TITLE CARD: SCENE 1

ENTER: REBECCA WEBER, reclining on her seat by the window. Insectoids lurch and skitter over the floor, a living, twitching carpet of chitin. Her eyes are closed, and her arms are folded over the gentle convex jut of her stomach. With a jolt, she jerks upright, gasping. The insectoids freeze in place as she presses one hand to her heaving chest and reaches for a cigarette with the other.

REBECCA, hoarsely: Oh, god. Oh, fuck.

She grabs her phone and dials a number.

CUT TO: REBECCA WEBER, standing outside her dilapidated apartment building in the dead of night, dressed in a long coat. A scarf is wrapped around her neck, and a cigarette dangles from her mouth. A few insectoids flitter around her head as she looks this way and that, stamping her feet and rubbing her hands against the balmy summer night. Turning, she squints against the headlights as a nondescript van approaches, crushing the cigarette beneath her shoe before ducking inside. As the door shuts behind her, she blinks, eyes moving from one face to the next.

REBECCA, numbly: I was told I'd be meeting...

There are two people in the vehicle. One is a blandly beautiful Japanese woman. The other is a grinning Caucasian man with lank, shoulder-length hair, who extends his hand to her as she stares at him.

EUGENE KURTZ, in English: How very nice it is to meet you, my dear. Rebecca, was it? Is that the name you're going by now?
REBECCA, guardedly, still in Japanese: Who are you?

After a few long moments, EUGENE withdraws his hand.

EUGENE, grandly: Why, I'm the spider at the centre of the web. How do you like the webs I'm spinning?
REBECCA, switching to English: In plain English.
EUGENE: Your boss is Nightmare. I'm Nightmare's boss.
REBECCA: ... oh. Okay.

They sit for a while. EUGENE studies her. REBECCA stares at nothing in particular. After a few long moments, she realizes that he has begun to study her insectoids, which have been leaking out of her clothes to colonize the interior of the van.

EUGENE: Those are some nifty little creatures you've got there, Rebecca. May I call you Becky?
REBECCA: Call me whatever you like.
EUGENE: Mmm, yes. Such fascinating little creatures. And so very destructive.

REBECCA stares blankly at him.

EUGENE: You're coming up on your fifth anniversary, aren't you? Since you escaped. Since you butchered four dozen people in a matter of minutes.
REBECCA: Is this how you make small talk?
EUGENE, suddenly businesslike: You said you had a report for Nightmare. I want to hear it.

He pauses.

EUGENE: And land one of those things on my hand. I want to examine it closely.

An insectoid alights on EUGENE's finger as he peers at it, visibly absorbed. REBECCA clears her throat.

REBECCA: A member from one of Nightmare's recent acquisitions was captured by the Night Parade and let slip that there was a plant at Shiketsu. They're planning to attack the school.
EUGENE: Which plant? Karuga, Tadao... or you?
REBECCA: No idea, but I'm not going to risk it.

EUGENE laughs. His hand remains completely still as he giggles, the other hand pressed to his mouth. REBECCA waits for his mirth to subside.

EUGENE: Oh, you're a riot, Becky. See, this is why I chose to speak with you instead of Karuga or Tadao. Well, mainly because you speak English, but also because of your wit. When?
REBECCA: They haven't decided yet, but they're planning to attack several hero agencies to start with. It's a sizable operation. All of their most prominent members are going to be involved.
EUGENE: It's not you. It's Tadao or Karuga. You sell to every single player of note in the Kyoto underworld, don't you? Including the Night Parade.
REBECCA: Yes.
EUGENE: And you conduct your business through intermediaries.

He gestures at the insectoid.

EUGENE: Talking heads made of chitin.
REBECCA: Something like that, yes.
EUGENE: Mmm. Well, uh, keep selling to them. We don't want to tip them off, do we? Let them fling themselves against the walls of Shiketsu as we penetrate City Hall under their noses. You've been very careful. Keep being careful.
REBECCA: Sure.

Quick as a whip, EUGENE does something complicated with his hand and traps the insectoid under a glass.

EUGENE: Tadao is expendable. Karuga... eh. Replaceable. But you? If you're in trouble, kill this creature.
REBECCA: I can't order them to die.
EUGENE: Oh, trust me. If you're really in trouble, you'll find a way.

His voice hardens, the amusement gone from his voice.

EUGENE: Now. I need to know precisely which hero agencies they are aiming to attack. I need the exact disposition of the forces they are deploying. I need to know everything.

CUT TO: The exterior of the van, trundling alone into the night.

TITLE CARD: SCENE 2

CUT TO: REBECCA WEBER and EMILIA BUSUJIMA. They are sitting in REBECCA's office. EMILIA is humming tunelessly as she polishes off the remainder of her bento. Behind her desk, REBECCA digs into her third bento with gusto.

EMILIA: ... not usurping your position, Weber-san.
REBECCA: Don't worry about it. Having another healer onboard is always welcome. It would be a shame to lose this office, though.
EMILIA: I'm sure they won't take away your office.
REBECCA: Mm. Shiketsu is a big school. Lots of unutilised space.

They eat in silence for a while. As EMILIA wraps up her meal, REBECCA eyes her considerable bust with a hint of envy.

REBECCA: I've heard that Majestic will be back here soon.
EMILIA, quieter: O-oh.
REBECCA, airily: One can only hope that he'll be more polite towards us after his injury. I'm still sore over what happened on your first day.
EMILIA: It's okay, Weber-san. It was bound to happen eventually. Just as well that my illusions were dispelled early on.
REBECCA: Please, call me Becky.

Both of their phones suddenly begin buzzing. Hurriedly, the two women wrap up their meals before rising to their feet and rushing out into the corridor. REBECCA glances down at her phone, then over at EMILIA.

EMILIA: Cain?
REBECCA: Seems like it.

They round a corner.

REBECCA: He naps in my office from time to time.
EMILIA: What are we supposed to do?
REBECCA: Prep him for the Doctor's arrival.
EMILIA: I could...
REBECCA: I'm not sure if I have the authority to sanction that.
EMILIA: Oh.
REBECCA, encouragingly: You could try Rosethorn, though. She's waiting for him.

As expected, ROSETHORN is indeed waiting in the loading/unloading bay. She nods at the two nurses as they appear, but understandably does not seem to be in the mood to talk. They stand together, tense, until the ambulance arrives. INIGO MYOGA bounces out of the ambulance, a glowing green stretcher floating behind him, and almost bowls them both over in his rush.

REBECCA: Myoga! MYOGA!

INIGO stops. There is a desperate look in his eyes, and he is utterly sodden.

REBECCA: Not that way.

The paramedics fall in line behind their party of four as they troop through the halls, the smattering of students left behind parting to let them through. The DOCTOR is waiting beside the door, vibrating with anxiety, and begins to work his magic once CHRISTOPHER CAIN is safely ensconced atop the bed. ROSETHORN takes MYOGA aside as REBECCA and EMILIA run routine diagnostics on the rest of CHRISTOPHER's battered body. A few minutes of non-stop action later, their jobs are done. REBECCA glances at the DOCTOR, his jaw still clenched in concentration, and takes EMILIA out into the hall.

REBECCA: Never seen the Doctor at work before, have you?
EMILIA, awestruck: He's amazing.
REBECCA: Mm.
EMILIA: And that boy... he's a student here, right?
REBECCA: Yep. Has he hit on you yet?
EMILIA: What?
REBECCA: That's Inigo Myoga. He's something of an aspiring Casanova.
EMILIA, still catching up: He hit on you?
REBECCA: Yep.
EMILIA: Aren't you ten years his senior?
REBECCA: I don't think he knows that, but yes. Think he's settling down a little, though. He once tried to date three girls at the same time a couple months back.
EMILIA: Really?
REBECCA: Yep. It was grisly.
EMILIA: Their boyfriends beat him up?
REBECCA: No. The girls beat him up.

EMILIA sniggers. REBECCA smiles, but straightens as the door opens. MYOGA emerges into the corridor. As he turns, he catches REBECCA's eye and grins broadly, though it does not quite reach his eyes.

INIGO, going for suave: Hello, nurse!
REBECCA, coolly: Myoga.
EMILIA: Hi! I'm Emilia Busujima. I'm new here.
INIGO: Nice to meet you, Emilia.

He shoots finger-guns at her. The green dragon on his shoulder furrows its brow at him.

INIGO: Well, I'd better get going. See you around, Emilia. Uh, Ms Weber.

The two women look at one another as INIGO retreats down the corridor.

REBECCA: Hm. I suppose he's learning.
EMILIA: Better than Majestic, I suppose.
REBECCA, amused: The bar is subterranean.

The DOCTOR clears his throat behind them.

DOCTOR: Ladies, I require your assistance to get the Cain lad out of his clothes and into something cleaner.

TITLE CARD: SCENE 3

CUT TO: REBECCA WEBER and EMILIA BUSUJIMA at the Shiketsu campus stadium. The atmosphere is festive. The two women are seated in the stadium's medical bay, staring out at the heaving crowd and at the booths around which they are clustered.

EMILIA: I do wish I could be out there.
REBECCA: You could if you want. I'll cover for you.
EMILIA, loyally: My duty is here.
REBECCA: You shouldn't be wasting your youth. Go on.
EMILIA: You're not that old, Becky.
REBECCA: I'm in no condition to go out there. You are.

EMILIA looks down at REBECCA's abdomen, which is really starting to protrude.

EMILIA, doubtfully: Well, if you're sure.
REBECCA: Yes, I'm sure.

She waves EMILIA away.

REBECCA: Go on, go on. Have some fun. And place a bet on one or more of the students if you want.
EMILIA: But that's gambling -
REBECCA: Shoo.

As EMILIA leaves, REBECCA slumps against her chair and exhales. An insectoid weaves in the air around her head. After a few moments of peace and quiet, a door opens behind her. She turns.

REBECCA: Doctor -

She stops. For it is not the DOCTOR, but rather EUGENE KURTZ, accompanied by his eerily silent Japanese bodyguard.

EUGENE: Long time no see, eh, Ms Weber?
REBECCA: You're not supposed to be here.
EUGENE: I'll be out of your hair in a minute. I just wanted to express my gratitude for your assistance personally.
REBECCA: You've already done it.
EUGENE: I'd like to do it again. I haven't been to Shiketsu before, you know. All that talent.

He moves to the window. The spacious medbay has two windows, one to either side; the former looks out on the carnival outside, while the latter overlooks the arena within. It is to the latter window that EUGENE moves.

EUGENE: You were at Osaka, weren't you?
REBECCA: Yes.
EUGENE: I thought I saw you there. Didn't I, Mercy?

MERCY does not reply.

EUGENE: I did. I did. It must have been harrowing. But I'm of the opinion that Ms Ume is simply misunderstood.

He turns back to the window, one hand pressed to the glass.

EUGENE: What an exciting event. And so many outsiders on Shiketsu grounds. It would be trivially simple to arrange an accident.

REBECCA has gone very still.

EUGENE: Oh, I'm not going to ask you to do anything, Ms Weber. You're still in reserve. You're much more useful to me right where you are than in the wind with nothing to lose.

He turns.

EUGENE: See you around, Ms Weber. You can find me in the VIP box.

It is as if they were never there. REBECCA stares at the door from which they exited for a few brief moments before fumbling blindly for her satchel and retrieving a handful of sweets, which she pops into her mouth one at a time.