Sean Fleming, Issue #1 script

Sean Fleming

Issue 1 Rough Draft

By Daniel Kalban

Page 1

Panel 1

The exterior of a hospital in a baroque building. A sign out front labels it “Hôpital Royal Monaco”. Rain is pouring down, and well-dressed people are rushing past it.

Caption: Monaco, 15 Years Ago.

Panel 2

A beautiful woman with long dark hair is holding a new baby boy in her arms. She is lying in her hospital bed in a richly appointed room. Sitting nearby in a chair, in shadow, is an impeccably dressed man that we will know as “Shieldbearer”. Her name is Valencia Ombra.

Shieldbearer: He’s beautiful, Valencia.

Valencia: My baby boy…my first born.

Shieldbearer: Agent Alpha sends his regards, and his apologies.

Valencia: He couldn’t be here for the birth of his son?

Shieldbearer: The situation in the Middle East has…

Panel 3

Valencia holds her baby close to her

Valencia: He should have been here, for this. Or is he busy having dalliances with another one of his girls?

Shieldbearer: *off panel* I cannot say. Security matters and all that.

Valencia: So I can know his general location, just not who he is with and what he is doing? I was a field agent once….

Panel 4

Shieldbearer, still in shadow, cups his hands under his chin.

Shieldbearer: He is perfectly willing to be part of his son’s life, Valencia.

Valencia: Shieldbearer, he would never be there for him. I will be. You can tell Agent Alpha his presence will not be needed.

Shieldbearer: Very well. So, what is my godson’s name?

Panel 5

Valencia looks longingly at her son.

Valencia: Sean….

Page 2

Panel 1

The exterior of a recreation center (think YMCA) in London’s East End. A sign out front says “Whitechapel Recreation Center”

Caption: London, the present.

Monty: *from inside* Fleming! What the #$%^ did I tell you!?

Panel 2

A group of what would be generously described as “white trash” or “chav” are standing around a figure on a bench. The figure’s back is to us, and in shadow. They are in a locker room. The leader is a muscle bound twit by the name of Monty.

Monty: I told you to stay away from my girl. Now Trevor tells me you were snogging her at your posh school! And the smack you sold us was baking powder! You sell me fake drugs and dare to kiss my girl!

Panel 3

Sean Fleming, age 15, is an athletically built young man with short brown hair, blue eyes, and a winning smile. Unlike the gang members, he’s dressed in a school uniform of blazer, dress shirt, tie (slightly undone), slacks, socks, and dress shoes. He has a rakish air about him.

Sean: What can I say? I’m a catch; and obviously she prefers posh to steroids and “bling.” Also, no refunds.

Monty: I’m warning you--

Sean: Oh, and it was a bit more than snogging.

Panel 4

Monty throws a punch

Monty: You bloody---

Panel 5

Sean grabs Monty’s arm, quick enough to surprise the bigger teen.

Sean: You know…I’ve been wanting to fight all day.

Panel 6

Sean flips Monty into a locker.

Page 3

Note to artist, just go wild on this page with Sean kicking the utter crap out of these gangster wannabes. He should take a couple hits though, so when we turn to page 4, maybe his shirt has been bloodied up a bit.

To quote my friend Rhys: “the kids won't be scared of him so they will come all at him ready to knock him down. So yeah he will get hurt. But he can fucking hurt them worse.”

Page 4

Panel 1

Sean stands over the unconscious bodies of the gang members.

Sean: Thanks mates, I needed to lose some tension anyways.

Monty: %^&* you, Fleming, you’re a dead man next time I see you!

Sean: Please, you were barely a warm up….

Rec Center Officer: Bloody Hell!

Panel 2

A police officer stares aghast at the scene before him. Sean is just standing in the middle of the room, nonchalant as you’d please.

Rec Center Officer: What happened here?

Sean: I’m an innocent boy, sir, these thugs jumped me!

Monty’s Thug: Innocent? You kicked my bloody teeth in, you wanker!

Sean: Well your boss started it.

Panel 3

The officer just glares at Sean

Rec Center Officer: You and your friends…the whole lot is coming with me!

Sean: I wouldn’t call them friends, more like acquaintances…

Rec Center Officer: And no more bloody lip!

Panel 4

Sean and the other boys sit out in front of a counselor’s office at the Rec Center

Rec Center Director: *from inside* We cannot allow him to come here.  He’s constantly causing trouble.

Panel 5

Close up on the door.

Rec Center Director: *from inside* The fighting is the least of our worries. We think he’s a bad influence.

Professor Llewelyn: *from inside* You must consider the fact that his father is an absent figure in his life….

Rec Center Director: *from inside* I’m quite aware, and his mother is often absent from home.

Page 5

Panel 1

Professor David Llewelyn, aka “Gadgeteer” for the Agency, sits in the director’s office opposite the prim and proper female director (can we model her a bit after Tommy’s mother from Rugrats?). He is a proper older gentleman in a Tweed suit and glasses.

Rec Center Director: Furthermore, Professor Llewelyn, you are not his legal guardian, so I do not know why he insisted we call you.

Professor Llewelyn: I’m a friend of the family. His mother insists I keep an eye out for him while she is out of town.

Rec Center Director: Are you also a friend of his father’s?

Professor Llewelyn: Yes.

Panel 2

The rec center director looks cross

Rec Center Director: Where is he? And what does he do? It's obvious Sean could have used a positive male role model in his life.

Panel 3

The professor looks resigned

Professor Llewelyn: You’re looking at the “positive male role model.” As for his father, his work is classified by the company.

Rec Center Director: An executive for a tech company cannot have classified work, Professor!

Professor Llewelyn: Let’s just say our products are not for the general public.

Panel 4

Sean stands as the Professor exits the office.

Professor Llewelyn: Bloody waste of my time. Come Sean, you’re on parole.

Sean: About time she saw reason….

Professor Llewelyn: Yeah, about that….

Panel 5

Outside, they walk to the Professor’s mini van

Sean: I’m banned from the center!?

Professor Llewelyn: It was that or pressing charges. Besides, I have a feeling you haven’t told your mother the big news.

Page 6

Panel 1

Sean and the Professor get into the car.

Sean: That I’ve been expelled? Nah, she hasn’t been home to tell.

Professor Llewelyn: Don’t tell me she’s doing freelance work again.

Sean: I won’t.

Panel 2

The Professor points to a present in the back. It’s a small wrapped box.

Professor Llewelyn: I shouldn’t even be pointing out that there is a present for you back there. It is your fifteenth birthday today, after all.

Sean: From you?

Professor Llewelyn: Kind of. It’s from your father, but I made it per his instructions.

Panel 3

Sean grabs the box.

Panel 4

He opens it

Panel 5

Inside is a beautiful Rolex watch, with a noticeable red button.

Sean: A watch?

Professor Llewelyn: Like he wears in the field.

Panel 6

Sean puts it on as the Professor shifts the car into gear.

Professor Llewelyn: Let’s get you home, then.

Page 7

Panel 1

The exterior of the well-appointed Chelsea home of Valencia Ombra. The Professor’s car is parked out front.

Valencia: *from inside* So, he’s been expelled again.

Professor Llewelyn: *from inside* For sex, fighting, and supposed drug dealing.

Valecia: *from inside* Supposed?

Panel 2

In a tastefully decorated sitting room, Valencia and the Professor are sipping tea. Valencia’s dark hair has a white streak in it.

Professor Llewelyn: Baking soda disguised as heroin and the like. He wasn’t actually drug dealing. Just like you weren’t actually on an art buying trip until this afternoon.

Valencia: Does the Agency disapprove of my moonlighting as a freelance agent?

Professor Llewelyn: Well it does put your loved ones at risk.

Valencia: I’ve trained Sean to be more than capable of defending himself.

Professor Llewelyn: Yes, he is more than capable. That is why I’m suggesting you send him to Marlowe....

Panel 3

Sean sits on the stairs, eavesdropping

Valencia: *off panel* I’d rather send him to a military academy in the States then send him there!

Professor Llewelyn: *off panel* Nevertheless, there has always been a space there for him—

Valencia: *off panel* Because of who his father is. No, I’ll homeschool him. This is his last chance though.

Panel 4

Sean stands to attention as the Professor exits the sitting room.

Professor Llewelyn: I hope you reconsider. He is…gifted.

Panel 5

The professor turns to Sean.

Professor Llewelyn: By the way, Sean, if you’re ever in major trouble, press the red button on the watch. Good night.

Sean: Good night, Professor.

Page 8

Panel 1

The exterior of the house, later that night.

Panel 2

Sean is training in a private gym, using the gymnastic rings. We can see the new watch on his wrist.

Panel 3

He pauses in his training as his mother interrupts it.

Valencia: *off panel* I just want to remind you that I always have the best of intentions—

Panel 4

Valencia stands in the doorway, a cigarette lit in her hand.

Valencia: --So believe me it pains me to even consider sending you away to a military school.

Sean: I thought you said you quit smoking.

Valencia: You aren’t the only one with secrets in this house.

Panel 5

Sean flips to land on the ground.

Valencia: You are wasting your potential with your acting out. You could be on the Olympic Team by now.

Sean: What if I didn’t want to?

Valencia: What do you want then?

Panel 6

Close up on Sean’s eyes, he looks deadly serious.

Sean: 15 minutes alone with Father, for the first time in my life. I’ve never even met him.

Panel 7

Valencia crosses her arms, Sean looks incredulous

Valencia: Your father is a busy man.

Sean: Bullshit, you always said you never wanted him in my life!

Valencia: Because of his work—

Sean: --Which is the same work you do.

Page 9

Panel 1

Valencia looks cross as she puffs on her cigarette

Valencia: Your father didn’t even bother to be there when you were born. I’ve made sacrifices, to push you to be the best….

Sean: *off panel* Oh please, don’t think I didn’t notice a few things about my upbringing.

Panel 2

Sean starts listing things on his fingers.

Sean: Martial arts, gymnastics, firearms, several languages…you’ve been training me to be a spy like you since I could walk.

Panel 3

Sean actually looks hurt.

Sean: I just want to talk to him…see if it’s really the life I want to have.

Valencia: Oh, Sean….

Panel 4

Valencia hugs him, being careful not to scorch him with the cigarette.

Valencia: I understand. I have an idea; if you behave when I homeschool you, I will bring your father over to tea, so you can ask him as many questions as you want.

Panel 5

Sean grins

Sean: Really?

Valencia: Really, now shower. Why do you teenage boys always stink after such exertion is beyond me….

Page 10

Panel 1

Later that night, Sean is in his bed, awake. It’s a bit messy, with laundry scattered here and there. A few posters line the walls. He’s in a tank top and boxers; he’s still wearing the watch.

Panel 2

He sits up when he hears a noise.

SFX: SMASH!

Panel 3

He gets out of bed.

Panel 4

He walks down the stairs.

FIST Thug Leader: Where are the papers, woman!?

Valencia: Oh like I’d tell you FIST* goons anything.

*Note for myself. FIST stands for Federation of Infiltrators, Sadists, and Terrorists.  

Panel 5

Sean holds himself flat to the wall as Valencia is being held captive in the sitting room by armed goons (six or so) in paramilitary gear with a fist emblem on their shoulders.

FIST Thug Leader: Those papers are very important to my employer. It would be a shame to have to torture you.

Valencia: Even if you did, I won’t talk. I’ve dealt with FIST torture before; you’re pussies.

FIST Thug Leader: You arrogant slut!

Panel 6

Sean winces as he hears his mother being smacked in the next room. He presses the red button on the watch.

SFX: SMACK!

Panel 7

A gun is pointed at the back of his head.

FIST Thug: Didn’t your mother tell you it was rude to listen in when adults are having a private conversation?

Page 11

Panel 1

Sean is marched into the sitting room

Valencia: Sean!

Sean: Mother, what’s going on?

Valencia: *to the FIST Thug leader* He has nothing to do with what you want!

FIST Thug Leader: Au contraire, my dear. If you don’t tell us where the papers are—

Panel 2

The FIST Thug leader points his pistol at Sean’s head

FIST Thug Leader: --your very brave son will die.

Sean: Think you’re so tough, picking on a kid?

FIST Thug Leader: I’ve killed many children, what makes you so different?

Sean: Well for starters….

Panel 3

Sean ducks and trips the FIST Leader.

FIST Leader: >oof<!

Panel 4

Valencia punches one of her captors as Sean does a flying kick at another goon.

Panel 5

Sean tosses one of the guards onto the sitting room’s table, causing it to collapse under the man’s weight.

Panel 6

Valencia takes a gun from one of the thugs and starts firing at the leader.

Page 12

Panel 1

The shots hit the thug leader in the center of his body armor.

FIST Thug leader: Stupid bitch!

Panel 2

He returns fire, hitting Valencia in the shoulder and stomach. Sean stares in horror

Valencia: Ugh….

Sean: Mom!

Panel 3

He tackles the thug leader from the side.

Sean: YOU HURT MY MOM, YOU #$%^ING SON OF A BITCH!

Panel 4

He begins “ground-and-pounding” the thug.

Panel 5

Close up on Sean’s bloody fists.

Panel 6

A hand grabs Sean’s fist as it goes for another blow.

Shieldbearer: Easy, son…

Page 13

Panel 1

Full page panel as agents from the Agency have entered the house and have captured the remaining thugs. Shieldbearer finally shows his face as he stands over Sean, holding his bloody fist. His suit is immaculate, in his other hand is an uzi. Face wise, perhaps Liam Neeson as a reference or Ralph Fiennes (though that last one might be too on the nose). Valencia is being held by another agent.

Shieldbearer: …It’s over.

Page 14

Panel 1

Shieldbearer notices a FIST thug trying to crawl away.

Shieldbearer: Hrm? Jenkins, detain him!

Panel 2

An agent grabs the FIST thug

Jenkins: Got you, you FIST blighter….

Panel 3

Jenkins rolls him over, seeing the thug’s lips are flecked with foam

Jenkins: No good, sir. Seems he took cyanide.

Panel 4

Shieldbearer sighs and looks at Sean

Shieldbearer: Well, that’s a dead end.

Sean: They were looking for some papers…

Shieldbearer: Papers?

Panel 5

Sean breaks from Shieldbearer and runs to where Valencia is being taken away by two other agents

Sean: Mom!

Panel 6

Shieldbearer grabs him by the shoulder.

Shieldbearer: We’ll take it from here, son. But now we have to figure out—

Page 15

Panel 1

The exterior of the Shard skyscraper overlooking London Bridge and the surrounding area. It’s storming

Shieldbearer: *caption* --what the bloody hell we’re going to do with you.

Panel 2

Shieldbearer and Sean sit in Shieldbearer’s office. Reference M’s office from various James Bond movies for this. Sean is wearing jeans, t-shirt, socks, sneakers, and a light jacket (reference James Bond Jr?). A tea tray is on the desk.

Shieldbearer: Do you know what we are?

Sean: MI-6?

Shieldbearer: No, we make MI-6 look like pansies. The Agency is a secret UN taskforce designed to take down international threats; the public enemies that don’t want to be made public.

Panel 3

Shieldbearer pours a cup of tea for Sean.

Shieldbearer: Here, you’ll need this.

Sean: …Don’t have anything stronger?

Shieldbearer: Not for a teenager. Where was I? Oh yes, our enemies. You met one group last night.

Panel 4

Shieldbearer passes the cup of tea to Sean.

Shieldbearer: They’re called FIST.

Sean: FIST?

Shieldbearer: Federation of Infiltrators, Sadists, and Terrorists. I know, rotten name; but beggars can’t be choosers.

Panel 5

Shieldbearer sits at his desk, fingers tented.

Shieldbearer: We’ve been after them for years, seems your mother found a lead during her time being loaned to Mossad this month. Unfortunately, it seems they tracked her down.

Sean: *off panel* My mother, sir, is she?

Shieldbearer: In a coma, but she will likely live. But we won’t know when she’ll wake up.

Page 16

Panel 1

Sean stands, dropping the tea cup and sending it hurtling to the ground.

Sean: Let me take over her case, sir. I’m trained, I can do it!

Shieldbearer: No. For starters, you are not trained to our standards. Secondly, I cannot condone having a teenager as an agent.

Panel 2

Sean sits down, grumpily.

Panel 3

He looks up in surprise when Shieldbearer speaks.

Shieldbearer: Officially at least.

Sean: Sir?

Panel 4

Shieldbearer stands.

Shieldbearer: There is a school near Dover, Marlowe Academy. On paper, it’s one of the most prestigious schools in the world.

Panel 5

He walks to the window

Shieldbearer: But we at the Agency have a secret division there, training a group of the next generation of spies. I want you to join them there. Stay out of trouble—

Panel 6

He turns away from the window, a lightning flash illuminates Sean’s reflection

Shieldbearer: And I might have a mission for you.

Sean: …When do I leave?

Shieldbearer: One week.

Page 17

Panel 1

The exterior of University College London Hospital. We see Sean walking inside. It’s still storming.

Panel 2

Sean sits next to his comatose mother.

Sean: …and Shieldbearer says they’re keeping eyes on you ‘round the clock. And I’m going to that school Professor Llewelyn told you about. I know you don’t want me to, probably something to do with Dad—

Panel 3

Sean looks serious

Sean: --but if it means getting the skills to destroy those FIST bastards who did this to you, I’ll go. I just hope you won’t mind.

Panel 4

He leans over and kisses her.

Panel 5

He walks out the door.

Page 18

Panel 1

Sean enters the house, soaking wet.

Panel 2

He tilts a photograph of his mother and a man in a tuxedo. Sean’s hand obscures the face of the man.

Panel 3

A panel slides open, revealing a safe.

Panel 4

Sean opens the safe.

Panel 5

He pulls out the papers, looking at them curiously.

Panel 6

Close up on the papers, they’re written in code.

Page 19

Panel 1

Professor Llewelyn’s minivan weaves its way down a road through green fields. Sheep can be seen grazing on the grass.

Professor Llewelyn: *inside the car* You’ll like Marlowe, I think. My two boys go there, my younger son is actually in that special class you’ll be part of.

Panel 2

The van is packed with Sean’s belongings. Sean is looking at the papers as the Professor drives.

Sean: Huh? Oh, that’s nice.

Professor Llewelyn: I’m still not convinced that taking those papers is a good idea.

Sean: Well you didn’t tell Shieldbearer I had them.

Professor Llewelyn: I said I didn’t like it; I didn’t say that I’d blab.

Panel 3

The minivan turns onto a private road.

Professor Llewelyn: *inside the car* Besides, the last place FIST would suspect the papers would be is a boarding school. This isn’t Harry Potter, after all.

Panel 4

Sean puts the papers into his bag as the Professor drives.

Professor Llewelyn: Besides, Marlowe’s security is top notch; I designed it of course.

Sean: Of course.

Professor Llewelyn: Now keep your nose clean, and you might just graduate with honors.

Panel 5

The view of an ornate gate fills the windshield (POV: from the back seat)

Professor Llewelyn: Ah, here we are….

Page 20

Panel 1

Full page splash of the buildings and grounds of Marlowe Academy. The car is parked in front of the gate. Reference Eton and other English boarding schools for this. It’s built on a series of hills, so also reference Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

Professor Llewelyn: *from inside the car* Marlowe Academy, your new home.

Caption: To Be Continued.