EPISODE 15: CHAIN REACTION
FADE TO BLACK
FLASHBACK
FADE IN
EXT. PLAYGROUND DAY
The sunlight bounces off the merry-go-round as it spins carrying children on its back. A young white boy wearing bling-bling, probably around the age of 8, is sitting on a park bench by himself. We zoom out from him, past trees and the kids playing in them.
INT. OFFICE ROOM DAY
Through the window the playground is clearly visible. A young doctor wearing glasses and holding a clipboard watches the window closely, particularly the boy. This doctor is CHAIN REACTION. She taps her pen on her clipboard anxiously. A panicked man wearing all blue approaches her.
Doctor, we need you now.
Chain Reaction shuts the blinds, turns around and nods. She puts the clipboard on the table and follows the man out of the room.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY DAY
An attractive man in his 20s with black hair has a huge wound in his head, blood pouring and squirting all over the place, the medical bed he is being carried on is drenched in red as are the doctors and nurses rush about him in a panic. Chain Reaction runs over; a blue mask protecting her face.
CHAIN REACTION
Whats going on?
Jonathan Klemp, he was here visiting someone when he shot himself in the head in the waiting room.
Jesus
right out in the open?
Yeah, we dont know why he did it but hes lost a lot of blood and there was no exit wound. Hes still conscious.
CHAIN REACTION
Not long
we need to remove the bullet from his brain. I need a scalpel.
The doctor hands Chain Reaction a scalpel. They move into the surgery room, stopping as a bright white light shines down on Johns head, illuminating the bloody mess. Chain Reaction takes the scalpel and skillfully, without hesitation, jams it into the wound. The man screams. Chain Reaction removes the scalpel and with it, the bullet, making the man scream in agony again. He starts seizing. Blood is still flying all over the place. He grabs Chain Reaction by the throat while violently convulsing and pulls her until theyre nose to nose, and he speaks through clenched teeth.
JONATHAN KLEMP
The ferret
dont let it get to me
.
He falls back and stares up at the ceiling, his eyes roll into the back of his head and the EKG flat lines. Chain Reaction closes his eye lids, shuts the EKG, and then looks up at the shocked doctors who are all staring at her.
CHAIN REACTION
Hes dead
someone call it.
FADE TO BLACK
FLASHBACK ENDS
FADE IN
INT. TRAINING ROOM DAY
Chain Reaction sits with her back to the wall, watching Robin play with Ball Busters old G.I. Joe action figures. He makes exploding sounds and has Cobra call all of his soldiers dirty hoes. She laughs as she watches him. Next to her, Ball Buster sits, pretending to watch Robin but more watching her.
BALL BUSTER
Do you work out?
BALL BUSTER
Im just saying you have a great stomach. It must take you a long time to tone that. Like what, 600 crunches every hour?
Chain Reaction nods, smiling.
CHAIN REACTION
Im glad you noticed. But not that many.
She laughs and then looks back at Robin through her glasses, a smug grin coming to her face.
BALL BUSTER
Hey, you dont think its creepy or anything?
BALL BUSTER
Well, the fact that I was looking at your stomach.
She shakes her head.
CHAIN REACTION
No. I think its cute.
Ball Buster smiles, the first genuine smile hes had in a long time. Then Sentinel walks into the room with severe damage to the robotic gear on his head, and the warm family scene that was created in the glum facility is broken.
BALL BUSTER
Well look whos here.
Robin runs up and hugs Sentinel_08, who laughs and picks him up, then puts him back down on the ground. Ball Buster gets up with the help of his crutches, eying Sentinel closely.
SENTINEL_08
Okay, Robin
you want to go for a piggy-back ride?
ROBIN
Piggy-back ride? Kick ass!
BALL BUSTER
Not too fast, slick
Sentinel and I have to talk firstprivately.
Sentinel looks over at Ball Buster, confused.
BALL BUSTER
Nothing, we just need to talk and then you can give Robin his piggy-back ride. Chain Reaction can watch him now.
Chain Reaction nods and gets up while Sentinel reluctantly follows Ball Buster out of the room. Chain Reaction turns to Robin and pats his head, then messes up his hair.
CHAIN REACTION
You know what were gonna do now?
CHAIN REACTION
Play twister.
ROBIN
Oh, Im the bomb-diggity at twister!
CHAIN REACTION
Im sure you are. Wait here while I get the box.
Chain Reaction heads for the door but Matt Murdock gets in her way. He looks worn and beaten, like a zombie. The torn raggedy edges of his leather jacket hang loosely from his severely bruised, forgotten body. He stares at Chain Reaction through his red sunglasses. He speaks and sounds like he just ventured through the Sahara.
CHAIN REACTION
Uh
hes in the other room talking to Sentinel. Why, do you want me to go get him?
MATT
No, I can get him myself.
Matt slips by Chain Reaction and walks towards the next room, he sees Robin.
Matt walks past Robin and goes into the next room. Chain Reaction looks down at Robin, who is watching Matt leave closely.
ROBIN
That man scares me.
CHAIN REACTION
Same here.
CUT TO: THE BLUE ROOM DAY
Ball Buster drags the giant half man/half machine into the room, pushing him against the wall.
What is this, Ball Buster?
BALL BUSTER
What have you been doing to Robin? Telling him, doing with him, that kind of thing?
Why? What is this some kind of Big Brother thing or something?
BALL BUSTER
Hippie Hunter told me someone was trying to do harm to Robin. I think its you.
Sentinel_08 looks at Ball Buster, disgusted.
Is that what this is about? Jesus, Ball Buster, you really are a piece of work.
BALL BUSTER
Just tell me the truth.
Which of us do you think is a worse example on the kid? The one that plays games with him and makes food for him, or the one that tells him dirty jokes and the secrets of sex?
BALL BUSTER
Robin is a good kid, Sentinel. And I might not be the best ****ing example for him, but he chose me first!
Christ man, Im just trying to help raise him. Its not like hes your kid anyway.
BALL BUSTER
Listen, you f**ktard, I
Matt Murdock without warning jumps in front of Ball Buster and brutally tosses him to the floor, his crutches flying across the room. Matt hops onto Ball Busters chest and starts smashing Busters face relentlessly. Ball Buster is struggling and squirming, still unaware of whats going on trying to get free while the punches keep coming. When it seems like itll never end, Murdock stops and pulls Ball Buster up so theyre face to face. Ball Busters face is now a bloody mess and hes gasping for air.
MATT MURDOCK
When were you gonna tell me, huh? Real ****ing great friend you are, giving me your left over girlfriends.
(Coughing up blood)
I dont have time for your craziness, Matt.
MATT MURDOCK
I felt sorry for you, cockweed. I felt like a real a**hole after I almost killed you with that sawed off. Now I realize I should have pulled the trigger.
BALL BUSTER
The only cockweed I see here is the one on top of me!
It is then when Matt realizes something. He looks down at Ball Busters now bruised, f**ked-up face and his own bloody hands.
MATT MURDOCK
You dont even remember, do you?
Matt gets up and looks over at Sentinel awkwardly. Ball Buster breathes heavily, and spits blood. Then Matt Murdock looks over and sees Chain Reaction standing there pissed, with a frightened Robin standing behind her.
MATT MURDOCK
God damn it.
Chain Reaction punches Matt in the face with a swift and hard uppercut. He falls to the ground unconscious.
She turns to Sentinel_08, who is standing there shocked, and she motions to Ball Buster who is on the ground beaten.
CHAIN REACTION
Could you help me get him up?
Chain Reaction grabs Ball Busters left shoulder and Sentinel grabs his right. They help him up to his feet, and carry him back to the other room. She sits him down.
CHAIN REACTION
Are you okay?
Ball Buster looks at her and laughs, then spits out more blood.
BALL BUSTER
No. No Im not.
Chain Reaction smirks, realizing how stupid the question was; although it was out of courtesy more than ignorance.
CHAIN REACTION
You need to stop getting into fights.
Yeah. That would be great.
FADE TO BLACK
FLASHBACK
FADE IN
INT. OFFICE ROOM DAY
Chain Reaction sits in her office. Her feet lay comfortably on her desk, but she doesnt seem at all relaxed. A young doctor with fine brown hair walks into the room smelling of bad cologne.
YOUNG DOCTOR
What are you up here for, all alone in your office?
CHAIN REACTION
Because a man just died, and it was my fault.
YOUNG DOCTOR
Your fault? How could it possibly be your fault?
CHAIN REACTION
I wasnt fast enough. I didnt follow procedure. I could have saved him.
YOUNG DOCTOR
No, the man was dead the moment he shot himself. There was fatal blood loss; its a miracle he survived long enough to make it into the ER. What I want to know is how someone that crazy got into our hospital in the first place. With a weapon nonetheless.
Our security isnt that tight, were a hospital not a precinct.
Yeah whatever, did you hear what he said to you? Something about a ferret? Ha-ha, that guy must have been a ***.
Chain Reaction takes her feet off her desk and looks up at the doctor angrily.
CHAIN REACTION
Why are you here?
YOUNG DOCTOR
I was wondering if you would get a cup of coffee with me.
She turns around and looks out the window.
CHAIN REACTION
I have other plans.