PHINEUS: THE RETURN OF JOE MAGARAC Part 3: Stuck in the Middle with You Bob DelBane

PHINEUS: THE RETURN OF JOE MAGARAC Part 3: Stuck in the Middle with You Bob DelBane
NEW CHARACTERS
1) MR. CORP: Corp is a shadowy figure, as in, he literally always appears in shadow (like the way the film version of Morticia Addams always has an eerie glow around her eyes, regardless of the available light). He is the absolute leader of his many companies, one of which is Evergreen Industries. All of The Middlemen are fiercely loyal to him.
2) PAUL BUNYAN: Once a symbol of rugged individualism, Paul Bunyan is now a corporate shill for various products. He is not evil, although his values have changed from representing the spirit of the frontier to chasing the most money in the advertising market. He’s a metrosexual lumberjack.
3) THE MIDDLEMEN: Though their ranks include people of every creed, color, and gender, they all wear the same uniform, a gray flannel suit. Their in-office behavior is stereotypically as one would expect from white collar workers everywhere. It’s only when they suspect their goals (which are Mr. Corp’s goals) are being threatened do they become menacing.
The surname of each Middleman means either first, second, or third in a given language. Examples include Primera, Segunda, and Tercera for Spanish and Ail, Traean, and Cyntaf in Welsh.
The Middlemen surnames used in this issue include: Toinen, Erster, Traen, Derde, Pertama, Masodik, Dritter, Birinchi, Harmadik, and Kedna. Mr. Corp’s real name also follows this pattern, but instead of first, second, or third, his true name means zero in Latin: Nihil.
NEW SETTINGS
1) CORP’S EVERGREEN INDUSTRIES HEADQUARTERS BUILDING: The building is an apparently normal office high-rise in the downtown Pittsburgh business district. Each floor that we see is made up of cubicle farms. There are three major stairwells, one in the middle and one on either end.
The top floor is reserved for Mr. Corp’s office and board room. The room is large, two stories tall and an area of maybe 100 feet by 60 feet. Outside that room is a hallway that runs the width of the building, connecting to all three stairwells and at least one elevator.
PAGE 1
Panel 1
This panel runs the width and the upper two-thirds of the page. Interior of Phineus’s home. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus is practicing with the Junior Magician’s First Magic Kit he bought at the magic shop. Joe and Sara are playing a word game.
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For all the panels showing Phineus practicing the tricks, Phineus is seated at a table. We look directly at him. An instructional magic book is open in front of him. The text that begins each sequence is from that book.
Panel 2
Close-up of a page from the instructional magic book. The text in elaborate cursive reads “The Floating Cup.”
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus seated at a table. We look directly at him. The instructional magic book is open in front of him. A coffee mug is seemingly floating at Phineus’s eye level, even though one of his hands is behind the cup.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3. The coffee mug is upside down on Phineus’s head, his face and shirt are soaked. His face is a scowl of frustration.
PAGE 2
Panel 1
Close-up of page from the instructional magic book, which reads “Pencil Through the Head.”
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus. Phineus holds a pencil in one hand. The hand is cupped slightly as he holds the pencil with his fingertips. His other hand is making a show-biz magical gesture.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Phin holds his hands to his nose, his face in a painful grimace. The broken pencil is on the table in front of him.
Panel 4
Close-up of page from the instructional magic book, which reads “The Disappearing Foam Ball.”
Panel 5
Same as panel 2. Phineus sits with both hands up, palms facing the viewer. One hand is shut. The other holds a little ball.
Panel 6
Same as panel 2. Phineus closes the hand with the ball. He opens the other, but it’s empty. He searches for the ball.
Panel 7
Same as panel 2. Phineus coughs violently.
Panel 8
Same as panel 2. Phineus holds the ball, which he has just coughed up, and looks at it with puzzlement.
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JOE (off panel): What do you mean I can’t play that word?
PAGE 3
Panel 1
Close-up of Joe.
JOE: Look, we’re only playing this game so you can try and relearn your vocabulary. And I’m tellin’ ya, sranje* is a real word.
CAPTION: Note: *Croatian for, um, crap.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Sara and Joe. The game board is between them.
SARA: “Don’t be so saucy.”**
CAPTION: Note: **All of Sara’s lines are from the play PYGMLION as Ike made her forget how to say anything else.
JOE: It’s not swearing.
JOE: It’s not really swearing.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2.
JOE: What about your word? Bilious. What the hell does that mean? Sounds like the name of a repo company.
SARA: “Will you please keep your impertinent remarks to yourself.”
Panel 4
Same as panel 2.
JOE: I’m just saying, playin’ those high falutin’ words ain’t helpin’ you any.
SARA: “Impudence!”
PHINEUS (off panel): Hey guys. I think I got one. Look.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus as he balances a pencil on the edge of a table.
Panel 6
Same as panel 5. Phineus moves his hands dramatically around the pencil, and the pencil moves, too.
PHINEUS: Pretty cool, huh?
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PAGE 4
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Sara and Joe are standing side-by-side with their arms folded. They are facing Phineus. They appear annoyed, as if their time is being wasted. They are unimpressed.
JOE: You’re a regular Kreskin.
SARA: “Oh, if you’re going to make a compliment of it—“
PHINEUS (sarcastically): Gee, thanks for your support. Really.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe. Joe moves forward to put his hand on Phineus’s shoulder.
JOE: Ah, it’s something, I guess. Did it trigger any memories?
PHINEUS: No, not really.
PHINEUS: You two faring any better?
Panel 3
Close-up of Joe. Sara is behind him in a medium shot.
JOE: I tried teaching her some words in Croatian, but she wasn’t having it.
SARA: “I never swear. I detest the habit.”
Panel 4
Close-up of Phineus.
PHINEUS: Never mind that. We have to get into Corp’s headquarters to look for the Ike’s memory box. Best guess is that’s where everyone’s memories are being kept.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe.
PHINEUS: We’ll have to go in undercover, blend in with the Middlemen, and search the entire building.
JOE: You think if we dress up in some cheap suits we can waltz in undetected?
PAGE 5
Panel 1
Close-up of Phineus.
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PHINEUS: Maybe. Look, the Middlemen are hardcore bureaucrats. They only care about the task in front of them.
PHINEUS: If we act like we know what we’re doing, they shouldn’t notice a thing.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe. Phineus holds a phone headset, commonly used by telemarketers.
PHINEUS: With these radio headsets, we’ll be in contact with each other the whole time.
JOE: I don’t know. I’m not really the white collar type.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Phineus points at Joe.
PHINEUS: That’s your cover. You’ll be a blue collar guy walking around the building checking the HVAC system.
JOE: I don’t know anything about HVAC systems.
PHINEUS: Nobody does. The Middlemen won’t have a clue.
Panel 4
Same as panel 2.
JOE: So what are your covers?
PHINEUS: Well, I think it’s best if Sara doesn’t say much. With the headset, it’ll look like she’s on the phone the whole time. She can show her clipboard to anyone if they question her.
Panel 5
Same as panel 1.
PHINEUS: As for me, I’ll wander around to various offices and say I’m from another department. A coffee mug should be my ticket just about anywhere. Then I can talk to a bunch of them and maybe figure out where the memory box is.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe.
SARA: “The new small talk. You do it so awfully well.”
JOE: You really think this’ll work?
PHINEUS: It has to.
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PAGE 6
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Exterior of the front of Corp’s Evergreen Industries headquarters building. The Middlemen are entering the building to begin work. Long shot of Sara, Phineus, and Joe who are facing the building with their backs to the viewer. They are each wearing grey flannel suits.
Panel 2
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of the front of Joe, Phineus, and Sara.
PHINEUS: Everybody know the plan?
JOE: The HVAC system needs to be checked. Whole building. No exceptions.
PHINEUS: Good. Your floors picked out, Sara?
SARA: “’Course they are, Governor.”
PHINEUS: Okay. Stay in contact and keep your eyes and ears open. Let’s go.
Panel 3
Interior of an office break area inside the building. Medium shot of Phineus as he walks in and strikes up a conversation with two Middlemen, Toinen and Erster.
PHINEUS: Hey guys, mind if I have a cup of coffee here? The stuff on our floor is awful.
TOINEN: Sure, help yourself. What department do you work in?
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: Oh, I’m in the…functional…logistical…hardware…department.
TOINEN: You’re in FLH? Bunch of braniacs up there. You guys really know your stuff.
PAGE 7
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Erster. They each hold coffee mugs.
PHINEUS: Um, yeah. We’re so busy that no one can make a decent cup of coffee.
ERSTER: Did you guys figure out the parallel logistical projection? I know Mr. Corp’s counting on that and the balanced third-generation projection to be ready for the big reveal.
Panel 2
Close-up of Phineus.
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PHINEUS: Yeah, right, well, we’re, you know, just about there. Lot of guys putting in long hours on the…the projections. Say, when is the big reveal anyway? We lose track of time up there.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus, Erster, and Toinen.
TOINEN: You’re kidding, right? Everything’s got to be set up at the Folklore Fest tomorrow.
PHINEUS: The Folklore Fest. Right, yeah, we’ll be ready. No problem.
ERSTER: I hope so. This is the biggest part in Mr. Corp’s total transitional concept plan.
PHINEUS: Yeah. No. We’re on top of it. We’ll be ready.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus and Toinen.
TOINEN: That’s good. We don’t want Mr. Corp resorting to any responsive policy options.
PHINEUS: Right. No, we wouldn’t want that.
TOINEN: Come on, Erster. We have to get back to the integrated monitor projection.
Panel 5
Close-up of Phineus. He speaks to Sara on the headset radio.
PHINEUS: Sara? Are you there?
SARA (off-panel, through the headset): “…like the rest of us…”
PHINEUS: There’s something important going on in the FLH Department, wherever that is. If you come across the name, can you let me know?
Panel 6
Same as panel 5.
PHINEUS: Just don’t talk to anyone. Our cover would be blown as soon as you opened your mouth.
SARA (off-panel, through the headset): “I’ll tell you, Governor, if you’ll only let me get a word in.”
PHINEUS: (Sigh) Okay. Good luck.
PAGE 8
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara in a cubicle farm. She is peeking into cubicles in search of some lead as to where the memory box and the FLH department might be.
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Panel 2
Medium shot of Sara and a Middleman, Traen, who confronts her.
TRAEN: What are you doing here? You are not authorized to be here.
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Sara shows Traen the clipboard and looks away as Trean demands more information.
TRAEN: “Building-wide workplace compliance inspection.” Well, that’s different.
TREAN: I…wait a minute. This is the wrong form. And whose signature is this?
Panel 4
Same as panel 2.
TRAEN: Come on. Speak up.
Sara feels trapped. She must speak, but whether she does or not, their cover might be blown. She opens her mouth to speak. Cut to:
Panel 5
Interior of a different breakroom. Medium shot of Phineus and Middlemen Derde and Pertama. All three hold coffee mugs.
DERDE: The FLH Department has to have the compatible monitored automaton ready when the targeted folk persona is eventually nullified.
Panel 6
Same as panel 5.
PHINEUS: Targeted folk…? You mean when everyone finally forgets about Magarac.
PERTAMA: Of course. Even though he supposedly knows what’s going to happen, there’s nothing he can do.
DERDE: I’d love to see his face right now. Another cup?
PAGE 9
Panel 1
Interior of an HVAC unit room. Medium shot of Joe and Middleman Masodik. Joe is explaining the status of an HVAC unit to Masodik, who caught him snooping.
MASODIK: So how does our HVAC look?
JOE: Oh, well, it’s not bad. The, uh, flapdoodle has a tendency to catch on the uh, you know, the taradiddle, but it’s nothing to worry about.
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Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Masodik has turned to walk away.
MASODIK: Well that’s fine. Keep up the good work.
Panel 3
Close-up of Joe.
JOE (thought balloon): That was close. At least I get a chance to talk my way out. Hope no one makes Sara speak.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara holding court with a few Middlemen, including Dritter, who are enjoying her story.
DRITTER: So, wait a minute. They didn’t know she was alive?
Panel 5
Same as panel 4.
SARA: “They all thought she was dead; but my father he kept ladling gin down her throat til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the spoon.”
Panel 6
Same as panel 4. The Middlemen erupt with laughter as Sara sits bemusedly.
PAGE 10
Panel 1
Interior of the third breakroom Phineus has visited. Medium shot of Phineus and Middleman Birinchi.
BIRINCHI: Would you like another cup?
PHINEUS: Oh, no, thank you. It’s very good, but…
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Birinchi pours Phineus another cup.
BIRINCHI: Nonsense. It’s what you came down here for, right?
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Middleman Harmadik. Phineus looks at his cup.
PHINEUS: Great. Thank you.
PHINEUS: Say, have you heard of the company acquiring an antique box, about as big as a breadbox?
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HARMADIK: You mean the festooned amplification facilitator?
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
HARMADIK: Sure. Mr. Corp barely lets it out of his sight. We hear he keeps it in his office under heavy guard, but you didn’t hear that from me. Why are you so interested?
Panel 5
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: You know, you hear rumors. We don’t get out of the lab much. It’s just nice to catch up on the goings on.
Panel 6
Same as panel 1.
BIRINCHI: Well, don’t get too curious. Mr. Corp doesn’t like anyone near his office. Another cup?
Birinchi pours coffee into Phineus’s cup before he hears an answer.
PHINEUS: Um…
PAGE 11
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara holding court with the Middlemen, who are still enjoying her story.
SARA: “Them she lived with would have killed her for a hat pin, let alone a hat.”
Panel 2
Medium shot of Sara and Dritter, who is wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
DRITTER: You are delightful, young lady. I hope the company is paying you what you’re worth.
SARA: “Course they are, Governor. If I thought they wasn’t, I’d ask fifty.”
Panel 3
Same as panel 2. Dritter is overcome with laughter again. Sara remains bemused.
Panel 4
Same as panel 2.
DRITTER: We haven’t seen you here before. What department did you say you are with?
Sara cannot come up with an appropriate phrase and freezes in mid-attempt to speak.
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Panel 5
Medium shot of Sara from behind Dritter’s shoulder.
DRITTER: What’s wrong? You must know your department.
SARA: “I’m willing to tell you. I’m waiting to tell you. I’m wanting to tell you.”
Panel 6
Medium shot of Dritter over Sara’s shoulder.
DRITTER: What’s this? You act like you haven’t been inprocessed yet.
PAGE 12
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and all the Middlemen who were moments before laughing at her story. They have now become stoic and turn to Sara. They stare blankly at her and chant in unison.
MIDDLEMEN: You must be inprocessed. You must be inprocessed.
Sara is surrounded.
Panel 2
Close-up of Sara.
SARA: “You ain’t heard what I come for yet.”
Panel 3
Interior of a cubicle farm. Close-up of Joe in an empty cubicle talking on the phone.
JOE: Pete, I know you guys don’t believe me, but we’re onto something here. I know why Febold disappeared.
JOE: Febold.
JOE: They guy who was in the booth next to you.
JOE: Oh, jeez, you forgot him, too.
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
JOE: Never mind. I’m gonna need you and Tony tomorrow. Meet me in the morning at my booth.
JOE: And write it down. I don’t want you to forget.
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Panel 5
Medium shot of Joe. He has hung up the phone and stood up. A horde of Middlemen are behind him. They stare at him stoically.
Panel 6
Medium shot of Joe and Middleman Kedna. The Middlemen continue to stare stoically.
KEDNA: Is that your desk, Mister…
JOE: Uh, Honus. Name’s Honus.
PAGE 13
Panel 1
Medium shot of Joe and Kedna. The Middlemen continue to stare stoically.
KEDNA: Honus. Yes. Appropriating a company phone for personal use is strictly prohibited. Who is your immediate supervisor?
JOE: Uh, well, you see…
Panel 2
Same as panel 1.
KEDNA: It appears you must be inprocessed.
Panel 3
Medium shot of the Middlemen.
MIDDLEMEN (in unison): You must be inprocessed. You must be inprocessed.
Panel 4
Long shot of Joe running from the horde of Middlemen.
JOE: Time to give myself the bum’s rush.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Joe. He is running down a hallway, trying to reach Phineus and Sara on the headset. The Middlemen close behind, still chanting.
JOE: Phineus! Sara! We’re made! Where are you? You guys hear me?
SARA (off-panel, through the headset): “All this irritation is purely subjective.”
Panel 6
Same as panel 5.
JOE: I’m headed for the central stairwell. Meet me there. And don’t walk.
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SARA (off-panel, through the headset): “Not bloody likely.”
PAGE 14
Panel 1
Medium shot of Joe running down a hallway. He is yelling into his headset.
JOE: Phineus, you hear that? Where are you?
Panel 2
Exterior of a restroom door. Phineus can be heard, singing to himself inside.
(I don’t know what would be appropriate for Phineus to sing. There’s a number of pop songs with magic themes. I’d like to have him sing a line from “The Coffee Song [They Got a Lot of Coffee in Brazil],” but I doubt that’s in character.)
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe running down a flight of stairs to exit the stairwell there.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Joe and Sara on a stairwell landing. Before Joe gets to the exit door, Sara bursts through the door running the other way.
Panel 5
Medium shot of Sara and Joe in a stairwell. Sara runs up the stairs, from where Joe has just come.
JOE: Hey! Where you going? We gotta go down!
Panel 6
Medium shot of Joe following Sara up the stairs.
JOE: Aw, jeez.
PAGE 15
Panel 1
Medium shot of Sara and Joe creeping out into a hallway. There don’t seem to be any Middlemen on this floor.
JOE: Top floor. Everybody out.
Panel 2
Long shot of Sara and Joe seeing Phineus exiting a restroom.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe.
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PHINEUS: What are you guys doing up here?
JOE: The jig is up. Don’t you listen to the radio?
Panel 4
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: The reception must be bad in the restroom. What do you mean the jig is up?
JOE: I mean the Middlemen know we don’t belong here and are making like a George Romero casting call. We gotta go.
Panel 5
Same as panel 3.
PHINEUS: I came up here because I think the memory box is on this floor. Let’s take a look first.
JOE: Make it fast.
Panel 6
Same as panel 3. Phineus hears something in the quiet hallway.
PHINEUS: You hear that?
PAGE 16
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe listening at a set of double doors.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. They open the door and sneak inside. It’s very dark inside.
Panel 3
Close-up of the side of Phineus’s face. Sara and Joe are next to him in medium shot. They are watching people inside the room.
CORP (off-panel): Despite some obnoxious interference, everything is on schedule.
Panel 4
This panel runs the width and bottom two-thirds of the page. The room is a large area with a two-story ceiling. Corp, face in shadow, talks to someone very large, who is also in shadow. The memory box can be seen clearly on a table between them.
CORP: Tomorrow at the festival, you will introduce the newest addition to American folklore, an esteemed promotional mascot to sing the praises and promote the safety of hydraulic fracturing. Before long, he will be the only symbol of this city’s industry.
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PAGE 17
Panel 1
Medium shot of Paul Bunyan who walks into the light. Though dressed like a lumberjack, he is neat and clean. Despite his size, he is devoid of all ruggedness.
BUNYAN: You can count on me, Mr. Corp.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Joe who steps out into the light. Joe faces Bunyan and we see him over Bunyan’s shoulder.
JOE: Real disappointed in you, Paul.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Joe and Bunyan.
BUNYAN: Who are you?
JOE: He erased me from your memory, too, huh?
Panel 4
Long shot of Joe and Bunyan from behind Corp.
CORP: Don’t fret, Mr. Magarac. You won’t be a fading memory for much longer.
JOE: I’d tell you what I think of your little plan, but we’re in a hurry. And we’re taking that box.
JOE: Get out of the way, Paul.
Panel 5
Same as panel 2.
BUNYAN: Don’t know who you are, but you’re not taking Mr. Corp’s stuff.
JOE: Gonna be like that? Awright.
PAGE 18
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Joe rushing at Bunyan. Joe’s fists are clenched. Bunyan squares his stance, clenching his own fists.
JOE: Didn’t wanna have to do this. You’re backing the wrong horse, Bunyan.
Panel 2
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of Bunyan connecting a haymaker to Joe’s jaw, knocking him through the air.
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BUNYAN: You should pick your fights better, old man.
Panel 3
This panel runs the width of the page. Medium shot of Joe on the ground holding his jaw.
JOE: Jeez, I’m weaker than I thought. Now what do we do?
PHINEUS (off panel): Stop!
PAGE 19
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Phineus has put himself between Joe and Bunyan. Long shot of Phineus and Joe over Bunyan’s shoulder. Holding a handkerchief and his coffee mug, Phineus performs one of the tricks from the children’s magic kit. He performs it well. The coffee mug appears to float in midair.
BUNYAN: Oh, it’s the wizard. I hate magic.
Panel 2
Medium shot of Phineus, who has a look of intensity.
PHINEUS: You know me. Good.
PHINEUS: You should also know this is my city. And I don’t take kindly to people abusing it or its symbols.
Panel 3
Long shot of Phineus and Joe, who is still on the ground.
PHINEUS: Where should I teleport Bunyan, Joe? Where would a lumberjack like to go? The middle of a desert?
JOE: Naw. How about the ocean?
Panel 4
Same as panel 2. Phineus acts as if he’s casting a spell.
PHINEUS: Ocean it is.
Panel 5
Long shot of Bunyan as he runs off.
BUNYAN: I didn’t sign up for this Mr. Corp.
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PAGE 20
Panel 1
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe from behind Corp.
CORP: Bravo, you three. You bought perhaps a minute of time. My Middlemen will be here presently, so this little episode will soon be at an end.
CORP: I regret not mentioning to Mr. Bunyan that you are without your powers, Mr. Beam.
Panel 2
Close-up of Sara.
SARA: “You ought to be stuffed with nails, you ought.”
CORP: You wound me, Ms. Beam.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Sara and Phineus. Phineus is holding the memory box.
SARA: “…draggletailed guttersnipe…”
PHINEUS: I’ve got the box. Let’s go.
Panel 4
This panel runs the width of the page. A horde of Middlemen burst into the room. They chant unceasingly.
MIDDLEMEN: You must be inprocessed. You must be inprocessed.
PAGE 21
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe running down a hallway toward an elevator.
Panel 2
The elevator door opens and another bunch of Middlemen exits onto the floor.
Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe as they turn and race to a stairwell.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe on a landing in the stairwell. Looking down, they see yet another bunch of Middlemen racing up the stairs, chanting.
MIDDLEMEN: You must be inprocessed. You must be inprocessed.
JOE: Next floor up’s the roof.
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Panel 5
Long shot of Sara from behind Phineus’s shoulder. Sara turns back onto the floor they’re escaping.
PHINEUS: Where are you going?
Panel 6
Same as panel 5 except Sara has disappeared down the hall.
SARA (off panel): “I won’t be passed over.”
PAGE 22
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus and Joe in the stairwell.
JOE: What do we do?
PHINEUS: We go up. She knows what she’s doing.
PHINEUS: I hope.
Panel 2
Exterior, roof of the building. Medium shot of Phineus and Joe as they exit the stairwell onto the roof. The horde of Middlemen follows them out of their stairwell.
Panel 3
Long shot of Phineus and Joe. Another horde bursts out of another stairwell as they pass it.
Panel 4
Medium shot of Sara bursting through the doorway of the final stairwell with another horde in close pursuit. She is wearing an emergency parachute (used to escape disasters in tall buildings) and carrying another.
PAGE 23
Panel 1
Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. Phineus holds the extra parachute.
PHINEUS: Ever been skydiving, Joe?
JOE: First time for everything.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. Phineus and Sara help Joe put on the parachute.
PHINEUS: Wait, where’s mine?
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Panel 3
Medium shot of Phineus and Sara. Sara puts her arms out to suggest that she’ll carry him.
PHINEUS: Seriously?
SARA: “There’s nothing more to worry about.”
Panel 4
This panel runs the width of the page. Long shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe. They jump just as the Middlemen are upon them. Joe holds the memory box. Phineus hangs on to Sara for dear life.
PAGE 24
Panel 1
Interior of Phineus’s office. Medium shot of Phineus, Sara, and Joe standing around a table with the memory box sitting between them.
PHINEUS: Okay. Here goes.
Phineus reaches to open the box.
Panel 2
Same as panel 1. The box is open. Nothing seems to have happened.
Panel 3
Same as panel 1.
JOE: Did it work?
PHINEUS: I don’t think so. Sara?
SARA: “I can’t change my nature.”
Panel 4
Long shot of and just above Phineus, Sara, and Joe.
JOE: Now what?
PHINEUS: Maybe we need Ike to make it work.
JOE: We gotta track down the little guy again? Aw, jeez.
End part 3