District X, Manhattan, 8:13 p.m.:
Bobby sees an apparition of a police officer with blood trickling from his mouth (Kiden’s dead father). The apparition is standing just behind his little brothers’ chair. Bobby gets a good look at the right side. He frantically asks who the apparition is and tells it to get away from his little brother.
The apparition assures Bobby that he is not here to hurt anyone. Bobby is shocked and demands to know how the apparition knew his name. The apparition goes on to tell him he has done some very bad things on this day. Bobby still claims that he has no idea what the police officer is talking about.
Kiden’s father urges him to think harder and claims that four young ladies are in danger because of his actions. Bobbie’s right hand goes to his forehead and he slumps over as he suddenly remembers Zebra Daddy and the three ladies. Only now is he told there are four involved.
Bobby looks at the police officer helplessly and wonders aloud what he can do about it right now. Kiden’s father assures him that he does know what he can do about the situation he has helped to create. Bobby points out to the apparition that he can’t leave his little brother here by himself. The officer tells him that’s a chance he will have to take and asks the little brother for agreement.
The Flatiron District, 8:19 p.m.:
Zebra Daddy is sitting at a desk snorting white lines as the other brothers he has called here arrive. Ad they gather, he stands and says he was beginning to think they weren’t coming. He tells them that he is sure they know what they are working for but he wants them to know who they are working for as well. Zebra Daddy assures them that this meeting isn’t just about money or his own pride. He claims that it’s about the way they each live their lives. He tells them it’s about some low life female that thought she could run out on him and give the other girls ideas of doing the same. They all agree that this is bad. He tells them this action means war and they agree with him on that.
The Bronx, 8:23 p.m.:
The girls and Cameron Palmer are relaxing in an alley. Kiden is sitting on some cardboard boxes with a notebook, writing things down. X-23 and Cameron are observing their surroundings while Tatiana reasons out what has happened to her. She suddenly comes to the conclusion that she gets her powers from the blood of animals. She asks the rest of the group if she is the only one who sees the irony in this strange twist of fate. She suddenly chokes and says she wants to wash the blood off and go home. She bends over, covers her mouth with her right hand and walks away from the group.
Cameron walks over to Kiden and says she just wants to apologize. Cameron claims that she has not been right in her head since all the shooting started. Kiden assures her that an apology is not necessary. Cameron insists on apologizing and says that all the things that have happened have helped to clear the deadwood out of her life. Kiden tells her she doesn’t understand. Cameron asks if she ever told Kiden about her husband, Frank. Kiden shakes her head in reply. Cameron says that he ran out on her after the accident because she had changed. Cameron claims that she spent time in limbo like Kiden and just needed someone to wake her up.
District X :
The ghostly police officer bends over the child in the chair and asks him what he has to say to his big brother over here?
The Bronx:
Kiden apologizes to Cameron for messing things up so bad. She claims she is lost. The visions make her feel lost now.
The Flatiron District:
Zebra Daddy arms his minions. He assigns them into two groups. He instructs Diesel to lead Team A and Gutierrez to lead Team B. He tells them to get out there and bring the girl back.
District X :
The little boy on the chair opens his eye and looks directly at his older brother, Bobby. Bobby is astonished and asks the apparition how?
The Bronx:
Kiden tells Cameron that she really does feel lost. She has no idea what to do next. She says that she thought there was a purpose to all of this. Cameron interrupts her and says they should head back to her apartment to get her credit cards and some money she left in a coffee can. Kiden asks her if she is crazy after all and claims that this is the worst thing they could do. Kiden tells her that the bad guys are probably still waiting there to kill them. She blames all of this on the visions.
The Flatiron District:
Zebra Daddy instructs Team B to hit the streets and ask everybody if they have seen the girl he is after. They begin asking the street people in the area.
District X :
Bobby sits in shock as he voices aloud that his little brother just moved. The apparition reminds him to do the right thing and then vanishes. Bobby asks his little brother where the man went and then tells his sibling that he has to go somewhere and he will be right back.
The Bronx:
Kiden stops her protest in mid sentence as she sees her father’s image suddenly appear behind Cameron. Kiden tells Cameron that they must go to her apartment right away. Cameron responds with a confused look.
The Flatiron District:
Team B hits the streets and does not take no for an answer as Zebra Daddy has instructed them to do. Zebra Daddy call’s Team A and they report that they are at the teacher apartment where they were instructed to go.
Manhattan, 9:40 pm:
Tatiana asks Cameron why they are going to her apartment when Kiden didn’t think this was a good idea. Cameron tells her that Kiden had a vision and changed her mind. Tatiana replies “One of her visions?” Cameron tells Tatiana that she is now a believer in Kiden’s visions and she trusts Kiden. Besides, she wants to see this situation through. Tatiana asks Cameron exactly what situation she is going to see through. Cameron tells her that if she has a problem than she might get back on the train and go home to her mother.
Tatiana hugs herself as she remembers being bit by the cat and changing and her mother yelling at her to get out. She looks at the ground and says she can’t just go home. Cameron advises her to follow Kiden like she does and not to say anything. Tatiana looks for Kiden and asks Cameron where she went. They look around and see Kiden standing at a mail box. Cameron asks her what she is doing but Kiden only replies that she thought she saw someone she recognized.
Essex Street, Alphabet City, 9:44 pm:
The twins are playing happily in the living room while Kiden’s mother talks on the phone in the background. She is trying to explain to the moving company that she needs the moving men in two days and not on Tuesday like they want. Irritated, she asks the person on the phone if anyone at their office actually speaks English.
Ty picks this particular time to come in the front door like nothings happened, but the huge black eye on his face tells a far different story. His mother reacts with shock and he reminds her to watch her language in front of the kids. Ty attempts to tell her that he has some important information about Kiden but she asks him to hold that thought while she tells the moving company not to give her any attitude and to get someone on the phone who is capable of writing down the right information.
The twins are still busy accusing each other of having cooties. She agrees with the moving company that they will be here in two days and tells them they should have the signed contract. After making sure the arrangement is made, she tells them she needs to go, says goodbye and hangs up as the new man in her life walks in the door. She tells him how glad she is to see him. The stress from moving and dealing with the twins shows plainly on her face and he asks her if she has had a long day.
As one twin informs her that Danny has hit his head against the sink, she lays her head on his shoulder and states that it will be nice to have more room for the boys. He asks her what is wrong and exasperatedly she tells him he already knows what is wrong. She tells him she can’t believe they are leaving without her little girl, Kiden.
He tells her he understands how she feels and reminds her that even the police have failed to find Kiden. She says that she understands all that but it doesn’t change how she feels. He attempts to assure her that they will never stop looking for Kiden. He tells her that if Kiden is alive she will find them before they find her. She expresses doubt about Kiden finding them and questions the move altogether. He reminds her that she needs to do the right thing for the kids that she lives with and moving to a better neighborhood would be a good thing. He reminds her that Ty is now a drug dealer at his young age.
Suddenly she remembers that Ty had something he wanted to tell her. She turns her attention to him and notices he has put a cold steak over his injured eye. He flashes back to how the eye was injured and claims that there is nothing he needs to tell her.
238 E 25th Street, 9:52 pm:
Diesel is perched on a rooftop talking to Zebra Daddy over the walkie talkie. Diesel claims that he has something from his location. He says he sees four girls headed this way. Zebra Daddy asks if his boo is there and Diesel replies yes. Zebra Daddy gives Diesel orders to not do anything till he gets there. Then he calls for Team B and asks where they are at.
Gutierrez assures his leader he is taking care of business. It is evident he has just finished knifing someone. Zebra tells him that his business can wait and he needs to get his team on the East side with Team A. The reply is “will do.” And Zebra tells him he is a good man. Zebra Daddy proceeds to do coke lines before he leaves to take care of business himself.
Meanwhile, on the street below, Cameron positions Kiden and Tatiana behind some boxes in an alleyway. She tells them to wait here in case there is any trouble. This way they can call the cops and get out before they become involved. Tatiana asks her what she will do and she assures them she will think of something. Cameron points to a window on the second floor and tells them that is her kitchen window and to watch for her to turn the light on. That will be her signal that everything is ok. She tells them not to move from behind the pile of garbage and girls agree with her. The girls watch Cameron disappear in the crown on the street as she heads for her apartment.
Diesel reports to Zebra Daddy that the oldest girl is heading toward the building. He speculates that this is the teacher. Zebra Daddy tells him to move as he knows what to do and assures Diesel he will be on the scene in two minutes flat.
Cautiously, Cameron enters the building and begins her climb up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. She approaches her door, gently removes the crime scene tape placed there by the police and enters. She stops and listens to her empty apartment but does not hear anything out of the ordinary. She goes to her bedroom and gets her money and credit cards from her wallet stashed in her dresser. She head s into the kitchen and opens a can of food. She is about to turn the light on when a hand intercepts hers and one arm goes around her throat while the other is clamped tight over her mouth. A man’s threatening voice tells her “not a word”; she doesn’t even get the chance to scream.
Below in the alleyway, Kiden tells Tatiana that she is getting anxious and is reminded that it has only been a minute and a half since Cameron left them. Roles are reversed as it is now Tatiana who tells Kiden to relax. Kiden impatiently stands up and tells her friend she can feel that something is wrong.
Suddenly, a familiar voice tells her that this is a set up. She looks up to see the apparition of her father and he tells her to run from this right now before any more time goes by. She asks him about Cameron and her tells her that its to late for her now. He reminds her that it has always been too late for her. He tells her that the young man with him is going to lead her to safety and he is her only way out. Bobby and Kiden exchange glances of disbelief.
Tatiana asks X-23 who Kiden is talking too as she sees no-one there. Kiden’s father insists it’s the only way despite her protests. Her father is begging her to do as he says when all the girls hear Cameron’s anguished screams from the apartment. Before they can react Kiden finds herself face to face with Gutierrez and his Team B.
Zebra Daddy’s car hurtles into the alleyway in a shower of cardboard boxes. Zebra Daddy exits the car and asks Felon what he is doing at this scene. Kiden reacts with a shocked look when she sees they clearly know each other. Felon asks Zebra Daddy what this is all about since he was promised that no one would get hurt. Zebra Daddy tosses this questions aside with a whatever comment and tells his boys to get what they came here for.
Diesel is holding a gun to X-23’s head and Zebra Daddy tells him to put it down. He hold out his hand towards X-23 and tells her how much he has missed her. She goes to him and puts her head on his shoulder. As they walk to the car, he tosses the words “waste ’em” over his shoulder. He turns his attention back to X-23 in the belief he is safe.
However, X-23 has other ideas and she does what she does best after unsheathing her weapons. Before Diesel can react he sees Zebra Daddy cut to ribbons in front of him. He only has time to utter an astonished “Daddy!” before the young woman gets to work on him and the rest of the boys present in the alleyway.
Tatiana hugs the building for safety and Kiden cowers as she is splattered with blood. However, one young man remains standing and he takes aim at X-23. Kiden springs at him. She hits him upside the head and warns him to leave X-23 alone. He lowers his weapon and cradles his blood dripping head in tears.
Felon looks at the gang member holding a gun on him in the eye and takes complete possession of his body as his own slumps to the ground. He aims at the young man holding his head and shoots point blank. The gun recoil knocks his possessed body out leaving him free to return to his own body. Once in his own body he looks around and realizes he has no idea who he is.
Cameron and Tatiana are looking at the carnage around them as they realize they still hear screams and men’s shouts from the kitchen window. As Kiden calls Mrs. Palmers name a change comes over Tatiana. She now calls herself Cataina. She heads for the apartment.
Behind a parked truck, Zebra Daddy is still alive but injured. One of his boys finds him sitting on the ground and asks him if he is ok. He tells his boy to shut up and grabs the gun he is holding. One of the other men asks if that is his boo and points to X-23. The girl unsheathes her claws and goes into action before Zebra Daddy can even reply. Blood flies everywhere as she cuts them to ribbons.
Cameron is fighting for her life with the man in her apartment. She even gets lucky and knocks the weapon from his hand. They get closer to the window as they struggle.
Cataina is slowly making her way up the outside of the building by digging her clays in between the bricks. Suddenly, Cameron falls through the window and Cataina is quick to catch her before she falls to the ground. Cameron apologizes for her yelling at her earlier in the day.
In the alley below, Zebra Daddy grabs a gun, aims it at X-23s’ head and yells “enough” at the top of his lungs. He tells her it has been fun and this is a nice ending. This is just like the legend of Romeo and Juliet. He tells her he loves her and the states “welcome to my legend” as he pulls the trigger. Blood sprays everywhere and X-23 falls to the ground.
Kiden looks on in horror and yells “NOOOOOOOOOO!” She flashes back to the fateful day when her life changed forever. The day her father was shot.
Cataina loses her grip on Cameron, who then makes her final plunge to the alleyway below.
Kiden suddenly remembers the face in the car that drove away and left her father in the street to die. She knows beyond a shadow of a doubt she has just seen that face shoot one of her closest friends. She yells stop and the world around her explodes in a rainbow of color as she slips in between the seconds on the second hand of a clock. She is now in the between time where none of the others can follow or see her.
All she sees is Zebra Daddy’s grinning face. She approaches him and tells him she knows it was him. She welcomes him to the “no” time where she is the only monster, or the boss. She draws back her fist to hit him as hard as she can and flashes back to when she broke Hector’s arm; then to when Ms. Palmer was shot. She tells him that a few days ago she had a home. Now, she blames him for the life she has because it all changed the day he shot her father in front of her.
Suddenly she notices Ms. Palmer frozen in mid-fall. As she places a mattress beneath the falling frozen Mrs. Palmer, she realizes she has bought into his fantasy of controlling others.
Without warning reality slips back to current speed and Mrs. Palmer finishes her fall. Kiden looks over at her on the ground and says “hey”. Ms. Palmer returns a shocked and dazed look at Kiden. Ms. Palmer had expected to be splattered all over the alley upon landing.
Zebra Daddy takes a minute to relocate his target and sticks the gun in her face. He tells her can’t have any witnesses. He never hears another girl come up behind him. He only knows she is there as she runs him through with her claws. Zebra Daddy falls to the ground dead in front of Kiden.
The sound of sirens ring through the night in the city. The girls realize it’s the cops. Ms. Palmer tells them this is the end of the road. Tatiana asks what they should do. A young black man picks himself up off the ground of the alley and tells them his name is Bobby Soul and he lives on Mulberry Street in District X. He holds his hand out to them and assures them that if they come with him they will be safe. Tatiana asks him why he should be trusted; after all, it was clear that Zebra Daddy knew him.
Ms. Palmer tells the group they don’t have much of a choice as the cops will be here any second. Kiden assures then there is always a choice. She gazes into his face and asks him if they really can trust him. After a few seconds of exchanging a glance he assures them they can and Kiden says Okay. She takes his hand and reminds him not to let them down. He says he won’t. Ms. Palmer announces that they are going with Bobby. Tatiana expresses doubts about this decision but is finally talked into going along. Secretly, Kiden tells Ms. Palmer that her contingency plan (in case this doesn’t work out) concerns the New York Post Office.
The girls walk off into the night with Bobby leading them back to his apartment that he shares with only his little brother. He assures them they will all be safe there until they can figure out what is going on.
Meanwhile at Bobby’s apartment, a hand turns off the X men cartoon on television and a bloody ghost assures the young child sitting at the table that everything will be over real soon. As Kiden’s father fades out tears fall down the child’s face.
Epilogue: Essex Street, Two Days Later:
A moving van is parked in front of a house and men are loading it. A green station wagon parked nearby has its luggage rack loaded down and tied down as if ready for a long trip. A man and Kiden’s mom are in the front seat. Twin boys play in the next seat and Ty is crowded in the third seat with boxes. The twins ask the famous question “Are we there yet?” The man asks her if she is ok and she says yes. As they drive off none of them notice the postman running behind the station wagon and waving a letter. The postman finally gives up the chase and stands there in the middle of the road looking at the letter which is from Kiden.
