Titles + Loglines (Round 1)

"Fred lives in the shadow of his infamous ancestor. When the moment arrives, will he live up to the family name?"

EXT. FBI HEADQUARTERS:POWERED PERSONS DIVISION. DAY

FBI Detective MAX REID briskly walks to the front door of FBI headquarters, his place of employment for over 10 years. A high foot-traffic area on the street, but much lighter out front as people steer clear of the heavily-armed security guards at the gate. Man’s eye is caught by a little girl stretching her neck and tapping her wrists. Strange because of the time and place, but not strange enough for him to be late. He rushes upstairs after showing his badge.

INT. PACKED CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY

REID takes a deep breath and straightens his tie before entering the conference room, nervous but hiding it. Reid walks up to his partner, NORA QUINN, who’s leaning against the far window. She quietly fills him in as the large screen in front flickers to life.

REID

We’re a go?

Quinn nods.

QUINN

Warrant just got approved. Extraction team’s video feed is supposed to go live, ETA four minutes.

REID

I hate that we can’t be there to make the arrest ourselves.

QUINN

Speak for yourself, partner. I like to be as far away from the action as possible.

She offers him a slice of gum, he shakes his head.

REID

How did you become a field agent, Quinn? What with your aversion to out-of-office duties?

QUINN

Kicking and screaming, that’s how. And I’m not averse to out-of-office duties, partner. I just prefer the horizontal kind.

She winks, and he chokes on his coffee. Reid’s smile fades as he zeroes in on the screen again. ETA two minutes.

REID

I thought fairy godmothers were supposed to be good.

QUINN

(mutters)

Who decides who’s good, Reid?

REID

Shh! It’s starting.

The camera feed goes live and all the agents in the room quiet as it starts. A sound grenade gets thrown. Chaos ensues and shots fire. Yelling into the comms, a commotion. As the smoke clears, a woman is sitting calmly behind a large desk, drinking something. Officers demand she show her hands. Woman calmly sets down the cup and looks directly at the camera.

And laughs.

CUT TO: 

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM. NIGHT 

Reid and Quinn watch from the other side of the one-way mirror as the suspect is handcuffed to the desk, a paper cup of water handed to her.

REID

You ready, Nora?

QUINN

I hate to do this to you, Reid, but there’s something you should know.

Reid pauses, not looking at her.

REID

Tell me after.

QUINN

I asked to be removed from the case, Max.

Reid briefly closes his eyes.

REID

And you’re waiting until *now* to tell me, Nora? When we’re about to interrogate the suspect? Are you kidding me?!

Why?

QUINN

Because the more I learned about the woman we’ve been chasing all these years, the less I felt convicted to put her behind bars.

Reid turns to her, incredulous.

REID

She’s a criminal, Quinn!

QUINN

To some people, she’s a savior.

REID

According to the law, she’s guilty!

QUINN

What law? *Whose* law? You and I both know that the law we defend has some deeply flawed logic at times and *gaping* loopholes--

REID

Alright, I’ll bite. Your own moral compass should tell you this person should be behind bars.

QUINN

But my compass says she’s doing something good. Very good, in fact. Is your compass saying otherwise? Perhaps our compasses should have a little tea party and get on the same page--

REID

I don’t believe this. You know what, this is not the time to be having a philosophical debate, Quinn! This woman has bankrolled an organization that is responsible for *trillions* of dollars of theft, she’s single-handedly bankrupted a nation, kidnapped and ransomed a *queen*-- 

QUINN

(whispers)

Who was returned safely--

REID

Are you seriously defending her right now?

QUINN

She only stole from corrupt government officials, crooked law enforcement, thieves, criminals and traffickers. She then used that money to pay strangers’ medical bills, student loans, debt collections, mortgages for the elderly, and final care for people in hospice. And much more, Reid, you’ve compiled her deeds, good and bad, alongside me all these years. 

Silence.

QUINN

The moment I realized I’d hesitate to cuff her is when I told the captain it would be unethical for me to stay on this case. I’m sorry, Max.

REID

Now you remember ethics...

QUINN

You don’t get to judge me, Reid. Don’t measure me with your stick. I haven’t fallen short of whatever imaginary ideal you think I should be holding myself and everyone else to.

REID

Whatever.

Reid leaves the room, slamming the door behind him. He marches to the captain’s office, many officers congratulating him on the way. But it felt hollow after his fight with Nora. Reid walks into his boss’s (CAPTAIN DAMIEN MORRIS) office without knocking.

REID

Why didn’t you tell me?

CAPT. MORRIS

(sighs)

I guess telling you you’ll get a raise after this isn’t going to help your mood--

REID

How could she do this to me? Who am I supposed to interrogate the fairy godmother with?

CAPT. MORRIS

Derek is going to be your temporary partner until the case is closed, don’t worry.

REID

I’m not worried about a temporary partner, sir, I’m worried about...

The law is not a piece of art, captain. It’s not up to the interpretation of the person looking at it.

CAPT. MORRIS

I know, Reid. But the fact remains that you’ve got a criminal dead-to-rights, and at this point, with all the evidence we have against her, her confession is just the cherry on top. So go get it if you can. Either way, Transport will be here in thirty minutes to take her to Super Max.

REID

(shouts)

Thirty minutes!

CAPT. MORRIS

I know, right? It’s how these things go when dealing with powered persons. We have days to work over regular people. The other ones make everyone nervous when the facility isn’t really equipped to hold them for long. So get in, get out.

Reid and his temporary partner DEREK JENKINS head to the interrogation room after going over a few details. Reid shakes off the discomfort of working with an unfamiliar partner and enters the room. Introductions are made.

REID

Fairy Godmother?

WOMAN

Yes, dear? How can I make your wishes come true?

REID

Do I get the standard three wishes? Well, let’s start with your real name, and follow it up with your written confession for all the crimes you’ve committed over the past decade.

WOMAN

Just the last decade? But my most exciting adventures happened well before then.

Reid gives her a scathing look.

WOMAN

(giggling)

You should see your face!

Okay. I’m sorry. You can call me Jennifer. Is it too much to hope you’d call me godmother? Or mother, perhaps? Or would that offend your real mom?

REID

I’m adopted. Single father. But even if I weren’t, Jennifer is sufficient. Do you have a last name, Jennifer?

JENNIFER

Do any of us? Last our names, that is?

Reid begins to list all of her crimes, and she takes a sip of water, studying his face.

REID

Did I miss anything, Jennifer no last name?

JENNIFER

(imploringly)

You missed quite a bit...but so did I. So what do you say we call it even and start over? Nothing owed. No debts between us?

Reid chuckled nervously, wondering what she was on about. He decides to switch tactics.

REID

How does a villain like you sleep at night?

JENNIFER

Villains don’t call themselves villains, Max. The world does.

REID

You really think you’ve done nothing wrong? Or that the world would be a better place without laws to govern people? 

JENNIFER

Of course not. People need rules and laws and boundaries. We need to know where the lines are so we know when we’ve crossed them. 

(whispers)

Notice I never claimed to be innocent of your charges. 

REID 

I am glad that after today there will be one less person like you out on the streets.

JENNIFER

There is no other like me roaming the streets. 

You remind me of your father.

REID

You know my father?

JENNIFER

Which one?

REID

Either one!

JENNIFER

Just your biological one, I’m afraid. Though I’d like to meet your adopted one, if that’s okay. I have a lot to thank him for.

Reid’s phone goes off in his pocket.

DEREK

(text message)

“Do you know this lady?”

REID

(text message)

“Never met her until a moment ago”

JENNIFER

You only asked for two.

REID

Two what?

JENNIFER

Wishes. You get one more.

REID

Then tell me why. With all the money you have and all the good you could be doing in the world, you chose a life of crime. Why?

JENNIFER

Because the world needs heroes. And because heroes need us. They need us to give them meaning and purpose. *They* exist because people are angry and *we* exist because people need someone to be the target of that anger. If we were not here, they’d turn that anger on the very heroes they raised and worshipped. But once all the heroes are destroyed, the people will turn their anger on each other, and finally on themselves. Don’t you see? We are, in a very real way, just as necessary to peace as war is.

REID

And how is war necessary to peace?

JENNIFER

It acts as both deterrent and aspiration, to pacify the bloodlust that we all combat, and to comfort those of us who are ashamed of our own cowardice.

REID 

You’re delusional, Jennifer.

JENNIFER

That...is a matter of perspective.  

Jennifer looked at his watch and stretched her neck. Then she began to tap her wrists in a way that seemed familiar to him somehow.

Reid narrowed his eyes.

REID

And you...are stalling.

She grinned.

JENNIFER

I didn’t give you enough credit.

Reid pulls his gun, but Jennifer is already gone, the little girl from earlier sitting in her place. The girl looks around, confused. And then she starts to cry.

REID

Dammit!

THE END