QUINN Nice, huh? Think I'll ever play the piano again? (shrugging) You can slice him, you can dice him, but the Quinn-man just keeps on coming! One of the vampires, CREASE, holds Jehonas' blade for display. CREASE Check it out! I've got his pig-sticker! CLOSER TO THE HILT of the blade. The symbols are aligning themselves. Then -- ON CREASE, as the sharp mini-blades from within the hilt spring out. His hand EXPLODES like a firecracker buried in a tomato. The sword clatters to the floor and every vampire starts to laugh. Riven shakes his head with a clear expression of annoyance. QUINN You're a fuck up, Crease! What a fuck up! (mocking) Check it out! I've got his pig-sticker! Crease joins in everyone else and licks up his own wound. Obviously, not at all caring that there's a stump spurting blood with nothing else attached. QUINN (slaps Jehonas) You're just full of surprises, huh? RIVEN Time to go. (pointedly) Frost needs him alive. QUINN Wait a sec. I'm not done. Jehonas struggles violently, but Quinn is upon him, pounding his fist into Jehonas again and again and again -- giving him payback with compounded interest. When it's over, Quinn steps back, winded -- Jehonas' head hangs down. He gasps, wincing, every breath sending a red hot poker to his gut. Quinn grabs a hold of Jehonas' jaw, forcing his head up. QUINN Stay with me, sweetness, I'm not through with you yet. Quinn looks down at one of Jehonas' legs, sees the bandoleer of silver stakes. He tugs one out, admiring it. QUINN Well, look it here. Silver. Nice craftsmanship. Probably cost you a pretty penny. He goes over to Buffy and looks her over with predatory eyes. Buffy is struggling vainly in Mercury's grasp. QUINN Now here's a man who takes his job just a little too seriously, don't you think? Quinn allows the silver stake to wander from Buffy's neck, down her shirt, between her breasts. QUINN Which reminds me, Jehonas, think I owe you one -- Quinn spins suddenly and stabs the stake into Jehonas' shoulder. Jehonas GROWLS in anger and pain, tries to pull free. Buffy, who's being held by Mercury, averts her gaze. QUINN Actually, if you want to get technical, I owe you two. As Quinn reaches for another stake, Jehonas starts to laugh. QUINN Oh what's so funny, bright eyes? JEHONAS I'm expecting some company. It's then that Quinn notices the micro ear-coil radio receiver in Jehonas' ear. As we MOVE IN on it, we hear a tiny VOICE squawking from it: VOICE (filtered) Get down! Jehonas kicks his feet out, sending Quinn flying backwards. He tears free of the vamps holding him and DIVES forward, knocking Buffy and Mercury to the ground just as -- BOOM!!! The wall of Pearl's bedchamber EXPLODES INWARD, knocking Quinn and the rest of his cronies to their feet. TIGHT ON WHISTLER standing in the smoking hole where the wall used to be, brandishing his cane in one hand and an automatic rifle in the other. WHISTLER Catch you fuckers at a bad time? He balances the rifle against his hip like an over-the-hill gunslinger and OPENS FIRE on the vampires. JEHONAS gets up and notices Quinn trying to get up. He kicks him hard in the face. Quinn crumples back to the floor. Jehonas rolls, snatching up several fragments of the parchment which has blown free from the vault, and his sword. A VAMPIRE tries to block his way but he gets impaled by the blade. Seconds later, he and Buffy are fleeing after Whistler, retreating back through his newly created exit. INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT The three of them find themselves ankle-deep in a flooded sewer tunnel running parallel to the archives. Whistler pauses, wheezing from overexertion. WHISTLER Christ, I'm too old for this shit. Somebody get me a goddamn wheelchair! Jehonas leans against the tunnel wall, GRUNTING as he yanks the stake from his shoulder. Whistler gives a quick glance at the wound, smirking. WHISTLER You getting there, too. JEHONAS Don't even start, old man. Jehonas scowls to himself at his sloppiness, then pulls out a light-stick, snapping it, illuminating the area in a GREEN GLOW -- disturbing waves of GLITTERING COCKROACHHHHHES. Meanwhile, Whistler pulls another explosive device from his backpack and sets it against the tunnel wall, arming it. BUFFY How did you find us?! Whistler taps a tiny radio headset curled around his ear. WHISTLER We keep in radio contact. BUFFY (incredulous) You've been listening in the whole time? WHISTLER You think I let all his talent go to waste? He's the best goddamn tracker out there. Jehonas ferrets their rat-holes out, I map them. Then we blow them all to kingdom come. Whistler finishes arming the explosive device. It BEEPS. He turns back to Jehonas and Buffy, referring to a handheld navigation device. WHISTLER There's a subway line due East of here. We'd best make tracks. INT. PEARL'S BEDCHAMBER - ARCHIVES - NIGHT An EXPLOSION rips through the bedchamber, consuming Pearl's squealing mass, mushrooming outward -- INT. BLACK PEARL - NIGHT The EXPLOSION continues expanding, sending tables, drinks, and zaibatsu clientele flying. INT. TUNNEL - NIGHT As the group splashes through the water, a FIREBALL chases them down the tunnel. They duck into an alcove, narrowly avoiding the flames. Whistler WHOOPS with excitement, loving every minute of it. But his triumph is short-lived, for now we hear -- -- a deafening chorus of HIGH-PITCHED VAMPIIIRRE WAR CRIES coming from behind. Buffy hazards a look back -- THE VAMPIRES surge down the tunnel like a pack of hungry wolves on high-octane. There must be a dozen of them now and Quinn is right in the lead. Our trio hustles along, but Whistler stumbles, tumbling and sliding down a washout. The steep incline of the washout makes it virtually impossible for Whistler to climb back up to the main tunnel. BUFFY Whistler! WHISTLER Go on, I'll be fine! Buffy hesitates, but Jehonas yanks her down the tunnel -- JEHONAS He can take care of himself! They race through the twisting warren of tunnels, taking one turn after another, the vampires hot on their heels -- INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - NIGHT Jehonas spins around and fires his MAC at full auto, catching some of the vampires emerging from the corner. They fall back quickly and return fire with their guns. Quinn tries frantically to wave off the attack. QUINN Stop! Stop! Hold your fire! Frost wants him alive! Jehonas continues shooting, forcing them back, before taking off again. QUINN Go!! INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - CROSS SECTION - NIGHT Jehonas and Buffy stumble out into a larger subway tunnel going cross-way. A SUBWAY roars by them, dangerously close, sending them against the wall. Pinning them there. BUFFY What are we going to do?! We're cramped up in here! JEHONAS Don't worry about it. JUMP!! The subway goes by, its RED TAIL-LIGHTS disappearing in a turn, and Jehonas and Buffy leap into the tracks. They can hear the distant SCREECHING of metal as another subway on another track is fast approaching. Quinn emerges with his vampires from the tunnel -- Jehonas turns and fires, keeping them back -- Buffy climbs over to the ledge as Jehonas follows. ON QUINN He looks back out and sees them heading down the tunnel. He can hear the SUBWAY getting louder and louder. Quinn makes a speedy decision and jumps after Jehonas and Buffy just clearing the subway path. The two trailing vampires however get SMASHED by the speeding subway -- -- he sees them and charges, knocking Buffy aside and throwing Jehonas to a wall. Buffy screams as she rolls over the ledge and below, barely missing the subway tracks. Jehonas quickly goes over to reach for her, but Quinn is on his feet and pulls Jehonas back. ON BUFFY She turns slightly and sees RIVEN, MERCURY and other VAMPIRES entering a steel trapdoor. Clearly, they're going to get to the other side. ON JEHONAS Quinn pulls him away from the ledge, but Jehonas quickly kicks up and behind, knocking him back. Quinn staggering manages to unsheathe Jehonas' sword with his hand. Jehonas, not knowing, goes for it and sees Quinn with it. Quinn lunges and is welcomed with a kick into his abdomen and then another to his face. He drops the sword down over the ledge -- -- the SWORD stabs into the ground near Buffy's face! Her eyes widened in shock. ON JEHONAS as he grabs Quinn and throws him against the wall. Then an elbow to the chest, then an elbow to the face. Quinn grunting as Jehonas knocks him around silly. Buffy emerges from the ledge with his sword and stabs up into his thigh. Quinn SCREAMS. Jehonas, using the advantage, grabs him by the face and presses him into the passing subway -- his FACE getting mangled and mauled by the speeding train. Releasing his hold, he punches once, twice, and thrice at his newly deformed face. Buffy tosses up the sword, which Jehonas grabs and slices. Quinn reflexively raises an arm -- THUNK! Jehonas brings the sword down on Quinn's good arm, cutting it off at the wrist! Quinn screams again, clutching his new stump and runs off down the tunnel. THE AMPUTATED HAND dissolves into its black substance as it falls past Buffy's head. Jehonas pulls up Buffy to the ledge -- but more vampires are still coming, with Riven leading! Crawling along the tunnel walls on all fours, limbs a blur, claws striking the concrete and spewing out sparks. Closing fast. Too fast. Jehonas makes a quick decision and grabs Buffy by her waist, forcing her close to him. JEHONAS Hang on tight. BUFFY What are you going to do? She sees that the rear-passenger car of the subway is about to pass and it dawns upon her. BUFFY Oh my God -- Just as the last car whips right by, Jehonas shoots out his arm and grabs hold! Instantly, they are pulled with the subway down the tunnel leaving the vampires behind. Jehonas SMASHES his fist through the emergency exit window, then lifts Buffy up, helping her climb through into the car -- -- he looks back to see that the vampires are slowly losing ground with them. He turns and climbs through the window -- INT. SUBWAY CAR - NIGHT Buffy helps Jehonas inside. He sinks to the floor of the otherwise deserted car, exhausted. Grimacing, he clutches his shoulder and groans in agony and pain. BUFFY What's wrong? JEHONAS (gasping) It's dislocated -- Buffy checks on him and takes hold of his elbow and shoulder. Jehonas looks up into her eyes and nods. CRACK! She pops it back in place. Jehonas SCREAMS in pain. He's looking ashen now. The whites of his eyes are shot through with red. Buffy gets a good look at Jehonas' wounds -- the front of his armor is soaked in blood. She reaches for him -- BUFFY You're bleeding a lot -- JEHONAS Nothing that won't heal by dawn. Jehonas reaches into his jacket and pulls out the small, gas- powered pistol-injector we saw Whistler inject him with earlier. He tries to load one of the ampoules into it, but because of his wounds, he's not having much luck. JEHONAS I need help with this -- Buffy nods, inserting the ampoule into the gun. Jehonas shrugs off his jacket, holds out his arm. Buffy pauses. BUFFY What is this? JEHONAS (weakly) Serum -- it's a human hemoglobin substitute. Put it here. Jehonas points to a vein. Buffy presses the injector against it -- Jehonas tenses, grits his teeth, fights to keep his body thrashing as the serum enters his bloodstream. JEHONAS Now get away from me! Jehonas waves her off and heads for the corner. He grips the wall behind him -- actually digs his nails into the metal surface -- the agony he's going through is excruciating, like nothing we could imagine. When it's over, he slumps forward, spent, vulnerable, flushed with sweat. Buffy stares at him. BUFFY You're one of them, aren't you? Jehonas struggles to get back to his feet. Although very weak, he does and rests against the wall. JEHONAS No -- Jehonas looks up at Buffy, filled with self-loathing. JEHONAS -- I'm something else. Off Buffy's startled reaction as we -- DISSOLVE TO: INT. WHISTLER'S WORKSHOP - LATER THAT NIGHT Blackness as a bunch of equipment and a desk blocks our view. We can hear Whistler talking in the b.g. WHISTLER (O.S.) His mother was attacked by a vampire while she was pregnant. Ultimately, she died, but her unborn child lived. Unfortunately, he'd undergone certain genetic changes while in the womb. We now move around the desk to find Whistler, sitting, and Buffy also sitting nearby, listening attentively. Whistler reaches for a pack of cigarettes, pulls one out. He thumbs a match, fires up. Takes a long drag. WHISTLER His name is Jehonas Ruthvenas; born and raised in what was then Old Rumania. He's got quite a reputation in the vampire community. Been killing and slaying vampires since the early 1800s. He's immortal, like the others. (off Buffy's nod) Nearly wiped out an entire clan in Northern Europe all by himself. Took out some of the most dangerous vampires known in their bloody history. BUFFY Does he do it because of his mother? Whistler nods and takes another drag from his cigarette. WHISTLER He found the vampire that killed his family over two hundred years ago. I think in a couple of days it'll be the two hundredth and second anniversary for him. He likes to keep that day sacred. BUFFY Well what motivates him to continue? I've only done this for like a couple of years and already I'm looking for a retirement plan. WHISTLER He'd thought about just leaving it as it is. Considered living a normal life, too. (beat) But he's the line between us and them. Whistler studies Buffy, exhaling another lungful of smoke. WHISTLER Jehonas is unique, you know. A one in a trillion anomaly. He can shrug off most wounds, and even withstand sunlight. He can eat, drink, and breathe if he wanted. He can function almost exactly like us. BUFFY So he isn't totally -- dead. WHISTLER (chuckles) Clinically? No. Whistler takes a flask of gin nearby and downs a gulp. WHISTLER By dawn, tomorrow, all of his wounds will be healed. You see, he inherited their regenerative powers. Unfortunately, being he can regenerate, he also inherited their Thirst. BUFFY Is that why he needs that serum? WHISTLER That's right. The Thirst overcomes him, just like the others. It's not something he can control. (sighs) He's hunted like the others before. Deep down in him he wants to stop it. Some fifty years ago he met a man over in London that studied his kind, a Watcher. He helped Jehonas create a temporary substitute for blood. The problem is vampires have an unique immune system against this treatment. His body gradually rejects the serum. (to Karen in back) Dr. Walker -- Buffy looks back and sees Karen busy working over notes. Like Jehonas, she's young. Like Jehonas, it's only a mask to hide a history of horror for several lifetimes. WHISTLER (O.S.) She created the first lengthy serum. Buffy turns back to regard Whistler. WHISTLER So far, all of our efforts to find a more stable one have ended in failure. It's only a matter of time before he weakens. Nights like this when he gets wounded doesn't help. Which is why we would like you to help. You're a Slayer. We could use someone with your experience until we can find a way to help Jehonas, and maybe find a cure along there. A silence passes between them and Buffy knows where she stands now. In for a penny, in for a pound. BUFFY Why do you hunt them? WHISTLER Habit, mostly, just like this. Whistler gestures with his cigarette. Buffy chuckles quietly. He finally stubs it out, his wistful reverie vanishing like so much smoke. WHISTLER Like Jehonas, I had a family once -- a wife, two daughters. My oldest one was about your age. Then a drifter came calling one evening. A vampire. He toyed with them first. He made me choose which order they would die in -- Buffy stares at Whistler, shocked. BUFFY How did you escape? WHISTLER I didn't. He was cruel enough to let me live. (slapping his brace) Even gave me a souvenir to remember him by. I owe Jehonas one. BUFFY What about Karen? Why does she --? Whistler looks by Buffy, at Karen. She's still working hard on her research. He shakes his head, disappointed. WHISTLER She's a med graduate from around here. Bright future, too. A job lined up and about to get married. Kids planned somewhere in there. Buffy looks back with Whistler at the doctor. WHISTLER Then one night changed it all. They were attacked by Frost and his goons. (beat) They tortured her. Draining the blood of her fiancé a little at a time, making him bleed to death. Finally, he had his entire gang throw themselves on him. She watched all of this being held down. We came too late. Killed most of them, but Frost got away. She was brought here, just like you. Buffy nods -- it's all falling into place for her now. WHISTLER It's a brutal world but it's getting worse. BUFFY Because of Frost? WHISTLER There's something going on within the vampire ranks. Something big and I'm willing to stake my life that son of a bitch is at the center of it. CUT TO: EXT. EDGEWOOD TOWERS - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT Frost stands at the window, looking out at the glimmering cityscape before him. INT. FROST'S PENTHOUSE - NIGHT Frost turns away from window. The surviving vampires from the Black Pearl stand before him. Quinn is being bandaged up by one of the young vampire girls. He is whopping mad and so is Mercury. QUINN Was it my fucking fault he got us by surprise?!!
