#of course rhea has a right to take a break while she's recovering and if she chose not to work during that time then i respect that

[fantasticalleigh]

i'm getting even more ideas after fucking writing an essay about it in the tags of my last post but-

i get that they're intentionally keeping Rhea out of the picture until she returns so she gets a huge pop (just like they're doing with Roman) but how cool would it be if she was conducting her own revenge tour while not being on screen at all?

have TJD doing her bidding while always communicating with her through text or phone calls where you never hear her voice. have her have them terrorizing the roster on her behalf. have them go after Liv and remind her that her claims are bullshit bc she never did truly defeat Rhea for the title. Rhea is a goth badass so idfk have her leave traces of her black lipstick on mirrors or some shit to remind everyone of her presence, leave a little blood here and there with notes from her bc she promised she was coming back for blood. she's got dagger iconography (tattoos, necklace) so maybe incorporate that too.

she's the fucking eradicator. a self-described nightmare. this could be the time to introduce perhaps a little supernatural element to her (which i should add that she absolutely does not need but would be fucking baller).

have it look like her shadow is looming around places when it's not actually her. have Liv think she can hear Rhea laughing when no one else can hear her. at first make Liv brush it off but then as Rhea's return looms closer she starts actually getting scared/fearing for her sanity for real. give Liv some throwaway lines about having frequent nightmares. have Dom look like he's a little bit possessed while relaying messages from Rhea (which I think he doesn't even need to be possessed but he absolutely would act like it anyway just to fuck with people).

like come on her theme song is literally about being a 'demon in your dreams' and you're telling me you're just leaving that material there and never using it???

the Liv stalking Dom storyline is played out at this point and I feel sorry (and frankly frustrated) for Dom and that this is how the writers are choosing to continue until Rhea's return. there's so much more they could be doing with her character rn and it's a bit of a shame that isn't happening.

[clonerightsagenda]

I was recently reminded of our 2020 conversation about the Crewmember Stacking Game, which as far as I am concerned is an official zero gravity sport and if I ever write something set in 0g where the crew has room to move and at least semi gets along they will play it. You have been warned.

Kat popular 0g game: how many crewmates can you carry weight is not an issue, positioning and strategy are Hui and Fisher once teamed up with Hui drawing a diagram and Fisher managed to carry the entire crew (minus Rhea of course) it's like human Jenga

Gill Wide shoulders and long arms constitute an advantage Is it cheating if you are carrying a crewmate who is then carrying another crewmate?

Kat no that's valid strategy BUT you have to be able to move and bring all the others with you in some way

Gill Eiffel: Finally! I can be a real life Scooby Doo cartoon!

Kat this started bc someone (probably Hui) was mildly injured and insisted on being carried around until they recovered and then someone was like, but how many can we stack

Gill Hui: Fourier, hold me~ Fisher: she’s busy at the moment, but don’t worry Doc, I can give ya a hand! Hui: This is also fine

Kat pictured: an acceptable Crew Stacking strategy

Gill That is exactly what I was picturing yes

Kat (getting Hilbert onto your stack is extreme difficulty  mode bc he does not want to cooperate) someone, bored out of their mind in s3: any ideas that aren't terrible road trip games? Lovelace: I have one idea Hilbert: disappears into his lab before anyone can pick him up

Gill The Challenges with the New Gang are: Getting Eiffel to hold still Getting people other than Eiffel to participate (ranked in terms of difficulty from least to greatest: Maxwell, Jacobi, Minkowski, Kepler, Hilbert) Overcoming active attempts at sabotage

Kate Ahahahaha

Kat strategy to get each one of them to submit to being stacked: Jacobi - at least someone's paying attention to him Kepler - explain that it is a Competition and his cooperation will make him a Winner Minkowski - explain that if they stack Eiffel he can't be somewhere else breaking things, so she should encourage this for Team Efficacy Eiffel - explain he doesn't have to do work while being Stacked

Gill Maxwell: Get Hera to ask her to play

Kate Minkowski: this is blatant manipulation. It’s not even subtle Minkowski: but unfortunately you’re not wrong

Kat Hilbert - you just gotta catch him there's no easy way out of this one note: you  must have all previous crew members stacked while acquiring new crew members Lovelace, piled with crew members, chasing Hilbert down the hallway

Gill It’s the only time she and Kepler have ever enthusiastically cooperated as Kepler has zero reservations about just reaching out and snatching Hilbert

Kat everyone's just trying to grab one of his limbs Hilbert's like I have never been so disrespected since the time Fourier uncharacteristically put me in a headlock so her team could win the stacking contest

Kate PARTICIPATE in the GROUP, Hilbert! You are a MEMBER of this CREW whether or not you like it or we like you

Gill Fun mishaps include: Lovelace being unable to see where she’s going and receiving conflicting directions and thus ramming everyone and herself into a wall at high speeds

Kat part of the stacking experience it's important to choose who the legs are and who the steering is wisely

Gill Minkowski and Lovelace, the Navigations Specialist Dream Team

Kat Minkowski: Left, left, tight turn - whoops, sorry about the elbow, doctor Maxwell

Kate They have SKILLS and will put them to good use

Gill Note to accomplish this one of them has to be able to see their surroundings with a fair degree of accuracy so if Minkowski gets buried within the stack and her vision is obstructed that’s a no-go

Kat there is not technically a gunner position but Eiffel occasionally lobs shit at hilbert to slow down his escape

Kate Eiffel valiantly taking over: okay okay go left- I MEANT RIGHT I MEANT RIGHT It’s too late and Lovelace has already run straight into a wall

Gill Kepler also tends to try and strong-arm the Designated Legs into following his directions by Yelling The Loudest so I guess if you can’t hear your Chosen Navigator over him that’s also Something Ditto threats of violence if you don’t listen to him

Kate Kepler that’s Cheating >: (

Gill Lovelace got back at him for this when he tried it with her. Used his directions to ram him into something, thereby inflicting totally accidental head trauma.

Kat we have fun here

[cousinmarcustalkswrestling]

Best WWE Matches of 2020 15-11

15

Asuka vs Sasha Banks - Raw Women’s Title - Summerslam

They had a banger at Extreme Rules with an idiotic WCW 2000 level ending. Asuka finessed her way into challenging Bayley for the Smackdown title and Sasha for the Raw title on the same night. Sasha distracted Asuka and Bayley was able to roll Asuka up and retain earlier in the night. Sasha came in immediately targeting the leg that Bayley worked on in the earlier match. They end up on the apron and Sasha delivers a BRUTAL sunset flip powerbomb to the floor. The sound of that was straight up sickening. From there, they abandon anything they were gonna do with the legwork and just go to a high impact, G1 like sprint. Abandoning the legwork isn’t exactly good, but their chemistry is so strong but the remaining action is able to overshadow that flaw. The creativity in their counters is silky smooth and Sasha sells her ass off for Asuka’s hard striking. Bayley attempts to interfere, but she’s unwilling to take the shot that Sasha took for her earlier, so Asuka backfists her off the apron and makes Sasha tap out to reclaim the title. This was the clear match of the night of a mediocre Summerslam.

14

Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley - NXT Women’s Title - Wrestlemania 36 Day 2

In my infinite optimism, I initially supported Charlotte winning. I thought it set up a potential series between these two and gave Charlotte some fun NXT matchups where should give the rub to the next generation and eventually drop the title to Rhea or whoever else had star potential. Hindsight proved me wrong. Her matches with Bianca and Io Shirai underwhelmed, we never got a Rhea rematch and she wasn’t even pinned in the match where she lost the title. She was the only person who gained anything from this. But at the end of the day, thats everything after this match. And this match was great!

 Rhea was kinda weird in the beginning when she acted like Charlotte attempting to punk her was a lowlife move instead of….something that a Flair would do. Charlotte kicks out the Riptide super early and snaps Rhea’s leg over the rop rope to give us the main story of the match. Charlotte relentlessly went after the leg and Rhea sold the hell out of it the entire time. He was super resilient with her comebacks and they built to some great high impact moments and nearfalls. In the end, Charlotte’s legwork paid off and Ripley tapped to the Figure 8. Charlotte’s entire NXT return needs a full rebooking, but I’d be lying if I said this match wasn’t a banger.

13

Drew McIntyre vs AJ Styles - TLC Match - WWE Title - TLC

This was building up to be the best one on one TLC match I’ve seen until the wackiness at the end. AJ had a pretty subdued 2020, but he delivered when he popped out for big matches. He smartly goes after Drew’s leg early in the match and they smartly don’t make it AJ’s entire strategy, but its the jumping off point for it. AJ creatively locks in the calf crusher with Drew’s leg wrapped around a ladder and a chair. Drew consistently does two things brilliantly in the ring; One, he sells extremely well and two, he has creative ways of displaying his strength. He hobbles basically the entire match, but still some great power moments like instantly countering an AJ suplex into his own deadlift suplex and countering a Phenomenal Forearm attempt into a belly to belly on the ladder. AJ’s bumping, Drew’s selling, and their creativity was making this a great match. Then Miz & Morrison came out to cash in the money in the bank briefcase and things broke down in a bad way. AJ’s bodyguard Omos scared off Morrison and the pace that was built by it by AJ & Drew was just derailed. Nevertheless, Drew retained like he should have and first two thirds was high level working.

12

Sami Zayn vs Jeff Hardy vs AJ Styles - Ladder Match - Intercontinental Title - Clash of Champions

Put three old broke down dogs in a ladder match and what do ya get?? A damn great Ladder match of course. Sami Zayn’s body has been breaking down for the last 3 years, but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t still go crazy here and take some hellacious bumps. By the end of it, his back is red and welted to shit. There are no fancy athletics here, its just a wild gritty brawl. The prettiest thing here is AJ going for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Jeff swings a ladder at the same time and knocks AJ out the sky. Things kick up on the outside, with AJ hitting Jeff with the moonsault DDT on the floor. The big holy shit spot is Jeff swanton bombing Sami through a bridged ladder. Sami’s dastardly deeds really kick this match up a notch as he recovers from the swanton and handcuffs Jeff’s EAR to a ladder on the outside. Back in the ring, AJ beats the hell out of Sami, but Sami handcuffs himself to AJ and AJ eventually starts brawling with Jeff WHO STILL HAS THE DAMN LADDER HANDCUFFED TO HIS EAR!! While they’re brawling, Sami pulls the key out of his mouth, rehandcuffs AJ to the ladder and retrieves the title. Great brutal action and a hell of a dastardly performance from Sami Zayn.

11

Becky Lynch vs Asuka - Raw Women’s Title - Royal Rumble

Hey remember Becky Lynch? She was great right? Becky was about 9ish months into a dominant title reign and it was time to even the score with the woman who beat her at last year’s Royal Rumble. This match had a different feel from that super scrappy brawl, but a great sequel to it. This was intense as hell from the start and never let up. Becky knew the danger of Asuka, so she had to be creative, locking in the Disarmher through the ropes, delivering a top rope rock bottom, and trying to take things to the apron numerous times. Her fears of Asuka were very smart because when Asuka took over, she picked Becky apart with strikes to the point that the ref considered calling the match. In the end, Becky made a valiant comeback, counters Asuka’s mist attempts and gets the submission win.

[msbluebell]

I guess that in this Captured!AU where Byleth fails to escape, they will be saved by a big army of deers, knights, "dragons" (Seteth + Flayn) and lions? Maybe Claude will drag the Almaryan Army with them?

They will absolutely be saved by a huge army of Deers, Knights, “Dragons” and Lions. Though I doubt the Almyran army will be there since Claude hasn’t assumed the Throne yet and they have no investment is rescuing Byleth themselves.

Still, there’s a big ass army spearheaded by one angry post-feral man in love, and a known schemer, and Seteth “Overprotective Dad” Churchman. They’re all marching to Enbarr, they all know Byleth is there, and they’re all sick and tired of this fucking war ruining everything. This is a whole army of people #Done with everything that’s happened the last fire years, and are united under the singular banner of kicking Edelgard’s ass for starting this bullshit in the first place.

They’re tired, all of them. It’s been five years. Five years of blood, and loss, and killing, and shock, and horror, and the death of hope. Byleth wasn’t the cause of the march, but the news of their captivity was the last straw, particularly for those that had come to be emotionally dependent on their teacher. It’s just another proof of Edelgard’s cruelty.

The March isn’t just to save Byleth, but their teacher is a living symbol of everything they want to accomplish. There’s so much more to it, but Byleth’s freedom is more than just that, it’s the revival of hope, the end of the war, the end of loss and cruelty. It’s a chance to save a loved one long thought lost.

For Dimitri, it’s a chance he’d have taken even if he had to storm Enbarr alone. It was Gustav that stopped him from doing just that upon hearing the news, reaching out and reminding him that he was no good to Byleth dead, that all he’ll have accomplished was dying and leaving them trapped when he could gather forces and free them. For Byleth, to free Byleth, Byleth needs him alive more than dead and they need an army to save them. Byleth, Byleth, Byleth. It’s thinking about Byleth, alone and trapped and locked away from the world, that’s the only thing that seems to outweigh the demands of the dead even for a moment. So he focused on it, obsessed over it. Freeing Byleth and taking Edelgard’s head while doing so. 

And then, somewhere along the way, freeing Byleth became more important than Edelgard. Maybe somewhere between Rodrigue’s scoldings, Gustav’s pointed reminders, and Dedue’s miraculous return. Or maybe it was Fhiridad, and his people’s forgiveness. But sometime, somewhere, Byleth became the the most important element to him.

Claude never once believed Byleth was truly dead. Not once, not even for a second. Someone that could rip through worlds wasn’t going to be taken out that easy, so the moment he learns where they’ve been he’s down to help save them. It all comes second to ending the threat, of course, but getting Teach back is going to be great. Sure, he had to take care of the Alliance and wait for Dimitri to get his head on right (wow, five years in the woods is bad for the head, noted), but it was worth it for this moment. They’re finally going to end this stupid war.

For Seteth there’s a duel purpose. Both Rhea and Byleth are trapped in Enbarr, and both have been captive far too long for his tastes. Who knows what has happened to either of them? It is simply unacceptable. They will end Edelgard, rescue them, and restore the Church. Then they can focus on rebuilding and recovering from the war.

So there’s a massive, three-in-one army at Edelgard’s doorstep and they’re all on some level personally offended by her and her actions.

It’s a long, bloody, battle that ends with Edelgard refusing to surrender and somehow Nemesis is a threat now because apparently war with the Empire just wasn’t awful enough, and Rhea has divine blood and that’s just another threat they have to take care of.

That’s a bit off, though, because right now Enbarr is theirs and the city is now...not Empire territory now at the very least. They’ll figure it all out later. Right now the Empire is no more, and that threat is over.

They recover Rhea first, because she was held in dungeons. She’s a mess. Five years of imprisonment and experimentation has left her in a terribly weak state. It will likely take years for her to recover. She weakly leans against Catherine, who refuses to leave her side at all. Rhea is overlooked by Mercedes, escorted to the nearest infirmary they could find. But Rhea asks to see Byleth first, wanting to know if they were safe. Please, it’s been five years of uncertainty. 

No one really has the heart to tell her Byleth has been captive as well for the last five years. Not yet. So Seteth promises her that she’ll see Byleth soon, but she MUST go to the infirmary first.

It takes a bit of looking, but by now it’s common knowledge to the citizens of Enbarr that Byleth was locked in the “Tower of Treasures” (which the locals have started calling the Lover’s Tower, after the huge scene Byleth caused when they tried to escape. And doesn’t that just boil Dimitri’s blood? He has to grit his teeth when he hears the name).

The former students of Garreg Mach enter the tower. It takes them hours to scope the inside, with all it’s endless mazes and still living guards. Byleth is on the top floor, and it takes much longer to reach them than it should have.

When they reach the door to Byleth’s room it’s like finding a lost treasure. Dimitri doesn’t even bother searching for keys, he breaks the lock with brute strength and swings it open, “Byleth?!”

And there they are.

Byleth.

Byleth, who is whirling around with wide eyes. Shocked, because they’ve been up there the whole time with no way to know what was happening other than the door guard’s repeated assurances that  everything was find.

For Byleth, clad in red silks and huddled on their bed because it’s been hours since they’ve seen anyone and don’t know if they’ve somehow lost time or lost their mind, see Dimitri with his golden hair and his blue eye must seem like seeing the sun for the first time in years.

There’s a moment of disbelief, where the two can only stare. It doesn’t seem real, it seems too good to be true.

Then Annette pushes past Dimitri and beelines straight for Byleth. She throws her arms around her former teacher and cries.

And that’s how they know it’s real.

And suddenly it’s a series of waterworks, with former students flooding the room and trying not to sniff because, oh goddess, this place is awful, and Byleth LOOKS awful. And suddenly Dimitri is pushing past them and wastes no time at all getting Byleth OUT of that room.

Byleth is flocked by their students well after they leave the tower, each frantically assuring that the stupid tower is going to be torn down brick by brick. Felix even tries, for a second, turning pure black magic onto the stone. Alas, the tower doesn’t fall based on one fireball. Still, it made Byleth feel better.

Ashe is the one thoughtful enough to grab different clothes for Byleth on their way back to camp. He even leaves coins behind for the abandoned shop he lifted them from.

Byleth’s feet touches grass for the first time in five years as they leave the city. Dimitri keeps having to slow down because Byleth gets distracted by trying to feel the grass in their toes, or spot a bird that sings, or just...stops to LOOK at people.

But that’s okay, because the students don’t really seem to mind the stops. They just want to make sure Byleth is okay.

Dimitri can’t seem to stop touching Byleth, though. On the arm, or around the shoulder, or holding their hand. That’s fine, because Byleth doesn’t seem particularly inclined to let him go either.

[thecorpulentbeagle]

Okujima Week 2020: Alternate Universe

We are nearing the end of this challenge – I hope that you have enjoyed so far!

This story is AU, or Alternate Universe. I spent much less time than last year deciding what universe to set this in. Anyone who knows me knows that when I’m not writing fanfiction, working, sleeping, or eating, I am playing Fire Emblem Three Houses. It’s a really fun game, and a lot of the mechanics are similar to Persona 5 (it even has some of the same voice actors). If you like Fire Emblem (or are a fan of medieval times) and Persona 5 (which I assume that you do since you have read this far in the challenge), I encourage you to pick it up!

I would like to ask those who are commenting to please make sure that you mark if your comments contain spoilers for Fire Emblem Three Houses! Though I have personally, many people may not have finished all of the routes yet, and I’d like to keep them spoiler-free. This story will only feature information that can be obtained in Part One – basically information that you learn in the beginning of the game so that you know how the world is set up, and basic facts about the characters. If you are still unsure, feel free to skip this chapter and come back once you have finished Part One.

One more note: I began writing this before the “Cindered Shadows” DLC, so characters and plot points from that route will not be in this story. However, one class will be in this story, but that in and of itself isn’t a spoiler.

Here is the fanfiction.net link.

Please enjoy this sixth part of the Okujima Week 2020 Challenge!

As always: THIS STORY WILL NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 5 ROYAL, BUT WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 5.

Okujima Week 2020 Challenge:

Not Just a Crest:

Alternate Universe

-Haru-

“Rah!” Haru swung her training axe down, flinching slightly as she made contact with her opponent’s training gauntlets.

“Ha!” Makoto batted away the weapon with one hand, using her other to punch her opponent’s side.

However, Haru jumped back, bringing her axe back to her side to ready it for another swing.

“Great dodge, Haru!” The girl in question smiled at her companion’s compliment.

“Thanks! You’re doing well too. I can imagine it’s hard to block a heavy swing like that with one arm.”

“Thank you! But flattery will get you nowhere!” Makoto moved forward, swinging her right fist.

Haru moved out of the way and quickly swung her axe to collide with Makoto’s left arm, hoping that it would sting enough for her to lose use of it for a moment.

Her prediction worked. Makoto’s arm dropped to her side, and she prepared to strike with her other.

But Haru expected this, so she made a quick feint and punched Makoto’s exposed side.

“Gah!” Makoto flinched.

Haru took advantage and swung her axe back up, striking the very place she had just hit.

Makoto jumped back, holding her side. “You’re relentless!” She seemed happy and animated despite the obvious pain she was feeling.

Haru merely smirked before charging in.

But now it seemed that she had fallen for Makoto’s trap.

While Haru was stronger, Makoto was faster. The brawler quickly dodged out of the way of Haru’s incoming axe and slammed her gauntlet into the small of Haru’s back, effectively knocking the wind out of her.

Before she could recover, Haru felt a strong force in her abdomen, and realized that Makoto had kicked her there.

She couldn’t fight anymore without being able to take deep breaths. Haru dropped her weapon and raised both hands, the universal signal for surrender.

“Giving up so easily?” Makoto taunted.

Haru nodded her head, not able to breathe enough to form words.

Makoto seemed to realize that something was amiss. Her confident smirk faded and was replaced with a look of utmost concern. “Haru? I didn’t break anything, did I?”

Haru smiled and shook her head. It seemed her diaphragm had stopped its spasms enough for her to breathe. “I-I couldn’t catch my breath…. f-for…”

Makoto was by her side at an instant. “Hey now. Don’t force yourself. I did hit you pretty hard. I’d be more surprised if the wind wasn’t knocked out of you.” She unstrapped her gauntlets from her hands and let them drop to the floor with a clatter. She rubbed a circle on Haru’s back, which soothed the girl.

Haru took a few more deep breaths. “I always forget… that brawlers… kick as well.”

Makoto chuckled. “Yes. Brawlers tend to be a little more versatile in their fighting techniques. We don’t always hit hard, but we can surprise you. Although I must say that I’m surprised as well. You don’t usually use your fists. Have you been training some in gauntlets as well?” Makoto asked.

Haru nodded. “Yes. I’ve asked the professor for some extra training. It’s nice to have a back-up in case my axe breaks or something.” She bent down to pick up the weapon and twirled it in her hands. “I’ll admit that I’ve learned some techniques from sparring with you as well.”

“Well, I think that’s enough training for now.” Makoto moved her hand away from Haru to rub her own side. “I can already feel the bruise starting to form. You really do hit harder than almost anyone I know.”

“I suppose we have my Crest to thank for that,” Haru automatically replied. She regretted it almost instantly. It was a hard habit to break. She had been told her entire life how important her Crest was, and that it was the only reason for her strength. Her family (specifically her father) had said to her many times that she should bring up her Crest in conversation whenever possible. It was the only thing that she was good for, and it would be what would land her a rich and noble husband one day.

Makoto reached out and placed a hand on Haru’s face, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Perhaps in part, but it’s also due to your training.” Then, she added the sentence she always did when Haru’s spirits fell in such a way, “You’re more than your Crest, Haru.”

The girl nodded. “You’re right as ever.” She reached up a hand to place it on Makoto’s. “Thank you, Makoto.”

“Of course.” Makoto stroked Haru’s cheek with her thumb, which caused her to sigh and lean even more heavily into her comforting palm.

--

“I’m glad that the Dining Hall had these today!” Haru cheered, sitting down at a free(ish) table with a plate of the Sweet Bun Trio. These were among her personal favorites.

“Indeed.” Makoto chuckled at her friend’s behavior and sat down across from her.

Haru knew that Makoto was not as fond of sweet food as Haru was (well, maybe not so much sweet as unhealthy), so she appreciated that she was supporting Haru by copying her food choice.

A lighthearted chuckle brought both girls’ attention to one of their many dining companions. Mercedes was looking at the two younger students, her eyes bright. “It makes me very happy to hear how excited you are about this meal.”

“Ah. Did you prepare it with the professor, Mercedes?” Makoto asked.

Mercedes nodded. “I did! So I hope that the two of you enjoy.” She lowered her voice. “I saw how dispirited Haru looked when you both entered the Dining Hall, and the best cure for sadness is sweetness!”

Haru hadn’t realized how publicly she had been displaying her emotions. Though it was common knowledge that Mercedes was particularly adept at reading people. Either way, Haru needed to acknowledge her kindness. “Thank you, Mercedes. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course! Thank you for talking with me. I’d talk with Annie, but she’s a little preoccupied at the moment.” The three girls looked over at the aforementioned student, who was currently stuffing her face with the delectable sweets. It didn’t even look like she knew that she was being talked about.

Haru giggled.

“She does look… happy…”

Haru cleared her throat with surprise. It sounded like she herself had spoken those words. It seemed as if Makoto and Mercedes had thought so as well, as the two looked at her curiously. However, even though the voice was similar, the tone was decidedly more somber than Haru’s usual inflection.

A thought struck her. Turning her head to see who else was near the group, she saw whom she had suspected. Marianne was sitting next to her, also with the Sweet Bun Trio dish, and she was looking at the group with a sad smile.

“Ah, Marianne! I’m so sorry. I thought that you were Haru.” Mercedes bowed her head slightly towards the girl.

“No need… for apologies…” Marianne poked at her food. “I know that I sound… very similar to Haru.”

Haru giggled again. The similarities between their two voices was a hot topic of discussion among the residents of Garreg Mach. It was said that the two were actually the same person that had been split in two, with Haru inheriting the more bubbly and happy aspects, and Marianne displaying the calmer and more depressed ones.

Haru didn’t appreciate that people thought of Marianne as only a sad person, as she herself had seen the girl smile. Though Haru had to admit that sight was rare.

Wanting to see that smile, Haru placed her hand on Marianne’s free one. “We should use it to distract our enemies. Think of how confused they would be to think that one person was in two places at once!”

Marianne gave a small smile, but didn’t look up from her food.

“Forget Haru and Marianne!” The group once again turned their collective heads towards the latest dining companion. Caspar gave a loud belch as he pounded his chest with his fist, which caused Makoto to scrunch her face up in slight disgust. Haru realized with amusement that Linhardt (who was sitting next to him) was making a similar expression.

“You know who really sounds similar? Makoto and Lady Rhea!”

“That’s true!” Annette had paused from her meal to join the conversation. “You really need to take advantage of that, Makoto.”

“Oh, Annie. You’ve got crumbs all over your face.” Mercedes proceeded to raise a napkin to her best friend’s face, wiping them off as the other protested about not being a child.

“I’m not going to do that.”

“Why not?” Caspar whined. “You could get away with all kinds of stuff! Excuse yourself from class… excuse me from class!”

“Exactly why did you enroll here in the first place?” Linhardt spoke up, rolling his eyes at his friend.

“Shut up!” Caspar roughly shoved the other boy, who grumbled. “I meant the boring stuff, like reading.”

“I happen to like reading,” Makoto replied.

“Can you even read, Caspar?” Annette teased.

“Besides,” Makoto hastily interrupted before Caspar (who had opened his mouth to retort) and the girl started a fight, “how would I do that? I’d have to be standing behind a wall or a door so the person couldn’t see me.”

“Lady Rhea is a very public figure. She enjoys being with the people, so that would be a difficult thing to accomplish,” Mercedes added.

Knowing he was outnumbered, Caspar merely mumbled something unintelligible before turning back to his meal, which caused everyone to laugh.

The rest of the dinner went by in a similar fashion, with the students conversing about what they had done today, and what they were looking forward to (and not looking forward to) tomorrow. Haru eased herself into the rowdy yet comfortable atmosphere, trying to forget about her worries from earlier. Even though Garreg Mach wasn’t perfect, it allowed people from all walks of life to spend time together, and Haru deeply appreciated that.

In the Dining Hall, she was just Haru the student, rather than Haru Okumura, the heir to one of Faerghus’ noble houses.

Before too long, Haru had finished her plate and turned to look at Makoto, who had finished a few minutes prior. The other girl was talking with Mercedes and Annette, who were laughing and nodding at whatever she had been saying.

Haru was glad to see Makoto getting along so well with her peers. When the two had started at the Academy together, Makoto had been more reserved. Not as much as someone like Marianne, but Haru could tell that she was not comfortable conversing with others when there wasn’t a specific social protocol to be following.

Haru had done her best to break Makoto out of her shell, and over the past few months, it seemed to have worked. She was also delighted to have gained a good friend in the process.

The two hadn’t really talked about their social standings, as it wasn’t a concern for them. However, Haru had been able to parse out that Makoto was a commoner from Faerghus with an elder sister. Neither of them had a Crest, though that didn’t stop either of them.

Sadly (and this had taken Haru quite some time to get from Makoto), her mother had passed early, shortly after Makoto was born. Her father had been a knight, and he had passed away a few years ago in a fight protecting merchants from wild beasts. It was a common occurrence unfortunately, though it didn’t make it any easier for those who were left behind. Sae, Makoto’s older sister, had had to put her own plans of becoming a knight on hold to help care for Makoto.

It was a testament to Makoto’s skill that she was able to get into the Academy at all, given how expensive the tuition was. Since Haru was from a noble family, it was a non-issue for her. However, Makoto had demonstrated talent early on, and her father’s and sister’s reputation helped her get recommended and eventually accepted.

Despite all of these setbacks, Makoto had persevered and had actually thrived. Haru truly admired that.

Even though Haru had entered the Academy with relative ease, she also had a difficult family situation. Her mother had passed early on in her life as well, and she did not get along with her own father at all.

She’d been a little bit cagier with her history, going so far as to not even tell Makoto that she was a noble, as she had been burned in the past. It wasn’t that she wanted to lie to Makoto, but she didn’t want the other girl to only be friends with her because she was a noble. However, Makoto did know about her family affairs, and she sympathized with her.

But then, Haru realized, she was getting caught up in depressing thoughts once again. Banishing the thoughts from her mind, she smiled and tapped Makoto’s shoulder, getting her attention. “Ready to go?”

Makoto nodded. “Yes. I can walk you back to your room, if you’d like?”

Haru blushed slightly. It was hard for her to not feel flattered. Considering how much she respected the other girl, it came as no surprise when, one day, she realized how deeply she respected Makoto. It also helped that the other girl was polite and charming, even when she wasn’t trying to be.

“That would be wonderful, thank you.”

The two rose up together, with Makoto picking up both of their plates and cutlery. “That’s very sweet of you,” Haru commented.

She smiled when she saw that she had drawn forth a blush on Makoto’s face. “O-Of course! You’ve had a rough day. It’s the least I could do, really.” She hesitated before adding, “Especially considering that I hit you so hard that I knocked the wind out of you.”

A chuckle drew their attention to Annette, who was grinning at them. “What were you two getting up to? I mean, I know that people are into different things, but what –ow!” Her wide smile collapsed and turned into a snarl as she looked at Mercedes, who was smiling sweetly at her. “What was that –?”

“Have a good evening you two!” Mercedes waved at the pair, interrupting whatever Annette had been planning to say.

“Thank you.” Makoto bowed her head slightly before turning around to leave, Haru following after her after exchanging goodbyes with the rest of the table.

After depositing their items at the counter, the two students walked outside, the slightly cool air feeling good on Haru’s skin after being in the crowded Dining Hall.

“It’ll be autumn soon,” Makoto commented as the two made their way to the dorms.

“Yes. I love all of the seasons, but fall is especially beautiful.”

“Hm.”

The two walked in silence, though it wasn’t uncomfortable. However, Makoto seemed to think it was.

“Apologies for… not saying much.” Makoto laughed nervously.

“Not to worry!” Haru bumped her playfully on the shoulder. “I know crowds can wear you out. I’m perfectly content walking without saying a word.”

“I see.”

Haru took a deep breath, appreciating the calming atmosphere. Most students were either in the Dining Hall, the Training Grounds, or in their own rooms. The few people who were outside were fishing, and they were silent, trying not to scare the fish away.

She saw that one of the people fishing was the professor, who currently had a basket of fish lined up next to them. She giggled as Byleth whipped another fish out of the water and calmly plopped it down into the already overflowing basket. The professor merely pulled another basket towards their side and cast out another line, either ignoring or being oblivious to the small crowd that had gathered and was currently ogling them and their large haul.

After a few more minutes, the two reached the second floor, where Haru’s room was located.

Haru opened her door and beckoned Makoto inside, who nodded and followed, closing the door behind herself wordlessly.

“Please make yourself comfortable.” Haru gestured towards one of her chairs as she situated herself on her bed. Makoto did so.

“Would you like to talk?” Makoto asked quietly after a brief moment of silence.

“About what?”

“Haru, there’s no need to have your defenses up with me. You know that.” Makoto crossed her legs and folded her hands together, resting them in her lap.

“Are you going to be my therapist for this evening?” Haru joked, not wanting to launch right into a serious conversation.

Makoto laughed. “That is one of the few things Garreg Mach cannot prepare you for.”

Haru lied down on the bed on her back, straightening her skirt. “Perhaps, but a War Cleric can probably solve a lot of problems.”

“True. A Warrior would be helpful as well.”

Haru giggled, acknowledging Makoto’s compliment.

“I’m not going to force you. But I want you to know that I’m here for you.”

Haru sighed. “It’s nothing more than my Crest.” She raised a hand and looked at it before making a fist. “I know it’s a blessing to have one… but I can’t help but notice… how many problems it’s caused in my life.”

When Makoto said nothing, Haru continued, “Everyone here is nice, and no one cares whether or not I have one. Well, other than Professor Hanneman, but his is more of a professional interest.” She placed her hand back down at her side. “But I can’t help but worry that, once I’ve graduated, my father will put his foot down and force me to take a husband to pass on this… horrible blessing.”

“What if I have a child that bears a Crest? Of course, I’ll need to continue having children until one inherits mine.” Haru shivered slightly at the thought. “Once I do… then I’ll be forced to watch my own child be put through the same fate as me. The cycle will continue.”

At Makoto’s continued silence, Haru turned her head to see what her reaction had been to Haru’s sudden monologue. “I… haven’t put you to sleep, have I?”

Far from an expression of boredom, Makoto had a look of intense rage on her face. Her eyebrows were so furrowed it looked painful, and her frown was similar to when she was about to slay one of her enemies. Haru’s heart skipped a beat seeing such an expression on her usually calm friend’s face.

“Haru. You never have to worry about talking about your struggles. I’ll listen as much as you need me to.” She breathed out roughly through her nose. “And I will always be as furious as I am now when you talk about your family situation.” Haru saw that Makoto was making fists. “The fact that you have to worry about any of this… is appalling. And worse yet… I can’t help.”

Haru looked at her confused. “But Makoto, just being able to talk about my problems with you is enough.” She gave her a sad smile. “Having these thoughts and feelings without having an outlet for them… would be maddening. I’m able to deal with them because of you.”

“That’s not what I mean!” Makoto stood up, causing Haru to sit up. Makoto immediately looked sheepish and lowered her voice. “That’s not what I mean,” she repeated quietly. “I meant… that if I were a nobleman, I could help. I could marry you, and then your fate would be a little bit more bearable.”

Haru looked at her incredulously. “Marry…?”

“However, I am neither a noble nor a man, so I can only stand by and offer support.” Makoto sat back down, looking tired. “You deserve more than that fate, Haru… so much more. I know that being a commoner presents its own struggles, but a noble’s… are awful as well.”

“You…” Haru was shocked. Too many surprises were hitting her at once, and she was already struggling to keep her emotions in check. “You would want to marry me? And… you know that I’m a noble?”

Makoto gave a small smile. “I feel that neither of those facts are particularly shocking.” She stood up and sat down next to Haru, resting a hand on one of hers. “Those with Crests tend to be nobles. Plus, commoners usually to get to marry who they want. I have no such restrictions, for example.” She squeezed her hand. “True, there are some commoners who worry more so about their marriage partners, but worry to this degree is restricted to nobles. In addition, look where we are right now.”

“Hm?”

“The second floor is for nobles, with very rare exceptions,” Makoto explained. “Finally, my father and sister served and want to serve as knights for the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and I’d like to as well one day. We know the names of all of the royal houses, and once I learned your surname, well… I put two and two together.”

Now that Makoto said it all out loud, it seemed silly that Haru could have ever hoped to keep her status a secret to her. But there was a more important fact on her mind now. “And the marriage…?”

Makoto blushed. “Um.. yes. That.” She cleared her throat. “Haru. I know that we’ve only been friends for a few months now, but I do care about you.” She laughed nervously. “I don’t want to propose marriage right now, as that’s a bit soon, and it wouldn’t work in your situation. However, I would like to court you, if you would allow it.” She raised a hand to Haru’s cheek. “I know… that your father probably already has a husband lined up for you the moment you graduate and return home. I’d… like to support you, have you enjoy these next few months so that when you do marry… at least you’ll have made some pleasant memories about romance in your life.”

Haru was speechless. Apparently, she had been too consumed with not showing her own feelings that she hadn’t realized how strong Makoto’s were in return. “Makoto…”

“If you’d rather not, either because you don’t care for me in that way, or you just don’t want to because you’ll have to stop eventually, then please let me know. All I want… is to make you as happy as you’ve made me.”

“I do care about you in that way. Truly, Makoto,” Haru finally responded, turning her head to kiss her friend’s palm gently. “You’re right that I distanced myself because I didn’t want to… lead you on, only to have to suddenly break up with you to pursue a husband.” She sighed. “I’m sorry about not telling you that I was a noble. I should have guessed that you would’ve been able to figure it out, but I so desperately wanted someone to like me… for me, as cliché as that sounds.” She giggled.

“Even if it is cliché, it’s the truth, and I can understand your desire for it.” Makoto wiped a tear off of Haru’s face. She hadn’t even realized that she had been crying.

“And if I might offer a glimmer of hope. That situation may not even happen. The three lords that are currently next in line all seem to have much more… lenient attitudes towards status and customs.” Makoto smiled. “Each generation becomes slightly more progressive, so hopefully, Crests and the like won’t matter so much.”

“As much as I’d like to believe that, I’m afraid that change doesn’t happen so quickly without a catalyst.”

“Perhaps. If that doesn’t work out, how would you feel about eloping?”

Haru choked on air, spluttering at the suggestion. “You would really consider that? We’d have to leave the Kingdom to avoid my father’s wrath.”

Makoto shrugged. “People have done that in the past, so it’s not technically unprecedented. I would miss Sis though.” She shook her head. “But all of this is a bit beside the point, as we haven’t even confirmed if we are going to be a couple.”

“Oh, of course.” Haru cleared her throat. “I would be honored to be courted by you, and would like to court you as well, for as long as we are able.”

Makoto chuckled. “Another thing that gave you away was your formalities.”

Haru laughed. “Hey! You speak formally as well sometimes. And I noticed that you didn’t give me an answer.”

“Should I? I offered first and you accepted.”

“I would like you to say something.”

“Of course.” Makoto cleared her throat. “Thank you, Haru,” she said earnestly.

“Thank you, Makoto.” Haru leaned over and gave the girl a kiss on the cheek, which caused her to blush.

Even if it was only temporary, Haru was determined to spend as much time as she could with Makoto. And to figure out how many ways she could tease her, as she was quite cute when she was embarrassed.

Haru was chained to her fate, but chains could always be broken. And they would find a way to do just that.

Together.

--

For those of you who played both Persona 5 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses, I’m sure that you heard the similarities in voices of some of the characters. I remember when I heard Rhea’s and Marianne’s voices for the first time – I immediately looked at the voice cast for the game, and confirmed that Rhea/Makoto and Marianne/Haru share voice actors!

It was hard not showing preference to any house, but now that I’m writing comments, I feel comfortable in saying… Blue Lions Best House!

Just kidding! All houses have their merits, and Golden Deer and Black Eagles are both great. I just have a bias towards Blue Lions since I played that route first. Feel free to let me know which house is your favorite in the comments!

Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed. I will see you tomorrow!

[bae-leth]

This is definitely not how things are gonna turn out but I’m kind of a sucker for doomed timeline AUs and my Blue Lions bias is calling to me after E3, so I hope you enjoy! I am so so SO sorry it’s soooo long, I got carried away. But yeah, hope you like it!

~~~~~~~~~~

Ingrid, soft-spoken and unwavering, was the first of them to fall.

Dimitri knew he should’ve never sent her on a mission so far away, practically skirting the volatile border between Faerghus and Adrestia. It didn’t matter that it was a simple escort mission, that Ingrid had been on more than handful of them before, that she’d travelled even farther than that for some missions. At the very least, he shouldn’t have sent her alone.

“Milord, you can’t spare any of the others with how tense things are right now. I’m capable.”

“Can’t you wait for another mission? I’ve been receiving troubling reports about the border.”

“My family doesn’t have the luxury of waiting anymore, milord. I…We need the money.”

The money. A noble house near ruin, desperately in need of money to the point that Ingrid would repeatedly throw herself into dangerous situations. He understood why she was so desperate, having heard the rumors of an earlier incident with the Black Eagles’ Dorothea Arnold.

But he should have refused. Then he wouldn’t have to be in his room, dawn quickly approaching, with the letter he needs to send to Ingrid’s family to inform them of their daughter’s death not done.

A powerful Bolganone spell, burning her Pegasus to nothing and leaving barely anything of Ingrid to find. Adrestia’s known for their mages the messenger who delivered the news stated, not even bothering to wait for Dimitri to stop shaking, to overpower the need to throw up, to make his comment.

He snapped at the man, sending him off with an uncharacteristic glare. He had informed the Empire well in advance that Ingrid would be in the area. Edelgard had responded promptly. Adrestia wouldn’t threaten to break years of peace, uneasy as it may be at times. No, they wouldn’t. She wouldn’t.

But Ingrid was still dead, her body laying in the morgue, waiting to go home. She would’ve been devastated to hear of the fate of her dear Pegasus. Devastated to know there was no body to bury with her, as she had once mentioned offhandedly back in their school days.

The letter still wasn’t started when a maid came to inform him that breakfast was ready.

~~~~~~~~~

Ashe, eager to please and wearing his heart on his sleeve, never truly recovered from his adoptive father’s death.

Dimitri was an idiot to ever think otherwise, to not pay closer attention. After all, Ashe was a master of hiding his grief and frustration, a trick of the trade from a childhood spent in the slums. But Ashe had become more open after Sir Ronato took him in, gave him a home, an education, a family. The old lord had become everything to Ashe, his world. His idolization of the man was no secret to anyone.

Of course, it would stand to reason that Sir Ronato’s death would cause the young boy to lapse into old habits. But Dimitri didn’t see it, didn’t search for it. But he was worried, particularly due to reports of more hostile remnants of Sir Ronato’s rebellion feeling furious at Ashe for “betraying” Sir Ronato, for biting the hand that fed him. This is what happens when you show pity for street rats, they said. It was a dangerous situation. And so, after graduation, he invited Ashe to spend some time at the castle, under the guise of training with the famous knights of Faerghus.

“Heh, you’re such a worrywart, Your Highness. I’m alright on my own! Besides I’ve got…Gaspard Castle to look after now.”

“Are you truly fine, Ashe?”

“…Yes, I am…But fine, if it’ll ease your mind, I’ll stay at the castle for a little while.”

A week later, Dimitri messed up. He let Ashe stay in the room when updated reports of the remaining members of Sir Ronato’s rebellion came in, about how they seemed to be lingering around Gaspard Castle. He underestimated Ashe’s abilities to sneak out of the castle, despite the number of guards stationed all over, despite the extra guards he assigned outside Ashe’s room on the off chance something would happen.

Gaspard Castle was eerily quiet once he and Dedue reached it, the pair having raced ahead of the rest of the soldiers. Yet there were telltale signs of fighting all over. Cracked windows, dislodged stones, cuts deep in the door…blood…so much blood…

Dedue was the one to speak to the remaining soldiers once they caught up. Leaving Dimitri in the room that could belong to none but Ashe. Staring at the still, bruised, and bloody figure of the young boy curled up in bed, looking for all the world asleep.

They never find enough evidence to charge anyone, no matter how much Dimitri searches.

~~~~~~~~~

Sylvain, friendly and passionate, disappears without a trace.

It’s terrifying how similar it is to a case from their days in the academy, which also happened to involve a member of the Gautier family, Sylvain’s disinherited older brother if he remembered correctly. Despite it occurring with Faerghus, the Church dispatched the Black Eagles to take care of the matter. Without giving him much information, even though it’s his homeland they’re in, Church orders or not. Not even Sylvain received the full story. All they were told was a mysterious beast appeared and that the Adrestian students had taken care of it. Not even a day later, Sylvain received word his brother had vanished, although he should have been at the castle where the beast was, the castle being all his brother had left to his name after being born with a crest.

Dimitri tried to speak with Edelgard, or even Professor Byleth who oversaw the Black Eagles, but he never got more information. Not even his attempts to get an audience with Lady Rhea made any progress…It was suspicious…

But he trusted Edelgard, truly he did. They may have different ideals in many categories, but Edelgard wouldn’t…couldn’t…

Without any more information, nothing could be done. As far as the records knew, Sylvain’s brother went missing and was presumed killed during the beast’s attack. Sylvain was frustrated but begrudgingly accepted the flimsy story…And then, just a few weeks earlier, Sylvain had said something strange.

“Milord, do you believe in the crests? That they’re a treasure and something we should hold with pride?”

“Sylvain? Where is this coming from? …Are you feeling alright? You’ve been looking sickly for a while now.”

“…I didn’t run off…No matter what anyone says, I didn’t run…And neither did my brother…”

Sylvain left soon after that, practically in a trance, never giving Dimitri a chance to ask him to explain. But the pieces started to fall into place once he received the news of another mysterious beast attacking near Gautier territory. Which was once again dealt with by the Adrestians, on the Church’s orders, without so much as informing Dimitri of the situation until it was already “taken care of”. And a few days later came the news that Sylvain Jose Gautier was missing…He had always known that no matter how high one was ranked, all followed the Church…And yet…And yet…Sylvain…

Dimitri didn’t sleep that night. Or the next night. Or the one after that. If Dedue noticed how dark the bags under his eyes were getting, he never said so aloud. Dedue just left various types of tea and herbal remedies by his table each night. Felix wasn’t nearly as considerate, telling him constantly to his face that he “looked like shit”. But his grip was unusually gentle when he grabbed Dimitri’s arm and dragged him to his room after Dimitri nearly collapses during a light sparring session.

He stopped responding to Edelgard’s letters.

~~~~~~~

Annette, clumsy but the hardest worker you could meet, died a month later, and Dimitri had no one to blame but himself.

Medicinal teas didn’t work. No known potions worked. Spells were 50/50, but overusing magic like that could have adverse effects on his body in the long run. But sleep was elusive. Once in a while it’d come, and he would get four, five, even six hours of much needed rest. But then the cycle would start again. One day, two days, three days, four…If this kept up, he wouldn’t be able to finish his work…

He had been having tea with Annette, listening to the young girl’s words about her latest studies in magic, about how she’d been taking a try at making potions, but the results constantly blew up in her face, sometimes to somewhat dangerous extents. Potion making was a very tricky art, she had said, explaining that the most careful person and the clumsiest still run the same risks. Suddenly, his vision went black. What seemed like mere seconds later, he opened his eyes, noticing that he was slumped over the small table, the teapot and cups shattered on the ground, and Annette hovering over him, teary eyed and looking ready to bolt for help. Dimitri quickly, but unsteadily, set himself to rights, trying to calm Annette’s concerns, assure her that he just hadn’t been sleeping right.

Annette didn’t believe his claims that a sudden blackout could occur after missing one night of sleep. She puffed out her cheeks and constantly darted in front of him whenever he tried to escape the room. Eventually, he gave up and told her the whole story, of his terrible insomnia that had started with Sylvain and refused to bow to any treatment.

“So, nothing has been working, huh Prince Dimitri? Well, maybe no one’s made the right potion for you yet!”

“Right potion…Right…The right potion…Forgive me, Annette, I swear I’m not normally like this- “

“No, no, say no more! Please hang in there a little longer! I’ll double my efforts, just for you! Oh, but I better be quick about it, you really don’t look good at all…”

He should’ve understood her words. If it had been before, before things started going to hell, before his friends started dropping one after the other, he would’ve noticed, he’s sure of it. But the tea with Annette came after five nights without sleep. It was nothing but a miracle that he had been able to make passable conversation with the young girl until he passed out. And so, he sent her off without a word, without remembering the stories she had been telling him just minutes earlier.

Damn him. Damn him for actually being shocked when he got the noticeably tear stained letter from Mercedes a week later, telling her that Annette had been mortally wounded during an accident while making potions. Damn him for having the gall to go to Annette, dear little Annette, to say his goodbyes because nothing could be done, as if he had any right. Damn him for running like a coward when Annette spoke her last words, apologizing for not getting the potion right.

Damn him, damn him, damn him…

That night, when Dedue came to Dimitri’s room with a new blend of tea that would hopefully bring the prince some rest, a desperately made concoction of every plant in his garden that produces drowsiness, he opened the door to find the young prince of Faerghus crumpled in his bed, muffling sobs into his arms. Dimitri met Dedue’s shock gaze with tear filled eyes, and yet he couldn’t compose himself.

He couldn’t…How could he take this anymore? Ingrid…Ashe…Sylvain…Annette…

Dedue sat beside Dimitri for the rest of the night, forgoing all propriety for the sake of gently running his fingers through Dimitri’s hair, trying to bring some peace.

~~~~~~~~~

Mercedes, the sweetest girl and finest surrogate sister anyone could find, fell in battle and Dimitri, worthless prince he is, wasn’t aware of any of it.

Brigands…? Enemy soldiers…? Ah, no, that’s right, it was another group of rebels this time around. Dimitri shouldn’t have been on the battlefield. He hadn’t slept in three days. He couldn’t eat anything the previous night, or that morning either. His advisors had pleaded with him. Dedue had bowed on his hands and knees, begging over and over for him to rest. Felix had tried locking him in his room, only to be thwarted when Dimitri threatened and then actually attempted to escape through the window, despite the death-defying fall awaiting him should he slip. But no, stupid, stupid, stupid. He had to come. On his honor as Faerghus’ prince, as the one his people counted on to protect them. The one who had to protect others…Even if he’s nothing but a failure…

Mercedes hadn’t said anything to him, even though they were to set out to the battle soon. He couldn’t blame her. She knew why Annette died, he told her as much after the funeral. She despised him, a weak-willed coward who claimed to be a reliable leader. Leader of what though? Dedue, Felix, and Mercedes were all that was left. But he was still the prince, he had to lead the soldiers, lead his kingdom. But…

Mercedes had turned to him at that moment. Dimitri could only watch dumbly as she gently cupped his face in her warm hands, a soft, broken smile on her face.

“Will you push yourself forever, Prince Dimitri? Will you work and fight until you break? Is this truly what you should be doing?”

“They need me…You all need me…I won’t…can’t…I need this, Mercedes. If I lose this too, then…”

“No, you don’t need this. But you won’t listen anymore…Very well, rely on us. Rely on me. You will return home alive, my prince.”

He wouldn’t listen anymore. Yes, that was true. If he had listened for once, if he had thought things through…The battle was fierce. And he hadn’t realized how much he relied on Ingrid’s distractions, Ashe’s sharp eye, Annette’s magical prowess, and Sylvain’s tenacity…or how lacking their team was without them. Maybe that was why that arrow flew true, jamming right into his eye without any warning.

As he fell to the ground, screaming as he covered his face, blood seeping through his fingers, exhaustion seemingly intensifying everything to unbearable levels, part of him couldn’t help but think about the archer who got him. What skilled archery, what incredible aim. So much like Claude…Too much like-

No, no, no, no, no…They weren’t anywhere near Leicester. Claude wasn’t in Faerghus, he’d know. He wouldn’t risk war, he was too clever for that, Dimitri knew that! Just like he knew with Adrestia, like with Edelgard. He’d know, he’d know…He’d know! He would! They wouldn’t…They…wouldn’t…?

Selfish fool he is, too lost in himself, he never realized there was a woman ferociously protecting him from incoming soldiers until back up could reach them. He didn’t notice when she fell, one arrow to many, one sword too many…He wakes up a day later in the medical wing. He can’t see out of one of his eyes. Even in his dazed state, he knows it’s gone…He should be angrier about that, shouldn’t he…?

Felix, despite Dedue warning him against it from the bed he is confined to, tells him Mercedes is dead. He never was the type to mince words, huh?

Dimitri doesn’t know what the others see in that moment. All he knows is that Felix lunges at him, Dedue trying to scramble from his bed, several healers rushing towards him, staffs raised.

He doesn’t wake up again until two weeks have passed.

~~~~~~~

Dedue. Ever gentle and ever loyal. They were…supposed to visit Daska together…

Dimitri hadn’t adjusted to his new eyepatch yet. As he had suspected, the eye couldn’t be saved. He would have to learn how to battle with one eye, relearn how to handle everything, relearn how to judge distances, both in battle and in life. And yet he wasn’t trying. There he was, lazily lying on his bed for the third week in a row. The doctors had said that, other than the eye and severe exhaustion, he was alright. But he confined himself to his room since that stupid battle. Unopened letters from Claude were piling up on his table. He didn’t answer anymore, but Claude was refusing to back down. At least Edelgard had stopped trying months ago. If either of them ever came to visit him personally…He truly hoped it wouldn’t happen…

Dedue had tried to get him to eat more, but he only ate a few mouthfuls of most meals before the nausea overwhelmed him, making him push the plates away and crawl back under the covers of his bed. Dedue had tried to cut Dimitri’s hair, noticing that it had been steadily growing over his weeks of confinement. But Dimitri had slapped the scissors out of Dedue’s hands, so the matter was left alone for now. Instead Dedue increased his efforts to get food into Dimitri, to find ways to help him sleep, to take care of his eye so that the wound would heal properly, to make him wash himself because even that much had become exhausting to the prince. It was pathetic how Dimitri was forcing his dear friend and retainer to become his personal caretaker.

Felix, who had always been a constant visitor over the years, was now a daily presence at the castle. Surprisingly, he never tried to drag him down to the training grounds. Instead, he’d push him over and lay down next to him on the bed, not saying a thing no matter what Dimitri did. Not when Dimitri stubbornly ignored him, not when Dimitri growled at him to leave, not when he screamed so loudly and fiercely that the soldiers would run in with weapons drawn, not when he actually got into a fist fight with the other man…Not even when he was too tired to do anything but press his face against Felix’s shoulder and cry…

The nobles of Faerghus were growing immensely dissatisfied with their weak-willed prince. Some of the more ambitious, and black hearted, had resorted to assassination attempts. Not that Dimitri was ever aware, to lost in himself and his own pity to pay attention. But Dedue…Always protective, always on guard…Always ready to give everything for Dimitri, even though he never deserved someone so incredible.

“Your Highness, please stop saying those things about yourself. I follow you because I have the utmost faith in you. Nothing has changed that.”

“…There’s only three of us left, Dedue…Go home to Daska…Please…Leave me.”

“That is one order I can never follow, Your Highness.”

And yet he did follow that order in the end. Dimitri’s latest assassination attempt came in the form of a band of highly trained assassins, who snuck into the castle late at night, through one of the few blind spots the castle guard had. When Dimitri, sleepless as ever, spotted the group, he laid quiet and still. His peace would finally come to him…Finally…Finally…

But Dedue, ever vigilant, had figured it out. Had burst into the room and fought off every one of them, even as they all stabbed wildly. One of them got a lucky shot, a blade slicing at the right spot on his neck. Dedue collapsed gracelessly, motionless in seconds. The sole survivor of the assassin group had turned to Dimitri to quickly finish the job.

A minute later, guards alerted to the sound of chaos entered Dimitri’s room to a grisly sight. Dedue, the prince’s retainer, lying in a pool of blood. Bodies of assassins scattered around the room among broken furniture. And Dimitri himself, screaming wildly, stabbing the broken leg of a table into the unmoving body of an assassin over and over and over…

It was only Felix’s diligence that kept Dimitri from following Dedue to the grave in the weeks to follow.

~~~~~~~

Felix…Combative and rude…Always ready to challenge him, to yell at him…Always by his side, for years and years…His most cherished childhood friend…

The bastard deserved it.

Felix effectively moved into the castle following Dedue’s death. Which suited Dimitri just fine. The prince started training again and he could use a skilled sparring partner like Felix. He would never be caught off guard again. He wouldn’t let another be forced to make up for his uselessness again. He. Would. Protect. Others.

But no, Felix suddenly decided that sparring was too good for him. As if that didn’t make up so much of their friendship. From the time they were young, pretending sticks were swords and boulders were fortresses. Felix now decided that talking was all he wanted. Talking about the others, about Dimitri, about the unrest among the Faerghus nobility, about the unanswered messages from Edelgard, Claude, and even Professor Byleth.

He didn’t want to talk. He needed to train! He had become used to the eyepatch at long last.

He needed to sleep, to eat, Felix would respond. To cut that mop of hair of his.

That would come later. He needed to become stronger.

Physically, he was plenty strong, Felix said. Mentally though…Emotionally…

Since when did that matter though? It’s strength on the battlefield that brings in results in the end. Shouldn’t Felix understand that? Dimitri thought they were supposed to be best friends.

But Felix said they were best friends, and that’s precisely why he was tired of Dimitri’s crap. The Dimitri of now, Felix said, was on the verge of shattering, of breaking beyond repair. Felix wanted to do all he could to stop that. Sparring, as much as he loved it, wouldn’t do anything for Dimitri. Not if his heart and mind weren’t there.

Dimitri scoffed and left him at that moment. How dare that asshole…Since when was Felix so sentimental? Did he think he was better than Dimitri? Is that why he was trying to act all mature now? Why doesn’t he leave that kind of garbage to someone like Dedue-?

…He wondered how much longer things would last…

A week later, he learned of a nasty skirmish between the kingdom’s soldiers and some mages. Adrestian mages…? And there were some skilled archers there too. From…Leicester…perhaps…? Whatever, they were there, and his soldiers needed help. But Dimitri was running on nothing. On two hours of sleep in a week and five meals in just as much time. And after…that battle…he wouldn’t, couldn’t go to battle like he is again. But they needed support, so he ordered more soldiers on their way. But they could use more skilled help.

Felix said he’d go. Dimitri snapped.

“They need help. They need leadership, and you’re in no state to go there, so I’m the next best thing. It’s an emergency, so quit your griping, you damn boar!”

“You could never lead to save your damn life! …Please, please, please…I’ll talk, is that what you want? Whatever you want, whenever you want. I’ll stop training, I’ll talk, I’ll eat, sleep, I’ll…I swear, I’ll-”

“Breathe, Dimitri…Okay, fine…Let’s go to your room then…”

Damn bastard…He always turned into a filthy liar whenever he was stubborn about something. The second they entered the room, a splitting pain hit the back of his head and he passed out. He woke hours later in the medical wing, the doctors explaining he’d taken a blow to the head but that he’d recover just fine.

…Faerghus won the battle…He was taken to the field, which had been in chaos while he was out cold. Bodies of his land’s soldiers and the enemy lay everywhere.

…Felix had been a demon on the battlefield. His skills were what saved the day, grateful soldier after grateful soldier told Dimitri. But that damn man…magic was always his weakness…Being grazed by a Thoron spell could paralyze most people…Being struck dead-on by one though…

The soldiers walked away as Dimitri stared at Felix’s burned, still body…Surrounded by fallen soldiers, his prized sword broken in two beside him.

Nearby soldiers flinched and turned in shock when Dimitri let out a practically primal yell and threw himself at Felix’s body, punching it over and over again. The men scrambled to him and grabbed the wild prince, tearing him away, struggling as the man desperately reached out at Felix, fingers clawing in the direction of the fallen man. They didn’t understand…Wasn’t Felix their prince’s childhood friend? He was a savior. How could the prince treat a fallen friend’s body like this?

But Dimitri no longer cared. Animalistic screams tore out of his throat, tears cascaded down his face. Damn Felix! Damn that lying ass! Damn him, damn him, damn him!

He would never forgive him.

~~~~~~~

“We are the future of Faerghus, the knights who will lead the kingdom.”

No one left…No one but him…Worthless, useless him…

“I…I may be your prince, but please remember I’m also your friend. You can speak to me about whatever you wish!”

He should’ve taken a page from Edelgard’s book, remained aloof and aware. Or perhaps be more like Claude, always on guard, hiding behind a pleasant smile. He wouldn’t be suffering like this then…

“Remember to get along with the students from Adrestia and Leicester. It’s important that we maintain strong bonds between our lands, so war will never curse us again.”

The reports were coming in. The Adrestian Empire…The Leicester Alliance…There was something brewing under the surface…And the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus itself…The nobility was furious, the commoners uneasy…Fragile peace would shatter soon. Fodlan was going to die.

“I swear I will do my utmost to lead Faerghus. And I will be relying on you all as well. We are a team; it is our honor to work together for the sake of those who needs us!”

Who was left for him to lead…? Who still needed him now…?

“It is the duty of those in power to protect the weak, the ones who don’t have the strength to fight for themselves!”

To protect…the weak…Yes, the weak. The weak who were constantly being abused by the strong. By Adrestia’s military might…By Leicester’s unparalleled spy network…By Faerghus’ selfish nobles, who would throw the innocent to the wolves for their own needs…

“The Blue Lions are honor bound to defend the innocent, for Fodlan’s future.”

For…the ones who can’t fight back…Who can no longer fight back, no matter how much he dreams of it. No matter how often the wonderful, painful memories plague his mind.

“We must do whatever we can! But remember, we are knights. We won’t shame our homeland by acting without reason, without chivalry.”

Even if he had to raze Adrestia and Leicester to the ground…Even if he had to bring ruin to Faerghus itself…

“We can help Fodlan grow stronger and more united.”

Fodlan could rebuild…They must start again, from zero.

“I’m depending on you all. The eight of us are strong together. There’s nothing we can’t accomplish.”

…Felix, Dedue, Ingrid, Mercedes, Ashe, Sylvain, Annette…

“We’re counting on you, Leader!”

And he would never fail them again.

[aonorunic]

Guilt, Chapter 3 Cruel and Wrong, Fire Emblem Three Houses

Summary: If she could go back and save Dimitri then there was a chance to fix those terribly sad smiles. The price would only be her precious Golden Deer and their intrepid leader, the man she had promised her love.

Or, in which Byleth goes back and chooses the Blue Lions instead of the Golden Deer.

Pairings: Claude/Byleth, Dimitri/Byleth

Warnings: Massive spoilers for both Golden Deer and Blue Lions. A lot of angst and inner turmoil on Byleth’s part.

Read on AO3.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

The bandits were defeated, once again, and some of the Blue Lions were not thrilled by their first kills. Not that Byleth would have been thrilled in her own turn if they were. She marched them straight to the dinning hall. Without a word she began to make hot chocolate, setting cups down in front of Annette, Ashe, and Mercedes, the three who seemed the most affected.

Sylvain grabbed his own cup, his ability to keep a smile on his face lightening the mood. Ingrid followed his example, and soon the group settled into a, if not normal, more at ease rhythm. It took some prodding from Sylvain, but Felix was eventually pulled into the group as well. There was some genuine laughter from them after that.

That left only Dimitri and Dedue, standing off to the side talking quietly as they watched the rest of their classmates. Byleth walked over to them, shoving cups of warm liquid into their hands before they could protest.

Dimitri blinked at her slack jawed for a moment before recovering and taking a sip. Dedue managed to do so with a little more grace. “Thank you, Professor.”

Byleth nodded. “You did well,” she said, keeping her voice low so as not to disturb the other Lions. “We will focus more on tactics in your training. I think we will practice the two prong attack again.”

“With me spearheading the other front?” Dimitri clarified.

Byleth nodded again. “Your leadership abilities show promise, but we will talk about it more later. For now, you’ve all earned a bit of rest.”

The three of them stayed off to the side, Byleth folding into their soft conversation with more ease than she expected. Not that they were left there for long. No, the other Lions weren’t about to allow that.

And so, Byleth ended a very bad day surrounded by warmth and laughter. And for a moment, when Dimitri smiled, the darkness did not cloud his eyes.

/

Byleth took a deep breath, trying to reign in her anger. This had been so much easier the last time when her emotions were still emerging. She had not even questioned her orders then. She had not even thought about how cruel and wrong it would be this time around until the words fell from Rhea’s lips.

“Lady Rhea? May I have a moment?” She hoped her voice was as level as it sounded to her own ears.

Rhea turned and smiled at her, the same one she always wore when she looked at Byleth. Byleth barely suppressed a shiver. Now that she knew why Rhea smiled at her like that, it made her more than a little uncomfortable. Figuring out what to do about Rhea and her mother worship was just another thing on her growing list of concerns.

“Of course, Professor,” Rhea answered, brushing off Seteth’s protest before he could utter a word. “Give us a moment, Seteth. I will be along momentarily.”

Seteth looked none too pleased, but bowed respectfully to Rhea. “Very well, Lady Rhea.”

Rhea waited until the click of Seteth’s boots had faded from hearing before turning her full attention back to Byleth. “What is it that I can help you with, Professor?”

“I wanted to ask why you decided to give this mission to my house,” Byleth stated, cutting to the chase. Despite how much she wanted to rage at the woman, Byleth knew hostility would get her nowhere, and so kept her tone as close to her normal monotone as possible. “Lonato is Ashe’s adoptive father.”

Rhea’s smile disappeared, her eyes going hard. It was the face she wore when confronted by those who would dare oppose the Church. “Do you think he will be a liability?”

“No!” Byleth said quickly, shaking her head. “I simply believe it is cruel to make him choose like this. I do not doubt he will fight for his friends, but he should not have to fight his own father.”

“His father has decided to make us an enemy, and by extension he has made Ashe his enemy as well. If you believe Ashe is not up to the task, then leave him behind.” Byleth knew Rhea was fully aware that would not happen. Ashe would not stay behind when his friends were in danger. “But as you are not in the front lines for this mission, it is unlikely that Ashe will even have to see Lonato. I think he would want this opportunity to prove his loyalty.”

It was said with such finality that Byleth knew she would get no further. She turned on her heel before Rhea could dismiss her and marched away, knowing it was a stupid move, but too angry to care.

Making enemies will not help your cause, Sothis pointed out.

Byleth did not answer her. Because she knew what she had to do now, and it would take a lot for her to ever be able to forgive Rhea for it.

/

As they filed out of the classroom, multiple Lions tried to go to Ashe, but backed off when Byleth shook her head. Dimitri lingered, concerned blue eyes darting between his professor and his classmate, but he too left to give them privacy when Byleth slid into the seat next to Ashe.

“How are you feeling?” she asked. Her eyes were forward, staring out the window at the back of the room, doing her best to give him a mixture of comfort and privacy.

Ashe answered with a chocked laughed. “Not great,” he admitted. “I don’t want to fight my father.”

“I don’t want you to fight him either.” Byleth sighed. “Rhea has given her permission for you to stay behind.” Even though she knew the answer, she had to offer him the choice.

Just as she thought, Ashe vigorously shook his head. “Please don’t insult me, Professor.”

“I wouldn’t do that, Ashe. You won’t leave your friends to face danger without you. It’s what I told her when she said it to me.”

Ashe sighed heavily and finally lifted his head to look at her. “I’m sorry, that was disgraceful of me. I just-” His voice cut off with a sob.

She knew that the last time she never would have done it, her emotions were still to new for her to understand and sympathize with Ashe, but without thinking about it, she wrapped her arms around him. It seemed to break something within Ashe. He sobbed into her shoulder, his whole body shaking as he clung to her like a child clinging to his mother after a nightmare. Except Ashe’s nightmare was still to come.

“I’m sorry, Professor,” Ashe whispered once his sobs had stopped, pushing away from her.

Byleth shook her head. “It’s all right, Ashe. Come on, let’s go get some tea.”

I wanted to protect them, and I’m already failing.

Did you really think you could get through this while avoiding every wound? Sothis asked, her gentle tone offsetting her harsh words.

No, but that still does not excuse this. I have a month to prepare them.

Then prepare them well.

/

“Felix, put up your sword.”

Felix looked at her like she was crazy, only to understand a moment later when Byleth knocked the training sword from his hands and a kick sent him sprawling backwards. There were shouts of surprise, but Felix was grinning as he started to get back to his feet. He threw himself into a backwards somersault when Byleth’s foot went for his head, popping back up and raising both his arms in front of his face to block her. Byleth still came on, leaving Felix only time to defend. 

For the most part, Felix managed to keep up with her. Whenever he had to take a blow, he twisted so that Byleth would not be hitting anything vital, allowing him to continue the fight longer than if Byleth had managed to land a serious blow. But still, he had a limit, and she could tell when he reached his, recognizing the desperate blow for what it was. She just barely managed to get her face out of the way, grabbing Felix’s arm and using his own momentum to throw him over her leg and to the floor for the second time.

Breathing just as heavily as Felix, Byleth looked down at her student and nodded her approval.

“I take it that means we’re going to focus on brawling today.” Felix found his feet again, trying his best to cover how weak his legs felt at the moment. He did not do a very good job.

Byleth gave him a long look, seemingly judging him despite knowing what her answer would be. “We will not sacrifice your sword skills, but if your weapon breaks again I want you to be able to properly defend yourself.”

Felix looked less than pleased to be reminded of their last mission when his sword had snapped and he had blooded his hands on a bandit’s armor. 

“Hey, uh, Professor,” Sylvain cut in.

Byleth turned to look at him, realizing the entirety of the Blue Lion’s house was staring in shock. “Yes, Sylvain?”

 “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you are scary...in a really hot way.”

Ingrid acquainted the back of his head with her hand.

Byleth simply shook her head, and turned her attention to her next project. “All right, Dedue, let’s go to the stables.”

Dedue looked like he would rather drop dead right then and there.

[ispani-world]

“Unprecedented”                  “UNPRECEDENTED” (He does not die at the gate, he recovers and go’s to a country that will protect him from extradition. He will then grow his cult and strive to overthrow the USA. He will declare himself the leader of the country in exile.   FADE IN: EXT. ATHENS GREECE - SEPTEMBER TWENTY FIFTH 2016 -  THE FESTIVAL OF CRONIA.OVER FESTIVAL SCENES: The festival Cronia honors the Greek God Cronus, the ruling Titan who came to power by castrating his father Uranus. To ensure his safety, Cronus ate each of the children as they were born. This worked until his wife Rhea, unhappy at the loss of her children, tricked Cronus into swallowing a rock, instead of Zeus. When he grew up, Zeus revolted against Cronus and the other Titans, defeating them, and banishing them to Tartarus in the underworld of CroniaGreeks in various ancient garb, parade a statue of the Greek God Cronus through the streets. The worshipers arrive at the temple of Cronus, and enter. The statue is placed on a high pedestal. Worshipers kneel and then place their foreheads to the floor. The indistinct sounds of people praying. CAMERA PANS AND STOPS ON AN INDIVIDUAL MAN DRESSED THE SAME AS THE OTHERS. INDIVIDUAL MAN Almighty Cronus, in the name of my father, Dionysius, who you loved and protected, destroy my enemies and grant me the power to rule in your name. EXT. TEMPLE OF CRONUS The Individual Man exits the temple and is met by VADIM and VIKTOR. Vadim is the new head of the KGB, Viktor is his young assistant. The men walk away.EXT. SPACE A spacecraft orbits the earth. SUPER TITLE - 3a.m. EST November 4 2016 INT. SPACECRAFT A three person crew performs tasks. Dialog in Russian with English subtitles. CREW 1 Well where are we now with the program? Crew 2 Almost. Crew 3 I have them and they are waiting. EXT. SPACE The spacecraft passes over Greenland. CREW 2 (V.O.) It’s ready. CREW 3 (V.O.) Victory, victory. On my count. 9, 8, 7, 6, ... EXT. SPACE Camera POV above the satellite as it flies over the eastern seaboard and heads west across the middle of the United States. As the satellite moves east to west across America, small green laser lights beam down to the middle of each state. They flash four times and then stop. FADE OUT. INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - NEWSMAN NEWSMAN Candidate Mark Davilla has conceded. Dionysius (Dion) Dodge will be the next president of the United States. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Senator Marshal JEFFERSON sits at his desk. His aide AARON Clements stands in front of the desk. AARON I think the other side of the aisle will secretly cheer his win. JEFFERSON Of course, he will destroy our party. AARON Then why did you vote for him? JEFFERSON I didn’t, and you never heard that. AARON You didn’t vote for the party candidate, I can’t believe that... yes I can. JEFFERSON You too? AARON Yes, and because I’m loyal to the party. But this man... there is something wrong in his world. Do you know he prays to an ancient Greek god. What will we do, what can we do? JEFFERSON But he’s a Christian, he say’s he is. You’re right, his world... Jefferson shakes his head, stands and walks to his window and peers out. EXT. CAPITOL BUILDING A large group of people of all ages and colors are demonstrating carrying assorted placards that read: We refuse to accept a fascist America - Cult Leader of hate - The Dion, White Supremacist. Some show The Dion as Hitler, Mussolini, a raging insane face. INT. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS (The Dion) DODGE - NIGHT   (It is now revealed that the Individual Man from the temple of Cronus is, The Dion.) THE DION enters his office. He is mid-sixties, overweight and wears an outlandish toupee. Waiting are his two closest advisors, Les BENSON and SANDY Sully. Dion walks to his elaborate desk and sits on one corner facing the advisors sitting together on a couch. THE DION What happened today that I won’t like? BENSON An angry demonstration at the Capitol. THE DION How many? SANDY Not large, a couple of hundred... THE DION Couple of hundred, good. Soon they will love me so much, they'll invest in my new Vodka products. BENSON Vodka product? THE DION I bought out a vodka distillery in Saint Petersburg. SANDY They make vodka in Florida? THE DION Russia. And when I import it here, it will become the biggest selling vodka in America. SANDY You can’t do that. THE DION Why. SANDY You will be the president of the United States in two months. THE DION Please! I can do whatever I want, who’s going to stop me. Beside my people support me in whatever I do. So just go out there and look pretty and say what your told to say. SANDY I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to question you... Benson stands, moves away from the couch. BENSON Ah, you have a meeting with General Lindsey in one hour. THE DION Call him and tell him I want to meet at Brussels for dinner, I forgot I have a date with Annie. SANDY Your girlfriend is going to sit in on a meeting with the general. THE DION I’ll be marrying Annie after I’m in the White House. Need a First Lady and Annie is smart and loyal. Plus a royal wedding will be good press. BENSON And the most beautiful woman in Washington. THE DION Thank you. (Turns to Sandy) Don’t you agree? SANDY In the world! Sandy quickly turns and as she walks away, she removes her cell phone. THE DION I might even invite the Taco wagon loser. Close-up Sandy talking. She has a couple of tears forming. INT. SPACE COMMAND CENTER - KOSMICHESKIE VOYSKA ROSSII People sitting at various computer monitoring screens. Two men stand and talk, VIKTOR Guskov and VADIM Trukhin VIKTOR Success is a wonderful feeling. VADIM Agreed. Two more phases and the assassination will be done. A WOMAN at one of the monitors turns in her chair to face the two men and waves them over to her monitor. WOMAN Excuse me, we have an anomaly. They walk over and stare at her screen. VADIM What does it mean? WOMAN All information may revert back to the original. VIKTOR It makes no difference, it’s over. VADIM Maybe, but if there is a paper trail recount... INT. HOTEL ROOM Two men are in the room, retired army Lieutenant General John MITCHAM and retired Admiral LINDSEY McMillan.   LINDSEY John, I understand you have four Majors and one Colonel on board. Their all retired, right? MITCHAM Correct. LINDSEY We need more active duty guys onboard... MITCHAM I’m talking to a Lieutenant Colonel now, and he say’s he has a couple of Captains with Iraq experience with him.   LINDSEY Good, we will need some down-line officers when it happens. Let’s break this up for now, I have a meeting with our boy. Lindsey’s cell phone rings, he listens. LINDSEY OK... With his girlfriend? He snaps the phone shut. LINDSEY Loose canon is a polite term. EXT. SMITHSTONIAN MUSEUM   The two men exit and begin a slow walk down Constitution Avenue. They are KILLJOY and BO NELSON KILLJOY The assassination will happen. BO NELSON When? KILLJOY Not sure, but I’m thinking soon after the inauguration. We have till then to get our plans in working order, and then call a meeting of our people to give them their final orders. BO NELSON So we're looking at early March for our final briefing.   KILLJOY Yes, we have men loyal to the cause in law enforcement all over the country. We will identify every possible location that may have a significant demonstration. There should be a minium of three of our people in these locations. BO NELSON Amazing that so many are ready to do this. KILLJOY They must follow orders to the letter to guarantee the results of the demonstrations go according to our design. BO NELSON Are we getting everything we asked for? KILLJOY As soon as he is installed in the White House, every National Guard division will be ordered to supply the weaponry. BO NELSON Some governors will resist. LEWIS We have more governors then they do, the states that won’t cooperate will be covered by our states. The two men continue down Constitution Avenue, then turn right on ninth street toward the mall EXT. THE MALL WASHINGTON DC Drone shot of Killjoy and Bo Nelson walking toward the Washington Monument. BO NELSON (V.O.) I wonder what George would think about a new founder of the country? KILLJOY(V.O.) Interesting thought because in the beginning, as commander in chief, many considered Washington as a king. BO  NELSON (V.O.) But Washington resigned as commander-in-chief, rather than seize power, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism. KILLJOY (V.O.) A true patriot, wonder how he would feel in today’s world. They stop at the foot of the monument, and both look up to the top at the same time. Camera pushes to the top of the monument. EXT. MILITIA CAMP FLORIDA EVERGLADES Small house on poles with steps down to the ground. A group of men in Camo clothing sit and talk. All have assault type weapons. The leader of the group is Bert ULSTERMAN. ULSTERMAN The day we have all dreamed of is coming. We’ll be shipping boatloads of them back to where they came from. The white race will rule again. He lifts his fist and screams white power. All the others do the same. ULSTERMAN OK, OK, now we get to work building bombs, lots of bombs. INT. HALLS OF CONGRESS Jefferson walks down the hall reading some papers. Aaron from behind jogs up and grabs Jefferson arm. Jefferson turns while pulling his arm fee. JEFFERSON What the hell is this... AARON I’m sorry sir... Metcalfe is pushing for a re-count. JEFFERSON That’s not going to happen. My office, twenty minutes, better bring that computer GEEK we just hired. Jefferson hurry’s through the hall. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Jefferson is standing at his desk with his lap top open. His Secretary enters. JEFFERSON Make a reservation for three at the Grill, tonight, eight... SECRETARY Yes sir, you know that’s about an hour away in Strasburg. JEFFERSON Make the reservation. She leaves. Jefferson takes out his cell phone and punches in a number. JEFFERSON CARL, this is urgent, meet me at the Grill restaurant in Strasburg, eight tonight. He listens. JEFFERSON Cancel it, this is more important than you can imagine. Yes, I know about Metcalf asking for recount. Jefferson snaps the phone closed. He walks to his window and stares out. Anti-The Dion protestors march. Aaron enters with the GEEK Jefferson turns from the window. JEFFERSON (To Geek) How does an electronic re-count work? GEEK A couple of ways, they can prompt the machines to re-calculate the digital vote, or just do a paper trail where they have them. My guess they will first re-Calculate, it’s quicker. JEFFERSON How can the electronic vote be altered? GEEK Basically it can’t, the equipment has built-in safeguards. I have no knowledge of any program that can over-ride that. JEFFERSON So it’s impossible! GEEK I didn’t say that... JEFFERSON Then say what the hell you mean. Is it possible? GEEK Yes... but not probable. JEFFERSON Damn. Aaron and the Geek exchange glances. JEFFERSON OK, that’s all. He waves them out. They exit. INT. BRUSSELS RESTAURANT - NIGHT Lindsey is being escorted to The Dion’s table. Brussels is a very elegant European style restaurant. They reach The Dion’s table. Seated with The Dion is ANNIE Weston, a super model look with long strawberry blonde hair, and when she stands she is nearly six feet tall. THE DION General Lindsey. ANNIE Good evening General. Nice of you to join us. Waiter approaches. Lindsey Bombay Sapphire, extra dry, straight up. Waiter looks to The Dion. ANNIE We’re fine. The waiter leaves the table. THE DION I assume you have everything in order. LINDSEY Going well except we are going to have problems with some of the governors. THE DION Buy them! LINDSEY We’ll try. THE DION Everyone can be bought. LINDSEY You heard, Metcalf is demanding a re-count. THE DION Believe me, that won’t happen. LINDSEY I don’t know, he has a lot of friends in congress. ANNIE Wasn’t he recently divorced? LINDSEY Something about an affair with his assistant. The Dion looks at Annie with a big grin on his face. The waiter arrives with Lindsey’s drink. THE DION Go ahead and order, we have. Lindsey picks up the menu. THE DION Tell me about your meeting in Beaufort. Lindsey looks at Annie. THE DION Your meeting in Beaufort. EXT. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Washington DC Two men stand and talk next to lion statue. They are FBI agents Jake FELDMAN, mid-thirties and Tony RUSSO, mid to late twenties. Both are from Jewish families. Feldman’s great grandmother, a survivor of the Holocaust, And Russo’s great grandfather, an immigrant from the Jewish ghetto of Rome Italy. FELDMAN Anyone else know about this? RUSSO No, I stumbled across it when I was checking out a closed file on Martin Luther King. FELDMAN Closed file on an assassination plot, how old is the report? RUSSO That’s what caught my attention, last month. FELDMAN Who would close a file in one month? RUSSO The DEPUTY DIRECTOR. FELDMAN Oh, oh... RUSSO Covering somebody’s ass... FELDMAN Why cover-up an assassination conspiracy? RUSSO Pretty sketchy, huh? FELDMAN What do you want to do? RUSSO I don’t know, talk to Daniels, maybe nothing. Let’s go get some coffee. They walk down the path away from the lion statue. INT. GRILL RESTAURANT - NIGHT Jefferson, Aaron and Carl sit at a table. CARL (A little loud) Come-on Marshal, an assassination? That’s a daily rumor. JEFFERSON Lower your voice. (He whispers)I don’t know who, but someone is going to kill Dion. I have my computer guy trying to trace the E-mail. When we pinpoint the time, we’ll see if any cameras at the library can spot who sent it. AARON This is serious, an assassination of a president elect. CARL (Smiles) and we want to stop  it... JEFFERSON Not funny Carl, I hate the son-of-bitch too, but... CARL Is this why we are having dinner way out here? AARON There are thousands of ears everywhere in D.C. We must find out who and stop it. CARL Did it say the word assassination? JEFFERSON Clearly mentioned assassination, but no name. CARL Then how do you know it’s Dion? JEFFERSON I don’t know for sure, but who else could it be? AARON In the subject box it said ancient Greek despot. That’s Dion Dodge, who else do you know that fits that character? You’re an expert on Greek history... CARL Ah yes, Dionysius. The Dion’s given name. Dionysius’s, the very worst of a despot-leader. JEFFERSON And? CARL After Syracuse fell he was made supreme leader. He was given six hundred personal mercenaries, to guard him. After faking an attack on his own life, he was able to increase his guard to one thousand. He consolidated his power and established himself as a tyrant. JEFFERSON Could that be what he’s planning? CARL Get real Marshal, that’s La-La Land stuff. But, I can believe, someone really wants to take him out. He’s made a lot of enemies.   AARON Then back to the original thought, do we warn him? JEFFERSON Not just yet, let’s make sure it’s not one of our friends. AARON And if he’s killed in the meantime... JEFFERSON We have enough time to find out. We handle this ourselves, and keep it top secret quite. CARL OK, but I still think it’s LA LA land stuff, Seven Days In May. AARON Seven Days In May??? CARL A movie, rent it... The waiter arrives with their food. INT. HOME OF THE RUSSO FAMILY - PHILADELPHIA - NIGHT Russo sits at the family table with his father MICHAEL and younger sister LELA as his mother, SARAH fills their plates with pasta. She sets the bowl down and takes a seat at the table. Michael twirls his pasta on a fork, stops and looks around the table. MICHAEL I thought you were making garlic bread... SARAH It’s in the oven, I’ll get it. She stands and heads to the kitchen. MICHAEL I hope it not burned. SARAH I turned the oven off, maybe it’s OK. LELA Catch any bad guys lately? RUSSO Nope. MICHAEL Why not, the country is full of them. Thank god we have a new president. RUSSO You voted for him? MICHAEL Of course, you think I would vote for that crook Templeton? Didn’t you vote for him? LELA I didn’t! He’s a racist, misogynist, self serving hypocrite. And he hates Jews. MICHAEL You have to quit hanging out with all those libtard friends of yours. Sarah returns with the garlic bread. SARAH Who you talking about, the Dion? RUSSO I didn’t vote for him either. He is all the things Lela said, but I believe he’ll plunge our country into isolationism and start wars with every country that disagrees with him. Sara places the garlic bread on the table and sits. SARAH I think that’s a little harsh. We must give him a chance. LELA Mother, I can’t believe you voted for him. SARAH I talked it over with your father, and... LELA We’re Jews, he hates... MICHAEL Many of our friends are not aware we are Jews, they see our Italian last name... SARAH Italian Jews, it is a bit strange to them. MICHAEL They never heard of the Ghetto in Rome! RUSSO Let’s change the subject. How do you think the Jets will do this year? They start eating. MICHAEL They have a good team, some really good rookies. Should kick the butts off of the Giants. Lela stands. LELA Thanks mom for another great meal. SARAH You’ve haven’t eaten... LELA Enough, I’m still on that diet. So a little pasta goes a long way. SARAH Eat a little more... LELA I have to go, my roommate and I are looking for a new stereo system and Macy’s is having a sale on them. She leaves. MICHAEL Her roommate. How come we never meet her roommate? Russo and his mother exchange glances. Russo stands. RUSSO I need to get back to DC tonight. Thanks mom. Love you guys. Russo exits. MICHAEL Is her roommate a man or a woman? SARAH I don’t know, she never mentions. MICHAEL God I hope it’s not a woman. SARAH Why? Michael slowly moves his head side to side and hold his hands up in prayer. Sarah shrugs, stands and removes plates from the table. EXT. FAIRFAX VIRGINIA - SHOPPING MALL - NIGHT Feldman and his wife, NIKKI stroll through the mall. NIKKI Let’s go to Tiffany’s. FELDMAN And do what? NIKKI Oh, just look around, we‘re killing time until the movie starts, right. FELDMAN We could look around just as well at Penny’s. NIKKI Not is much fun... Anything interesting you can talk about? FELDMAN Not really, Russo and I are working on that serial killer case in Georgia. NIKKI Never mind, I don’t want to hear about that. Look. Nikki walks over to a Bed, Bath and Beyond window. EXT. SEA GULF PIER ON CHESAPEAKE BAY Russo, Feldman and a third man, JONATHAN KAUFMANN. Kaufmann is a fraternity brother of Feldman. They walk along the pier carrying fishing poles and tackle boxes. They stop at a spot far away from the few other fishermen out on a cold and cloudy day. Each man begins to prepare the poles for a day of fishing. RUSSO It must be fifty below zero today. FELDMAN Forty five, above, and that’s too cold for me. RUSSO Then why are we here... FELDMAN Ask my brother. RUSSO Right you guy’s were fraternity brothers at Duke. Heard you belonged to some secret Society, which one. KAUFFMAN You know, if we told you we would... RUSSO Have to kill me, really which one? FELDMAN No Jonathan, I like him, I want to keep him around. KAUFFMAN OK. So who’s going to win the Superbowl? Russo’s face shows a big surprised look. RUSSO Ah, um, Jets, no doubt about it. FELDMAN Redskins, whoops, I mean Washington. KAUFFMAN Both wrong, Seattle. What can I do to help... FELDMAN We can’t go poking around, the Deputy Director will get wind of it and... RUSSO We think it’s for real, and if he’s covering it up, it has to be orders from the director. FELDMAN It sounds nuts, but I’m scared and I don’t scare easy. RUSSO You’ve been working deep for years, and you only report to the director. Nobody is going to question your interest in the matter. FELDMAN Maybe the Deputy Director, but who is going to go to him about your activities. Hell they're not even supposed to know you exists. KAUFFMAN Do I have everything you know? FELDMAN Yes. Kaufmann casts a line out into the bay. EXT. BEAUFORT COUNTY AIRPORT SC A Beach King Air outside a hanger as two men walk around the aircraft. They are Killjoy and THOMPSON. Killjoy is doing a pilots pre-flight inspection. KILLJOY You have to be kidding, Bo Nelson, a plant? THOMPSON My men were undercover attending an anti-Dion meeting. They were instructed to photograph some of the leaders. When we reviewed the photos, we noticed a face in the background of one of the photos that looked familiar. We enhanced, and it turned out to be BO Nelson. Have you confronted him? THOMPSON No, we wanted to get your advice... KILLJOY Hold off, he may have also been undercover. I’ll talk to him and see if I can bring up some of his investigations. Maybe he’ll mention that meeting. THOMPSON If he’s a bad guy, he knows too much to stay alive. KILLJOY I know. Want to go for a ride? THOMPSON I think I'll pass, I’m running late for another appointment. They shake hands. KILLJOY We need to know about Bo Nelson. INT. A GULFSTREAM G650 - MAIN CABIN Bo Nelson is sitting in the main cabin alone. He turns to stare out the window. Sandy enter hands a beer to him. He takes the beer and starts to drink out of the bottle. SANDY Would you like a glass? BO NELSON Nah, where’s The Dion? SANDY Up front talking to the captain. And you should call him mister Dodge, or mister president. Bo returns to the window and then turns back to Sandy. BO NELSON I bet he likes that. It’s really big. SANDY What is? BO NELSON Lake Michigan, were flying over it. SANDY Oh. I’ll be right back. She leaves the main cabin. Bo turns back to the window. INT. A GULFSTREAM G650 - COCKPIT AREA Sandy approaches The Dion, who is leaning in talking to the pilots. SANDY Excuse me. The Dion turns. THE DION I’ll be right there, keep him entertained for a couple more minutes. INT. A GULFSTREAM G650 - MAIN CABIN Bo is standing as Sandy enters. SANDY Need a refill? Bo holds up the bottle. BO NELSON Not yet. Sandy moves to a window. SANDY Where are we now? BO NELSON Just crossed over Chicago, saw the Sears Tower. The Dion enters. THE DION Sheriff Nelson. They shake hands. They sit. THE DION Exterminate any criminals lately? The Dion laughs. Bo Nelson’s face say’s... what? THE DION A joke Bo, you were in the exterminating business before you ran for sheriff, right. BO NELSON Oh yea, right. Only for a couple of years. THE DION What did you do before that? BO NELSON In the Army, an MP. THE DION So you do have police experience? BO NELSON Yes. THE DION Sandy, a drink, Bo, another beer. Bo now holds up his empty bottle. Sandy exits. The Dion leans toward Bo’s ear and whispers... EXT. FLATHEAD LAKE- NEAR THE BORDER OF MONTANA AND IDAHO Two men fishing. They are Montana Senator, Dusty BINGHAM and Idaho Senator Norbert QUILL. Both are retired Army generals. Several yards behind them are four men, body guards of the Senator’s. Quill’s rod bends. QUILL I got one. Feels like a monster. Quill battles with the fish on his line. Bingham moves over to their fishing gear and grabs a net. As Quill is reeling the fish in, he steps into the water, slips and fall into the two feet of water. Bingham rushes over and helps him up. Quills continues to reel the fish in as he steps out of the water. The body guards have rushed over to assist. Quill lands a big lake trout. Bingham scoops it up in the net. Quill holds his arms up in triumph. His bodyguard steps forward and Quill hands him the rod and reel. Bingham holds out the fish to Quill. They stand together as Quill holds up the fish. Another bodyguard snaps a photo with his iPhone. The group moves toward two SUV’s parked a short distance away. INT. RESTAURANT OVERLOOKING THE LAKE Quill and Bingham enter followed by the bodyguards. Quill heads toward the reastroom sign and disappears around a corner. Bingham heads to a table and sits. The bodyguards take a nearby table. A waitress approaches Bingham’s table with menus and a pitcher of water. She places the menu's on the table and pours water into two glasses. The waitress walks back to a counter for more menu's and a pitcher of water that she delivers to the bodyguards table. Quill approaches the table with Bingham, drying the top of his head with a paper towel. The waitress approaches with a regular towel and hands it to Quill. He sits and continues to dry his head. Bingham picks up a menu and studies it. Quill finishes drying his hair and hands it to the waitress who just walked to the table. Quill picks up his menu. QUILL That was some fish. BINGHAM Compared to the one I caught, your’s looked like Moby Dick. QUILL I love fishing. BINGHAM Yep, and we are very lucky to live in two states with some of the best fishing in the country. What are you having? QUILL The Ruben, it’s the best thing on the menu. The waitress returns. BINGHAM Two Ruben’s and two bottles of Coors. It looks like Metcalf is going to get his re-count. QUILL Don’t think so. BINGHAM Why’s that? QUILL He’s broke, his ex-wife walked with most of the money. BINGHAM So... QUILL As The Dion say’s... Waitress arrives with the beers. EXT. OPEN SEA - NIGHT A GULFSTREAM G650 cruises over a calm sea. INT. A GULFSTREAM G650 The Dion, Sandy, Benson and Lindsey. Sandy is serving drinks. As she walks back to the bar, Lindsey checks out her body. He gives The Dion a little wink and smiles. The Dion smiles back. Benson eyes are glued to his laptop. BENSON Victor Guskov and Vadim Trukin will be there. I couldn't find out who else might be there. LINDSEY Vadim is the new KGB boss. BENSON Took over after Akim Koslav disappeared. Premier Konstantinov, say one thing against him... THE DION People should learn not to insult their leader. SANDY I heard he only disagreed on a new government project. THE DION A good way to disappear. Annie enters the cabin and sits next to The Dion. THE DION I’ve arranged for you to see your mother Annie smiles. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT approaches from the cockpit area.. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Half hour mister president. Flight Attendant leaves. THE DION I like that more than I thought I would. SANDY What? THE DION Mister President. I’m a president now of a world wide corporation, but soon... BENSON Of the United States. THE DION And Dion Industries, I’m not giving that up. SANDY We may have a fight on our hands if... I’m sorry, I’m not disagreeing with you. Um, I, I... THE DION Go fix me another drink, and one for yourself. Calm down, it’s OK, I still love you. INT. RESTAURANT HAVANA CUBA Vadim and Viktor sit at a table. VIKTOR You do know he’s insane! VADIM That is why we can not trust him, completely. Konstantinov indicated he will do as told or... VIKTOR If they succeed in forcing the re-count, who would replace him... Vadim points with his chin. The Dion, Benson and Sandy enter and walk to their table. Two of The Dion’s bodyguards follow and place themselves on either side of the doorway. Benson and Sandy are carrying briefcases. Sandy pulls a chair out for The Dion, and he sits. Benson and Sandy sit. VIKTOR Annie, where is she, I’m anxious to meet the next first Lady THE DION She’s having dinner with her mother and other members of the family. VADIM Very nice gesture, no wonder everyone loves you in America. BENSON I didn’t know Annie was Cuban, she looks European. THE DION A Russian family that settled in Cuba after Castro took over. BENSON Oh. Benson opens his briefcase and passes two large envelops to Viktor and Vadium. BENSON Lists of office holders that are not with us. Senators, Congressmen, Governor’s, mayors etcetera. THE DION Find ways to marginalize them. Some information to have them removed from office. BENSON Arrested... VIKTOR Arrested? THE DION Bribery, racketeering, embezzlement, hell think of something... pornography, child pornography, just do it. We need to be prepared if the re-count happens. VIKTOR Can’t you make it happen again. BENSON The recount doesn’t work that way, the system only affects electronic votes. The paper trails are the problem. SANDY That’s enough states to change an election... THE DION I’ll make sure that never happens. The Dion stands. Benton and Sandy stand. VADIM You’re not joining us for supper? The waiter arrives. THE DION We’re meeting Annie and her family. The Dion turns to the waiter. THE DION I love the Cuban people. No one loves the Cuban people more than me. Believe it. They leave the restaurant. Vadim and Viktor watch them exit, both shaking their heads. INT. HAVANA RESTAURANT At a large table, eight people are having dinner. A band is playing a mambo. Annie is dancing with a young Cuban man. The Dion enters with his body guards. He surveys the room first POV is of the large table. An elderly woman waves to him, its Annie’s mother ESMERALDA. He approaches the table and gives Esmeralda a kiss on the cheek and looks around the table. THE DION Where’s Annie. The music is very loud. ESMERALDA What? The Dion looks toward the dance floor and sees Annie with a young man her age. THE DION What the hell is she doing... ESMERALDA Oh, relax, its her cousin ARTURO. The Dion walks out onto the dance floor. Annie sees him and breaks away from Arturo and grabs The Dion and starts dancing. The Dion is not a very good mambo dancer. THE DION Your cousin. ANNIE Yes, Arturo and I grew up together. They continue to dance. INT. HAVANA HOTEL BAR Benson and Sandy sit at a table. The Dion enters with his bodyguards and approaches their table. THE DION Better get some sleep, we’re leaving at five in the morning. SANDY Where's Annie? THE DION Staying at her mothers tonight, we’ll pick her up on the way to the airport. Sandy and Benson stand and leave with The Dion. Body guards in front and back. INT. THE DION’S HOTEL ROOM - LATER The Dion is on his laptop. He hears a knock at his door. He walks to the door and peers through the peephole. POV, Sandy’s face. He opens the door and she steps in closing the door behind her. She puts her arms around his neck and kisses him. SANDY Miss me, or is Annie all you can handle? Moon over Havana. INT. THE DION’S HOTEL BEDROOM He and Sandy have wild sex. Moon over Havana INT. BEDROOM DOORS TO A BALCONY A breeze is stirring the curtains to reveal the moon over Havana. ANNIE (O.C.) Si primo, mi primo favorito. Subtitle reads, Yes my cousin, my most favorite cousin. Annie and Arturo in bed. Arturo rolls over and begins licking Annie’s body. He starts at her breast and then down past her bellybutton. Close-up on Annie’s face as she moans. ANNIE Mi primo favorito. INT. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON - MORNING Jefferson is on the phone when Aaron enters. JEFFERSON I need to go, yes tonight. And next time call on my secure line. Jefferson snaps the phone shut. JEFFERSON What do we have from the GEEK? AARON Not much, even tho the computer stations are covered by security cameras, there are times that people block a view to different computers. JEFFERSON Any other way we can trace that e-mail? AARON We’re running the video footage through a face recognizing program to see if it brings up anyone we know. JEFFERSON Check out the outside cameras too. AARON Right, didn’t think of that. JEFFERSON Anything from the other side on this? AARON No, nothing and I find that strange. JEFFERSON Why’s that? AARON If the they don’t know by now, or if they are ignoring it, they're behind it. Maybe we need to confront Langford... INT. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS DODGE The Dion is at his desk typing into his laptop. The clock on his desk shows four AM Thompson enters. THE DION Ah, Rocky, just a minute, I’m on Twitter. Have a seat. Rocky Thompson sits and stares at the walls covered with memorabilia. Camera pans the walls: On one wall there is a giant painting of The Dion. Surrounding the painting are photos of The Dion and world famous people. With Ronald Reagan, both of the Bush presidents, the Beatles, Hilary and Bill Clinton, Pope John, Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin. Another wall filled with The Dion posing in front of his many business enterprises. Hotels, Country Clubs, Casinos, wine racks. The third wall, The Dion with many different beautiful women. The fourth wall, behind his desk is all glass, with a view to a grand garden. Much like a palace would have. The Dion closes his laptop. THE DION Sorry to get you here so early, but I do my best work at this time. THOMPSON No problem, I’m up every day at five, workout for an hour, then go have coffee with the locals from my town. THE DION They love you? My people love me more than anything, you can take that to the bank. THOMPSON I’m pretty well liked, in fact... The Dion cuts him off. THE DION Bo nelson, what’s the problem. I like Bo. THOMPSON He was seen at an anti... you, meeting. THE DION I was told about that and I talked to Bo, he assured me he was their doing surveillance on who attended. That’s good work for me. So you can just forget the idea that Bo is a threat to us. Believe me. THOMPSON OK, I trust your judgement, that’s why I voted for you. THE DION Thank you. About the election, you know, Metcalf is demanding a paper trail recount. THOMPSON I know. THE DION We don’t want that. THOMPSON Will it produce a problem... THE DION Oh no, I won by a landslide, but we can’t take any chances with my enemies. THOMPSON They need to be rounded up and sent back to where they came from. THE DION I understand your thought, but many of them were born here. THOMPSON So put them somewhere that keeps them quite. The Dion stands and walks toward the door between two of the walls. THE DION Come with me. He opens the door and waves Thompson inside. Thompson enters the darkened room. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS DODGE Sandy is sitting at her desk as Benson enters and heads toward The Dion office door. BENSON I need to talk to him. SANDY Not now, he’s in the secure room with Rocky Thompson. BENSON What’s going on? SANDY Who knows. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR JUSTIN LANGFORD - DAY Close-up on television screen, BREAKING NEWS - BREAKING NEWS. Face of NEWS ANNOUNCER with video of woods in the background. NEWS ANNOUNCER This just in. The body of Senator Conrad Metcalf found early this morning. Langford sits at his desk facing the television. His jaw drops and an anger covers his face. LANGFORD Them sons of bitches. Langford’s assistant, OWEN Andrews, burst through the door. OWEN Did you hear? LANGFORD I’m watching it now. Close-up television screen. NEWS ANNOUNCER Metcalf, recently divorced father of three, apparently killed himself with a pistol found at his feet. LANGFORD Never, he would have never killed himself. I know the man... he was a fighter. He was murdered because of the re-count demand. INT. FBI OFFICES WASHINGTON DC - ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DANIELS       Associate Deputy Director DANIELS looks up from his desk as Russo and Feldman enter. DANIELS Good morning, have seat. They sit. Daniels opens his desk drawer and removes an envelope and places on the desk. DANIELS You’re being taken off of the serial killer case. I’m assigning you full time to the Metcalf’s death. FELDMAN The bureau thinks there is something there? DANIELS Let’s just say, I would like you to look into to it. Good. Daniels pushes the envelope toward the men. Feldman picks it up. RUSSO Good. The men exit the office. INT. FBI OFFICES Feldman and Russo walk and talk. RUSSO You think he’s doing this on his own. FELDMAN Not sure. Doesn’t make a difference, he’s our boss. RUSSO Just following orders, right. Montage: Feldman and Russo searching the area around Metcalf’s death site. Searching his office. Removing his computer. Questions his staff. INT. HOME OF METCALF’S EX-WIFE - KITCHEN Metcalf’s ex-wife MRS. METCALF is serving coffee to Feldman and Russo. MRS. METCALF Connie and I divorced after a year long separation. We reconciled a couple of times, but then realized it was better to divorce. Our children are adults, and we have been basically leading separate lives. Politics was Connie’s love. RUSSO They claim he took is own life... MRS. METCALF I don’t believe that, it was not in his nature to give up. The two men stand. FELDMAN Thank you for your time, I know it’s not easy losing a loved one. MRS. METCALF Yes, I never stopped loving Connie, even after... She begins sobbing. INT. FELDMAN VAN Feldman driving, Russo in passenger seat. FELDMAN I think we do a full court press into The Dion. RUSSO We better get Daniels OK on this. INT. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS DODGE - NIGHT The Dion, Sandy, Benson and Annie, watching television. THE DION It will be official today, but I’ve felt like the president for weeks now. Annie reaches out and gently squeezes The Dion’s hand. Close-up on their hands coupled. Close-up on the TV, NEWS ANCHOR reading a sheet of paper. Flashing on the screen, Breaking News, Breaking News. Benson picks up the remote and turns up the volume as the News Anchor begins to speak. NEWS ANCHOR I’ve just received an incredible new update. For the first time in history the Electoral College has rejected the election results and have given the election to Mark Ramon Davilla. Son of Cuban Immigrants. Davilla was born in Miami. At age eighteen, his parents immigrated to Israel  when he was eighteen. Davilla refused to leave with his parents. Close-up on The Dion’s face. THE DION He’s a Jew? NEWS ANCHOR Graduated from Sanford and received his law degree from the University of Chicago... Close-up The Dion THE DION No, no, I’m the president, not this two bit taco pusher. (Screaming) No, they can’t do this, I’ll sue them, I’ll sue all of them. The Dion becomes unhinged, he throws things, upends a table, repeatedly kicks the office couch. Annie rushes to him. ANNIE Please calm down, they can hear you in the outer office. The desk phone on his desk beeps. Benson picks it up, listens and then replaces it. Annie is continuing to calm down The Dion. Several beats later he collapses onto the couch. Benson approaches. BENSON Media people are in the outer office. ANNIE Already? THE DION Of course, I’m The Dion. (To Benson) What do I say. Sandy approaches. SANDY You tell them this is not over, the Congress still must agree, and that won’t happen because the Congress knows you’re the better candidate and you won. THE DION I need to go on the network talk shows. SANDY Alright, I’ll go out there and deliver your comment about its not over yet. THE DION No, let Benson do that. But go with him, and give me some privacy for awhile, I need to pray. Sandy’s facial expression at that comment shows utter bewilderment. She leaves and closes the door behind her. The Dion walks to a wall, drops to his knees and places his face on the floor. THE DION (In prayer.) Almighty Cronus have mercy on your soldier, who was born from the flesh of Dionysius, your faithful and loyal subject. My enemies grow strong, send me the plan to destroy them. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR JUSTIN LANGFORD His entire staff is in his office milling about. Laughing, shaking hands. Celebrating. OWEN The tweets were insane, and he did them at four am. The staff burst out in another fir of laughter. JUSTIN LANGFORD Doesn’t make up for Metcalf, but it helps. OWEN The Congress will re-install him. JUSTIN LANGFORD I know, but let’s enjoy it for now. OWEN You have a meeting in one hour. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Aaron enters. Jefferson facing the window. AARON You heard... Jefferson does not turn around. AARON People are saying he’s completely unhinged. Ranting Tweets, threatening to sue the entire Electoral College. Jefferson turns around wearing a huge smile on his face. Aaron at first is stunned, then he begins to giggle. Jefferson try’s to hold it in, but then erupts in laughter. Both men laugh hysterically. Slowly their laughter subsides. Jefferson walks to Aaron and puts an arm around his shoulder. JEFFERSON Ah, that felt good. The jackass had it coming. But, it won’t last. AARON Of course, but it was fun. Jefferson walks to the liquor cabinet and pours two glasses of bourbon. He hands one glass to Aaron. JEFFERSON A toast to the Electoral College, true patriots. They raise their glasses. INT. FBI OFFICES WASHINGTON DC - ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DANIELS OFFICE. Feldman and Russo stand before Daniels desk. FELDMAN Pretty shocking... RUSSO And very courageous... DANIELS Courageous, in what way? RUSSO I mean it’s never been done before... DANIELS You know it won’t stick. But I agree, it was courageous. Feldman and Russo exchange glances. DANIELS I believe we are on the same page, I hope we are, because I’m about to confide in both of you, my fears about a Dodge presidency. FELDMAN We’re on the same page. Sir. DANIELS Have either one of you heard anything about an assassination? FELDMAN Yes sir, we think there is a plot to assassinate The Dion. DANIELS I’ve uncovered some information that its not about assassinating The Dion, a Senator or any one person. It’s about the assassination of America, our democracy. RUSSO I don’t understand... DANIELS My gut feeling is The Dion’s plan is to become president for life, with the help of the Russian government. FELDMAN Whoa, that’s crazy... DANIELS The plans of a Machiavellian mad man. Do we agree that there is something inherently wrong with The Dion? Feldman and Russo exchange glances again. Together they nod their heads in the affirmative. EXT. MONTAGE STREETS IN VARIOUS CITIES - MOBS Armed men and women marching carrying signs declaring support for The Dion. The Dion our hero. The Dion, our savior. The Dion, our Commander and Chief. Rise up, support The Dion. Kill all Electoral College. The Dion will send them back to where they belong. Electoral College members watch your back. INT. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS DODGE The Dion, Annie, Sandy and Benson watch the news. COMMENTATOR Lawmakers are calling on The Dion to calm down his supporters before people are seriously hurt. THE DION Seriously hurt, if the congress doesn’t reverse this, people will be seriously dead. Cronus will act. SANDY What, Cronus? The Dion ignores Sandy’s questions. BENSON Let’s make an attempt to quiet things down. THE DION OK, Sandy, this is what you do best. Go out there and make me look good. I’m doing the Sunday talk show circuit. ANNIE Don’t do that. THE DION Excuse me... INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - SUNDAY TALK SHOW - CHUCK WHITE HOST Chuck White, The Dion, liberal panelist, Fillip ORTEGA, conservative panelist, Eric ROLLINS, and Journalist Penny PATTERSON. HOST Some are saying your reaction to the Electoral College decision was too harsh. THE DION They can’t do that, I’m the president. ROLLINS Yes, The Dion was elected president... ORTEGA You're not the president yet. The Dion lunges for the man. Camera swings away from the scene. INT. TALK SHOW PANEL - LATER Host TODD Smith and four panelist. PANELIST ONE He was right to remark he was not yet sworn in… PANELIST TWO It was not smart to bring up, he knows how The Dion reacts to negative things said about him. PANELIST THREE Wait, are you saying The Dion can't control his temper. PANELIST TWO No, he controls it very well, but now with the Electoral College refuting his win, that's big… PANELIST ONE As president of the United States, he will face much harsher criticism, how will he react then. PANELIST TWO The media, this network, is blowing this out of proportion. Nobody cares, in fact many applaud his actions, Ripely is a very aggressive interviewer, other guest on his show have reacted hostile to him during their interviews. TODD But attack, well we will soon find out how this all will end when Congress votes. PANELIST TWO (Laughing)We know how it will end since our party controls the house. And god is on The Dion’s side. PANELIST THREE Not my god... INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - EMPTY NEWS DESK As crew prepare the set for the show, the newsman Todd and the shows PRODUCER stand to the side of the news desk. PRODUCER You find it very disquieting. TODD I do, look how quite it is in here this morning. PRODUCER I know. Crew member motions to Todd. He steps up to the news desk and sits. Lights. TODD The unprecedented move by the Electoral College has been reversed by the congress. The next president of the United States will be Dionysius Dodge INT. OFFICE OF PRESIDENT ELECT DIONYSIUS DODGE The Dion at his desk shuffling papers. Benson and Sandy shuffle papers. The Dion stands and begins to pace waving his papers. THE DION General Mitcham, Admiral McMillan and General Skip Wilson. That’s my JOINT CHIEF OF STAFF. BENSON You need one more. THE DION He must be of Greek heritage... SANDY Why? THE DION Soon you will know, soon the world... He stops mid-sentence, lowers his head in thought. THE DION General Linus Nikias, get him. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Jefferson and Aaron. JEFFERSON Department of Homeland Security, Bo Nelson... AARON Surprised everyone. JEFFERSON Rothbury Michigan? Sheriff for one year? AARON He does have some police experience from his Army days. The word is that The Dion thinks Nelson is the best man for the job. JEFFERSON Right, no brains, just follows orders. Anything else. AARON Attorney General, Lamar King. JEFFERSON Oh my god, he’s not even a lawyer anymore. He was disbarred for embezzling. AARON But never indicted. JEFFERSON Nothing more, please, I can’t take anymore. The other side must be... AARON They are. Jefferson walks to the window and peers out. EXT. THE CAPITOL BUILDING Camera pushes in to the swearing ceremony of the new president of the United States, Dionysius (The Dion) Dodge. The Dion taking the oath. EXT. PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE Thousands of protesters. Rocky Thompson, out of uniform, stands on a corner, cell phone to his mouth. THOMPSON Where the hell are our people. No, I’m on Pennsylvania and Constitution. All I see are fucking liberals. Get them off the busses and walk the rest of the way. Thompson pushes his way through the crowd of protesters. Thompson crosses the street. At mid-street a young woman carrying The Dion - Fascist Pig signs, hands one to Thompson. Thompson takes the sign and crosses the rest of the way. Thompson standing on the corner holding up the protest sign and talking on his cell phone. THOMPSON Killjoy, can you hear me. I’m on Pennsylvania and Constitution. Crowds of protesters heading toward the Reflection Pool. I’ll wait here. Where are you? EXT. INDEPENDENCE AVENUE Killjoy standing amongst a crowd of people. Protesters shouting anti The Dion messages. KILLJOY I can hardly hear you. OK, but don’t wait there. We’re on Independence, passing the Library of Congress, meet us at the Grant memorial. How many with you. Good, I have thirty five, with your twenty, we will get it done. Yes, we have signs. Killjoy begins walking, a crowd of men walk with him. Thompson and his men reach the Reflection Pool. Thompson holds his sign high, twenty other protest signs go high. The twenty one men with their signs held very high move toward the Grant Memorial. Both groups of men reach the Grant memorial at the same time and begin to circle it. Thompson and Killjoy move off to the side to talk. THOMPSON Who has the smoke bombs? KILLJOY Lewis and Booker. THOMPSON Have them wait for about twenty minutes. My guys will start to rile up the anti-The Dion protestors. On my signal, set off the smoke bombs. Then everyone start yelling like the National Guard is moving in. KILLJOY My guys are waiting to bash some heads of these fucking liberals. THOMPSON Do it in the middle of the smoke. INT. TV STUDIO Close-up on Commentator Todd Smith. TODD Violence erupted today as President Elect, Dionysius (The Dion) Dodge was sworn in. Thousands of protestors disrupted traffic all across the Washington DC area. But things got out of hand at the Reflecting Pool. Montage of Thompson’s men causing violence. INT. TV STUDIO TODD Dozens of protesters were hospitalized. Some with serious injuries. Blake Barnside was at the site. Here is his report. INT. THE WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Benson and Sandy watch the news report. THE DION That’s just the beginning. Close-up on Sandy’s face shows shock. THE DION There is an event at the Partridge House in my honor. It started an hour ago. Call my driver and notify the agents that I will be leaving in fifteen minutes. INT. TV STUDIO NEWS ANCHOR cups his hand over one ear with an earpiece in it. NEWS ANCHOR This is real breaking news, ah... President Dodge has disappeared following a dinner at the Partridge House. The president dismissed his Secret Service security team saying his private security force would take over for the remainder of the night. Now the president’s whereabouts are unknown. INT. WHITE HOUSE SECRET SERVICE OFFICE Head of the president’s secret service bodyguards, Clint CHRISTOPHER, is speaking to two Secret Service AGENTS. AGENT 1 They boarded a Challenger 650. AGENT 2 Owned by Christian ORLOV, dual citizenship, here and Russia. He owns mining operations in Belarus. AGENT 1 We pressed the fuel tech, he heard Minsk mentioned. CHRISTOPHER Find out who Orlov knows in Minsk. INT. FBI OFFICES - ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DANIELS OFFICE. Daniels, Feldman, Russo and Kauffman.   Russo shaking Kauffman’s hand. RUSSO Glad to see you back. KAUFFMAN We now have someone on the inside. RUSSO Who? Kauffman glances toward Daniels. DANIELS Very close to  our man, both of you will be told after Feldman gets back from Minsk. FELDMAN I’m going to Minsk, why? DANIELS The Dion is going there, and he is going alone. FELDMAN No Benson... DANIELS Nor Sandy. Kauffman will meet you. Here is the contact information. Daniels hands an envelope to Feldman. RUSSO What about me? DANIELS You will be having a meeting with a favorite of The Dion’s. INT. CAFE TANDOR - MINSK BELARUS RUSSIA Two waiters carry plates into a private dinning room. INT. PRIVATE DINNING ROOM The waiters enter with the food and place it around the table. Sitting at the table are The Dion, Vadim, Viktor and a RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER. VADIM (To The Dion) You will love the way the mutton is cooked. THE DION I’m not a big fan of mutton. RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER (Heavy Russian accent) A special Indian way of cooking, very tasty. THE DION (Turns to Vadim) All I heard was, “a special way of cooking. Vadim, I know you and Viktor speak English. VIKTOR The general said it is cooked at an extreme temperature inside a little oven. The Dion takes a bite. THE DION This really good, I think I will like Russian food. RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER (In Russian) It would be wise if you would learn to love it. Ha, ha. The Dion looks at Vadim. VADIM He said there is much to like in Russia. EXT. CAFE TANDOR PARKING AREA The area is filled with vehicles. A small van pulls in and parks near the rear of the restaurant. INT. SMALL VAN Kauffman, Feldman and a third man, PERCHIK. PERCHIK This is good. FELDMAN But we don’t know where they're sitting inside. KAUFFMAN This is new. We downloaded The Dion’s voice. The equipment then searches the building for a voice match. PERCHIK Then we verify just by listing to it. FELDMAN It’s no bigger than a cell phone, we don’t have anything like that. PERCHIK When we’re done, I sell you this one for fifty thousand Euros. FELDMAN I might be able to arrange that. INT. PRIVATE DINNING ROOM Waiters are clearing the table. The Russian Army Officer raises a glass of vodka. RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER Na zdorovie.   Viktor raises his glass. VIKTOR To your health. THE DION Is this the vodka company I bought? VADIM You bought a vodka company, which one. THE DION Dmitry, it’s made in Saint Petersburg. VADIM Sorry to say, but it’s made in China. They sell it here in Russia to American tourist. The Dion ignores this statement. THE DION The next phase is in place and ready to executed. RUSSIAN ARMY OFFICER Details please. THE DION Can we talk freely here? VIKTOR The restaurant was swept just before we arrived. It will continue... VADIM Proceed. THE DION There will be violent demonstrations across the country. VADIM You are arranging that? THE DION The demonstrators will be calling for my head. Some will be threatening to storm the White House. The national Guard will move in to break up the riots. People will be killed. There will be an attempted assassination on my life. I will increase my private security force. INT. SMALL VAN All three men listening to The Dion describe the next Phase. FELDMAN That’s all we need, let’s get out of here. KAUFFMAN Hold for another minute. INT. PRIVATE DINNING ROOM THE DION Once Marshal Law is in place, the military will take over. It will be called a Junta, but only until they re-install me as president for life. I will form a relationship with Russia, and our two countries will... A KGB MAN burst into the dinning room. KGB MAN Stop, stop, no more talking. We picked up a... Vadim jumps up. The Russian Army Officer leaps to his feet knocking the table over. VADIM Find them. VIKTOR They must have heard everything. The Russian Army Officer runs out of the dinning room. Vadim follows him. Viktor gets to the door and stops. He turns toward The Dion. THE DION They can not get away. INT. SMALL VAN KAUFFMAN Go, go, go, they have us. Perchik slams the gear into reverse and jams on the gas pedal. EXT. CAFE TANDOR PARKING AREA The van speeds away from the parking area. A black GAZ cargo van is right on their tail. Both vehicles speed down a street. From around a corner, a black Mazda sedan joins in the chase. MONTAGE: LONG CAR CHASE SCENE THAT ENDS IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THE VAN IS FORCED OFF THE ROAD OVER A CLIFF CRASHES AND EXPLODES IN A FIERY BALL. (STUNT COORDINATOR) EXT. COUNTRY ROAD The GAZ and the Mazda are parked on the side of the road. Five men observe the crash scene which is still burning as two more cars arrive. Vadim and the Russian Army Officer exit one of the cars. Viktor and The Dion exit the second car. INT. FBI OFFICES - ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTOR DANIELS OFFICE. Daniels and Russo. RUSSO No word yet? DANIELS Last was just before they set up outside the restaurant. RUSSO That’s what, three days now? DANIELS Kauffman’s the best we have. He’s been under for seven years, that’s longer than any other deep cover has ever been. Keep the faith. INT. WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Benson and Sandy. BENSON Were you happy with the distillery? SANDY Bring any samples back. THE DION The deal never went through, I’m suing... I want you to set up a meeting with Senator Quill, Bingham and Jefferson. BENSON Jefferson? THE DION He’s not on board yet, Quill and Bingham will fix that problem. Have Quill and Bingham arrive one hour earlier than Jefferson. EXT. FBI OFFICES Russo exits as his cell phone rings. He listens. RUSSO Minsk? Today? OK, in the morning. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR JUSTIN LANGFORD - NIGHT Langford is on the phone. LANGFORD He just showed up at the daily briefing like nothing happened. Minsk, Can we prove it? Only his private guard, I see. I will have a lunch with Jefferson, he won’t like this. EXT. RURAL MINSK ROAD A CAR is parked on the side of the road near the fatal accident involving Feldman, Kauffman and Perchik. INT. CAR Abram SOKOLOFF, early twenties, speaking into his cell phone. SOKOLOFF Yes, look for my car on the side of the road, white... Sokoloff looks in the rearview mirror. A car approaches and stops several yards behind him and Russo exits the car. Sokoloff exits his car. Russo approaches Sokoloff. RUSSO Shalom. SOKOLOFF Shalom. Follow me. Sokoloff walks a short distance and then climbs down hill adjoining the road. Russo follows. The two men descend through the trees. RUSSO Is this where the car went over, why didn’t the trees stop it? SOKOLOFF No, this is an easy way down, then we cut across. The car landed at the bottom of a steep cliff. They continue down through the trees. They arrive at a spot where Sokoloff turns. Russo follows him through the trees until they emerge from the trees at the base of a cliff. Russo looks up toward the road and then back to the bottom of the cliff. RUSSO The car? SOKOLOFF Everything was collected and transported to a place where they went over the entire pile of debris. You can see where they even collected the soil. Sokoloff points to a cleared area. RUSSO So what do you expect to find? SOKOLOFF Probably nothing, but we look. After, I have a piece of equipment, the same that Perchik was using, you are to take it back with you. Montage of the men begin combing the area. Much later they stand exhausted. SOKOLOFF We go to town, have dinner. In the morning you will be picked up at a small abandon airport. Russo starts climbing up the cliff facing searching. SOKOLOFF What are you doing? Russo continues his search. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Jefferson, Quill and Bingham. The Dion approaches the door to the security room, he opens it and waves the three men in. They enter. The Dion stands holding the door open until they enter, and then closes the door and walks away. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Marshall and Aaron. Daniels enters. Aaron closes the door. Daniels You asked to see me? JEFFERSON You have been investigating the Metcalf death. Daniels (On guard) Yes. But I can’t discuss it, it’s ongoing. JEFFERSON That’s not why I asked you here. I need advice on how to handle a threat against a Senator and his family. Jefferson waves Daniels to a chair and then sits at his desk. Daniels sits and then turns to look at Aaron. JEFFERSON Aaron knows everything. Daniels What is everything... INT. TELEVISION STUDIO - SUNDAY TALK SHOW Host TODD Smith and four panelist. PANELIST ONE CIA Retired General King, FBI General Booker. And he’s considering General Hokes for Department of Defense. PANELIST TWO Well of course you would want a man with military experience to head DOD... PANELIST THREE That’s three retired Generals, isn’t there a non Army individual... PANELIST TWO Yes, he will appoint retired Navy Admiral Norquist to head the FBI. Navy... PANELIST ONE This is insane, it looks like a military junta. Panelist Two smiles. PANELIST TWO You’re blowing this out of proportion. TODD We’ll just have to leave it at that. Let’s move on. Big game this Sunday, what are your picks. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL Office - NIGHT The Dion, Sandy and Benson. THE DION Sandy, make it official on the Norquist appointment. Benson, arrange a meeting with General Vincent regarding the Secretary of State appointment. Annie explodes into the room screaming. ANNIE They have arrested my cousin Arturo. He was brutally beaten and thrown into the Ariza prison. You must help him. Do something, now. Annie sobbing hysterically. ANNIE Please... THE DION (Cold) He insulted the president. ANNIE (Harsh) Everyone insults the president. THE DION There is nothing I can do... ANNIE You made it happen. You know, don’t you. You know about Arturo and I... THE DION No, why don’t you tell me... Annie storms out of the office. Sandy smiling. BENSON Can she hurt you? THE DION I never tell her anything important. She’ll get over it, she loves the lifestyle I give her. She’ll learn to never insult Cronus. SANDY Who? THE DION Back to business. I need a military man for the NSA. EXT. RURAL MINSK ROAD A black sedan pulls off the road and parks behind Russo’s car. Two KGB men get out and walk down the road and peer over. POV, two men: Russo and Sokoloff climbing up the cliff face and searching. EXT. CLIFF FACE Russo stops, kneels down and brushes some rocks aside. Close-up on the ground reveals the recording device. Russo picks it up and examines it. Sokoloff steps over and looks at what Russo found. SOKOLOFF Its the recording device, it must have left the van as it rolled down. Russo looks closer at the device. Close-up on the device shows it has been damaged. Russo takes his eyes off the device and looks up the cliff facing . Russo’s POV, the two men above now have pistols out and are pointing them at Russo and Sokoloff. KGB MAN 1 Hold still... Russo bolts for the trees with Sokoloff right behind him. The two men fire their weapons. Russo is hit and tumbles into the line of trees on the side of the cliff facing. Sokoloff dives into the trees. KGB Man 1 begins to climb down the cliff facing, slips and falls to the bottom, landing on a large rock breaking his back. KGB Man 2 turns and runs back toward Russo’s car. EXT. RURAL MINSK ROAD KGB Man 2 finds the path down the side of the mountain that Russo and Sokoloff used and starts down. EXT. CLIFF FACE Camera pushes into the trees. In the trees, Sokoloff is helping Russo to his feet. Russo cries out and grabs his waist area. Sokoloff examines Russo, he lifts his shirt. Close-up Russo’s waist area is bloodied. Sokoloff closely looks at the wound. SOKOLOFF It passed right through. Doesn’t look like it hit anything but flesh and came out the back side. Here... Sokoloff removes a light jacket he is wearing and ties around Russo’s mid-section. RUSSO I can hear them coming. SOKOLOFF Sounds like only one man. I heard a scream and crashing noise from the cliff.   RUSSO Which way. Sokoloff takes Russo by the arm and moves downhill. Montage: A chase down the mountain side. EXT. MOUNTAIN MEADOW Russo and Sokoloff exit the trees. They stop to catch their breath. SOKOLOFF I know this place. On the other side of the meadow there is a small dirt road that hunters use to a camp. They move out, Russo struggling to keep up. EXT. SMALL HUNTING CABIN Russo and Sokoloff arrive. Sokoloff checks Russo’s wound. SOKOLOFF The bleeding has stopped. Rest for a minute, then continue down this road, it meets the highway in about a mile. RUSSO What are you... SOKOLOFF Just go, go now. When you get to the highway, stay hidden until you see a green van, show yourself, it will be a friend. Sokoloff gives Russo a friendly shove to start him. Russo slowly jogs up the road. Sokoloff quickly moves to the door of the cabin and kicks it in. Sokoloff enters. Several beats and KGB Man 2 lumbers up, stops. Breathing heavy. He sees the broken door and quickly moves to the wall and stands to the side of the door. INT. CABIN Sokoloff searches and finds a gas lantern. He shakes the lantern and hears liquid inside. EXT. CABIN KGB Man with his back pressed against the cabin wall. KGB MAN 2 Give up, I have more men coming. Why die for the American. He listens. SOKOLOFF (O.C.) I have a gun. KGB MAN 2 You would have used it. All I want is the device. Throw it out and I will leave. A couple of beats, an object sails out through the door and lands several feet away. KGB Man, smiling and with his eyes on the door, slowly backs up toward the object laying in the grass. He turns his head to look behind him, stops and quickly turns bends over and picks up the object. Close-up on the object reveals it is a cell phone. He angrily throws the cell phone back through the cabin door and charges the cabin. As he enters the cabin, be rapidly fires his weapon. KGB MAN 2 (Screaming) Now you both die. He disappears into the cabin and continues to fire his weapon. Sokoloff appears from behind the cabin holding the gas lantern. He snaps a cigarette lighter and lights a rag wick stuffed into the fuel opening on the gas lantern. He throws the jury rigged Molotov cocktail into the cabin. The cabin explodes in flames. SOKOLOFF No, now you die. INT. RESTAURANT 1 Langford and Jefferson eating. JEFFERSON You know this, how? LANGFORD There are good people in government... JEFFERSON Who? LANGFORD For now, let’s just say and agency with three letters in its name. JEFFERSON It’s Daniels, isn’t it. He’s a good man, in fact he is helping me with a problem I’m having with The Dion. But, Minsk can be a big game changer for those who are not enamored with him. So... Carl approaches their table. JEFFERSON Ah Carl, join us. Senator Langford would like to hear about Dionysius the Elder. Carl grabs a chair from a nearby table and sits. EXT. WASHINGTON MONUMENT - DAY Platform set up with a podium for the President of the United States speech. A large crowed waits for The Dion to arrive. EXT. WASHINGTON DC 17th. STREET ENTRANCE TO THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT The President’s motorcade stops at the sidewalk leading to the monument. Six Secret Service agents exit one SUV and join up with several other agents that are already stationed there. Six private security guards exit another SUV. A third SUV drives up and onto the sidewalk leading to the monument. The Secret Service agents jog along one side of the SUV and six of The Dion’s private security detail, jog along the other side of the SUV as it moves toward the monument and the speakers platform. EXT. WASHINGTON MONUMENT The presidents SUV stops at the rear of the speakers platform. The Dion exits and then is surrounded by his security people as he climbs the steps to the speaker platform. The crowed begins to clap and cheer. The people clapping and cheering are Thompson and his crew we saw at the demonstrations. The Dion reaches the podium and raises a fist, but then quickly opens his hand and makes the victory sign. He adjusts a microphone on the podium and begins to speak. INTERCUT WITH CROWD CHEERING. THE DION I stand here today humbled by the history of George Washing and his battles to create a new country. But I also stand here with a strong resolve to follow his lead. Our country has been in turmoil, we have suffered at the hands of our enemies, foreign and domestic. It is time again to create a new country. A new country free of the fear and unknown that has paralyzed this great nation. It is time for a leader, a fearless leader, to change all of that. That is why you have chosen me to lead you. And I intend to lead with strength. I will let no man, no group, no weak political party stop me. The Dion raises both arms in triumph. The crowed cheers. The Dion pumps his fists. A shot rings out and a security man next to The Dion falls backward. The other security people surround the Dion and rush him off the podium. The crowd scatters. People running for their lives. The Dion shoved into his SUV. The SUV moving through the crowd of people slowly. Secret service agents video taping the crowds running from the monument area. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Aaron is talking to the secretary as Jefferson exits his office. JEFFERSON (To Aaron) Come with me. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Thompson, Killjoy. THE DION That went well... KILLJOY One of your private guy’s died. THOMPSON What, how. He was wearing a vest. KILLJOY The round went high, hit him in the neck. THE DION Too bad, I thought you said your guy could hit a dime at five hundred yards. THOMPSON He’s that good, I don’t know how it happened, but I’ll find out. THE DION Don’t bother, it works better for me. We’ll push the idea that it could have been the president. Thank God it was not. Nice huh... KILLJOY He had a wife and a couple of kids. THE DION I’ll donate funds for his kids college education. Nice huh. Benson and Sandy rush in. SANDY Oh my god, are you alright? The Dion laughs. THE DION I’m invincible. You should know that by now. BENSON The agent that was hit died. THOMPSON That we didn't expect. Sandy glances at Benson. Benson looks away. The Dion puts his arm around Sandy and walks her to the other side of the room. THE DION None of us wanted that to happen. SANDY You planned it... THE DION It was for the cause... Sandy pulls away. THE DION The cause you support... Sandy puts both of her hands to her face and begins to sob. THE DION (To Benson) Take her home. Benson takes Sandy’s arm and walks her out. The Dion walks to the bar and pours himself a drink. THE DION Get a drink. Thompson and Killjoy pour themselves drinks. THE DION To the cause. They lift their glasses and then drink. INT. UPSCALE MEXICAN RESTAURANT - MIAMI - EARLY MORNING The restaurant is being prepared to open. Kitchen staff. Dinning room staff. Bar people. In a quite booth at the back of the restaurant two men talk. Mark Ramon DAVILLA and Daniels. DANIELS This is a very beautiful restaurant. DAVILLA Yes it is, I have four more, two here in Florida and two in Los Angeles. And now that I will not be in the White House, we’re opening a third in Dallas. DANIELS You know The Dion calls them a string of taco wagons. DAVILLA And now I can keep my taco wagons. How can I help you. DANIELS I understand you have contacts in the Cuban government... A STAFF PERSON approaches their table. STAFF PERSON We’re ready to open, shall we wait? DAVILLA No, no... The staff person turns and leaves. INT. PRIVATE HOME - LIBRARY Thompson and Killjoy. Thompson reading from a sheet of paper. THOMPSON Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, New York, Jacksonville Florida, Dallas/Fort Worth, Milwaukee and DC. KILLJOY That will set off others all over the country. THOMPSON That’s the plan. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Sandy and Benson. THE DION We’ll leave for my ranch in Montana first thing in the morning. No announcements. BENSON Only your private security... THE DION The Feds, will stay here and pretend they are protecting the president. If we can go and come back without anyone knowing... SANDY I can make a statement that you were here directing the troops. THE DION I’ve ditched them before and I will do it tomorrow. EXT. MILITIA CAMP FLORIDA EVERGLADES Ulsterman and his men. ULSTERMAN Tomorrow is the day. Our orders are for Miami Fort Lauderdale corridor. The more violence we can create... I’ll be very proud of you. He points to a stack of crates. ULSTERMAN You’ll find flash grenades, concussion and shrapnel. But don’t use the shrapnel until you are ordered. Everyone have their family off in the boonies some where. The men confirm in various ways. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Jefferson and Aaron. AARON It’s whispers, but serious. JEFFERSON Who’s behind it? AARON Don’t know for sure, but we think it started from a militia group in Florida. JEFFERSON Demonstrations, marching with weapons. They can do that, it’s not against the law. AARON Not anymore... JEFFERSON I’ll talk to Daniels and see what he knows. Talk to the people you know in Langford’s office. Aaron turns and leaves. Jefferson opens his cell phone and taps a speed dial number and puts the phone to his ear. JEFFERSON Daniels... INTERCUT BETWEEN JEFFERSON AND DANIELS. INT. FBI OFFICES WASHINGTON DC - ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTORS OFFICE Daniels on the phone. DANIELS Yes, but I don’t think it going to amount to much. Local authorities can handle it. I do have something you may like. JEFFERSON Really, when will you hear back? DANIELS In a couple of days. His contacts are high up in government. JEFFERSON Are you keeping Langford up to date? DANIELS He’s convinced... JEFFERSON So am I now... DANIELS It’s a pretty scary vision. INT. OFFICE OF SENATOR JUSTIN LANGFORD Langford and Owen. LANGFORD It would be a treasonous offense. OWEN You could call for hearings. LANGFORD When I have a few more ducks in a row. INT. OFFICE OF NATIONAL GUARD GENERAL General FLINT and two other officers. FLINT You must have your troops in pace by noon. As soon as the announcement is made, you take control. INT. THE DION’S RANCH - PLACID LAKE MONTANA - NIGHT Seated at the dinning room table: The Dion, Annie, Sandy and Benson. THE DION Enjoy the caviar, a special reserve of Ossetra. This bowl cost three thousand, and there will be plenty more where this comes from. ANNIE I love Russian caviar... SANDY A little to strong for me. THE DION Keep eating, you will develope a taste for it. I did. BENSON When will go back? THE DION When I call for a State of Emergency. SANDY You are going to declare Marshall Law? THE DION State of Emergency. And only in Washington DC, and a few other dangerous places. BENSON Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City... THE DION And more if needed. Close-up Sandy, shock and fear. ANNIE Oh my god, what is happening? THE DION Not until tomorrow, oh, and I’m sending you to Cuba to be with your mother. You can visit your cousin in prison. The Dion smiles. SUPER TITLE MARCH 15TH. 2025 INT. TV STUDIO At the anchor chair, Todd is describing events. Background screen montage of his descriptions. TODD It started at daybreak in Florida. Hundreds of armed militia groups marched in Miami. Their spokesperson gave their reasons for the march. Here is the interview. EXT. MIAMI STREET CORNER Surrounded by men in Camo gear with  military style weapons, Ulsterman speaks with REPORTER 1 ULSTERMAN Yes, this is a threat to all who oppose our leader. Our combat ready patriots will patrol the streets of America. When we find anyone, anyone that might pose a threat to The Dion, they will be arrested and jailed. REPORTER 1 You have no authority to arrest people... ULSTERMAN Citizen arrest for traitors of our leader. And we will use deadly force if necessary... Close-up on the Reporter 1 face, dumbfounded. TODD Our producer contacted the Miami police department regarding this action. Their spokes person would not comment. Anti The Dion demonstrations are now just starting. EXT. 16th. And H STREET - WASHINGTON DC Armed militia march along H. A small group surrounds REPORTER 2 Reporter 2 facing the camera. Camera POV REPORTER 2 The men here claim that the president’s private security force has given them permission to be here with their weapons. We have not been able to speak to anyone with the private security force to confirm that. But seeing no show of force here from the White House... INT. TV STUDIO TODD This is an unprecedented situation, and more of the same is happening in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and right here in New York City... Montage of the violence. Todd cups his hand over one ear and listens. TODD Gunfire has erupted in Miami between the militia forces and anti-The Dion groups. EXT. MIAMI - SOUTH MIAMI BRIDGE OVER MIAMI RIVER A group of armed militia men led by Ulster is trapped in the middle of the bridge, taking fire from armed men from both sides of the bridge. In the group we see Ulsterman. They are using abandoned cars and trucks as cover. Eight non- militia shooters are firing their weapons from behind a UPS truck. Ski hats and sun glasses disguise their faces. One man is hit in the shoulder and falls to the ground. Another man bends down and pulls off his ski hat to reveal it is Thompson. THOMPSON (In pain)Use the grenade and let’s get out of here now. The man removes a grenade from his jacket pocket, pulls the pin. He stands a tosses the grenade toward the middle of the bridge. The grenade explodes among the militia men. INT. THE DION’S RANCH - PLACID LAKE MONTANA The Dion, Benson, Sandy and Unidentified man. All are watching the news reports of the rioting. THE DION OK General, its time for the National Guard to restore peace. The man opens his cell phone and punches in some numbers. INT. FBI OFFICES WASHINGTON DC - DANIELS OFFICE Daniels is on the phone. DANIELS I want agents in everyone of those locations to observe the guard units tactics. INT. OFFICE OF NATIONAL GUARD GENERAL FLINT GENERAL FLINT I want some of our people in every unit deployed. You have your orders. For the cause. He holds up a clenched fist. The others hold up clenched fists. INT. OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY Bo Nelson and his Chief of staff Myron WICKLIFFE. WICKLIFFE I don’t understand, you want our people out there protecting demonstrators? BO NELSON I don’t want citizens indiscriminately attacked. WICKLIFFE But that’s the National Guard’s duty. BO NELSON To keep the peace, not attack civilians. WICKLIFFE Anarchist. BO NELSON If they have weapons and are using them, yes. But if its peaceful demonstrations... WICKLIFFE Yes sir, but the violence is getting out of hand. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion enters with Benson. Benson turns on the television. Close-up television screen showing violent riots. THE DION Call an emergency press conference. Benson leaves the room. INT. WHITE HOUSE - PRESS BRIEFING ROOM Media is jammed into the room. The Dion arrives and steps to the podium. The media begins shouting questions. The Dion holds up his hands. The media quiets down. THE DION Ladies and gentlemen, these are unprecedented times. What I’m about to tell you pains me more than anything. Our country is facing acts of violence and civil disobedience unlike never seen before. American patriots are dying in the streets, being murdered by gangs of unpatriotic, no, terrorist, terrorist from abroad and many who have gained citizenship through our immigration system riddled with holes. Today, March fifteenth two thousand and twenty five, I’m declaring a State of Emergency in various cities across our great land. You will be handed lists of what cities and areas. A VOICE FROM THE CROWD 1 VOICE FROM THE CROWD 1 Is Washington DC one of the cities? THE DION Of course, we must protect the seat of government. That’s all, and thank you. The Dion steps away from the podium. A Voice From The Crowed 2 VOICE FROM THE CROWD 2 You’re declaring Marshall Law? THE DION (Angrily) No, a State of Emergency. VOICE FROM THE CROWD 2 (Mumbling) Same thing. The crowd of media rushing out of the room. INT. FBI OFFICES - DANIELS OFFICE Daniels and Annie. DANIELS We will protect you. Daniels cell phone rings. He picks it up and listens. DANIELS Thank god... INT. HOTEL ROOM Daniels, Jefferson, Langford, Davilla and Russo. DANIELS With Zeus back, you’ll have enough to start impeachment proceedings. JEFFERSON Zeus? DANIELS I’m sorry, Zeus is the code name the agent that was sent to Minsk. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion and Benson. THE DION Where the hell is she? Did you send someone to her apartment? BENSON No idea. They even went inside. Her bed was not slept in. THE DION She’s off somewhere sulking, she’ll return when she remembers where her future lies. BENSON Can we trust her? THE DION Of course. Use the secure phone and get me Vadim. INT. KGB OFFICE - MOSCOW - NIGHT Vadim is on the phone. Viktor listens. VADIM Yes, you are a genius. So all is well. Vadim continues to listen for several beats and then hangs up. VADIM He’s declared Marshall Law, he foolishly calls it a State of Emergency. VIKTOR The American army? The coup? VADIM There are special units that he controls, they are being activated as we speak. VIKTOR Yes, and we will have successfully assassinated democracy in the United States. The two men hug and then shake hands. INT. TV STUDIO TODD An unprecedented, I seem to be using that word everyday. An unprecedented move by the Congress in the middle of the night, a closed door hearing, has voted to start impeachment hearings against the president of the United States, Dion Dodge. Senator Jefferson explains why. INT. HALLS OF CONGRESS Senator Jefferson on camera. JEFFERSON Members from both sides of the aisle agreed that there was enough evidence to start the proceedings. The president will have the opportunity to refute the charges through his attorney. But he will have to answer questions during the proceedings. INT. IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS CHAMBER. The Dion and his LEGAL TEAM converse. LEGAL TEAM 1 Of course we will use the fifth on dangerous issues, but we believe most of what they have is hearsay. THE DION Can’t be anything but hearsay, I’ve been very careful who I take into my confidence. The Senators take their seats. Senator Jefferson bangs the gavel. JEFFERSON Before we begin, I wish to read excerpts from our founding fathers regarding Impeachment of a sitting president. The Framers vested the Senate with the sole Power to try Impeachments. Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, trust or profit under the United States. But the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, a trial, judgment and punishment, according to Law. My CO/chair, Senator Langford will now begin. LANGFORD Mister president, you are aware that you are under oath during these proceedings? THE DION Of course. LANGFORD Please answer yes or no. THE DION Yes. LANGFORD Are you acquainted with VIKTOR Guskov and VADIM Trukhin? THE DION No. LANGFORD Did you meet with, in Cuba, these men. THE DION No. LANGFORD Have you ever met these men... Legal Team 1 places his hand over The Dion’s hand and whispers in his ear. The Dion shakes it off the hand. THE DION No. Senator Jefferson and Senator Langford exchange glances. The Dion smiles. INT. TV STUDIO TODD Today’s impeachment hearings moved very quickly as the president’s answers were short and quickly answered with a No. After, the president made a statement that all of the evidence was hearsay and a witch hunt. This may be over soon, and in the presidents favor. INT. OUTER OFFICE OF SENATOR MARSHAL JEFFERSON Jefferson and Langford. LANGFORD No sense having Annie testify. They'll just claim hearsay and lovers quarrel. And we expose her to the danger of being killed by one of his people. He is capable of that. JEFFERSON How did we get to this point? LANGFORD Historian’s will have to make that judgement. Tomorrow won’t be so easy for him. JEFFERSON It will still be he said, he said, but they won’t be able to use the lovers quarrel spin. The telephone rings. Jefferson answers and listens. JEFFERSON You can’t do that... He hangs up. JEFFERSON That was King, the CIA will not let Bo Nelson testify. National security excuse. He’s been deep undercover for years. They don’t want to expose him. LANGFORD Sure, that’s The Dion’s appointment. There is nobody in government we can count on... Daniels, we can count on him. INT. IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS CHAMBER Jefferson and Langford stand and talk. JEFFERSON They can’t find him. He never returned home last night. His wife is hysterically. Said he called around six thirty and said he had to go out of town. She said he sounded frightened. LANGFORD How could they have found out about Daniels testifying. JEFFERSON He was investigating the Dion’s threats against me. LANGFORD What? JEFFERSON I wouldn’t join his cause, as he called it. He threatened my family. LANGFORD We can’t take anymore chances, we have to call for the closed door private session. Will your people go along. JEFFERSON I hope so, its our only chance. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Benson, Legal Team 1. LEGAL TEAM 1 Daniels is missing, did you have anything to do with that? THE DION What? You’re my defense counsel, not the prosecution. No, of course not. LEGAL TEAM 1 What was he investigating you for? THE DION More hearsay bullshit that he couldn't prove. (To Benson) Where is Sandy? BENSON We still don’t know. LEGAL TEAM 1 Can she be a problem, because if they have her hidden... THE DION Forget her... What about tomorrow? LEGAL TEAM 1 Depends. FBI OFFICES WASHINGTON DC - DIRECTOR KING King, Jefferson and Langford. KING I don’t believe you, it has just been a lot of hearsay... JEFFERSON Where’s Daniels? KING In his office, I presume... LANGFORD He has not been seen, since he called his wife last night and said he had to leave town for awhile... King picks up his phone and punches a button. KING Have Daniels come to my office. King hangs up. KING Look, I know he is a little bit of a loose canon, but he will make the country better. JEFFERSON Daniels believes he is a traitor and is working with the KGB in a plot to overthrow our government. KING Are you mad, that’s... King’s phone rings. He answers and listens. KING Send people to find him. Now... LANGFORD We’re afraid he’s dead or hiding... KING Dead, are you... alright talk to me. JEFFERSON For starters, we have proof he faked the assassination attempt. LANGFORD And his assistant will testify to that. JEFFERSON And a Secret Service agent died during that... fraud. KING Prove that and I will guarantee you he will be charged with murder. JEFFERSON It will be his word against his assistant, but we have more evidence, solid, but it would require a closed door hearing with only members of the NSA committee. LANGFORD Both of us are members of that committee, but we would like to avoid that if we can. If you can find Daniels... INT. IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS CHAMBER The panel is seated. The room is packed with spectators. Jefferson bangs his gavel. Legal Team 1 stands. LEGAL TEAM 1 Senator’s, since there has been no evidence presented other than hearsay, we ask that this committee stand down, and let the president focus his attention on the myriad of emergencies the country is facing. LANGFORD I’m afraid we can’t do that sir... A Senator HOKES, one of The Dion’s supporters interrupts Langford. HOKES I agree, these accusations against president Dodge is nothing but a witch hunt. Unless there is a witness to support these hearsay accusations, I vote we close this hearing. JEFFERSON Director King. King moves to a table with a microphone. KING I strongly advise that the select NSA committee convene a closed door hearing regarding these accusations. The Dion jumps to his feet. THE DION I’m the president of the United States, and I am declaring this over. I have important things to attend to. With that The Dion leaves the room. Camera pans everyone in the room dumbstruck and silent. Then pandemonium as everyone rushes out. INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE The Dion, Benson and Legal Team 1 LEGAL TEAM 1 You can’t do this, you will have to return tomorrow. THE DION (Agitated and shouting) Where the hell is Annie? Where the hell is Sandy. They love me, why are they not here when I need them. BENSON Sandy is still missing, and we have word that Annie is in FBI protection. LEGAL TEAM 1 Mister president, I must have any information that those women have that can be used against you. THE DION (Screaming) Get out, both of you, get the hell out of my office. They leave. The Dion moves to the bar and pours a drink. INT. PRIVATE CHAMBERS - NSA OFFICE Jefferson, Langford, King, Daniels, Annie, Sandy and Legal Team 1. Director of NSA Herbert WELKINS sits at his desk. Two NSA assistants stand on either side of the his desk. WELKINS So far you have introduced nothing that would be of national security concern. Legal Team 1 glances one by one the faces of Daniels, Sandy and Annie. LEGAL TEAM 1 And they will not be able to do that. JEFFERSON (To Daniels) Has he arrived yet? Daniels shakes his head, no. LANGFORD (Exasperated) We need a little more time. LEGAL TEAM 1 You have had over a week. This nonsense should be stopped now. WELKINS I agree, the trial should proceed in the normal fashion. JEFFERSON You are letting him get away with treason... Welkins rises and walks to the door. He opens the door and with a sweep of his hand, invites them to leave. Legal Team 1 heads for the door. As he steps out he bumps directly into the chest of Russo. Russo holds up the recording device. DANIELS (To Legal Team 1) Say hello to agent Russo, code name Zeus... INT. HOME OF THE RUSSO FAMILY - PHILADELPHIA Russo, his mother Sarah and his father Michael are sitting at the dinning table. SARAH I put everything back in the oven to stay warm. MICHAEL What’s holding her up? SARAH She had to pick up her roommate first. MICHAEL The mysterious roommate. RUSSO Not mysterious, she was just not ready for you guys to meet. MICHAEL While we wait, tell us how you brought this terrible man down? RUSSO You mean the man you voted for. MICHAEL (Reluctantly) I made a mistake RUSSO A big one. I can’t tell you much because most of it is classified. You heard the news reports. MICHAEL Yes, he’s to be removed from office... RUSSO He’s already out of the White House. Next week he will be indicted, along with several of his friends on numerous charges, including murder. The sound of the front door opening. LELA (O.C.) We’re here. MICHAEL Here goes... Lela enters the dinning room with her roommate. He is six foot six and in perfect physical condition. LELA Hi guys, this is my roommate DOUG Winooski.   Everyone greets Doug. SARAH Sit. Sit, I’ll get dinner. LELA I’ll help. The two women leave the room. RUSSO How long have you been roommates? DOUG Two years now. MICHAEL When Sarah and I were dating we didn’t live in the same house. Sarah and Lela enter carrying supper. LELA We have been engaged for a year now. SARAH Wonderful... LELA And we will be getting married in the spring. Sarah joyfully hugs her daughter. RUSSO Congratulations Sis. MICHAEL And why did you wait so long to tell us? LELA I was afraid you would be angry... SARAH He’s not Jewish. DOUG I’m Jewish, my grandparents came from Poland. MICHAEL Sounds all good to me, so what would I be angry about? LELA Doug is in football. DOUG I’m not a starter yet, but I think I’ll start next year. MICHAEL What could be better, my daughter getting married, to a Jew, who is a professional football player. Why would I be angry. Close-up on Michael’s face shows an Oh no look. MICHAEL Don’t tell me... LELA Yes, the Giants. INT. TV STUDIO TODD Impeached president Dodge has not been seen since last Tuesday when he was removed from office. Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s office is preparing indictments that can lead to Dodge going to prison for decades. It could also result in the death penalty. INT. OFFICE DIONYSIUS DODGE The Dion and Benson. The Dion is on the phone. THE DION What do you mean, Vadim does not know me. We are brothers in arms. Put him on the phone, he knows me, he loves me... The Dion slams the phone down. Then picks it up and hurls it across the room. Benson ducks as the phone travels over his head. The Dion paces around the office talking to himself. He stops and turns to Benson. THE DION Take me to my office. BENSON But, you’re in your office. THE DION This is not my office, my office, the Oval Room. BENSON Mister Dodge, this is your office... THE DION What are you talking about, and you will address me by my title, Mister President. Now take me to my office at the White House. BENSON But they won’t let us in... The Dion reaches into the desk drawer and remove a pistol which he points at Benson’s head. EXT. WHITE HOUSE GATE - NIGHT Benson drives up. The Dion is in the back seat holding the gun to Benson’s head. At the gate, the guards refuse to let him enter. The Dion screams from the back seat. THE DION Open the gate or I’ll have you thrown in jail for refusing an order from the president of the United States. The guards draw their weapons. Benson is backing the car away. The Dion jumps out of the car, opens the drivers side and pulls Benson out and dumps him on the street. INT. THE CAR The Dion climbs into the car, turns it around aiming for the front gate. The Dion floors the gas peddle. The car rockets toward the gate. Inside the car, The Dion is screaming. THE DION I'm the president, I am the president. CORONUSSSS... The guard's open fire. The windshield shatters from the gun fire. The car rams into a concrete barrier and flips over and lands behind the barrier. Benson is up and running to the car. He disappears behind the barrier. Several beats and the car explodes into a fiery ball.   INT. OFFICE OF THE KGB- MOSCOW Vadim and Victor. VADIM He became unhinged at the end. VIKTOR At the end, he was born a madman. It was unbelievable that we succeeded in getting him elected. VADIM The country was ready for a man like that. And he uncovered the evil in many. The vice president will take over, but he's a weakling, so we start over with a new and different model that will appeal to the same kind of people.   VIKTOR Four... eight years, and then. FADE OUT. EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF MARRAKESH MOROCCO - SUNSET A white SUV turns off a main road onto a newly paved winding driveway. Several beats later it approaches an giant wall of steel slats twenty feet high. The pavement continues on to a large steel gate that slowly opens to allow the SUV to pass through. INT. SUV Two men sit in the back seat, they are dressed as Moroccan dignitaries in fashionable robes and headdress. The SUV passes rows of date trees lining both sides of the driveway. The vehicle enters an elaborate circular driveway and stops at the entrance to a magnificent mansion in the style of a Virginia plantation home. Armed guards stand at the entrance. The two men exit the vehicle and walk toward the door which opens as they arrive. They enter. INT. MANSION A man dressed in a dark business suit escorts them down an hall and into a large solarium style room. Directly ahead is tinted glass wall that extends from the floor to the ceiling. Through the shaded glass lies an expanse of green lawns, palm and date trees. In the center is an enormous pool with cabanas. At the end of the pool area is a manicured golf course. On one side of the room a door opens and through it enters a man in all white golf attire carrying a club. It’s the Dion. THE DION Welcome gentlemen to the new White House of the exiled Monarch. I will return to my former domain in due time. The two men stunned with their wide open in shock, slowly back out of the room. The Dion in uncontrollable insane laughter screaming I am the King.