02x07 - ISSUE #207: World Without Mom

[bunniefuu]

[tense music plays]

[groaning]

[shouts]

[groaning]

[groaning]

[Suzanne] Who left him unattended?
Oh my God.

Check his pulse.

- Weak, but alive.
- We need to get him to the medical unit.

- [Suarez] Get the gurney.
- [woman] I'm on it.

[Suzanne gasps]

[ominous pulsing music plays]

- Pulse is fading. We're losing him.
- Let's go, let's go!

Fast car ready at the ESS.
I'm gonna need Chem 8, Utox, UA, LFTs!

[tense music plays]

[electricity radiating]

[melancholy music plays]

[sighs]

[exhales]

- Wake up, Bug.
- [Dion] Mm-mm.

- [Nicole] Big day today.
- No, it's not.

[Nicole] Yes, it is. Wake up.

Hey, don't be sad.

I'm sad too, but I'm here now,

and I want today to be special.

[sighs] I don't.

I don't want today to be anything.

I can't wait to hear you sing.

Kwame told me that you have
a solo in the opening number.

What?

I don't wanna sing that song.

It's called "Steppin' to the Bad Side,"
and I'm a hero.

Yeah, sometimes bad guys step to you.

So you gotta step to them.

Can I just stay with you?

[sighs] I have to take care
of some things.

- What is more important than...
- Hey, listen.

I want to spend every waking moment
I have left with you,

but I gotta put some things
and-and people together for you.

For your future.

So that I'll know
you'll never have to go at it alone.

Besides, if you spent
your whole day with me,

how are you gonna
ride your bike to school?

By myself?

By yourself. [chuckles]

I'd say it's about that time.

[both laugh]

♪ Mmm, mmm, mmm ♪

♪ This one's for the family and friends ♪

♪ The ones that show love to us
Again and again ♪

♪ Never asking questions
Like, "Man, what do you do?" ♪

♪ But always in the corner
Shouting, "Baby, do you!" ♪

♪ This one's for those
That knew from the start ♪

♪ The elements we have
Couldn't be found on no physics chart ♪

♪ Now we're wondering
Man, how did we get here? ♪

♪ It's 'cause we are who we say we are ♪

♪ Hello, dalies
Looks like we have a party ♪

♪ Everybody feeling
Like the baseline's hearty ♪

♪ Yeah kumnandi si-chile nabangani ♪

♪ Spreading love all around ♪

♪ We love our people ♪

♪ 'Cause we know they love us too ♪

♪ We love our people ♪

[sinister music plays]

Did you ride your bike to school today?

- Mm-hm.
- All by yourself?

- Yup.
- [Esperanza] This is a big day.

You've been dreaming of this for so long.

- Was it everything you hoped it would be?
- It was cool.

[sighs] Why aren't you more excited?

I wish I could drive myself to school.

But I have to wait
until I get my driver's license,

and my own tricked out van.

It's gonna be pink, by the way.

What's wrong?

Your mom is finally letting you grow up.
Isn't that what you wanted?

[school bell rings]

I wouldn't mind
holding off a little bit longer.

[melancholy music plays]

Ready for the show tonight?

I'm gonna need you and Jonathan
backstage with me before I go on.

- We'll be there.
- Yes.

We've been able to stabilize him,
but I'm not gonna lie,

we're in uncharted territory here.

- [Suzanne] Can he even hear us?
- His EEG is flat.

I don't think he's coming back.

[Suzanne] Is he brain-dead?

A coma this deep could mean
that his mind is rebuilding itself,

but that might take a while.

And we have no idea what
that Powered DNA might be doing to him.

True. Yeah. His breathing's erratic.
His heart rate is up and then down.

There's some weird CNS electrical surge.

What's this bottom line here?

In highly scientific terms,
either he's turning into Superman,

or disintegrating from the inside out.

[tense music plays]

[tense music crescendos]

[upbeat music plays]

♪ Should I reserve a chair? ♪

♪ 'Cause you're reaching that point... ♪

[Simone] I just don't understand how,
knowing what you know,

you can just sit here eating lunch.

[chuckles] I'm hungry.

- [Nicole laughs]
- [waitress] Here you go. Enjoy.

Thank you.

♪ 'Cause it hurts to know... ♪

Um, there's something I wanted to ask you.

♪ That you'll be all right... ♪

Um...

- I don't really know what to call it.
- [Simone] A favor?

Yeah. It's about Dion.

You know they say
it takes a village to raise a child.

So I'm using what time I have left
to build one.

- You want me to raise Dion?
- My sister is gonna do that.

But I would love your help.

BIONA is gonna be
a big part of Dion's life.

That's a good thing. But I...
I don't want him to grow up in a lab.

Or spend all of his free time
with employees of a corporation

that might not always
have his best interests at heart.

I don't want that for Janelle either.

So while you're looking out for Janelle,

can you look out for Dion too?

I know we don't know each other
that well, but...

[Simone] No, no, I get it.

We're part of a very specific club.

You've been a lifesaver for me, Nicole.

You got through to my daughter,
brought her out of her shell,

and for the first time
in I can't tell you how long, I...

kind of think she's gonna be okay.

- Janelle is gonna be unstoppable.
- I owe you so much. So whatever I can do.

Thank you.

But, look, I don't want you
to agree to this

until you understand
the danger that's in it.

Dion's not violent.

No. Of course not.

But there's a Powered entity
that has targeted Dion,

and it's k*lled a lot of Powered people.

But it hasn't been able to hurt him, and

I think it sees him as a threat.

To what?

[Nicole] Whatever it has planned
for the future.

Why Dion?

Because I think
Dion has what it takes to destroy it.

[quiet tense music plays]

[Nicole] He's the only one
that's fought it and lived.

But he's just a kid.
He needs time to develop his powers.

Every Powered person is at risk
as long as that thing is out there.

You just need to keep Dion safe

so that he can grow up
and destroy it for good.

Wow. Uh, that was... a lot.

Um, just tell me you'll think about it.

Of course.

But don't take too long. [chuckles]

We're coming to Dion's show tonight.

So can we talk then?

Of course we can.

[melancholy music plays]

I'm so sorry this is happening to you.

Okay, Janelle. This is boss-level stuff.

Multiple objects,

and for an added level of difficulty,

wildly differing masses
and molecular structures.

Are you up for this?

[scoffs] Bring it.

- I'm ready to dematerialize.
- That's what I like to hear.

[tense music plays]

[joyful music plays]

- Yes.
- Yes! That's what I'm talking about.

- See? [laughs]
- I'm so proud of you. Want to go again?

Yeah. [laughs]

How about we call it early today?

Dion's show is tonight,
so we need to get going.

Uh, yeah, don't wanna be late for that.

Uh, we'll disintegrate some stuff
another time.

Okay.

Janelle, hey.

Hi.

I-I wasn't watching.

N-No, you can watch. It's fine.

[Fernando] Really? I...
I thought you hated that.

That was before. [exhales]

I just didn't want you
to think I was a freak.

So, of course,
I started acting more like a freak.

Um, here, I just, um...

I just, uh, airdropped you a playlist.

Oh, wow.

I'm sorry. I just really wanted
you to hear this. Um...

I'm in a band.

We're... We're pretty good.

- Aristotle's Backpack.
- Yeah, our-our lyrics are insane.

Anyway, uh, listen.

I don't know if your mom lets you hang out

or if you want to hang out,

but I'd be down
if you would want to, you know, uh...

Yeah.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

- Yeah.
- [Fernando] Great.

I'm going to Dion's show tonight,
actually, but I mean...

- Me too.
- Okay, great. Yeah. I'll, um...

- I'll save you a seat?
- Okay.

- Okay.
- [Janelle chuckles]

Huh.

[Simone] So are you going
to the show tonight?

Mm-hm. Yeah. Wouldn't miss it.

Or Nicole?

It's happening pretty fast, isn't it?

Yeah.

She'll be gone by tomorrow.

Did you talk to her about the village?

Simone, I'm... I'm the mayor
of said village. [chuckles]

Looking to relocate?

It does look like a nice village.

[knocking]

Hey. Let's go, Mom.

I'll see you there.

Mom, my sessions with Tevin
just keep getting better and better.

I have so much more control.

It's like somebody flipped a switch

and suddenly
I'm on the other side of my abilities.

Good. That's good.

It is. And you know what? I had an idea.

You know how Nicole asked me to represent
the Powered on the Advisory Board?

Well, I wanna do more.

I want to mentor Powered kids, like Dion.

I'm sorry. What are you talking about?

Well, the Powered adults,
you know, they're cool,

but kids want to talk
to other kids, you know?

We have our own stuff
that we're dealing with,

and Dion and I, we have a lot in common.

He's an only child and I'm an only child.

I could be like his big sister, you know?
Show him the ropes, scare off the bullies.

[Simone] No.

No?

You need to worry about yourself first.
You're just getting started with all this.

You don't need to be mentoring anybody.

- Why do you always have to be so negative?
- I'm not negative.

It's just things are happening very fast

and I think we need to be very careful
about committing ourselves to other people

before we know what we're doing.

[melancholy music plays]

Never mind.

Do we have time to go home?
I want to change before the show.

Yeah.

I need to pick up a few things myself.

[melancholy music plays]

Hi, Bug. [chuckles]

So your dad used
to make these videos for me,

and now you're making
the videos for Dad, so...

[inhales] ...it's my turn. [sighs]

Because this one's for you.

When you see this...

you're gonna have a lot of questions,
and I won't be there to answer them.

But I can tell you this.

I always keep a coffee can

with 100 dollars
tucked at the very back of the pantry.

Why did I lead with that?

You're just gonna buy


But you know what?

Enjoy.

Just make sure
you don't eat them all in the same day.

I can tell you
where I stashed the insurance papers

and the extra checkbooks.

[sighs] And, by the way,
your passport's expired.

I'm really, really sorry about that.

I even wrote down the recipe
for your favorite mac and cheese.

But, Dion, you have to promise me,
please never, never forget,

sharp cheddar is for flavor.

Colby Jack is for that
below-the-surface mouthfeel.

Mozzarella is for the stringy-melty...
American cheese for the golden crust.

And then, cream cheese
for that extra special flavor,

and I'm not talking about
the bougie garlic and chives cream cheese.

I'm talking Philadelphia.

Because, "If it ain't broke,
don't fix it."

There's so much I want to tell you.

You gotta let the girl know
if it's gonna be a date.

And when you have kids of your own,

hide the Sharpies.

You're gonna have to grow up...

a lot faster than you should. [sighs]

But you're gonna be okay.

And even if you're not okay...

that's okay.

Because you have a great heart,

powers or no powers.

[breathes deeply]

Huh.

Being your mom...

has, hands down,
been one of the greatest things I've ever...

[exhales]

[sniffs]

[sighs]

Should we wait
for Chairman Cutler to join us?

As of this morning,

Mr. Cutler is stepping back
from his duties as chairman.

Oh.

But the board is very intrigued
by your urgent appeal.

We're all ears. Proceed when ready.

In our work to create
a cure for the parasitic infection

afflicting Nicole Warren,

we have identified the primary difference

between our Supers
and an ordinary human being.

Aside from things
like telekinesis and teleportation?

[laughter]

Yes.

Aside from that.

The crucial difference
is a third strand of DNA,

which we believe not only defines
the abilities gifted to the Supers,

but which... [chuckles]

And this is the really interesting part.

We may just be able
to create a gene therapy

to give exceptional powers to non-Supers.

I hope the reason you are speechless
is because I just handed you

the scientific growth area
and profit center of the next century.

Custom tailored superpowers

for any human being, agency,
or army with deep enough pockets.

We stand on a threshold,
and on the other side is BIONA,

a world leader that will dwarf
Google, Apple, and Amazon.

All you have to do is fund a new team,

my team,

to immediately launch
into this new application.

Do you have a head injury?

- Excuse me?
- [woman] I asked if you had a head injury.

Because only a person
with something seriously wrong with them

could present this insanity
with a straight face.

I mean... [chuckles]

Look, we don't have this
completely worked out,

but with proper funding...

[woman] Proper funding?

How about a half a billion dollars?

Because that's how much money
BIONA, under Ben Cutler,

poured into covering up
what happened in Iceland.

Settlements, hush money,
medical treatments, relocation...

Yes, and I-I-I realize
we've had a few setbacks...

[woman] Setbacks?

It's my understanding that we straight up
k*lled a man in a lab a few days ago.

Now, maybe you don't
find that to be an issue,

but to those of us who actually
care about the welfare of humanity,

not to mention this organization,

that's kind of a black mark.

I was hoping you were offering us
a way past this reckless error.

But instead, you come before this board
and ask us for even more money

so that you can figure out
a way to do this to people.

On purpose.

You can thank us for our time later.

Oh, and on a personal note,

this might be a good time
for you to beef up your CV.

[hushed] I'm gonna
make billions of dollars.

The most important
scientific discovery of all time.

[indistinct chatter]

[machines beeping]

[dramatic music plays]

[cell phone beeps]

[rock music plays through earphones]

You're going the wrong way.

- No, I'm not.
- Yeah, Dion's school is back that way.

It's up by the, um...

What's with the suitcases?

Mom, where are we going?

Home.

To Chicago? Why?

It's time.

Did something happen?

[sighs deeply]

- Mom, I don't wanna go back.
- Decision's been made.

I finally have a place
where people accept me,

where I'm figuring out what...

What I am, and who I am.

And you just decide to pull me out

and drag me back to Chicago
without even talking about it?

- Ma, you can't do this.
- [Simone] What is my job?

Janelle, what is my job?

- To keep me safe.
- And that is exactly what I'm doing.

- [Janelle] Safe from what? My friends?
- You mean that boy?

- Baby, there'll be other boys.
- What about Tevin and Dion and Nicole?

Baby,

Nicole's dying.

No, she's not, I saved her.

It wasn't enough.

She's gonna die. She told me herself.

I need to see her.

- No.
- Yes!

[glass fragments clink]

- Stop it.
- [Janelle] She believed in me.

And Dion's gonna be all alone.

- Mom, we have to go back.
- No.

There's something hunting him, Janelle.

Something that wants
to k*ll Powered people.

And so we're running away
while he's in danger?

You're Powered.

That thing could come for you,
and my job is to keep you safe.

- [shatters]
- [wind whistling]

- Stop it!
- I'm not safe in Chicago.

I'm safe at BIONA,
with people who understand me.

We are going home
and we're gonna put this behind us.

You are not one of those people.

You have no idea who I am
and you don't wanna know!

You just want me to shut up,
put my head down

and pretend to be somebody else.

I want you to be okay. Okay?

- I want things to be normal.
- I'll never be normal! [screams]

Janelle!

Janelle!

- [car horns honking]
- [Simone] Janelle!

Janelle! Janelle?

Janelle, baby.

[dramatic music plays]

Baby! Where are you? Come back!

[piano plays]

Okay, let's try on this one.

["Steppin' to the Bad Side"
plays on piano]

♪ Steppin' to the bad side ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Steppin' to the bad side ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪

♪ I got you all the breaks you need ♪

♪ In just two years
We'll be in the lead ♪

♪ Just sit back, it's plain to see ♪

♪ Open your eyes... ♪

Cut! Cut!

You done singing? 'Cause I have a set
of sheet music here that says otherwise.

- I'm sorry, Mr. Kwame, it's just today...
- Dion, this is our opening number.

Your solo kicks off the show.
You cannot let the energy drop, you hear?

You gotta give it this.

♪ I got all the breaks you need ♪

♪ In just two years
We'll be in the lead ♪

♪ Just sit back, it's plain to see ♪

♪ Open your eyes and trust in me! ♪

Strong arms. Project to the back row.

This is your moment to shine.

I'm sorry, Mr. Kwame.

I can't.

You got people in that audience?

- Who?
- My mom.

Your mom.

I've been on stage
many times with your mama.

Sometimes she was up,
sometimes she was down,

but she always gave her best.

She never let her little personal drama
shut her down.

She did it for them.
For her friends, for her family,

for the people who came to the theater
that night to feel something.

You know what she said to me when
she asked me to direct this extravaganza?

She said, "Kwame,
I love musicals, you know that,

and Dion is a natural performer."

"I want to see him shine."

"And I know you, Kwame, you will
get that boy to shine his brightest."

And you know what?

I'm not gonna let your mama down.
Are you gonna let your mama down?

No.

[Kwame] You gonna shine for your mama?

Yes.

Yes?

Is that... [softly] "Yes."

Or... [loudly] "Yes!"?

The last one.

That's what I want to hear.

- Thirty minutes till places. Come on.
- Thirty minutes, people!

That means the house is open,
audience is coming in.

Get ready to make magic!

Don't let your mama down.

Come on, let's get these costumes.
Let's move, move, move.

Ms. Warren.

Tevin.

You do clean up good.

Well, you know,
I really tried for my date tonight.

Oh, you have a date. Where is she?

Yeah, she's supposed to be...
You haven't seen her?

- No.
- [Tevin] No?

Mm-mm. [laughs]

[both chuckle]

Are those for me?

Are you performing tonight?

No, but

Dion's not much of a red roses type.

You know, you might be right.
You wanna hang on to 'em for me?

[Nicole chuckles]

Yeah, I can find a place for 'em.

For the love of all things holy,
will you two kiss already?

Hi, sis.

How you doin'?

Ask my date.

[Tevin chuckles]

[smooth music playing]

I got this.

I got this.

- [loud electrical static]
- Ow!

- [Dion yells]
- Yo, Dion, are you okay?

- [loud electrical static]
- [Jonathan] Easy on the curtain!

- We don't want the audience to see us.
- [Dion yells]

- [Dion groans and breathes heavily]
- [static continues]

Can you hear that? [yells]

[Jonathan] Hear what?
Dion, we're like 15 minutes away!

You're gonna take your spot, right?

Yeah.

- Do you want me to get Mr. Kwame?
- [Dion] No! No! [groans]

Where are you going?

Is it time for another injection?

I'm trying to hold out as long as I can.

Is it the, uh... The last one?

I'm just not ready
to start the countdown yet.

I'm gonna hold out
for every last moment with Dion.

Don't cry.

Don't tell me what to do.

I'm gonna give Dion
his opening night gift.

You're gonna give him that
before the show?

You know, go backstage,
give it to him, tell him to break legs.

"Theater."

[Kat chuckles]

- All right, come on.
- I got this.

Okay, listen. Tell him
not to eat that before the show,

or he's gonna be dancing on the ceiling.

- Noted. I'll be right back.
- Okay.

[cell phone vibrating]

- What's up?
- [Suzanne] Kat, I am sorry to bother you.

I know you're with Nicole,
but we have a situation here.

Pat injected himself
with the isolated strands of P-DNA.

- What? Which ones?
- Every single strand.

- Good Lord. Is he dead?
- [Suzanne] Not yet, but doesn't look good.

Wait, if he injected
all that separated DNA,

how are you gonna work
on a cure for Nicole?

- She's down to her last shot.
- [Suzanne] That's why I'm calling.

If we have to start over,
collect new samples, try to separate them,

there's no time.

So I need to know,

is it medically possible to recover
any of that material from Pat?

We could use metallurgic enzymes
to extract the metallic P-DNA.

That would bring with it
the telekinetic strands.

- Well, how fast can you get here?
- Ten minutes.

But, Suzanne, listen,
if Pat dies, none of this works.

Then you'd better hurry.

I need you to give Nicole
a message for me.

- [Dion groans]
- [loud electrical static]

- [Brayden] Dion.
- [Dion groans]

- [Brayden] Did you miss me?
- [Dion] Brayden?

[Brayden] You didn't think
I'd be gone forever, did you?

You think you and the nerd Avengers
would be enough to get rid of me?

[Dion] Where are you?

[Brayden] I think you know
exactly where I am,

and exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm not gonna let you hurt my friends.

[Brayden] The time for you
letting me do anything is over.

I'm stronger than you.

I'm better than you.

And when I'm done,
there isn't going to be any you left.

Just me with all your powers.

You want me? Fine, let's do this!

Meet me on the football field.

You mean the one
where I kicked The Crooked Man's butt?

[Brayden and Crooked Energy laugh]

[Brayden] This night
is going to end very differently.

♪ They don't want it with me ♪

♪ Ha ha, you got a problem with me ♪

♪ You won't ever stop me ♪

♪ Who y'all really got a problem with?
Who y'all really tryna solve 'em with? ♪

♪ Who don't really like the sound of this?
Who come with me getting down to this? ♪

♪ You best step back, get ya neck cracked
Get laid down where you best at ♪

♪ Better check that with a fresh map
Like, look, that's all me ♪

♪ You freezing up, that's y'all team
'Cause we don't really lose no more ♪

♪ All about heating up
Leaving that cold ♪

♪ You can see beating up
k*lling that show ♪

♪ I ain't 'bout giving that
Giving up, no ♪

♪ Naw, 'cause they don't want it with me ♪

♪ Look, uh, you got a problem with me? ♪

♪ Uh, look
'Cause y'all don't want it with me ♪

♪ If you start a fire with me
Then you're never gonna stop me ♪

♪ Ay, uh ♪

♪ Sound the alarm ♪

♪ We 'bout to go on ♪

♪ You gettin' it wrong ♪

♪ Time to go off ♪

♪ Can't hold us back ♪

♪ Truth hurts, you owe us that ♪

♪ My troop lurks and y'all collapse ♪

♪ Now scoot first, where ya homeys at? ♪

♪ 'Cause my team with me right now
My team so mean right now ♪

♪ But what you mean y'all out? ♪

♪ It's time to weed y'all out ♪

♪ We comin' back with a vengeance ♪

♪ Time to go start your engines ♪

♪ What is this thing y'all mention? ♪

♪ Time for y'all stop pretending, uh ♪

♪ Uh, naw, y'all can't do that ♪

♪ Uh, yeah, get out of my zone ♪

♪ Man, uh, 'cause now you alone ♪

♪ Look, uh, get out of my zone ♪

♪ Naw, 'cause they don't want it with me ♪

♪ Look, uh, you got a problem with me? ♪

♪ Uh, look
'Cause y'all don't want it with me ♪

♪ If you start a fire with me
Then you're never gonna stop me ♪

♪ Naw, 'cause they don't want it with me ♪