Shadow Stalker - 2.06 - Bring It On

[Lex]

Series: Shadow Stalker
Episode: 2.06 – Bring It On
Writer: Lex
Editor: Alex Hart

I do not claim credit for any of Joss Whedon’s creation and the featuring of his characters and episodes in this series is simply for my pleasure and not at all for financial gain as I do all this for free! All characters not affiliated with Jossverse belong to me, as do the plot lines. Season Two starts alongside Season 7 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Season 4 of Angel and is in affiliated with Rogue Redemption, (Amber); Chosen, (Heather); BtVS Seasons 8 + 9 and AtS Season 6, (Alex Hart); Broken Destiny (Joe); and Wishful Thinking (Ben); Raven (Alexander Brown).


SEPHY (V/O): Previously on Shadow Stalker.

The camera shows the gang discovering the Harbinger, which attacked the girls in the graveyard; The gang back at the apartment listening to XAK.

SEPHY (V/O): Everything changed for my nearest and dearest.

The camera shows CHARLIE in her new red maternity dress, heavily pregnant.

SEPHY V/O): And as much as I will to help them, my time with them…

The camera shows TOOLE and LANCE being shown their past by DANTE, looking at one another for help.

SEPHY (V/O): …Will not yet come to pass.

The camera shows the L.A skyline at night, and the rain of fire burning through the citadel.

SEPHY (V/O): My help for those who need it maybe discarded, for they themselves have a greater destiny than mine…

The camera shows SOFIA walking down the corridors of the Wolfram and Hart dungeon on her own.

FADE TO BLACK


TEASER

SUNNYDALE
PUBLIC SECTOR – EXT.GRAVEYARD – NIGHT

The camera shows a female vampire wearing a long leather jacket, running determined through the graveyard. She passes the screen. A few seconds after her arrives CATE, running after her with a stake in her hand, she is followed by MELODY who is trying her hardest to keep up with CATE’S alarming velocity. The camera moves back to the vampire who ends up at a crypt wall, trapped. She looks back at CATE and MELODY who stand next to eachother. They look to one another.

MELODY: I don’t even know where to start.

CATE nods.

CATE: I know, I mean firstly, the whole woman of the night thing? Ew? Red light district much? Also you really need to sort out your skin because…

The vampire, now severely peeved growls and advances towards the girls.

MELODY: Uh Cate?

CATE: Oh right, the slaying part right?

MELODY: Remember what Xak said, the top of the stake.

CATE looks at the stake in her hand.

CATE: (confused) What’s the top and what’s the bottom though? It depends on how you hold it surely…

Before she has time to finish her contemplating she is pushed to the floor by the vampire. She squeals slightly, and MELODY looks on in slight shock. CATE tries to hold the vampire away from her, and places the stake, resting it amongst the blades of grass.

CATE: (coughing) B….O….

MELODY: Ew! Vampire’s have BO?

CATE: A hand…please!

MELODY: Oh right…

She grabs the vampire by her hair and with a swift and mighty tug. Surprised the vampire growls in pain and falls back on to MELODY. CATE stands and reaches into her bag she pulls out some perfume and hurries to the vampire now grappling with MELODY. She holds up the perfume, and the label is not seen on the bottle.

CATE: How do you like my Darkness now?

The camera focuses more on the label now showing that the name of the perfume is “Darkness”. CATE sprays the vampire and as it turns round to look at her, the perfume is sprayed in the vampire’s eyes. The vampire squints in pain and stands up. She runs around in pain and trips over CATE’S hand bag, as she lands, she lands chest first on to the stake lying on the grass. Instantly she turns into dust. MELODY snaps her fingers but CATE looks more annoyed with the fact that there is dust over her hand bag. MELODY stands and moves over to CATE.

MELODY: Don’t feel bad, Louis Vuitton would understand. You did well.

VOICE (O/S): No you didn’t. Neither of you did.

They both turn to see XAK now standing, leaning against the crypt wall.

CATE: (annoyed) We did the best we could.

XAK: You were careless, and next time you do that, you’ll die.

CATE walks up to him, picking up her bag on the way, she doesn’t look happy.

CATE: This training was your idea. And don’t forget, if it’s not Melody or myself…that leaves one other option.

XAK looks down.

CATE: Yeah, I didn’t think you’d want the mother to be up at all hours with a pointy bit of wood in her hand…

XAK looks at her, for a moment they share a serious look.

MELODY (O/S): Come on Cate, let’s go. That’s enough for tonight.

CATE nods and walks away with MELODY, but XAK stays where he is. He looks on, expecting too much from the women, who are in no way prepared in any way to be warriors of their people.


CUT TO – L.A
DUNGEON – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART – NIGHT

It is empty. No one is moving. In the distance a body lies, but its too dark to make out whether they’re dead or alive. The distant sound of laywers screaming in agony can be heard. The lift. It’s stopped, the doors opening. Out staggers HEATHER. She’s not herself. She looks dead, but at the same time alive. A zombie. She slowly sways out of the doorway and makes her way down the corridor towards SOFIA’S office. We can hear typing from her office, she’s busy working. As HEATHER reaches the doorway to the office we can see that SOFIA has her back to the camera. She is listening to an iPod and is bobbing her head to the music, and is blissfully unaware of the imminent danger about to befall on to her. HEATHER moves towards her slowly, and erratically. She reaches out to touch SOFIA’S shoulder, and just as SOFIA is about to turn around the camera cuts away. Crashing furniture can be heard as well as the sound of SOFIA dying at the hands of her assistant. Her screams of pain and desperation come to a slow end and the sound of her body slumping to the floor can be heard, she dies alone.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF TEASER


OPENING CREDITS

SONG: MUSE - HYSTERIA

The camera shows a full moon in the night sky with the caption “SHADOW STALKER” tattooed
across the view. The words streak across the scene with a slight red tint as the music starts up.

The camera then cuts to CHARLIE walking down the street in her red dress towards XAK. The camera shows several quick cuts of XAK transgressing and eventually him killing CHARLIE.

The camera then shows XAK in a suit leaving the Wolfram and Hart building then to him in an alleyway, he looks dirty and unshaven and in dirty clothes. (The music below plays throughout)

“It's bugging me, grating me
And twisting me around”

CAPTION: MILO VENTIMIGLIA

The camera shows CHARLIE in her cell, scared and alone and then cuts to her standing in XAK’S apartment, and her eyes glowing a bright green.

“Yeah i'm endlessly caving in
And turning inside out”

CAPTION: ALEXIS BLEDEL

The camera then shows XAK and CATE both running down the streets of L.A desperately. The camera then focuses more on CATE and cuts to her in The Bronze serving drinks, and then to her standing next to MELODY, both their fists raised, in a battle-like pose. (The music below plays throughout)

“'Cause I want it now
I want it now
Give me your heart and your soul”

CAPTION: AMANDA SEYFRIED

The camera shows TOOLE punching someone to the floor and then to him looking through a barely opened door, his eyes widen. (The music below plays throughout)

“And i'm breaking out
I'm breaking out
Last chance to lose control”

CAPTION: ALAN TUDYK

The camera then shows DANTE sitting behind his desk smirking but quickly cuts to him holding something in both arms and looking out the window while the sun succumbs to darkness. (The music below plays throughout)

“Its hurting me, morphing me
And forcing me to strive”

CAPTION: CHRIS EVANS

The camera shows MELODY running through the prison in L’Azura and then to her sitting on a rock, sand surrounding her. (The music below plays throughout)

“To be endlessly cold within
And dreaming i'm alive”

CAPTION: ROSE MCGOWAN

The camera then shows LANCE sitting on the floor of the apartment laughing with someone and then to him clutching on to CHARLIE’S hand and shouting. (The music below plays throughout)

“And i want you now
I want you now
I feel my heart implode”

CAPTION: CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY

As the song comes to an end the camera shows various quick caps of CATE by a grave; SEPHY walking into the Underworld smiling; MELODY and LANCE falling through the L’Azura portal; DANTE staring into the darkness with black eyes, then finally to XAK walking through the graveyard at night. The camera moves up and shows a high angle shot of him walking away and the shape of the dragon streaking across the sky causing the screen to fade to black. (The music below plays throughout)

“I'm breaking out
Escaping now
Feeling my faith erode”

END OF OPENING CREDITS

[Lex]

ACT ONE

SUNNYDALE
KITCHEN – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – MORNING

The apartment is quiet and only the soft and hushed conversation between TOOLE and LANCE in the kitchen can be heard. The camera slowly manoeuvres through the doorway to look find them both leaning against the counter tops looking at one another on either side of the room.

LANCE: …don’t even know what you’re doing man.

TOOLE: Hey I’ve done spells before.

Surprised, with a raised eyebrow.

LANCE: Oh really?

TOOLE: Once, and then I passed out but still.

LANCE: (sighing) I just don’t think we should be messing with any sort of powers, let alone power like this…

TOOLE: We don’t know what’s wrong with us. This will help, trust me.

LANCE looks down.

LANCE: You talk about it as if it’s a disease.

TOOLE looks at him surprised as if he was expecting LANCE to reciprocate his emotions.

TOOLE: You don’t?

LANCE: It’s what we’re made of, don’t you get that? It’s who we’ve always been.

TOOLE: Ok, you can live your life how you want, but I will not rest until this thing is cut out of me…

LANCE sighs and looks down, beat. He shakes his head slightly, unsure.

LANCE: Fine…I’ll do it.

TOOLE: Good, I’ll try and scope out some…

He pauses. The sound of someone approaching the kitchen can be heard. He rushes towards the doorway. CATE appears, she looks startled.

CATE: Oh, hey you.

She smiles slightly at him, he just looks slightly awkward, as if he wasn’t expecting to see her. Almost as if they haven’t really talked properly in a while.

TOOLE: Uh hi. I have to go out…Bronze stuff…I’ll uh, talk to you later?

CATE looks down briefly then up to him.

CATE: (quietly) Sure.

TOOLE smiles weakly and exits. CATE looks down again, thinking. LANCE observes from the other side of the kitchen.

LANCE: (reassuringly) Don’t feel bad. He’s just grouchy. Lot on his mind.

CATE: (scoffing) Yeah like he’s the only one.

LANCE nods.

LANCE: Right…potential slayer-age.

CATE: Yah! I mean how do you compare Budweiser to a life of life and death situations, followed by a gruesome and imminent death?

He wonders for a brief moment, deciding it would probably be best not to probe into the subject of his brother.

LANCE: You’re right it’s a good beer.

He smirks cheekily. For a brief moment their eyes meet causing CATE to also smile back at him.

CATE: Don’t make me smile, I’m not happy.

LANCE: Just my natural charisma.

CATE: Well it doesn’t stop the fact that I might be a slayer, and if I’m not then either Melody or Charlie is. Either way I lose, I just wish I knew who it was…

LANCE: Have you spoken to them about it?

CATE: No.

LANCE: You should, come up with one of your catapult ideas or something.

She laughs, embarrassed, and looks away shy. She then looks back up to him.

CATE: Thanks.

LANCE nods, but doesn’t reply. The camera switches to an isometric viewpoint of the room with both of them looking at one another, content.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
DANTE’S OFFICE – INT.COFFEE SHOP – MORNING

CHRISTIAN is stood by the coffee maker placed on a side table. LEIGH walks in from her bedroom and looks at CHRISTIAN briefly before walking briefly to the other side of the room to a pile of paperwork DANTE has left on his desk for her to do. CHRISTIAN notices her, he looks slightly embarrassed and releases a small sigh.

CHRISTIAN: You can talk to me you know.

She maintains keeping her back from him.

LEIGH: Oh. Thank you. We’re doing that now are we? You’re not too busy running away from me anymore?

CHRISTIAN: Leigh, I’m sorry ok?

He moves over to her but she still keeps her back to him. She doesn’t move or look around, she simply stares blankly at the paperwork.

CHRISTIAN: If there was something I could do. If I could turn back time.

She turns now, infuriated, picking up the paperwork stubbornly.

LEIGH: You’d what? Kiss me out of pity?

CHRISTIAN: That’s not what I’m saying…

LEIGH: (cutting him off) You know what…

She moves closer.

LEIGH: …I’m actually looking forward to Dante coming back from L.A. Even if he does bring bad news, I’d rather be round him than you…

She looks at him for a moment before swiftly brushing past him back to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. CHRISTIAN stands there for a moment and then turns around to look at DANTE’S bedroom door…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – MORNING

The camera opens on CHARLIE rubbing her moving stomach. She sighs softly, and looks at the two other people in the room. CATE and MELODY.

CATE: We just have to do something, we can’t keep sitting around doing pointless patrolling where we almost die.

CHARLIE looks beat.

CHARLIE: Last night was a bust.

MELODY: Well we dusted one, by accident though. Making our grand total of evil stopping to three vampires.

CATE: Exactly, and honestly, I don’t think I can take another session of Xak telling us how we’re gonna die if we screw up.

CHARLIE shakes her head, annoyed.

CHARLIE: You’re right, I totally agree, but how can we find out who the potential is?

MELODY: I have no idea.

CATE looks down, thinking for a moment, then looks up.

CHARLIE: What? Not another catapult idea…

CATE: (rolling her eyes) No. I’m more thinking about your dad…

CHARLIE looks away. She hasn’t given much thought about RACK since his death, it pained her too much.

CHARLIE: (quietly) What about him?

CATE: The whole business with that boat guy. He found him in the desert right?

CHARLIE: Yeah, so?

CATE: And your mom said she can appear in the desert when she arrives?

MELODY: Does this point, you know, have one?

CATE: Well what if there’s some spiritual link there? Like all mystical and such. Charlie could rustle up some sorta Ouiji Board with the spirits and maybe they could tell us?

She waves her hands to signify mysticism. MELODY laughs.

MELODY: A Ouiji Board? That’s so seventh grade, and so retarded. It would never work.

The camera moves away from CATE looking annoyed to CHARLIE. Realising.

CHARLIE: It could.

MELODY and CATE look at her surprised. A small smile of immense satisfaction and realisation appears on CHARLIE’S face.


CUT TO – L.A
WHITE ROOM – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART – AFTERNOON

There are two white leather armchairs situated randomly amongst the eternalness of the ethereal room. On one of them is DANTE, sitting with one hand rested over his mouth, shocked. Next to him is HERMES in the other looking at him slightly angry.

DANTE: (quietly) When?

HERMES: Last night. The Beast breached our security, and murdered every worker in the building, even those who didn’t turn up for work…

DANTE looks up.

DANTE: But Leigh, and Christian?

HERMES: The three of you are off the records, your work in Sunnydale is of the utmost secrecy, only a few high level workers know of it…or at least knew of it.

DANTE nods.

HERMES: I would apologise regarding our lack of informing you about the matter but we’ve been so busy…

DANTE nods. HERMES apologetic look turns to one of slight anger.

HERMES: …And the Senior Partners do not feel they owe you any apology.

DANTE: What?

HERMES: (angrily) Your recent actions have been careless and selfish. How do you justify revealing to the Emory brothers their past?

DANTE clenches his fist and moves the hand away from his mouth now.

DANTE: I took matters into my own hands.

HERMES: Why?

DANTE smirks.

DANTE: Because I wanted to tear away Thorn’s ties to this world one by one…

HERMES sighs.

HERMES: You’ve tried this method already last year by advising Clotho it would be wise to eliminate Ms Rittle and Mr Emory. You failed.

DANTE: Things have changed…

HERMES: They have Mr Turnpike indeed…but do not forget that the Senior Partners wish to engage in their original plan as soon as possible. Their fury for this world is growing. After this attack on the L.A branch, their patience is running extremely thin.

DANTE sighs and looks at HERMES, determined to convince him.

DANTE: I just need a few more days, then they can play tennis with Thorn’s soul for all I care…

HERMES pauses, then nods, sighing.

HERMES: Fine. What is your next protocol?

DANTE smiles.

DANTE: After a successful manipulation of the Emory’s…

HERMES looks surprised at the fact that DANTE says he was “successful”. The camera moves in on DANTE’S face.

DANTE: …I wish to target the Potential…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
SUNNYDALE STREET – EXT.XAK’S APARTMENT – AFTERNOON

The camera fades away from DANTE’S malicious smile into this next scene. We see a high angled shot of a rented convertible car. CATE is putting bags into the back seats of the car, and then jumps into the back seat, excited. MELODY eases CHARLIE into the front passenger seat and then runs round to the driver’s side. She jumps in and starts the car. She drives them away, all three potential Potentials, driving towards the desert, in order to seek the answers about their future.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT ONE

[Lex]

ACT TWO

SUNNYDALE
ENTRANCE – INT.DEMON BAR – AFTERNOON

It is dark and the air is musky. In the dark entrance of the bar appear TOOLE and LANCE. They both look slightly nervous, and look around at the array of vile and potentially dangerous foes around them.

LANCE: (whispering) Jeez, this place is almost as bad as The Bronze.

TOOLE: Very funny.

LANCE: Which by the way, are you every going back to work?

TOOLE: Xak and Ashby are fine…

LANCE: (deciding he should mention it) And Cate?

TOOLE: What about her?

LANCE: You gonna continue to ignore her?

TOOLE looks at him, annoyed.

TOOLE: This is not the time to talk about her. We’ve got bigger worries on our hands…and so does she.

LANCE looks away, beat. He can’t help but notice his brother is losing grip of everything important to him, first The Bronze, and now CATE. TOOLE looks around eagerly, then points to and old crippled woman in the furthest corner.

TOOLE: That must be her.

LANCE: (sarcastically) I hope your shady alleyway contacts are right.

TOOLE: Well this is better than me doing the spell, right?

LANCE just looks at him.

TOOLE: Come on…

They both begin walking towards the other side of the bar. Surprisingly, most of the demons are too busy drinking vile alienated mucous to notice them, and they make it over to the woman without any problem.

TOOLE: Uh, Dementia?

The OLD WOMAN/DEMENTIA looks up, and growls huskily at them. One of her eyes is missing and her hair looks almost as old and withered as a dead spider’s web. She is played by Eileen Brennan. She looks upon them both and cackles with a deep husky laugh. She clearly is slightly insane and hasn’t seen humans in a long time.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
STOCK ROOM – INT.BRONZE – AFTERNOON

XAK is leaning his back against a pile of boxes and he has a phone to his ear. He’s having a conversation.

XAK: The desert?

CHARLIE (O/S): I know, listen don’t worry, if all goes well we should be back before sunset.

XAK sighs slightly, he shakes his head worried.

XAK: I dunno.

CHARLIE (O/S): Well it’s either this or you can continue your Barbie Army Camp and lose two friends, not to mention pissing off a pregnant woman…which by the way is not a smart move.

XAK looks down, sighing.

XAK: I’m sorry I was hard on them.

CHARLIE: (O/S) Good. They’re your friends Xak…

XAK: I know. I’m sorry.

There is a silence at the other end.

XAK: Just be careful?


CUT TO - SUNNYDALE
ROADSIDE – EXT.DESERT – AFTERNOON

CHARLIE is standing by the car, the sound of CATE and MELODY off screen can be heard rummaging through the bags. She, like XAK, has a phone to her ear, and is still talking to him.

CHARLIE: I always am. Bye…

She closes her cell phone and looks at it for a moment.

CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
STOCK ROOM – INT.BRONZE - AFTERNOON

Like CHARLIE, XAK also closes his phone and puts it in his pocket, he makes for the door, just as it opens. He looks startled as ASHBY appears in the doorway.

ASHBY: Jeesh! Sorry you scared me.

XAK: I’m not that scary.

ASHBY smiles, embarrassed.

ASHBY: So it’s uh nearly 3pm and you said to tell you if Toole didn’t show, and well, he didn’t.

XAK looks down sighing.

XAK: What the hell is he playing at…?


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ROADSIDE – EXT.DESERT – AFTERNOON

CHARLIE now has pocketed her phone in her pocket, and she looks down, complacent for a while. She turns to CATE and MELODY who have bags laden on their backs.

CHARLIE: Ready?

CATE: As ready as you can be in this situation I guess.

MELODY: Well I for one could have done with a few days notice; I’ll burn in this sun.

CHARLIE rolls her eyes.

CHARLIE: (jokingly) Stop complaining.

She then reaches down into the car, and picks up a book, which is on the car seat. CATE looks at her, wondering.

CATE: You sure this is gonna work?

CHARLIE nods, sure.

CHARLIE: You remember when I wouldn’t leave the apartment?

CATE nods, remembering the Onyx Tonic incident, but MELODY shakes her head, confused.

CHARLIE: Well anyway, I spent a lot of time reading the books that Doc used to keep, mainly for ways to figure stuff out about…

She looks pained.

CATE: (smiling, reassuringly) It’s ok hon, I remember.

CHARLIE looks at her with a weak smile.

CHARLIE: I remember finding this book, it was about a quest. Slayers could call upon the powers of The First Slayer to help them with guidance.

MELODY: The First Slayer?

CHARLIE: Yeah, her spirit, her essence.

She opens the book, and reads from the page.

CHARLIE: They called her “Sineya, the first, the primitive, the first link to the darkness”.

CATE: I don’t think I like the sound of primitive darky lady. She doesn’t sound very nice.

CHARLIE: It’s ok, she’s no Freddy Krueger, she’s just a spirit, a guiding spirit. Breathe.

CATE nods, nervously, and CHARLIE looks from CATE to MELODY.

CHARLIE: You guys ready?

They both nod in reply and then look out at the desert. For a split second, MELODY looks out at the road, watching it stretch off into the distance. She looks with a blank expression, before walking with CHARLIE and CATE out into the desert.


CUT TO – L.A
LOBBY – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART – AFTERNOON

The lift doors open and DANTE exits into the lobby. He straightens his tie and looks confident after getting the approval by HERMES to continue with his plan. He looks around the lobby and he rolls his eyes. Everywhere there are two large piles of dead bodies, all beaten and dead. He looks at one of the medics who is holding a checklist.

DANTE: Jeez morbid much? What are you doing, making a feature of them?

MEDIC: We have to sort through them, make sure we got them all.

He points at the pile of bodies.

MEDIC: Those, have been ID’d. The others over there.

He points at the other pile.

MEDIC: Haven’t yet.

DANTE looks at the discarded colleagues, a chill running down his spine.

DANTE: Poor souls…

He moves towards the pile that has yet to be ID’d. He looks at them. Faces gouged out, blank expressions, men and women, old and young. Something catches his eye. He looks back. His eyes fall on the body of a woman, her face mauled so badly you can’t even tell who it is, except for the name badge on her jacket. SOFIA ROSE. DANTE gasps, finding it hard to find words, or breathe. The screen fills with a blinding white light as the music begins to play.

SONG: PAPERWEIGHT - SCHUYLER FISK AND JOSHUA RADIN


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LEIGH’S BEDROOM – INT.COFFEE SHOP – AFTERNOON

The light dies down showing the pile of paperwork LEIGH picked up earlier spread across her bed. She taps her pen in between her teeth and looks at the paperwork, puzzled. She eventually writes something down, and then sighs. Her troubled mind fixated on other problems. Her phone rings. Slowly she turns to it, resting near the papers on her bed…(The music below plays throughout)

“Been up all night staring at you
Wondering what's on your mind
I've been this way with so many before
But this feels like the first time”


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
CHRISTIAN’S BEDROOM – INT.COFFEE SHOP – AFTERNOON

CHRISTIAN isn’t working. He can’t either. He’s lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. Normally he’s driven to destroy DANTE but, not now. Should he have run away? Did he want to kiss LEIGH? He stops thinking disrupted by a scream…a sorrowed scream. A woman’s scream…he looks to the door…(The music below plays throughout)

“You want the sunrise to go back to bed
I want to make you laugh
Mess up my bed with me
Kick off the covers i'm waiting”


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
DANTE’S OFFICE – INT.COFFEE SHOP – AFTERNOON

Simultaneously, both LEIGH and CHRISTIAN’S doors open. While CHRISTIAN appears in the doorway, LEIGH stumbles into the frame. Tears streaming down her face, she can barely stand. She drops the phone on the floor, and the camera moves into the screen. The words “DANTE MOBILE” are on the front, and the sound of his apologetic voice can be heard faintly. (The music below plays throughout)

“Every word you say I think
I should write down
Don't want to forget come daylight”

The music dies down slightly, so the words can’t be heard but the tune can. CHRISTIAN looks at her with horror, not realising that she’s mourning SOFIA. He looks at her.

CHRISTIAN: (quietly) I’m so sorry…

She looks to him, all she wants to do is fall into his arms.

CHRISTIAN: I was a fool…

Wrong. Exactly what she didn’t want to hear. She glares angrily and breathes heavily. She looks around the office and her eyes eventually land on DANTE’S desk. She staggers over and pulls open one of the drawers, which was locked. She pulls it with such strength, the lock breaks. She reaches inside and pulls out a gun. She looks at it, then looks to CHRISTIAN who looks at her horrified. She looks back at him, then looks towards the door. Her eyes burning pure fury. She runs towards the front door, opens it and runs outside. CHRISTIAN breathes a sigh of relief then notices the noise coming from her phone. He rushes to the phone and puts it to his ear.

CHRISTIAN: Hello?

He hears the voice at the other end, DANTE. After a few moments…

CHRISTIAN: Then you might want to come back. Now.

He closes the phone and looks towards the door. (The music becomes louder now, and the lyrics below play throughout, as the song comes to an end)

“It's you
It's you
It's you”


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ROCKS – EXT.DESERT – EVENING

Night has begun to descend on the girls as they sit by a fire nearby. While CATE and MELODY warm themselves by the fire. While MELODY sits on one of the rocks, smoking, staring into the flames, CATE is poking the fire with various sticks, all of them have marshmallows on the ends of them.

CATE: I knew sneaking into the boys scout group in the 8th grade was a good idea, we got nummy boy treats and handy survival skills.

She pulls one of the sticks towards her and she takes a bite out of one of the marshmallows.

CATE: Mmm, bouncy treats…

MELODY: (exhaling) Amen to that sister.

CATE looks around now, taking her eyes of the marshmallows and the fire.

CATE: It’s dark now.

MELODY: I know. Should she even be doing that in her state?

She motions towards CHARLIE, who appears to be concentrating deeply. CATE sighs.

CATE: Probably not, but when she puts her mind to something, there’s no point arguing.

MELODY: I get that but last time she did something like this there was the whole hell dimension issue.

CATE: Yikes…

She looks over to CHARLIE.

CATE: (shouting) …Hon? You ok over there?

CHARLIE: (adamant) I’m fine.

CATE: Maybe we should go back? It’s not happening…

CHARLIE: Just give me a moment…

She begins to breathe heavily, but the others don’t notice.

MELODY: Seriously Charlie, it’s late. We should get going…

Suddenly, CHARLIE’S eyes burst open. They’re bright green. CATE and MELODY are thrown back by an almost unknown force.

CHARLIE: Come forth!

Her voice isn’t hers…it’s a child’s. It’s a young voice though, and indistinguishable as to whether it’s a male or a female voice.

CHARLIE/CHILD’S VOICE: TELL THEM!

As she says this a giant funnel of light emits from the fire into the sky. Both CATE and MELODY clamber to find one another, and they look into the burning fire as the form of a woman begins to appear. They both look at CHARLIE who is staring at the appearing figure.

CATE: (screaming) Charlie!!

The camera pans up into the sky…as it pans back down…we’re no longer in the desert.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ALLEY – EXT.BRONZE – EVENING

The camera now shows the alleyway outside The Bronze but the club itself is a bit further away. From the distance though you can see a “CLOSED” signed on the doorway, and many unhappy customers turning away. The rain begins to fall, as someone appears in the frame. Holding a gun. It’s LEIGH. She doesn’t react to the rain as it beats her hair and her suit viciously with an unforgiving nature. She glares with contempt at the club and grips the gun tightly. She begins to walk towards the entrance…

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT TWO

[Lex]

ACT THREE

SUNNYDALE
TABLE – INT.DEMON BAR – EVENING

DEMENTIA is stirring a fingertip on the table in front of her, while TOOLE and LANCE look at her expectantly. TOOLE looks at her more eagerly than his brother does. She coughs and splutters.

DEMENTIA: Hmm…quite a pickle. You kids do know the cost of these things don’t you?

TOOLE: We’re not kids.

DEMENTIA: (cackling) You have smooth skin and buttocks above your knees…you’re young.

TOOLE: (sighs) Look. We know this could go wrong. We have no choice.

LANCE looks down, and DEMENTIA notices, she smirks.

DEMENTIA: (to LANCE) What about you lil’ one?

LANCE looks up to her.

LANCE: Huh?

DEMENTIA: You agreeing with your brother or do you have your own brain?

LANCE: Would I be sittin’ here if I had a problem?

He looks at her, uneasy. TOOLE looks down, not exactly at him, thinking.

DEMENTIA: (chuckling) Maybe not, depends how much you’d follow your brother.

LANCE: I’m doing this for my own reasons old woman.

DEMENTIA: Don’t get shirty, I’m merely asking. There are repercussions to these sorts of spells.

LANCE looks at TOOLE, worried then back to DEMENTIA.

TOOLE: Repercussions? Like…

DEMENTIA smirks.

DEMENTIA: You want me to take away apart of yourselves, you think that won’t have a side effect? It could take away your personality, your wit, your intelligence…you’re ability to love.

LANCE looks even more worried now. TOOLE doesn’t look worried.

TOOLE: We’ll take our chances.

She cackles and then splutters once more, before eventually standing.

DEMENTIA: Oh how exciting! Well come on boys, we better get started. Demmy’s gonna get her freak on.

She cackles insanely once more, and begins hobbling towards the entrance. TOOLE looks to LANCE, both have an eyebrow raised slightly at her insanity.

TOOLE: This is the right thing to do, trust me. Nothing will change…

LANCE nods and watches as TOOLE stands and leaves, following DEMENTIA. He sighs and stands also, following his brother and the old cripple outside.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ALLEY – EXT.BRONZE – EVENING

LEIGH is still walking towards The Bronze. The rain beating harder now. She’s close. She grips the gun harder as she now reaches the door. She opens the door slightly and peers in, to see XAK and ASHBY at the bar. The club is empty. Suddenly LEIGH is pulled backwards and thrown into the wall opposite. She looks up and aims the gun at her attacker. It’s DANTE. He looks at her worried.

DANTE: Leigh! What the hell are you doing?

LEIGH: (crying) It doesn’t matter! I don’t care anymore Dante! I want him dead!

DANTE: No.

LEIGH stands and lowers the gun now, she looks infuriated and pained.

LEIGH: How can you say that! Sofia is dead!

DANTE looks at her for the first time as if he’s human.

DANTE: I know. I know, but this isn’t him…it’s something else.

LEIGH: (desperately) But she died alone! If it wasn’t for him then I would have been there for her. I would have saved her!!

She wipes the rain off her face and walks towards the door again. Once again DANTE grabs her shoulder.

DANTE: No…

LEIGH: (cutting him off) Dante! Let go!

He snatches the gun off her and shakes his head.

DANTE: …No.

He looks at the gun.

DANTE: I’ll do it…

LEIGH’S face drops slightly, extremely surprised.

LEIGH: What?

DANTE: You’re right Thorn has had this coming a long time.

LEIGH: But not you, the Senior Partners will…

DANTE: Screw the Senior Partners!

She looks surprised.

DANTE: We’re doing this my way or not at all…

Without letting LEIGH respond, he swiftly moves towards the entrance door and opens it. Slyly he sneaks inside, keeping to the shadows. LEIGH looks on at where he was standing, then looks towards the sky.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
GRAVEYARD – INT.CRYPT – EVENING

The door to an old ancient crypt creaks open and hobbling in is DEMENTIA who waves her hand jerkily, and various candles light instantaneously. She cackles slightly at the trick as TOOLE and LANCE enter the crypt, avoiding various cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.

LANCE: Nice place…

DEMENTIA: Oh why thank you. I decorated it myself.

She cackles again.

DEMENTIA: Now if you boys come here.

She motions to two spots in front of her. They move there slowly.

TOOLE: What exactly are you going to do?

DEMENTIA: Hmm, well after removing your noses and replacing them with tentacles I shall then feast on your brains.

They look at her with horror, and once again she bursts out cackling, echoing around the room.

DEMENTIA: Oh your faces! Relax, it’s just a simple power shift, I’ll draw the power from you and take it as my own. Ok?

They nod, slightly more nervous now, putting their minds in the hands of this crazed lunatic.

TOOLE: Just get this over…

Before he can finish his sentence DEMENTIA swiftly grabs both their wrists. Her head jets back and her eyes glaze over. The flames on the candles begin to grow in size, burning insanely. Uncontrollably, so do TOOLE’S and LANCE’S and their veins in their arms start pumping a thick black haze, which seems to begin to flow slowly into DEMENTIA’S arms.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ROCKS – EXT.DESERT – NIGHT

It’s dark now. Pitch black. The fire is roaring, but not as high now. The girls are asleep. Slowly CATE begins to stir. Next to her is MELODY, their hands entwined.

CATE: Huh?

This causes MELODY to awaken. She looks just as confused.

MELODY: (confused) Were we sleeping?

CATE doesn’t answer, instead she turns to CHARLIE. She’s awake. She’s sat alert, her eyes aren’t green but her eyes are fixated on something by the fire. CATE looks at her, worried, wondering.

CATE: (curious) Charlie?

CHARLIE turns sharply, surprised. She smiles.

CHARLIE: It worked.

She points to the fire. Both CATE and MELODY look. They gasp slightly to see the rag ridden dread locked SINEYA creeping by the fire. She cocks her head sharply to look at them.

CATE: (nervously) Are you The First Slayer?

SINEYA’S eyes widen, looking at CATE directly.

SINEYA: You are asking the wrong questions.

MELODY: (confused) What would you like to talk about, hair care tips? ‘Cause you could use ‘em…

SINEYA snaps her head towards MELODY.

SINEYA: The questions you seek are not about me. They are about you.

CHARLIE thinks for a moment.

CHARLIE: Who, Melody?

SINEYA does not answer. CATE’S jaw drops and she looks at MELODY, who hasn’t figured it out yet.

MELODY: Wait what! Me?

She’s the Potential…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
BAR – INT.BRONZE – NIGHT

XAK is by the light switches, turning them off one by one. ASHBY is leaning against the bar.

ASHBY: I still don’t get why we had to close so early.

XAK sighs and leaves only a few lights on, making the club fairly dark.

XAK: Because there needs to be at least three bar workers and Toole knows that.

ASHBY: Stop giving him a hard time! He’s still the boss.

XAK moves over to near ASHBY.

XAK: Yeah, and he’s doing such a great job at it.

ASHBY: He might just have some personal stuff he needs to work through.

XAK: Well if he wants to work through that alone, fine, but he should leave it at home, and not let it affect his work here.

ASHBY: It’s only bar work…

XAK: It was his life at one time.

ASHBY: Yeah well things change, and anyway…

XAK stops paying attention. Something behind ASHBY catches the light. The sound of a trigger being pulled causes XAK to push ASHBY to the floor as a gunshot is fired. The bullet hits XAK in his left shoulder causing him to fall backwards at angle, landing on his front. ASHBY looks at XAK in horror, as he groans in pain.

ASHBY: Xak!

He looks at the attacker. DANTE steps out of the shadows, still slightly wet, still enraged.

DANTE: Did that hurt?

XAK turns on hearing DANTE’S voice, he looks surprised. This was their first meeting after L’Azura.

XAK: Turnpike…

DANTE: I said, did that hurt!?

XAK: (pained) A scratch.

DANTE, crazed, charges at XAK with immense speed. He grabs XAK by the throat and pushes him against the bar.

DANTE: How about now?

He puts the gun to XAK’S temple, and is about to pull the trigger when XAK kicks him away. His strength sends DANTE soaring into the stairs, and he collapses to the floor. Because of this, DANTE’S grip on the gun vanishes and it disappears into the shadows. XAK turns to ASHBY who looks horrified at what is happening.

XAK: Go!

ASHBY: (scared) B-but…

XAK: (shouting) No! Go!

ASHBY runs off towards the front door, opens it and runs outside, panicked. XAK turns back to DANTE.

XAK: Just me and you now. Just how you wanted.

DANTE looks up.

DANTE: No, what I want is it to be me, and no you.

XAK: Random attacks? Is this how this war is going to work?

DANTE stands, seething.

DANTE: This is not random! This is over due. Accept the penalty…

XAK: Oh I’m sorry I took my girlfriend and baby away from your psychotic company.

DANTE: I own your ass Thorn, and your girlfriend’s, and your little child’s too. They’re all mine.

XAK stands now, feeling his anger developing.

XAK: What can I say, I’ve never been one for rules.

DANTE: Heck, neither have I. I wanted to do things by the books, play you and your friends, take them for all their worth. Emory, the potential…

XAK looks worried. What did DANTE want with either TOOLE or LANCE? He knew about the potential?

DANTE: …But I’m over it now. It’s time to take this thorn out my side…

XAK looks down for a moment, thinking, but eventually he looks to DANTE.

XAK: Bring it on.

SONG: AUDIOSLAVE – BE YOURSELF

The music begins quietly as DANTE smirks at him and charges as the drums begin to kick in, again with blurring velocity. XAK crouches down and watches intently. (The music below plays throughout)

“Someone falls to pieces”

A split second before DANTE arrives at XAK everything turns slow motion. XAK thrusts his fist upwards and it impacts with DANTE’S chin. The force of the punch causes XAK to fly across the floor and DANTE to soar into the ceiling and land on the balcony, as the motion of the scene turns back to normal. He lands, slightly winded, and choking. He looks down at XAK who is rubbing his fist. (The music below plays throughout)

“Sleeping all alone
Someone kills the pain
Spinning in the silence
To finally drift away”

DANTE: (shouting) Hey, no fair.

XAK: Well if you’re gonna play dirty.

DANTE snarls and slides off the balcony landing on his feet. XAK stands also to meet his foe and he flexes his hand. (The music below plays throughout)

“Someone gets excited
In a chapel yard
And catches a bouquet
Another lays a dozen
White roses on a grave”

DANTE: (smirking) Ok, vanilla it is…

He throws a punch at XAK, which hits him in the face. He stumbles backwards slightly, but maintains his balance. He flicks his head swiftly towards DANTE’S and head butts him. DANTE barely flinches at this moves and laughs slightly. He swoops down and knocks XAK off his feet causing him to drop to floor on his stomach. DANTE reaches down and grabs XAK by his hair and pulls his head back, while putting his mouth to XAK’S ear. (The music below plays throughout)

“And to be yourself is all that you can do
To be yourself is all that you can do”

DANTE: (whispering) You’re kinda pathetic really aren’t you? No real power, just humanity. Sickening really.

XAK annoyed rams his head harder into DANTE’S this time causing him to stumble backwards. (The music below plays throughout)

“And to be yourself is all that you can do (all that you can do)
To be yourself is all that you can do (all that you can do)”

Quickly XAK flips over, and jumps to his feet.

XAK: Oh I have power Turnpike, you wouldn’t be wasting your time with me if I didn’t.

He jumps and spin kicks DANTE in his face which causes him to fall into the pool table. Falling into it, he notices the pool cue nearby. He smiles. (The music below plays throughout)

“And to be yourself is all that you can do (all that you can do)”

He grabs the pool cue and turns sharply, spinning it around his fingers. (The music below plays throughout)

“To be yourself is all that you can do (all that you can do)
Be yourself is all that you can do”

DANTE: (laughing) You think that’s what this about?

XAK: I have power over you, admit it.

DANTE: (laughing) I have the power of endless and eternal evil inside me, and you have what, a soul? Please…

He swiftly brings the pool cue smacking into XAK’S face, which causes blood to spill from his mouth and for him to spin across the air. (The music below plays throughout)

“Even when you've paid enough
Been pulled apart or been held up”

DANTE: See?

XAK groans in pain as he spits blood on to the floor, pained. DANTE walks casually up to his pained body and swiftly begins beating him with the cue. XAK groans in pain.

DANTE: You see Xak, even without Wolfram and Hart behind me, I can still beat you, that’s how weak you are.

The next moment passes in slow motion too. XAK’S eyes are scrunched as he is beaten viciously. Suddenly they snap open. (The music below plays throughout)

“Every single memory of the good or bad
Faces of luck
Don't lose any sleep tonight
I'm sure everything will end up alright
You may win or lose”

He puts out a hand and stops the cue. DANTE looks surprised. XAK pushes the end of the cue into DANTE with such a force that he falls backwards. (The music below plays throughout)

“But to be yourself is all that you can do…”

XAK swiftly snatches the cue off him and rams it down on DANTE’S neck, slowly choking him.

XAK: Wrong…

He presses the cue down on his neck harder, as DANTE begins to choke more. (The music below plays throughout)

“Yeahhh...
To be yourself is all that you can do
Ohhhh...”

VOICE (O/S): Stop.

Abruptly the music stops, as XAK looks to the shadows hearing the voice. Out of the shadows emerges LEIGH. Her anger is obvious by the look on her face and she has ASHBY held by the neck, the gun aimed at his temple.

LEIGH: Let him go Thorn.

XAK doesn’t know who she is but she shakes his head.

XAK: No way.

LEIGH: (casually) Let him go or I will blow your boy’s brains all over this nice club.

XAK looks from ASHBY’S desperately scared face to DANTE lying on the floor.

LEIGH: I know you want to end it now, but seriously you do, and I will kill that girl of yours too and the thing inside her.

XAK: You don’t scare me.

LEIGH: (laughing) I should.

She looks down, thinking. Briefly an image of SOFIA and then CHRISTIAN flash.

LEIGH: (quietly) I have nothing to lose.

XAK doesn’t seem to have changed his mind as of yet.

LEIGH tightens her grip on ASHBY’S neck forcing him to scream. She then takes the safety off of the gun.

LEIGH: (angrily) This is the last time I will ask you!

XAK looks at her. She’s not joking. She’s deadly serious. He then looks at ASHBY, who is now crying. XAK looks pained to do it but he releases the pool cue from DANTE’S neck and throws it across the room. LEIGH smiles.

LEIGH: (smiling) That’s better…

She throws ASHBY to one side, fairly effortlessly.

LEIGH: …But this is far from over.

She rushes to DANTE’S side, just as XAK moves to ASHBY.

XAK: You ok?

He nods, scared and looks behind XAK. He points.

ASHBY: Xak…

XAK looks around and both DANTE and LEIGH have disappeared. XAK sighs, annoyed.

ASHBY: I’m sorry.

XAK slowly turns to him, surprised.

XAK: Ashby, none of this is your fault, none of it.

ASHBY: (panicked) But if I was stronger, then she wouldn’t have taken me and…

XAK: None of that matters. You’re ok now…

He smiles weakly, but ASHBY still looks scared.

XAK: (quietly) I think I owe you an explanation.

ASHBY breathes in deeply, ready to hear what XAK has to tell him.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
GRAVEYARD – INT.CRYPT – NIGHT

The power shift is still in progress. TOOLE, LANCE and DEMENTIA all have their heads backwards, their eyes glazed over. The black haze finishes travelling down one of the brother’s arms but we don’t see who’s it is, while the other brother’s hasn’t finished. Suddenly, something stops them. An unknown force, doubt. Doubt plaguing one of the brother’s. It causes all three of them to fly backwards. The candle flames die down rapidly and DEMENTIA shrieks. TOOLE groans in pain after hitting the door, and LANCE hits the crypt wall with a definitive thud. He looks to TOOLE.

LANCE: What the hell was that?

TOOLE: (breathing heavily) I dunno, did it work?

LANCE doesn’t answer, he looks to DEMENTIA who is perched like a doll in the corner. She’s cackling. Both the brothers stand and walk slowly towards her.

TOOLE: Dementia?

DEMENTIA: (upbeat) Hello dear!

LANCE: Dementia, did it work?

A shiver runs up and down her spine.

DEMENTIA: Oh I’ll say! The power is overwhelming, how did you boys not feel it?! I can feel the darkness and sheer evil flowing through me. Amazing…

TOOLE breathes a sigh of relief. LANCE looks worried. He’s not sure if he’s more scared of how the spell ended or the fact that there was evil inside both him and his brother. How could his father have been evil? Or was it the evil from his father that really concerned him…

LANCE: If it worked then how come it ended like that?

DEMENTIA: (seriously) You must have felt it?

TOOLE: (rolling his eyes) The power yeah I guess…

She shakes her head.

DEMENTIA: No no no. The doubt.

TOOLE: What?

DEMENTIA: One of you resisted. I don’t have it all.

She giggles slightly as TOOLE looks to LANCE, he looks disappointed. LANCE looks to him, regretful.

LANCE: Which?

DEMENTIA shakes her head once more.

DEMENTIA: Who could tell?

TOOLE’S disappointed look fades as he now looks more worried. DEMENTIA observes, smiling.

DEMENTIA: (subtly) Now if we could just finish…

LANCE: Uh uh…no way…

TOOLE: What?

LANCE turns to his brother, infuriated.

LANCE: No way! I’m fed up of living up to your expectations! I’m not doing this anymore Toole.

TOOLE looks shocked at his outburst.

LANCE: (upset) I’m already feeling less like me, and certainly less like your brother.

LANCE: So you wanna tear your life apart, do it without me…

LANCE immediately turns from them both and leaves. TOOLE looks at DEMENTIA desperately.

TOOLE: We can’t do this without him!

DEMENTIA: Oh are you so sure of that fact?

She slowly stands and hobbles towards the door.

TOOLE: I wanted this.

DEMENTIA: Hmm…well either way. Let me know if your brother changes his mind. We’ll have another bash at it. Booty call style!

She cackles as she leaves the crypt. The camera falls back on TOOLE who is clenching his fist so hard that his nails are beginning to dig into the palm of his hand. Blood begins to drip from his fingers on to the crypt floor as reality begins to hit him, he was losing everything…

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT THREE

[Lex]

ACT FOUR

SUNNYDALE
BAR – INT.BRONZE – NIGHT

XAK has removed his shirt and is sat on the bar. In front of him is ASHBY and next to ASHBY, on a bar stool, is a first aid kit. The bullet wound on XAK’S shoulder still looks sore but has stopped bleeding. He grips the bar tightly as ASHBY pulls out the bullet with hard with a pair of tweezers. The bullet drops to the floor and XAK breathes a sigh of relief. ASHBY looks slightly more happier and comfortable around XAK after having heard the tales of the past two years.

ASHBY: (breathing a sigh of relief) Ok. That’s everything…

XAK: Thanks.

ASHBY: Seriously. That’s everything right?

XAK looks at him and nods. ASHBY takes a bandage from the first aid kit and begins taping it to XAK’S shoulder with medical tape.

ASHBY: Amazing, and Toole knows all about this?

XAK: Everything.

ASHBY: Dragons, deaths, lawyers, it’s all so…

He searches for a word.

ASHBY: …Cool.

XAK looks to him alarmed.

XAK: Cool? It is anything but cool.

ASHBY looks down, finishing the dressing of the wound.

XAK: Do you have any idea how scary it is?

ASHBY: Well being held at gunpoint wasn’t exactly pleasant.

XAK: That’s nothing to what we’re gonna face.

He almost laughs.

XAK: I mean, I’m fighting a war for a woman and my child and I’m not even close to being ready. I have three very scared women who could quite possibly be in for a life of pain and death and my best friend is out there doing god knows what.

XAK looks down, the upbeat way of speaking slowly dies down as the reality of the situation kicks in.

XAK: (quietly) There’s no time for jokes, for laughs. No time for any of it. It is anything but cool…

ASHBY looks up.

ASHBY: I’m sorry.

He smiles weakly and puts a hand on XAK’S good shoulder, reassuring him.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
DANTE’S OFFICE – INT.COFFEE SHOP – NIGHT

DANTE is sitting on the sofa, staring at the floor. LEIGH approaches him with a mug of herbal tea. She sets it down in front of him, and smiles slightly.

DANTE: What the hell is that?

LEIGH: Herbal tea. It’ll help your throat.

He looks disgusted, she rolls her eyes.

LEIGH: Stop being a stubborn pig and just accept help.

He sighs and unwittingly takes the mug before sipping it slightly. LEIGH watches him.

LEIGH: Thank you.

DANTE: For drinking herbal tea?

LEIGH: For fighting for her honour.

DANTE looks down now, he stops drinking. LEIGH becomes slightly tearful.

LEIGH: (quietly, saddened) It would have meant a lot to her…

DANTE gulps, pained.

DANTE: (embarrassed) Yeah well, she always meant a lot to me. No matter what anyone says.

LEIGH: (smiling, reminiscing) How could she not? She would never have hurt a fly. She was caring, kind, beautiful, she was just…Sofia.

DANTE: And now she’s gone. One of the good ones. For no reason…

LEIGH grabs DANTE’S hand.

LEIGH: We’ll do this. We’ll bring down Thorn, and get the baby. We’ll do this Dante.

He laughs almost, as if she makes it sound so simple.

DANTE: You think it’s that easy?

LEIGH: Why can’t it be?

DANTE: Because not only do we have Thorn and his band of fools after both of us now…we have the Senior Partners to deal. They won’t be happy about what we did tonight, and they’re gonna start taking the situation into their own hands.

LEIGH shakes her head, disagreeing.

LEIGH: We fought for them, for the honour of the company.

DANTE shakes his head.

DANTE: They won’t see it that way.

LEIGH: We’re lawyers. Nothing can stop us from serving justice…

DANTE looks at her surprised, laughing, incredulous.

DANTE: Why are you doing this? You don’t even like me.

She intakes breath quickly, wiping away any tears that may have begun to form in her grief.

LEIGH: No. Not particularly but…

She looks subtly in the direction of CHRISTIAN’S room.

LEIGH: …Right now, justice needs to be served.

She now looks back DANTE.

LEIGH: (resolute) Thorn will meet his end.

She looks down.

LEIGH: (louder, and almost not to DANTE) Only him.

The camera moves to CHRISTIAN’S door. It is open, not closed. The light is off inside but from the light inside the room, we can see that he’s sitting on the edge of his bed, listening to LEIGH. It was intended for him to hear. He’s on his own…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ROCKS – EXT.DESERT – NIGHT

The scene is continued as from before. SINEYA continues to lurk by the fire and its flames, while CHARLIE and CATE are still looking at MELODY in shock.

MELODY: (to SINEYA) Did you not hear my shocked reply, I said…me?

CHARLIE looks slightly relieved.

CATE: (also, to SINEYA) Seriously?

SINEYA shakes her head.

SINEYA: Again you ask the wrong questions and assumptions are incorrectly predicted.

CHARLIE looks worried again, the relief slowly leaving her…

CHARLIE: So it’s not Melody?

SINEYA: This is not strictly the case either.

CATE, ridden with confusion once again shrieks, annoyed.

CATE: Ok, what the frick?!

SINEYA: There will be many warriors in the upcoming war against The First Evil. Your army must be ready.

CHARLIE: We don’t care about that war! We’re too busy fighting for our own lives to worry about everyone else’s…

SINEYA looks upon CHARLIE, moving slightly closer.

SINEYA: Then you are lucky to not have your selfish views plagued with such responsibility.

CHARLIE: (angry) I am not selfish! I want what is best for my baby!

The camera moves in on MELODY’S face. She’s thinking.

SINEYA (O/S): Be that as it may. That day will be the day of reckoning for your army. Five warriors against darkness shall rise.

CHARLIE: What? Five warriors?

MELODY: (quietly) The Clique…

SINEYA nods.

SINEYA: (happily) The faction you refer to, are indeed the ones. The chosen.

CATE looks down, her mouth open in shock. Images of CATE, MELODY, MARIE, BREE and SKYE at Sunnydale High flash on to the screen; Images of her killing MELODY, BREE and SKYE; Images of her exiling MARIE…

SINEYA (O/S): While two have fallen, three remain. It is one of the three legends surrounding your friends.

The images come to an end and land on CATE who has a few tears rolling down her face.

CATE: (upset and confused) Legend?

SINEYA: “And when friends turn to foes, powers will imbue unto them all, and they shall become more than false icons they will become sisters against darkness. One will prosper over the others, while the remaining will fall.”

CATE and MELODY listen intently.

SINEYA: Such is the way the great ones have written it.

CHARLIE: I don’t understand! What great ones, how do they know anything about us!

SINEYA’S image begins to fade.

SINEYA: (echoing) Your question has been answered.

CHARLIE stands slowly and runs towards SINEYA.

CHARLIE: (desperately) No! You can’t leave us! We need help…They need help!

In a brisk breeze, SINEYA disappears, and the fire begins to die down.

CHARLIE: (weakly) Come back…

Slowly, CHARLIE turns and looks upon her friends, CATE and MELODY. Two potential slayers. She looks worried, she looks scared. She’s unsure of whether she’s scared for them, or more scared for herself, being weaker.

CHARLIE: (quietly) Well…now we know…

As CHARLIE’S words end, all we can hear until the end of the episode is the sound of the three girls breathing. Slowly CATE and MELODY look at one another. They have tears in their eyes and their minds cannot help but think of the last remaining member of The Clique…MARIE KALOFF. Leaving MARIE in the back of the minds for a moment they focus on what they have just heard….

“One will prosper over the others, while the remaining will fall.”

FADE TO BLACK

As the screen is black, for a few moments, all we can hear are the girls breathing in utter fear.

END OF EPISODE


Cast:
MILO VENTIMIGLIA as XAK THORN
ALEXIS BLEDEL as CHARLIE ADRASTOS
AMANDA SEYFRIED as CATE RITTLE
ALAN TUDYK as TOOLE EMORY
CHRIS EVANS as DANTE TURNPIKE
ROSE MCGOWAN as MELODY HARP
CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY as LANCE EMORY

Special Guest Stars:
MORENA BACCARIN as SOFIA ROSE
JULIAN RHIND-TUTT as CHRISTIAN MCARTHUR
RACHEL MCADAMS as LEIGH SINCLAIR
RON RIFKIN as HERMES
EILEEN BRANNAN as DEMENTIA
JAMIE BELL as ASHBY TORRENT
SHARON FERGUSON as SINEYA THE FIRST SLAYER

Extremely Special Guest Star:
HEATHER ALEXANDRIA as HERSELF


Special Mention:
SCHUYLER FISK AND JOSHUA RADIN - PAPERWEIGHT
AUDIOSLAVE – BE YOURSELF

[Lex]

If you would like to give me feedback on Shadow Stalker, visit my thread here! I'm always happy to hear from you and i usually comment on the feedback as well!

TRIVIA

- Big episode, big ending! Sofia’s dead, Leigh has affiliated herself with Dante, and Cate and Melody find out they’re potential slayers! All in a day huh?!

- Also, Toole and Lance. Which one of them still is linked to Wolfram and Hart? Will we ever know…

- The concept of Dementia was inspired by Eileen in “Will And Grace” where she played Zandra (with a Z!!) and she was this sort of old insane woman, I thought she was brilliant!

- What did Sineya mean by the “one of three legends”? What were the other two surrounding the gang?

- Does Marie know about the legend of the Clique? Tune into Rogue Redemption…Amber may tell you…

- What is Leigh up to? Is she playing Dante? Or has she cut out Christian?