sib3x11 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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15 INT. TRINITY STRONGHOLD - NIGHT 15
A dark chamber, inside of which we see the scorched Quaero
artefact resting on top of a secure pedestal, being observed
with a frown by JACQUELINE - frustrated at its current state.
The door opens and ISABELLE enters, approaching Jacqueline
with a look of some concern.
ISABELLE
Is it true?
JACQUELINE
(beat; eyes still on the
artefact)
Is what true?
ISABELLE
That you're not deploying all of
our troops in the search for
Charlotte? I just heard frome one
of our men. You know, the ones not
out there getting our girl back.
JACQUELINE
Your source is correct.
(beat)
Though I would suggest you remind
them that if they start blabbing my
operational tactics again, I'll
skewer their head on a turnpike.
Beat. Isabelle folds her arms, confused.
Sensing this, Jacqueline sighs and turns to face her
secondary.
JACQUELINE (cont'd)
Charlotte is a child. A weak and
irresponsible little girl. Look
what she did to this...
(beckons to the artefact)
She failed the Quaero. It's because
of her that Christopher Berkeley
has rejoined his team. And now, she
fails to prevent her own capture by
him.
(shakes her head)
We'll be better off without her.
On that, Jacqueline turns back to study the artefact, but
Isabelle steps up beside her.
ISABELLE
I beg to differ.
(beat)
Do I need to remind you how
powerful she is? She's the only one
who can pull off the spells we're
gonna need!
Jacqueline frowns even more, not wanting to hear this.
ISABELLE (cont'd)
(steps closer)
If we don't recover Charlotte soon,
everything we're working towards
could fall apart.
(beat)
We need her.
A long beat. Jacqueline knows she's right, but her pride is
struggling with the admission.
ISABELLE (cont'd)
C'mon, Jackie.
JACQUELINE
Don't call me that.
ISABELLE
Please.
(beat)
Let me find her.
JACQUELINE
(beat; sighs)
Fine. Deploy all of our resources
to the search.
ISABELLE
(smiles)
Thank you.
She begins walking off, leaving Jacqueline by the artefact
considering her decision, and it's off Jacqueline's stern
frown that we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
16 INT. SAFE HOUSE - NIGHT 16
Our crew are now tooling up, and preparing for the work
ahead. Chris addresses them all as they mill about near the
table.
CHRIS
Okay, here's how things are going
to work.
(beat)
The Devas Syndicate operate a
casino within the city limits. It's
well known they get not a little
touchy about patrons trying to
fiddle them, so...
JULIE
... if we get caught cheating,
Devas will likely throw them in
their own jail. At which point we
can get right to Laam.
Chris nods at her catching on.
DANYAEL
(raises his hand quickly)
I'm in for this one. I was quite
the card shark back in the day.
TWIST
Was that before or after you
defended The Alamo alongside Davy
Crockett?
DANYAEL
(protests)
I was!
NAOMI
(smiles)
Well, I don't doubt it for a
second.
TWIST
(to Naomi)
Do you do the gullible thing by
accident, or is it just so he'll
take pity and kiss that mouth of
yours?
JULIE
Twist!
Like a silenced child, Twist folds her arms and looks away -
especially peeved that Naomi refuses to rise to the bait.
CHRIS
(to Danyael)
I'll take your word for it.
(beat)
Danyael and I will infiltrate the
casino. Twist, Naomi - you'll
provide backup - the 'eye candy' so
we can distract the croupiers and
give us the chance to cheat our way
to jail.
Both Twist and Naomi just mumble agreement a little, without
looking at one another - neither particularly delighted at
being partnered.
DIEGO
What about Charlotte?
CHRIS
I suggest you stay here with Julie
and Syren, keep an eye on her.
JULIE
Plus, that's our own little Trinity
in case our depleted enemy decides
to show up early.
CHRIS
(smiles at Julie)
You must be reading my mind today.
An almost bashful smile from Julie at that remark.
CHRIS (cont'd)
Let's get to it. We'll need to be
moving out within the hour.
The team snap to it - Diego returns to guard, conversing with
Julie. While Danyael remains in between Twist and Naomi as
they themselves convene.
As Chris goes to ready his equipment, Syren approaches him
quietly and stands beside him.
SYREN
Chris, can I... can I ask you a
question?
Chris looks up at her - and nods.
SYREN (cont'd)
(gingerly)
Charlotte? Did you love her?
In it's simplicity as a question, Chris is taken a little by
surprise. He sees Syren earnestly waiting for an answer
before him, but Chris doesn't know what to say. And off this
moment, we CUT TO:
17 INT. SOLOMON'S STUDY - NIGHT - FLASHBACK 17
It's late at night, and we find Chris hunched over the main
study desk, lamplight illuminating his vision as he pores
over certain ancient texts scattered around.
We see Charlotte appear by the door, almost gliding into
view. She quietly begins to watch him.
A beat. He doesn't notice. Until, sensing he's being watched,
Chris looks up sharply at the door with a frown.
CHARLOTTE
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle
you. You just look so... engrossed.
(slight yawn)
May I come in?
Seeing her, any hostility instantly drains from Chris as his
face warms. He stands at the desk.
CHRIS
Of course. And I'm sorry.
(beat)
I guess I'm just used to far less
pleasant people catching me off
guard in the dead of night.
Charlotte enters and begins to approach the desk.
CHARLOTTE
I only came down for a glass of
milk. Even Solomon's turned in now,
it seems.
(fingers the texts)
What are you studying here?
CHRIS
These are my notes. Ancient texts
I've had for years, on which I now
scrawl hints, clues... any scrap of
information I find on my grail.
CHARLOTTE
Which is?
Seeing Charlotte standing quite close to him now, it dawns on
Chris she's disarmed him enough to almost talk openly. He
pulls back.
CHRIS
(collecting up the texts)
Nothing that can't wait until
morning.
He tries to disarm Charlotte by smiling at her, but she
clearly detects him holding things back.
CHRIS (cont'd)
So... how did a girl from the
American Midwest end up in the
employ of an eccentric old
adventurer in Westminster?
CHARLOTTE
Northwest, actually. Born and
raised in Oregon.
(smiles)
And Solomon? He rescued me from the
mediocrity of life in that little
town I grew up in while passing
through, as he always does. Said he
saw the potential within me to
control the great forces of magic
he is now teaching me to yield. For
good.
(shrugs)
He offered me the chance to come to
England. Start a new life. It was
too good an offer to refuse.
CHRIS
(nods)
You could have far worse a mentor
than Solomon. He's a good man.
CHARLOTTE
He is.
(beat)
But, it's nice having a new face
around this place. Keeps things
interesting.
(smiles)
I hope you're not planning on
heading off any time soon.
CHRIS
(smiles)
Oh, don't worry. I can think of
more than one reason to stay around
here.
Charlotte's smile widens, and there's a moment between she
and Chris, a spark. It's off the sight of the two staring at
one another that we CUT TO:
18 INT. DEVAS CASINO - NIGHT 18
A very wealthy, very grande and very packed casino - which we
PAN THROUGH, passing finely dressed guests and patrons,
gambling machines and crap tables crammed full, until we
reach a large double door as it thrusts open.
Two men lead in a new crowd, dressed in black shoes and
trousers - one a long black coat draping down - and we PAN UP
to see these men are Chris and Danyael.
Both are decked out in crisp, tailored SUITS - though Chris
adorns his with overcoat and fedora as ever. They look cooler
than ever.
TWIST (V.O)
And look who just walked in? It's
our very own Reservoir Dogs.
At which point we see Twist sitting at one of the BARS
adjoining the casino tables, legs crossed as she wears a
rather figure-hugging purple DRESS.
She touches her ear as she talks.
TWIST (cont'd)
So, which colour are you calling,
guys? Mister Black, Blue, Brown,
Pink or Green?
CHRIS
Twist. Didn't I tell you these
earpiece communicators are for
emergency use only?
TWIST
You did.
(beat)
Thanks to Julie and her contacts
with this gear, I get to indulge my
inner Sydney Bristow. I ain't
passing up a chance like that!
NAOMI (V.O)
Well, don't worry. I don't plan on
using them unless I have to.
And at that point we see Naomi sitting at the bar opposite
Twist's on the other side, wearing a red dress - similarly
figure-hugging - in almost an identical seating posture to
Twist.
NAOMI (cont'd)
These things pinch at the ear. I'll
be glad to be rid of them.
TWIST
Don't remember your opinion being
asked for, honey. How about a
little radio silence, huh?
NAOMI
(cheerfully)
How about you stick to the plan?
TWIST
Oooh, tough talk. What else they
teach you at bitch camp?
The 'cross comm' talk continues as Chris and Danyael continue
striding through, approaching a table.
DANYAEL
Will you two knock it off? We're on
mission here.
A beat. Chris and Danyael politely nod at other patrons at
the nearest crap table as they sit and join.
TWIST (V.O)
Spoilsports.
Ignoring her, both Chris and Danyael get settled and begin
receiving their necessary chips from the nearby CROUPIER,
ready to play some cards.
As they do, we CLOSE IN on Danyael's right wrist jacket
sleeve, and off the sight of a hidden card tucked inside we
FLASH CUT TO:
19 INT. SAFE HOUSE - EARLIER 19
Around the table, we find Danyael standing across from Chris,
Naomi and Twist - the latter of whom looks sceptical and
bored.
DANYAEL
Okay, this is a little trick I
picked up a while back when I used
to play poker with the guys at UV
Radio.
He picks up a CARD near a deck that has been laid out on the
table.
DANYAEL (cont'd)
This is a card zapped with magical
properties of misdirection. Got it
as a present back then, and kept
hold of it. Knew it'd come in handy
one day.
NAOMI
What does it do?
DANYAEL
It reacts to combinations inside
whatever deck it's placed. It's
like a computer - it can deduct a
potential match winning flush or
other hand just by how the desk is
stoked. And then it'll project the
fake image of an Ace, or whatever
is needed to win a match, from
under everyone else's nose.
(beat)
So long as you've got hold of the
card, that is.
NAOMI
Wow. That's pretty cool.
TWIST
Someone's easily impressed.
CHRIS
(ignores them)
Is it detectable?
DANYAEL
Not to the naked eye. But given the
Devas will probably be running
detection equipment for stuff just
like this, we should be able to get
noticed.
(thinks)
That's the bit down to chance.
CUT BACK TO:
20 INT. DEVAS CASINO - NIGHT 20
At the table, Chris and Danyael continue playing cards around
the other patrons.
Danyael glances at Chris, his eyes motioning to his sleeve -
which Chris looks at, seeing the card dangling now partly
tucked in Danyael's hand, waiting to be used.
CHRIS
(into comm)
Ladies, now would be a good time
for that distraction.
TWIST (V.O)
It'll be a pleasure.
As Twist downs her short and swirls off her stool, heading
away, Naomi downs her own drink identically, but winces at
the taste.
NAOMI
Lock 'n' load.
She turns and gets off the stool, pacing across the casino
floor herself.
Passing through crowds milling around, Twist and Naomi begin
making right for each other, on the same path.
Once they're close, we get a THWACK! As Twist unleashes an
almighty fist that cracks Naomi hard on the nose, almost
knocking her over!
TWIST
(loudly)
You BITCH! I knew it was you when I
saw you over there raising your
skirt to any guy that walks past!
NAOMI
(holds her nose a little)
Ah, just go back to the gutter you
came from before you start
polluting the atmosphere here!
TWIST
I think instead I'll teach you what
happens when you just stroll in and
steal my man!
Forcefully - a crowd now building around them - Twist grabs
Naomi in a strong headlock, and begins trying to grapple her
to the floor.
NAOMI
(amidst grappling;
quietly)
Didn't we agree that punch wouldn't
connect, Twist?
TWIST
Let's call it 'Method.'
And they continue to fight and grapple with one another -
turning it into a far more girly fight than either are
capable of - screaming loudly at one another, attracting
increasing attention.
Security begin racing to break them up, but they've
distracted every table - including the Croupier and patrons
at where Chris and Danyael sit.
Seeing this, Danyael glances at Chris and he ever so slightly
nods - at which point Danyael slips the card from his sleeve,
and quickly places it within the deck of cards before the
distracted Croupier.
CHRIS
(coughs)
Excuse me? Aren't we supposed to be
playing here?
CROUPIER
(realises; turns)
Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.
Quickly, the Croupier gets back to the game and starts
shuffling the deck of cards - Chris and Danyael exchanging a
victorious look.
In the background, burly SECURITY begin dragging out Twist
and Naomi - who continue screaming and trying to attack one
another - a sense it's not ALL acting on both of their parts
as they disappear through a door.
At the table, Chris and Danyael grin slightly as the Croupier
starts dolling out the stoked deck. As he does, we focus on a
CCTV camera in the wall corner above the table.
CUT TO:
21 INT. CCTV ROOM - DEVAS CASINO - NEXT 21
We PAN OUT of a dozen CCTV screens showing a dozen b/w feeds
coming from every single table within the casino.
On one of the screens in the lower right-hand corner, a
SCANNER begins pinpointing the table holding our guys and
ZOOMING IN on the cards being issued by the Croupier, soon
focusing on the 6 of Diamonds - the magical card.
The screen begins beeping, the scanner highlighting the card
and flashing red. As it does, a SECURITY GUARD appears near
the screens, picks up a phone and dials.
SECURITY GUARD
(beat)
We got a situation. Table seven.
22 INT. DEVAS CASINO - NEXT 22
The table cheers in celebration as Chris pulls over his
cards, revealing a winning combination.
CROUPIER
Royal flush. Gentleman wins.
A stack of chips are pushed Chris' way and he smiles as
Danyael extends a 'woot'.
DANYAEL
I could get used to this!
GUARD (O.C)
Excuse me, gentlemen.
Hearing the sound, Chris and Danyael both stop and look at
each other slightly - a very burly GUARD stands behind them,
with two backing him up.
GUARD (cont'd)
I'm going to have to ask you to
come with us, please.
A beat. Chris and Danyael stand, but don't turn to face him.
CHRIS
Of course.
(beat)
But, uh... we'd like to make one
thing clear first.
GUARD
What's that?
And after a brief look, Chris and Danyael both turn and
unleash a dual SUCKERPUNCH on the face of the Guard -
knocking him instantly on his back!
Danyael grins as the other two Security rush in, themselves
joined by two more, and start aggressively hauling them out
of the casino, off the sight of which we CUT TO:
23 INT. TRAINING ROOM - FLASHBACK 23
The sound of a straining, female GROWL assaults our ears as
we see Chris head down a staircase and enter a basement room
of the property.
It's been converted into a large, open spaced training centre
fitted with weapons, gym equipment and occult textbooks.
In the heart of the room, Chris sees Solomon standing before
Charlotte as she strains, using all of her energy, to create
a magical BARRIER - a nearly invisible wall of power, barely
shimmering to the naked eye.
SOLOMON
Keep it going, Charlotte. That's
it! Fight the fatigue. You have the
power within!
Charlotte struggles - perspiring greatly, taking deep
breaths. Solomon paces around her and the wall, arms behind
his back.
SOLOMON (cont'd)
I've taught you how to contain the
energy, and you've invoked it. Now
you must sustain it, make it grow.
(beat)
The key is your mind. Believe the
power is there, and it will
manifest.
Groaning with effort, Charlotte begins channelling more
energy into the hand now extended out, creating the barrier.
It begins shimmering stronger, and stronger, taking larger
form.
SOLOMON (cont'd)
There you go! There you go!
The barrier reaches a shimmering intensity - before a gasping
Charlotte drops her hand, drained, and the wall instantly
dissipates.
CHARLOTTE
(between breaths)
That's... as much as I... could
do...
SOLOMON
And you've done well. I'm proud of
you.
He then notices Chris leaning up the wall by the door,
watching.
SOLOMON (cont'd)
Recover your energy, Charlotte, and
continue practicing. You must keep
this momentum going.
Charlotte nods and watches as Solomon begins approaching
Chris - to whom she gives a little smile and wave - before
starting over again.
CHRIS
You're training her well.
SOLOMON
Perhaps too well.
(beat)
She's improved tenfold over the
last few weeks. Ever since you
arrived, in fact.
CHRIS
Just coincidence, I'm sure.
SOLOMON
No. You're a positive influence
her. One would almost suspect she's
training to impress you.
Chris looks away, a little flattered at that comment. We
notice Solomon perspiring a fair bit, at this point.
CHRIS
I may have to disappoint her, then.
SOLOMON
(guesses)
You're moving on?
CHRIS
I only intended to be here a few
days. I've extended my stay long
enough.
SOLOMON
(wipes heavy sweat from
his brow)
Nonsense! You're welcome in my home
as long as you care to be.
CHRIS
(smiles)
I know. But the cure won't find
itself. I've never stayed in one
place too long.
(shakes his head)
It's just not who I am.
SOLOMON
I can't ask you to...
He stops mid-sentence, perspiring to a ridiculous amount now
and face red with heat. He looks a little light-headed.
SOLOMON (cont'd)
(thready breaths)
... recon... sid...
CHRIS
Solomon?!
And Solomon loses consciousness, unexpectedly collapsing.
Chris catches him before he hits the ground.
CHRIS (cont'd)
Solomon!
(beat)
Charlotte!
Across the room, mid-training, Charlotte turns and upon
seeing Chris laying the limp Solomon out on the floor, she
gasps and instantly runs over.
CHARLOTTE
What... what happened?!?
Chris shakes his head, and off his confusion and concern we
CUT TO:
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