MERCURY (pointedly) You had him. QUINN I had him?! What about you?! You had the girl! MERCURY You were asked to get Jehonas. Now if you hadn't wasted time playing around -- QUINN Don't put that finger at me! Don't put that shit on me 'cause you were there, too! Furious, Quinn waves his bloody stump around. To tempting for the vampire girl to resist and BITES him! Quinn recoils in pain and is even more infuriated. QUINN Ouch! You fuckin' sleaze! MERCURY (smirks) Maybe the amputee lifestyle suits you. QUINN I should put this stump in that shitty grin of yours. MERCURY Face it, Angel. You got sloppy and you got what you deserved. RIVEN (O.S.) Quiet, you two! Riven glares at the two then moves away as Frost steps down to the company. A clear look of disappointment. QUINN Deke, let me take this guy out. Gimmie a fucking Howitzer and let me take this guy out! Look what he fucking did! He took my fucking hand! Again! FROST You seem to be in the habit of losing them fairly often, Quinn, and our people. (pointedly) I want him alive. QUINN Alive?! This motherfucker has been chasing us around the block for years! Are you out of your fucking mind?! Frost claps a hand on Quinn's shoulder. FROST Shh. Big guy, calm down. Be patient. He's not going anywhere. I promise. Quinn, I need you with me. Okay? I need you. Now we got a lot to do here. Quinn finally relaxes, nodding. FROST Good. Right now, we've more pressing business. (off Mercury's look) It's time Dragonetti paid the piper. CUT TO: INT. JEHONAS' ROOM - NIGHT Buffy appears at his doorway. She hesitates, then decides, and enters. It's dark, just a trace of moonlight illuminating faintly on a lonely figure, sitting. BUFFY Jehonas? No answer. Then Buffy SEES him, sitting. CLOSER ON JEHONAS He is sitting alone on an old school desk -- the classic kind with a desk and chair attached. He is staring endlessly out the window at the night. In one hand is his silver locket. In his other hand, an open book. On its cover -- 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare. BUFFY It's dark in here. JEHONAS You get used to the darkness. Buffy takes a step towards him, notices his book. BUFFY Macbeth? JEHONAS I appreciate drama. We have strings which bind us to sanity. I for one prefer to keep literature and cut off most of the rest. Buffy takes another step closer inside and rests against a desk. Jehonas turns his head to regard her. JEHONAS You think men like myself dwell in the twilight wondering what things should have been? BUFFY I'm thinking of men dwelling in the twilight, wondering and reading Macbeth. Jehonas turns back to the window, watching the night. Not minding Buffy staring at him. BUFFY Whistler told me what you are. He told me about your mother. Jehonas doesn't answer, closes the book and clutches the silver pendant in his hand. It swings back and forth, like a pendulum. BUFFY I'm sorry. JEHONAS There are times I can't close my eyes without hearing her scream. BUFFY That's over two centuries ago -- JEHONAS What's a few years? I remember it all, from day one. People staring at me, sensing I was different. Watching the fear grow in their eyes, knowing in their hearts I wasn't human. BUFFY You look human to me. JEHONAS I suppose we all do. They both watch the glowing white moon in silence. It's quiet light now bathing the two in its calm glow. BUFFY What happened at the Archives? The vampire you were fighting with? Did you know him from before? JEHONAS Riven? (off Buffy's nod) His name is Wong Fei-Hok. I knew him a long time ago from China. Back then I was hunting around that area. Injured myself somewhere in the mountains, rescued by the monks who lived nearby. I decided to train with them after I came to. The masters didn't exactly know what I was, and when they saw my wounds heal overnight thought my abilities were something handed down from a warrior spirit. Riven knew though, and he wanted that power. BUFFY He wanted you to turn him? (off Jehonas' nod) What did you do? JEHONAS Kindly reminded him that humanity is man's next best thing to harmony. As you can see from our most recent incident, he didn't take it very well. (beat) He's dangerous. But we have the advantage. Jehonas pauses to rub his temples. JEHONAS He's still many years younger than me. BUFFY I guess everyone wants something in their life. JEHONAS What do you want? BUFFY Me? I don't know. Maybe a life outside of this slaying business. JEHONAS Is that why you're running? Buffy suddenly looks at him, startled. She sees something new on Jehonas. He's still serious but now with a tint of compassion for her. JEHONAS You don't have to answer. We all want to get away from something. BUFFY What about you? I mean, haven't you ever thought about just running away from this? Jehonas gets up from his seat and walks up to the window. He stares out. JEHONAS All my life, I've dedicated myself to a promise I swore in keeping this world safe from vampires like Frost. For decades, I've hunted them, and their kin, and their brood. It made me what I am. Deacon Frost and his creator are all that remains of a once powerful clan from my native country. Once I've killed him, I will find his creator and kill him. BUFFY Then what? JEHONAS Then I continue -- Jehonas moves away from the window and closer to Buffy. JEHONAS There are good and evil vampires out there, just like people, I told you. As long as the night keeps falling, they'll awaken. And when they do, I go to make sure I'm there. Our worlds need to be apart. We can not interfere with each other. It's our job to keep it that way. Buffy looks away. Jehonas takes her arm and holds it. ANGLE ON JEHONAS AND BUFFY She looks up into his emerald green eyes. His eyes. So peaceful, yet volatile. So calm, yet depressing. She can feel the warmth from his skin and the softness of his touch. JEHONAS I've made my choice. I could've stopped then when I slew the beast that murdered my parents. But I didn't. (beat) It's a responsibility given to me. It's something I've learned to live by. Buffy can only nod as Jehonas releases her arm and moves back to his table. BUFFY (softly) Maybe I should learn to live with it, too. Jehonas looks back at Buffy. She's depressed, sad, staring at the cold floor. It looks as if her eyes are ready to break into tears again. Jehonas considers what he's about to do next. In a moment, he walks towards the door, checking left and right to make sure no one is near. Quietly, he closes the door and heads back to where BUFFY is sitting. She looks back, now curious -- JEHONAS You want to learn to live with it? (off Buffy's nod) Who taught you how to fight? Buffy's unsure how to answer, BUFFY Um, mostly self-taught. It just came out of me, you know. Like -- singing. JEHONAS And? BUFFY And the Watcher, of course. But he didn't help much. Not that much anyway -- Jehonas studies her. BUFFY Why? JEHONAS Stand up, on your feet. If you want to live with it, you'll have to fight better. BUFFY Oh, you're gonna teach me or something? JEHONAS Among other things. Inside, Buffy's too overjoyed but she tries to keep her best expression. She hops to the floor. Jehonas circles her looking her up and down, sizing her up. Buffy eyeing him. BUFFY See something you like? JEHONAS Not yet. A small smile. JEHONAS I was about your age when I started. At first, I was a bit apprehensive. Later, I thought it was -- cool. BUFFY Me, too. Jehonas goes into a wide-legged combat stance and motions her to do hers. She lifts up her hands, clenched in fists, ready and waiting. JEHONAS Kick me -- Buffy tries a high kick and Jehonas blocks it aside. JEHONAS Don't gather momentum. Just kick. And don't lean back. (off Buffy's nod) Besides your skill, you also need passion to fight. Their bane is your source of power, the heart. I've watched other Slayers come and go and I've seen their work consume every bit of their lives -- Another spar. JEHONAS The one terrible price for being a Slayer, they forget what keeps them as young girls. They forget what makes them a sister, a daughter. Again -- Buffy tries a series of kicks, each one repeatedly blocked by Jehonas. JEHONAS Remember your roots. Use that as your passion to fight, and you'll survive -- (beat) -- to the end. Now show me what you can do. Jehonas suddenly attacks with several punches and feints. Buffy counters. Slayer and Day-walker match skill and speed for several seconds before, TIGHT ON JEHONAS as Buffy sends a quick high kick at his face. Jehonas grabs hold of her ankle with a surprised look. Buffy WINKS -- BUFFY And when will the end be? JEHONAS Soon. You don't remain as a Slayer forever. It'll end one day. Jehonas lets go of her foot and moves back into another fighting stance. BUFFY Oh, really? That's the best news I've heard in a long time. JEHONAS It's a double-edged sword, Buffy. For every generation, there will be a Slayer. One day, God forbid, you might end up in my position, and teach. BUFFY Buffy, the vampire watcher? I could see myself doing that. JEHONAS Not the way you had just fought. Buffy frowns. Jehonas chuckles, lifting a soft knuckle to her chin. WE PAN BACK away from them. Jehonas moves her arms, adjust her waist, showing her another combat stance, as we -- CUT TO: INT. KAREN'S ROOM - LATER It's dark. We can see the soft silhouette of Karen's sleeping body in her bed. Her chest rising, and falling. Jehonas enters her room, a sweat towel draped across his neck, and makes his way over to the side of her bed. She turns and wakes up, a bit startled, SEEING Jehonas at her side. JEHONAS Did I wake you? Karen reaches over to a nearby desk lamp and turns it on. The light illuminates some part of the room. A lot of books, and a lot of pictures. KAREN No, no. I wasn't sleeping yet. She squints her eyes and scoots to the side as Jehonas sits down on her bed. KAREN What's wrong? A beat between them. JEHONAS Have you ever been to the Tropics? It's beautiful there. Palm trees, the ocean, fruit punch -- KAREN (chuckling) Okay, you're scaring me -- JEHONAS I'm good at that. Karen looks at him in disbelief. KAREN I didn't mean it like that -- JEHONAS I know. So have you? KAREN Not yet. I wouldn't put it on my to-do list either. Karen wraps her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulders. He welcomes it, rubbing her arms around his waist. It is the hint of romance between the two hunters in the calm of war. She looks at her nearby alarm. KAREN It's pretty late, even for you. What have you been doing? JEHONAS I was with Buffy, showing her some new techniques. She enjoys doing it with me around looks like. Karen brings up her head. JEHONAS I didn't mean it like that. KAREN I'm glad you're helping her, Jehonas. JEHONAS (nods) She's a good kid. Something tragic happened back home which made her run away. Probably was forced to kill a loved one who turned. Jehonas looks at Karen and they embrace in a hug. KAREN She's young, tragedy of Slayers. It's hard for them to cope with their responsibility when they weren't even given a chance to grow up. JEHONAS I was the same way once. KAREN Which is why there's no one else better to help her. Karen pats the bed on her side. KAREN Get some rest. Doctor's orders. Jehonas nods and brings his feet over, resting on the bed. Karen lays down her head on his chest, pulling the blanket over them both, and sleeps. Jehonas looks up into the darkness as we -- DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE BURNING GROUNDS - JUST BEFORE DAWN FADE IN on Dragonetti, his face covered with a black condemned man's hood -- Frost stands before him, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He's dressed from head to toe in a black motorcycle suit -- boots, gloves, a visored helmet tucked under one arm. Mercury, Quinn, Riven, and some vampire goons are standing nearby, similarly attired. We're on a stretch of rocky coastline, tucked away in a secluded cove. Dragonetti is roughly escorted over by some vampire goons. DRAGONETTI (straining) What is this? Where am I?! Frost steps forward, pulling Dragonetti's hood off. Dragonetti stares at his surroundings, horrified. FROST 'Morning, how you feeling? Frost waves out his arm, showing Dragonetti the rocky shoreline, the ocean. FROST Look at that. Isn't it beautiful? We see a gorgeous view of the early morning horizon. It's breath- taking for us but not to Dragonetti as he continues to struggle in his bonds. He starts giving off a little SMOKE. Each passing second becoming more unbearable. FROST Whoo, getting a little toasty out here. When was the last time you stopped to appreciate a sunrise, hmm? Oh that's right, you were born hundreds of years ago so you've probably forgotten, haven't you? That's okay. Frost checks his watch, then looks to the ocean. On the horizon, a sliver of gold appears. FROST How do you like that? Right on time. You know, I appreciate us spending time together like this. It means a lot to me. Really. 'cause if you get to know me, I'm a very sentimental type of guy. Even innocent, you might say. DRAGONETTI Do what you want, Frost. You'll never win! FROST You just don't fucking get it, do you? Frost rips open Dragonetti's shirt -- revealing skin to the morning air. DRAGONETTI You'll never be one of us! You'll never -- FROST Hold him! Quinn and Mercury seize Dragonetti by his arms. Frost takes out hand pliers and reaches into Dragonetti's mouth -- gripping a tooth and yanking it out hard. Dragonetti SCREAMS and struggles madly. Frost reaches in and pulls out the other fang. Riven moves in and hand chops Dragonetti to the neck, dropping him to his knees. Dragonetti's mouth, BLOODIED. FROST Jesus Christ. Have a nice day. Quinn ducks down and mocks Dragonetti. QUINN Sorry, old fang. Guess you just got a little too long in the tooth. WE PAN AWAY as Frost, Mercury, and Riven head to one side. QUINN What? That was funny. Get it? Long? Tooth? Long tooth. Have I ever told you -- Quinn's blabber gets lost under Dragonetti's screams. CLOSER on Dragonetti as the first faint rays of daylight fall upon him, channeled inward by the natural formation of the cove -- Dragonetti HOWLS, his skin beginning sizzle and smoke. Then he catches fire like paper beneath a magnifying glass. He thrashes about as his flesh starts to run from his body. Frost and company flips down the visors of their helmets even as -- THE RED SUN
