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.