SCENE 1 - MAYA & NOEL’S APARTMENT

MAYA: How did you two find me?

GRACE: We’re retracing Evie’s steps by backtracking through her Maps history. She left her laptop in her apartment. I wrote down the last ten or so places she visited. See? Your address was in there.

NOEL: Can I see that notepad?

GRACE: Sure.

NOEL: Van Buren street… this is Alix's address. Have you been here yet?

GRACE: No. After the way Maya reacted to us, I got nervous about randomly showing up to more people’s apartments. Alix, from the food serve?

NOEL: Yeah. We're friends, and they're asking to meet up tomorrow, anyway. You can come, if you want.

GRACE: Actually, Maya, there was a big mess in Evie’s apartment. We assumed it was general chaos, but you know way more about magic than either of us. Maybe you'll see something that we didn't.

MAYA: Is her building still swarming with cops?

GRACE: I don't know, but she left her fire escape window open a little. Maybe we can sneak in that way. Worst comes to worst, I do have a key.

MAYA: We might run into your friend Hirsch, though honestly, it may give us some answers.

GRACE: Great! I'll meet you there tomorrow, like 6:30?

MAYA: Sure.

MORGAN: Noel, I can visit Alix with you tomorrow after work.

NOEL: Great, sounds like a plan.

GRACE: You don't know how happy I am to finally have a solid plan.

MORGAN: It's getting really late. I feel like we can pick this up tomorrow.

NOEL: Definitely. Head home, we'll see you tomorrow.

!All four of them say an overlapping goodnight, then MORGAN and GRACE head out. The door closes hard and heavy, in the way that old doors can’t help but slam. Neither says anything until they exit the front door.

[They exit. Road noise fades in. They’re now on the sidewalk outside the apartment building.]

GRACE: How are you getting home?

MORGAN: I don’t know. Subway, probably.

GRACE: It’s late. I live a lot closer to here. It’s only one bus-

MORGAN: I’m okay. Sorry, I just- I want to be home.

GRACE: If you need a friend, I could come with you.

MORGAN: I want to be alone. Sorry.

GRACE: No, no, I get it! If you change your mind-

MORGAN: I have your number. Thank you, but- just-

GRACE: Right, okay. Have a goodnight.

[Footsteps.]

[INTRO MUSIC]

SCENE 2 - EVIE’S OLD BEDROOM (FLASHBACK)

[Flashback sound cue.]

MORGAN: Evie, I’m going to the store. Maybe the Farmer’s Market, too. Do you want anything?

[Pause]

MORGAN: It's the last good month for summer berries. I could get you some raspberries? You love those.

[Pause]

MORGAN: I know you’re in there. I know you hear me. I thought, maybe, it’d be easier for you to eat if I bought something you like.

[Pause]

MORGAN: I know, I know. Shiva’s over. There’s nothing more to do. We just have to keep on going, and the going is awful. It's disgusting. It’s like dust or sweat. I can’t get it off my skin. When I get on the subway, I look around at all these people, and I think: can't they smell it on me? Isn't it all over my face? How does my body know how to buy groceries or pay the electric bill or swipe my card at the turnstile? I don't remember when it learned how to do that. I feel like a puzzle, all broken into hundreds of pieces, and all anyone can see is the box.

[Pause]

MORGAN: What does it feel like to you?

[Pause]

MORGAN: Evie… this thing. It's so big, I have no idea where to put it. I can’t put it in my body: it’ll consume me. So I’m holding it. I’m carrying it around with me every day, and I can’t put it down, no matter how much I want to. Just because I’m up and walking, just because I’m going outside, doesn’t mean this whole thing isn’t killing me too.

[Pause]

MORGAN: Trust me, please, when I try to help. I’m the only one who understands this in the same way you do. Please… we can carry it together.

[Pause]

MORGAN: (with urgency) Say something to me.

[Nothing. Morgan sighs.]

MORGAN: I’ll be back in an hour. Text or call if you need anything.

[Footsteps. He starts to exit.]

EVIE: (weakly, like she hasn't spoken in a while) Raspberries sound nice.

MORGAN: Okay. Alright, I can do that.

SCENE 4 - MORGAN’S APARTMENT (PRESENT DAY)

[Keys turn in a locked door. Door opens and closes. Footsteps.]

MORGAN: Is it really after three? I should go to bed.

[Footsteps.]

MORGAN: You know what? Fuck it.

[Morgan starts rifling through his kitchen cabinets and drawers, taking out items as he names them and putting them on the counter. He preheats the oven.]

MORGAN: Dates… dates… I know I bought dates. Butter, eggs, flour, vanilla, white sugar, brown sugar, Demerara sugar… Saucepan, baking dish… no, this is way too big.

[Click click click. He turns two gas burners on and starts boiling water.]

MORGAN: In goes the butter… now for the (straining a moment) stand mixer.

[He plops it on the counter with a dull thud.]

MORGAN: Boiling water, melting butter, where the hell did I put my measuring cups?

[More rummaging. Water keeps boiling. Gas burners lightly hiss.]

MORGAN: It’s too quiet.

[Footsteps. He opens the kitchen window. Faint road noise and light conversation trickles in.]

MORGAN: The one time I want noisy drunk people outside my window.

[Footsteps. Light road noise continues, another layer of noise.]

MORGAN: No, where did I put the dates?

[The package crinkles.]

MORGAN: Now, into the bowl, boiling water on top… Take a nice bath.

[A hiss as he pours the water out. The butter starts to sizzle and pop.]

MORGAN: No, the butter, stop, stop. Just… chill, okay. Here, I lowered the heat. Stay warm. I need a minute.

[Morgan types on his laptop. Lo-fi music starts playing. Another layer of noise.]

MORGAN: There, better.

!MORGAN begins to build the batter in the stand mixer, naming the ingredients to himself as he does.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Now, butter, baking soda, eggs, flour, both the brown sugars… where is the salt?

!He looks for it, grabs it, puts it in the bowl.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

No, wait, this needs to go in the food processor.

!He opens a cabinet, grabs the food processor, pushes the stand mixer aside.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I wish I had bigger counters. How is anyone supposed to bake like this? Now, just dump that all in here. See, all better. Just put the dates in…

!And some of the water too, we hear it go in.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Bit of vanilla, now…

!MORGAN pulses the food processor a few times. *Pulse, pulse, puuuuuuuulse.* It nearly drowns out the lo-fi music. When he stops, MORGAN checks the batter.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

No, what are you doing? The dates are way too chunky. You’ll never combine like this.

!MORGAN pulses the mix again this time, with more force. *Puuuulse, puuuuuuuulse, pulse pulse puuuuuuuuuuuulse.* He check the batter again.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

What, are you upset? Did I not soak you long enough? Work with me, I’ve had a day, please. I don’t have that kind of time. [to the laptop] And this isn’t helping!

!He goes over to the laptop and shuts off the lo-fi music. Sound of typing. MORGAN pulls up YouTube and clicks on a video. The computer audio sounds a bit low quality, a bit further away.

!PRODUCTION NOTE: These are snippets from real YouTube videos and news segments. If fair use allows, we can just use that audio.

@TECH YOUTUBER

What’s up guys! Today, I’m going to be reviewing the best mechanical keyboards of 2022.

@MORGAN

Ugh, no.

!*Click,* he tries again.

@LEWIS WOLF

Hi, I’m Lewis Wolf, and I’ve been an architect in New York City for over three decades.

@MORGAN

Okay, fine.

!MORGAN goes back to baking. He pours a bit more boiling water into the food processor, *ssssssss,* and pulses again, really leaning on the button, as if that’ll make it pulse harder. The words of the video come through in groups of 2-3, but the sentences are illegible.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

There, see? Nice and smooth, just a few specks for character. Was that so hard?

!He grabs the baking dish and begins pushing the batter into the dish with a silicon spatula.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Into the baking dish… into the oven…

@LEWIS WOLF

[fainter, more in the background] Today, we’re going to take a look at one of the most iconic parts of New York City architecture. No, it’s not the Empire State building, or the Washington Square Arch, it’s the New York City subway system.

!Sound of the oven door opening, closing. *Beep, beep.* He sets the oven timer.

@MORGAN

Bake for thirty minutes…

!Intro ditty, ‘stand clear of the closing doors, please’

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

[to the laptop, genuinely] Ha, that’s cute. [to the saucepan] Slowly, slowly! You’ll curdle the cream like that, will you cut it out? Will all of you just calm down?

!MORGAN begins whisking continuously.

@LEWIS WOLF

Another thing that makes New York City’s subway system unique from other contemporary subways systems, was that they included express tracks from the very beginning.

@MORGAN

This isn’t it either.

!He pauses a moment, looking between the saucepan and the laptop.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Just lower the heat a bit more… continually whisk-ish.

!MORGAN goes to the laptop.

@LEWIS WOLF

Let’s take a look at the new 96th St station along the 2nd Avenue-

!The audio cuts off. *Click, click, click* as MORGAN types. He opens a new tab.

@JEREMY ASHFIELD

BBC News. Hello, this is Jeremy Ashfield. Vladimir Putin has once again escalated the war in Ukraine with a series of missile strikes. The military assault, the largest in recent weeks, came at 4am this morning, Kiev local time…

!The news program fades into an unintelligible hum of talking.

@MORGAN

Okay. Alright, good enough.

!He walks back to the stove and continues to whisk.

@JEREMY ASHFIELD

[fainter, in the background] The British Prime Minister says trust in the country’s police force has been badly damaged. Another protest, this time in Edinburgh, highlighted the mounting tensions between the public and the police force. The protests, sparked by the murder of a young transgender teenager, demonstrate the growing-

@MORGAN

No, no! C’mon, I give you a little more sugar, and you seize on me? Here, take a bit of butter…

!MORGAN throws a pad of butter into the pot and starts whisking more vigorously.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Come on… a little cold cream, a little extra sugar, work with me, please.

!It’s becoming more difficult to whisk.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Stop, stop! What do you want? More fat? More liquid? I’m out of cream. I can give you milk? Will you take milk?

!MORGAN grabs the milk out of the fridge and pours a bit into the caramel sauce, but it’s no use. In a few moments, the caramel sauce has seized beyond help.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Dammit!

!We hear the saucepan and the pot clatter as MORGAN pushes them back.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I can make caramel sauce with my eyes closed. I could make it in a dorm kitchen!

!The silence feels so much longer than just a few seconds.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Why, Evie? Seriously, tell me why. G-d, you were so sick. Do you remember? You couldn’t walk. Sometimes, you were so still, I had to check you were still breathing. But, somehow, I figured it out. I paid our rent, I cooked for you, I got you covered under my health insurance.

!The oven beeps.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

[shouting] NOT NOW!

!He hits the off button. The beeping stops.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I kept doing that even after you could work again. Even after you started trespassing and stealing stuff and getting drunk in the park, because I knew you were only doing that shit because you felt like you'd lost so much time. So I paid the fines. One was $250. Do you remember? For throwing rocks at cop cars. What a stupid crime. You’re just asking them to arrest you.

!He lets out a long, weary sigh. For a long moment, he says nothing. When he speaks again, his voice is quieter.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Why didn’t you tell me? If you were in trouble, if you were scared, I would’ve helped you. I proved that to you. I did that for years. If you’d told me about- fuck, I don’t even know what to call all of this.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

How long have you known you could do... this? How long have you hidden this? If Grace hadn't called me, I'd still be sitting here, like an idiot, while you vanished into thin air.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me? What is it about me?

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Why this thing, of all things, to do alone?

EXT. - JUST SOUTH OF THE FINGER LAKES (CONCURRENTLY, LATE AT NIGHT)

!Sounds of a forest in the dead of night. Crickets chirping, owls hooting, bats chittering from tree to tree. A few small forest animals scamper across the ground. We’re far from any towns here. Cell service is basically nonexistent. If you screamed, no one would hear you for miles.

!EVIE sleeps on the ground outside the ruins of the cabin, utterly spent. She does not hear the forest sounds, does not feel the wind gently blowing against her face, does not feel the grass dampening her clothes.

@EVIE

[unintelligible sleeping noises]

!Footsteps approach her, getting louder and louder as the distance closes. They’re leaden and eerily even, a steady and heavy *thump, thump, thump, thump* as if this being could have one leg or many. When THE FIGURE reaches EVIE, it stops in rhythm. It knew to find her here. With a final *THUD* THE FIGURE sits down next to EVIE. Then, with impressive ease, it picks EVIE up and places her in its lap. It gives a tiny noise of exertion; EVIE might as well be a trash bag full of leaves: cumbersome, but not heavy. Evie barely fits, but curls up and resettles.

@EVIE

[a few noises, she stirs, but does not wake]

INT. - EVIE’S OLD BEDROOM - TIME UNCLEAR, IN HERE IT’S ALWAYS DARK

!FLASHBACK sound cue. EVIE lies on her back in bed. MORGAN opens the door, but she doesn’t acknowledge it. He sees a plate of barely eaten food sitting on her chest.

@MORGAN

Evie, please, I can’t watch you waste away in this bed. If you’re not going to get up, please, please, just eat something.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Do I need to stay here? Do you need me to feed you? I will, honestly, I will, if you just ask.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I don’t want to bring a doctor in. If a doctor sees you like this, they'll commit you. Do you understand? They’ll keep you in the hospital and stick IVs and monitors in you until you eat. They’ll force you, and I won’t be there. I can’t-

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Please, I can’t do this day after day. Give me something. Even something small. You’ve lost so much weight, it’s killing me.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Can we try something light? Soup, maybe. No… too hot. Applesauce? Chocolate pudding? You love chocolate pudding.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Let me… let me just make it.

!A long silence follows. EVIE does not move, does not say anything. There are faint cooking sounds in the background as we skip ahead about 15 minutes.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

One chocolate pudding! I made it with milk too. It’s warm, but it’s not too hot. I made sure. If I just sit here on the bed...

!MORGAN sits at the end of her bed.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

There, at least you’re looking at me now. Please take it.

!Silence. EVIE doesn't move. It's like she's looking through him.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

What more can I say? What more can I do? Evie, please, I'll do whatever you need. I just need to know what it is. I know you’d rather be at home. I know you don’t want to go to the hospital. I don’t want you there either, but I’d rather see you in the hospital alive than dead here. Do you understand me? I will not let you die in this bed.

@EVIE

[her voice is craggy] Please, no hospital. I can't stand the hospital.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Then you have to start eating. Can we start with the pudding? Here…

!He puts a bite of pudding on a teaspoon.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Just one spoonful. Can you try that?

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

If you won’t take it, would you just open your mouth? I’ll just… okay. Can I feed it to you?

!MORGAN leans in closer to EVIE. He slowly moves the spoonful of pudding towards her. It reaches her lips. He gently nudges them and, reticently, EVIE opens her mouth.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Thank you. Just a few spoonfuls, alright? Get your blood sugar up.

!MORGAN continues to spoon pudding as he talks.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

If you eat, you’ll have more energy. Then, maybe, you can stand. It’s beautiful outside. Summer’s not over yet. We could go to the park? We don’t have to walk much. I’ll bring a blanket, and we’ll find a sunny spot. We don’t have to talk. We can just lie there. The clouds are so big now, they drift so slowly across the sky. You can barely see them moving. The trees are that dark, beautiful green you love. You don’t have to be happy. I’m not expecting you to be happy. No, please, a little more.

@EVIE

[noise of refusal]

@MORGAN

Okay, alright. More than half the bowl. See? That’s a start.

!He grabs the plate of food from off her chest.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I’ll put your lunch in the fridge for you. Maybe you’ll want it for dinner.

!MORGAN stands up to leave, then turns back.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Evie, the birds are practically shouting outside. Can you hear them in here? I want you to see them while it’s still summer.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Alright, hold on.

!He sets the plate down in the kitchen, then comes back.

@MORGAN:

At least take Robin Pigeon. He's not doing you any good hanging off your backpack. Will you open your hand?

!Silence, no movement.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I know, I know. There are so many things in the apartment that remind me of them. I had to take down all the pictures in my room. I couldn’t stand them staring at me, like ghosts peering out of the walls, but sometimes the objects are okay. You and Mom both loved birds. Maybe she can help you find your voice again. If nothing else-

!He taps his keychain against hers with a little *ding*.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

I'm here with you too, now. Pigeon and Duck.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Can I open your hand, even just a bit?

!MORGAN touches her fingers. She says nothing, but doesn’t protest, doesn’t tense up.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Your hands are so cold. Okay, tell you what, I'll just set Robin here beside you on the bed. If he falls, I'll grab him for you the next time I pop in.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

The park, anytime, any day, just let me know. Actually, anywhere you want to go, just tell me. If you want to leave this room, I’ll drop everything. Do you understand? Nothing matters to me more than this.

!Silence.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

If you won't go to the park, at least open the windows.

!MORGAN opens the curtains besides EVIE's bed. Warm afternoon light filters in. It's early September, but summer is still hanging on.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Okay. I'll check in again in an hour or two.

INT. - MAYA & NOEL’S APARTMENT (THE NEXT MORNING)

!MORGAN knocks on the door of the apartment. After a few moments, NOEL answers it.

@NOEL

Hi, Morgan. Sorry, we're running a little late here.

!MORGAN now sees the full view of the living room. JAMES sits on the floor. He’s looking through boxes, sorting the produce inside, determining what food is still viable and what’s compost. MAYA sits on the couch. She organizes the produce into different, smaller paper bags and tote bags. Every so often, she checks the contents of the bags against a handwritten list lying on the coffee table.

@MORGAN

What’s going on?

@NOEL

It’s grocery day. We’re sorting through rescued food and packing it up.

@MORGAN

Why?

@NOEL

To get people through the week. A lot of magical folks don't have any family ties left; they either think they're unwell or their families can't accept their magic. That means they need us, and we help make sure they can eat.

@JAMES

Maya, do you think this tomato's still good?

@MAYA

Maybe. Is it a little firm when you press on it?

!JAMES presses a little on the tomato. Juice runs over his fingers.

@JAMES

Gross! No, it’s compost. Definitely compost.

!He tosses the tomato into a large garbage bag. As the four of them talk, MAYA and JAMES continue their sorting. Ambient sounds of paper bags crinkling and general shuffling.

@MORGAN

What do you mean by rescued?

@NOEL

Like it was rescued from being thrown away. Most of this stuff is from grocery stores and grocery delivery warehouses. After a few days, they legally have to throw fresh food away, even if it’s still fine to eat.

@MORGAN

So instead they give it to you?

@JAMES

In a sense.

@MAYA

Sometimes. There are some grocery stores in Brooklyn, or co-ops, that will donate the food to us if we ask.

@JAMES

Or we don’t ask, and our friends that work there rescue it first. Half this stuff came from that massive supermarket near Barclays Center.

@NOEL

Or we dumpster dive. But only if the food is wrapped up, obviously.

@MORGAN

Cool.

!MORGAN walks closer to MAYA and spies the list.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

What’s this list of names?

@MAYA

People who need food. What else?

@MORGAN

Like friends of yours?

@MAYA

Some. Some are friends of friends. Some are people who just found out about grocery distro and asked to be added. Some are folks who come to the park on Sundays and need extra support during the week. We try to give everybody something, at least. Summer’s pretty good for that.

@JAMES

Winter, not so much.

@MORGAN

Can I help with anything?

@JAMES

Yeah, you can start sorting that box. Anything that’s too gross to eat goes in the compost bag.

@NOEL

We have about five more boxes to sort through, and then we can leave. Sorry, I didn’t expect such a good haul.

@MORGAN

No, no it’s fine. I'm happy to help.

!MORGAN sits down and starts sorting through his box. NOEL joins him and continues to sort through his box.

@JAMES

Paige and Lee need a bag.

@MAYA

They aren’t on the list this week.

@JAMES

Because they won’t admit that they need one, but Lee told me the bakery cut his hours in half. They’ll need a bag, whether they think they will or not.

@MAYA

One or two?

@JAMES

One for the both of them. I think they’d return a second bag.

@NOEL

I wish they’d feel more comfortable asking us for help.

@MORGAN

Is it a pride thing?

@JAMES

No, I don’t think so. I think they just feel like they can make it work without the help. They don’t want to take a bag from someone else who “needs it more.”

@MAYA

We’re not a charity. We’re doing mutual aid. They know that.

@NOEL

There’s a big difference between knowing something and believing something.

!For a few moments, they continue their work in silence.

@MORGAN

Did Evie do this with you guys?

@NOEL

Yeah, she did, though she preferred delivering the bags. She liked to see everyone face to face, so she could get a sense of how they were actually doing. Like, if they needed more help than they were letting on.

@JAMES

I’m the only one with a car. She used to talk my ear off.

@MORGAN

About what?

@JAMES

Lots of things. About mutual aid, work, school, local politics and international politics and whatever book she was reading at the time. She wanted to plan distro parties. She wanted to grow our reach. She was so sure there were other groups of magical people doing mutual aid in Philly, Jersey City, Newark. I don’t know how far she got with that, though, before- Before she vanished.

@NOEL

Morgan, you alright?

@MORGAN

Yeah, yeah. Sorry, it's just- it's been years since I saw Evie that excited about anything. It’s a lot to take in. It’s great! It’s how she used to be, but-

!But why couldn’t she be that way around him?

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Yeah, anyway. This whole thing is just a lot to process.

@MAYA

I'm sure. Morgan, we’re going to find her.

@MORGAN

I know.

@NOEL

Maybe it’s time for us to head over to Alix’s. We were supposed to leave a half hour ago.

@JAMES

Take their groceries with you.

@NOEL

Will do.

@MAYA

Thanks for the help, Morgan.

@MORGAN

Yeah, of course, anytime. I mean that, anytime.

@JAMES

Don’t tell her that. She’ll hold you to it.

@MORGAN

Good, I hope she does.

EXT. - VAN BUREN STREET - NOON

!MORGAN and NOEL walk down Van Buren. Faint sounds of cars and conversation as they walk.

@MORGAN

So this friend we’re visiting, Alix, are they another… person like Maya and Evie?

@NOEL

You’re not really supposed to ask.

@MORGAN

[flustered] Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't-

@NOEL

Kidding! Kidding, sorry. Well, kidding a bit. You can ask if you want, since I can vouch for you. But they might not answer.

@MORGAN

Why?

@NOEL

Every additional person who knows puts them in more danger. Someone could say the wrong thing in the wrong bar and, suddenly, there’s an agent at your door.

@MORGAN

Like Det. Hirsch?

@NOEL

Hopefully not.

@MORGAN

Then what?

@NOEL

Let's hope it's not relevant.

@MORGAN

Is anyone going to give me a straight answer about anything?

@NOEL

When I have one, I'll let you know.

!They walk for a few moments in silence.

@MORGAN

The way that James described Evie: passionate and energetic and too righteous to see any danger, is that how you knew her?

@NOEL

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.

!MORGAN gives a frustrated sigh.

@NOEL (CONT'D)

You know, it's okay to be upset that she didn't tell you.

@MORGAN

Yeah, I know. This is the biggest secret she's kept from me, but it definitely isn't the first. Every time I catch her in a lie, I think the next lie will hurt less. Like I'll build up a tolerance to it, and it never does. I just keep guessing at why she lied until my head hurts.

@NOEL

Do you have any theories now?

@MORGAN

A few.

@NOEL

What are they?

@MORGAN

When I figure out the right one, I'll let you know.

!They share a chuckle just as they stop in front of an apartment building.

@NOEL

Here we are.

!Buzzer sound

@ALIX

[on intercom] Who is it?

@NOEL

It’s Noel and a friend.

!*BZZZZZZ.* They walk through the door and head up the stairs. Sound of an apartment door opening.

@ALIX

Hi! I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Alix.

@MORGAN

I'm Morgan, Evie’s brother.

@ALIX

Evie’s brother?

@NOEL

Yeah. We were surprised too.

INT. - ALIX’S APARTMENT

!MORGAN and NOEL walk inside. ALIX lives in a small studio apartment lit warmly entirely by lamps. Blackout curtains are pulled shut over every window. ALIX’s walls are covered in a combination of movie posters and agitprop. Old Soviet era motivational posters sit next to posters advertising The Matrix and Bladerunner. In the back corner, ALIX’s bed is pushed off to the side. In another corner, there’s a desk with some cables on it, a keyboard, but no computer. The “living room” consists of a loveseat, a thrifted upholstered armchair, and a tiny coffee table in front of a small TV sitting on top of a bookshelf. On the other side of the apartment, dirty dishes are piled up in the sink.

@ALIX

Sorry for the low lighting. Bright lights still give me a nasty headache. [to MORGAN] I got a concussion a few weeks ago. Not ‘permanent brain damage’ bad but still ‘was unconscious for hours’ bad.

@MORGAN

I’m sorry.

@ALIX

Thanks.

@MORGAN

Do you speak Russian? You have all these Russian posters.

@ALIX

No, I just like collecting agitprop. I know what most of these say, though. A lot of “support your fellow workers” and “destroy the evil, wealth-hoarding capitalists.” The “step up and serve the Motherland” ones are a bit too nationalist for me, even if the space race ones are pretty cool.

@NOEL

Is this one new? Between these and the movie posters, you’re going to run out of wall space.

@ALIX

Yeah! It’s from an indigenous women’s co-op in Ecuador. Totally fair trade coffee. They’ll even ship to the States.

@MORGAN

Is it any good?

@ALIX

I think so, and it got me off of Red Bull, so that’s something.

@NOEL

Hey, Alix, I’d love to just hang out, but we actually came here for a reason. Have you heard from Evie recently?

!ALIX thinks a moment.

@ALIX

Like in the last week? No. James mentioned something about this at last Sunday’s serve. Is she okay?

@MORGAN

That’s what we’re trying to figure out. Do you remember the last time you spoke with her?

@ALIX

Not really. Probably… two weeks ago? She came by to see how I was doing. Has anyone heard from her yet?

@MORGAN

No. She no-showed at both of her jobs, and when I went to her apartment, she was gone. The whole place looked ransacked.

@NOEL

Maya and I haven’t heard from her either. Lee and Paige both tried to reach out to her on Signal and got nothing. She hasn’t even read the messages.

!ALIX sits down on the couch.

@ALIX

Dammit. This isn’t good.

!NOEL sits down next to them and puts one of his hands on theirs. The touch is natural and obvious. These are two people who are very comfortable with each other.

@NOEL

Alix, is there anything you can think of that might be related? It looks like Evie came by your apartment really close to when she vanished. Anything might be helpful.

!Beat of tense silence.

@ALIX

She’s going to kill me. If she isn’t already-

!They don’t finish their sentence.

@MORGAN

What are you talking about?

!ALIX lets out a heavy sigh, like a weight’s been removed from their chest.

@NOEL

It's another Hansen thing, isn't it?

@ALIX

Yeah.

@MORGAN

Who?

@ALIX

Hansen Securities.

@NOEL

Remember how Maya said we could deal with the FBI? Hansen’s the real threat. Private security and investigation firm backed with Defense money.

@ALIX

Just call them what they are! They’re mercenaries. Attack dogs for the State with even less oversight than feds, and that’s saying a lot. They’re who you call if you want a protest broken up and you don’t care who gets hurt.

@NOEL

They specialize in magical cases. If a person with magic messes with your life, whether you're a government official or a private business, Hansen promises to handle it quickly and discretely.

@ALIX

The worst part is that they're good at what they do. Ever since Hansen realized there was money to be made here, a lot of money, we've been harassed, monitored, you name it. Friends of mine, good people, have had to leave New York because of it.

@MORGAN

What do they want with Evie?

@ALIX

I should say, it’s not Evie personally. It’s anyone who can do magic.

@NOEL

I know lots of folks in Brooklyn who can do magic, and they’re all accounted for except for Evie. Alix, please, just tell us what you know.

@ALIX

Morgan, to catch you up: a few weeks ago, a man came to my door. He claimed he was a cop on the city's computer crimes squad. He showed me a warrant to seize my computer and hard drive. I asked to see his badge too, and it looked pretty legit, but I can also fake IDs. It's not too hard.

@MORGAN

What was the pretext for seizing your stuff? Did he even give you a reason?

@ALIX

Yeah, he made some vague comment about hacking and, for what it's worth, I *do* do a fair bit of hacking, but I'm not out here setting up phishing websites and scamming old people. Recently, the most I've done is quietly take down photos or videos of people doing magic. Anyone we know is pretty coy about public magic, but there's still, like, eight million people in this city, and all of them have phone cameras.

!As ALIX continues telling their story, sound effects fade in. They match up to when Alix describes them.

@ALIX (CONT'D)

Anyway, I told the guy I wanted to call and verify his badge number. That's when he forced his way in. I froze. I needed a partner to do any magic powerful enough to defend myself, and besides, if this guy turned out to be Hansen, and now I'm sure he was, doing magic against him is legal justification for taking me in.

!Faint sounds of a struggle, dreamlike, fade in during ALIX's next few lines.

@ALIX (CONT'D)

When he pushed past me to grab my computer, he shoved me so hard, I hit the wall headfirst. I was dazed, but still on my feet, so I tried to grab him. He was too fast. He shoved me again, this time with his shoulder, I think. I went down and didn't get up again.

!Sound effects fade. We’re fully back in ALIX’s apartment.

@ALIX (CONT'D)

When I woke up a few hours later, I had the worst headache of my life. I called Noel and James, and they brought me to the hospital. My computer has a kill switch controlled by my phone. It wipes the whole hard drive the minute the computer next connects to the Internet. Still, I have no idea how much data that guy was able to copy in the few hours I was out.

@MORGAN

What do you think he was after?

@ALIX

I wasn't sure, but now that Evie's missing, I think I know. A few months ago, I started combing through unencrypted servers and satellite data. I do that periodically, just to see what I can find. Evie really believed we were screwing ourselves by not being proactive about Hansen.

@NOEL

I remember this. She tried to convince me, Maya, and James that we should go on the offensive. Get rid of the Hansen problem for good.

@ALIX

She tried to convince me too.

@MORGAN

What did you tell her?

@NOEL

That it was a terrible idea. We're not a militia like they are. People could die. They have more guns and more manpower than us.

@MORGAN

I'm sure she hated that.

@NOEL

Yeah, she did.

@ALIX

But she wasn't totally wrong, either. We couldn't overpower them, sure, but we might not have to. If they're careless with their data, we'd be stupid not to look for it. Hansen is constantly moving around. We assume they have permanent offices or bases, but we could never find them. Then, we got what we were waiting for. I found the Fitbit data of two of their security guys. Dumbasses didn’t turn off their location tracking. They went to several different rural locations in upstate New York. Evie and I thought they might be visiting remote offices or something. The biggest news, though was we think we found a base, a real permanent base, up near Rochester. There was enough data to guess at the dimensions of the building, the floors, the grounds, based on where these guys did their runs. The data was a few months out of date, but way better than anything I've ever found.

@NOEL

Alix, do you think Evie went after those safe houses on her own?

!ALIX takes a moment.

@ALIX

Yeah, I do. I really thought I talked her out of it, but after that Hansen asshole gave me a concussion, she wouldn't hear it anymore. And now she's gone.

@NOEL

Why wouldn't she say anything?

@MORGAN

She didn't want you to stop her.

!Beat.

@NOEL

Alix, you have offsite backups of the stuff you wiped, right?

@ALIX

Duh.

@NOEL

Could you restore it to a different computer? Then, at least, we'll know where she went.

@ALIX

Probably, if I can find one secure enough.

@MORGAN

I have one. I mostly do IT and cybersecurity now, but I used to do some hacking, too. Mostly taking down neo-Nazi forums and stuff.

@ALIX

No way! So did I. What did you go by?

@MORGAN

Uh, it makes less sense spoken out loud. I just- I wrote a program to generate random strings until I saw one I liked.

@ALIX

Did people call you Nix for short?

@MORGAN

How did you-

@ALIX

You're okay. Dude, holy shit, you're okay. I can't believe it. And your Evie's brother? Damn, the world is so small.

@MORGAN

...Zeph?

@ALIX

Yeah.

@MORGAN

Woah.

@NOEL

How long have you two known each other?

@ALIX

Years, apparently.

@NOEL

[to Alix] Do you trust him? Can you vouch for him?

@ALIX

Fuck yeah I can. This guy’s had my back whether we were up against bigots or feds.

@NOEL

Good. Morgan, that’ll go a long way with Maya.

@ALIX

We can totally restore the backups to your computer, then. And see if Hansen’s leaked any more info since the cop came by. It might give us a clearer picture of where Evie is right now.

@MORGAN

Wait a minute, Zeph, what did the cop look like?

@ALIX

Um, I don’t quite remember, but he wasn’t wearing a uniform. He had a gun though.

@MORGAN

Around 6ft tall, medium brown hair, graying at the temples. He stands like he has military training, and talks to you like he’s trying to soothe a wild animal?

@ALIX

Yeah. That’s pretty on the nose.

@MORGAN

Noel, that sounds just like fake-detective Hirsch.

@NOEL

I was afraid of that. I'll call Maya. We have to let her and Grace know who Hirsch really is. Alix, thank you so much. It may not feel like it, but you did the right thing.

@ALIX

Thanks. I hope it’s not too late.

INT. - MORGAN & EVIE’S LIVING ROOM (WHEN IT WAS ALMOST TOO LATE)

!FLASHBACK sound cue. MORGAN stands in his living room folding laundry. His phone sits on the coffee table, on speaker. We enter in the middle of the conversation.

@MORGAN

I don’t need medical advice. I just want your opinion, as a medical professional-

@JOSEPH

[on the phone] Morgan, I haven’t even finished my residency.

@MORGAN

You know more about medicine than I do! Dude, she’s not eating. She can barely talk. I go in there at least three times a day to bring her meals, and sometimes, she's in the same position I left her in. She hasn’t gotten out of bed in a month. What’s going to happen to her muscles?

@JOSEPH

I don't know. I can’t diagnose someone over the phone.

@MORGAN

I just need ideas. I've tried everything I can think of. I’m working from home, so at least there’s still money coming in, but I can’t watch her 24/7. If she’s hurt or needs help, I’m not sure she's even strong enough to even yell across the apartment. Every time I touch her hands, they’re ice cold. She’s dehydrated, she’s getting thinner every day, and there’s nothing I’ve been able to do to stop it.

@JOSEPH

Doesn’t she have anyone you can call? Her primary care doctor? A therapist or psychiatrist, if she has one?

@MORGAN

It won’t work. They’ll try to force her into in-patient treatment.

@JOSEPH

If you think every doctor you know would 5150 her, then that’s probably your answer.

@MORGAN

I’m not going to do that! She’s not crazy. She’s just grieving. They’ll separate her from me. They’ll treat her like she’s insane. Right now, she’s so precarious. I have to be careful.

INT. - EVIE’S BEDROOM (CONCURRENTLY)

!The audio shifts slightly as we move into EVIE’s bedroom. It’s quieter, muffled through the door.

@JOSEPH

You live in a city with amazing doctors. You can find one who’s empathetic, who’ll listen to you.

@MORGAN

Even if they listen to me, I know they'll insist on committing her. They’ll take away her phone and internet access, and she’ll be isolated from me. That's the worst possible thing. I’m the only one who really understands what she’s going through.

!Soft clinking sounds as EVIE fidgets with her pigeon keychain.

@JOSEPH

There’s a long walk between that kind of facility and a 72-hour hold.

@MORGAN

I told you, it's not an option. I’m not going to talk about this anymore. I didn’t call you so you could convince me to lock her up.

!EVIE attempts to speak. Her voice comes out craggily.

@EVIE

Hello?

!She tries again, clears her throat. She needs water, but there’s none she can grab without moving.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Hello? Hello, hello, hello.

!As she tests the word out, her voice becomes a bit clearer. More clinking sounds as she begins to talk to the keychain.

@EVIE

They’re going to lock me up, Robin. They’ll put me in a gilded cage and tell me it's good for me. Like magic, I'll be better. I don’t think Morgan can hold them back any longer.

!She chuckles to herself.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Robin Pigeon. What a dumb joke.

!The door opens. MORGAN enters the room with a small stack of clothes.

@MORGAN

How're you feeling?

@EVIE

The same.

@MORGAN

Well, here's everything of yours that was in the laundry. I'll just put it AT the end of the bed. You barely touched your lunch.

@EVIE

I had a little.

@MORGAN

Is there something you'd eat more of?

@EVIE

No, eating in general makes me nauseous. Everything makes me nauseous. I heard you talking to Joseph.

@MORGAN

How'd you know it was Joseph?

@EVIE

You only know so many med students. Does he want you to send me away?

@MORGAN

No, and even if he did, I wouldn't listen.

!MORGAN spies EVIE fiddling with the keychain.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

Is Robin helping you, at all?

@EVIE

A little. It's nice to have him here.

@MORGAN

Good. Here, keep talking. I'll leave the door open. I have more laundry to fold.

!MORGAN exits back into the living room. When he speaks, he projects a little, and his voice is a little far away.

@MORGAN (CONT'D)

What were you thinking about when I walked in?

@EVIE

Not sure. I guess, I was thinking how Robin always looks like he's just about to fly. He's always opening his wings, just ready to take off, but he never gets to do it.

!The pigeon starts to grow warm in her hand, but she doesn't notice just yet.

@MORGAN

When you clip him to your bag, he flies.

@EVIE

Sort of.

@MORGAN

He moves back and forth. He gets to go places. Isn't that basically flying?

@EVIE

Not really. I mean fly on his own. Go where he wants to go. Can you imagine it? A tiny little bird, flapping his metal wings in the sun, landing on tree after tree.

@MORGAN

He's the same size?

@EVIE

Same everything, except he can fly. I like that. Isn't that a nice thought?

@MORGAN

It is. Would he make any sounds?

@EVIE

Of course. He'd coo, just like any other pigeon.

@MORGAN

But his voice would probably be really high, because he's so small.

@EVIE

Yeah, a bunch of tiny little coos.

!The doorbell rings.

@MORGAN

Oh, Evie, just one sec.

!MORGAN goes to answer the door, and we can't hear him anymore.

@EVIE

If you were alive, you could be my friend. Did you know that there’s a whole world outside this room? Sometimes, it’s hard for me to remember what it looks like, but if you were my friend, you could tell me about it.

!The pigeon grows hot enough for EVIE to notice.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Morgan says my hands are so cold, but you’re warm.

@ROBIN

Coo! Coo!

!The coos are tiny, just like MORGAN and EVIE said. Robin Pigeon, while still metallic, is alive.

@EVIE

What the-

!The cooing gets louder as Robin Pigeon finds its voice. It takes a few test flaps on its wings.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Ok, alright, maybe I am going crazy.

!Robin Pigeon, with a final test flap, takes off from EVIE’s palm. It begins to fly a slow lap around the room. EVIE, for the first time in ages, gives a genuine laugh.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Look at you, you’re flying! Yes, that’s my bookshelf, all the way close to the ceiling. And those are my picture frames. Oh! Oh, be careful. That's a window.

!Robin hits the window, gently, and gives a loud, annoyed coo. He the flies to the desk.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Yes, that’s my desk. I can’t remember the last time I used that.

!Robin Pigeon hops around on the desk and coos louder.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Maybe I’m dying. Maybe, you’re the last thing I get to see. At least you're beautiful. At least there's that.

@MORGAN

[calling from the living room] That was Mrs. Garcia with more cookies. I'll put some on a plate for you.

@EVIE

[calling, with effort, to MORGAN] Sounds good! [then back to ROBIN] Robin, come back here. What if he sees you? What if he doesn’t? No, that’s worse.

@ROBIN

Coo! Coo!

@EVIE

Please, Robin, please. He'll walk in any second.

@ROBIN

Coo, coo!

!Robin Pigeon would prefer to hop around on the desk.

@EVIE

Fuck, I- I have to grab you.

!EVIE struggles to sit herself up. Her legs feel leaden. Her muscles are so weak.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Please, Robin, I can barely walk. Here, okay, just one step. Just one foot out of bed.

!She does it.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Gah, my legs hurt. Please. Just a few more steps. Foot on the floor… there. Second foot… oh, there’s no way. I can’t support my own weight, I just-

@ROBIN

Coo, coo, coo!!

@EVIE

Quiet! Please! Ah, fine. Let me just test… oh no, that’s unsteady. I can lean against the bed… okay, better. Shuffle, shuffle.

!EVIE slowly gets to the end of the bed.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

Just a quick hop to the desk. If I can push off the bed… get enough momentum.

!With a big oof! EVIE pushes herself from the bed to the desk chair. It’s the most she’s moved in a month.

@EVIE (CONT'D)

[out of breath] There, got it!

@ROBIN

Coo coo!

!It’s as if Robin Pigeon is cheering.

@EVIE

Now be quiet-

!The door opens. MORGAN walks in.

@MORGAN

Evie, you’re standing! I can’t believe it, this is amazing!

@EVIE

It’s hard. It hurts.

@MORGAN

Yeah, of course it does. You've lain in bed for weeks. Here. Take my arm.

!MORGAN sets the plate of cookies down. EVIE takes his outstretched arm.

@MORGAN

Let’s walk you back to the bed… there, sit down.

@EVIE

Why is this so hard?

@MORGAN

You’ll need physical therapy, I think. I’ll call Dr. Chan’s office and get a referral for someone who can come here to help you. I don’t think you could get on the subway right now.

@EVIE

Yeah, I really think that would kill me.

@MORGAN

Don’t say that. This is already so much better. You’re getting so much better. We’re past the worst part, I know it. Evie, I’m so, so happy to see you moving. From the bottom of my heart, I’m so happy for you.

@EVIE

Uh… thanks.

@MORGAN

Here, one cookie to celebrate. Please? Don't you feel like celebrating?

@EVIE

Not really.

@MORGAN

Okay, no worries. Step by step. I'll leave the cookies here in case you change your mind. Can I give you a hug?

@EVIE

Sure.

!MORGAN gives her a tight hug. She leans into it, but doesn’t have the energy for a squeeze.

@MORGAN

Call if you need anything. Seriously, anything. I love you. I’ll bring dinner in a few hours.

!MORGAN takes the lunch plate and goes back into the living room, closing the door behind him.

@EVIE

[whispered] Robin, are you still here?

!EVIE slowly opens her palm.

@EVIE

Back to the way you were. Did any of that… no, we're not going there. I’m not crazy. I know I’m not crazy. You flew. I saw you.

!Robin Pigeon, metal and inert, does not respond.

@EVIE

I saw you. I don’t know how, but you flew around my room. I know that's true, and I'll make sure you do it again.