EPISODE 01Arc I: The AwakeningDraft
The Crown

Reign witnesses her mentor's murder and inherits his debt — and his secrets.
**FADE IN:**

**INT. HIGH-RISE PENTHOUSE - NIGHT**

ECU - A single drop of blood falls in slow motion onto white marble. PULL BACK to reveal REIGN (20s, stunning, cold). She sits on a white leather couch in a silk robe, back straight, posture perfect. A fresh bruise darkens her cheekbone. Her eyes are completely dry. She is not a victim. She is a chess player who just made a move.

The city glitters forty floors below. The door buzzer SOUNDS — sharp and urgent.

JONATHAN (30s, tailored suit, a ring box in his jacket pocket) bursts through the door. He takes in the overturned lamp, the shattered glass. His jaw tightens. He sees Reign.

JONATHAN
(frantic)
Reign? Babe — what happened? Who did this?

He rushes to her, kneeling. She lets him touch her cheek, but her eyes drift over his shoulder.

MEECH (O.S.)
Too late for that, big brother.

MEECH (30s, expensive clothes, a Glock 19 raised) steps from the shadows. He presses the muzzle to the back of Jonathan’s neck. Jonathan freezes.

MEECH
You really thought you could just walk away? Hand it off to some accountant and ride off into the sunset?

JONATHAN
(controlled)
Meech. I'm giving the business to you. All of it.

MEECH
You're giving me the scraps. Your girl here — she told me where the real ledger is. The one with every account, every name.

Jonathan looks at Reign. A flash of betrayal. Reign’s expression is unreadable.

REIGN
(calm, almost bored)
I told you he’d come for us, Jon. I told you six months ago. You were too soft to see it.

Meech laughs, triumphant. He lowers the gun slightly, turning his attention to Reign. This is his mistake.

MEECH
See? Even your girl knows who the real King is. Now — where's the ledger?

Reign stands slowly. She walks toward Meech. Her hand slides into the pocket of her robe.

REIGN
(soft, almost intimate)
The ledger isn't in the safe, Meech. It's in the cloud. Encrypted. And I just deleted the only backup that wasn't mine.

Meech’s face goes pale. The gun rises — now aimed directly at Reign’s head.

MEECH
(through his teeth)
You stupid bitch. Bring it back. RIGHT NOW.

REIGN
(a small, cold smile)
Shoot me, and you’re broke by morning.

A SIREN wails in the distance — growing closer.

REIGN (CONT'D)
And those cops? They aren’t coming for the drugs. They’re coming for you, Meech. For the murder you committed on the 14th. The one I have on camera.

A DOOR KICKS IN — HARD. BOOTS on marble. Meech spins toward the sound.

**SMASH CUT TO BLACK.**

**ON SCREEN TEXT: WHO CALLED THE COPS?**

**END OF EPISODE 1**