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-Act Three-
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[SETTING; Cordelia parks Angel's convertible with a squeak on the side of the road. They have driven a bit into the mountains in a rich neighborhood, were the houses are large and spread far apart, with excellent views. Gray clouds begin to creep up overhead. Cordelia pauses to look out on the scene. ]
Cordelia : Ok, am SO jealous right now.
Wesley : Cordy! The house number!
Cordelia : Oh, right. [looks at a piece of paper in her hand, than up to the house across were they're parked] That should be it.
[Scene cut; The group, all geared up, have approached the house. The two guys linger behind, looking around tensely for any signs of demon, while Cordelia approaches the door and knocks, using the very nice looking door-knocker to do so. ]
[The door opens to reveal an older man around his late 60's, his face creased with slight concern. ]
Cordelia : Mr. Green?
Man : Please, just John will do.
Wesley [steps up] : John, do you know were the creature is currently?
John [nodding] : Like I told the young lady, the brute's up on m' roof, I can hear it chewing a hole right through it. Worse than any termite infestation, that's fer sure. I don't care what you do, as long as you stop it from destroying my property! You sure you folks can handle that thing? [eyeing the three of them suspiciously]
Wesley [nods] : Don't worry, sir, we're professionals. It would be best if you remained here, stay in a room away from the noise, keep as quiet as possible. We'll need to go around back, if you permit us.
John [pauses] : Sure. Just try and be careful of the petunias.
[Scene cut; The three stalking through the yard, weapons at ready. They are all watching the roof with caution. The sky is pretty dark by now. ]
Cordelia [whispering] : Did you hear that?
Wesley [whispering] : Hear what?
Cordelia : Ok, I didn't either.
[Gunn nearly trips after avoiding a pink petunia. ]
Gunn [makes an annoyed sound, whispers loudly] : If this thing's so gigantic and pissed off, were the Hell is he?
Wesley [studying the roof] : We should split up.
Cordelia : Oh, no, no. Bad plan.
Gunn : Uh, yeah, I'd have to agree-
Wesley : C'mon. Cordy, you go over by the oak tree, see if you can spot him. Gunn will circle back the way we came, I'll pursue the north side-
[An ear splitting SCREECH halts him in mid-sentence, and causes everyone to jump in surprise and raise their weapons. Camera cuts to the roof-we see a brown, winged creature leap into view, whipping it's tail. It tilts it's head to look down at the halo crew and, with a clack of it's beak, lets loose another serpentine-like screech. ]
Wesley : Never mind.
[Scene Change; Back in Fred's lovely room. She is working vigorously at her makeshift easel, with a worn charcoal pencil. Her hands are all blackened from the charcoal. We can't see what it is she's drawing. Every now and then she looks up as if she's hearing something. Gradually this disturbance seems to upset her more and more. ]
Fred : I. . . yes, I hear you. . . [scrunches her face] Shh. . . . not so fast! I can't keep up! [her sketching becomes more and more rushed-she is breathing heavy from exertion] Right-I hear you. . . .
[Camera shifts; We're on the floor looking up at Fred while she draws. She glances in our direction again. ]
Fred : All right! Now, hold still-having a hard time with this one part.
[Camera back on her again, drawing feverishly. She suddenly stops and steps back to look at it, sighing with contentment. ]
Fred : There. Not so bad, huh?
[Camera pans out. There is something gray on the floor nearby she seems to be talking to. ]
Fred : Go ahead, you can take a look. It's not perfect, but I did it as close as, as what you wanted.
[Close-up on object-it's a gray RAT. It rears up on it's hindquarters and is sniffing the air inquisitively as Fred speaks to it. ]
Fred [laughs] : I'm glad you're pleased. You've, you've been a lot of help to me.
[Scene change; The brown winged beast on the roof flaps it's wings and screeches again, obviously angry. ]
Wesley [stutters] : Um, ahh, ok, um-
Gunn : Way to go, smooth planner.
Cordelia : Do I have to do everything? [tsks] Boys. . . [rapping out commands] Wesley, see if you can climb that tree, Gunn, get under the house were he can't see you and try to keep it distracted-I'm headed for the fence!
[Gunn looks from Wesley to Cordy and back to Wesley again. ]
Wesley [points] : What she said! Go!
[The three split up and jump to action. Wesley is scrambling up the oak, whose limbs eventually lead to the roof, as fast as he can, Cordelia makes it to the top of the fence and attempts to hoist herself on the roof, and Gunn is waving at the beast with his axe from down below, yelling. When Wesley and Cordelia simultaneously make it on the roof, however, the demon shrieks once, and than takes to the air. The two make a half-hearted attempt to run after him but it clears the roof and gains altitude very quickly. They stop, panting for breath, watching it leave. ]
Wesley : Damn.
Cordelia [panting] : Bark worse than his bite, huh?
Wesley : Let's hope so. Look at him go! It's incredible. I've never seen a creature with such size able to get into the air that quickly.
Cordelia [looking around at the roof] : He totaled this guy's shingling. That's sure gonna cost him.
Wesley [picks up a shingle] : Yes, it's strange. I wonder what it was doing?
[He tosses it back down and wipes his hands on his jeans. ]
Wesley : Well. Shall we?
[Camera cut; Gunn watches at the two climb down from the roof to the fence and jump the ground. ]
Gunn : Hey. Easier to get rid of him than we thought, huh?
Wesley : Yes. . . unfortunately I doubt that'll be the last we hear from him.
Cordelia : Isn't it weird how 'it' has now been dubbed a 'he'?
[Wesley tosses Cordy her weapon to carry. ]
Wesley : Thanks for being the default planner, Cordelia, my mind occasionally freezes up. [tosses Gunn his weapon] C'mon then, no need to hang about here.
[He starts to walk, the other two following behind. ]
Cordelia : Excuse me? Default?
Gunn [leans in to mutter to her] : Personally I think the default did a better job than the current. [gives his trademark charming-grin]
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Wesley : I don't understand it.
[SETTING; The lobby of the Hyperion. It seems Wesley's books have migrated out here with him. Cordelia is at her iMac, scouring the Net. Angel looks impatiently between the two. ]
Angel : What do you mean?
Wesley [places book on table] : By all respects, what we encountered must of been a griffin. . . the beaked face, the large wingspan, the tail and-I must admit we only got a very brief glimpse, but griffins are one of those demons that really stand out in the crowd.
[Angel approaches to scan the book. ]
Angel : Yeah? How so?
Wesley [gestures to a faded picture] : They are said to possess the tail and hindquarters of a loin, and the eagle's forelimbs, head and wings. The perfect cross between the king of the beasts and the king of the birds, and supposedly has all the characteristics of the two.
Angel : So. . . what don't you get?
Wesley [turns a few pages] : What I don't understand is that griffins are almost always listed as good demons. They're supposed to be very intelligent creatures of nobility, and according to mythology, have long served as guards for kingdoms or great treasures-they're on our side.
Angel : Well you said that once you reached it, it got one look at you and took off, right?
Wesley [nods] : Yes. And he wasn't necessarily going after Mr. Green-he was interested in his roof. If I could find out what it was he was doing. . . [sighs] It still doesn't make any sense, though. These creatures normally live way up in distant mountains-they tend to avoid mass human population as much as possible. . . they are quite solitary animals. Why has one suddenly appeared down here in LA?
Cordelia [from across the room] : Wesley, take a break. You know it's a well-known fact that the human brain doesn't function on an empty stomach.
[Wesley sighs and rubs his temples. ]
Wesley : I just know this demon is doing to turn up again-
Cordelia : And in the meantime, you don't have to kill yourself waiting for it. C'mon, Gunn should be back any minute now. [speaking as if to entice a child] Chinese taaake-ooout. . .
Wesley [sighs] : All right, I suppose-
[The phone rings and interrupts him. Both Angel and Cordelia make for it, but Cordy grabs it first. ]
Cordelia : Hello, Angel Investigations, we help the helpless. . . how can I help you?
Angel [to Wesley] : Remind me to change our slogan.
[Wesley waves for him to be quiet, he's trying to listen to Cordelia. ]
Cordelia : Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure! Ok. Thanks. B'bye.
[She hangs it up and the two are watching her expectedly. ]
Cordelia : Yeah, um, Wes, good news! You don't have to wait anymore.
Wesley [all ready moving to get his gear] : Where?
Cordelia : 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, a place called. . . [pauses] You know, funnily enough, it's called Griffith Park.
[Wesley corrals her out the door, Angel watching with irritation. ]
Wesley [OS] : Angel! Come ON!
Angel : Hello? Does everyone forget the sunlight issue-
Wesley [appears impatiently in the threshold] : It's overcast!
Angel : Oh.
[They stand there a moment. ]
Wesley : Than don't just stand there, unless you plan on taking a cab!
