sib1x11
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         8     INT. COOK COUNTY HOSPITAL - RECEPTION. AFTERNOON.        8

               We cut to a busy hospital reception room, sweeping past the
               lines of waiting patients, taking in the reception desk as
               doctors and nurses bustle past us, to home in on a phone
               ringing mounted on a pillar next to the desk.

               A hand reaches out to answer it, and a WOMAN steps into
               frame, her back to us. She has long, light brown hair tied
               back in a loose ponytail and is wearing blue scrubs with a
               stethoscope slung round her neck.

                                   WOMAN
                         Hello, Cook County ER?

                                   TWIST
                             (filtered; through phone)
                         Hi, is that Julie Kingston?

               The WOMAN turns round - this is Dr. JULIE KINGSTON. 32,
               attractive with her long hair, brown eyes and unassuming
               features, looking like this has been a busy day already, she
               steps back a little to hear the phone better.

                                   JULIE
                         Yeah, that's me. Who's this?

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, groovy, glad I found you. My
                         name's Twist, I'm calling on behalf
                         of Chris Berkeley?

               A beat as Julie grins, obviously familiar with the name.

                                   JULIE
                         Well, well, well! So what does
                         Doctor Kildare want help with this
                         time?

                                   TWIST
                         It's kinda complicated… maybe you
                         ought to come see him. We're at the
                         Holiday Inn a few blocks away from
                         your hospital.

                                   JULIE
                         Oh! Oh, well, listen, I finish my
                         shift in about an hour, I can come
                         over then if that's okay?

                                   TWIST
                         That's fine. We're room 214, under
                         the name of 'Mr. and Mrs. Venkman.'

                                   JULIE
                             (raises eyebrow)
                         'Mr. and Mrs'?

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, no, nothing like that! Heh,
                         it's just a name I thought'd be
                         cool to use. You know.

               She grabs a pen to make a note of Chris' room number on the
               back of her hand.

                                   JULIE
                         Look, I've got to get back to work,
                         but I'll be round later on,
                         alright?

                                   TWIST
                         Cool. See ya.

               Julie hangs up and walks off screen, grabbing and studying a
               chart from the reception desk.

         9     INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR. AFTERNOON.                          9

               Julie, backpack slung over one shoulder, walks along the
               plain Holiday Inn corridor up to Room 214. She knocks on the
               door, and after a moment, Twist opens it, looking a little
               flustered. Julie looks surprised.

                                   JULIE
                         Oh, sorry, I was looking for Twist?

                                   TWIST
                         That's me, you must be Julie, hi.

               Twist throws a nervous glance behind her.

                                   JULIE
                         Is everything alright?

                                   TWIST
                         Honestly? You'd better come in.

        10     INT. HOTEL ROOM. AFTERNOON.                             10

               Julie heads inside and sees Chris, lying on the bed writhing
               in obvious pain, his body soaked with sweat again. He seems
               delirious, mumbling under his breath.

               A worried looking Julie rushes over to the edge of the bed,
               retrieving a small torch from her bag and holding Chris down
               so she can shine it into his eyes.

                                   JULIE
                         Chris? Chris, can you hear me?

               Julie tries to hold Chris' head still as she talks to him,
               with Twist and Danyael standing back and watching.

                                   JULIE (cont'd)
                         How long has he been like this?

                                   TWIST
                         He first went weird a few days ago,
                         but this whole convulsing thing is
                         only in the last ten minutes.

               Julie turns her attention back to Chris, who seems to be
               calming down. He blinks a few times as his eyes focus on the
               familiar face in front of him.

                                   CHRIS
                             (dazed)
                         Julie…?

                                   JULIE
                             (smiles)
                         Hello yourself.

                                   CHRIS
                         Julie… I'm afraid I'm a mess…

                                   JULIE
                         No arguments there! Chris, what can
                         you tell me? Help me out here.

                                   CHRIS
                         Pains… pains in my chest, like
                         somebody's trying to squeeze the
                         life out of me… and general
                         feelings of delirium, like I've
                         been drugged…

               Julie roots round inside her bag as he talks and brings out a
               small vial and a wrapped hypodermic syringe, which she opens
               and inserts into the bottle, filling it up.

                                   TWIST
                             (shocked)
                         Hey, wait a minute! You've been
                         here thirty seconds, and you're
                         going to start sticking stuff into
                         him? What is that, anyway?

                                   JULIE
                         It's a mild sedative, it should
                         take away the fever. And don't
                         worry, I'm taking into account
                         Chris' unusual body chemistry.

                                   TWIST
                             (surprised)
                         Oh… so, you know?

                                   JULIE
                         I've known Chris for twelve years.
                             (looks down on him)
                         Through good times and bad. Not
                         much I don't know these days!

               Twist picks up on there being more to Julie's words than
               there seems, but before she can say anything else, Julie
               rolls up Chris' shirt sleeve and carefully injects him with
               the sedative.

                                   DANYAEL
                         How's that going to work? Isn't he
                         kind of lacking a pulse?

                                   JULIE
                         Chris is different. His body still
                         thinks it's alive. And anyway, I
                         came prepared.

               Julie opens up a small, sealed plastic bag and sprinkles out
               a little yellow powder from it onto Chris' arm.

                                   JULIE (cont'd)
                         Dispersum!

               The powder glows and soaks into Chris' arm, and within
               moments his fever subsides, and he lies still on the bed,
               breathing normally. His eyes flick open again, and he slowly
               sits up.

                                   CHRIS
                         Thanks…

                                   JULIE
                         No problem. Hippocratic Oath's full
                         of loopholes for this kind of
                         thing.

                                   TWIST
                         You know magic too? Say, I'm
                         impressed!

                                   JULIE
                         I know a little. Long story. So!

               She looks at Chris, waiting for him to start talking.

                                   CHRIS
                             (blank look)
                         So… what?

                                   JULIE
                         Oh, I don't know, start with 'Hey,
                         Julie, thanks for saving me, sorry
                         I haven't called you for about
                         three YEARS or anything, but, you
                         know, stuff happened.'

               A beat, before Chris and Julie both start laughing. He leans
               forward and hugs her warmly.

                                   CHRIS
                         Hello, Julie.

                                   JULIE
                         Hey. Good to see you again, Chris.

                                   CHRIS
                         You too. Thanks for that little
                         shot back there, I… I really don't
                         have many answers for what's wrong.

               Julie starts taking old, leather bound books from her bag as
               Chris turns to Twist and Danyael.

                                   CHRIS (cont'd)
                         Twist, Danyael, I'd like you to
                         meet Julie Kingston. We met way
                         back in 1992 when I was working at
                         Cook County Hospital here in
                         Chicago, and she was a fresh-faced
                         young intern.

                                   JULIE
                         Yeah, with every girl in the
                         building swooning after him as he
                         strolled around the wards!

                                   TWIST
                         You were a doctor?

                                   CHRIS
                         Yes, remember? I must have told
                         you…

               Twist shrugs and Chris sighs.

                                   CHRIS (cont'd)
                         Well, I was, your inability to hear
                         a damn word I say notwithstanding.
                         Julie and I kept in touch after I
                         left, and we help each other out
                         when we can.

                                   JULIE
                         We help each other out? You mean,
                         you ring me up every few years and
                         I help you out…

                                   CHRIS
                             (beat)
                         Yes, that too.

               Twist watches them for a beat before groaning.

                                   TWIST
                         Right… Fascinating as this little
                         reunion is, would you mind helping
                         us find out what the hell is wrong
                         with my partner here?

                                   JULIE
                             (off Twist)
                         Bossy, isn't she?

                                   CHRIS
                         She reminds me of you sometimes!

               Julie feigns shock and slaps Chris on the arm. Twist groans
               and stomps over to the minibar to grab something to drink as
               Julie opens up one of her books and starts leafing through
               it.

                                   JULIE
                         Well, as you know, I'm about thirty
                         years behind you in terms of
                         reading time on this stuff…

                                   CHRIS
                         You've got a better brain for it
                         than I have, Jules. You always did.

                                   JULIE
                         Oh, trying to flatter me now, eh?
                             (beat)
                         That didn't mean 'stop.'

                                   CHRIS
                         I think it's some kind of curse or
                         enchantment that's been placed on
                         me, most likely by-

                                   JULIE
                         By Malkuth. He still causing
                         trouble?

                                   CHRIS
                         All the time. I'd try casting some
                         spells, but I don't trust myself
                         with magic while I've got this
                         hanging over me.

                                   JULIE
                         Well, let's see what we can do
                         about that then! Any of your much
                         superior-to-my-own magic books
                         round here?

                                   CHRIS
                         A few, not many. I leave them
                         scattered around for security.

                                   JULIE
                         No problem. According to this…
                             (reads)
                         I can just use this simple little
                         crystal doobrie to check your
                         system for the influence of dark
                         magics.

               She holds up a clear amethyst crystal on a chain, like a
               small necklace. She holds it over Chris' chest.

               The crystal swings from side to side like a pendulum for a
               few moments, before suddenly turning jet black.

               It then starts to smoulder slightly before POPPING, and Julie
               jumps back as the crystal shatters into fragments.

                                   CHRIS
                             (rubs chest)
                         I think it's safe to say that this
                         is where the wild things are, then…

                                   JULIE
                         Looks that way! Let me run a few
                         tests, I'll see if I can identify
                         it. Can I get a blood sample?

               Chris nods as his phone rings. He answers it as Julie takes
               out a larger syringe and pads and heads for the bathroom.

               We follow her as Twist watches her.

        11     INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM. AFTERNOON.                  11

               Julie sets the syringe on the counter and starts to unwrap
               it, pulling on a pair of PVC gloves too as Twist watches,
               curious.

                                   TWIST
                         I gotta ask. You always carry this
                         much stuff around with you? I know
                         you're a doctor, but it seems like,
                         well… extreme forward planning.

                                   JULIE
                         When I get a call off Chris, yeah,
                         I tend to stock up. Could you be a
                         star and grab me some bandages out
                         of whatever first aid kit they've
                         got in this place? Thanks.

               Julie goes back to preparing her things as Twist stares at
               her - she isn't used to being ordered around, but this time
               she quietly grabs the first aid kit and hands Julie the
               bandages as she bustles back out of the bathroom.

        12     INT. HOTEL ROOM. AFTERNOON.                             12

               Chris is out of bed and pulling on his jacket.

                                   JULIE
                         Woah, hold on, where do you think
                         you're going?

                                   CHRIS
                         We've had another call. There's a
                         bar being smashed up a few blocks
                         away, and our temporary employer
                         has asked us to help.

                                   JULIE
                         Uh uh, you sit back your ass down,
                         you're not going anywhere until I
                         find out what's wrong with you!

                                   CHRIS
                         I'll be right back, Jules, I
                         promise.

                                   JULIE
                             (hands on hips)
                         Last time you said that, I didn't
                         see you for three years!

                                   CHRIS
                             (beat)
                         Touché.
                             (tosses his phone to her)
                         Take this, I'll call you when we're
                         on our way back. You ready,
                         Danyael?

               Danyael nods, grabbing a small axe and handing Chris his
               katana as Twist cracks her knuckles.

                                   TWIST
                         Time to go save the day!

               The trio rush out of the room. Julie sighs and sits down on
               the bed, waiting a beat and then switching the TV on.

        13     INT. HOTEL ROOM. EARLY EVENING.                         13

               It's a few hours later, and Julie is dozing on the bed when
               Chris' phone rings, the ringtone being the theme from
               'Dangermouse.' She jolts herself awake and answers.

                                   JULIE
                         Hello?

                                   TWIST
                             (filtered; through phone)
                         Julie? Hi. Twist here.
                             (sound of breaking glass)
                         We have another problem.

        14     INT. SCAT MAN'S BAR. EARLY EVENING.                     14

               What was once a bright, neon-covered bar is now an absolute
               bomb site. Tables are overturned, bottles and mirrored walls
               smashed, and the place is looking like the aftermath of a
               five-star bar brawl as we pick up Twist, hiding underneath
               the bar. She winces as another bottle smashes over her head.

                                   TWIST
                         It's Chris. He's gone crazy. Again.

               She ducks as a bar stool clatters past overhead.

                                   JULIE
                             (filtered; through phone)
                         Oh, no… look, get him back here
                         somehow and I'll do the rest, okay?

                                   TWIST
                         Right. Might take a teeny bit
                         longer than planned, though.

                                   JULIE
                         Just do what you can!

               Twist hangs up and turns to Danyael, who is peeking over the
               top of the bar, next to SCAT, the bar's owner.

                                   TWIST
                         He still out there?

                                   DANYAEL
                         Yup. Man, he really knows how to
                         rip it up, doesn't he?

                                   TWIST
                             (sighs)
                         Yes he does, Spook, yes he does.

               We pan up slowly from behind the bar to take in what Danyael
               is looking at - Chris, absolutely out of his mind, charging
               round the bar, yelling incoherently and hacking up walls,
               tables, chairs and anything else in katana range as he stomps
               around the bar.

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                   END OF ACT TWO
                                      ACT THREE

                                                               FADE IN:

        15     INT. HOTEL ROOM. NIGHT.                                 15

               Fade up to see Chris, lying on the bed. He comes round and
               groans, but when he tries to sit up, he finds that he's been
               tied down to the bed by thick leather restraints. He
               struggles for a moment before looking around him.

               Baseball bat up and ready, and wearing a lovely black eye,
               Twist looks down at him. Chris sighs.

                                   CHRIS
                         So I had another 'episode', I take
                         it?

                                   TWIST
                         You could say that…

               Twist suddenly BOPS Chris' leg with her bat. He yelps in pain
               - it wasn't a hard hit, but enough to sting.

                                   CHRIS
                         What was that for?

                                   TWIST
                             (angry; points to eye)
                         That was for this, you jerk! Hex or
                         no hex, you do not smack your
                         supposed team-mate in the eye when
                         she's trying to help you!

                                   CHRIS
                         Help me?

                                   TWIST
                         I was helping to restrain you.

                                   CHRIS
                             (confused)
                         How?

                                   TWIST
                             (beat; guiltily)
                         That's not important.

                                   DANYAEL (O.S.)
                         By hitting you. It was working too,
                         till you started hitting back.

               Danyael walks into frame, smoking, holding a beer bottle and
               sporting a bruise across his jaw. Chris groans and flops back
               on the bed.

                                   CHRIS
                         Oh, God… I'm really, really sorry.
                         You two do know that, right?

                                   TWIST
                             (pretends not to be
                              bothered)
                         Oh, yeah, sure! I mean, what, it's
                         not like you punched me right in
                         the fricken eye after all I've done
                         for you or anything…

                                   JULIE (O.S.)
                         Alright, Twist, that's enough with
                         the guilt trip now.

               Julie walks into frame, looking down sympathetically at
               Chris. She dabs at his head with a flannel.

                                   JULIE (cont'd)
                         How are you feeling?

                                   CHRIS
                         Well, I started off confused, now
                         I'm confused and guilty. And very
                         warm.

                                   JULIE
                         Your fever's worsened, I think
                         whatever's gotten into you is
                         getting stronger. However, I do
                         have some more news. Good first or
                         bad?

               Chris nods to indicate 'good.'

                                   JULIE (cont'd)
                         I can tell you that you've been
                         magically infected. It seems that
                         someone's passed a poisonous
                         enchantment over to you, which is
                         trying to work its way through your
                         body and would explain the episodes
                         you've been having. There also
                         seems to be another presence inside
                         your system, as though whoever put
                         this on you had to use a slice of
                         their own power to charge the
                         spell.

                                   CHRIS
                             (blinks; beat)
                         You found all that out by yourself?

                                   JULIE
                             (smiles)
                         Hey, I haven't been sitting on my
                         ass for the past ten years doing
                         nothing, you know! I read and
                         stuff…

                                   TWIST
                         Yeah, she's an even bigger nerd
                         than you!

               Julie glares at her but Twist doesn't notice.

                                   CHRIS
                         Okay. What's the bad news?

                                   JULIE
                         I can't work out how to remove it,
                         and I may need to get that missing
                         chunk of your spirit back before I
                         can do anything.

                                   CHRIS
                         Oh…

                                   TWIST
                         Hey, don't look so glum, old chum.
                         We'll do it! How hard could it be?

                                   CHRIS
                             (annoyed)
                         Twist, not wanting to piss on your 
                         chips here, but I've been trying
                         for almost thirty bloody years to
                         get that piece of myself back! What
                         makes you think it'll be so easy?

                                   TWIST
                             (prompts)
                         Danyael?

                                   DANYAEL
                         He's here.

                                   CHRIS
                         Who? Malkuth?

                                   DANYAEL
                         Right here in Chicago. He's shacked
                         up with a bunch of local vampires
                         about two miles from this very
                         hotel. We can probably even see the
                         place from our window.

                                   JULIE
                         My theory? This spell needs close
                         proximity to work. Whatever he's
                         using to poison you, he has to be
                         doing it nearby. Now, I suggested
                         we just get the heck out of here,
                         but Twist said-

                                   TWIST
                         But I said no way, if we have a
                         chance to get all of Chris' espirit
                         de corps back, then we take it. We
                         can't keep running forever. That's
                         a mighty long time.

               Chris nods, then looks down at his restraints again.

                                   CHRIS
                         I take it I won't be coming with
                         you on this one?

                                   TWIST
                         Sorry, boss, you stay here in case
                         you throw another schizo on us and
                         blacken my other eye. The panda
                         look is so 1994.

               She grins at him, and he sighs, knowing she's right.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         Julie's staying here to keep an eye
                         on you, I'm taking Spook out to
                         meet a few rebel vamps in the area
                         to help out before we crash
                         Malkie's little party.

                                   CHRIS
                         Be careful, alright?

                                   TWIST
                         Hey, this is me we're talking
                         about! Indestructible, three
                         Charlie's-Angels-in-one Twist, on
                         the case.

               She leans forward and gives him a quick peck on the top of
               his head before starting to head out of the room.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         Now be good, I'll be back soon.
                         C'mon, Danny boy, time to kick ass
                         and chew gum.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Oh, did you want some gum?

               Twist just sighs as Chris watches them go. Julie waits till
               the door closes before turning back to Chris.

                                   JULIE
                         Well, looks like I have that
                         captive audience I always wanted…

                                   CHRIS
                         This is going to be a long night,
                         isn't it?

                                   JULIE
                         Start talking. We've got three
                         years to catch up on, and I'm not
                         leaving you till I get every last
                         detail!

        16     INT. MALKUTH'S LAIR - BACK ROOM. NIGHT.                 16

               We're back with Malkuth and Nienhaus, sitting inside the
               dilapidated vampire lair - an abandoned town house - as KURT,
               the leader of the vamp pack, struts into frame.

               Malkuth is sitting on an old wicker chair, and the room is
               lit by the glow from the urn containing the enchantment.

               Malkuth looks up and notices Kurt, and sighs irritatedly,
               standing and walking over to the vampire.

                                   MALKUTH
                         What is it now?

                                   KURT
                         Me and the boys, we're getting' a
                         bit concerned about all this…
                             (indicates the urn)
                         … this magic stuff.

                                   MALKUTH
                         'Concerned' by it? How so?

                                   KURT
                         Well, first off, magic is freaky.
                         Fact. Second, what the hell is he
                         supposed to be?

               Kurt points at Nienhaus, who is as unemotional as ever.

                                   MALKUTH
                         He's a drammalow, you philistine.
                         Very powerful mystics, especially
                         talented in the area of curses and
                         hexes. Great fun at parties.

                                   KURT
                         Uh-huh. And what's that glowing
                         vase thing all about?

                                   MALKUTH
                             (grins)
                         Payback.

                                   KURT
                         Okay, fine, whatever. I just want 
                         you, your flunkies and Brain Guy
                         here out of our digs tomorrow. I've
                         got this bad feelin' in my gut that
                         you're going to bring a heap of
                         trouble down on us, and that's
                         somethin' we really don't need.

                                   MALKUTH
                         You vampires… you always worry too
                         much!

               Kurt opens his mouth to answer but one of his other VAMPIRES
               races into the room, looking panicked.

                                   VAMP #1
                         Hey, boss, we got trouble!

               Kurt throws a glare down at Malkuth before racing back out
               with Vamp #1. Malkuth looks across to Nienhaus.

                                   MALKUTH
                             (sighs)
                         Ah well, it was nice while it
                         lasted…
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