buffy8x04 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[previous | bottom] ACT TWO
FADE IN:
19 INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - NIGHT 19
Buffy approaches the stairwell. She seems a little drowsy
after the long day. Passes Dawn on the way up.
BUFFY
Hey. I'm gonna take a shower, okay?
DAWN
Gotcha. Scream if you need
anything.
BUFFY
Will do.
She climbs the stairs and steps onto the second level. Takes
a moment to look into Xander's bedroom -- he's going at it
with Kennedy, playing a video game. Buffy smiles.
She crosses into the bathroom and yawns. Looks at herself in
the mirror. Tired, but still beautiful. She runs the faucet,
ready to splash water onto her face --
A horrifying, feminine SCREAM splits the air. Coming from a
nearby room. Buffy, without hesitation, charges out of the
bathroom and makes an immediate right, through the open door
and into Andrew's bedroom. Xander and Kennedy follow from the
other room.
Andrew is slumped against the wall, not so much terrified as
interested in an extremely cautious way.
BUFFY (cont'd)
What? What is it?
ANDREW
The... the closet.
BUFFY
What's in there?
Andrew rises and looks. The sliding closet door is closed. He
holds two action figures in his hands.
ANDREW
I was in there with these, trying
to get the proper lighting, you
know? And just as Darth Frodo was
beginning to get the upper-hand on
Master Skywalker, which is
understandable, since he's so small
he can duck under --
BUFFY
Andrew!
ANDREW
Okay. Anyway, just as Frodo
insulted the prequels, and Luke
said that 'Clones' was better than
'Jedi,' that thing appeared out of
nowhere.
Buffy slowly approaches the closet. Takes the knob and
prepares to pull.
BUFFY
What is it?
ANDREW
A weird symbol.
Buffy pulls open the closet and looks in. Prepared to be
freaked.
In the closet, a symbol is burned into the wall. Large and
angled, looking similar to "<|>."
Buffy backs up, curious. She looks to Andrew.
BUFFY
Is it demonic? You're the expert on
these types of things.
ANDREW
If it is, I haven't seen it before.
(sighs)
And to think, I'm sure Luke was
about to make a comeback.
From downstairs, we can HEAR someone KNOCK at the door. Buffy
rolls her eyes, impatient.
DAWN (O.S.)
(calling)
Buffy, should I get that?
20 INT. DOWNSTAIRS - SECONDS LATER 20
Buffy hurries down the stairs. She takes the knob and opens
the door -- revealing Officer Evans, seemingly alive and
well. Buffy is taken aback for a moment, then manages to
regain her composure.
BUFFY
Can I help you, Officer?
EVANS
Is this the Summers' residence?
BUFFY
Um, yes it is. Is there anything I
can help you with?
Evans steps right in, brushing Buffy off. She closes the
door, a sardonic smile on her mouth.
BUFFY (cont'd)
(sarcastic)
Please, come in.
EVANS
We had a complaint about the music
being too loud. Do you know
anything about that?
BUFFY
Well, considering we don't even
have a stereo set up --
EVANS
(cutting in)
Don't get smart with me, girl. I'm
in no mood. I'm just gonna take a
look around.
BUFFY
Looking for... ?
EVANS
I really don't like your tone.
Evans starts up the stairs. Buffy and Dawn exchange looks.
They definitely understand each other.
DAWN
We've moved onto the set of 'Maniac
Cop.'
21 INT. UPSTAIRS - NIGHT 21
Evans moves into the hallway. There's a fork, leading to two
rooms. He takes a left and slowly pushes open the door.
Xander and Kennedy continue their game. Xander catches sight
of the officer. Freezes. Kennedy follows suit.
XANDER
Umm... are you looking for the
bathroom?
EVANS
Is there anything in the bathroom?
KENNEDY
A toilet.
EVANS
Anything else?
XANDER
A sink... are you looking for
something specific?
Andrew exits his room and moves into the hallway, crossing
past Evans and barely taking notice of him. He proudly holds
one of his action figures.
ANDREW
Xander, I broke Frodo's hand off.
Can you fix it?
Evans turns, almost like a startled animal who also happens
to be on the prowl. He takes a long hard look at the boy.
EVANS
There's somethin' strange about
you.
ANDREW
I liked 'Star Trek V?'
Evans unclips a flashlight from his belt. He turns it on and
flashes the beam in Andrew's eyes. His pupils barely react.
Even Andrew thinks this guy is strange.
EVANS
You on drugs, boy?
ANDREW
Not to my knowledge.
Evans' flashlight indicates Andrew's room.
EVANS
That's your room?
ANDREW
Yes.
Evans pushes past Andrew and into the boy's room. It's bare,
with only a mattress, a bare window and the open closet.
Evans approaches the closet and looks in. He sees the symbol,
bringing his flashlight beam to bear down upon it.
Evans tilts his head awkwardly, as though the origin of the
symbol is on the tip of his tongue, just beyond the reaches
of his mind.
22 INT. DOWNSTAIRS - NIGHT 22
Buffy sits on the couch, nervous. Dawn is beside her, trying
to keep her cool.
BUFFY
What if he finds something?
DAWN
There's nothing to find.
BUFFY
Yeah... but, what if he finds
something?
WILLOW (O.S.)
He won't.
Buffy's head turns. Willow is in the kitchen, dusting off the
last of a white powder from the countertop. It's Sage. Evans
moves down the stairway.
He stops before the door and looks to Buffy, disapproving and
obviously disappointed. She meets his stare, trying not to be
confrontational.
EVANS
(grumbling)
Well, I'm sorry for the
disturbance. Just doin' my part to
-
He catches sight of something. Willow... with the white
powder!
EVANS (cont'd)
I knew there was something wrong
with this. He told me it'd be the
one with red hair.
WILLOW
(panicking)
What? I -- I'm not doing anything!
Evans crosses across the living room to meet the witch. Dabs
his fingers in the Sage and smiles.
EVANS
That's heroin if I've ever seen it,
girl.
WILLOW
Then you obviously haven't seen it!
BUFFY
Officer, there's gotta be some kind
of mistake -- !
EVANS
You tryin' to make trouble, girl?
Now I'm gonna be a nice guy and
just take your druggie friend in.
But start spouting off with that
lip and I'll just have to throw you
in lock-up as well.
Evans takes Willow, who's obviously panicking, from behind
and slaps the handcuffs on her. He walks her to the door. She
passes Buffy and Dawn...
WILLOW
Buffy!
BUFFY
We'll fix this, Will. I promise.
Xander and Kennedy watch from the stairs in a stunned
silence. Evans pops open the door and pushes Willow out. He's
about to step out himself as Buffy notices something.
Burned into Evans' wrist, like some kind of horrifying
tattoo, is the familiar <|> mark!
Buffy steps forward to react, but before she can, Evans is
out the door and into the night. The door SLAMS in her face,
shepherding us to a --
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
23 INT./EXT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 23
Evans takes Willow by the arm. The night is cool and quiet,
as though all life has stopped to watch. He rips open the
glass door and pushes her into the station. In the b.g.,
heavy tree branches stir -- almost as if something dark and
unseen is causing unrest.
24 INT. POLICE STATION - LOBBY. NIGHT. 24
Evans leads Willow to the check-in desk. Around them,
UNIFORMED COPS perform their evening tasks. There's a
definite sense of boredom and tranquillity. KINCAID, the desk
clerk, takes notice of the girl. Raises his eyebrows.
KINCAID
Can I help you, Evans?
EVANS
She's a dealer. Caught her
redhanded.
KINCAID
Another one?
EVANS
It's a damned hive that keeps
spreading. Gonna take her into the
back and ask her some questions.
(to Willow)
Some important questions. Willow
shudders.
25 INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER 25
Evans leads Willow down the corridor. A few COPS take notice.
None pause to examine, though. As they pass a particular door
-- CPT. WILCOX exits. Followed by a man we can't yet see.
CPT. WILCOX
Now, you're sure everything's going
to work out with the loan?
JACKSON (O.S.)
Absolutely.
Jackson follows Cpt. Wilcox out. Jackson just manages to
catch sight of the passing duo. Girl with red hair... so
familiar.
As Evans and Willow turn the corner, the witch catches sight
of the realtor. Jackson is momentarily stunned.
CPT. WILCOX
The bank's already cleared it?
JACKSON
(lost)
What?
(regains composure)
Oh. Well, it isn't cleared yet. But
the bank is confident, and so am I.
I wouldn't worry, Tom.
CPT. WILCOX
Excellent. Don't know what I'd do
without you, Jackson.
JACKSON
(wandering)
Yeah... right... me neither...
CPT. WILCOX
You okay?
JACKSON
Huh?
26 INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY 26
Buffy sits on the couch, her hands in her hair. Andrew and
Xander are next to her. Anya, Dawn, and Kennedy stand behind,
thoughtful. Though Anya seems a bit cheerier in the face than
the others.
BUFFY
That symbol. I know I saw it on
him. And if he's a demon, where are
we going to find Willow?
ANDREW
There have to be clues somewhere.
There's always clues!
BUFFY
(snaps)
Then show me where they are,
Andrew! You're the demon expert.
Where did this asshole take Willow?
Xander hesitates. It's obvious, even as he talks, that he
doesn't completely believe in what he says:
XANDER
Buffy, there's gotta be a way.
We'll find it. And Willow... well,
if anything hits the fan, she can
take care of herself.
BUFFY
But what if she can't?
ANYA
Then you'll see her again someday
in a few extra pieces.
Buffy shoots Anya a look. Not at all amused.
KENNEDY
We have to find her. And soon.
ANDREW
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
Kennedy's glare is enough to avert Andrew's gaze. She looks
even more determined than Buffy.
BUFFY
But where? If it's a demon, there
has to be a group of them
somewhere. An alley... a sewer...
God, Sunnydale was so much smaller
than this! There's a thousand
different places she could be.
JACKSON (O.S.)
Like the police station six blocks
away.
Everyone looks to the entrance. Jackson stands in the doorway
and closes the door. Approaches Buffy.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Sorry for not knocking. But I was
handling some real estate with a
friend in the area, and I saw your
red-headed friend being led down
the hall.
BUFFY
Jackson, but... but --
(thinks)
How could she be there? If he's a
demon, even a cop-demon, he
wouldn't just take her down to the
station.
DAWN
Unless he's not a demon.
ANDREW
Thank you, Capt --
Dawn swats Andrew in the back of the head. He shuts up and
sinks into the sofa.
XANDER
What if he's not a demon? The mark
might not be evil. Maybe he's a
nice, happy cop who decided to take
Willow in for her own safety.
The gaze of everyone in the room, including Andrew,
immediately quiets the half-serious Xander for a few moments.
XANDER (cont'd)
...or not.
BUFFY
I don't like it. Demon or not,
there was something weird in his
eyes. And that mark...
ANYA
What if it's possession?
BUFFY
What?
ANYA
Well, he could be possessed, and
the mark could be a kind of
ownership receipt.
KENNEDY
As much as I hate to say it, it
makes sense.
BUFFY
Well, even so, if someone else
wanted Willow, wouldn't he have the
guy bring her to him?
ANYA
Not if it's half-assed. The owner
might only control a little bit of
the cop.
Silence. Everyone seems lost in thought, their gazes falling
upon Anya. How could she have guessed that? She seems to see
in their eyes.
ANYA (cont'd)
(obviously)
Hello, vengeance demon!
XANDER
So that means that the cop was
acting on instinct. And if the
owner wanted Willow --
BUFFY
(finishing)
-- he's gonna have to take her for
himself.
Without a second thought, Buffy makes for the stairs.
Determined and hellbent.
DAWN
So what are you going to do?
BUFFY
Do my hair.
27 INT. POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT 27
The door opens. Evans leads Willow in and lets go of her arm.
She touches it gingerly... he certainly wasn't gentle. A
steel table is at the center of the cold white room. She
slowly sits in one of the provided chairs.
EVANS
Enjoy yourself. I'll be back in a
few minutes to have a nice little
chat.
Evans slams the door shut, the sound ECHOING throughout the
room. Willow studies her surroundings -- stark and bleak. No
way out but the locked door.
28 EXT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 28
Evans moves out of the station. He crosses the courtyard and
moves into a small brush. The trees sway unnervingly.
The officer definitely notices, but something else seems to
be on his mind. He COUGHS loudly... and then AGAIN... and
then repeatedly for a few moments.
He collapses to the dirt-covered ground. Evans jerks and
spasms. His body is tossed across the ground. Unable to
control himself.
Suddenly, one of the tree-bound shadows moves. It seems to
step into the night and take a physical form. Syn!
29 INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 29
Familiar and yet not, FOOTSTEPS are heard on the stairs.
Slowly descending. Everyone turns, waiting -- to be
comforted? To be robbed of hope?
Buffy appears. Clad all in black. Boots, pants, gloves, etc.
It clashes with her strikingly blonde hair, held tight in a
ponytail.
XANDER
Nice look. Watched 'The Crow'
lately?
BUFFY
Cute. No, I have to wear this. The
place is going to be full of armed
cops, and chances are it wouldn't
be a good start in this town if I'm
arrested fighting my way in there.
I have to get to Willow before Mr.
Too-Scared-To-Grab-Her-Himself
does.
KENNEDY
And I'm going too.
BUFFY
No, you're not. That place is full
of cops. I'm the only one capable
of taking them.
KENNEDY
In case you didn't notice, I'm a
Slayer too.
BUFFY
But do you have my sense of
fashion?
(beat)
It's not just about being a Slayer,
Kennedy. Trust me.
CUT TO:
30 EXT. PATHWAY - OUTSIDE POLICE STATION - NIGHT 30
Buffy walks long the path, determined. Knowing what has to be
done. She catches sight of the station, with police cruisers
parked outside in the lot. She tenses, almost out of
embarrassment.
BUFFY
So, the Slayer is taking on
boyscouts. I think I miss
Sunnydale.
Buffy approaches the building, sighs... Evans springs out
from the bush and tackles her! He's changed. Bigger, with a
vampire-like face and an overall more demonic appearance.
Buffy rises and kicks him, causing him to fly back into the
brush. She hurries to him. Evans and Buffy exchange blows,
dodging the overhanging branches of large oak trees.
Neither seems to have to upper hand until Buffy manages a
roundhouse kick, sending Evans right into a tree. He drops to
his knees.
Buffy takes a massive fallen branch and BASHES it into the
side of Evans' head. Hard enough for the branch to shatter!
Evans falls back, easily knock cold.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Who knew? Size matters. Sorry,
Spike.
31 INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT 31
The desk clerk, Kincaid, eyes his computer screen intently.
But he's not watching security footage or typing a report --
he's playing 'Diablo II'!
We can HEAR the front doors open. The clerk panics. He
immediately clicks off his game. He looks towards the
entrance, milliseconds away from sweating.
KINCAID
Good patrol tonight, Michaels?
But it's not a cop walking through -- it's Buffy, now wearing
her mask and dragging along Evans' unconscious form.
KINCAID (cont'd)
Holy S -- !
BUFFY
I'm just looking for the bathroom.
It's down the hall, right?
The clerk hits a button on the bottom shelf of his desk. It
begins to flash. He draws his gun and trains it on the
Slayer. Buffy freezes.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Out of order?
Buffy stands Evans up, slowly. He rocks forward and back.
Kincaid is confused. Suddenly Buffy leaps up, grabs hold of a
support beam on the ceiling, and kicks Evans forward --
straight into Kincaid!
The Slayer drops down and moves for the two downed men. She
retrieves Evans' bulk. Kincaid is out cold.
BUFFY (cont'd)
First date and you're already on
your back.
Doors open in the hall. Armed OFFICERS, decked out in assault
gear, hurry out and aim at Buffy.
At least ten of them are present. There's a strange silence,
like the calm before the storm, then:
BUFFY (cont'd)
(to Evans)
I mean, that's just tacky.
Cpt. Wilcox steps forward.
CPT. WILCOX
Put him down and place your hands
on your head!
BUFFY
My hands are on his head.
The sound of ten simultaneous safeties being clicked off is
very audible.
CPT. WILCOX
Last chance.
BUFFY
For what? The sale at J.C.
Penney's?
The armed policemen step forward, training their weapons on
her heart.
BUFFY (cont'd)
(sighs)
Fine. Let's play.
The room goes alight with gunfire. Hammers quickly discharge
as Buffy takes cover behind Evans' body, bullets exploding
into his demonic chest.
CPT. WILCOX
Hold your fire! Hold your fire!!
All we can HEAR are shells hitting the tile-like floor. Smoke
fills the air, limiting seeing distance to nothing more than
a foot or two.
Cpt. Wilcox steps forward, cautiously. Inch by inch.
Something appears in the smoke... a silhouette... coming
straight at him!
He topples backwards, Evans smashing hard into him and
landing on top. In the smoke, the figure of a girl
approaches... the cops desperately prepare to fire... Buffy
is upon them!
She sweeps the legs out from under one of them. Another meets
her foot and is driven into the wall. One by way they fall,
the smoke concealing the Slayer.
Cpt. Wilcox comes to... just in time to have Buffy kick him
corkscrew style into and through the front desk. The smoke
dissipates.
Buffy moves down the hall, passing the battered, bruised, and
unconscious forms of the downed police officers.
BUFFY
(singing softly)
"Bad boys, bad boys... whatcha
gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when
they come for you?"
32 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT 32
Willow is sprawled out across the floor. It looks as though
she's been beaten. The door, with a loud CRASH, tumbles to
the ground. Buffy enters and sees her injured friend.
BUFFY
Willow!
She runs to the downed girl. Willow stirs, groggy.
WILLOW
Where am I?
BUFFY
I'll tell you later. Right now I
need to get you out of here.
WILLOW
What's going on?
Buffy lifts Willow up, letting her full weight fall upon her
shoulder.
BUFFY
Nothin' out of the ordinary.
Demonic symbols and possessed cops.
That's all.
WILLOW
Fun times.
33 INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT 33
The two women move down the corridor, Willow limping.
Suddenly Buffy freezes, stopping Willow dead in her tracks as
well.
BUFFY
Something's wrong.
WILLOW
What?
BUFFY
Something's... different.
Something RATTLES above. Almost as if it's in the ceiling.
Buffy let's go of Willow and steps forward, inspecting what's
above. She presses her hand to her side, a little more hurt
than she'd like to let on.
WILLOW
You're right. Something is
definitely wrong.
(beat)
Why did you come here for me?
BUFFY
What? You shouldn't have to ask.
You're my friend.
WILLOW
Yeah, but did you want to?
(darker)
Why waste the time if you're not
gonna have a little fun?
Buffy slowly turns. Perplexed.
BUFFY
What?
Halfway through her turn, "Willow" smiles. Suddenly, in a
lightning quick motion, she lowers herself and sweeps her leg
out, right into Buffy, who falls back --
"Willow" rises and suddenly begins to MORPH into the Shadow
form, then into something else --
And before Buffy has time to hit the ground, the fully
transformed Syn manages to kick her straight into the stone
wall. She crashes into it -- headfirst -- destroying a few
heavy blocks. Buffy's out cold.
SYN
Nighty-night, princess.
Syn turns and walks a few paces. Then he leaps high -- almost
impossibly so -- and punches through an access shaft on the
ceiling.
As gravity takes hold, something falls from above and follows
him down. The real Willow.
SYN (cont'd)
I guess we're just going to have to
play somewhere else.
[top | previous | next]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.