f4x12
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. ASYLUM - PRYOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT 1
A scattered array of PAPERS fall out of frame, revealing NOA
sitting in front of the middle drawer of a file cabinet.
Behind her, hovering over another stack of paperwork and
mail, is RUTH, who stares at Noa with a bewildered
expression.
Their eyes meet.
NOA
(irritated)
What?
RUTH
I... thought we were supposed to be
organizing Pryor's mess, not making
it worse.
NOA
You know who'd be really great to
organize Pryor's work?
She SLAMS the drawer shut, startling Ruth.
NOA (cont'd)
(icily)
Pryor.
(sighs; whining)
Remind me again why we got stuck
doing this? Not like Pryor's been
any kind of useful lately.
(muttering to herself)
Thought the first time he withdrew
was bad.
Ruth blinks. She's not following.
RUTH
What do you mean, 'first time'?
NOA
(rolls eyes)
Never mind. Let's just finish up.
Ruth nods and they silently get back to work. This lasts
maybe ten seconds before:
RUTH
You can't possibly be this pissed
off at Pryor. At least, not just
him.
Noa's bouncing a small stack of papers on her legs to
straighten it.
NOA
How about we not go there?
RUTH
(ignoring her; soothing)
I'd be upset too if I were in your
place. I'm here if you want to
talk.
NOA
(screaming)
I'm not upset!
Again, the sudden noise startles Ruth. Noa takes another
moment to get herself under control.
NOA (cont'd)
I'm not. And I don't wanna talk. I
wanna be held in someone's arms.
Someone to play with my hair.
Ruth's expression softens again as Noa continues.
NOA (cont'd)
Give me a reason to smile. Like,
genuinely smile.
Noa pulls the file drawer open again, fingering through a few
folders.
RUTH
We all want that. Someday.
Noa files the top paper on her stack in one of the folders,
then continues searching the drawer, not looking towards
Ruth.
NOA
(deadpan)
Apparently, I'm not meant to.
RUTH
Noa, you're still young and -
NOA
(cutting her off)
It's not about how old I am. I
just...
(sighs)
A lot's happened the last few
years.
And while I like to think that I
can still come here every day and
put on a smile is a good thing, it
gets tiring.
Ruth comes over to Noa kneels down by her. Noa still doesn't
look at her, staying with her work as if it were having a
calming effect.
RUTH
Tiring?
NOA
Yeah. You think it's easy being
this pretty?
They share a smile. Ruth's is genuine. Noa's clearly isn't.
NOA (cont'd)
Some days, I come in and I don't
feel like smiling. I do it anyway
because everyone expects me to, but
those are the days when it's
wonderful to have that person. The
guy that makes you smile for real
even when you don't want to. And it
sucks that I don't get to have
that.
Ruth places her hand on top of Noa's and gives it a light
squeeze.
RUTH
Yeah, it does.
Noa smiles, ever so slightly. This time it's real. Ruth pats
her hand and moves back over to her pile.
She picks up a letter and frowns when she notices who the
sender is.
RUTH (cont'd)
(scoffing)
Huh. Pryor must be a mess if he
hasn't opened this yet.
NOA
(turning to her)
What is it?
Ruth rips the envelope down the side and pulls out the letter
contained within.
RUTH
It's from the city council about
Pryor's application.
NOA
(frowns)
Application for what?
Ruth's eyes scan the letter.
RUTH
A preservation grant for the
Asylum. A few months ago, he
requested it be declared a city
landmark and...
(finishes reading; smiles)
... they approved it.
NOA
Great!
(beat)
That is great, right?
RUTH
(nods)
Huge tax break, from what I
remember Pryor telling me. I gotta
show him this.
She rushes out of the room before Noa can respond.
2 INT. ASYLUM - PRYOR'S LAB - NEXT 2
Ruth practically bursts through the door into Pryor's lab.
RUTH
Pryor, you here? You've gotta read -
She scans the room with her eyes. It's completely trashed!
Furniture, papers, test tubes, beakers. Name it and it's
likely on the ground in several pieces.
RUTH (cont'd)
(horrified)
Oh, my God...
She rushes to a phone on a corner desk (the only piece of
furniture in the lab still upright) and picks up the
receiver, but another hand SLAMS down on hers, trapping it on
the desk.
She looks up, right into the eyes of a completely vamped out
PRYOR!
A flash of LIGHTNING from outside casts a creepy light on his
visage, which is partially veiled by the hoodie he's wearing.
Before she can scream, he clamps his hand over her mouth and
slams her into the wall next to the desk.
She struggles, but his new found vampire strength easily
holds her in place.
He leans in close to her, staring right into her wide,
fearful eyes.
PRYOR
Ssh...
He's being chillingly calm, so much so that Ruth can help but
close her eyes and let out a muffled SCREAM.
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
3 INT. ASYLUM - EMPLOYEE LOUNGE - NIGHT 3
FAITH is sitting in a chair with her feet propped up on the
table. Her arms are crossed against her chest and her head's
down. Sleeping.
A loud clap of THUNDER snaps her to consciousness, and she
barely manages to keep from falling out of the chair.
She yawns and stretches her arms, then abruptly drops them
when she hears a SCREAM echo through the hall. She briefly
looks to the door before shaking her head.
FAITH
(muttering to herself)
Probably just a patient.
She rolls her neck, still trying to get the sleep out of her
when:
RUTH
(screaming)
Someone help!
FAITH
(squints)
Ruth?
She bolts out of the chair and runs out into:
4 INT. ASYLUM - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS 4
Faith's at a dead sprint, picking up speed when she hears the
sound of breaking glass! A high pitched ALARM sounds just as
she reaches:
5 INT. ASYLUM - PRYOR'S LAB - CONTINUOUS 5
Faith skids to a stop just inside the doorway.
FAITH
(shocked)
Whoa!
The table in the center of the lab is on FIRE! She spots Ruth
laying face down on the floor in the far corner.
Faith frantically looks around the room until she spots the
fire extinguisher hanging on the wall in a nearby corner.
She circles around the flaming desk to get to it and quickly
puts the fire out.
Just as she finishes spraying, VI and JERRY rush into the
lab, taking in the mess.
JERRY
Faith, what happened?
A non-answering Faith drops the extinguisher and quickly
moves to Ruth, who groans as she comes to.
JERRY (cont'd)
Ruth!
Vi and Jerry rush to Ruth's side as well. Faith and Jerry
kneel down and help her sit up. Vi stays a few feet back, her
eyes surveying the damage throughout the lab.
She notices the shattered window across the room, the source
of the alarm.
Ruth's got a nasty gash on the top of her head that's
bleeding pretty badly, and another one on her left arm.
JERRY (cont'd)
Are you okay?
Ruth looks up at him with tears in her eyes and shakes her
head.
Vi walks over to the broken window and quickly pokes her head
outside.
FAITH
Who did this? Did someone break in
and attack you?
Ruth shakes her head.
VI
(also shaking her head)
No, someone broke out.
Faith looks to Vi, who is still looking over the lab.
FAITH
What?
VI
The window was broken from the
inside out. Someone escaped through
it.
Faith looks back to Ruth, who confirms Vi's conjecture with a
nod of her head.
RUTH
It was Pryor.
Faith's jaw drops.
JERRY
Are you sure?
RUTH
I'm positive. But he -
She trails off, not wanting to say it.
FAITH
He what?
Ruth looks to Faith with sadness in her eyes.
RUTH
He's a vampire, Faith.
Faith stands up and steps away from Ruth. She meets Vi's
eyes, who has the same look of disbelief. Jerry looks up to
Faith, reading his daughter's expression.
JERRY
(to Ruth)
Think you can walk?
RUTH
Yes, I'm fine. Just a headache.
Jerry helps her to her feet and puts his arm around her,
leading her out of the room.
JERRY
Come on. Let's get you patched up.
He looks to Faith and gives her a curt nod. Faith watches him
leave before turning back to Vi.
FAITH
We need answers. Let's start
digging.
Faith looks around the lab, throwing her arms up. No clue
where to start.
VI
Faith?
(off her look)
Do you believe her?
Faith looks away, contemplating her answer. She swallows a
lump in her throat.
FAITH
I don't want to.
Not much of an answer, but it's all she's willing to give
right now. They silently start searching for... anything.
6 INT. ASYLUM - INFIRMARY - NEXT 6
Ruth is sitting on a wax paper covered bed, with Jerry
looking over her.
JERRY
Your head's not bad.
(picks up a rag)
It's not a deep cut, just long.
Should clot on its own. Think your
arm's gonna need stitches, though.
RUTH
(sarcastic)
Hooray.
Jerry opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better of
it and looks away, picking up a roll of gauze.
RUTH (cont'd)
What is it?
JERRY
(dismissive)
Nothing. Forget it.
Ruth seems to pick up on the unasked question as Jerry starts
wrapping the gauze around her head.
RUTH
I'm sure it was him. I'm sure he's
been turned.
JERRY
(nonchalant)
Right.
Ruth grabs Jerry's hand to stop him, forcing him to look at
her in the eyes. Her eyes are welling up with tears again.
RUTH
Do you really think I'd make a
mistake like that? It's... it's
Pryor.
Her lip starts trembling. Apparently the full reality of the
situation just hit home.
RUTH (cont'd)
(sobbing)
Oh, God...
Jerry sighs and pulls her into a tight hug, gently stroking
her hair.
JERRY
Ssh. It's okay. We'll get this
figured out and we'll do...
something.
Ruth looks up from his chest and sniffles.
RUTH
Something?
JERRY
(softly)
Yeah. We'll -
His eyes glance up towards the window behind them just as a
flash of lightning illuminates PRYOR just outside the window,
staring at them!
JERRY (cont'd)
(eyes bulge)
Pryor!
Ruth follows his eyes to the window and GASPS when she spots
Pryor. Jerry rushes over to the window just as Pryor runs off
into the stormy night.
Jerry watches him leave, a grim expression on his face.
7 INT. ASYLUM - FAITH'S OFFICE - LATER 7
Faith sitting behind her desk with Vi, Jerry, Ruth, and
several ORDERLIES scattered around the room. No-one is saying
a word.
There's a knock at the door. Jerry opens it to let Noa wheel
herself in.
VI
Alright, is this everyone?
FAITH
Not everyone.
JERRY
Rachel?
FAITH
(shaking her head)
Tried her, but her phone's going
straight to voicemail.
VI
Think she mentioned a thing with
Scott tonight.
FAITH
(bitter)
Nice to know she has her priorities
straight.
JERRY
Faith, it's not like she could've
known -
FAITH
(holds up her hands)
I know, I know. I'm just...
She trails off, running her hands through her hair.
With a flash of light, DAWN materializes in the middle of the
room, earning yelps and gasps from everyone except Faith.
FAITH (cont'd)
Okay, now everyone's here.
VI
(to Dawn)
Since when can you get this far
from the Gateway?
DAWN
(shrugs)
Been practicing.
Faith slaps her hands on the desk, getting everyone's
attention. Vi moves over to stand in the front of the desk.
All eyes go to the two Slayers.
FAITH
Okay, let's get started.
Vi gestures across the scattered notes they've recovered from
Pryor's lab as she speaks:
VI
A few months ago, Pryor was
experimenting with vampire blood,
trying to come up with a chemical
weapon.
FAITH
Vi saw him pouring it all down the
drain after a crash and burn on a
field test. Figured that was the
end of it.
(sighs)
Near as we can figure, some of that
blood got into his system.
Everyone in the room swaps shocked looks.
RUTH
You mean Pryor did this... to
himself?
VI
It was an accident.
RANDOM ORDERLY
I thought you all said for someone
to get... to get... what's the
word?
ANOTHER ORDERLY
Sired.
RANDOM ORDERLY
Right. Sired. To get sired, the
vamp had to drain the victim, then
the victim had drink...
VI
The drain is a misconception.
Victim just has to be close enough
to death for the vamp's blood to
infect fast enough. Picked that up
from the Council.
FAITH
(moving on)
Pryor's been infected for months. I
guess since he was relatively
healthy, it... it took longer to
take effect.
The room falls into silence. No-one knows how to respond.
JERRY
You're sure he wasn't just sired by
a vampire? Your digging in the
office turned all this up?
FAITH
We didn't have to do much digging.
Faith pulls something from her pocket. A small RECORDER.
FAITH (cont'd)
We just listened.
She sets the recorder on the desk and presses PLAY.
PRYOR
(through recorder)
Secondary test proves conclusive.
The test for early stage
vampirism...
(beat)
Positive.
Faith fast forwards the tape.
PRYOR (cont'd)
Three months into infection.
Sensitivity to light has expanded
to photo toxicity. Prolonged
exposure renders up to second
degree burns. Rapid healing
abilities aid in recovery, but
future experiments have been halted
out of my safety.
A horrified Ruth covers her mouth. Noa is holding her other
hand.
PRYOR (cont'd)
Five months into infection.
Avoiding contact with Asylum staff
at all costs. The lust for blood is
quickly becoming too much to bear.
Normal foods and water are no
longer satisfactory.
Faith stops the tape.
FAITH
There's more, but I think you all
get the point.
Another silence falls over the room.
NOA
So what do we do now?
FAITH
He's out there. We find him before
he hurt someone...
(eyes flick to Ruth)
... else.
She gets up from her desk and pulls a small box from the
floor. From it, she starts handing out TASERS to various
people.
RUTH
And then what, Faith? We just stake
him and that's it?
VI
No, that's not it. Some of Pryor's
log... he talked about how scared
he was.
FAITH
We all know he's been ducking us
lately. Now we know why. I don't
think he wants to hurt anyone.
Jerry scoffs and points to Ruth.
JERRY
(angry)
I guess that's out the window now.
FAITH
(snapping)
If he wanted to, he could've easily
killed Ruth. He hurt her, but
hauled ass out of there instead and
I don't see any bite marks on her.
RUTH
No.
(beat)
He'd been gone a few minutes before
Faith showed. He left on his own.
VI
It's Pryor. We're not giving up him
yet.
FAITH
(pointed)
We're not giving up on him at all.
He wouldn't give up on us. Everyone
hit the streets and start looking.
(to Dawn)
You and Noa stay with the Gateway.
See if you can find him from there.
DAWN
(reluctant)
I don't know if I can track him
without something to work off.
Vi picks up a corked test tube of BLOOD from the desk and
hands it over.
VI
It's Pryor's. He constantly ran
tests on himself to see how bad the
infection had spread. Could help.
Dawn nods and disappears in another flash of light. Noa
wheels herself out the door.
FAITH
Everyone check in every fifteen
minutes. If you find him, defend
yourself if you have to, but no
stakes. Nothing lethal. Got it?
All heads in the room nod. Faith strides out of the room. A
woman on a mission.
8 EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT 8
The rain is really coming down now, leaving most of the
streets empty.
Pryor pulls his hoodie tight around his body, keeping his
head down.
A HEARTBEAT thumps over the sound of the rain. Pryor's face
is back to normal and he seems to be panting. He briefly
looks to a woman briskly crossing the street to a parked car.
He's not looking where he's going and runs into a STOCKY
TEENAGER. Both men fall to the ground and Pryor's hood falls
off of his head.
STOCKY TEENAGER
Watch where you're going!
They get back to their feet.
PRYOR
I'm sorry. I -
The teenager roughly SHOVES Pryor back. Pryor catches himself
on a parking meter.
STOCKY TEENAGER
Damn right, you're sorry, you
clumsy bastard.
The THUMPING gets much louder. PUSH IN on the teenager's
neck.
Pryor ROARS and charges into the teenager, driving him
backwards into an alley. The teenager tries to wrestle him
off, but Pryor's strength is superior.
PRYOR (V.O.)
(through recorder)
Six months into infection.
Exhibiting exponential increase in
physical strength and speed.
Pryor pins the teenager against a wall and starts battering
him with vicious PUNCHES.
PRYOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Also, heightened senses.
Particularly smell, sight. Emotions
are also overwhelming. Particularly
those of anger and violence.
The teenager slumps over, half knocked out. Pryor yanks him
back to his feet and yanks his head to one side. The teenager
is gasping, scared out of his mind.
PRYOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Gained the ability to change visage
at will.
Pryor VAMPS OUT. His victim's eyes go wide and his breathing
gets heavier. The thumping gets louder and much FASTER.
PRYOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
The bloodlust has become too much
to overcome. Resorted to using
contacts at a local blood bank to
satisfy cravings.
Pryor sinks his fangs into his victim's neck! The teen tries
to scream, but can only let out ragged gasps.
PRYOR (V.O.) (cont'd)
Not sure how long I can hold out
without... human blood.
Pryor and his victim sink to the ground, Pryor's fangs still
buried in his neck.
PULL AWAY from the attack as the victim's legs start to
convulse.
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.