FRAYED SOULS SCRIPT FADE IN INT APARTMENT – NIGHT The scene opens on the kitchen of a small apartment. The room has dirty, pale green walls and a stained linoleum floor that look like they haven’t been mopped or swept in months. In the center of the kitchen sits a simple table and three chairs. Seated in the chairs are a GIRL, a MAN and a WOMAN. THE GIRL A short, 17-year-old Asian girl named YUKI. She has long black hair, and wears a sky blue sundress that matches her eyes. THE MAN An Asian man of average height named Katashi. He is Yuki’s father, and is 39 years old. He wears a thin undershirt and the pants of the uniform from his blue-collar job. THE WOMAN A short white woman named Susan. She is Yuki’s mother, and is 37 years old. She wears a faded pink dress with a purple floral print. The three sit in silence, eating a simple dinner of rice and vegetables. Katashi takes a swig from a beer bottle, then sets it on the table next to two empty ones with some force. He shovels food into his mouth tensely, hinting at barely restrained anger. Susan avoids looking at her husband and daughter, and focuses her attention on her dinner. Yuki simply looks down at her plate impassively, taking occasional bites of food and chewing slowly. Putting her fork down, she rests her hands in her lap and continues to stare downward with no visible emotion. Seeing that she is done, Katashi glances at her plate. KATASHI Finish your dinner. YUKI ...I’m not hungry. Katashi glares at Yuki. KATASHI (angrily) Just eat the damn food, okay?! I work too damn hard at my shitty job to toss it in the trash because of your teenage angst! Susan glances up and gives Yuki a look of warning. SUSAN Eat it or give it to someone else. Just don’t waste it. Susan drops her eyes back to her food. When Yuki does not act after a few seconds, Katashi grabs her plate and dumps the food onto his plate. Susan looks up when she hears Katashi putting the plate down harshly, but says nothing. Katashi takes another bite of food, followed by another drink of his beer, then looks at Yuki. KATASHI I got a call from your principal today. Said you were in a fight with some kid. YUKI No. KATASHI What do you mean, ‘no’? The kid was screaming bloody murder! They had to take him to the hospital, for Christ’s sake! I don’t know what you did to him, but that sure sounds like a fight to me. Susan flinches at Katashi’s tone and gets up to put her empty plate in the sink. Yuki, however, does not respond, and continues to stare down at the table. Katashi snarls deep in his throat and clutches his fork so hard his knuckles go white. KATASHI Damn it girl, look at me when I’m talking to you! I’ve had enough of your attitude! What the fuck did you do to him?! YUKI ...I made him feel my pain. In one smooth motion, Katashi rises from his chair and deals a vicious backhand slap to Yuki’s face, almost knocking her out of her chair. Susan glances behind her with a worried look on her face. SUSAN Kat— Katashi glares at Susan furiously and jabs a finger her way. KATASHI Stay out of this, woman! Susan turns back to the sink and starts to wash the dishes, ignoring the brewing violence behind her. Katashi turns his attention back to Yuki. KATASHI Your pain, huh? Katashi slaps Yuki again, snapping her head to the side. KATASHI The school year’s just started, and you’ve already been suspended! That’s more of my money down the drain! Another slap. Susan winces but does nothing. KATASHI What’s your pain compared to mine?! I just wanted a hot piece of ass, and because of you I’m stuck in this shitty life with a shitty job, a shitty house and a cold bitch of a daughter! I never wanted you in the first place, and you’ve been nothing but trouble since you were born! Yuki puts a hand on her cheek and looks up at Katashi, her face still showing no emotion. Katashi snarls again. KATASHI After all you’ve put me through, I’ll at least have the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of you! Katashi hits Yuki again, this time knocking her out of her chair onto the floor. She hits the floor hard with a cry of pain, causing Katashi to smile maliciously for a moment. The smile disappears as his fury returns, and he storms around the table after Yuki. He reaches down and grabs her shoulder, but Yuki whirls her head around and glares at him angrily. An image of Katashi slapping Yuki through Yuki’s eyes flashes onto the screen, vanishing as suddenly as it appeared. Katashi’s head snaps back as if someone hit him, but no one touched him. He releases his grip on Yuki’s shoulder and stumbles back. Another image of a slap comes and goes, sending Katashi reeling. He grabs his head with his hands and lets out a moan of pain. KATASHI No...stop hitting me...stop... Yuki’s eyes go wide with surprise as Katashi falls over onto the floor, occasionally twitching and whimpering and the mental blows make him relive his assault on Yuki. Yuki looks up and sees Susan staring at her with horror in her eyes. SUSAN Wh...what did you do to him?! YUKI He...felt my pain... Katashi groans loudly and starts to get up, looking at Yuki with a mix of fear and anger. He slowly gets to his feet, leaning heavily on a chair. KATASHI You...you freak! You’re not my daughter...you’re a monster! Get out of my house! GET OUT! Katashi punctuates his statement by picking up a beer bottle and hurling it at Yuki. The bottle shatters as it hits a nearby wall, spurring Yuki to action. She gets up and dashes to the door as Katashi reaches for another bottle. Throwing open the door, Yuki runs out into the night as fast as her legs will carry her. KATASHI/OFF SCREEN GET OUT! Katashi’s cry echoes as Yuki runs down the dark city streets, leaving her home and life behind. INT TRAIN STATION – NIGHT The station is quiet in the late hours of the night. Most of the terminal is brightly lit, but large parts of the area are dark and untouched by the light. A few people wander in and out or sit waiting for a train. A station attendant sits in a booth and reads, a look of boredom on his face. A tapping on the glass brings him out of his reverie, and he looks up to see Yuki. She has a bruise on one cheek, and the other is swelling up. ATTENDANT (concerned) Um, can I help you? Yuki reaches into a small pocket on her dress and pulls out a small wallet. Sparkles of reflected light reveal that she has pieces of glass in her hair. Reaching into the wallet, she pulls out a handful of bills and puts them on the counter. YUKI How far will this get me? The attendant hesitates, then picks up and counts the money. After thinking for a moment, he looks up at Yuki. ATTENDANT You could get to New York with this. Is that where you want to go? YUKI I don’t have any more money. ATTENDANT This is all the money you have? Are you sure you want to do this? Yuki nods silently. The attendant sighs and reluctantly prints her a ticket, then hands her the ticket along with a few bills. ATTENDANT Here’s your change. It’s probably enough for a little food if you get hungry. Yuki takes the ticket and puts the money back in her wallet. ATTENDANT Say, do you have any relatives in New York who can take you in? YUKI ...I have no family. Yuki turns and walks off towards the trains. The attendant pauses for a few seconds, then calls after her. ATTENDANT Good luck! Yuki makes no indication that she hears him, and keeps walking. ATTENDANT ...poor kid. INT GRAND CENTRAL STATION – MORNING A train rolls into the station and gradually slows to a halt. The doors open and release a flood of people. They move on, joining the rest of the busy crowd in the station. Over in a corner, however, sits Yuki. The glass that was in her hair is gone, and the bruises and swelling are almost gone. Contrary to the busy atmosphere of the terminal, Yuki appears placid and calm, unfazed and unaffected by the noise and crowds that fill the better-lit parts of the building. She sits by herself in a dark corner of the station, her legs close to her body, her arms wrapped around her legs. She is hunched forward, her lower back pressed against the wall, and she gazes expressionlessly at her knees, ignoring the noise and activity around her. The morning sun pours into the building, but Yuki is covered in shadow. FEMALE VOICE/OFF SCREEN Hey, are you alright? Yuki looks up slowly to see a WOMAN with short, dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes giving her a concerned look. The woman is wearing a dark green sweater and light brown slacks. She speaks with a very faint Russian accent. WOMAN Who gave you the bruises? YUKI My father. WOMAN Ouch...I’m sorry to hear that. YUKI (unemotionally) ...who are you? WOMAN Oh! Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. The woman holds out her hand. WOMAN My name is Anna, Anna Pavdun. Yuki continues to watch ANNA impassively, and does not take her hand. YUKI What do you want? Looking vaguely embarrassed, Anna lets her arm drop back to her side. ANNA Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve been looking for you. Yuki’s eyes narrow slightly as Anna continues to talk. ANNA I bet you’re wondering, “Why is a complete stranger looking for me—“ YUKI (interrupts) Yes. ANNA —but I’m not here to do anything weird. I just want to talk to you. YUKI About what? ANNA About the...recent changes in your life. YUKI (coldly) That’s none of your business. Anna holds up her hands defensively. ANNA Whoa, sorry, didn’t mean to hit a nerve there. Look, I know this is really sudden, and I’m sure you’re disoriented after all that’s happened recently, but you can’t stay here forever. Just hear me out, okay? I’ve been in your position myself, so I know what you’re going through. YUKI No, you don’t. ANNA (slyly) Let me guess...one day you found that you had some strange, unexplained power that wasn’t there yesterday. You tried to hide it, but eventually you lost control, and now you can’t go home. Am I close? Yuki looks confused, showing real emotion for the first time. YUKI How do you...? Anna grins and kneels down, bringing herself down to Yuki’s head level Yuki’s eyes follow her motion intently. ANNA I’ve heard similar stories before. It didn’t happen quite the same way for me, but that’s basically how it went for the others. YUKI Others? ANNA (animatedly) We’re not the only ones, you know. When I got my powers, I wanted to find everyone else who was like me. The curiosity gnawed at me...I felt like I wouldn’t be able to rest until I found out just WHY I had these powers, and where they came from. I HAD to solve the mystery! YUKI Have you? Anna shakes her head, but still smiles brightly. ANNA Not yet, but I have help now. I ran into two guys who were in the same situation, and we decided to work together. After all, no reason to go about it alone when we could work as a team! None of us had anywhere to stay, though, so we rented an apartment in the area. YUKI And you want me to come with you. ANNA That’s the idea, yeah, but I won’t force you. We’d be glad to have your help, of course. If you want to know the truth as badly as we do – or if you just need a place to stay until you make up your mind – then come with me. Yuki looks down at the floor. YUKI I don’t know... Anna stands up and holds out her hand again. Yuki looks back up at Anna but says nothing. ANNA So, what do you say? Up for checking the place out, at least? The streets of New York aren’t safe after dark, especially for a cute girl by herself. YUKI ...alright. Yuki takes Anna’s hand, and Anna helps her up. Yuki and Anna walk out of the station into the morning sun. EXT NEW YORK – MORNING The streets of New York are as busy as ever. Cars honk in the traffic, and the pedestrians walk swiftly towards their destinations. It is too loud for Yuki and Anna to speak, so they stay silent until after they have turned onto a less busy side street. ANNA Whew! Busy busy busy, eh? Too noisy for me, anyway, but luckily it’s much quieter where we live. Yuki says nothing and continues to follow Anna. ANNA I have to admit, I’m very curious about your powers. Everyone has different ones, after all! But I’ll curb my curiosity until we get home. I’m sure you don’t want to have to repeat yourself a million times, when you can just tell us all at once. YUKI Yes. Anna glances back at Yuki briefly, then looks forward again and continues her brisk pace. ANNA Hm...don’t talk much, do you? YUKI No. ANNA You’re one of those real shy, private people, aren’t you? I hope you won’t feel too out of place at first – we’re a pretty outgoing group! YUKI I’ll deal with it. Anna grins. ANNA Well, luckily you’ll have a room to yourself, so you won’t have to share with anyone. Oh, you would not BELIEVE the deal we got on this place! Four bedrooms, off the beaten path, and not a bad price either! We’ll cover your share of the rent until you find a job, since you obviously don’t have one now, but you’ll need to do your part eventually. YUKI Fine. EXT NEW YORK RESIDENTIAL AREA - MORNING The hustle and bustle of the city slowly but surely dies away as Yuki and Anna walk further away from the busy main intersections. They now walk through a much quieter residential area, with two-story family homes, fenced yards and oak trees with yellow leaves. Fallen leaves litter the sidewalk, crunching under their footsteps. Yuki’s bruises have completely faded by this point. ANNA We’re not in one of these – WAY too expensive to rent – but our place is just a few blocks away now. YUKI Don’t you have a car? Anna laughs. ANNA Don’t I wish! But it’s not like we have a lot of money to spare, so a car is a luxury we can’t afford. Oooh, and here we are! EXT APARTMENT – MORNING Yuki and Anna stop into front of a large, multi-story apartment complex. The walls are a pale beige, but the paint is dirty and peeling in places, and looks like it badly needs repainting. Anna smiles broadly and gestures at the building. ANNA Ta da! What do you think? YUKI ...it’s ugly. Anna’s smile fades, but she brings it back quickly. ANNA True, the outside isn’t much, but it’s the inside that counts. This place is in pretty good shape, considering how old it is. Anna pulls a set of key out of her pocket and unlocks the door. The two walk inside, and Anna closes the door behind them. INT APARTMENT – MORNING The door swings open, revealing a small apartment with white walls and light brown carpeting. The walls look freshly painted and the floor is clean, a stark contrast from the outside of the building. There is relatively little furniture, making the apartment appear open and somewhat empty. A simple table and four chairs rest in one corner, and a linoleum floor identifies the kitchen area. The linoleum is white with a blue pattern, and the kitchen contains a fridge, oven, dishwasher, sink, many cabinets and a long counter. On the other side of the room is an entertainment center with a TV, DVD player and a game console with two controllers. Across from the TV is a three-person couch with a dark blue cover. There are two doors on one wall, and two doors on another. None of the walls have windows. Sitting on the couch and facing away from the entrance are two men, one white and one black. They are playing a fighting game when Yuki and Anna come in. THE WHITE MAN His name is David, and is 6 feet tall with short, curly dark brown hair. He wears a black T-shirt and black pants. THE BLACK MAN His name is Monty, and is 6’4” with very short black hair. He wears a beige collared shirt, blue slacks and glasses. ANNA (calling out) I’m home! The two pause the game and look behind them, seeing Yuki and Anna. Monty pushes off his knees and stands up straight, while David rocks back and then forward, using his momentum to pull himself out of the soft couch. They walk around to the other side of the couch and meet the women in the middle of the room. David points at Monty with his thumb over his shoulder and grins. DAVID You came back at a good time – good for Monty, anyway! MONTY glances down at David and gives him an annoyed look. MONTY I was making a comeback, and you know it, David. Monty turns his gaze to Yuki. MONTY So, this is the new arrival? Anna beams and takes a step to the side, gesturing at everyone in turn as she says their names. ANNA Yup! Yuki, meet David and Monty. David and Monty, Yuki. Yuki gives Anna a strange look. YUKI I never told you my name. Anna blushes and looks very embarrassed. Monty puts his face in his palm and rubs his forehead, and DAVID covers his mouth with his hand, trying hard not to laugh. ANNA Er...I completely forgot to ask your name, didn’t I? YUKI Yes. ANNA I’m so sorry! I’ve seen you so many times in my visions, and heard your name so often, that it never occurred for me to ask! YUKI Visions? ANNA I guess we should talk about our powers now and get it out in the open. After all, it’s why we’re here. Let’s sit down first though, my feet are killing me. It’s a long walk from Grand Central Station! Anna walks over to the table and sits down, her blush fading. Yuki pauses for a moment, then follows her and sits in the chair in the corner. When Yuki turns her back on the men, David nudges Monty with his elbow and points at Yuki, mouthing “She’s cute.” Monty rolls his eyes, and the two walk to the table and sit down as well. Anna leans forward and looks at Yuki. ANNA Okay, the reason I knew who you are and where to find you is because I can see the future. The visions come to me every so often, and for the past two weeks they’ve been showing me nothing but you. YUKI Me? ANNA Yeah. They’ve never done that before, so I figured it was important that I find you for some reason. I found David and Monty the same way, though their visions were nowhere near as vivid. I can also use my power for healing, but I’m not very good at it. The conversation pauses briefly. Monty, seeing that Anna is done talking, holds out his hand for Yuki to shake. MONTY My name is Montgomery Rayner...but please, call me Monty. I hate being called Montgomery. And you’re Yuki...? Yuki looks at Monty and does not take his hand. YUKI Kurono. Monty shrugs and puts his hand back down. MONTY Anyway, my power lets me enhance my body, making me stronger, faster, tougher...that sort of thing. The problem is that when I boost one ability, it saps something else. Mostly it means I act as muscle around here. Monty glances at Anna as he says this, who does her best to look innocent. ANNA You were very helpful on moving day, if it makes you feel any better. MONTY Heh, I suppose that’s true. David waves at Yuki from his side of the table. DAVID And I’m David Landon. I can control the elements, to some degree, like creating fire, cooling stuff down, recharging batteries, and probably many other things I haven’t learned how to do yet. What do you do, Yuki? YUKI I make people feel my pain. DAVID Er...that’s interesting. The conversation pauses again. When Yuki doesn’t elaborate, Anna speaks up. ANNA While we’re all here, we should probably go over what we know about our powers so far. Everyone I’ve talked to said they got their powers...what, about a year ago? MONTY Give or take a few months, yes. Definitely not all at the same time. ANNA And aside from our powers, we’ve also been gifted with very good health. DAVID Which, if you ask me, is the best part. I was struggling with a weight problem before I got my powers, and now I’m in great shape! Monty chuckles with amusement. MONTY You’re not a Greek god yet, David, but you have improved. David laughs and rubs the back of his head. ANNA (continues) But most importantly, nobody knows why we have these powers, or where they came from. It just sort of...happened. But that’s why we’re here – to find out these things so we can get on with our lives! We may not be able to go back to our old lives, but we can make new ones here, with people who understand us! MONTY Nice speech. DAVID Sounds good to me. ANNA (glances at a clock on the wall) Heh, thanks – oh crap! Is that really the time?! I have to be at work in ten minutes! David, can you— DAVID (interrupts) Show Yuki around? I’d be glad to! ANNA Great, thanks! I’ll be back later guys! Anna jumps up out of her chair and dashes out of the apartment. David stands up and smiles down at Yuki. DAVID So, interested in talking a walk around the neighborhood? You’ll want to familiarize yourself with the area sooner or later. Yuki stands up. YUKI Alright. DAVID Great! We’ll be back later, Monty! MONTY Have fun. Yuki and David walk out of the apartment and close the door behind them. Monty shakes his head and sits back down on the couch, unpausing the game. EXT NEW YORK - MORNING Yuki and David walk down the streets of New York away from the apartment. Much like the apartment complex, the area is dirty and not well maintained. The street is almost deserted, with the occasional car rolling past and a few homeless people sitting outside buildings. Yuki follows closely behind David as he leads her around the area, looking straight ahead. David glances back at her ever so often, but she appears not to notice or care. DAVID Say, you aren’t cold, are you? That dress looks kinda thin, and it’s a bit chilly. YUKI A little. David smiles and puts a hand on the zipper of his jacket, looking back at Yuki. DAVID Want to wear my jacket? I can manage without it. YUKI I’m fine. David’s smile falters, and he shrugs and keeps walking. He gets a disappointed, “shot down” expression on his face that Yuki doesn’t see. DAVID Alright, if you say so. Yuki and David keep walking, the silence lasting a few minutes before David speaks up again. DAVID Um...this might be too forward, but are you interested in doing anything while we’re out here? We could get something to eat, catch a movie— YUKI (interrupts) No. DAVID Doesn’t appeal to you, huh? How about— YUKI (interrupts) Stop. David stops walking, and turns around to see that Yuki has also stopped. YUKI You are asking me to go on a date. DAVID (nervously) Er, I guess you could say that... Yuki’s eyes narrow as she fixes David with an almost accusing gaze. YUKI (coldly) I am not interested, so stop asking. David looks down at the ground to the side, his expression defeated and unhappy. DAVID (quietly) Sorry. YUKI ...are you going to show me anything else? David glances back up at Yuki and gives her a wan smile. DAVID I guess I should show you where the supermarket is. We might have you get groceries sometime. Come on, it’s just through here. David gestures to a nearby alleyway, and the two walk around the corner. At the other end of the alley they see a HOMELESS MAN and a RANDOLF. THE HOMELESS MAN He is old, and has long grey hair and a wrinkled face. He wears dirty, ragged clothing, and has a blanket wrapped around his shoulders to keep the cold out. He sits with his back against the wall and looks up at the man in a suit angrily. THE MAN IN A SUIT His name is Randolf. He is young, in his late 20’s, and has shoulder-length red-brown hair. He wears a dark green three-piece business suit and has a thick beard around his mouth and chin. He looks down at the homeless man with an irritated expression. RANDOLF Look old man, I’m just trying to help you. You need medical care, and you’re not going to get it on your own. HOMELESS MAN Hah! You think I’m stupid, but I’m not! I’ve heard what you’ve been up to! Some of my friends saw you talking to John last month, and where is he now? Nowhere to be found, that’s where! The homeless man breaks into a fit of coughing as his outburst ends. RANDOLF Jonathan Baker? We offered to help treat his disease, and he said yes. We’re working to cure him as we speak. HOMELESS MAN (weakly) John didn’t have a month left in him...everyone knew that! The two continue to argue indistinctly. David looks back at Yuki worriedly. DAVID This looks serious...why is a man wearing a suit hassling some homeless guy? YUKI Who cares? DAVID (with determination in his voice) I care, that’s who. I’m not going to let someone bother a sick old man, no matter how important they think they are! David storms over towards to the two men. Yuki hesitates, then follows after him. DAVID Hey, leave the poor guy alone! He already said he doesn’t want your help! The man in a suit turns to glare angrily at David. RANDOLF Butt out, kid. This is none of your business. DAVID (glaring back) I made it my business. And who are you calling a kid? David and the man stare at each other silently in a tense standoff. The man’s eyes take on a cruel cast, and his whole demeanor gives the impression of animal ferocity barely held in check. At the same time, a strong wind picks up in the alley, and a piece of paper near David’s foot catches fire and burns up. Suddenly, the man’s eyes glow with unnatural green light. Both David and the man look surprised, and as the tense aggression of the situation disappears so does the glow. The man glances at Yuki, then turns his gaze back to David and smiles faintly. RANDOLF Alright, have it your way. Have a nice life, old man...what’s left of it, anyway. The man turns around and walks out of the alley, waving goodbye as he turns the corner. David watches him leave, then lets out his breath in relief. DAVID Whew! Glad that’s over with! David walks over to the homeless man, and Yuki comes over as well. The homeless man looks up at David with gratitude in his eyes. HOMELESS MAN Thanks for the help, young man. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. DAVID What was that all about, anyhow? The homeless man coughs a few times before speaking. HOMELESS MAN I don’t know his name, but I hear he works for some doctor in the city. DAVID (surprised) A doctor? Why would he send his assistant to harass homeless people? HOMELESS MAN Well, the word on the streets is that this doctor is trying to cure some incurable, fatal diseases. He must be short on volunteers or something, because his associate seems awfully interested in talking to homeless folk like myself. I know trouble when I see it. The homeless man coughs again, and realization dawns on David’s face. DAVID In other words, he’s looking for people who won’t be missed? HOMELESS MAN That’s my guess. No one’s heard from the ones who decide to go with him, or the ones who disappear shortly AFTER talking to him, so God knows what happens once the good doctor gets his hands on them. DAVID So, why was he bothering you? Do you have a... HOMELESS MAN A fatal disease? Yeah, I do. Something wrong with my lungs, I understand. DAVID Geez, I’m sorry. The homeless man smiles wanly before wheezing again. David watches him sadly, his face etched with compassion, sympathy and worry. HOMELESS MAN Ah, it’s not your fault, young man, and it’s not your problem either. DAVID Aren’t you worried about missing out on a possible cure? The homeless man snorts derisively at the suggestion. HOMELESS MAN This sickness has done too much damage to my poor, frail body. Even if he cured me, I’d surely give up the ghost before long. It’s something you learn when you get to be my age, and it’s something this doctor should know already. Some damage just can’t be fixed. The homeless man looks up and sees David’s face. HOMELESS MAN Don’t look so sad! My time will comes when it does, and I’m ready for it. Better to die alone in the cold than to be some crazy scientist’s plaything. David reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wallet, then fishes out a twenty-dollar bill. Extending his arm, he holds it out for the homeless man to take. DAVID I know it’s not much...but maybe it’ll do you more good than it will me. The homeless man looks at David for a few seconds, then reaches out and takes the bill. He stares at the money for a moment, then puts it in his pocket. HOMELESS MAN It’s a lot more generosity and human decency than I’ve gotten from anyone in a long time...so thanks, son. David glances at Yuki, then back at the homeless man. DAVID We have to head off, so...take care of yourself, alright? HOMELESS MAN Heh, I’ll do my best. David turns and walks at a brisk pace towards the apartment. Yuki hurries to catch up and match his speed. YUKI What about the supermarket? DAVID The supermarket can wait! I think Anna and Monty need to hear about this, and they need to hear it now. INT APARTMENT – LATE MORNING The door to the apartment bursts open and David enters hurriedly, with Yuki following closely behind. Monty is seated at the table, and looks up from his book when they come in. MONTY How was the tour? David slams the door shut behind Yuki. DAVID We had to cut it short. Where’s Anna? MONTY At work. That’s why you went out, remember? David starts pacing around the room. DAVID Yeah, I remember now. I’m a bundle of nerves right now, and I need to talk to her! Monty closes his book and makes calming motions with his hands. MONTY Hey, hey, calm down already! Sit down and tell me about it, okay? Anna’ll back in a few hours. David gestures anxiously as he continues to pace. DAVID I can’t talk about until she’s here! It’s big news and bad news for all of us, so I need everyone here first! MONTY Well, stop pacing at least! You’re really worked up, and it’s not healthy to— DAVID (interrupts) I know, I know! I gotta burn off this nervous energy somehow! MONTY Look, why don’t you practice a karate kata or three? Or do some cooking maybe? DAVID (distractedly) Yeah...I should cook something. That should calm me down. David stops pacing and turns to look at Yuki. DAVID You hungry, Yuki? YUKI (yawning) No. DAVID (smiling softly) But you are tired. How long has it been since you slept? YUKI Awhile. DAVID Right. Why don’t you get some sleep while we wait for Anna? No point burning yourself out. Yuki nods, then looks around. Monty points to one of the doors. MONTY That’s your room. Anna made the bed this morning, seeing as how she was expecting you. Yuki goes over to the door and opens it, then steps inside and closes it behind her. INT YUKI’S ROOM – LATE MORNING The room is small, 8’ x 10’, and has a twin-size bed, a yellow-brown wooden desk, a short white-brown bookcase, and a small closet. An open door reveals a small bathroom with a sink, toilet and shower. The bed is freshly made and neat, with white sheets and a light blue comforter. The sheets and pillowcases have a colorful pattern of Japanese fans. The blinds are closed, keeping the room dark, but sun seeps through the cloth and provides a dim light. Yuki looks around the room for a few moments, taking in her surroundings, then walks over to the bed. Taking off her shoes, she pulls back the covers and climbs inside. Pulling the blankets back over her, she nestles into the soft bed. YUKI (quietly) So tired... Closing her eyes, Yuki succumbs to exhaustion and promptly falls asleep. INT YUKI’S ROOM – AFTERNOON Yuki’s eyes open slowly, the quiet noise of people talking outside having woken her. Sitting up and stretching, she glances around the room. She appears confused at first, then relaxes as her confusion is replaced with recollection. YUKI A new place... Pushing back the blankets and getting out of the bed, Yuki returns the covers to some semblance of neatness. She slips on her shoes and walks across the room, pausing at the door. She gazes down at the door handle, almost thoughtfully. YUKI (softly) A new life? Arranging her face back to her usual expressionless mask, Yuki reaches out and turns the handle. INT APARTMENT – AFTERNOON Anna, David and Monty sit at the table, talking quietly and eating. They turn and look as Yuki emerges from her room. ANNA Oh, hi Yuki! Did we wake you up? YUKI Yes. ANNA Sorry ‘bout that. Did you get enough sleep? YUKI Yes. MONTY That’s good. I’m ready to get on with this talk – David’s kept us waiting long enough. David catches Yuki’s attention and points at the kitchen. DAVID There’s plenty of spaghetti and sauce left if you’re hungry. Yuki nods and goes to the kitchen, fixing herself a plate of food while the others talk. ANNA So, what happened? DAVID Yuki and I were heading to the supermarket. I took that shortcut through the alley and saw some guy in a suit hassling a homeless man. MONTY That’s weird. ANNA What did he want? DAVID I’ll get to that in a minute. So I’m thinking, ‘what the hell is this guy’s problem?’ I go over and tell him to leave the poor guy alone, and he just LOOKS at me like he’s ready to start a fight over it. ANNA (surprised) Are you serious? DAVID Completely! The real shocker is that while we’re staring each other down, his eyes start glowing green! Not only that, my powers went off on their own, without me even doing anything! Anna’s eyes go wide, as do Monty’s. Yuki sits down calmly and begins to eat. MONTY What do you mean, ‘went off on their own?’ You didn’t burn down a building or anything, did you? DAVID No no no, nothing like that! The wind picked up a lot, and some trash burned up. I could tell the suited guy had powers too... something to do with animals, I think. He was looking awfully bestial for a moment. ANNA Creepy. So what happened next? DAVID Well, he got this real surprised look on his face – I’m guessing my eyes were glowing like his, and maybe Yuki’s too. He calmed down pretty quick after than, though, and the glow went away, so I can’t be sure. Then he left. MONTY Left? DAVID Yeah. Said something like ‘Have a nice life’ and walked out of the alley. MONTY Wow. So, you’re sure this man had powers? DAVID I’m absolutely certain. Monty glances over at Yuki, who nods her head in confirmation. ANNA Wait, but why was a man wearing a suit – who has powers — giving some bum a hard time? David shrugs. DAVID I don’t know the whole story. What I do know is that the suited guy works for some doctor in the city. MONTY (incredulously) A doctor? DAVID (defensively) That’s what the homeless man told me. Said the doctor and his associate are looking for homeless people with terminal illnesses so they can learn how to cure them. Only problem is that these people they talk to are never seen again...and the fact that they’re looking for people who won’t be missed. MONTY I don’t know...sounds like a pretty fanciful story to me. You sure this guy wasn’t drunk off his ass? David glares angrily at Monty. DAVID I’m serious, Monty! This guy was really sick! Monty holds up his hands defensively. MONTY Sorry, sorry. It’s just hard to believe, that’s all. ANNA Monty, you have friends who might be able to look into this, right? You could talk to them, see if it’s true or not. Monty adjusts his glasses and sighs. MONTY They’re not really friends...but yeah, I’ll ask them. I’ll admit that I want to know if this is all true. ANNA So assuming is it true, that this doctor is kidnapping homeless people for his experiments, what do we do? I mean, I’m all for putting a stop to it, but what do you guys think? The table is silent for several seconds. DAVID Well, I want to help. What this doctor is doing is illegal and immoral, and I don’t want him to hurt anyone else. MONTY Assuming our information is right. DAVID (tiredly) Yes, assuming so. ANNA What about you, Monty? MONTY On one hand, it’s not really our problem— DAVID (interrupts) Monty! Monty holds up a hand for silence. MONTY —but I think we might get somewhere on our main goal if we do this. This assistant of the doctor has powers, and may have information we don’t have. Talking to him would be good. YUKI And the doctor. Everyone turns to look at Yuki, surprised to hear her speak. DAVID What about the doctor? YUKI He probably has powers of his own. Everyone goes quiet for a moment. ANNA Huh...that actually makes sense. Maybe healing powers? That might make someone try to cure several different diseases at once. DAVID Yeah, that sounds about right. And he’s nabbing homeless people so that he can test and use his powers in secret. MONTY Also, if he’s recruited one person with powers, he may have others working for him as well. More people means more things we can learn from them. Anna turns to Yuki and smiles. ANNA So, are you with us? Yuki says nothing for several seconds, simply looking at the others. YUKI ...yes. Anna grins and slaps her hand down on the table. ANNA Alright, it’s decided! We’re going to find this doctor, mine him for information and do everything we can to help the homeless he’s bothering! Anna leans back in her chair and sighs happily. ANNA Ah, it’s good to finally have a goal! DAVID So true. Monty stands up and walks to the door. MONTY I’m going to talk to my contacts and see what they can dig up. I’ll be back later. ANNA Okay, take care! Monty leaves the apartment, closing the door behind. ANNA What do you think, Yuki? Isn’t this exciting? YUKI ...very. FADE TO BLACK.