MAPLE VALLEY – NIGHT
The city glows under soft neon and warm amber streetlights.
Students spill out of cafés near Westridge University, laughing and shoving each other playfully.
Church bells from St. Renwick toll softly in the background.
A tram glides overhead with a low hum.
Everything looks peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
Over the skyline, toward a lonely rooftop where JAXON STEEL stands, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket, eyes fixed on the city below.
He's thinking.
But he doesn't show it in brooding silence — he keeps shifting, pacing a bit, restless energy buzzing through him.
[Agent Steel]:(muttering to himself)
A city this clean doesn't produce killers this precise.
Someone's feeding them… guiding them.
He taps his earpiece — nothing.
Madison's channel is still dead.
He exhales, annoyed.
MAPLE VALLEY PRECINCT — WAR ROOM — LATER
Detective KENSINGTON projects a holographic board of victims, locations, timestamps.
[KENSINGTON] :We're missing something.
Patterns usually reveal themselves…
This one's hiding.
Steel steps in, adjusting his jacket.
[Agent Steel]:Not hiding. Evolving.
Patterns shift when someone higher is calling the shots.
Kensington raises an eyebrow.
[KENSINGTON]:Higher? Like organized crime?
Steel hesitates — carefully choosing words, not wanting to reveal Ghost Serpent without evidence.
[Agent Steel]:Let's say… something with organization.
But zero footprint.
Kensington scoffs.
[KENSINGTON]:Zero footprint doesn't exist.
[Agent Steel]:It does. You just haven't caught it yet.
He leans forward, examining the map. His finger traces the attack sites.
[Agent Steel]:These spots form a curve.
Not random. Not straight.A curve. Like—
He stops himself.
A serpent.
But he doesn't say it.
[KENSINGTON]:Like what?
[Agent Steel]:Like someone's circling something.
Testing defenses. Watching who responds.
Kensington nods slowly, absorbing the logic.
---
INN COMMUNICATION HUB — SAME TIME
Low lighting. Soft mechanical hums.
Dr. ROMER sits alone, watching data streams from the Maple Valley investigation.
He notices something odd: surveillance distortions repeating in a rhythmic pattern.
Like a pulse.
He frowns, adjusting controls.
[ROMER] (to himself):Why would city cams sync like that…?
Before he can dig deeper —
The lights flicker.
A shadow moves past his glass wall.
Romer freezes.
[ROMER]:…hello?
Silence.
He swallows nervously and keeps analyzing.
---
MAPLE VALLEY STREETS – MIDNIGHT PATROL
Steel moves past late-night eateries, parks, and tram stations.
He observes people — relaxed, happy, unaware of any danger.
He scribbles notes in a pocket pad — a quirky habit, but it helps him think.
[Agent Steel] (to himself):Everyone moves like the city is predictable.Routine. Safe.
That's exactly when predators blend in best.
He crosses near the university district, where two night students rush past him laughing.
[Kevin](dramatically) :Bro, I swear Westridge ghosts are real!
[Mathew]:Shut up, you just failed chemistry.
Steel smirks but keeps walking.
---
ALLEY BEHIND UNIVERSITY —
A rustle.
A shadow flits behind a dumpster.
Steel's instincts kick instantly.
He moves — fast, smooth — pulling out his sidearm.
[Agent Steel]:Alright, buddy. If you're a raccoon, scratch twice.
Silence.
He inches forward.
Suddenly — a HOMELESS MAN stumbles out, scared and shaking.
[MAN] :D-don't shoot! I heard something back there, I—I just hid!
Steel lowers his weapon.
[Agent Steel]:Okay, okay.Take a breath.
What did you hear?
[MAN]:Mechanical… like metal scraping.
And a hiss.
Like something breathing.
Steel's eyes sharpen.
[Agent Steel]:(pointed)A hiss?
The man nods, terrified.
Steel backs away slowly.
[Agent Steel]:Get somewhere safe. Now.
The man runs.
Steel turns into the alley, weapon raised—
But nothing.
Just silence.
Then he sees it:
A tiny bio-synthetic scale, barely visible, stuck on a brick wall.
He touches it with tweezers.
It pulses faintly.
---
MAPLE VALLEY OVERLOOK — MOMENTS LATER
Steel stands alone, the scale sealed in a bag.
He stares at it.
Long. Hard.
[Agent Steel]:(quietly)Whoever you are…you're not just killing.
You're scouting.
He pockets the evidence and turns toward the night skyline.
---
STEEL'S PHONE — INCOMING CALL
His phone buzzes.
[Dr. Susan Thomas]:(gentle, warm)Jaxon? It's late.You haven't checked in.
Steel sighs, leaning against a railing.
[Agent Steel]:Yeah, sorry. Maple Valley keeps throwing curveballs.
I think I found something… something strange.
[Dr. Susan Thomas]:Worried Strange how?
Steel hesitates — he likes her.
He doesn't want to drag her into danger.
[Agent Steel]:I'll tell you once I'm sure.
No point scaring you with half-answers.
There's a warm silence.
[Dr. Susan Thomas]:Just… be careful, Jaxon.
[Agent Steel]:I'll try.You know I'm bad at that.
They share a small, friendly laugh.
Call ends.
Steel turns toward the city.
The wind shifts.
And for a brief second…
A faint serpentine shimmer reflects in a distant window.
Watching him.
INN HQ – OPERATIONS FLOOR – LATE NIGHT
The automated doors slide open.
JAXON STEEL walks in — shoulders tense, eyes red, a restless exhaustion wrapped around him. His jacket is still damp from Maple Valley's night air.
The INN floor is unusually quiet.
Only two people remain:
DR. SUSAN THOMAS, reviewing data on her holo-tablet.
DR. ROMER, tinkering with a diagnostic panel.
They look up when Jaxon enters.
--
[Dr. Susan Thomas]:(soft, surprised)Jaxon… you're still awake?
Steel gives a crooked half-smile — the kind he uses to hide how drained he really is.
[Agent Steel]:"Still"?I think the real miracle is that I haven't face-planted on the floor yet.
Romer glances at him, genuinely concerned.
[ROMER]:You haven't slept in… what, thirty hours? Maybe more?
[Agent Steel]:Closer to forty.(nods tiredly)And my brain just filed for bankruptcy.
Susan steps closer, worry slipping into her tone.
[Dr. Susan Thomas]:You need rest, Jaxon.
Not the heroic kind… the actual, human kind.
Steel sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.
[Agent Steel]:Yeah… I'm taking a break for a few hours.Your doctor-voice wins.
Both Susan and Romer exchange relieved looks.
---
As Steel turns to leave—
He pauses.
[Agent Steel]:Oh — one more thing.
Where's Madison?I tried reaching out. No response.
Silence.
Long. Heavy.
Susan shifts her eyes away.
Romer quickly taps something on his tablet.
Neither meets his gaze.
Steel narrows his eyes, sensing the dodge.
[Agent Steel]:(confused)Guys…?
Romer forces a quick answer.
[ROMER]:She's… uh… out.Field assignment.
Classified.
[Agent Steel]:Classified for me?
Susan forces a soft smile — too soft.
[Dr.Susan Thomas]:It's temporary, Jaxon.
She'll check in when she can.
Steel studies them — both acting mechanically polite, but their eyes are hiding something.
Something big.
He nods slowly.
Agent Steel]Right.Classified.Of course.
But the doubt stays in his eyes.
---
JAXON'S APARTMENT – NIGHT
The door clicks open.
Jaxon steps inside his dim apartment — minimalist, clean, but with signs of a life lived half in the field, half in constant motion.
He tosses his jacket over a chair and leans against the wall, exhaling deeply.
The silence hits him harder than the fatigue.
His gaze shifts to the only framed photo in the room —
hanging above a small shelf:
Dr. ELIRA CROSS, his mother.
Her smile warm.
Eyes kind.
Hair tied back in her lab-coat photo.
He walks over, fingertips brushing the edge of the frame.
The hardened agent slips away.
The confident rookie fades.
And what remains is just a son.
[Agent Steel]:(voice barely above a whisper)
Mom…
It's been one of those days again.
He forces a tired grin, but it trembles.
[Agent Steel]:If you were here…
maybe I'd know what the hell I'm doing.
His throat tightens.
ST[Agent Steel]:I could really use one of your "everything will be fine" speeches.
Even the cheesy ones.
Especially the cheesy ones.
He exhales shakily.
[Agent Steel]:Everyone's hiding something.
Madison's gone.
The city's crawling with threats I can't see.
And I'm…
(wets his lips)
I'm trying, Mom. I swear I'm trying.
He looks at her picture — and his voice softens.
[Agent Steel]:You'd probably tell me to sleep.
Then smack me with a pillow if I didn't.
A broken chuckle escapes him.
He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, tries to pull himself together.
[Agent Steel]:I'll figure it out.You raised me to.
Right?
He looks at her one last time.
Then:
[Agent Steel]:Goodnight, Mom.
He turns off the light.
The room fades to black —
except for the faint glow of the city through the window…
and the silhouette of the photo shining softly in the darkness.
TO BE CONTINUED...