Turning Point Two
Leon and Suunto meet Ms. Penumbra, who proposes the team infiltrate ImpCorp and Leon agree to biological upgrades. Suunto agrees to nothing. Suunto tells Leon to seek the team’s forgiveness. Jemmy and Fix are hesitant and forges a gruesome agreement with Princess. Leon runs into Nort, his old diving partner, now a priest of the Jade Rhino church. Leon is tempted, but knows diving will undo the team’s fragile trust. Leon wakes to his team arguing and accusing him of deep diving, which he denies. He has been operated on, presumably by Ms. Penumbra. He should feel violated and angry, but is curiosity draws him to the possibilities of his new technology. Suunto is furious, but Leon says he may have inadvertently agreed to the upgrade and insists the job continue, despite Ms. Penumbra’s audacity. He wants access.
Step One
Setup
Leon and Suunto meet Ms. Penumbra, their new client, who proposes they open a lock to the inner sanctum of The Abstract within the ImpCorp building. Leon does his best to profile her, but cannot stop thinking of the stories of her relentlessness and power.
She insists on using Leon’s deep diving capabilities and offers advanced technological implants to assist. Leon wants access to The Abstract from within ImpCorp but doubts his resolve in controlling his addiction. She has a tight timeline and will provide them with key information and an obscenely large reward if they are successful.
Suunto confirms their involvement relies on finding the right players and will let her know when she has them.
On leaving, Leon is told some members of the team are not keen on his involvement and he is instructed to make peace with them, tonight. She is unsure if they will work with him again.
CDQ
WIll Leon be able to convince the team to work with him again?
CDQ -
WIll Leon be able to convince the team to work with him again?
Step Two
Leon uses his memory device to project his newly enhanced childhood memory onto the kitchen in his apartment - a slightly inaccurate replica constructed from a fragmented version of the same memory. He examines it and reflects on the dangers of enhancements offered by Ms. Penumbra. Jemmy unlocks his door and arrives, without Fix. She is angry. Fix arrives from the Imp-Verse, and tries to comfort Leon as Jemmy illogically blames him for Fix’s death. She gradually settles with the help of alcohol, Fix and running out of ways to insult Leon. Leon explains and apologises and tries to reassure her that he will not get lost deep diving The Abstract again. He knows this is something he cannot guarantee. Jemmy agrees to meet with him in the morning, if he survives his encounter with Princess.
Step Three
Complication 2
Leon seeks out the ‘enforcer’, the emotional, theatrical and violent Princess, in a crumbling theatre. He discovers Hamelin, unconscious, strung up and bleeding as part of a disturbing set in front of a small audience and he fears for his life. The tableau shifts from murder to casual live interview. Princess relates her desire to be absorbed by Keres - an ancient Greek bringer of death, but her restraint allows her to rejoice in her body and training. She likens it to his draw to The Abstract and the Jade Rhino who takes the souls of deep divers. Leon and Princess reach forge a deal - Princess gets to cut Leon’s throat if he ever is taken by Jade Rhino, in exchange for freeing Hamelin and attending a meeting with Suunto in the morning.
Step Four
Leon is enticed by Nort to enter the Church of the Rhino and they talk of Nort’s new perspective of The Jade Rhino as angel rather than devil. Leon is unnerved by the iconography and the admiration of the junkies who refer to him as Jade’s Chosen, after Nort and Leon’s close encounter with The Jade Rhino during their last dive together. Suunto calls, and warns Leon not to dive with Nort. The team will not be impressed if he does., so he backs out, knowing he needs to regain their trust.
Step Five
Payoff
Leon wakes with Princess’s knife at his throat. She says it is lucky he twitched. Keres was tempting her. He has missed the meeting he arranged. The team arrive, arguing and assuming he has lost his way, just like last time. Hamelin scans his body and reveals an enhanced nervous system. He feels exposed, angry and vulnerable. Ms. Peunmbra saw his desire for The Abstract. Sensing the job is at stake, Leon reveals he may have unwittingly agreed to the upgrade and persuades the team to progress with the job. They want to push back against Ms. Penumbra and Leon realises he may have to work against them to temper their response.
CDQ Answer
Character Arc
Moral Dilemma
Created:
Tags: #template #sequence #turningpoint
Links: Chasing The Rhino Masterlist