COUNT DOWN

Completed:   30 July 2003

SCENE 1

INT   -   OLD APARTMENT BUILDING   -   CORRIDOR   -   NIGHT

TIGHT   -   Gunn looks like he’s on a mission.   There’s a look of purpose on his dark features.

WIDER   -   he is armed with double-edged fighting axe as he moves along the dimly lit corridor.   He looks to his left and, with the head of the axe, pushes the apartment door open.   He takes a step forward and…

GUNN’S POV   -   peers inside.   Nothing.

WIDE ANGLE   -   he steps back into the corridor and tries the opposite door.   He peers inside but, again, comes up empty.   He steps back and continues walking.

GUNN’S POV   -   he approaches the end of the corridor and when he comes to the corner, is suddenly face-to-face with Wesley.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Wesley is armed with a crossbow and both guys look like they’ve already been in a battle tonight.

WESLEY
Anything?

GUNN
Nothing.

WESLEY
Let’s try the next building then.

GUNN
We’re checking every building,
aren’t we?

WESLEY
Even if we could narrow the radius
down more than we already have,
the answer would still be yes.
Besides, you never know when
we’re going to stumble across another
vampire nest like the one next door.

GUNN
True.

WESLEY
So let’s go check the next building.

ANGLE   -   Wesley disappears in the same direction he came from.   Gunn shakes his head slightly then follows Wesley’s direction.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 2

EXT   -   BLUFF   -   CAR   -   NIGHT

WIDE ANGLE   -   the black Plymouth Belvedere GTX convertible is parked near the edge of a bluff overlooking the dark Pacific Ocean.   Angelus is in the driver’s seat; Paris next to him.   We pick things up mid-conversation.

ANGELUS
…kill him on principal, Paris.

CLOSE UP   -   Paris sighs, knowing Angelus is right.

ANGELUS
(cont’d)
I say we go with what we discussed
earlier.   If he doesn’t know the
answers then I’m sure that one way
or another, he’ll be able to get them.

PARIS
And if he can’t?

ANGELUS
Then we go to plan B.

PARIS
Which you don’t have yet.

ANGELUS
Which I don’t have yet.

Beat.

PARIS
So, after we’ve worked out all the
fine points of this grand plan, when
are we going to execute it?

ANGELUS
I was thinking some time in the
next twenty-four hours.

PARIS
(concludes)
You mean tonight.

ANGELUS
There’s no time like the present.

PARIS
And what if he’s done the anti-
vampire spell?

ANGELUS
Then I’ll just have to convince him
to let me in like the last time.

ANGLE   -   Paris nods in agreement then looks at Angelus.

PARIS
Let’s feed this girl then we can go
and ruin a certain person’s night.

ANGELUS
Sounds good.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Angelus starts the car.

BLACK OUT

 

 

 

SCENE 3

EXT   -   LOOKOUT, HOLLYWOOD HILLS   -   NIGHT

POV   -   we are looking out at the lights of Los Angeles.   In the distance we can see the downtown skyline, and closer we see the bright lights of Hollywood.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Lindsey is standing by the passenger side door of his silver Mercedes, looking out at the city in its night time glory.   He’s wearing jeans, white shirt unbuttoned to the chest, a brown leather jacket, and cowboy boots.   His hands are jammed into the pockets of the jacket as a cool breeze hits him.

BACKGROUND   -   a car comes around the corner at a relatively slow speed.

FOREGROUND   -   Lindsey looks to his right and sees it’s a taxi.   He turns to face the vehicle as it slows down and pulls up behind Lindsey’s car.   He waits for the passenger to exit the vehicle.

ANGLE   -   the rear passenger side door of the taxi opens and, a moment later, Cordelia emerges.   She shuts the door then steps away from the taxi.   A moment later, the taxi pulls back on to the road.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks really pretty.   She’s dressed casually in black pants, orange ¾ sleeve stretch top, a black coat and a pair of black strappy shoes.   Her shoulder length hair blows freely in the light breeze.

WIDER   -   Lindsey moves into frame as he approaches Cordelia who now moves forward to meet him.   When they are in front of each other…

CLOSE UP   -   the two kiss passionately for a few moments then embrace each other tightly.

LINDSEY
I’ve missed you.

CORDELIA
I’ve missed you, too.

WIDER   -   as the two part…

CORDELIA
(cont’d)
So has Dennis.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey smiles.

LINDSEY
So what’s happening?

CORDELIA
Wesley’s narrowed down the area that
Paris and Angelus are probably living.

LINDSEY
How big an area?

CORDELIA
About ten city blocks.   He and Gunn
have been doing a building by building
search every day this week.

LINDSEY
But they haven’t found them yet?

CORDELIA
Not as far as I know.   They did
find a couple of vampire nests and
a pack of Ska’Handu demons.

LINDSEY
How about the visions?

CORDELIA
I haven’t had one in over a week
which is both nice and scary at the
same time.   I mean, I went a
couple of weeks without a vision last
year, but that was before they started
getting really bad.   You know?

LINDSEY
Yeah.

CORDELIA
So, what’s going on with you?

LINDSEY
I’ve been in court most of the week,
and when I wasn’t, I was trying to
verify any scrap of information that I
got about our two favourite vamps.
That amounted to basically nothing though.

CORDELIA
How’s the apartment?

LINDSEY
Lonely.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey touches Cordelia’s cheek which makes her inhale slowly as she closes her eyes.

HARD CUT TO…

SCENE 4

INT   -   LINDSEY’S APARTMENT   -   LIVING ROOM   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Lindsey slams Cordelia up against a wall as she hurriedly tries to remove his jacket.   When he’s out of it, she tosses the jacket aside then begins unbuttoning his shirt.   Lindsey manages to get Cordelia out of her coat and tosses it behind him.

ANGLE   -   the jacket lands on the bar then slides off it to the floor.

ANGLE   -   Successful, Cordelia tosses the shirt aside.   Lindsey then picks her up and she locks her legs around his waist.

WIDER   -   Lindsey moves away from the wall and carries Cordelia towards the bedroom.

BEDROOM   -   Lindsey moves directly towards the bed, and together they fall back on to it.

CUT TO…

SCENE 5

EXT   -   STREET SCENE   -   NIGHT

TIGHT   -   a hand reaches into a coat pocket and pulls out a piece of paper that is folded several times.

ANGLE   -   it’s Wesley.   He unfolds the paper and lays it flat on the hood of Gunn’s pick-up truck.   As he smooths out the creases…

TIGHT   -   we see it’s a portion of a map that’s been photocopied.   All but three of the blocks have been marked in some way.

ANGLE   -   Wesley reaches inside his jacket and takes a red felt tip pen out.

TIGHT   -   he draws an ‘x’ next to another ‘x’ and a ‘v’.

ANGLE   -   Gunn walks across the street and approaches Wesley from behind.   .

WIDE ANGLE   -   we see the building that they’ve just been in which is the last building in the street.   One of the many Los Angeles freeways can be see several hundred yards in the distance.

GUNN
You know, I’m beginning to think
they don’t wanna be found.   Checking
all the buildings for ten square blocks
is taking us forever, Wes.

WESLEY
We have only three more blocks to
go, Charles, and that should only take
us a couple of days.

ANGLE   -   Gunn leans up against the truck and looks at the buildings, some are still functional, others are in dire need of renovation.

GUNN
I should’ve called Del Rey…see if him and
some of his boys could’ve helped us out.

WESLEY
That would have been good if we
wanted to draw attention to ourselves.

ANGLE   -   Gunn pushes himself away from the truck then kicks up some dirt in frustration.

GUNN
Someone has to have seen them, Wes.

WESLEY
Maybe someone has but they’ve been
scared into not saying anything.
Angelus can be pretty intimidating
when he wants to be.

GUNN
Yeah, I guess.

ANGLE   -   Wesley picks up the map then turns and looks at the buildings for a moment.

WESLEY
We’ll check the block behind this
one next.   That should take us
most of the night.

GUNN
(unenthusiastic)
Great.

ANGLE   -   Wesley refolds the map and puts it back in his pocket as he moves around the truck to the passenger side.

ANGLE   -   Gunn watches him.

GUNN
You’re a man on a mission, aren’t
you, Wes?

ANGLE   -   Wesley smiles.

CUT TO…

SCENE 6

INT   -   ABANDONED APARTMENT BUILDING   -   BASEMENT   -   NIGHT

TIGHT   -   a brown paper bag lands on the concrete floor.   A moment later a dirty hand comes into frame.

WIDER   -   Charlie picks up the bag and opens it.   She takes out a burger.

CLOSE UP   -   of the hunger on Charlie’s face.

ANGLE   -   she puts the burger back in the bag as…

ANGLE   -   Paris reaches through the bars and places a drink just inside the cell.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Paris steps back as Charlie moves forward to pick up the drink.   It’s now we see that the only other things in the cell with Charlie are a blanket and a bucket.   Charlie sucks on the straw and takes a much needed drink.

PARIS
Have you had any uninvited guests
today?

CHARLIE
Two.   One demon and one vampire.

ANGLE   -   Paris nods but as she turns to leave…

CHARLIE
(cont’d)
You were a Receiver, weren’t you?

PARIS
Yeah.

CHARLIE
For how long?

PARIS
Long enough.

CHARLIE
But now you’re a vampire.
How did that happen?

PARIS
Long story.
Now are you done?

CHARLIE
Where’s your boyfriend?

PARIS
(getting impatient, corrects)
Husband.   He’s outside.

CHARLIE
Why?

PARIS
So he didn’t have to listen to your
constant yammering.

ANGLE   -   Paris turns and moves towards the door.   As she is about to close it…

CHARLIE
How much longer are you going
to keep me here?

PARIS
For as long as you’re useful to us.

ANGLE   -   Paris steps out of the basement and closes the door.   We HEAR her lock it.

ANGLE   -   Charlie pokes her tongue out.

CHARLIE
Bitch.

ANGLE   -   Charlie takes another drink.

PARIS (O.C)
I heard that!

ANGLE   -   the girl almost chokes on her drink, surprised that Paris heard her comment.

CUT TO…

SCENE 7

INT   -   OLD OFFICE BUILDING   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Wesley and Gunn enter the dark, dusty building armed with their crossbow and axe respectively.   Gunn takes a flashlight from his coat pocket and turns it on.   The foyer of the building is somewhat spacious with a desk on the far right.   There are pieces of wood and other rubbish scattered over the dirty marble floor.

The two men are barely ten feet from the broken front door when they are hit with an overwhelming odour.

GUNN
Oh, good God, that’s bad.
I thought we got rid of all of
them the other night.

WESLEY
Apparently not.   I’ve heard of
Ska’Handus splitting off into groups
in case one is attacked.   If there
is an attack, then the other groups
usually distance themselves to prevent
further attacks.

GUNN
Well, obviously these guys didn’t distance
themselves far enough.
(then, complains)
And just when I’d gotten rid of the
stench from the last attack.

WESLEY
I don’t imagine there being as many
of them this time.

GUNN
You’d better be right ‘cause if you
aren’t, I’m sure Cordy will not be
jumping for job when you interrupt
her night with Lawyer-Boy.

WESLEY
I’m sure we won’t need her.
(then)
Wait a minute…I called her last time.

GUNN
And you can call her this time.
You know, in case we need her.

WESLEY
Well, let’s just see if we do.
Come on.

Off Wesley and Gunn as they move deeper into the building.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 8

INT   -   LINDSEY’S APARTMENT   -   BEDROOM   -   NIGHT

OVERHEAD   -   Lindsey and Cordelia are snuggled up side-by-side, clearly exhausted from their lovemaking.

CORDELIA
It’s just too long.

LINDSEY
Far too long.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey kisses the top of Cordelia’s head.

LINDSEY
(cont’d)
But we won’t have to wait another
week to see each other again.

CORDELIA
How long’s Holland out of town for?

LINDSEY
Till Tuesday.

CORDELIA
Ooh…I get to see you for three more
nights in a row.   I don’t know if
I’ll be able to cope.

LINDSEY
You will.

CORDELIA
What about Lyle?

LINDSEY
What about him?

CORDELIA
Is he still asking questions about
your love life?

LINDSEY
He stopped for a few days then he
asked me about it again this morning.

CORDELIA
But you stuck to your story, right?

LINDSEY
Yeah.   I don’t know why though.
Maybe it had something to do with
Holland leaving today.

CORDELIA
Maybe he found out you’d
messaged me.

LINDSEY
I thought of that, but I sweep for bugs
every day just in case.

CORDELIA
Okay…you’re talking electronic
bugs and not the creepy crawly
multi-legged variety, right?

LINDSEY
Yeah.   I sweep the office, the car
and the apartment, just to be on the
safe side.

CORDELIA
Paranoid much?

LINDSEY
I have to be if I want to keep you safe.

CORDELIA
As much as I want to keep me safe,
I want you to be safe as well.

LINDSEY
I’m trying to stay that way, sweetheart.

CORDELIA
Good, ‘cause I don’t know what I’d
do if something were to happen to you.
I’d do anything to keep you safe.

LINDSEY
Me, too.

CLOSE UP   -   Lindsey kisses Cordelia’s hair then…

WIDER   -   O.C.   Cordelia’s cell phone starts ringing.   She looks around on the floor and sees her bag near the bedroom door.   She grabs the bed sheet and wraps it around herself as she gets out of bed.   She moves to her bag and when she picks it up, her phone falls out.   She picks it up.

CORDELIA
Hello?
(listens, appalled)
Right now?
(listens)
Where?
(listens, sighs)
Alright, I’ll be there in twenty minutes.

Cordelia switches off the phone and puts it back in her bag.   As she gathers up her clothes and shoes…

LINDSEY
Problem?

CORDELIA
That was Wesley.   He and Gunn
found some more Ska’Handu demons,
and they want me to go help kill them.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia moves into the en suite.

LINDSEY
You want me to come?

CORDELIA (O.C)
It’s probably better you don’t have to
explain to Lyle about the funky smell
that’s coming off you in waves for the
next two days.

LINDSEY
Probably.   Will I see you tomorrow?

CORDELIA (O.C)
Provided you can put up with the stench.

LINDSEY
I’m sure I will.

ANGLE   -   As Cordelia comes out of the en suite…

CORDELIA
I might hold you to that.

LINDSEY
Call me when you get home.
Okay?

CORDELIA
I will.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia moves towards the bed and leans over to kiss Lindsey goodbye.

CORDELIA
Love you.

LINDSEY
Love you, too.

ANGLE   -   as Cordelia turns and walks out of the bedroom…

CORDELIA
(mutters)
Those two are going to be in so
much trouble when I see them.

LINDSEY
Be careful!

CORDELIA (O.C)
I will.

O. C we HEAR the front door open then close.

Off Lindsey.

TIME CUT TO…

SCENE 9

INT   -   LINDSEY’S APARTMENT   -   BATHROOM   -   NIGHT

CLOSE UP   -   Lindsey is in the shower, and he is singing along with the song "Rattlesnake Smile" that is playing in the bedroom.

LINDSEY
You better keep your distance
In this tangled shape I’m in
Now no one had better touch me right now
In this cold-blooded thick skin
I said you better run real fast
When you hear that rattlin’ sound
Well, you better run real fast, man
Or this one’s gonna knock you down

He rinses the conditioner out of his hair then sticks his face under the water.   He allows some of the water into his mouth then gargles it before spitting it out.

LINDSEY
(cont’d)
I sit alone and try to shed this skin that I live in
And try to clear my vision once again
Ha!

WIDER   -   Lindsey turns off the water then shakes his head vigorously to rid his hair of some excess water.

LINDSEY
(cont’d)
Well, I ain’t no good to no one no how, not right now
Cause I forgot to run myself and I got run down

ANGLE   -   we see Lindsey moving behind the foggy shower screen then he opens the door.

LINDSEY
(cont’d)
Do I look like something you can put in a fu  - 

He steps out of the shower and stops abruptly when the music stops and he finds himself face to face with…

TIGHT   -   Angelus who smiles.

ANGELUS
Hello, Lindsey.   It’s been a while.

TIGHT   -   Off Lindsey’s shocked face.

BLACK OUT

 

 

 

SCENE 10

INT   -   LINDSEY’S APARTMENT   -   NIGHT

BATHROOM   -   As Angelus hands Lindsey a towel…

LINDSEY
How the hell did you get in here?

ANGELUS
You invited me.   Remember?

ANGLE   -   Lindsey wraps the towel around his waist as he thinks back for a moment.

LINDSEY
That doesn’t mean you can just
come barging in here whenever
you feel like it.

ANGELUS
I guess you didn’t hear me knocking
over your supposed singing.   Interesting
choice of song by the way.

BEDROOM   -   WIDE ANGLE   -   Lindsey pushes his way past Angelus and moves into the bedroom.   He looks around for a pair of boxer shorts, finds them near the closet and puts them on under the towel.   As he removes the towel…

LINDSEY
Where’s   -  ?

ANGELUS
Outside.   I was kinda hoping you’d   -  

LINDSEY
Give Paris an open invitation to
come in?   I don’t think so.

O.C.   we HEAR a door slam then…

ANGLE   -   Paris appears in the doorway to the bedroom.

PARIS
I do.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Lindsey looks at Paris.   She gives him a little wave and a smile.

PARIS
Hi, Lindsey.

LINDSEY
Damn it.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey sits down heavily on unkempt the bed.

ANGLE   -   A cheeky smile appears on Paris’ face as she steps into the bedroom.

PARIS
Getting a little action these days, Lindsey?

LINDSEY
Shut up.   What the hell do you want?

ANGELUS
Information.

LINDSEY
You mean you didn’t get all the
information you wanted from those
files you stole last month?

PARIS
The information in those files was
so pitiful that we’re actually going to
give them back to you.

LINDSEY
But it comes at a price.   Right?

ANGELUS
We want all the information you have
on the Apocalypse.

LINDSEY
Which one?

PARIS
You mean there’s more than one?

ANGELUS
There’s always more than one, love.
(to Lindsey)
The one that Angel’s supposed to play a
big part in.   We want dates, times, who
else is involved and what their roles are.

LINDSEY
(laughs)
I don’t know any of that, and even if
I did, I wouldn’t tell you.

PARIS
We figured you’d probably say that.

ANGLE   -   Paris smiles and looks at Angelus who steps towards Lindsey.

PARIS
(cont’d)
You know, I really think Lindsey
does look like someone who should
be put in a   -  

ANGELUS
So do I.

ANGLE   -   Angelus punches Lindsey hard in the jaw and knocks him out.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 11

EXT   -   OLD OFFICE BUILDING   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Cordelia gets out of a taxi and shuts the door.   As the taxi speeds off down the street, she walks towards…

ANGLE   -   Wesley and Gunn who are getting out of Gunn’s pick-up truck.

WIDER   -   as Cordelia approaches the men…

CORDELIA
I hope you two realise that you just
ruined what was turning out to be a
really good night with my honey.

WESLEY
I’ll be sure to send Lindsey an
apologetic muffin basket.

CORDELIA
Sorry, Wesley, but I think it’s going to
take a lot more than baked goods to
make up for this.   Now, give me
a sword or an axe or something that
I can use to kill these demons…I need to
let out some serious pent up aggression.

GUNN
Sounds like it.

ANGLE   -   Gunn reaches into the back of the truck and pulls out a double-edged sword.

WIDER   -   He hands the sword to Cordelia, then reaches into the back of the truck and picks up his axe and another sword.   As he hands the sword to Wesley.  .  .  

ANGLE   -   Cordelia swings her sword around, testing its weight.

ANGLE   -   As Wesley walks back to the passenger side of the truck and reaches into its cabin…

WESLEY
I’ve still got the masks we used from
the other night.

WIDER   -   Wesley walks back to Gunn and Cordelia and hands them their masks.   After they’ve covered their noses and mouths…

CORDELIA
Lead the way.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Cordelia follows Wesley and Gunn towards the front entrance of the building.

TIME CUT TO…

SCENE 12

INT   -   OLD OFFICE BUILDING   -   NIGHT

WIDE ANGLE   -   we appear to be in what was once a large conference room.   There is what used to be a long, wide conference table located in at opposite ends of the room (it’s been broken in two) and several leather chairs laying on their sides or upside-down.   One wall consists of dirty windows that measure about six feet in height, the other 3 walls have years of graffiti all over them.

In amongst the dust, debris and rubbish are fifteen Ska’Handu demons.   The demons are green in color; their flesh is moist and kind of like gelatine.   They stand about 5’8"  -  5’9" and are all rather stocky.   They have black eyes, a mouth that appears to have no teeth, and awkward looking hands that have a thumb and three fingers.   Some of the demons are sleeping on the floor while others are feeding on vermin.

ANGLE   -   one of the demons holds up a rat in front of its face.   It opens its mouth and drops the rat into it.   The demon doesn’t chew and swallows the rodent.

ANGLE   -   as they appear in the doorway, and despite wearing masks, Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia are overcome by the stench.

CORDELIA
(disgusted)
Excuse me while I barf.

ANGLE   -   The demon that just devoured the rat notices the three intruders and begins to use a high-pitched squeal to alert the others.

GUNN
So much for the sneak attack.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia move into the room and immediately start swinging their weapons.   All the demons that were sleeping are now awake and on their feet.   As they move forward…

ANGLE   -   Cordelia, who has a focused and determined look on her face, arcs her sword and decapitates one of the demons.   She swings the sword back again and unintentionally decapitates another.

ANGLE   -   some of the demon’s green blood sprays on to Cordelia’s clothes, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

ANGLE   -   Gunn looks at Cordelia, impressed.

GUNN
The girl means business.

ANGLE   -   Gunn is quickly brought back to the reality of the situation when a Ska’Handu demon knocks him down from behind.

ANGLE   -   Wesley swings his sword but the deceptively quick ‘rat’ demon evades the deadly blade.

TIME CUT TO…

SCENE 13

INT   -   OLD OFFICE BUILDINGHOUSE   -   NIGHT

DOLLY   -   slowly past the dead demons.   It’s difficult to identify body parts as they are turning quickly into a mass of green stinky goo.   There’s no sign of the attackers.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 14

EXT   -   OLD OFFICE BUILDING   -   NIGHT

WIDE ANGLE   -   we start off in SLO-MO as Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn emerge from the building.   They walk side-by-side and are covered in green demon goo.   As the three approach Gunn’s truck, we go to regular speed.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia takes off her mask.

CORDELIA
You two owe me SO big for this.
Lindsey’s not going to want to be
in the same building as me let
alone the same bed.

GUNN
(cringing)
Can we not go to that scary visual
place, Cordy?

WESLEY
Too late.

CORDELIA
The fact is that I was supposed to spend
tonight with my boyfriend…not killing
Ska’Handu demons.   I don’t
see Teresa down here slaying the
big and stinky.

WESLEY
If she wasn’t back in Denver seeing
her mother then she would be here…
probably.

CORDELIA
Uh-huh.

As the three place their weapons in the back of the truck…

GUNN
(to Cordy)
You want us to take you home?

CORDELIA
I think that’s the least you can do.

GUNN
You still got some of that aggression
pent up, don’t you?

CORDELIA
Care to find out?

GUNN
(holds up hands)
I’ll pass.

ANGLE   -   Wesley climbs into the truck and slides to the middle of the seat.   Cordelia gets in next to him as Gunn gets in behind the wheel.

ANGLE   -   after Cordelia shuts the passenger side door, she reaches down and retrieves her phone.   She presses the speed dial number then puts the phone near her ear.

CORDELIA
Hi, Dennis, it’s me.   I’ve been
killing Ska’Handu demons again so
you know what you need to do.
I’ll be home in half an hour.
Okay?   Bye.

As Cordelia switches off the phone then puts it back in her bag…

GUNN
So what does Dennis need to do?

CORDELIA
It’s probably best I don’t tell you.
I wouldn’t want Wesley to go off to
that scary visual place again.

WIDER   -   Gunn starts the engine as Wesley shoots Cordelia a dirty look.

CUT TO…

SCENE 15

INT   -   ABANDONED APARTMENT BUILDING   -   BASEMENT   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Angelus exits the cell and closes the door.   As he secures the three padlocks, he peers through the bars at…

ANGLE   -   Lindsey who is lying unconscious on the concrete floor.   Note: he is now wearing the same clothes as earlier in the night.   PAN up to Charlie who stands about six feet from Lindsey.

CHARLIE
Who is he?

ANGLE   -   Paris stands in the middle of the room, arms folded across her chest.  

PARIS
You can introduce yourselves after
he wakes up.

ANGLE   -   Angelus stares at Lindsey, his brow creased in thought.

ANGELUS
That smell is really bugging me.
It’s familiar, but not.

PARIS
Would you like to buy a clue?

WIDER   -   as Angelus moves away from the cell and stands beside Paris…

ANGELUS
I might have to.

ANGLE   -   Paris puts a hand to her head and pretends to have a vision.

PARIS
(mimics)
Oh God, incoming.

ANGELUS
(disbelieving)
No, it isn’t.

PARIS
Forget about the gaudy perfume, love,
and concentrate on the scent beneath it.

CLOSE UP   -   Angelus sniffs the air again, then…

ANGELUS
You’re right.   It is her.
(then, looks at Paris)
How come your sense of smell is
stronger than mine?

PARIS
I’ve always had a sensitive nose.
I guess it carried over into the unlife.

CLOSE UP   -   Lindsey begins to stir.   He groans as he cracks his eyes open.

ANGELUS
Looks like sleeping beauty’s decided
to wake up.

Off Lindsey.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 16

INT   -   CORDELIA’S APARTMENT   -   BATHROOM   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   on a bubble bath.   After a moment we see a leg come into frame.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia eases herself into the bath (we just see her from the neck up) then she sits down.

WIDER   -   the mountain of bubbles threaten to cover Cordelia as she closes her eyes for a moment.

CORDELIA
(relieved)
Thank you, Dennis.

Cordelia reaches over the side of the tub and picks up her cell phone.

HARD CUT TO…

SCENE 17

INT   -   ABANDONED OFFICE BUILDING   -   BASEMENT   -   NIGHT   -   INTERCUT

CLOSE UP   -   Lindsey opens his eyes and quickly realises he’s a) not at home, and b) not alone.   He tilts his head slightly and sees…

LINDSEY’S POV   -   Charlie, who is standing near the brick wall.

PARIS (O.C)
Hi, Lindsey.   Welcome to
your new home.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey winces slightly as he turns his head and looks to the right.

POV   -   through the bars he sees Paris and Angelus.

CLOSE UP   -   Lindsey closes his eyes for a moment.

LINDSEY
Oh, crap.

Suddenly, a cell phone starts ringing.

ANGLE   -   Angelus looks at Charlie.

ANGELUS
Get his phone.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Charlie looks at Lindsey who is starting to reach for the phone.

ANGELUS
Did I tell you to touch the phone,
Lindsey?

ANGLE   -   Charlie takes a tentative step towards Lindsey, then another.   She bends down and slowly reaches into Lindsey’s jacket pocket.   As she takes the cell phone out…

PARIS
Give it to me.

ANGLE   -   Paris steps forward and puts her hand through the bars.

ANGLE   -   Charlie moves around Lindsey and holds the phone out for Paris to take.

ANGLE   -   Paris flips the phone open and looks to see who’s calling.   As the phone continues to ring…

PARIS
Not only is your choice of song
interesting, Lindsey, but so is your
choice of woman.
(orders)
Stand up.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey slowly gets to his feet as Charlie backs away.   Lindsey takes a couple of steps towards the front of the cell.

PARIS
Make it short.

ANGLE   -   Paris turns the phone on then holds it to Lindsey’s ear.

LINDSEY
Hi.

CORDELIA
Where were you?

LINDSEY
In the shower.

CORDELIA
Oh, well, I’m sitting in a bubble bath
right now.   Care to join me?

LINDSEY
It’s probably better I don’t.
How’d you go tonight?

CORDELIA
We killed all the Ska’Handus, and now
I smell worse than I ever thought possible.

PARIS
(whispers)
Wrap it up.

LINDSEY
The other phone’s ringing, Cor, I
have to go.   Okay?

CORDELIA
I don’t hear anything.   And since
when have you started calling me Cor?

LINDSEY
I’d better get it, it could be work.

CORDELIA
(sighs)
Alright then, if you have to go then go.
I’ll still see you tomorrow night, right?

LINDSEY
I don’t know.   I’ll let you know.

CORDELIA
I lo  -  

ANGLE   -   Paris takes the phone away from Lindsey’s ear and switches it off while Cordelia’s in mid "I love you".

CORDELIA’S APARTMENT   -   ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks at her phone and is clearly not happy with having been hung up on.

CORDELIA
How dare he hang up on me.

ANGLE   -   she thinks about calling him back, but decides not to.

BASEMENT   -   ANGLE   -   Paris pockets the phone as Angelus steps forward.

ANGELUS
How long?

LINDSEY
How long what?

ANGELUS
Have you been seeing Cordelia?

LINDSEY
A while…a few months.

ANGELUS
Thought you’d quit Wolfram And Hart
months ago.   You batting for
both teams now?

LINDSEY
A lot has changed these past few months.

ANGELUS
Obviously.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey wraps his fingers around the bars of the cell and looks at Angelus.

LINDSEY
You’re going to offer me as a trade,
aren’t you?   Me for the information
about the Apocalypse.   There’s only one
problem…Wolfram And Hart are never
going to agree to that.

ANGELUS
Well, duh.

LINDSEY
So who do you know that can possibly
get that information?

Off Lindsey as he waits for an answer.

CUT TO…

SCENE 18

INT   -   CORDELIA’S APARTMENT   -   NIGHT

BATHROOM   -   ANGLE   -   Cordelia is bent over at the waist.   She takes the towel off her head then straightens.   She places the wet towel on the towel rail between the bathtub and the door, then runs her fingers through her wet hair.   She picks up a comb from the sink as is about to run it through her hair when there is a KNOCK at the front door.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia frowns a little and shows a brief look of annoyance at having been interrupted.

ANGLE   -   she puts the comb back on the corner of the sink the turns to leave the bathroom.

LIVING ROOM   -   WIDE ANGLE   -   Cordelia moves into the living room and pads her way towards the door.

ANGLE   -   she unlocks the door and opens it, but it quickly closes again.

CORDELIA
(admonishes)
Dennis…could you at least give me a
chance to see who it is?

ANGLE   -   She waits a moment then tries the door again.   It opens.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia’s eyes widen and she catches her breath upon seeing…

ANGLE   -   Paris and Angelus standing in the hallway.

BLACK OUT

 

 

 

SCENE 19

EXT / INT   -   CORDELIA’S APARTMENT   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   on Angelus.

ANGELUS
Cordelia.

CORDELIA
What are you two doing here?

ANGELUS
Invite us in and we’ll tell you.

CORDELIA
You know I’m not going to do
that, Angelus.

ANGLE   -   Angelus smiles as…

ANGLE   -   a stake suddenly appears and hovers within Cordelia’s grasp.

CORDELIA
Both of you get out of here.

ANGELUS
Fine.   We’ll go.

ANGLE   -   Angelus and Paris both turn and start to leave.

ANGELUS
Just know that tonight was the last
night you ever saw Lindsey alive.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia visibly pales and her body goes rigid.

CORDELIA
(broken voice)
Lindsey McDonald?

ANGLE   -   Angelus and Paris stop and turn to face Cordelia.

ANGELUS
One in the same.

CORDELIA
Who said I saw him tonight?
I’m not seeing him.

ANGELUS
So who else have you been shacking
up with then?   Huh?

CORDELIA
What?   I’m not shacking up with
anybody.

ANGELUS
So apart from dead Ska’Handu, that’s
not Lindsey’s scent I’m smelling?

CORDELIA
No.

ANGELUS
What about your scent in Lindsey’s
apartment earlier tonight?
(off Cordelia’s silence)
You were there, weren’t you?

CORDELIA
Why were you at his place?
What have you done to him?

ANGLE   -   Angelus and Paris move towards the door.

ANGELUS
Invite us in and we’ll tell you.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia weighs up the decision in her mind, and even though she shouldn’t…

CORDELIA
Come in.

INT   -   ANGLE   -   Cordelia steps aside and allows the two vampires to step across the threshold.   As Paris passes Cordelia and the still-hovering stake…

PARIS
Hi Dennis…

Paris throws a hard right hook.   As the stake hits the floor and rolls into the center of the room…

PARIS
(cont’d)
…it’s been a while.

ANGELUS
Remind me to ask you later just
how you did that.

ANGLE   -   Paris smiles at him then looks at Cordelia who is stunned that Paris has knocked out Dennis.

PARIS
Not feeling so good now that Dennis is
out of commission, are you?

CORDELIA
How did you do that?

PARIS
As if I’m going to tell you.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Angelus moves towards the couch and sits, then is joined by Paris.   Cordelia eyes the stake that’s on the floor.

ANGELUS
I could kill you before you even got
close to it, Cordy.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks at Angelus.

ANGELUS
(cont’d)
But Paris won’t let me kill you, so I
guess you’re off the hook.   It doesn’t
mean I won’t hurt you though.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia glances at the stake then forgets about and takes a seat in the arm chair.

CORDELIA
What have you done to Lindsey?

ANGELUS
Nothing yet, but we will if you don’t do
a little something for us first.

CORDELIA
What?

ANGELUS
The Apocalypse.

CORDELIA
What about it?

ANGELUS
We want all the information you can get
on it…who’s involved, what their role is,
why it’s happening and, most importantly,
when it’s happening.

CORDELIA
(agreeable)
Sure.   I have all that information
in the filing cabinet at work.
(then)
Are you insane?   Wait…don’t bother answering
that because you clearly already are.
How do you expect me to get that kind
of information when Wesley’s been
researching it for the past two years
and come up with practically nothing?

ANGELUS
You will if you ever want to see
Lindsey again.
(leans forward)
Are you at the point in your relationship
that you’ve said you’d do anything for
each other?   That you’d die for each other?
(off Cordy’s look)
You have.   Now’s the time to prove
it, Cordelia.   Is Lindsey’s life worth
more to you than some information
about the Apocalypse?

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks from Angelus to Paris.

PARIS
Don’t look at me.   This is his
show…I’m just enjoying the ride.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks back at Angelus.

CORDELIA
Say I do this…how long would I have?

ANGELUS
Forty-eight hours.

CORDELIA
And if I don’t get the information?

ANGELUS
Then it’s bye-bye Lindsey.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Angelus gets to his feet then Paris does the same.

ANGELUS
(cont’d)
Call Lindsey’s cell phone at midnight
Sunday night and we’ll tell you what to do.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia also stands up.

CORDELIA
How do I know you won’t hurt him
before Sunday night?

ANGELUS
You don’t.

CORDELIA
If you so much as think about hurting him,
I will kill you.
(to Paris)
And you.

PARIS
Go ahead, Cordy…give it your best shot.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia knows that Paris is taunting her and does nothing.

ANGLE   -   Paris smiles.

PARIS
(cont’d)
Thought as much.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Paris follows Angelus to the door and they leave the apartment without another word.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia looks…

WESLEY (V.O)
Scared.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 20

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   NIGHT

CLOSE UP   -   of Cordelia.

CORDELIA
Damn right I’m scared, Wes.

ANGLE   -   Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn are standing in Wesley’s office.   Wesley’s wearing a pair of gray sweat pants and a navy blue sweater, Gunn’s wearing a pair of brown cargo pants and a white t-shirt and a black jacket.   Cordelia’s wearing a pair of loose-fit jeans, light blue sweater and a jacket.   Wesley’s wide awake but Gunn is still half asleep.

CORDELIA
(cont’d)
For the next forty-six hours those two
are going to be doing God-knows-what
to Lindsey while I’m supposed to find
information that I’m not even sure exists.

GUNN
Sounds like Angelus seems pretty sure
though.

WESLEY
I’m sure it does exist, Cordelia.
We just need to find a place to start.

Beat.

GUNN
What about that stuff I helped Angel
steal from Wolfram And Hart a couple
of years ago?

WESLEY
The disks…of course!
(to Cordelia)
Do you know where Angel put them?

CORDELIA
Yeah, but I moved them after we found
out he’d gone all evil again.

WESLEY
Good.   Where’d you put them?

CORDELIA
Give me a minute.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia moves towards the stairs that lead to the basement apartment Gunn resides in.

GUNN
I still don’t get why Angelus and Paris
want to know about the Apocalypse.

WESLEY
So they’re prepared.

GUNN
For what?

WESLEY
I wish I knew.

GUNN
You really think we’re gonna find the
information they want?

WESLEY
For Cordelia’s sake, I hope so.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia emerges from the stairwell, clutching the half a dozen disks to her chest.

CORDELIA
This is all of them.

WESLEY
Let’s get to work de-coding them.

WIDE ANGLE   -   The three move out of Wesley’s office to the computer.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 21

INT   -   ABANDONED OFFICE BUILDING   -   BASEMENT   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Lindsey is sitting on the floor; his back leaning against the brick wall; legs outstretched and crossed at the ankles; arms folded across his chest.

CHARLIE (O.C)
So you’re not a vampire or a demon?

LINDSEY
No.   I’m a lawyer.

ANGLE   -   Charlie is standing near the cell door.

CHARLIE
Is there a difference?

LINDSEY
Not to most people.

CHARLIE
And you know those two that put us
in here?

LINDSEY
(nods)
Very well.

CHARLIE
Can you tell me their names?

LINDSEY
(surprised)
They haven’t told you yet?

ANGLE   -   Charlie shakes her head.

CHARLIE
Uh uh.

LINDSEY
Angelus and Paris.   Do you want
to hear their stories?

CHARLIE
Yeah.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Charlie moves forward and sits in the middle of the cell opposite Lindsey.

LINDSEY
I’ll give you the abridged versions to save
you from falling asleep.   Angelus was
given the name Liam when he was born
in Ireland in seventeen-twenty-seven   -  

CHARLIE
(shocked)
Seventeen-twenty-seven?

LINDSEY
Yeah.   In seventeen-fifty-three, he met
Darla who turned him into a vampire.
For the next hundred and fifty years they
terrorised Europe.   In eighteen-ninety-eight,
he killed a gypsy girl but got his human
soul back for his trouble.   Angel, as he
then called himself, came to America to
seek redemption for his years of killing.
He kept pretty quiet until he met the Slayer
a few years back.

CHARLIE
The Slayer?

LINDSEY
Vampire Slayer.   They got all hot and
heavy, he lost his soul and reverted back to
the evil Angelus.   A friend of the
Slayer’s restored his soul and a year later
he moved to LA.   A year after that
he met Paris.

CHARLIE
Tell me about her.

LINDSEY
She was born in Texas and moved to LA
at the end of the summer in two-thousand.
She started working for Angel and it
wasn’t long before they became an item.
It was also around that time Paris
became the Receiver.
(off Charlie’s nod)
She told you about that?

CHARLIE
Because I’m one.

LINDSEY
Thought as much.   Has she told you
what it entails?

CHARLIE
Not really.   I get these ‘visits’ from
demons…

LINDSEY
They possess you.   The more times
they do, the worse it is.   If they kill you,
they become ten times more powerful
than they already are.   At least that’s
the way I understand it.   My girlfriend
knows all about it.

CHARLIE
Cordelia?

LINDSEY
Yeah.   She worked with Paris and
Angel right up until Angel inadvertently
made Paris a vampire.   He became
human and then she turned him back again.
(off Charlie’s questioning look)
It’s a really long story.   For the past
eight or nine months, they’ve been wreaking
havoc in Europe and especially in LA.

CHARLIE
Why hasn’t anyone killed them?

LINDSEY
People have tried and failed every time.
Angelus and Paris are smart, especially
Paris, and it’s going to take a lot to
outwit them.

CHARLIE
How long do you think they’ll keep
us here?

LINDSEY
I don’t know.   If they don’t get the
information they want about the Apocalypse,
they’ll kill me.   I don’t know what they
have planned for you.

CHARLIE
They keep saying that I’m useful to them.

LINDSEY
Probably because you’re The Receiver.

CHARLIE
Have they killed a Receiver before?

LINDSEY
At least one that I know of.

CHARLIE
So they’re ten times more powerful
now?   Right?

LINDSEY
No.   Somehow they both killed the
girl and gained equal power, but as far
as I know, it wasn’t to the power of ten.

CHARLIE
But if Paris used to be a Receiver, why
would she keep me in here?
I don’t get that.

LINDSEY
Paris the vampire isn’t the same as
Paris the Receiver, Charlie…believe me.

ANGLE   -   the basement door opens and Paris appears in the doorway.   She looks at Charlie as she moves slowly into the room.

PARIS
Do you really want to know why we’re
keeping you in here?

WIDE ANGLE   -   Lindsey gets to his feet then as he helps Charlie to her feet…

LINDSEY
I think she has a right to know.

ANGLE   -   Paris gives Lindsey a hard look.

PARIS
I don’t believe I was talking to you, Lindsey.
(to Charlie)
We’re protecting you.
(to Lindsey)
And before you butt in again, no, I’m
not telling you from who.
(to Charlie)
As long as you’re in here, and the barrier
holds up, you’re safe.

LINDSEY
What barrier?

CHARLIE
From demons like the one that tried to
get in here a few days ago?

PARIS
Exactly.

LINDSEY
What barrier, and what demons?

PARIS
What make you think that you’re actually
part of this conversation, Lindsey?

LINDSEY
My next question.

PARIS
Which is?

LINDSEY
Have you made the deal with the person
who’s going to get you your information?

PARIS
Yes.

LINDSEY
How long do they have?

PARIS
About forty hours.

LINDSEY
I was expecting it to be less.

PARIS
Believe me, I wanted it to be.

LINDSEY
So, who’d you see?

PARIS
I don’t think you need to know that.

LINDSEY
I think I need to know how good my
chances are of getting out of here.

PARIS
I guess you’ll find out in forty hours’
time, won’t you?

Off Lindsey.

BLACK OUT

 

 

SCENE 22

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   OUTER OFFICE   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Wesley is sitting at an angle behind Cordelia’s desk.   His eyes are glazed over as he stares blankly through his spectacles at the computer monitor.   PAN to his left and see Cordelia sitting right in front of the monitor.   Her eyes are red and stinging and she looks exhausted.   PAN to her left and see Gunn sitting beside her; his head is tilted back and his mouth is gaping open.   He is quietly snoring.

ANGLE   -   we see Cordelia hit the enter key and the computer beeps.

CLOSE UP   -   Wesley blinks in acknowledgement that the computer beeped.   His eyes look a little less glazed over.

CORDELIA
That’s the last of the disks de-coded, but
it all looks Greek to me.

WESLEY
(leaning forward)
That’s because it is.

CORDELIA
Can you read it?

WESLEY
My Greek’s a little rusty but I should be
able to translate it.   Of all the disks
though, we should start with the fourth
one…that seemed to contain some rather
vital information.

CORDELIA
Information not related to the
Apocalypse, Wes.

WESLEY
Right.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia stands up to stretch her back.

CORDELIA
It must’ve been the third one then.

GUNN (O.C)
It was the fifth one.

ANGLE   -   Gunn opens his eyes and looks bleary-eyed at Cordelia and Wesley.

CORDELIA
(bitchy)
Have a nice sleep, did we?

GUNN
Had better.   You finished translating
the last disk?

WESLEY
Just now.

GUNN
Well, I vote we chow down and catch some
z’s before we do any more work.

ANGLE   -   Gunn stands and makes a move towards the door.

CORDELIA
You mean the last three and a half
hours weren’t enough for you?

GUNN
Hey, I ain’t slept in two days and you’re
riding me for nodding off for a couple
of hours?

CORDELIA
You’re not the only one who hasn’t slept
in two days, Gunn.

WESLEY
Can you two please stop arguing over who
has and has not slept?   We’re all tired
and we’re all hungry.   I say let’s go get
something to eat then we’ll come back here
and work in shifts while the other two
sleep downstairs.

CORDELIA
Fine.

GUNN
Fine.

Off Cordelia and Gunn who glare at each other.

TIME CUT TO…

SCENE 23

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   OUTER OFFICE   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Wesley is sitting at the computer.

CLOSE UP   -   of the Greek text on the monitor.   The text is in a simple easy-to-read white font on a black background.   Wesley is slowly scrolling through it.

ANGLE   -   Wesley writes down something of importance.   He takes off his glasses and rubs his tired eyes for a moment.   He replaces his glasses then continues to read.

CLOSE UP   -   of the text on the monitor that becomes…

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 24

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   OUTER OFFICE   -   NIGHT TO DAY

CLOSE UP   -   …English.   The text scrolls up the page at a steady speed as…

ANGLE   -   Cordelia scans it for anything of importance.   Like Wesley, she makes notes every-so-often.

NOTE: time lapse as night gradually turns into day yet Cordelia works at normal speed.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 25

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   OUTER OFFICE   -   DAY

CLOSE UP   -   of the computer monitor.   The text moves slowly up the screen as…

CLOSE UP   -   Gunn scans it.   His eyes move back and forth then slowly they begin to widen.   He reads some more and his eyes get wider still.

GUNN
(low)
Okay…that ain’t good.

ANGLE   -   Gunn reads for a few more moments.

GUNN
What the f  -  

HARD CUT TO…

SCENE 26

INT   -   GUNN’S APARTMENT   -   DAY

ANGLE   -   Gunn races down the stairs from the office, his boots making a racket.

ANGLE   -   Wesley, who’s been sleeping on the couch, sticks his head up.

WESLEY
What is it?

ANGLE   -   Wesley gets up off the couch.

GUNN
I found something, Wes…
something big.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Cordelia, who’s been asleep on Gunn’s bed, gets up and walks sleepily from the bedroom.

CORDELIA
What’s going on?

WESLEY
Charles found something on one of
the disks.

CORDELIA
About the Apocalypse?

GUNN
Oh yeah.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Gunn turns towards the stairs and Cordelia and Wesley follow him up them.

CORDELIA
Have either of you found out when this
thing’s happening?

WESLEY
I found a vague timeline at best but
nothing concrete.

CONTINUOUS…

SCENE 27

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   DAY

INNER OFFICE   -   ANGLE   -   We hear the three researches come up the stairs.

GUNN (O.C)
From what I found, I’d say it’s happening
in the next two or three years.

CORDELIA (O.C)
Great…more waiting.

As the three emerge from the stairs and move through Wesley’s office…

WESLEY
So, what’d you find?

OUTER OFFICE   -   ANGLE   -   When the three arrive at Cordelia’s desk, Gunn stands between the desk and the window and points at the monitor.

GUNN
That.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Wesley and Cordelia sit down and look at the text on the screen.   Wesley doesn’t seem to be too worried, but Cordelia’s mouth slowly begins to open in disbelief.

CORDELIA
(slowly)
Oh my God.
(then, to Wesley)
That can’t be right, can it?

WESLEY
If it’s on the disk, then it must be.

GUNN
You don’t know that, Wes.

WESLEY
I found several events on the last disk
that have already happened.

GUNN
Like what?

WESLEY
Leviathan trying to rule the demon world.

GUNN
Until Paris layed the smack down on
his demon ass.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks at Gunn like he just grew a second head then turns back to Wesley.

GUNN
Sorry.

CORDELIA
So, we’re all going to play a part in
the Apocalypse then?

WESLEY
It would seem so.   We knew Angel
would because it would be a major factor
in him becoming human again.
As for the rest of us…

ANGLE   -   Cordelia is looking back at the screen, reading.

CORDELIA
It talks about the Seer.
That’s me, right?

WESLEY
Possibly, yes.   Gunn is the Street Warrior,
and I’m the former Watcher.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia reads further.

CORDELIA
What about Paris?
It doesn’t refer to her.

GUNN
I think it does.

CORDELIA
Where?

ANGLE   -   Gunn stands behind Cordelia’s chair and leans over her to…

REVERSE ANGLE   -   point to the bottom of the computer monitor.

CLOSE UP   -   Cordelia reads for a few moments then shakes her head.

CORDELIA
Uh uh…nope…no way…

WESLEY
Based on her recent behaviour…

GUNN
(interrupts)
Like kidnapping your boyfriend.

WESLEY
(cont’d)
…it could very well be her, Cordelia.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks at the two men, not wanting to believe either of them.

CORDELIA
Yes, Paris has done things these past
few months that could be classed as
evil, but as for her becoming…
(shakes her head)
…no.

Off Cordelia.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 28

INT   -   ABANDONED OFFICE BUILDING   -   BASEMENT   -   NIGHT

TIGHT   -   Lindsey grimaces as he looks skyward.   When he lowers his chin, a rivulet of blood slowly trickles down along the bridge of his nose from a small but relatively deep cut in the center of his forehead.   There are other small cuts on his cheeks.

WIDER   -   as Paris appears in frame.   She runs her tongue along Lindsey’s nose, lapping up the blood.

WIDER   -   When she pulls back…

PARIS
You might be cuter, but I think I prefer
strawberry over there.

WIDE ANGLE   -   We can now see that Paris has Lindsey seated on a steel chair outside of the cell.   Paris turns her head to the right and looks at Charlie who is standing at the front of the cell.

ANGLE   -   Charlie’s hand grip the bars as she watches her new friend being tortured.

CHARLIE
Please stop hurting him, Paris.

ANGLE   -   in a flash, Paris is at the cage, bringing Charlie’s forehead in contact with the bar, dazing her.

ANGLE   -   As Charlie’s head bounces off the steel, we see that the wound Paris gave her last episode has now been re-opened.

PARIS
(hard)
I really don’t want to hurt you, Charlie,
but that doesn’t mean I won’t.

LINDSEY
Leave her alone, Paris.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Charlie quickly backs up to the rear of the cell as Paris turns and moves back to where Lindsey is seated.

ANGLE   -   Paris bends over and looks Lindsey in the eyes.

PARIS
Why should I?

LINDSEY
Don’t you remember what it felt like
when you first became the Receiver?

ANGELUS (O.C)
Of course she does.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Paris straightens as she and Lindsey look towards the door.   Angelus is standing in the doorway.   As Angelus steps into the room…

ANGELUS
(cont’d)
She was scared and confused and
lonely, and knew that the next demon
that possessed her could have been
the one that killed her.   Right, love?

PARIS
About everything except the being lonely part.
(hand on Angelus’ chest)
I had you.

ANGELUS
Yes, you did.   As for the confusion,
Lindsey, I’m sure you’ve already filled
Charlie in on what the deal is with
being a Receiver.

LINDSEY
As best I can.   The girl has a right
to know what to expect.

PARIS
One thing she can expect is a short lifespan.

CHARLIE
How short?

PARIS
The average lifespan for a Receiver is…
(to Angelus)
…what was it again?

ANGELUS
Less than six months.   Probably less
than that now given the high number
of girls that died after you.

PARIS
Good point.

CHARLIE
Less than six months?

LINDSEY
Don’t believe them, Charlie.   They’re
just saying that to scare you.

PARIS
I already know she’s scared, but if you
don’t believe us, Lindsey, then why don’t
you ask Wesley next time you see him?
I’m sure he’d be more than happy to tell
you all about the history of the Receiver.

LINDSEY
So you’re not going to kill me then?

PARIS
I didn’t say that.

ANGLE   -   Lindsey’s optimism just flies out the window.

ANGELUS
(to Paris)
It’s almost time to go, love.

LINDSEY
Go where?

ANGLE   -   Paris strikes Lindsey across the face and knocks him out.

WIDER   -   Angelus moves around behind Lindsey and places a black hood over Lindsey’s head.

ANGLE   -   As Charlie moves towards the front of the cell again…

CHARLIE
Where are you taking him?

ANGLE   -   Paris turns her head and glares at Charlie…

ANGLE   -   …who quickly knows not to ask any more questions.

DISSOLVE TO…

SCENE 29

INT   -   ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS   -   OUTER OFFICE   -   NIGHT   -   INTERCUT

ANGLE   -   Wesley hands Cordelia a sheet of yellow legal pad paper.

WESLEY
That’s everything.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia looks over the notes.

CORDELIA
You haven’t included the part about Paris.

WESLEY
I thought it better not to mention that.

GUNN
Don’t want to give the girl any more ideas.

CORDELIA
Good point.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia grabs Wesley’s wrist and looks at his watch.

CORDELIA
It’s time.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia folds the paper and puts it in her bag.   She takes out her cell phone and presses the speed dial number.

EXT   -   CAR   -   ANGLE   -   on Lindsey is lying unconscious on the back seat of the car.   O.C we HEAR the cell phone ringing.

ANGLE   -   Paris is driving.   Angelus takes the phone from his coat pocket and answers it.

ANGELUS
Hello, Cordy.

CORDELIA
I got the information.

ANGELUS
Good to hear.

CORDELIA
So, where are we going to do this?

ANGELUS
Where are you now?

CORDELIA
The office.

ANGELUS
Okay…there’s a vacant floor three floors
above the office.   We’ll meet you
there in fifteen minutes.   Come alone.

ANGLE   -   Before Cordelia can say anything, Angelus hangs up.   As Cordelia moves the phone away from her ear…

WESLEY
Where’s the meeting taking place?

CORDELIA
Upstairs.

GUNN
Of this building?

CORDELIA
Yeah.   On the fourth floor.

WESLEY
We’d best go now and take up our
positions.

CORDELIA
He said for me to come alone, Wes.

GUNN
They won’t see us.

CORDELIA
If they know you’re there, Gunn, they’ll
kill Lindsey just for fun.

WESLEY
They won’t know we’re there, Cordy.

CORDELIA
I really doubt that, Wes.

Off Cordelia.

TIME CUT TO…

SCENE 30

INT   -   OLD ABANDONED OFFICE   -   NIGHT

ANGLE   -   Cordelia is standing in the old unused office upstairs.   As she looks around, it’s only now that we realise it’s the same office that Paris and Angelus have recently been ‘living’ in.

CLOSE IN   -   at one end of the office is a closet, its door is slightly ajar.   Through the crack, we see Gunn hiding inside.

STAIRS   -   ANGLE   -   Wesley is crouched at the top of the stairs that lead to the next floor.   He’s armed with a tranquiliser gun.

ANGLE   -   back in the office, Cordelia turns when she HEARS footsteps in the corridor.   Through the dirty windows we see Angelus guiding Lindsey who is still donning the black hood.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia is a little shocked by Lindsey’s dirty appearance.

CORDELIA
I want to see his face.

ANGELUS
Of course you do.

ANGLE   -   Angelus removes the hood from Lindsey’s head.

ANGLE   -   Cordelia is shocked further at the sight of Lindsey’s tired and wounded face.

CORDELIA
Are you okay?

LINDSEY
Yeah.

ANGELUS
It must kill you to see your boyfriend
like this.

CORDELIA
Where’s Paris?

ANGELUS
Close.

CORDELIA
You want the information I found?

ANGELUS
Don’t you mean the information Wesley
and Gunn helped you find?

CORDELIA
Whatever.   Do you want it or not?

ANGELUS
I do, but only after Gunn comes out of
the closet.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Angelus looks towards the closet.

CORDELIA
Gunn isn’t in the closet.   It’s just
me here, Angelus.

ANGELUS
Then explain to me why a door I left open
is now closed and I can hear Gunn’s heart
beating faster with every second.

ANGLE   -   As Cordelia prepares to answer, the closet door is pushed open.   Gunn emerges, hands raised in the air to show he’s not armed.

ANGLE   -   through the dirty window we see Wesley, then…

PARIS
Look who I found lurking on the stairs.

ANGLE   -   when Paris appears in the doorway, we see she has disarmed Wesley.

WIDE ANGLE   -   as Gunn moves up beside Cordelia, Paris pushes Wesley towards her as well.   As Paris rests the tranquiliser gun against the wall by the door…

ANGELUS
I’m disappointed in you, Cordy.   When I
said come alone, I didn’t mean bring
your friends.

CORDELIA
I really tried telling them that.

Off Cordelia.

BLACK OUT

 

 

 

SCENE 31

INT   -   OLD ABANDONED OFFICE   -   NIGHT

WIDE ANGLE   -   Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn look at Angelus, Paris and Lindsey.

ANGELUS
What did you find out about the
Apocalypse?

WESLEY
We found out   -  

ANGELUS
I don’t believe I asked you, Wes.

CLOSE UP   -   Angelus looks hard at Cordelia.

CORDELIA
The best we could find was that it’s
supposed to happen in the next two
or three years.

ANGELUS
Where?

CORDELIA
Here in L.A.

ANGELUS
Who’s behind it?

CORDELIA
As far as we can tell it’s the Senior
Partners.

PARIS
(sarcastic)
Gee, what a surprise there.

CORDELIA
You want a real surprise?
There are seven of them.

PARIS
What?

ANGLE   -   Paris and Angelus look at each other in shock.

WESLEY
As we understand it, there are currently
only four Senior Partners, which means
that three more are going to be made
in the next two years or so.

ANGELUS
Who plays a part in it?

CORDELIA
We all do except for Paris.

PARIS
(livid)
What do you mean I don’t play a
part in it?

WESLEY
We couldn’t find anything about you
being involved in it.

PARIS
At all?

WESLEY
No.

PARIS
Damn.

ANGELUS
And everyone else?

CORDELIA
What we found didn’t call the players by
name, only a job title.   It said that
The Lawyer will try to stop the Senior
Partners from inside the company.

ANGELUS
Wolfram And Hart?

CORDELIA
Yeah.   The former Watcher will try to
stop an inter-dimensional fabric from being
torn.   The Street Warrior is to stop
hellions from killing the former Watcher.
The vampire with a soul will try and stop
the Senior Partners from taking the Seer.

PARIS
(appalled)
And there was nothing about me?

CORDELIA
No.   Like I said, everything we found
referred to people by job title.   The
Lawyer is Lindsey, the former Watcher
is Wesley, the Street Warrior is Gunn, the
Seer is me, and the vampire with a soul
is Angel.

ANGELUS
So what do the Senior Partners want?

CORDELIA
Me, obviously.   But the information we
found didn’t shed any light on the ‘why?’
part of all this.

ANGELUS
Where’d you get the information from?

WESLEY
We’d rather not say.

ANGELUS
Let me guess…the disks Angel stole from
Wolfram And Hart a couple of years ago.

GUNN
Good guess.

CORDELIA
We’ve told you everything you wanted to
know.   Now let Lindsey go.

PARIS
No.

CORDELIA
No?   Why the hell not?

PARIS
Because I don’t believe I’m not a part of
the Apocalypse, that’s why.   When you
find out what my role is then you’ll get
‘The Lawyer’ back.

ANGLE   -   Paris grabs Lindsey’s arm and pulls him towards the door.

CORDELIA (O.C)
(sharply)
Wait.

Paris stops, turns and looks at Cordelia.

CORDELIA
Your role in the Apocalypse is the
same as Angel’s; to stop the Senior
Partners from taking me.

PARIS
If it was then you would’ve mentioned
it earlier.   Nice try, Cordy, but
I ain’t buying.

ANGLE   -   Paris turns and grabs Lindsey’s arm again, then leads him out of the office.   Lindsey looks back at Cordelia.

LINDSEY’S POV   -   he sees Cordelia through the dirty windows until she disappears.

ANGLE   -   Angelus looks at Wesley and Gunn then finally Cordelia.

ANGELUS
You obviously don’t value Lindsey’s life
as much as you think you do.   You
can either tell us what you really found
out about Paris’ role in the Apocalypse or
you can watch us kill your boy.   One of
those things is going to happen here at
seven tomorrow night.   It’s up
to you which one it’ll be.

ANGLE   -   Angelus smiles, turns then leaves.

WIDE ANGLE   -   Wesley, Cordelia and Gunn are left without words.

CLOSE IN   -   on Cordelia who tries to catch her breath as tears threaten to escape her eyes.

FADE TO BLACK

 

Original content of these pages is the sole property of Angelparis © 2002, 2003, 2004,
and must not be reproduced without written permission from Angelparis.