46 & 2 Issue Eleven

Province

46 & 2 Issue 11:

By

Zachary Smith

PAGE 1.  PANEL 1.

Chino leans back in the driver seat of his car, he is smoking, and looking up into the air.  TV on the Radio’s Province plays on the stereo.  A shadow creeps nearer to the car, it is Myung, but we don’t see that yet.

This is about a year and a half before the opening of the series.  Chino is sixteen going on seventeen, no tattoos, long sleeve shirt.  He has blond tips in his hair, just like the real Chino Moreno used to have.

Caption:  “October 4^th, 2006.”

Myung (off panel):  “Hey, get off our property!”

Stereo: “Suddenly, all your history ablaze…”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 2.

Chino sits up in his seat, and looks at Myung, we see the sun behind her, and she is alit with light, looking beautiful.

Chino: “Uh, ah, I…”

Myung:  “Still can’t talk to me correctly, huh?”

Stereo:  “Tried to breathe, as the world disintegrates…”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 3.

Myung kneels down to be at eye level with Chino, her arms rest on the car window.

Myung:  “Long time no see, Lee.  How’s it going?”

Chino:  “Good.”

Myung:  “So you can talk.”

Chino:  “Ha.  You just caught me by surprise, that’s all.  When did you…”

Myung:  “Get back from school?  Yesterday.”

Stereo:  “Just like autumn leaves…”

Myung:  “What are you listening too?”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 4.

Chino hands her the cd case.

Chino:  “TV on the Radio.  I’m loving it.  I can burn you a copy if you want?”

Myung:  “Sure.  But that’s not very appropriate.”

Chino:  “Why not?”

Myung:  “Because it’s your birthday, people are supposed to give you gifts.”

Chino:  “You…”

Stereo:  “We’re in for a change…”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 5.

Myung begins to walk away.

Myung:  “Happy birthday.  CHI.  GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE, POOR FEI IS JUST SITTING IN THE CAR.  Takes longer than a girl.  Bye.”

Chino:  “Bye…”

Stereo:  “Holding tenderly, too what remains.”

Chino:  “YOU SHOULD COME TO MY PARTY!”

PAGE 1.  PANEL 6.

Chino holds his hand over his mouth, as if the words had escaped before he had time to stop them.  Myung is still walking.

Myung:  “I’ll see.”

Stereo:  “And all your memories, as precious as gold.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 1.

Chino and Myung sit in the Buena Vista, near pier 39 in San Francisco.  We are now up to current time.  Myung has an Irish coffee in front of her, Chino has a soda in front of him.  They both have burgers and sweet potato fries in front of them.

Myung:  “What were you and the Rev. talking about this morning?”

Chino:  “Just what he’s going to tell my family.”

Myung:  “Which is?”

Chino:  “That I was requested by a university to come interview immediately.  They accepted me, and now I’m going to that school.”

Myung:  “Are they going to buy that?”

Chino:  “I think most of them will be so happy that I’m going to some recognized school that they won’t care.  Grandma Lee will be for sure.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 2.

Chino is holding a fry as he talks to Myung.

Chino:  “This place is cool.  How’d you find out about it?”

Myung:  “Came here a couple years ago while I was still in College.  Couldn’t drink yet, but stood far away enough from the bar and had our friends order.”

Chino:  “Should of done that.”

Myung:  “Here, try it.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 3.

Chino is taking a sip from Myung’s Irish coffee.  Myung is holding her burger, waiting to bite until after she asks her question.

Myung:  “How is it?”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 4.

Chino has a foam mustache on his face.  Myung smiles and chews.

Chino:  “That is excellent.  Definitely coming here when I’m 21.  What’s so funny?”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 5.

Myung wipes the cream off his face with her thumb.

Myung:  “We’ll definitely have to come.”

PAGE 2.  PANEL 6.

Myung goes for another bite of her hamburger, Chino looks away, sad.

PAGE 3.  PANEL 1.

Back to a year and a half ago.

Chino, Chi, Frankie, Stephan, and Abe all sit at a table in Grandma Lee’s Chinese food restaurant.  They are all eating.  There are a pile of gifts on the table, all with no wrapping on them: A shirt, a poster, comics, and a TRYSTERO magazine.  Abe starts talking.

Chino has a jacket on.

Abe:  “No grown ups?”

Chino:  “Do you want to celebrate your birthday with your parents or your grandma?”

Stephan:  “Not very cool.”

Chi:  “No one can be cool in front of their mom.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 2.

Grandma Lee brings a plate of food.

Grandma Lee:  “Boys, is so good to see you.  Glad you’re here with my grand baby.  Don’t want him sitting alone on his birthday.”

Frankie:  “No problem Mrs. Lee.”

Chino: “Grandma…”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 3.

Grandma Lee kisses Fei on the cheek, and pinches his cheeks.  All of the other boys are trying not to laugh.

Grandma Lee:  “He is such a good boy.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 4.

Grandma Lee is walking away, all of the boys are laughing, but controlled so Grandma Lee does not hear them.  Chino is flipping them off, making sure his grandma hasn’t turned around to see him flipping the bird at the boys. 

Mala (off panel):  “I’m going to tell.”

PAGE 3.  PANEL 5.

All of the boys look up, Mala and Myung are walking towards their table.  Chino is digging in his jacket pocket.

Chino:  “Snitch.”

Mala:  “Rhymes with bitch, which I can be.  Look who I brought, the straight A student, turned college party girl.”

Myung:  “Shut up.  I’m never going to drunk dial you again.”

Mala:  “Don’t break my heart.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 1.

Mala has pulled up a seat, Chino has scooted into the booth further, to the rest of the guys annoyance, and is offering the open space to Myung.

Chino:  “Here Myung, you can sit here.”

Chi:  “Sister, you just got to make this inconvenient for everyone.”

Myung:  “Just for that, I’m definitely sitting here.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 2.

The rest of the table talks, Chino has gotten the cd out that he was trying to get out of his jacket.  Myung looks at him surprised.

Chino:  “You know that band you were asking about, here’s that cd.”

Myung:  “Fei, you don’t get someone else a gift on your birthday.”

Chino:  “It’s a burned copy, so its okay.”

Myung:  “Still, I didn’t get you anything.”

Chino:  “You coming is good enough.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 3.

Myung blushes and looks down at the CD, Chino is looking away, staring at everyone else, who is now staring at them.

Chino:  “What?”

Frankie:  “Nothing.”

Stephan:  “We should go to my house, parents are out of town.  Mala is twenty-one.” 

Abe:  “Good plan.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 4.

Everyone is still looking at Chino.

Mala:  “His choice.”

Chino:  “Do you mind?”

Mala:  “Aiding and abetting minors?  Nah, would of wanted the same for me on my birthday.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 5. 

Everyone begins to put money on the table, their conversation is above the volume of Myung and Chino’s.

Frankie:  “I know she said she’d pay for it, but we can tip her right?”

Stephan:  “Why not.”

Chino:  “Did you want to go?”

Myung:  “I don’t know, I should be getting my resume ready.”

Chino:  “That’s cool.”

PAGE 4.  PANEL 6.

Chino is getting his jacket on, he looks away, trying to hide his disappointment, Myung is looking at him, with the CD in her hands.

Myung:  “…Okay.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 1.

Myung has just a few bites left of her burger, Chino is completely done, he sits with his elbows on the table looking away.

Myung:  “Remember when you guys used to follow Mala and I around?”

Chino:  “Heh.  Yeah.  I liked you and Chi liked Mala.  Poor Chi.”

Myung:  “Why do you say that?”

Chino:  “I hadn’t the heart to tell him, and apparently she hasn’t told you either.”

Myung:  “Told me what?”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 2.

Chino makes his fingers into the shape of the vaginal opening, and sticks his tongue out a little.

Chino:  “She’s…”

Myung:  “GAY!”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 3. 

Everyone looks over at them.  Myung tries to hide her head.

Chino:  “So happy over here.”

Myung:  “Definitely not the best place to yell out gay in shock.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 3.

Myung, still hiding her head.

Myung:  “So much for woman’s intuition.  And here I was trying to set her and Chi up.”

Chino:  “Yeah, I quit doing that after I found out.”

Myung:  “Does she know that you know?”

Chino:  “No, but she told Chi in Coachella, and he’s been depressed ever since.”

Myung:  “Show him Chasing Amy, give him some hope.”

Chino:  “That’s just cruel.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 4.

Myung is getting her coat on.

Myung:  “I’ll have to bring Mala here sometime.”

Chino:  “NO!  The Rev. said any sort of contact could be dangerous.  You guys need to stay as far away from me as possible.”

Myung:  “They might.  I’m just fine.”

PAGE 5.  PANEL 5.

Chino looks down.

Chino:  “No, you’re not.”

PAGE 6.  PANEL 1.

SPLASH PAGE.  Frankie and Abe are playing video games, Chi is sitting next to Mala, and Stephan is in the kitchen, eating.

Beer cans are open everywhere, so are liquor bottles, and wine bottles.

Chino and Myung sit very close on the couch together. 

Mala:  “You’re twenty-first is going to be a let down after this.”

Chino:  “Nah, then I can get wasted while I’m in a bar, totally different experience.  I assume.”

Myung:  “Yeah, especially when you’re a girl.  People sweating all over you, wanting to buy you a drink ‘cause they think you’re going to fuck them afterwards.”

Abe:  “They don’t fuck you if you buy them a drink?  Fuck that, no girl is ever getting my money.”

Franki:  “Horribly chivalrous.”

Stephan:  “You guys crashing here?”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 1.

Myung looks at Mala.

Myung:  “She’s my ride, ask her.”

Mala:  “Girl, I’m blowing positive for being fucked up if I drive right now.”

Chi:  “They’re staying.  I am.”

Abe:  “Me and Frankie are heading back to my pad.  You don’t have Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on this shit, fuck that.”

Stephan:  “It’s a PS3 dickhole, what do you want me to do?  They don’t make it for this platform.

PAGE 7.  PANEL 2.

Myung looks at Chino.

Myung:  “Are you staying Fei?”

Chi:  “Chino.  We call him Chino.”

Myung:  “Whatever.  Are you staying?”

Chino:  “Yeah, can’t exactly go home in this state.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 3.

Stephan is in front of everybody with a bunch beers, and he also has a bong tucked under his right armpit. 

Stephan:  “Let’s continue the party then.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 4.

Chino and Myung have taken a beer, and are toasting with the beers.

Myung:  “Happy birthday, and (spoken in Mandarin) Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

Chino:  “Thanks, what does that mean?”

Myung:  “You’re the worst Chino ever.”

Chino:  “I know, blame my parents.”

PAGE 7.  PANEL 5.

Myung leans in close to his ear

Myung: “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”

Chino:  “I like that.”

Myung:  “Me Chini, me no dummy.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 1.

Myung, Mala, Chino, and Stephan, are taking shots while Chi is passed out on the couch.  Myung is shooting first, while everyone else is talking. 

Mala:  “That’s my girl.”

Stephan:  “There’s a room if you want it man.”

Chino:  “Sounds good.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 2.

Myung is making a grimace, cringing due to the alcohol.  Everyone else is taking their shots. 

Myung:  “Whooooooooo, catch up bitches.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 3.

Myung is pouring herself her next shot.  Everyone else is making their post shot cringe face.

Myung:  “What is this?”

Stephan:  “Wuuhhh…Jamesons whiskey.”

Myung:  “Way fucking better than Jack.”

Chino:  “Cough cough…smooth.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 4.

Stephan takes the bottle and has pulled a carton of pineapple juice from the fridge.

Mala:  “Ohhh, those are dangerous.  Sleeper drink.”

Myung:  “Give it to me.”

Stephan:  “Coming right up.  Chino?”

Chino:  “Uhhh, no thanks.  I’ll switch back to beer.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 5.

Myung slams down her glass.

Myung:  “ANOTHER!”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 6.

Myung makes another drink, everyone is watching her.

Mala:  “Number?”

Chino:  “I think it’s her fourth.”

Myung:  “Fifth.”

PAGE 8.  PANEL 7.

Myung holds the drink to her face, smiling.

Myung:  “I could drink these all night.”

PAGE 9.  SPLASH PAGE.

Myung is holding herself over the toilet, saliva runs down her mouth, and hair is a mess.  Chino is looking in through the bathroom door to see if she is okay. 

Chino:  “Hey Myung.  Mala said it was okay to come in.  I was just seeing if you were okay.”

Myung:  “Can you play that CD from earlier.”

Chino:  “Yeah, hold on.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 1.

Chino is holding her hair while she throws up.

Myung:  “So…hunnnh…sorry.”

Chino:  “Don’t apologize.  I’m sure you’ll do the same for me someday.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 2.

Myung lays on Chino’s lap.

Myung:  “You don’t have to stay in here, I’m fine.”

Chino:  “Its cool, I’m having fun.”

Myung:  “You’re cute.”

Chino:  “You must be drunk.”

Myung:  “Just a little.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 3.

Myung and Chino are asleep in the bathroom.

PAGE 10.  PANEL 4.

Stephan bursts into the bathroom.  Chino and Myung are startled awake.

Stephan:  “MOVE IT!!!  PEE PEE EMERGENCY!”

Stephan:  “I’ve been waiting for you guys to move all night, but I just can’t take it anymore.”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 5.

Stephan is peeing, while Chino and Myung walk outside.

Chino:  “You are a guy, you could just pee outside.”

Stephan:  “…Now why didn’t I think of that?”

PAGE 10.  PANEL 6.

Myung looks at her watch.

Myung:  “Shit.  I better get our asses home.  Is my brother dead?”

Chi (off panel):  “I’m awake, pukey mcpukerson senior.”

Myung:  “Then lets go.”

Chino:  “What are you doing tonight?”

Myung:  “I don’t know.  Definitely recovering, maybe watch a movie.”

Chino:  “I could bring one over.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 1.

Myung and Mala are sitting in a coffee shop.

Mala:  “So you going to let him down easy, or just keep leading him on?”

Myung:  “I’m not doing anything.”

Mala:  “You let him come over your place…”

Myung:  “My brother is his best friend.”

Mala:  “You watch romantic movies together…”

Myung:  “’But I’m a Cheerleader,’ is a gay romantic film, it doesn’t turn me on to see chicks making out.”

Mala:  “And you’re going to dinner with him.”

Myung:  “He invited me over to his grandparents restaurant, where I’ve eaten a million times before.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 2.

Mala looks unconvinced and adds some sugar to her coffee.

Mala:  “Whatever.  In his mind you are dating.  Ask him.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 3.

Chino is removing his apron, and sitting down next to Myung.  Myung is typing on her laptop.  She has a wireless card and receiver popping out.

Chino:  “What are you doing?”

Myung:  “Looking for jobs.”

Chino:  “What kind?”

Myung:  “Budget analyst.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 4.

Food is dropped off for the two of them.

Chino:  “Try the almond shrimp.”

Myung:  “Are you kidding me, it’s my favorite.”

Chino:  “I like the orange beef and chicken myself.”

Myung:  “I wonder what Chinese food in China is like.”

Chino:  “Not this good, I’ll tell you that.

PAGE 11.  PANEL 5.

The plates are nearly empty, they have fortune cookies in front of them.  Chino has opened his, and is reading his fortune.

Chino:  “Thanks for coming.  I know its not he most extravagant dinner, but it’s the best I could afford.”

Myung:  “It was great.  Go on, read it.”

Chino:  “’Flattery will go far tonight….’ 

Myung:  “In bed.”

Chino:  “Hahaha, man you are so funny.”

Myung:  “Contrary to what the cookie says, that flattery will go nowhere.”

PAGE 11.  PANEL 6.

Myung is looking at the fortune, Chino is in view right past the fortune.

The fortune reads:  “One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes.”

Chino:  “Well?  What does yours say?”

Myung:  “Hidden my ass.”

Chino:  “What?”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 1.

Chino is smoking by his car, Myung is standing against her car, not too far from Chino.

Chino:  “Then I put Chi into the sharp shooter and he tapped.”

Myung:  “Haha, I forgot how much you guys used to watch wrestling.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 2.

Chino pulls a CD out of his pocket.

Chino:  “Here’s that Mars Volta CD I was listening to.  Track five was the one in Spanish that you liked.  Sorry I can’t tell you what it means, but my Spanish is as good as my Chinese.”

Myung:  “That shitty, huh?”

Chino:  “I blame everyone who isn’t me.”

Myung:  “That’s a good plan.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 3.

They stand there for a bit, nothing is said, they just look at each other.

PAGE 12.  PANEL 4.

Repeat Panel three.

Myung:  “Listen…”

Myung:  “You’ve been really great, and I don’t want to lead you on.  We’re not dating, you know that, right?”

Chino:  “I figured as much.”

Myung:  “Good, its just that right now isn’t a good time for me to date.  I really need to focus on my career, and to be perfectly honest, I’m too old for you.  Are you going to be waiting outside of bars while I have a drink?”

Chino:  “If you’re focusing on your career, maybe you should drink less.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 5.

Myung gets her keys out of her purse.

Myung:  “That’s not the issue.  It’s a school night, you should head home, I don’t want you getting up late for class.”

Chino:  “Really?  That’s how you’re going to brush me off?  At lease say that I’m not attractive, or don’t have the right kind of job, don’t put it to an age thing.”

Myung:  “You don’t have a great career, maybe someday you will, but it certainly isn’t now.  And maybe you shouldn’t be spending what little money you have on things for me.  Here.”

Chino:  “Keep it.  Hard to believe, but I can afford it.”

PAGE 12.  PANEL 6.

Chino is taking off in his car.  Myung looks at him as he is taking off.

Myung:  “FEI!”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 1.

Several months have passed.  Chi sits in his gown and cap from graduation.  Myung is leaning over the couch to talk to him.

Caption:  June.

Myung:  “What are you still doing in that thing?”

Chi:  “Its kind of comfortable.”

Myung:  “In this weather?  You’re insane.”

Chi:  “Thanks for coming.  Hardly seen you since you moved out.”

Myung:  “Work, but you know I wouldn’t miss it.  When are they coming to get you?”

Chi:  “Chino will be by any minute.”

Sound FX:  HONK HONK.

Chi:  “Shit, that’s him.  I got to get everything else ready.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 2.

Chino is smoking in his car as Myung looks out the curtain to see him.

Myung:  “Did you get dad his father’s day present yet?”

Chi (off panel):  “SHIT.  NO.”

Myung:  “You can throw in with me.”

Chi (off panel):  “You’re the best.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 3.

Chi walks in on Myung looking at Chino through the window.

Chi:  “You could go talk to him.  I don’t know what happened between you two, but he’s never said anything bad about you.”

Myung:  “Nothing?”

Chi:  “If you don’t count calling all your dates idiots.  Technically, not about you.”

Myung:  “Just my taste in men.”

Chi:  “No one’s keeping you from doing any better.  Well, except for yourself.”

Myung:  “Shut up.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 4.

Chi is drinking a can of soda at the kitchen table, he looks miserable.  He is hung over from some extensive drinking the last couple days.  Chi’s Mom and Dad are sitting at the table as well.  Chi’s dad is in his late forties, he has on a white shirt, jeans, and some flip flops.  He is reading the newspaper.  His mom wears a sun dress, with a cardigan, has her hair down, and is eating her breakfast.

Myung is entering the kitchen.

Myung:  “Happy fathers day.”

Chi’s Dad:  “Thank you.”

Chi:  “Yeah, dad, happy dad’s day.”

Myung:  “Too much fun, I see.”

PAGE 13.  PANEL 5.

Chi places the glass of iced soda against his head.

Chi’s dad:  “I had the patrol car go pick them up at Stephan’s place, just to give them a taste.”

Chi:  “It was horrible.  The back of those cars are so uncomfortable.  And it didn’t help that dad’s buddies cuffed us.”

Myung:  “Us?”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 1.

Chino walks into the kitchen, Chi hands him a soda can.

Chino:  “Us.”

Chi’s dad:  “Good to see you are up.”

Chino:  “Sorry Mr. Chang.  It will not happen again.”

Chi’s dad:  “Shouldn’t be too surprised, your father always had a problem with excess.”

Chino:  “Wouldn’t know about that.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 2.

Myung moves closer to her dad.

Chi’s dad:  “I guess you wouldn’t.”

Chi:  “Dad…”

Chino:  “No, I wouldn’t.  Its been about twelve years, give or take since he left.  Saw him, what, every couple years, then got a phone call once every five or so.  He must be doing well.  Forgot all about us.”

Chi’s dad:  “Fei…I’m sor—“

Chino:  “Save it.  Thanks for the ride…”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 3.

Chino is walking out of the kitchen, he is completely off panel, everyone else is still at the dinner table.  Myung is getting up from the table.

Chino (off panel):  “…I’ll be leaving.”

Chi’s Mom:  “Go apologize.”

Myung:  “No, stay here.  I’ll go.”

Chi’s dad:  “I’m sorry.  I’m not even mad at him, its just…he reminds me of what a failure his father was, and how I hope he doesn’t turn out the same way, or bring you down Chi.”

Chi:  “I’m just fine, he can’t make me do anything I don’t already want to do, dad.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 4.

Chino is walking out of the house, Myung is chasing after him.

Myung:  “Wait!”

Chino:  “For what?  I don’t need another lecture about being somebody else from the Chang family.”

Myung:  “That’s not fair.  My dad’s mad because you assholes were probably boozing it up and getting high.  Do you know how that looks to him?”

Chino:  “No, and I don’t care.”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 5.

Myung whirls Chino around.

Myung:  “Don’t talk about him like he’s not important.  He’s made everything possible for me, helped with school, gave me a great home, and put up with my brothers stupid antics.  So don’t talk about him like he doesn’t mean anything.  Its his day, and you better respect him on it.”

Chino:  “Or what?”

PAGE 14.  PANEL 6.

Myung slaps Chino.

PAGE 15.  PANEL 1.

Myung touches Chino’s arm, he is touching the spot that he was slapped on.

Chino:  “Really glad I decided to wait.”

Myung:  “I’m so sorry, it’s just, please don’t talk about him like that.  You don’t know what its like to have him as a dad.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 2.

Chino puts down his hand.

Chino:  “No, I don’t.  In fact, I don’t know what its like to have a dad at all.  What should I measure my father’s accomplishments with?  Couple soccer games when I was eight.  Some weekend dad activities, like watching T.V. and eating a sandwich?  The fact that he told my step brother that I wasn’t his kid!”

Myung:  “Fei…I didn’t know.”

Chino:  “And you can’t know, you’ll never know what its like to miss that person…

PAGE 15.  PANEL 3.

Chino is balling his fist as tears stream down his face.

Chino:  “…One of the few people that should always be there for you.  Who should help you grow and be a better person.  Not only do they not want you, but even go so far as to claim that you’re not even a part of them.  That you’re a mistake.  That they don’t want you.  They don’t love you.  That…you don’t even exist to them.  ”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 4.

Chino is looking away, Myung looks at him, crying.

Chino:  “And if they don’t love you…who will?”

Chino:  “You didn’t want me either.”

PAGE 15.  PANEL 5.

Myung is standing Chino up.

Myung:  “Its not that I didn’t want you, its that I’m not sure of what I want.  But right now…”

PAGE 16.  SPLASH PAGE.

Myung kisses Chino passionately.

PAGE 17.  PANEL 1.

Chino and Joshua sit outside of Scorpio’s apartment, smoking.

Joshua:  “You have ta break up with her.  If the vision is the same, who knows what might happen ta her.  You need to get rid of her.”

Chino:  “She’s not a fucking a disease.”

Joshua:  “But maybe being around ye is.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 2.

Chino looks away, hurt.  Joshua walks over.

Joshua:  “Don’t give me the pouty face, son.  Ye know this is the right thing to do, yer just being selfish.  Get over it, and man up.  Yer doing this fer her.” 

Chino:  “But what if it doesn’t change anything.  What if it only sets it in motion, like Oedipus or Perseus?”

Joshua:  “We’ll just take tha’ risk then.  You can’t make this about you.  I know she means the world, but yer dooming her if she stays with you.”

Chino:  “I don’t have anything else.”

Joshua:  “I’m sorry.  That’s all I can say.”

Chino:  “It’s like when Angel had to go to L.A., and leave Buffy.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 3.

Joshua puts out his cigarette, and is opening the door to go back inside Scorpio’s apartment.  Chino looks out over the city.

Joshua:  “Justify it however ye want.  It needs to be done.  Let me know when you’re ready.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 4.

Chino looks at Myung doing some Yoga on the lawn, she looks up and sees him.

Chino:  “God, I hate this city.”

PAGE 17.  PANEL 5.

Chino waves to Myung down on the lawn, and she is smiling and waving back to him.

Myung:  “HUNGRY?”

Chino:  “STARVING.”

Myung:   “LET’S GO EAT.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 1.

Chino and Myung stand outside of the Buena Vista, looking at the street fair happenings across the street.

Myung:  “You can’t keep me away.”

Chino:  “Maybe, but the Rev. will.”

Myung:  “What if I want to be here?”

Chino:  “You can’t.  It’s too dangerous as it is.  You’re probably going to need to move out of your old place, maybe move in with Mala.  They know where you live, and the whole reason they know that is because of me.  Anything that happens to you is my fault.  I brought this down on us, and now I’m going to try to keep it from killing us.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 2.

Myung takes his hand.

Myung:  “You want to be brave.  To be that samurai, to be as Batman as you can be, but I know better.  You’re just a scared little boy, and I can’t stand the thought of you facing this alone.”

Chino:  “You’re right, I’m no samurai, and I’m definitely not Batman.  I’m a coward, Myung, a selfish coward.  Sometimes I see things, things that haven’t happened yet or things that have happened but other people learn about them on T.V.  For the past few months I’ve had visions about you.  I see you trapped somehow, with some…thing.  I don’t know what it is, or what it’s doing to you, but I can’t let that happen.  I need to put you aside.  You are my old life, and I need to start a new one.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 3.

Chino let’s go of Myung’s hand, and is turning away from her.  Joshua is pulling up in his car.

Myung:  “NO!  You don’t get to decide what is best for me.  I’ll stay if I want to stay.”

Chino:  “No, if you do, I won’t love you anymore.”

Myung:  “Liar.  You can’t stop…”

Chino:  “Go away.”

Myung:  “If you’re trying to make me hate you, its not working.”

Chino:  “I don’t care what you feel anymore.  This is goodbye.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 4.

Chino is much farther away now, Myung stands there shocked, not knowing what to do, but yell at him.

Myung:  “You’re lying.”

Joshua:  “Get in the car.”

Myung:  “I’m not going anywhere.”

Myung:  “Turn around and face me.”

PAGE 18.  PANEL 5.

Chino rounds the corner, without looking back.  Joshua is helping Myung in the car.

Myung:  “Didn’t even look back.”

Joshua:  “He can’t look back.  Don’t remember what happened to Eurydice, do you?”

Myung:  “Damn him.  I’m not some frightened little girl.  I saved his ass, did he forget that?”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 1.

Joshua is driving in the car, they pass Chino, but he continues to walk.

Joshua:  “He’ll never forget.  One thing about that boy, even with all the drugs and drinking he’s done, he’s got a katana for a memory.”

Myung:  “Then why?”

Joshua:  “He knew it was the right decision.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 2.

Chino looks forward as they pass, he does not acknowledge them.

PAGE 19.  PANEL 3.

The car has faded into the distance.

Chino falls to a crouch, against a wall.  A shadow is over him.  It’s Scorpio Israeli, but we only see his shadow.

Scorpio (off panel):  “Get up boy.  Your education begins.”

Chino:  “I just sent away the only thing I ever wanted in life.”

Scorpio (off panel):  “True, you wanted her, but let’s not get overtly romantic.  There are other things you’ve wanted in life, like hurting someone because they wronged you.  BOOM.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 4.

Chino begins to stand.  He looks at Scorpio.

Chino:  “He told you about…”

Scorpio:  “Technically I read about it first.  Now I know who is responsible.  You need help, and you need to hide.  Hopefully I can give you both.  As you know, you’re not the only murderer in this conversation.”

Chino:  “How can you help me?”

Scorpio:  “I don’t know if I can, but I know some capable people.  I guarantee that if I know our government, which I do, that little episode down south will not be their only attempt to snatch you up.  We need to get you ready for when they come back.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 5.

They begin to walk up the street, a van begins to pull up at the corner of the street nearest to them, but behind them.

Chino:  “I…thank you.”

Scorpio:  “Don’t thank me yet, at least not until I’ve actually done something to help you.”

Chino:  “You’re letting me live with you and supporting me, that’s something.”

Scorpio:  “Don’t worry about that, I’m going to be putting you to work.  I’ve always wanted a maid.”

Chino:  “I hate having to clean up after other people’s shit.”

Scorpio:  “Get used to it.”

PAGE 19.  PANEL 6.

The van window begins to roll down.

PAGE 20.  SPLASH PAGE

The burning man is revealed in the driver’s seat.  He has a hat pulled low, so it is hard to see his face.

Burning man:  “Dirty.  Time to clean.”