The Anvil Chorus | Crucible - Part III: The Last of Man's Wars

In this episode of The Anvil Chorus, S1E11, "Crucible: Part III - The Last of Man's Wars," Anvil and her chief of security, Scotland, have returned from her first assignment, a failed operation into Nigeria to keep a component vital to the creation of a deadly biological weapon out of the hands of super-villain arms dealer Pathogen, that ended in catastrophic loss of life.

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INT. RETREAT CORRIDORS - CONTINUOUS

SCOTLAND leads ANVIL through a throng of RETREAT STAFF, but when they clear the passage, they see the last thing they want to:

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DESILVA stands at the end of the hall. He signs a clipboard for an AIDE, then looks up to spot them. Scotland spins her around and tries to whisk her away, but:

DESILVA (O.C.) Hold it right there!

Scotland stops in her tracks, SIGHING as she rolls her eyes. They turn to find him stalking after them...

DESILVA (CONT’D) What did I say before you left? What did I tell you? I said one thing. I said do not screw this up. Look what you’ve done!

Anvil can’t even speak. Everyone in the hall watches quietly.

DESILVA (CONT’D) Do you have any idea how much trouble I’m in right now? The director wants my heart on a pike for this. They’re talking about congressional hearings. I could go to the Hague for this debacle! What the hell did you think you were doing out there?

SCOTLAND Mr. Director, it wasn’t Lincoln’s fault. I take full responsibility for--

DESILVA For what, Scotland? The hundreds of civilians in Makoko who are dead now? You mean that? Or do you mean the malaria outbreak that’s sweeping across Lagos? Or maybe you want to take responsibility for the fact that Pathogen not only got away, she got away with the second to last component she needs to make Devil’s Breath airborne.

DeSilva glares at Anvil, who looks as lifeless as a doll.

DESILVA (CONT’D) Why didn’t you kill her?

ANVIL (beat) I couldn’t.

DESILVA What do you mean, you couldn’t?

ANVIL I just couldn’t. (beat) I’ve never killed anyone in my life... and while you guys may be the kind of people who eat puppies for breakfast, I’m not at all sorry to say that I am not. (beat) I can’t do this if I have to take lives. You’re gonna have to find another way. I’m sorry.

DESILVA You’re sorry?

ANVIL Yes.

DESILVA Well, I’m afraid that’s not good enough. Not nearly good enough.

ANVIL Well, it’s gonna have to be.

DESILVA You told me you could do this.

ANVIL No...

DESILVA You told me you were ready.

ANVIL No, sir.

DESILVA What--

ANVIL No, I didn’t. I told you I would go. I told you I would try, but you and her and me, we all know that I did everything short of a song and dance to convince you that I. Wasn’t. Ready!

DESILVA (beat) Oh. You’re gonna put this on us now?

ANVIL It doesn’t matter who I --

DESILVA These people are murderers. They show no remorse, and they feel no regret. They deserve neither our mercy nor our understanding. You can’t rehabilitate them. They’re not going to “get better.” They don’t care who they hurt, so we have to end them, and every time you encounter one of them and fail to do just that, that death toll rises. I’m not talking about the innocent. I’m talking about you. It’s a game of Russian Roulette. Do you get that? Every time you don’t take one of these guys out only increases the chances they’re gonna get you the next time your paths cross. You cannot give them that chance. You have to take responsibility for this.

ANVIL Take responsibility for -- People are no longer alive because of what happened over there, and you’re worried about who’s gonna take the fall? You know what? Fine. I did it. I killed them. Send me to Holland, or to Leavenworth, or wherever the hell you want to send me, DeSilva, but I’m done. This is over.

Anvil turns on her heel and starts to walk off.

DESILVA Don’t you walk away from me!

Anvil disappears through a stairwell door at the end of the hall, and DeSilva looks to Scotland, narrowing his eyes.

DESILVA (CONT’D) You have one hour to fix this.

And with that, DeSilva exits. Scotland SIGHS, and we HOLD on her standing still against the flow of foot traffic in the corridor before we

FADE TO TITLE:

To Be Continued

FADE TO BLACK.