Darth Masq, Sith Lord of Philosophy (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} masqthephlsphr) wrote in ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} orlon_window,@ 2005-01-20 07:10:00 |
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| Current mood: |  broody |
Through A Glass, Darkly, Pt. 1 (Air date Dec. 15, 2004)
| Through a Glass, Darkly Part 1 (January 19, 2005) Written by: Masquerade |
| Teaser |
EXT. SUBURBAN HOME - DUSK - ESTABLISHING
INT. LIVING ROOM - DUSK
A thiryish woman sits on her couch talking on the phone.
I know he's always been a quiet child, but since
his stepfather died, he's been positively morose.
Her expression grows troubled.
And in the past few days, he's been saying the
most ridiculous thing.
(a giddy chuckle)
It's scary, really. He told me he saw....
CUT TO - INT. THE HALLWAY - DUSK
A BOY of about ten is walking slowly away from us down the hall. We can hear his mother talking still, indistinctly. Along one wall is a shelf filled with books and trinkets. At the end of the hallway is room tinged by the fading glow of sunset. We can see a DOOR leading out back at the far end of the room. It is OPEN.
(murmuring)
Peter?
The boy stops. The light from outside dims as a MAN appears in the doorway. He is wearing a rumpled suit. His skin looks a little mottled and gray, but it might just be a trick of the light.
CLOSE-UP on the boy's face. His eyes widen.
(whispering)
Dad!
The man kneels and holds his arms out.
(smiling)
That's right, Peter. It's me again.
Peter walks up to him slowly, then lets the man pull him into his arms. They hug.
I said I wouldn't leave you, didn't I?
Peter nods.
Then the man's smile fades. His gaze, suddenly cool, rises to the front hallway behind the boy.
You haven't told you mother about me,
have you?
Peter's expression grows furtive, nervous.
No.
The man's eyes dip to him. He releases Peter from the hug.
(firmly)
Because you know what happens when you talk
about things you're not supposed to talk about.
Peter nods, his expression cowed.
(with a hint of menace)
You're not going to make me do that, are you?
It's not going to be like it was before?
Peter shakes his head. He tenses. His eyes dart away. The man smiles warmly again.
That's my boy. All you have to do is behave,
and we can be together.
WOMAN (O.S.)
Peter!?
Peter startles at the sound of his mother's voice and whirls around, throwing out his hands to keep his balance.
CLOSE-UP on his hand as it hits a GLASS VASE on the shelf. The vase tips and falls on a metal-framed photograph, knocking it over onto the shelf with a CLATTER.
(voice closer, exasperated)
Peter!
REVERSE ANGLE - Peter's mother charges into the mouth of the hallway. She comes to a dead stop. Her eyes widen. She gapes at her -
VERY DEAD HUSBAND.
She SCREAMS.
The man quickly rises and BOLTS OUT OF THE HOUSE.
BLACK OUT.
The theme song plays as we see images of
 |
 |
 |
CONNOR REILLY walking to classes, killing a vampire
Vincent Kartheiser
FAITH THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, fighting in the SLAYER TRAINING ROOM with Connor
and REPORTER AIDEN WALSH, pulling his CAMERA away from his face.
Sean Maher
Megalyn Echikunwoke
Jim Abele
Adrienne Brett
Emma Hunton
Jon Abrahams
Rob LaBelle
Indigo
EXT. LOS ANGELES - DUSK - ESTABLISHING
We start with a LONG SHOT of a commercial street, our ANGLE looking up. The clouds are dark and low across a dreary gray sky.
PAN DOWN TO -
EXT. GOTH NIGHT CLUB - HOLLYWOOD
A blocky one-story brick building painted dull red. Above the door in black block letters are the words TEMPLE LUNA. Into the frame walks FAITH, wearing a leather jacket and black denim pants. She passes a grimy Laundromat and stops in front of the club. She grabs the door handle and enters.
INT. TEMPLE LUNA
Alternative music with an indistinct melody and an incessant beat permeates a large, dim room with an empty dance floor. There are a few scattered patrons sitting at red vinyl tables and standing, talking. They are dressed in dark, fetishistic clothing--corsets, leather, velvet--and give Faith only indifferent glances as she passes them on her way to a hallway just off the end of the bar. We follow her down the hallway to a nondescript door.
INT. TEMPLE LUNA BACKROOM
The room is dimly lit--candles and heavily-shuttered and curtained windows. A baker's dozen of BLACK-ROBE CLAD WITCHES are sitting in a circle. Within the circle is yet another circle of burning candles, and within that, a HUMAN SKULL sitting atop a painted symbol.
CLOSE-UP on - a woman with pitch-black eye shadow and a pierced eyelid leans forward and blows out the candle in front of her.
Blessed be.
One by one, the other witches do the same.
Blessed be.
Blessed be.
Slowly, they rise from the floor and start talking amongst themselves. In the midst of the mingling group, we see VAUGHNE. She pulls off her black robe, revealing a simple pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She sees Faith near the door and waves, then turns to a man and woman beside her and gestures them forward. The three of them walk over to Faith.
Faith gazes at the other two witches uncertainly.
Um...mind if we take this someplace else?
VAUGHNE
(glancing at her friends)
Oh, they've been helping me with this.
This is Krista and Julian.
The two witches tug off their hoods and smile. Vaughne walks them over to a small table along the back wall and picks up a woven Mexican shoulder bag. She rummages through it and pulls out a florescent RED ENVELOPE.
You told your coven about this?
VAUGUNE
No, just these two.
They're friends of Willow's.
(she smiles apologetically)
It was either that or be on the phone long
distance with Willow for eight hours.
Some of this stuff was out of my league.
She opens the envelope and pulls out two pieces of paper stapled together. She hands them to Faith.
That's the e-mail Willow sent you on the spell
she did on your friend Connor.
FAITH
The e-mail that made no sense.
So what's the deal? Is he a demon?
JULIAN
No, he's human.
Faith turns her attention to the warlock, who has dark hair and an intense expression. She frowns skeptically.
Just...human?
VAUGHNE
As human as you or me.
Well...more like you, actually.
FAITH
Willow thought he was a "half-blood."
You're saying he's not?
Then why's he so strong?
KRISTA
For the same reason you are.
The other witch is blonde and tall. She smiles at Faith's confusion.
He's not a Slayer.
But Slayer strength, your psychic connection to
past Slayers--it's not biology, it's metaphysics.
The result of a powerful spell done thousands
of years ago that imbues Slayers with the
spirit of a demon.
Faith nods.
Yeah, the "Shadow Men." They created the
First Slayer by knocking her up with demon dust.
JULIAN
Your friend Connor has a metaphysical
imbuement as well.
It's just not the same demon as Slayers.
FAITH
So what demon is it?
JULIAN
(grinning)
That part was trickier to figure out.
Not having any clue where to start,
Willow kinda had to go down a very long list--
FAITH
What demon?
VAUGHNE
Vampire.
Faith gives them all a blank look.
CUT TO - CONNOR, sitting slumped in a chair in a SMALL, SHADOWED INDOOR SPACE, his arms crossed. He is staring into space with a dark, brooding expression. Although it's unclear exactly where he is, we can see a wooden desk behind him with the lamp switched off.
(upbeat)
So what do you think?
INT. DAVE'S DORM ROOM - JUST AFTER DUSK
Lawrence Reilly is standing in the middle of the room, his hand on the edge of the wooden loft that elevates Dave's bed into the air. His wife is standing beside him, gazing at the tour de France and bicycle-riding posters on the wall.
It's small.
CUT TO - Connor's sister Doreen, who is lounging on the bed that once belonged to Dave's roommate. She frowns at the cramped space, then turns her gaze outside the front window.
Her POV - the UCLA campus under a darkening overcast sky.
PAN DOWN TO the COURTYARD two stories down. To the right, we can see the top of a leafy tree, and below the tree, scattered students entering and exiting the dormitory. To the left is a tall street lamp shining feebly in the growing darkness. At the base of the lamp stands a MAN. Just then, he gazes up at Dave's window, looking right at Doreen.
CLOSE-UP on Doreen's face. Her eyes widen.
MEDIUM INDOOR SHOT of Doreen leaning against the windowsill, gazing out the window. She sits up and turns around.
PULL BACK to a LONG SHOT of the room with the window and Doreen at the end of it. Lawrence raises his hands to frame the room.
(wincing)
Well, I think it's a matter of proportion.
It's long and narrow, which makes it look--
DOREEN
Small.
DAVE (O.S.)
You're not going to find anything any bigger,
I'm afraid, unless you step up to the Residential
Suites.
REVERSE ANGLE - DAVE is standing in the open doorway leaning on his forearm, which is resting flat against the wall.
Colleen inhales deeply, trying not to frown. She tilts her head down.
Connor, what do you think?
CUT TO Connor, still seated at the desk under Dave's bed. He is picking at the cuticle of one thumb, gazing at it intently.
(mumbling)
It's fine.
Colleen gives Lawrence a frustrated look. Her husband frowns.
INT. TEMPLE LUNA BACKROOM - JUST AFTER DUSK
ANGLE ON - Faith, stunned.
Huh?
How can Connor be a vampire?
I've seen him in the daylight. He eats food.
JULIAN
He's not a vampire. He's physiologically and
genetically human.
He just has this metaphysical--
FAITH
"Metaphysical impudence," yeah, whatever.
VAUGHNE
It makes sense. The way you described his powers--
his sense of smell, hearing, the strength and speed--
FAITH
Yeah, but how did he get that way? Was he bit?
Krista looks at the other two.
I guess it's possible.
Maybe...if a vampire attacked him, intending to
turn him, and the process were incomplete somehow--
Julian shakes his head.
No. A vampire's victim either tastes the
vampire's blood, or they don't. They either
turn into a vampire themselves, or they don't.
There's no "halfway."
(to Faith)
But his essence does have vampire in it.
Willow's spell proves it. That's where his
power comes from.
FAITH
(bewildered)
How'd it happen then...some kind of spell?
JULIAN
No. You can't change the essence of what you
are through a spell. Even if you transform
yourself into a completely different species,
the metaphysical signature of what you started
out as always remains.
Julian gives her a no-nonsense look.
He was born that way.
EXT. AERIAL SHOT OF THE UCLA CAMPUS - JUST AFTER DUSK
EXT. DORMITORY RESIDENCE HALL - JUST AFTER DUSK
The Reillys exit Dave's dormitory building.
We'll head over to the Office of Residential
Life in the morning.
He looks over at Connor, who is staring off into space, hands in his pants pockets.
Connor?
Now Doreen and Colleen are looking at Connor as well. Connor's eyes pan them silently.
Is something wrong, Connor?
CONNOR
(irritable)
Have I said anything?
COLLEEN
(with concern)
Actually, you've barely said two words to us
the entire time we've been here.
CONNOR
It's finals week, I have a lot on my mind.
(beat)
Are we finished?
'Cause I have a paper due tomorrow.
LAWRENCE
(puzzled)
Connor.
CONNOR
What?
Lawrence and Colleen look at each other again with dismay.
If this is about us asking you to move into
the dorms--
CONNOR
(exasperated)
I told you, it's fine.
LAWRENCE
If you're not ready to do this, just say so.
CONNOR
Say what?
You're acting like I'm some sort of mental case.
I'm not going to punch a hole through the dorm
room wall.
Or my roommate, if that's what you're worried about.
LAWRENCE
(exasperated)
That's not what we're worried about.
CONNOR
Then stop freaking, O.K.?
Colleen exhales audibly.
We'll be at the hotel. We're going to dinner at
six-thirty if you want to join us.
INT. TEMPLE LUNA BACKROOM - JUST AFTER DUSK
Faith stares down at Willow's e-mail concerning Connor. She frowns deeply and looks up at Vaughne.
So...you were going to tell me about that amulet.
VAUGHNE
(nodding)
Willow couldn't find very much on it.
I did do the locator spell at the museum like
you asked, though. All it came up with is that
Drusilla's been all over town. She never stays
in one place very long.
FAITH
But she's still in town.
VAUGHNE
Yeah, she's still here. Or the amulet is.
Faith sighs.
(thinking aloud)
What's she doing with it?
KRISTA
I know a few books that might have more information.
She steps over to the table, flips over a piece of paper, and picks up a pen.
(jotting something down)
There's a guy who runs an occult supply store in
town. He keeps a private library in the back for
research. I'll ask if he'll let the Slayer Council
use it when they need to.
She hands the paper to Faith. Faith smiles weakly.
That's...great. It's just...we're Slayers,
not Watchers, you know?
Better with the fists than the books.
VAUGHNE
Well, we can help, but not this week.
We're all headed to a Solstice Retreat tonight.
Julian pulls back the cuff of his sleeve and looks at his watch.
Speaking of which, if we're going to get up to
the grounds before nine....
VAUGHNE
(to Faith)
One more thing real quick then.
Willow told me she had a chance to do her sweep
for spells in some of the other Council offices,
including the one in Rome.
FAITH
"Sweep"?
VAUGHNE
You remember, that trance to see the residual
effect of spells?
FAITH
Oh, right. She saw that weird mist around me and her.
Vaughne nods.
She told me to tell you that she hasn't found
it around anybody else yet, including Buffy.
FAITH
(chagrined)
Buffy didn't have it? What about Xander, or Giles?
Vaughne shakes her head.
(thoughtfully)
Damn. When have me and Willow ever been involved
in anything together when those guys weren't there?
(mumbling aloud)
I guess there was that one time...at Angel's hotel....
(her eyes widen)
That mist was around a book in my office, too!
That vampire history book.
VAUGHNE
(nodding)
Willow's convinced it's the signature of a spell
that's preventing you from seeing something.
Something related to vampires.
JULIAN
Do you think it might be something Drusilla's
done?
FAITH
(frustrated)
Isn't there some magic thing you guys can do
to find out what it is?
JULIAN
I suppose there might be revealing spell.
I'll work on it after Yule.
Faith sighs, then nods.
All right. Thanks.
VAUGHNE
Oh, and I have something for you.
She pulls a FAX out of her red envelope and hands it to Faith. Faith looks at it.
Faith's POV - The FAX is a sketch of several strange symbols.
Willow saw those on your friend with the vampire
powers when she did the sweep.
FAITH
(nodding)
I remember. She said Connor looked like he
had some kind of weird tattoos on him.
(she looks up at Vaughne)
Did she figure out what they were?
VAUGHNE
Sort of. Turns out they're runes derived from
the Enochian alphabet.
JULIAN
The Enochian alphabet was developed in the
sixteenth century by some magicians who believed
they were tapping into the power of the angels.
Any spell involving Enochian magick has got to
be very powerful.
FAITH
But you don't know what the symbols on Connor
are for.
KRISTA
No, but that bookstore I mentioned should have
a translation reference.
Faith glances down at the piece of paper Krista handed her earlier.
Great. Now I just need to find someone who can
understand those books well enough to use them.
CLOSE-UP on the piece of paper, which reads -
The Ancient Eye
EXT. HOBO'S BAR - HOLLYWOOD - EVENING - ESTABLISHING
It's dark now, but in the glow of the security lamp hanging above the door of this little Hollywood Boulevard dive, we can see a light spatter of rain falling. It dots the concrete sidewalk in front the bar, and the glass of the blacked-out window, smearing the neon glow of the tilted cocktail-glass sign.
INT. HOBO'S BAR
"The Ancient Eye," huh.
A man behind the bar sets a Tecate down in front of Faith, who is sitting on a bar stool. He pops off the cap for her.
Thanks, Nate.
Faith picks up the beer, which has left a small wet ring on the florescent red envelope in front of her on the bar. She takes a sip. Nate turns around and walks over to the counter by the wall.
(to Aiden)
Is there a problem?
Aiden chuckles.
It's just...the guy who owns it...doesn't like
me much.
Between Faith and Aiden, we can see Nate pouring coffee into a navy blue coffee mug.
Yeah? And why's that?
Aiden opens his mouth to reply.
It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact
that you're a reporter with an interest in the
supernatural, would it?
Aiden's eyes dip briefly. He smirks.
Connor told you.
FAITH
Yeah, he told me.
AIDEN
And you're asking for my help anyway.
FAITH
I'm taking advantage of the fact that you seem to
like to stick your nose in where it doesn't belong.
She tips the mouth of her beer bottle towards him.
But trust me, if I get wind of anything--
anything I ask you to do for me going public,
there is going to be some serious hurt.
I don't care if I can't prove that you did it.
The bartender brings the steaming mug over to Aiden.
CLOSE-UP on the mug as the bartender lowers it to the bar. We can see Aiden's face reflected in it briefly, distorted in the dark ceramic surface.
ANGLE ON Aiden's actual face, undistorted. He chuckles nervously.
Oh, c'mon. You can't expect me to stay quiet about
all of it.
He reaches for the coffee cup and brings it up to his lips.
If there's something dangerous around,
people have a right to know--
FAITH
Don't give me that reporter bullshit.
(off Aiden's frown)
I'll tell you what. I'll let you go public with
some of it. But only what I O.K. first.
And none of that will be related to Slayers, O.K.?
AIDEN
O.K.
FAITH
Then we have a deal.
Faith slides the ENVELOPE on the bar over to him.
Here's everything I have on the amulet and
on those symbols.
Aiden glances down at it.
O.K. I'll look at it as soon as I get back from Christmas.
FAITH
(with frustration)
You can't do it sooner?
AIDEN
(shrugging)
Tonight, maybe....
But I have to catch a plane in the morning.
FAITH
I kinda need it ASAP.
AIDEN
Tonight, then.
Faith nods. Then she leans in close to him.
And just so we're clear. When I said "serious hurt"?
I meant "serious hurt."
She sits up again, smirking over her beer.
Slayers aren't supposed to hurt humans.
Her eyes narrow.
But you know...I've never been very good at
following that rule.
Aiden gulps at his coffee and chokes.
BLACK OUT.
FADE TO a CLOSE-UP of -
A SLAB OF RIBS, smothered RED.
They are sitting on a plate which is moving across a room.
INT. TONY ROMA'S RESTAURANT - EVENING
PULL BACK until we see a waitress carrying the plate. She sets the ribs down in front of a man who is tucking a plastic bib into his collar. PAN OVER to the red-and-white check-covered table next to his. Lawrence Reilly is seated there, his plastic bib dotted with droplets of barbeque sauce. He wipes his face with a napkin. We can see a pile of rib bones on his plate, scattered.
Maybe we should back off this dormitory thing.
CUT TO Colleen, seated opposite him. Doreen is beside her, a half-eaten hamburger on her plate. Colleen reaches down on the floor for her purse, brings it up, and fishes a key on a plastic keychain from it.
(to Doreen)
Are you done?
Doreen grabs the key and leaps up.
I'm gonna go watch "Sex and the City"
while you guys talk about Connor.
Doreen walks out of the frame. Colleen frowns after her.
She's starting to worry me a bit.
LAWRENCE
She's not the kid I'm worried about.
COLLEEN
(looking at Lawrence)
Just because he's finally learned the fine art
of teenaged pouting.
LAWRENCE
That's just it. This just isn't like him.
Or it wasn't like him, before....
FADE TO -
INT. CONNOR'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Connor is at his computer. On the screen over his shoulder, we can see an open file of a word processing application. Connor is sitting back in his chair, staring at the words on the screen, turning a pen over and over in his hands.
HOLD on that image as LAWRENCE AND COLLEEN CONTINUE TALKING IN VOICE-OVER -
And besides, he's not a teenager anymore.
COLLEEN (V.O.)
Maybe that's the point. He's twenty years old,
and we're asking him to move out of a private
apartment and back into a structured living
environment where he has to share the bathroom
with twenty-five other people.
LAWRENCE
It's more than that. Colleen, you saw how he was
tonight. He.... Things still aren't all right with him.
With a frustrated scowl, Connor sets the pen down on a pad of paper on his desk and rises. He looks around, then grabs his keys off the end table near his armchair.
You think this is related to the trouble he was
having earlier this summer.
LAWRENCE
I don't know. All I know is, he said he was "fine"
then, too, when he clearly wasn't. But since he's
been here in L.A., we've just taken his word for it.
COLLEEN
Maybe we just want it to be true.
LAWRENCE
The problem is, he doesn't seem any more inclined
to talk about it now than he was then.
Connor goes to his closet, pulls out his coat, and puts it on. He walks to the front door.
I'm just trying to...piece together what it is
that's bothering him. I mean, that expert at
Wolfram and Hart said he might have some
"adjustment problems" dealing with those
abilities of his--
COLLEEN
We've had this conversation a million times, Larry.
I know we agreed we were going to let him work
whatever it was out on his own. But that's clearly
not working. We need to find some way to get him
to talk to us.
Connor's front door shuts. PULL BACK until we see his desk again. CLOSE-UP on the WRITING PAD on Connor's desk. There's a sketch there, quite decently drawn, of DRUSILLA.
EXT. OCCULT SUPPLY STORE ON A CITY STREET - EVENING
The wooden sign above the window is etched with the words Ancient Eye. Aiden stands at the door gripping the handle, a book bag slung over his shoulder.
Through the rain-spattered windowpane set into the door, we can see the interior of the store. At the end of the shelves of occult books and mystical trinkets, MANNY THE BOOKSTORE OWNER stands behind the counter, explaining something to a female customer.
Aiden takes an uneasy breath, and opens the door.
INT. THE ANCIENT EYE
A bell at the top of the door jingles, announcing his entry.
CUT TO the back of the store. Manny looks up and shakes his head.
(raising his voice)
Well, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes,
I wouldn't have believed it.
The customer glances at Manny, then at what Manny is glaring at.
REVERSE ANGLE - Aiden strolls up one of the aisles casually, his hands in his pockets. But he's not quite meeting Manny's eyes.
Hey, Manny.
MANNY
I get a call from one of my more respectable
customers telling me that a guy named Aiden Walsh
is coming down to the store to use some of my
reference books, and I'm wondering if there could
be two guys with that name in Los Angeles.
He leans forward over the counter.
How'd you manage to talk the Temple Luna coven
into this?
AIDEN
I'm doing a favor for a mutual friend.
MANNY
A "favor." And what's in it for you?
AIDEN
Knowledge.
MANNY
(with a wry grin)
Yeah, I'll bet.
Manny reaches below the counter and pulls out three thick and worn-looking VOLUMES. He sets them beside the cash register. Aiden comes to a halt and reaches for them. Manny SLAMS HIS HAND down on the books.
But I'm wondering...what kind of "knowledge"
could Aiden Walsh possibly get out of...
(picking up the top book and glancing down at it)
"Systems of Alchemy and Ceremonial Magick"?
AIDEN
(all bravado)
Wouldn't you like to know.
Manny gives him a disgruntled frown, then shoves the stack of books forward.
You can look at them at the table over there.
He points towards the back wall corner opposite the service counter.
Aiden picks up the books and walks them over to the table. He sets them down, then pulls his book bag off his shoulder. Suddenly - MANNY is looming behind him. Aiden's shoulders tense.
Think you're on the inside now, do you?
Getting a witch to vouch for you?
Aiden pulls out a chair and sits down quickly.
Looks like you've finally found an "in" to
"the big story."
He pauses. Aiden opens his book bag and pulls out the florescent red envelope.
Remember that? "The big story" you said you
were looking for? "Something important,
something that no one could laugh at or dismiss"?
And when you found it, you were going to
finally publish about the supernatural under
your own name.
AIDEN
(irritably)
Do you mind?
As Manny walks back over to the counter with a frown, Aiden opens the book, Tobin's Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Talismans, and flips to the index.
FADE TO BLACK.
CONTINUE ON THE BLACK SCREEN.
We hear the slow and rhythmic thump...thump...thump of WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES.
And a CAR ENGINE, idling.
INT. CONNOR'S CAMRY - EVENING
POV - Looking out through the smeared FRONT WINDOW of his car, which is parked at the side of a road. We can see streaked street lights, approaching car headlights, and blurred buildings on either side. The windshield wiper blades cut back and forth across the view.
PAN AROUND to Connor, who is staring out at it, brooding.
Then CUT BACK to what he is gazing at. ANGLE ON - a FIVE-STORY WHITE BUILDING with many windows, across the street and half way down the block.
CLOSE-UP on Connor's face. His brow wrinkles with uneasiness.
FLASH-CUT to a series of quick, fuzzy images -
The vampire ANGEL, standing in a shadowy, high-ceilinged lobby.
The dark-haired CORDELIA, her belly ample with pregnancy, reaching out her hand in a caress.
An ebony-skinned WOMAN, her full lips curving into a welcoming smile.
And finally, more vivid - DRUSILLA in the refrigeration warehouse, her dark gaze cool and hypnotic.
Connor's lips tremble. Suddenly, he raises a fist and BRINGS IT DOWN HARD on the dash board.
CUT TO the crushed air-conditioning vent. Connor draws back his fist.
The windshield wipers continue to thwap, thwap, thwap rhythmically, but each thwap ends in a tiny squeak.
ANGLE ON the windshield. A leaf, yellow and soggy, is stuck to the windshield wiper.
Connor reaches behind the steering wheel and stops the wipers. Then he rolls down his side window and reaches around for the leaf. Rain spatters down on his forehead and cheeks. He tugs the leaf out and tosses it into the street. Then he glances up.
REVERSE ANGLE - through the open window. Across the street and halfway down the block stands the curving twin wings of the HYPERION HOTEL.
INT. THE ANCIENT EYE - EVENING
Aiden has the magical reference books spread out over the table. We also see his ubiquitous reporter's notebook covered with penned scrawls and tiny ENOCHIAN SYMBOLS. On the text in front of him we see a color photo of the AMULET OF AURELIUS.
Aiden sits up and rubs his eyes wearily, a look of frustration on his face. Slowly, he looks up to see -
Aiden's POV - Manny, peering at him guardedly.
EXT. THE SLAYER COUNCIL OFFICE BUILDING - EVENING - ESTABLISHING
INT. FAITH'S OFFICE
CLOSE-UP on FAITH'S DESK. There several PIECES OF PAPER scattered across it, one of them Willow's e-mail to Vaughne.
PAN UP to Faith, who hangs up the phone, scowling with irritation. She pushes her chair back, opens the desk drawer, and fumbles around inside, finally pulling out a crushed pack of Marlboros, a Zippo lighter, and a cheap glass ashtray. She yanks a CIGARETTE out of the pack and stands up.
CUT TO the office window, which is glistening wet from rain.
Faith brings the cigarette to her lips and flicks the Zippo. The flame sizzles. She takes two quick puffs.
CLOSE-UP on her weary expression. She smokes quietly, staring out the window.
(mumbling)
Man, what I wouldn't give right now for
something I could just punch.
As she says the final word, we hear the slam of the office suite door.
Faith pivots around, startled.
REVERSE ANGLE - A second later, RONA appears at Faith's office door.
What are you doing here?
RONA
We were supposed to meet tonight.
To plan out our training sessions for Spring?
Faith brings her cigarette to her lips.
(mumbling)
Shit, I forgot.
Rona enters the room, waving her hand in front of her face.
Well, I came all the way down here from work
and I'm tired, so let's just do it.
Faith walks over and lays the cigarette down in the ashtray.
Here's what we're gonna do. It's field patrols
for everyone. We need to be out on the streets.
Rona regards her with skepticism.
What about the girls who aren't ready?
Faith sits down on the corner of her desk and crosses her arms.
They're just gonna have to be ready.
There's some serious shit going on out there.
RONA
Did you find out something about those army guys?
FAITH
(nodding)
I was just talking to B.
(she chuckles)
Guess I woke her up early.
Oops.
RONA
So what'd she say?
FAITH
She thinks they're from the same outfit as her ex.
(off Rona's puzzled look)
Not the vampire exes. The Marine.
Or whatever the hell he is.
RONA
So that's good, right? That means they're good guys?
FAITH
Maybe. It means they're probably here to
break up the extra loud demon party going on
in this town.
RONA
Then we should find out what they're doing.
Maybe work with them somehow?
FAITH
(frowning)
Well, according to B, these guys aren't big
on anything they can't stick under a microscope.
They're seriously lacking in the magic department.
RONA
(grinning)
Oh, and we're the experts on magic?
FAITH
(defensively)
Hey, I got...people. I got a whole witch's...
group lined up to help.
RONA
I don't suppose you asked Buffy to send someone
from the Council who could do the research for us.
FAITH
Hell no.
(off Rona's knowing look)
You know she'd just send in one of her little
Watcher wanna-be buddies, and they'd want
to do a lot more than "help."
(with determination)
L.A. is my town, Rona.
I got it covered.
Suddenly, the phone rings.
Faith shoots Rona an anxious look, then turns and snatches it up.
Yo.
(her anxious look fades)
Oh, hey.
(pause)
Books on Drusilla? Here?
Faith glances at her bookshelf.
I got this vampire history book.
Anything else, you'd have to look.
Faith listens for a second, then glances at her watch.
Nine-thirty. Yeah, I can still be here at nine-thirty.
She exhales and shakes her head.
(mumbling)
What else could I possibly have to do?
INT. CONNOR'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Connor shuts his front door. His hair is slightly damp and his eyes are distant. He tosses his keys on the desk.
The phone rings. Connor walks over and picks it up.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - EVENING
The WOMAN and the BOY from the teaser are crossing the damp grounds of a GRAVEYARD.
Your stepfather is dead, Peter.
And I'm going to prove it.
They hurry along.
Finally the boy comes to a halt along a row of grave marker plaques. He looks down and points.
CUT TO a simple metal GRAVE PLAQUE. The earth in front of it has been violently UPTURNED, leaving a GAPING HOLE.
The mother stares down at it, her lips trying to form words.
Hello, Loretta.
PAN UP TO the MAN from the teaser, stepping out from behind a tree. Although he has addressed the woman, his eyes are on PETER.
The woman draws in a shuddering breath.
CLOSE-UP on her hand as she fumbles for her son's wrist.
WIDE SHOT. The mother turns and stumbles into a run, dragging her son behind her.
BLACK OUT.
Part 2 (click here)
