The Book of Markovia: Chapter One: Blessings and Curses Reborn

1 [BLACK LIGHTNING.] Previously on Black Lightning So, Baron, what's a young man like you doing up here all by himself? It's my powers. I can talk to computers. I can feel them. Hear their voices. ASA called me a technocrat. I go by TC. Okay, TC it is, then. [JEFFERSON.] Odell is using you, Jen. You're like a gun, and he's pulling the trigger. Y'all don't see that? That white wave. - Jefferson! - Where'd he go? [WOMAN.] Who are you? Send me back to Freeland. Now. I did not bring you here to fight. I brought you here to save lives. [GRUNTS.] You're a true hero, Jefferson. This is Jefferson Pierce. We wouldn't have been able to stop the antimatter wave without him. - [SUPERGIRL GASPS.] - [SUPERMAN CHUCKLES.] Oh, nice. ["THROUGH THE LATE NIGHT" PLAYING.] Gambi? Gambi, I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, you're not gonna believe what happened. I traveled to an alternate dimension. I met other meta-humans, a kid named Flash. Gambi, Superman is real. We saved humanity. Multiple humanities, actually. [SIGHS.] A lot happened. But I just kept thinking about you and Lynn and the girls and And Freeland. All through the late night Gambi, can you hear me? All through the late night Dad? All through the late night All through the late night All through the late night Dad? Mom? [ECHOING.] Anissa. Anissa? Gambi, I need help. I think I'm stuck in my safe space. How did I get In this place? Oh, it don't matter Gambi. [SIGHS.] Gambi, if you can hear me, I'm headed home. Do you got eyes on the family? To hell with this. Delicious just how they should be N, N-Dimethyltryptamine Argh! I don't have time for this. The vibes are effervescent Delicious just how they should be No sleep in my bed No sleepin' in my bed When we gon' play Gon' play, gon' play until the day I said no sleep in my bed Hello! Yeah, we gon' play Gon' play Can anyone hear me? Hello! Hello! Gambi, I'm scared. Gambi, I'm scared. I'm scared. I don't know where I am. What's happening. But if someone can hear me, Agent Odell needs to be stopped. [VOICE ECHOES.] He's been using me to try and destroy my family in Freeland. I really thought I was doing the right thing. He's just been using me. All through the late night I promise I promise if I ever make it back, I'm gonna stop Odell. I promise I'm not going to become the evil version of myself. All through the late night If anyone can hear me, please tell my family that I'm sorry, and I love them. Tell 'em I love 'em. [LIGHTNING GASPING.] Dad! I was so worried about you. Are you okay? No, I'm fine, I think. Where's Anissa and your mom? I don't know. I just got here. - Anissa? - Mom? All right, they're not here. Let's go. Wait, no, no, no. We have to go after Odell first. Everything you said about the ASA, Dad, is true. Yeah, I know. But first we need to check on Anissa and your mom, then we can talk about Odell. Anissa and Mom won't be around if I don't go after Odell right now, - and I'm not watching my family die. - Jennifer. Jen, wait. Why are you always trying to stop me from doing what you know is right? I'm not trying to stop you. All I'm saying is that we need to put family first. Besides, how're you gonna go after Odell in a suit that he gave you? I'm sure they put safeguards in there to keep you from attacking them. Should have Gambi check it out. You're right. We'll go to Uncle Gambi's first, but right after that, I'm going after Odell. Uncle Gambi, I need my suit. Where did you get this suit? No time to explain. I'm on a mission. Wait, wait. Jen, wait. Okay, look this is gonna be hard to believe, but Jen and I were in alternate dimensions. What? [LAUGHS.] When? Well, we just got back. I have no memory of you being gone. Right. That's because there's no longer any multi-dimensions. Each world, each dimension was wiped out, one by one, until there was nothing left. And then one world, one dimension was created. Look, we don't have time to get into this right now because Jen wants to kill Odell. I picked up some static when you came in, but, like I said, I have no memory of you being gone. Yeah, 'cause I think I saw the future. No, Jen, it wasn't the future, it was an alternate reality. But that reality doesn't exist anymore. Well, alternate reality or not, Odell has to go. - [SIGHS.] - I don't know what happened, but both of you have antimatter particles on you. That shouldn't be possible. So you're sure that you visited an alternate universe? - Definitely. - Definitely. Maybe it's the nature of your powers that allowed you to experience what you experienced. But it seems to be over now. I don't really know what happened, but I've really gotta go kill Odell. Gambi, so Odell's people made this suit. Now wouldn't they put fail-safes in it? I'll bet the farm. [COMPUTER BEEPS.] Uh-oh. What? Blackbird's been using the tunnels to move around Freeland undetected, and the ASA has just caught on. She's about to be ambushed by several commandos. All right, let me change into my old, reliable, Gambi-built suit, and I'll go after Odell while you handle that. No, no, Odell can wait. Don't suit up. Go check on your mother. Make sure she's safe. - [LIGHTNING.] Fine. - I'll go help Anissa. [GAMBI.] Guys, listen. If I have no memory of what you say happened, then in all probability no one else does either. And this universe might be different in key ways. It's probably best to not let on. - [DOOR OPENS.] - Okay, got it. [JENNIFER.] Where's my mom? - [BEEPS.] - She's at Bowman College. And how do you know that? Jen, go check on your mother. Are you tracking us, like all the time? Pretty much. Yeah. Thank you. What she said. You're welcome. These are Resistance-held areas. They've dug in big-time. It's gonna take a major offensive to take them out. Problem is, we're down 15% on vehicles and 25% on personnel. What's Commander Williams' status? Improving. He took a major hit to his nervous system fighting Black Lightning, but he's walking. Be putting rounds downrange soon. Soon doesn't work. We need another ace in the deck. Now, where's Jennifer Pierce? Unknown. Her suit's been shut down, and she's not responding to our calls. Did you weaponize and chip the detainees? Negative, sir. Every time we've tried, the Resistance intercepts the shipment on the way to the facility. Then bring the detainees here. There's one more thing. We haven't been able to stabilize the metas without Dr. Stewart. Then you have your work cut out for you. Now, get out! [BEEPS.] My side effects are increasing. Hallucinations, agitation, sweats, dry mouth. I'm gonna tweak the dosage and see - [JENNIFER.] Mom? - [GASPS.] [SCREAMS.] No! Damn it! Look what you made me do, little girl. That was all I had! [SOBBING.] That was all I had, damn it. - [MAN YELLS.] - [ALL GRUNTING.] [GRUNTS LOUDLY.] - [MAN 2.] Freeze! - [GASPS.] - Are you okay? - I'm fine. But where were you? Sorry, it's a long story. Dad, I'm fine. You can let me go. I thought I lost you. What're you talking about? We have been through way worse than this. You Right. Right. You need to get your head in the game. We are not playing around here. We need to get to Garfield. - Come on. - Right. Right. Are you ready to stabilize the kids? I'm close, but I'm not 100%. All you have to do is extract the base from Tobias and follow Dr. Stewart's protocols. It's not that simple. I watched Dr. Stewart work, but I'm not her. She didn't leave behind any notes on her procedure. My model only accounts for a 60% rate of success. Can you get it to 80%? I think so. But that's still 20% dead. Acceptable loss. When you get to 80%, let me know. ["MICROPHONE FIEND" PLAYING.] I was a fiend before I became a teen I melted microphones Instead of cones of ice cream Music orientated so When hip-hop was originated Fitted like pieces of puzzles Complicated 'Cause I grabbed the mic And try to say, "Yes y'all!" They tried to take it And say that I'm too small [PANTING.] [SONG CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY OVER HEADPHONES.] You're being a rude system. I can feel you staring. I know that's what you're supposed to do, but stop it. Will you tell me how to get in? I see it. Thought of 'cause it's sort of an addiction Magnetized by the mixing [DEVICE BEEPS.] That was rude. I'm just looking. These are the nicest clothes I've ever seen in my life. - [DEVICE BEEPING.] - No, I'm not leaving, so you're gonna let me in. It's okay if Peter isn't here. I'll wait. [EXHALES.] Yeah, there is a way in. And you're gonna show it to me. Open up. [BEEPS.] I don't mean Peter any harm. I just need his help. Why are you so paranoid? [ELECTRONIC WHIRRING.] Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean? When? How? Oh! [GUN COCKS.] Peter. You're a dead man, huh? I'm sorry for yelling at you. - I'm stressed and exhausted - Mom. It's fine. It's fine. [RUMBLING.] Oh, my God. Is that an earthquake? It's Brandon. Who? My friend, he's a meta. - He needs the cure. - How do you know? There's no fault line under Freeland, remember? Terrakinesis. Not stabilizing. I can help him. I have saved a few doses in case of an emergency. Here. Okay, I don't know what to do with this. Why don't you just come with me and give it to him? No, I can't, I have to stay and finish what I was working on. It's important. Where should I give him the shot? Anywhere. It'll start working instantly. Just go! [RUMBLING.] [BLACK LIGHTNING.] Wait what What's going on, is that an earthquake? I don't know. It could be another Markovian attack. Or the ASA. You know the guards at the detainment facility are gassing up a convoy of vehicles. They're prepping to move. I think they're gonna take those kids to the Pit, and the Resistance has to stop them. All right, go on ahead. I'll catch up after I check in on Jen and your mom. - All right. - Hey! - Yeah? - Be safe. Always. Call Jen. [JENNIFER.] Hey, Dad. There might have been another ASA or Markovian attack. Are you okay? [JENNIFER.] I'm fine. I'm on my way to stop the earthquake. Wait Wait, what do you mean, stop an earthquake? Where's your mom? She's at Bowman's, but she's acting strange. I think you should go talk to her. She needs your help. - Wait What? - I have to stop the earthquakes - before they get worse. - No - Jen? Jen! - [RUMBLING CONTINUES.] [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.] [PANTING.] Brandon. Brandon. Hold on, Brandon. Hold on. Everything's okay. Hold on. Brandon! Brandon, everything's fine. Brandon. Brandon, you're okay. - [RUMBLING STOPS.] - Hey. Everything's good. You're okay. [SIGHS.] Okay. Lynn? Lynn? Gambi, I need you to trace Lynn's phone for me. [GAMBI.] She's at the house. Thanks. [GAMBI.] So you found me using your powers? Yeah. When you used the tech to break into the radio tower, you left traces that I tracked back here. Oh. [SIGHS.] Look, man. The ASA is going door to door, looking for metas. I didn't know what else to do. They'll put me back in a pod. And I hate those things. I really hate those things. [BREATHING HEAVILY.] TC? I can't breathe. TC. You're having an anxiety attack. You need to breathe slowly. Here, watch me. In through your nose. [INHALES.] Out through your mouth. [EXHALES.] [BOTH INHALE.] [BOTH EXHALE.] Better? Listen, son, I have an apartment above the shop, and you're welcome to stay there as long as you like. The ASA won't find you there. For real? Yeah. For real. [BREATHING HEAVILY.] Lynn. What are you doing? What is that? What are you doing here? Lynn Are you okay? I'm fine. Baby - Lynn - [LOCKS DOOR.] Lynn, open the door! [GRUNTS.] - No! - Give me that. - Give that back to me! - No. - No. - Give it to me. Give it back! - Give it back! - What is Are you on drugs? - No, of course not. - Look, I know addiction when I see it. - We're not having this conversation. - Because I'm right. - Because you're wrong. - How long? - How long what? - How long have you been using? No, no, I'm not the one who's the addict. That's you, Jefferson. You're the one that goes out using your powers to get your fix at the cost of the rest of us. No, no, no, we're talking about you. I do it, so you can, that's your excuse right now? I don't need an excuse. That is medicine. And I'm not just saving the people of Freeland, I am saving the world. - What? - I can think four times faster. I can see problems in multidimensions. It's how I it's how I found the stabilization cure. It's how I cured the meta Ebola. And I'm not addicted. I took those properties out. Baby, I think you miscalculated. I can look at you and see you're on something. I miscalculated? How dare you. Give me that back. - That is mine. - All right, this ends right now. - No, give it to me! - Right now. No, that's mine. Give it back to me. No, how dare you! - [BREATHING HEAVILY.] - [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.] Yeah? [INSPECTOR HENDERSON.] Hey, you're needed, bro. All right. All right, I'll be right there. Okay, 'cause if you ain't with us soon, a bunch of kids are going to wind up like little Frankensteins. Uh-huh, got it. [LYNN BREATHING HEAVILY.] Lynn. Lynn, come on, come on, let go. Let's just get up. - Get off and don't touch me! - Just get up. - Get your hands off me! - No, we got to get you some help. - What, are you going to hit me? - What? No. - I said move! - No, Lynn. - No, Lynn - Leave me alone. don't leave, please. Lynn wait. [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.] Henderson, not now. Lynn! Where in the Sam Hill are you, man? We need you. - Okay. Yes. - We need to move ASAP. Unless you want those kids in body bags. I'm coming! [MACHINE BEEPS.] Yes, sir. Odell wants you to bring in Jennifer Pierce. Have to be sure what side she's on. Understood, Major. That could be a tall order. I'll need to find a suitable replacement for my second-in-command. Travis is fit for duty. That can't be possible. He just had surgery. He's fully recovered. See for yourself. Reporting for duty, sir. Okay. Let's head out. Proud of your work, Dr. Blair? Does it show? If I catch you grinning before you solve our stabilization problem, you'll wish you didn't have teeth. Prepare a control chip for Jennifer Pierce immediately. Program Travis' chip to kill Jennifer if she resists. [BLACKBIRD.] Okay, so here's what's up. We all got to pay close attention to where the ASA Black Lightning, the kids in this detainment dump need out. What do you need from us? Let me have a look. Well, looks like there is only one way in, one way out. Heavily guarded. Probably have orders to kill trespassers on site. But we are better than that. - Right, so this is what we're gonna do - Okay, hold up. Can I talk to you for a moment? Yeah, sure. Don't you think it would be better to help the Resistance as Thunder? No, I don't. Thunder is a clear symbol of justice. She's selfless, saves people. Blackbird steals money from drug dealers and does other questionable things. Oh, come on, Dad, stop. I need to lead this. Black Lightning is not the face of this Resistance. Whoever said he was? You did. The moment you came in and just took over. Now, I know you have done this a million times, but I'm running this. Anissa, I didn't take over. Henderson asked for my advice, - and I gave it. - No, I had everything under control until you came in with your male privilege, and you just pushed me aside. Male privilege? What are you talking about? I'm your father. - And this isn't about you. - Yes, this is about me. No. If we get this wrong, people die. Yes, Dad, I know that. And I also know that this is hard for you. But I'm so much more than just your daughter and Thunder, and you need to see that. I am a leader, and I can handle myself. I I know you can handle yourself, I know that. But you haven't always made the best choices, and I haven't said a lot about it, but you have done some very questionable things. Okay, okay, I've made some mistakes, and so have you. - But so what? - Mistakes? You use money you stole from drug dealers for yourself. That is not a mistake, that's just wrong. Now is not the time for us to focus on that. We have a mission to take care of, and what I need from you is support. I need you to trust that I'm gonna make better decisions after the bad ones that I made. That's what I need from you, Dad. Can you do that? A lot of people are counting on you. Yeah, I know that. And I need you to be one of those people. [HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING ON HEADPHONES.] Really? Where? [MUSIC CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.] Damn, Peter. Who the hell are you? Black Lightning. Thunder. Oh, man. [CHUCKLES.] You shouldn't be in here. Your system wanted to show it to me. It likes you better than me. No, nah, it loves you. TC this is all secret. You cannot tell anyone. I only know you. I'm not gonna tell anyone, I promise. Man, this is so cool. Not only do you know and help meta-humans, but you make suits. Can you make me one? Maybe one day. When the time is right. Maybe we should find out who hired your killer. That was done with Bitcoin. And those blockchains are incredibly difficult to crack. I can do that all day. Really? Really, really. What's wrong? Uh, nothing. People say that when there's clearly something wrong. [CELL PHONE VIBRATING.] [CELL PHONE CLATTERS.] Don't seem like nothing to me. Everything straight? Yeah, everything's fine, I just I've got a lot on my mind. Like what? It's complicated. Try me. I'm just feeling a lot of pressure. You know, like if I don't act the right way, [SCOFFS.] the end will come. End of what? Of everything. You're being dramatic. No, I'm not. [CHUCKLES.] I'm not. If you knew half of what I know about what's been going on around here, you'd think I wasn't being dramatic enough. Like what? - Jen! - [GASPS.] Jen? Listen up, everybody. Tonight we stand for the future of Freeland. We stand with those babies who've been locked in cages. Tonight we set them free to go home to their families. We set them free, so Freeland can be free for all of us. No men, no women and no children will be left behind. - Freedom for Freeland! - [CROWD CHANTING.] Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! Freedom for Freeland! [UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO.] [ELECTRICITY CRACKLING.] [GROANS.] You've been acting weird ever since we left the Pit. What's going on with you? Nothing. [UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING.] [BRAKES SCREECH.] - [MAN.] Get on the ground. - Leave us alone. - Take cover now! - I'm warning you. [MAN.] Hands where we can see 'em! [UPBEAT JAZZ MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING.] - [GUARD.] Let's go, keep walking. - Come on, let's go. [GUARD.] Single file, let's go. Keep quiet, no talking. Quiet! Keep it moving. Move up to the right. They're moving into positions. I see the kids coming out. [INSPECTOR HENDERSON ON RADIO.] Copy you. [ENGINE STARTING.] Hey! Hey! Hey! Everybody move! Let's go! [SIREN BLARING.] Ambush! Get those kids back inside! [GUARD.] Back in. Hurry up! [TIRES SCREECHING.] [GUARD OVER RADIO.] Assistance required at the front, all units report. - Copy that. - Let's go. [SOFTLY.] Come on. Come on! Move! [GUARD 1.] Let's go, inside. Move it. Move it! Single file line. No talking. Move. Let's go. Hurry up, come on. Line it up, let's go. [GUARD 2.] Keep it moving. Keep it moving. [OFFICER 1.] This is the police department. We have the building surrounded. Get down on the ground! Get on your knees. On your knees! [INDISTINCT TALKING.] [BOTH GRUNTING.] Guys, keep moving. Keep it moving. [GUARDS.] Hey, freeze! [BLACKBIRD.] Keep it moving, guys. Go, go, go. [ALL GRUNTING.] - I say go left. - We need to go right. Left it is. Let's go. [BLACKBIRD.] Let's go, guys, quick. Come on, guys, quick, quick. Come on. [UPBEAT MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING.] [BLACKBIRD.] Guys, run! - Good thing we didn't go right. - How about you hit the lights? [CLATTERING.] [BREATHING HEAVILY.] Maybe you should take a break. I'm fine, I'm not tired. I mean a break from technology. It isn't healthy to be lost in it. I don't understand. I spent years watching people from a monitor. To live life, you need to connect with people. Take care of yourself. - Why? - It's important for your mental health. It wasn't until I got close to the people in my life that I learned why it was important for myself. They taught me what it is to be human. What if I prefer machines? TC, you need humans to have humanity. And you need humanity to be a whole person. [STOMACH RUMBLING.] [CHUCKLING.] Food helps, too. How about an Italian hoagie? - What's an Italian hoagie? - Oh, you are in for a treat. It is the best sandwich you will have ever eaten in your entire life, and I'm gonna fix you one. Okay. Right this way, kids. Thanks for following my lead. It really meant a lot to me. Oh, you didn't need me to follow to be what you already are. [CHUCKLES.] I see I made a mistake back there. A good leader acknowledges her mistakes. ["LUCKY" PLAYING.] - I'm proud of you. - Mmm. Thank you. - Aw, ain't that sweet. - Oh, shut up. Oh, yeah, it is. Bust down with the popcorn Cheap moto with some miles And a memoir Had a dream, re-emerge At the drug store Okay It's time to figure out who hired Gambi's killer. [RAPID BEEPING.] My choices breed regrets, oh Hope soon soon There's none left, oh Few folks seen me when My fingers fit the Cheerios Puffy AmiYumi on the stereo 'Posed to be maestro for Juventus [GASPING.] Please unmarked barriers plenty Few folks seen me when my fingers fit, see Money on the raps like 'Bron We TC! TC? Kid? You're unstable. But I know someone who can help. Hang in there. I love you, I love you I love you, I love you I love you, I love you I love you I love you You I get by I get through I get over I get moved Try my luck Don't try my trust I get by I get through I get over I get moved Try my luck Don't try my trust Hey, can we go now? Almost. I'm about to end this, once and for all. I see obstacles I see ways I ought to go Happy you finally called, Ms. Pierce. I'm not working with you anymore. And I'm not your weapon. You don't have a choice. Wrong answer. [BRANDON.] Whoa. That's a hologram. [GASPS.] This isn't over, young lady. [JENNIFER PANTING.] Who's that? The devil.