EPISODE FIVE – FALLEN ANGELS

EXT. RED STAR BUILDING

Lydia is standing on the doorstep, smoking as Valentine gets out of his car and walks up. Valentine stops next to her and snatches the cigarette from her mouth.

Valentine: That’s bad for you.

He brandishes the cigarette in front of her face. Then he puts the cigarette in his mouth and enters the building.

INT. RED STAR BUILDING

Armside and Remington are watching TV.

Valentine: How is Lydia settling in your apartment, Armside?

Armside: Show me a teenager that only triples my work and I’ll kiss his or her feet. Why the hell do I have to baby-sit her, anyway?

Valentine: She was smoking outside.

Armside: What? Ah, I just talked to her about this yesterday.

He rests his forehead in his hands

Remington: Hey, check it out, it’s him.

They all watch the TV

Newscaster: The mysterious masked hero known only as “Bacman” was suspected to be behind the arrest of the leading syndicate member, Ray “Bones” Barbone. Bacman gave the following words before disappearing into the night.

A man with a black mask covering the top of his head and eyes appears on the screen.

Bacman: No matter how many leagues you swim through the waters of life, justice shall always catch up with you.

Valentine: Ah, the vigilante guy. What a dumb shit, he doesn’t even make any money out of his multiple good deeds.

Remington: He may spout a lot of crap, but it’s kinda awesome that he, just one man, can go and do all that he’s done.

Valentine: What’s so interesting about him though? Pass the control, “Social Workers” is on.

Remington: Because our next target is none other than Bacman.

Valentine smiles wryly.

TITLE CARD: FALLEN ANGELS

INT. RED STAR BUILDING

Elli: We’ve had many calls in the last few weeks since Bacman’s appearance. Most are from the small fry syndicates, probably worried that “Bacman” will bust them. So we have taken the highest bidder who promises us $4 million.

Valentine: It seems a shame to take down someone who only wants to do good… oh well.

Armside: What are your thoughts?

Valentine: This one may be difficult. We won’t really be able to track him the normal ways. Maybe the best way would be to entrap him. Make him believe that some of us are Yakuza and then he will come to us.

Remington: Judging by the reports Hagen collected, Bacman usually targets syndicates involved chiefly in extortion and drug dealing. I have some snitches that were into that sort of thing, maybe they can hook us up.

Valentine: That sounds like the best thing right now.

Lydia (appears suddenly behind Valentine): Do I get to do anything?

Valentine: Sh- Where did you come from?

Lydia: Maybe I can go round asking to see my hero Bacman, and meet him in person.

Valentine: You have a lot of heroes, don’t you?

Lydia: Ok then, I’ll get to it! (Now she is gone)

Valentine: Armside, maybe you could try asking the broadcasters how they are able to pick up on him.

Armside: Sure. What about you?

Valentine: I guess I’ll do Lydia’s job since she’ll probably blow it off and lounge about at the arcade.

The next few scenes alternate between Lydia and Valentine, asking various city folk about Bacman.

(Lydia) Businessman: Sorry, I don’t anything about Bacman.

(Valentine) Businesswoman: Sorry, I don’t know.

(Lydia) Businessman no.2: Sorry, I don’t care.

(Valentine) Cheerleader type: Bacman, he’s so dreamy, isn’t he? I wish he would swoop down from the skies and sweep me off my feet!

(Lydia) Businessman no.2: But enough about Bacman, I can be your hero baby, if you want me to.

Lydia: N-No, that’s alright.

(Valentine) Old Gentleman: Back in my day, we had real vigilantes like Peterson and Source X. They didn’t have flashy capes and spandex onesies, they were just pure grit, none of this Nancy boy tomfoolery that this Bacman represents.

(Lydia) Vendor: Yeah, Bacman was here. He bought a chilli dog and then immediately went and apprehended that Copernicus guy. Incredible, huh?

Valentine (looking bored): Peterson and Source X both turned out to be syndicate fraudsters, you know.

Old Gentleman: Is that so? Say, aren’t you that guy from… that show?

Valentine (twitches): No, no, you’re thinking of someone else.

INT. VALENTINE’S CAR

Valentine is speaking into the car phone.

Armside (V.O.): And so to sum it up, I have a date with the hottest news anchorwoman on television.

Valentine: I didn’t get any useful information about Bacman either, and neither did Lydia. Don’t know abut Remington; I can’t get through to him.

Armside: Should I interrogate his unfortunate victims?

Valentine: Yeah, do it. So, where are you taking your date?

Armside: Not sure yet. I was thinking of that restaurant The Ophiuchus in the Bristoe district, but it seems a bit too predictable.

Valentine: What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with that restaurant!

Valentine’s car turns the corner, blocking the camera.

INT. OPHIUCHUS RESTAURANT

A person holds a menu with the word “Ophiuchus” and the insignia imprinted in gold lettering on the cover. When they put down the menu, we see it is Elli, dressed elegantly and sitting across the table from Valentine, who is dressed a bit more lazily.

Valentine: I think I’ll have the sirloin steak. What about you?

Elli: You always have that; don’t you want to try something new? And why didn’t you change into something nice? I got all dressed up because I thought tonight would be really romantic and you have the same scruffy clothes you had on in the office this morning.

Valentine: Scruffy? This is a Kenzo suit!

Elli: Maybe it was when you bought it, but certainly not anymore.

Valentine: I’ve been out working all day, I came here straight from the job and I’m exhausted so please God stop nagging.

Elli: Didn’t you just go round talking to people all day?

Valentine: Mentally exhausted. This senile old geezer somehow recognised me and talked for hours on end about his various experiences with the law and the underworld. Being the sensitive soul I am, I felt forced to stay and listen.

Elli: Yep, I’m really feeling your sensitivity.

Valentine: I need the bathroom. You go ahead and order whatever fancy shit you think is new for me.

INT. BATHROOM

Valentine is at a urinal. An opulently dressed meek-mild mannered looking young man enters and heads for a cubicle and while inside makes rustling noises as though he’s changing clothes. Valentine washes his hands and exits.

INT. OPHIUCHUS RESTAURANT

Valentine takes his seat. Soup has already been served.

Valentine: I’m seeing something interesting to your right. Don’t look. Well, I mean you can look, but don’t look like you’re looking.

Elli sneaks a peek.

Elli: What am I supposed to be seeing?

Valentine: There’s a government broker over there dining with Mickey Cohen, a representative of the Black Turtle syndicate, one of the most powerful in Asgard. Their influence stretches planet-wide, although nothing has ever really been proven against them. Being so well-staffed, they don’t need the help of the likes of us. Opposite him… I don’t recall his name that well… Stefan something. He worked in the Department of Control, must still do. Obviously, they’re negotiating some sort of operation deal.

Elli: That’s terrible.

Valentine: It goes on all the time. Really, Black Turtle are not much different from a large corporation. In fact, they own some of them. And it’s not as though our own line of work is exactly legal. But those are just technicalities. As long as you’re making a profit-

Out of the blue, a flailing shadow leaps across the room and grasps Cohen around the throat,

Valentine: -anything… goes…

They watch with mouths gaping as none other than Bacman flattens both Cohen and Stefan and makes a citizen’s arrest.

BREAK

EXT. POSH LOOKING STREET

Valentine is holding down the buzzer on the door of a posh looking home. It looks like he has been waiting for a substantial amount of time.

INT. HOUSE

The bell is ringing. Remington runs for the door, nearly trips over and opens it.

Valentine: I hope you have a good excuse.

Remington: You were on the ten ‘o’ clock news.

Valentine: Not by choice. If all those paparazzi hadn’t suddenly popped out from all corners of the room, I would have had a clean run at Bacman.

Remington: What were you doing there anyway? Hot date?

Valentine: What have you got for me?

Remington: Anytime we want to, we can get rolling, but I was thinking, how do we get him to pay particular attention to us.

Valentine: I tried to imagine you thinking and failed.

Remington: My grandfather has a very large comic book collection. I spent most of the day rooting through it and made an interesting discovery.

Valentine looks at the assorted comics and picks up an Aerosmith graphic novel. Remington holds up a book entitled Bacman with the same person drawn on the front.

Remington: My grandfather had about ten volumes. Antiques. You can’t buy these anywhere, and there’s no data on them on the net.

Valentine: What are you saying?

Remington: Nothing really, just bragging. I guess our Bacman must have an antique comic book collection too. But I’ve been reading through them and I think I’ve deciphered a pattern to Bacman’s raids.

Remington hands Valentine a book. Valentine takes it while studying Remington’s framed wallet collection.

Remington: There, he goes after the man who murdered his parents when he was just a child. In this world, Bacman’s first official apprehension was Alex MacRoach, a man suspected of many murders over the years, including Spike and Julia Ford. They left their fortune and estate to an only child, Mark, who grew up and created a global corporation. Very similar to the story of the character James Bruce in the comic.

Valentine: So we’re dealing with a spoilt playboy looking for kicks?

Remington: Precisely. Anyway, as I was saying, his targets in some way mirror the enemies faced in the comic books. Volume Seven. Bacman entraps a notorious Yakuza hitman who is taking orders directly from the Mayor.

Valentine: Like tonight… Volume Eight?

Remington: A journalist interviews James Bruce but must be saved by Bacman when targeted by a murderous loan shark.

Valentine: So do you want to be the murderous one?

Remington: I don’t know much about this chap, but I’d imagine he has a lot of beefcake bodyguards. The key will be prying him out in the open. And judging by his performances in the suit, he is no pushover himself.

Valentine: Don’t worry about it, I already know how to play it. Just be ready to do your mad dog thing.

EXT. EXTRAVAGANT MANOR

Extravagant is the word, large Victorian stained glass windows, stone carvings and gargoyles decorate the mansion. Standing in front of the heavy oak doors is Lydia, dressed in a power suit and spectacles disguise. The door is opened by a butler.

Butler: This way please, Miss Cole.

Lydia enters.

INT. FORD MANOR

Lydia enters a gigantic lushly furnished room. The butler exits and she looks at the photos on the wall. In one of the photos, she notices someone in the background that she seems to recognise with a Y-shaped tattoo on their face and she squints at him.

Mark Ford (O.S.): My parents. Their lives were cut short in tragic circumstances, but their memory lives on in my heart.

Lydia: That’s a nice story.

She turns around to see the meek, mild mannered looking guy dressed as opulently as the room. He strides across the room majestically.

Mark: Lorraine Cole. (He takes her hand) Pleased to make your acquaintance.

He kisses her hand. Any other girl would have melted into his arms at that moment, screaming “Take me! Take me!” but Lydia is far too cynical and instead, smiles sweetly.

Mark: So which newspaper are you from?

He starts making drinks.

Lydia: The Telegraph.

Mark: I didn’t realise they were hiring high school girls. (Lydia blinks) I’m kidding.

Lydia smiles coyly.

Lydia: I’m often told I look very much younger than I actually am.

Mark hands her a shot glass.

Lydia: What’s this? Trying ton get me drunk so you can have your way with me?

Mark: Am I so easy to figure out? But more importantly… (Downs his drink) …Can you keep up?

Lydia knocks back her shot.

SHORTLY…

Lydia has literally drunk Mark under the table where he is hiding.

EXT. MANOR

Valentine and Remington are in Valentine’s car nearby as Lydia and Mark lurch out.

Lydia (yelling): Ok! And you promise to show me a good time?

Mark (slurs): Yeah, baby.

Valentine: Geez, how much did she slip him?.

Remington: I bet she didn’t need to slip him any; she just won him over with her feminine charm.

Valentine: What part of that harpy is feminine?

They get out and take hold of Ford.

Mark: What? (Perks up 100%) What is going on?

He swivels and kicks Valentine against the car, then breaks free of Remington’s grip. He turns around to see Lydia aiming a gun at him.

Mark: Kidnappers looking for a ransom?

Remington: Lost souls looking for a hero, Bacman.

Mark: What makes you think I’m that showboating freak?

Valentine: You mean to say that you’re not?

Mark: I know you… Marco Valentine. Ex KGB agent. You were on that show all those years… back when…

Valentine: Hey! Don’t change the subject!

Ford turns and kicks the gun clear from Lydia’s hands. Valentine and Remington charge, but Ford is able to block their techniques in a flurry of accomplished martial arts mastery.

Valentine: I thought this guy was supposed to be drunk off his head!

Mark: You take a superhero such as me so lightly?

Remington: You know what happens at the end of volume eight, smartass?

Ford seems to hesitate. Valentine’s fist connects with Ford’s face. Ford punches back, but Valentine catches his wrist, twists it and throws him over his shoulder onto the ground. A rifle appears in Remington’s hands.

Remington: The bad guys win. Bacman falls from grace.

Mark: I’ll never fall further than you.

Remington shoots Ford with a tranquilizer dart.

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

Armside talks to Lydia.

Armside: And so, to conclude, it won’t be a good thing for you to drink that much alcohol ever again. It’s bad for you.

Valentine takes a swig from his hip flask.

Valentine: I’m getting old to still be feeling the pain from where that paean kicked me.

Enter Remington who holds up a briefcase.

Remington: $4 million cash. Plus, an interesting wallet.

Remington holds up a novelty wallet decorated with cartoon characters.

Lydia: Is it alright that we killed a hero like that.

Valentine: What are you talking about? He’s not dead.

Lydia: Mark Ford is still alive. Is Bacman?

Valentine: Since when do you care about stuff like that?

Lydia: While we were drinking, he mentioned that his parents died for knowing too much about the governments control over crime. Just… something he said made me think of mistakes I’ve made.

Valentine: He’s a corporate boss, the kind who has created the environment we exist in.

Remington: The costumed character who put on a dog and pony show of defeating the villain may be gone… for now. But if all that came from within him rather than the costume… he’ll be back.

END – WHERE DO FALLEN ANGELS GO?

Episode Six preview

Valentine: With the burden of love comes the burden of trust. In any kind of relationship, you have to be prepared to talk to make progress. But where do you draw the line at the point between something she wants to know and something you don’t want her to know? Next episode, Draw the Line. An anecdote from my heart.