Chapter 44
Golden Handshake
An American in Paris
Part 2 of 4

Before Noah Bennet, Claude, the invisible agent for the company, partnered with a different man: Haram.  Together, they trailed Fusor, an elusive killer with a withering touch.  Haram had a grudge against Fusor, who had escaped Haram several times in the past.  Haram, unfortunately, found the tables turned on him when Fusor laid a deadly trap for the company men…

Sorry for the delay on this post, the comic not posted last night like normal.  Click here to get caught up on last week’s installment.

Haram is crawling out of the riviera, pulling the shrivelled, disembodied arm that used to belong to the body that was dragging him down to the depths.  When Claude touches the arm, it falls apart.

In the narative, styled as his ”status report”, Claude has this to say: “Subject Rollo Fusor took two hostages.  Haram moved in to rescue; I circled to intercept Fusor’s escape.  On arrival, one hostage dead - dehydrated - the other - a decoy who attempted to murder Haram.  I was force to choose between Fusor’s cature and my partner’s life.  This should in no way be recorded as another field loss for Haram, though.  If our roles were reversed things would probably have turned out the same…probably.”

After receiving new intel, the duo track Fusor into Paris.  As they are surveying his location, Haram muses, “Ironic, huh?  Fusor was my first case - eleven years ago - and I botched it.  Now he’s my last case and I botched it again.”  He goes on to say that he looks forward to the time that he can put Fusor behind him and retire. 

Fusor’s MO is to find rich, wealthy, lonely men and, with his female accomplice, win them over “with promises of a menage a trois and Lord knows what else.”  Once they’ve taken their fortune, Fusor will literally suck them dry, and move on. 

Outside the door where Fusor, his accomplice and the soon-to-be victim are residing, Claude reminds Haram that Fusor’s power only works on organic material, so he needs to be sure that he keeps his skin covered up.  He is interrupted by a scream.  They burst into the room to find a shrivelled body on the floor, and a shadow looming on the open balcony.  Haram immediately opens fire, but the body does not fall.  They approach slowly, to find that the body of the man, thought to be Fusor has also been sucked dry. 

“Forget the butler,” Claude says.  “It’s always the girl.”

They both make for the roof in pursuit.

To be continued…

The easter egg this week is a behind the scenes shot of Masi Oka.

From the first frame, it’s obvious ‘Pushing Daisies’ is unlike anything you have ever seen on television.

We open with a boy and his dog running through an unbelievably yellow field (I didn’t know that a field could be unbelievably yellow, but it can).   The narrator, perfectly performed by Jim Dale, proceeds to tell us the exact age, in years, months, days and minutes, of the dog happily running through the field…promptly before it runs into the road and is hit by a semi.

This is our first glimpse at the hook of the show…a tearful Ned kneels beside his lifeless pooch, and as he strokes him, the dog leaps up, full of life again.

Through the course of the pilot, we come to understand the scope of Ned’s ability: with one touch, he can bring the dead back to life.  The power comes with a few caveats, though.  Those that return to the land of the living only have one minute…after which someone nearby will suddenly die to take their place. Also, if the risen are touched by Ned again, they die again, never to be revived.

The premise sounds like a CW drama, but, lo and behold, it’s a comedy.  A very funny one, at that. 

As an adult, Ned (Lee Pace) has opened his own pie shop, called The Pie Hole.  One day, Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), a private investigator witnesses Ned’s unlikely power when a suspect that he is chasing falls off of a roof, and is subsequently re-animated and de-animated by Ned.  The two team up, and begin to solve murders, mostly for rewards, by bringing the victims back long enough to find the identity of their attacker, and then returning them to the afterlife.

Throughout the course of the narrative, we come to find that Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (Anna Friel), Ned’s childhood sweetheart, has been murdered.  So Ned, motivated by reuniting with his first love, and Emerson, spurred by the $50,000 reward, go to the funeral home where Chuck’s body lies.  She is brought back, but Ned can’t let her die again, so she is snuck out of the funeral home and goes to temporarily live with Ned, where it’s apparent that love is blooming.  The irony that the kiss that the two shared when they were in grade school is the only contact that they can ever have is beautiful.

The whole show is very surreal, and very…random…absurd, even.  Events, especially those in Ned’s childhood memories, are larger than life.  In fact, it’s very reminiscent of one of my very favorite Tim Burton movies, Big Fish, in a lot of ways.  The colors are very vibrant, and give virtually every shot, from the yellow daisy-covered field in the opening shot, to the childhood flashbacks, to The Pie Hole, a sort of dream-like appearance.  The comedy is very random, but never falls flat.  Even the characters, like Chuck’s agoraphobic great-aunts who used to be professional synchronized swimmers until an unfortunate kitty litter accident ended their career (See? Random.), are in-a-good-way ridiculous.

I honestly feel like this is the best pilot I’ve seen since ‘Lost’ debuted back in 2004.  Rather than the thirst for knowing what will happen to the heroes, though, I can’t wait to see what the imaginations of Bruce Cohen, Bryan Fuller, Dan Jinks and Barry Sonnenfeld have in store for us next.

A+

‘Pushing Daisies’ debuts Wednesday, October 3 at 8/7c on ABC.

You know that ‘Heroes’ show I profess my love for almost daily? You know those ‘Origins’ episodes they’re going to be making next year?

Kevin Smith is going to be directing one of them.

I think this is exactly what ‘Heroes: Origins’ should be…well-known actors and directors who would normally be unable to devote the time to the show…coming in for a quick one-shot. I’m so excited for next year.

(Source: AICN

Director Jon Cassar and writer/producers Manny Coto, David Fury and Evan Katz took the stage at Comic-con to answer a few fan questions.

- We’re reminded that, unless we really see someone dead, all’s fair.  See, Tony Almeda was originally slated to come back in the finale of Season 6.  Jack would have been looking out over the ocean, like we left him.  He would have heard Tony, offscreen, saying, “Jack, we have a lot to talk about.” 

- At the beginning of next season, CTU will be disbanded.  Jack will be brought to before a Senate Committee to explain his actions over his past actions.

- Season 7 will be set in DC.

- The 24 movie, which won’t happen until after the show goes off the air, will possibly be set with one half non-real time, and one half real time.  For example, a bomb is triggered mid-film that sets the clock in motion (that’s all my speculation there).

That’s about it.  It’s good to see some changes coming regarding location, and the lack of CTU support is a nice shift, too.

Quite a bit of new info has poured out on some of our favorite shows thanks to Comic-con.  ‘Lost’ producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, no stranger to the convention, took the stage with bells on.  Literally.  The producers each had a bell sitting next to them on the tables that would signal when someone was sliding too far into spoiler terriorty.  They still had some new info to divulge.

- The opposition that our Castaways faced with the Others is nothing compared to what’s apparently coming on Naomi’s ship.  Lindelof says that the real question is who is on that boat, anyway.

- When asked if Jack and Claire would find out if they were siblings, Carlton rings the bell.  Lindelof nods vigorously.

- Ben’s falling into the trap in Season 2 was not intentional.  His true reason for venturing to that side of the island will be explained.

- Season 4 will consist of flash-backs and -forwards.  The end of Season 3 was not the chronological end-point of the show. 

- Libby will be explored further, and may have been working for DHARMA.

- Rousseau will have a flashback in Season 4 or 5.

- A new Orientation video was shown, featuring the man we know as Marvin Candle, now going by the name of Edward Allawitz, discussing the true nature of the Orchid Station, which is used to clone rabbits (one of which is marked with a “15″).  The video should be up on ABC.com later this evening. 

Oh, yeah, and there’s a trailer up for the new Lost videogame here.

It’s funny how quickly you can be reminded how much you love a show.  For example, one moment, I was writing this story over at Forever Geek, coincidentally, also about Heroes.  Then this litte story pops up, and I’m all giddy like a schoolgirl about the show again.

Here are some images from the second season’s first episode of Heroes, titled “Four Months Later”.

During ABC’s Press Tour yesterday, President Stephen McPherson announced that Harold Perrineau will return to the role of Michael in ‘Lost’ next year.

I’m wondering…could he already be back on the island?  We saw Walt in the finale…maybe they already made landfall.  Or maybe Michael actually grew a pair and did something to “help” out his fellow castaways…maybe he was behind the ship that found them in the finale.

Just think…only about seven months, and we can find out!!!

I haven’t been watching Smallville, but…

…maybe I need to start.

Chapter 43
Golden Handshake
Man Overboard
Part 1 of 4

For years, Claude, the invisible man, worked side by side with Noah Bennet, the man in horned-rimmed glasses.  Together, these “company men” risked their lives to save the world.  Or so they thought.  Claude grew uneasy with his assignments, questioning who benefited from their work.  Discovering this, the company gave Bennet his most difficult assignment:  kill Claude.

But before Bennet, Claude had a different partner, the man called Haram…

17 years ago…

STATUS REPORT:
Location: Cote d’Azur
The French Riviera.

Notes:  Have tracked down extortionist and murderer Rollo Fusor - ’special’ whose ability to rapidly dehydrate water from whatever he touches has been used to bankrupt many in the European elite.

Considered a class ‘A’ priority by the higher-ups before he seemingly fell off the face of the planet seven years ago.  Fusor was my partner Haram’s first failed case.  Haram wasn’t about to let him get away again.

Haram is in a standoff with Fusor, taking cover on one of the bridges crossing the Riviera.  He is fumbling with a pill bottle, mumbling to himself, “Damn it!  Not now.”  The top pops off, and pills scatter everywhere.  One stops, hovering in the air. 

“Temper, temper, partner,” Claude says, becoming visible again.  “You’ve got this.  Don’t let your nerves–”

“Don’t lecture me, Claude!” Haram snaps back.  “I know what I’m doing.”

Claude convinces Haram to accept Fusor’s requests, at which point the invisible Claude will jump the criminal as he tries to escape.  When Haram approaches Fusor, telling him that he has his requests, Fusor tells him that he has explosives strapped to his hostages, Mr. Pizet and “his lovely lady friend”.  “I see anyone following me…BOOM!  More blood on your pathetic hands!”

Fusor runs from the boat, and Claude gives chase.  Rounding a corner, he sees the criminal calmly leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette.  Back on the boat, Haram approaches the hostages.  He tells the girl, who is dragging the unconcious Pizet, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”  Pulling her blonde wig off, she replies, “No, no, love…we’ve got you.”  Swiftly, she handcuffs him to Pivet’s unmoving body, and shoves them over the side of the pier.

Pivet’s dead wait drags Haram down into the depths…

TO BE CONTINUED…

This week’s easter egg is a behind the scenes shot of Hayden Pantierre and James Coleman.

As I was largely away from the computer last week, here’s what went down on the previous installment of the weekly Heroes Online Novel.  And you should check out parts 1, 2 and 3, if you haven’t already.

Chapter 42
Betty
Part 4 of 4

Teased and tormented by her fellow high school students, Betty found a way to strike back:  with the power of her mind.  Realizing she has the ability to create realistic illusions, she drove a vicious bully to madness.  But after her friend was wrongly struck down in retaliation, Betty decided to exact a terrible revenge…

This installment begins soon before the homecoming pep rally at Betty’s school.  Betty is watching the rumors spread around school, thinking to herself, “They act like nothing really happened.  One jock.  One loser.  No big deal.  Like the scales are balanced or something.  They talk about it…they gossip about it…but no one’s accountable…”

Betty overhears some of the in-crowd gossiping.  One of the jocks that beat up Ren is telling the cheerleaders, “It was just payback, that’s all.  But we sure as hell didn’t break any bones or throw him down that hill.  That was all him.”  He’s interrupted by the intercom telling all students to report to the gym for the pep rally.  One of the cheerleaders pulls him away, saying that they have other priorities.  Betty smiles menacingly, thinking, “I’ve got some new priorities now…some unfinished business.”

At the pep rally, the principal is giving a brief speech on how saddened they all are by the two tragedies that have happened at the school.  “Now, on a more positive note,” he then says, “we’ve got a homecoming game to win.  Let your buffaloes know that you’re behind them!”  As the cheerleaders come out, Betty again thinks about how fake they all are.  Using her ability, she begins to cause everyone to see horrible visions.  One of the cheerleader’s skin begins to melt off.  Some students appear to spontaneously explode.  Another cheerleader looks to be covered by terrible boils.  Then, as suddenly as it began, it’s over, and everything’s back to normal. 

“So, whatever,” Betty thinks later, watching as some of the students are carried away in an ambulance.  “I’m done with this hellhole.  Maybe they won’t soon forget how fragile they are.  How fragile we all are.  And now that I know exactly what I’m capable of, I should put it to some use, right?”  At this, she transforms into a beautiful brunette.  “From now on…they’ll all see what I want them to see.  Sometimes you just need the right name…something that sets a tone…something that goes with my new look.”

“Candice.  That’s a good name.”

The easter egg is a behind the scenes shot of Masi Oka filming in feudal Japan.