THE HARBINGERS
EPISODE 8: BOTH SIDES NOW
Transcript
TEASER
(The familiar sounds of the lawyer’s office. Skinner flips through a few pieces of paper.)
CLAUDIA SKINNER: Okay… and I think that brings us to Christmas. Specifically to... Christmas of 2028.
AMY STIRLING: Mmm, yes. Of course. You want to talk about the party.
CLAUDIA SKINNER: If it wouldn’t be too much trouble...
AMY STIRLING: No, we can talk about it. Actually, you know what I would love?
(There’s a fast whooshing sound. The sounds of the office continue, but we are now with Adam.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: I’d love a chance to talk about what happened there.
CLAUDIA SKINNER: ... you would?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yes, I would. Is - is that so surprising?
CLAUDIA SKINNER: Well... you don’t want to talk about Amy Stirling, you don’t want to talk about April Fourth, you don’t want to talk about all the good press you got after April Fourth...
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yes, okay, yeah -
CLAUDIA SKINNER: You don’t want to talk about the Doomscroller...
ADAM BLACKWELL: Thank you, I get it. But no, this is different. You know why?
(Another fast whoosh. We seem to be flipping back and forth between Skinner’s interviews with Adam and with Amy.)
AMY STIRLING: We were all there. I mean, almost. Doomscroller being Doomscroller, he obviously wasn’t there. And our South American friend got held up with Christmas mass.
ADAM BLACKWELL: But besides them? Everyone was there. All the pieces on the chessboard, together in one place.
AMY STIRLING: It had been a long, long year. A lot of time on the road. The emergence of Three and Four.
ADAM BLACKWELL: The end of Amy’s first big tour, November... the assassination attempt.
AMY STIRLING: But somehow... it had all come together for a happy ending. At least... that’s what it felt like back then.
ADAM BLACKWELL: It was... the victory lap. Or maybe just the exhale after a sprint.
AMY STIRLING: A chance to let our hair down for once! My hair was starting to get long at that point. Because I think, deep down?
ADAM BLACKWELL: We all knew that 2029 was going to be even harder. And so... when I got the invitation in the mail, I thought... why not?
AMY STIRLING: Rooftop gala, right off Forty-Second Street. Night before Christmas Eve. Open bar.
ADAM BLACKWELL: I - I’m hardly an authority on these matters, but... she knows how to throw a party. And well... when you put that many chemical elements in the same petri dish... sooner or later something’s bound to react.
CLAUDIA SKINNER: So... I think I’m hearing that we can talk about Christmas for a little bit?
(Adam and Amy both inhale, both exhale, and then say at the same time:)
ADAM BLACKWELL AND AMY STIRLING: Yeah… let’s talk about Christmas.
(The scene fades away and the episode’s opening theme begins to play.)
ANNOUNCER: Audacious Machine Creative Presents: The Harbingers. Created by Gabriel Urbina. Episode 8: "Both Sides Now”
(The opening theme resolves and fades away.)
ACT ONE
(The sounds of a party at a rooftop bar. Various people chat and mill around. Various jazzy, piano covers of classic Christmas songs play through speakers.)
NARRATOR: New York City. December Twenty-Third, 2028. Two hours before midnight.
(A few approaching footsteps.)
AMY STIRLING: Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Adam Fucking Blackwell at a party?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Oh, what can I say...? Miracles have been known to happen at Christmas.
AMY STIRLING: Well, in that case... Merry Christmas, Doctor. Here, cheers.
(She hands him a glass, and then clinks it together with her own.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Thank you.
AMY STIRLING: No, but really, Doc, I’m surprised to see you here.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Well... she invited me. And I suppose I did do... a little bit to help.
AMY STIRLING: I suppose in your own very little, very terse way... you did. (A pause.) Umm, Adam, that was the moment when you were supposed to go - (bad Adam imitation:) “By the way, congratulations are in order. All the hard work you did paid off.” (exaggerated version of herself:) “Oh, stop, I just helped out here and there.” (Adam again:) “No, no, you were instrumental from day one.” (herself:) “Well, if you insist, I will begrudgingly allow you to spend the next thirty minutes telling me how awesome I am.” (normal register:) And scene.
ADAM BLACKWELL: It sort of feels like you don’t need me for this conversation.
AMY STIRLING: Ehh, fair. You been okay, though? You send anything else to the moon lately?
(A pause. They both laugh a bit.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: I can’t believe it took them that long to spot it. What happened to the days of humans looking up to the stars?
AMY STIRLING: Mmm, blame Walker and his budget cuts, NASA is not what it once was.
(They chuckle a bit more. Then, a pause.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: I heard about Philadelphia.
AMY STIRLING: Philadelphia was not my favorite.
ADAM BLACKWELL: You need to be careful, Amy. You might be making yourself too big, too visible. You can’t actually stop a bull-
AMY STIRLING: Oh my god, take one night off, Adam. Have another drink. Go talk to a pretty lady in a slutty cocktail dress. After the business with the heart, I’m sure there’s at least one person here who’s a teleportation groupie. Have some fun for once, all right?
ADAM BLACKWELL: We’re not rock stars, Amy. We have magic, powers that could change -
AMY STIRLING: All right! I tried. I want the record to show: I tried. See you, Adam.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Amy -
AMY STIRLING: I’m gonna go talk to the lady of the hour. Cheers.
(Footsteps as Amy walks away.)
AMY STIRLING: Andie! Andie!
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Oh my god, Amy!
(She turns towards some unheard party-goers she was talking to.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: I’m so sorry, excuse me, I just need to say hi to her for a moment, and - I’ll be right back -
(Some footsteps as she approaches.)
AMY STIRLING: (whisper) Is that anyone important?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: (whisper) So important and so rich and so boring, save me.
AMY STIRLING: Okay, hang on… Carilia Boren Koresh Gral.
(The sounds of the party momentarily drop out. There’s a magical chime that goes through the air. Then, the sounds of the party return. Footsteps rush away.)
AMY STIRLING: They won’t be sure why, but they are about to spend a very exciting half hour debating whether you can actually see the Empire State Building from this rooftop.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Oh my god, you psycho, I love you.
(Amy blows Andrea a kiss: mwah! They both laugh.)
AMY STIRLING: Guess that’s a thing I probably shouldn’t do once you take the new job, huh?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Yeah, probably not... I’m glad you were able to make it. I thought maybe you’d need to be in England by now.
AMY STIRLING: I have a Christmas Day flight, actually. Boxing Day show at the Earl’s Court. I gotta make up the dates I canceled in the fall.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: You need some time off, Amy. You work too hard.
AMY STIRLING: Oh, look who’s talking. When your next day off?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Don’t ask.
(They both chuckle.)
AMY STIRLING: I liked your speech by the way.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: You did not. It was basically a thesaurus session on different ways to say, “Thank you for all the money, please give me more next year.”
AMY STIRLING: I thought you made it as scintillating as that material could ever be.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Yeah, yeah... You, uh, you talk to Adam yet?
AMY STIRLING: Just did, actually. Thanks for inviting him and not giving me a head’s up, by the way.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: I’m a psycho and you love me. How’d it go? (A pause.) Don’t ask?
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, don’t ask.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Okay. He sent your coffee to the moon, really? God, you two have the worst best fights. What happened to just pulling on someone’s pigtails?
(Amy laughs very, very loudly.)
AMY STIRLING: Oh my god, that was - that was so loud...
ANDREA SHEPHERD: And what I said wasn’t even that funny...
AMY STIRLING: No, I know. Just... god, I’ve been tense.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Yeah, girl. Someone trying to kill you tends to have that effect.
(A pause.)
AMY STIRLING: It’s... it’s only going to get worse for the two of us, right? Going forward?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: ... yeah. It’ll get worse. But we’re tough. We’ll get through it. And then it’ll get better.
AMY STIRLING: Bring it on?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Bring it on.
ASSISTANT: Uhhh, Ms. Shepherd?
(Andrea groans, annoyed. Amy chuckles a bit.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Ugh. Okay, duty calls. Hang out for a bit, I’ll find you when I get a moment?
AMY STIRLING: Sure. You’re awful, bye.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: You’re awful, bye.
(Amy laughs as Andrea walks away. Then, a new set of footsteps approach.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: Ms. Stirling. Merry Christmas.
AMY STIRLING: Mr. Eckerberg. I didn’t know you were going to be here.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Don’t tell me you’re not happy to see me?
AMY STIRLING: Of course not. It’s always nice to run into a... friend.
JEROME ECKERBERG: After everything I did to help Ms. Shepherd, I didn’t want to miss out on the victory lap.
AMY STIRLING: Of course not. Would you care for a drink?
JEROME ECKERBERG: A drink and a chance to catch up. Sounds terrific.
AMY STIRLING: All right… (under her breath:) Ryldra Carea Juren Nildro...
(The sounds of the party become muted as a magical chime goes through the air.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: Tell me, Ms. Stirling, where is your tour going next? I have friends who have been trying to get tickets and...
(That conversation continues, softly and out of focus, but over it, slightly echo-y and ghostly we hear:)
JEROME ECKERBERG: I hope you’re very happy with the results. An outstanding outcome to all your hard work.
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, I’m besides myself.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Is there a problem, Ms. Stirling? I know you won’t be mourning the Walker years.
AMY STIRLING: Of course I won’t miss them, don’t insult me.
JEROME ECKERBERG: I wouldn’t dream of it. But if not that, then what’s on your mind?
(A small pause.)
AMY STIRLING: You. You’re on my mind. I don’t like the way you’ve gone about things.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Really? I thought you’d be thrilled. After all: I helped your friend. I paved the way for her, made sure she had everything she needed.
AMY STIRLING: Oh yeah, including a world-famous superstar cheerleader to raise her profile when she needed it the most. And now Andie’s going to be in just the right position to do you a favor… you know, just between friends.
JEROME ECKERBERG: We’ve all benefited greatly from our partnership. Why is that a bad thing?
(Somewhere around them there’s a crash and the sound of breaking glass, which makes all the other sounds of the party come rushing back. Speaking normally again:)
AMY STIRLING: Ooops, uh, party foul.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Some people just can’t hold their eggnogg, I suppose. Anyway, as I was saying - if you really want to maximize attendance for your tour...
(Again, the conversation continues but the sounds of the real world fade down. Over them, still ghostly and echo-y, we hear:)
AMY STIRLING: It’s a bad thing because you used her. You used both of us.
JEROME ECKERBERG: And you haven’t used me? Remind me: who footed the bill for your first shows? Who paid for your publicist, for that first big profile of you in In Depth? Hmm? We all use each other. To great benefit.
AMY STIRLING: I… I just don’t like feeling like a piece on a chess board. That’s all.
JEROME ECKERBERG: We’re all pieces on chess boards, Ms. Stirling. Only now... we’re on the winning side.
AMY STIRLING: We better be. Anything else I can do for you… friend?
JEROME ECKERBERG: Yes, there is. Your counterpart is being exquisitely stubborn.
AMY STIRLING: Adam? Stubborn? Who could have possibly seen that coming…?
JEROME ECKERBERG: I suppose you did warn me before the first time I spoke to him, yes. And we’ve all had other things on our minds these past few months. But after our recent victories, things should start coming together... and all I want for Christmas is a way to make Dr. Blackwell come around.
AMY STIRLING: I’m just a witch, Mr. Eckerberg, not a miracle worker. You’re… very sure that it has to be Adam? Damián might be easier to -
JEROME ECKERBERG: No. We’ve studied the matter quite extensively. Out of the four of you, Dr. Blackwell’s powers are best suited for what we’re trying to do with Athena.
AMY STIRLING: Well... I’ll keep thinking about it.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Please do. Thanks to you and Miss Shepherd, we have the chance to actually do some good these next few years. I’ll be in touch about some projects we’ll be tackling together in the new year.
AMY STIRLING: I cannot wait...
JEROME ECKERBERG: We can go back to just one conversation now, thank you.
AMY STIRLING: Eryldra...
(Another magical chime, and all the sounds of the party return to normal.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: ... quite a different experience from traveling in America, at least that’s what I’ve found. Oh, but I’ve taken up so much of your time. I’m so sorry, I do sometimes go on and on.
AMY STIRLING: It’s quite all right, Mr. Eckerberg, it’s - all right.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Still... I’ll leave you to the party now. Always good to see you, Ms. Stirling.
AMY STIRLING: Absolutely... always nice to catch up with a friend.
(Amy tapes a sip from her drink. Takes a few steps away from Eckerberg.)
AMY STIRLING: All right. Whatever. Shake it off. Just...
(She takes a deep breath…)
AMY STIRLING: Just... motherfucker!
(Footsteps approach and stop right in front of Amy.)
MAN: Okay, I see we’ve reached that portion of the evening.
AMY STIRLING: Oh my god, sorry, I just... Oh my god, you’re... you. Oh my god, you’re you and I am getting to meet you and I am being like seven kinds of a mess right now, what the fuck?
MAN: It’s all right, it’s all right, it happens. As long as you don’t get to nine kinds of messy, we’re fine.
AMY STIRLING: No, it’s just - that’s very nice of you, but - umm, hi? What the hell? It’s very nice to meet you?
MAN: It’s very nice to meet you too.
AMY STIRLING: Uh, I’m - I’m Amy. Amy Stirling.
(She wipes her hands on her clothes, holds it out to him for a handshake.)
MAN: I know who you are, Miss Stirling.
AMY STIRLING: I’m the Silver Witch, I have this thing where I can and my brain is only now catching up to you saying that you know who I am. Very good, cool, great, have we gotten to eight kinds of messy now?
MAN: Call it seven and a half. But really, it’s a good night for messy. (A pause.) This is a weird party.
AMY STIRLING: This is a weird fucking party! There’s so many... people people here.
MAN: I just spent twenty minutes talking to a nice lady who turned out to be the French ambassador to the US.
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, on the way up here, I shared an elevator with two guys from the Knicks.
MAN: Have you run into Emily Morrison yet? She’s around here somewhere.
AMY STIRLING: Excuse me? Emily Fucking Morrison, are you for real? Oh my god… Oh my god, wait, what am I saying? Have you met Adam yet? Adam Blackwell? Because he’s around here -
MAN: I - know. I did. I just managed to steal five minutes of his time.
AMY STIRLING: Okay. Good! And, uh, how’d it go? How was he?
MAN: He was... kind. Polite. Very nice. And, umm...
AMY STIRLING: He had no idea who you were, did he?
MAN: He had no fucking idea who I was, no.
(Amy and the Man both laugh.)
AMY STIRLING: God, Adam...
MAN: It’s fine. Honestly, it was kind of refreshing.
AMY STIRLING: You actually mean that?
MAN: Oh, no. Nobody’s ever actually meant that one. But it’s what you’re supposed to say.
(Amy laughs again.)
AMY STIRLING: Jesus.
MAN: But still... it was nice to meet him. Thank him. Shake his hand.
AMY STIRLING: Oh, careful. Don’t inflate his ego too much, some of us have to work with him.
MAN: He was all right and nothing more. Aggressively fine.
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, that’s better. Well, umm, now that you’ve met him, you should... come by one of my shows sometime. See what I can do. You know, compare and contrast, and... wait, what am I doing? You’re - you’re being very nice. But I don’t want to - you’ve probably got like a million other people to talk to and stuff to do, and... if you’re done being polite, you don’t have to stay here and keep talking to me, all right?
MAN: Yeah, all right. I don’t have to stay here. Understood.
(A long pause.)
AMY STIRLING: ... you’re not going anywhere.
MAN: Yeah, I know.
AMY STIRLING: ... okay.
MAN: And for the record... I know who you are, Miss Stirling, because I’ve already seen your show.
AMY STIRLING: ... have you?
MAN: Yeah. Three times.
AMY STIRLING: ... you should call me Amy.
MAN: Amy. Okay then.
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, okay. Want to... get a drink and then maybe you can... tell me what you thought about the show?
MAN: And then maybe we can go see if we can get you Emily Morrison’s autograph? How does that sound?
(Amy chuckles a bit.)
AMY STIRLING: That sounds really… really great. Lead the way.
(Footsteps as they walk away together.)
(The scene fades away.)
ANNOUNCER: The Harbingers will be back after these messages.
ACT TWO
ANNOUNCER: And now... back to The Harbingers.
(We return to the same rooftop party ambiance that we just left.)
NARRATOR: New York City. December Twenty-Third, 2028. An hour and fifty-seven minutes before midnight.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Okay, we’re not rock stars, Amy. We have magic, powers that could change -
(It’s the same bit of conversation we heard earlier. We seem to have gone back in time a bit.)
AMY STIRLING: All right. I tried. I want the record to show I tried. See you, Adam.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Amy -
AMY STIRLING: I’m gonna go talk to the lady of the hour. Cheers.
(Footsteps as Amy walks away. Adam lets out a breath, annoyed.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Well... that went well. For about forty-two seconds...
(Adam takes a swig from his drink.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: Dr. Blackwell!
(There’s footsteps as Eckerberg walks towards him.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Mr. Jerome Eckerberg.
JEROME ECKERBERG: I was so hoping I’d see you here. Merry Christmas.
(They shake hands.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, Season’s Greetings. I didn’t know you’d be here. Are you... are you one of the donors?
JEROME ECKERBERG: Indirectly. I helped out with some of the miscellanea here and there. Just enough to get the pity invite to her Christmas party.
ADAM BLACKWELL: And here I was thinking I was the pity invite.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Nonsense. What you did back in April was the first pebble of the avalanche.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, well... that was a one-time deal. I’m happier sticking to the sidelines.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Oh, come on. You’re going to tell me you didn’t enjoy being the hero of the day even a little bit?
ADAM BLACKWELL: What I am going to tell you, Mr. Eckerberg -
JEROME ECKERBERG: Wait, wait -
ADAM BLACKWELL: - is that no, I’m still not going to help you with your energy project.
JEROME ECKERBERG: At least come by Boston. See the facilities. Let us explain what we could do together.
ADAM BLACKWELL: So you keep saying in your phone calls, and the letters, and the -
JEROME ECKERBERG: Hey, a man’s got a right to ask, doesn’t he?
ADAM BLACKWELL: He does... as long as he’s okay with getting “no” for an answer.
(A pause.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: You really are content to just... sit and research your dead languages, aren’t you?
ADAM BLACKWELL: I really am. If you want a magician that gets involved in the issues of the day - go talk to Amy Stirling.
(From the distance, we hear a burst of laughter from Amy - the same we heard earlier during her conversation with Andrea.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Just follow the sound of mocking laughter, you can’t miss it.
JEROME ECKERBERG: I really think you should reconsider...
(Adam takes a drink.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Mr. Eckerberg... from what I understand, you’re about to get a bunch of the government money that Walker took out of clean energy right back in your pocket. I think your clean energy initiative’s gonna do just fine without Harbinger support artillery. Take the win.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Well, if you change your mind...
ADAM BLACKWELL: Trust me. I won’t. Merry Christmas.
JEROME ECKERBERG: And to you as well, Dr. Blackwell.
(Footsteps as Adam walks away from him. After a moment, he stops.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Dewars on the rocks. Uhhm, make it a double, actually, please.
MAN: Dr. Adam Blackwell!
(The Man laughs as he approaches Adam, effusively happy.)
MAN: It’s so, so good to meet you. I cannot - can I shake your hand? I’m going to shake your hand.
(He takes Adam’s hand and starts to shake it.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Uh, it’s, uh, nice to meet you too?
MAN: I cannot tell you how much this means. To get to thank you in person. Long overdue, I know, but... god, you wonderful man.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Th-thank you?
MAN: I know, I know, they said that I should respect your privacy and your boundaries and that you really wanted to focus on your work and blah blah blah. But tell me that you at least got my letters.
ADAM BLACKWELL: I... yes, of course.
MAN: Good. Good. And the gifts?
ADAM BLACKWELL: The - the gifts were terrific. They were so... they were just wonderful.
(A pause.,)
MAN: You have no idea what the fuck is happening to you right now, do you?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Not a clue, I’m so sorry.
(The Man laughs.,)
MAN: Ooo-kay. Well, let me give you back your hand.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Thank you, yes, and -
(Adam takes a step, and knocks into a tray. Its contents fall to the ground, causing the glass-breaking sound we heard earlier.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: ... shit. Where did that tray come from?
MAN: I think it had been there for a while.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Ah, fuck.
MAN: Want to just make it all go... woosh?
ADAM BLACKWELL: No, I better not... woosh it anywhere. I don’t want to just make it someone else’s problem.
MAN: Ahh. Well, here - I’ll help you clean it up.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Oh, umm, thanks.
(They both start to clean up the broken glass. As they do so, they keep talking:)
ADAM BLACKWELL: And, uh, I’m sorry. About the whole... I’m living through a very, very strange couple of years. It’s a lot of people and I can’t always keep track of, uh, of everyone I’ve met since this whole thing started.
MAN: Don’t worry about it.
ADAM BLACKWELL: But, umm, thank you for the letters and the gifts, because, uh, I go through all of them and, uh -
MAN: No, you don’t.
ADAM BLACKWELL: No, I don’t. I get... so much shit from people. The university’s started to handle that for me. But I... I really appreciate the gesture.
MAN: Of course. Well, take it from me, if you’re ever having one of those days where everything is just... black and pointless and overwhelming... go to wherever the university handles that shit for you. Read some of your fanmail. Not the online shit, the physical stuff that people make with their hands. It’ll make you feel like you can keep going.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Nah, that’s not... I don’t get letters like that.
MAN: Like what?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Like... the people that write to me are scared religious fundamentalists who want to know if I’m here to herald the rapture. Or big corporations that want me to help them move oil from A to B. Or weird companies out in Japan that want me to help them advertise alcoholic lip gloss or some shit. I don’t get fanmail.
MAN: I, uh, I don’t think that’s true, Dr. Blackwell.
ADAM BLACKWELL: No?
MAN: Take it from... well, take it from a fan. And I don’t think that I’m the only one. Go find out where that office is sometime in the new year. I think you’ll find some very nice things waiting for you down there.
ADAM BLACKWELL: ... what did your letters say?
(A pause.)
MAN: Go look for it. When you get back to Chicago. You’ll know it when you see it, trust me. There - I think that about does it.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah.
(They gather up the last of the broken glass and stand up.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Well... thanks for the help with that. I owe you one.
(The Man lets out a sharp laugh.)
MAN: No. Trust me. You don’t.
(The Man claps Adam on the back.)
MAN: I’m gonna go look for some friends of mine, but... thank you. Seriously: thank you. And... Merry Christmas.
(Footsteps as the Man walks away.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: You too, man! Happy - whatever, holidays. (lower, under his breath:) What the fuck was that about...?
(The scene transitions to later in the same space.)
NARRATOR: An hour and a half later.
(Adam is by himself in a quiet corner of the party. He lets out a low breath.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Oh, man… I still can’t believe it. Oh, Laurel… ojala estuvieras aquí para ver esto.
(Some footsteps approach.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: I was wondering where you were hiding.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Not hiding, no, just - just taking a moment to... breathe.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Mm-hmm. I thought maybe you’d left without saying hello.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, my understanding is that if I did that you could now have me hunted down like a dog.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Not for another five weeks, but on Day One? Like a dog.
(They both laugh a bit. Andrea holds something up to Adam.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Speaking of breathing... have a cigarette with me?
ADAM BLACKWELL: No, thank you. I’ve never smoked.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Adam... the President-Elect of the United States just asked you to have a cigarette with her. I can’t make it an official order just yet, but come the fuck on. Grow a pair and smoke this cigarette with your next commander in chief.
ADAM BLACKWELL: As I was saying... yes, ma’am, madame president elect.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Good boy.
(As they talk, Andrea lights two cigarettes and passes one to Adam.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: You never know, you might develop a taste for it.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, that’s what I need. I never got your apology, by the way. The whole heart thing. You promised no one would know I was behind that.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Officially, I have no idea how that information got leaked to the public.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Uh-huh. And unofficially?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: C’mon, man. I’m a politician. You really think I’m gonna make some magic happen to save a famous actor’s life and not tell the world about it?
(Adam lets out a low chuckle.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: I suppose it was... horribly naive of me. But now... here you are.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Here I am.
ADAM BLACKWELL: How are you feeling?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: How am I feeling it? I’m feeling like I’m a thirty-five year old black woman who’s about to take the biggest job in the world in a country that tends to really fucking punish people for all three things I just listed.
ADAM BLACKWELL: It’s scary?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Yeah. It’s scary. But... it’s not scaring me, you know? I can’t let myself be afraid of it. Instead I just need to be in a constant state of... “Bring it on.” Half the country hates me? Bring it on. The infrastructure is in ruins because of four years of Walker? Bring it on. Most corrupt supreme court in our lifetime?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Bring it on. Yeah. I get that.
(Adam takes a drag from his cigarette. Immediately breaks out into a coughing fit. Andrea laughs.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Goddamn. I... I don’t know if these are for me, Madame President.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Don’t know how to smoke a cigarette? Bring it on.
ADAM BLACKWELL: You sound like Amy. I’ll never understand how so much fight fits into such a tiny person.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: What are you talking about? The two of you are exactly the same.
ADAM BLACKWELL: What?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Come on. If she’s the irresistible force, you’re the immovable object.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Okay, sure...
(A pause. Adam exhales.)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: All right. Seven months ago, you asked me what Amy said about you. Do you want to know?
ADAM BLACKWELL: I - I don’t know if I want to -
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Shut up, yes, you do, listen to your very wise president, okay? Amy... has spent what has honestly felt like a lifetime of the Earth telling me you’re stupid. And ridiculous. And cowardly. And sloppy, and arrogant, and -
ADAM BLACKWELL: Boy, this is just what I wanted for Christmas, how did you know?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: She’s only wrong about like half of those and you know it. But... the only reason why she’s even noticed all of that stuff is because... she thinks you’re worth paying attention to.
(Adam scoffs.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: If anything, too many people pay attention to me these days.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Oh sure. But Amy didn’t start paying attention when you became the Most Powerful Man in the World. Mmm. She started paying attention when you were just the weird guy in her grad school cohort who it was fun to argue with.
ADAM BLACKWELL: She... she thought that was fun?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: I don’t know. Maybe. Yes. Yes, she did. And I would bet all the money in my pocket against all the money in your pocket that so did you.
ADAM BLACKWELL: I... Look, we tried. I tried. I - I asked her out and we -
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Yes, yes, yes, I know. Believe me: I know. But the real problem wasn’t the date. The real problem is what you did afterwards.
ADAM BLACKWELL: What I - ? What did I do afterwards? I... I went back, I tried to... Oh. Oh. I won.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Mm-hmm. You “won”. This is... winning. But... might be time to let her have a rematch, don’t you think? Could be fun... You remember fun, right?
ADAM BLACKWELL: W-why are you saying all of this?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because in a month I’m gonna be too busy fixing other stuff to deal with your bullshit. Maybe I want some good karma before the end of the year. Maybe I just think that things might go better for everyone if the two of you actually got laid for once.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Oh, whoa, what do you know about -
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Adam, please. I know. But mostly... I can’t spend the next four years dealing with Amy stewing about you.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Wait. Amy stews? About me?
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Officially I never said that. Unofficially -
(She gives him a push. Then two more as she says:)
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Get off the bench and go talk to her, for fuck’s sake. Okay?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Umm, I - well -
ANDREA SHEPHERD: Go. That one’s order. Seek happy nights to happy days, all right?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Right. Yeah, sure! Umm… thank you.
ANDREA SHEPHERD: You’re welcome. Merry Christmas.
(Footsteps as Adam leaves Andrea behind. Heads towards the thick of the party, which gets louder.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Umm, Amy? Amy? Has anyone seen Amy?
(More footsteps as he walks through the space.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Fuck. Okay...
(A few more footsteps.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Amy? Amy? Where the fuck did you - ? Amy?! Has anyone seen Amy Stirling? The Silver Witch? Anyone?
(The song “You Lost Your Way” by Wayward Daughter begins playing through the party’s speakers.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Goddammit!
(More footsteps. The chatter of conversation goes on around him.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Are you kidding - did nobody see where Amelia Stirling went?
(And finally, a short distance away from him:)
AMY STIRLING: Dude... what the hell?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Amy. Where did you - ?
(Some footsteps as Adam closes the distance between them.)
AMY STIRLING: I was - I was just getting my coat. What’s the deal?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Umm, okay, it’s just... I - I - I was thinking and I just - Wait... coat? Are you - are you going?
AMY STIRLING: Umm, yeah. This party’s fun, but it’s kinda giving me a headache... I think we’re gonna slip out and go have a quiet drink at my place.
ADAM BLACKWELL: “We?”
(A few footsteps approach.)
MAN: Dr. Blackwell.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Oh, it’s - it’s you.
AMY STIRLING: I, uh, I heard that the two of you met earlier?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, yeah, of course. I’m - I’m so sorry man, I just realized, I didn’t even get your name before.
AMY STIRLING: Yeah, of course you didn’t. Adam Blackwell, allow me to introduce... Kris Middendorf.
MAN: It’s nice to meet you. Again.
(Kris and Adam shake hands.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: Umm... it’s... it’s a pleasure to - Oh. Oh my god. Middendorf. You’re - ?
KRIS MIDDENDORF: Yes.
ADAM BLACKWELL: And so the reason you were - ?
KRIS MIDDENDORF: Yes.
ADAM BLACKWELL: And you sent me letters because - ?
KRIS MIDDENDORF: Yes.
AMY STIRLING: And could we speed this up a bit? We’re trying to Irish Goodbye here. What did you want, Adam?
(A pause.)
ADAM BLACKWELL: I... Nothing. It’s nothing, Amy. I was just... I was just thinking… you’re right. I should take a day off. And I... umm, I thought I should tell you. That you were right. You were very, very right.
AMY STIRLING: ... yeah. Okay, you weirdo. I’ll take that. I guess. I... think maybe you’ve had enough to drink for tonight, okay, Adam? I’ll see you around. Merry Christmas.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, you too.
(Some footsteps as they depart.)
KRIS MIDDENDORF: Nice to meet you. And thank you. Again.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah. No... no problem. Again.
(They’re gone.)
(Then… another footstep approaches Adam.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: Everything all right, Dr. Blackwell?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Fine, Mr. Eckerberg.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Are you sure? Maybe you need a top-up?
ADAM BLACKWELL: Yeah, sure. Actually, no, I’m fine, but... Mr. Eckerberg... how’s your schedule in the first few weeks in January?
JEROME ECKERBERG: ... adaptable. Why?
ADAM BLACKWELL: I think maybe I should come by Boston. See what you’re trying to do. Maybe... I can help. Maybe it’s time I get off the bench.
JEROME ECKERBERG: Well, I’m thrilled to hear that. I’ll have my people set something up with your people.
ADAM BLACKWELL: Great.
(The quality of the song that’s playing changes - rather than playing through the speakers at the party, it’s now playing directly in our ears as listeners of the podcast.)
JEROME ECKERBERG: Dr. Blackwell. You’re not going to regret this. I think some... big, big things are coming this next year. Just you wait.
(The scene fades out, leaving us with just the song playing:)
SONG: You'll be her summer, her winter, her lover, her friend
Her hero in the morning, her beginning, middle, end
But inside you would die to go back to the start
Because you lost your way
When you lost your place in my heart…
(The song ends.)
(There’s a long pause, and then:)
ANNOUNCER: The Harbingers will return Valentine’s Day, 2026.
(The episode’s closing theme begins playing.)
ANNOUNCER: This has been The Harbingers. Created by Gabriel Urbina. Come back on February 14th for Episode 9, "The Revolution Starts Now" Today's episode was written by Gabriel Urbina. It was directed and sound designed by Jeffrey Nils Gardner. It featured the voices of Andrés Enriquez as Adam Blackwell, Lauren Grace Thompson as Amy Stirling, Emmy Bean as Claudia Skinner, Sabrina Odigie as Andrea Shepherd, Dan Granata as Jerome Eckerberg, and Ian Geers as Kris Middendorf. Today’s episode also featured the voice of Jeffrey Nils Gardner. Our original music was composed by Nicholas Podany. Today’s episode also featured You Lost Your Place by Wayward Daughter. Our original show art was created by Cassie J. Allen. The executive producer for the series is Eleanor Hyde You can learn more about the show, see a timeline of the events of our story, and become a supporting member at AudaciousMachineCreative.com. This is an Audacious Machine Creative production. Thank you for listening.
(The episode’s closing theme concludes and fades away.)
AMY STIRLING: Today’s history tidbit: on December 25th, 1782, explorer Desmond Childers mysteriously vanished without a trace, less than twenty-four hours before he was scheduled to set sail on a new expedition to the South Indian Ocean.