f1x01 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[bottom] TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. NEW YORK - CITY SCOPE – NIGHT 1
We're flying through the city, dodging various SKYSCRAPERS.
We come to an overhead view of a quiet city block. Some cars
drive past, a few pedestrians stroll along. It's closing time
for the businesses along the street.
FAITH (V.O)
All my life I've been different,
nobody understood me, nobody helped
me… well, some did. That's why I'm
here, why I still fight. Prowling
the streets looking for innocent
lives to save. It might not sound
much, but it's my life. I've got a
lot of wrongs to try and right and
although I know I'll never find
redemption… maybe through this,
I'll learn how to live with myself.
Suddenly, a GUNSHOT sounds through the streets, followed by a
SCREAM. Two THIEVES sporting balaclavas emerge from a small
corner liquor store, dashing down the street.
An Asian man rushes outside, YELLING at them, but they're
gone. We pull down to street level as the thieves round a
corner into an alleyway.
2 EXT. ALLEY 2
The thieves stop, making sure they're not being followed.
They take off their balaclavas and look inside their bags.
THIEF #1
Red Vodka. Sweet.
THIEF #2
Whiskey, Gin… the whole enchilada!
THIEF #1
When we get back to the house,
we've gotta start planning the
bank.
THIEF #2
Naah, when we get back to the
house, first thing we do is get
drunk!
THIEF #1
Drost!!
They grin from ear to ear as they clink two of the stolen
bottles together, then slowly make their way down the alley,
when –
VOICE (O.S.)
Hey.
They stop, slowly turning to see:
FAITH, looking calm and sultry in her black leathers, a STAKE
in her right hand, ready for anything.
FAITH
Did you just rob that guy? 'Cause
if you did, that's kinda rude.
THIEF #1
You wanna make something of it?
FAITH
Hell no. I'm just saying, you know,
God doesn't look fondly on people
who do the naughty.
THIEF #2
Ah, geez, a bible nut!
THIEF #1
Come on, let's get outta here. They
begin to walk off but –
FAITH
Another thing…
They turn as she's up, literally in their faces. Quickly and
swiftly she GRABS both their necks.
FAITH (cont'd)
I really hate people turning their
backs on me.
She LAUNCHES them into the air, sending them CRASHING into a
wall. They take a moment to get to their feet, but they do,
and Faith is ready, in her fighting stance.
Thief #1 is first up, coming at her with a flurry of fists
and kicks. She edges back, studying his moves, before
implanting her foot into his gut. She follows it up with an
elbow jab and sweeps her legs, knocking him back down.
Faith's eyes flicker to Thief #2, who rushes her with a
KNIFE, waving it right in front of it. Wary of the weapon,
she backs off, grabbing her stake but unwilling to use it.
Finally, he tires of whirling the knife and lunges at her.
She sidesteps it, pushing him into the wall.
He TWISTS HIS ARM, forcing him to drop the knife, and kicks
him in the back of the legs, sending him down to the ground.
THIEF #2
God! Please!
FAITH
I'm not God. Just someone doing
right.
She GRABS his hair, pulling him up to eye-level, her hands
restraining him against the wall.
FAITH (cont'd)
And you know, that's what you're
gonna do now. No more robbing
stores or hurting people. It's not
the right path. Trust me, I know.
THIEF #2
(freaked)
What do you want from me?
Her eyes narrow on him.
3 EXT. STREETS/LIQUEUR STORE 3
We watch as Thief #2 carries the bag full of stolen goods
back inside the store.
Looking through the window, the shopkeeper is both happy and
annoyed, threatening the thief with a gun.
Pull back to reveal… Faith watching from the other side of
the street, lurking inside an alley, the shadows almost
absorbing her very figure. Those narrow eyes focus on the
good she has done, something which should make her smile, but
she doesn't. Instead, she simply turns around and walk
farther into the darkness.
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
4 INT. APARTMENT - LOUNGE – NIGHT 4
The room is BARE apart from the furniture, which has sheets
all over it, as if nobody had lived in it for a while. Boxes
are scattered across the wooden floor. The only thing that
seems to be unpacked is an AX.
The door CREAKS open and Faith ENTERS, almost SLAMMING it
behind her. She flicks on the light, sighing as she massages
the aches in her neck.
She SLINGS off her jacket and approaches the window, pulling
it up, but it falls down hard. She rolls her eyes, reaches
for the ax, and props the window open with the weapon.
FAITH
Score for the dunce.
From the kitchen door comes a cat. This is GOLIATH, a would
be-ordinary tabby if it wasn't for his size. He's not
massive, but larger than the average cat. Faith swoops him
up, holding him by the window, stroking him under the chin.
FAITH (cont'd)
Miss me, Goliath, or did you just
miss the food?
She sets him down, picking up his bowl and filling it with
some cat biscuits. She pets the feline for a moment before
heading to the stereo, clicking it on. The song "Out Of My
Mind" by Duran Duran plays.
Faith turns to a box, pulling something out -- a small photo
frame. She sets it down on the coffee table as we get a
better view. A photo of ROBIN WOOD. Faith gazes into it, all
manner of thoughts running through her mind.
Finally she breaks out of her trance and turns around,
collapsing on the sofa, the white sheet still covering it.
She flicks on the TV and watches it, her fingers dancing on
the remote control.
Slowly her eyes become heavier, slowly dozing off, as we peer
down at a newspaper.
It's a job vacancy section, with tons of ads. One of them is
circled in red pen. It reads: "DETERMINED AND OPEN MINDED
PERSON NEEDED TO ASSIST IN A LABORATORY. EXPERIENCE NOT
NECESSARY."
5 EXT. STREETS – DAY 5
The song carries through to this scene as we pan across the
sidewalk, following a figure rushing down the street. It's
Faith. She brushes past the countless numbers of pedestrians,
all in a hurry to be somewhere.
Faith stops in the crowds, looking down at the map in her
hands, working out which the right way to go is. She looks
around, seemingly lost. She grabs someone by the arm.
FAITH
Hey, you know where Oakmond Street
is?
PEDESTRIAN
Yup, take a left down that alley
there.
FAITH
Thanks.
She heads down the alleyway and comes to a backdoor. She
above it, seeing a sign: "WEBB RESEARCHING." A small smile
comes over her face as she goes up the steps and pulls the
door open.
6 INT. THE LAB - LOBBY 6
Faith comes in, seeing the massive lobby, almost as if the
building isn't big enough to even have this much space. She
looks around, nobody there.
FAITH
(calls)
Hello? I'm here about the --
Suddenly she sees PRYOR WEBB come through the door opposite
her and around the front desk. An ordinary looking guy, no
superstar. He's dressed in a white lab coat and some big
black goggles, complete with a face mask covering his mouth.
PRYOR
(muffled)
Yrr mffb frff?
FAITH
Huh?
He blinks, then pulls the mask away from his mouth, leaving
it hanging from his neck, and takes the goggles off.
PRYOR
Sorry. I'm Pryor Webb. I own the
place. We spoke on the phone, I
believe?
FAITH
Yeah. We did. If this is a bad
time, I can come back…?
PRYOR
No. No. I'm just, um, you know,
working. That's what I do here.
(beat)
And research. You know, hence the,
er, title of this place.
FAITH
(eyes him)
Right…
PRYOR
(long beat)
So, we should get an interview
done.
FAITH
I've heard that makes a great
start.
PRYOR
Okay, follow me.
He goes a different way to which he came, pushing the door
open to reveal a corridor. Faith follows him in, her eyes
darting all over the place, examining it.
7 INT. THE LAB - PRYOR'S OFFICE 7
Pryor heads to his desk, taking a seat behind it, turning to
the computer. Faith shuts the door and sits opposite.
FAITH
So, what exactly do you research
here? 'Cause I'm not the book type,
I'm more of a hands on gal.
PRYOR
We research… well we can discuss
that later. All you'd need to do is
just, um, assist me when I do…
things.
FAITH
(smirks)
Sounds wicked dirty.
PRYOR
(confused)
What?
FAITH
Um, nothing. So, the ad said about
open mindedness?
PRYOR
Yeah. Do you have a problem with
that? Are you narrow minded?
FAITH
Uh, no. I'm totally fine with gay
people. You know, each to their own
and all that.
PRYOR
(quickly)
Um, I'm not gay.
FAITH
Really? Thought I got a vibe there.
(then)
I mean… heh, no vibes.
Pryor eyes her before pushing some forms her way.
PRYOR
I need you to fill out an
application. It's the basic stuff.
Name, age, home address, previous
jobs --
FAITH
Check. So… do you run these by,
like, the police or anything --?
She notices Pryor's curious expression and smiles.
FAITH (cont'd)
I mean, 'cause that would be fine.
Nothing wrong with me!
PRYOR
(beat)
How about we see the lab?
8 INT. LAB - EXAMINATION ROOM 8
Pryor switches on the lights. The whole place is like
something straight out of science fiction. Metallic cabinets,
glass containers, a computer, and many, many drawers that
look like they belong in a morgue. And a back office we can
see through the long stretch of glass window.
FAITH
So what do you do here?
PRYOR
I examine things. Dissection,
chemical analysis, things like
that.
FAITH
Neat.
PRYOR
We've got the various tools over
here for testing and confirming
tissue samples. Chemicals that can
be used, combined --
FAITH
(points)
What are those?
She points to the drawers. Pryor looks at them, then turns
back to her.
PRYOR
You don't need to know about them.
(beat)
You'll be able to use that back
office for… whatever you young
girls do.
FAITH
Great.
PRYOR
I also have an extra room upstairs.
The job does come with
accommodation.
FAITH
God, no! I mean… I already have an
apartment. Plus, I have a cat.
PRYOR
A cat? Good job too. I'm allergic,
have been ever since I was young.
Used to sneeze my dinner all over
the table whenever Edwyn was
around, and my Mom would give me
that look she used to give when --
(off her look)
So… if you fill out the form you
can start pretty much straight
away.
FAITH
Don't you need to check references?
PRYOR
It's just an assistant job. Not
like you're applying to be a
psychiatrist!
Faith nods, taking a breather. She watches as Pryor hangs up
his lab coat and pulls on his jacket.
FAITH
What happened to the last
assistant? I mean, you did have
one, right?
PRYOR
Yeah. I had one.
FAITH
So did she quit?
PRYOR
No. Actually, she just left without
saying a word. It's a shame, she
was a great girl.
FAITH
She didn't tell you?
PRYOR
Nope. I guess she just couldn't
handle telling me to my face. But
these things happen, I guess,
people come and go.
FAITH
Always the way. Well, thanks, Mr…
PRYOR
Pryor. Just Pryor.
FAITH
Okay, Just Pryor. I guess I'll get
this application done and return it
sometime tomorrow?
PRYOR
Yes, please, the earlier the
better.
FAITH
Sorry, don't do early. Midday okay?
I'll see ya then.
She heads out the door, eyeing the drawers one last time.
Pryor watches her leave before looking at them himself, his
eyes fixating on them.
9 EXT. BACK ALLEY 9
Faith leaves the lab and takes a side turn down another
alley. She heads through the darkness, lost in her thoughts
for a moment before she hears the sounds of a scuffle up
ahead.
Slayer senses suddenly active, she draws her stake from her
jacket pocket and creeps slowly forward. As she rounds a
corner, we come to a scene a few feet ahead in a new part of
the long, winding alleyway.
A MAN in his twenties, tall and lean, is fighting off some
kind of DEMON, a hunched, dark skinned creature with long,
hooked claws for hands.
Faith grits her teeth and starts to rush forward as we watch
the man duck and dodge around the demon's clumsy attacks,
looking round as if waiting for someone.
With a shout, Faith leaps through the air and lands on the
demon's scaly back, her arms trying to wrap round its thick
neck as she struggles to hold it back.
FAITH
(to Man)
Go! Get out of here!
MAN
Sure? Looks like you could use a
hand…
The demon ROARS and starts trying to shake Faith off. She
hangs on for dear life, legs flailing.
FAITH
(incredulous)
You trippin'? I said run!!
MAN
Maybe I'll stick around.
Faith finally raises her stake hand and plunges it into the
demon's neck. It lets out a keening wail and sinks to its
knees, and with one last WRENCH she snaps its neck. The
demon's carcass thuds to the ground, dead.
Catching her breath, Faith looks up for the man she rescued,
but he's nowhere in sight.
Frowning, she looks round, not noticing that he's now
standing right behind her. He coughs once to get her
attention, and she jumps a mile, stake raised on reflex.
The man chuckles – this is GABRIEL, a roguish kind of
handsome, smartly dressed to boot.
GABRIEL
You always so jumpy?
FAITH
Who the hell are you?
GABRIEL
Someone who's been waiting.
FAITH
For what?
He grins, eyeing her stake.
GABRIEL
For the moment you'd threaten me
with that. I needed to make sure
you were who I thought you were.
FAITH
Good news, pal, I guess it's your
lucky night!
Gabriel chuckles again, then a cat SCREECHES from somewhere
in the alley, and Faith, nerves still jangling, whips round.
When she looks back, Gabriel is gone.
We pull back to take in the rest of the now empty alley as
Faith edges back, still gripping the stake, readying herself
for a fight.
Faith looks around, seriously creeped. With another scan of
the alleyway, she finally continues on her way, walking into
the darkness.
10 INT. SEWER 10
The sewer is dark and dank, we have no idea what is above, or
even what is below. The camera pans to see KILIK, a scrawny
demon with HUGE BLACK CLAWS.
He SNARLS at a figure. This is NOA DERUBIA, a cute blonde
young girl. She's breathing hard, struggling in the chains
she's in, but glaring defiantly back at Kilik.
NOA
Get these damn chains offa me, you
B-movie reject!
KILIK
Silence… silence, skinbag! Always
with the chattering!
NOA
Oh yeah? You think I'm noisy now?
You wait till the cops get here,
they're gonna drag you into some
lab and slice you open so fast, you
won't even have time to try and
kill 'em with your stinking breath!
KILIK
I said shut up!
He STRIKES her across the face, and she shakes her head as
she recovers from the blow. There's an anger blazing in her
eyes that you wouldn't expect from someone with her looks.
NOA
Go ahead. Hit me again. You can't
keep me locked up in here forever.
My family will come for me, my
friends will find me. And when they
do-
KILIK
(growls)
You are weak. Small. Insignificant!
(beat)
But I hunger for your flesh, like a
disease I cannot cure… maybe I will
taste you.
NOA
What?!? No… no! Get away from me!
KILIK
Ssh! Just a little taste…
His eyes narrow on her before POUNCING. We only see the
shadows on the wall as they WRESTLE each other. On her
SCREAMS, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
11 EXT. ALLEY/THE LAB - DAY 11
The sun is shining high above as we fall onto the building
where the lab is. Not exactly the Ritz.
12 INT. THE LAB - PRYOR'S OFFICE 12
Pryor heads through the door, back in that same old white lab
coat, and moves to his desk, putting down some files, humming
a little ditty as he moves around the office like a butterfly
on heat.
Turning, and spotting Faith in the doorway, he quickly turns
his back on her pretending not to have seen her, picking up
the phone.
PRYOR
(into phone)
Lily? Hello, it's Pryor. Yes, I'll
need those results and forms back
by Friday. Than you.
He puts the phone down, facing Faith.
PRYOR (cont'd)
Faith, I didn't see you there.
FAITH
(smirks)
'Course you didn't.
PRYOR
(beat)
So, did you manage to get the
application done?
FAITH
(holds up wad of paper)
All twelve sections of it. This
thing's pretty thorough, Pryor!
PRYOR
Great.
Faith hands him the form. His eyes scan over it, and as his
expression changes Faith gets the feeling he's surprised by
what he reads.
PRYOR (cont'd)
This is… oh, you were in a coma…
twice?
FAITH
Yeah, the first time I kinda got
stabbed. And the second time was a…
I got my drink spiked.
PRYOR
Oh. I'm sorry.
FAITH
No big. I'm over it.
(beat)
Did you want me to start now or --?
PRYOR
Later tonight, if you can. I have a
date and would really like some
cover.
FAITH
Even better.
PRYOR
Of course, I'll have to show you
everything that we do here while
I've got you, it won't take too
long..
FAITH
Lead the way.
Pryor nods, and starts to walk into:
13 INT. THE LAB - EXAMINATION ROOM 13
Pryor and Faith are looking over some test tubes, with
different colored liquids bubbling away inside. He points to
some papers underneath them.
PRYOR
All I need you to do, is check
these at regular intervals, and
record the temperature and color.
FAITH
Sounds like a piece of --
PRYOR
When you've done that, you'll need
to file the forms. But you can't
just put them in anywhere. You'll
need to first log the results onto
the computer, then print out three
copies…
He heads the filing cabinet, opening it up for Faith to take
a look.
PRYOR (cont'd)
Two go in here, the other one on my
desk. Always, always, save the
files to disk. You then take the
disk and store it in the safe.
FAITH
Safe? It's like prison. Only more
sterile.
(off his look)
Not that I'd know, I mean.
Pryor heads over to an air vent and pulls the cover off.
Inside is a large metallic safe, with a digital interface. He
taps in a sequence of numbers and the safe swings open,
showing a heap of folders inside.
PRYOR
Now, you'll need to know the code
to get into the safe. It's six
three nine six.
FAITH
Got it.
PRYOR
When the disk is in and safely
locked away, you then record the
drop in.
He pulls out a clipboard.
PRYOR (cont'd)
Just note it on there.
FAITH
Okay. I think I've got it all.
PYROR
Good. Because that is the job. It's
not exciting but it pays the rent.
FAITH
I guess so.
PRYOR
So, you'll be back here later
tonight, right? I really can't be
late for my date.
FAITH
(smiles)
Hey, have a little faith!
Pryor nods, the joke passing straight over his head as Faith
heads back out through the lab door.
[top | next]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.