(outside, knocking on the door)

APOLLO
(idle humming)

(unsteady running)

JUDE
(distantly) Hi, sorry I’m late!

APOLLO
Oh, it’s no problem- Are you okay? You’re walking weird.

JUDE
I’m fine! Don’t worry, it’s just- Uh, I ran here!

APOLLO
Oh, okay.

JUDE
Let me find my keys, I’ll let us in.

(keys jingling)

APOLLO
Do you have a roommate?

JUDE
Nah, it’s just me.

APOLLO
This is a big house for just one person.

JUDE
Yeah, it’s… Yeah.

(door opens, they walk in)

JUDE
Mi casa es su casa and all that.

APOLLO
Oh, wow.

JUDE
I know.

APOLLO
You- This place is-

JUDE
You can just say it’s boring as hell.

APOLLO
It’s boring as hell.

JUDE
They call it ‘minimalist.’ It, um, came this way. And I don’t have the time or energy to change it, even though I really, really hate it.

APOLLO
Why do you live here, then?

JUDE
It’s… a benefit of one of my jobs.

APOLLO
Presumably not the cat cafe one.

JUDE
(laughs) Yeah, no. Though if Nevaeh ever starts offering living spaces as a bonus, I’ll take it.

APOLLO
Ha! I’ll talk to her about it.

(they walk into the living room)

APOLLO
God, it’s so… empty.

JUDE
I know. But it does have a guest room, so that’s a plus.

APOLLO
(genuinely) Thank you, Jude. Really.

JUDE
(gently) Do you… wanna talk about it?

APOLLO
I… It’s Nevaeh. She’s always like this, always acting all holier-than-thou and like she knows better than me! She acts like she knows everything, like I’m an idiot for trying something new.

JUDE
(genuinely) That sucks.

APOLLO
I know! And I’m currently, um, repairing my relationship with an old friend—sort of—and she is not making the transition easy. Everything is just adding up so quickly, and- It’s just… stressing me out.

JUDE
That sounds so lame. Do you wanna destress by petting Lucy?

APOLLO
Who the fuck is Lucy?

JUDE
My cat!

APOLLO
(elated) You have a cat!?

JUDE
Yeah, let me go find her! She’s, like, the only thing that makes coming home worthwhile.

APOLLO
Is she all alone here while you’re at work?

JUDE
Yeah, I feel so bad about it! But I have cat cameras, and she pretty much just naps all day, so I’m not too worried. Oh, here she is! Lucy! C’mere, pretty kitty!

(Jude picks up the cat)

APOLLO
She’s so pretty! Is she a cornish rex? They’re such a lovely breed. Did you know the earliest ancestor to the cornish rex was named Kallibunker?

JUDE
I did not know that! Do you wanna hold her? She’s cuddly.

APOLLO
Yes please!

(cat is handed over. meow)

APOLLO
Her meow is so beautiful! Cats can make, like, 100 different sounds. Dogs can only make 10. One of the many reasons cats are better.

JUDE
Damn, she really likes you!

APOLLO
Most cats do.

JUDE
You’re the cat whisperer!

APOLLO
I’ve never been more happy to claim a title.

JUDE
(laughs) You’re fun, Apollo.

APOLLO
Oh, I- Thanks? I- Yeah. You’re fun, too. I like hanging out with you.

JUDE
(grinning) That’s good to hear. But I do have work tomorrow… mind if I turn in for the night? I’ll show you to the guest room.

APOLLO
Oh, yeah, of course. Can Lucy sleep in my room?

(walking)

JUDE
(laughs) Yeah, of course she can. And here’s the guest room- (sharp intake of breath)

APOLLO
(alarmed) Are you okay?

JUDE
Sorry, yeah, I just- I just- I’m fine.

APOLLO
(worried) You don’t seem fine.

JUDE
I am, really. It’s- Just pulled a muscle, is all.

APOLLO
…If you say so.

(door opens)

JUDE
Well, here we are! …Thanks for calling me, Apollo.

APOLLO
Thanks for picking up. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.

JUDE
Well, you’re welcome here any time. Just call me first so I can make sure I’m home to let you in!

APOLLO
Will do. Goodnight, Jude.

JUDE
Night, Apo.

(Jude closes door, walks away)

(meow)

APOLLO
Lucy, is it gay to want to talk to your friend until the sun comes up?

(meow)

APOLLO
You’re right. That’s fully straight behavior, I’m pretty sure.

(meow)

APOLLO
Thank god I can’t understand you. Mrow.

(meow)

APOLLO
I’m not fluent, sorry.

(meow.)

APOLLO
…Goodnight, Lucy.

(meooowww)

-SCENE CUT 1-

JUDE
Ow!

APOLLO
Solis? Are you okay?

JUDE
I’m fine.

APOLLO
Are your stitches-

JUDE
(laughs) They’re fine, Mosaic. Thank you for worrying.

APOLLO
(embarrassed) Oh, I- Yeah. Sure.

(walking on wood floors)

JUDE
Sooo, what do you think about this place?

APOLLO
It’s not bad. It used to be some meeting hall, right?

JUDE
Yeah, but it’s up for rent now, and it’s within the budget Val gave us for the mutual meeting place.

APOLLO
It looks weirdly familiar.

JUDE
You mean you don’t remember?

APOLLO
Remember what?

JUDE
This is where we first met, silly!

APOLLO
Wait- Really?

JUDE
Yeah, I think I found you on the second floor.

APOLLO
Oh, holy shit! Yeah, I remember this place.

JUDE
Do you remember our first interaction?

APOLLO
(snorts) How could I forget?

-FLASHBACK-

JUDE
Uh, hi, excuse me? You’re not actually supposed to be taking that.

APOLLO
Are those rocket boots?

JUDE
Yeah, state of the art! They’re a little- uh, finicky, but- uh-

APOLLO
What happens if I put a stained glass floor on the rocket-y bits to stop the fire?

JUDE
…Nothing, I hope? Seriously, uh, I’m a superhero, in case you didn’t know, and if you’re going to steal those city plans, then- Then I’ll have to take you in!

APOLLO
Let’s find out about that ‘stopping the fire’ thing.

JUDE
Please don’t- (shouts in pain)

(explosion)

APOLLO
Jesus Christ!

(running, sliding down next to Solis)

APOLLO
You’re not dead, right? Please don’t be dead. I think killing someone on my first heist would be a bad sign.

JUDE
(weakly) I’m alive. And I’m- I’m going to stop you!

APOLLO
Right. You know what? I just almost killed you, so I’ll cut you a deal. I’ll help you to the hospital if you pretend this never happened.

JUDE
…If I see you committing another crime, I’m going to do something.

APOLLO
Yeah, sure, obviously. But just for this one time, right now? We were never here.

JUDE
…Okay. Thank you. My superhero name is Solis, by the way.

APOLLO
I’m trying out ‘Mosaic.’ In fact, next time we meet, tell the press that’s who you were fighting. I need the publicity.

JUDE
Up and coming, huh? You could always be a superhero instead, you know! Then we’d be on the same team.

APOLLO
Not really my style. Come on, let’s get you to that hospital.

-FLASHBACK END-

JUDE
(laughs) What did you say back then? That you wouldn’t fit in as a hero?

APOLLO
Something like that. I still wouldn’t.

JUDE
What do you mean? I think you’re fitting in just fine.

APOLLO
Oh, I- Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. (pause) Hey, thanks for not turning on me and calling the cops when I took you to that hospital.

JUDE
I can’t imagine what my life would be like if you’d never become my nemesis. (pause) Probably I’d be fighting Providence, actually. I hate fighting Providence, she’s scary.

APOLLO
(laughs) Ha! Yeah, she is.

JUDE
I think this would make the perfect neutral ground for the Paragons and the Vindicators.

APOLLO
Yeah… Yeah. I think so too.

-SCENE CUT 2-

(voicemail beep, Mari walks down the street)

MARIANGEL
Hey, Jude! I’m almost to The Cat’s Meow, wanted to know if you’re on shift and- Uh- Hold on-

(holy light beam, Nevaeh shouts in pain)

MARIANGEL
Holy shit! That’s one of Providence’s holy light beams!

NEVAEH
Hey, Providence! Come and get some!

MARIANGEL
Nevaeh!?!?!

NEVAEH
Mari! Look out, Providence is attacking the catfe!

MARIANGEL
Uh, yeah, I can see that!

NEVAEH
Stay clear! I’ve got this!

MARIANGEL
I sure hope so, because I can’t fight!

NEVAEH
(fight sounds, maybe overact a little since Nevaeh is really hamming this up)

MARIANGEL
Ahh! Jude, if this voicemail is still going- Your boss is fighting Providence in front of the catfe! Providence is- Well, I can’t see her, but her holy light beams are burning Nevaeh.

NEVAEH
(as Providence) Stand down, hero!

NEVAEH
(as Nevaeh) Never!

MARIANGEL
Nevaeh is throwing, um, knives I think? At Providence, who I think is taking cover behind that building and- Nevaeh, look out!

NEVAEH
(cries out in pain)

MARIANGEL
Shit, shit! Providence got her!

NEVAEH
I’m fine!

NEVAEH
(as Providence) Surrender!

NEVAEH
(as Nevaeh) Take this!

(Nevaeh tackles nothing, rolling behind a building)

MARIANGEL
Nevaeh has just tackled- um, presumably Providence! I can hear them fighting behind that building, maybe- Should I get closer?

NEVAEH
Nope, I’ve got this!

NEVAEH
(as Providence) Curses! You may have won this time, hero, but I’ll be back!

(running sounds, then Nevaeh steps out from behind the building)

NEVAEH
(panting) How’s that for ‘giving it a go’?

MARIANGEL
(cheers) You’re amazing! I can’t believe you took on Providence and won, oh my god- That’s so cool! You- Oh, shit, you’re burned!

NEVAEH
Huh? Oh, it’s fine.

MARIANGEL
No it’s not! We have to treat these.

NEVAEH
Uh, I kind of have things to do, actually, I was just getting off work-

MARIANGEL
Absolutely not!

(Reporter runs up with camera crew)

REPORTER
(out of breath) Excuse me, I heard that Providence was fighting someone out here? Can I ask you a few questions?

NEVAEH
No.

MARIANGEL
Come on, Nevaeh, let’s go inside.

(they walk inside, without the reporter)

MARIANGEL
We can at least run these under some water.

NEVAEH
I think I have burn cream somewhere in the back room.

MARIANGEL
Oh wow, that’s convenient!

NEVAEH
Heh, yeah.

(they walk into the back room, sound of running water)

NEVAEH
Oh, that does feel better.

MARIANGEL
Yeah, no shit! (pause) It’s crazy how some beams of light can burn a person that badly.

NEVAEH
Providence is pretty powerful.

MARIANGEL
Do you know how her power actually works? I’m always confused as to why it seems to hurt some things but not others…

NEVAEH
It only burns things that Providence deems impure. Human beings are inherently included in that. A lot of animals aren’t, though.

MARIANGEL
Huh. It’s good you know so much about her, since you’re fighting her now!

NEVAEH
Ha, yeah. Just- Maybe don’t tell anyone about this, okay?

MARIANGEL
Uh, I think a lot of people already saw-

NEVAEH
Yeah, but- Just, don’t go telling people I’m a hero now, okay? Let’s keep it on the down-low as much as possible.

MARIANGEL
Sure, if you say so.

NEVAEH
Oh, shit- I’m late for a meeting, I need to go!

MARIANGEL
What kind of meeting?

NEVAEH
Uhhhh. Book club.

MARIANGEL
O…kay… well I’m sure they won’t mind if you miss a session.

NEVAEH
I’m… the leader, actually, so. I really need to be there.

MARIANGEL
(sigh) Just… take care of yourself, okay?

NEVAEH
I will, Mariangel. Thank you, for helping me.

MARIANGEL
Any time.