sib3x04
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                                       ACT TWO

               FADE IN:

         8     INT. REHEARSAL STUDIO - NIGHT                            8

               Settling in at the rehearsal room that apparently doubles as
               a home base for Naomi's band, Vincent and the others unpack
               their stuff from the evening's concert.

               Over in one corner is more of a recreational space - sofas, a
               TV and Playstation, and a drinks cooler. Naomi opens the
               cooler to reveal rows of BLOOD BAGS, taking two out and
               opening up the microwave that sits in a nearby kitchenette.

               She's mid-conversation with Danyael, chatting away while he
               just keeps looking her up and down, hardly able to believe
               it's her.

                                   NAOMI
                             (continuing)
                         ... and then after we moved out of
                         Seattle, we tried to head over to
                         LA for a while but it didn't really
                         suit us. One thing led to another,
                         and then we were back home in
                         Chicago, and that's how it's stayed
                         for a few years now.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Hmm.

               She pours each blood bag into a mug and pops them both into
               the microwave, setting it for a minute.

                                   NAOMI
                         You know, what with the music scene
                         round here still as good as it ever
                         was, it's a great place to settle.
                         Plenty of friendly faces.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Hmm.

                                   NAOMI
                         And before I knew it, we've got
                         enough of a network round here to
                         set up this festival, and with all
                         the trouble going on these days, I
                         figured 'why not'?

                                   DANYAEL
                         Hmm.

               The microwave 'dings,' and Naomi takes out two warmed-up mugs
               of blood, passing one to Danyael. He blinks and stares at it,
               as it not knowing what to do.

                                   NAOMI
                         Don't worry. It's animal.

               He finally takes the mug and has a sip.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         Oh, you're not Jewish now, are you?

               He peers at her over the mug - and she cracks a smile. He
               manages one back at last.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         Sorry. Always play that one on
                         guests.

               She leans against the counter with him, watching as Diego
               sits with Twist over by the sofas, Twist still looking shaken
               from her earlier endeavours.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         So... are you actually going to
                         talk to me, or just keep staring
                         awkwardly at me all night?

                                   DANYAEL
                         Uh...

                                   NAOMI
                             (rolls eyes)
                         Yep, you haven't changed.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (grins)
                         Sorry.

                                   NAOMI
                         Well, okay, maybe the 'heroic
                         rescue from burning building' part
                         is new.

                                   DANYAEL
                         I've picked a few things up.

                                   NAOMI
                             (off group)
                         So I can see. The other vampire, is
                         she your gi-

                                   DANYAEL
                         No, and why does everyone keep
                         asking me that?

                                   NAOMI
                         Just the way you keep looking at
                         her. You used to look at me like
                         that.

               She smiles - there's no animosity between these two, whatever
               happened in the past. She nudges him.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         Come on, introduce me properly.

               She starts to head for the others, and Danyael follows, still
               looking a little unsure of himself.

               Julie looks up as Naomi takes a seat, and she offers the
               group a little wave.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         Hey, all. Is your friend feeling
                         any better?

                                   TWIST
                             (dry)
                         Almost got burned alive and
                         squished flat, and now Syren won't
                         give me my freakin' iPod back. I'm
                         peachy.

                                   NAOMI
                             (blinks)
                         Oh, uh, really? 'Cause I could, you
                         know, get you some-

                                   JULIE
                         She's just being... Twist. It'll
                         pass.

               Twist pouts as Julie offers Naomi her hand.

                                   JULIE (cont'd)
                         Thanks for putting us up here.

                                   NAOMI
                         Oh, no problem. We basically live
                         here anyway, so we've got plenty of
                         space for guests.

                                   TWIST
                         I'll bet.

               Twist catches Danyael throwing her a sharp look, and with a
               roll of her eyes she looks away. Twist's remark goes unheard
               by Naomi.

                                   DIEGO
                         So tell us, senora, how long have
                         you and your friends been under
                         attack from other groups of
                         vampiros?

                                   NAOMI
                         Since not long after we moved back
                         down here.

               Vincent and Janine head over as Naomi continues:

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         I think they just took a dislike to
                         us, 'cause apparently it'd been
                         pretty quiet before then.

                                   VINCENT
                         Yeah, just out luck to show up as a
                         gang war kicks off, huh?

                                   JANINE
                         Naomi, we're gonna head out and
                         make sure everyone's alright after
                         the fire.

                                   NAOMI
                         Okay, I'll stay here.

                                   JANINE
                         Are you sure? You don't want to
                         come out and-

                                   NAOMI
                         I'm fine. Thanks.

               Janine nods, and as she leaves with Vincent and Kitty in tow,
               Naomi turns back to the team.

                                   JULIE
                         You can go with them if you want.

                                   NAOMI
                         No, it's okay, I'm...

                                   DANYAEL
                         Naomi doesn't go out all that much.
                         Never did.

                                   NAOMI
                         It's just a 'me' thing. I'm kind of
                         private.

                                   TWIST
                         Well, I'm sure that's a relief for
                         everyone.

               Danyael scowls at her again, this time heading over to Twist
               and taking her by the arm.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Could you all excuse us? Twist and
                         I need a quick word outside.

               He drags the protesting Twist out into another room, and as
               Naomi offers Julie a warm smile, we cut to:

         9     INT. REHEARSAL STUDIO - CORRIDOR - NEXT                  9

               Danyael pulls the door back into the main room closed and
               rounds on Twist, who stands with her arms crossed.

               He glances to his side - Syren is sitting with her back
               against the wall, still listening to music and humming to
               herself.

               After checking that she can't hear them, Danyael turns back
               to Twist, not looking happy.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Alright, what the hell is the
                         matter with you?

                                   TWIST
                         Nothing's the 'matter' with me. I'm
                         fine. Like I said.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Then what's with the Queen Bitch
                         act in there?

                                   TWIST
                         No clue what you're talking about.

                                   DANYAEL
                         C'mon, Twist. I know you well
                         enough to get when you don't like
                         someone. What don't you agree with
                         about Naomi?

                                   TWIST
                         Nothing. I'm sure she's a wonderful
                         person.

               Danyael pulls his 'I call bullsh*t' face on her, and she
               SIGHS theatrically.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         You're just being pretty quick to
                         trust her, is all.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Meaning?

                                   TWIST
                         Meaning, she shows up just after
                         the explosion and subsequent
                         burning down of the proverbial
                         house, without an explanation for
                         where she's been, and you don't
                         find that just the tiniest bit
                         suspicious?

                                   DANYAEL
                         No, actually, I don't.

                                   TWIST
                         Oh, right. I forgot. You two have
                         'history.'

                                   DANYAEL
                             (narrows eyes)
                         Is that what this is about?

                                   TWIST
                             (scoffs)
                         As if! I'm just saying, don't jump
                         to trust this girl just 'cause you
                         know what her natural hair colour
                         is.

               Danyael scowls at her, turning and heading back inside
               without another word. Twist sighs again, knowing she could
               have handled that better as we return to:

        10     INT. REHEARSAL STUDIO - NEXT                            10

               The group look up as a sour-faced Danyael enters.

                                   NAOMI
                         Everything okay?

                                   DANYAEL
                         Fine.

                                   JULIE
                         Naomi's been telling us about the
                         festival.

                                   DIEGO
                         And her concerns for its security.

               Danyael takes a seat as Naomi continues:

                                   NAOMI
                         The way I see it, this isn't a good
                         time to be a rebel vampire. There
                         are less of us every day, and the
                         movement round here needs something
                         big to keep it all together.
                         A chance to blow off some steam, a
                         show of solidarity to pull everyone
                         on board again. Like it used to be.

                                   DANYAEL
                         You really think a few bands on a
                         stage will manage all that?

                                   NAOMI
                             (nods)
                         It's as much a symbol of us against
                         them as anything else. The trads
                         have made it known that they want
                         to stop the festival, so if it
                         still goes ahead then that's a big
                         old 'f-you' to all of them.

                                   DANYAEL
                         And if it doesn't?

                                   NAOMI
                         Not an option. They want to make an
                         example out of us, and I can't let
                         that happen.

               Naomi's phone RINGS after that, and she excuses herself to
               take the call. Danyael sips his mug of blood as Julie leans
               forward, lowering her voice.

                                   JULIE
                         I don't like this, Danyael.

                                   DANYAEL
                         What's not to like?

                                   JULIE
                         This is somebody else's fight we're
                         getting mixed up in.

                                   DIEGO
                         They are all someone else's fight,
                         Julie.

                                   JULIE
                         That's not what I mean. Look, I'm
                         just saying...

                                   DANYAEL
                         You don't think we should get
                         involved.

                                   JULIE
                         Frankly, no. We don't have the time
                         or energy to get bogged down
                         helping somebody else fight their
                         war. We've got our own things to be
                         doing.

                                   DANYAEL
                         And what about helping people who
                         need it? Or is that gonna be too
                         'inconvenient'?

                                   JULIE
                             (rubs head)
                         I'm just saying-

                                   DIEGO
                         I agree with Danyael. We should
                         stay.

               Danyael blinks, surprised by this show of support.

                                   DIEGO (cont'd)
                         Not only is this as worthy a cause
                         as any, in my opinion, but Danyael
                         and this Naomi clearly once had
                         strong feelings for each other.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Uh... well, we...

                                   DIEGO
                         And yet, to still offer his help
                         even after they went their separate
                         ways shows a great sense of honour.
                             (to Danyael)
                         That is something I will always
                         respect.

               Danyael lets this sink in, turning back to the defeated Julie
               just as Naomi returns.

                                   NAOMI
                         Sorry. Festival stuff, you know.
                         Logistical nightmare.

                                   JULIE
                         We were just saying-

                                   DIEGO
                         We were just deciding how best to
                         offer our services to help you
                         protect your festival.

                                   NAOMI
                             (brightens)
                         Really?

                                   DANYAEL
                             (smiles)
                         Really.

                                   NAOMI
                         That's great! Uh, just let me make
                         a few calls, and I'll...

               She trails off - the sound of SINGING is drifting into the
               room.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         Who's that?

                                   JULIE
                         Oh, that's Syren. She's one of
                         ours.

                                   NAOMI
                         That's one of my songs...

               Following the sound of Syren's voice, Naomi steps out of the
               room, and after a beat Danyael follows, into:

        11     INT. REHEARSAL STUDIO - CORRIDOR - NEXT                 11

               Naomi is standing and watching the singing Syren as Danyael
               joins her. Syren, eyes closed, is lost in the song as she
               croons along.

                                   NAOMI
                         She's incredible...

                                   DANYAEL
                         Yeah, that's our Syren.

                                   NAOMI
                         Is that her real name?

                                   DANYAEL
                         We think so.
                             (off her look)
                         Long story.

               She heads over to Syren and crouches down. Syren opens her
               eyes, and Naomi reacts when she realises Syren is blind.
               Syren takes the headphones out and looks round.

                                   SYREN
                         Who's there?

                                   NAOMI
                         Oh, hey, it's me, Naomi. Danyael's
                         friend.

                                   SYREN
                         Hello. I'm Syren.

                                   NAOMI
                         That's... that's an amazing voice
                         you've got there, Syren. You're
                         singing my song better than I can!

                                   SYREN
                         Oh, that was one of your songs? I
                         liked it.

                                   NAOMI
                         You seem to know it pretty well,
                         too. You been listening to us for
                         long?

                                   SYREN
                         No, it just came on. I listened to
                         it once, then played it back so I
                         could sing along.

                                   NAOMI
                             (beat)
                         One listen and you can sing it that
                         well?

               She turns to Danyael, grinning.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         I just found another way you guys
                         can help me out.

               Danyael chuckles as we cut to:

        12     INT. VAMP LAIR - NIGHT                                  12

               Another bar in another part of town, but nobody's drunk here
               for many years. The place sports boarded up windows, cobwebs
               and a thick layer of dust and grime all around.

               With a RATTLE of padlock, the front door opens and the
               scrawny youths last seen trying to break into the van enter.

                                   VOICE (O.S.)
                         You're late. And empty-handed.

               The youths freeze, exchanging nervous glances as FOOTSTEPS
               ring out - someone is approaching from out of the gloom.

               A figure steps under one of the lights, reaching up to pull
               the chain and switch it on - revealing a grizzled VAMPIRE, an
               ugly SCAR on his left cheek and another running down from his
               right eye. 

                                   YOUTH #1
                         S-sorry, Chains, w-we ran into some-

               BLAM! The youth FLIES backwards with a SCREAM, a smoking
               BULLET HOLE in his chest!

               As he hits the wall, he starts to convulse, his body GLOWING
               with a brilliant BLUE LIGHT - until with a final SHRIEK he
               bursts into FLAMES!

               The other youths shield their faces as the flames consume the
               youth in an instant - and an instant later, there's nothing
               left but ASH.

               They slowly turn back to CHAINS as he lowers his gun - a
               model remarkably similar to Julie's! 

                                   CHAINS
                         First one of you to even start to
                         say 'trouble' gets to find out what
                         other kinds of bullets I can shoot
                         with this thing.

               The youths back up - this guy clearly commands a lot of
               respect round here.

                                   CHAINS (cont'd)
                         So, basically, you brought me
                         nothing, is that it?
                             (tuts; shakes head)
                         I'm very disappointed. Enough to
                         maybe show one more of you what
                         happens when you come back without
                         the goods.

               He raises the gun again, and one terrified youth shouts out:

                                   YOUTH #2
                         W-wait! Wait!

                                   CHAINS
                             (beat)
                         I'm listening.

                                   YOUTH #2
                         There's... there's new people in
                         town. Vampires, some of 'em.
                         They... they helped get people out
                         after we set the place to blow up,
                         just like you told us.

               Chains frowns, lowering his gun.

                                   CHAINS
                         These 'new people' got names?

               The youths look to each other again, drawing a blank.

                                   CHAINS (cont'd)
                         Never mind. Get back out there and
                         find out who they are and what they
                         want, and if they're gonna get in
                         the way of us burning that
                         freakshow to the ground tomorrow
                         night, kill 'em all. 
                             (beat)
                         Either way, you get a chance to
                         take out that bitch Naomi, you take
                         it. She's the one. Get her, the
                         whole house of cards falls down.
                             (beat)
                         So go on already! Scram!

               The youths don't need to be told twice, breaking and dashing
               back out of the door in a heartbeat.

               Chains tucks his gun back into his belt and starts to laugh -
               a deep, raspy chuckle - and from that, we:

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                   END OF ACT TWO
                                      ACT THREE

               FADE IN:

        13     EXT. MAIN STAGE - DAY                                   13

               Construction of the stage for the evening's festival is in
               full swing, with teams of workers clambering over scaffolds
               and the various rigs and stands that will make up the covered
               stage when it's all put together.

               The stage has been set up inside a small cul-de-sac of old
               buildings, with one main route in from the street and plenty
               of space for the crowd to get close to the action.

               Standing back from the hive of activity are Naomi and
               Danyael, Danyael glancing up at the sun overhead as the two
               enjoy the shade of the building behind them.

                                   DANYAEL
                         So all of these guys work for you?

                                   NAOMI
                         Vampires don't generally work day 
                         shifts, Danny.

                                   DANYAEL
                         You know what I mean.

                                   NAOMI
                         Yeah, but they're cool with it. I
                         mean, the foremen know that they're
                         working for vampires, but that's
                         it. We pay well and on time, so
                         they've never had reason to fall
                         out with us. It's a good
                         arrangement.

               Danyael shakes his head.

                                   NAOMI (cont'd)
                         What?

                                   DANYAEL
                         I just... I never would have
                         thought you would put something
                         like this together, is all.

                                   NAOMI
                         What's so surprising?

                                   DANYAEL
                         When we were going out, you could
                         barely take two steps out of your
                         apartment without having a panic
                         attack about something. It's a
                         wonder we even met!

                                   NAOMI
                         When we were going out, I had a lot
                         of issues to deal with. 
                             (beat)
                         Besides, we're going back eight
                         years when we start talking about
                         'us.' A lot's changed since then.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Not all that much.

               He turns to look at her, and she smiles, turning away from
               him. Why, are they flirting?

                                   TWIST
                         Hem-hem.

               They turn to see Twist leaning out of a window nearby.

                                   TWIST (cont'd)
                         C'mon, Spook, you're wanted.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (to Naomi)
                         Excuse me.

                                   NAOMI
                         'Spook'?

                                   DANYAEL
                         It's... it's a thing.

               He walks away, Naomi still grinning as she watches him leave,
               and we cut into:

        14     INT. OFFICES - NEXT                                     14

               Danyael walks into a large room filled with people - Vincent
               and the others stand with Julie and the team around a long
               table, on which a large map has been unfurled.

                                   JULIE
                         Oh, Danyael, good. Over here.

               Glancing at the busy people all around - and working out that
               they're part of the organisation here - Danyael steps up.

                                   DANYAEL
                         What've we got?

                                   KITTY
                         This is a map of the area. We've
                         marked all the trad nests that we
                         know about.

               She points to several crosses marked on the map.

                                   KITTY (cont'd)
                         This red dot in the middle is us,
                         so as you can see...

                                   DIEGO
                         They surround us.

               He's not wrong - the festival is taking place slap bang in
               the middle of a near circle of nests.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Alright, so what are our options?

                                   DIEGO
                         Naomi tells me there are ten
                         vampires currently assigned for
                         security, and with the rest of us
                         that comes to fourteen.

                                   DANYAEL
                             (counts)
                         You mean fifteen.

                                   JULIE
                         Syren's not joining us.

                                   TWIST
                         Yeah, Songbird managed to get
                         herself a gig singing at the
                         festival, if you can believe that.

                                   DANYAEL
                         Well... yeah, I can.

               Diego starts pointing to areas of the map as he speaks.

                                   DIEGO
                         We should spread out in teams of
                         two, each one covering a possible
                         approach for the trads, if they
                         show up.

                                   VINCENT
                         Oh, they will. Word is none other
                         than Chains himself is coming out
                         for this one.

               The name gets a response from the room.

                                   TWIST
                         'Chains'? What kind of lame ass bad
                         guy name is that?

                                   KITTY
                         He's the main trad pack leader
                         round these parts.

                                   VINCENT
                         He's been taking out our people for
                         months now, and we don't have
                         anybody tough enough to bring him
                         down.

                                   DIEGO
                         You do now.

               Diego has every confidence in his words, and the others can
               sense that, feeding off it, and as Diego continues to outline
               his battle plan for the evening, we DISSOLVE TO:
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