JEHONAS Let me set you straight on something, Slayer. I don't care who you are or what kind of things you did back home. What you've "seen" so far is nothing. That material girl world you live in is just the sugar-coated topping. There's another world beneath it, the real world -- and it's one ugly bloodbath. If you want to survive in it, you'd better learn to pull the trigger! Jehonas slips his glasses back on, leaving Buffy shocked into silence. He heads for his Olds without looking back. Buffy makes up her mind and follows after him. BUFFY Wait! I'm coming with you. JEHONAS You're useless. INT. JEHONAS' OLDS - DUSK Jehonas climbs in. Buffy comes in at the passenger side and deposits herself next to him. Jehonas gives her his trademark peeved off look but she stares back -- matching his stare with her own. She's not going anywhere. JEHONAS Do you have a death wish or are you just plain stupid? BUFFY Look, maybe I screwed up back there or it's just me showing a little bit of compassion for life. I'm a vampire slayer. You're a vampire slayer. If what you say is true, then they're already after me and they're probably after you, too. I know the drill so I can handle myself. Okay? It wouldn't hurt if you had a little backup, right? I'll stick with you until Karen can find a cure for me. JEHONAS (scoffs) You actually think there's hope for you? BUFFY Well, I'm not just saying it to make me feel better. Jehonas looks away with a visible frown. Hunting down vampires is more than a job itself. Now he has to look after another body while on duty. He doesn't like it. If you could cut off the unnecessary worries in life, you would. BUFFY You know, courtesy's contagious. Jehonas looks back at her with a slightly less of a frown. He shakes his head, amazed at her spirit. CUT TO: INT. JEHONAS' OLDS - NIGHT Jehonas and Buffy are still in the Olds. They're parked in the same garage of the hospital. Krieger's cruiser is still sitting far down from where they are. Buffy takes a small bite from her fast-food joint burger and reaches for her drink. Jehonas watches impassively at the surrounding darkness. BUFFY He's not going to show. No one's that stupid. JEHONAS Then you already understand the nature of the thing. You know what it's capable of. Jehonas points through the windshield -- THEIR POV: Krieger rushes from a door, climbing behind the wheel of his patrol vehicle. He takes off. Jehonas keys the ignition. He follows the cruiser, CLICKING on a cell-phone scanner mounted on the dash. He shows Buffy the same card from Krieger, noting a seven digit number. JEHONAS Type this in. She does. Numbers flash on the LCD screen as it searches for that signal, then locks onto it. We hear a DIAL TONE, then a number being dialed -- AUTOMATED VOICE (filtered, on scanner) "You've reached a number that is no longer in service. Please consult your operator and try again". KRIEGER'S VOICE (filtered, on scanner) It's Krieger, PIN number sixteen-zero- zero-nine -- A "real" voice comes on the line: VOICE (filtered, on scanner) You're late -- Buffy looks to Jehonas, impressed. INT. KRIEGER'S CRUISER - NIGHT Krieger speeds, shouting into the speaker phone -- KRIEGER Get me Pearl! VOICE (filtered, on speaker) Pearl is displeased -- KRIEGER Look, I'm very sorry about being late but I couldn't help it. That hunter Frost has been talking about? He attacked me! EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT The patrol cruiser makes a hard banking turn on the corner of the street. It skids somewhat and accelerates quickly. A few seconds behind, the Olds turn with more precision and follows. INT. KRIEGER'S CAR - NIGHT Krieger is very nervous and scared witless/shitless in his mind. KRIEGER Look. I'll be there with the delivery! He turns off his phone and steps on the gas. The patrol car speeds in response. Somewhere behind, the Olds quickly turns into another street and disappears from view, just as Krieger glances up at his rearview mirror. No one's there. EXT. THE BLACK PEARL - NIGHT Tokyo town. A black edifice, no windows, secured parking, no signage except for a purple neon scroll above the entrance -- a FLASHING KANJI. Krieger's cruiser pulls into the parking lot. He climbs out, flagging away the valets, heads inside. WHIP PAN TO: Jehonas' Olds stopping a few blocks down the street. INT. JEHONAS' OLDS - NIGHT Jehonas kills the engine, studying The Black Pearl. JEHONAS Looks like we hit pay-dirt. Jehonas and Buffy climb out of the Olds. Buffy moves off on her own and views the area from a corner. Jehonas goes into his backseat and pulls out his weapons and gear. BUFFY Where are we? Jehonas turns and points to the side of the alley, targeting the graffiti-covered wall intently -- JEHONAS (gesturing) What do you see there? BUFFY Graffiti -- JEHONAS Look closer. Jehonas indicates a design amongst the various gang-banger tags that looks something like a post-modern hieroglyphic. JEHONAS That isn't a gang tag, it's a vampire marking. It means there's a safe-house nearby; a place for vampires to play around in when dawn is coming. Jehonas points to a building across the street -- THE BLACK PEARL, A conversion from your basic inner-city blood-barter establishment -- where desperate transients parley their plasma into cash -- to a strip and dance club for the denizens of the dark. BUFFY It looks like a club. JEHONAS Owned by vampires also. BUFFY Oh. Jehonas pulls out his charcoal colored Eagle .44 Magnum. He ejects the clip, check for ammo, and reloads. CHIK-CHANK. His movements, almost mechanical. Buffy turns back to Jehonas as he is holstering the powerful handgun. He sees Buffy waiting there, staring. JEHONAS (pointing) See the valets over there? They're vampires. So is the doorman. BUFFY (looking back) How can you tell? JEHONAS The way they move, the way they smell. It's something you pick up after awhile. Jehonas continues to scan the area, pointing out a few more likely candidates. JEHONAS The whore on the corner, she's one too. So are the two men standing under the streetlight. Jehonas reaches into the back seat, retrieves his shotgun. He pumps the shotgun once, chambers a round. Buffy continues to study the vampires Jehonas identified. BUFFY So many of them out in the open. I still can't believe they're all around us. JEHONAS There are worse things out tonight than vampires. BUFFY Oh, yeah? Like what? JEHONAS Like me. In one quick and precise movement, Jehonas sheathes his sword in his back scabbard. JEHONAS Look, I can understand what you're going through. You want to do this yet you feel reluctant. I'm not going to ask why you're here but since you've already made it a point to follow me around. You ready to walk through that door? Buffy nods. Jehonas continues to stare at her, taking her measure -- there's strength in this young woman's eyes, she has the soul of a true fighter -- and Jehonas recognizes it. JEHONAS All right, then, listen up. I hope your Watcher instructed you well on the basics but to be safe, let's go over Vampire Anatomy 101. Crosses and running water are useless, so forget about slapping two sticks together thinking you can ward them off. BUFFY No crosses? JEHONAS If you think you're the Pope or some profound religious figure in the hands of Christ, then go ahead. Buffy quickly makes up her mind, takes a hold of her necklace -- her small silver cross -- and puts it back into her shirt. She looks back at Jehonas with a look of a young school girl's "teach me" expression. JEHONAS Wouldn't hurt to have faith either. He enumerates the following on his fingers: JEHONAS You use stake, silver, or sunlight, got it? Jehonas holds up his Beretta 9mm handgun. JEHONAS Here, know how to use one of these? Buffy takes the weapon from him, eyes all over it. BUFFY Um, no. Jehonas takes the gun back, reaches into his vest, and pulls out a smaller pistol. JEHONAS Forty caliber Smith & Wesson, satin stainless. Safety's off, round's already chambered -- (cocking it) Silver hollow-points filled with garlic. Recoil won't be a problem with this. You aim for the heart or the head, anything else is a one-way ticket to a pine box. Buffy takes the gun and feels for its weight. Jehonas stares at her as she pockets it, then suddenly spins away and starts across the street towards the club. Buffy makes a face behind him and follows. EXT. THE BLACK PEARL - NIGHT The two slayers walk out from the alleyway. Jehonas lets his shotgun fall within the folds of his longcoat and starts across the street -- only to be challenged by a HULKING DOORMAN at the entrance. DOORMAN Sumimasen. Do you have an invitation card-o? INT. BLACK PEARL - NIGHT CRASH! The front door flies open as the Doorman's body sails through. Jehonas enters with casual pace, Buffy at his heels. The 'Pearl' is an all-hours strip club cum casino catering exclusively to Japanese zaibatsu clientele. Dimly lit, the air thick with cigarette smoke, deafening MUSIC. Go boards, pachinko machines, sexy little MANGA WAIFS in schoolgirl outfits doling out drinks. STRIPPERS writhe in the circular "pit" tables surrounded by HOWLING grab-ass men. But that's nothing compared to -- the MAIN ATTRACTION, who's doing a bump and grind down the runway, shaking a body worthy of a schoolboy's wet dream. Her attire? A leather S&M face mask, nipple rings, 6-inch spikes, and a pair of panties to hide her modesty. Jehonas scans the room -- just in time to see Krieger emerging from the doors in the back of the bar. Jehonas pushes towards the rear of the club. Buffy follows. ON KRIEGER as he doesn't see Jehonas at all and continues past the bar into the main floor. Suddenly, he does catch sight of Jehonas moving towards him rapidly with fists clenched. He yelps in fear! KRIEGER It's him! Korosu! Korosu! WE PAN AROUND to Jehonas and Buffy. A lone ASIAN MAN waits for the opportunity behind a pillar and attacks quickly. Jehonas parries his arm and snaps it, bringing the man SCREAMING, and shuts him up by slamming him back into the pillar. Krieger backtracks and turns to run away into a hallway. Another tries to get in Jehonas' path. He lunges with a LARGE KNIFE but Jehonas, not wasting any time, parries with his off hand, grabs the weapon arm, pulls the attacker towards him, and lands a mean elbow strike to his face shattering all nasal cartilage. He falls down in pain as Jehonas moves on towards the bar. Buffy carefully steps past him. Behind the bar, the BARTENDER, reaches for a shotgun tucked underneath and pulls it out. Jehonas vaults over the counter, lands with one leg pressing the shotgun down onto the counter and the other a sharp kick to the bartender's face. He jumps down behind the bar. Some of the CROWD sees this but make no movement towards these two intruders. They go back to the entertainment -- all but one as we PAN TO RIVEN who is sitting with several of his pale- skinned cohorts on a table far off into the club. They all are dressed in fine suits, with deep dark shades and smoking cigarettes in hand. All but Riven, who sits impassively, are busy enjoying the show. Glass SHATTERS over the b.g. as another unfortunate person gets in Jehonas' way. INT. BLACK PEARL - HALLWAY - NIGHT Jehonas and Buffy head past the bathrooms. At the end of the hall are swinging double doors. Just then, the Men's door opens, and several DRUNK SUITS step out, SEE them -- Jehonas plants a hand over one of them on the face, shoving him back into the wall, knocking him out cold. Buffy finds herself wrestling with the others. BUFFY Hey, wait! Buffy elbows a man behind her as Jehonas moves on down, throws open the double doors. INT. THE BLACK PEARL - KITCHEN - NIGHT Krieger spins around, startled, tries to throw a punch -- Jehonas scoffs and traps Krieger's arm, levering the man up and over. He CRASHES into a shelving unit, taking the whole thing down with him. The cooks and assistants in the area quickly rush out from the kitchen as Krieger again gets tossed into another shelving unit. Pots and pans fall all over the officer, battering him with metal. Jehonas grabs a handful of Krieger's hair, yanks his head up -- JEHONAS Where's the entrance?! KRIEGER I can't -- they'll kill me! Jehonas rips off his glasses and gives Krieger an eyeful - his irises pulse and glow. JEHONAS I got news for you, butt-boy. You're already dead. KRIEGER Oh God, shit!! Jehonas throws him across the kitchen into a wall. SMACK. Krieger staggers, his body beaten and his face bloodied. Old scabs and scars from the previous meeting reopen. Jehonas grabs him again by the hair. JEHONAS I'm not going to ask you again. Where's the entrance?! KRIEGER (gasping) Okay! Okay. It's in the freezer. Jehonas looks away and sees where Krieger is pointing. True enough, a huge steel freezer stands on the far corner. Jehonas looks back at Krieger with a clear look of annoyance. He lands a fist into his abdomen making Krieger double over, then a hard punch into his face, then finally throws him into the wall, face first. Jehonas grabs him roughly by the collar of his uniform. JEHONAS You like the taste of plaster, don't you? KRIEGER C'mon, man!! I told you! It's in the fridge! Jehonas eyes him coldly, then grabs the handle to the freezer. INT. SECRET ENTRANCE - NIGHT We see the make-out of a stairway that leads down into the dark. An audible CLICK. Then a shaft of light illuminates the area as the freezer door opens. We see Jehonas peer in, checks it out. INT. THE BLACK PEARL - KITCHEN - NIGHT Satisfied, Jehonas releases his grip on the officer. JEHONAS You give Frost a message for me -- In one movement quicker than the eye, Jehonas unholsters his MAC and places the end of his rifle against Krieger's forehead. Krieger looks like he's about his wet his pants. JEHONAS Tell him it's open season on all suck heads. Jehonas pulls back his rifle, leaving a red indentation mark where the end of the rifle barrel was. Krieger runs away towards the exit. Just then, Buffy emerges into the kitchen as the officer runs by her. She frowns at Jehonas. He puts his sunglasses back on, motions down the stairs. JEHONAS Secret entrance. Ready? INT. SECRET ENTRANCE - NIGHT Jehonas heads down first, eyeing the walls and floor for possible cameras or traps. Buffy follows behind, equally cautious. They stop in front of an ELEVATOR DOOR with an access panel to the right. It requires a card key. Jehonas pulls out Dragonetti's card and slides it through. The elevator DINGS and the doors open. BUFFY Thanks for leaving me with a bunch of men by the way. No problem whatsoever. JEHONAS (nodding) I have faith. After you. For the first time, we see them both smile together. INT. THE BLACK PEARL - ELEVATOR - NIGHT The elevator descends. Then a tone CHIMES, signaling the end of the ride. The doors hiss open. INT. THE VAMPIRE ARCHIVES - HALLWAY - NIGHT Jehonas and Buffy enter the narrow, maze-like "stacks" of the vampire archives, weaving their way through shelves of climate- controlled, digitized records. BUFFY What is this place? JEHONAS An archive. BUFFY Kinda high-tech, huh? No more coffins, sewers, cobwebs -- JEHONAS The vampires you've dealt with, they're mostly rogue, caitiffs -- non-clan related. The clans in this world know what to do to hide carefully. They've got their claws sunk into everything -- finance, real estate, politics. They already own half of Downtown. Buffy pulls out one of the huge disc files and looks it over. Her eyes and mind working over the new info. EXT. EDGEWOOD TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - DUSK We are soaring through the air above the gleaming city skyline, moving towards the Edgewood Towers whose windows reflect the blood-red sinking sun. INT. FROST'S PENTHOUSE - POOL - NIGHT Suffused lighting, elegant tile-work featuring evocative mosaics, the quiet beat of TECHNO MUSIC -- MERCURY, the lupine Gaultier girl from the club, glides beneath the water, surfacing at the deep end. We SEE -- FROST lounging in a chair, studying a laptop which rests beside him. On the screen is a digitized image -- a page taken from an ancient manuscript, written in a secret tongue. The beautiful blonde elder from the House, in a white-laced teddyette, gets up from her lounging chair and moves over to Frost. Her hips swaying seductively. She feels the skin of his shoulders and leans down to kiss the nape of his neck. FEMALE VAMPIRE ELDER Don't keep everyone waiting. Frost nods. The images on his laptop screen flashing quickly. Images that are being translated into words. The siren looks over his work and smiles. INT. FROST'S PENTHOUSE - MAIN ROOM - NIGHT A live PARTY going on with women -- lot's of them -- smokes, and alcohol. A jubilant QUINN is sprawled on a large couch in the company of two SCANTILY CLAD WOMEN. They exchange turns groping him. Officer Krieger waits nearby, cradling his ruined hand, his battered face cast downward like a boy who's been called into the Principal's office. Then, FROST appears through the sliding glass door from the pool. He sees Krieger and leaves. KRIEGER Look, I know you're disappointed -- FROST Am I that transparent? KRIEGER It's a mistake going to Pearl's. I know that. Dumb fucking me! Frost moves away. A woman nearby with a face that looks like she's been stoned from prozac and drugs for years, steps in front of Krieger. She reaches down into his pants and licks her lips erotically. KRIEGER Um, excuse me.
