Issue 0 - Prologue: Suicide Watch

Panel 1: Two detectives are in a car, parked on a street. One is visibly older ("Old"), sitting in the driver seat, smoking a cigarette, disinterestedly watching the street in front of him. The other is visibly younger, a rookie ("Rookie"), sitting in the passenger seat with a coffee in his hand and a file folder on his lap, paying close attention to the building across the street.

Panel 2: Old watches a prostitute walk by his side of the car.
Old: You must be lucky, kid. Your first assignment and you get to sit with me on suicide watch.

Panel 3: Rookie sips his coffee while keeping his attention on the building.
Rookie: Suicide watch? Brass must have more than a dozen of his men up there. The only thing he’s probably worrying about is the quality of programming on his TV.

Panel 4: Old throws his cigarette out onto the street.
Old: Trust me, kid. Brass doesn't stand a chance. Call it old age wisdom.

Panel 5: Rookie looks down and opens the file folder on his lap.
Rookie: Well that ... and the fact that he's got a huge contract on his head. Which is something that doesn't make sense. Why would anyone pay this much to kill this guy? Brass is almost a nobody in this town.

Panel 6: Old reclines his seat, and rests his forearm over his eyes.
Old: Well, yunno what they say, "Everybody is a somebody to somebody." And if we figured out where he's holed up, then this 'somebody' probably knows as well. Which means …

Panel 7: TV screen showing a woman’s face, eyes closed, mouth open, in pleasure. It is apparent that it is pornography on the TV.
Old (VO): … we might as well watch Brass slit his own throat.

Panel 8: A man ("Brass") is sitting up on his bed in a motel room, with one hand on a TV remote, the other holding a beer. The room is a mess, with beer bottles and pizza boxes thrown about. Some guns are lying on a table top, along with some brass knuckles. The sounds of a pornographic film echo through the room.

Panel 9: Out in the hallway, two big strong looking men are standing guard. The noises coming from the TV permeate into the hallway.

Panel 10: A big burly man appears at the end of the hallway, seemingly carrying a package in a sling of some sort, walking towards Brass’ door.

Panel 11: The two guards turn to face the guy, and stop him.

Panel 12: The man faces the two guards.
Delivery guy: Hey. I got an order of “Dead Meat” for a guy named Brass.

Panel 13: The delivery guy is facing the two guards, with his back turned to the viewer. The back of his jacket has the logo, “Big Bill’s BBQ Grill”. The two guards stare at each other in aggressive suspicion.

Panel 14: A figure ("M") is standing outside Brass’ window on the fire escape. M is standing in front of the limp body of a henchman, who is leaning up against the wall. The lighting is poor, so the two bodies are draped in shadow from the light coming from the street below. On one side of M, the window shows Brass sitting on his bed watching TV. On the other side of M, the window shows the scene in the hallway, with the guards aggressively questioning and roughing up the delivery guy.

Panel 15: M’s hand reaches into the pocket of the limp henchman and pulls out his cell phone.

Panel 16: M presses some buttons on the cell phone.

Panel 17: M puts the cell phone on the railing in front of Brass’ window.

Panel 18: In the hallway, the delivery guy has his hand twisted behind his back by one of the guards, and is being pressed up against the wall. The second guard is rummaging through the bag.
Guard holding the Delivery Guy: Who the fuck sent you, wise guy!?
Delivery Guy: I'm - I’m just a delivery guy! Someone called, promising me a big tip to bring an order down here!

Panel 19: Brass is sitting in bed, still watching TV. A cell phone ring permeates into the room.

Panel 20: Brass checks his own phone.

Panel 21: Brass looks around.

Panel 22: Brass stares out his window and realizes that it’s coming from his henchman’s phone outside.

Panel 23: The phone continues to ring, as Brass impatiently watches the phone ringing, expecting his guard to pick it up.

Panel 24: Out of frustration, Brass walks over to his window.

Panel 25: In a quick motion, Brass pulls the window open.

Panel 26: Brass sticks his head out, mouth open to tell his guard to pick up his phone.

Panel 27: M stands before Brass, draped in shadow.

Panel 28: Brass’ mouth is covered by a gloved hand, his eyes open with fright and recognition of the figure.

Panel 29: M slits Brass’ throat, blood spraying in all directions.

Panel 30: In the hallway, the guards are still interrogating the delivery guy when they hear noises coming from Brass' room.

Panel 31: The two guards open the door to find Brass clutching his throat, with blood pouring down his hand and body. In a panicked expression, he stumbles across the room, toppling over chairs and tables. The sounds from the TV are still filling the room.

Panel 32: One guard runs to the window, and the second comes to the aid of Brass, who is now leaning against the bed, bleeding out.

Panel 33: The guard at the window looks out, and in the forefront, sees the shape of the third guard leaning against the building in the dark. Beyond that, down the alley, he sees a figure running into the darkness.
Brass (OP): Maahh ... laahh ... deeee ... !!!

Panel 34: From the door of the adjacent room, more henchmen enter into the room, as the guard tries to stop the bleeding from Brass.

Panel 35: Brass faces his men, in a look of fright and determination to speak.
Brass (in a gurgle): Maaahh … laaahhh … deeeee …

Panel 36: The guard attending to Brass turns his head to the nearest henchman in a confused look.

Panel 37: M is riding off on a motorcycle (now wearing an overcoat, covering the blood on M's clothes), entering the city traffic, about to be consumed and lost in the dark busy swirl of the city.
Guard (VO): Malady?

Panel 38: M parks the motorcycle outside an apartment which looks incredibly dilapidated and in need of repair. It is obvious from the condition of the street that the neighbourhood is a "slum" of sorts.

Panel 39: M gets off the motorcycle.

Panel 40: M walks by a dumpster.

Panel 41: M looks into the dumpster, as if checking for something.

Panel 42: M walks to the entrance of the apartment.

Panel 43: M looks around to make sure no one is following.

Panel 44: M enters the building.

Panel 45: M walks by the elevator.

Panel 46: M walks up the stairs to the 3rd level.

Panel 47: M arrives at apartment door #6.

Panel 48: M checks the door for signs of forced entry.

Panel 49: M enters the apartment. Everything is dark. Only shapes of the apartment can be seen.

Panel 50: M walks to the washroom.

Panel 51: M turns on the light. M’s body is shown in the mirror. M’s head/face is left off panel.

Panel 52: M starts to take off the leather gloves, when a baby’s cry erupts into the apartment (awakened by the noise of M).

Panel 53: M takes off the leather jacket, the image in the mirror reveals a female figure.

Panel 54: M walks into the baby’s room, her body is draped in shadow.

Panel 55: M takes the baby out of the crib.

Panel 56: M carries the baby into the kitchen, gently holding the baby. She remains in shadow.
M: Shh … shh …

Panel 57: M sits down at the kitchen table, with the baby in her arms. The light from the washroom takes the bodies out of the dark, but not completely into the light.

Panel 58: M lifts up her shirt, revealing a bare breast.

Panel 59: M is sitting at the kitchen table, and starts breast-feeding the child. M’s face is revealed for the first time. There is blood on her face. She is average looking, with cut short hair, no piercings. Her body is quite well toned, with visible scars decorating it. On the table, there are guns, bullets, knives, and papers.

Panel 60: M kisses the baby on the head, as tears roll down her face.
M: No more bad dreams for mommy ... starting tonight.