Pg 7
Pg 7, Panel 1
SALLY – “I didn’t mean to…”
Pg 7, Panel 2 – Mandy comes over and puts her arm around Sally’s shoulder.
MANDY – “I know you didn’t, honey, but we need to get out of here. Someone might get suspicious.”
SALLY (dazed) – “Yeah…”
Pg 7, Panel 3 – They’re walking away, the guys crumpled in the background.
MANDY – “It’ll be fine. You’re still learning.”
SALLY – “Yeah…”
MANDY – “Besides, they had it coming.”
Pg 7, Panel 4
SALLY (smiling) – “Yeah, I guess they did. So, do you think that’s my first official act as Atlanta’s newest superhero?”
Pg 7, Panel 5
MANDY (rolling her eyes) – “Oh, boy…”
Pg 7, Panel 6
SALLY (verbal diahrrea) – “No, really. I mean, I should announce my presence or something because I want the crooks to be really scared of me, and they won’t be right off because I’m a woman and that’s not as intimidating as if I were some big guy in dark clothes or something but you know what they say about crooks being cowardly and superstitious or something like that, so maybe I should wear dark clothes and make myself some kind of nighttime avenger, or maybe I should stick with the bright costume so I can be a beacon of hope to people…”
Pg 8, Panel 1
Back to Lance’s apartment. The guys are still eating their soup. A look of surprise comes over Lance’s face.
LANCE – “Oh, no….”
Pg 8, Panel 2
EDGE – “What? Is the soup that bad? I mean, it’s Campbell’s. You pop the top pour it in the pot. What could I do wrong?”
LANCE (still with shock on his face) – “You didn’t add water, but that’s not it. What time is it?”
EDGE – “7:00. Why?”
Pg 8, Panel 3
LANCE – “Oh, no, no, no, no, no”
EDGE – “What is it, man, you’re freaking me out!”
Pg 8, Panel 4
LANCE (with a look of horror on his face) – “We forgot about dinner with my mom.”
Pg 8, Panel 5
EDGE (with a look of horror on his face) – “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no”
Pg 8, Panel 6
Lance and Edge both with their heads in their hands, scared to death.
LANCE - “What are we going to do?”
EDGE – “I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.”
LANCE – “What can we do?”
EDGE – “Can we still make it?”
Pg 8, Panel 7
Lance has an epiphany. He gets a goofy smile on his face and looks at Edge.
Pg 8, Panel 8
EDGE (shaking his head vigorously) – “No, no, no, no, no”
LANCE – “It’s the only way…”
EDGE – “No, no, no, no, no…”
Pg 8, Panel 9
All we see is a trail of Edge being yanked off panel, as he screams. Lance has picked him up with his powers and is flying them across the city.
EDGE – “LAAANNNCCEEE!!!!!”
Pg 9
Pg 9, Panel 1
We’re back to the girls, as they have made their way to the friend of Mandy’s that was mentioned earlier. What is this guy all about? The girls are in the living room of a large stately Southern mansion. It’s obviously in Buckhead, probably somewhere on West Paces Ferry. The guy, RICHARD, is sitting there on a fine couch across from the girls.
RICHARD – “May I offer you girls something to drink?”
SALLY (still wondering what they are doing there) – “No, thanks, we’re fine”
MANDY – “Yeah, fine.”
Pg 9, Panel 2
Sally and Mandy are trading looks. Sally is perplexed, and Mandy is trying to reassure her.
Pg 9, Panel 3
RICHARD – “What can I do for you two?”
MANDY – “Well, we moved here from California, and basically, we spent all our money to get here, so we need jobs. My friend Rebecca came out here a few months ago, and she said you had helped her out, so I figured we’d look you up when we got here.”
Pg 9, Panel 4
RICHARD – “Out of money, huh? Why didn’t you save some before you got here?”
SALLY – “Wasn’t really an option. We left in kind of a hurry.”
RICHARD – “Care if I ask why?”
SALLY – “Yeah, actually, I do.”
Pg 9, Panel 5
Glances shared between Mandy, Richard and Sally.
Pg 10
Pg 10, Panel 1
RICHARD – “Fine, then. Did Rebecca tell you what I do?”
MANDY – “Not really, although I don’t know why. She said it wasn’t anything immoral or illegal or anything.”
RICHARD – “Well, she’s right, unless you count caring about others as illegal, which some people do in my profession. I’m a senator. A state senator, sure, but I’m hoping for a little more someday. Me helping you is not altogether altruistic, but it is a good option for you.
Pg 10, Panel 2
SALLY (apprehensive) – “Wh-wh-what exactly do you want us to do?”
Pg 10, Panel 3
RICHARD – “Honestly, not all that much. I made my money running restaurants, and I learned a valuable lesson there. People give you more money if they’re looking at an attractive person. I may be uncouth for saying it out loud, but it’s true. I have good looking girls as waitresses, then I get more business, and the girls get more tips.”
MANDY – “So you want us as waitresses? Do we have to wear something slutty?”
Pg 10, Panel 4
RICHARD (laughing) – “No, nothing like that. See, I never had the girls in anything demeaning, just jeans and a shirt, but it worked anyway. I figured if it worked there, why not in politics?”
MANDY – “Not following you.”
SALLY – “I think I am.”
RICHARD – “By all means, then, what am I saying?”
Pg 10, Panel 5
SALLY (closeup – very irritated) – “You get attractive girls to work in your campaign office, because your donors will give more money if they come in and see eye candy. You probably parade these same girls around at charity functions, party meetings and that sort of thing, because it makes you look good and makes the bigwigs a little looser with the wallet. That about cover it?”
Pg 10, Panel 6
RICHARD – “Yeah, that’s about it. Except you make it sound underhanded or immoral. It’s not. I just use everything I can to my advantage.”
MANDY – “Like our boobs, huh?”
RICHARD – “Not at all. Look, I’m a Democrat in the Bible Belt. I need all the help I can get. And like it or not, a pretty girl is like catnip to old money guys. A few phone calls and some lunches and they will start laying out the cash like crazy. I have to do what I have to do to get elected, then I can help people.”
Pg 10, Panel 7
SALLY – “Sounds like a rationalization to me. That’s a slippery slope, if I may say.”
RICHARD – “You may. And you might be right, but if I don’t trudge the slippery slope, I may be out of the race before it begins.”
Pg 10, Panel 8
MANDY – “So all we do is make phone calls, wear nice clothes, and butter up some old guys to give you money?”
RICHARD – “More than that, but that’s the basics. What do you say?”
Pg 10, Panel 9.
Sally and Mandy glancing at each other cautiously.
SALLY/MANDY – “We’ll do it.”
Pg 11
Pg 11, Panel 1
Wide panel of Lance swooping towards his Mom’s house with Edge in tow.
EDGE – “AAAAAHHHHHHH”
Pg 11, Panel 2
Lance lands on the front lawn and lowers Edge to the ground. Lance has a very regal, upright pose, but Edge is flat and cowering.
LANCE – “Enjoy the ride?”
EDGE – “Don’t speak to me ever again.”
Pg 11, Panel 3
Lance’s MOM opens the front door. She is an older woman, probably in her late 50s. She has some gray hair, but is not fully gray yet.
MOM – “Forgot again, huh?”
Pg 11, Panel 4
Edge is still on the ground as Lance hugs his mom.
LANCE – “What are you talking about, Mom? We’re here aren’t we?”
MOM – “Yeah, about 30 minutes late. Flew yourself over, I guess?”
LANCE – “Can’t sneak one past you, can I?”
MOM – “Not since the day you were born, boy. Come on inside and you two can heat up your own food. It won’t be as good, but at least you’ll have something to eat.”
Pg 11, Panel 5
Edge is still on the ground outside as Mom and Lance go inside. He falls over as he speaks.
EDGE – “I’ll be there soon, Ms. Carter.”
Pg 11, Panel 6
MOM – “He’s not used to you flying him around yet, is he?”
LANCE (smiling) – “No, not quite.”
MOM – “Good. A person shouldn’t get used to things that are unnatural. Meatloaf is on the stove, vegetables are in the fridge. Green beans, mashed potatoes and corn. Biscuits on the sideboard.”
LANCE – “Sounds great, Mom.”
Pg 11, Panel 7
Edge comes limping in. Mom and Lance giggle at his entrance.
EDGE – “Sorry about that, Ms. Carter. Your son has a twisted sense of humor.”
MOM – “No, he’s got his priorities all mixed up, but that’s not your fault, Edgerrin. Get yourself something to eat. Lance can show you where everything is.”
Pg 12
Pg 12, Panel 1
Lance sits down at a formica table in the kitchen with his Mom. She is obviously irritated with him, but she’s a mother, so she still loves him.
LANCE – “I do not have my priorities mixed up, Mom”
MOM – “Yes, you do. This superhero business is a waste of your potential.”
LANCE – “I’ve got the powers, so aren’t they part of my potential, Mom?”
Pg 12, Panel 2
Edge sits down to eat.
EDGE – “You tell him why that’s wrong, Ms. Carter.”
MOM – “I will do just that, Edgerrin, thank you. Lance, that is not correct. Your ‘powers’ are a mistake, just like they were with your father. Your true potential is using your mind. You’re a bright young man, and you need to concentrate on developing your intelligence, not associating with criminals.”
Pg 12, Panel 3
Lance stops eating and looks at his mom.
LANCE – “Mom, I’m not associating with criminals, I’m catching them. I’m doing society some good by keeping bad people behind bars. Isn’t that a good thing?”
MOM – “If that’s how you feel, become a lawyer. How many criminals have you actually caught?”
EDGE (mouth full of food) – “Sheef got you vere, man”
Pg 12, Panel 4
LANCE – “So I’m not established yet, big deal. I’ve caught a few people.”
MOM – “How many, Lance?”
Pg 12, Panel 5
Mom stares down Lance.
Pg 12, Panel 6
LANCE – “Three, alright. I’ve caught three guys.”
MOM – “You’ve been at this for three years now, and you’ve only caught three people? One a year? And yet you spend nearly all your waking hours trying to be a hero! It’s not right, son.”
LANCE – “So I should just ignore this gift, Mom?”
Pg 12, Panel 7
MOM – “You call this a gift? This kind of thing is a curse, Lance. It has brought you nothing but misery. You lost your father, you lost your job and you lost Angie over this kind of gift. I don’t call that a gift. I call it a curse.”
Pg 12, Panel 8
LANCE – “Mom, that was uncalled for!”
EDGE – “Uh oh.” Leaves the room in a hurry
Pg 12, Panel 9
MOM (Gets up in Lance’s face) – “It’s the truth. Your father died trying to be a hero using this so-called gift. As long as he ignored these powers he was fine, but when he tried to be a “hero” he died. And you know it!”
LANCE (not backing down) – “Mom, I don’t care! Dad did what was right. I’m sad that he’s gone, but he realized what happened to him was a gift and tried to do the right thing. He’s my hero and I won’t change.”
Pg 12, Panel 10
The two of them glaring at each other.
Pg 12, Panel 11
MOM (mood changed, she turns away from him to walk out of the room) – “Finish your green beans. You don’t eat right in that city.”
LANCE – “I eat fine, Mom”
MOM – “Hardly”
Pg 12, Panel 12
LANCE (stopping Mom as she’s leaving the room) – “Mom?”
MOM – “Yes, Lance”
LANCE – “You know I love you, right?”
MOM – “Yes, Lance.”
LANCE – “Do you love me?”
MOM – “Yes, Lance.”
