Coraline's old party house
The sun has been shining against the windows all day, and its warmth is still lingering on in the living room. The tv is on, but there's no one there. Mick knocks on the window, calm and controlled, not uncontrolled and angry like he did many many years ago, when Coraline was still living there. But it's no longer his ex-wife who inhabits this old building, it's his sister who is now living here. He can't help but smile when he sees her walk in from another room, smiling apologetic for making him wait at the windows.
"Hey Mick, sorry you had to wait." She reaches up to hug her brother, pressing a kiss on his cheek in greeting. He holds her close to him, happy to have her near.
"Why do you live here Ophelia?"
"It's owned by the family, might as well. Besides, all Coraline's photo equipment is here, as well as a dark room, computers and printers, it's convenient."
He frowns "what do you need that stuff for?"
"I've decided to get my masters in photography at Hearsh college."
He looks at her for a moment, breaking into a smile "Good for you!"
"Do you want something to drink?"
"Yeah, yeah I'd like that."
"You know you and Beth should come over one night, we can hang out, talk, get to know each other better, all that jazz."
Mick voice-over
"I've only been in this house for 5 minutes, and all the bad memories are flooding back to me already."
*flashback to Coraline turning him against his will in the bedroom*
*flashback to Ophelia getting a heart attack in the living room and him desperately draining her*
"Somehow I doubt she'll want that Ophelia, Coraline kidnapped her as a child and held her in this house."
Ophelia looks perplexed for a moment, stopping dead in her tracks before realising the fridge is still open and she's standing there with a bag of blood in one hand and a glass in the other. Pushing the fridge shut with one foot she regains herself and puts the glass down on the counter, tearing the bag open to pour her brother a glass.
"Wow, I knew she did some nasty stuff but kidnapping children. That's just beyond evil. I hope you like A positive because that's all I have."
"That's my preference too." He sounds surprised.
"Maybe it's genetics or something" she chuckles while pouring herself a glass.
He sits there, drinking, thinking. "Why don't you move in with me?"
"What?"
"Move in with me. We can spend more time together, and I have some spare rooms. We can move the dark room into one, and your bedroom in another and of another one we can make an office." She sits down at the counter, sighing deeply and finishing her glass before smiling.
"Ok, let's give that a go. But if it fails, I'm moving back here you know."
He grins widely. "Brilliant. I'll ring Josef to come help moving."
She laughs. "Come over and direct us what to pack and stack in a van you mean."
*fade out to a few hours later*
Josef has arranged some moving vans, with the speed only money can arrange such things, and is overseeing workmen pack up everything that has either been packed up or designated for moving. Ophelia and Mick are looking at it, frowning.
"Wow, you guys even frown in unison, you might want to loosen up on the sibling-act."
"You're just jealous because you don't have a brother or sister." Mick retorts.
"Yeah I am, but don't tell anyone that."
Ophelia hugs Josef and looks at Mick.
"Maybe we can make you an honorary cousin or something."
*fade out on both Mick and Josef mock scowling at each other.
Mick's apartment
Beth arrives, with a grocery bag under one arm and a weekend bag over a shoulder, right into moving mess.
"What's going on here?"
"Ophelia is moving in with me."
"Well that makes sense. Do you guys need some help?"
"I think Josef might, he's upstairs setting up the dark room with Ophelia, and somehow I don't think he understands much of photography."
"I didn't know your sister was into photography."
"She's enrolled in Hearst to get her masters in it, apparently she got her bachelors in France. She also has a media degree and apparently sorted out her private investigating licence."
Beth seems surprised "two P.I.'s in one family, maybe you can start a business together. St-John Investigations."
"But that won't work, I like working with you." He kisses her softly, wrapping his arms around her. "Doesn't mean I won't get her to all the surveillance photography though, that's really not my thing."
"Sounds like you have it all figured out." She smiles kisses him again, before escaping his embrace to start putting groceries in the fridge and kitchen cabinets.
"You don't mind do you?"
"No why should I? She's your sister after all. Besides, it's not like you guys share a bedroom." Her voice is teasing.
Mick chuckles. "No, no we don't. She's on another floor where I still had 3 empty rooms."
"I keep on forgetting how big this place is!"
"Yeah well, finally it's getting some more use out of it now."
Mick voice-over
"It'll be good to have all that empty space filled up and bring some life back into this place… and to get reacquainted with Ophelia again."
Monday morning, Mick's apartment
The boxes have disappeared, and the place has started looking like it's usual neat self. Beth is sitting at the table, having breakfast and reading the newspaper. Mick has retreated to his freezer for some much needed body temperature regulation. Ophelia is running down the stairs, camera bag and book bag over her shoulder.
"Hi Beth, I'm so late! I'm going to be in trouble! I'm already a month behind on everything, I have one actual subject that doesn't involve taking photos you know."
"Don't you have another hour?"
"Yeah but I don't have a car yet, I need to get there by public transport" she makes a face at the idea.
"Well it's on my way to work, I can drop you off. And that even leaves you time for breakfast."
Ophelia sighs relieved, pulling open the fridge for a bag of A positive and flopping down at the table. "Thank you so much Beth, you're a life saver."
*fade at Beth smiling at Ophelia.*
Hearst college
There's the hustle and bustle of students all going about their way, Ophelia is amongst them, a map in hand trying to navigate her way to the classroom she's looking for. A young Goth boy stops her. "Hey, you're new right? The map is a dead give-away."
"Yeah I'm looking for room 309."
"Oh I'm heading there now, come on. I'm Jake by the way. Jake Murray."
"Ophelia St-John."
They shake hands and start walking again, past the other students and through the corridor, up some stairs and into another hallway, finally arriving at the class room they need to be in. Jake joins his friends at the front, while she flops down in a seat at the back. She's surprised to see so much black around her, looking over the Goths curiously. They all look at the professor with awe when he enters and takes room in front of the blackboard.
"Good morning class." He smiles whilst looking over the worshipping faces. "Ah I see a new face in the back! Welcome! You must be the European transfer student. Why don't you start by introducing yourself. Don't be shy, stand up, tell us who you are. I'll start. As you know from the class information, I am Christian Ellis. My speciality lies in Yarnic energies and vampirism."
Jake smiles as he sees Ophelia rise from her seat with a sigh.
"I'm Ophelia St-John, I recently moved to L.A. from Paris, France. I have a masters in Anthropology from Sorbonne University and a bachelors degree from Le Collége des Arts in photography. I'm doing my major in Photography here and I needed to fill in a couple of credits, which is why I'm here."
Most of the class is glaring at her in disbelief, like it's heretical to only be there because you have to fill in some study points. Ellis however is looking at her curiously.
"St-John you say, not related by any chance to the private investigator Mick St-John?" Ellis sounds curious.
"That's my older brother." It's clear from her voice she couldn't care less about this entire introduce-yourself-affair and is waiting for her to be allowed to sit again and to get on with the actual class. She's relieved when he finally does and opens a notebook to start taking notes.
Ben's office
Beth is walking in, a stack of files under her arm and a coffee in her other hand. Bag still over her shoulder. Smiling at Ben cheerfully. "Hey Ben, good morning."
"Hi Beth, can I speak to you for a second when you get settled? I've been given a case I think you'll be interested in."
She's intrigued, dropping her bag and coat on her chair and files on her desk, even abandoning her coffee to get to the information as soon as possible. Ben frowns when she flops down in front of him in record speed.
"Remind me to use that line every morning from now on."
"You have a case?"
"Yeah. The campus police from all the colleges and the university has to report to the D.A.'s office, just like the normal police departments. And this morning I came across a case where concerned parents spoke to officers of the Hearst C.P.D. about their kids being out of touch. They looked into it and the kids are all alive and well, going to class and forming their own Gothic clique. The only thing these kids have in common is that they all study Mythological Anthropology which is taught by your old acquaintance, Professor Ellis."
"They still let him teach?" Beth is positively shocked.
"Apparently so. There was an investigation about him, he was suspended for a couple of months but then cleared and reinstated. Because he had no responsibility for the actions of his teaching assistant it seems."
"If it hadn't been because his preaching and his little blood and sex cult that guy wouldn't have turned into a serial killer!"
"Well, it's up to us to see what he's up to this time. Because I don't believe for a second that that guy has stopped manipulating students for his own purpose."
Professor Ellis' class
"And with that ladies and gentlemen, we conclude today's lecture." He continues speaking when his students pack their stuff together and get ready to leave. "Don't forget, there's some openings in the study group again this year, so if you want to join up, let me know by next week via my email address. Ophelia, can I have a word with you please."
She scowls before turning, already half in the doorframe, sighing as she wanders up to the desk.
"Step into my office for a second."
"She's gonna get it, no one just takes this class for credits" a girl whispers to another before leaving giggling.
As defence is the best offence she starts talking as soon as she's into the office and he closes the door behind her after looking into the classroom, making sure all the other students have left.
"Look, I'm sorry for saying what I did but I'm not going to lie, I really am here because I needed to choose an advanced class in something that wasn't photography."
"And you choose this because you already have a masters I take it."
"Well yeah."
"You seem terribly young to have a masters and a bachelors degree." He looks at her inquisitively, as if he knows more than he's telling.
"I'm 28."
"Are you really?"
"Want to see my ID?" she's tired of this now.
"I doubt that will display your real age, as well made as it will no doubt be."
"What are you implying Professor Ellis?" It's abundant that she doesn't like this one bit.
"I met your brother once before you know, over a year ago."
She nods. "Fascinating as your encounter with my brother no doubt is, if you don't mind, I have an hour to lunch and then a photography class to attend." She turns again, ready to leave.
"Well of course, I wouldn't want to keep you from your hunt for blood."
She turns around and stares at him, narrowing her eyes. He smiles, satisfied.
"I knew that would get your attention. You see your brother once blessed me by choosing me to show his true visage. It was a sign that I must be patient, that one day I will be chosen to reach that level myself. And today you were send. You don't look 28. You look in your early twenties at best. And your brother seems to be about 30. It cannot be anything else than you having been chosen to induct me into your ranks."
"Professor, I'm not here to do anything else than study mythological anthropology, but I can see that I made the wrong choice in subject, so I think I'll see about transferring. You need to find yourself a good therapist to deal with that vampire obsession of yours."
Once again she turns, freezing as she feels the blade cut through the skin of her arm. The silver hurts like hell and she covers the wound with her other hand, trying to stop the bleeding but feeling blood seep underneath her hand and fingers, dripping on the floor beneath her. Turning at him, it takes all her self control not to vamp in front of him. "Are you insane?"
"You're not healing? Why are you not healing?"
"No of course not, because I'm not a vampire you idiot. There's no such thing as vampires!"
She turns and runs, pushing open the office door and bolting through the classroom, Ellis calling out for her to wait and coming after her. She slams the classroom door in his face and looks up at the cameras in the hallway, they all simultaneously go to static as she runs through the hall, vamp speed. Leaving Ellis to look around wondering where she went when he opens the door again.
L.A. County morgue
Mick is talking to Guillermo whilst picking up his blood supply for that week when Ophelia comes in. A black bloody scarf wrapped around her arm where Ellis cut her.
"Ophelia, what happened?" Mick runs to her as she sinks to the floor, still sitting up but obviously in pain. The silver causing her to shake. Guillermo is right behind him, pulling the scarf away.
"That's a nasty cut from a silver blade you got there girl."
"What happened?" Mick is worried, holding her to him as if he hopes that will make everything better.
"Professor Ellis, he was convinced I would heal. It's all your fault you know!"
"I take it this is your kid sister?" Guillermo says whilst handing her a bag of blood and taking out some medical supplies to clean the wound.
"Yeah, this is Ophelia. What do you mean professor Ellis?"
"AUCH!" she screams out when Guillermo squirts a mix of disinfectant and blood in the wound.
"Sorry girl, but I need to make sure all the silver residue gets removed. Or that won't heal and you'll just get even sicker. I'm Guillermo by the way."
"Ophelia, what happened?"
"I'm obliged to take one advanced subject that isn't photography for my masters course. So I looked through the course list and settled on mythological anthropology because I have a masters in anthropology already. Figured it'd be a piece of cake. Turns out that the guy who teaches it, Christian Ellis, remembers you vamping out in front of him at some point last year. He asked me if we were related, I said yes. Then he wanted to see me after class and had this deluded idea that I was send from the gods to turn him or something. I told him he needed a shrink and that there's no such thing as vampires and turned to leave, and that's when he cut me. He wanted to see me heal. I suppose that him cutting me with silver was lucky, albeit very unlucky for me because it hurts like fucking hell!"
"You'll be fine, it's all cleaned out now. Nothing a little blood won't help anymore." Guillermo hands her another blood bag and smiles at her encouragingly.
She nods and starts drinking, watching the wound slowly close.
"Can you make sure she's ok? I've got to deal with this." Mick presses a quick kiss on Ophelia's cheek before getting out.
"Your fault you know!" she shouts after him.
At the first turn he makes he's bumping into Beth.
"Hi, I was looking for you. Guess who's up to his old tricks again?"
"Let me guess, the professor of darkness." His voice is ice cold.
She looks at him surprised. "How did you know?"
"Ophelia has already unhappily made his acquaintance."
"Please don't tell me that her one non photography subject was his."
"Yeah, yeah it was, and now I need to go deal with him."
"Ben managed to find the location of his study group, he's planning on going down there tonight with the campus police. It's in the fraternity house of the Goth society. It's a stand alone house on the northern part of the campus."
Mick-voice over:
"By tonight, there will be nothing left for Talbot to deal with. I made a mistake allowing this guy to live and now Ophelia got hurt. He'll pay for this with his life."
That evening, a quiet part of the campus
Professor Ellis is walking to an fraternity house standing all on its own in the distance. It's decorated like Halloween is on everyday, not just on October 31st. The lights are on but the road to it is abandoned and barely lit.
Suddenly a voice calls out from the darkness, making him turn and look around.
"You shouldn't have touched my sister Ellis."
He smiles when he sees Mick appear, vampiric visage on.
"I knew you'd come. I knew the moment I realised I cut her and she disappeared so quickly you would. I must admit I did doubt for a second when she didn't heal, but then I saw the blade was silver. I hope you will forgive me my momentary lapse of faith."
"You're insane. You're even crazier than you were last year."
"Turn me into what you are, I have shown the dedication have I not? I will bring my students into the fold of the vampire society, and together we will rule as Gods!"
"Man you are so demented its unreal." Mick jumps against him, pinning him against a tree. Ellis looks scared now. "I will make sure you don't hurt anyone anymore professor. And no one will take your teachings serious anymore by next year. Because after all, vampires don't exist."
Ellis opens his mouth to speak, but before a sound leaves him, his neck is snapped. As easy as a child snaps a twig. Mick leaves his limp body on the ground and walks away, disappearing into the night.
A crime-scene on campus
There are several cops around taking statements and inspecting the scene. Ellis' dead body being taken away on a stretcher, his face is visible for a second before the body bag is zipped up completely. The usual darkness of the vicinity is now lightened artificially with all the lamps the authorities have brought with them. Ben and Beth are in the middle of it all, talking to upset and grief-stricken students from his study group who found the body.
"We came out to see if maybe he was running late or something, and we wanted to wait for him to arrive on the parking lot. But then we saw him lying there." Jake Murray is explaining, holding one sobbing Goth girl to him whilst two others are crying in each others arms.
One of the CSI guys approaches them, drawing Ben's attention by tapping him on the shoulder. Beth listens in on the conversation next to her intently.
"We find no traces of a struggle, he must have tripped over the branches of that tree and snapped his neck in the fall. It's a stupid accident but these things do happen. Especially in dark areas like these."
Ben nods and shrugs at Beth. "Well I say that's one case closed then. I'll go fill in the paperwork at the office, you go home. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."
She nods. "Ok I will, see you tomorrow Ben."
"Yeah see you."
*fade at Ben watching Beth walk away to the parking lot*
Ben's office
He's sitting at his desk, typing up the report. The evening breeze carrying in her scent and he looks up, breathing in the air and smiling. He never even heard her come in.
"Hello Ophelia."
She smiles back as she takes the seat in front of his desk, the cut on her arm disappeared completely. "Hello Benjamin. I'm here about that list."
He reaches into his desk and gives her a file. The case name reads "Mick St-John". She looks surprised and frowns at him.
"That's all of it."
For a second she's quiet and listens to his heart beat, suddenly frowning and reaching out to touch his hand.
"Yes. Yes it is. Thank you."
"Sure. No problem."
She rises from her chair, putting the file in her bag, ready to leave again.
"Hey. Want to go to the Edison with me on Friday? I don't know whether you have plans or not. But I'm going, and since we met there, I figured you might want to come too."
Her face breaks out in a smile, lighting up her eyes. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'll see you there ok. Bye."
And with a last smile she leaves again, as silently as she has arrived, leaving him to shake his head and grin before continuing his typing.
Josef's office "Yeah, you're right Beth. I'm glad she's here."
"So this guy is dealt with permanently right?"
Beth nods to confirm. "Yeah, and the campus police did a search in the rooms of all the students involved in his study group and found nothing but some blood vials with the professors blood in it. Same in the fraternity house."
"One of them is a vampire, and he was present during the questionings, but he did listen to their hearts beat pretty closely and confirms they know nothing of our existence." Mick adds.
"Good, I can't abide by all of these vampire wannabe's, they're bad news. Speaking of bad news. How's that sister of yours?"
"Oh she's fine, she's switched to "History of Art: Dadaism and Surrealism." I took her to meet Logan earlier, and she's probably still talking his head off about Man Ray and Max Ernst."
"I bet he's just happy a girl is talking to him for once. Well, good to see she's settling in just fine then." Josef smiles.
"Yeah it's like she's always been here already!" Beth nods.
Mick voice-over
"In a way that's true. I had never forgotten her, and carried her memory with me every day. In my heart."
*fade out on him looking at Beth and smiling happily.*