Issue 5: The Night Life

Panel 1:
It is the evening. In M's bedroom, M is kissing the top of Marsden’s head in shadow and in silhouette.

Panel 2:
The kiss breaks. In silhouette, the curves of M's lips and the round dome of Marsden's head.
M: I love you so much.

Panel 3:
M climbs into bed and pushes all her bedsheets against the wall.

Panel 4:
M is laying on her back in bed without any covers on. With wide eyes, she is staring up at the ceiling.

Panel 5:
M’s eyes start dropping, growing heavy from the oncoming slumber.

Panel 6:
With weary eyes, M turns her head to look at her bedside clock. In the background is Marsden’s crib.

Panel 7:
M’s bedside digital clock reads “11:37”
M: Goodnight, baby.

Scene change
Panel 8:
In Buri’s car, the digital clock reads “11:37”
Casus (OP): Goodnight, Buri.

Panel 9:
Buri is watching Casus, through the passenger window of his car, walk towards the front entrance of an apartment building.

Panel 10:
Buri drives off.

Panel 11:
During his drive home, Buri rubs his tired eyes.

Panel 12:
Buri arrives in a driveway of a suburban home.

Panel 13:
Buri walks out onto the front lawn of a house. The house is mid-sized, with two floors. Despite looking like a typical suburban home, the grass and flowers in the front yard are un-kept. The wild state of the yard is an indicator of the situation inside the house.

Panel 14:
Buri walks to the front door. In the mailbox is an overflowing amount of mail.

Panel 15:
Buri grabs a fistful of the mail, some of it falling to the floor.

Panel 16:
Buri unlocks the door and walks in.

Panel 17:
Buri turns on the light. The house is homey, giving an immediate sense that a family lives there (e.g. family pictures lining the hall, flowers in vases, women’s shoes, etc.). However, the untidiness of the quarters gives an unsettling feeling that the initial feeling of homeliness may have been incorrect (e.g. there is a layer of dust over the pictures, the flowers are old and withered, the women’s shoes are merely part of the clutter on the floor). In the background, the sounds of a TV permeate through the house.
TV: ffzz-Mayor-ffzz-about-ffzz-crime-ffzz-lowering-ffzz-more-ffzz-questions-ffzz-corporate-ffzz-corruption-ffzz …

Panel 18:
Buri takes off his shoes.
TV: ffzz-priority-ffzz-agenda-ffzz-recession-ffzz-economy-ffzz-on-ffzz-growth-ffzz …

Panel 19:
Buri walks towards the living room. The TV gets a little bit louder.
TV: ffzz … adamant about this … ffzz … job creation is key … ffzz … unemployment and poverty … ffzz … prevent rather than fight crime … ffzz …

Panel 20:
Buri walks into the living room, turning on its lights. He throws the mail onto the table. Already on the table there is a pile of mail and papers, as well as plates and bowls. The true extent of the messiness of Buri’s home is revealed (i.e. "very"). It is obvious that he has not cleaned up in a long time, or he has done very little.
TV: In related news, a recent poll has shown that more people are turning to community and religious groups for support and strength due to the economic downturn. Some religious representatives have claimed that this is a good thing, that the recession is helping individuals and families regain a healthy sense of spiritualism.

Panel 21:
Buri walks to the fridge and opens it, scanning its contents (or lack thereof).
TV: But some sociologists have expressed concern about these statistics, claiming that one unforeseen by-product of the economic crisis, combined with the ever-present concerns of terrorism, may be a growth in some of the more extreme religious groups.

Panel 22:
Buri closes the fridge in exasperation.
TV: One sociologist had this to say: “There is a growing sense of fear and desperation among those hurt most by the current state of the world …”

Panel 23:
Buri walks over to a liquor cabinet.
TV: “… And for these people, these emotions are fueling a sort of mob mentality. They’re starting to look for something or even someone to blame. …”

Panel 24:
Buri takes a glass and a bottle of whiskey out of the room.
TV: “… Maybe even with violent and destructive results. …”

Panel 25:
Buri starts walking upstairs. Along the wall are frames of family photos. Despite their jovial expressions, the faces in the photos are covered in a light dust, indicating the passage of time since those happy moments.

Panel 26:
Buri walks by a bedroom, with the door opened ajar. Inside are posters of musicians hung from the walls, trinkets and cds on a cabinet top, and other various signs of a teenager’s living environment.

Panel 27:
Flicking the lights on, Buri enters the master bedroom. The degree of messiness in the living room is echoed in this room as well. However, due to the smaller size of the room, the state of the room looks even more chaotic and unruly. Clothing is strung about the bed frame and littering the floors. There are glasses and take-out boxes placed on top of the TV.

Panel 28:
Buri enters the master suite washroom and turns on the light. The washroom, like much of the rest of the house, is similarly in a disorderly state. Most notably, there are liquor bottles and glasses all over the washroom counter. In the mirror reflection, Buri looks incredibly worn down, as if entering his home has pulled him into a dark and depressive place.

Panel 29:
Buri puts down the bottle of whiskey and the glass.

Panel 30:
Buri starts taking off his clothes.

Panel 31:
Buri stands in the washroom with only his boxer shorts on and the bandages wrapped around his torso from earlier on in the day. His body shape shows signs of being once muscular and strong. Now, the muscles sag, as if they are too tired to stand firm. Once again, there are noticeable scars in various places on his body.

Panel 32:
Buri pours some whisky into his glass.

Panel 33:
Buri holds the glass out in front of his face in a reflective pause. It almost seems as if Buri is giving cheers to his own reflection, only he has an empty expression.

Panel 34:
Buri downs the entire glass.

Panel 35:
Buri leaves the glass on the washroom counter and looks at himself in the mirror one more time.

Panel 36:
Turning off the light, Buri walks out of the washroom.

Panel 37:
Pushing a pile of clothes out of the way, Buri curls into bed.

Panel 38:
In bed, Buri looks to his bedside table. On it are a family photo and an analog clock.

Panel 39:
Buri takes a long look at the photo. In it is a younger version of himself holding a small girl.

Panel 40:
Buri’s bedside analogue clock reads “1:04”.
Buri (OP): Not today, baby … but soon.

Scene Change
Panel 41:
A Rolex watch face reads “1:04”.
Sturn (OP): Not now baby. Maybe later.

Panel 42:
Sturn is sitting at a table at the back of an old restaurant. On the table is a bottle of vodka and a plate of food. He is leaning back in his chair, with one of his arms around a woman with provocative clothes and heavy makeup. The woman is playing with Sturn’s hair, to Sturn's pleasure.
Sturn: Mmm ... but I do like it when you do that.

Panel 43:
Suddenly, Sturn's expression changes from playful to angry. In her chair, the woman leans away from Sturn, surprised at his sudden change in mood as someone is approaching the table.
Sturn: Where the fuck have you been?!

Panel 44:
Bell and a group of other men walk into the empty restaurant. Bell has bandages over his nose, while some of the men have bandages around their hands. Bell cocks his head to the men.
Bell: Get yourselves something to drink.

Panel 45:
Bell starts walking towards Sturn’s table, and it is apparent that he is walking with a limp. Sturn’s lady friend wisely excuses herself from the table.
Sturn: What the fuck happened to you? I let you go play “Cowboys and Indians” for the afternoon, and you come back, looking like you got the shit kicked out of you by a senior.

Panel 46:
Bell sits down at the table, looking dejected but also with a sinister sense of restraint.
Sturn: Let me guess, Buri and his new partner got the drop on you.

Panel 47:
Bell pours himself a glass of vodka. He stares at Sturn with coal-fire eyes. Sturn returns the look with an unflinching predatory smile.
Sturn: Yunno, you should really stop trying to live up to that nickname of yours, “Dumbbell”.

Panel 48:
Bell downs the liquor without removing his eye contact from Sturn.
Bell: And you should really watch your mouth. You might enjoy your sweet talking, Sturn, but I can guarantee you I will enjoy breaking that noisy hole of yours even more. And the next time I see that old fuck, Buri, I'm going to bury him into the sidewalk myself. So you don't need to worry about you getting your faggot hands dirty.
Panel 49:
Bell pulls Sturn’s plate of food over to his side, and starts eating. Sturn lets out a chuckle to depressurize the situation.
Sturn: Alright, buddy. Calm down. Take a bite to eat. Did you at least learn what the old fossil was doing, tailing us like that?

Panel 50:
Bell looks up in between bites to speak.
Bell: Yeah. He said he was looking for the Malady killer.

Panel 51:
Sturn stares down at Bell, who at this point, is ravenous with the plate of food. Sturn looks at his partner, reflecting on what he has just heard.

Panel 52:
Bell looks up at Sturn, realizing the presence of silence in the air.
Bell: What. You think this is a problem? I thought the R&G folks handle this kinda stuff. I thought that’s the whole reason why they’re around, so that no one can tie clients like us to any of the whack-jobs, and vice-versa.

Panel 53:
Sturn grabs the bottle of vodka and pours himself another glass. Bell keeps his eyes on Sturn in anticipation for an answer.
Sturn: No you’re right. Ever since R&G came onto the scene, the big fishes in this town have had less to worry about, now that someone was more than happy to do the dirty work for them. It’s just that …

Panel 54:
Sturn takes a sip from his glass, still looking contemplative.
Sturn: It’s just that before this Malady guy made a name for himself, no one could tell one contract killer from another. I’m just amazed how far a little name like that can take you.

Panel 55:
Bell stares at Sturn, while putting a fork full of food into his mouth.
Bell: Yeah … but if you had a name like that, and the cops were already lookin’ …

Panel 56:
On Bell’s wrist, his digital watch reads “1:33”.
Bell (OP): … you had better worry about who else is interested in finding you.

Scene Change
Panel 57:
On a man’s wrist, a digital watch reads “1:33”.
Man with the watch (OP): You better be worried, Ronny. Cos’ if you can’t help us find who we’re looking for …

Panel 58:
The man with the watch turns out to be Reid. He is pushing another man ("Ronny") against the side of a building, with a knife drawn near to his face. Reid is looking frustrated and determined, while Ronny is staring at Reid with pleading eyes. Around the two men are several other members of Brass’ (now Reid’s) gang.
Reid: … there’s no reason why we shouldn’t just cut you open like the other snitches we’ve talked to tonight.

Panel 59:
Ronny waves his hands out to the sides, like a helpless bird trying to fly away.
Ronny: Please, I don’t know anything about the contract killings. No one really does. It all went underground awhile back ... like with some kinda organization.

Panel 60:
Reid presses the blade up against the man’s neck. Reid spits venom into the Ronny’s face as he speaks.
Reid: What do you mean it all went underground?! Rats like you obviously knew about the contract on Brass! Otherwise, we wouldn’t have known about it! If it wasn't for you, Whiskers, we wouldn't have been holed up in that motel for a week trying to protect him!

Panel 61:
Ronny tries to stretch his neck away from the blade, but to no avail.
Ronny ("Whiskers"): I dunno! I dunno! Usually no one knows anything about the heavy hitters, or who hires them. But this Malady guy ... there’s something different about him. Maybe he didn't mind that you guys knew that someone was coming for Brass.

Panel 62:
Reid looks puzzled, as if he was discovering something not quite yet identifiable.
Reid: You little weasel! Before Brass even gurgled out that name in blood, no one knew who the hit was coming from! How do you even know that this Malady is a part of this underground cult of whack-jobs?

Panel 63:
Ronny looks at Reid like a rat caught in a trap as Reid presses the knife against Ronny’s throat. Blood starts seeping out.
Ronny (Whiskers): R&G! R&G! That’s the organization’s name. That’s all I know! I swear to God!

Panel 64:
Reid pushes the knife slightly deeper into Roddy's neck.
Reid: R&G? I’m going to need more than just two letters, Ronny boy.

Panel 65:
Ronny brings his hand over Reid's wrist, hoping to have the strength to prevent Reid from slitting his throat.
Ronny (Whiskers): I swear to God that’s all I know! That’s all everyone knows! All the other informers who knew more, and were stupid enough to share it, have already been buried by them. You remember that kid, Krause? They say he opened his mouth about the R&G folks, and he was found a couple of days later in an alley with both his arms torn the fuck off. I'm not talking cut off with a saw or some shit. I'm talking mother-fuckin torn off! No one's been dumb enough to even want to hear anything about R&G since!

Panel 66:
Reid backs off from Ronny and puts away his knife. Ronny bends over and puts his hand around his neck, checking to see how much blood there is.
Ronny (Whiskers): You guys wanna find out who put the contract on Brass? You try talking to someone at R&G. But take it from me boys, no one finds these people if they don’t want to be found. But if you’re busy looking for them, like you guys seem to be …

Panel 67:
Ronny’s digital sport watch reads “2:18”.
Ronny (Whiskers) (OP): … they definitely won’t have much trouble finding you.

Scene Change
Panel 68:
M is still in bed in her room. The room is dark, but the familiar shapes (bedside table, clock, crib, desk, etc.) can be seen in silhouette. For the first time in the story, the panel is seen from M’s first-person perspective, as if she is opening her eyes. Off to the side, the clock reads “3:51”.

Scene Change
Panel 69:
It is daytime. A watch on the wrist of an adult reads “4:25”.
Voice (OP): I found you Daddy! I found you!

Panel 70:
Using both hands, the little girl pulls at an adult’s right hand.
Adult (OP): That you did, my little darlin’.

Panel 71:
The little girl pulls the adult out from behind a window curtain. Standing there with his hand being held is a younger version of Buri.
Little Girl: Go hide again Daddy.

Panel 72:
The cartoon watch on the little girl reads “4:28”.
Little Girl (OP): I like playing this game with you.

Scene Change
Panel 73:
From M’s perspective, M's eyes open up again. She scans her room, the rough shapes of her room are silhouetted. Off to the side, the clock reads “5:49”.

Scene Change
Panel 74:
The time on a pager reads “6:16”.
Teenage Girl (OP): Will you put that damn thing down? I’m not playing a game here, Dad!

Panel 75:
An older version of Buri is standing in the kitchen. He’s putting on a jacket, seemingly getting ready to leave the house. The teenage girl is standing there, exasperated that her father is too busy to listen to her.
Buri: I know this isn’t a game. But I can’t just stay here when I have a job to do. There are people out there waiting for me.

Panel 76:
Buri is walking towards the front door of the house. The teenage girl is standing at the other end of the hallway,
Teenage Girl: But I'm waiting for you …

Panel 77:
On the far wall behind the Teenage Girl is a clock hanging off the wall that reads “6:19”.
Teenage Girl (OP): … right here

Scene Change
Panel 78:
Once again, from M’s perspective, the rough shapes of her room are silhouetted. It is apparent that M wakes up frequently during the course of the night, to check if everything is ok. Off to the side, the clock reads “6:49”.

Scene Change
Panel 79:
The wrist watch of a woman reads “6:53”.
Woman (OP): Right here! He’s right here!

Panel 80:
The woman is a paramedic, kneeling down, attending to a man laying on a street. Other paramedics are running towards the two.
Woman: We have multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. The victim’s lost a lot of blood, so we’re goin’ to have to make this quick!

Panel 81:
The man is an even older version of Buri (near his current age). He looks up at the woman.
Buri: Please ... where’s my daughter?

Scene Change
Panel 82:
The entire panel is black.
Voice (not a VO or OP but is being spoken within in the panel but from an unknown source): Where’s my baby?
M (VO): No.

Panel 83:
Once again, from M’s perspective, M opens her eyes. This time, however, it is no longer her current bedroom. Instead, in the darkness, objects that are commonly found in a children’s room are silhouetted. Light from the hallway seeps from under the door. The time on the bedside clock reads "7:06".
Voice (coming from behind the door): Where’s my sweet little girl?
M (VO): No, it can’t be.

Panel 84:
Still from M’s perspective, M turns her head to the door as it opens, revealing the silhouette of a big man. His shadow gives him a beastly form.
Big Man: There she is.
M (VO): No, this shouldn't be happening.

Panel 85:
The shadow of the big man approaches M who is stuck in bed. The large dark form looms like a monster.
Big Man: Daddy’s been up all night, waiting to be with you. And now, Daddy's tired of waiting.
M (VO): Noooo!

Panel 86:
M’s body shoots up from her bed. She is covered in sweat and her eyes are wide and intense. She is in shock from her visions.

Panel 87:
M reaches under her pillow and grabs a handgun.

Panel 88:
M sweeps the room with wild aim. Despite the darkness, there is no sign of an intruder.

Panel 89:
With one hand still holding the handgun, M buries her head in her hands and starts to cry.
M: No father ... Not now ... Not this soon …