Act10: Season 2 Episode 1

I wrote this with several possible missions and quests in mind. One is a look at dealing with conflict, areas where there is war on some level. Possible missions would be Learn: what conflicts are going on today, but maybe underrepresented in the news; Act: Spread the word of those conflicts. Support an organization that encourages peace.

Something else that I think is important to talk about with social innovation is funding. We cannot fund our work the way that Alchemy did, we need to find sources that will support our efforts. Possible missions for this would be: Learn: Find an organization that supports the work you are interested in. Act: Write a proposal for a project you would like to undertake, and for extra points submit it somewhere.

Anyway, please enjoy.

EVOKE: SEASON 2

EPISODE 1


PAGE 1


PANEL A

Ember is walking out of her house with her husband and daughter, they have suitcases and the house behind them is empty.

TEXT BOX 1

December 15, 2020

PANEL B

Eureka is sitting on a plane, looking out of the window and tapping her fingers on the sill. It’s raining outside.

PANEL C

Cipher is throwing his things into a few bags in his house. It’s still a mess, but he is getting ready to move.

PANEL D

(Alchemy’s room, which was Spartan to begin with, is now entirely empty)

PAGE 2

PANEL A

Quinn is talking to a video of Alchemy. Behind him is his own room, also being packed up. Alchemy is not using his avatar

QUINN

Are you certain this is necessary?

ALCHEMY

Absolutely

PANEL B:

Alchemy is sitting in an internet café – nothing to show precisely where – with partitions on either side of him to hide the screen

ALCHEMY

If I were intent on destroying EVOKE I would come after it’s agents. We must assume that Alpha did not merely mean to frighten us with threats. We cannot risk him finding any of us, and we must assume he is intelligent and capable until we learn more. Underestimating a problem can be as dangerous as ignoring it. No chances.

PANEL C

Quinn (wincing as he turns back to his packing): It will look like we are running away, if we go deeper underground. After the Pearl River Flu.

PANEL D

Alchemy’s screen – next to the image of Quinn is a map of Somalia

Alchemy: No. I don’t think people will make that mistake.

PAGE 3

TEXT BOX 1

SOMALIA, January 28, 2021

PANEL A

Ember is holding up a hand to shade her eyes, but she is crouched down on the top of a hill, hiding. Below her is a camp with a large number of young men in it; all of them have AK-47s. One sentry stands closer to her

PANEL B

Ember has returned to a jeep where Quinn and Eureka are waiting for her with two guards.

EMBER

We can’t go this way. We’ll need to find another way to get through to the refugee camps.

EUREKA

There isn’t another road. We could go cross country, but bringing in supplies that way will be difficult, and eventually will draw the wrong kind of attention.

PANEL C

Quinn is shaking his head. Eureka and Ember look unhappy.

QUINN

We need to rethink this. Review our options.

EUREKA

We don’t have time.

PANEL D

Ember’s face in profile.

EMBER

We have all the time in the world in some ways. The problems will be waiting for us.

PANEL E

Eureka is angry, but she knows they don’t have a solid enough plan yet. They are all a little shaken with the changes in the last few months.

EUREKA

People are going to die.

PANEL F

EMBER

And more will, if we don’t figure out how to do this right on the first try.

PAGE 4

PANEL A

The three EVOKE agents are riding in the jeep. Ember is in front with one guard driving and Eureka and Quinn sit in the back with the other. Eureka has her knees drawn up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them.

EUREKA

You were the last to talk to Alchemy, right?

QUINN

I think so. He looked like he was safe.

PANEL B

View of the forest they are passing through

EUREKA

Did he say if – will Cipher be joining us?

PANEL C

Quinn puts a hand on Eureka’s knee and smiles as reassuringly as he can.

QUINN

I’m sure he is safe. Alchemy would have said something otherwise. He might have other things to do.

PANEL D

Eureka continues to look worried.

PAGE 5

PANEL A

Alchemy, with his avatar on, is speaking to Cipher. Cipher is sitting in a basement, with nothing to place it geographically visible. Around him computer screens hum and lend an eerie light to the room. One of the screens is Alchemy. Cipher is looking around, checking out the equipment.

CIPHER

This is fairly impressive.

PANEL B

Cipher is hefting a piece of equipment, still checking out his surroundings.

ALCHEMY

Only you and I know this place, Cipher. Even the other agents are unaware of it. I would like to keep it that way. For their safety. I think you know what I am going to ask you to do.

PANEL C

Cipher looks up from his scrutiny of the room and smiles at Alchemy.

CIPHER

I can guess.

PANEL D

ALCHEMY

I want you to find Alpha before he finds us again. You are uniquely suited to this, since you are the only other to discover us, and did so without the help of our most public display.

PANEL E

Cipher is looking at the equipment, but his curiosity is gone, replaced by determination.

CIPHER

I will try.

PAGE 6

PANEL A

All we can see is the back of a man’s head as he peers at a computer screen. On the screen is a list of financial records. We recognize a few items from the last season – the DTV Shredders in episode 7 etc... At the top is the balance for the account – millions of dollars.

PANEL B

Fingers on a keyboard typing something.

PANEL C

The same screen as panel A but red zero has replaced the former balance.

ALPHA

Now let’s see you try to save the world.

(Author's note: This is necessarily a bit rough. If I had more time, I would add more sophistication to the layout desc. and to the setting. I liked it as a creative exercise though. I've never though about writing comics.)