#10 - The End

20 Sided Stories

MARVEL: Survivors of The Snap

Episode 10 - The End

Air Date: July 20, 2020

Sage G.C.:         It’s here. It’s finally here. Ahh! Thank you all so much for your patience and your encouragement. This took a month longer than I planned, and to hear your enthusiasm on social media regardless, truly, was a big motivator in keeping the wheel spinning.

I’ve realized throughout Marvel a sense of diminishing returns with the sort of typical process of producing episodes on my end. Maybe it was just this episode, but it was like this little familiar on my shoulder yelling at me to, you know, not really do anything differently, but just to take it much slower. Something to consider as 20 Sided Stories moves forward, but that’s for us to figure out and for you to hear the receiving end of. ’Cause man, what a…what a world that we’re living in right now.

Every time I think the worst has passed, it seems the worst is yet to come. Even beyond COVID, honestly, I’ve been very depressed and, uh, that was another thing contributing heavily to the struggle that was getting this episode out.

To just go on making this roleplaying podcast as if life is normal feels…very off. But, for anybody else out there struggling, ’cause I know I ain’t the only one right now, I just wanna say, I certainly hope 20 Sided Stories can be there for you as a way to either escape or reflect or recharge. And you listening, right now, means so much to me. So thank you.

Stick around after the credits, where I’m gonna thank some Patrons and talk a little bit about what’s next. Otherwise, let’s dive in.

But, of course, don’t forget.

[Podcast Intro music plays throughout.]

20 Sided Stories has absolutely no affiliation with Marvel Studios, Marvel Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, or any other associates or official canon.

Travis Reaves:       This is a fan-made parody piece created in fair use, and all mentioned names, products, trademarks, and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Jessica Dahlgren:       The bulk of what you're about to hear was recorded live by improvisers who love the MCU, and we're so excited for you to join us on this superpowered adventure.

[Intro music crescendos.]

Travis:          Thank you.

Jessica:          And welcome.

Sage:            To 20 Sided Stories.

[Intro music fades out.]

Prologue

[Footsteps crunch on grass. Crickets chirp.]

Mare:              [sings] On the road again. Just can’t wait to get back on the road again. [normal] Excuse me. Hi, hi, excuse me, sorry, sorry, sorry.

Man:                Huh? What, what?

Mare:              I was wondering if I could, uh, could get your help. I’m looking for, uh, I’m looking for…the Fort.

Man:                The what?

Mare:              Eh, wink, wink. Um.

Man:                I- eh—

Mare:              I- ye- ye- no, it- it’s at the- it’s at the Griffith Observatory. It’s at the- it’s at—

Man:                Okay- we- no- I- I’m not interested, okay?

[Footsteps crunch away.]

Mare:              Sorry, hey, wait come back, come back [sighs].

[Eerie music builds, a guitar riff played in reverse.]

Elle:         [voice over] The Hidden Gems of LA’s Indie Superhero Scene. Draft four.

According to Urban Dictionary, Star Power is described as the power of one’s presence, either through endorsements, popularity, or a vote of confidence in said person, often lends itself to strongly influencing a certain decision or state of indecisiveness.

I can’t help but wonder where this charismatic phenomenon comes from. How, despite a lowering religious presence across the US, we still see the same pagan practices carried on to shed our sense of self.

Mare:              Excuse me, uh, yes, [English accent] I’m looking for— Don’t walk away from me! I know that you’re f- afraid of commitment!

[Man 2 grunts.]

That your teeth fall out in your nightmares because of…[American] Um… [English] commitment issues, with- with sex. I’m sorry—

Man 2:             [irked] Get outta here.

[Footsteps crunch away.]

Mare:              No, I— [sighs] Okay. [sighs] That’s okay. That’s okay. I-I-I can still- I can still make it. I just walk- just walk straight there. Straight to the Griffith Observatory and then- and then…I’ll say, “Hey! I-I used to be evil. [English accent] Evil. And I used to read minds and- and nightmares and- and that’s why they call me NightMare…idith. But now I’m- [American] I’m good. I’m- I’m a- I’m a good guy.”

And I’ll even ask for a different name! I’ll even a— I’ll just be like, [English] “I was NightMare, but now…I’m just…[American] Meredith. Mere- Merrydith… Like happy.

Elle:         [voice over] Currently, I live in Los Angeles, California. The Lost make their pilgrimage here for many reasons, but it’s really the proximity to greatness that seems to allure even the most defiant of folks. Who wouldn’t want the lifestyle of the rich and famous? What you lose in anonymity, you also lose in worry. Being in the 1% is a superpower. The Snap will hardly affect you.

Mare:              Oh my gosh. It- there it is! It- the- the Griffith Observatory. The Fort.

[Footsteps on grass slow down.]

[Distant vocals echo in the music.]

There’s my new home. Okay. I’m just gonna go there. I’m gonna be like, Hi! Hi, yeah. I used to work with these people, but then I didn’t actually work for them, and they fired me, and then I met a lot of great people and they were- they were drinking and we were- we were talking, and I was like, ‘Oh, I read your nightmares!’ a-and that was- and that was fun, and then…I’m… Now I’m here! I’m here to help! I’m here to be a part of something. Something really…[sighs, hopeful] really cool.

Elle:         [voice over] But this ritual should concern us. What use is there in praying to celebrity gods when our voices are so rarely heard? It seems obvious that community can cure ails, yet somehow we have all fallen for the selfish spell. Our jobs are provided by inheritors. Our charities built by investors. Our politicians, movie stars and reality show hosts.

These leaders don’t even know who we are. And rather than stress about fixing our debilitating mental health crisis, the people are more interested in which of the Kardashians got Snapped. We worship the idea of ease, rather than work towards it. Hollywood has become a modern day Mount Olympus.

Mare:              The Griffith Observatory, with the stars, you know? L-like- like a Hollywood star! It’s gonna be— [English] We’re gonna start over. We’re gonna start over and we’re not gonna think about nightmares anymore and- or anything like that. We’re not gonna read fears anymore. We’re just gonna- [American] we’re just gonna…just gonna think about, you know, like hope. Just, like, good things, and- and- and then- then [stammers] yeah! We’ll just…just start over. And…nobody’s gonna be disappointed in—

[Jetpack flies overhead and a rocket is fired. A moment later, a loud explosion rocks the ground. Debris flies around, clattering to the ground as the jetpack flies back the way it came.]

Oh…

[Music slowly fades out.]

Elle:         [voice over] I think it’s clear, as the saying goes, “my body is my temple”. There are no gods to save us and enlighten our sense of self-worth. Only once we learn to truly trust in ourselves and our dreams can we strip away the poison of hierarchy.

[Beat.]

Episode 10 (Finale) - The End

[Suspenseful music slowly picks up. The alarm from the previous episode blares in the background.]

Dan:             There was like an explosion or something.

Lily:           At the Fort?

Dan:             At the Fort.

Masha:            Uh—

Dan:             I don’t- I don’t know. Yeah.

Masha:            Can you- is- can you hear him? Is he—

Dan:             No! It’s just- it’s just dead! I heard, like, a little boom, and then he- and then he- he tried to hang up and then he—

Eric:             Let me see if I can find ’im.

[A rumbling whoosh is heard as Eric uses his power.]

Masha:            Anything?

Lily:           Are we too far?

[The rumbling stops as Eric stops trying.]

Eric:             [quiet] Yeah, we’re too far.

Lily:           [whispers] Shit.

Eric:             We gotta get over there as soon as I- soon as- as soon as we get in range I’ll…

Dan:             Okay. Uh… Does anybody know how to fly a plane? We could also just take the dune buggy.

Eric:             Let’s try the plane.

Dan:             [nervous] Try the plane?

Masha:            Oh god.

Eric:             [firm] Let’s try the plane.

Dan:             I kinda wanna take the dune buggy, Eric.

Eric:             [loud] The Fort is in trouble. [normal] In a Quinjet we get there in, like, twenty minutes.

Dan:             You’re right.

[Masha sighs.]

Let’s try.

[Action music.]

Eric:             Let’s do it.

Sage:            The heroes pile on.

[Jet door opens and the group walks on board.]

Eric:             Can’t be that hard. Tony Stark isn’t that fuckin’ smart.

Sage:            They all get in the cockpit and go around the console, and they’re looking to see [amused] how the fuck this thing works.

Eric:             I feel like an AI…

Sage:            It’s like a bunch of dads trying to use Facebook [stifles laughter].

Travis:          [mumbles] Where’s the lower radiator? [stifles laughter]

David:           [grumbles] Pull the lever.

Dan:             Uh, Eric. Let’s try to press some shit.

Masha:            I ca- I- I- I have- applied to be an intern.

Sage:            Okay, everybody’s gonna roll Powerful Intellect.

[Stat test chime.]

Emily:          [mumbles] Well alright.

Sage:            What have you learned?

[Dice roll on table.]

Oof. Daniel got an 8.

[Failure chime.]

Emily:          14.

[Failure chime.]

Travis:          5.

[Failure chime.]

Jessica:          15.

[Success chime.]

[Sage and Traivs chuckle.]

Sage:            Yes! Okay. So the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agent dudes, who think they know everything there is to know about…

Eric:             Believe me—

Dan:             Trust me. Look, Lily, Masha, like, we’re not tryin’a be douches here, but, like, we work for S.H.I.E.L.D.—

Eric:             Yeah.

Dan:             So I- I think we got this. Okay?

Masha:            [nervous] Um…

Lily:           [irked] Um…

Dan:             Okay, Eric, press- press, uh—

[Multiple buttons click randomly.]

Masha:            Yeah, but I- I—

Dan:             Press—

Eric:             Okay, this one…

Dan:             Yeah, and then—

[More buttons and switches click. Various beeps are heard.]

Eric:             Pull that—

Masha:            ’Scuse me…

Dan:             Pull the thing. Yeah—

Eric:             Pull that lever. Okay.

Masha:            I think you’re doing it wrong.

Dan:             I think- I think I have to turn the knob first.

Eric:             No there’s— No—

Masha:            Excuse me—

Eric:             No, what the- there’s no- you can’t turn this knob.

Masha:            Boys—

Eric:             It’s not gonna knob.

Dan:             [frustrated] What are you- I’ve been working here the whole time!

Eric:             [frustrated] It’s the fucking cup holder!

Lily:           [sharp] Hey!

Masha:            [loud] Heeey!

[Music cuts off.]

You’re doing it wrong!

Dan:             What?

Eric:             What?

Lily:           Yeah. Sit your toxic masculine asses down and let us [shouts] fucking do this! You got this Masha!

Masha:            I was trying to apply to Stark Industries for an internship, but I’m pretty good with gadgets, and if anyone ever listened to me they’d probably know about that… But anyway, that’s another story, I’ll go do it.

Sage:            [amused] Masha just, like, presses two buttons and then an AI voice turns on.

[An AI voice beeps and warbles as it powers up.]

AI:           Greetings. Welcome to the model 17-B Quinjet. I’m your AI host, Alex. How can I serve you today?

Dan:             [quiet] Are you fucking kidding me?

Lily:           They had him do voice over?

Masha:            Oh. Wow.

Eric:             [unimpressed] Wow.

Alex:             My personality is based off of one of the star, up and coming employees at Stark Industries.

Eric:             [loud] I’m getting off the plane!

Masha:            [irked] No!

Alex:             That tone of voice registers with this AI as “Irredeemable behavior”.

[Eric grunts unhappily.]

Masha:            Hi, um…

Alex:             Greetings! My name is Alex. How can I help you today?

Dan:             [irked] Masha, just fuckin’ fly us over there.

Masha:            Okay, hi Alex. I’m Masha, we need to fly over to, uh, Hollywood.

[Excited beeping.]

Alex:             Done!

[Epic, orchestral music builds. The Quinjet slowly powers up and takes off.]

[Stat test chime.]

Travis:          [scoffs] 8.

[Failure chime.]

[Eric’s power rumbles in and out as he fails to connect with anyone.]

Eric:             I don’t know what’s going on there.

Lily:           Have you touched anybody else there?

Eric:             Uh, the- the- da da da da—

Lily:           Door Guy?

Eric:             The door—

Lily:           Soup Guy?

Eric:             Uh, no. No. Uh, Roach?

Masha:            Henry?

Eric:             No, I haven’t tou— Roach won’t touch— oh, fuck.

Sage:            As we get closer, Eric starts trying to tap into various Fort goers that he has come into contact with and…he notices a pattern. Either he can’t tap into them or they’re nowhere near the Fort.

[Eric’s powers continue to rumble in failure a few times before he stops trying completely.]

Eric:             I… I don’t know if I didn’t touch them or what, but either I’m sabotaging myself to be a good person or I just suck at this now or nobody’s there.

Masha:            [nervous] Uhhh…

Eric:             ’Cause I’ve got nothin’.

Lily:           [hesitant] Is it possible people are dead…and that’s why you can’t see them?

[Beat.]

Eric:             How much longer?

[Beat.]

Alex?

Masha:            How much longer, Alex?

Alex:             We’ll be there in approximately two minutes and forty-five seconds.

Lily:           Let me see what I can see outside the window.

Sage:            Even though we’re far away, Lily is able to see very clearly now with her new sight sensitivity. She looks out the window of the Quinjet…sees a bunch of smoke.

Lily:           Guys, there’s smoke.

Masha:            You’re sure not- it’s not smog or something or…

Lily:           Well I mean, there is smog, but there’s also smoke.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Lily, I need you to roll me full blue.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Success chime.]

Lily notices far to east this orange light…shining.

Lily:           [quiet] Uhhh.

Sage:            But! She sees something fly by the jet.

[Jet pack whooshes past.]

Lily:           What was that?

Sage:            Really fast.

Alex:             [beep] Object detected.

Lily:           There was something just flew by really fast. Did you guys see that?

Masha:            No?

Sage:            And it flies further and further away.

Lily:           Alex, what was that?

Alex:             [beep] Trace amounts of glitter have been noticed in the atmosphere surrounding the plane.

Lily:           That bitch.

Eric:             Is that a Star- is that a—

Masha:            Ugh, it’s Glitter Can.

Eric:             Alex.

[Beat.]

Alex.

[Beat.]

Ale—

Alex:             Yes, Masha?

Eric:             A—

Masha:            Hi, um, can you see what it is? Is it Glitter Can?

[Quiet chimes are heard as the AI searches its database.]

Alex:             According to this AI’s database, there is a 99.9% match with our file on Glitter Can. Thank you, Masha.

Masha:            You’re welcome, Alex.

Eric:             [mutters] Fucking hate planes.

[Atmospheric music shifts; soft, bereaved, and lonesome.]

Sage:            We land at the Fort. And we see the scene…. It’s not completely destroyed, but much of the Fort has been clearly attacked. One of the telescopes is hella broken [stifles laughter]. Blown up. Right wing. Left wing is kinda still there. Door Guy’s door, it’s gone…and it’s very quiet.

[Music fades.]

Masha:            [sad sigh] She blew up the Fort.

Eric:             How? She hasn’t done anything. Like I—

Lily:           [sad] She was all talk. I don’t understand.

[Fire crackles in the debris.]

Eric:             [quiet] Jesus Christ.

[Beat. Suspenseful music builds back up.]

Sage:            And then, as the smoke starts to dissipate, you recognize Roach. Who’s standing in the rubble with a mace.

[The group runs over to Roach.]

Eric:             Roach!

[Wooden debris clatters lightly as Roach turns.]

Masha:            [hesitant] Roach?

Eric:             R—

[Roach clears his throat.]

What happened?

[Clothes rustle. The mace scrapes across the ground and rings as Roach picks it up.]

Roach:            Fucking Castletons.

[Masha takes a ragged breath and sighs heavily.]

Eric:             Are you okay? …Is Theo okay?

Roach:            [calls out] Gift Bag?

[Debris clatters. Footsteps approach.]

Theo:            Hey.

Lily:           Oh, thank god.

Masha:            [sighs in relief] Theo!

Theo:            Ah. Jesus.

Lily:           What happened?

Theo:            Castle.

Roach:            Castletons. They sent that, uh, you know the one. The one. With the big one. Y’know the one with the, uh…

Masha:            [annoyed] Glitter Can.

Eric:             Glitter Can.

Roach:            Yeah. With the stupid gl— [shouts] That’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard in my entire life, by the way.

Lily:           Shitter Can.

Roach:            Yeah. That one’s much better. Tin Can. Iron Lady. Anything would’ve been be— But, you know, it’s apt. ’Cause look at this. There’s fucking glitter, [shouts] all over my fort! Everywhere! There’s glitter everywhere!

Eric:             Is anyone hurt?

[Roach sighs.]

Sage:            We look around and we see there were some victims.

[Eric inhales sharply.]

Roach:            Everyone ran. Everyone else…you know, who wasn’t…caught in it. They ran. [shaky sigh] Or some Castletons. I gu- I- I look- they looked like Castletons. They looked a little more beefy than what I was used to. D-d— Showed up and th-they arrested everybody, yo. Like—

Eric:             Do we know where Siggy is?

Roach:            Never came back.

[Masha inhales sharply. Lily and Masha sigh in shock.]

Theo:            Well, the laptop survived. Along with some of my equipment.

Eric:             Also, not to try to paint a silver lining, but we found some stuff. And we got a Quinjet.

Theo:            S.H.I.E.L.D., they c— Can they track those Quinjets? You guys set off a lot of—

Dan:             Oh they’re for sure after us. I, uh, may have killed a guy.

Theo:            Is there an auto pilot?

Alex:             [beep] Hi, this is Alex.

Dan:             Shut up!

Masha:            That’s the…man that he killed.

Lily:           He lives on as an airplane AI.

Sage:            And right as we look over to the Quinjet…

[Footsteps crunch on dirt.]

Somebody approaches the lawn at the Fort. Coming to check to make sure, with his own two eyes, that the job was done well.

Bart:               Perfect. [pleased] Heh, perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Sage:            He’s dressed like a cop, but he looks particularly…dangerous. Pretty tall. Pretty strong. And armed.

[Danger music builds; a dark drone.]

Masha:            Excuse you?

Bart:               Uh, no, it’s just, um. Double-checking on my contractor, and they did a really good job on this place.

Masha:            You…you’re responsible for this being blown up?

Bart:               Well, let’s talk responsibility. You know, I asked somebody to do it for me, and they did it for me. So… I don’t know. How far up the chain d’you want it?

Lily:           And you’re just gonna waltz in here, just you, to the people whose home you just blew up?

Bart:               Nice ta meetcha. I’m The News.

Eric:             [irked] You’re that motherfucker on the radio.

Bart:               The News.

Roach:            [slow realization] You are that motherfucker on the radio.

Eric:             The one that comes on after Nick Cannon.

Masha:            Oh, that voice!

Roach:            Constantly talkin’ about how great the Castletons are. How great the Castle is, and dissin’ my Fort!

Eric:             People—

Roach:            You’re Bart! Aren’t you?

Bart:               You know… [disappointed] it’s not really cute anymore, actually. It’s too bad. I thought I was gonna have a good time. Have a nice glass of lemonade and I would check out what happened to this fort, but now ya’ll comin’ at me with this a—

Eric:             [shouts] People are dead!

Bart:               Yeah. It’s, like I said, not cute anymore. You know…

Masha:            [shocked] Wh—

Bart:               Watching you guys and the mental gymnastics.

Roach:            [yells] Son of a bitch!

[Clothes rustle.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Roach runs at him with his mace!

[Mace whirls through the air.]

[Failure chime.]

A 4 in Strength. And Bart’s gonna roll for Powerful Combat.

David:           Okay.

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          Holy shit!

Sage:            With a +7 [stifles laughter]

David:           Alright, so I got a 19.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Roach runs up with the mace and tries to hit Bart, but he deflects that shit like it’s nothing.

[Scuffle. Masha gasps. Roach grunts as he’s pushed aside.]

Lily:           [quiet] Fuck.

[Roach falls to the ground with a thud and grunts in pain.]

Roach:            [quiet] Piece o’ shit.

Bart:               Yeah, things’d be easier if you would quit it with the mental gymnastics over here. You know, the crap that you’re thinking in your head to try to avoid taking responsibility for this.

Theo:            [quiet] Eric, what did you get?

Eric:             U-u-uh, uh, there’s a Pym, uh, gun and then there’s—

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Roll for Personal Space, Powerful Speed.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Failure chime.]

[Success chime.]

Travis:          No and 14.

Chad:         Very much yes and 8.

[Net chime.]

Sage:            Oof. Eric is quick enough to grab the Pym gun and give it to you, but Bart sees what you’re doing.

[Clothes rustle and gun clatters as Eric grabs it and hands it over. A second gun clatters as Bart lifts his.]

He aims his gun.

Bart:               Cut it out. Really.

Masha:            Wh- uh- What is your deal?

Bart:               Uh, my deal is a done deal. And that’s all you need to know about that. It’s over. So…

Masha:            Wh- why? Why are you—

Bart:               Here you go.

Masha:            You’re- you’re on the radio.

Bart:               And while you’ve been nickel and diming, one at a timing any random thug off of the corner, I been broadcasting my message to the greater SoCal area, and my only competition is, like, Radio Disney and Country Music 1. So… You know, I was amassing a following, like, actually vetting and recruiting people while you guys were digging little holes in the sand or whatever you do here.

Roach:            [loud] We’re doin’ it ourselves, you cocky asshole!

Bart:               Yeah. You’re disorganized, you’re dysfunctional, and you’re disingenuous, frankly. You’re carrying the torch the Avengers put down, the same gauntlet, and that’s what got us into this mess.

Roach:            Oh, bullshit! I had nothin’ to do with the Avengers. As a matter of fact, I hate those fuckers! They’re the reason all of us got into this mess in the first place!

Bart:               Then why are you emulating them? All this, like, infighting and, you know, basic incompetence? Like, did ya ever stop to think for a minute that there were people who would be better at this job than you?

Lily:           So you sent a can of craft supplies to bomb us? Because—

Bart:               Worked didn’t it?

Lily:           —that’s better than the Avengers?

Bart:               It has worked. Your fort’s been pretty much demolished. That can o’ glitter supplies coulda taken you out at any moment in, like, the past two years, but…

Lily:           But she didn’t.

Bart:               Uh, she just did, actually. I don’t know if you noticed.

Lily:           Right.

Bart:               This whole thing’s—

Lily:           But why didn’t she do before, if you guys are so fucking powerful, almighty, white man disk jockey in charge motherfucker?

Bart:               I actually am the one who allowed the Fort to exist, but frankly, it got old fast. Watching you guys play Avengers— Which is essentially what you’re doing.

[Music builds.]

You’re playing Avengers, because you guys aren’t even in the same universe as the Avengers. You realize that, right? Like, that’s not a surprise. I hate to be the one to actually tell you that for the first time, but the- the fact of the matter is, you’re nowhere near the Avengers. The Avengers were actual superheroes, where you’re…super zeros, to be completely honest.

Roach:            Uck, boooo!

Theo:            Well, you’ve done what you set out to do. Can you go now?

Eric:             Wait…are you…the Tie Breaker?

Bart:               Uh, no. That’s not me, bud.

Roach:            Wait, you know about it?

Bart:               Yeah.

Roach:            [mutters] Goddammit. Fuckin’ Castletons always two steps ahead with their little fancy informa— [normal] Yeah, must be nice, alright, born with a silva’ spoon in your mouth. Always havin’ everything handed to ya. Never knowin’ what it’s like to have to build with your bare hands like we did.

We built this Fort from the ground up ourselves! What is wrong with you? What is wrong with you, yo? Do you have any idea what you’re doin’? You have a platform on that stupid radio station, and you’re fuckin’ corrupting everybody! Lying to them! Over and over and over! What’s the big idea anyway, yo?

Bart:               It’s gonna be really hard to explain to you, because you don’t have…vision. And that’s your core problem.

Roach:            [quiet, intense] What?

Bart:               You’re just, uh, what I would call rabble. You’re not really a force to be reckoned with. I don’t think anybody really knows who you are. You, like so many others, are just observing history. It’s up to adults, like myself and professionals and real heroes, to actually make the history.

[Eric sighs in irritation and mutters.]

While you’re over there doing your immediate gratification song and dance, your little frat house you had here, I was actually building something—

[Eric mutters angrily.]

Roach:            [quiet urging] Eric.

Bart:               —that was gonna endure longer than me and my crew.

[Eric shifts his feet and leans forward.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Rolling for Speed. Powerful Speed.

Bart:               I’m rebuilding the world.

Sage:            Powerful Speed.

Theo:            [urging] Eric.

Bart:               After what you people did to it.

Travis:          18.

[Success chime.]

David:           [quiet] Ooo.

Sage:            Shit. Eric runs up as fast as he can to punch Bart in the face.

[Stat test chime.]

[Eric charges forward.]

David:           9.

[Net chime.]

Sage:            Eric does it. Eric runs up, grabs the gun—

[The gun clatters lightly and Bart and Eric grunt as they scuffle. Masha groans in worry.]

—right before he can fire a shot!

[Gunshot.]

Nobody gets hit. Knocks him to the ground.

[Eric punches Bart, and he falls with a thud.]

Lily:           Get him, Eric!

Masha:            Oh my g- god.

Eric:             [irked] Get the fuck out! Go!

[Clothes rustle as Bart stands up.]

Bart:               Adios.

[His footsteps crunch on the dirt as he turns and walks away. Knives scrape as Lily pulls them out.]

Lily:           Back is turned to us…

Theo:            [scolding] Lily.

Eric:             [whispers, frantic] Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. Jus—

Masha:            [whispers] Will you guys…?

Eric:             [whispers, frantic] No. No, no, no, no, no.

[Lily breaths heavily, glaring after Bart.]

Splan, splan, splan, plan, plan, plan, plan. Trust me, trust me, trust me, trust me. Plan, plan. Trust me. Plan. Trust me, plan.

Theo:            Lily, chill out.

Eric:             [whispers, fast] Trust me, plan, trust me, plan. Deep breaths.

Lily:           Yeah. Yup.

Eric:             [whispers, fast] Deep breaths, deep breaths.

Lily:           Yup.

Eric:             [quiet] Is this making you feel more calm? Am I- am I- am I helping?

Lily:           [quiet] No. I don’t believe— Shut the fuck up [stifles laughter].

Sage:            Daniel Daniels speaks up.

[Danger music builds.]

Dan:             Wait. W-wait a minute. What happened to Elle?

Roach:            She’s gone, dude. Yo. Just like everybody else. They ran off. I don’t know what the fuckin’ story is, alright?

[Dan growls in panic and frustration.]

Dan:             [frantic] Can you tap into her? Just make sure she’s fine. Fuck! Just do it! Just—

Eric:             What? [irked sigh]

Dan:             Just one little quick. Just fuckin’ do it!

Eric:             Dude.

Dan:             Eric. [stammers] Just do it. I don’t wanna talk about it. Just do it.

[Masha groans uncomfortably.]

Eric:             Okay.… Sorry in advance.

[Rumbling whoosh.]

Lost Property.

Dan:             The bar?

Eric:             Yeah.

Dan:             The bar that we—

Eric:             Yes, yes, [fast] yes, yes, yes.

[Dan groans.]

Dan:             Okay. I have to go.

Eric:             Yeah. Dude, go.

Dan:             I’m going.

Eric:             We got this.

Dan:             Uh, [hesitant] call me if you need something?

Eric:             Okay.

Dan:             Theo, you have the box. Uh, let me know if there’s anything I need to know. Or whatever.

Theo:            Yeah, you got it.

Dan:             Roach, um…thanks, for everything.

[Footsteps crunch over dirt as Dan runs off.]

Theo:            Well…let’s go down to the lab. Or what’s left of it.

[Music shifts; Atmospheric tension.]

[The crew’s footsteps transition from dirt to tile floor.]

Sage:            We all try to shuffle downstairs. The structure of the Fort is not great, but somehow…

[Calming ambiance.]

The Cosmic Connection is still intact. [amused] And we walk through the Cosmic Connection.

Lily:           [relieved sigh] Thank god for the Cosmic Connection.

[Masha stifles laughter.]

Eric:             This is helping.

Lily:           [quiet] Yeah.

[Masha takes a deep breath and sighs.]

Eric:             Masha, how you doin’?

Masha:            Um…a little better.

Eric:             Cool.

Masha:            [quiet] Yeah.

Lily:           We’re gonna get some answers.

Masha:            Yeah. Yeah. We’re gonna get answers. Answers.

[A door creaks open and shut again.]

Sage:            We get through the Cosmic Connection and we end up in Theo Baxter’s lab.

[Music shifts; Brooding, mysterious.]

[sighs] The- the ceiling’s gone [stifles laughter].

Eric:             Jesus Christ…

Masha:            [deep breath] Whoa.

Sage:            And definitely a lot of floorboards and- and pipes fallin’ through. Some of his lab equipment has been broken, but Theo still has his laptop.

[Equipment beeps in the background. A chair creaks as Theo sits down, and a program beeps as he boots up the computer.]

Masha:            Okay, um. So wha-wha-what d’you see? What’s going on, like?

Sage:            He starts copying over the files. Theo’s very focused.

[Multiple small, rapid beeps as the files are downloaded. Theo types on the keyboard. The chair squeaks as he leans back.]

Theo:            Alright, we’re in.

[A focused, dark drum beat adds onto the music.]

Lily:           Oh. Wow.

Masha:            Cool.

Lily:           That was easy [impressed scoff].

Theo:            Not really [stifles laughter].

Lily:           Oh.

Masha:            You made it look easy.

Lily:           [agreeing] You made it look easy.

Theo:            Thanks.

Masha:            So, um, do you have any, like, information on, like, what’s going on?

Lily:           Masha lost another power.

Theo:            Yeah, I was worried about that.

Lily:           Yeah.

Eric:             Guys, I don’t know if this is the time to do the powers thing.

Lily:           But if she loses all of her powers, then…

Theo:            I- I’ve been—

Lily:           She’s not gonna be able to protect herself or anything. I mean…

Eric:             Right. Well we’re—

Masha:            I don’t even know if I’ll be alive.

Eric:             We can’t protect— [sighs]

Masha:            Well, S.H.I.E.L.D. has to have some answers, right?

[Theo types. Beeps are heard as his searches complete.]

Theo:            Masha, I’m…I’m running your family. Ever— There’s nothing on you here.

Masha:            [quiet] What?

Theo:            All they have is your dossier.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Masha:            Nothing on my past?

[Beat.]

[Masha sighs.]

Theo:            I mean, I know it has to do with your heart. It gives off different energy signals depending on what powers you’re channeling, but…it’s weak. It’s almost like it’s low on power.

Eric:             Wait…

[Music shifts; soft epiphany.]

At the facility. We found arc reactors.

Theo:            [shocked] What?

Eric:             Yeah. Here. Uh, da, uh, uh…

Masha:            Um, yeah. I have a—

Eric:             They’re in the plane?

[Arc reactor clatters lightly as Masha pulls it out of her bag.]

Or do you— Oh, shit. You have—

Masha:            I have it on me. This is… We found this. Or I found this, and…

Theo:            Oh, okay. Um. There’s no guarantee here. This is still… I… I mean, this is, at best, a guess. I just wanna make sure this is your decision.

Masha:            Um. Well, I just feel like if I don’t do this I might [tearful] die so…

Theo:            Die— I— yes.

Eric:             What are you going—

Theo:            Okay.

Eric:             What are we—

Theo:            It’s not gonna be pretty. I mean [sighs]. I’m s—

Eric:             You’re gonna- you’re gonna hotwire her heart to a fucking arc reactor?

Theo:            Ye— Uh [stammers].

Lily:           You’re gonna perform open-heart surgery in a basement?

Theo:            I mean [sighs]. Um, we can make it as wh—

Travis:          [stifles laughter] With a box of scraps.

[Emily stifles laughter.]

Theo:            We can make it as noninvasive as possible?

Masha:            [worried] Okay! I’ll do it if it means I’m not gonna die!

Theo:            Lil- Lily, can you help me?

[Theo takes a few steps around the lab, talking the whole time.]

Eric, will you grab—

[Music intensifies as they quickly try to work together.]

I just need anesthetics.

Eric:             [quiet] You sure that this is not just psychosomatic—

[Items shuffle around as Theo grabs things and sets up a makeshift surgery bed. Masha coughs weakly.]

Lily:           Yes.

Eric:             —or is this…

Theo:            Okay. Somebody hold her hand.

[Lily grabs Masha’s hand. Items continue rustling around.]

Sage:            We set up [amused] the shittiest surgery situation—

Masha:            [nervous, weak] Oh my god.

Sage:            —we possibly could.

[A power drill buzzes. Items hammer together.]

Travis:          [incredulous] We have her on a gurney that’s just a folding table.

Lily:           Just hold my hand.

Masha:            [bilabial trill] Okay. I’m holding—

Lily:           Just squeeze my hand.

Masha:            [nervous] I’m squeezing your hand.

Sage:            And then Theo basically grabs, like, spark plugs [stifles laughter].

[Electricity crackles.]

Chad:         Just putting cords in there, right?

Sage:            [amused] Yeah.

Masha:            [tearful] Do you even know what you’re doing?

Eric:             Hold on. Is she being cut open right now?

Theo:            Yeah.

[Blade rings out.]

Masha:            [dreading] Oh, hold my hand. Can you both hold my hands? Thank you.

Theo:            Okay.

Masha:            [deep breath] Okay, okay, okay, okay.

Theo:            I’m gonna make—

Lily:           Don’t tap in.

Theo:            I’m gonna make two cuts. This isn’t gonna go any deeper than skin and muscle.

[Clothes rustle.]

Bite on this, please.

Masha:            Okay.

Lily:           [concerned] We’re all good.

Theo:            ’Kay.

Lily:           Deep breaths.

Theo:            I’m gonna do this as quickly as possible.

[Masha sighs in anticipation.]

One, two, three…

Lily:           Squeeze the pain out.

[Blade scrapes against flesh. Masha groans and sobs around the cloth she’s biting.]

Squeeze the pain…

Theo:            You’re doin’ great!

[Masha moans and inhales.]

Lily:           Just squeeze my hand.

Theo:            One more cut.

Lily:           [sympathetic groan] Squeeze my hand.

Theo:            Okay.

[Theo makes a second cut and Masha groans. The cutting stops and she pants.]

Alright, you’re gonna get a buzz. You’re gonna get a big buzz.

Lily:           Squ— channel all that pain out.

[Masha stifles her crying as electricity crackles.]

Sage:            As power is connected there’s a flash.

[Music crescendos! Then stops.]

Sage:            The one power we never saw, the first one to go away, comes back.

[The gentle hum of electricity builds and steadies out.]

Her mind power. Her photographic memory. Masha—

[Stat test chime.]

—I need you to roll me full yellow so I can see how clear the image is.

[Dice roll on table.]

Jessica:          Yes and 22.

[Success chime.]

Travis:          [impressed] Okay.

Sage:            I didn’t want you to roll that high! [stifles laughter]

Travis:          4K HD.

[Emily cheers. Jessica chuckles.]

Sage:            Echoing where she is right now. Laying down on a table. She sees a ceiling, fluorescent lights. She looks forward, there are figures. They seem familiar for some reason. They look scared, they don’t know what’s going on. They also— Something is pushing haste throughout the whole room, and she notices…this shape. It’s metal, it has all sorts of weird sides…

[Rumbling builds and cuts out with a dull boom.]

And she’s back in the present.

[Masha coughs and pants.]

Lily:           Masha? Masha?

Sage:            And like a flood…all of her powers come back.

[Hopeful music. Buzzing crinkle builds into a static buzz as Masha’s powers rush back.]

Masha:            [pained] Oh my god.

Lily:           [concerned] What?

Masha:            [coughs] It worked, it worked, it worked!

[Metal clatters as Masha pushes herself upright on the table.]

Eric:             [fast] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, easy, easy. Easy.

Theo:            Uh- don’t- stay there! Stay there! Don’t move! I think—

Lily:           [soothing] Shhh, shhh, shh.

Sage:            Power, Soul, Mind, Time, Reality, Space.

Lily:           It’s okay. Breathe, breathe, breathe.

Sage:            They all connect.

[Theo’s voice goes up a couple octaves in concern.]

Theo:            [nervous] I’ll just sew you up now. Just…

Masha:            [pained] Okay, okay. [fast] I’m not movin’. I’m not moving. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

Theo:            Okay.

[Cloth rustles as Theo applies pressure to her wound.]

Bandages.

Sage:            However, Masha feels…this is a temporary boost. Not unlike Crank starring Jason Statham.

Travis:          [accent] Jason Statham.

Emily:          Who did not get Snapped.

Jessica:          John Cena got Snapped.

[Traivs hums John Cena’s WWE song.]

Sage:            Yeah.

It might not last forever, but it’s a temporary solution.

[Masha sighs.]

Theo:            Okay. I’m…

Lily:           [hopeful] So we figured it out, right? Like…

Theo:            I’m- I’m- I’m just gonna harness this to you.

[Duct tape unravels. Items clank lightly as he works and he groans in concern.]

God, I need to do a run for more painkillers.

[Pills clatter in a bottle. Bottle thunks on the table.]

We gotta get— At least thirty hours of rest.

Lily:           [excited] This is good, this is good! Means we just have to charge you. Like a battery, right?

Masha:            Yeah, yeah. I don’t think it’s gonna last very long, but this— I ha—

[Theo’s voice goes up an octave in shock.]

Theo:            That’s not gonna last you?

Masha:            I don’t—

Theo:            [stammers] Could power half the city.

Masha:            I need more power for this.

Theo:            [whispers] Oh my god.

Eric:             This might be old. I don’t know.

Roach:            You gonna keep that battery strapped to ya when we storm The Castle?

Theo:            [horrified] She’s not going! She just—

Roach:            Who do we got, Theo?

[Masha sighs.]

We ain’t got nobody. If there’s anybody who can figure out what’s goin’ on, it’s gonna be these three.

Theo:            To what end? They blew up the— I mean, people are dead! You wanna keep provoking them?

Eric:             [fast] Okay, okay, cool it. Look. [pacifying] We still don’t know what’s going on. We have the laptop. Let’s look at the laptop, gather as much intel as we can and plan.

Theo:            Okay. Yeah. [inhales] Let’s do that.

[Music steadies; a dark hip-hop beat.]

Sage:            Everybody huddles around the laptop and is looking.

[Chair creaks as Theo sits.]

Theo:            Not you, Masha. Just—

Masha:            Okay.

Theo:            Just lay down. It’s- it- ju— Look [sighs].

Sage:            This is an oracle of answers.

[Keyboard clacks.]

The updated S.H.I.E.L.D. database Theo has been looking forward to this for years! Finally, he’s not obsolete with his information.

Eric:             Okay. Wha—

Theo:            Oh my god.

Eric:             Okay, look. Look- look- look me up. Look me up. I wanna see- I wanna see…

Theo:            Yeah, okay. Uh, let’s see.

[Keyboard clacks. A gentle beep is heard as the search result arrives.]

“Irredeemable”.

[Eric grunts in frustration.]

“Fled overseas during the Hydra Incident. Unlikely a traitor. Definitely could be helpful, but is definitely a coward”?

Masha:            Oh.

Theo:            Uh, “Working with cowards is against company policy.”

Lily:           [uncomfortable] Oooowooowoo.

Eric:             [stifling scream] I’m gonna kill all of ’em so fucking [stammers].

Lily:           [warning] Eric. Eric.

Theo:            You know, you- you shouldn’t take everything you read on the Internet seriously, you know? Or in a database.

[Eric stammers and pants in frustration.]

Lily:           Deeeep breaths.

Masha:            Are they aware of Lily and I?

[Keyboard clacks. Search results beep.]

Theo:            “Bloodhound: Enhanced individual with heightened senses. Unregistered. Currently no threat.”

Lily:           No threat? Are you fucking kidding me?

[Sage stifles a laugh.]

Eric:             We’re gonna kick their ass! You and me!

Lily:           Yeah! Fuck that!

[Search results beep.]

Theo:            Roulette is in here. I mean, they don’t have anything on Masha—

[Keyboard clacks.]

—but they have something on your persona.

Masha:            Let me see. Let me see!

[Masha groans as she sits up.]

Theo:            Uh- no- stay- stay on the table.

Masha:            Ow.

Theo:            Uh, I’ll read it out to you.

Masha:            [quiet] Okay, yeah.

Theo:            “Enhanced individual with an assortment of abilities. Unregistered. Considered for September Foundation, but lied about powers.”

Masha:            …What?

Theo:            Oh.

Lily:           Oh!

Masha:            Oh my god. They knew?

Eric:             Oh, they know everything. About everything.

Theo:            Jeez…

Masha:            [quiet] Oh my god.

Lily:           In a way it’s a good thing?

Eric:             Hey, uh, look up Roach.

Roach:            What d’you tr— What d’you wanna know, Eric? I can tell it to your face.

Eric:             I- I just didn’t know, you know, uh. First off, dude, do you have powers?

[Keyboard clacks. Search result beeps.]

Theo:            “Identity untraced. First name likely Carl, but changed with birth name. Leader of the unregistered enhanced safe space, the Fort.”

Roach:            [annoyed] Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. [mumbles] Don’t worry about it.

Theo:            “Safe space”. That’s kinda nice.

Eric:             [taunting] Alright, Carl.

Roach:            No, nope. [fast] No, no, nope, nope, nope.

Lily:           [amused] Carl.

Roach:            [mutters] Don’t start.

Eric:             [taunting] Carl, huh?

Roach:            Don’t you dare. Cut it out.

Eric:             [amused] Ahh.

Theo:            Hey, you know, maybe I’ll start calling you “Carl”.

Roach:            [mumbles] I’m Roach. I’m Roach. I’m Roach.

Theo:            You keep calling me Gift Bag.

[Eric chuckles.]

Roach:            [mumbles] I’m Roach. I’m Roach.

Lily:           [pacifying] Yeah, Roach is better, Roach is better.

Masha:            Can you see if, uh, Rose is in there?

Lily:           Yeah.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Theo:            What’s— Last name?

Masha:            Kline.

Theo:            Kline?

[Mouse clicks.]

Rose Kline.

[Keyboard clacks. Search beeps.]

Uh, someone who works at a Subway in Indianapolis.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Um.

Masha:            [quiet] No.

Theo:            Potential powers. Does that sound accurate? Age forty-seven?

Masha:            Nnno.

Lily:           No.

Roach:            Alright, real talk though. What’s- what’s the scoop on the Castle?

[Keyboard clacks.]

Theo:            Castle. Right.

[Search beeps.]

Uh, it does— Definitely looks like they’re officially working with Stark. Um, they’re trying to work on public security? Law enforcement. It looks like they had some kind of…deal or agreement going on with the Church of the Mad Titan.

Eric:             Oh…

Lily:           Oh, it’s what the crazy lady said.

Masha:            Oh, yeah.

Lily:           Wh— Look that up.

Eric:             L-look that up.

Lily:           Yeah. [fast] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Eric:             Look up Church of the Mad Titan.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Theo:            Let’s see. Church of the Mad Titan. “Cult of unknown assailants. Motto: The end is near. Garb: Black trench coats.

[Masha and Lily gasp.]

“According to the Castle, their ultimate goal is to continue the work of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet and keep the population low by sheer force of will. Their mission involves an unknown project called the Tie Breaker.”

Masha:            [weak, pained] The Tie Breaker?

Theo:            What’s the tie?

Lily:           We don’t know.

Roach:            Wait, hold on y’all. Who- who- who’s the Mad Titan?

Theo:            Mad- the Mad Titan, that’s the person who’s responsible for the Snap.

Roach:            Oh. Gorilla guy.

Theo:            [stifles laughter] Yeah, purple gorilla guy. Um—

Eric:             He’s got a religion?

Theo:            They’re here as a threat, but it seems like they might be working with something. [stammers] Here’s this Tie Breaker again.

Eric:             So they’re just gonna go around killing…everything? What a stupid fucking idea. What the—

Theo:            I mean, if you think of it, it does make sense. If your goal is to keep the population to a manageable level… Populations do grow exponentially, I mean.

Eric:             So, okay—

Theo:            Even post the Snap, we’re at a higher population than we were even a couple hundred years ago.

Eric:             Oh my god. Okay, so hold on.

Masha:            We’re not justifying…

Theo:            I’m- I’m sorry. I’m just- I— Theoretically. I don’t think that’s actually what anybody should do. It’s just…

[Lily sighs.]

As far as cults go, it tracks.

Eric:             So this cult, they’re working with the Castle that’s using Stark tech? We are so fucked. Oh my god!

Masha:            Wh- uh- can- can you find anything else on the Castle?

Theo:            Uh.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Yeah, okay, okay. So, “The Castle Initiative, using high-technology and leftover Iron Man suits, Bart will oversee full integration with the LAPD with [getting increasingly offended] sponsorship of Stark and S.H.I.E.L.D. in order to combat crime, especially in low-income…area…” Are you fucking kid—

Eric:             [sighs, quiet] Jesus.

Theo:            “May extend to more cities upon success.” No!

Eric:             Oh my god. Ugh.

Theo:            Absolutely not.

Lily:           Man, fuck the LAPD.

Masha:            Who the fuck is Bart? Like, BART, like the Bay Area Transit?

Theo:            Bart like the guy you were just talking to outside.

Masha:            Oh shit!

[Masha sits up quickly, yanking the cords in her chest.]

Oh, sorry.

Theo:            Yeah.

Masha:            Ow! Ow!

[Masha lies back down with a clatter.]

Oh god.

Eric:             Oh take it easy.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Easy.

Lily:           It’s okay, Masha.

[Masha groans.]

Eric:             This is- this is like the Sokovia Accords, but…some twisted—

Theo:            We gotta stop this.

Eric:             Hold on. Where did my clone go? Do you know where my clone is? Let’s—

Theo:            [inhales] Yeah. I tried that while you were at the base. Uh, they scrubbed everything. I- I- I couldn’t find anything.

Masha:            Could you tap into him?

Eric:             I- I’ll try.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            I need to see how clear the vision is.

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          Ooo. 21.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Clear. As. Day. I’ll even say, as a little bonus, uh, Eric is able to seamlessly switch back and forth between vision and audio with ease.

[Rumbling whoosh as Eric taps into his clone.]

Tapping into the other Scry. It’s dark. The room is very big, and the lighting is very dramatic. And it seems like Clone Eric is definitely restrained in some way.

Mysterious Man:         And now, my children, the reward you have been waiting for, our project, is ready for its first real test. I reveal to you…

[Curtain rustles as it’s drawn back.]

The Tie Breaker!

[Monster growls.]

[Spooky organ music plays.]

Now, bring me the heretic.

[Slow footsteps. Clone Eric’s chains rattle.]

It was only a matter of time, Scry.

[Monster growls.]

Now. Sacrifice him!

[Monster shrieks. Bones and flesh crunch and tear. A high-pitched ringing is heard and Eric is forced to untap.]

Theo:            What did you get?

[Beat.]

Eric:             I got fuckin’ murdered.

[Masha gasps quietly.]

Lily:           [quiet] What? By the Tie Breaker?

Eric:             By…sssomething. S- uh- uh…

Theo:            Did you hear anything beyond the death?

Eric:             Yeah. There was a cult. There’s— The church. It has to be the church. I was somewhere echoey. They shuffled me into some room. There was like an— It was like a congregation, I heard like a curtain unveil, and then they- they killed me.

Theo:            Are we talking gunshot, are we talk—

Eric:             No. Like- like something big. Some machine that was big. There was ripping, there was tearing. A- [sighs] I could only hear it and then it cut out.

[Gentle rumbling builds.]

Theo:            Okay, let me just keep digging.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Sage:            And then Lily gets a flash.

[A loud metallic bang. Creaking echoes. Lily’s voice is muffled and echoes.]

There it is. That green portal. It’s beckoning her. It’s screaming at her.

[Lily sighs and moans.]

It’s angry. There’s energy pulsing.

[Lily moans.]

She sees someone.

Lily:           Rose? Rose?

Sage:            And she snaps out of it.

[Rumble fades. Sound returns to normal.]

Lily:           Ho, my god.

Sage:            And everything tastes kinda gross, like dust.

[Lily smacks her tongue and groans.]

Eric:             Okay, where did you go?

Lily:           [smacks tongue, disappointed] Oh, I think I got taste.

Eric:             [sympathetic] Oh.

Theo:            Did you see the green door again?

[Suspenseful music builds.]

Lily:           I did. I did and it was- it was angry this time. And I saw Rose.

Masha:            You saw Rose?

Lily:           Yeah. And now it tastes like…dust in my mouth.

Masha:            Gross.

Lily:           Yeah.

[Search result beeps.]

Theo:            Hold on, I- I got something. Here, come here.

Eric:             Hmm?

Lily:           What?

Eric:             What’s up?

Theo:            Look at this. “A few shipments of off-market soldier serum intercepted.” That’s just like the things that you found in that crate. “They seem to know all our tactics and avoid planned reconnaissance with ease. Watchlist: Forest Guero. Brandi Payne. Daniel Daniels.”

[Masha gasps.]

Lily:           Oh shit.

Theo:            “Renee Allen. Stanley Morales. Alvin “AJ” Johnston. And Ricky Hanes.”

Eric:             Whoa, hold- hold on, hold on. Alvin “AJ” Johnston.

Theo:            Alvin “AJ” Johnston.

Eric:             That…that was my first partner at S.H.I.E.L.D. Look him up. Look him up.

Theo:            Uh, okay.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Alvin “AJ” Johnston.

Eric:             Yeah.

[Search result beeps.]

Theo:            Let’s see. “Agent discharged for truancy”? They don’t have a whole lot on ’im. Just outside of— It seems like he was quiet. What- what d’you know about this guy?

Eric:             Well, he, uh [sighs] I mean, I was a kid, but he was my- my partner. He was basically showing me the ropes, but he was… I mean he was weird. And yeah, he would, like, disappear. He was bad at reporting, and then…

Okay so, years ago, I was with Daniel and we were discussing S.H.I.E.L.D.—I mean, this was like- we- I was a kid—and he had me tap into him just to see where he was, and he was, like, walking somewhere in the woods. But…shortly after that, I remember that the agency said he was reassigned. So that— Hold on.

Lily:           Wait. You can tap into him?

Eric:             Y-yeah. I- I’m- I’m gonna try to do that again. Now. Uh… I don’t know if this— I ju— Hold on, okay, hold on.

[Rumbling woosh as Eric taps into AJ.]

Sage:            And then, Eric sees…the same room that he saw when he tapped into himself not just a couple minutes ago. There’s a telescope. There’s a bunch of people, and there’s this monstrous roar in the background.

[Rumbling fades as Eric untaps.]

Masha:            What d’you see?

[Quiet, mysterious music.]

Eric:             Wherever he is, is where I am. Uh, Clone Me. Um, the- f- it’s a- it’s like the- the Griffith— It’s like the Fort. It’s like an observatory. It’s like here. It’s- it’s here, but it’s not. I- there’s— Are there any other observatories around here?

Theo:            Yeah. Hold on, let me pull ’em up.

[Keyboard clacks.]

Eric:             It’s a big telescope. Like a lab or something. Something is going on there.

Sage:            And Theo pulls up the nearest one.

[Search result beeps.]

Theo:            Uh, y— There’s Mount Wilson. Defining feature is a light that they shine. It’s a multi-prism device that can shine colors throughout the entire valley—

Lily:           Wait…

Theo:            —depending on your perspective.

Lily:           I- If that’s true, I mean…then I saw that earlier today. I didn’t know what it was, but it was…weird. I mean… [sighs]

Eric:             Why is it that we’re all hunkering down in observatories?

Theo:            I mean, they’re abandoned, they’re ideal for keeping weather off. They look kind of neat on the inside.

Eric:             Yeah, now that I think about it, that was a stupid question. That’s not helping anything right now. Anyways, let’s—

Theo:            Here’s a picture of the inside of the ele- area where they have the telescope. Does this look familiar?

[Music builds.]

Sage:            Eric takes a look and indeed it does.

Eric:             That’s it. Fuck it. Let’s go to Mount Wilson.

Sage:            But! Lily hears a voice coming from the other side of the wall. Uncomfortably familiar.

Bart:               [muffled] Got it. I’m outta here.

[Muffled footsteps fade.]

[Music shifts; a slow rhythmic suspense.]

Lily:           Oh…no.

Masha:            What is it?

Lily:           [irked] It’s that motherfucker.

Eric:             That could be any one of us.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Lily:           The radio one.

Eric:             What? Oh. Bart? What about him?

Lily:           [irked] Well he’s here. I can hear—

Eric:             [fast] What? Where?

Lily:           —his dumb voice and smell his dumb man body [Emily stifles laughter] I’m sorry.

Roach:            You gonna tap into that fucker or what?

[Masha gasps.]

Lily:           Oh, you touched him.

[Rumbling builds.]

Eric:             Okay, hold on.

[Eric taps into Bart.]

Sage:            And Eric sees, riding on horseback...

Emily:          [quiet, amused] Oh my god.

Sage:            Heading east, this light in the distance.

[Eric untaps.]

Eric:             I think he’s headed to the same place.

[Heroic music begins.]

And now he has a horse. So there’s that.

Theo:            What?

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Eric:             Um. I think he’s trying to beat us there. I think he’s working with them. I mean I knew he was the bad guy, but Jesus Christ.

Masha:            What d’we do?

Eric:             Roach. What’s the call?

[Beat.]

Roach:            [quiet, intense] What the hell are we waitin’ for, yo? ’S much as I wanna storm the Castle right now, the Church, clearly, is the bigger threat. So I say we hop in the little Quitenjet and fly over there.

Eric:             [quiet] Quinjet?

Roach:            Quitenjet. Let’s go.

Eric:             Quinjet.

Roach:            Quinjet. Why’s it called Quinjet?

Eric:             I don’t know. I’m not fuckin’ Tony Stark.

Roach:            It’s Quin. Right?

Eric:             Quin. Quin. Right. Okay.

Roach:            That a name? Quin?

[Music quiets.]

Masha:            [weak] Am I not allowed to come?

[Theo sighs.]

Lily:           How are you feeling?

Masha:            Um [sighs]. Not like I’m getting better. I’m getting worse, but I’m okay right now—

Theo:            I mean it’s just a few incisions, a few cables… Like, it’s not like you’re gonna rip, but… [sighs]

Lily:           Can you heal yourself?

Eric:             That might not be a good idea.

Lily:           Mmm. Yeah. You’re using up the power.

Roach:            The three o’ you are smart. And good at whatcha do. I know you’ll figure it out.

[Music builds back up.]

So, Gift Bag [clears throat expectantly].

Theo:            I- I guess now is a- a good time to unveil, uh—

Roach:            [whispers, urging] Come on.

Theo:            —a little surprise for the ScAvengers?

Roach:            [quiet, urging] Yes. Come on, Gift Bag. Now’s the time.

Theo:            Yyyeah, okay. Um. You wanna hit the button?

Roach:            [loud] Hell yeah I do! Boop!

[Button clicks and beeps.]

[Jessica stifles laughter.]

Eric:             [quiet] That confetti?

[Sage and Chad stifle laughter.]

Sage:            And there’s also that stupid little [noise maker sound].

[Traivs chuckles and mimics him.]

[A noise maker blows and confetti rains down.]

Sage:            We see three doors drop down, and there are what appear to be DIY superhero suits.

Jessica:          Super suits!

Lily:           [shocked] Oh.

Sage:            Each meant to benefit your powers in one way or another. First up is Lily with an upgraded version of her form suit that’s—

Chad:         Blood red?

Sage:            Absolutely.

Theo:            So I’m pretty confident I know where your powers are coming from.

Lily:           Really?

Theo:            Yeah. During the Snap there was just an ungodly amount of gamma radiation that fled through, really, the entire universe, and I- it affected some people differently than others.

Lily:           Oh.

Theo:            So- so the suit, you know, keeping all of that in mind, this should help keep some of the senses focused.

Lily:           Th-thank you, Theo. [stifling grateful laughter] You’re a lifesaver.

Theo:            Yeah, I- there’s still a lot of research to do, but—

Lily:           Wait! I forgot to ask.

[Blades scrape as she pulls them out.]

What the fuck do these do?

Theo:            Oh! Yeah. Th-they’re Asgardian design.

Eric:             What?

Lily:           What?

Theo:            Thor? God of lighting. Flies around with a big hammer.

Eric, Lily, Masha:   Ooooh!

Theo:            Just know if you cut someone with that, they’ll die.

Lily:           Oh. Good tip.

[Blades scrape as she puts them away.]

Sage:            Scry gets a new, sturdy leather jacket, and there’s this cool-ass mask with, like, a computer screen on it.

Travis:          [impressed] Yeah.

Theo:            Hollow mask.

Travis:          Yeah.

Emily:          Daft punk!

Travis:          Fuck yes.

[Clothes and mask rustle as Eric puts them on.]

Eric:             Does this, uh… This helmet thing. Does it do any—

[Eric presses a button and a hologram warbles on.]

Oh shit. Oh, that’s like a hologram? Holy shit. That’s cool.

Theo:            There’s another thing in the suit. When you’re powering it, there’s a little button. Press it, it will keep you standing. That way, they don’t know… The eye will blink and continue to look around. It’s mostly like a big bluff suit so you can use your abilities and people don’t know you’re using your abilities. You won’t have to, like, conk out at the ground.

Eric:             Oh, cool. Hey!

Theo:            Also, you have guns and stuff.

[Electricity crackles lightly.]

Eric:             [impressed] Yeah. Great.

Sage:            And Masha. What does yours look like? It’s got like six different colors.

[Sage and Jessica stifle laughter.]

Jessica:          Eclectic.

Theo:            Masha, let me…help you…get this on.

[Masha’s suit rustles as Theo helps her into it.]

Masha:            [weak] Okay.

Theo:            So your suit. I made this off of a very flexible, adaptive material that should adjust based on what’s going through it.

Masha:            Oh, cool.

Theo:            Um. I- I need to make some- a small adjustment just so it fits around the…arc reactor, but…

[Items clatter as Theo fixes the suit.]

Masha:            It’s really soft.

Theo:            Uh, yeah. I tried to use some nice fabric softener with it too. Just- y- comforting smell.

Masha:            So it’s machine washable?

Theo:            [amused] It is machine washable.

[Chair creaks.]

And when your abilities aren’t working quite as you hoped they would, here is the Pym stun gun you all found.

[Gun clatters as he hands it over.]

Masha:            Oh my goodness.

Theo:            So that center setting, that’s just gonna be a really solid stun. Just shocks their entire system. Be careful with fiddling with the others. It might shrink or- or grow people. It’s a little unpredictable, honestly.

Masha:            Okay. Yeah, yeah. I got it. I won’t, um, I’ll be very…very, very careful.

Theo:            Oh, it’s- it’s not [stifles laughter] lethal. It’s just, you know…

Masha:            It’s a booboo. A booboo.

Theo:            Just a little bit of a booboo.

Sage:            And we finally see, all suited up, augmented, and ready to go.

[Music starts to crescendo.]

The ScAvengers.

Eric:             What a sorry fuckin’ sight we are. Good god. You’re half dead. You’re half of age.

Lily:           [irked] Shut the fuck up.

Masha:            [mock smug] I’m like Iron Man. I’m like an Avenger.

Lily:           Yeah.

Eric:             [chuckles] Yeah. We’re like the…

Lily:           We’re like the Avengers.

Eric:             [amused] ScAven—

[Eric and Lily stifle laughter.]

We’re the ScAvengers.

Lily:           Is this where we all, like, put our fists together and, like…

Eric:             Yeah, that’d be really stupid if we did that. That’d be…

Lily:           Fun transition.

Eric:             [mocking] Hey everybody, let’s do the thing. Let’s put our hands in.

Lily:           Okay. Fists- fists together.

Eric:             [mocking] Let’s get our cool costumes on and—

Lily:           Yup.

Eric:             —get ready to go. Save the day.

Masha:            This fits really nice.

Lily:           Yeah. Okay.

Eric:             Alright.

Masha:            [nervous] Okay.

Lily:           One, two…

Eric, Lily, Masha:   Three. ScAvengers assemble!!!

[The three put their fists together. Electricity crackles through Masha’s arc reactor.]

Masha:            Ow!

[She collapses against a table and items clatter.]

Eric:             Oh, god. Right. [fast] Let’s- let’s get you in the jet. Let’s get you in the jet.

Masha:            I’m okay! I’m okay.

Lily:           Ooo, oh, oh. Easy, easy, easy.

[Music ends.]

[The Quinjet starts to take off. Tense music fades in slowly.]

Eric:             Okay. [fast] Um, uh, um, uh.

Masha:            [weak] Okay [sighs]. Go.

[Seatbelts click.]

Alex:             Everybody, buckle up.

Lily:           Do I have to wear a seatbelt?

Theo:            Hey, Lily? If there’s anything gamma oriented with this, just- just be careful. Okay? But, yeah, it’s like toxic to most people.

Lily:           Wait, what are you implying?

Theo:            Uh, you- the door? I- I’m just saying. Watch out for them, please.

Lily:           Okay. Cool.

Alex:             [beep] Approaching Mount Wilson Observatory. Landing in T-minus three, two, one.

[Jet rumbles as it sets down.]

[beep] Have a nice day.

Eric:             Thanks, Alex.

Alex:             You’re welcome, Masha.

[AI beeps as it powers down.]

[Masha stifles laughter. Footsteps transition from the jet to pavement.]

Sage:            Everybody climbs out of the Quinjet. Mount Wilson Observatory is surrounded by forest. There’s a big telescope room, obviously. Some buildings off to the side, a long hallway. Nothing crazy. But Bloodhound notices something in particular. She looks up, with her new, sharp vision, and there’s this tower emanating a bright light. And just from the exact angle of the last step when she steps off of the jet, it’s color changes to a very ominous…bright…shining…[whispers] green.

Lily:           [nervous] Oh boy.

Sage:            It’s almost like it’s shining right at her.

Masha:            What d’you see, Lily?

Lily:           I- Something about that shade of green just…doesn’t do it for me.

Masha:            D’you not like The Great Gatsby?

[Traivs stifles laughter.]

Lily:           Uh, fuck no. Nobody in that book is redeemable. But, that’s not the point [stifles laughter].

Masha:            [weak] Oh.

Sage:            There's a brief moment, before we step forward…and, welp…what d’you wanna do?

Lily:           Hold on. Let me…I don’t know. Sense things.

Eric:             Yeah. [amused] Fire it up.

Lily:           Yeah.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Bloodhound’s gonna roll.

Jessica:          Fuck it up.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Net chime.]

Emily:          10.

Sage:            Mmm. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Travis:          [mumbles] I hate you.

[Jessica stifles laughter.]

Sage:            You’re able to hear…the sound of screaming in that big-ass telescope. And also cheering.

Lily:           [sighs in dread] Oh god. Something fucked up is happening in there.

Eric:             Yup. That’s the spot. That’s- that’s where I died.

Masha:            We…wow. Okay. I- I’m running outta time, personally, so…if we’re gonna do it, we gotta do it now.

Sage:            But you’re not able to hear a horse coming right through [stifles laughter].

[A trotting horse approaches.]

Lily:           [whispers, irked] I swear to god.

Bart:               [nonchalant] What’s up, losers?

[Traivs snickers.]

[Clopping hooves pass by slowly and fade away.]

[Tense misadventure music.]

Lily:           Oh, he’s just gonna…keep…

Roach:            That motherfucker.

Lily:           Going.

Masha:            [irked] Well let’s go!

Roach:            I gotta beat ’im in there.

[Rapid footsteps crunch over grass.]

Sage:            [amused] Roach starts tryin’a keep up with the horse. He’s got a mace and nothin’ else.

Eric:             Okay, Theo—

Lily:           [annoyed] Roach! [sighs, whispers] Oh Jesus.

Theo:            Gotcha?

[Gun clatters lightly.]

Eric:             You ever use a sniper rifle before?

Theo:            Nope!

Eric:             Well…

[Music picks up.]

Here you go.

[Gun clatters and shoves against Theo’s chest.]

Theo:            Jee- ah- I—

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Bart, The News, roll me Powerful Speed. And Personal Time, ’cause we’re rolling for the horse too [stifles laughter].

David:           4.

[Failure chime.]

The horse is a little spooked by the screaming and the crows.

Sage:            [amused] Bart tries to react. Just like…

[Horse neighs in fear.]

Bart:               On, Gibraltar! On, Gibraltar!

[Horse neighs louder.]

Sage:            The horse is- is tryin’a buck Bart off.

Masha:            [taunting] Wow, not so bad-ass anymore.

Roach:            Tryin’a burst in, huh?

Eric:             Hold on. You’re tryin’ to burst in here? Don’t you work here? Or with them?

Bart:               Nah. We did a deal in the past, but that’s all over now.

Masha:            What?

Bart:               These guys are scum. Just like you.

Roach:            So the Castle and the Church of the Mad Titan, you guys are not affiliated? Not workin’ together?

Bart:               No. No, no, no.

Eric:             Wait, what the fuck— God.

[Eric growls in frustration.]

Bart:               I am s— No, no, no. I’ll tell you. I really don’t like degenerate scum. Like all you guys and your little forts on your hills and all your bullshit. I gotta tell you, it’s sick. So I’m gonna come in here, I’m gonna take out these zealots. You’re welcome, by the way.

Eric:             So…we’re both here to do this— We’re all here to do the same thing?

Bart:               You can try if you want, but, I mean…amateur hour’s actually gonna start in about twenty minutes, so…why don’t you go ahead and sit down—

Eric:             Oh! Amateur hour? Like that time I tackled you and slapped you across your fuckin’ mouth?

[Hooves crunch over grass as Bart approaches.]

Bart:               [indifferent] Oh, yeah, no. I remember that.

Eric:             Yeah.

Theo:            [over radio, concerned] Guys?

Eric:             What? What? Hold on, I’m arguing with this man on a horse.

[Music intensifies.]

Cultist:            The End is near!

Sage:            And there is a creepy trenchcoat cultist who sees all of you, and he looks like he’s top tier.

Cultist:            Welcome you to this great moment—

Lily:           [excited] Oh! Ooo, I have knives! I have knives! I have knives!

Cultist:            —for the Church of our great Mad Titan.

[Blades ring out as Lily pulls them out.]

Masha:            Throw the knives!

Cultist:            Interlopers! Interlopers!

Sage:            And aiming a gun, he’s about to shoot a gun!

Masha:            Ahh!

Eric:             Jesus Christ!

[Lily grunts as she hurls the knives at the Cultist.]

Sage:            And then, like boomerangs, these knives light up and they’re, like, glowing reddish, greenish, orangish, and they just [makes swishing noise].

[Lily chuckles in awe.]

They slice through the guy as if he’s butter.

[The knives ring through the air and cut through flesh. The Cultist screams as blood spurts from his wounds.]

Cultist:            AhhhAhAhhhAhhHhh!

Sage:            And they come right back to Lily’s hands.

[Knives tap as Lily catches them easily. She chuckles in awe again.]

Lily:           Oh, that was so cool! Hahaha!

Masha:            Oh. I’m gonna be sick.

[Blades scrape as she puts them away.]

Roach:            Well. They know we’re here now.

Masha:            Let’s just go iiiin!

Eric:             Alright, you do whatever you’re gonna do, we’re gonna—

Bart:               Which is go into the—

Eric:             Okay.

Bart:               —now.

Lily:           [taunting] You need me to open the door for you, sweetheart?

Bart:               No, I—

[Action music builds.]

Sage:            Roach, Bloodhound, Roulette, Scry, and The News [stifles laughter] burst through the front door!

[Metal clatters as they bang the door open. Music crescendos and ends. A crowd of cultists gasp.]

Theo, who’s staying back with the sniper rifle, watching as best as he can.

Theo:            [over radio, mutters] I hate guns.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Eric:             You’ll be fine.

Sage:            They get in. Trench coats galore.

[Cultists whisper indistinctly as they watch the group.]

There are at least forty people here.

Eric:             Fuck.

Sage:            And there is some guy standing kind of on an elevated platform. And this huge…ass…monster.

[Monster growls.]

Looks unnatural and furious.

[Gun clatters as Bart aims it at the man on the platform.]

Bart:               Freeze, dirtbag!

[Action music.]

Sage:            Bart has got no time to waste. Before they could even address whatever the fuck they’re lookin’ at—

[Stat test chime.]

—he’s gonna roll Powerful Speed to get a shot off.

[Dice roll on table.]

David:           18+1. 19.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Oh! [amused] Shit.

Travis:          Wow.

Sage:            Immediately! Shoots him in the gut!

[Two gunshots ring out. The Mysterious Man grunts in pain.]

Lily:           [quiet] Fuck.

Eric:             [quiet] Dammit...

Bart:               Rot in whatever hell you worship.

Sage:            With all his might.

[Success chime.]

Oof. Rolling for Durability. Got a 9.

[Failure chime.]

[Mysterious Man groans.]

Theo:            [over radio] Lily, that’s gotta be a gamma mutate. Just tell everyone to be careful.

Lily:           Guys, be careful. I mean, he’s mutated from gamma, it’s- it’s not safe.

Mysterious Man:         They’re here to threaten you, disciples.

Travis:          I’m gonna shoot ’im now.

[Stat test chime.]

Ah. I got an 8.

[Failure chime.]

Sage:            Eric misses.

[Laser shot rings out.]

Eric:             Shit.

Sage:            This man who looks awfully generic [stifles laughter]. As soon as Eric shoots the gun, he cracks his eyes in the direction and they make eye contact.

[Beat.]

Mysterious Man:         My god…

Eric:             I’m back, shitass. Where’s AJ?

Mysterious Man:         The one we have sacrificed is back! Scry is here! You have all failed me unless you take him out! Now!

Jessica:          I’m gonna roll for one o’ my powers.

[Stat test chime.]

Mysterious Man:         Damn you, Scry. Only you.

Eric:             Wait a minute…. Oh fuck, I get it now. Oh shit.

Lily:           What d’you mean you get it now?

[The crowd screams and charges.]

Sage:            Forty people in trench coats go for Eric at the same time.

Eric:             It’s the trench coat people. They’re here—

[Masha screams nervously as her powers activate.]

Masha:            I’m [hesitant] healing.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Travis:          Fuck!

Sage:            [amused] What were you aiming—

Lily:           Heal yourself!

Sage:            What were you looking at last? You have to be honest! What were you looking at last?

Jessica:          [nervous] Oh, I was looking at you.

Sage:            Yup! His bullet wound in the chest, in the gut gets fully—

Jessica:          Well how— I have to roll- I have to roll.

Sage:            Yes, roll to see how good you healed him.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Oh [nervous chuckle].

Jessica:          Oh shit. Nah eh- well. Really well. Like i-incredibly well.

Sage:            Completely heals the wound.

[Flesh squelches as the Mysterious Man is healed.]

And then this big monstrosity—no, you cannot roll against it—picks up the man.

[Heavy footsteps pound. Monster growls.]

And as they lift him onto their back, it screams at the top of its lungs.

[Heavy footstep. Monster shrieks.]

And you see him transform.

Travis:          The man?

Sage:            The man transforms.

[Masha groans.]

Emily:          [quietly] The little man?

Sage:            The generic man—

Travis:          [amused] Little baby man.

[Emily stifles laughter.]

Sage:            —appears to have cybernetic enhancements. He has this, like, robotic eye and some metal plating. He’s jacked. He’s pretty strong. And then, his skin turns green.

Eric:             Oh. Oh my god!

Sage:            But like a pale green.

Eric:             Oh my god! I get it.

Sage:            His ears get sharp. There are lines across his face.

Eric:             [loud] Ooooh nooo!

Lily:           What are you— What?

Eric:             [loud] AJ’s a skruuull!

Bart:               [loud] I knew it! I knew it! Aliens! Fucking aliens! Aliens! AHHHH! Why did you heal him?

Masha:            [panicked] I- well just- [nervous scoff] I was trying to help! I don’t know!

Eric:             She can’t control it.

[Bart screams in frustration.]

She can’t control it!

[Bart cocks his gun, still screaming.]

Sage:            The forty trench coats swarm in on the group!

[Multiple footsteps charge closer.]

Eric:             Jesus Christ.

Sage:            And I’m gonna roll for their Speed collectively.

Lily:           Theo, how d’you stop things with gamma?

Theo:            [over radio] I don’t—

Bart:               Gibraltar! Gibraltar, to me!

Sage:            I got a 10.

[Net chime.]

Perfectly balanced [stifles laughter].

Theo:            [over radio] You don’t!

Lily:           What d’you mean?

Theo:            [over radio] You’re a gamma!

Lily:           I know! But, like, I’m gamma, he’s gamma! Can I, like, gamma hug him up?

Eric:             He, she, we, gamma!

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Gammology!

[Sage chuckles.]

Theo:            [over radio] Swarm it, yeah! Jump on there!

David:           I jump on Gibraltar’s back.

[Clothes and tack rustle as Bart swings into the saddle.]

Bart:               You guys suck!

[Horse nickers.]

Eric:             Alright, well fuck you too!

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            They all come in for the attack. They’re gonna roll for Strength and Eric and everybody needs to roll for a Powerful Combat to defend them from the horde.

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          Christ.

Emily:          Oh no.

Travis:          11.

[Net chime.]

Jessica:          15.

[Net chime.]

Emily:          9.

[Failure chime.]

Sage:            I got a 17.

[Failure chime.]

Travis:          Yup, yup.

Jessica:          Oh no.

Sage:            Forty is too many. They all throw each and every one of you down to the ground. They are stronger.

[Lily screams in frustration.]

Lily:           Get off me!

Eric:             Ow!

Sage:            They throw Bart off his horse.

[Thuds as the crowd pull Bart down. Bart grunts and the horse nickers in surprise.]

They snatch Roach’s mace and chuck it somewhere.

[Mace whirls through the air and clanks as it hits a wall and falls.]

Roach:            Hey! Motherfucker, give that back!

Bart:               Dirty sons of bitches! It was fine until you guys showed up.

Eric:             We’re gonna get outta this you’re gonna have to do it!

Masha:            [weak] I’m not feeling too good.

Eric:             Together, okay? Okay?

Lily:           [urgent, soothing] It’s gonna be okay. It’s gonna be okay. Try to use your powers.

Masha:            Yeah, I’ll try again.

[Stat test chime.]

Bart:               Using your powers is what got us into this mess. We were fine.

Lily:           Shut up!

Sage:            Masha, I’m gonna say, because you have this arc reactor strapped to your chest, it’s keeping you alive. This battle’s gonna take a lot out of you. You get four charges. Four uses of your power in total. But, what’s the first one?

[Buzzing crinkle as Masha’s power activates.]

Jessica:          Freeze time.

[Music builds.]

Sage:            [stifles laughter] Oh shit.

Travis:          Nice!

[Success chime.]

Jessica:          12.

[Sound freezes.]

Sage:            Everything stops for, like, five seconds [stifles laughter].

Masha:            [groans] I’m gonna punch somebody in the face.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Powerful Strength.

[Orchestral music starts to build.]

[Dice roll on table.]

[Success chime.]

Jessica:          14.

Masha:            Alright, this guy’s… I don’t care.

[Rapid footsteps tromp across the room as Masha runs to her target, coughing weakly along the way.]

Sage:            Masha attempts to climb up this, what you might assume is the Tie Breaker of which the man is on the back of.

[Masha growls as she pulls her fist back.]

And socks him in the face!

[Masha grunts. Thud!]

Things speed back into real time.

[Sound speeds up and returns to normal.]

Rolling for Durability.

Lily:           Masha!

[Bart growls in frustration, still pinned by the crowd.]

Masha, how did you get up there?

[Success chime.]

Sage:            He rolls a 17 on Durability and is able to hold on. Him and Masha are on top of the Tie Breaker.

[Heavy footsteps thud as the Tie Breaker moves. Masha groans weakly as she hangs on.]

Lily:           Oh, fuck.

Eric:             Shoot him with the thing!

Masha:            Okay, okay. I have a stun gun.

[Gun clatters.]

Sage:            Alright.

[Stat test chime.]

Roll for Powerful Speed.

Jessica:          Uh, 13.

Sage:            He’s too fast…with a 20.

[Failure chime.]

Travis:          Whoa.

Jessica:          [mumbles] Fuck me.

Sage:            Rolling a 20 on Combat, the cyber skrull dodges Masha’s blast with the Pym beam and throws her off.

[Gun clatters as Masha aims. Beam discharges and the Mysterious Skrull grunts as he shoves Masha. Masha grunts and thuds are heard as she falls. The gun clatters away.]

And then the Tie Breaker…looks Masha in the eyes.

[Heavy footsteps pound as the abomination turns on Masha.]

And goes to step on her.

Lily:           Masha, no!

[Stat test chime.]

[Masha groans as she activates another power.]

Jessica:          Photographic memory.

Sage:            [fast] The Tie Breaker’s about to step on you! How strong is your power?

Jessica:          I got a 25!

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Oh!

[Heartbeat thumps.]

Masha’s mind powers are related to memory. Remembering things. Masha has never been able to do this before. She didn’t even mean to do it, [stifling laughter] but using a twenty-fucking-five and her mind power, she is able to flash into the memories of the Tie Breaker.

[Masha pants as her powers pulse through her mind.]

Masha:            Whoa. Oh my god.

Sage:            She sees her house. Her backyard.

[Children’s laughter is muffled. The heartbeat thumps steadily.]

The swing they have and the fence. And the flowers below it that Masha healed.

[Heartbeat accelerates.]

A coat from Target.

[Heartbeat accelerates again.]

Two sisters who she looks up to so much. And then she snaps back in.

[Rumbling whoosh as sound returns to normal.]

Masha:            What the fuck? What?!

Sage:            You…know…the Tie Breaker.

Masha:            Oh my go— Oh! OOH! OOHH! I was confused I thought— I- gah! The- the- That’s ROSE!

Lily:           WHAT?!

[A huge, dark impact; Music begins to intensify.]

Masha:            IT'S ROOOOSE!

Lily:           What d’you mean it’s Rose?!

Masha:            That’s Rooose! ROOOSE!

[The Tie Breaker shrieks.]

Lily:           [emotional] Wha- what are you saying?

Masha:            [emotional] The Tie Breaker is Rose!!

Lily:           [emotional] What are you trying to say to me right now?

Masha:            Rose!

Lily:           That that’s our sister?

Masha:            That’s Rose! Rose! Rose, stop! Rose!

Lily:           [shocked, uncertain] Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit!

Masha:            [distraught] I just went into its mind. I just went into its mind, and I saw us!

Sage:            Rose, hearing her name, the Tie Breaker stops from stepping on Masha.

[Tie Breaker growls. Heavy footstep pounds as she takes a step back.]

And I’m gonna roll for Personal Soul.

[Stat test chime.]

Lily:           [mumbles] Oh god.

Masha:            Rose!

Lily:           Rose. Rose, it’s us!

Eric:             [angry] Did you know about this?

Bart:               How could I have known about this? I thought they were just gonna use her as a mascot or something. I didn’t know—

Eric:             Use her?!

Bart:               —they were gonna go all Silent Hill on this thing.

Eric:             [incredulous] You knew they took this girl, and you just let—

Bart:               No. I got mine in in the end. Weapons, info. These guys are plugged in.

Eric:             Asshole! Piece o’ shit, bastard, fucking cocksucker. It’s your fault we’re in this!

Bart:               I’d turn over a thousand children before I let this country die!

[Lily pants in panic for her sister.]

[Music halts...]

Sage:            For just a moment…she remembers.

[Tie Breaker growls softly.]

And then it disappears.

[Net chime.]

[Music resumes.]

She screams and she’s about to step. Theo, roll for Speed.

[Stat test chime.]

Chad:         15.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Good enough for me!

[Gunshot rings out as Theo takes a shot with the sniper rifle. The Tie Breaker grunts as she’s hit.]

The Tie Breaker is shot in the foot, and stops from stepping on Masha right in time.

Masha:            Rose!

Mysterious Skrull:      They were not supposed to know this.

Theo:            [over radio] Bloodhound, you should be able to suck the gamma out of her!

Lily:           How?! How?!

[Theo stammers.]

I have to get all these fucking trench coats off o’ me first!

Eric:             Use your dag— OW! Use the dag— How do— Ow!

[Stat test chime.]

Lily:           I’m trying!

Sage:            Everybody roll for Defensive Combat, including Bart.

[Dice roll on table.]

Emily:          [irked] Fucking 10.

[Net chime.]

Jessica:          12.

[Net chime.]

Travis:          16.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            10, 12, 16. 11.

[Net chime.]

Bloodhound’s not able to really get them off, but Eric is able to BOOF! Throw off two at the same time using judo kick.

[Thud!]

Eric:             Fuckin’ I.C.E.R.s, I hate this shit.

[Eric pulls out his guns.]

Lily:           Get the fuck off of me!

[Thuds as Lily kicks and punches the cultists holding her.]

Eric:             Hold still!

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Eric, you need to roll for Speed to see how many you get. I’m rolling for theirs.

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          8? Oh no. 11. Ha! That was 9.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            Oh.

Travis:          Yeah!

Sage:            It’s a tie! You shoot a fair amount.

Travis:          Enough for her to get up?

Sage:            Enough for her to get up.

Travis:          Yeah!

[Eric’s I.C.E.R.s discharge a few times and electricity crackles.]

Sage:            For a brief moment.

Lily:           [relieved] Okay. Okay, uh. [frantic] How do I do this?

Theo:            [over radio] Just tap into the green door.

Lily:           Ahhh! Okay, okay, I’m gonna go!

[Lily charges forward.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            You need to roll for Energy.

[Lily grunts as she dodges more cultists on the way to the Tie Breaker.]

Full purple.

Travis:          She’s gonna go hug her? [stifles laughter]

Chad:         Yeah.

[Dice roll on table.]

Emily:          Good news is…

[Success chime.]

I made the personal [chuckles]. Bad news is…5.

[Failure chime.]

Sage:            Lily tries to get through the crowd, screaming at her sister, best as she can.

[Tie Breaker growls and turns toward Lily. Heavy footstep thumps.]

They lock eyes for just a moment.

Lily:           Rose! Rose, look at me, look at me, look at me. It’s Lily. You know me.

Sage:            Too many trench coats. They grab Lily.

[Cultists scream and clothes rustle. Lily grunts as she’s pushed around.]

Lily:           Get…off me!

Sage:            They’re barely being able to look at each other.

Mysterious Skrull:      No. Keep moving.

Lily:           [pleading] Don’t listen to him.

Mysterious Skrull:      The Titain’s plan must be enacted!

Lily:           Rose, you don’t have to listen to him. We’re here now.

[The Tie Breaker grunts.]

We’re gonna protect you, okay? But you have to come to me. Come here.

Mysterious Skrull:      Shoot her.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Powerful Combat.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Failure chime.]

[Rifle cocks and shoots. A high-pitched ringing as the bullet rips into Lily’s shoulder. Blood splatters. Lily groans in pain.]

Lily gets shot.

[Lily pants. More blood splatters.]

Lily:           [pained] Rose!

Masha:            Oh my god. Lily!

Lily:           [pained] Rose! Look at me. Just look at me.

Eric:             Theo, do you have a clean shot on either of these two things?

Lily:           Don’t listen—

Theo:            [over radio] Uhhh—

Lily:           Don’t shoot her! Don’t shoot her!

Sage:            Cutting over. Nobody hears this, but…

Bart:               So you got a soup can with some string in there or something? You can call cronies for backup? Like, nowish?

Roach:            Why? You got some cronies you can call?

[Beep. Powered doors slowly move.]

Sage:            The doors close.

[The doors thud shut.]

Theo does not have a shot.

Mysterious Skrull:      It’s time.

Sage:            The ceiling opens up and the telescope turns to the cosmos.

[Powered doors in the ceiling move and the telescope hums as it turns.]

[Dark, ambient music quietly rumbles throughout.]

Mysterious Skrull:      I’ve been trying for years, Scry. And who’d have thought, you still found a way here.

Lily:           [weak] Eric, please kill him.

Masha:            Lily [worried sigh]. Are you okay? I—

Lily:           I just…just get him…

Eric:             [frantic] Take it east. Sit. Li- Li- Li—

Lily:           Just- just get him.

Eric:             Lily. Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me, stay with me.

Mysterious Skrull:      Always knew it’d be you.

Eric:             [fuming] I truly have no fucking clue what you’re talking about. But I’m about done with this shit. If you wanna go back to space, fucking go. Leave us alone.

Mysterious Skrull:      This has nothing to do with my people.

Eric:             [slow] Then what do you want from me?

Mysterious Skrull:      The end. The end—

Eric:             The end fucking happened, you wrinkle-faced motherfucker. Half of everyone died, and we’re trying to put shit back together. Now if you—

Mysterious Skrull:      You—

Eric:             —would fucking excuse us— No! I’m not done yelling at you, goddammit! Don’t drag them into this. If you want me, take me. You had me once, you killed me. Do it twice! I don’t give a flying fuck! Kill me, kill me, kill me. Let them go.

[Stat test chime.]

[Dice roll on table.]

Sage:            16.

[Failure chime.]

During that whole spiel, one of the trench coats covered your face.

[Scuffle. Eric begins a muffled rant.]

Mysterious Skrull:      You see, this world is ungrateful. This universe is cold. It’s selfish. The end, Eric “Scry” Stanton, has not happened yet. The end is only begun, and it is now as near as it’ll ever be.

Masha:            [weak] Please let me go to my sister.

[Lily coughs up blood.]

Sir, please let me go to my sister.

Mysterious Skrull:      When half the population was wiped out—

Lily:           [weak] I don’t wanna die while he monologues.

Mysterious Skrull:      —there was a problem.

[Lily pants.]

When all life in the universe is laid down, side by side, into a numerical number, it turned out odd. So what d’you do, Scry? D’you just roll with a 49.9999% of the population? No. You need a Tie Breaker.

[Beat.]

You were the only one who could figure out who I truly was. At any moment you could’ve tapped into me. But you spent all your time helping out these hopeless super sisters instead. [scoffs] Moron.

[Clothes rustle as Eric struggles in the cultists’ grip, his screams muffled.]

Mysterious Skrull:      Too self-centered. Too big of an ego, all of you. Ego will die and the Titan’s vision will live on.

Masha:            You’re wrong!

Mysterious Skrull:      Roulette, it is unfortunate you were rolled into this situation, but sometimes odds are not in our favor.

Lily:           [weak] Rose…

[The Tie Breaker growls softly. Lily coughs up more blood.]

Mysterious Skrull:      I’m sorry it just so happened to be your sister.

Lily:           [moans] Rose…

Mysterious Skrull:      This is the beginning of the end. Now what are you going to do about it?

Masha:            I want to…

[Lily groans weakly.]

[distressed] I don’t know what I wanna do! Are you— [sighs] Should I try to heal you?

Lily:           Oh you got— [coughs]

Mysterious Skrull:      It’s too late for your sister.

Lily:           You…

Mysterious Skrull:      But it’s not too late for your sister.

[Tie Breaker growls.]

Lily:           [weak] Rose, he doesn’t control you. You’re- [coughs] You’re so much stronger than him.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Lily, roll me full purple one more time. And I’ll roll it for Rose.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Failure chime.]

Emily:          [trepidation, whispers] I’m gonna die.

Sage:            [sighs] Not unless Masha can save you.

[Music starts to build; a lone, triumphant synth.]

[Lily groans weakly and takes a shaky breath.]

Lily:           Masha…I can absorb the gamma. You should- have to bring her [groans] to me.

Masha:            Okay. Okay.

[Lily coughs.]

[Stat test chime.]

[Dice roll on table.]

Um…

Sage:            The Tie Breaker, with the skrull on its back, starts climbing out of the observatory.

[Buzzing crinkle as Masha’s power activates.]

Jessica:          Hulkerella. 19.

[Success chime.]

[Action music crescendos.]

Sage:            But then Masha uses whatever she has left to grow! She grows!

[Masha as Hukerella growls, her skin stretching.]

She breaks off any trench coats that were holding her down!

[A whoosh as cultists are thrown off her and scream.]

Comes towards the group. 19’s pretty good! I’m gonna say you start brushin’ them off. [amused] You step on a couple.

[Eric cheers as Masha charges through the cultists.]

Eric:             Woo! There you go! Yeah!

[Masha pants.]

Masha:            [Hulkerella] Lily, come here!

[Masha grunts as she bends down to pick up Lily.]

Sage:            The Tie Breaker turns around.

Masha:            Rose!

Sage:            And screams.

[The Tie Breaker shrieks.]

Masha:            Rose!

Mysterious Skrull:      [irked] Not the plan.

Sage:            They come in to attack.

[Heavy footsteps pound as Masha runs after the Tie Breaker.]

Masha has picked up Bloodhound.

[Lily groans in pain.]

They go towards her.

[Stat test chime.]

Lily:           [weak] Rose, it’s us.

[Net chime.]

Sage:            Rolling a 12 for the Tie Breaker. They collide.

[Thud! The Tie Breaker screams.]

Hulkerella and the Tie Breaker collide. She’s trying to get Lily and her to connect. It’s really difficult! They’re almost there! And then busting through the door…

[Metal door breaks off its hinges and glass shatters as a small army breaks through.]

A bunch of preppy lookin’ assholes with armor.

[War horn blows.]

[Jessica chuckles.]

Bart:               Get those dirty pinko bastards, boys! It’s huntin’ season!

[Bart and his army scream a war cry.]

Sage:            A bunch of Castletons with a bunch of scrappy lookin’ Stark armor. It’s like Iron Man suits that don’t fly kind of.

[Repulsors discharge into the cultists. Everyone screams as they attack each other.]

They just start blasting trench coats left and right. As many disciples as they can! And then!

[Quinjet flies overhead, circling around to hover above the telescope.]

Through the ceiling, the Quinjet that was outside is hovering above with Theo looking through the window with that sniper or whatever the hell else he wants to do! He patches in, back to Lily!

Theo:            [over radio] I got a clear shot! I can blast ’em! What d’you—

Lily:           [weak] No, don’t hit her. Don’t shoot her.

Theo:            [over radio] She can take it. You can’t.

Eric:             Theo, that seems like a really bad idea.

Sage:            Theo fires some rockets out of the ship.

[AI beeps and rockets blast forward, exploding on the Tie Breaker. She growls.]

Lily:           [weak] Jus…don't shoot [groans].

I’m rolling for her Durability. Very high.

[Success chime.]

It’s like being slapped in the back.

Masha:            [Hulkerella] Rose!

Sage:            But then…Theo sees something coming in behind everybody. Bursting through the doors, a new crowd of people. He doesn’t know what it is yet, though.

[A second set of metal doors break as another army charges through.]

Theo:            [over radio] Are they with you?

Siggy:         Alright lizardmen, lizardwomen, lizard- everybody! Let’s go!

[Footsteps charge forward and the new crew screams.]

Eric:             What the—

Roach:            Yeah, that’s right!

Theo:            [over radio] Siggy?

Roach:            Yeah! My boy, Siggy!

Jessica:          Holy crap!

Sage:            And lo and behold. A whole bunch of lizardmen and kind of just humanoid people that are a little scaly, and some people that just kind of, like, rough and tough punk style. A whole spectrum of lizards come in! And they start takin’ out trench coats left and right!

Siggy:         Alright, you trench coat motherfuckers… EAT SHIT!!!

[Rock Music crescendos.]

[Siggy’s army cheers and surges forward.]

Eric:             [elated] Oh my god, you’re not dead!

Masha:            Siggy!

Eric:             And you brought the coffee shop employees.

Masha:            [cheering] Nonstop! Nonstop!

[Travis, Emily, and Sage chuckle.]

Siggy:         Alright everybody, come on. Come on!

Theo:            [over radio] Eyes on the prize, guys.

Roach:            Yo, Siggy! Come on, get up! Fog up this joint!

[Siggy takes a deep breath and exhales, laying down a thick smokescreen.]

Sage:            But then, the skrull, AJ, atop the Tie Breaker pulls out a Chitauri blaster and goes to shoot Scry.

[Gun clatters as the Skrull aims it and squeals as it powers up.]

Eric:             What the fuck?

Lily:           [weak] No! Rose!

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            He’s rolling for Speed. You’re rolling for Combat.

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          15.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            14.

[Net chime.]

Travis:          Haaa!

Sage:            Nice!

[Gun discharges and Eric rolls out of the way. The Skrull growls quietly.]

Make your move.

Eric:             Ride me over there.

Bart:               [indifferent] Alright, get on.

[Eric jumps onto Gibraltar’s back.]

Eric:             Hya!

[Gibraltar neighs and charges forward.]

Sage:            They ride over. Meanwhile…

[Masha as Hulkerella pants and growls, heavy footsteps thudding as she continues to grapple with the Tie Breaker.]

Bloodhound on Masha’s back and the skrull on the back of the Tie Breaker are kind of doing this wrestling sort of maneuver. Trying to get a hold, knock each other off and get them to connect.

[Hooves approach.]

Bart:               You ready boy?

Eric:             Get me close! Alright, here we go. Hya, hya, hya!

Bart:               On Gibraltar! Leap, leap, leap!

[The horse charges forward and jumps onto the platform.]

Masha:            [Hulkerella, weak] Stay with me, Lily.

Lily:           [weak] Eric…

[Success chime.]

Travis:          16.

Sage:            [stifles laughter] Great! You get on there! You grab that skrull!

[Eric jumps from the horse to the Tie Breaker and grabs the skrull around the neck with an arm.]

Mysterious Skrull:      [grunts] Get off me, Scry.

Eric:             We’re gonna talk about this later!

Sage:            And you’re able to grab him and pin him down as you both are riding atop of this big ol’ monster.

[Heavy footsteps pound as Masha and the Tie Breaker wrestle. The Tie Breaker growls and Masha grunts in exertion.]

Eric:             What Legolas bullshit is this?

Sage:            And Eric pulls out both of his I.C.E.R.s. He’s ready to zap him. But then…the skrull quickly transforms.

[Flesh and bone squelch as he morphs.]

Staring Eric right in the eyes, into a one-to-one clone of Eric.

[Beat.]

Eric:             I was gonna need therapy anyways.

[Eric raises his I.C.E.R.s and grunts as he slams them down on the Skrull. The Skrull grunts as electricity crackles.]

Sage:            And the cult leader skrull is stunned. Passed out.

[His body slides down.]

He falls off of the Tie Breaker.

[Thuds as the Skrull tumbles and hits things on his way down.]

Bart:               Castletons! Take aim at that thing!

[Music intensifies.]

[Guns clatter as Bart’s army aims at the Tie Breaker.]

Lily:           [weak] No…don’t…[coughs on blood] It can- I can absorb…

Masha:            [weak] Don’t shoot her.

Bart:               Wait for it.

[The platform rumbles as the Tie Breaker takes a step back.]

Sage:            Lily—

Lily:           The gamma…

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            I need Lily to roll full green right now.

[Dice roll on table.]

Emily:          Oh my god. No to personal, and 10 to ability.

[Net chime.]

Sage:            [hisses in a breath] Well, it’s balanced. So you’re barely keeping alive.

[Lily coughs weakly.]

You’re gaining zero energy here. It’s hard to speak.

Lily:           [weak] Okay…

[Blood drips on the ground.]

Sage:            You’re slowly passing out.

Masha:            Oh gosh.

Sage:            Not to mention, because of Bloodhound’s heightened sense of touch, this is the most painful thing you’ve ever been through.

[Lily groans weakly.]

Masha:            [pleading] Hang in there, Lily.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            I need Masha to roll me full purple.

[Dice roll on table.]

Lily:           [weak] Masha, I think this is gonna kill me.

Jessica:          [irked] Fuck. Me! No on personal and 10 on powerful.

[Net chime.]

Travis:          [hisses in a breath] Damn.

Emily:          Same.

Sage:            You guys both got the same roll.

[Pulse guns fire and the armies continue to scream in the distance.]

Emily:          [quiet] Yeah.

Sage:            So you’re at least in sync.

[Beat.]

[Masha groans.]

Lily:           Masha…I just need to touch her.

Masha:            I’m trying my hardest right now.

Bart:               Take careful aim, boys!

[The Tie Breaker growls.]

Masha:            Don’t shoot her!

Lily:           [weak] No. Please don’t shoot!

Bart:               Wait for it…

Theo:            [over radio] Nope, nope, nope!

[Tie Breaker growls.]

Okay, we’re gonna put an end to that.

[Jet computer beeps as he enters commands.]

Sage:            Theo sees what’s happening in the heat of the moment and he’s smart enough to know that the Castletons are not gonna hold back, and they are going to murder the Tie Breaker the second they get the opportunity.

Lily:           [weak, pleading] Theo!

Sage:            They’re aiming!

[Guns clatter and cock as the army aims once more.]

They’re firing.

Lily:           [weak] Theo…

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Roll for Intellect.

Theo:            [over radio] Alex, help me aim, please.

David:           Whoa ho.

Chad:         18.

[Success chime.]

Sage:            He fires some rockets at the ceiling.

[The jet computer beeps and rockets whish toward the ceiling, exploding and raining debris in front of Bart and his army.]

Bart:               You bastards! What’s wrong with all of you?!

Masha:            That is our sister!

Lily:           [weak] That’s my sister…

Sage:            They don’t have a shot. They’re trapped between a bunch of rubble. This telescope is almost destroyed.

Lily:           Masha— [coughs]

[Tie Breaker growls and takes a few steps closer.]

Eric:             [stammers] Fuck it.

[Clothes rustle as he pulls out his stun gun.]

Empty the clip!

[Stat test chime.]

[Dice roll on table.]

Travis:          14.

[I.C.E.R. fires and zaps. Tie Breaker yelps.]

Sage:            It stops the Tie Breaker in its tracks.

[Tie Breaker screams.]

And it gets down to its knees.

[Thud!]

Lily:           [weak] Rose…

Bart:               Dig yourself outta that rubble, boys. Dig yourself outta that rubble now!

[Emotional, triumphant music starts to build...]

Sage:            Rose makes direct eye contact…

Lily:           Just get me to her. Please…

Sage:            With Lily.

Lily:           Please…

Jessica:          I’m carrying Lily with my own personal strength.

David:           [adoring] Aw, like Samwise.

Jessica:          I’m just gonna— [stifles laughter].

Masha:            I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you. Come on!

[Masha pulls Lily over her shoulder and drags her forward.]

[Music crescendos.]

Sage:            The Tie Breaker tries to get up to go to make another strike—a big strike—onto Masha and Lily.

Lily:           Rose.

Masha:            Rose, don’t.

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            You’re both gonna roll full purple.

[Dice roll on table.]

Jessica:          Yes—

[Success chime.]

—and 9.

[Failure chime.]

Emily:          I made it—

[Success chime.]

—and, uh, Powerful I rolled 3.

[Failure chime.]

Technically, I rolled a natural 1.

[Traivs groans quietly.]

Sage:            [quiet] Fuck.

[Music quiets, a guitar plays the Main Theme melody sadly.]

Lily:           [groans] Masha. I…I just need to touch her…and…I think it’s gonna be…[groans] me or her. So just…let me…let me save her.

Masha:            [tearful] I’m trying so hard right now. I can’t get to her and she’s—

[Masha takes a deep breath and coughs.]

I’m running low on power [sniffles].

Sage:            Rose isn’t herself at all.

[Tie Breaker growls.]

Nothing is getting through to her. Whatever they have done to her, there’s no way to get her back right now. Unfortunately, the Tie Breaker is almost taking its final hit—

[Tie Breaker growls low and takes a few steps forward. It pulls its arm back.]

—into Masha and Lily.

Travis:          [fast] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

[Stat test chime.]

[Dice roll on table.]

19.

[Success chime.]

[Music shifts; a few mournful guitar chords.]

[Eric charges forward.]

Sage:            Scry pushes himself as fast as he can and jumps in the way, right in time.

Lily:           [weak] Eric...

[Eric grunts as he leaps in front of Masha and Lily. The Tie Breaker growls as it finishes its swing, and a sickening crunch is heard as Eric is hit.]

Sage:            He’s able to stop her, but his body…

[Eric sails across the room and smacks hard into a wall. Thuds are heard as he falls to the platform and rolls off onto the tile floor.]

Like a ragdoll, flies across the room.

[Music stops.]

Eric is passed out and there are no more trench coats. Siggy and the Castletons have dealt with all of them.

[Music picks up; a lone guitar builds.]

The Tie Breaker…

[Lily groans as she struggles up and takes a shaky step forward.]

Masha:            [weak] Lily?

[Lily stifles a sob.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            While distracted punching Eric, sees where he lands…

[Lily groans in pain and hisses in a breath, taking another step.]

Lily’s…gonna…roll me…

[Jessica and Emily cry pitifully in worry. Traivs chuckles nervously.]

Masha:            Lily…

Sage:            Full…orange!

[Dice clatter as Emily shakes them nervously.]

Jessica:          [quiet] Oh, Jesus.

[The guitar crescendos and then...]

[Dice roll on table.]

[Emily and Traivs start screaming.]

[Success chime.]

Emily:          Oh my—! [laughs]

Travis:          Oh my gooooood!

Jessica:          What is it?

David:           Ahhh!

Emily:          I rolled a natural fucking 20!

Jessica:          Oh my god!

[Triumphant orchestral rock music bursts in!]

[Emily and Traivs high-five.]

Emily:          Yes!

Travis:          Yes!

[David makes airhorn noises.]

Sage:            Just as Rose is distracted, Lily uses all of her might…

[Lily grunts in pain as she moves forward. A tap is heard as she presses her hand on the Tie Breaker’s arm.]

To pull herself forward and she touches Rose. They make eye contact.

[Metal clanging as the green door appears. Noise warbles and echoes. Lily groans.]

They connect. Everything’s green. You see the door.

[Noise cuts off. A warble starts and cuts off. Lily sighs in pain and shock.]

You see this being.

[Monstrosity roars.]

Horrible. The most evil thing that you’ve ever experienced.

[Lily groans.]

The absolute lowest of the low. It fills you. It starts…consuming your soul.

[Lily continues groaning in pain. She struggles for breath.]

Lily:           [fearful] Masha?

[She pants and stifles a groan. The pain becomes overwhelming and she screams. The monstrosity shrieks back. Noise rushes and returns to normal. Lily pants.]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            Full purple to absorb the energy.

[Dice roll on table.]

[Net chime.]

Travis:          [quiet] Whoa.

Emily:          [disbelieving] Wha—

Chad:         Natural 1 and a 6.

Sage:            [stifles a sigh] That’s the worst...possible roll [sad scoff].

[Somber, ambient music.]

[Sage sighs.]

[Beat.]

She’s not able to take it. Passes out entirely…and her body looks very deformed.

[Masha scoffs, half sad, half disbelieving.]

She falls back into Masha’s arms.

[Clothes rustle as Lily collapses into Masha.]

And Rose starts shrinking down.

[Skin and bones rustle as Rose shrinks.]

Same thing happens to her. She looks very weak, fragile, and not giant any more. And…fades. Masha lays there…

[Masha stifles a sob.]

With her two sisters in her arms.

Masha:            [tearful] Lily…. Rose. Oh.

[She stifles a sob.]

Oh. I—

[She stifles another sob and swallows.]

Please don’t go. [shaky breath] This shouldn’t happen. Take— This- this is not supposed to happen like this. I— [shaky breath]

[Stat test chime.]

Sage:            [sad] Last chance.

[Buzzing crinkle as Masha’s power activates.]

[Dice roll on table.]

Jessica:          [emotional, excited] Healing!

[Dice roll on table.]

[Emily, sniffling, quietly gasps.]

A 20!

Sage:            [yells] What?!

[Everyone starts screaming their heads off!]

Travis:          Whaaat?!

[Success chime.]

[Jessica chuckles in relief.]

David:           No way! There’s no way that just happened!

[Jessica chuckles. Emily laughs in excitement.]

Travis:          What?!

David:           There’s no way that just happened!

Jessica:          Twenty- 26!

[Emily and Traivs shriek happily.]

David:           Bullshit! No way that is— I— No way that happened! I don’t believe it!

Chad:         I’ve been watchin’ this shit.

David:           I don’t believe it!

Chad:         I’ve been watchin’ this shit. They’ve been rolling the shittiest fuckin’ rolls ever [relieved chuckle].

Travis:          God is my- God is my witness!

Sage:            Absolutely tainted with the darkest, deepest form of gamma radiation. Levels that nobody on Earth has even really researched yet, this is cosmic-level shit that absolutely was supposed to kill Lily and Rose!

[Masha groans as she clings to Lily and Rose’s bodies.]

Masha feels so much hope and compassion for her sisters. Though they are not related by blood, they are related by spirit, and through the Cosmic Connection, she rolls her final power!

Masha:            [sobs] Lily, Rose. Please come back! [sniffles]

[Masha cries and desperately channels her powers. Music crescendos; uplifting, cathartic, and emotional.]

Sage:            And heals both of them.

[Healing chimes echo through the room.]

[Lily gasps. Masha pants.]

They feel perfect.

[Music softens; Masha’s Piano Motif plays.]

Lily:           [freaked out] Oh my god.

Sage:            They wake up as if it was all a nightmare.

Lily:           [calming down] Oh my god. Oh…

Masha:            Wha- what the f— Oh my god, come here!

[Masha pulls Lily into a hug and sobs happily.]

Oh. Lily! [sniffles]

Lily:           Masha? Mash— Rose?

[Rose takes a deep breath.]

Oh my god!

[Rose pants in fear.]

Oh my god, Rose! Oh my god!

Rose:           Wha—

Masha:            Rose?

[Rose cries.]

Rose:           Ma—

Masha:            Rose, Rose. It’s Masha.

Rose:           Masha? [cries]

Masha:            Hi. Yeah, yeah, it’s Masha.

Rose:           [cries happily] Hi.

[Rose’s tearful chuckle turns fearful.]

Lily:           You’re gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay, I promise.

Rose:           Where am I?

Lily:           [tearful] We- we got you now.

Masha:            You’re okay. You’re safe, Rose. You’re okay, you’re okay. It’s okay.

Rose:           What? It was just— I— [pants in fear]

Lily:           I know, I know. [tearful] I know.

[Clothes rustle as Lily pulls Rose into a gentle hug.]

[whispers] It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. I promise. I promise. We’re back together.

[Rose’s crying calms as she hugs Lily and Masha.]

[Music fades out.]

Epilogue

[Gentle hum of a television, hospital monitors, and fluorescent lights. Muffled talking from the television. A knock on a door is heard and it creaks open. Dan comes in, his shoes squeaking to a stop. Quiet chatter from the hall outside is heard in the background throughout.]

Dan:             ’Eeey!

Eric:             Yeah. Hey! Hey, man. What’s goin’ on?

Dan:             Just thought I’d come take a visit. You, uh, feelin’ any better? How’s, uh—

[Phone rings in the hallway.]

Eric:             Oh god, no. I mean, like, yeah, right now? They’ve got me on a morphine drip that is really a revelation [amused scoff]. I’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. I just had every bone in my body shattered.

Dan:             [stifles laughter] No biggie.

Eric:             Yeah [amused scoff].

Dan:             Bounce back [quiet chuckle].

Eric:             Uh, take a seat, man.

[Dan closes the door, cutting off the noise from the hall.]

Dan:             Whatcha- whatcha watchin’? [nervous chuckle]

Eric:             Oh! Golf! Dude.

[Dan chuckles.]

Have you seen golf befo— I mean, that’s a dumb question.

Dan:             Mm-hmm.

Eric:             But like, okay, so the cable package here is kinda wack and, like, I found the golf channel and it’s so great. Like— So you’re, like, outside in, like, you know, the open, and then you have, like, your best friend there, but they, like, carry your stuff. And, like, everybody—

Dan:             [humoring him] Uh-huh.

Eric:             And there’s a bunch of people. And no matter what you do, like, they clap. Like sometimes they’re like [mocking] “oooohhh”. [normal] But you know for the mo—

[Dan stifles laughter.]

Honestly, this is just gonna be distracting. I’m- I’m gonna change the channel.

[Remote clicks and a news channel comes on.]

Bart:               [on tv] —in light of the senseless destruction—

Dan:             Oh shit.

Bart:               —that was wrought on—

Eric:             What?

Bart:               —the northern hillsides of our beautiful city of Los Angeles, which I am myself just barely escaped—

Dan:             Is that…

Eric:             [fast] Wait, wait, wait.

Dan:             Is that, uh—

Eric:             [irked] What the fuck is this guy doin’ on the news?

Bart:               —by sheer tyranny of will, [crosstalk] maniacal, scheming [crosstalk]

Dan:             That’s the—

Eric:             What is Bart doing on the news?

Dan:             The Power F— The 616 FM guy, right?

Eric:             Hold on, let me- let me turn it up. Let me turn up.

[Remote clicks and the television gets louder.]

Bart:               —minis that were infesting and vandalizing our beloved Griffith Observatory. The LAPD has unanimously, to every man, not a single vote against, unanimously voiced their consent to have me take the reins of their patch work and spit-polished department—

[Crowd on television cheers and claps.]

—and whip it into something that we as a populace can be proud of!

Dan:             He’s like, playing like a whole character. This is like a whole new…shtick.

Eric:             The fuck is this… Yeah, what is this bit?

Bart:               —not even really superpowered Fort frolickers and how they hide among—

Dan:             That mustache is ridiculous [stifles laughter].

Eric:             Seriously. This guy is- guy is a fuckin’ clown. ’S Clown Man. ’S his hero name. Clown Man.

[Dan stifles laughter.]

Bart:               —and I have the resources of a new source of police officer! A cybernetically enhanced Stark technology-riddled super machine person. And we’re armed to the teeth with these super-men, I will be able to ensure justice and peace and harmony—

[Crowd on television cheers and claps.]

[Ambient music builds.]

—in our beloved state of California.

[Television switches off.]

Dan:             So he did it, though.

Eric:             [quiet] God.

Dan:             Fully integrated.

Eric:             The entire city is gonna be run…by a militarized police force with that asshole at the top.

Dan:             Oh boy [sighs]. It’s gonna be a while ’til you’re on your feet, but, um…need some help with that, I guess hit me up.

Eric:             Yeah.

Dan:             I’m gonna- I’m gonna jet. Um…

[Clothes rustle as Dan stands.]

Eric:             How’s- how’s Elle?

Dan:             Oh… [sighs] Yeah. Um, she’s comin’ around. Well…just gonna be a process, you know.

Eric:             [sad] Yeah.

[Beat.]

Dan:             We’ll get there.

Eric:             [quiet] Yeah.

[Beat.]

Dan:             Maybe, uh, call up Masha, see what she can do. You know, she’s got that one power. I don’t know how it works. Seems kinda finicky, but—

Eric:             Pff, I don’t want her- I don’t want her tryin’ shit on— You kiddin’ me?

[Dan stifles laughter.]

Goddamn. The only thing less reliable than her powers is that car she drove.

[Dan chuckles.]

Dan:             Did we leave that in the desert?

Eric:             Oh 100% left that in the desert!

[Dan laughs.]

Are you kidding? That thing sucked.

Dan:             [stifles laughter] Yeah. Good riddance.

Eric:             Yeah.

Dan:             Alright, dude.

[Dan heads for the door.]

Good to see you.

[Door squeaks open.]

Eric:             Yeah. Later.

[Door shuts.]

I’ma put golf back on.

[Clothes rustle as he lifts the remote and turns the television back on.]

[We hear Dan & Eric’s Motif reprise. Music ends.]

Elle:         [voice over] So…what am I going on about anyway?

[Music shift; A steady beat. Melancholic but positive.]

Griffith Observatory has been closed to the public since the Snap. Where communication has become has become still-born and unworthy of trust. There’s been hushed talk of a super squatter commune there, using a zip-line at night to travel to the city and fight crime. Sounds a bit absurd, but in my line of work you know never to ignore a good rumor.

[Radio beeps.]

Theo:            Alright, Short Circuit. Are you ready?

Short Circuit:         [over radio] Hell yeah I’m ready.

Theo:            Okay!

Short Circuit:         [over radio] I’m gonna need you to step away from the platforms.

[The hum of electricity builds.]

Keep your hands and feet outside of the vehicles.

Theo:            That’s a one…two…three…

[Masha groans in anticipation.]

Short Circuit:         [over radio] Let’s light this bitch up.

[Electricity zaps hard.]

Masha:            Oh my god!

[Lights and gears turn on all around them.]

Rose:           Wow [chuckles].

Short Circuit:         [over radio] We are up and running.

Theo:            Look at this.

Lily:           Holy shit. I mean! Um…

[Rose giggles.]

Uh, holy crap.

Elle:         [voice over] We know of the big dogs: Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Thor and Hulk, Spider-Man and Daredevil. But have you heard of the bandanna-wearing Bloodhound, the power-swapping Roulette, and the sneaky spy Scry? The Griffith Observatory is touring a new kind of space: the underground world of independent vigilantes. They call it The Fort. Unclear if The Castle was a response or a coincidence, but they dress and smell much different than your average hero or secret agent. These are regular people with a sense of youth and wonder, making something of themselves despite no one watching.

Siggy:         [over radio] Hoo! Guys, there’s no line for the Alice in Wonderland ride.

Masha:            Oh, hey, Siggy. Are we gonna talk about Roach? Like, what’s goin’ on with Roach?

Siggy:         [over radio, hesitant] Oh, uh, he’s kinda got his own thing goin’ on at the moment. You know, we’re in the happiest place on earth. Let’s- let’s be happy.

Masha:            O-Okay.

Spencer Croix:    [over radio, confused] Hey guys, I’m like…there’s a big ol’ house here. Scary man- scary- scary building. Scary mansion? Spooky mansion.

Short Circuit:         [over radio] Everybody is free to board at their will. Now, I’m gonna head over to Space Mountain, smoke a joint. Take it easy.

Marty Jane:            over radio, laughs languidly] Whoa!

Mary Jane:        [over radio] Wait…

Marty:           [over radio] Don’t I know you?

Marty, Mary:           [over radio, together] I know you, man!

Marty:           [over radio] No, I totally know you.

Mary:              [over radio] Don’t I know you?

Marty, Mary:           [over radio] You look familiar.

Marty:           [over radio] I know you.

Mary:              [over radio] I think I know you.

[Marty chuckles languidly. Radio crackles as someone else comes on the line.]

Short Circuit:         [over radio] Please don’t come.

[Soup Guy and Door Man walk past.]

Soup Guy:         Oh my god. Oh my god! Disneyland! Disneyland’s alive! I can go to the bread bowl counter, and I can make my favorite soup in a genuine Disneyland Mickey Mouse bread bowl!

Door Man:           No! We’re going on the Buzz Lightyear ride. I’m gonna get that high score before anybody else and I’m gonna finally have my name up on the scoreboard!

Soup Guy:         No, I wanna go get the bread bowl—

Door Man:           Fuck the bread bowl!

Soup Guy:         Uh, I— You’re always calling the shots because you have Fast Pass on your phone.

Door Man:           Yeah, and don’t you forget it! Follow me, Soup Guy, and we’re gonna- and we’re gonna do the chchchch for good luck all the way there, okay?

[Door Man walks toward the Buzz Lightyear ride. Soup Guy groans and follows along, their voices fading.]

Chchchchchch.

Soup Guy:         [unenthusiastic] Chchchch.

Theo:            You know, I’ve always wanted to be a tour guide on the Jungle Cruise.

[Masha stifles laughter.]

So I’m gonna go practice. I’ll see you all—

Lily:           See if you can find one o’ the outfits.

Theo:            Oh. Absolutely.

[Theo shuffles off.]

Masha:            Hey! We should go check out Avengers Land. ’Cause they never finished it. We can see what it looked like.

Rose:           Yeah!

Lily:           Oh hell yeah. I wanna add an “Sc” in front of Avengers.

[Henry runs up to the sisters.]

Henry:             [eager] Hey, guys, I can hang out if you want.

Lily:           No!

Henry:             Uh—

Lily:           No, Henry.

[Lily starts walking away.]

Henry:             [distant] I’m available!

Lily:           Absolutely not.

Elle:         [voice over] These Fort Heroes make mistakes. They’re still finding their footing. Not too much to say about leadership, but it was mostly an enthusiastic affair. There was especially a lot of love for their Poster Team: The ScAvengers, a name they told me was reclaimed by “the man”.

[The sisters continue walking toward Avengers Land.]

[Music shift; soft and contented.]

Lily:           Oh, should we walkie Eric?

Masha:            Yeah!

Rose:           Who’s Eric?

Masha:            Rememb— Okay. So it— There was a guy that you accidently, like, really destroyed.

Rose:           Huh?

Lily:           Masha…

Masha:            He’s in the hospital.

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Rose:           What does that mean?

Masha:            This- you’re- it’s not your fault!

Lily:           He’s going to be fine!

Rose:           Did I do something wrong?

Lily:           He’s going to be fine.

Masha:            [fast] It’s not your fault, Rose. It’s not your fault. I was just—

[Traivs chuckles.]

Eric is fine. It’s something to remember. Obviously, you know—

Rose:           But I don’t remember it.

Lily:           That’s okay.

[Radio crackles as Lily turns it on.]

Eric, wake up.

[Eric groans over the radio.]

Wake up, bitch.

Eric:             [over radio, groggy] Oh god. Who’s…

[Sage chuckles.]

[Rose giggles.]

Who’s there?

Lily:           [loud] Rise and shine!

Eric:             [over radio] Oh. Oh god.

Lily:           It’s 5PM.

Eric:             [groggy] If this is a dream—

[Sage chuckles.]

—I hate whoever is in it sooo much. Okay.

Lily:           Eric, do you wanna see Disneyland?

Eric:             [over radio] What? No. I don’t—

Masha:            We’re in Disneyland!

Rose:           Come see Disneyland, Eric!

Eric:             [over radio] Who’s in Disneyland? Who’s that? Wait. Hold on.

Lily:           Wh- That’s Rose!

Eric:             [over radio] Oh my god. So wha—

Lily:           The one who destroyed your body.

Eric:             [over radio] Whoa! Oh.

Rose:           What?

Eric:             [over radio] Oh!

Masha:            No, Rose, you didn’t do it. Tie Breaker did it.

Rose:           Lily said…

Masha:            Well it—

Lily:           Yeah the— It’s- this- you know. Happiest place on Earth, right?

[Rose chuckles.]

Eric! Do you wanna see, uh, ScAvengers Land? As I’m going to rename it in five minutes?

Eric:             [stifles laughter] Uh, yeah. Hi.

Lily:           Okay, tap in!

Eric:             [over radio] Hold on. I—

Lily:           [fast] Tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in.

Eric:             Look, [slow] I just woke up—

Rose:           [fast] Tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in—

[Everyone begins speaking over each other.]

Masha, Rose:         [together, fast] Tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in, tap in!

Eric:             Who— Everybody— Okay! Fine! Fine. Fine! Fine!

[Lily giggles.]

Oh god, I tapped into the nurse. Hold on. I just woke up, this is hard [stifles laughter].

[Masha scoffs in amusement. Lily and Rose chuckle.]

[Sage chuckles.]

Oh god. Oh god.

Lily:           My eyes! Tap into my eyes.

[Eric takes a deep breath. A rumbling whoosh is heard over the radio as he taps into Lily’s sight.]

Masha:            You see it?

Rose:           I’m here!

Eric:             Ah!

Masha:            See look, it’s Rose!

Eric:             Oh.

Rose:           Hi!

Lily:           Hey, this is Rose!

Eric:             [over radio] Oh, you’re a lot smaller now. That’s- that’s good. Hey, alright. How you doin’?

Rose:           I was never bigger than this.

[Beat.]

Eric:             Right.

Masha:            Baby steps, you know.

Eric:             [over radio] Okay. Hi, Rose. It’s nice to- it’s nice to meet you.

Masha:            Well do we wanna explore this spot or like…

Eric:             [over radio] Yeah, I was gonna mention. I heard that when this was comin’ up, ’cause I was really nosy about it ’cause I thought it was a bunch of fascist bullshit—

Masha:            Right.

Eric:             —that they were gonna do [takes a deep breath] a hall of- of Stark. It was gonna be like a shrine to Iron Man. All these different suits, but I—

Rose:           Ooo.

Masha:            D’you think they have more arc reactors?

Eric:             [over radio] I’m gonna go out on a limb and guess they didn’t put a billion dollar pacemaker—

[Sage stifles laughter.]

—in, like, a public space behind glass.

Lily:           They’re prob’ly wherever the frozen head is.

Rose:           Ew.

Eric:             [over radio] I forgot about that conspiracy theory [stifles laughter].

Rose:           Gross!

Lily:           Anyway! You wanna punch a statue of Tony Stark, anyone?

Rose:           I do.

[Eric stifles laughter.]

Masha:            Let’s do it.

Elle:         [voice over] No matter your opinion of the Sokovia Accords, or who you think is to blame for The Snap, I’ve realized something. We get so caught up in the glorified sight of The Avengers, it’s easy to forget all the little guys who hit the ground running. There are so many enhanced individuals walking all around us, and it seems more and more find their powers by the day. They can’t shoot fire from their fingertips, or take the impact of a moving car as if it were a scratch. But visiting The Fort made me realize, lack of flair—or money—doesn’t make you less capable of change.

Lily:           Let’s hop these turnstiles.

Masha:            Alright!

[Shoes scuff as Lily turns to Rose.]

Lily:           Alright, you need a boost?

[Clothes rustle as Lily helps lift her over.]

Whoop.

Rose:           Whoop [chuckles].

[The three sisters jog inside Avengers Land. Their voices echo a bit in the construction-filled hallway. Atmospheric music plays underneath.]

Eric:             [over radio] Ugh.

Lily:           Ew.

Rose:           Ew.

Masha:            This looks so…

Eric:             Gross.

Rose:           Hmm.

Masha:            …Wow.

Lily:           Yeah…. I’m gonna tag it.

[Shoes scuff and clothes rustle as she moves forward. A spray can clatters as she shakes it.]

Boost me, baby.

Masha:            Alright, alright, fine.

[Masha locks her fingers and let’s Lily step on her hands. She grunts as she lifts Lily higher. Paint sprays along the wall.]

[groaning] You got it?

Lily:           [pleased] Yeah.

Masha:            [groaning] Okay.

Eric:             Nice. Nice.

[Rose chuckles.]

Masha:            [groaning] Okay.

Rose:           Nice!

[Lily hops down and takes a step back to look at her artwork. Masha sighs in relief.]

Lily:           How’s that look, Eric? You like it?

Eric:             [over radio] Yeah, that looks good.

Lily:           This is our kingdom!

[Sage stifles laughter.]

Eric:             [over radio] Oh. Yeah, I guess so.

Rose:           Yeah!

Eric:             [stifles laughter] I’m glad that Rose is so, just, kinda on board for all this. This is…

Lily:           I know.

[Rose chuckles.]

This is why I really, really missed her.

Eric:             [over radio] Oh man.

Masha:            [loving] Yeah.

Eric:             [over radio] Well I wish I could be there with you for real, instead of just riding sidecar.

Masha:            Well you’re not really missing that much. Seems kind of wasteful here, and almost wrong.

Lily:           A real hero doesn’t need this.

Masha:            No.

Lily:           I think we know that.

Rose:           What d’you think a real hero needs?

Lily:           [hesitant] To do the right thing for the…the sake of doing the right thing. Not for a shiny hall. Or a tourist attraction. You know?

[Rose chuckles in agreement.]

Eric:             [over radio] You know what this is? This entire thing is a monument to false expectations. Regardless of what we think of the Avengers, wherever they are now—and honestly, who gives a shit—[sighs] we need to be…our own heroes and we can’t rely on these figureheads.

[Masha sighs.]

We don’t know who they are, really, and they may have their own limits. And they may not have ever thought that so many people would look to them to…just kinda…save the day. I never thought we’d be in that position, but…

Lily:           They saved the world. We saved the day.

[Eric chuckles.]

Masha:            Yeah.

Eric:             [sighs] You know, we did. And, uh, nobody knew.

Lily:           But honestly [light chuckle] I don’t care.

Masha:            Yeah.

Lily:           I feel like I can breathe for the first time in years.

[Rose scoffs in agreement.]

She knows. And to me? That’s the only thing that matters.

Elle:         [voice over] Star Power is an illusion. Our relationship with Tony Stark will always be a one way street. I’m sure his dad’s company will figure out a way to improve things over time. But why wait for their permission? Why wait for them to learn what it means to sacrifice? If we take a moment to look around, people are saving the world every day, right under our noses.

Eric:             [over radio] Alright, I’m goin’ back to bed.

Rose:           Night, night!

Lily:           No, no, come have a moment with us!

[Masha stifles laughter.]

Eric:             [over radio] No! [stifles laughter] I’m gonna have a moment with morphine, alright?

Rose:           Who’s morphine?

Eric:             Goodbye.

[Radio clicks off.]

Masha:            Well— Wait, wait, Eric! I just—

[Radio squeaks back on.]

Eric:             [fast] What, what, what, what, what?

Masha:            I never really got to say, um…I don’t— [nervous] Ahhh, haha. [normal] I just wanna say thanks for helping me and especially Lily.

[Eric lets out a breath of a laugh.]

Lily:           [serious] Yes.

Masha:            And I really appreciate the, um, yeah. All of your help and, uh, resources [choking up] to get Rose back, ’cause I didn’t— Um. I didn’t think that that would be, but I’m so…

[Rose lets out a quiet laugh.]

Sorry, Rose. I’m so happy that you’re here. Um.

[Rose, Lily, and Masha chuckle.]

So yup. Thanks, Eric.

Lily:           We couldn’t’ve done it without you. Okay?

Rose:           Thanks, Eric.

Eric:             [groggy] You’re welcome, Rose. If I woulda known that all it took to make some real friends was to get hit by a living Mac truck—

[Masha stifles laughter.]

—um, I would’ve done it years ago.

[Lily and Rose chuckle. Eric takes a deep breath and lets out a quiet, sleepy sigh.]

And with that…I’m going to go to sleep now, ’cause the drip started again, and that’s…and that’s nice.

Lily:           Okay, we might wake you up for Jungle Cruise, though, ’cause…

Eric:             Uhhh…

Masha:            Yeah!

Lily:           Theo’s gonna narrate it.

Rose:           [gasps] I love that one!

Masha:            Yeah.

Eric:             Huh.

Lily:           Yeah.

Masha:            Theo’s gonna be— He’s workin’ on his jokes right now. [amused] I’m very excited.

Eric:             [dreading] Oh god, alright.

Lily:           [amused] Oh you know you wanna hear those jokes.

Masha:            I wonder if he’s, like, rewiring—

Theo:            [distant] Hey, guys!

Masha:            Oh!

Theo:            Hey!

Lily:           Yea— Hey!

Theo:            [voice getting closer] Hey look at this. I found- I found a notebook filled with jokes!

[Lily chuckles. Rose gasps happily.]

Elle:         [voice over] In a strange way, despite most people being afraid to go outside, plants wildly overgrown, and any sense of community being scarce, times like these remind us that, although we are alone, we are interwoven. Every choice we make will be felt by others one way or another. Everything we do echoes, even if we don’t hear it. And when things are broken people must rebuild. They must construct their own systems of confidence, their own paths, their own homes. Even if that means tearing down the things of old.

Lily:           How ’bout, uh, the two o’ you run ahead and flip through the notebook? Um…

Rose:           Are you sure?

Masha:            Yeah. We’ll- we’ll catch up.

Lily:           Mm-hmm! Yeah, yeah. We’re right behind ya, kid.

Rose:           Okay. Bye!

[Rose and Theo walk away.]

Lily:           Bye.

Theo:            See ya!

Lily:           Oh, why is it so hard to say goodbye to her even though she’s only twenty feet away from us?

Masha:            I know. I’m, like, trying so hard not to, like, freak out right now [nervous chuckle]. I’m very sorry.

Lily:           [gentle] Come here. Come here.

[Masha sighs tearfully as Lily hugs her.]

Masha:            Yeah.

[Lily’s guitar riff, the Sisters motif, reprises gently underneath.]

Lily:           I am…so…sorry about how hard I was on you about finding her.

Masha:            [emotional] No, no. No, Lily—

Lily:           No, no, I- I—

Masha:            —I’m so sorry that I ever doubted you and- and— I mean, who would’ve thought that she would be the one person in the entire world that they turn into some, like, crazy monster? The odds were very low, but I should’ve- I should’ve just believed you and trusted you and I’m really sorry that I didn’t [tearful sigh].

Lily:           [comforting] I-it’s okay. I mean…[sighs] Thank you for sticking through, anyway.

[Masha chuckles tearfully.]

I could not have done any of this without you. I am so happy that Mom and Dad…picked you up and brought you into our family, ’cause…y— [tearful sigh] Ugh! I hate the emotions!

[Lily growls as she fights back tears.]

Masha:            It’s okay to cry, Lily, okay?

[Lily sniffles and groans.]

I’m very so, so thankful that you’ve brought so much joy in my life and how- have helped me accept who I am [sniffles] And I don’t know where I’d be without you. I’m just so thankful and it’s just such a…perfect bow on top that we broke into Disneyland [chuckles].

[Lily sniffles and chuckles.]

Lily:           We really are the best family in the multiverse.

Masha:            Yeah. And only we know it, but that’s all that matters.

Lily:           Yeah. Hopefully the Avengers have some crazy plan to bring our parents back, but…you know [scoffs].

Masha:            I know.

Lily:           One thing at a time.

Masha:            Just gotta keep hope.

Elle:         [voice over] At a certain point, it’s healthy to accept that the wealthy and well-off don’t have our best interests in mind. Even the highest ranking heroes can’t save our city from itself… We have to do that. The people. The little guys.

[Riverboat hums as it glides through the water.]

Theo:            If you enjoyed yourself, my name is Theo, and this has been the world famous Jungle Cruise. If you didn’t my name is Glitter Can—

[Lily laughs.]

—and this has been the fucking Castle.

Masha:            Nice. That was personalized.

[Rose giggles.]

Lily:           [amused] Yeah.

Masha:            Oh! By the way, Rose, what did you think of ScAvengers Land?

Rose:           Eh. ’S kinda boring. I mean, I would’ve liked it if the roller coasters were kind of bigger, but…

[Lily chuckles.]

If they ever finish this Avengers Land thingy…it should be about you guys.

You guys are the heroes.

[Music shifts; Sisters motif continues, ethereal and hopeful.]

[Masha and Lily laugh humbly.]

Masha:            Wow.

Lily:           That’s…

Masha:            Thanks, Rose [chuckles].

Lily:           Yeah.

Rose:           You’re welcome!

[Radio crackles on.]

Eric:             [over radio] Hey, guys, guys, guys. I remembered something. I just… Have you both ever- have either of you ever watched golf before?

Masha:            [quiet] Oh my god.

Eric:             It’s amazing. We’ve gotta go do it at some—

[The radio squeals as Lily turns it off.]

Elle:         [voice over] So what do I think of The Fort? A bit rough around the edges to put it mildly, but I will say their hearts are in the right place. They may work in the dark for now, but if we were to shine the sun on them for a day, I don’t know…

I think they could all be stars.

[A final, soft guitar chord.]

Sunstar - Original Song

[Guitar strings tap quietly.]

Sage:            [quiet] One. Two. One, two, three, four.

[An acoustic guitar plays. The cast vocalizes.]

I want to be the ripple of a Great Lake

Touch all shores before I dissipate

Be the echo of an encompassing cave

Covering rock walls with reverberant sound waves

Travis:          Ignite me with lighting, rightly make me feel vain

Stab me in the bank, my brittle heart condensates

Emily:          Dampen all the passion so we misbehave

Jessica:          Repeat the loop and stub out the flame

Everyone:       The stars are dimming

Sage:            and we feel the change

Everyone:       So burn it all down

Sage:            Without a name

Sage, Travis:          Drip me down the verticality

I want to see the history bleed

Sage, Jessica:          Tear it to tatters, legacy

The worst of me, through tapestries

Sage, Emily:        Closing down all the gates you keep

Then eat the key to be at peace

Travis:          I guess if don’t trust myself

How could you ever trust me

Everyone:       I want to be the ripple of a Great Lake

Touch all shores before I dissipate

Emily:          Be the echo of an encompassing cave

Travis:          Covering rock walls with reverberant sound waves

Everyone:       Galaxies turn, the gravity unconstrained

Stuck in motion with all of your decisions made

Jessica:          Invisible, in the dark, as if a grave

Everyone:       Clawing your way out through the wooden grain

Emily:          Maybe the earth will provide some light today

Sage, Emily:        A leaking sense of matter,

Everyone:       ...down spillways and drains

Sage:            Can you hear me now?

Jessica:          Can you see the shroud?

Emily:          Can you feel my wake?

Sage, Jessica:          Now that I’m out of the shade

Sage, Travis:          Can you smell the roses?

Everyone:       Wake up and revel in the rain

Travis:          I know your space is safe

Sage:            But can you taste my pain?

Sage, Travis:          Can you taste my pain?

Everyone:       Can you taste my pain?

Sage:            Can you taste my pain?!

Sage, Travis:          Will I

Jessica, Emily:         ever be the

Sage, Travis:          Marvelous

Jessica, Emily:         version of me

Sage, Travis:          Will I

Jessica, Emily:         ever be the

Sage, Travis:          Starlight

Everyone:       in the Skyline, freed

Will I ever be the

Marvelous version of me

Will I ever be the

Starlight in the Skyline, freed.

Credits

[Episode End music throughout.]

Mayanna Berrin:    20 Sided Stories is produced by Sage G.C., Jessica Dahlgren, and Traivs Reaves

Masha Mirova was played by Jessica Dahlgren

Eric Stanton was played by Traivs Reaves

Lily Kline was played by Emily Ervolina

[Rose Kline was played by Hollis Dohr]

Additional Voices by David Michmerhuizen, Chad Ellis, Kaitlyn Cornell, and M. Colton Brodeur.

Music, Editing and Sound Design by Sage G.C.

Character Artwork by Rhea Lonsdale

Episode Artwork by Josh Wolf

Special thanks to Greg Reasoner, Matt Johnston and all our Patreon Supporters

Podcast Directed by Sage G.C.

You can get the soundtrack to this series for free at

sagegc.com/music

Follow 20 Sided Stories on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook @20SidedStories

Or visit our website at 20sidedstories.com

Special Thanks

Sage:            We made it! You made it all the way to the end. Thank you so much for sticking it out. I hope you enjoyed MARVEL: Survivors of The Snap, and if you did, tell us! Leave a review wherever you’re listening. Tweet at us, shoot us an email, whatever. We love to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate.

Thank you to our lovely, wonderful patrons who made this possible. Including:

Crypt Critter

Daniel Pugh

Tracey R Dailey

Bradley Côté

Matthew Scott

Andrew Strother

Gizelle Gando

First Encounter Pod

Traivs Cole

Devone Cleaveland

Moose with Moxie

D.B. Jarvis

T.H. Ponders

Elizabeth Villarreal

CantOutRunADuck

Mint_ChocoChick86

You are all rockstars. I love you, 3000. We will continue to update the Adventure Pass feed every month for you all with fun bonus episodes, including a Postmortem for MARVEL. Slated to come out later this week, where we’ll be going through every episode in the season and dishing on all sorts of behind the scenes intel. We did one of these for POKÉMON!. It’s a very fun time.

Just wanted to say thank you to all the guests for coming on the show, and then coming back and recording those little cameos for us. So good.

Hollis Dohr, holy shit you did phenomenal as Rose Kline, thank you so much.

Thank you to Cloudkicker for making your music Creative Commons. Go listen to Cloudkicker. A huge inspiration of mine.

And of course, a huge thank you for everyone in the cast and crew for tagging along and just absolutely crushing it through this wild experiment and enhancing my disjointed vision. Yes, I put a lot of work into the presentation, but it is all of your performances that gives 20 Sided Stories its pulse. In my opinion.

So! What’s next? Well, we have a bunch of housekeeping planned just on the horizon. Some exciting surprises and a lot of stuff that’s been way overdue. So just keep a lookout for that. It’s gonna be fun.

As for new episodes, well hopefully, you will not be waiting nearly as long as the gap between POKÉMON! and MARVEL was. We are actually in the process of locking down our next two series. Yes, we’re thinking two steps ahead right now, and man are we stoked! Oh my god, I’m so excited! It’s gonna be so much fun.

We will announce and share more when ready. So follow 20 Sided Stories on Twitter or Instagram and you will know when we know. Otherwise, keep fighting. Keep pushing.

Earth really needs us all to be heroes right now and just to be perfectly clear here, 20 Sided Stories stands with the Black Lives Matter movement and against police brutality. We wear masks and we trust science. At 20 Sided Stories we believe women. We think trans rights are human rights. The whole progressive nine yards. If this sort of thing bothers you, then honestly this show ain’t for you, and a lot of the themes here are probably flying way over your head anyway, so…

I put some resources in the episode description. Please check ‘em out if you have a minute.

I think that’s everything. This has been MARVEL: Survivors of The Snap. Thank you all for listening, and I’ll see you on the next 20 Sided Story. Later.

[Episode End music crescendos and fades out.]

After-Credits Scene

[Fluorescent lights hum above Eric’s hospital bed as he watches YouTube on his phone.]

Dr. J:            [on video] This is Dr. J, and this was part one of “How to be the Best You”. So go ahead and like, comment, subscribe, hit that little bell, and let’s slam dunk our problems and shortcomings together, in a healthy way! [chuckles]

Eric:             Wow. That was actually really helpful… I wanna subscribe, but…it feels kinda weird since—

[Email notification pings. He sighs and opens the file, reading out loud.]

“Hey Eric. Sorry I never came to visit you in the hospital. The time came and it just felt…uncomfortable…Elle—

Eric, Dan:       —and I know you’re on your way to becoming a better person—

Dan:             —and maybe in time the tapping can be forgiven, but trust has been severed and there’s no going back. Sorry, man.

We’re moving out of state. Pretty sure S.H.I.E.L.D. leadership was gonna try to arrest me anyway whenever they’re done time traveling. Whatever the hell they’ve been up to.

It’s been great having you back these last couple years, though. I mean that. You’re the best friend I ever had. Again, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said I was going to visit.

Dan, Eric:       I knew this was the end.

Eric:             Take care, bro.

Dan”

[Beat. Suspenseful music builds.]

Who the fuck was that that came to visit me? Who the— [gasps] Ooooh. Oh god dammit. And I’m in a hospital. And it’s golf!

[Eric throws his phone out the window and wiggles in his body cast, furious.]

[yells] Dammit! God dammit! Why can’t anything be over?! Why can’t anything ever be over?! This sucks! Goood dammiiit!

[Music crescendos and fades.]