Original airdate: December 13, 1990
Starring:
John Wesley Shipp as Barry Allen (The Flash)
Amanda Pays as Tina (Christina) McGee
Alex Desert as Julio Mendez
Guest Stars:
Ian Abercrombie as Skip
Jason Bernard as Dr. Desmond Powell
Richard Belzer as Joe Kline
Vito D'Ambrosio as Bellows
Mike Genovese as Lt. Warren Garfield
Biff Manard as Murphy
Lois Nettleton as Belle Crocker
Floyd Raglin as Tex
Gloria Reuben as Sabrina
Sherri Rose as Young Belle
Anthony Starke as The Ghost
Written by: John Francis Moore & Howard Chaykin
Directed by: Bruce Bilson
Transcribed by: Amanda Ohlin
Disclaimer:
The television series "The Flash" was created by Paul De Meo and Danny
Bilson. DC Comics owns the characters the series was based off of. I'm
unsure who exactly has the rights to the television show now. However, I
do not own any of the characters in the story, or any rights to the show
myself.
This is a straight and hopefully dry transcript of the episode "Ghost in
the Machine." It should not be mistaken for a novelization or a script.
Along with dialogue, it includes descriptions of blocking, action scenes,
settings, and camera angles that I felt were appropriate to understanding
the transcript. I have tried to accurately transcribe the dialogue from
this episode, although I admit some things were unclear on the tape. If
you have any corrections, please contact me. My thanks to Ken Sewell for
the episode summaries on his site, which helped correct me on the credits.
The format of this transcript is not original. It was originally created
by AleXander Thompson for use in his transcripts of "Buffy the Vampire
Slayer." I do not have permission to use it at the moment, but I am
sticking to it until I find a better way to format these things - or
until I am asked to take it down. I will do so willingly. I just liked
the format so much anything I thought of myself didn't fit.
Last revised: January 5, 1999
Copyright (c) 1999 Amanda Ohlin.
========= Prologue =========
Exterior of city street, night. Camera fades in on a row of bars, the
most prominent one named "Gay 'N Frisky". The shot is entirely in black
and white. Caption: "Central City 1955."
Cut to interior of bar, on a television set broadcasting an animated
commercial for a hair product. The commercial is suddenly cut off as
the Ghost's image appears on the television screen.
Ghost: It's ten to midnight, Central City.
Camera pulls back as he speaks to reveal the bar, with a pair of
sleeping drunks being ignored by the bartender.
Ghost: And once again, your Mayor refuses to take seriously my demand
for one million dollars.
Woman: (off camera) Look! That's him! The Ghost!
Man: (off camera) Who's going to stop him?
Ghost: Forcing me to keep my end of the bargain. So, at the stroke of
twelve, downtown will go up in the brightest display of fireworks this
city has ever seen.
General panic erupts as he speaks, and the drunks are dragged off
screen by other patrons. Camera starts to zoom back in on the
television set.
Woman: (off camera) Nightshade! Where's Nightshade?
Ghost: Think of me as you sift through the rubble. This is the Ghost,
wishing you all a very good evening.
He starts laughing at that as static fills the screen and his image
fades out.
Exterior shot, Nightshade's garage. A wall, sporting a mural praising the
merits of atomic power, slides up to reveal a secret entrance. The
Nightshade's black car pulls out, turning left and speeding away as the
wall slides back into place.Outside the gates of the Central City Brewery
as the car pulls up. The Nightshade, fully masked, in a black trenchcoat
and hat, gets out and pushes the gate open.
Nightshade: It's time for the Nightshade to drop in on the Ghost.
Interior of the brewery. A rope falls from an open panel on the ceiling,
and the Nightshade slides down to the floor. He turns and pulls his gun
as a nearby television screen lights up with the face of the Ghost.
Ghost: Well. Let's have a big round of applause for our special guest.
The screen fades out as he laughs, and Nightshade whirls as the Ghost
appears on yet another TV screen.
Ghost: Oh, I wouldn't waste your firepower. It's useless.
The image flickers out, and he appears on a third television screen.
Ghost: Television allows me to be everywhere.
Nightshade: You can't blackmail an entire city.
Ghost: Of course I can. (Switching to another screen.) Fool! I'm the
future.
Cut to another screen with the Ghost's image, although it doesn't look
like a television image.
Ghost: And you're far too late to stop me!
He reaches out of the screen, gun in hand, breaking the glass and
firing at the Nightshade, who crashes to the floor. The room darkens,
and Nightshade sits up and looks around.
Cut to an array of equipment, several TV monitors, etc. The Ghost is
standing with his back to the camera, making some adjustments.
Ghost: One more adjustment before detonation.
Nightshade: (coming up behind him) Show's canceled, Ghost.
The "Ghost" turns, pulling off a full head mask to reveal long blonde
hair. Belle shakes her hair free and smirks.
Belle: Try Ghostess.
The real Ghost comes up behind Nightshade and strikes him in the back
of the head. Nightshade crumples to the floor, dazed but still
conscious. The Ghost snatches his gun and hands it off to Belle. He
kneels down, grabbing the Nightshade by the collar.
Ghost: You should have stayed in Helltown frightening mobsters.
Nightshade: You're psychotic!
Ghost: Well, one man's psychotic is another man's visionary.
He shoves the Nightshade back down and moves back to the equipment.
Ghost: Video is the future! And I'm detonating the bombs with a
television signal. Now I don't want to blow up those buildings, but
an ultimatum is an ultimatum!
Belle: Maybe you shouldn't blow up the hospital, Russell, honey.
Ghost: Dammit, Belle, you can't let human sentimentality stand in the
way of progress!
Meanwhile, Nightshade has gotten to his feet and aims a jamming device
at the Ghost's equipment. As it emits the signal, a high-pitched whine
is heard, and the screens shut off.
Nightshade: Too much TV, Ghost. You've got no attention span.
Ghost: What did you do?
Nightshade: Shortwave jamming device.
He grabs Belle, who lets out a startled shriek. The Ghost, however, is
too preoccupied with the non-functional equipment, and pounds on it
uselessly. He turns to where the Nightshade is dragging Belle away,
enraged.
Ghost: What did you do?!?!?!
Suddenly, an explosion occurs, knocking the Ghost to the floor. An
electrical fire begins to consume the equipment. Nightshade pulls Belle
around the corner to avoid the next blast, louder than the first. She
struggles in the Nightshade's grip, trying to get to the Ghost. The
Ghost is nowhere to be seen as the flames rise higher.
Belle: (shrieking) Russell? Russell! He's still in there!
Nightshade: No one could survive that fire!
He starts to drag her off.
Belle: Russell!!
Cut to another room in the brewery. A heavy metal door opens as the
Ghost stumbles in through a haze of smoke, shutting the door behind him.
He turns a wheel, sealing the chamber shut, then stumbles down an
archway of pipes, coughing. He stops as he reaches a timer and a set of
buttons. The timer reads "1955", and the Ghost turns a knob to advance
the year.
Ghost: The turn of the century.
He stops the timer at "1999."
Ghost: Welcoming the new millennium after a nice frozen sleep.
He presses the three buttons, which light up in turn.
Ghost: The city of tomorrow!
The door to the cryogenic chamber slides open, and he enters, sitting
down in a padded chair as the door slides closed.
Ghost: In my prime, no less!
As the door slams down, the timer slides back to "1990." Unaware of
this, the Ghost grins excitedly as the chamber brightens, then
darkens. It is filled with white smoke and the freezing process
begins. Smoke obscures the camera's view of him completely in a haze
of white.
Fade in on the timer. It still reads "1990," but the scene is now in
color. There is a beep, and the lights shut off. The door slides open,
and the Ghost stumbles out, stopping short when he sees the timer.
Ghost: 1990? A decade early. (chuckling) But still the future!
He turns on the TV set beside the chamber. Joe Kline appears on the
screen.
Kline: - and buildings so decayed that pedestrians should be issued
hard hats. And people ask me why I live in this town. (as the Ghost
reaches for the channel dial) Don't touch that dial!
The Ghost jerks his hand back as a television commercial for "Wacky
Walter's Video Emporium" comes on.
Wacky Walter: Make this the year you take the plunge! (He "jumps"
into one of the televisions displayed.) Into wide screen technology
from Wacky Walter's Video Emporium. We've got it all. 178 channels -
Ghost: 178 channels? This is the future!
He laughs maniacally in the blue glow from the television set.
Opening credits roll. Main theme plays.
========= Act 1 =========
Exterior shot of Star Labs. Cut to interior in Tina's lab as Barry
enters, carrying a laptop computer. Julio is right behind him.
Barry: Look at this place, Julio. Akira 5700 computers, stacks of
imaging systems - I'm telling you, compared to this place, we work in
a cave.
Julio: Fascinating. Uh, let me ask you something.
Barry: What?
Julio: What are you doing here?
Barry: What do you mean, what am I doing here? I'm returning Tina's
computer. You know that.
He sets the laptop down.
Julio: No, I mean: what are you always doing here? I mean, as much
time as you two spend together, you'd think that -
Barry: Julio! *Do* you have any women friends?
Julio: Yeah, I got Sabrina. She's my woman, and she's a friend.
Barry: I thank you for listening to Lite FM. Listen, will you get it
through those matted locks that Tina and I are just -
Julio: - too incredibly stupid to see what's going on right in front of
your faces!
Barry laughs at that as Tina enters.
Tina: What a surprise! Central City's finest!
Julio: (nudging Barry) Who's she been talking to?
Barry: (elbowing him) Hey. My, uh, car broke down, so, uh, Julio gave
me a lift over here.
Julio: Yeah, Barry forgets the simple things, you know: water, oil,
gas -
Tina: Don't worry, I'll drive tonight. We're going bowling, do you want
to come?
At that, Barry moves around behind Julio, shaking his head and making
gestures in the negative.
Julio: Well, I'd love to join you and Mr. Gutterball, but we've all got
that telethon thing.
Tina: What do you mean?
Julio turns to Barry, who has moved to the other side of him in his
signaling.
Julio: I thought you asked her.
Barry: I forgot.
Julio: Sabrina put together this telethon. All you have to do is answer
phones.
Barry: Yeah, on TV. It's not a very good idea.
Julio: Come on, man, it's for a good cause. What are you, camera shy?
Barry: No! I just -
Tina: Oh, come on, Barry.
She moves to flank Barry on the other side.
Tina: Call your mother, tell her you're going to be on TV.
Barry: You, too?
Tina: Yes, it'll be fun!
She and Julio grab Barry by the arms.
Barry: Fun?
Julio: Yes, it'll be fun.
Tina: Yes it will!
Barry: Yeah. Fun.
They start to drag him off screen.
Julio: Fun. You know, three-letter words?
Cut to an arcade in Central City. The Ghost is passing the machines,
disappointed.
Ghost: This is how far TV's gotten? Reduced to a pinball game? I expected
more.
He stops at one of the machines, irritated.
Ghost: Much more. The monorails, the undersea cities, the moon colony.
Where's my *future*?
Frustrated, he starts to play. Tex and another punk are gathering change
out of a machine they've cracked open nearby. Tex notices the high score
he's racking up and strolls over.
Tex: Killer rackup, Homey!
Ghost: What? Excuse me?
Tex: That's a bad score!
Ghost: Bad? I've already shattered the record. (The other punk comes
over, curious.)
Tex: No, no! Bad. Like in good.
Ghost: Oh, I see. Orwellian double-speak. Like in _1984._
Tex: '84? I can't even remember that far back.
Ghost: Bad is good, wrong is right. I like it. I could use a couple of
smart kids who know their way around. It's time someone showed you what
total video really means.
He steps away from the machine and beckons. The two punks exchange
glances, shrug, and follow him off screen.
Cut to Barry's apartment. Barry is in his bathrobe, fast asleep on the
couch with Earl beside him. The doorbell rings three times in succession,
shocking both man and dog wide awake.
Barry: Oh my God, Tina!
He gets up and dashes up the steps at super-speed, coming back down and
pulling on a pair of pants before stopping to think.
Barry: Shirt.
Again he dashes up to his room and back at super-speed as the doorbell
continues to ring. Earl barks as his master pulls on a shirt and tie in
front of the mirror, still at super-speed. Earl hides behind the couch.
Barry finishes his tie, donning and buttoning his jacket before slowing
to normal speed to check his hair in the mirror. Satisfied, he goes to
answer the door.
He opens it on the twelfth ring, and Tina is standing there in a blue
sequined dress.
Tina: It's about time.
She comes in, pulling off her coat, as Barry's jaw drops.
Barry: Wow.
Tina: If I'm going to be on TV, I might as well look my best.
Barry: Well, you look terrific.
Tina: Thank you, Barry. You're looking pretty good yourself.
Barry: Oh, this outfit? I just threw it together.
Tina: (looking down) So I see.
Barry looks down as well, and the camera follows his gaze to his shoes.
He has one dress shoe and one sneaker on.
Exterior poster for The Alibi Room. Camera focuses on a photo of the
young Belle, beside the words: "Belle Crocker." Switch to interior,
where Belle, in her sixties, is playing piano and singing.
Belle: (singing) ...I'm too misty, and too much in love.
The song finishes, and the patrons applaud. Camera focuses on the cup
on the piano as a one hundred dollar bill is dropped in.
Ghost: (off camera) Play 'Mr. Sandman.'
Belle: (looking at the money) You got it.
She's about to play, but does a double take as she realizes just who
is standing there. Switch to a shot of Belle gaping in shock at the
Ghost.
Ghost: I cashed in my Christmas club. 35 years of compound interest
will support me til the millennium.
Belle: You're dead.
Ghost: Have you forgotten already?
Belle: No, no, you can't, you can't be him. He's dead.
Ghost: I'm not dead, Belle. (Reaches down and grabs her hand) Touch me.
I made it.
Belle: Made - made what?
Ghost: My little Ghostess. Just like old times. (kisses her hand, then
studies it) Almost.
Belle: Oh, no, stop, please don't, I - I don't understand.
Ghost: You wouldn't accompany me on my cryogenic journey.
Belle: You mean - the freeze chamber? How could I? It just sounded so
nuts!
Ghost: They all said that, back then. But now we live in a future I
predicted. The only reason I failed in the fifties was the technology
wasn't up to my dreams. (He takes a remote from his pocket, popping in
the batteries.) But failure now is impossible. I'm going to put a
stranglehold on this city. The tools are here.
Bartender: Back to work, Belle! I ain't paying you to pick up circus
gigolos!
Ghost: Technology has caught up with me.
He aims the remote at the TV and presses the button. As the bartender
moves to change the channel, the TV explodes in a shower of sparks.
Belle shrieks in surprise.
Ghost: Baby, I only wished you'd join me in my beauty sleep.
Belle: (laughing nervously) You and me both.
Cut to a shot of a monitor at the TV station. Murphy is on screen,
wrapping up a song.
Murphy: (singing) The records show that I took the gold...
Camera pans to show the volunteers at the phones, including Barry,
Tina, Julio, and Sabrina. Cut to the stage, where Murphy is wrapping
up as Bellows accompanies him on the piano.
Murphy: (singing) ...and I did it myyyy waaaaaaayy!
Kline walks on screen as Murphy speaks into the TV cameras.
Murphy: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and I'd like to thank my
partner, Tony Bellows -
Kline grabs the mike from him.
Kline: Yes, thank you, Officer Murphy. Thank you very much. Now we know
why Central City's a jungle.
They laugh, although Kline is faking it. Bellows and Murphy exit
and Kline turns to the camera, sticking a finger in his ear before
continuing.
Kline: Okay, we'd also like to thank Star Labs for their *generous*
matching fund.
Cut to Tina and Barry answering phones.
Tina: Okay, thanks!
She hangs up as Barry picks up.
Barry: Relief fund. (Covers the mouthpiece) Tina. This woman, third
time she's called. Wants to set me up with her daughter.
Tina: This is not a dating service, Mr. Allen.
She takes the phone from him and hangs it up. Barry grins, but then
Kline sidles in.
Kline: Nicely put! (to Barry) Excuse me, pal, I gotta sit here because
I want the little people to talk to the voice of the city because
that's the kind of guy I am.
Barry rolls his eyes and lets Kline take his seat as he moves out of
the aisle, passing Julio and Sabrina on the way.
Barry: Sabrina, you want some coffee?
Sabrina: Yeah, yeah, I'd love some. And, uh, take Julio with you.
Cut to Julio, who's talking to another woman.
Sabrina: Before his eyes pop out of his head like a couple of golf
balls.
Barry: Right. (to the woman) Would you excuse me, please?
She leaves, and Barry leans to talk to Julio.
Barry: Julio, your *woman* and your *friend* strongly suggests you
take a short coffee break.
Julio turns to see the look on Sabrina's face.
Julio: Yeah, you know, java sounds really good right now. (He gets up.)
Barry: I thought so.
They turn and walk past the front aisle, where Kline is starting to
irritate Tina.
Kline: Listen, Tina, I could show you things you've never dreamed of.
Tina: That's Dr. McGee, and I think I'd prefer to dream, thank you.
She picks up the phone as Kline's phone rings.
Tina: Hello?
Kline: (snatching up receiver, loudly) Hello!
Barry and Julio are by the curtain when Barry nudges Julio and points.
We see Lt. Garfield in a tux. He flips a set of handkerchiefs a few
times and manages to produce a wand. Barry and Julio start applauding.
Startled, Garfield turns, unaware that he had an audience.
Julio: Whoa! Finally getting a chance to try out that magic act, huh,
Lieutenant?
Garfield: Better that than another rendition of 'My Way.' (Barry and
Julio chuckle.) That reminds me, I need an assistant to saw in half.
You available Monday?
The two men get the hint and start to turn away.
Julio: Oh, ah...
Barry: Uh, my phone's ringing.
Dr. Powell interrupts their exit, approaching from the back.
Powell: Warren!
Barry and Julio turn back to see Powell come up to them.
Garfield: Ah! Gentlemen, our host, Dr. Desmond Powell, chief of staff
of Central Hospital. Barry Allen, Julio Mendez.
Barry: (shaking hands) Nice to meet you, sir.
Powell: Pleasure. (He shakes hands with Julio in turn.) If you'll
excuse me, I've known your Lieutenant and I have been friends for
over thirty years, and we just don't get together often enough.
Garfield and Powell walk off.
Back to the phones. Kline is whispering something in Tina's ear as she
listens to the receiver with the other one. She promptly hangs up the
phone, slaps Kline in the face, and turns back to her tally. Everyone
working the phones starts applauding as Kline gets up and storms off.
Barry and Julio return to their posts, although Barry remains standing
outside the aisle to talk to Tina.
Cut to side entrance. A bunch of thugs in stocking masks come in, both
armed. They shove a couple of performers out of the way. Garfield gets
in a fistfight with one of them. Barry and Tina look up in time to see
Tex, in a stocking mask, storm up to the stage. Kline blocks his path,
holding up his hands.
Kline: This is a telethon, Sparky. There's no cash here, only pledges.
Tex hits him in the head, sending Kline crashing to the ground.
Tex: I hate your show! (to the crowd) Everybody watch the TV. Now!
The Ghost's image comes on the screen.
Ghost: In the fifties, I controlled TV: to see though it, to control
the network. I had to wait thirty-five years for a techno-society
sophisticated enough for my plans. And from the looks of things, it's
been worth the wait. Of course, it's not the urban paradise of tomorrow
we all expected. The future's like the present, only older. But there's
plenty new here and now -
Powell is looking at Garfield's head injury, but Garfield takes the
opportunity to tackle one of the thugs, throwing him over a wastebasket
and slamming him into the wall. The thug hits one of the levers, and the
pulleys holding up some lighting come loose.
Barry, standing beside Tina, shifts into super-speed, in time to pull
four performers out of the way before the lighting can crash onto them.
In the middle of this, he changes to the Flash, bolting into the control
room too late to see that the equipment has been stolen.
Ghost: You should have paid that million back in '55, Central City. I
wouldn't hold such a grudge now.
He fades out. Cut to Kline, who has the mike, and is addressing one of
the remaining TV cameras.
Kline: How about that, ladies and gentlemen? Is this great TV for your
pledge dollar or what?
Tina is talking to one of the performers the Flash rescued when Barry
comes up, back in suit and tie.
Barry: Excuse me. Are you all right?
Tina: I'm fine.
Barry: I told you this telethon was a bad idea!
Tina: Okay!
They exit. Julio goes over to where Garfield is standing.
Julio: Lieutenant, they made a clean getaway.
Garfield: Yeah, with a whole truckload of equipment. You seen Dr.
Powell?
Julio: No.
Cut to exterior of Nightshade's garage as the wall slides closed. The
new mural now reads: "Our world in your hands - LOVE IT OR LOSE IT."
Inside the garage, the camera pans over dusty tables of equipment. A
hand reaches to pick up the gun and holster that lie on one of the
tables. Camera pans up to show a cracked mirror and beside it, a
familiar black hat and trenchcoat hanging on the hook. The person
moves so that we can see his reflection in the mirror as he cradles
the gun thoughtfully.
Powell: And here I thought all of this was behind me.
Fade out.
========= Act 2 =========
Fade in on Central City Police Department, Lt. Garfield's office.
Garfield, a bandage on his head, is talking on the phone.
Garfield: Mavis, I'm fine. I'll see you later. Bye.
He hangs up and sees Barry passing by his office door.
Garfield: Allen! (Barry stops in the doorway, caught.) Anything on
that telethon takeover?
Barry: Well, Julio went through the control booth with the proverbial
fine-toothed comb. The only fingerprints he found belong to station
employees.
Garfield notices the small paper bag in Barry's hand.
Garfield: What's that? Breakfast?
Barry: (holding up the bag) Yeah? Yeah, it's my - (He hesitates, then
hands Garfield the bag.) Help yourself.
Garfield pulls a foil-wrapped package from the bag as he speaks.
Garfield: I'm stumped. Video and broadcast equipment and nothing else.
Barry: Well, maybe the guy just wants to be on TV.
Garfield: What the hell is this?
Barry: (as Garfield takes a bite) Uh, it's a lox and onion burrito, sir.
Garfield: (mouth full) It's good, though!
Barry: Yeah.
Powell knocks on the open door.
Powell: Warren.
Garfield's response is muffled by a full mouth as he leans over to
shake Powell's hand. Concerned, Powell peers at the bandage on his head.
Powell: How's the head?
Garfield: Could be worse. Like that pound of buckshot you took out of
me in '72. Remember that?
Powell laughs, remembering.
Garfield: What are you doing down here?
Powell: Last night. The guy on the monitors. That was the Ghost.
Garfield: The Ghost? Forget it. Couldn't be the same guy. He'd be in his
sixties.
Barry: The Ghost? The ghost of what, telethons past?
Garfield: Back in '55, this costumed nut with his own pirate transmitter
tried to blackmail the city on TV.
Powell: Yeah, he threatened to blow up half the town unless the city didn't
come across with one million dollars.
Barry: What happened?
Garfield: They found the bombs ready to go, but the Ghost disappeared.
The newspapers claimed that, uh, this masked fruitcake took him out, his
name was the, uh -
Powell: The Nightshade.
Garfield: Nightshade. Yeah. Vigilante. Almost as big a pain in the keester
as the Flash is today.
Barry: Uh, wait a minute, Garfield, I thought the Flash saved your neck
a couple of times.
Garfield: Well, yeah. But the good guys should wear badges. That's the
law.
Barry: Well, how come I never heard of this guy?
Powell: Back then, the world wasn't on videotape. It was different.
Garfield: Well, one thing hasn't changed. The police don't need
costumed nuts interfering in an already impossible job. Right, Allen?
Barry: Now, wait, this guy wore a mask. And he fought crime.
Powell: Police can't do everything. Some people thought of Nightshade
as a hero.
Barry: Did they ever find out who he was?
Powell: He faded away. Forgotten. I kind of wonder what sort of man
would wear a mask. That kind of adventuring can't leave much room
for a normal life. (pauses) Barry, it was good seeing you again.
He turns to leave, and Garfield gets up as they approach the door.
Powell: Warren, I'll call you later. Um, that *was* the Ghost. I don't
know how, but he's back.
Barry frowns as they leave the office.
Cut to interior of Central City Brewery, day. Belle is hurrying up
the stairs to the upper landing, with Skip in tow.
Belle: Come on, just come on!
Skip reaches the landing and stops short.
Skip: Russell!
The Ghost turns, and recognizes his old friend.
Skip: It really is you!
The Ghost hugs Skip, patting his old friend on the back and pulls
away to get a good look at him.
Ghost: Oh, it's wonderful to see you again, Skip. The years have been
kind!
Skip: But what Belle told me - it's true? The cryogenic tank? I never
thought you'd and build the blasted thing!
Ghost: (spinning around) All original parts, Skip.
Skip: Everything you predicted back in the fifties - TV's everywhere,
satellites, PCs!
Ghost: Not everything. Where are the rocket packs, the home helicopters,
and food pills? But I knew video was the future, knew it was going to
make me rich. That's why I need you, Skip. You're my best technician.
There's a world of possibilities for me to master. You must teach me.
Skip: (chuckling) Oh, you'll be teaching me in a week!
They go over to where the Ghost has the stolen equipment set up, the
most prominent pieces being three TV monitors sitting in a row above
the Ghost's head.
Ghost: Now the equipment I took from WCCN gives me complete pirate
access, but that's no longer enough.
Skip: Well, everything is connected these days, through data network.
He who controls information traffic controls the system. So instead
of using TV to detonate bombs -
Ghost: TV is the bomb!
He sits down at one of the monitors.
Ghost: By plugging into this system, I can bring the entire city to its
knees! And I don't have Nightshade to worry about. If he's not dead, he's
an old man.
Skip and Belle exchange glances.
Ghost: No offense. But the Flash - tell me about the Flash.
Skip: Ahh, freak of nature. Moves like lightning - pssh-pssh! (He whips
his hand around for emphasis.) He's already busted a couple of mob
outfits.
Belle: Nobody knows for sure just who or what he is.
Ghost: Well, one thing is for certain. It's time to get the rest of
the equipment we need -
He flips a switch, standing up, and his image appears on the monitors,
his words echoing through the speakers.
Ghost: - and take the Flash out of the picture at the same time.
Cut to the TV in Barry's apartment. Joe Kline is on (again), ranting
about the telethon.
Kline: What kind of a city do we live in when even a charity telethon
is not safe? A broadcast studio is a temple of entertainment and
information! I mean, what is the world coming to -
Static cuts him off, and the Ghost appears on the screen. Barry looks
up from the dinner he's making.
Ghost: We interrupt this program for a special bulletin.
Barry, surprised, drops what he's doing and goes to the TV, turning
up the volume.
Ghost: Tonight, at midnight, the Ghost welcomes his special guest,
the Flash, at Star Labs. We'll be live and direct.
Cut to the TV in Nightshade's garage.
Ghost: Don't you dare miss it.
Powell finishes working on his car and slams the hood down. Cut to
Barry, who gets a determined look on his face and turns away.
Cut to exterior of the garage as Nightshade's car pulls out of the
secret entrance, again heading right. Cut to exterior of Central
City Savings as a red blur speeds by.
Exterior shot, Star Labs. Inside, in Tina's lab, Skip is ordering
around the two punks from the arcade, who are carrying away equipment.
Skip: Be careful with that! It's an Akira 5700. Damage it, and we'll
have to bloody well raid the Kremlin for a new one.
The Ghost is messing with a security panel by the entrance.
Tex: Kremlins? You mean those cute little fuzzy dudes from the movie?
Skip growls at him in exasperation.
Skip: That's everything we need, Russell! Let's scram!
Ghost: Another minute or two, Skip.
He strides down to the lower level, where Skip and Tex are packing
up the equipment.
Ghost: I wouldn't want the Flash to think we've cancelled his
appearance.
The Flash dashes in at super-speed, coming to a halt at the lab
entrance.
Flash: Then on with the show, Ghost.
The two punks draw their guns, but the Flash grabs a cable at super-
speed, using it like a whip to knock the guns from their hands.
The Ghost points a remote at the security panel behind the Flash.
Immediately, the Flash is trapped inside a contracting cone of lasers.
He reaches out, and jerks back as his hands touch the lasers, setting
off a shower of sparks as they are burned.
Ghost: Entrapment lasers! In about sixty seconds, that cone will shrink
down and fry you to a crisp.
Trapped, the Flash pulls his arms in to avoid being burned.
Ghost: Thank you for joining us. (to his men) Let's go!
The Ghost, Skip, and the punks start towards the lower exit, but the
Nightshade enters, blocking their path.
Skip: My God!
Ghost: Nightshade? I hate reruns!
Nightshade: This time, Ghost, I'm putting you on ice for good.
Skip and the Nightshade draw their guns and fire simultaneously. Skip's
bullet grazes the Nightshade, and he falls. Hit in the neck, Skip's
eyes go glassy, and he slumps to the floor, unconscious. The Nightshade,
wounded, manages to crawl behind a lab table as the Ghost's attention
is focused on Skip. He takes a good look at what's embedded in Skip's
neck and rolls his eyes.
Ghost: Still using knockout darts? Pretty soft for these hard times.
He gets up and goes around to where the Nightshade is slumped,
trying to prop himself up against the table. The Ghost crouches
beside him and pulls off the hat.
Ghost: And by the way, who the hell are you?
He pulls off the mask to reveal Dr. Powell.
Ghost: A colored guy. Who'd have guessed?
Powell: 'Colored'? You really are a relic!
Ghost: And you're just a tired old man who's going to bleed to death.
He stands up, glancing over to where the Flash is still trapped by
the shrinking cone of lasers.
Ghost: And say good bye to this year's model.
The lasers continue to shrink around the Flash.
Fade out.
========= Act 3 =========
Tina's lab. The Ghost is long gone. The lasers are still closing in
on the Flash, but he can still reach the security panel. Grabbing it,
he vibrates it at super-speed, tearing it off the wall. With that,
the lasers vanish.
The Flash dashes over to where Powell is lying, his head turned away.
As Powell turns to look at him, the Flash is astounded.
Flash: Dr. Powell!
At his surprise, Powell only shrugs before he manages to speak.
Powell: My car. Gladstone bag, rear seat.
The Flash nods and dashes out. A second later, he's back with Powell's
first-aid bag. Powell does a double take as the Flash kneels down
beside him.
Flash: You're the doctor. What should I do?
Powell: It feels like a flesh wound. Hurts like hell. You dress it,
bandage it, it should be okay.
Nodding, the Flash takes out the equipment from Powell's bag, tearing
off his shirt sleeve and dressing and bandaging the wound at super-
speed. He slows down to normal speed to put the equipment away as
Powell examines the bandages, somewhat impressed.
Powell: That was pretty good.
He tries to get up with considerable effort, and the Flash helps him
to his feet.
Powell: Yeah, help me get out of here.
Cut to the delivery entrance as Powell and the Flash leave the building.
Powell groans and leans against the hood of his car as the Star Labs
alarm blares.
Flash: I'll get an ambulance.
Powell: No, it's all right. And thanks. It's nice to meet the man who
picked up the torch.
The Flash nods and speeds off. Powell sighs and packs up his bag, going
around to his trunk. His strength fails him, though, and he starts to
slump, only to be caught by Barry.
Barry: Dr. Powell!
Powell: Allen? What are you doing here?
Barry: Well, uh, I was driving by, and I heard the alarm. A friend of
mine works at Star Labs, so I -
Powell nearly collapses again, but Barry catches him.
Barry: Whoa! Dr. Powell, there's blood on your hand!
Powell: Oh, it's nothing. Nothing.
There is the sound of police sirens, and both Barry and Powell look up.
Barry: That'll be the squad cars responding.
Powell: I can't let them find me here like this.
Barry: Right! But, look, I'll drive, okay? Where to?
Powell hesitates for a moment, staring at Barry.
Powell: I'll show you. You've seen enough already, I guess I'll trust
you with the rest.
Nightshade's garage. Exterior shot of the door closing, then cut to
interior. Powell is sitting and resting with his wounded arm inside
his shirt, while Barry explores the trophy room.
Powell: How could I have been so stupid at my age? Putting on the
mask, going after the Ghost like I was twenty-five again.
Barry: I can't believe this place!
Powell: Souvenirs of another life. That diving suit was my first case.
These guys were scuttling boats outside Central Harbor. (points) Those
model airplanes? Hit man called himself the Aviator. Loaded 'em up
with dynamite and tried to fly them into City Hall.
Barry: Yeah, but you stopped him.
Powell: Yeah.
Barry: This is a beautiful car.
Powell: Welded steel plate on the inside. Damn thing's like a tank!
Barry picks up the Nightshade's mask, thinking.
Barry: Dr. Powell?
Powell: Hmm?
Barry: What made you do it? Why'd you become the Nightshade?
Powell: Someone had to be. I came home from Korea, this town was being
squeezed between the mob and a corrupt administration.
Barry: And making the law your own, and forcing it with your own gun -
that was okay?
Powell: Well, after Korea, I couldn't kill anyone. But I sure as hell
could put them down for the count.
Chuckling, he shows Barry a clip of his ammunition.
Powell: I modified this gun to shoot tranquilizer darts!
Barry: Okay, but running around in a - (He catches himself) Why'd
you put on a mask?
Powell: I was working outside the law, I was black. No one was going
to give me any medals. Besides, I had to -
Barry: Protect your loved ones.
Powell: Yeah. You're pretty sharp, Allen.
Barry: Well, I, - I was born and raised in Central City. How come
I never heard of Nightshade?
Powell: I was good copy there for a while. Then I quit, right after the
Ghost. Thirty-five years from now, who'll remember the Flash?
Barry: Well, I don't know. He's done a lot of good for the city, don't
you think?
Powell: Yes, but - (Barry helps him with his coat) Thank you. So did
Nightshade. People forget. Trust me.
Barry: Looks like you were having the time of your life, though.
Powell: At the expense of everything else. My health, my family, my
fiancee - she left me. She knew she had a rival.
Barry: The night. The danger.
Powell: Pardon me?
Barry: Well, it must have been kind of addicting.
Powell: Living a double life nearly destroyed me. You take Garfield.
He's one of my closest friends. I've taken lead out of him at least
a dozen times. But I still can't share my secret with him.
Barry: I guess not. But tell me about the Ghost.
Powell: He used this crude form of two-way television. He could secretly
make a set turn into a sort of camera, to case buildings for possible
robberies, to spy on people, to blackmail public officials.
He goes over to one of the tables, picking up the old jamming device.
Powell: Finally, he placed bombs all over the city rigged to detonate
on a TV signal.
Barry: And held the city for ransom.
Powell: Ah, but I rigged this in '55. Jammed his transmission.
Barry takes the device, looking at it.
Powell: I thought for good. It terrifies me to think what he can do
with the technology he stole from Star Labs.
Cut to the brewery, where the Ghost and Skip are testing out their
new equipment.
Ghost: Where am I, Skip?
Skip: You've broken into the power and lights, I think. The Akira
system must go online everywhere in the city!
Ghost: Everything really is connected these days. From power, I can
reach telephone. From there, the water system. One gigantic game,
isn't it?
Camera pans back a bit to show Belle, pacing nervously in the
background, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
Skip: You want to go through with this? Actually wire yourself to that
machine?
Ghost: Absolutely.
Belle: This is crazy.
The Ghost and Skip turn at her words, and the Ghost gets up and goes
over to her, the camera following.
Ghost: What's the matter, Belle? You okay?
Belle: Sure. Sure, I'm okay.
The Ghost hugs her at that, and she closes her eyes, clinging to him
but not letting go of the cigarette or the drink. After a moment, she
starts to push him away.
Ghost: Are you sure you're okay.
Belle: No. No I'm not.
She pushes him away.
Belle: This just isn't working. You can't do this!
Ghost: Blackmail the city?
Belle: Oh, the hell with the city! You can't come walking back into
my life after thirty-five years...not looking a day older...
Ghost: Darling, I love you, it doesn't matter.
Belle: But you've changed. Even if you don't look any different. What
you're talking about, hooking yourself into these machines - it's
just crazy!
Ghost: I know what I'm doing. Don't worry.
He moves to embrace her again, but Belle steps away from him.
Ghost: I love you.
Belle: I love you, too. I always have. But you just can't come
walking back into my life and still be thirty! It just - it just
isn't fair!
She turns and runs down the steps. Tex watches her go.
Tex: Should I - get her, sir?
The Ghost doesn't answer for a second as Belle's footsteps fade
away.
Ghost: Time to enter the Net.
He turns to Skip, heading back to the equipment.
Ghost: I want to flex a little. See what I can do with all we've just
stolen. And with the new knowledge I've acquired, controlling the city's
database is just the first step.
Cut to city intersection, day. The traffic light is flashing in a
random sequence of colors, and the cars are jammed together in all
directions, a jumbled mess of honking horns. Murphy and Bellows' squad
car is in the middle of it all, and Murphy is standing outside,
surveying the traffic jam from hell.
Woman: Why don't you just back up?
Murphy: Oh, boy, oh boy, forget about it, Bellows! It's backed up all
the way to Japan.
He reaches down and picks up the radio.
Murphy: This is car 432. We're on break.
He puts it back and approaches the hot dog vendor.
Murphy: Hey, uh, Mr. Weenie. We'll, uh, have a couple of chili dogs,
hold everything.
Cut to the crime lab. Julio is working on the computer, when suddenly
the screen flickers, the readouts being replaced by black and white
cartoons. Julio pounds on the machine, but to no avail; the cartoons
take over.
Julio: Come on, come on! Oh, come on, this is eight hours of work
down the tubes! Come on!
The phone rings as Barry and Powell enter, and Julio picks it up.
Julio: Crime Lab. Yeah, hold on a second. (to Barry) Barry, the
computers have gone berserk, man!
Barry: What do we got, cartoons here?
Julio: Yeah.
Barry takes the receiver from him as Julio tries to bring the
computers up. Powell, his arm in a sling, watches with interest.
Barry: Hello?
Tina: (from phone) Barry, the whole computer system -
Barry: Whoa, Tina, slow down. We got cartoons on the computer over
here.
Cut to Star Labs. Tina is talking on the phone, and we see that the
same cartoon is showing on the computers in her lab.
Tina: I mean, I'd kind of enjoy it if it wasn't destroying three
hours of work.
Cut to the crime lab.
Tina: (over phone) I have a very bad feeling about this. What
shall I -
The cartoons on Julio's monitor shut off and the command prompt
comes up.
Barry: Oh, wait. We're back online. Listen, call me if it happens
again.
Cut to Star Labs.
Tina: Okay.
Cut to the crime lab.
Barry: Bye.
He hangs up as Julio goes back to work. Powell turns towards the door,
and Barry follows.
Barry: Dr. Powell!
Powell stops several paces away as Barry catches up to him. Julio is
frantically trying to restore the lost data, and is oblivious to their
conversation.
Barry: The car radios, the traffic lights, the computers. This is the
Ghost.
Powell: He's just flexing his muscles right now.
Barry: Think he's got something bigger online?
Powell: These are just pranks. A warm-up. When he lets out all the
stops, there's no way in hell the police will be able to stop him.
Barry: What do you think he's capable of?
Powell: I saw his face. The man has stopped time, kept his youth!
If he can do that -
Barry: I can't let you go out there.
Powell: This is my past hunting me. Now it's time for me to become
the hunter. Can you understand that?
With that, he leaves the lab.
Barry: For God's sake, you could be killed!
He stops, realizing what he's saying.
Barry: Now I know how Tina feels.
Cut to the poster of Belle outside the Alibi Room, night. The Nightshade
passes the poster, then catches the sight of himself reflected in the
window.
Nightshade: The hell with it.
He removes his hat and pulls off the mask, putting only the hat back on.
Cut to inside the Alibi Room. Belle is playing the piano as the
Nightshade approaches.
Belle: (not looking up) We're closed, pal.
Nightshade: You haven't changed a bit, Belle.
Belle stops playing and freezes in shock.
Belle: That voice...the Nightshade?
She looks up, and the camera follows her gaze up to see Powell unmasked.
Belle relaxes and resumes playing.
Belle: Oh, sorry. I thought you were someone else.
Nightshade: You were right the first time.
Belle stops playing again, looking up at him with fear.
Belle: Oh, not again! Please, not you too!
She jumps up from the bench.
Belle: Just leave me alone!
Nightshade: I really wish I could. You're probably the only one that can
help me find the Ghost.
Belle: Go away!
Nightshade: I need to ask you about him.
Belle: He's out of my system. Just a memory. Why couldn't he stay
that way?
Nightshade: I wish he had.
Belle: That deep freeze - it blew his mind. He thinks he can do
anything. I mean, he doesn't just want to control the machines, he
says - he says he wants to *become* the machines!
Nightshade: Where is he, Belle?
Belle: He's...where you left him after the showdown in '55.
Nightshade: What, that old pile? It's been abandoned for years.
Belle: Yeah, it stayed abandoned. That's because he owns the building.
Nightshade: I went there right after the fire. There was nothing.
Belle: A hidden room. That's where he slept while I - while I -
She groans and leans her head on his chest.
Belle: It just isn't fair! (pulling back) I just can't pretend I'm
twenty anymore.
Nightshade: Neither can I.
He pats her reassuringly on the shoulder and leaves.
Cut to exterior as the Nightshade exits, heading towards his car. The
Flash steps from the shadows behind him.
Flash: Nightshade!
Nightshade: What are you doing here?
Flash: Just watching your back.
Nightshade: What makes you think it needs watching? I was doing this
before you were born!
Flash: Why don't you show me how it's done?
Nightshade: Okay. The Ghost is holed up in the old brewery on Shadow
Lawn.
Flash: Great! Now let's go down there and get him!
Nightshade: Slow down, Speedy! We gotta have a plan. Hop in.
Flash: No! Bad for the image.
He speeds off. The Nightshade watches him go, then chuckles.
Cut to the old brewery, looking down on the upper landing where the
stolen equipment is stored. The Ghost is seated in a chair with an
array of wires connected to him while Skip runs around, checking the
equipment.
Skip: All I'm saying is that nobody's done this before. You might not
come back!
Ghost: A possibility. But first I take Central City offline, by
dismischivously transposing its entire communications network, its
power core.
Cut to closeup view.
Skip: If you're serious about plugging into the network, I can do
the job. But you might be risking an electronic lobotomy here.
Ghost: I didn't survive three and a half decades of cold storage
because I didn't know what I was doing! Now key me in, Skip!
Skip sighs and obeys, fiddling with the equipment. A moment later,
the Ghost jerks in his chair, convulsing and twitching as the
connection is made. His image appears on the TV screens, and he
relaxes. When he finally speaks, it's echoed by the numerous screens
that are projecting his image.
Ghost: I can feel everything, Skip, everything! The very power of
the city courses through my veins. I'm wired to everything -
everything!
He stands up. Cut to overhead shot.
Ghost: I'll now show Central City what a comeback really means!
Cut to the arcade. Two boys are about to play a game when the screen
flickers out, replaced by the image of the Ghost. The boys tap at
the control pad and jiggle the joystick to no avail as he speaks.
Ghost: Good evening, Central City. Don't bother adjusting your sets.
Pan across the arcade to see that all the screens have been overidden
by his image.
Ghost: I will control the vertical. I will control the horizontal.
Cut to the TV in Barry's apartment. Earl is barking at the intruder
on the TV screen.
Ghost: Now the last time I spoke to you like this, the demands were
reasonable. A cool million, but -
Cut to the Crime Lab. Julio is fruitlessly trying to rewire the
computers to retrieve his data as the Ghost speaks on all four
monitors.
Ghost: - the times have changed, and my price has gone up a thousandfold.
So unless Central City opens its treasury to me and my associates,
Cut to a closeup of Tina's computer. The camera pulls away and around,
revealing the lab and Tina staring at the screen in shock.
Ghost: I will shut everything down. Power, gone. Lights, out. Heat,
water, shut down. Computer records, payroll, wiped away. Air traffic,
ground traffic, without control.
Cut to the police station, as Garfield pulls out a fax and reads
out loud.
Garfield: 'I'll foul up every telephone number in the system. No
more 911.'
Cut to the Alibi Room, where the patrons are crowded around the TV.
As the Ghost continues, the camera pans back to where Belle is sitting
at the piano, stunned.
Ghost: Just imagine your hospitals without their life's blood of
energy. This will be a city of darkness, a city of desperate, hungry,
thirsty citizens. Complete and - beautiful chaos. My price: one billion
dollars before dawn.
Shocked gasps from the patrons.
Belle: Russell, please don't, please don't do this...
Ghost: And remember - I am the heart and soul of this city.
Static covers his image, and a second later, the power goes out in
the Alibi Room amid the shocked cries of the patrons.
Cut to exterior city skyline. We see the lights in each building
shut off, one building at a time, until the screen goes completely
dark.
========= Act 4 =========
Interior of the police station. Crowds of people are jammed in,
shouting and yelling in panic. Murphy and Bellows shove their way
through the mob.
Bellows: I'm telling you, Murph, this is worse than the blackout
of '71!
Murphy: '71? That's one of the best nights I've ever spent in my life.
Bellows: Oh, yeah? Let me guess, a motel room with Michelle.
Murphy: That's pretty close. Actually, it was a stuck elevator with
the Corelli twins.
They push their way through and into the office.
Bellows: The Corelli twins were guys, Murph.
Murphy: Yeah, and two of the worst poker players you ever saw in your
life! Honest to God. 2600 bucks, one night!
They pass by Garfield, who is shouting into the phone.
Garfield: Commissioner, we're doing everything we can. I can't get a
hold of any of my units! Hello? Hello? A pair of pants and a cashmere
sweater? Lady, this is not Morty's Cleaners!
He slams the receiver down.
Garfield: Great, now the phone lines are crossed, dammit! (to a cop)
Get me a squad car to South and Grand! We got looters!
Julio hurries in.
Garfield: Have some good news for me, Mendez! Please!
Julio: All right, the hospital's on reserve power just like us. Now
the Ghost has tapped into fire, ambulance, and police dispatch. We're
operating blind.
Cut to the Nightshade's garage. Powell and the Flash are standing over
one of the tables, trying to figure out what to do.
Powell: Now we can't just storm into the brewery and take the guy on.
We don't know what the Ghost has or what he's become.
The Flash looks around, then picks up the jamming device.
Flash: You defeated him with this once before. Maybe it'll work again.
Powell: That's Popular Science 101 compared to what he's got now, to
what he is now. Anyway, it's broken.
Flash: I'll fix it. Give me an hour.
He turns and dashes out at super-speed, the backdraft knocking a stack
of papers off the table. Powell sighs.
Cut to Tina's lab. Barry, in a T-shirt and sweats, is plugging a cord
into a panel in the wall while Tina trains her flashlight on it.
Barry: You really think this has a chance of working?
Tina: Well, there's only one way to find out if this rig will produce
power.
Barry turns and gets on the treadmill, pushing it with his feet. He
starts out slowly, but then his feet shift into super-speed, moving
the tread as he runs. Tina trains her flashlight on his feet for
several seconds until power comes on in the lab. She shuts the
flashlight off and sits down as Barry continues to run, generating
power like a hamster on a wheel.
Tina: Good job, Barry!
Barry just smiles as Tina starts to work on the device.
Tina: Now let's take this relic into the nineties.
Cut to the ceiling of the brewery. The Nightshade slides down a rope
exactly as he did before in 1955.
Ghost: You can't really expect that to work twice.
The Nightshade looks up to see the Ghost standing there, fully
wired. The duo from the arcade come up behind him with guns.
Ghost: The future belongs to the young. (to the punks) I can deal with
Nightshade. It's the Flash I'm worried about. Make sure he doesn't
get in here.
The two punks nod and leave.
Ghost: I have a universe of microchip technology at my fingertips.
But when it comes to disposing of old things, the old ways are still
the best.
He lifts his hand, pointing a gun at the Nightshade. At that, the
Nightshade's hat and coat fall to the floor as the Flash dashes out
from beneath his disguise, surprising the Ghost enough to make it
up there and punch him in the face.
Flash: The old ways? Works for me!
The Ghost falls to the ground, and the Flash grabs him by the collar
before he can get up. But the Ghost fights back, jamming electrodes
into the Flash's sides. The Flash convulses.
Ghost: Welcome to my world, where you, my friend, have no power
whatsoever!
We see the Flash appear on the monitor next to the Ghost. The Ghost's
image punches him, hard enough to knock his image into the monitor
beside it.
Cut to the brewery gates. The Nightshade pulls up.
Cut back to the interior. On the screen, the image of the Flash is
staggering to its feet, surrounded by static. In reality, the Flash
is still trapped by the Ghost.
Ghost: Now I could just wipe you away. First, you must sample my
programming.
On the screen, the Flash's image becomes a silhouette. Inside his
image, a montage of scenes are projected: gunfire, a rocket launching,
cars exploding, a stampede, and finally a mushroom cloud. In reality,
the Flash screams in pain, his hands going to his head.
Cut to the floor below. Skip runs up to see both punks lying
unconscious in front of Nightshade's car. He kneels down to
examine them.
Skip: Tranquilizer darts. Nightshade!
The Nightshade comes up behind him.
Nightshade: That's right. Nightshade.
Skip gets to his feet and turns, prepared to shoot the man behind
him. But the Nightshade knocks the gun from his hand with one blow,
and another punch knocks Skip out cold.
Nightshade: At least I haven't lost it all.
He switches on the jamming device and pulls up the antenna,
pointing it up at the equipment as the signal begins to whine.
Cut to the equipment, as the monitors shut off. The Ghost, now
powerless, lets the Flash drop to the floor. He leans over the
console, frantically turning knobs and pressing buttons to restore
power. The Flash recovers, getting to his feet.
Flash: Ah, ah, ah! Don't touch that dial!
He grabs the Ghost by the collar and shoves him back in the chair.
At super-speed, he disconnects the wires connecting the Ghost to
the network, sparks erupting from the severed connections. As the
Flash disconnects the last one, the Ghost slumps in the chair like
a rag doll. The Nightshade dashes up the steps, jamming device in
hand, to see a lifeless Ghost and a worn-out Flash.
Flash: Case closed, Nightshade.
Cut to street exterior as the power comes back on.
Cut to city skyline as the lights flicker on across the city.
Nightshade's garage. Powell is putting his things away, when we
see the Flash's reflection in the mirror.
Flash: Dr. Powell.
Powell turns to see the Flash standing there.
Flash: I've learned a lot working with you.
Powell: Yeah? Well, the next time you need me for one of these little
romps, forget about it. I'm retired.
Flash: I guess it's lucky we're not dead. Or in a straitjacket.
Powell: There's not many people who'll ever know the thrill. When the
sky goes dark, the mask goes on, and the criminal hearts thump in fear.
He chuckles. The Flash only smiles.
Powell: Sorry. Too many pulp magazines when I was a kid. But you know
what I mean.
He turns away, but then something occurs to him.
Powell: Do you ever reveal your secret to anyone?
Flash: I have someone I share it with. (hesitates) She helps keep
me on an even course.
Powell: 'She'? Good for you. But if you ever need anyone else to
talk to, I'm here.
Flash: It does get difficult sometimes, speaking behind a mask -
He reaches up to remove the mask, but Powell stops him.
Powell. No. Don't. I don't need to know. And you don't need the
complication. You know, you ought to start your own trophy room.
Allow me to donate the first exhibit.
He hands the Nightshade's mask to the Flash, who takes it after a
moment of hesitation.
Powell: And remember, my fast friend - these outfits we wear are just
another suit of clothes, not another man.
The Flash looks at him for a moment without saying anything, still
holding the mask. Cut to Powell as we hear the sound of the Flash
taking off at super-speed.
Cut to shot of the rack, as Powell hangs up his holstered gun, pats it,
then turns and walks away.
End credits roll.
In the middle of the first credit, the screen goes to static, and we see
the image of the Ghost cross the screen. He looks into the camera as the
static swallows him again and credits resume normally.
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