"I was taught two things growing up before mama went to Vegas and never came back..." camera flashes to winning the slots and then an outstretched bloody hand and then a grave "that the only rewards we keep in this life are ones we work for" cut to MC stepping out of a nice car in front of a courthouse "and that everyone has a secret sickness inside of them"
"I took those lessons to heart. Two jobs in high school, doing other kids' homework, no prom...full ride for college. They didn't hand that to me either. I had to work for that too." (Montage of her laughing with admission clerk and then breaking into a computer to delete competitors) "law school was harder. No scholarships, no breaks. It got harder when the sickness set in." MC at a pool party with a ton of beautiful women hand feeding her grapes. The camera flashes on one woman in the corner who's sobbing into her hands and then back to the MC whose eyes narrow
"You never forget the first time you give in to the sickness" MC approaches the woman, sits down and whispers in her ear. The woman's eyes widen. "But once you give in..." MC walks away from sobbing woman, snagging a drink off of someone's poolside table as she goes "well, I guess my mama taught me one more thing."
Behind her, the woman is no longer sobbing. Shes staring straight ahead. Slowly, she picks up her phone. Types out one message. Sends it. The pool party erupts in message alerts. Shouts begin. People start accusing each other. MC takes her drink out to the parking lot, smiling. The camera goes back to the unnamed woman who is now Donny darko smiling at the chaos.
Police cars show up as MC drives away.
The scene transitions back to modern day, courthouse. Another car pulls up and a woman dressed in rumpled business wear gets out. Our MC locks in.
"Smudged mascara...Manila folder clutched tk her chest. No lawyer then, representing herself...the sort of flush that only comes to a woman's face when she's caught somewhere between betrayal and despair..."
MC follows the woman to the courthouse. Right before going in, she turns to look at the camera. Smiles.
"That's what I'm addicted to. the moment she decides to fight. To defend herself. Burn the world, you know?"
(Montage of MC sitting beside evilly smiling clients as the judge bangs the gavel, men in opposing counsel yelling, red-faced screaming as MC walks her clients out of the courthouse)
"Yeah, that's the good stuff."
MC finds her target in the courthouse, flinching away from a man who must be her soon-to-be-ex and his suit-wearing lawyer. Without breaking stride, she goes up and puts an arm around the woman's shoulder. She sticks her other hand out to the two men, smiling.
She says, "Hi, I'm Cass Montenegro. Representation. So good to see you harassing my client already. Should make this easy."
Goes back to voice over as she stands there smiling, pulling her client into her side, and never taking her eyes off opposing counsel.
"There's still an awful lot of world left to burn."
