sib1x17
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. DOCKS. NIGHT. 1
TITLE OVER - Maryland - Thursday, 12:17 a.m.
We fade up looking down on a row of warehouses in an old
dockyard. It's the middle of the night and a storm is raging,
lashing the scene with rain as the black waves crash up and
down in the harbour beyond, but the scene is lit up by flames
coming from the outside of one of the warehouses, with shouts
and yells as people scatter from the scene.
We start to move forward, leaving the mayhem behind and
focusing on one warehouse in particular, tucked away at the
edge of a long pier. It's disused, its roof panels missing
large sections and rusted sheet iron covering up some of the
holes like patches.
Up before a small door leading into the warehouse, we watch
the fat raindrops pour past in the light of a security lamp
for a moment before we hear footsteps off screen. The door is
swung open with a CREAK by an unseen figure, blanketed by the
shadows as they step inside.
2 EXT. DOCKS - WAREHOUSE. NIGHT. 2
We walk through and into the warehouse, lightning flashes
overhead illuminating the interior. Standing with his back to
us at the opposite end of the floor is a tall MAN, dressed in
a long black coat. His rain-slicked long, dark hair lies
around his shoulders as we watch him try to light a
cigarette.
A rumble of thunder overhead covers the footsteps of the
approaching figure, as well as the shouts from outside, until
the man in the coat pauses, his head flicking to the side.
MAN IN COAT
Ah, good, it's about time you
showed up. Are we ready to..
(beat)
No, you're not him, are you?
CHRIS steps out from the shadows, soaked with rain and
looking cold with rage. His sword is in one hand and he
carries a drawstring bag in the other. He tips his head
forward, rainwater sloshing off his black fedora.
CHRIS
I'm afraid Amzin couldn't make it.
I could say 'he lost his head' or
some other wisecrack, but I'm
really not in the mood this time.
Chris THROWS the bag forward, and it bounces along the
concrete floor, rolling to a halt just behind the tall man's
feet. He slowly turns round, and we pan up from the bag to
his head. This is CIEGUE, lithe and pale, a pair of large
black sunglasses over his eyes despite the fact that it's
night. He smiles, dragging on the cigarette.
CIEGUE
Subtlety isn't your strong point,
is it, Christopher?
Chris paces slowly forward, murder in his eyes. Ciegue
regards him calmly.
CIEGUE
I'd ask what happened to the rest
of my men, but the explosions
outside and your presence here does
kind of answer that for me.
CHRIS
No more games. This ends tonight.
CIEGUE
And what makes you think it'll end
with you the victor, Chris? I've
beaten you once already.
CHRIS
If there's one thing I've learned
in all my years, it's this - it's
never over while both men are
standing.
A long beat. The rain continues to fall across the scene,
dripping down from the holes in the roof, pinging off exposed
flaps of metal and plastic holding the decaying warehouse
together, pooling on the floor. Ciegue takes another drag and
flicks his sodden cigarette away, hands behind his back.
CIEGUE
So is this it? This is your great
master plan to defeat me? You march
in here, throw me the head of my
assistant and challenge me to yet
another straight fight?
(chuckles)
I must say, I find your optimism
inspiring, if also rather foolish.
Chris doesn't answer, he just draws his sword and takes up an
offensive stance, katana blade aimed directly at Ciegue.
Ciegue still just smiles back, and nods.
CIEGUE
As you wish.
Ciegue STAMPS his foot down on the bag beneath his feet - we
hear a crunch and a wet squelch as its contents are crushed
beneath his booted foot. Ciegue then draws his own sword - a
thin, barbed blade that looks more like a mutated fencing
sword than anything human. The two opponents start to circle
one another as on the soundtrack, 'Everything's Cool' by PWEI
starts to build.
CHRIS
Too many people have died here
because of you, Ciegue. People who
I considered friends, who didn't
have anything to do with the war
people like us are fighting.
CIEGUE
I'd like to say I'm sorry, but I'm
afraid I'm not. They were obstacles
in my way, ergo they had to die. As
you soon will too.
Chris pauses - and Ciegue tenses, ready for the attack.
After a beat, Chris CHARGES forward, and Ciegue rushes too,
their feet splashing through the water as they race towards
one another.
The action slows down to a crawl as the two men draw nearer,
their swords swinging through the air as another flash of
lightning fills the scene with bright white light.
The music builds to its initial crescendo just as the two
swords CLASH together, and as they do so, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
3 EXT. HIGHWAY. MORNING. 3
We fade up to see Chris' black Ford van cruising along a
quiet stretch of highway, passing the city of Maryland in the
background and heading out, away from the bustle of the
centre. It's an overcast morning, grey skies and patches of
rain.
4 INT. BLACK FORD. MORNING. 4
Chris drives, with TWIST and DANYAEL both asleep in the rear
of the van. His phone rings, and he reaches across the seat
to grab it from the passenger's chair.
CHRIS
Hello?
A gruff but pleasant voice speaks, DONALD.
DONALD
(filtered; through phone)
Chris! How the devil are you? No
pun intended, of course..
CHRIS
(smiles)
I'm just fine, Don. I've just
passed the city centre, I should be
out to you in about twenty minutes.
DONALD
Excellent. You remember where
everything is round here, don't
you?
CHRIS
It's been a few years but yes,
unless you've sold the whole town
to city planners and turned it into
a theme park?
DONALD
Ha! Fat chance, this town may as
well be deserted for the amount of
people that drive through
sometimes..
CHRIS
Well, you're about to have three
tired and hungry travellers landing
on your doorstep, so I'd batten
down the hatches if I were you..
DONALD
Will do, see you in a little while.
Chris hangs up and puts the phone down on the dashboard as
Twist reaches out from the back of the van, her hand fiddling
with the radio tuning. Her eyes are bleary, she's clearly
been asleep for a while, her hair sticking up as Chris looks
down at her.
CHRIS
You've got no respect for the
classics, have you..
TWIST
Chris, I need something lively to
wake me up at this time of the
day.. In case you haven't
forgotten, vampires are nocturnal
creatures, so trying to get us
active before 6pm isn't going to
happen without something suitably..
ah! There we go.
A loud rock song starts to blare from the radio speakers as
Twist cranks the volume up. Chris rolls his eyes, and in the
back of the truck Danyael starts to life, roused by the
thumps of the music.
DANYAEL
Woah!
TWIST
Easy, Spook, we're here.
DANYAEL
(blinks)
Oh, right.. so where is 'here'
exactly?
CHRIS
Maryland. Specifically, a little
town a few miles out from the city
centre called Burnsborough.
TWIST
Why am I getting a real 'Twin
Peaks' vibe already?
CHRIS
It's a nice quiet town, full of
people I'd consider friends. It's
almost a retirement village for the
local police and emergency
services, so there's plenty of ex
detectives and their families round
there.
5 EXT. FREEWAY EXIT. MORNING. 5
Chris turns the van off the freeway and down towards a
quieter, local road. They pass a road sign which we stay on
to read, 'Welcome to Burnsborough, home of Ma Baker's
Mountain Pie.'
6 INT. BLACK FORD. MORNING. 6
We're looking from behind the driver's seat, the view through
the windscreen of quite town streets and houses. The town of
Burnsborough is full of wood-fronted buildings, homes with
Land Rovers on the drive and plenty of trees rustling in the
breeze. Chris pulls to a halt outside one house and turns to
his colleagues.
CHRIS
Now then, I'm here to pay a visit
to my friend Donald Hancock, a
retired detective I met many years
ago.
TWIST
How did you meet? Get arrested
again or something?
Chris looks thoughtful for a moment as he remembers.
7 INT. SUBWAY STATION. NIGHT. 7
We're down inside a grimy subway station, crowds of screaming
commuters flocking towards us as a huge, worm-like creature
tears through a subway car, with Chris hacking away at a
cluster of tentacles spilling out from the creature's chest
toward shim, while DONALD, a grey-haired man in a trenchcoat,
SHOOTS at the worm with his handgun.
8 INT. BLACK FORD. MORNING. 8
Chris chuckles as he recalls their first encounter.
CHRIS
It's a long story. Anyway, he's
asked me out here because there's
something strange going on round
here, and he thought my unique
talents would be up for the job.
DANYAEL
'Unique talents?'
TWIST
Somebody else who knows Chris is
part vamp, which means this is
another mission.
Great, and here was me looking
forward to finding out what this
Mountain Pie I keep seeing
billboards for tastes like..
CHRIS
You two still can.
Chris passes Danyael a black address book - Spice's contact
book, with details of nationwide rebel vampire groups and
cells.
CHRIS
Danyael, according to Spice's
records there's a rebel cell out
here.
DANYAEL
In a place like this? That's weird,
they normally stick to larger towns
and cities.
CHRIS
That's what I thought, so there
must be a reason why they've
settled here. I want you two to go
find it out.
TWIST
Leave it to us, chief. Cloak and
Dagger on the case! Come on, Spook,
let's ride.
DANYAEL
Um.. not wanting to be the one to
point it out, but isn't it morning
outside?
Twist looks out through the windshield - cloudy skies, not a
ray of sunlight in sight.
TWIST
Relax, we've got about as much
chance of catching direct sunlight
as Chris has of catching himself a
woman any time soon.
CHRIS
(offended)
Hey!
With a smirk, Twist throws open the van's back doors and the
two vampires hop out into the street, Twist aiming them
towards a diner over the road.
Danyael pushes the doors shut again with a nod back to Chris,
who unfastens his seat belt and steps outside.
9 EXT. BURNSBOROUGH - DONALD'S HOUSE. MORNING. 9
Chris hops up the steps to the front porch of Donald's house,
noticing the array of dreamcatchers and other ornaments
hanging over the doorway and positioned along the front
windowsills. He knocks at the screen door while he carries on
examining them, not noticing as Donald's wife, WENDY, opens
the door.
WENDY
Is that you, Christopher?
Chris stands, smiles and the two shake hands. Wendy is a grey
haired woman dressed in plain clothes, her hair tied back and
an apron round her waist.
WENDY (cont'd)
Hello there, I'm Wendy, Donald's
wife. Don told me to expect you,
come on inside.
Chris follows her indoors.
10 INT. DONALD'S HOUSE. MORNING. 10
Chris heads inside - the place is furnished with lots of
natural wood fibres, with a large wicker chair next to an
open fireplace. A kitchen is off to one side, with stairs
leading to the first floor. A disabled lift stands beside
that, the place having an open, spacious feel despite the
amount of furniture inside. Wendy heads back into the kitchen
as the lift whirrs into life, rising up to the first floor.
WENDY (cont'd)
I'm just making us both a cooked
breakfast, would you like anything?
CHRIS
No, thank you, I'm fine, I-
DONALD (O.S.)
He's not really into solid foods,
Wendy!
Chris smirks as the lift starts to lower again.
And here he is - DONALD HANCOCK. Wheelchair bound but not
looking like that's slowed him down, the well-built, bearded
man has a welcome grin on his face as he sets eyes on Chris
at last. Chris walks over and the two shake hands, Chris
hugging Donald warmly.
CHRIS
Hello again, detective.
DONALD
(waves hand dismissively)
Ach! I told you to stop calling me
that. Been off the force three
years now, not much room for a
mobile detective in our local
precinct.
WENDY (O.S.)
First thing in the morning, and
still just as grumpy..
DONALD
(sweetly)
Are those pancakes I smell,
sweetheart?
Wendy pokes her head into frame, smirking at Donald's feigned
pleasantry.
WENDY
That's my husband, always thinking
with his stomach..
DONALD
While you're still cooking for me,
Wendy, I always will be.
Wendy leans back into the kitchen as Donald motions for Chris
to take a seat. He wheels over and locks his chair in place
in front of him.
DONALD
So! You're probably wondering why I
dragged you all the way out here.
CHRIS
'Dragged' is a harsh word, you know
I've always liked it around here.
DONALD
Heh, but no chance of you retiring
any time soon, is there?
CHRIS
It's a luxury that wasn't written
into my contract. What's up? I
noticed all the warding totems
you've got outside - expecting some
trouble from roblash monsters?
Donald is quiet for a moment - he leans in closer and talks
quietly so Wendy can't hear.
DONALD
There's something big going down
round here, Chris. I may have
retired, but you don't stop being a
detective. People are getting
killed round here, and not in the
usual ways they do in towns like
this.
CHRIS
(raises eyebrow)
There are 'usual' ways of being
killed?
DONALD
You know what I mean - factory
accidents, natural stuff. Last time
I checked, people's organs don't
just get up and walk out of their
bodies.
Chris nods, appreciating the gravity of the situation.
CHRIS
You think there's some kind of
underworld involvement?
DONALD
Think? I know. I may not have known
much about the things that live
beneath our streets until that
monstrosity we fought in the subway
all those years ago..
CHRIS
(smiles)
Yes, I remember.
DONALD
.. but since then, more and more so
called 'unexplained' killings are
starting to make a lot of sense.
And there's been a rash of them
round here in the past few weeks. I
figured you were the best guy to
help me out.
(looks round)
Say, didn't you say you had a
couple of sidekicks? A loud-mouthed
girl and a quiet young fella?
CHRIS
Twist and Danyael, yes. They're out
doing some recon for me at the
moment.
DONALD
Ah, good. Always helps to have back
up, eh?
Chris nods, knowing full well what the duo are likely to be
doing at the moment.
11 INT. DINER. MORNING. 11
Twist and Danyael are sat in a booth inside the diner, next
to the window. The place has a red colour scheme and a
carefully-furnished 'retro' feel.
Twist is tucking into a wide plate holding a massive cooked
breakfast - eggs, sausages, hash browns, beans, bacon, the
works. She slurps an oversized cola while she eats, Danyael
looking on with disbelief on his face.
DANYAEL
Where does it all go?
TWIST
Beats me. My mom used to say I had
hollow legs, maybe she was on to
something! You sure you don't want
anything?
DANYAEL
I'm fine. Watching you eat is
enough for both of us.
TWIST
Suit yourself.. So when's this
rebel guy gonna show up then?
DANYAEL
I'm not sure, they just said they'd
show up soon as they could.
TWIST
Not waiting for sunset, are they? I
don't think the money I lifted from
Chris' wallet is gonna last me that
long..
There is a DING from the bell over the diner's door off
screen, and Danyael shifts round in his seat, looking towards
the door as Twist carries on eating.
Walking into the diner to the tune of 'EZ Pass' by Har Mar
Superstar is CRANE, a pale-skinned vision of beauty in her
long, dark skirt, flowing auburn hair and dark mascara-rimmed
eyes. She scans the diner, spots Danyael, smiles and starts
to slink over.
Danyael's mouth is hanging open - this girl is hot. She walks
up to their table, smiling down at him and Twist.
CRANE
Hey there, you must be Danyael. I'm
Crane.
DANYAEL
(flustered)
You're Crane? But.. but you're a
girl!
CRANE
(chuckles)
Last time I checked! Mind if I sit?
DANYAEL
Uh, no, no, of course.
Danyael looks at Twist, who stares straight back - she isn't
moving! Danyael shuffles along so that Crane can sit, the
young lady elegantly sliding into the booth.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Sorry about that, you know, the guy
I spoke to said somebody called
'Crane' was coming to meet me, and-
CRANE
You thought it was a 'he.' No big
deal, happens all the time. So, you
guys both from the Atlanta cell?
TWIST
Nope, just him. I'm freelance.
CRANE
Huh?
DANYAEL
It's a long story. We're here with
Chris Berkeley, you heard of him?
CRANE
Oh my God, who hasn't? He's a hero!
Twist rolls her eyes, and Danyael chuckles.
DANYAEL
He's in town on business and asked
us to get in touch with you guys,
see what was going on round here.
CRANE
To be honest, we'll be glad of the
help. We've got an awful lot of
trouble round here at the moment.
TWIST
Trouble? This is already sounding
like our sort of thing..
CRANE
A few months ago, a family of demon
gangsters, the Balkor clan, moved
into town to set up a new arm of
their business, next thing we know
the few of us who were out here
started getting threats, orders to
move out, and before long they
started taking us out altogether.
The main Maryland cell sent a load
of us down here to help out, but
things are escalating every day.
Those gangsters are going to own
this town in a few months if we
don't strike back against them
somehow.
DANYAEL
What can you tell us about them?
Crane bites her lip - this isn't going to be good news.
12 INT. ABANDONED HOUSE. MORNING. 12
A body CRASHES into frame, thrown sideways against the wall
of the dusty and disused house we're inside. As the man lies,
coughing, on the floor, struggling to rise, a tall figure
marches into frame, reaching down with a gloved hand to grab
the man by the throat.
He lifts him clean into the air, the man's features showing
the blood red eyes and fangs of a vampire as he fights
against the chokehold.
We pull back a little to see that the tall man is Ciegue,
sunglasses still in place.
CIEGUE
One last time. Where is the base
for the rebels in this town?
VAMPIRE
(through chokehold)
I'll.. never tell..
CIEGUE
Now that isn't what I wanted to
hear.
Ciegue jerks his hand to the side, and with a SNAP the
vampire's neck breaks. His body goes limp in Ciegue's hands,
and he drops him to the ground.
Two burly, dark-skinned men, AMZIN and VAIL, appear in frame
as we pan around Ciegue, watching their boss in action.
AMZIN
Now what do we do, boss? You kinda
killed our only lead..
CIEGUE
There'll be other leads. Find me
another vampire, and we'll see if
he can be convinced to talk. One
way or another, I'm going to drive
those wasters out of this town for
good.
Off Ciegue's sinister look, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
13 EXT. BURNSBOROUGH - STREET. MORNING. 13
Chris walks along one of the quiet streets of the town with
Donald wheeling alongside him, scanning the detached houses
and noticing other dreamcatchers and wind chimes hanging over
porches and front doors.
CHRIS
I see you've managed to get a few
people round here over to your way
of thinking..
DONALD
The trinkets? More psychological
than anything else, but if the
cause of these deaths are what I
think they are, those should help.
The first murder took place just
round here.
The duo round a corner, onto another street in the sleepy
town, but this time Chris freezes, looking ahead. Donald
squints, trying to see what he's looking at.
DONALD (cont'd)
What is it?
Chris is silent, his eyes narrowing. His hand unconsciously
goes to the hilt of his sword blade, tucked up high and out
of sight inside his jacket.
DONALD (cont'd)
Chris? Fer Christ's sake, man, what
is it? You look like you've just
seen a ghost!
CHRIS
Maybe I have..
(beat)
Stay here, I'll be right back.
Chris breaks into a run and dashes forward, leaving Donald
and his cries behind as he dodges between the houses, making
a beeline for the house he just saw Ciegue leaving.
Chris hops over a white picket fence and comes to a stop
against the side of a house, with Ciegue and his two men
getting into a car just round the corner.
Chris steps out and into view, drawing his katana.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.