Scene 1
Lights up. The CREATURE sits behind the Prime Minister's giant desk with VICTOR's legs sticking out from behind. AIDEN QUARTERMASS is in the chair across from him.
AIDEN
He planned it all.
CREATURE
Always been my suspicion he had your father killed as well.
AIDEN
Continue to believe what you'd like.
In his last words, Victor told me how he orchestrated his own assassination. He was the deus in our machinas. Killing you was never part of my plan.
AIDEN
Fischer came to do that.
CREATURE
Fischer Port talks tough, but we both know she’ll never to point a gun at you.
AIDEN
You want me to believe you're that baby?
CREATURE
You continue to believe what you like. I came only to teach this monster a lesson.
AIDEN
And am I supposed to bring you to justice or lift you as a hero?
CREATURE
I’ve never been a hero, Mr. Quartermass, you’ll have to go without my advice.
He planned it all.
CREATURE
Always been my suspicion he had your father killed as well.
AIDEN
Continue to believe what you'd like.
In his last words, Victor told me how he orchestrated his own assassination. He was the deus in our machinas. Killing you was never part of my plan.
AIDEN
Fischer came to do that.
CREATURE
Fischer Port talks tough, but we both know she’ll never to point a gun at you.
AIDEN
You want me to believe you're that baby?
CREATURE
You continue to believe what you like. I came only to teach this monster a lesson.
AIDEN
And am I supposed to bring you to justice or lift you as a hero?
CREATURE
I’ve never been a hero, Mr. Quartermass, you’ll have to go without my advice.
He looks around.
You know, Manassah Kupp must not have deployed LPDM yet.
AIDEN
Why do you say that?
CREATURE
The generals in Tarnikesh were prepared to start dropping missiles the moment there was troop movement. They had a very close informant.
AIDEN
Fischer Port.
CREATURE
She's a smart one, Aiden. Too bad you two couldn't have a love story instead. Tarnikesh has paid her a lot of money to ensure there is a Void of Leadership when they arrive.
AIDEN
If the LPDM falls, Tarnikesh City will have a void of their own.
CREATURE
They're short sighted, that's why I never signed on their payroll. Victor hasn't used his special party drink in years, no one will see that coming.
AIDEN
Tarnikesh City will be completely depopulated.
CREATURE
(laughs)
What a sick beast. The world laughed when he appointed you Chief Advisor. You were barely a man and you were signing executive orders. All the while he was building an act, convincing us he was feeble. He wanted one last chance to drop the LPDM. I imagine you've seen the pictures of what it does. Limbs split and twist. Bodies literally tear themselves apart to become something else. Somewhere out there, Manassah Kupp is waving around what may be the last order to use this weapon ever signed. How do you feel about that, Aiden?
AIDEN
Why do you say that?
CREATURE
The generals in Tarnikesh were prepared to start dropping missiles the moment there was troop movement. They had a very close informant.
AIDEN
Fischer Port.
CREATURE
She's a smart one, Aiden. Too bad you two couldn't have a love story instead. Tarnikesh has paid her a lot of money to ensure there is a Void of Leadership when they arrive.
AIDEN
If the LPDM falls, Tarnikesh City will have a void of their own.
CREATURE
They're short sighted, that's why I never signed on their payroll. Victor hasn't used his special party drink in years, no one will see that coming.
AIDEN
Tarnikesh City will be completely depopulated.
CREATURE
(laughs)
What a sick beast. The world laughed when he appointed you Chief Advisor. You were barely a man and you were signing executive orders. All the while he was building an act, convincing us he was feeble. He wanted one last chance to drop the LPDM. I imagine you've seen the pictures of what it does. Limbs split and twist. Bodies literally tear themselves apart to become something else. Somewhere out there, Manassah Kupp is waving around what may be the last order to use this weapon ever signed. How do you feel about that, Aiden?
Aiden runs out the back door. The Creature stands over the corpse of the Prime Minister.
You were a crafty old man, weren’t you? Even now my vengeance tastes cheap and metallic. You played me like the rest, even when I stuck the knife in you. You still had the last laugh.
The Creature stoops down and picks up the body.
Well, it’s no waste if it’s art, right? Let's see if we can dress you up.
He drags the body behind the desk and kneels down. We can hear him grunting and clothing tearing. On occasion, he raises the knife over his head. Fischer Port enters and is shocked when the Creature jumps up from behind the desk.
FISCHER
You're still here.
CREATURE
This ends the same for me wherever I go.
FISCHER
Did you kill them?
CREATURE
Aiden's yours. I'm not pulling you out of that jam.
FISCHER
I can't back down now.
CREATURE
Put up, or shut up. The Tarnikesh government will make you pay for the bullets they put in your family.
FISCHER
Where is Aiden?
CREATURE
He went to find a security detail to swear him in.
You're still here.
CREATURE
This ends the same for me wherever I go.
FISCHER
Did you kill them?
CREATURE
Aiden's yours. I'm not pulling you out of that jam.
FISCHER
I can't back down now.
CREATURE
Put up, or shut up. The Tarnikesh government will make you pay for the bullets they put in your family.
FISCHER
Where is Aiden?
CREATURE
He went to find a security detail to swear him in.
The creature sits himself in the Prime Minister’s throne-like chair.
How long have we known each other, Fischer.
FISCHER
Old age getting to you?
CREATURE
Has it been three years yet? It doesn’t seem that long. Would you say it's long enough to tell my why you really did this?
FISCHER
Old age getting to you?
CREATURE
Has it been three years yet? It doesn’t seem that long. Would you say it's long enough to tell my why you really did this?
FISCHER
Victor Mercurian was a monster.
CREATURE
And he's dead! That was my job. You're here to murder Aiden.
She sinks into the chair across from him.Victor Mercurian was a monster.
CREATURE
And he's dead! That was my job. You're here to murder Aiden.
FISCHER
Don't say murder.
CREATURE
Why did you do it?
FISCHER
My family were diplomats from Axum, a friend to Mr. Mercurian.
CREATURE
He’ll have many friends now, he's discovered the thing he has in common with all men.
FISCHER
My father was at home negotiating a trade agreement on Axum diamonds. He was caught in an uprising by a rebel faction who was not interested in selling cheap gems. Victor never liked refusals.
CREATURE
You don't need to describe what happened.
FISCHER
As the story goes, a week later, your mother brought you before him and begged him to discontinue it's use.
CREATURE
If I could have stopped it sooner, I would have.
FISCHER
I was an eight-year-old girl. My father escaped on the last helicopter out of the city. He told me it sounded like air through a vacuum cleaner and something heavy hitting water. His face was already starting to twist and mutate. For two days I watched him slowly deform until his body could no longer sustain him. I was eight years old.
CREATURE
But why Aiden? He opposes most of the dead man’s policies.
FISCHER
This isn’t about policies, or politics, or parties, or any of that.
CREATURE
What’s it about?
FISCHER
You, of all people, should never have to ask that question. I’m returning the agony I saw.
CREATURE
Rather selfish, don’t you think?
FISCHER
Isn’t that the same reason you’re here, seated over his corpse?
CREATURE
Vengeance is the icing on my cake, the treat in doing what is right. Below me is the most evil man in the entire world. He confessed that to me. What happened to me happened in the past. My mission’s intent was to stop this man from doing more damage. You didn’t answer my question. Why Aiden?
FISCHER
Because that monster had but one love in his life. He must be sterile to not have a son of his own, but Aiden filled that place for him. I will see Aiden suffer and die for what my parents went through.
CREATURE
Your mission is bereft of nobility... It doesn’t exist even in lip service. Aiden went to his office. He figured best to have a sidearm with someone running around trying to kill him.
FISCHER
Thank you.
Don't say murder.
CREATURE
Why did you do it?
FISCHER
My family were diplomats from Axum, a friend to Mr. Mercurian.
CREATURE
He’ll have many friends now, he's discovered the thing he has in common with all men.
FISCHER
My father was at home negotiating a trade agreement on Axum diamonds. He was caught in an uprising by a rebel faction who was not interested in selling cheap gems. Victor never liked refusals.
CREATURE
You don't need to describe what happened.
FISCHER
As the story goes, a week later, your mother brought you before him and begged him to discontinue it's use.
CREATURE
If I could have stopped it sooner, I would have.
FISCHER
I was an eight-year-old girl. My father escaped on the last helicopter out of the city. He told me it sounded like air through a vacuum cleaner and something heavy hitting water. His face was already starting to twist and mutate. For two days I watched him slowly deform until his body could no longer sustain him. I was eight years old.
CREATURE
But why Aiden? He opposes most of the dead man’s policies.
FISCHER
This isn’t about policies, or politics, or parties, or any of that.
CREATURE
What’s it about?
FISCHER
You, of all people, should never have to ask that question. I’m returning the agony I saw.
CREATURE
Rather selfish, don’t you think?
FISCHER
Isn’t that the same reason you’re here, seated over his corpse?
CREATURE
Vengeance is the icing on my cake, the treat in doing what is right. Below me is the most evil man in the entire world. He confessed that to me. What happened to me happened in the past. My mission’s intent was to stop this man from doing more damage. You didn’t answer my question. Why Aiden?
FISCHER
Because that monster had but one love in his life. He must be sterile to not have a son of his own, but Aiden filled that place for him. I will see Aiden suffer and die for what my parents went through.
CREATURE
Your mission is bereft of nobility... It doesn’t exist even in lip service. Aiden went to his office. He figured best to have a sidearm with someone running around trying to kill him.
FISCHER
Thank you.
She gives a lengthy look to the creature and exits. The creature crosses its ankles on the desk and leans back in the chair.
CREATURE
It’s really coming together, isn’t it?
It’s really coming together, isn’t it?
He looks down at the corpse and chuckles.
It’s really coming together. Look at us running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Like a collection of tumbling dominos. Hmph. Fischer never expected me to go through with this. She thought she could sit and wait, and collect a stipend from her friends in Tarnikesh indefinitely, nursing her hatred.
He gets up and starts to pace about the room.
Her mission was far too selfish. She has no righteous motivation. I’m sure a squad of Tarnikesh assassins would steady her hand, but I doubt she thought that far ahead.
He stops in front of the corpse and looks at it in silence for a moment.
But you did. It must have hurt like hell to know you wouldn’t live to see your master plan fall into place.
He kneels down.
That part of me that you hurt, I took it by the throat and strangled it into submission, forced it down inside of me until it had no voice. All this for everyone else. I did this to keep you from hurting anyone ever again.
He chuckles and stands up.
I guess that’s how I know I was right.
He starts to walk away, but can’t take his eyes off the corpse.
I came here, and you were begging me to kill you for the very same reason. Fischer would have seen your agony and used it as an excuse to not complete her mission. She would have seen how much pain life brought you, and she would have walked away, left you to suffer. She would have turned her back on what was right so she could have her simple vengeance.
He turns around until his body is once again facing the corpse. He kneels back down.
I can allow myself a bit of personal gratification, can’t I? Are you all the way gone? Or can those dead eyes and empty ears still see and hear?
He reaches up and takes hold of his hood, slowly drawing it back. Aiden Quartermass runs in, startling the creature, who jumps and turns around.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
You’re still here.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
A smart assassin would have run for his life.
CREATURE
Gloating.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I can't find General Kupp been here.
CREATURE
No, no sign of him. Fischer Port stopped by looking for you though. She’s got murder on the mind. You may want to avoid that one.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Where did she go?
CREATURE
I sent her to your office, told her you were on your way there to get a gun. I figured that would throw her off the track for a while.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Damn it, Damn it, Damn it.
CREATURE
Don’t fret, Aiden, you’re doing so well, have some fun with it! You’re a puppet, I’m a puppet, we’re all puppets.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
We’ve had this conversation.
CREATURE
Yeah, but I’ve had time to sit here and reflect. We’ve all spent the last fifteen years as puppets. Even when he died, we remained puppets. We don’t get to stop until he’s done with us.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I really don’t have time for this.
CREATURE
He’s done with me! I’m not a puppet anymore. I’m not under his control.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
So you sit here.
CREATURE
I’m not quite sure what to do at this point.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I don’t get it.
CREATURE
I’ve had this guiding force in my life for more than two decades. I thought I was in control, but someone else was playing the cards. Now that hand is gone, and I don’t really know what to do.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
How poetic.
CREATURE
And look at you.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
What about me?
CREATURE
He let go of your reigns, and now you’re just scuttling about like a chicken. He let us go... We’re on our own for the first time, and we don’t know what to do. If either of us is going to survive, we’ll have to stop that.
FISCHER (OS)
Manasseh Kupp, please report to Aiden Quartermass’s office.
CREATURE
Now that Fischer, she knows what to do. You want to know why?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Why?
CREATURE
Because she’s till playing the cards he dealt her. Same with Kupp, they still have jobs. We have to decide for ourselves how to deal with that. They still have the guiding hand, we don’t.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Why is she calling him to my office?
CREATURE
I've got a feeling she wants your attention more than his.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
You’re saying the smart thing would be to stay here.
CREATURE
Oh, yes, definitely. Of course...
You’re still here.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
A smart assassin would have run for his life.
CREATURE
Gloating.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I can't find General Kupp been here.
CREATURE
No, no sign of him. Fischer Port stopped by looking for you though. She’s got murder on the mind. You may want to avoid that one.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Where did she go?
CREATURE
I sent her to your office, told her you were on your way there to get a gun. I figured that would throw her off the track for a while.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Damn it, Damn it, Damn it.
CREATURE
Don’t fret, Aiden, you’re doing so well, have some fun with it! You’re a puppet, I’m a puppet, we’re all puppets.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
We’ve had this conversation.
CREATURE
Yeah, but I’ve had time to sit here and reflect. We’ve all spent the last fifteen years as puppets. Even when he died, we remained puppets. We don’t get to stop until he’s done with us.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I really don’t have time for this.
CREATURE
He’s done with me! I’m not a puppet anymore. I’m not under his control.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
So you sit here.
CREATURE
I’m not quite sure what to do at this point.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I don’t get it.
CREATURE
I’ve had this guiding force in my life for more than two decades. I thought I was in control, but someone else was playing the cards. Now that hand is gone, and I don’t really know what to do.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
How poetic.
CREATURE
And look at you.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
What about me?
CREATURE
He let go of your reigns, and now you’re just scuttling about like a chicken. He let us go... We’re on our own for the first time, and we don’t know what to do. If either of us is going to survive, we’ll have to stop that.
FISCHER (OS)
Manasseh Kupp, please report to Aiden Quartermass’s office.
CREATURE
Now that Fischer, she knows what to do. You want to know why?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Why?
CREATURE
Because she’s till playing the cards he dealt her. Same with Kupp, they still have jobs. We have to decide for ourselves how to deal with that. They still have the guiding hand, we don’t.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Why is she calling him to my office?
CREATURE
I've got a feeling she wants your attention more than his.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
You’re saying the smart thing would be to stay here.
CREATURE
Oh, yes, definitely. Of course...
He trails off.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
You know I’m not going to do that.
CREATURE
Of course not. Do you have a gun?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I never have a gun.
CREATURE
She does.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Great.
CREATURE
You remember what Chekov said about a gun on the mantle? Are you going to do the right thing, or the smart thing?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
What a question. Makes you wonder if I’m really free from being a puppet after all.
CREATURE
Go on now. Let’s get this mess over with.
You know I’m not going to do that.
CREATURE
Of course not. Do you have a gun?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
I never have a gun.
CREATURE
She does.
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
Great.
CREATURE
You remember what Chekov said about a gun on the mantle? Are you going to do the right thing, or the smart thing?
AIDEN QUARTERMASS
What a question. Makes you wonder if I’m really free from being a puppet after all.
CREATURE
Go on now. Let’s get this mess over with.
Aiden exits. Lights go down. End scene 1.
Go to Scene 2
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