Here's the Scoop

Here's the Scoop is the first mini-episode for the series, Brandon 10: Ultimate Hero.

Plot
The episode begins at the Bellwood News building in the city, it's day time. Inside, Cindy Quinn is seen, sitting at her desk, thinking. A man wearing a brown jacket over a light blue shirt and a red tie is seen walking over to her desk.

Man: Cindy, what's going on?

Cindy, looking up at him: Hm? Oh hey, boss.

Man: Don't "Oh hey, boss" me. Where's the latest report? We're going on in less than a few hours!

Cindy: Working on it, Chief. I just need some more need to rework it.

Chief: You've been reworking it all morning. It's half past lunchtime. I should know, I had a steak and a bowl of rice at that fancy restaurant around the corner.

Cindy: What about that leftover chili that your wife made you? The one you kept rambling on about earlier?

Chief: Huh? What? Oh that. Well, of course I wouldn't eat that stuff. My wife made it. And I don't ramble, Quinn. I get the word out, the truth out. The whole truth. No sugar-coating nothing. Although a frosted sprinkled doughnut would be pretty nice right now... (strokes his chin)

Cindy: Watch that blood pressure, Chief.

Chief: And you need to watch that attitude, Quinn. Save it for the field. I get enough that back at home.

Cindy: Besides, I know how truthful you can get. You've been nothing but brutally honest to me ever since I got here.

Chief: Honey, I've been brutally honest when I first formed this company with my bare hands. That's an exaggeration, by the way. I'm still brutally honest.

Cindy: Right... So is there anything else I can get to work on?

Chief: As a matter of fact-

Cindy: Almost afraid I asked...

Chief, calling out to someone: Kid, get your butt in here before I fire you.

Mike then runs in, holding his camera.

Mike: I'm here, I'm here. Please, don't fire me.

Chief: Cindy, this is Micheal Romano. He's going to be your cameraman from here on out.

Cindy: What happened to the old one?

Chief: Huh? Who? Oh yeah, him. He's fired.

Cindy: Really?

Chief: Nah, he got into a ski accident during his vacation. Broke his arm. Other than that, he's okay.

Cindy: Oh.

Chief: Yeah, then I fired him because he didn't email the pictures I asked for the next day.

Cindy: Oh... (to Mike) Well, looks like we're going to be working together, Micheal.

Mike: It's Mike. Just Mike. I was going to go by Romano but my brother changed to Yvette and-

Chief: Yeah, I don't care. I pay you to take pictures not tell soap operas.

Mike: I didn't even get my first paycheck...

Chief: We'll talk about that later. (to Cindy) And you, I want that report ready by the end of the day or-

Cindy: You'll fire me?

Chief: Heck no. I need you. Your one of the best reporters I've got. You fight for the truth, no matter what. Heck, you even survived a helicopter crash and begged to head over to a foreign country to report a dimensional tear in reality.

Mike: Wait what?

Cindy: I'll explain later...

Chief: Point is, you've got moxie, kid. And I know you can do it. Just do what your heart tells ya and you and this network will go places.

A woman with black hair and a pink shirt walks over to the Chief.

Woman: Mr. Samson, your wife is on the phone. She wants to know if you ate your chili?

Chief: If you'll excuse me, I'll be in my office... for a while. A long while.

The chief retreats into his office. Mike turns to Cindy who returned to her train of thought from earlier.

Mike: So... You're working on a report or something?

Cindy: Yeah, but it's harder than it looks. It's just too... mundane.

Mike: So do what the Chief said. Follow your heart and make it more interesting.

Cindy: I really don't see how a story about the birthday celebration of a web series is going to compare with some of the other reports.

Mike: Well, that's your department. I'm only good with cameras. You're going around to have to make do with that, I guess. I mean, it's not like your next story is going to fall right in front of you.

The building then shakes suddenly. The Bellwood News employees are seen running towards the windows. Cindy turns her attention to the employees then gets up from her chair and makes her way over to the windows.

Cindy Quinn: What's going on?

She looks out the window and looks surprised suddenly.

Cindy Quinn: Wow.

Outside the building, Ro-Warasaur is seen being tossed down the street. He gets up and looks up at the large, red robot that had threw him.

Ro-Warasaur: You have no idea who you're messing with.

Robot: Brandon 10, Hero of Earth. Capable of changing form into an assortment of alien species.

Ro-Warasaur: Okay... I guess you do know who you're messing with.

Robot: I am Kaltron from the Syroik System. I am here to collect your Ultimatrix and return it to my kind for further exploitation.

Ro-Warasaur: Yeah, I don't think so, gear head.

Ro-Warasaur throws his shoulders back and fires a couple of cannonballs from them at the robot. The robot activates a shield, blocking the oncoming attacks. Ro-Warasaur then charges for Kaltron and slams into his shield which still holds. Kaltron then activates the shield again, causing it to electrocute Ro-Warasaur. Ro-Warasaur steps back and holds his side as it sizzles slightly.

Ro-Warasaur: That... hurt.

Kaltron: That... was the idea.

Ro-Warasaur bears his teeth and slams his fist at Kaltron's shield, still blocking the attacks. Kaltron then pushes forwards, knocking Ro-Warasaur back into the street. Back inside, Cindy moves away from the window and rushes away.

Mike, trying to get her attention: Cindy? Where are you going? Cindy?

Back on the street, Kaltron approaches Ro-Warasaur.

Kaltron: Your efforts to weaken me are inefficentive. We have been studying your movements throughout the galaxy from quite some time now. We need your power to upgrade our militia and roam the galaxies to adapt our technology with ones of other worlds.

Ro-Warasaur, looking up: Like I said before, you're not getting the Ultimatrix. Now... there's gotta be some way to take you down.

Voice: Hey!

Ro-Warasaur turns around and sees Cindy Quinn standing by the building's entrance.

Ro-Warasaur: You shouldn't be here. It's not safe.

Cindy Quinn: Hit it from under.

Ro-Warasaur looks confused then starts to get the idea. He turns towards Kaltron and runs towards him. Kaltron prepares himself, holding his energy shield in place. Ro-Warasaur then leaps up and slams the ground with his fist, cracking the street upwards. Kaltron is then thrown in the air slightly and lands on his backside, disarming the shield. Kaltron then attempts to get up but finds it difficult to turn himself over.

Kaltron: I can not move. I can not move.

Ro-Warasaur walks over to him.

Ro-Warasaur: That's the idea.

Ro-Warasaur then punches Kaltron in the face, creating a metallic clang upon impact. Kaltron then seems to shut down as his glowing face becomes dull. Ro-Warasaur then transforms back into Brandon.

Brandon: And that's how you save the day.

Cindy, walking over: It is indeed.

Brandon: You weren't supposed to be out here, you could have gotten yourself hurt.

Cindy: I think you'll find that I've been in rougher spots, Brandon.

Brandon: Wait... your that reporter on the news. Cindy Quinn, right? I'm a fan of the positive things you say about me.

Cindy: Glad to see my work is getting the right attention.

Brandon: Thanks, by the way.

Cindy, bashfully: I was just trying to help is all.

Brandon: I mean... I would have gotten around to it eventually but you definitely deserve some credit. Listen, if there's anything I can do- I dunno, a nephew's birthday party or something- just let me know. (smiles)

Cindy: As a matter of fact...

Back inside, Mike is seen leaning against Cindy's desk, looking his camera. The Chief then exits his office and looks at Cindy's empty desk.

Chief: Where's Cindy? And what are you doing standing around?

Mike: Uh- I dunno, sir. She just-

Cindy, walking in: Got herself the report of a lifetime.

Chief: What happened to that web-series report?

Cindy: I'm dropping it.

Chief: We're going live in a few hours and you wanna start a new report? Are you out of your mind?

Cindy: You know Dawn to Dusk?

Chief: That celebrity featurette where we track their life? Yeah, sure. You wanna do that?

Cindy: Yep.

Chief: Well, we can't. We don't have a celeb ready to go.

Cindy: We do now.

Mike: Who?

Chief looks at Mike who shrugs subtly.

Chief, turning to Cindy again: Who?

Cindy: Brandon 10.

Mike: The Brandon 10?

Chief: Impossible. You really set that up?

Cindy: On the spot.

Chief: (chuckles) I knew you had it in you, Cindy. But I'm gotta make sure this is official. No backing out, no alien invasions, no funny business.

Cindy: You want details? Gimme a sec.

Cindy whips out her cell phone and text something. She then puts her phone away and crosses her arms.

Cindy: There.

Chief: What do you mean "there"? Where's-

Cindy: Wait for it.

They wait there for a moment. The Chief is about to say something but then a blue blur then runs through the room and Shock Speed is seen quickly leaving behind a sticky note on Quinn's desk. He then runs back out of the place before anyone could react. Mike then looks around surprised while the Chief looks down at the note on the desk. It reads "Talk to my cousin, she's legit." Then there's a phone number covered by the Chief's thumb as he holds it in his hand.

Chief: Very clever... Alright, fine. We'll make it work. But don't try this again, Quinn, or-

Cindy: I'm fired?

Chief grumbles to himself.

Chief, to everyone in the room: All the reporters? Step up your game so I can actually threaten Quinn's position here! (to Cindy) And as for you- better get to work on that report of yours.

Cindy smiles.

Cindy: Yes, Chief...

The Chief prepares to turn back to his office.

Chief: And get Mike used to the routine, would ya? I'm getting tired of seeing him standing around like that. And somebody get me a coffee!

Woman: Yes, sir.

Mike then looks over at Cindy who still has her arms crossed.

Mike: So, we're really going to do a whole 24-hour interview with the Brandon 10?

Cindy: Yep. I mean, what could go wrong?

Mike: Everything? Why couldn't you get a famous person that's used to stuff like this? It would be so much easier than chasing around a guy who fights aliens on a daily basis.

Cindy: Maybe. But I didn't join for easy. I joined for the truth. And something tells me I couldn't get any closer with this exclusive.

Credits

Characters

 * Brandon
 * Cindy Quinn
 * Mike
 * Noah J. Samson (First Appearance)
 * Citizens

Villains

 * Kaltron (First Appearance)

Aliens Used

 * Ro-Warasaur
 * Shock Speed

Trivia

 * This is the first mini-episode for Ultimate Hero.
 * However, this would be the eleventh mini-episode for Brandon 10.
 * This episode focuses on Cindy Quinn and her role in journalism.
 * The short takes place before the events of Exclusive.
 * Jeff Thompson was planned for this short but he didn't make the cut.
 * Will Ripley, Jeff's boss, was planned to make a cameo of some sort or, at the very least, be mentioned.
 * He was planned on being close friends with Noah.
 * This short introduces both Noah J. Samson and Kaltron. Although, it is unknown if they will appear later on.
 * Sarah was planned to be in this episode but was reduced to a mention. It also seems fair as Coco wasn't initially planned on being in the episode to begin with.
 * According to this short, Brandon set up with interview with Cindy despite Coco saying Sarah "signed him up". Although, based on the note Brandon left behind, it can be assumed that Sarah took care of the technical stuff and practically signed Brandon up for the interview while Brandon only agreed to doing it.
 * Despite Noah's full name being in the Characters section, only his last name and job position is mentioned in the episode. This usually doesn't occur in a standard Brandon 10 episode but this is a short so an exception was made.