sib1x09 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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19 EXT. ATLANTA - OUTSIDE BUILDING. NIGHT. 19
The front of the building is as plain as the others
–crumbling red brickwork, faded displays and signs, and no
evidence of life inside except a thin sliver of yellow light
from beneath the thick door. Twist knocks twice on it, unable
to resist making a tune out of her knock.
The door opens as she's tapping, and she stops with a cough,
putting her hands behind her back. The DOORMAN we saw earlier
is a thick set guy with short spiky hair and stubble, and
pretty muscular too.
DOORMAN
Whatever you're looking for, you're
in the wrong neighbourhood, sugar.
TWIST
Hey, you haven't even let me try my
doorplay line yet!
DOORMAN
(beat; grins)
Okay, go for it.
TWIST
Right. Hey there, I was looking for
the UV Radio headquarters so I
figured I'd follow some vamps
around till I found a nest and then
I'd ask for directions. So…
DOORMAN
So what?
TWIST
So, is this a nest? Can I get some
directions?
DOORMAN
No need, you've come to the right
place. Welcome to UV Radio.
TWIST
Alright! Score one for me!
The doorman steps inside and Twist walks through.
20 INT. UV RADIO - DOWNSTAIRS. NIGHT. 20
The second Twist steps inside, the door slams shut and
another burly vamp appears, grabbing Twist and pinning her to
the floor despite her struggles.
TWIST
Hey! What the… hey!
DOORMAN
Alright, take her inside.
The other vamp kicks open a door to the left of the entrance
corridor and hauls Twist into it, slamming the door behind
him and blocking off her yells.
21 INT. UV RADIO - SIDE ROOM. NIGHT. 21
Twist is wrestled into a chair, and restraints are quickly
fastened on her wrists and ankles. The room contains nothing
except the chair and a strange looking machine that looks
like a headless grandfather clock with two old computers
stuffed inside it.
Another vamp, a middle-aged guy called BRENT, is waiting next
to the machine, and fastens a set of electrode pads to
Twist's forehead. Twist looks around, frightened.
TWIST
Okay… what's going on?
BRENT
Just a precaution. Can't have any
old vampire wandering in off the
streets without being checked out
first!
TWIST
Checked? For what? Who the hell a-
There is a ZAP and a surge of blue energy from the machine
travels along the electrodes and onto Twist, who stiffens and
grimaces. The machine starts to rattle, and what looks like a
cardiograph printout spews out from its side. Brent holds it
up, peering at the details.
BRENT
Now then, let's see… Sired in late
1999, somewhere on the East Coast,
looks like New York, aged 20 at the
time… and… oh, dear.
TWIST
What is it?
BRENT
You've killed quite a few people,
haven't you?
TWIST
Are you high? I'm a fricken
vampire, of course I've killed
people!
Twist winces as she realises that may not have been the
wisest thing to say.
TWIST (cont'd)
What I mean is, in my dark and
distant past I killed a few people,
but I've been back on the straight
and narrow since the whole going to
Hell thing…
Brent peers down at the increasingly long printout.
BRENT
Yes, there is a section here that
appears to be… well, not missing,
but certainly giving off all sorts
of strange readings… You haven't
killed anyone for a long time now,
have you?
TWIST
No! Can we get this thing off now?
BRENT
Just a moment…
He waits for the machine to beep once, and the printout
stops. He tears it off and starts to fold it up. With a nod
to the other vamp, the electrodes are removed and the
restraints unfastened. Twist breathes deeply and rubs her
head, looking round at the two vamps in the room.
TWIST
Okay, first person to explain to me
what the Backstreet Boys just went
on won't get a kicking once I get
my breath back…
BRENT
My apologies. I'm Brent. You've
already met Carl.
Brent steps forward and offers his hand, which Twist
cautiously shakes. CARL, the other vamp, nods once. Twist
isn't sure what to make of the situation, rubbing her sore
wrists and nodding towards the strange machine.
TWIST
What is that thing? It felt like
someone was playing my brainwaves
with chopsticks!
BRENT
It was designed by a powerful
warlock named Tarradini.
It uses magical power to literally
scan the brain activity of whoever
it is reading, giving us access to
a complete personal history,
highlighting any… unsavoury
activities they may have gotten up
to.
TWIST
(straightening hair)
Well, I don't like it. What do you
need it for?
BRENT
We are a humane operation, Miss…
(checks printout)
We have to be careful who we
announce our location to, Miss
Twist. We have many enemies.
TWIST
Oh, I get it, you're another rebel
vamp crew!
BRENT
'Rebel' is a somewhat uncouth term,
but yes, in a manner of speaking.
TWIST
Well, how come you haven't heard of
me then?
BRENT
(raises an eyebrow)
No, should I have?
TWIST
Yeah, I helped out the Houston part
of you guys two weeks back. You
know, when there was that blackout?
Brent and Carl shake their heads blankly.
TWIST (cont'd)
Oh, come on! With the demon army?
And the fighting?
(beat)
Nothing?
(beat)
This job sucks.
BRENT
(changing subject)
Anyway, if you'd like to follow me
upstairs?
Brent helps her up, and she follows him back out.
22 INT. UV RADIO - MAIN ROOM. NIGHT. 22
We head into the station area. The couple Twist followed in
are sat down, sorting through a box full of CDs, and two
other vamp guys stand inside the booth, chatting. They all
turn to look at Twist as she and Brent enter.
BRENT
(to room)
Everyone, this is Miss Twist.
Twist, this is almost everyone.
Danyael and Jeremy aren't here yet,
but we still have ten minutes
before tonight's broadcast starts,
so we should be fine. I have to get
downstairs to set things up, so
I'll leave you youngsters to it.
Brent closes the door after him, and Twist manages a small
wave as LUCINDA stands and offers her hand. She's slim and
gorgeous with long, dark braided hair.
LUCINDA
Hey there, I'm Lucinda, or Lucy, or
Lu, whatever. That's Darren over
there, and my better half and star
of the show, Danyael, should be
here any second.
DARREN nods hello as he stands and carries an armful of CDs
over to the booth. Lucinda points towards it.
LUCINDA (cont'd)
The two usual suspects in there are
Reed and Toby, our sound guys for
want of a better phrase,
considering how little they
actually do!
REED smirks, flipping Lucinda the bird. She pokes her tongue
out at him and pats the worn sofa for Twist to sit down. She
does, still not sure what to make of it all.
TWIST
So… what's the deal round here
then? I mean, this is UV Radio,
right?
LUCINDA
Sort of. Dan and Jeremy moved here
from NYC not long ago, and they
settled here when they met Brent,
and we've been doing the show since
then!
TWIST
Brent… he's a little strange. Is he
like the boss man around here?
LUCINDA
Yeah, kinda. Brent's the oldest and
the one who recruited the rest of
us. We're kind of the unofficial
voice of the Atlanta 'rebel'
movement, if you like.
TWIST
So I gathered. Hey, did you hear
about all that business back in
Houston last week?
Lucinda shakes her head and Twist sighs.
TWIST (cont'd)
Never mind.
The door opens behind her, and in walks Danyael and JEREMY, a
chubby vamp, both carrying some music store shopping bags.
Twist raises an eyebrow at Danyael, a cheeky smirk crossing
her face.
Lucinda jumps up and hugs both of them as Danyael slips off
his jacket and Jeremy starts taking stacks of CDs out of the
shopping bags. Lucinda and Danyael share a quick kiss before
Danyael notices Twist and bows slightly.
DANYAEL
Hey there.
LUCINDA
Oh, Dan, this is Twist, she's new
in town and tracked us down. She's
an old listener.
TWIST
That's me. I'm in town on business.
Long story.
DANYAEL
Well, I'd love to hear it later but
right now, I got a show to run.
Danyael smiles again as he heads into the booth as everyone
else clears up. Twist watches as he slips on his headphones
and turns up the mic, cueing up a CD and playing it as he
goes into his intro.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Good evening, guys, girls and
ghouls all around the world, or at
least central Atlanta, this is DJ
Danyael kicking off tonight's show
with an old favourite.
Danyael slips the 'phones off and starts sorting through CDs
as 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' by Smashing Pumpkins plays,
sipping a beer with his other hand. Lucinda taps Twist on the
shoulder to break her stare on Danyael.
LUCINDA
He'll be locked up in there for a
while now, so d'you wanna go for a
walk round outside? I'll show you
the area, introduce you to some
friends.
TWIST
Okay. Oh, and remind me to call my,
uh, buddy Chris, he's in town
trying to read a map at the moment,
I just need to let him know I found
you.
TOBY
What, not Chris Berkeley?
Twist rolls her eyes.
23 EXT. OUTSIDE SEWER GRATE. NIGHT. 23
A sewage tunnel outlet just off a drained concrete river
outlet, as Chris hops into view with katana on his belt and a
small backpack on as well.
He tips his fedora up as he sits before the entrance,
listening to the rushing water and sniffing the air.
CHRIS
And yet, this still somehow beats
sitting in that bloody van…
He fishes Derrinck's list out of his pocket and checks
something on it, then looks up and reads off a moss-covered
sign fastened above the grate.
Nodding, he hops down to the grate's level, and with a few
swift katana slashes has sliced himself a hole to crawl
through. He pauses, crinkling his nose up at the stench.
CHRIS (cont'd)
(mutters)
And this was the easy one…
With one hand holding his hat down, he crouches and walks
through the hole he cut, and into the tunnel.
24 INT. SEWER ACCESS TUNNEL. NIGHT. 24
Chris is about twenty feet down the tunnel when a deep,
rumbling GROWL sounds out from further along, echoing all
along the tunnel. Chris freezes and grips his katana tightly,
before continuing on his way.
25 EXT. ATLANTA - STREET. NIGHT. 25
Twist and Lucinda walk along, the two girls now armed with a
slushy drink each. Lucinda waves to the bouncer of a rough
looking biker bar that they pass, who nods back.
LUCINDA
That's Barry. Nice guy, serves us
even though technically we're still
minors.
TWIST
Under 21 when you got turned?
LUCINDA
Yeah, downer, ain't it?
The girls share a grin at the joke as they walk on, passing a
line of shops, whose still lit window displays attract their
attention.
LUCINDA (cont'd)
So, tell me more about this 'cure'
thing your friend Chris is working
on!
TWIST
Not that much to tell. Chris has
read about a fair few ways in which
disadvantaged people such as
ourselves can do something about
it, everything from long, painful
rituals needing a shopping list of
near-impossible to find stuff, to
crazy-sounding machines and things.
(slurps drink)
At least, that's what he tries to
tell me. Looking at some of his
notebooks, it's like Da Vinci
dropped some acid and stopped up
all night doodling!
LUCINDA
(thoughtful)
Huh!
So, like, is he planning on
releasing this to the world at
large?
TWIST
I don't know. I think large numbers
of once-dead friends, sons,
daughters and relatives suddenly
showing up alive and well again
would kind throw things out of
balance a bit. I'm sure he knows
what he's doing.
(beat)
One of us has to…
LUCINDA
Hey, did you call him yet?
TWIST
Shoot, no I didn't.
Twist reaches into her jacket for her phone, but shrugs and
tucks it away again after a few moments.
TWIST (cont'd)
Well, wherever he is, there ain't
much reception. I'll try again
later.
LUCINDA
Okay, cool. Come on, got plenty
more stuff to show ya yet!
Lucinda skips off and Twist follows.
26 EXT. OUTSIDE SEWER GRATE. NIGHT. 26
We see a shadow approaching the hole Chris cut. He shoves his
way through and out, cut and bloody and dripping from head to
foot in slime and dirty water.
With a grunt, he heaves something out that he was dragging
behind him - the large head of a particularly nasty looking
demon, which bounces along the concrete drain floor as Chris
extracts himself from the grate and tries to shake off some
of the mess. He mutters under his breath as he produces a
sack from his backpack and stuffs the demon's head inside.
27 INT. AARON'S PLACE - OFFICE. NIGHT. 27
The sack is dropped with a THUD onto Derrinck's desk.
Chris slumps down, exhausted, in the chair facing Derrinck as
he opens the sack and inspects the contents.
DERRINCK
My word, you didn't go after this
one first, did you?
CHRIS
Well… yes.
DERRINCK
You're a braver man than I thought,
I put him at the top of the list
because he was toughest of the lot!
CHRIS
I thought you said the list was in
reverse order?
Derrinck shakes his head as Chris rubs his tired eyes.
DERRINCK
Oh, and you can cross the bottom
chap off as well. Someone came in
on behalf of this band of human
bounty hunters and took the job.
Vampire lad, the one they're after.
Runs a radio station, I think.
CHRIS
Say that again?
DERRINCK
Yes, not sure why he's on a hit
list like this, I can't see what
harm he could do, but there you go…
Derrinck takes Chris' list and checks down it.
DERRINCK (cont'd)
There he is, chap called Danyael,
runs a local radio show called 'UV
Radio' or something similar. I
wouldn't like to be in his shoes
when that lot catch up with him,
they're particularly rough fellows…
Derrinck looks up. Chris is nowhere to be seen, but the
office door is gently swinging closed, and from outside we
can hear a pair of boots running rapidly down the spiral
staircase.
DERRINCK (cont'd)
Something I said?
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
28 INT. UV RADIO - BOOTH. NIGHT. 28
Danyael bobs in his chair along to the music, which is
'Somewhere I Belong' by Linkin Park. Twist and Lucinda return
through the main door - they both wave to Danyael and get a
thumbs up back.
DANYAEL
Well, hope that one got you all
moving, or what passes for movement
for you lot out there. I guess
swaying from side to side with
intent works just as well.
29 INT. UV RADIO - ENTRANCE. NIGHT. 29
With Danyael's show audible through small speakers fixed into
the walls throughout the building, we look down the staircase
at the front door as there is a loud knocking at it. The
doorman vamp huffs down the steps towards it.
DANYAEL (V.O.)
We're getting towards that time of
night where I have to sign off and
leave you to your fates.
DOORMAN
(mutters)
Guy can't get a minute's freakin'
rest around here…
(shouts over knocking)
Alright, alright! What d'you think
we are, dead or something?
30 EXT. OUTSIDE ENTRANCE. NIGHT. 30
We're looking at the door as the doorman opens it, still
muttering. His eyes widen in shock for a moment, then a stake
is STABBED into his chest. He GULPS and falls back.
We're looking at VAN LEWIN, the lead bounty hunter - tall,
muscular, bald and very mean looking. He calmly puts his
stake back inside his long coat and signals to the three guys
behind him, similarly mean looking and well-armed hunters,
who step inside and head up the staircase, crossbows, axes
and swords at the ready.
DANYAEL (V.O.)
But I hope I've left enough good
stuff rattling round the inside of
your mind to keep you going until
our next broadcast.
31 INT. UV RADIO - CORRIDOR. NIGHT. 31
The hunters reach the top of the stairway and are faced with
a long, dark corridor full of disused office suites. At the
far end lies the main station room. The hunters take up
covering positions, creeping slowly towards it.
DANYAEL (V.O.)
To keep you rolling till then,
here's my customary 'Classic At
Closing Time,' and tonight it's The
Distillers with 'The Hunger.' Enjoy
it, y'all, because this is DJ
Danyael saying goodnight out there…
whatever you are.
As 'The Hunger' by The Distillers plays, the hunters are
drawing dangerously close to the door…
32 INT. VAN. NIGHT. 32
Chris is driving the van at top speed back towards the radio
station, gritting his teeth as he swerves dangerously through
the traffic.
The van sets off angry car horns all around as it veers left
and right, jinking through the traffic at top speed.
33 INT. UV RADIO - MAIN ROOM. NIGHT. 33
Twist and the other vampires are sitting around, chatting, as
we see Danyael take off his headphones and start to get up,
when Twist blinks and looks towards the door.
The doorframe glows with the same orange light Twist saw at
Bannister's club a few weeks ago. She knows what's coming
next and tenses up…
The door is kicked open with a loud CRACK, and a pair of stun
grenades rattle into the room. Twist reacts first.
TWIST
Everybody down!!
The vampires dive for cover before the loud BANG of the
grenades, and as the screen lights up for a second we hear
the bounty hunters outside yelling at one another.
HUNTER #1
(shouts)
Go, go, go!
Two of them leap into the room, the first firing his crossbow
at Reed and embedding the bolt in his shoulder, the other
swinging his sword at Lucinda, who ducks backwards and
replies with a powerful uppercut.
Getting up, Twist is shoved out of the way as Toby and Jeremy
race past her and grapple the two intruders.
The third hunter leaps into the room but Twist is ready for
him, catching him with a smart kick to his chin which sends
him toppling backwards.
Twist looks around in surprise as the vamps make short work
of the hunters - Lucinda wrestles her foe back to his feet
and holds him as Darren punches him over and over in the gut,
while Toby and Jeremy bodyslam the second hunter into the
opposite wall.
Twist has her back to the door as Van Lewin strides in,
raising a double-barreled bolt thrower loaded with stakes
towards Twist's back. She hasn't seen him.
TWIST
(impressed)
Wow, you guys are-
REED
(interrupts; yelling)
Down!!
Rising from behind a table with a shotgun, crossbow bolt
still embedded in his shoulder, he shoots once, shattering
the glass around the booth.
Van Lewin turns, one arm up, and then recoils in pain as the
second blast from Reed peppers his arm with shotgun pellets.
He drops the bolt thrower and runs out the doorway, with Toby
and Jeremy in hot pursuit.
The dusts settles on the room as Twist stands up, coughing
from the small cloud of gas given of by the stun grenades as
she looks around.
Two unconscious hunters lie sprawled on the floor, and the
third groans, his head bleeding as Darren hauls him up by his
shirt. Darren vamps out and hisses at the hunter, who is too
dazed to be able to fight back.
TWIST
No! Don't kill them!
The vamps in the room freeze, all looking at Twist. Reed
strolls over, shotgun over one shoulder nonchalantly.
DARREN
Why not?
TWIST
(sternly)
You'd be no better than they are.
REED
This is a war, or didn't you
notice? Us against them, kill or be
killed!
Twist takes in the defiance in this small group of vampires
but holds her moral ground.
TWIST
It doesn't have to be that way!
LUCINDA
Look, not wanting to disagree with
you, girl, but these guys?
She hauls up one of the unconscious hunters and holds him by
the neck, her fangs bared.
LUCINDA (cont'd)
They'd have wasted all of us in a
heartbeat. Why the hell should we
show them any kind of mercy now?
TWIST
I just… look, I used to think like
you too, till something I went
through changed my outlook on
things. You're all trying to be
humane vampires now, right? Trying
to live alongside humans instead of
living off them?
REED
Yeah, so? These guys can't really
be classed as 'human.'
TWIST
That doesn't matter. I met someone
who told me a lot of things that
made me think, about how choices we
make can end up meaning a lot more
than you think. If you kill these
guys now… well, let's just say
you're adding a pretty big minus
sign to your karma score.
We hear running feet from outside. Everyone turns to the
door, and in runs Chris, very out of breath.
CHRIS
Twist! You have to get out of here…
bounty hunters… on their way…
(beat; takes in the scene)
… oh.
TWIST
Aww look! He came to rescue me!
LUCINDA
Hey! How'd you get past Carl and
Brent downstairs?
CHRIS
They weren't there.
(to Twist)
I take it everything's under
control?
TWIST
You know me, Chris, nothing I
couldn't handle.
DANYAEL (O.S.)
Is everybody okay?
Danyael rises from behind the DJ booth, picking pieces of
broken glass out of his curly black hair.
LUCINDA
We're good. But Twist here doesn't
think we should kill these guys.
DANYAEL
And she'd be right.
Reed throws his hands up incredulously.
REED
But Dan, we-
DANYAEL
(interrupts)
But nothing. We don't take lives.
That's what I've been told since
the day I was turned, and so have
the rest of you.
A quiet moment as the other vamps slowly nod their heads.
VAMPIRES (TOGETHER)
I shall not take another life for
my own.
They're quoting the vampire Bernard, the one who began the
resistance movement four hundred years ago. The moment isn't
lost on Chris and Twist.
CHRIS
Well, at least we're all on the
same page here.
I saw a big chap running away from
here with two of what looked like
your lot in hot pursuit, does that
sound about right?
Danyael sighs as the vamps in the room begin righting the
furniture and tidying the mess up a little.
REED
That'd be Van Lewin.
DANYAEL
Big shot underworld bounty hunter.
He's had a beef against us for a
while now.
LUCINDA
Hence the need to learn how to
defend ourselves!
TWIST
Yeah, slick moves, by the way!
LUCINDA
Equal parts street training and
Michelle Yeoh movies.
Twist and Lucinda share a smile of understanding as Chris
puts his sword down and helps the other vamps rearrange the
room. Reed is busy tying up the three surviving hunters when
a Brent walks in, looking flustered and performing a quick
headcount.
BRENT
Is everyone alright? Carl and I
just got back - where are Toby and
Jeremy?
DANYAEL
Out chasing Van Lewin. Their
adrenaline got the better of them.
BRENT
Oh, this really isn't good at all…
He worries out of the room again as Danyael flops down onto
the sofa. Chris waits a moment, then extends a hand.
CHRIS
Hello there. I'm Chris Berkeley, I
believe you've met my partner,
Twist.
DANYAEL
Well, well, well, the famous Chris
Berkeley, we meet at last. Hey.
(to Twist)
Oh yeah, I know you, you're the
girl who helped the Houston cell
fight off that mob, right?
Twist swells with pride as Chris takes a seat.
CHRIS
And I take it you are the Atlanta
rebel movement?
DANYAEL
Such as it is, yeah. Listen, if you
want to talk, let's go for a walk.
It's probably best if we don't stay
here in case Van Lewin comes back.
Danyael stands, and the rest of the vamps grabs coats and
jackets and follow him outside. Chris hangs back.
CHRIS
Are you sure everything's okay?
TWIST
Oh yeah, these guys are pretty
nifty fighters. There's that Brent
guy downstairs who seems to be the
leader, but I think Danyael's
second in command or something. We
should be okay with him.
Chris nods and motions for Twist to leave.
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