"Redemption"

(Front cover. Elektra stands on the roof of a brownstone apartment. Behind her stands Daredevil, half covered in the shadows. Caption notation: D-Daredevil; E-Elektra; K-Kuroyama; L-Lotus; M-Nina McCabe; N-Narrator.)

Elektra: Hunted by the police, the Chaste, and the Hand. . . How can it get worse?

(Inside front cover. We see the usual blurbs for Elektra, Nina, Kuroyama, Stick, and Daredevil. Below that, we see this blurb:)

Lotus [III]: A very mysterious woman with a hidden past, Lecita Jones is a mutant with various spiritual powers. She and Elektra have met before. . .

(Page 1, panel 1. We see Elektra standing on the roof of a brownstone. She has her sais drawn and is running scared.)

Cap (E1): I've been on the run for weeks.

Cap (E2): I cannot take it anymore.

(Panel 2. Elektra literally runs into Daredevil. He is wearing his costume.)

SFX: WHUMP!

Elektra: UHN!

(Panel 3. Daredevil is unmoved as Elektra faces him.)

Elektra: Matt!!

(Panel 4. Elektra puts her arms around Daredevil.)

Elektra: Matt, am I glad to see you! I have nobody else to turn to.

Daredevil: Well, looks like someone is reaping what they have sewn.

(Panel 5. Elektra pulls away from Daredevil, hurt.)

Elektra: What do you mean?

Daredevil: Killing a man, beating your boyfriend up, killing two men without reason, and getting back with the Hand. . . you have disappointed me, and everyone else.

(Panel 6. Elektra is near tears.)

Elektra: I am innocent of everything, Matt. You've got to believe me!

Cap (N1): How can he?

Cap (N2): Her agitated state makes his heartbeat sensitive ears useless.

(Page 2, panel 1. Daredevil is serious.)

Daredevil: Take a deep breath and relax.

(Panel 3. Elektra takes a deep breath.)

Daredevil: Now, tell me what happened.

(Panel 4. Elektra stares into Daredevil's eyes.)

Elektra: I am innocent, Matt. This is the Hand's work. I was in Greece when Mac was beaten.

Cap (D1): Her heartbeat hasn't quickened. . .

Cap (D2): She's telling the truth.

(Panel 5. Daredevil is serious.)

Daredevil: Alright, I believe you.

Elektra: Can you help me?

(Panel 6. Daredevil is serious.)

Daredevil: Only one way - I will defend you in court.

(Page 3, panel 1. Stick's ghost appears. Daredevil and Elektra face him.)

Daredevil: Stick?

Elektra: Thank you, Matt.

(Panel 2. We see Stick point upwards, to the sky.)

Elektra: What?

(Panel 3. They look upward.)

Elektra: I see nothing up there.

(Panel 4. Stick vanishes.)

Elektra: Stick!?

Daredevil: Sometimes, I do not understand him myself.

(Panel 5. We see several policemen in the distance.)

Policeman (1): There she is!

Policeman (2): Stop in the name of the law!!

(Panel 6. They surround Elektra and Daredevil. Daredevil grabs Elektra's arm.)

Daredevil: Sorry. . . one of us has to be free.

Elektra: Matt!

(Page 4, panel 1. Daredevil disarms Elektra.)

Elektra: How could you!?

(Panel 2, splash panel. We see the Policemen surround them. the police have their weapons drawn. Leave room for credits here.)

Policeman: Everyone freeze!!

Daredevil: Put those things away. . . I have caught her for you.

(Page 5, panel 1. The policeman raises his gun, pointing it up.)

Policeman: I think both of you should come with us.

(Panel 2. We see Elektra wearing handcuffs, and inside a police station.)

Cap (N1): Later.

Cap (N2): Elektra is put in jail.

(Panel 3. She is lead into a room where there is a chair beneath a light.)

Policeman: Sit.

(Panel 4. Elektra sits in the chair.)

Policeman 1: We've got the evidence to put you to death, Natchios. You are in no position to resist.

Elektra: Nice to know I'm innocent until proven guilty.

Policeman 2: We do know that you are, and have been living in the United States Illegally for at least 4 years. We know you've been working for the Kingpin. We know everything, Natchios.

(Panel 5. Elektra faces the policeman.)

Elektra: So what do you want?

Policeman 1: I am merely stating the truth, Natchios. You have no alternative but to plea guilty.

(Page 6, panel 1. We see her face the policeman.)

Elektra: I will say nothing more without my lawyer here.

Policeman: You're mistaken, Natchios. . . as an illegal alien, you do not have that right.

(Panel 2. Elektra stands.)

Elektra: I will say nothing more. Take me to my cell.

(Panel 3. The policeman faces another policeman.)

Policeman 1: Put her in cell 34. . . with Bathsheba.

(Panel 4. Elektra is lead off.)

Elektra: Who is this Bathsheba?

Policeman 2: She is the homosexual rapist. She attacked over 25 women before she was captured.

(Panel 5. Go back to Daredevil. We see him swinging over the city with his club. He is in his uniform.)

Cap (N1): The next night.

Cap (N2): Daredevil looks for clues to prove Elektra's innocence.

(Page 7, panel 1. Daredevil swings onto the roof of a building.)

Cap (D1): It's been a very quiet night.

Cap (D2): Something has to give here.

Cap (D3): I have to find the way.

Cap (D4): I wish I didn't have to betray her like that.

(Panel 3. Daredevil looks out over the top of the building.)

Cap (D) : Never has the city been more unforgiving.

Lotus (from off panel): Well, good evening.

(Panel 4. Daredevil turns around to see Lotus in her spirit form. She appears as a white female form, intangible.)

Daredevil: What the --!?

(Panel 5. Lotus turns solid, showing herself to be in her uniform. There is a pouch tied to her left thigh.)

Lotus: You are Daredevil, right?

Daredevil: Yes. . . who are you, and how did you sneak up on me?

(Panel 6. Lotus approaches Daredevil.)

Lotus: I am Lotus, and I have been sent here to help out Elektra.

Daredevil: Then we have the same goals.

(Page 8, panel 1. Daredevil examines Lotus with his radar sense. He "sees" her as a powerful being, radiating energy from her aura. We see Lotus as Daredevil perceives her.)

Cap (D1): This is one powerful person.

Cap (D2): I have never met someone so full of radiance before.

Cap (D3): She must be from the Chaste.

(Panel 2. Lotus is face to face with Daredevil.)

Lotus: I am. . . an old friend. I have heard of some troubles Elektra was in. If she is to extricate herself, she will need my help.

(Panel 3. Daredevil is serious.)

Daredevil: So what do we do first?

Lotus: The Hand wants to make sure everything is done the way they want. Nina and Kuroyama are still here, I can sense that. We've got to find them.

(Panel 4. Daredevil is pragmatic.)

Daredevil: Can you lead us to them?

Lotus: I can get us close. . . but Kuroyama's black magic makes his signature fuzzy. We have to get going now.

(Panel 5. We see Daredevil and Lotus shake hands.)

Daredevil: I'm with you.

(Panel 6. Lotus smiles.)

Lotus: Then let's get to my plane.

(Page 9, panel 1. They go over to one side of the building, where the plane lies in stealth mode.)

Daredevil: There's something weird about your plane. . . I can't seem to sense it properly.

Lotus: It's turned invisible. That's probably interfering with your radar sense.

(Panel 2. Daredevil faces Lotus.)

Daredevil: How did you know about that?

Lotus: Patience - all will be revealed in good time.

(Panel 3. They go into the invisible plane. Panel 4. We see them inside a large control area, surrounded by complicated electronic equipment.)

Daredevil (1): What in the world?

Daredevil (2): Something is terribly wrong here.

Lotus: Your senses are not fooling you. Right now, we're inside a microverse. When you entered that door, you were taken to an alternate reality that is about the size of an atom.

(Panel 4. Daredevil is confused.)

Daredevil: Just how did you come to know Elektra?

Lotus: Ah, that's a long story too.

(Panel 5. Go to a flashback. Japan, a few years ago. We see a pleasant pagoda on a mountainside.)

Cap (L1): I have spent several years studying the world's religions.

Cap (L2): I was studying Zen in Japan when I met her.

(Page 10, panel 1. Go into a Zen rock garden to see Lotus dressed in a robe. She walks along the side.)

Cap (L1): I was going in for a prayer when it happened.

Cap (L2): I don't think she will forget it either.

(Panel 2. Elektra appears out of nowhere in front of Lotus. Elektra wears a black version of her uniform.)

Elektra: [Die!!*]

Cap (N): *Translated from the original Japanese.

(Panel 3. Elektra thrusts her sais into Lotus, who shifts into her spirit form.)

Elektra: What the --!?

(Panel 4. Lotus, still in her spirit form, puts her hand on Elektra's head.)

Lotus: Why are you doing this?

Elektra: I. . . have. . . been. . . charged. . . by. . . the. . . hand. . . .

(Panel 5. Elektra relaxes as Lotus removes her hand.)

Lotus: Well, that's not a nice thing to do. You know, we have more in common than you would think.

Elektra: What. . . what happened?

(Panel 6. Lotus turns solid.)

Lotus: Well, I have seen into your spirit. . . and it's not too late to turn away from the path you're on.

Elektra: What do you mean?

(Page 11, panel 1. Lotus gestures to the temple.)

Lotus: Come with me and meditate.

(Panel 2. We see Elektra sitting opposite Lotus, and both are on the floor of this temple.)

Lotus: I see the potential for great things in you. . . but first, you have to turn from the path you are on.

Elektra: Why should I believe you?

(Panel 3. Lotus smiles.)

Lotus: Because it is the truth.

(Panel 4. Elektra stands, and exits.)

Elektra: You will live. . . for now.

(Panel 5. Go back to the present. We see Lotus and Daredevil talking to each other.)

Lotus: While the change was not done immediately, the seeds were sewn. Daredevil: So how can we prove that Elektra is innocent?

(Page 12, panel 1. Lotus is serious.)

Lotus: That's where you come in. She needs an expert lawyer, and I understand you know one.

Daredevil: How do you know that?

(Panel 2. Focus on Lotus' face.)

Lotus: There are things that we can access from the cosmic omniconscious. We have the power to access a vast storage of knowledge of everyone and everything. There are, of course, limitations as to what you can see.

(Panel 3. Go back to a general perspective.)

Daredevil: All right, I am a lawyer.

Lotus: Then stall the courts until Nina and Kuroyama are found.

(Panel 4. Go back to Elektra. We see her in a prison cell. She wears a bright orange prison outfit.)

Cap (N1): And back with Elektra,

Cap (N2): Things are about to hit bottom with her.

(Panel 5. We see a large, muscular woman standing opposite her.)

Woman: So, the mighty Elektra has fallen, hmm?

Elektra: This is but a temporary setback.

(Panel 6. The woman smiles.)

Woman: That's what Nixon said too. Say, you're more beautiful in person than on television.

(Page 13, panel 1. Elektra is deadpan.)

Elektra: Try anything and you will definitely regret it.

(Panel 2. Bathsheba puts her hand on Elektra's shoulder.)

Bathsheba: When I want something. . . I will get it, by hook or by crook.

(Panel 3. Elektra turns Bathsheba around and puts her in a hammer lock.)

Elektra: If you always got what you wanted, you would not be here.

(Panel 4. Bathsheba throws Elektra with her arm. Elektra flies to the opposite side of the cell.)

SFX: WHAM!!

(Panel 5. Elektra stands, eyeing Bathsheba.)

Bathsheba: Resisting me is useless . . . just like it was for the others. Elektra: There is always a time where what you get will not be what you want. That time starts now.

(Panel 6. Bathsheba attacks Elektra, throwing a fist at Elektra who dodges it.)

SFX: WHAM!!

(Page 14, panel 1.�Elektra strikes Bathsheba on the jaw with a diving kick.)

SFX: POW!!

(Panel 2. Bathsheba and Elektra trade blows on the jaw.)

SFX: WHOK! POW!

(Panel 3. Go back to Lotus. She is walking the streets of New York City, near a woman's fashion boutique.)

Cap (L1): The DNA locator says she's in the area.

Cap (L2): Looks like someone is going shopping.

(Panel 4. Lotus enters the shop to see Nina there, dressed in a nice blouse and pants.)

Cap (L1): Jackpot.

Cap (L2): Now to get her back.

(Panel 5. Nina is startled by something.)

Cap (M1): I feel something powerful here.

Cap (M2): I've got to go.

(Page 15, panel 1. Nina starts to leave, but Lotus blocks the way.)

Lotus: Going somewhere?

Nina: Who are you?

(Panel 2. Lotus and Nina stand face to face.)

Lotus: Someone with an invitation - to do what is right.

(Panel 3. Nina tries to get around Lotus, without success.)

Nina: Let me pass.

Lotus: You know I cannot do that - until you move off the path you are on to the right path.

(Panel 4. Nina tries to strike Lotus, who dodges the blow.)

Nina: Then die!

(Panel 5. Nina tries to hit Lotus, who dodges Nina's blows.)

Nina: Stand still!!

Lotus: Right, like I'm going to let you do this to me.

(Panel 6. Nina manages to get by Lotus by diving through Lotus' legs.)

Nina: HA!

(Page 16, panel 1. Lotus follows Nina out to see her with Kuroyama.)

Nina: Good bye, loser!!

Lotus: I haven't lost yet!

(Panel 2. Lotus dives, tackling Nina.)

SFX: WHAM!!

Nina: UNH!!

(Panel 3. Kuroyama faces Lotus.)

Cap (K1): She is very powerful.

Cap (K2): Being on the side of Elektra,

Cap (K3): She is a big problem.

(Panel 4. Lotus and Nina stand.)

Lotus: Nina, Elektra is the only true friend you have left. Do the right thing. Nina: I have many friends - in the Hand!!

(Panel 5. Lotus dodges a blow by Nina.)

Lotus: Hmm. . . not very well trained, are we?

Kuroyama: You will not succeed, woman!!

(Panel 6. Lotus pulls out a crystal from the pouch on her waist.)

Lotus: Catch.

(Page 17, panel 1. Lotus tosses the crystal at Kuroyama, who catches it.)

Kuroyama: What the --!?

(Panel 2. The crystal emits a flash of bright white light in all directions.)

Kuroyama: NNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

(Panel 3. Nina grabs her head as Lotus puts her spirit form hand into Nina's head.)

Lotus: There can be no defense against the spirit.

Nina: AAAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

(Panel 4. Lotus removes her hand from Nina, turning it solid.)

Cap (L1): I gave her some of the spirit.

Cap (L2): I hope the experience wasn't enough to hurt her beyond repair.

(Panel 5. The light subsides, leaving Kuroyama weak and barely able to stand.)

Kuroyama: Uhn. . . you. . . witch. . . .

Lotus: I like to think of myself as a spiritualist.

(Panel 6. Lotus helps Nina stand.)

Lotus: Computer, teleport us now.

(Page 18, panel 1. Nina and Lotus disappear in a flash of light.)

Cap (K1): Damn that woman!!!

Cap (K2): She's going to ruin everything!!

Cap (K3): She must be stopped. . . at any cost.

(Panel 2. Go to inside the plane of Team X. Nina lies on a couch as Lotus sits next to her.)

Cap (N): Minutes later. . .

Nina: Uhn. . .

(Panel 3. Nina sits up.)

Lotus (1): Well, welcome back.

Nina: Wha. . . what happened?

Lotus (2): You have been saved from the path of destruction you were on.

(Panel 4. Lotus smiles.)

Nina: What are you talking about?

Lotus: You have been lead astray by the Hand, whose sole purpose was to use you to get back at Elektra.

(Panel 5. Nina faces Lotus.)

Nina: Who. . . who are you?

Lotus: I am Lotus. Elektra and I are old friends. Relax, and�everything will be all right.

(Panel 6. Nina realizes.)

Nina: Oh God. . . what have I done!?!?

Lotus: It's not too late to stop everything.

(Page 19, panel 1. Go over to see Mac in a hospital bed. He has bandages over his chest, arms, and part of his face.)

Cap (N1): He is broken, but not beaten.

Cap (N2): MacKinley Stuart was beaten severely.

Cap (N3): And now, Kuroyama returns to finish the job.

(Panel 2. Enter a noticeably smaller, weaker, and disoriented Kuroyama. He enters the room carrying his sickle on a chain.)

Cap (K1): I must finish this job.

Cap (K2): Then, I can rest, and regain strength.

(Panel 3. Go back to Elektra. We see her standing over the fallen Bathsheba. There are guards rushing to grab Elektra. Elektra has several bruises and a black eye.)

Guards: Stop right there!!

(Panel 4. Two guards grab Elektra's arms, one guard per arm. Elektra looks at the guards.)

Elektra: I was defending myself! What is wrong with that?!

(Panel 5. They take Elektra out as she struggles against the guards.)

Elektra: You knew this would happen, yet you let it happen anyway!

(Page 20, panel 1. Go back to Lotus and Nina. We see Nina crying in her hands, and Lotus sitting next to her.)

Nina: Why? Why did I do it?

Lotus: You were influenced by a very powerful force of darkness - but the light always overcomes the darkness.

(Panel 2. Nina looks at Lotus.)

Nina: I thought I was strong - I thought I was ready. . .

Lotus: There is only one way to clear your conscience: you have to testify for Elektra.

(Panel 3. Nina fights back the tears.)

Nina: Alright, I'll do it.

Lotus: You're on the road to recovery now, and getting there will be a long, torturous journey. But you can make it, if you try.

(Panel 4. Go back to Elektra. We see her being pulled by the guards towards the captain's office.)

Cap (N): Meanwhile. . .

(Page 21, panel 1. We see her thrown in front of the police chief.)

Chief: Well, how the mighty have fallen.

(Panel 2. Elektra stands.)

Elektra: You knew this was going to happen. . . yet you chose to let it happen. Chief: Your words mean nothing to me, Natchios. . . the truth is you beat up a cell mate. The penalty is that charge added to your list of charges, and now we will put you in solitary confinement.

(Panel 3. Elektra gets angry.)

Elektra: Now just one moment here -

Chief (interrupts): Enough! Natchios, we have enough evidence gathered to send you to the chair.

(Panel 4. Focus on the chief's face.)

Chief: But I am willing to make a deal. . . if you'll do what I say.

(Page 22, full panel page. We see Kuroyama standing over Mac, about to plunge his sickle into Mac.)

Cap (N): Next issue: Comeback!