Act III
Open on Camilla and Doyle in the office.
Camilla: Snap out of it!
Abruptly, he does. His eyes slip shut for a few moments but he lowers the hand that was pressed against his forehead. He is still leaning heavily on the desk, breathing hard. She releases his shoulders.
Doyle: I wasn't expecting that.
Camilla: What was that?
Doyle: A vision. Goddamn Powers, I was done with it! I passed 'em on; I did my part!
Camilla: You were a seer in your mortal life, weren't you?
Doyle: I guess you could call it that. Bloody painful. God, I need alcohol. Or painkillers.
Camilla: Sorry. They don't – well, they don't work up here. They're not needed up here. I don't know if maybe your condition is special, but I would expect that you wouldn't need them either once you committed to this job.
Doyle: What's the afterlife without pain, I said. I'll tell you: a damn easy ride, that's what. God, I should've taken eternal bliss.
Camilla (hurt): Hey, you don't really mean that. It may seem that way now–
Doyle: Have I made a big scene? The freaky new Irish bloke with the migraines?
He glances around, but doesn't find much of a reaction beyond a few strange looks. Whistler is still sound asleep. A demon not six feet away from them is listening to his walkman and moving his head slightly to the beat, oblivious.
Doyle: Guess not.
Camilla: We've all seen weirder. It's hard to surprise immortals, although honestly . . . What did you see?
Doyle: Her. That girl from the file. I didn't really get anything else that was clear. I think there was us, and two other guys, but I didn't see who they were. Just a feeling that there's gonna be trouble and we'd better bring whatever backup there is to speak of.
Cut to Doyle, Camilla, and Whistler walking down an apartment block in Cleveland at night.
Whistler: Tell me again why I woke up for this?
Camilla (exasperated): For the twelfth time: Doyle had a vision. There's gonna be trouble. Who else do you expect us to ask for help?
Whistler: Good point. And not to toot my own horn, but I am quite the martial arts expert.
Camilla: I'd laugh, if it weren't true. (Holding up her hand) Wait a sec. I think this might be it.
They've come to a stop outside a filthy building with a neon green arrow pointing down. A few stairs lead down to a basement level. They walk down the steps and Whistler pulls open the door. They are immediately assaulted with blaring music and voices.
Doyle: This must be the place.
Whistler strolls confidently in. Doyle looks at Camilla's slight figure, then hurries to go in front of her. She sees what he's trying to do and puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him in his tracks.
Doyle: Don't worry–
Camilla: Please. The knight in shining armor act is all very sweet, but I'll have you know that this here knee has sterilized plenty of unsuspecting scumbags.
Doyle, unsure how to react, just stands there as she walks past him into the dive. Shaking his head, he hurries in after her.
Inside, the three of them shove through the undulating crowd. Flashing lights of various colors bounce off the disco ball hanging from the ceiling, creating a rather dizzying effect. There is a small stage, but no live band. Just a booming stereo.
Camilla: Looks like you won't be using those martial arts skills tonight. Not much good in a place like this.
Whistler: Then it sure is a good thing I happen to be well versed in the art of bar fighting.
Camilla: Hey, wait a minute. See that guy over there by the stage?
She points to a man standing rather awkwardly apart from the writhing crowd. Whistler follows her finger with his eyes and frowns at the sight of the man.
Whistler: It's that guy, Charles. He's on the other side.
Doyle: He must be one of the guys in my vision. Maybe you're the other one. Hopefully there won't be anybody else, but it ain't exactly easy to find familiar faces in a place like this . . . Hey, there's the girl!
He gestures at the girl from the file. She is wearing a mini skirt and skimpy black halter, weaving through the crowd with a tray of drinks balanced on one hand. Her hair is done in many delicate braids, pulled together into a loose ponytail that hangs halfway down her back. She does not look happy as she serves horny men who keep trying to feel her up.
Whistler: Oh man, she's just a kid. And she's got not one but four immortal beings about to shove her into an eternal war. The one thing I hate most about this job is when we send kids like her out to get killed in the name of Balance or Good or Evil or whatever the hell you wanna believe in.
Camilla: What about when they make you the bad guy?
Whistler: The two things I hate the most about this job are when they make me the bad guy and when they make me send these kids out into the thick of it. When they make me hate myself.
Doyle: Look, can we save the introspective trip for later? That Charlie guy's making his move.
Charles moves through the crowd to stand directly behind the girl. He places his hands on her elbows and whispers something in her ear. She stiffens and looks to the side. He waves a wad of cash in front of her then strides out of the bar. Whistler, Camilla, and Doyle duck into the shadows as he passes them. Wordlessly, Whistler grabs Doyle's arm and pulls him out of the bar, after Charles. As the girl slowly makes her way towards the door, Camilla steps in front of her.
Camilla: Hi. Can I talk to you, Jessica? It is Jessica, right?
Jessica (annoyed): It's on my name tag.
Camilla: Of course it is. I'm Camilla, by the way. So nice to meet you.
Jessica: Pleasure's mine, I'm sure.
Camilla: Right, well, enough small talk. That guy who was just talking to you? I don't know what he said, but I do know him and believe me when I say he's bad news. My friends are going to keep him off our backs for awhile. Feel like a drink?
Cut to the two of them seated at a small table in a café that looks much nicer than the sleazy bar.
Jessica: But he was going to pay me. I-I need the money.
Camilla: Uh, well, in that case . . . I'll pay you too.
Camilla fishes through her pockets but doesn't take anything out.
Camilla: Just not right now. Right now I'll buy you a nice Shirley Temple or something. What are you, sixteen?
Jessica: Eighteen.
Camilla glares at her sternly.
Jessica: Seventeen.
Camilla: Hmph. Anyway, down to business. You've got two . . . well, three choices now. You could follow Charles. You could follow me. Or you could go back to the bar and serve drinks to lecherous old drunkards for the rest of your life. And I'm telling you right now that way would be easy, and probably short, but certainly not rewarding.
Jessica: What the hell are you going on about, lady?
Camilla: Your life. And the lives of others. How long have you lived here?
Jessica: I came here with my mom when I was real little.
Camilla: Have you ever noticed anything . . . strange? Anything not just abnormal but paranormal?
Jessica shifts uncomfortably in her seat.
Camilla: Okay, you might think I'm crazy, but Cleveland is not a normal city. It's what we call a Hellmouth, although it's not a very strong one, it's still strong enough. The supernatural is drawn to this place. (Takes a deep breath) And so were you. You see, Jessica, you're a bit paranormal yourself. (Hastily) It's not a bad thing! I'm not even human, you know. Neither's Charles. But I'm a much nicer demon than he is.
Cut to Whistler and Doyle facing off with Charles.
Charles: How brave of you to come. But you must think I'm stupid if you thought I came alone.
Four blue demons with red eyes and spikes all down their backs emerge from the shadows. Whistler and Doyle look around anxiously. They are surrounded.
Whistler (trying to remain calm): I don't know you fellows, do I? I don't think you work in the office.
Charles: No, they're not exactly the desk job type. Office boys are rarely good in a fight. So I called in a few favors with the locals.
Whistler (angry): Rarely good in a fight? You think so? Well, I happen to be one of those rare exceptions.
Charles (smug): Is that so?
The demons growl menacingly but do not move.
Whistler: Well, they do a nice lawn ornament impression, Charlie Boy. But seriously, are they gonna stand there and growl all day or are they gonna attack?
Charles scowls and waves at the demons. All four of them rush Whistler and Doyle who stand back to back.
Doyle (ducking a punch from Demon #1): Are you sure taunting them was a good idea? I think you made 'em mad.
Whistler (pulling Demon #2 into a headlock and reaching for a weapon): More fun this way! Haha!
Demon #3 tosses Whistler away from the now unconscious Demon #2, while Demon #1 throws Doyle on top of Whistler, who is still laughing maniacally. Demon #4 and Charles rush into the bar in search of Jessica.
Whistler (grabbing Doyle's sleeve): Hang on.
Doyle: What?
Whistler teleports them out of there.
Cut to the café with Camilla and Jessica talking at the table.
Camilla: He'll use you, just like a tool. He's like those men in the bar. To them, you're not a person. You're just an object.
Whistler (O.S.): To Charlie Boy, we're all just objects.
Camilla spins around in her chair and sees Whistler and Doyle, the latter looking a bit queasy.
Doyle: What the hell was that?
Whistler: Teleportation. Nifty trick, us immortals get to use in a crisis. (To Camilla) Thought I'd find you here.
Camilla: You know me too well.
Whistler: Yeah, and I know Charles too. Thinks everyone's his personal ping-pong ball, he can whack around whichever way he wants.
Whistler and Doyle both pull up chairs. Jessica scoots a little closer to Camilla.
Camilla: So Jessica, back to what I was saying.
A loud crash interrupts her. They all turn to see Demons 1-3 standing amidst the wreckage of the front door.
Doyle: Uh, how did they find us?
Whistler: Hell if I know!
Jessica (wide-eyed): Friends of yours?
As she says that, the demons turn to face Whistler, Doyle, Camilla, and Jessica. They growl and start to make their way through the screaming masses, tossing people and tables out of their way. Whistler pulls a knife out of his boot and launches himself at the nearest demon. As they grapple on the floor, Camilla and Doyle struggle with the other two. Whistler quickly dispatches his and moves to help Doyle, who is being strangled. Meanwhile, Jessica is watching, terrified. She sees Whistler try to stab the demon in the back of the neck, only to have the knife knocked from his grasp. Doyle, who is now gasping on the floor, dives for the discarded weapon as Whistler starts smashing chairs over the demon's spiky back. Camilla is having some difficulty with her own opponent. It has her backed up against a wall. Her knife is embedded in its shoulder, but it doesn't seem to care. She lifts her right leg and drives her high heel into the place where its groin ought to be. It snarls and is distracted just long enough for Camilla to wriggle out of its grasp and move behind it. However, she is still weaponless.
Jessica: Camilla!
Camilla turns and catches the object that the girl throws to her. She eyes it dubiously for a moment, but then the demon is upon her. Without time to think, she presses the little button and sprays the demon. It roars and begins to claw at its eyes before falling to the ground in the now nearly empty café. Whistler and Doyle, having defeated their own opponent, start to move towards Camilla and Jessica.
Camilla: Nice pepper spray.
Jessica: Thanks. Nice heels.
Camilla: As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted, Charles doesn't see you as a person. He sees you as something he can and will use to his advantage. He's blind to your power, but you don't have to be. You–
Jessica: Those were demons, right?
Camilla: Yes.
Jessica: Sent by this Charlie guy?
Whistler: Yeah.
Jessica: And you're saying I'm a witch?
Camilla: Yes, you are.
Jessica: I think I'd rather go with the people who don't have spikes.
Doyle coughs loudly at that, but doesn't say anything.
Camilla: Just so we're clear, it won't be easy. There will be good times and bad times, but the good times will be so much the better for it. And you'll be doing real good. Much more than you'd be doing as a waitress.
Jessica: I get it; I'm in already.
Camilla: Really? Great! I'll be back to check on you in a few days. Don't worry, I'll know how to find you.
She nudges the nearest blue demon with her toe.
Camilla: And these guys shouldn't be bothering you anymore.
Whistler: Take care of yourself, kid.
That said, he grabs Doyle and they vanish. Camilla gives Jessica a smile and a wave before she too disappears.
Jessica: Right-o. Time to wake up now? Guess not.
She moves slowly out of the now abandoned café.
End Act III
To be concluded in Act IV
