Chapter 2 – Page 073
Operation Pandora is still too fresh off the law enforcement agency production line to have a super-schmancy neon lit office with digital displays and stuff, like those alphabet-soup police units wot u see on the box. I remember when I first moved into my flat, for a while the only furniture I had were these camping chairs my parents had left behind after helping me shift my stuff, so amongst the pop-up tables, portaloos and forensic equipment still in its plastic wrapping, I thought I’d give one of them a guest appearance in this scene.
Also, hey, it’s Carol. Haven’t seen her for a while. And she would totally pick up that “knuckles on the table” power move from House of Cards.
↓ Transcript
Panel 1 (wide):
Sam, Lewis and Des are walking into a repurposed factory filled with desks and computers still covered in plastic wrapping and scaffolding all over the place. This is an operation in its absolute earliest stages. Des is filling out the paperwork on the fly with Lewis’ assistance - Sam is too scowly to contribute.
X-FILES TEXT:
Operation Pandora HQ, Undisclosed Location, NW1
5:23AM
SOLOMON: Right, so communications blackout commenced...12:42AM? That can’t be right, guv encountered Brilligan at 12:39.
RUSSELL: We discovered the blackout at 12:42, it probably began a few minutes earlier.
Panel 2:
The three approach the far desk. In the foreground, Derrider is ensconced in a plastic-wrapped swivel chair, hidden from the others and studying a report she received from another source.
SOLOMON: Ehhhh...it’s a bit vague, isn’t it? I want to cover our bases before we let anyone know how badly we screwed up.
Panel 3:
Same view. Derrider swivels round and slaps her reports on the desk in a pique of fury. The other two are startled, but Sam appears to have almost been expecting this.
CAROL: You had her!
CAROL: You had her and you lost her!
Panel 4:
Sam and Carol face off each other across the desk.
WORDING: Believe me, there is no one angrier at this than myself…
CAROL: I’ll be the judge of that!
CAROL: The perfect snare! A paranormal problem that Ms Brilligan would be compelled to solve! But instead of apprehending her, you help her solve it.
Panel 5:
Carol stares directly at the panel. The others shuffle off-panel.
CAROL: I expect your explanation to be epoch-shatteringly brilliant.
SOLOMON (off-panel): I’m...uh...writing a report with some recommendations.
CAROL: In your own words, would you kindly?
Sam, Lewis and Des are walking into a repurposed factory filled with desks and computers still covered in plastic wrapping and scaffolding all over the place. This is an operation in its absolute earliest stages. Des is filling out the paperwork on the fly with Lewis’ assistance - Sam is too scowly to contribute.
X-FILES TEXT:
Operation Pandora HQ, Undisclosed Location, NW1
5:23AM
SOLOMON: Right, so communications blackout commenced...12:42AM? That can’t be right, guv encountered Brilligan at 12:39.
RUSSELL: We discovered the blackout at 12:42, it probably began a few minutes earlier.
Panel 2:
The three approach the far desk. In the foreground, Derrider is ensconced in a plastic-wrapped swivel chair, hidden from the others and studying a report she received from another source.
SOLOMON: Ehhhh...it’s a bit vague, isn’t it? I want to cover our bases before we let anyone know how badly we screwed up.
Panel 3:
Same view. Derrider swivels round and slaps her reports on the desk in a pique of fury. The other two are startled, but Sam appears to have almost been expecting this.
CAROL: You had her!
CAROL: You had her and you lost her!
Panel 4:
Sam and Carol face off each other across the desk.
WORDING: Believe me, there is no one angrier at this than myself…
CAROL: I’ll be the judge of that!
CAROL: The perfect snare! A paranormal problem that Ms Brilligan would be compelled to solve! But instead of apprehending her, you help her solve it.
Panel 5:
Carol stares directly at the panel. The others shuffle off-panel.
CAROL: I expect your explanation to be epoch-shatteringly brilliant.
SOLOMON (off-panel): I’m...uh...writing a report with some recommendations.
CAROL: In your own words, would you kindly?