Mr. Sandman (13 page)

 

Lullaby is swooping toward Catnap. Catnap raises her hands, preparing to zap the girl unconscious for a split second, but Lullaby is also preparing to fight. Her eyes glow bright red, and her body is surrounded with a brilliant yellow aura.

 

Lullaby: No you won't, lady! I don't know who you think you're pushin' around here...

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 5

 

Lullaby: But you got more than you bargained for with Lullaby!

 

She frowns, concentrating hard, and twin yellow beams of energy shoot from her forehead.

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 6

 

Catnap hovers in the sky as the beams race toward her. As they approach her, they become more bulbous in front, like comets; they are congealing into dream creatures made by Lullaby. Lullaby has a tiny fraction of the same power possessed by the Dream Lord, and can shape the energies of the Dream Zone into whatever she wants -- on a much smaller scale than the Dream Lord can.

 

Catnap gestures frantically at Lullaby, her hand glowing as she tries to use her power to inflict a brief and sudden sleep.

 

Catnap: What the hell is wrong here? I'm hitting you with my full force, and...you're still awake!

 

Lullaby: Girl, you are pretty
thick
, aren't you? Must be, to have a boyfriend like
that
hippo!

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 7

 

Closeup of the energy beams as they darken and congeal and begin to form two shapes.

 

Lullaby: I
told
you I'm Lullaby! You can't put
me
under, 'cause I'm
already
coppin' z's! I can still mess
you
up, though...

 

 

 

Page 8 panel 8

 

Lullaby: ...'cause you're in
my dream
! My little buddies will take care of you now!

 

The beams are becoming two cartoon blackbirds, with huge beaks and exaggerated features, which look like Heckle and Jeckle, the old Terrytoon characters.

 

 

 

 

Page 9 (9
panels)

 

Page 9 panel 1

 

Lullaby (off-panel): Meet Jerry and Barry! They just
love
smart-mouthed broads like you!

 

The two cartoon birds dive at Catnap and attack her, hammering her with their beaks.

 

Terry: Well
hel
-lo! I do believe we've found a new playmate, Barry old chap!

 

Barry: Delightful! She's just what the doctor ordered! Plump and juicy and ready for the rotisserie!

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 2

 

Jerry: I know! Let's play 'Pin the tail on the donkey'! You do the honors, why not!

 

Barry (holding a long, sharp pin behind Catnap, poised to stick her with it): Sounds like a marvelous idea, old bean! A one, and a two, and...

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 3

 

Barry & Jerry: A
three
!!

 

Barry rams the sharp pin into Catnap's bun, and she leaps up and screams with agony like some cartoon victim of Woody Woodpecker.

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 4

 

Jerry: Oh, that
was
a ball! She's
so
much fun! But what shall we partake of next?

 

Barry: I know!

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 5

 

The two cartoon birds stalk toward Catnap, looking fiendish.

 

Barry: Blind Man's Bluff.

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 6

 

Lullaby flies over to the spot where Dream Lord is being asphyxiated by Hangover.

 

Lullaby: Dream Lord! You've got to break away from that ape! Hurry up, the rest of the Night Brigade is attacking!

 

Hangover: Yeah, Dream Lord -- hurry up and break away from me! Go ahead, do it! What's the matter? Don't you feel good, you weasel?

 

Dream Lord (Hangover's hand still clamped over his face): Nnnnggghh!

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 7

 

Lullaby: Hey, Smelly!

 

Again using her meager matter-shaping powers, she creates a bucket of water in the air over the fat man's head.

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 8

 

Lullaby: Why don't you take a
bath
? That B.O. is melting my fingernail polish!

 

She gestures, and the bucket of water dumps onto Hangover, who bellows with rage.

 

 

 

Page 9 panel 9

 

Dream Lord: Get...
away
!!!

 

Distracted by Lullaby's tricks, Hangover releases his attack on the Dream Lord's mind. The Dream Lord takes advantage of the short respite and bursts away from Hangover with a flare of surging energy.

 

Lullaby: Yes!! Ladies and gentlemen, this guy is incredible! The crowd is going wild! (She imitates a sports announcer.)

 

 

 

 

Page 10 (6
panels)

 

Page 10 panel 1

 

Narrator (vet): Mike, I know everybody says this about their dreams, but it was so
real
! It was like I was back there all over again, running through the damn jungle...ready to shoot something, anything, before it shot
me
. I felt my heart pounding like charges, I felt the heat sticking to everything like blood. I couldn't stop to wonder how I'd ended up there again...I just had to run.

 

Narrator (Farley): Not bad. Dr. Adams actually managed to repel two operatives, with some help from that girl. I can see how the man survived by himself in an alien universe for two years. With a little finessing, he may yet be salvaged as part of Project Dream Lord. Lucas, order Stoltz to send in the second wave.

 

Medium shot of the Dream Lord and Lullaby fleeing from two more Brigade members. The fugitives are flying as fast as they can through banks of clouds.

 

Dream Lord: Stacy...thanks for the assist. If you save my life again, I'll have to hire you as a bodyguard.

 

Lullaby: Too late, buster...I've already taken the job. Just remember, I don't make coffee and I don't do windows.

 

 

 

Page 10 panel 2

 

Dream Lord: I still wish you would get out of here, before one of them really hurts you.

 

Lullaby: Forget
that
! Huh-uh, Dream Lord! I made an investment in you, and I am
not
gonna let your stock market
crash
!

 

 

 

Page 10 panel 3

 

Narrator (vet): The 'Cong soldiers kept coming at us, one after another. If we shot one down or escaped in the jungle, two more would come at us from the brush.

 

Narrator (Farley): Adams looks tired. I don't think he'll last much longer, especially after the rest of the group makes contact.

 

Symbol (swooping toward the Dream Lord and Lullaby): Dr. Adams! You are under arrest!

 

Dream Lord: So I've heard. Don't worry, I'm sure it's just an ugly rumor.

 

 

 

Page 10 panel 4

 

Symbol: Sir, my code name is 'Symbol.' That refers to my ability to change shape, to
represent
anything that I want. I must inform you that I am about to utilize that ability to do physical violence to you and your partner.

 

Lullaby: Why don't you get lost, you army jerk! I must inform
you
that we hate your stinkin' guts, and if you mess with us, we will
fry
your rice!

 

 

 

Page 10 panel 5

 

Symbol: Sweet Dream, pacify the girl. I will nullify Adams.

 

His body is already glowing and distorting, shifting into some new form. Sweet Dream is beside him, sizing up their opponents.

 

Sweet Dream: All right, Martin. Just remember who's in charge of this unit, hm? I take orders from Zed, not you.

 

 

 

Page 10 panel 6

 

Symbol: I don't
care
! Just do your job! The renegade must be brought to justice before Project Dream Lord can progress!

 

Symbol takes the shape of a huge pterodactyl, dwarfing his victim, the Dream Lord.

 

 

 

 

Page 11 (7
panels)

 

Page 11 panel 1

 

Symbol (hovering over Dream Lord): Surrender, before I have to
damage
you!

 

Dream Lord: Y'know, I've had one
winner
of a day today, and it just keeps getting better! I'll tell you, I'm in no mood for you people right now. I've got much bigger problems to worry about...

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 2

 

Dream Lord: ...than a bunch of gung ho army punks who think they're the Men from U.N.C.L.E.!

 

The Dream Lord raises his arms and projects a bolt of lightning from his fingertips. The lightning strikes Symbol/pterodactyl across his huge right wing, and he screams.

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 3

 

Symbol: Your actions have condemned you, Adams! I tried to be merciful, but you struck the first blow! I have no choice now but to
unleash
myself!

 

He is changing shape as he speaks, surrounded by energy. A huge charred spot smokes on his wounded wing.

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 4

 

Symbol: I think you'll regret opposing me...what's left of you, anyway.

 

Symbol finally settles into a new form: a big, metallic praying mantis. He is now smaller than he was as the pterodactyl, but still three feet taller than the Dream Lord.

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 5

 

Cut to Sweet Dream, drifting toward the waiting Lullaby.

 

 

Sweet Dream: Well hello, dear! What's
your
name?

 

Lullaby: Why don't you eat crap and
die
, you big floozy! I'll
bust
your ass if you mess with
me
!

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 6

 

Sweet Dream (still coming closer, with her arms held out comfortingly before her): Now now, is that any way to behave? You know, I just want to be your
friend
! Why don't you just relax and come along now, and everything will be SO much better.

 

Lullaby: I told you once, and that is
it
! I'm whippin' up something now that you are
not
gonna like!

 

Lullaby frowns and concentrates, preparing to fire off beams of her creative force, the way she did against Catnap.

 

 

 

Page 11 panel 7

 

Lullaby (as two bright beams emerge from her forehead once again): Say goodnight, Gracie! You are goin'
down
!

 

Sweet Dream (still moving straight toward Lullaby, not worried about the beams): You poor girl, you're too restless and disturbed. I sense a great deal of pain in you, emanating from far away.

 

 

 

 

Page 12 (7
panels)

 

Page 12 panel 1

 

Sweet Dream (walking steadily toward Lullaby across space, reaching for her as the two beams pass harmlessly through her chest): I can truly help you, my friend. I can ease that pain and soothe your mind, grant you a serenity you have never imagined.

 

Lullaby: Oh no..

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 2

 

Sweet Dream finally steps close to Lullaby and puts a hand on each of the girl's shoulders. Lullaby is jolted, her head jerked back as the strange power hits her.

 

Sweet Dream: With a simple touch, I can fill you with good feelings, evaporate your pain and anxiety. I can give you the sweetest dream of your life...

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 3

 

Sweet Dream: ...and stop you from interfering with our mission here. Now doesn't that feel good?

 

Lullaby starts to smile and crumples limply into Sweet Dream's waiting arms. The girl has been incapacitated by waves of overpowering pleasure.

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 4

 

Closeup of Lullaby's face. She is ecstatic, relaxed, gazing joyfully into space as the pleasure flows through her.

 

Lullaby: Yesss...thank you...

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 5

 

Cut back to the fight between Symbol and Dream Lord. As the metallic praying mantis, Symbol is slashing at the Dream Lord with his huge, jagged forelegs, trying to hack him up.

 

Symbol: Adams, your time is
up
! You are going to
pay
for betraying your country!

 

Dream Lord: What the hell are you talking about? For God's sake, I
saved
the President's
life
! That's how I ended up here!

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 6

 

Symbol: One small act does not balance your subversion of Slumberland! Don't you have a
conscience
?

 

Dream Lord (flipping away another slashing forearm): What
is
this garbage? I'm the
Dream Lord
, you idiot! I've saved the world more times than you've said the pledge of allegiance!

 

 

 

Page 12 panel 7

 

Dream Lord: Why don't you just
leave me alone
!

 

The Dream Lord is sweating and tense with the effort of sustaining the battle. He is still feeling great pain from his earlier wounds and his mind is a mess.

 

Summoning all his strength, he hurls a huge column of flame right at the Symbol/mantis.