JEHONAS I'll need you to forget some things. A sudden CRASH from the main dance floor, THE ENTRANCE, Several COPS pour in with revolvers in hand and ready. They make a quick survey of the horrific destruction around and spread out. They reach DENNIS, kneeling on the floor with a blank stare. Looks like he's in some kind of trance. He flinches as one of the cops put a hand on his shoulder. ANGLE ON THE OFFICER Behind him, and on the top level, the flowing back of a black long coat disappears up the stairs. Nothing else stirs, but the flaming figure impaled on the wall, OFFICER Christ, not this shit again. Put him out. INT. STAIRS - NIGHT As Jehonas starts up the stairs, he pauses in mid-step -- A COCKROACH scurries out from underfoot. Jehonas adjusts his footfall, sparing the roach. He readjusts his long coat, before continuing on up the stairs and disappearing in the smoky haze. CUT TO: EXT. CITY STREET -- NIGHT A YELLOW CAB pulls up on one side of the street. A typical New York City residential street with packed cars in parking and packed apartments on both sides. INT. TAXI - NIGHT The CAB DRIVER, an old man, stops the cab and looks out the window on the passenger side. CAB DRIVER Okay, boys and girls. Thirteen-Thirty- One Wagner Street. FEMALE VOICE (O.S.) Thanks. What do I owe ya? The driver stops and turns to regard his passengers in the back seat. A YOUNG brunette, no older than in her late teens, is busy digging around in her large purse. She is BUFFY, the Vampire Slayer. To the cab driver, she looks like a young girl with guts for being out in a night like this. Nothing else. Her boyfriend? He's young also, 20-year old, an obvious college student. His name is OWEN, we recognize him well from an earlier encounter back in Sunnydale. CAB DRIVER Fourteen twenty three, little miss. BUFFY (still digging in her purse) Twenty-three cents -- OWEN Want me to cover? CAB DRIVER You know, I have a daughter just like you. I'd be some trusting parent to let my little girl go out with her boyfriend this late at night. Heck I'd even kill whoever it is taking my daughter out this late. BUFFY Lucky girl. CAB DRIVER She's what keeps me going. Heck, let's just make it an even fourteen. What do we say? Buffy finally pulls out a twenty-dollar bill and smiles a thank you. The driver returns her smile with one of his own. He unrolls a couple of bills, counts up her change, and hands it to her. CAB DRIVER Here you go. You two have a good night. Buffy gives him one more smile before grabbing her other bag and opening the door. Owen following. EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT She waves him a good bye and watches as the taxi pulls away. The street is quiet. A man is walking his dog on the far street, and a young couple in each others' arms is walking home from a night movie. Buffy stops and allows the couple to pass by. They're too entranced into each other's grip to notice her. It gives Buffy some painful memories. Owen slings one of her backpacks over his shoulder, notices Buffy's expression. OWEN Hey, you okay? He grips her shoulder, massaging it. Buffy seems distant. BUFFY Owen, I, uh, want to thank you for picking me up, and, um, escorting me here and all. OWEN Hey, no problem. Anytime you need me. I'm actually still kind of surprised that you would come out here, alone. Are you thinking of schooling here? We see his face brighten up. BUFFY Well, not exactly -- We see disappointment. BUFFY Kinda sick of staring at the same ocean, ya'know? Anyway, I don't want to take up anymore of your time. OWEN Better a good heart than a fair face. You know the saying. Come on -- He motions to the house in front of them, OWEN -- is this it? Buffy reads over a piece of paper in her hand and nods. OWEN At least let me escort you up the stairs before you get rid of me for good. She flushes in embarrassment for a second, quickly assured by Owen's gentle smile. He walks up the stairs with her things, Buffy EXHALES deeply and follows. EXT. APARTMENT DOOR - NIGHT Doorbell RINGS. Moments later, the inner door opens and a WOMAN appears. An attractive middle-aged blonde. She sees Buffy, tired and disheveled, and opens the outer door. A look of utter disbelief. Owen waves a hello. BUFFY H-hi, Mrs. Summers. MRS. SUMMERS Buffy? What are you doing out here? (beat) Where's your mother? BUFFY She's not here and, uh, I'm alone. Mrs. Summers look her over with worry. She carefully considers Buffy's words. A moment of uneasiness between them. BUFFY Um, is my dad around? Buffy looks at her with hopeful eyes. Suddenly, a big and warm smile fills Mrs. Summer's face. MRS. SUMMERS He's at work, Buffy. Why don't I take you there right now to see him, okay? She nods gratefully. BUFFY Owen -- OWEN Well, guess I'll be going. Good seeing you again, Buffy. BUFFY Want to stick around me for a bit? Maybe we could, after, I don't know -- OWEN Sure! INT. CITY HOSPITAL - AUTOPSY ROOM - NIGHT TRACKING a bagged corpse as it's rolled into the autopsy room by an ASSISTANT. ASSISTANT Dr. Summers! Brought you a baked potato, nice and crispy. Still warm, too. DOCTOR HANK SUMMERS, the forensic pathologist (40s, white bread, handsome and experienced) steps forward, unzips the bag -- It's Quinn, what's left of him, anyway. Burnt to a charcoal briquette, limbs twisted horribly, oozing fluids. Hank turns his head, grimacing, wafting the air. HANK Jesus, that's rank -- Hank turns back, makes note of the multiple puncture wounds, the ruined throat -- HANK What's his story? ASSISTANT Paramedics said he was still moving when they found him. Looks like some joker had stapled him to a wall. HANK Pretty. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL - HEMATOLOGY LAB - NIGHT MICROSCOPE POV: of a slide-mounted blood smear stained with Wright stain (blue ink). What we see is a collection of donut- shaped pink things (red blood cells) intermingled with some small blue specks (platelets) and the occasional larger, light-blue blobs (white blood cells). Doctor Summers is there, busy in his own dissection and analysis. Next to him is JULIE WHITAKER, a hard working chemtech. HANK Did you check the chemistry panel? Blood sugar level is three times the norm, phosphorous and uric acid are off the scales. WHITAKER You took this off of DOA? HANK That's right. WHITAKER This isn't human blood. HANK Then what is it? WHITAKER I don't know -- (re: microscope) Look at this blood smear -- Hank takes a look for himself. WHITAKER The red blood cells are biconvex, which is theoretically impossible. They're hypochromic, there's virtually no hemoglobin in them. HANK Yeah, look at the PMNs, they're binucleated, they should be mononucleated. Hank sits up and removes his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. WHITAKER Dr. Summers, it's three in the morning. Why don't we call it a night and go home. Obviously this is some kind of a joke. HANK It's no joke, Julie. I've got the stiff sitting in the morgue right now. WHITAKER You're kidding. No human being can have the type of blood these tests are showing. HANK (shaking head) The answers are inside the body. Let's start with the autopsy right away. Whitaker gets up, and stretches. WHITAKER Well whatever the case, let's do it quick. I'm tired. INT. HOSPITAL MORGUE - NIGHT The dead of night, not a mouse in the house. Hank, Julie, and an assistant named CURTIS, each garbed in a mask, stand on either side of Quinn's body, which now rests on the autopsy table. QUINN'S BODY A preliminary exploratory Y-incision has been made across the chest, stretching from shoulder to shoulder, then continuing on down the abdomen. Ribs and cartilage have been cut open to expose the heart and lungs. WHITAKER You haven't started in on the internal organs? CURTIS Just the blood sample from the pericardial sac. Hank pries open the mouth and checks inside with a penlight. HANK Hmm -- maxila looks a little deformed. There's some unusual muscle structure around the canines -- Curtis pauses, studying Quinn's disfigured face -- the features seem much less damaged now -- almost as if the corpse were healing itself. CURTIS That's weird -- HANK What is? CURTIS He looks different now, burns are less extreme, some of these wounds have closed up -- WHITAKER What are you talking about? Hank notices something as well. He picks up the charts, looks it over. HANK (flips and reads off pages) I could have sworn as well. This patient suffered massive fourth-degree burns. TIGHT ON QUINN'S HAND. We think a finger just moved. HANK (O.S.) What could cause this accelerated muscle regrowth? Curtis pulls out a penlight, flicks it on. He leans over Quinn, shining the light into one of his eyes. CURTIS And look here, Doctor Summers. Remember the deep puncture wound -- QUINN SUDDENLY BOLTS UP from the autopsy table, sinking his fangs into Curtis' jugular. He snaps the man's neck in two for easier access, sucking in blood like a living vacuum. Hank stumbles backwards, sending autopsy tools CLATTERING. Quinn rises from the table, flinging Curtis' twitching body aside. He curls his blood-soaked lips back, baring viper-like fangs, emitting a GUTTURAL GROWL -- QUINN (crazed by thirst) -- more -- blood -- Hank and Julie back into the corpse drawers, but Quinn is upon them in a half-second, wrapping a hand about Julie's throat. HER POV: His mouth opens/morphs disturbingly wide as if to swallow her head whole, caustic saliva dripping from his canines. Julie tries to turn her head away, but Quinn's grip is vise-like. She finds herself staring into his eyes -- pupils pulsing rapid- fire, opening and closing, hypnotic -- HANK (O.S.) Julie! Hank tries to grab a hold on one of Quinn's massive arms, but he tosses him away like some weightless doll. INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - NIGHT Hank BURSTS through the double doors and lands with a loud thud against the wall. Some SCREAMS in the hallway. A young woman, an older woman, and a young man run up to the now unconscious doctor on the floor. MRS. SUMMERS (hysterical) Hank? BUFFY Daddy?! Suddenly, a piercing SCREAM from the inside of the autopsy room fills their ears. Owen glances at the doctor and at the double doors. Wrestling his thoughts, he rushes in before any of them notice. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM - NIGHT Total chaos. Quinn still has Julie screaming hysterically, trapped in his arms in a vice like grip. Owen, horrified at the sight, grabs a nearby medical tray and runs over. SLAM! He swings it down with all of his might onto Quinn's head. Quinn turns, SNARLS, baring fangs, slamming Julie's head to the lockers, knocking her out cold. Owen's drops the tray, mouthing a simple 'Oh shit'. New feast, Quinn snaps his arms forward, grabbing hold of his neck and opens wide. INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - NIGHT Buffy looks left and right for help. No one around. Damn. Another scream. Owen! Buffy snaps her eyes up in alert at the double swinging doors. Her expression becomes more tense and peeved. BUFFY Get him out of here. Mrs. Summers cradling her husband in her arms. MRS. SUMMERS Wait! What are you -- Before she could do or say anything more, Buffy is already up on her feet and charging into the room. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM - NIGHT BOOM! Doors SLAM OPEN as the Slayer rushes in. Buffy first sees the horribly disfigured and burnt Quinn, then her gaze lowers down to the two men with blood pouring from a gaping neck wound. One's obviously dead with his head bent unnaturally to the side, the other Owen twitching as life dwindles from him. She starts to back pedal, starting to get teary eyed. BUFFY Oh my god, Owen -- Quinn, eyes closed, feeling the fresh new blood coursing through his arteries. We can start to SEE his wounds and flesh slowly reshaping and healing itself. He feels Buffy, opens his eyes. More blood. Buffy's fears are true. The monsters and demons from the past come rushing back to the present like a locomotive. She suddenly becomes one T-d off Slayer. BUFFY Why don't you ever leave me ALONE! Quinn charges. Buffy is quick, grabs hold of one of his extended arms and sends an open palmed punch up to his chin. The big vampire staggers back from the force of her blow. Using the momentum, Buffy continues to pound away with all of her pent-up rage. A hard roundhouse to the left, and one to the right, and then a hard uppercut to send Quinn back into the steel drawers. QUINN's face is mad, real mad and charges, bellowing like a raging bull at Buffy. None of her blows are even slowing him down. We see nervousness on Buffy. QUINN You little tease! I'm gonna rip you apart! Buffy side-steps and delivers a well placed knee strike to Quinn's abdomen. He grunts. An elbow strike hard to his neck from Buffy, following a hard backhand blow to the brain section. Quinn only grunts some more and turns to see Buffy land a hard spin kick to his chest. INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - NIGHT DOORS SLAM open as Quinn gets thrown from the room back into the hallway the same way Hank exited. Buffy follows after him. With the force of landing against the wall, he bounces back forward to a sharp kick up to his abdomen. This time, Quinn manages to shrug off her blow and presses forward with his vampire strength and ferocity. Buffy ducks and tries to evade to one side but Quinn grabs hold of her. BUFFY No! She struggles like a rabid wolverine. Her face in total fear and shock as his strength is so much greater than hers. Impossible. How can it be? Quinn spins her around and roughly tilts her head to reveal her neck. As Quinn sinks the tips of his fangs into Buffy's carotid artery and starts to nurse -- The sound of RUSHING BLOOD pounding through her skull. Everything spinning. She tries to struggle but in vain. The searing pain in her neck overcoming her senses and control. The force of the attack sends the ugly coupling spinning slowly to the direction of -- BUFFY'S POV: An advancing figure, slowly opening his longcoat. ON QUINN rising, his face bloodied by the feeding, smoking. WHIP PAN TO: JEHONAS as he strolls up to Quinn and lands a hard punch into his face, knocking him nearly senseless. He drops Buffy. She crumples to the floor. JEHONAS Came back to finish you off. Quinn BELLOWS with rage. QUINN Get away from me, you freak! Quinn tries tackling him but Jehonas sidesteps and backhand punches him across the face. He stumbles into a fire extinguisher, sees it, grabs and tries to nail -- SCHIING!! The sword is instantly unsheathed and Jehonas cuts upwards, slicing off Quinn's hand with the extinguisher. Quinn HOWLS in pain. SEVERAL SECURITY GUARDS turn the corner to see some guy in a black long coat with a wicked sword and an abomination of a torched man. Their eyes wide in fear and shock. SECURITY GUARD #1 Freeze!! Jehonas turns to regard the officers. They lose their nerve and OPEN FIRE. Several clean shots into his chest, momentarily distracting him from Quinn. JEHONAS What the?! Are you out of your damn mind?! The guards are scared witless, and flee back down the hall. Quinn sees an opening, runs, moving through the hallway like a human tornado, heading for the windows at the end of the hall -- SMASH!!! Out goes Quinn, taking half the wall with him. Jehonas rushes to the decimated window, looks down -- JEHONAS' POV: Quinn lands on the roof of an ambulance parked four stories below, caving it in. He springs off, loping across the tarmac on three limbs, then -SCREECH!-THWUMP!- rolling up onto the hood of an oncoming car, before disappearing into the night. BACK UP ABOVE, Jehonas spins, SEES Buffy bleeding her life away on the floor. Her eyes beseeching -- Jehonas looks away unmoved, takes a step -- then hesitates. A flicker of doubt washes across his face. Something stirs in his mind. CUT FLASH, a brief look of Alyssa's desperate face we remember from the beginning. He looks again, her wounds. BUFFY'S POV: Jehonas pulls out his powerful Eagle and aims for her heart. Buffy panics. For a moment he considers ending her. Another quick FLASH of Alyssa's face and then Buffy again. Jehonas looks away, obvious heart and mind arguing. INT. AUTOPSY ROOM - NIGHT Jehonas opens the doors and steps in, surveying Quinn's gruesome work. He SEES the unconscious Julie at one end, and a really dead Curtis. Owen is still twitching on the floor, writhing in silent pain. HEAVY SECURITY (O.S.) Hey, you! Jehonas looks back, hears company. He looks down at Owen, and then outside. He retreats through the doors. INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - NIGHT Jehonas SEES MORE POLICEMEN rush into the hallway, weapons drawn. HEAVY SECURITY Hold it, ass-hole! He looks down at Buffy, and then back at the Autopsy Room, wrestling with his conscience, finally making a decision. He kneels, scoops Buffy up into his arms. HEAVY SECURITY (O.S.) I said hold it!!! Jehonas ignores them, shielding Buffy with his body, sprints down the hall in the same direction Quinn ran off to. They start to open fire on Jehonas just as he disappears behind some doors at the end of the hallway. INT. HOSPITAL - AN OFFICE - NIGHT Jehonas stops, facing the crude window Quinn's made before him. It's a good thirty feet to the roof of the adjacent building, a parking structure -- and damned if Jehonas doesn't seem to be considering the jump. He looks left and right, no other choice. He hears alot of FOOTSTEPS from hallway behind him.
