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 starring David Boreanaz J. August Richards Amy Acker and James Marsters |
| Mutant
Existential Scoobies presents Angel: the Series Season 6 Episode 4 Resistance Part 1 (November 28, 2004) Written by OnM and Masquerade |
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PREVIOUSLY, ON ANGEL - - The gang stands in the pouring rain outside the HYPERION. THE DEMON HORDES approach. - A DRAGON opens a PORTAL. Angel, Gunn, Spike, and Illyria are sucked inside. - Angel and Illyria walk aimlessly through the Fasach DESERT. - Gunn and Angel converse in the Wa!Jani Leader's tent: I told him we're not from this realm. That we're just trying to get home. - The Gang and the Wa!Jani Shaman use the dragon's stone to return through the portal to L.A. - Scenes of UTTER DEVASTATION around Los Angeles. Welcome home. ANGEL (V.O.) This is the Senior Partners' doing! SPIKE (V.O.) Well, yes, mate, that may be true, but...we're the ones that poked the bear. - The gang fights a GROUP OF DEMONS on a TRASHED AND WAR-TORN CITY STREET. - A SHOPKEEPER stands outside an ANTIQUES SHOP talking to the gang. Take care of your business there. SHOPKEEPER Oh, I will. As long as possible anyway. Someone has to fight the good fight, eh? - A SOLDIER holds Gunn and Illyria at bay with a rifle as reinforcements pull up in a green humvee. - The interior of a MONASTERY CHAPEL with high, stained-glass windows. - Angel, Spike, Illyria and Gunn in the MONASTERY DINING ROOM with a MONK. Brother, are you sure it's all right for us to stay here? It could easily bring you more trouble, you know. There are people.... (pause) and things...that are hunting us. FADE / CUT TO: EXT. GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL - EAST LOS ANGELES - NIGHT An AERIAL SHOT shows a campus of utilitarian art deco buildings and stand-alone prefab classrooms. CUT TO - Establishing shots of A CAMPUS LONG ABANDONED - a pep rally sign on a corridor wall hanging faded and tattered, overgrown grass strewn with dampened trash, a broken window on the side of a classroom. Then, finally - under one dim, flickering security light, we see the side of a campus building with the words GARFIELD in large block lettering. Beside the name is a painting of a LUNGING BULLDOG. INT. SCHOOL GYMNASIUM - NIGHT WIDE SHOT - It's dark. The only illumination is at one end, where there is a recessed stage normally used for school functions. But this school no longer belongs to its students. On the gymnasium stage, several figures are CIRCLING AND CHANTING amidst flickering candles. We ZOOM IN SLOWLY until we see - A nightmarish sight. In the center of the circling figures are TWO TEEN BOYS AND A GIRL bound with wire to three thick wooden prop Greek columns left over from a school play. Their heads are lolling to the side, their eyes dazed. We can hear their low, plaintive moans. Their faces have been CUT WITH INTRICATE SYMBOLS, their CLOTHING TORN, the SKIN of their arms, neck, and chests also CARVED AND BLEEDING. Several DEMONS walk among them. They are bald. Their gray features are twisted and pockmarked. One of them, a DEMON PRIEST, is wearing a red tunic with intricate symbols embroidered on it. The four others watch and listen quietly as he incants in a demonic tongue- (subtitled) Korath the Fallen, bane of humanity, master of Hell, we praise thee. Now is the time of prophecy, now is the time of deliverance. For what once was a plague upon the Earth is being extinguished. What was once your sovereignty shall be yours again. Accept these tokens of exaltation, and grant us the strength to usher in your Return. The demons continue to walk among their sacrifices as we slowly PULL BACK TO a wider and wider shot of the room. Finally, we're in the back of the gymnasium, under a set of RECESSED BLEACHERS. We're looking over the shoulders of several INDISTINCT FIGURES lurking there. (murmuring in shock and despair) Oh, God. SECOND MAN (determined) We need to take out the head guy first. WOMAN And how do you suggest we do that? FIRST MAN (with a tremor of anger) Good old-fashioned violence always works for me. THIRD MAN I'm up for that. WOMAN Wait. We cannot just rush in-- Three of the figures start moving along the bleachers. A fourth, with long hair, follows after them. From their dark silhouettes, we can see they are brandishing AXES AND SWORDS. CUT TO - a REVERSE SHOT of the bleachers. Our four figures exit from one side. They creep forward across the dark gymnasium, crossing over the lunging bulldog mascot painted on the floor. Then the second speaker, a tall man, stops. He leans over to the woman. (whispering) You untie them. We'll cover you. WOMAN This is foolish. FIRST MAN Do you see any weapons? I don't. There's that advantage, anyway. THIRD MAN It's now or never. Let's get on with it. SECOND MAN (whispering) Go! The three men charge forward, weapons raised high. The woman hesitates for a second, then follows them. They leap onto the stage and into the candlelight's glow. The first man streaks across the stage and heaves an ax at one of the demons. CLOSE-UP on his face, full of rage and determination, as he swings his weapon down. He is Hispanic, with a thin moustache and a goatee. The demon collapses, the ax buried in its skull. A second demon comes up behind the Hispanic man, his thick arms raised. The third man, a brown-haired white youth, pulls back his sword and skewers the attacking demon in the back. The Hispanic man reaches down and retrieves his weapon. The second man, a well-muscled African-American, heads straight for the demon priest. He raises his sword to behead the demon, who lunges to one side to avoid it. (with a dangerous smile) Kata-ra, dee-nos.... The priest clenches one hand into a fist. The African-American man's eyes bulge. His hand flies to his throat and his mouth gapes open as he fights for breath. Behind him, the battle continues full force, weapons and fists flying. CUT TO - The woman, lingering on the side of the stage. She creeps forward, a knife in her hand, towards the THREE SACRIFICES. CLOSE-UP on the woman as she kneels behind one of them. It's ANNE, AKA Chanterelle/Lily. Her face fills with frustration as she sees - The victim's hands, bound behind the columns with metal wire. How am I supposed to-- She sets down her knife and starts trying to untwist the wire. REVERSE ANGLE - A demon sees her and rushes forward. The Hispanic man goes after him with his ax. Meanwhile, the African-American man collapses to the stage floor. CUT TO - Anne, her eyes wide as she sees her comrade fall. Rondell! She stands up and runs over to his slumped body. The priest smiles maliciously and turns his attention to the other human intruders on his sacred ceremony. Suddenly - REVERSE ANGLE - the back of the gymnasium. The door flies open. Weak light from outside cuts across the floor. FOUR NEW FIGURES enter the building, weapons raised, and race across the stadium floor - ANGEL, GUNN, ILLYRIA, and SPIKE, loaded for bear and ready for battle. (to Illyria) Is this it? ILLYRIA We have found it. ANGEL (with determination) Good, then let's do it. SPIKE (pointing) There's only one guy. They look. Sure enough, four demons lie dead on the floor. Only the demon priest is still standing. Two human men are closing in on him. (his eyes on the sacrifices) Oh, God. With a scowl, Gunn charges up onto the stage. Spike follows. The priest's eyes turn to Gunn. He raises his hand. Kata-ra, dee-nos-- Angel jumps onto the stage and starts towards the priest. As he does, Illyria cuts him off. She lunges at the priest, knocking him to the floor. CLOSE-UP on Illyria as she stares down at the priest. (angry) This is not Korath. This is nothing but a putrid minion. Angel frowns, then pivots towards the SACRIFICES. His eyes fall on the two men, now trying to free their friends, then Anne, giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Rondell. Rondell coughs and groans. Angel rushes over to one of the sacrifice victims and starts yanking out the wire restraints with his bare hands. The first victim slumps to the floor. Gunn steps forward to ease his fall. As the next victim is loosened, Anne stands up to help her to the ground and RUNS RIGHT INTO SPIKE trying to do the same thing. Anne backs off, eyes wide, and returns to Rondell. Spike lowers the wounded woman to the floor with a puzzled expression. In the background, we can hear the priest incanting again as he struggles with Illyria. (to no one in particular) We have to get them out of here! ANGEL (releasing the third victim) I think our first priority is-- He looks over at the demon priest. CUT TO - Illyria on the floor, straddling the fallen and squirming priest, her hand on his mouth. Let's get out of here. While Illyria holds off the priest, Angel, Gunn, and the Hispanic man each pick up one of the wounded humans. Spike heads over to Rondell. Anne glares at Spike suspiciously as he reaches down for her friend. The brown-haired man offers a hand to Anne and she stands. Together, the group scramble down the stairs to their left and race towards the auditorium exit. Tito, Annie, is the East L.A. Clinic still running? HISPANIC MAN (grimly) Full time, if you know what I mean. SPIKE (to Angel) What about Blue? ANGEL She knows where to find us. FADE TO - EXT. ANTIQUE SHOP - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING It's the antique shop from episode 3. The name is embossed in gold on the window - "Unique Antiques." INT. UNIQUE ANTIQUES - NIGHT All manner of antiques fill the cluttered but elegant shop - well-cared-for household appliances and trinkets, retro furniture, books, even musical instruments. We DOLLY FORWARD through an aisle of merchandise towards the back of the store where we encounter a door with a sign on it, "Employees Only." The door is slightly ajar. INT. ANTIQUE STORE BACK ROOM - NIGHT It's an OFFICE with a large WALNUT DESK and books in barrister bookshelves. There are more cluttered objects on top of the shelves and on the walls, although these ones look a little more exotic--an African mask, a brass pre-Copernican model of the universe, an ornate jewel-encrusted goblet, and what looks very much like a reptile skull with horns. On the floor in one corner is an old wood chest. On the wall above the desk is a map of Los Angeles. THE SHOPKEEPER FROM EPISODE 3 stands over his desk, which is cleared except for a piece of paper and a cardboard box. He runs his fingers through his slightly thinning salt-and-pepper hair. In CLOSE-UP, we can see the lines around his eyes, which give him a world-weary look. He reaches inside the cardboard box and pulls out two objects--one large, one small--wrapped in faded newspaper. He unwraps them and positions them carefully on the desk--a CLAY BOWL and a SMALL STONE TALISMAN IN THE SHAPE OF A HUMAN EYE. He grabs up the newspaper and steps over to a small trashcan when the headline catches his eye - And above it, in tinier print - The shopkeeper runs his fingertips over his brow. (taken aback) Has it been that long? He bunches up the newspaper and throws it away, then turns back to his desk and picks up a paper bag off the pushed-aside desk chair. He pulls out a small vial of blue powder and a bundle of herbs tied with a string and sets them on the table. Then he positions the piece of paper, which is filled with hand-written scrawls, where he can read it. Mumbling to himself, he unscrews the vial and taps some blue powder into the bowl. Then he opens his desk drawer, pulls out a long-piped butane lighter and sets the powder aflame. It starts to smolder and smoke. He sets the lighter down, picks up the bundle of herbs and sweeps them back and forth in the air. His eyes glance back down to the paper. (incanting) Illuminati, All-seeing eye, Horus' fire-- He switches the herbs to his left hand and opens his palm over the smoke. Take of this energy, guide this penitent, seek the source. The smoke rises into his palm, then billows up over his hand. It coalesces into a thin blue ribbon and rises to the map on the wall, honing in on one particular city intersection. The shopkeeper frowns. Great. That's at least ten miles. (beat) I wonder if they managed to get the street cars running. BLACK OUT. |
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starring David Boreanaz J. August Richards Amy Acker and James Marsters |
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EXT. THE MONASTERY - NIGHT INT. BASEMENT WORKSHOP - NIGHT ANGLE ON - The hallway door leading to the sewer access entrance. Angel walks through, broadsword in hand. Gunn follows, clutching his ax. He looks up towards the center of the room. There you are. I hope you wasted that priest. REVERSE ANGLE - Illyria, standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed, brooding dangerously. The room around her, once the monk's furniture rebuilding workshop, has been hastily converted into a SITTING AREA with a COUCH, an ARMCHAIR, an OLD, SCRATCHED END TABLE, and a LOCKED ARMOIRE. There are still shelves and work tables along the walls and a few other random furniture scraps from the monks' work days. Gunn sets his ax on one of the empty shelves. I did not. (her voice drops low with bewildered anger) His minions did not use such craven magicks in the past. Spike enters the room last, his own sword in hand. Makes sense they'd change their tactics, Blue, what with you having this rivalry a million years ago. Angel walks over to the armoire. He pulls a set of keys out of his pocket, unlocks the cabinet, and hangs his sword inside. He turns. Spike is now behind him, waiting his turn at the makeshift weapons cabinet. (to Illyria) Wait! You mean that priest is still alive? Ready to grab a few more kids the next time he wants to worship his demon god? ILLYRIA (with a human-like laugh of derision) Korath is no god! ANGEL (stepping aside while Spike puts his sword away) And he obviously doesn't exist on this plane like you thought, either, Illyria. GUNN (eyes shooting to Angel) Not the point. ILLYRIA (murmuring) It makes no sense. I could feel his power emanating from that place. Angel looks at Gunn. Well, yeah, actually, it sort of is the point. It means this Korath isn't the real threat. We're looking for powerful demons--possibly humans --who exist on this plane. They'll be the Senior Partner's new eyes and ears. Spike settles down on the couch and throws his feet up on a wooden crate. (with a shrug) Still, might make sense to do something about this "cult of Korath" bunch. Gunn throws out a hand to Spike. Thank you. Then he stares into space pensively. And we will. But our priority can't be the cult of Korath, or any of the other power factions we've seen around town. We need to find out who's behind all of this. (he sweeps his arm) The real powers. We need to find the new Circle of the Black Thorn, or whatever they're calling themselves these days. Gunn sits down on the couch near Spike. (to Spike) Brute strength and steel aren't going to work with this guy, though. We need to figure out what the source of his power is. The spell he was using. We need.... Gunn's eyes dip as he realizes just what they do need. Spike nods soberly. You no longer have a library, Charles, nor an expert of sufficient skill to make use of it. Gunn stares up at Illyria with a look of exasperation, only to see-- For an instant, a flicker of--is it sadness? confusion?--on Illyria's face as well. But it's gone as quickly as it came, replaced by ire. But I would like another chance to slaughter this priest of Korath. I do not enjoy losing a battle. Angel steps into the center of the room, one hand on his hip. Hey, whoa, guys. Enough about the "battle." We're in the middle of a war here, in case you haven't noticed. Gunn looks up at him. And I agree that that's what we need to do in the big picture, Angel, but in the meantime, people are dying out there. My friends are dying. Angel crosses his arms. He has the expression of a man trying not to appear impatient. (off Angel's look) All I'm saying is, while we're looking for the cause of the forest fire, we can't just ignore the burning trees. We need to do some damage control. ANGEL And how do you suggest we do that? SPIKE Yeah, 'cause there's a lotta trees. GUNN (sitting forward, elbows on knees) We can't--We can't think like Angel Investigations anymore, going after evil one demon at a time. And we can't think like we did at Wolfram and Hart--throwing money and resources we no longer have at a problem. Because you're right, Angel, we are in the middle of a war. A war zone. And we need to start acting like it. SPIKE (idly) Right. Need an army. GUNN (with a glance at Spike) Exactly. An army. Allies. Intelligence. Strategies. Strategies that include your big picture. Angel frowns thoughtfully, then gives Gunn a grudging nod. Spike glances at Illyria, who is standing off to the side, body rigid, staring. You're bein' awfully quiet, Blue. Figured you'd have something to say on this. Illyria's eyes sweep the three of them. This is your "war," not mine. She is quiet for a moment, her expression puzzled and unsettled. I see this world becoming more and more the world I once knew, and it.... ANGEL (concerned) And it what? Illyria quickly recovers her usual haughty, aloof manner. (to Angel) I will fight your war, vampire. Until it pleases me not to. A look of understanding passes between Angel and Illyria. (eyeing them) All right.... (he clasps his hands together) I suggest we get the lay of the land first. The territorial borders of each of the factions we've seen, an idea of their loyalties. Find out where the enemies are and where the friends are. ANGEL That's a good idea. But there's a lot of ground to cover. GUNN I'm going to start with my old crew. They should have a good idea about what's going down on the East Side and Downtown, at least. SPIKE Guess that leaves South, West and North for the rest of us. ANGEL I'll take West. I want to go over to the old Wolfram and Hart building and see what's left of it. SPIKE (looking at Illyria) What do you say, Blue? North or South? ILLYRIA It matters little to me. The sight of humans cowering in their houses like frightened rats will not differ significantly in any section of this city. Spike slaps the couch arm and stands. Then we'll just hit both together. ILLYRIA (to Angel) Now? ANGEL Up to you. Burning moonlight, for some of us. GUNN And besides, with the military around, getting around is a lot safer after dark. Even for me. EXT. LOEWS' STATE THEATER - NIGHT A bright art-deco marquee in white and red announces "KIN ARTHUR" and "I, ROBO ." GUNN steps over strewn trash and broken glass and marble from the shattered ticket booth and walks inside. He has a FLASHLIGHT in his hand. INT. THE LOBBY OF LOEWS' STATE THEATER Torn carpet and gouges in the wall show how this struggling relic of the old Hollywood met its final indignity in wanton destruction and looting. Gunn passes through the lobby and up to the doorway of the right-hand auditorium. The doors are lolling to the side, hanging off their hinges. The auditorium is dark, yet we can see in the shadows a theater modernized over classic art-deco elegance. It has also been completely trashed. Seats are toppled over, the curtains are torn. The screen is rippled and warped. Gunn enters, takes a few steps, then stops. He stands and shines his flashlight up and around behind him, where we see an overhanging balcony. He walks back out. We DOLLY behind him as he walks down the long lobby to a STAIRCASE at the far end. The staircase leads up to the balcony and down into darkness. A metal safety chain is still intact across the top of the descending staircase. In the center of the chain is a metal plaque reading "Employees Only." Gunn kneels and shines his flashlight below the chain. We see a THIN LINE OF FISHING WIRE low across the second step. Gunn detaches the chain and descends the stairs, stepping over the wire. He shines his flashlight again further down the stairs and crouches, looking. INT. LOEWS STATE THEATER BASEMENT - NIGHT Gunn is standing in a darkly-illuminated hallway. The faded gold letters on the door in front of him read "Archives." He knocks two times slow, three fast. After a moment, the door cracks open and the TIP OF A CROSS-BOW pokes out, aimed at him. (a bit alarmed, but not loud) It's Gunn! Charles Gunn! Slowly, the door creaks open. A young Hispanic man some viewers might recognize from the episode "War Zone," CHAIN, steps back from the door, his crossbow still pointed at Gunn. Slowly, he lowers his weapon. Gunn enters. INT. FILM ARCHIVE ROOM - NIGHT The room is cramped. Metal shelves line the walls, filled with OLD METAL FILM REEL CANISTERS. There is also a wooden desk, a lumpy couch and, off to the side, a doorway leading to another room. Also scattered throughout the room are FIVE OR SIX OTHER KIDS, ranging in age from early teens to early twenties, blinking up sleepily from sleeping bags. One of them is ANNE. She crawls out of her bag and stands. (smiling) Annie. (he nods at Chain) Yo, Chain. Don't you ever try anything new with security? CHAIN Gotta go with what works. You know that. Gunn nods, and looks around the room. Cozy little set-up you have here. Reminds me of the old days. Making your bed wherever you can find a place. ANNE We came here in-- (she looks at Chain) July? (Chain nods) After we had to evacuate the East Hills Teen Center. Can you believe there were vampires just standing around outside the shelter waiting to pick kids off? CHAIN One night, we stayed holed up in there until dawn, then we got the hell away. (he gestures at the ceiling) Anne remembered this place from her days before the Center. ANNE (with a forlorn smile) We've been here ever since. Some of us, anyway. The rest of the kids are scattered at other locations. GUNN How's Rondell? Have they released him? We hear a SET OF BOOTS CLOMP across a hard surface. Gunn's POV - the open doorway. RONDELL emerges, dressed in Army-green cast-offs. They don't keep anyone around who can get up and walk out on his own. GUNN (surprised) Bro, you were dead there until Annie got to you. And they just let you go? ANNE (shaking her head) He wasn't dead, he just wasn't breathing. Rondell shrugs, then grins. So, Charles Gunn.... How you doin'. Haven't seen you in months, man. GUNN (nodding) May. Let's just say I've been out of town. RONDELL (cautiously) Still hanging with that vampire, I hear. Gunn looks his old friend in the eye. Yeah, I am. You gonna make an issue of it? RONDELL (looking right back) Just tell me you ain't involved in anything that's goin' on out there. GUNN How can you even ask me that? You know me, man. Rondell shakes his head. His expression is a mix of discomfort, confusion, and a hint of sadness. I thought I knew you. Until you started cozying up with a vampire. Telling me you "could never be his friend" but working for him anyway. And then you started working for that demon law firm. What am I supposed to think? GUNN (almost angry) You think I'm fighting on the other side, is that what you think? You don't have a clue what I do. What I've been through. Rondell stares at him in sullen silence for a moment, then scowls and continues on his way across the room. Anne gives Gunn an awkward smile, then turns towards the retreating Rondell. Rondell, Charles is not the enemy here. Rondell throws himself down on the couch. He gives them one guarded glance, but then says nothing. Gunn gazes at him for a moment, then finally turns back to Anne. That's...pretty much why I'm here. To find out just who the enemy is. Who's in charge where in the city. Get the lay of the land. RONDELL (not looking at them) You mean you don't know? GUNN (with exasperation) No, man, I don't know. (to Anne) Like I said, I've been out of town. RONDELL Convenient. ANNE (reprimanding) Rondell. (then, to Gunn) Tell us what you do know. Rondell's eyes wander back to them. Next to nothing, really. Demons have trashed the city. There's martial law. National Guard owns some parts of town, demons own others. Maybe some human-run sections, too, not under control of the military. ANNE (nodding) That's about what we know, too. We don't have a television here. And we don't go outside unless we have to. And then only as far as it takes to find food. Most of the kids-- (PAN AROUND as she looks at them) they don't trust the military any more than they do the demons. (she shakes her head) I just--I can't believe what's happened. GUNN What did happen? EXT. A RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT Like many other places in town, this neighborhood seems to have been abandoned. We see ANGEL on the sidewalk, glancing around nervously. He walks quickly up to the front door of A HOUSE, which the audience might recognize from last season as the one NINA lived in with her sister and niece. The lawn in front of the house is littered with paper and debris blown in and left wherever it happened to settle. There are no lights on in the house. Angel sighs as he reaches the front door. Glancing back one last time, he turns the knob. The door is locked. Angel twists again with steadily increasing effort; the lock finally snaps with a brief, sharp, metallic crunching noise and the door abruptly swings in. INT. NINA'S SISTER'S HOUSE - NIGHT Angel steps inside and closes the door behind him. As he does, we hear the haunting opening organ solo of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale." The song plays low in the background as Angel wanders slowly through the house. He begins in the hallway, standing motionless, listening, sniffing the air. Then he turns to his left to see - Angel's POV - the living room window through the hallway door. Dense cloud cover hangs in the sky outside, and moonlight drifts in through the front windows, gradually painting the interior in long stipples of pale white-yellow. As the light moves smoothly but indifferently across the floor and furnishings, it passes up over the front of an antique pine dry sink with framed pictures arrayed carefully across its top. The clouds in the window clear completely, and the light's movement halts, just as an 8x10 of Nina is partially illuminated, her smiling face split by moon and shadow. Angel takes in the sight of the photograph for a moment. As he does, we hear the soft strains of the music - Finally, his shoulders sag, and his body language speaks volumes despite the slight physical movement involved. He stands in the same spot for several more seconds, then begins to wander through the abandoned home. He walks from the living room out and into the kitchen, then back out into the hallway and up the stairs. INT. NINA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Dark. This room is in the back of the house, so it is not bathed in moonlight. Angel flips the light switch, which doesn't work. Still, we can see in the room the signs of someone packing for a long trip. Or a hasty exit. There's a suitcase sitting open on the floor beside the open closet door. Several blouses, pairs of pants, and skirts have been strewn across the bed. Angel reaches down and picks up a sleek gray jacket. He brings it up to his nose. Then the glint of something on Nina's dresser-top catches his eye. He strolls over to the dresser where we see - CLOSE-UP - a flat, rectangular maroon gift box with soft padding in it. Resting on the padding is an abalone shell with the image of a gothic angel etched into its polished interior. Angel pulls out the shell to examine it more closely, then turns the box over. On the back of the box in silver lettering are the words "TIENDA OROZCO, CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO." They went. (he frowns) And they came back. CLOSE-UP on the angel etching again, its wings folded into a point, its expression dour. EXT. COMMERCIAL STREET - SILVER LAKE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING We see SPIKE AND ILLYRIA (as Fred) crouched behind a low brick wall that borders the entrance to an alleyway. They are observing what has obviously been the site of recent chaos. There are glassless windows in many of the businesses, with wooden planks from previous boardings-up strewn on the ground. A fire is burning steadily inside one of the windows. Sirens wail in the distance. We can see scattered people picking up broken furniture and other items and carrying them back into the stores. Others are milling around in groups, some of them clutching weapons--handguns, baseball bats, fire-axes. One of them, a young man, walks over to a section of pavement where we see SEVERAL DEMONS WITH LARGE LOWER FANGS lying dead on the ground. The man kicks one of the bodies viciously, then steps back and kicks it again. (low) Not sure if they'd make enemies or friends. Illyria says nothing, just watches, her eyes unblinking. Might be best not to find out. C'mon. INT. FILM ARCHIVE ROOM - NIGHT About a dozen young people, including Gunn, Anne, and Rondell, are sitting up in sleeping bags or on old furniture. Anne is now on the couch. "What happened." (she looks overwhelmed) That's what we've all been trying to figure out. GUNN (taking a seat on the arm of the couch) It started in May, right? Big demon riot in Hollywood? Chain shoots Anne a curious look. Was there a riot in May? ANNE (frowning) I suppose there could have been. I don't remember at this point. I mean, things were bad, but I don't remember them being really bad until July. That's when we evacuated the Center and came here. CHAIN Before that, there'd been demons outdoors in the daylight for a couple of weeks. Mostly on the East Side. The vamps, you know, only at night, but jeez--demons just walking down the street like they owned it. ANNE (nodding) I remember the panic. That's when they called in the National Guard. GUNN In July? ANNE Early July, maybe. Like I said, it's hard to remember. Things just...things just started falling apart over the summer. (beat) But it was so...gradual, you know? YOUNG MAN (o.s.) The first time I remember thinking things were off was after the Mayor got shot. All heads turn to the BROWN-HAIRED YOUTH we met in the teaser. He is leaning against the wall. He looks around at the kids in the room, some of whom nod and murmur their agreement. When was that? June? Shrugs all around. (looking thoughtful) After that, bad news starting poppin' up on the TV every night, but then, there's always bad news on the TV every night. GUNN What kind of bad news? BROWN-HAIRED YOUNG MAN A lot of big companies going under. (he looks around at the kids and shrugs) I mean, who cares, right? Unless you worked for them. CHAIN A lot of gang wars, too. Way more than usual. And then someone actually got one of them on tape. And it wasn't the Bloods or the Boyz or Crips, man. It was demons. BLOND BOY I remember that! CHAIN Yeah, demons on the news. Who woulda thought? (beat) After that, you started seeing them more and more, in public, and.... ASIAN GIRL And the police chief resigned. In the middle of all that, he totally bailed. BROWN-HAIRED YOUNG MAN Not that the cops ever did anything for us. CHAIN And now you have soldiers everywhere. Not that they could stop the demons from tearing the city apart. Most of those soldiers had never seen a demon before they came to L.A. ASIAN GIRL And they sure as hell didn't know how to deal with the supernatural crap some of those demons can do. RONDELL And people, too, man. It's not just the demons tearing things up. (eyes on Gunn) Some folks will take advantage of any situation. CUT TO - Gunn, listening to all of this, looking as puzzled as everyone else. EXT. THE WOLFRAM AND HART BUILDING - NIGHT IN RUINS - a crumbling remnant of its former power. Tacked to wall near what used to be the front doors is a sign - "This building is condemned." INT. EXECUTIVE FLOOR - NIGHT The inside is barely recognizable as the executive floor we've come to know. The floor above has caved in through the ceiling. Beams are fallen and crushed. The debris of corporate life--papers, books, broken furniture, coffee cups, pens--lies scattered among the crumbled dust of concrete and twisted metal. A dim emergency light is still working on this floor. We see Angel emerge from a stairwell door and walk cautiously towards the main reception area, tensing himself for a possible attack. Beyond him in the periphery of the necro-tempered glass windows, the soft reddish light of dawn is beginning to glow. (not too loudly) Hello? He comes to a halt at the reception desk where Harmony used to work, leans over the counter and notes that unlike Nina's, her departure seems to have been fairly pre-planned. The absurdly incongruous sight of the neat, uncluttered desktop amid the fallen beams, broken light fixtures, dented elevator door and broken concrete and plaster chunks brings a thin, tight-lipped half-smile to his face. Then he turns away, only to find himself facing - Angel's POV - WESLEY'S OFFICE. The door has been partially broken off its hinges and is listing away from the surrounding frame at a dramatic angle, the remnants of the lower hinge barely supporting the weight. Angel's smile fades. He walks towards it slowly, pauses for a moment, then enters the room, twisting sideways to avoid contact with the damaged door. INT. WESLEY'S OFFICE - PREDAWN Oddly, the broken door seems to be the only damage to the interior. Other than being wildly strewn with dozens of file folders piled willy-nilly on both floor and desk, the office doesn't resemble one which has been through an apocalypse. Angel moves silently over to the back of the desk, hesitates for several long seconds, then pushes the chair back and away, finally deciding not to seat himself in it. He leans over and begins to go through the desk drawers one at a time, checking the contents. By the time he has rifled through the fourth drawer, his jaw is clenching hard. He stops abruptly, turns away. The moment stretches, and stretches further. MEDIUM-WIDE SHOT - looking at the desk and Angel standing behind it, facing away towards the right side of the frame. The rising dawn begins to drift in through the windows to the left. We DOLLY in towards Angel very slowly. CUT TO - Closer, tighter shot of Angel's back, from about waist level up. We can see that he's shaking just a little; it becomes obvious that he's either weeping or trying desperately not to. He looks around briefly, taking in the office, the building, the memories. God damn them. (long beat, shakes harder) God damn them all. CUT TO - Still CLOSER SHOT, this time from the front. Angel stops shaking, and gathers himself. His jaw tightens. HOLD on his stoic, expressionless face as his eyes take in the office of his friend. Then, abruptly, he rises and exits the room. INT. THE DOOR TO ANGEL'S OFFICE - PREDAWN A beam of wood lies diagonally across the door as if standing guard over the entrance. With a grunt, Angel pushes it aside and enters. His desk is crushed. There is no sign of the weapons that once adorned his wall. Everything of value has been looted. Suddenly, we hear a GROWL behind him. Angel whirls around. BLACK OUT. |
