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Chapter: Chapter 09

  • Chapter nine divider

    Chapter Nine

    Jul 13, 2026

  • PANEL 1: A worms eye view of the SpecTech office building. It's large and towering over the city. PANEL 2: A person with pale skin and curly brown hair sits at a computer, working. PANEL 3: Off screen, Joey says Excuse me? PANEL 4: Joey grabs onto the end of the desk, looking up and asking Is Mr.Brusque here today?

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  • PANEL 1: The worker looks amused. They say Aw, hey kiddo! Tours aren't open in the facility today, I'm sorry. PANEL 2: Joey looks upset and says I'm not here for a tour! I'm here to see Mr.Brusque. PANEL 3: The worker replies Oh, I'm sorry, but-- PANEL 4: Both of them jump in surprise and look off to the right. A voice calls out Joey Vargas! How the hell area ya, kid?

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  • PANEL 1: Eli struts into the lobby. People move out of his way, parting like the red sea. Everyone stares after him. PANEL 2: The worker looks at Eli, confused. They ask Sir, do you know this young man? Eli smiles nervously and replies He's...a volunteer. PANEL 3: The worker looks back down at Joey. They say, He looks a bit too young for our volunteer program-- Eli interrupts, whispering Hey, you remember that vacation you're taking in a few weeks? PANEL 4: The worker looks at Eli and says, Uh- yes, what does that-- PANEL 5: Eli stares down at them intensely and whispers, Then that little privilege should be a reminder not to question me! PANEL 6: The worker cowers and says R-Right, yes sir. Eli begins walking away, calling back to Joey Kid! Good to see ya. Follow me.

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  • PANEL 1: Joey looks back down the hall. He asks, Um...were they okay? Eli waves his hand dismissively, Look, everyone gets nervous around their boss. They're fine. PANEL 2: As Eli and Joey approach an elevator, it opens up. Eli continues, People get a bit jittery sometimes, is all! PANEL 3: Eli sneers, his eye barely visible underneath his visor. He grumbles, It's a bit...inconvenient. PANEL 4: Joey stares after Eli as he keeps walking, saying Oh, uh...okay?

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  • PANEL 1: A screen on the elevator wall lights up. It has a cartoonish, yellow smiling face. It says Good evening, Mr. Eli Brusque! Are you heading to your office? PANEL 2: Eli replies Sure am, Auto, and make it snappy. Joey, standing behind Eli, looks shocked and excited. PANEL 3: Joey balls up his hands excitedly, You have robots?! PANEL 4: Eli smirks proudly, Heh. This is more of an artificial intelligence, kid. Autovator just makes it easier for me to get around. I call her Auto. PANEL 5: Joey looks up at Eli, excited. He says But COULD you make robots? Eli shrugs casually, Sure, but why would I? I've got Specs to research and lives to change! PANEL 6: The elevator dings and opens up.

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  • PANEL 1: Joey and Eli start walking down the hallway. Auto calls after them, Have a good day, sir! Eli replies, Yeah, you too, Auto! PANEL 2: Eli looks down at Joey, smiling. He asks, So, kid, how's your uncle been? Still chasin' ghosts? PANEL 3: Joey replies, He's out on a case right now, actually! Eli smiles and asks, So he knows you're out here while he's working, right? PANEL 4: Joey stops walking, smiling nervously. Uhhh-- Sure! Yeah! He sure does! He says. Eli throws his head back and laughs, HA! You're a shit liar, kid. PANEL 5: Joey looks anxious, rushing to defend himself. Eli waves him off and smiles, Relax, I'm not here to be a snitch.

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  • PANEL 1: They walk into Eli's office. It's an absolute wreck, collections of items sprawled throughout the room. Projects are half finished, like a bookshelf who's books are barely on its shelves and instead thrown on the floor and still in a box. PANEL 2: Eli sits down at his desk. What's that case he's workin', anyway? PANEL 3: Joey sits down across from Eli. He looks down and says, Something to do with Mai's sister, I think? I dunno much about it. PANEL 4: Eli kicks his foot up on the desk, Nate didn't even tell you where he's going? PANEL 5: Joey looks uncomfortable. To some old warehouse, but he...doesn't tell me much. PANEL 6: Eli crosses his arms, looking off to the side. He says Huh. That's weird. PANEL 7: Joey looks more uncomfortable, Yeah, um... PANEL 8: He forces a smile, So! What're we doing?

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  • PANEL 1: Eli sifts through the mess on his desk, eventually picking up a knife. He says, Well, we're mostly tryna figure out how the Spec and the soul are connected. PANEL 2: Eli kicks back, spinning the knife around in his hand, Specs are connected to who you are as a person, eyes are the window to the soul. Yada yada, you get the whole poetic meaning behind that. PANEL 3: Eli stops spinning the knife. He looks at Joey and asks, Do you even have a clue what your Spec could be? PANEL 4: Joey tenses up, Not really... PANEL 5: Eli looks upwards, poking the point of the knife with his index finger. A glow surrounds Joey's head and the knife as Eli talks. He says, Hm. Well this complicates things. PANEL 6: The glow gets brighter, Joey looks curious about something. PANEL 7: Off screen, Joey asks Oh-- s-sorry, this has nothing to do with anything! But-- Eli looks at him, confused.

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  • PANEL 1: We focus on the knife, which has a small glow surrounding it. Joey asks, Is that a prop from 'Red, Black, and Pink'? PANEL 2: Eli looks at the knife, surprised. PANEL 3: Eli looks at Joey, Yeah. How'd you know that? PANEL 4: Joey gestures for Eli to hand him the knife. Eli does so, but hesitantly. Joey says, I saw the movie a few times when I was little! My dad really liked old black and white films. PANEL 5: Joey points at a chip on the knife. I remember he told me that the knife from the movie is a real blade! And this chip is from when one of the musicians knocked it off the director's desk. PANEL 6: Joey looks incredibly excited as he speaks, literally glowing. Apparently, he and the director got into a HUGE fight, stuff was thrown, it got ugly! One of the actresses thought the chip gave the knife character, so they kept it!

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    Jul 13, 2026

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