Jack Spicer, Wealthy Boy Extraodinaire
Chapter 3: "Hidden Agenda"
Open on Jack's house. Day. 1:44. Inside, Jack and Megan are arguing over the lottery ticket. The door to the lair swings open as the two begin walking upstairs.
"I'm not giving you half of my winnings, Megan, so don't ask me again." The little girl scoffs.
"Like you're really going to miss 32 million," she retorts which makes Jack groan. They reach the top of the stairs and walk into the hallway.
"You're lucky I disabled my Jack-bots. Otherwise, I'd – Wuya!" The witch was floating a few feet across from Jack. Megan walks over to his side.
"Jack, please, give me a minute to say one thing," she says fast. Jack scoffs.
"How did you get in here?"
Wuya looks down at herself and then stares at the evil boy genius for a few seconds.
"Is that a joke?"
Jack shakes his head while walking past her.
"You just don't when to quit, do you?"
"Jack, I –"
"Uh-uh!" he yells while opening the front door. "Out."
"I know it was selfish of me to ruin your –"
"Nope. Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying." He opens the front door and motions for Wuya to leave. The witch quickly floats over to him.
"Jack, I know it's taken some time for me to realize this, but … Your friendship is much more important to me than Shen-Gong-Wu." Jack stares down at the floor, refusing to look Wuya in the eye. "I allowed greed to take over, which is surprising because that is not me at all." Megan rolls her eyes. "I won't let myself be consumed by that anymore. I'm done." Jack slightly tilts his head up. "What I have to lose is of much greater significance …" Jack barely starts to cracks a smile. " … Than the objects that could completely restore my body and powers," she casually says.
"Oh, give me a break," Megan mutters. Jack fights off a tear in an effort to keep it together.
"You mean it?" he squeaks.
"From the bottom of my ghostly heart, nothing would be more upsetting than not having the pleasure to see this abnormally pale face everyday." Jack swallows a lump in his throat while Megan groans.
"I can't listen to this anymore," she says while heading to the kitchen.
"Oh, Wuya, do you honestly mean it?" dazed Jack asks. "You'll forget about the Shen-Gong-Wu, and we'll finally get to go on that cross-country road trip you promised we'd do?"
Again, the witch stares in bewilderment at Jack while he awaits her answer in anticipation.
"Huh?"
"Aw, you're the best 1,500-year-old evil, domineering witch a guy could ask for!" he shouts while attempting to hug her.
"But I didn't --"
"This is perfect timing, too! I just won the lottery which gives us more than enough travel money."
"Oh, hey, how about that …" she deadpans. Jack smiles and turns around. He then runs to the stairs going up to start packing. Megan walks out of the kitchen with a bologna sandwich in her hands. She begins to speak with her mouth full.
"Hey, where's the mustard at?"
Jack stops halfway up the stairs and slowly turns back.
"Wait a sec. Megan … you make a great point." The little girl raises an eyebrow while continuing to munch on her snack.
"… That this sandwich needs mustard?"
"What if all this is some elaborate plan to steal my winnings right out from under me?" he asks. Wuya groans.
"What are you blathering about now?"
"I'm beginning to get the idea that the only reason why you came over was to butter me up in order to lull me into a false sense of security while you slowly drain me out, one million at a time!" Jack accuses while running down the stairs.
"Life was so much better in the puzzle box," she mutters. Jack chuckles and turns to wink at Megan.
"Good lookin' out." The little girl shrugs in defeat.
"I asked a mustard question," she says while retreating back into the kitchen. Jack continues to approach Wuya.
"But you know what? Forget it. Because I think you're honestly trying to change, I'm going to give you one more chance." Wuya shifts her eyes.
"Ok. Uh … I won't let you down?" she asks confusingly. Jack nods.
"It's also 'cause I know how much you've been dying to go on this road trip," he says. Wuya scoffs as Jack turns to go back upstairs. "Be back in a jiff!" Megan walks back out in time to watch Jack skip up the steps. She then turns her head towards Wuya.
"Just so I know the world hasn't completely gone off its rocker … you've got some hidden agenda cooked up, right?" the little girl asks. Wuya cackles amusingly while slowly floating past Megan.
"Of course."
Megan nods, figuring that Wuya had something planned all along. However, even though she knew, a look of worry quickly spreads across her face.
13 Hours Earlier …
Open on Chase Young's lair. 12:48 a.m. Wuya enters the citadel as three of Chase's tigers promptly appear and growl at the witch's presence. She brushes them off while proceeding to float up the long staircase. As soon as she reaches the top, she notices Chase, with his back to her, practicing his Tai-Chi. Chase immediately senses her and stops what he's doing.
"Have a falling out?" he asks. Taken aback, Wuya shakes her head.
"How do you do that?"
"It's obvious. You only come to me whenever there's trouble in paradise," he says while grinning. Wuya narrows her eyes in anger as Chase turns around. "Unable to find the perfect gift for Spicer's birthday?"
"I'm not in the mood, Chase. I may have forever lost the one and only way to regain my body and powers."
"I disagree."
"Oh, you disagree," Wuya repeats. "Listen, I know that you constantly claim to be this almighty and all-knowing person, but you're wrong about this one. I sent him over the edge. It's over."
"On the contrary, it's only beginning," Chase mysteriously says. Wuya throws her arms up in frustration.
"Will you stop that? Enough with the double talk."
"An interesting piece of information has just reached my attention," Chase begins. Wuya shifts her eyes and motions for him to continue. "About Spicer." The witch looks behind her and then cautiously floats over to Chase's side.
"You know … about the rash?" she whispers. Chase scrunches up his eyebrows and whips around.
"What? No. Spicer appears to have won the lottery." Wuya nods, a bit embarrassed. Chase studies her for a moment, while at the same time, trying to rid of the image she placed in his head. "Why would I --?"
"Never mind." Wuya glances around the lair while thinking of something to change the subject. "I don't understand. Everyone knows Jack is already rich. Why would a few more … wait." The witch has a sudden realization. "What do you mean appears to have won?"
Chase grins and turns to walk to his throne. Wuya suspiciously watches as he takes his seat.
"I have a simple question for you. How many of my past plans turned out to be a success?" Chase asks. Wuya shrugs.
"Well, the 'turn-Omi-evil' plan succeeded for … what, a week? So, I'd say, oh …"
"Let me rephrase that," Chase interrupts, clearly annoyed. How many of them lasted?"
"None."
"And after every plan that failed, I went back to find the exact place it went wrong," he explains which earns a scoff from Wuya.
"Not to burst your bubble or anything, but giving a fake lottery ticket to a kid that's obviously already rich?" She scoffs once more as Chase frowns. "I mean, as brilliant and masterfully crafted as that sounds … I'm not sure living here with your hundreds of cats is helping your sanity."
"Wuya, I want you to meet Randy," Chase says, completely ignoring her last comment. He turns to the staircase's direction as some light footsteps are heard walking up. Wuya glances there and then back at Chase.
"Another cat? Chase, you know this only proves my point, right?"
It was not a cat, however, that walked up the stairs. In fact, it was none other than the gas station employee who sold the ticket to Jack. Wuya, meanwhile, looked extremely confused.
"Huh? Chase, who is this?"
"Whoa -- A talking ghost! Now, that's something you don't see everyday," Randy says as he makes his way to Chase's throne. Once there, he nudges Chase and slightly leans over him. "Not a bad looking ghost at that."
Chase groans while rubbing his temples as Wuya just shakes her head.
"So wrong," she mumbles.
"As I was saying," Chase starts. "Randy here is the one who supplied the ticket to Spicer. However, that is merely the springboard for what's to come."
"And … what's to come?" Wuya curiously asks. Chase shrugs with his hands up.
"That all depends …"
Wuya frowns as Randy looks up with a wide grin on his face.
"… Because the next part of the plan …"
Wuya glimpses at Randy and then back at Chase.
"… Is where you come in."