting them down with all the righteous fury they can muster. Braun is scanning ahead with some sort of hand lef device, a hand to his head to indicate he’s using a psi talent to detect the source of the intrusion. BRAUN: EVENT SOURCE IS FIFTY METRES BELOW US, CALIBAN... AND GROWING... SAMUELS: ONLY THREE FLOORS OF RAMPAGING DEMONS? THE NETHERWORLD MUST BE SLIPPING... Frame Three Caliban slices through a demon with his sword. Samuels blows a smaller demon away as it goes for him. SPY CAMERA IN SHOT over shoulder. CALIBAN: SPARE ME, SAMUELS – I’VE ALREADY LOST ONE GOOD JUDGE TODAY... SAMUELS: LIGHTEN UP, WILL YOU? ALL I’M SAYING IS – TWO INCURSIONS IN ONE DAY? SAMUELS 2: ... MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT’S BROUGHT IT ON. Frame Four Caliban watches with his team, all in tight, weapons still firing. A demon grabs a citizen – a young citizen, a woman. DEMON: NO FURTHER – OR THE HUMAN DIES... CALIBAN: WE ALL HAVE TO DIE SOMETIME...


Page Four CONTINUED... Frame Five Caliban jumps at the demon, who looks stunned – even it can’t beleive a judge would disregard the safety of the citizen he’s sworn to protect... CALIBAN: – IT’S THE WAY WE GO THAT COUNTS. Frame Six ... and His quick move pays off, as the demon goes down, knocked away from the citizen with an apparently effortless blow from Caliban. The woman, clutching her throat, falls the other way. DEMON: SKREEEE!


Page Five Frame One The Exorcist Judges, Braun with his psi scanner in the lead, head down a flight of wide stairs, the woman still clutching her throat behind thm, crumpled on the floor, the demon dead. Samuels is alongside Caliban as they continue to blow their way through the other worldly opposition.The spy in the sky camera trails behind the group as they run. SAMUELS: YOU DON’T BELIEVE THAT, DO YOU? CALIBAN: FRANKLY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE ANYMORE. I’M JUST DOING MY JOB... CALIBAN: STAY ALERT, ALL OF YOU – I’VE A BAD FEELING THERE’S MORE TO THIS THAN WE KNOW! Frame Two Cut to Shenker’s H-Wagon approaching Solomon Grundy block. MCGRUDER: THE STORM’S GETTING WORSE. Frame Three Interior. Gloomy, dark, just like everything else in this strip. Shenker looks more grim than ever as we seem them watching a visual of the last panel to the flying craft. SHENKER: YES. McGRUDER: SO, YOU THINK THE EXORCIST JUDGES HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR USEFULNESS? Frame Four Close up on Shenker, a man weighing up the odds, considering how many have died already to bring about what is soon to happen. A man who will carry this burden for the rest of his days and never will be able to tell anyone. SHENKER2: THEIR VERY EXISTENCE CREATES FEAR AND WEAKNESS IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR CITIZENS... SHENKER: WEAKENING THE BARRIERS BETWEEN OUR WORLD AND OTHERS... SHENKER: – AND EXTRA-DIMENSIONAL ENTITIES FEED ON THOSE FEARS, BREAKING THROUGH INTO OUR REALITY.


Page Five CONTINUED.... Frame Five We see the Ex Judges blowing away some demons on screen, Shenker turning away, looking grim. The penny’s dropped for McGruder – she takes the logical path... SHENKER: JUDGE DEATH, THE SCORPION AMALGAM THIS MORNING – WE’RE SEEING MORE OF THEIR KIND EVERY PASSING DAY. McGRUDER: BUT WE CAN’T LET THESE DEMONS DROP IN ANY TIME THEY WANT... Frame Six Close up on Shenker. Grimmer than grim. Very grim. The visual behind them wil be the first frame of Page Six, with the Judges outside the door of the apartment of Dabron Schwitzer. SHENKER: AGREED – BUT WE DO HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE FIGHT THESE CREATURES. BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE... SHENKER: – AND THAT MEANS THE END OF THE EXORCIST JUDGES


Page Six Frame One The Judges outside the Dabron’s apartment, the door open, black stuff ooozing from the place which can only be blood. Crackles of energy lance outwards. Braun with his Psi Scanner closest too it, about to go in, gun riased. They're tired, off balance but they have a duty of fulfil and by Grud they're going to fulfil it. Silly of them, really... BRAUN: THIS IS THE SOURCE! CALIBAN: BRAUN! KEEP TIGHT! Frame Two A clawed hand grabs Braun BRAUN: ACK! Frame Three And pulls him through the door, the rest of the team in close pursuit. CALIBAN: NO! Frame Four Interior of flat, the wall gone and open to the outdoors. A demon looking very like Dabron Schwitzer holds Braun above the ground in one hand, his feet hanging uselessly, the Psi Scaner dropped to the floor. It has already plunged its other hand, Judge Death style, into Braun’s chest except it down’t do it in any pleasant ‘no blood way’. Try and suggest this is what has happened, don’t let the reader see it in any detail. It’s clear Braun is very dead. The vortex we saw on Page One is much bigger now and a shape looms from it, roughly humanoid. DABRON DEMON: TOO LATE, HUMANS... THE SACRIFICE HAS BEEN MADE. MY MASTER APPROACHES... Frame Five Stepping through the vortex in all his glory comes ASMODEUS. He’s dressed in a pin stripe suit and looks human bar the merest flicker of hellspawn energy crackles from one eye. Yes! It’s your BANK MANAGER – the very epitome of evil in its purest form! He looks as malevolent as hell He’s the focus of the panel with the three remaining Ex Judges, weapons partly raised, looking very grim and concerned. The Dabron Demon, its victim still in hand, laughs loud, throwing its head back with delight at this turn of events. Braun now lies dead on the floor. ASMODEUS:. I TRUST I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, GENTLEMEN... MY NAME IS ASMODEUS. ASMODEUS2: I HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY YOUR KIND FOR OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS. AND I DO SO HATE TO BE IGNORED...


BY DEATH'S DARK LIGHT PART TWO Page One Frame One Asmodeus laughs as the Exorcists try everything in their arsenal to get rid of him - the full bell, book and candle treatment but he seems to be shielded by the vortex opening he’s standing in and nothing gets near him. Dabron Demon beside Asmodeus, Braun dead on the floor. Lightning crashes across the sky through the gaping hole in the outside wall. Don’t forget the spy in the sky camera. Also see Frame Five for tricky bit to page which may reduce size of this first panel. ASMODEUS: BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE? SILVER BULLETS? HOLY WATER? HOW VERY QUAINT... HOW VERY PREDICTABLE... ASMODEUS2: GENTLEMEN, GENTLEMEN – ADMIT DEFEAT! YOU REALLY SHOULD MOVE WITH THE TIMES... Frame Two Samuels shoots DABRON DEMON as CALIBAN and ECKHART give covering fire. SAMUELS: COCKY, AREN’T YOU? SAMUELS: MAYBE WE CAN’T STOP YOU DIRECTLY – BUT IF I CAN BREAK YOUR LINK WITH THIS WORLD... DABRON: AIEEEEEEE! Frame Three Asmodeus looks down at his fallen soldier, energy crackling from one hand. The demon begins to revert to Dabron. ASMODEUS: YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE DONE THAT, BOY. ASMODEUS: YOU’VE MADE ME ANGRY. DABRON (SMALL): UUURGH... Frame Four Arms upraised, Asmodeus lets fly with crackling bolts of energy, one of which leaves the room and the other envelopes Samuels, blowing him backwards towards the reader. Samuels in foreground, lifted off the ground, Caliban and Eckhart watching in horror. ASMODEUS: VERY ANGRY. SAMUELS: YAAAAAAAAARGH!


Page One CONTINUED... Frame Five The beam caries on out of the room, striaght through panicking citizens etc. – there’s no stopping it. Maybe split this up into several thin panels? Frame Six Caliban and Eckhart look down in horror at what the reader can only imagine is the smoking remains of their fellow Exorcist Judge, one twisted broken arm and hand, the gun fused to it, jutting from the corner of frame. ASMODEUS: NOW SEE WHAT YOU’VE MADE ME DO.


Page Two Frame One Cut to Shenker’s H-Wagon approaching the storm rocked Solomon Grundy Block. Small panel, the ship small the block big to give an idea of scale. BALLOON: WE’VE GOT AN ESTIMATED THREE HUNDRED DEAD AND TWO THOUSAND INJURED BLOCKSIDE, MA’AM... McGRUDER: YOU CERTAINLY KNOW HOW TO PROVE A POINT, SHENKER. Frame Two Shenker, McGruder, Pilot in foreground studying controls. Visual of Asmodeus in the background. Shenker is clutching his head, feeling a wave of mental agony. SHENKER; IT’S KILLING EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING. SNUFFING OUT THEIR LIVES ONE BY ONE LIKE THEY WERE CANDLES... SHENKER; McGRUDER... MA’AM – THE VERY PRESENCE OF THE EXORCIST JUDGES AT A SUPERNATURAL EVENT ONLY MAKES IT WORSE! MCGRUDER: SOME PARTY... WE SHOULD BRING UP REINFORCEMENTS... Frame Three Shenker, wracked with pain, his teeth clenched, his hand gripping a console to reamin standing, fighting off the psychic pain that’s bombarding him. SCREEN VISUAL behind him – Caliban shooting at Asmodeus behind him, Eckhart at his side. SHENKER: NO... IT ENDS SOON. SHENKER: BUT THE AGONY... IT’S THE PRICE OF CARVING A NEW BEGINNING...


Page Two CONTINUED... Frame Four Back at Solomon Grundy Block, larger visual of above video pic. Asmodeus laughing with glee. The Dabron demon, between Caliban and Eckhart on the floor, begins to crackle with energy and Eckhart is pointing at it. ASMODEUS: FOR EVERY BULLET YOU FIRE, I TAKE A LIFE JUDGES... MY POWER EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE PHYSICAL BARRIERS OF THIS ROOM... ECKHART: CALIBAN! LOOK!


Page Three Frame One The demon which let Asmodeus into the world begins to revert to Dabron who summoned it originally, still hanging onto life by a thread. ECKHART: MUST BE THE SAP WHO STARTED ALL THIS – THE DEMONS TOOK OVER HIS BODY... CALIBAN: HE’S TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING... DABRON (SMALL) The ring... Frame Two Hand outstretched, Dabron handing the ring, clearly visible to the reader and crackling with energy to Caliban, Caliban looking grim. Asmodeus in the background, furious as Eckhart continues to shoot at him. DABRON: Solomon's ring. He'll have to respect that... he has no choice... ASMODEUS: NOT NOW, HUMAN! Frame Three Asmodeus blasts Eckhart to smithereens ASMODEUS: NOT WHEN I AM SO CLOSE! Frame Four Caliban stands up as Asmodeus lashes out at him, but the enrgy sprays off, having no effect. ASMODEUS: DROP IT! DROP IT! CALIBAN: YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE, ASMODEUS. NOW IT’S MY TURN...


Page Four Frame One Badly wounded, Caliban raises the ring in front of him and begins to speak a mantra adapted from a holo-vid ad for MunceFlakes. CALIBAN: MUNCE FLAKES ARE THE BEST, THEY ALWAYS BEAT THE REST... ASMODEUS: AN ADVERTISING JINGLE? YOU’RE TRYING TO DISMISS ME WITH AN ADVERTISING JINGLE? CALIBAN: IT’S THE ONLY THING I BELIEVE IN THESE DAYS... Frame Two Caliban, close up, but room for some expo boxes. The ring builds in power, some sort of FX that are very different to those used by Asmodeus. CALIBAN: AND YOU DID SAY WE SHOULD MOVE WITH THE TIMES. BX: THE WORDS DON’T MATTER, HE TELLS HIMSELF. IT’S THE FOCUS THAT COUNTS. WITH THE FOCUS COMES MEMORIES... BX: NOT HIS – BUT THOSE OF SOLOMON’S RING ITSELF... A RING BELIEVED LOST FOREVER... Frame Three Asmodeus is thrown from the building, out into mid-air by the blast from the ring. H-Wagon in shot, high above. BX; A GIFT FROM THE ANGELS TO AN ANCIENT KING... A RING THAT COULD SUMMON DEMONS... Frame Four Caliban stands at the shattered wall, imbued with power from the ring, Asmodeus cowers in mid air, screaming with rage. BX: SUMMON THEM. CONTROL THEM. BX2: AND DESTROY THEM... ASMODEUS: USE IT THEN! BUT BE PREPARED... BE READY TO SET ON A PATH WITH NO TURN ASMODEUS: A PATH TO YOUR OWN IGNOBLE DEATH!


Frame Five Caliban, gritting his teeth, eyes blazing as power mounts inside him – power he's never felt before. ASMODUES: SEE IF I CARE... CALIBAN: I’M TOLD DEATH IS BUT A DOOR CALIBAN: LETS’ SEE, SHALL WE?


Page Five Frame One With that, Caliban lets fly a blast of power coming not from the ring but from inside himself, the ring just a focus. he doesn't know the how or why but it seems to be working. Asmodues in foreground, lanced with energy, H-Wagon high above, smal. Frame Two Seen from the vantage point of Shenker’s H-Wagon, Shenker falling backwards in total pain, everything explodes around them and the Block itself begins to fall apart – and nearby blocks tops explode as energy lances outwards from the battle, two figures small in the windscreen of the flying craft. McGRUDER: GRUD! Frame Three Asmodeus fights back, eyes blazing, throwing out lightning bolts and beginning to transform into his true demon form – a ferocious looking bastard and no mistake. Caliban still fighting, arm outstretched his clothes burning, in foreground with Asmodeus at a greater height above him, giving the impression of a higher power. ASMODEUS: I WILL KILL YOU FOR YOUR ARROGANCE, LITTLE MAN! CALIBAN: WE HUMANS ALL DIE SOMETIME... CALIBAN2: IT’S A HANDICAP I’VE LEARNT TO LIVE WITH – AND I’M NOT AFRAID OF IT! Frame Four With that, there's an almighty whiteout explosion. Caliban is a silhouette in it and Asmodeus' consciousness streams away up out of frame, distorted, screaming with rage and crying revenge. ASMODEUS: I WILL HAVE MY REVNGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*


Page Six Frame One Aftermath, daytime, dawn as the sun comes up on Mega City One. Shenker’s H Wagon amongst the chaos of a major all-out rescue attempt to try and save any survivors from the block disaster. A Judge spokesperson talking to the press. BX: DAWN. JUDGE: YES, WE’RE CERTAIN THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BYA TERRORIST BOMB FROM A RIVAL BLOCK... JUDEG2: UNFORTUNATELY THE JUDGES CALLED TO DEAL WITH INCIDENT WERE ALL KILLED IN THE FINAL EXPLOSION. Frame two H-wagon, interior. Shenker and McGruder watch as Caliban's battered and bandaged body is carried aboard the H Wagon. McGRUDER: HE’S STILL ALIVE? I’M IMPRESSED! SHENKER: OUR FIRST SOLDIER IN A NEW KIND OF WAR... Frame Three Caliban, bandaged, gripping at Shenker’s offered hand as Shenker listens to him, McGruder, arms folded in the background, grinning from ear to ear. CALIBAN: MISSION COMPLETED... SIR.... BUT MY TEAM... McGRUDER: WILL BE REPLACED... SHENKER: REST, SON. WE'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT WORK FOR YOU... Frame Four Shenker snaps at the pilot, who punches controls infront of him. SHENKER: STATION SIX, AND FAST... SHENKER: HE'S NO USE TO US DEAD, PILOT – DON’T FAIL ME NOW! PILOT: NO, SIR!


Page Six CONTINUED... Frame Five The H-Wagon takes off, screaming out of the city towards the Cursed Earth. McGRUDER: WILL HE MAKE IT, SHENKER? SHENKER: I DON’T KNOW – BUT HE HAS TOO. HE MUST... Frame Six Interior, Shenker, McGruder in background not looking at caliban who lies on the bed his arm out stretched with the ring flashing with a gleam of arcane energy... SHENKER: THE ALTERNATIVE IS TOO TERRIBLE TO CONTEMPLATE...

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Cabal Two Parter Script