buffy9x10 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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10 EXT. CIRCLE - OUTSIDE VILLAGE. DAY. 10
Willow kneels on the ground, her hands kneading the dirt and
grass as Buffy stands guard, one eye on the volcano.
BUFFY
Will, not wanting to hurry you, but
any second now that volcano's going
to get Pompeii on our asses, we
might wanna think about getting out
of here.
WILLOW
I just need a minute to try
something, okay?
BUFFY
Okay, but if that snake thing shows
up again, you and me are getting
the heck out of Dodge, agreed?
Willow nods, and picks up a nearby twig, using it to start
etching out a series of symbols in the dirt.
WILLOW
If I'm right about this, this is
where he came in. If I can lock
onto his trail, I might be able to
use that to pick up where Tattles
and the others went, or if...
She trails off, and Buffy steps over to place a hand on her
shoulder.
BUFFY
Or if he got them after all. It's
okay, Will, just do your thing.
Willow nods, takes a deep breath and carries on with her
drawings.
After a few moments, she stands, closes her eyes and holds
out her hands.
WILLOW
Huella il asesino, exposi su
sendero!
The symbols Willow drew start to GLOW faintly, and as Buffy
watches on, a series of small, twinkling yellow lights start
to form out of the air, making a straight line from where she
and Willow stand over to the village.
Willow opens her eyes and beams at Buffy.
WILLOW (cont'd)
That's it! That's him, that's his
trail!
BUFFY
Good work, now let's-
An EXPLOSION makes Buffy whip her head round - the volcano
has had enough of the warm up and is on to the main
attraction. Sprays of red-hot lava spew from its mouth, and a
trail of the molten rock is starting to roll lazily down its
side, straight towards them.
Willow looks round and sees the Snake Demon, an ugly wound in
its neck but still alive, watching them through narrowed
eyes, just inside the treeline.
BUFFY (cont'd)
(spots demon)
Oh, great!
As she watches, however, the demon is joined by two more, all
three of them HISSING as they stare at the girls.
BUFFY (cont'd)
How many of those things are there
in here?
WILLOW
Um, I'm guessing lots...
Buffy grabs Willow's arm.
BUFFY
Alright, time to go.
WILLOW
(points to the trail)
But what about-
BUFFY
Willow! We have to go, now!
Willow throws a last, desperate look at the trail of
flickering lights, then sighs and hangs her head.
WILLOW
Alright, sit down, this won't take
a second.
One eye on the volcano, the other on the demons lurking in
the shadows, Buffy squats, and Willow does the same, facing
her. Willow takes Buffy's hands in her own.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Just close your eyes and think of
home. I'll do the rest.
Buffy nods and closes her eyes. We hear Willow murmuring
something under her breath, before a SMASH CUT to:
11 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BUFFY'S ROOM. DAY. 11
With a GASP, Buffy sits bolt upright in her bed, and moments
later, Willow, lying next to her, stirs and sits up. Willow
blinks and looks up at Buffy.
WILLOW
There you go, piece of-
ANDREW
Um, ladies?
The girls turn - Andrew is sat on a chair at the edge of the
room, watching them both.
BUFFY
(blinks)
Andrew? Why are you in my room?
ANDREW
Um, I was waiting for you two to
come back, 'cause, uh... We have a
problem.
Buffy GROANS and runs a weary hand through her hair.
12 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM. DAY. 12
Buffy is pacing up and down, she and Willow having joined
Xander and Andrew.
BUFFY
So let me get this straight. Giles
shows up here, acting all freaky,
then he just ups and leaves, and
you two didn't try to stop him till
me and Willow got back?
Andrew looks to Xander for support, who raises his hands.
XANDER
(defensive)
Hey, I just thought he'd gotten
some action and was experiencing an
endorphins rush or something! You
know, I'm sure people over thirty
still get that... Right?
WILLOW
Where did he say he was going?
ANDREW
He didn't, and we can't find Max or
Marie to ask if they know anything.
Buffy sighs and sits down, trying to think.
BUFFY
Alright, he can't have gotten far.
Xander, you check his apartment,
Andrew, you head into town and see
if you can find Max and Marie.
ANDREW
Okay, but, um, I'm on shift in an
hour.
BUFFY
Well, be quick, then! Willow,
reckon you can do a tracking spell?
WILLOW
Yeah, no problem, that's pretty low
level on the mojo scale so I can
manage that.
BUFFY
Good.
(checks watch)
I've got to get to work, but I've
only got one client today so I can
meet you guys in a few hours. Okay?
Everyone nods and stands, ready to do their part. As Buffy
watches the team head off, we cut to:
13 EXT. STREET - BUS STOP. DAY. 13
A city bus pulls to a halt, and Giles is at the head of the
queue to get on board.
He takes his seat, and looks idly out of the window as the
bus pulls away - and as we pull back, we see the two Ghosts
are still with him, standing next to where he's sitting.
GHOST #1
Same old route, downtown on the
number 414... the more things
change, eh?
GHOST #2
You said it. We'll be there soon,
then we can finally find that
murdering swine, and make him pay
for what he did to us!
GHOST #1
And not a day too soon.
We cut from the scene on the bus to:
14 EXT. CLEVELAND - CITY CENTRE. DAY. 14
The bus is in frame, letting its passengers off, and with a
rumble from its engine it drives away to reveal Giles,
standing and staring at a building on the opposite side of
the street.
As Giles starts to walk towards the building, we pan up a
little to make out the name of the place - it's Charleston &
Smithe, Buffy's counselling firm!
Giles is absorbed into the flow of people on the sidewalk
before the building, as a second bus pulls into frame.
This time, it's Buffy who hops out, dressed in her smart work
clothes, and as she heads towards the offices, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
15 INT. OCCULT BOOKSTORE - DAY. 15
We're inside a quiet, dimly lit bookstore, the badly
carpented shelves holding a mismatch collection of obviously
unsorted books.
Browsing the shelves are MARIE and MAX, the two Watchers,
each checking a long list against the books they're looking
through.
After a beat, Marie SIGHS in frustration and calls over to
the bookstore's owner, a bedraggled Irish man by the name of
DYLAN.
MARIE
Excuse me, Mr. Dylan?
DYLAN
(slurs; a little drunk)
Whatissit?
MARIE
Well, nothing much, just wondering
how you ever expected anybody to
find anything in this place! These
books are all out of order, it's
almost impossible to search for
what we're after!
DYLAN
Ah, almost! You see? There it is.
Almost. If it was completely
impossible, then I'd have to do
something, but as it is, it's only
almost impossible, so, I don't have
to do a thing.
Marie scowls and turns back to the shelves as Max chuckles.
He sidles over to her.
MAX
Thanks for coming out to meet me,
Marie.
MARIE
No problem at all, Max. I know what
Giles' shopping lists are like when
he's after new books, so I knew
you'd most likely lead a little
help!
(glances at Dylan)
Especially when you have to deal
with characters like Old Man
Whiskey over there...
MAX
(chuckles)
You know, you're about the only one
of Giles' little gang who doesn't
treat me like a criminal. Why is
that?
MARIE
Well, it's not my place to judge,
is it? That's for a Council
tribunal to decide. You made a
grave error that lead to the death
of your Slayer, we both know that,
and you'll be expected to explain
and defend your actions soon
enough. As of right now, we need
all the help we can get with this
Caretaker demon running loose, and
I can't see much point freezing you
out, when your knowledge could be a
useful asset.
Max grins and carries on checking through the bookshelves.
MAX
That was a typically diplomatic
answer, you know.
MARIE
(smiles)
I'm a very diplomatic person.
MAX
Except when it comes to Rupert.
Marie pauses, turning to face Max.
MARIE
(suddenly annoyed)
And what is that little remark
supposed to mean?
MAX
(shrugs)
Just an observation. The two of you
seem awfully close, he's about the
only person you'll listen to around
here.
MARIE
He is my superior, you know. Yours
too, you'd do well to show him a
little respect. Rupert's opinion
could be a vital part of your case.
MAX
Well, in that case, you may as well
clap me in irons and ship me off
now!
MARIE
Don't be ridiculous. Rupert is a
perfectly reasonable man, he
wouldn't purposefully sway the
Council's decision just because you
two don't get on.
MAX
If you say so.
Max goes back to checking the shelves, and Marie seems a
little distracted, as though Max's words have made her think
about some things she hadn't considered.
MAX (cont'd)
So you two aren't an item, then?
MARIE
What? No, no we're not.
MAX
Right. So if I asked you out to
dinner tonight, to say thanks for
helping me today, there wouldn't be
a problem with that, would there? I
mean, technically, I'm still under
house arrest, so I wouldn't be able
to go unless there was another
Watcher present, so...
MARIE
(long beat)
Yes... Yes, I'm sure that'll be
lovely.
MAX
(smiles)
Fantastic.
Max wanders off to another part of the shop, and Marie
blinks, trying to order her thoughts - did she just agree to
go out on a date with Max?
We leave her as she tries to get back on with the search, and
cut to:
16 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - LOBBY. DAY. 16
Giles walks into frame, straight past the reception desk and
into the elevator, hitting the 'up' button. The doors close
and hide him from view just as Buffy walks into the foyer.
She tries to call the lift, but tuts as she sees that it's
already on its way up, and as she watches the ascending
numbers light up, we cut to:
17 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - CORRIDOR. DAY. 17
The lift PINGS and the doors open, and Giles steps out and
heads down the corridor, walking past a few office workers,
he seems to know exactly where he's headed, turning a corner
and approaching a pair of large, black double doors at the
far end of the corridor. This is Irwin Kane's office, and his
PA looks up as Giles approaches.
PA
Yes, sir, may I help you?
Giles doesn't answer, he just marches up to the doors and
pushes them open, carrying on into the office as the
protesting PA leaps out of her seat to follow him.
18 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - KANE'S OFFICE. CONTINUOUS. 18
IRWIN KANE looks up from his paper as Giles strides into the
office, but Giles frowns as he looks at Kane and pulls to a
stop. Kane's PA stands just behind Giles.
PA
I'm sorry, Mr. Kane, he just walked
right past me! I'll go call
security.
GILES
(confused)
Wait a minute... You're not Ezekiel
Smithe!
The PA glances at Kane, who just nods, as if to say 'I've got
this.'
KANE
(raises eyebrow)
No, I'm not, I'm his step-grandson,
Irwin Kane. Who are you?
PA
Mr. Kane? Do you want me to call
security?
Giles turns and glares at the PA, who takes a step back - and
then she's suddenly lifted off her feet, and carried back out
through the doors with a SHRIEK!
We get a shot of one of the two ghosts with Giles pushing the
woman out, before he SLAMS the doors shut.
As the ghost rests his hands on his thighs, exhausted, we
hear shouts from outside, and the door handle starts to
rattle. Kane stands, watching Giles carefully.
KANE
Nice trick, mind telling me how you
did that?
GILES
I'm not talking to you, son, I want
to speak to Ezekiel.
KANE
You can't, he's been dead for over
thirty years.
The second Ghost joins the first, who still has one hand on
Giles' shoulder. The spirits exchange a confused look, before
the first one speaks through Giles again.
GILES
What year is it?
KANE
It's 2005. Are you going to tell me
who you are? The security team will
be here any second, and it's not
going to take them long to get that
door open, you know.
GILES
(waves hand; irritated)
They're not getting inside. Well, I
guess if old man Smithe is dead,
and you're in his office, that must
make you the boss of this place,
right?
KANE
That's right.
GILES
We've got a score to settle with
this place, and if we can't take it
out of Ezekiel, you'll have to do!
KANE
(grins)
'We'? As in the plural?
(beat)
Are you one of our clients? Why
don't you take a seat, and we'll
see if we can't talk about-
GHOST #1 (O.S.)
No!
With a WHOOSH, the two Ghosts appear to Kane at last, and
Giles drops to the floor, unconscious, as they step away from
him.
Kane recoils slightly as the two angry spirits charge up to
him, one either side of him.
KANE
Uh... You're not clients here, are
you?
As the ghosts glare at Kane, we cut to:
19 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - CORRIDOR. DAY. 19
Buffy heads into frame, making her way to her office, but she
pauses when she sees the crowd of people gathered outside
Kane's office. She makes her way over, speaking to the
nearest person.
BUFFY
What's going on?
MAN
Some crazy-looking guy just burst
into Mr. Kane's office, then
barricaded it shut! Judy says he
threw her out of there like she was
nothing.
Buffy peers over - Kane's PA, Judy, is sitting, shivering, in
her chair, sipping a cup of coffee as some concerned-looking
workers stand round her.
BUFFY
Did he say what he wanted?
MAN
No, we're waiting for security to
get in there before anything
happens!
BUFFY
Huh...
(looks round)
Uh, I'm just gonna go open up my
office, I'll be back, okay?
MAN
Yeah, sure. I don't think any of us
are going anywhere!
Buffy steals away and ducks into her office.
20 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE. DAY. 20
Buffy heads straight for the phone, dialling in a number.
BUFFY
Andrew?
21 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - ANDREW'S ROOM. DAY. 21
Andrew is on the phone.
ANDREW
Yeah, is that you, Buffy?
BUFFY
(filtered; through phone)
Andrew, move quick. I need you to
get me the floor plans for the
Charleston and Smithe building. I
need a way from my office to Kane's
office without anybody seeing me,
maybe an air duct or something.
Andrew settles down in front of his PC and flicks it on.
ANDREW
Sure thing, I think Willow
downloaded them a while back just
in case.
As Andrew starts rapidly typing, we cut back to:
22 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - KANE'S OFFICE. DAY. 22
Ghost #1 SHOVES Kane down into his chair as the other one
paces up and down before him. Kane casually reaches into his
jacket pocket and brings out a cigar.
KANE
You boys mind if I smoke? Somehow,
I don't think passive smoking's
going to bother you all that much.
Ghost #2 leers at him, but then nods. Kane lights up,
regarding the two spirits carefully.
KANE(cont'd)
So, what's the deal here? Did Mr.
Smithe leave some kind of debt that
you two are back from the grave to
avenge?
GHOST #1
Mr. Smithe had us both killed for
what we knew! We found about what
was going to happen to this city,
and what his family was going to do
about it, all about setting up the-
KANE
(interrupts)
That's absurd. Zeke was a lot of
things, but he wasn't a killer.
Kane goes to take another drag from his cigar, but the second
Ghost angrily SWATS it away. Kane takes a deep breath, then
looks calmly up at the ghost.
KANE (cont'd)
Look. You're both upset, I can see
that. So why don't you let me help
you?
The ghosts exchange a look, and Kane grins.
KANE (cont'd)
Wondering why I don't scare easily?
GHOST #1
Well... It had crossed our minds.
KANE
There's a lot people don't know
about me. I like to keep it that
way. Now, what say we see what we
can do for you two gentlemen, and
we can all be on our way?
As Kane flashes a winning smile at the two ghosts, we cut
away to:
23 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE. DAY. 23
Buffy, cordless phone in one hand, looks up at a small air
vent opening on her wall.
BUFFY
You have got to be kidding me.
ANDREW
(filtered; through phone)
I'm afraid it's the only way in,
Buffy. Uh, if you don't want to be
seen, that is. The only other way
is out through the window and
around the outside, and that didn't
work for Neo, so-
BUFFY
Alright, I get it.
(sighs)
Did you have any luck finding
Giles?
ANDREW
Uh, no, Willow and Xander are still
out.
BUFFY
Alright, I'm going in.
She hangs up, still looking up at the small air vent. It
looks less than Buffy-sized, but nonetheless, she drags a
chair underneath it and steps up to it.
With a wrench and a squirt of Slayer strength, she pops the
vent open, and she peers down into the gloom beyond.
She reaches up into it, grabs hold of something inside, and
starts to pull herself up into the air duct beyond.
24 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - KANE'S OFFICE. DAY. 24
Kane sits, watching the two ghosts as they pace up and down
before him, hotly debating with each other.
GHOST #2
I say we just kill him, throw him
out the window or something, then
we can go on and get to that final
destination at last!
GHOST #1
That's not going to work and you
know it. It was Smithe who got us
trapped in that book, and he's cold
in the ground!
(sighs)
I don't think we get to move on any
more, Morty.
GHOST #2
No! I will not accept that! There
has to be another way!
Kane holds up his hand to get their attention.
KANE
Actually, gentlemen...
(beat; smiles)
I think I have a suggestion.
Something that gets all of us what
we want.
The ghosts lean in closer as Kane grins, and from that, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
25 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - KANE'S OFFICE. DAY. 25
The office is quiet - except, that is, for a faint thumping
sound, and metallic scratches that echo from somewhere off
screen.
We start to push in on an air vent, and after a few beats, it
FLIES OPEN, and with a YELP, Buffy slides out through it,
landing in a heap on the office floor.
She springs to her feet, fists up, scanning the office - the
curtains have been drawn, and she can't make anything out in
the dim light, until Kane speaks.
KANE (O.S.)
Over here, Miss Summers.
Kane flicks a light on his desk on, and Buffy takes in the
room - Kane is sat behind his desk, and Giles is still lying
in a heap in the middle of the room.
BUFFY
Oh my God, Giles!
She rushes over to him and lifts him up, checking his pulse
as Kane stands and walks over.
KANE
You know this man?
BUFFY
Yeah, he's my, uh... He's one of my
clients. Borderline paranoid
schitzophrenia, I think, I'm, uh,
considering getting him sent
somewhere more permanent... What
happened in here?
KANE
There's not much to tell, really.
Kane offers Buffy a hand, and she uses it to stand and drag
Giles to his feet. She drops him onto the other chair in the
office, pressing a hand to his forehead.
KANE (cont'd)
Your 'client' here burst into my
office, attacked Judy and locked us
in here. After spending some time
ranting and raving incoherently, he
collapsed to the ground.
I've been sat here a little while
since then, just gathering my
thoughts and waiting for the people
outside to force the door open
again.
BUFFY
Didn't you try to open it yourself?
KANE
I couldn't open it, and I wanted to
keep an eye on him at all times in
case he got back up and tried to
attack me. You must forgive my
habit for self-preservation, it's a
family
trait. (beat) That was quite an... unusual entrance, by the
way. Buffy glances over at the air vent she slid out of.
BUFFY
(covering)
Oh, uh, well, I heard you were in
trouble, so I thought I'd see if,
you know, I could get in here to,
er... help.
KANE
(smiles)
I'm honoured.
Buffy eyes Kane, but they both turn to the office doors as
they finally fly open, and several armed security guards
storm into the room. Kane raises his hands.
KANE (cont'd)
It's alright, everything's under
control. I'm not hurt, and neither
is Miss Summers here.
The guards reach out for Giles, but Buffy slaps their hands
away.
BUFFY
Hey! Hands off. I'll take care of
him, he's my patient.
With a heave, Buffy lifts Giles half over one shoulder, and
after a last glance at Kane, she walks Giles out of the
office, past a crowd of gawping onlookers.
GUARD
Uh, sir? Shouldn't we-
KANE
(holds up a hand)
That won't be necessary, Miss
Summers will take care of things
now. Thanks for your efforts, men.
Kane shakes the Guard's hand and heads back to his desk. A
little bewildered, the Guard takes his crew and motions for
his team to leave.
As Kane watches them file out of his office, we cut to:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.