[Humphrey is stood in the corner of a car park in front of college, gently leant against a car with his briefcase resting on top of it. The students are flooding out the doors of the college, some in groups and holding conversations while others stay on their own. He’s on his phone, staring towards the entrance to the college as the students leave.]
Alice: [over phone] What you got then?
Humphrey: Well… on Mister Gray, he’s stressed apparently. So at the very least, he’s made himself out as quite a loose end for us to deal with. Along with that, I can hardly say his superpower allegory is subtle. He calls it a club, that’s all. A secret club he’s not allowed in, it’s rather juvenile.
Alice: Yeah, well it sounds like him. Anything else?
Humphrey: He apparently has plans tonight. I may go and follow behind him.
[Humphrey looks around the crowd and sees Gary heading out of college with Leigh and Chelsea. Leigh is wearing a beige hoodie and green shirt while Chelsea wears a blue jumper and is keeping her blonde hair in a ponytail. Humphrey can’t hear what they’re talking about, but Gary seems distant from the two.]
Alice: Oh, that’s great! I’ll let Marshall know he’s basically dead!
Humphrey: What? No! Alice, that’s hardly a confirmation that I can do any- and she’s already hung up.
[He checks the phone, confirming that to himself.]
Humphrey: [annoyed] Okay… okay then.
[He moves his focus back onto the trio, seeing Gary giving his goodbyes and being ignored by the chatting Leigh and Chelsea. He sighs and leaves them to talk, Humphrey giving a sigh. He frowns as he notices someone catch sight of Gary and begin following after him with a smirk. This man is dressed in a dark blue raincoat, a black shirt and has a light blue cap covering up his face. Humph glances at Leigh and Chelsea as they walk in the opposite direction, quickly grabbing his briefcase and hopping after them.]
Humphrey: [shouting] Excuse me! Excuse me, you two!
[Chelsea turns to Humphrey as he runs across the road, bashing Leigh in the arm to catch his attention. Once Humphrey makes it across the road, Leigh turns and perks up.]
Leigh: Oh! Um, hey?
Humphrey: Sorry to bother you both but I believe you both know Mister Gray?
Chelsea: [confused] Gary? Yeah, what about him? Is he okay?
Humphrey: It’s probably nothing, does he happen to know a man in a blue cap? I’d say navy coat? Black shirt?
[Leigh and Chelsea looked over to each over, confused.]
Leigh: Um… I’ve known him for years, don’t think I’ve seen him with anyone with a blue hat or anything.
Humphrey: Noted, thank you both.
[Humphrey quickly begins to follow after Gary and the man in the blue hat. Chelsea gives an exasperated sigh.]
Chelsea: [shouting] Wha- hey! Seriously, is Gary okay? Who are you?
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Humphrey: [shouting] A concerned citizen!
[Chelsea sighs as Humphrey quickly runs off after Gary. Leigh takes her hand, chuckling.]
Leigh: [exaggerated] And he was never seen or heard again, how spooky!
[He gives an evil laugh as Chelsea punches him in the arm.]
Chelsea: [chuckling] Dick.
[Meanwhile with Humphrey, he continues to follow Gary and the mystery man, maintaining quite a distance. He starts to open up his briefcase as he walks, reaching in and pulling out a pair of leather gloves. He closes and holds the briefcase under his arm while quickly putting the gloves on. The three all end up reaching a crossing. Gary and the man manage to cross but, as Humphrey tries to, the lights change and cars start quickly speeding by. Humph groans as more people start to build up in front of him.]
Humphrey: [quietly] Oh for goodness sake…
[He maintains a watch on the two. He sees the man in the hat starts to slightly speed up and suddenly wraps his arm around Gary’s shoulder. Gary tries to move away but is quickly accosted by him into a nearby alley, unseen by the others on the street. Humphrey very quickly reacts by running into the road, narrowly dodging by a car that honks its horn at him. He continues running over and reaches the other pavement, quickly running around to look into the alley. He quickly sees Gary held up against the wall by the man in the hat, a small boxcutter held up pointing towards his throat.]
Mugger: [aggressively] All I want you to do, simple enough, is empty your pockets. What’s so fucking hard to understand about that, you fucking moron?
Gary: [forceful] I don’t have anything!
Mugger: [aggressively] You really want to fucking lie to me?
Gary: [forceful] I’m not lying to you! I don’t have anything to give you!
[Humphrey rolls his eyes, holding the briefcase now by the handle with both hands.]
Humphrey: [mumbling] I hate the North…
Mugger: [aggressively] Here’s what’s going to happen, shithead. I’m going to count to three and by the time-
[Humphrey proceeds to launch the briefcase over his head and at the Mugger’s own head, making him quickly collapse to the side into a collection of bins.]
Mugger: [pained] Aah, fucking Christ!
[Gary stays backed up into the wall, looking surprised over towards the entrance of the alley and seeing Humphrey stood there. The Mugger picks himself up, looking over to Humphrey.]
Humphrey: Terribly sorry, my hand must have slipped. Am I interrupting something or…?
Mugger: Run off mate, this isn’t your problem.
Humphrey: [chuckling] Well then…
[Humphrey takes a few more steps forward, stretching his neck a bit. It makes a very audible cracking noise before he shakes himself off and looks to the Mugger.]
Humphrey: We clearly haven’t been introduced.