Catwoman Page #13

Season #1 Episode #2

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EDNA:

The temple of the Catgod, Bast. A Persian armydestroyed it in the fifth century BC.

EDNA's tone is sad, as if this memory were fresh and painful.

EDNA:

Legend has it that the priestesses became the first

catwomen. The cats they'd worshipped --Midnight's

ancestors --each gave up one of its nine lives tobring them back from the dead.

ON A BOOK, images of MEDIEVAL WITCHES with their cats.

EDNA:

In the middle ages, cats and catwomen were regardedas evil. Nonsense, of course, witches were justsingle, independent women who broke society'srules.

EDNA passes Patience -

A BLACK AND WHITE print-out of a blurry SURVEILLANCE SHOT ofSELENA KYLE, as seen in "Batman Returns."

EDNA:

There were reports of a catwoman a while back onthe East Coast --like many, she turned to a lifeof crime --but apparently she's disappeared ordied.

(CONTINUED)

56.

CONTINUED:

PATIENCE studies the photo.

PATIENCE:

How many have there been?

EDNA:

No one can be sure. I've found references

scattered through history, but catwomen tend tolead solitary, secretive lives. Hard to blame

them, it seems most were murder victims.

PATIENCE has heard enough. She rises, freaked out.

PATIENCE:

I was murdered? Why would anybody kill me? No, I

never did anything to... I don't want to break the

rules!

She moves out of the room, Edna follows.

INT. EDNA'S HOME -LIVING ROOM -DAY

PATIENCE paces, EDNA looks on sympathetically.

PATIENCE:

She's like some demon, possessing me in the night,

but --but I can keep it under control during theday -

EDNA:

Well, cats do sleep most of the day -

PATIENCE:

When she takes over --it's like, she just doeswhatever she feels like, she doesn't care what

people think -

EDNA:

Is that so bad?

PATIENCE:

You don't understand --I'm afraid she's going tohurt someone --or get me killed. Again.

PATIENCE is near tears. EDNA puts her arms around her.

(CONTINUED)

57.

CONTINUED:

PATIENCE:

There's got to be a way to make it stop. Some kind

of, I don't know, garlic or wolfsbane orsomething...

EDNA:

(thinking)

A domestic cat can return to its natural state

effortlessly. But once a cat's gone feral, it cannever be tamed.

PATIENCE:

Okay... that isn't helping.

EDNA pulls back, looks Patience in the eye.

EDNA:

Relax a little, learn to live with your inner cat.

Even love her --she has many admirable qualities

--integrate her into your life. If you accept thedarker impulses, try to channel them --maybeshe'll come to be domesticated -

PATIENCE:

No. I'm going to fight her. I'm stronger than sheis -

EDNA:

But you're only fighting yourself -

PATIENCE:

--and I'm going to win.

Patience heads out the door. Edna shakes her head; Patience

isn't getting it.

EXT. JEWELRY STORE -DAY

POLICE TAPE across the entrance to the storefront. PATIENCE

approaches warily, looking around to make sure no one'swatching, nervous as hell. She sees an elderly JEWELER and aUNIFORM COP through the window.

Patience withdraws a PAPER BAG from under her coat. She

drops this beyond the police tape, KNOCKS on the door andRUNS. THE JEWELER comes out, looks down on the ground. He

picks up the bag --and sees the word "SORRY!" written on the

paper. Opening the bag, he finds -

THE DIAMONDS AND JEWELS that Catwoman stole.

58.

EXT. PATIENCE'S BUILDING -ALLEY -DAY

PATIENCE comes out of a back door of her building with aGARBAGE BAG, still looking around nervously, moving towardthe dumpster in the alley. She tosses in the bag -

ANGLE IN DUMPSTER, the BAG spills open to reveal pieces ofthe CATWOMAN OUTFIT.

PATIENCE moves back for the door -

LONE (O.S.)

We've got to stop meeting like this.

She spins to see TOM LONE approaching from his sedan, parkedin a LOT off the alley. PATIENCE is wary of him now, but heseems casual, smiling. She glances at the dumpsteranxiously, he follows her sight-line, snooping as always.

LONE:

Doing some spring cleaning?

PATIENCE:

Emptying the catbox, actually.

LONE quickly takes a step back from the dumpster.

LONE:

So --that was a... surprising message you left for

me.

PATIENCE:

(embarrassed)

Oh, well, uh --musta been my cold medicationtalking.

She sniffles and coughs unconvincingly.

LONE:

Well anyway, if you still wanted to get together -maybe

we could get a bite to eat Friday night?

PATIENCE pretends to think it over.

PATIENCE:

Yeah, maybe...

INT. PATIENCE'S APARTMENT -DAY

PATIENCE dances with MIDNIGHT, overcome with joy. She holds

the cat at arm's length, sings a TUNE of her own making:

(CONTINUED)

59.

CONTINUED:

PATIENCE:

Tom Lone, Tom Lone, I called him on the phone -now

I won't be alone -

THE CAT isn't enjoying this, squeals and squirms free.

Patience's smile fades a tick.

PATIENCE:

It was Catwoman who made the call. What's he ever

gonna see in me?

MIDNIGHT has turned his butt to her, tail TWITCHING angrily.

PATIENCE glances OUT THE WINDOW to glimpse -

LONE, who's just entering his apartment. PATIENCE quicklyCLOSES THE BLINDS.

CUT TO:

INT. AVENAL HQ -SHOWROOM -DAY

THE DOOR OPENS and PATIENCE enters. She keeps her head down,

not wanting to be noticed. SALLY spots her, follows herthrough the showroom toward the elevators.

SALLY:

Patience, what are you doing here?

PATIENCE:

Just came by to clean out my desk.

SALLY:

(studying her)

Hm. Did you dye -

PATIENCE:

(alarmed)

What?

SALLY:

--your hair. You look different somehow. Cooler.

Patience shakes her head, uneasy.

SALLY:

Are you going to the funeral?

(peering at her)

I know, tinted contacts.

(CONTINUED)

60.

CONTINUED:

PATIENCE:

(shakes her head)

What funeral?

SALLY:

You didn't know? Dave Berger, your boss --his

whole place blew up, gas explosion, the night yougot fired.

PATIENCE:

(reeling)

Oh my God.

SALLY:

Yeah, life's short, huh.

(snaps her fingers)

The hottie neighbor! That glow, you're gettingsome, aren't you?

Patience reaches the door to the elevators, waves Sally offand vanishes. Sally grins, figuring she's got it right.

INT. AVENAL HQ -ACCOUNTING BULLPEN -DAY

A GARFIELD TOY lands atop XEROXED CARTOONS and personalPAPERS in a CARDBOARD BOX.

PATIENCE is cleaning out her cubicle in the office. Noticinga flashing LIGHT on her phone, she hits a MESSAGE BUTTON andpicks up the receiver.

BERGER (V.O.)

(filter)

Patience, it's Dave...

She winces at this voice from the grave, casts a sad glancetoward his empty office.

BERGER (V.O.)

I called the CEO about your YP-3

numbers --Avenal went ballistic.

I'll have to redo the spreadsheets,

you must've screwed up somewhere.

PATIENCE:

(a whisper)

Like hell.

COMPUTER VOICE (V.O.)

End of final message.

(CONTINUED)

61.

CONTINUED:

Patience absorbs this a moment, then sits down and TURNS ON

her COMPUTER with a PING.

ON PATIENCE'S COMPUTER SCREEN --the words, "YP-3 PROJECT,"

text and the names of a few PEOPLE in charge.

PATIENCE leans forward, reading quickly, quietly to herself.

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