James Brighton Society, Chapter 6: Pages 21-23
Page 21, 5 Panels- The Cloak Room, Washington D.C.
Panel 1: Cut to an action shot from inside the pub, showing the doors swinging open as Tasha and Grem walk inside the area for the first time. You can see the folded-up metal paper equivalent of the Emerald Isle gripped in the inventor's right hand, pressed against his messenger bag. His eyes looking around for the person or entity they're seeing.
TASHA [to Grem, curious]: Okay. Can you at least tell me who the hell we're meeting? Another goblin witch, some gray haired wizard, a leprechaun... GREM [to Tasha, shaking his head]: You'd never catch a leprechaun dead in public places...very shy creatures, and not the biggest fans of humanity. Especially when they're gathered in very large groups.
Panel 2: We shift to an action shot moments later of Mr. Allen casually tossing the Isle over to Dorian who has his mechanical hand outstretched in order to receive the object. He looks over his shoulder at the same moment as he's walking toward the former detective. You can see a little bit of the bar in the background behind Dorian at the same moment.
GREM [Cont.]: We're meeting up with one of my oldest friends. She specializes in machinery and other...merry jests. She also makes counterfeit docs on the side for Jews heading out of Germany, which is why we're speaking to her now.
Panel 3: Cut to a shot of Tasha's face trailing a few steps behind him. Her eyes split between following Grem's path across the middle of the pub, and the looks of the other people and magical creatures aroudn her who gaze with a degree of suspicion (to the newbies) and familiarity (to those who saw her earlier).
TASHA [curious]: And why would she'd be in a dingy looking bar in the middle of D.C.? She a fan of cusha and stuffy Big Band music?
Panel 4: Same setting as Panel 2. The layout changes slightly as the immortal Irishman moves to the farther end of the bar as Dorian moves the Isle toward a separate charging station off-panel. He shrugs a little, flashing a casual grin in response to the question. You can see the bag swinging forward as he walks and talks.
GREM: Well, Azeban is more of a Merlot fan...and the only people who are into Big Band music are drunk or preparing for late night lovemaking.
Panel 5: Cut to a shot of Azeban at a table somewhere in the area. She's digging, fork in hand, into a thick T-bone Sisitul steak and fluffy mashed potatoes with her raccoon teeth. Her mouth savering every inch of the food while the band is playing onstage to the left of the panel view, not seeing the two visitors coming toward her.
GREM [Off-Panel, to Azeban]: Azzie! As I live and breathe!
Page 22, 6 Panels- The Cloak Room, Washington D.C.
Panel 1: Cut to a shot of Grem and Tasha as they approach the front of the table, which appears slightly in the bottom of the panel view. The Irishman's arms are extended out to both sides in the warm, genial fashion that is reserved for long-time friends. You can see a section of the dining area as well as the doors in the background.
GREM [Cont.]: How are you? Have you done something with that fur of yours, love, 'cause it is looking absolutely superb...
Panel 2: Cut to a slight close-up of Azeban in a similar setting and layout to the last panel of the previous page. She looks up from her meal for the first time toward Grem and his companion, letting out an annoyed "UGH!" at the sight and smell of the immortal Irishman. You can see the shadows cast from both of our heroes over her raccoon-like face.
AZEBAN [to Grem, Panel 2]: If you're gonna go for the sweet talk, at least have the good sense to wait till dessert.
Panel 3: We shift to a side shot following the two of them (with Azeban in the center of the shot) as they take a seat on either side of the table. Her tone and body language shifts toward a solely professional one, getting ready to do business.
AZEBAN [Cont.]: So, what in the hells are you here for? Something local, foreign...a fine Morceau de cul?
Panel 4: We move to a shot of Grem a second later, sitting down. The light above them hitting the key on his necklace in such a way that it stands out in the course of the panel. His gaze moves toward the right of the panel view as he places the messenger bag on top of the table in front of him. As he speaks, you can see his hands move toward opening it.
GREM [slight chuckle, to Azeban]: A little local, a little foreign if things go south.
Panel 5-6: A two-part set of panels that centers on the same close-up shot of the trickster god looking on with a steadily increasing level of interest in the plan. A wide smile coming over her mouth at that point. In Panel 6, her gaze shifts down in front of her at the mystery object that lands off-panel in front of her plate.
AZEBAN [Panel 5]: Huh, just like the old days with Queen V. Sans the ground changing underfoot or those punk Troia Novas. GREM [Off-Panel, Panel 5]: Actually, those idiots are involved. At least in a security fashion. AZEBAN [Panel 5, Bubble 2]: Sounds fun...usual pay? GREM [Panel 5, Bubble 2]: Aye, usual pay that I'll deliver after New Year's. GREM [Cont., Panel 6]: There's also the specter of revenge for your tribe against an artifact of the bygone past that may sweeten the deal. AZEBAN [Panel 6]: James Brighton Society...those uptight bastards!
Page 23, 1 Panel- The Cloak Room, Washington D.C.
Panel 1: A full-page sized shot of the trickster god leaning back against her chair, staring at our two heroes with a great deal of joy and a wide smile across her face. Her right paw comes into view with the palm extended up toward the ceiling, revealing a little beam of purple and pink energy from within. At the same time, you can see the plate of food start to levitate from the tabletop as she speaks.
AZEBAN [Cont., to Grem and Tasha]: Let me finish this and take this conversation on to my office...
END OF CHAPTER 6