sib1x02
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        27     EXT. ALLEY. NIGHT.                                      27

               We're looking through someone's eyes as they root around
               inside a dumpster, down the back alley of what appears to be
               a butcher's. The hands stop as they locate something,
               bringing out a filthy-looking hunk of meat. 

               The hands squeeze the meat, and as a little cold blood drips
               out, the hands quickly press the meat up towards us, as
               though we're being fed it.

               A cat SCREECHES off screen, and we whip round to see a
               cloaked figure standing at the entrance to the alley. A brief
               glow of burning cigar tells us this is Malkuth.

                                   MALKUTH
                         My, my, my, and what a sorry mess
                         you are! You look like you could
                         use a friend right now, as well as
                         a good meal or two.

               Malkuth walks closer as we hop down to the floor, and we hear
               Chris' voice speak.

                                   CHRIS
                         Who are you?

                                   MALKUTH
                         My name's Malkuth. I'm a local…
                         businessman.

                                   CHRIS
                             (cold)
                         You're a half-demon. I don't work
                         with your kind.

                                   MALKUTH
                         I don't think you're in a position
                         to negotiate right now! Now do you
                         want my help or not?

               Malkuth extends a hand, and we see one of Chris' hands reach
               cautiously out for it. As they make contact, we:

                                                          SMASH CUT TO:

        28     INT. 18-WHEELER - CONTAINER. NIGHT.                     28

               We pull quickly back from Twist as she exits the memory,
               starting to realise that Chris and Malkuth have known each
               other for a very long time. There's no time to dwell on this,
               as the first wave of demons are on the attack.

               Chris moves fast, sword flashing as it slices left and right,
               sending demons to the floor with a chorus of howls of pain.
               Chris moves fast, jumping after his targets.

               Twist swings her bat into one monster, a quadruped with long
               arms ending in sharp claws, which SQUEALS as it clatters to
               the ground.

               Two more jump her, yellow locust-like creatures, and she
               yells as she tries to fight them off.

               Chris tries to reach her but is grabbed by two big demons,
               who SLAM him into the container wall. One punches him in the
               gut as the other kicks away his sword, but Chris flips up and
               over the second punch, crashing the demon's heads together.

               Twist rolls to the floor and kicks one of the monsters off
               her - it collects a demon on its way towards the container
               doors which burst open, sending both creatures out onto the
               highway.

               Twist stands, grimacing at the gooey monster blood splattered
               down here.

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, this was so not in the
                         contract…

                                   CHRIS (O.S.)
                         Twist!!

               Twist looks up - Chris is disappearing under a pile of
               monsters and demons, reaching for his katana. Twist kicks it
               towards him, and he slices backwards with it, sending his
               attackers scattering.

               Chris stands and takes a breath - and then POW! He's hit full
               in the chest by a blast of orange energy. Chris hurtles back
               through the air, sailing straight out the container and onto
               the highway beyond.

               Malkuth laughs, lowering his smoking palm, as the remaining
               monsters regroup and surround the young vamp.

                                   MALKUTH
                         He was asking for that one. Now!
                         What are we going to do with you?

               Twist backs up, bat ready in case anything gets too close, as
               Malkuth's army closes in.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         I'll say this much, you're prettier
                         than the last one.

                                   TWIST
                         What 'last one'?

                                   MALKUTH
                         Oh, there's a lot he hasn't told
                         you, isn't there?
                             (to demons and monsters)
                         Now then, boys, shall we just kill
                         and eat her, or shall we have some
                         fun first?

               The chant goes up: 'Fun! Fun! Fun!' Twist looks round again,
               then shakes her head.

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, hell, no!

               With that, she turns and JUMPS straight out the rear of the
               container. Malkuth's face drops.

                                   MALKUTH
                         Oh well. 'Till next time.
                             (relights cigar)
                         Alright, men, onwards and upwards,
                         we have a job to do!

        29     EXT. HIGHWAY. NIGHT.                                    29

               Twist staggers into frame, bruised and bloody from her quick
               exit, and heads for Chris, lying flat by the side of the
               road. Cars swerve past the duo, horns blaring.

                                   TWIST
                         Chris… Chris!

               She shakes him, and he groans and stirs. She helps him up to
               a sitting position as he rubs his sore head.

                                   CHRIS
                             (woozy)
                         What… happened…?

                                   TWIST
                         That Malkuth guy shot you with a
                         big ass fireball, and you just went
                         fwoosh! Straight outta the truck!
                         Are you okay? Did it hurt?

                                   CHRIS
                             (sharp)
                         I hit the road at about fifty miles
                         an hour, Twist, what do you think?

               Twist bites her lip and steps back. Chris sighs and opens his
               mouth to apologise, but she shakes her head.

                                   TWIST
                         'S cool. So what are we gonna do
                         about catching that guy?

                                   CHRIS
                         I'd better find out where he was
                         headed - it seems we fell foul of
                         his diversion, so let's go back to
                         the docks and see if there are any
                         clues on that ship as to what he's
                         up to.

               Chris starts to walk away, but Twist pauses.

                                   CHRIS (cont'd)
                         What is it?

                                   TWIST
                         Chris, I got a flash of something
                         in there. Of you and Malkuth. You
                         know each other pretty well, don't
                         you?

               Chris sighs, looks at his feet and nods.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         I think you'd better tell me
                         everything. No more lies.

               Chris walks away, and we pull back as Twist catches up.

        30     INT. ABANDONED BUILDING. NIGHT.                         30

               We're inside a run down building, windows boarded up and
               sparse furniture covered with sheets. The door is KICKED open
               by Malkuth's goons, followed by the man himself.

                                   MALKUTH
                         Let's get set up, we're working to
                         a tight schedule here!

               More goons come in, dragging several hysterically yelling
               people with them. We see the now fatherless family from the
               cargo ship as well as three other family units, each shoved
               roughly down to the floor. Malkuth steps over.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         You're probably wondering why we
                         kidnapped you and brought you all
                         here. It's really very simple. I
                         need your blood and several of your
                         organs to complete a complex and
                         ancient ritual so that…
                             (beat; smiles)
                         Well, that bit isn't really
                         important. What matters is that
                         you're all going to die soon, so if
                         you have any last requests… nobody
                         really cares.

               Malkuth stands as several of the people start sobbing. He
               motions to one of the goons.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Get them some tissues, will you?

               He turns and walks away, over to a midget who holds a grey
               box up to him.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Is everything we need in here?

                                   MIDGET
                         All ingredients present and
                         correct, boss. So, who are we
                         bringing back?

                                   MALKUTH
                         Curaq. He's an old friend who's
                         been locked in a particularly nasty
                         dimension for many years now, and
                         it's time I kept my side of our
                         bargain and got him out of there.

                                   MIDGET
                         What about Chris? I mean, now he
                         knows we're here…

                                   MALKUTH
                         Chris won't be a problem. If he
                         shows up, it'll be too late to stop
                         me bringing Curaq back, and then we
                         can sit back and watch Curaq turn
                         him inside out!

               Malkuth laughs, and the Midget joins in.

        31     EXT. DOCKS. NIGHT.                                      31

               We walk towards the ship, still with its bay doors wide open,
               past the bodies of all of Forbes' men who lie scattered
               across the ground.

        32     INT. CARGO SHIP - ROOM. NIGHT.                          32

               Twist watches as Chris examines the room we saw the kidnapped
               family in earlier. The body of the father lies sprawled
               awkwardly on the floor, his chest torn open.

                                   TWIST
                         Ick. Why kill him and then cut him
                         up? Isn't that labouring the point?

                                   CHRIS
                         This was ritualistic. They've only
                         taken certain organs.

               Chris pokes around inside the dead man's chest, but Twist
               isn't put off, craning over for a closer look. Chris peers
               back over his shoulder at her, chuckling.

                                   CHRIS (cont'd)
                         Certainly takes a lot to shock you,
                         doesn't it?

                                   TWIST
                             (shrugs)
                         I've seen enough horror to last me.
                         Everything else is just like a
                         trailer before the feature. So
                         what's the diagnosis, apart from a
                         slight case of 'death by
                         disembowelling'?

                                   CHRIS
                         I'm not sure yet. I know someone
                         who could help me work out what
                         ritual this is likely to be for,
                         but first we need to find where
                         Malkuth is.

                                   TWIST
                         And how do we do that?

               Chris closes his eyes and lays his palm down on the floor of
               the ship. A beat, then a red GLOW forms beneath his hand,
               stretching back to the dead man and then out of the door.
               Twist watches it go as it snakes past her.

                                   CHRIS
                             (eyes still closed)
                         We follow the trail.

                                   TWIST
                         Huh. Nice job, Lassie!

               Chris stands and tosses his phone to Twist.

                                   CHRIS
                         Call a chap named Buckley, he'll be
                         able to help us find out what
                         Malkuth's up to. The number's in
                         there already.

                                   TWIST
                         Got it. What are you going to do?

                                   CHRIS
                         I'm going to take us to Malkuth.

               Twist nods, and the duo exit. We pan down to take in the
               blood trail on the floor, before we:

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                  END OF ACT THREE
                                      ACT FOUR

                                                               FADE IN:

        33     INT. ABANDONED BUILDING. NIGHT.                         33

               We fade up on the room we left Malkuth in, only this time
               there is a large pentagram marked out on the floor,
               complicated symbols clustered at each point. Candles and
               human organs are at the tip of each point, with a pile of
               dead bodies heaped up in one corner of the room. 

               Malkuth watches as one of his goons stabs the last struggling
               hostage, a middle aged man, and drops him to the ground.

                                   MALKUTH
                         Very good, Levern. Now, just like
                         we practised. Take the knife…

               Slowly, the goon reaches down and drags the knife clumsily
               across the dead man's chest. Malkuth winces at his lack of
               precision, but nods as Levern holds up a bloodied extracted
               organ from the man.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Alright, now, put it at the point
                         closest to you.

               Levern dutifully places the organ carefully down and steps
               away. Malkuth stands, grinning, as the Midget passes him a
               leather-bound book. He opens it.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Guardians of the barrier between
                         this world and your own, mighty
                         Azmothep and Churartl, hear my
                         command. This sacrifice of flesh
                         and blood we give to you, man,
                         woman and child, so that you may
                         feed and supply the power I
                         require, the power to free one who
                         is captive between two worlds.

               A beat. Nothing happens. Malkuth looks round as his goons
               exchange concerned looks, then sighs and shakes his head,
               turning to the next page.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Don't worry, this does take a
                         while.

        34     INT. CITY BUS. NIGHT.                                   34

               Twist is on Chris' phone, scribbling notes down on a scrap of
               paper.

                                   TWIST
                         Uh-huh… yeah… okay, got it. Thanks,
                         Buckley.

               Twist hangs up and heads for the front of the otherwise empty
               bus - where we see that Chris is driving.

                                   CHRIS
                         Well?

                                   TWIST
                         Buckley says he thinks Malkuth is
                         trying the Summoning Ritual of
                         Zaguset, used to drag beings from
                         one dimension to another, given
                         what we've told him.

                                   CHRIS
                         It must be for Curaq… bugger!

                                   TWIST
                         Cur-who?

                                   CHRIS
                         If he's right, then Malkuth may
                         well be trying to bring a very,
                         very powerful demon into our world,
                         and we cannot let that happen.

                                   TWIST
                         Do we know where we're headed?

                                   CHRIS
                         I'm following my nose, so to speak.

                                   TWIST
                         Groovy. So, this means you've got
                         time to tell me how you and Malky
                         boy know each other, right?

               A beat, then Chris sighs and nods.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         When we were back in that truck, I
                         had a vision of you and him in an
                         alleyway. Seemed like you were
                         rooting for scraps or something…

               Chris grimaces as he recalls the memory.

                                   CHRIS
                         It was 1984. Not a good year for
                         me. I was in a slump after an
                         incident in Austria many years
                         previously, and…
                             (beat)
                         Never mind. Malkuth approached me
                         and said he had some work for me,
                         he'd heard about my previous
                         exploits and wanted to help me out.
                         I didn't really have any other
                         options.

                                                           DISSOLVE TO:

        35     INT. OFFICE. DAY.                                       35

               A well-kept and furnished executive office suite, with
               Malkuth behind a desk and the still-scruffy Chris before it.
               Malkuth, looking less skeletal and lacking the fangs, pushes
               a dossier towards Chris, who opens it.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.)
                         Just simple jobs at first. Escorts,
                         picking up packages, the odd strike
                         on a demon or vampire nest. I
                         thought I was working for the good
                         guys at last, but one night I found
                         out things weren't as they seemed.

        36     INT. BAR. NIGHT.                                        36

               Malkuth strides towards a fat, sweaty man, the owner of the
               run down bar we find ourselves in. The man is on his knees,
               held there by a goon's heavy hand. 

               The man pleads with Malkuth for a few moments, before Malkuth
               laughs, draws a sword and runs the man through.

               With a shudder, he goes limp and Malkuth lets him drop to the
               floor.

               Unseen by Malkuth, we pull back to see Chris, hidden safely
               behind the bar, watching the scene with wide eyes, that
               narrow with anger as he realises he's been lied to.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.)
                         When I saw Malkuth execute a local
                         bar owner for failing to pay his
                         protection money, I started to
                         realise that I'd been played all
                         along, that Malkuth had been using
                         me to do his dirty work.

               Chris steals away, but as he exits, Malkuth's head snaps
               round as though hearing something.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.) (cont'd)
                         Malkuth invited me to a
                         spellcasting that was taking place
                         a week later, but I didn't know at
                         the time that I was going to be the
                         subject…

        37     INT. CEREMONIAL CHAMBER. NIGHT.                         37

               Chris walks down a flight of steps and into a long, black
               room, complete with flaming torches on the wall and dozens of
               crates and boxes strewn across the dusty floor. 

               In the centre of the room stands Malkuth with a short, purple
               robed SHAMAN, welcoming Chris with open arms. A pair of clear
               vases stand on two plinths in the centre of the room, and the
               Shaman steps between them, closing his eyes and placing a
               hand on each.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.)
                         Malkuth said he wanted me to keep
                         an eye on the ceremony, make sure
                         things didn't get out of hand, but
                         all he really wanted was for me to
                         be there.

               White energy starts to build up in one of the vases, escaping
               over the brim like smoke and curling its way towards Chris. 

               Concerned, he takes a step back and looks up at Malkuth, who
               suddenly has a triumphant grin in place. The white mist
               gathers round Chris as he backs up.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.) (cont'd)
                         The spell being cast was supposed
                         to suck out my very soul, to take
                         out my conscience and spirit and
                         turn me into some kind of slave to
                         Malkuth, to make sure I never
                         questioned his orders. As he
                         predicted, however, things got a
                         little out of hand…

               As the mist starts to envelop Chris, he throws his arms back
               and SCREAMS. The energy blasts away from him, two bolts
               striking each of the vases, shattering them and showering the
               shaman with fragments, while a third hits Malkuth, knocking
               him off his feet.

               Malkuth writhes in agony on the ground, hands pressed to his
               face, as a woozy Chris staggers to his feet and runs up the
               steps and out.

               Malkuth stands, hands covering his face, but as he slowly
               takes them away we see his eyes have become blood red and he
               has developed a pair of fangs. His eyes widen as he realises
               something has gone very wrong, and, clutching at his chest,
               he drops to his knees.

                                   CHRIS (V.O.) (cont'd)
                         A little piece of me had gotten
                         into Malkuth somehow, changing him
                         into what you saw earlier.

        38     INT. CITY BUS. NIGHT.                                   38

               Twist sits, watching Chris, captivated by the story.

                                   CHRIS
                         I found out what had happened when
                         I had Naomi read me a few days
                         later, she told me part of my chi
                         was… missing somehow.

                                   TWIST
                         And this missing bit of you, it's
                         in Malkuth now?

               Chris nods. Twist whistles sympathetically.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         Wow. So, what does that mean,
                         exactly?

                                   CHRIS
                         It means I have to get it back.
                         Since that happened, I've felt
                         incomplete, somehow. He's used it
                         to find me dozens of times, to
                         attack me as well. We're connected
                         at some level and I need to break
                         that connection before I can finish
                         him for good.

               Chris brings the bus to a stop outside an old building.

                                   CHRIS (cont'd)
                         We're here. Get ready.

               Chris opens the bus doors and leaves, and Twist pauses to
               watch him go, wondering what to make of it all. Shaking her
               head, she grabs her bat and hops off the bus.

        39     INT. ABANDONED BUILDING. NIGHT.                         39

               A howling wind has kicked up now, and a yellow crackling ball
               of energy hovers in the air above the pentagram. Malkuth
               continues to read from the book, shouting.

                                   MALKUTH
                         Burn the offerings, fuel the fire!

               The organs at each point of the pentagram burst into flames,
               shooting columns of fire several feet upwards.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Open the gateway, return the lost
                         one to us at last!

               With a CRACK like thunder, a PORTAL opens up, a tear in space
               that howls like a tornado, streaks of lightning lancing out
               to ripple across anything nearby.

        40     EXT. OUTSIDE BUILDING. NIGHT.                           40

               With light from within shining out between the planks over
               the windows, Chris races towards the door.

                                   CHRIS
                         Ready?

                                   TWIST
                         Chris, I was born ready!

               Without breaking stride, Chris jumps and KICKS out towards
               the building's door, and we:

        41     INT. ABANDONED BUILDING. NIGHT.                         41

               Cut to the inside of the room as, in kung fu slow motion, the
               building's door is BLASTED off its hinges by Chris' kick,
               knocking two goons to the floor. 'Reject' by Watts starts to
               play as the duo make their entrance.

               Twist skids to a halt inside the room, taking in the bodies,
               Malkuth, the portal and the several other goons inside,
               leaping in with her bat and CRACKING it off the skull of the
               closest bad guy.

               Chris advances on Malkuth, the wind ripping round the room
               almost taking him off his feet.

                                   CHRIS
                         It's over, Malkuth! You didn't
                         bring him back in time!

                                   MALKUTH
                             (wicked grin)
                         Didn't I?

               As we watch, a huge, clawed HAND reaches out from within the
               portal, and within moments the torso of CURAQ has pulled
               itself through, fighting against the energies of the vortex. 

               Curaq is a huge, broad-shouldered demon in muddy chainmail
               armour, his flat-topped, dark gray head leering out with
               bright yellow eyes.

               Chris' eyes widen as he watches the monster claw its way into
               our world, hopping back as he avoids a clumsy tackle from one
               of the goons and crossing swords with another.

                                   MALKUTH (cont'd)
                         Come on, Curaq! We haven't got all
                         day for you to wrench your carcass
                         out of that hell hole, there's a
                         whole world to destroy out here!

               Curaq ROARS as he struggles onwards, and Chris yells over to
               Twist above the increasing noise in the room.

                                   CHRIS
                         Twist! The book! Destroy the book,
                         it'll close the portal!

               Twist nods and starts to head towards Malkuth, but he neatly
               tosses it towards the Midget, who looks terrified as he
               realises he'll be the new target.

               Malkuth raises one hand, and a crackling tendril of blue
               energy snakes out towards Twist, wrapping round her throat
               and lifting her into the air. She struggles against it as
               she's hoisted upwards, her head BASHING into the ceiling.

               Chris is losing the fight against three goons at once, pinned
               down and taking many hits and kicks, but he gets one free
               hand up for long enough to ZAP Malkuth's hand with a bolt of
               green magic.

               Malkuth snarls and clutches his wounded hand, dropping Twist
               to the ground. Coughing as she gets up, she sees that the
               Midget, still clutching the book, is only a foot away from
               her. The terrified guy freezes as Twist stands and rears back
               with the bat. She grins.

                                   TWIST
                         Batter up!

               THWACK! She hits the book as hard as she can, knocking it out
               of the Midget's hands and sending the tiny man SMASHING
               through the wooden planks over the boarded up window. He
               disappears from view with a SCREECH.

               Twist snatches up the book and looks to the portal.

               Curaq is half out, one foot starting to force its way through
               as his huge arms flail around for support.

               Twist lines up the book to throw it back into the portal.

                                   MALKUTH
                         Nooo!!!

                                   TWIST
                         Overdue fines, comin' your way!

               She THROWS the book - and we watch as it sails over the head
               of Curaq and back into the portal. 

               Curaq grunts with surprise, then with a FLASH of light the
               portal disappears in an instant - and the severed chunks of
               the mighty demon's body fall to the ground.

                                   MALKUTH
                             (furious)
                         You… bitch!

                                   TWIST
                         And yet, I still won. What'cha
                         gonna do, eh?

               Malkuth stands, and with a raging glare at Twist wraps his
               cloak round him with a flourish. The cloak folds up into thin
               air as Malkuth teleports away, gone in a flash.

               Chris SHOUTS with effort and throws the goons off him,
               running one through with his sword, breaking the neck of the
               second and standing back as Twist SMASHES her bat into the
               back of the last one, who slumps to the ground.

                                   CHRIS
                         Nice shot!

                                   TWIST
                         Thanks. I'm thinking of trying out
                         for Little League this summer.

                                   CHRIS
                         Where's Malkuth?

                                   TWIST
                         He did this kind of 'swoosh' thing
                         with his cloak and did a trademark
                         'Villain Of The Week' getaway move.

               Chris dusts himself. The floor around the pentagram is
               covered with scorch marks, and the wooden boards HISS as
               Curaq's corrosive blood eats into them.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         Do all dead monsters smell that
                         bad?

                                   CHRIS
                         Worse, usually. Let's go, the
                         Cleaners are probably already on
                         their way.

                                   TWIST
                         Cleaners?

                                   CHRIS
                         Not the mop and bucket kind.
                         Government men, who clean up after
                         our messes.
                         And they don't much like being
                         seen, so let's stay one step ahead
                         and get out of here.

                                   TWIST
                         Lead on, coach. I have a sudden
                         craving for another one of Naomi's
                         special recipe cups of joe…

               The duo exit through the shattered front door.
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