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Act One: Scene One
(Scene begins outside a warehouse with a van parked outside with Channel 2 news van outside. A car pulls up and reporter Charles Plantine gets out of his car and walks over to the camera man waiting in the van)
[CHARLES]
Hey! Where’s Zack? I asked him to be here.
[TYLER]
He’s sick so the boss sent me instead. So why are we here in the middle of nowhere?
[CHARLES]
Don’t worry about that and just record when I tell you to and keep your mouth shut, if we pull this off then I can finally get something going with my career.
[TYLER]
Yeah, I like to see my career go somewhere too. Now do you mind at least letting me know what we’re here to cover?
[CHARLES]
(Frowns, wipes his face and pauses for a moment)
Ok, if you have to. We’re here to interview somebody who claims to be a member of The Wall.
[TYLER]
Oh I’ve heard of those guys, they’re some kind of secret society right? Bunch of nut jobs playing vigilantes.
[CHARLES]
(Rolls his eyes and looks up in the sky)
They’re a terrorist organization taking matters into their hands and now they’re willing to give me the opportunity to bring this subject to the public view.
[TYLER]
If they are so big, why did they choose you?
[CHARLES]
(Tyler laughs as Charles is getting frustrated and grabs a handful of microphones)
I’m the reporter so stop asking questions and get going because I've got a career to build up!
[Tyler]
Jeez, Mr. Sensitive.
(Charles and Tyler head towards the warehouse and open the door. It’s dark inside and then a light shines on a table. Then Charles Plantine and Tyler walk in towards the table with a camera in Tyler’s hands and four microphones in Charles’s)
[CHARLES]
(Lost in the darkness)
I’m here to meet someone by the name of Steel. Is that you?
(A man with a silver mask appears sitting at the table and on his right a man with a red mask and a man with a brown mask to the left come into the light)
[STEEL]
(With a deep voice)
You’re late.
[CHARLES]
(Takes a moment to analyze the situation and Charles looks around the empty room and finally snaps back to introduce him)
How do you do? I’m Charles Plantine. You called me on the phone and wanted to meet with me about a story. A story that would open America’s eyes to a secret that’s been going on since 9/11 as you said. Are you the man I’m here to meet?
[STEEL]
(Brick and Wood laugh while Steel just smiles)
You walk into a room occupied by 3 masked men and you’re asking if you’re in the right place? No, you’re not in the right place, I spend my days waiting for morons to walk through that door so I can take their money because I’m tired of waiting by the ATMs late at night.
(Tyler giggles a bit but stops when Charles stares at him)
Yes Mr. Plantine you’re in the right place, now set up your equipment and have a seat.
(Tyler sets up the camera and Charles is getting the microphones set on his neck and hands one to Steel then takes it gives one to each of his men then puts one on himself)
[WOOD]
(Whispers in Steel’s ear)
Are you sure this is the right thing to do? How do we know the cops won’t panic when this is aired?
[STEEL]
(Whispering back)
Don’t worry about it. You never plan anything without preparing for every outcome and even the most ridiculous one. You’ll understand in time but for now you need to keep your mouth shut until spoken too. Understand?
(Wood nods his head and goes back to his side of the table. A few minutes go by and Tyler has his camera ready and Charles is sitting down).
[CHARLES]
Are you ready?
(Steel nods his head and Tyler turns the camera on to begin recording the interview)
This is Charles Plantine with Channel 2 news and I’m here with people that some might consider terrorists but they see things different. These men are representatives of a myth called The Wall. The man sitting across from me is Mr. Steel. Thank you for coming forward with this. Now Mr. Steel let us please begin with the basics questions. What is The Wall? Can you explain why you all are wearing different color masks? And the most important how big is this… Wall?
[STEEL]
(Steel grabs a bottle of water at his feet and drinks from it. He sets it down in front of him and speaks)
The Wall is organization that was formed after 9/11. I would have to say about 5 months exactly after. The Wall is literally the last barrier protecting society from chaos. We help keep control by protecting the people when the law doesn’t. We wear different color masks to show our ranks like badges. The man in the brown mask is Wood, he’s classified as floor which is code name for rookie. The man in the red is Brick which means he’s more… seasoned and I am Steel. I am the captain and represent the strongest barrier of the three. There are others above me but we won’t get into that. You advance through how much you go through emotionally, mentally and physically in the name of justice.
[CHARLES]
(Pauses for a moment)
So what is it you really do? Because it sounds like you’re all a bunch of vigilantes.
[STEEL]
(Shakes his head)
A vigilante kills for selfish reasons and we seek justice for a reason beyond our own. We only kill when we have to, if the person deserves death. Basically, we are secret police only… we’re free of the restraints of rules and procedures.
[CHARLES]
So you are vigilantes. Who are you to take the law into your own hands?
[STEEL]
People who have been wronged by the system that’s been designed to protect us, we are everyone and we are nowhere like ghosts. We are everywhere and you would never know it. We’re either the cop on the corner, the mother taking her child to soccer practice, the concessionists serving you popcorn at the movie theater, and even the whore at the corner you cheat on your wife with. Gina has spoken of you quiet often and about how cheap you are.
[CHARLES]
(Stunned and swallows a bit of saliva)
We’ll just edit that part out. Do you mean to tell me that they’re criminals in this organization? Who decides who is allowed to join this group?
[STEEL]
Anybody tired of seeing the drug dealers and mob bosses thrive and watching the good suffer. Some are criminals and are given the chance to redeem themselves. After 9/11 a few Americans got together and realized while America does have the best system, the problem with it is the rich and powerful get away with things. When the law fails to protect its people civil action isn’t just inevitable, it’s required. That’s The Wall, people who are tired of relying on others to protect them, instead the people protect each other and form a kinship that no gang, mafia, or dictatorship can ever break.
[CHARLES]
So how do you decide who to go after? Do you just pick one out like a random drawing or you have a list and just go down it?
[STEEL]
There really is no crime to small because like I said, we’re everywhere and like a New York cockroach, we’re hard to get rid of. If gangs do something to each other then it’s not our problem but the second innocent blood is spilt, that’s when we’re activated.
[CHARLES]
Let me repeat the question. Who are you to take the law into your own hands? Why are the cops not enough for you? If you want to serve the people then take off the masks and put on a uniform and badge.
[STEEL]
Because the police, sometimes are the problem in the first place! How many cops are busted for being corrupt a year? How many are just cops because they can’t do anything else in life? You want me to put my safety in the hands of somebody who was disappointed with their life? Fuck that! I believe that’s one reason why society has de-evolved lately, we were so used to cops taking care of the people, we forgotten to take care of each other. How was the United States formed? It was formed when a group of men got together and said we’re not taking shit from a King anymore. We are that same group of people who want to get justice by any means necessary.
[CHARLES]
So have you killed before?
[STEEL]
Yes but not everyone I’ve had to encounter. It depends whether the individual deserves to die. We only have three rules but we’ll get to that later.
[CHARLES]
This sounds insane. No matter how hard it may be to enforce the system it’s still better than what you’re innovating. You’re no different than any other vigilante.
[STEEL]
Perhaps but I believe that what we do keeps the innocent safe and until I am killed I will keep doing it because I will burn in hell to protect those that can’t or won’t do it themselves and dedication that simple, makes me more powerful than a nuclear bomb. That’s why I’m Steel, when it comes to protecting close to me I’ll destroy cultures and it won’t affect me because my heart is cold and solid for those who would do them harm.
[CHARLES]
You’re a murderer trying to justify murder. All you want is a reason to kill people.
[STEEL]
Stopping those that do wrong to innocent people is reason enough.
(Gives a smirk and Charles gives a nervous look but maintains his composure)
You obviously aren’t getting the concept. Wood, tell him why you got involved. Maybe then, he’ll see things our way.
(The lights flickers and the first flashback happens).
Sample from The Wall, available now in print and on Amazon Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Anthony-Labson/dp/1495479617/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1417888231&sr=1-12