”CROSSOVER FICTION” by Greg Lam

00:00 - Intro

01:16 - "CROSSOVER FICTION" by Greg Lam

SCRIPT: CROSSOVER FICTION

CHARACTERS

Maximus Wolfe...  A Science Fiction villain.

Josie Moon...     Your typical Psychic Alien Cyborg Detective.

Thom Cord...      Science Fiction author.

SETTING

A dark alley in a Science Fiction Universe. Then a bookstore in present day. Then a hotel.

MUSIC CUE: “ANTI-GRAVITY”

SCI-FI CITY ATMOSPHERE FX – FLYING CARS, ETC.

A LASER BLAST BREAKS OPEN A PRISON WALL.

PEOPLE SCREAM IN PANIC AND RUN AWAY.

MAXIMUS RUNNING

MAXIMUS – VILLAINOUS LAUGH

MAXIMUS:          At last! After three lifetimes spent in that dreadful interdimensional hellhole of a prison, I, Maximus Wolfe am finally free to take my rightful place and to rule the nine worlds of Xandor!

A LASER FIRES FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION

MAXIMUS REACTS

JOSIE:            Halt!

JOSIE’S ROBOTIC FOOTSTEPS

MAXIMUS:          You! Why, of course. If it isn’t my favorite detective, Josie Moon. Have you come to join me in my hour of triumph?

JOSIE:            Quite a chase, Maximus, but is at end. Will pay for what you did to my lover.

MAXIMUS:          (IN A MEASURED VOICE) Lovely offer, my dear detective. But I’m afraid I will have to decline the invitation.

JOSIE:            Nowhere is left to run.

MAXIMUS:          Who said anything about running?

MAXIMUS PULLS OUT SCI-FI TECH – PULSING SOUND

                  Do you like my new toy? Your partner- No, excuse me. Your lover… “Tor” was his name? He was carrying the final piece of the puzzle.

JOSIE:            How dare you speak his name?

JOSIE UNSHEATHES HER HIGHTECH SWORD.

                  Fight me, Maximus!

MAXIMUS:          See this?

MAXIMUS PUSHES A BUTTON ON THE GIZMO.

                  It’s the Key of Worlds, and he didn’t even know it. But I did. I do so regret having to torture him to death. But while I take no particular pleasure in the necessity of his demise, please allow me to demonstrate the result.

A LIGHTENING FLASH SOUND AND THEN THE FABRIC OF SPACE TIME IS TORN. LOUD TEARING SOUND. THE EFFECT CONTINUES TO RIPPLE.

JOSIE:            Madman! What have you done?

MAXIMUS:          The question is, what have I made? A gateway between dimensions like none ever seen before!

JOSIE:            Will find you wherever you run!

MAXIMUS:          This isn’t just a simple wormhole. It’s a breech between two realities! If I’ve calculated right, and I have, beyond this portal is a new universe with unimaginable wonders, waiting for the right man to tame it. And I, Maximus Wolfe, am that man! (LAUGHS)

JOSIE:            Will not let you do this!

MAXIMUS:          I’ve said this so many times, Josie Moon, but you can’t stop me, though I love to be seeing you try. Bye bye!

MAXIMUS ESCAPES THROUGH THE PORTAL

JOSIE ROBOTIC STEPS AS SHE INVESTIGATES WITH HER BIONIC EYE.

JOSIE:            What is this? Where has he gone?

THE ATMOSPHERE MORPHS INTO A BOOKSTORE

THOM:             (IN MIC – REVERB) As her bionic ScanAlysis Eye reported the most disturbing readings emanating from the shrinking portal, Josie remembered the last, halting heaves of her lover’s breath. After Tor’s final heart had beat its last, she vowed that she would stop at nothing in her quest for vengeance. Josie took a breath, put on her concealment glasses, and took a nervous step from one world to another. From the mean streets of Xandor to the meaner streets of the strange new world called... Earth. (pause) And that, my friends, is the end of Chapter 1.

A SMALL CROWD APPLAUDS.

                  Thank you, thank you all. That was the first chapter from my upcoming “Josie Moon, Psychic Cyborg Alien Detective” novel, tentatively titled “Brave Old World”. The completed version will be available in all possible formats next spring, and all of the previous books are available right now at the front of the bookstore. I hope you all brought cash.

CROWD LAUGHTER FOLLOWED BY APPLAUSE.

                  And thank you all once again for coming tonight!

FOOTSTEPS.

DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.

                  (MUTTERING TO HIMSELF) Oh boy. Just two more, Thom. Just two more of these damn readings…

JOSIE’S ROBOTIC FOOTSTEPS.

JOSIE:            Excuse me. Mr. Thom Cord?

MUSIC CUE: ”AT FIRST”

THOM:             (STARTLED) Ah, no, honey. Look, I appreciate the effort, and that’s a really cool thing you’re doing with your voice, but I don’t do cosplay, OK?

JOSIE:            Not as you think.

THOM:             There are signed copies of the book at the register, and if you missed the reading, you can subscribe to my Twitter feed for the next one. Good costume, by the way-

JOSIE:            Let me show you eye.

JOSIE’S ROBOTIC FOOTSTEPS TOWARD THOM.

JOSIE’S BEGINS TO REVEAL HER SCANALYSIS EYE.

THOM:             Look, I’ve seen sunglasses before. Just- Oh my god. That... That’s real, isn’t it? That’s a real ScanAlysis Eye, grafted into your eye socket.

JOSIE:            Stepped into this world, Thom Cord. Some time ago. Very strange. Took time to acclimate.

THOM:             You aren’t. I mean, that isn’t-

JOSIE:            Am what you made me. Psychic Cyborg Alien Detective, yes? Apologies I took so long to find.

THOM:             No, no. Not at all. Listen, We should get out of here. Find somewhere to talk. Put your sunglasses... (CORRECTING HIMSELF) your concealment glasses back on. Please.

JOSIE:            To my hotel, yes? Have something to show.

THOM:             OK, let’s go.

THOM AND JOSIE FOOTSTEPS AS THEY EXIT.

MUSIC TRANSITION.

ELEVATOR DOOR DINGS AND OPENS.

DOOR CLICKS AND OPENS.

JOSIE:            This is room. Come.

THOM AND JOSIE FOOTSTEPS AS THEY ENTER.

THOM:             Wow.

JOSIE:            Something is wrong?

THOM:             No, no. Just getting a better look at you.

JOSIE:            Why?

THOM:             Just amazing. I still can’t get over this.

JOSIE:            Is that so? Tried to select typical room. Keep low profile.

THOM:             No, I mean you’re here. In real life, not in my head. It’s amazing. This is every author’s dream. You write something like these silly books, no offense, and it’s a total fantasy that just happened to catch enough of the nerd market to pay my rent. I had no idea that what I wrote could actually… Live. Breathe. You! It’s incredible. You’re everything I imagined. God, you’re beautiful… This will change everything. I’ll be famous. I mean, really famous. I’m going to win awards!

JOSIE:            First when I came, did not know Thom Cord. Did not know books. Only knew what I was created to know.

THOM:             Right. But you are a detective. A ruthlessly great detective. That’s how I wrote you. You find things out by any means necessary. Solved problems. That’s what you do.

JOSIE:            Had much to take care of.

THOM:             Right. You followed Maximus here…

MUSIC CUE: “ANTI-GRAVITY”

                  Oh my God. I just realized… If you’re here, then he’s here, too. That’s what Brave Old World is all about. In the novel, he comes through the portal first.

SWOOSH FLASHBACK AS THOM REMEMBER WHAT HE WROTE.

MAXIMUS:          I, Maximus Wolfe, have seen wonders upon wonders in my time. I have stood upon the rings of Centauri Seven, passed through black holes and created hidden luxury fortresses inside planetary cores. But nothing I have done has prepared me for this delightful little planet. Imagine, a whole world on the cusp of awakening that still thinks it’s all alone in the universe! Oh, detective Moon. What a delight! Catch me if you can! (LAUGHS)

SWOOSH TRANSITION BACK TO REALITY.

THOM:             So he’s here too. Oh, that’s not good news. He’s the worst baddie I’ve ever written. You must need my help to find him, don’t you? To stop him. That’s why you found me, right?

JOSIE:            No, Thom Cord. Different than you think. Must show you. Have been busy before finding you. Take look.

SUITCASE DRAGGED ACROSS FLOOR.

MUSIC CUE: “AT FIRST”

THOM:             The suitcase? It’s enormous. What’s in it?

JOSIE:            No words Thom Cord. Must show. Take look inside.

THOM OPENS THE SUITCASE.

THOM:             (SURPRISED) Holy-

THOM SLAMS THE SUITCASE SHUT.

                  That’s-

JOSIE:            Maximus Wolfe, yes.

THOM:             But he- he… I guess I should have expected. Of course you would. That’s what you do. But what did you do to him, exactly?

JOSIE:            Made him more portable. Also preserved him. Did not want him to smell.

THOM:             You shoved him in a suitcase. He’s all- I don’t even want to think about it. It’s murder.

JOSIE:            Funny term, Thom Cord. Funny world, this.

JOSIE UNSHEATHES HER SWORD.

THOM:             Your sword. Does it even work in this world? There’s no Sigma Force here.

JOSIE:            It still has some use.

THOM:             This is a tough one. You killed Maximus, and you don’t know what to do with him. Is that it? What do we do with the body? Think, Tom!

THOM PACES AS MUTTERS “COME ON. THINK, THINK, THINK, WE’LL FIGURE SOMETHING OUT”.

JOSIE:            Is strange. No good or bad guys inside this world. Endless shade of grey. Events without reason, resolution. Do not like. Home of Xandor was vicious, bloodthirsty, often cruel but had some sort of purpose in end. Shaped by the hand of creator. Guess that would be you.

JOSIES ROBOTIC FOOTSTEPS CLOSE IN.

THOM:             Josie, what are you doing?

JOSIE:            Thom Cord. Should not bestselling author be more in touch with motivation of character? Tell me instead: What does Josie Moon want?

THOM:             Revenge. For your lover.

JOSIE:            Right, my dead lover. Tortured and alone, set to die before my eye in agony. Was helpless to stop it. Felt bad.

THOM:             And, and so you found Maximus, and you did… this.

JOSIE:            Yes. Very good.

THOM:             So you’ve done it. And now you’ve fulfilled your quest, and you don’t know what to do next. Is that it?

JOSIE:            No, Thom. Again you misunderstand. Quest not fulfilled. Maximus killed. But. Maximus not act alone.

THOM:             He didn’t? No, he did, he was the mastermind. The… The big bad. The final boss. Look. I’ll show you the manuscript to the next-

THOM TRIES TO POP OPEN HIS BRIEFCASE.

JOSIE BLOCKS HIM WITH THE SWORD.

JOSIE:            No, Thom Cord. Had months to comtemplate. Interesting thing. Maximus tortured my lover Tor to death, but not really his idea. Maximus not killer but instrument of killer. Was like weapon. Someone else need for death to happen.

THOM:             What are you talking about, Josie? He was it. The big boss. Your archenemy. The last guy you had to vanquish before I could put your story to rest.

JOSIE:            When found Maximus after months in this world, he was homeless living in alley. By himself was no threat. Maximus begged for death. I gave to him.

THOM:             My God…

JOSIE:            After killing Maximus, I realized. Tor’s horrible death useful to someone. For dramatic tension, irony, horror. Can understand. Better story. My pain make you very good story. Very good story make you money. Took me some time, but I understand now what you do, Thom Cord. I understand why you do this to me!

JOSIE’S ROBOTIC STEPS.

THOM:             Josie, no. Josie!

JOSIE:            I understand, but knowing does not make pain go away.

THOM:             Josie, no! I’m sorry! I-

JOSIE:            By third law of Xandor, I claim vengeance!

THOM:             Josie, no!

JOSIE STABS THOM. IMPACT.

                  That’s not canon-

HE REACTS AND DIES.

HE THEN SLIDES DOWN THE BLADE FALLING TO THE FLOOR.

JOSIE:            Would have told you to prepare to meet maker, but I just met mine. Was disappointing.

JOSIE OPEN TOM’S BRIEFCAST AND DIGS OUT THE MANUSCRIPT.

                  Also, my dialogue often awkward and contrived. You say next manuscript in your briefcase. It is found.

JOSIE FLIPS THROUGH THE PAGES.

                  600 pages, Thom Cord? Anyone say you need good editor? Lucky for you, am available for job.

JOSIE’S ROBOTIC FOOTSTEPS AS SHE EXITS.

THE END

13:23 - Interview with playwright Greg Lam