FADE IN: 

EXT. AMALGAMATED INSURANCE – DAY

A sign in front of an office building reads “Amalgamated Insurance”. In the background, a SUPERHERO flies through the air.

THE ADJUSTOR (V.O.)

Mr. Taggert, I understand the situation.

INT. THE ADJUSTOR’S OFFICE – DAY

THE ADJUSTOR (40s -- glasses, moustache, gray suit, black cape) paces around his drab, gray office. He takes notes on a clipboard.

He talks on an old landline phone.

A placard on the desk reads “The Adjustor!”

A cup of coffee and a donut sit on the desk.

Photos on the wall show the Adjustor posing stiffly with various costumed superheroes.

THE ADJUSTOR

Yes, the Masked Defender fought an epic battle with Doctor Infinity at your office building.

(listens)

Amalgamated Insurance is not necessarily going to cover the building damages. That’s what I’m trying to find out. Now, did you call the authorities as soon as they showed up?

(listens, winces)

Okay, good. And somebody did ask them to leave the building?

(listens)

Okay, good was the Masked Defender really fighting evil? Was Doctor Infinity --

(listens, takes notes)

“Lust for power”... “death ray”... “attack monkeys”... “enslave humanity”... got it. But still, the policy has an explicit ‘superheroes only’ rider. If I recall correctly, the Masked Defender is strictly a well-funded vigilante.

(listens)

So he flew with a jetpack, or flew --

(listens)

Ah. That settles that. Now, if they were using parts of the building as weapons, you have to take it up with them --

(listens, winces)

-- okay, you don’t have to shout.

(listens)

Yes, go ahead and send the news footage. But why were they in your office building in the first place, Mr. Taggert?

(listens)

What’s a “Supernatural Locus”?

(listens)

Uh huh.

(listens)

Uh huh.

(listens)

So if Doctor Infinity opened that interdimensional door, then he’d --

(listens)

Invincible, right. So you’re saying that Hobart Industrial Park has a supernatural locus underneath it?

(listens, smiles)

Sir, that’s what we in the insurance business call a ‘pre-existing condition.’

(listens)

As per the policy, if the building contained an interdimensional rift vortex, you had to tell us about it.

(listens)

Yeah, well why don’t you fly over here and tell me that?!

(listens)

Ah. I see.

He hangs up.

He calls another number, and puts it on speaker.

THE ADJUSTOR

Security? We may have an airborne hero attacking the building shortly.

SECURITY

Third one this week. I’ll fire up the destructo-cannon.

THE ADJUSTOR

You do that.

He hangs up.

HEROIC MUSIC plays as the Adjustor enjoys his coffee and donut.

FADE OUT.