sib3x04
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. ROCK VENUE - NIGHT 1
TITLE OVER: Chicago, Illinois
Outside the back entrance of a decent-sized rock club, the
sounds of muffled MUSIC coming from within as the back fire
doors are pushed open.
A BOUNCER motions for some people within the club to step
outside, and as a VAN backs into frame we get three young
ROCKERS making their way outside.
One (male) carries a guitar case, one (female) carries a
violin case, and the third (also female) hefts a flight case
out after them. The guitarist is tall, dark and handsome, the
violinist short, dark-haired and pretty and the other pale,
long-haired and gorgeous. A good-looking band, basically.
BOUNCER
Are you lot alright from here?
GUITARIST
Yeah, we're good. Thanks.
The Bouncer nods and re-enters the club, shutting the door
after him.
The van stops reversing, parks, and with a SLAM of a door a
fourth rocker walks into frame, opening the back door and
taking the flight case from its owner.
The guitarist lights a cigarette, and the violinist shakes
her head.
VIOLINIST
Vincent, how many times? If she
catches you smoking again, she'll-
VINCENT
If she catches me, I already have
plenty of equally valid excuses for
it. I'm sure you can come up with a
few all by yourself, Kitty.
KITTY shakes her head and grins as VINCENT takes a deep drag
from his cigarette.
VINCENT (cont'd)
Hey, Janine, what's your take on
smoking?
JANINE, the keyboard player, turns to face Vincent, tilting
her head to the side as she thinks.
JANINE
It smells.
Kitty chuckles and nudges Vincent, who rolls his eyes and
passes his guitar to the fourth member.
VINCENT
Take care of this one, Robbie. I
managed not to do the viking
funeral act to close the set, if
only out of respect for this
place's strict fire regulations.
ROBBIE, the band's roadie, grins as he takes the guitar - and
then SLINGS it into the back of the van with a CRASH!
A beat - and the two boys burst out LAUGHING.
ROBBIE
If you people are going to start
taking better care of your
equipment, then I'm gonna have to
start mistreating it more often.
We've got our appearances to think
of, you know?
KITTY
(sighs)
Boys.
(looks around)
Where's our illustrious leader,
anyway?
JANINE
Inside, saying hi to the fans.
VINCENT
Sounds about right. Nobody ever
cares about the guy in the box,
after all.
JANINE
What?
VINCENT
Old magicians' saying.
Vincent finishes his cigarette as the girls climb into the
van, and Robbie heads round the front to start the engine.
He drops the fag end to the floor and grinds it under his
boot - but then pauses, slowly raising his head.
ROBBIE (O.S.)
Come on, Vinnie. It's warmer in
here!
Vincent hasn't moved - and as Robbie poked his head out of
the van, he sees why:
Four MEN are stepping out of the shadows around Vincent, all
looking ready for a rumble. They're dressed in dark, tattered
clothes, with pale skin - and BLOOD RED eyes.
VAMPIRES.
VAMP #1
Going somewhere, superstar?
VAMP #2
Probably off to inflict their
excuse for music on another part of
our turf.
Robbie has climbed out of the van in the background, urging
the nervous girls to stay inside as he heads over.
Vincent, to his credit, sticks his chin out defiantly - he's
not about to let these guys intimidate him.
VINCENT
Beats the crap that's usually on
around here. What was the saying we
came up with, Robbie?
ROBBIE
Replacing talent with noise.
VINCENT
That's the one.
It's two on four now. The lead vampire steps forward, getting
in Vincent's face.
VAMP #1
You've got three seconds to get
your rebel faces out of my town
before I rip them off, punk.
VINCENT
Technically, we're 'darkwave.'
VAMP #1
(beat; frowns)
What?
VINCENT
We're not 'punk.' Punk has more
guitars.
CRUNCH! Vincent surprises the vamp by RAMMING his knee up
into his groin!
VINCENT (cont'd)
But just as much balls.
The vamp folds and crumples to the ground as his comrades fly
in to the attack!
Vincent and Robbie blink - and when they open their eyes,
they've turned the same BLOOD RED as their attackers!
Vincent is on the ball, throwing a flurry of PUNCHES at the
next vamp to charge in, but a third LEAPS through the air and
knocks him to the ground.
Robbie is also no slouch as a fighter, KICKING one vamp and
then driving his KNEE up into his face with a CRUNCH.
His nose broken, the vamp drops and Robbie is straight onto
the next, dragging him back off the pinned Vincent.
Robbie holds as Vincent PUNCHES, but he's only got a few
shots in before he's NAILED by the recovering Vamp #1.
Robbie is HEADBUTTED and stumbles back, and the two boys find
the tables turning as they struggle against two opponents
each.
Over by the van, the girls exchange a look, before Kitty
jumps out of the van, racing over to help as Janine bursts
from the back doors.
She tosses something to Kitty - a STAKE - and without
breaking stride Kitty races up to the first vamp with a YELL,
spinning him round and RAMMING the stake into his chest!
That vamp drops and Vincent STUNS the next, with Janine
spotting a pile of empty beer crates standing by the back
door.
She grabs one, lifts it up and SMASHES it against the wall,
creating a batch of handy stakes, and grabs one.
Robbie is on the ground, taking plenty of KICKS to the gut as
the others steam in - Kitty TRIPS the first vamp, rolls him
onto his back and STAKES him, as Vincent TACKLES #3.
Janine finds herself face to face with the leader, who SWATS
the stake out of her hand and GRABS her by the throat.
She's lifted up into the air as the third vamp is STAKED
behind him, and as Janine kicks her legs, the lead vamp
doesn't notice the others sneaking up on him...
CRASH! Another empty crate smashes into the back of the
vamp's head, and he hits the deck.
Stunned, he rolls onto his back and finds Kitty's BOOT
pressed against his throat, pinning him down. However, to the
group's surprise, he starts to LAUGH.
Kitty and Vincent exchange a puzzled look as Janine helps the
winded Robbie to his feet.
VINCENT (cont'd)
Something funny?
VAMP #1
You have no idea... what's
coming... do you?
KITTY
(pushes foot down)
Somehow, I don't think we're
interested.
VAMP #1
You will be... when your little
festival... burns to the ground!
He starts to LAUGH again, and after a moment Vincent snatches
the last stake from Kitty and STABS the vamp with it.
His laughter dies away and his body falls still at last.
Kitty removes her boot, the foursome looking pretty spooked.
KITTY
How could they know about that? Do
you think-
VINCENT
I think he meant what he said.
(dark look)
And we're all in a lot of trouble.
Off the group's worried expressions, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
2 INT. BLACK VAN - NIGHT 2
The team are all riding in the van - JULIE drives with
DANYAEL shotgun, while DIEGO sits in the back with TWIST and
SYREN.
Twist is attempting to show Syren how to work her mp3 player,
while Diego leafs through a local paper. Danyael scrolls
through various radio channels, muttering to himself.
JULIE
For God's sake, Danyael, just pick
one and stick with it!
DANYAEL
I'm trying! They're all playing
trashy chart stuff or some kind of
god awful r'n'b. What am I supposed
to do?
He fiddles for another moment until Julie finally reaches
forward and flips the radio OFF.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
(beat)
Or, we could do that...
JULIE
What's gotten into you? You've been
bouncing off the walls ever since
we got here. Anything we should
know about?
DIEGO
(off paper)
Nothing that I have seen.
Danyael grins, reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out
a crumpled flyer.
DANYAEL
It won't be in the paper.
He passes the flyer to Diego, who scans it over and then
passes it to Julie.
It's advertising a music festival to be held this weekend,
with a list of band names she's obviously never heard of.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
That's this weekend, right here in
Chicago.
Julie shrugs and passes the flyer back to him.
JULIE
And?
DANAYEL
'And'? Have you seen some of the
people who are gonna be there?
They've got Emilie Autumn, L'Ame
Immortelle, Lady Joo Hee - they've
even got Play Dead back out of
retirement!
DIEGO
We can see your enthusiasm,
Danyael, but none of these bands
really mean anything to us.
DANYAEL
Ah, that's where you're wrong.
(sly)
They're all vampire bands.
JULIE
What, bands made up of vampires?
DANYAEL
Yup. The vampire underground
scene's pretty strong all over the
country, and Chicago's one of the
places it all started. Goes back to
the industrial stuff from the
Nineties.
JULIE
Okay, thanks for the history
lesson, still failing to see how
this applies to any of us.
DANYAEL
Two words, Jules - day off.
She raises an eyebrow, and as if by magic Twist appears
between their seats.
TWIST
Did someone say 'day off'?
Danyael hands her the flyer, and she coos in excitement as
she reads down the band names.
TWIST (cont'd)
Sweet! This where we're heading?
JULIE
Well, no, we're here to Waltham and
pick up some spell components, then
we've got that errand to run for...
She trails off - both Twist AND Danyael are giving her the
puppy dog eyes. She sighs.
DANYAEL
Trust me on this one, Jules. I'll
know plenty of people there, I can
get us in for nothing. Free food
and beer, and a place to lay our
heads that isn't a cheap ass motel
room or the inside of the van.
TWIST
Hey, I was sold at 'free food.'
Julie mulls this over - she obviously doesn't want to do this
herself, but she can't deny the others. Finally, she nods.
JULIE
Just for one night. Not the whole
weekend.
DANYAEL
(beams)
It's a deal.
TWIST
(squees)
We're going to see Play Dead!
DANYAEL
I know!
The two grin happily at each other - and then Twist HUGS him
tightly. She releases him, and suddenly looks awkward,
retreating back into the van without another word.
Rejoining Syren in the back, she finds the young lady HUMMING
to herself, the mp3 player's headphones in her ears.
TWIST
Find anything good?
No response. The player's turned up to standard twist volume,
shutting out the outside world. Twist rolls her eyes and
settles back down, as we cut to:
3 EXT. ROADSIDE BAR - NIGHT 3
The van is parked outside a drive-in bar and grill, which
looks pretty busy given the rest of the cars around.
4 INT. ROADSIDE BAR - NEXT 4
The team, minus Danyael, have taken a booth against one wall,
scanning the rest of the packed bar around them. It's a
lively place, with rock music blasting out of the sound
system that only Twist seems to appreciate.
She nudges Diego, noticing his grim expression against the
onslaught of the music.
TWIST
C'mon, Diego, lighten up! It's not
like they're playing jazz, is it?
DIEGO
I like jazz.
TWIST
(rolls eyes)
You would.
SYREN
Where is Danyael?
TWIST
Over there, hopefully getting us
some free stuff like he said.
She looks towards the far side of the bar, where Danyael
stands with Robbie, the two chatting amicably.
Joining Danyael, both men have a beer in hand as they chew
the fat, Danyael indicating back to the others.
DANYAEL
So, yeah, you know, just me and my
posse.
ROBBIE
(teasing)
'Posse'? What is this, the
Eighties?
DANYAEL
Hey, I was Turned in the Eighties.
Victim of circumstance.
ROBBIE
(grins)
Yeah, no problem. Any friends of
the great Danyael Norton are
friends of ours.
DANYAEL
'The Great'? People really call me
that?
ROBBIE
(beat)
No.
He laughs, and Danyael joins in, Robbie leading him back
towards another table round the corner.
Seated there are Vincent, Kitty and Janine, enjoying a quiet
drink - the music is much less deafening round here.
ROBBIE (cont'd)
Ladies and gent, this is none other
than Danyael Norton. DJ out of
Atlanta, personally recommended by
the late, great Spice.
The trio at the table lift their glasses in a toast.
VINCENT, KITTY & JANINE
(together)
To Spice.
Danyael blinks at the gesture, then takes a seat.
VINCENT
So! What brings you to Chicago, Mr.
Norton?
Danyael takes the flyer back out of his jacket, to a nod of
approval from Kitty.
KITTY
Excellent choice. And I'm not just
saying that because our band are up
near the top of the bill.
DANYAEL
Yeah, my poss-
(glances at Robbie)
My friends and I are just in town
for a few days, so I wanted to show
them what real music sounds like.
VINCENT
(to Robbie)
Is he sharking for freebies?
Robbie nods, and Danyael chuckles, shrugging.
DANYAEL
Guilty as charged. I'm sure we can
arrange a way for us to earn our
keep, if you need a hand with
anything.
JANINE
Well, we have got kind of a problem
with-
She's cut off by a sharp look from Kitty. Janine lowers her
head, but Danyael spotted the exchange. He wisely moves on.
DANYAEL
So... you three are 'My Pet
Skeleton,' right?
VINCENT
Technically, four. We're waiting
for the lady, she isn't here yet.
DANYAEL
'The lady'?
KITTY
Our reclusive lead singer. She's
always late, except for gigs. Kind
of a trademark.
Danyael nods, fishing a packet of cigarettes from his pocket.
ROBBIE
Sorry, Dan, you'll need to smoke
outside.
VINCENT
Vampire bar. Not too hot on the
whole 'naked flames' thing.
DANYAEL
Gotcha. I'll be back in a minute.
He stands and heads for the nearest exit, leaving the group
at the table to talk about him as we cut to:
5 EXT. ROADSIDE BAR - NEXT 5
Danyael steps outside and lights up a smoke, his head nodding
to the music he can still here.
His gaze falls on a gang of scrawny youths hanging around the
team's van - they couldn't be looking more suspicious if they
tried.
Danyael frowns and takes a few steps closer - then sees one
is trying to lever open the van's door!
DANYAEL
Hey!
The kids' heads snap round, and as Danyael picks up speed
they scatter, disappearing into the night.
Danyael makes a few more steps...
... and the bar behind him EXPLODES!
He's THROWN through the air, landing with a BANG as the back
half of the bar detonates into flames behind him. The parking
lot is showered with hunks of burning woodwork and plaster,
and Danyael's hands go to his head for cover.
Scrambling to his feet, his jaw drops as he turns and sees
the bar has been blown almost in two by the force of the
blast!
Hearing SCREAMS and CRIES of alarm coming from inside, he
quickly races back inside, skirting around stray debris and
small fires, heading back into:
6 INT. ROADSIDE BAR - NEXT 6
The bar is in FLAMES all around, with crowds of panicking
people herding towards the various exits.
Danyael's eyes water as he makes his way forward, seeing
several BODIES at his feet - some impaled on pieces of the
bar itself, others BURNED.
DANYAEL
Twist! Julie!
JULIE (O.S.)
Danyael! Over here!
Fighting his way through the terrified mass of bodies and
thick black smoke, he gets as far as the booth - but Twist
isn't with the others.
Syren clings to Diego as he carries her, and Julie COUGHS
through the smoke, pressing a napkin over her mouth.
DANYAEL
Twist? Where's Twist?
JULIE
I don't know! She said... she said
she was going to look for you, and
then... then the bar just...
She's woozy from smoke inhalation, and Danyael hurriedly
pushes her towards Diego as he hurries back into the inferno.
DANYAEL
Twist! Where are you? Twist!
Pushing past fleeing people, Danyael sees that one section of
the roof has collapsed, and more CRIES for help can be heard
over by the rubble.
Danyael hurries forward, finding a young female VAMP with her
leg SKEWERED to the ground by a fallen light fitting, SOBBING
as she tries to pull herself loose.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Hang on!
He skids into frame, gripping the fitting and pulling - but
it's down tight. The girl HOWLS in pain as he tries again -
and as the fire reaches the bottles behind the bar, there's
another small EXPLOSION!
Danyael ducks, shielding the girl as a gout of FLAME shoots
their way, and when it's clear he looks round for something
he can use.
Scooping up a chunk of stray brick, he starts to SMASH
through the floorboards around the girl's leg, creating a
hole so she can move her leg free.
Grabbing the light fitting in both hands, he tenses and PULLS
- and the skewer slides cleanly out of her leg!
She's still SOBBING as Danyael helps her up - and then his
eyes fall on something else.
Twist, flat on her back and out cold, a huge SUPPORT BEAM
from the roof pinning her down, and FIRE all around her!
Danyael looks around helplessly - everyone else has cleared
out! He's got no-one to help him get the girl to safety...
... until Diego surges back through the smoke, sweeping the
wounded vamp up into his arms.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Twist! She's still-
DIEGO
Go! Save her. I will get this woman
to safety and return.
He streaks away, slipping back through the smoke, and Danyael
races over to the pinned down Twist.
Grunting with exertion, he tries and fails to shift the beam
on his own.
He heads for the bar and RIPS OUT a piece of the railing,
trying to use it as a lever, but all that does is SNAP the
flimsy metal in half.
Frustrated, he puts his shoulder against the beam and PUSHES
again, but with the fire closing in he's running out of time.
DANYAEL
C'mon, Twist, wake up! Help me save
your ass!
He NUDGES Twist with his foot - and she stirs with a GROAN.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Twist! Twist, hey! Wake up! You
have to help me!
TWIST
(groggy)
Diego...
Danyael hesitates - and then Twist comes round fully when she
realises there's fire all around!
TWIST (cont'd)
Holy crap!
She tries to stand but finds she's stuck, putting her hands
against the beam and PUSHING.
TWIST (cont'd)
Come on, Danyael, put your damn
back into it!
DANYAEL
The hell does it look like I'm
doing?!?
They keep trying, the beam starting to move slowly but surely
- but as more bottles POP and send FIRE arcing round the
walls, Twist lets out a SHRIEK and covers her face.
She's too freaked out by the fire to help, and Danyael knows
it - and with no sign of any help, he's up against the wall
this time...
... and then WHAM! Diego's back, SHOVING his full weight
against the beam like the hero that he is.
Danyael joins in, and the duo finally push the beam just
enough for Twist to free her legs.
She's almost SOBBING with fear as Diego reaches for her,
scooping her up and clambering back into the main area.
Danyael follows, the duo hitting a burst of speed as the rest
of the roof COLLAPSES behind them, filling the bar with
burning wreckage as we track out to:
7 EXT. ROADSIDE BAR - NEXT 7
Bursting out of the smoke and into the car park, the soot
blackened trio collapse onto the ground, exhausted.
Julie and Syren hurry over, Danyael looking up to see the
cluster of shaken bar clients scattered around the car park.
As Twist clings to Diego, her eyes squeezed tightly shut,
Danyael stands, still panting with exertion on reflex.
Vincent and Kitty approach him, looking down at Twist as the
others fuss around her.
KITTY
Is she alright?
DANYAEL
She's not hurt. She just doesn't do
fire. She'll be okay.
VINCENT
Girlfriend?
DANYAEL
What?
VINCENT
Is she your girlfriend? I saw how
you went back in for her.
DANYAEL
Oh, no, no, she's...
(beat)
No.
Kitty exhales, wiping a smear of soot from Vincent's face.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
Who would have done something like
this?
VINCENT
Remember when you offered your help
in case we needed it?
DANYAEL
Yeah?
KITTY
(wary)
Vinnie...
VINCENT
It's alright, Kitty. I think he's
proven he's got the stones.
DANYAEL
Stones for what?
VINCENT
We've got a few trad gangs in our
area. Ten bucks says they're behind
all this - they've been attacking
our people and properties for
months now.
KITTY
One of them told us they're going
to hit the festival tomorrow.
DANYAEL
So you need some extra security?
VINCENT
Pretty much. One of the things we
heard about you is how you do this
kind of thing now. You know, travel
around, helping people out. You,
that blonde chick and some guy
named Chris?
DANYAEL
Yeah, Chris, he's... he's not here.
But that's still what we do.
Julie joins them, still COUGHING.
JULIE
Twist's fine. Shaken, but okay.
DANYAEL
(relieved)
Good. Julie, this is Vincent and
Kitty, they're part of the
festival.
Julie shakes their hands, COUGHING some more.
VINCENT
Human?
She nods.
VINCENT (cont'd)
We'll get you to the local
hospital. None of us have to worry
about getting smoke in our lungs,
after all.
JULIE
It's okay. I'm fine.
(off their looks)
Really.
Danyael puts a comforting arm around her as a TAXI pulls up
at the edge of the car park. Vincent nudges Kitty as he
notices.
VINCENT
Well, well. Look who it is, turning
up after all the action!
Danyael and Julie turn round:
Stepping out of the taxi, and looking suitably shocked at the
mayhem around her, is a pale, dark-haired and utterly
gorgeous YOUNG WOMAN.
She hurries forward, scanning the faces in the crowd until
she spots Vincent and Kitty, who are joined by Janine as she
rushes over to meet them.
She throws her arms round them all, the group sharing an
embrace as Julie looks up at Danyael - and sees the startled
expression he's wearing.
JULIE
Danyael?
The new arrival pauses, slowly turning round, and her jaw
drops when she sees Danyael.
YOUNG WOMAN
Dan... Danyael?
DANYAEL
(gulps)
Hey, Naomi.
(beat; to Julie)
Jules, I'd, uh, like you to meet
Naomi... my ex.
Julie raises an eyebrow as she looks to NAOMI, who breaks out
into a broad grin as we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.