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existentialist angst

Hunters, Part 1 (air date Oct 27, 2004)

Hunters Part 1 (September 29, 2004) Written by: Masquerade

Teaser

EXT. UCLA AERIAL SHOT - EARLY EVENING - ESTABLISHING

EXT. BRUIN WALK - UCLA CAMPUS - EARLY EVENING

We start with a LONG SHOT of the campus thoroughfare. There are scattered students headed in both directions, cutting down sidewalks and into buildings. One of them is CONNOR, strolling to his evening history class, book bag slung over his shoulder. With the long shot, we can see the people around him, including a GUY and GIRL standing a ways down an intersecting walkway that cuts between two buildings.

We PULL IN closer to the couple. The guy is large, athletic. The girl has her arms crossed. Neither looks very happy.

GUY
I saw you with him.

GIRL
We were just talking.

GUY
Are you saying I'm stupid?
I'm not stupid.
I know what I saw.
He grips his hand tight around her upper arm. She tries to shake him off, but she can't.

GIRL
(voice raised)
Let go! You're hurting me.
The guy glances up. A couple people strolling by look over at the sound of her voice. Connor is one of them.

GUY
C'mon.
The guy jostles the girl around the edge of a large metal ELECTRICAL CABINET that sits at the side of the walkway.

People continue to pass by on Bruin Walk.

Connor stops and stares down the pathway with a troubled look, as if debating. Then casually, as if he's just going along his way, he cuts down the path that leads past the couple. As he passes the electrical cabinet, we see that the guy still has the girl by the arm. He's shaking her.

GUY
...And I don't like that, O.K.?
Connor walks a few steps past them, then stops. He turns. As he does, we see a blurred SOMEONE ELSE enter the walkway from the other side, now behind him.

CONNOR
(to the guy)
Hey, what are you doing?
The guy glances over at him. Connor has to be half his bulk.

GUY
Mind your own business, twink.

CONNOR
Yeah, well, I can't. I've got a problem.

GUY
(low, menacing)
Oh yeah, you're gonna have a problem.

GIRL
Leave him alone, Doug!
The guy shakes her again.

GUY
I told you not to talk to me that way!
On reflex, Connor reaches for the guy, grabbing him tight under his free arm. The guy looks at Connor like he's insane.

GUY
Let go of me, twerp.
The guy releases the girl and pushes Connor with his hand. Connor doesn't budge.

CONNOR
(tightening his grip)
I just want to see how you like it.
The guy twists and jerks, trying to break free of Connor's hand, but he can't.

CUT TO the person behind Connor, watching all this from several meters away. It's AIDEN.

CONNOR
(with a little bit o' 'tude)
You see the problem with being a bully...
is there's always someone around who's
stronger than you.
Connor shoves the guy up against the side of the building. The guy stares down at the little twerp that's got him pinned, outraged and puzzled.

CONNOR (cont.)
Someone who's gonna come along and
tell you what to do, and expect you
to do it because he can kick your ass.
I mean, don't you just hate that?
(Connor smacks his hand into the guy's chest)
What gives him the right?
Suddenly, from the direction of Bruin Walk comes an OLDER MAN in a shirt and tie with books tucked under arms. Faculty. As he passes by, he sees Connor and the BEEFY GUY he has pinned to the wall.

FACULTY MEMBER
(puzzled)
Is there a problem here?
Connor lets go of the Big Guy.

CONNOR
(to the faculty member)
No problem.
(to Doug)
Is there a problem?

DOUG
(tugging down on his rumpled shirt)
I don't have a problem.
We see Aiden turn and slink back the way he came.

Connor turns to the faculty member.

CONNOR
See? No problem.
(then, to Doug)
Catch you around soon, huh?
He slaps Doug on the arm in what looks like a friendly way, jostling him off balance, then turns and continues down the walkway. As he rounds the other side of the building, Connor passes Aiden, who follows him with his eyes until Connor is out of sight.


EXT. KERCKHOFF HALL - UCLA CAMPUS - EVENING - ESTABLISHING

INT. THE OFFICES OF THE DAILY BRUIN NEWSPAPER - EVENING

We catch up with Aiden a few minutes later, standing beside his desk. Next to his computer is a daily calendar which marks this day as Monday, October 25th.

Aiden pulls his book bag out of the large drawer in his desk. He sets it on the chair and unzips it. Then he unlocks the tall filing cabinet next to his desk and pulls an expensive professional-style CAMERA with a long dangling strap out of the top drawer. He stuffs it into his book bag.

BLACK OUT.

END OF TEASER

---

Opening Credits

The theme song plays as we see images of



CONNOR REILLY walking to classes, killing a vampire

starring

Vincent Kartheiser
FAITH THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, fighting in the SLAYER TRAINING ROOM with Connor

Eliza Dushku
and a YOUNG REPORTER, AIDEN WALSH, pulling his CAMERA away from his face.

and

Sean Maher

Act One

with special guest stars

Jon Abrahams
Sabine Singh
Elisabeth Rohm

---

INT. CONNOR'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Connor is in bed asleep, but he isn't sleeping soundly. He's unsettled, dreaming, his face reacting subtly to images in his dreams.

FADE TO a series of hazy images -

A sky red with swirling, angry clouds.

The parched, rocky ground beneath it.

A BOY in tanned animal hides walking in a slow, wide circle, his eyes intent and predatory.

The boy, raising a blade strapped to his arm and slashing across the back of a wiry-limbed REPTILIAN CREATURE.

A TREE - tall, thin, multi-trunked and alien, its gnarled branches clawing the air.

FADE BACK to the DARK BEDROOM. Connor sleeping.

Then we return again to that ALIEN PLACE, still hazy, the world of dreams -

FADE INTO the rugged, hilly landscape. Very few trees, very little brush. Very few places to hide.

We see the boy again. The leather belt strapped around his waist carries holstered weapons and tools. The rope sash he wears dangles trophies of bone and teeth over his torso. Under his disheveled bangs and dirt-stained face, he is recognizable as CONNOR. In the distance, we can hear an occasional scream, or howl. But our boy isn't paying any attention to that. And he isn't hiding; he is the HUNTER, walking in a slow, wide circle, a pot-marked bronze blade strapped to one arm, his eyes INTENT on what he is circling.

And now we see what it is--a thick, tangled alien SHRUB set against a rock. The leaves quiver almost imperceptibly.

CLOSE-UP on the boy's clear, vigilant eyes as he watches and waits for the right moment to -

He brings something up to his lips. It's a primitive BLOW-DART GUN bored out of thin, hard wood. With a quick puff, he SHOOTS a deadly projectile into the bush.

The shrub SHAKES VIOLENTLY as something THRASHES within it. Then it stops. The boy puts the dart gun back into its holster, then kneels down by the shrub and pushes the thick branches apart. He pulls out a small, limp, lizard-like creature, then stands and starts to tie it to his belt.

Suddenly, we hear another SCREAM, this time very close. The boy's head jerks up. His eyes go on alert. The scream again, high-pitched. Something is in agony. Without hesitation, the boy starts towards the sound, the demon animal still dangling loose in his hand. He skips across a shallow ditch, then scrambles up a hill.

The boy's POV - from the top of the hill - in the dale beyond, we can see a CREATURE, long-limbed and reptilian, standing on its hind legs, looming over something on the ground. Something that is writhing and fighting for its life. The boy pauses, brows wrinkled as he looks on cautiously. Then his eyes widen. He takes a shallow breath. The animal dangling from his hand falls to the ground.

A feral scowl comes over the boy's face. He raises his blade arm and charges down into the FRAY.

He lunges at the creature, SWINGING HIS BLADE. It SPLITS OPEN a wet gash on the creature's back. The creature turns, shrieking. It lashes out with a CLAWED HAND. The boy dodges it low to the side. He swings his blade again, SEVERING the creature's hand. The creature thrashes in a blood-fury of pain. Its giant teeth snap at the boy. The boy knocks its muzzle back with a jab from his elbow.

Then he SWINGS HIS BLADE arm again, splitting open the creature's belly. The creature staggers back, clutching its own sagging entrails. The boy kicks it to the ground, then leans over and STABS the pointed tip of his blade into its chest. The look on his face is chillingly expressionless.

We hear a low moan behind him.

The boy whirls around, blood dripping from his blade. Quickly, he jerks the blade off his arm, then drops to his knees beside the prone figure.

It's a MIDDLE-AGED MAN with long graying hair. The boy reaches for the man's shoulders, his face etched with desperate concern.

The man looks up weakly, blinking.

Then he smiles. Slowly, he reaches up and brushes the boy's hair from his face. The boy smiles back with relief and joy.

The man's fingers recede. The boy's eyes turn to them.

CLOSE-UP on the FINGERS, thick and calloused.

FADE OUT

FADE UP TO - a single TREE, tall, thin, multi-trunked and alien, its gnarled branches clawing the crimson air. We see it close up, isolated, not part of any surrounding landscape.

Then we see those same THICK FINGERS reach up and clutch a single branch of the tree.


EXT. OVERHEAD SHOT OF A PRISON FACILITY - DAY - ESTABLISHING

SUPER LEGEND:

Chowchilla, California
Central California Women's Facility
INT. PRISON - DAY - ESTABLISHING

A LONG WHITE HALLWAY with doors along it. Each has a barred observation window. A large female guard in uniform walks down the hallway, observing.

INT. PRISON GUARDS' SECTION - DAY

The next view we see is the GUARD OFFICE, a small, secured room with two guards seated inside. Next to the guard office is a barred metal door that leads to the Prisoner's Section.

INT. PRISON GUARDS' LOUNGE - DAY

On the other side of the corridor is the guard's LOUNGE, a cramped room with three tables, a sink, and a few vending machines. We see a few more guards there, sitting, sipping coffee.

PAN TO the door of the room, where an ATTRACTIVE BLONDE WOMAN stands, also wearing a guard's uniform. She is studying something in a manila folder in her hands. Her expression is sober and business-like as she starts over to the coffee machine.

Another guard stops her.

GUARD
(pointing)
Heads up. You have a reporter
waiting for you.
The blonde guard looks over to where the other guard is pointing.

GUARD
He says he's a student at UCLA,
but he smells like a reporter.
CUT TO the TABLE IN THE CORNER. Seated there is AIDEN WALSH. He leaps up as the blonde guard walks over to the coffee machine. He saunters over to her. He has a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other.

BLONDE GUARD
(civil, but not friendly)
You must be Aiden Walsh.

AIDEN
Kate Lockley?

KATE
That's me.
(she puts some coins in the machine)
And I only have ten minutes,
so make it fast.

AIDEN
Uh, well--like I said on the phone,
I'm a journalism major at UCLA.
He offers his hand to her, but she only glances at it.

AIDEN
(withdrawing his hand, but not his enthusiasm)
You used to be a detective with the L.A.P.D.

KATE
(dismissively)
That's right.
Kate grabs her cup of coffee from the machine, then takes that and her file folder over to a table. She sits down. Aiden sits down as well, although he hasn't been invited.

AIDEN
(without even a glance at his notebook)
You were also the arresting officer on a
case involving a woman who was eventually
convicted of the murder of a college professor
up in Sunnydale.
You had her on assault and vandalism
as well--

KATE
The murder conviction was over-turned.
Do you have a point?

AIDEN
It wasn't originally your case.
It belonged to a--
(he flips through his notebook)
Detective...Kendrick.
(still looking down)
But you filed the reports,
including an unofficial report that
pointed out that there was
(reading)
"no evidence of steroid use or PCP or any
other substance that could have explained
her display of superhuman strength."
He looks up at her expectantly.

KATE
(confused and a little irritated)
Why are you asking about this?

AIDEN
(in all sincerity)
Do you believe in the supernatural?

KATE
(with disgust)
I don't have time for this.
She opens the file folder on the table and starts perusing it.

Aiden leans forward.

AIDEN
You filed a lot of unofficial reports
before you left the police force.
Dead cops assaulting citizens,
two women wanted for the murder of a group of
lawyers and some clothing store clerks
you claimed had all been drained of their blood,
a supernaturally strong woman--
(beat)
And you didn't leave the police force,
did you? You were dismissed.
He waits for Kate to react, but she doesn't.

AIDEN
Because they refused to believe, as you did,
that there's a whole side to L.A. that nobody sees.
A supernatural side.
Kate finally looks up at him.

KATE
You want to be a reporter, don't you?

AIDEN
I am a reporter.

KATE
(skeptical)
Hope to make it big someday?

AIDEN
Yeah.

KATE
Well, look around you.
It's a rhetorical statement, but Aiden does so, on reflex. PAN the GUARDS' LOUNGE. Tables. Vending machines. Guards.

KATE (cont.)
Do you see a police station? Because I don't.
But that's where I used to be,
until I started writing those reports.
And now, if I ever hope to get that back,
I have to start from the bottom again
and prove myself to a system I devoted
my life to.
Her eyes are steady, unblinking.

KATE
You want to be a reporter that people
listen to? Then I suggest you drop this.
Because it's not going to get you
anything but grief.

AIDEN
(leaning forward again)
Because nobody believed you.
Because you didn't have proof.
But I'm going to find proof.

KATE
Of what?

AIDEN
Zombies, vampires.
Humans with supernatural strength.
Kate scoffs, a scoff that turns into a condescending smile.

KATE
Even if any of that was true, what makes
you think you could find any "proof"?

AIDEN
(confident)
The proof is out there.
You just have to drag it into the light of day.
Kate scoffs again, unimpressed.

KATE
You really believe in all this stuff.
That's it's real, that it's "out there"?

AIDEN
Yes. And so do you.

KATE
Has it ever occurred to you that there might
be a reason that no one else does--
that it's so hard to get proof?

AIDEN
Of course I have.
(his eyes narrow)
The Devil's best trick is to make sure
no one believes in him.
Kate still looks unimpressed. So Aiden leans in again, lowering his voice.

AIDEN
L.A.'s not like it was when you left.
Things have gotten worse. Way worse.
It started this summer.
Reports like yours increasing.
Getting more "official" than "unofficial."
Two weeks ago, the Chief of Police called a
special meeting with city officials to discuss
the "recent rise in criminal activity,"
but no report of that meeting has been released
to the public.
Kate is now looking at him with something besides boredom or disdain. Her gaze is thoughtful.

AIDEN
It might be nothing, but I just have
this feeling--

KATE
Wolfram and Hart.

AIDEN
What?
Kate looks down again. Turns the page in her folder.

KATE
You want to find proof of something?
Look into the fall of Wolfram and Hart.
Kate resumes reading. Aiden gazes at her for a moment uncertainly, then rises to his feet.


EXT. CONNOR'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY - ESTABLISHING

INT. CONNOR'S KITCHENETTE - DAY

Connor is standing at his kitchen table with the phone to his ear, wearing jeans and a T-shirt and casual leather hiking boots. His hair is wet from a shower.

CONNOR
School's fine.
(shakes his head)
No, I haven't called them, but--
He pushes a wet bang off his forehead.

CONNOR
I think I might have found something on
my own.
(he shrugs)
Just some people who are...like me.
Sort of.
(he nods)
Strong, yeah, and....
His face grows pensive. The wrinkled-brow look.

CONNOR
Look, Dad, don't tell Mom this, but these
people...fight demons.
He holds out his hand as if his father can see his attempt at reassurance.

CONNOR
Don't worry, I'm not going to fight with them.
I'm just going to...talk to them sometimes.
If I need to. Maybe do a little self-defense
training.
(pause)
I will.
Look, I've got to go. I have class.
(he smiles)
You too.
O.K., bye.
Connor disconnects the phone, then walks it over to its cradle by the armchair. Then he reaches down and grabs his book bag off the floor.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

EXT. UCLA AERIAL SHOT - DAY - ESTABLISHING

EXT. THE UCLA CAREER CENTER - DAY

PULL BACK to show Connor, staring at the salmon-colored brick building uncertainly. Finally, he takes a deep breath, walks up the short flight of steps, and goes in.

PULL BACK to show the Career Center building again, then PAN AROUND to the courtyard beyond. Standing at a discrete distance from where Connor was standing is AIDEN.

INT. CAREER COUNSELING CENTER - FIRST FLOOR MAIN ROOM - DAY

Long tables with scattered students at computers, rows of three-ring binders on shelves against the wall, a few glass-walled private offices where CAREER COUNSELORS are helping students.

INT. COUNSELOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Connor is seated at a desk in one of those offices. A CAREER COUNSELOR comes in with a test booklet in her hand.

HER POV - Connor looks up and around with an expectant expression, blue eyes alert.

The counselor comes around to the other side of her desk and seats herself. She has a friendly, supportive smile. Connor smiles back.

CAREER COUNSELOR
(continuing a conversation they're in
the middle of)
So what's wrong with History?

CONNOR
(a pensive smile)
Nothing, I guess.
It's just....
Connor sits back, his arms resting on the arms of the chair. His expression is a mixture of confusion, hesitancy, and the need to talk to somebody about what he's been feeling.

CONNOR
Did you ever...make a decision, and then...
wonder later on if it was really you
who made it?
I mean--

CAREER COUNSELOR
(chuckles)
Once or twice.
Connor stares into space, pensive, brooding.

CONNOR
(struggling with words)
It's like I...have all these voices in my
head telling me who I am, and--and what I
should want.
But...I don't know what I'm telling myself.
He looks up. He's genuinely troubled.

CONNOR
Sometimes, I wonder...if there's
anything in there to tell.

CAREER COUNSELOR
(with an awkward, puzzled smile)
Well, you're only a sophomore.
I don't think a lot of people your age have
a good handle on that what they want to do,
no matter what some of them say.
She hands him the test booklet. Stuffed inside is an answer sheet.

CAREER COUNSELOR
We'll start you out with the Strong Campbell
Interest Inventory.
It's the most objective measure we have,
which means it tells you the least.
If you want more detailed information,
we can move on from there.
She stands up and comes around the desk. Connor stands as well.

CAREER COUNSELOR
(starting towards her office door)
Now remember, there are no right answers.
You just have to be honest.
Connor tucks the test booklet under one arm, puts his hands in his pants pockets, and follows her out the door.

CONNOR
That's actually a lot harder than it sounds.
The career counselor chuckles again.

INT. CAREER COUNSELING CENTER - FIRST FLOOR MAIN ROOM - DAY

TIME CUT - SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. We see CONNOR sitting at one of the long tables, hard at work finding out what color his parachute is.

EXT. UCLA CAREER CENTER - DAY

Aiden is now standing in the corridor directly outside the Career Counseling Center. He stares into the window a moment, then turns and starts across the courtyard.


EXT. UCLA POWELL LIBRARY - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

INT. POWELL LIBRARY REFERENCE SECTION - NIGHT

Aiden is seated at a microfilm machine, looking through back copies of the Los Angeles Times. As he works, we see other students around him studying, researching, and coming and going through the Reference Section.

The article Aiden has up on the screen is an editorial, "The Fall of Wolfram and Hart". Next to him on the table are photocopied articles from the Wall Street Journal and the Law Review. They have titles such as "Corporate Profile: Wolfram and Hart, Inc." and "Stockholders Wary of New Wolfram And Hart Management." On one of the photocopies, we can see a grainy photo of the last CEO of the L.A. branch - ANGEL (no last name).

Aiden jots down some notes in his notebook. Then he stares back up at the editorial on the screen and scrolls down a bit.

AIDEN (O.S.)
(murmuring to himself)
This is all great.
(the screen scrolls)
Great.
(the screen scrolls)
Aiden sits back in his chair and sighs.

AIDEN
But it doesn't tell me anything about...things.
Then somebody walking by catches his attention.

CUT TO Connor passing through the Reference Section on his way to the exit.

Aiden turns back to the table he's at and snatches up his photocopies. He glances over at Connor. Connor has stopped at the main counter to check out a book. Aiden sets his photocopies back down and removes the microfilm from the microfilm machine. He puts it back in the box. Then he gathers up his photocopies again, puts them in his book bag, and heads out of the Reference Section.


EXT. POWELL COLLEGE LIBRARY - NIGHT

Connor hops down the steps of the side entrance of the library, book bag slung over his shoulder. He cuts across the sidewalk and marches across a wide expanse of grass.

Behind him at the top of the library stairs is AIDEN.

EXT. UCLA CAMPUS - JANSS STEPS - NIGHT

We catch up with Connor as he starts down a long, steep flight of brick steps. Behind him we can see the bright glow of Powell Library.

Suddenly, Connor PAUSES on the steps and raises his head. He breaths the scent on the night air.

CLOSE-UP on Connor's face as his eyes do that little dance they do when he senses something with his super-human senses. Then a weary look comes over him. More trouble.

Slowly, Connor kneels to one knee and sets his book bag on the steps. He unzips it and shifts a few things around, snatching glances up and around himself as he does so. He pulls something out of his bag and clutches it tight in his hand.

A STAKE.

EXT. THE TOP OF JANSS STEPS - NIGHT

We see Aiden, watching.

HIS POV - CONNOR, kneeling on the steps below. Despite the bright overhead lights illuminating the steps, Connor is far enough away that Aiden can't really tell what he's holding.

Aiden whips his own book bag around and fumbles inside of it. He pulls out HIS CAMERA. He slips the strap over his head, then brings the camera up to his face and focuses the lens.

EXT. THE DOWNWARD EXPANSE OF JANSS STEPS THROUGH AIDEN'S TELEPHOTO LENS.

The round camera view shifts, then settles on Connor zipping up his bag. Clutched in one of his hands is the STAKE. He pulls his bag over his shoulder, stands up and stuffs the stake in his back pocket. Then he starts descending the steps again.

AIDEN
(murmuring to himself)
Jesus.
Aiden pulls the camera back from his face. We see a nervous smile there.

EXT. JANSS STEPS - NIGHT

Connor continues his descent, eyes scanning the trees and shrubs that line the stairway.

PULL OUT to show the thicket of trees and untrimmed hedges that line the Janss Steps. In the shadows created by them lurks a DARK FIGURE. We CLOSE IN on the figure, still indistinct, then circle around until we have Connor back in view. We observe him from over the shoulder of that THIRD someone as Connor continues down the steps.

EXT. THE TOP OF JANSS STEPS - NIGHT

Clutching his camera to his chest, Aiden walks around the stone railing onto the steep grassy slope that is framed by the Powell Library to the east, the Janss Steps to the north, Bruin Walk to the south, and the Student Activities Center to the west. The same area where, unbeknownst to him, the DARK FIGURE lurks in the trees.

Aiden trots down and across the slope, stumbling a bit as he cuts a wide circle around the Steps and Connor (and, incidentally, the Dark Figure). He only stops when he sees -

AIDEN'S POV - Connor, paused again on the Steps.

EXT. JANSS STEPS - NIGHT

Connor is staring grimly into the thicket of trees to his left. He steps over the short stair railing onto the grass.

EXT. THE STRETCH OF PARK BETWEEN POWELL LIBRARY AND THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES CENTER - NIGHT

CUT BACK to Aiden, who is still watching Connor without the aid of his telephoto lens. Connor is coming in his direction.

AIDEN
What's he doing?
Aiden glances around, then ducks behind the trunk of a tree. He brings his CAMERA back up to his face.

[Note: the following instructions refer to the television camera, not Aiden's]

We slowly PULL BACK from Aiden, then CUT TO a REVERSE SHOT, moving forward along the TREES and BUSHES that stretch between Aiden and Connor. We can see Connor ahead, walking slowly and cautiously towards the camera, his face and then body falling into the shadows of the over-hanging trees. The camera SLOWS several meters before we reach him, edging up close to a thick hedge that will soon come up on Connor's right. The leaves of the hedge tremble.

CUT TO the OTHER SIDE OF THE HEDGE. We finally see who is hiding there - a VAMPIRE IN GAME FACE. He's peering through the leaves at Connor.

CUT BACK TO Connor, who is still walking along slowly as if he's headed for the stretch of Bruin Walk on the other edge of the park, beyond where Aiden is hiding. After a few beats, CONNOR picks up his pace to a stalking lope. His eyes narrow.

EXT. AIDEN'S TREE - NIGHT

Aiden sees Connor coming his way, fast.

AIDEN
(murmuring)
Shit.
He scrambles off to the side, ducking behind a tree that's out of Connor's path. He raises his camera again, his finger on the shutter button.

CUT TO the VAMPIRE. The soft sound of Aiden's padding feet makes the vampire raise its head. It turns its attention towards this other source of blood-scent.

EXT. VIEW THROUGH AIDEN'S TELEPHOTO LENS

Connor, darting along the vampire's hedge. Suddenly, Connor veers off the path and cuts around the hedge. He shrugs off his book bag and POUNCES on the vampire. Our round view bounces as Aiden startles.

AIDEN (O.S.)
Fuck, where'd that thing come from?
He refocuses his camera. The vampire LASHES OUT, striking Connor in the face. Connor staggers, then SMACKS the vampire back, hard. We hear Aiden's camera clicking rapidly. The image blurs and sharpens again as Aiden focuses and refocuses shot after shot.

The vampire lunges towards Connor again. Connor kicks him back and pulls the stake from his back pocket. He raises it. The vampire dodges his first thrust.

The camera continues to click as Connor punches the vampire hard in the gut. It doubles over. Connor punches it again in the face.

AIDEN (O.S.)
(murmuring)
Who are you?
Connor transfers the stake into his punching hand and aims for the vampire again, this time HITTING HIM square in the chest. The vampire evaporates in a cloud of dust.

AIDEN
(giddy)
Fuck.
Aiden staggers to his feet, clutching his camera against his chest. He takes several backward steps, eyes on Connor, then turns and jogs off towards Bruin Walk.

CUT BACK TO Connor as he bends down and reaches for his book bag. He pauses. A puzzled expression flickers on his face. He stands up and gazes into the trees where Aiden once stood. Then he picks up his bag and slings it over his shoulder.

He starts back over to the Janss Steps.


EXT. AN OLDER APARTMENT BUILDING IN THE HEART OF HOLLYWOOD - NIGHT

PAN DOWN TO a BASEMENT WINDOW.

INT. BASEMENT APARTMENT - NIGHT

It's a studio apartment with an unmade double bed under the window, a wardrobe, and an open kitchen separated from the rest of the room by an island of counter space. Faith is seated on the counter with her feet on a bar stool. She's on the phone. On the other end of the line, we can hear Connor's voice.

FAITH
Do you think it was one of Ortels?

CONNOR
I don't know.
I didn't give him the chance to come after me.
He didn't say anything.

FAITH
(shrugging)
I suppose it could have just been a local out
cruising for dinner.
But you don't see many vamps on the campuses.
Campus security scares 'em off.

CONNOR
They know about vampires?

FAITH
Nah. They know about rapists and muggers.
Try lurking in the bushes or loitering in
one place for too long.
They don't put up with that shit.

CONNOR
(teasing voice)
Sounds like you know that from experience.
Faith brings one foot up onto her knee and grins.

FAITH
I ain't telling.
(then, more seriously)
Do me a favor, since you're out there at night.
Keep an eye out. Tell me what you notice,
what you see. What you hear around.
And let me know if you kill anything else.

CONNOR
You think I will?

FAITH
That's up to you.

CONNOR
No, I just meant--

FAITH
I know what you meant.
Listen, I'll see you on Thursday, O.K.?

CONNOR
Two p.m.?

FAITH
Two o'clock, and not a squirrelly
Slayer in sight.
(she grins)
Well, except for me.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

Part 2 (click here)