#18: Jeremy Tableau and the Job
Page One
Panel One: The sun is bright in the sky as we open up to the backyard of Robert Lashley. Lashley is standing at the edge of his giant pool, accompanied by an expensive and beautiful house and statues and plants in the backyard. Lashley is dressed in a fine suit and is heavy set. Think Michael Clarke Duncan. Behind him is a man dressed in a black turtle neck, leather jacket, and black slacks. Caucasian, brown slicked back hair, and a scar going down his left eye. This is Richard Head, Lashley’s enforcer/right hand man. In the pool we see a dead body floating.Caption: The behemoth is the wealthy Robert Lashley. Typical no-nonsense crime boss with a hand in the black market for antiques and all that jazz.
Caption 2: The handsome rugged dude is Richard Head, his enforcer and right hand man. We have a bit of a history dating back to when we were in school. We made each other’s life a living hell.
Lashley: Is he here yet?
Richard: No, sir, but I will have to inform you for the hundredth time that trusting someone like Jeremy Tableau is a bad idea. We won’t know where he stands and in the end he’s only out for himself.
Lashley: I like him more every time you talk about him.
SFX (by Richard’s pocket): Riiiiiiiiinnnngggg
Panel Two: A small panel of half of Lashley’s face, no expression on his face and Richard behind him answering his cell.
Panel Three: Same shot only this time Richard is looking towards Lashley while Lashley has a smirk on his face.
Richard: He’s arrived... sir.
Panel Four: Jeremy Tableau, our hero, is standing in the large lobby/foyer of the house with a grand smile on his face. He is a young black man in his early 20s dressed in a suit and tie, suit being white. He has a duffle bag (http://www.pierotucci.com/data/imgprodo ... g_2101.jpg) in his hand and his arms are extended. Behind him are a few or Lashley’s assistance/bodyguards.
Caption: And that’s me! Yours truly!
Jeremy: No need to fret, Jeremy Tableau is here! Dick Head! Long time no see!
Panel Five: A shot of Jeremy, Lashley, and Richard. Lashley and Jeremy are shaking hands while Richard is sneering.
Richard: Richard.
Lashley: I hope the first class air ride and drive over here was to your liking?
Jeremy: Oh yes. The ladies in the limo was quite the excellent touch.
Lashley: I’ve done my research to help you at ease. Now if you please... business.
Jeremy: Well why else would I be here for?
Panel Six: A shot of Jeremy and Lashley walking off with Richard looking at them, wary of Jeremy.
Page Two
Panel One: Jeremy and Lashley are sitting on a small table at the patio, glasses of wine in front of them along with plates of food. Salad and chicken for Jeremy which he’s eating, Lashley’s plate is untouched.
Jeremy: I’ve been able to figure out that this T. Jacobs character has quite a number of people working for him. Rats and moles right under our very noses.
Jeremy 2: I’ve also been compiling a list of other people and their assets he’s hit. And this man, or woman, now has a lot of enemies.
Lashley: I’d like to see this list.
Panel Two: Lashley and Jeremy on another angle.
Jeremy: Confidential, my dear Watson. I may have a running mouth, but even a levee dries up at some point.
Lashley: And your plan?
Panel Three: On Jeremy, chewing food in the side of his mouth.
Jeremy: I’ve been ... able to find some rats hiding in the belfry of my father’s assets.
Jeremy 2: Jacobs fingers run deep in the networks but I’ve been able to track some of these ... rats down.
Jeremy 3: Learned some other things, names, other... plots involved, etceteras.
Jeremy 4: Yo, this salad is poppin’!
Panel Four: Back to the both of them. Lashley is looking at Jeremy with a deep, serious glare while Jeremy is pointing his finger at the table, as a means of explaining to Lashley that he is serious.Lashley: How do I know I can trust you? How do I know you’re not fucking with me?
Jeremy: You don’t. Like I don’t know if you’d be fucking me over in some way. Checkmate, my soul brutha.
Jeremy 2: But joking aside, Robbie. We will find out who these people are.
Panel Five: Lashley is rising out of his seat as Richard is behind him.Richard: Sir.
Lashley: I’ll be holding you to this promise, Jeremy. For your sake, I hope it’s kept.
Lashley 2: Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve other matters. Mr. Head shall see you to your quarters. I understand you two know each other.
Panel Six: Lashley has left as Richard is still standing, his hands in his pockets, staring at Jeremy who has a smile on his face and arms crossed.Jeremy: Is this anyway to treat an old friend, Dick Head?
Richard: Richard.
Jeremy: Dick. C’mon, man. We go way back, you and I!
Richard: For years I’ve pissed and came shit because of you!
Jeremy: It was a joke!
Panel Seven-Eight: Both panels are close ups on both Richard and Jeremy. Six is half of Richard’s face and Seven is the other half of Jeremy’s. Richard is angrily glaring at us while Jeremy has a devilish smirk as he’s about to put his glass of wine to his mouth.Richard: I’m going to kill you, Tableau, when this is over. But for now I’m watching you. Closely.
Jeremy: Likewise.
Page Three
Panel One: We’re in Lashley’s office now. He has stuffed animals and human and demons heads mounted on the walls, all types of books and crazy looking artifacts, etc. On the side inside of the shelf to the right of the room is a big screen TV. The back wall where his table is in front of is a glass wall showing outside. Lashley is sitting in his desk, one leg on his knee. Jeremy is at the front of this desk to the left, sitting and leaning against it, his arms crossed In the middle of the room stands Richard. In this shot, we’re behind Lashley and Jeremy as we’re looking at Richard with a confused look on his face.Caption: Two months has passed and I’ve gotten pretty close with Lashley. Think Cesario to Duke Orsino... And Dick here as Valentine...
Richard: You wanted to see me?
Lashley: Richard, how long have you been working for me?
Richard: ... A few years.
Lashley: Have you been unhappy serving me, Richard?
Richard: ...No, sir. Is something up? What has Tableau been feeding into your head?
Panel Two: We’re now looking at Jeremy and Lashley. Lashley has a drop dead serious look on his face, Jeremy has a cocky smile, and a remote control in his hands.Jeremy: Ooh, if I were you, I wouldn’t be changing the subject. If you’d so kindly look at the TV screen to your right...
Panel Three: We’re looking at the big screen TV which is now on. We’re looking at four squares, each showing different actions of Richard. The first clip has Richard going through files, the next he’s placing the files in his inside pocket of his jacket. The next clip he’s looking up at a red gem and the next he’s putting it in the same pocket while looking to see if anyone’s coming. Richard is looking at the screen in shock.Jeremy (off-screen): Dude, stop fronting. Yo’ ass got caught red handed.
Richard: This is a joke! Sir, that’s not me, that’s Jeremy! It has to be!
Jeremy (off-screen): Riiiight, I just so happen to have brown hair, white skin, a scar on my face, that awesome jacket...
Panel Four: An intense shot of Richard striking Jeremy, blood coming out of his mouth. A red gem, the gem of Herstin, is falling out of Richard’s jacket.Richard: Shut up!!!
Panel Five: Jeremy is on the floor, peering up at Richard with a smile still on his face, blood leaking from the side of mouth. The gem is on the floor in front of him as he’s rubbing his mouth.Jeremy: Oh... I see.
Panel Six: A shot of Richard’s head being blown from a gun blast, the gun in Lashley’s hand.
SFX: BLAM!!!
Page Four
Panel One: Jeremy is on his feet now, looking down at Richard, now a corpse on the floor, blood splattered. Lashley is still holding the gun up.Jeremy: (sighs) You know... I was planning on getting some information. Just saying.
Lashley: Why? I already know who you are...
Panel Two: Jeremy has an embarrassed smile on his face, his posture as if he’s shrugging with one hand at the back of his head. We don’t see Lashley except for his hand pointing the gun at Jeremy. Think of this sort of like Lashley’s POV.Lashley: T. Jacobs.
Jeremy: Ha! Alright, alright. I give up. You’ve caught me. Heh.
Jeremy: So I bet you wanna know why, huh?
Panel Three: A shot of the gem on the floor.Jeremy: See that gem on the floor? I stole it a while back and after some black marketing, you got it. I would have just stolen it back, but you see...
Panel Four: Back to Lashley, gun still in hand and pointed at Jeremy, who’s still calm with a smile on his face.Jeremy: Tracking you down, I’ve learned quite some shit. Involved in drugs, weaponry, child prostitution, child labor, and many more goodies, and you’ve screwed over some of my friends and fam. You’ve got a lot of enemies.
Panel Five: A shot of a contract form with a bunch of scribbles, symbols, and plot drops. Jeremy’s hands can be seen holding it up.Jeremy (off-panel): So, as the saying goes: Enemy of my enemy is my homeboy, we’ve set up a plan to retrieve things that were stolen from us and more.
Jeremy 2: And we’ve made this sweet contract where the instant you find out my connections to T. Jacobs... you drop dead.
Jeremy 3: Speaking of dead: Dick was in fact loyal to you. The Dick on the video was actually my pet rat, Lebeur.
Panel Six: Back to Jeremy and Lashley, Jeremy holding the contract up and wiping the blood off the side of his mouth with his finger. Lashley still has the gun up.Lashley: Well looks like the laughs on you, Tableau. Your plan failed. I’m still standing.
Jeremy: Heh, oh yeah. My fault. I forgot to sign it.
Panel Seven: A small shot of Jeremy’s blooded finger being pressed on the contract form.Page Five
Panel One: We’re in Decemia, a “realm” of sorts with the appearances of the times of old legend and folklore, think Greek mythology. We open up this page inside a room in a castle, a dungeon like place with all sorts of weapons, swords, knives, arrows, spears, maces, etc. In the middle of the room is a young, handsome, white male, long black hair, sweaty, as he’s practicing his sword play. He is shirtless and ripped, black pants. This is Prince Tai of Decemia. Jeremy is walking out of a ball of fire, his arms up as if saying, “I come in peace” behind Tai, who’s head is slightly turned to him.Jeremy: Prince Tai... your highness.
Tai: Jeremy!
Panel Two: Tai now has turned around and has the sword pointed towards Jeremy, anger on his face. Jeremy has his hands up.Jeremy: (sigh) Another compensating weapon at my face. Oh, the innuendo.
Tai: You’re a fool to show your face in Decemia after your last visit. If it’s a beating you want, I shall be your executioner. Draw a sword!
Jeremy: Nigga, is you crazy?! You’d beat the shit outta me!
Panel Three: Another angle on the two, Tai still holding the sword up, Jeremy’s arms are now down. A small, simple smile on his face.Tai: Come to play another one of your tricks, sorcerer?
Jeremy: Actually, yes. The last one I’ll ever play on you. Just... put the sword down. Please. Just trust me.
Panel Four: Tai’s sword is down with Jeremy having his hand on it as he plants a soft kiss on Tai’s lips.Panel Five: Tai is now alone and he’s confused, his head to the side looking for Jeremy.Tai: ... Jer--
Panel Six: Tai is reaching for something in his mouth.
Panel Seven: A shot of the gem of Herstin in Tai’s hand.