raven1x01 Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[bottom] TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. MANHATTAN ISLAND - NIGHT 1
Aerial view of the Manhattan skyline, a majestic sweep of the
various skyscrapers, the lights in the windows shining like
stars in the sky.
CUT TO:
2 EXT. MANHATTAN STREETS - NIGHT 2
This particular part of Manhattan seems to be in various
stages of decay and neglect. A series of quick establishing
shots showcase a homeless shelter, a strip club, an obscure
fast food joint, a dark alleyway with a couple of homeless
bums gathered around a roaring fire coming out of a disused
steel barrel.
A black '69 Oldsmobile 442 rolls into view, looking halfway
in pristine condition, showcasing that there is a history to
the car.
3 INT. OLDSMOBILE - NIGHT 3
In the passenger seat is Detective ANGELA MOORE, an
attractive African American woman in her early thirties. She
gazes out the window, as the car passes by a row of
prostitutes.
ANGELA
You know, there are times when I
really hate this city.
She turns to her partner in the driver's seat, a dirty blonde
haired young man in his mid twenties, SCOTT JACOBS.
SCOTT
Yeah, still it's not without its
own charm.
Scott glances across at Angela, but she's too busy staring
out through the window to notice. He turns his eyes back to
the road and drives on.
4 EXT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT 4
The Oldsmobile slows down and comes to a stop in front of a
seedy looking nightclub, a large fluorescent blue & green
neon sign at the top of the building reading THE SHARK TANK,
its light flickering every other second.
CUT TO:
5 INT. OLDSMOBILE - NIGHT 5
Angela and Scott look out at the crowd of people still
waiting outside.
ANGELA
This is the place.
SCOTT
Can't believe people actually wait
in line to get into a shithole like
that.
Scott turns the wheel and drives the car to the opposite side
of the street, where he subsequently parks it.
Angela and Scott get out of the vehicle and walk across the
street to the club.
6 INT. THE SHARK TANK - NIGHT 6
Inside, loud TECHNO MUSIC plays as various patrons writhe and
grind their bodies to the music.
Scott and Angela are about to head into the main floor when
the doorman stops them. They flash their badges, confiming
they are NYPD detectives. The doorman lets them past as they
weave their way through the sea of dancing bodies.
At the bar of the club stands a strikingly handsome and
sharply dressed man. This is ROBERT DUKE. He's talking to a
rather attractive redheaded woman at the bar who looks at him
with hungry eyes.
ANGELA
(to Scott)
There he is!
They approach the bar, coming up right behind Duke. Scott
taps him on the shoulder, and subsequently turns around to
see both detectives standing behind him.
SCOTT (O.S)
Robert Duke?!
Duke nods and then his eyes widen as they both flash their
badges at him.
ANGELA
Robert Duke, you are under arrest
for...
She doesn't get to finish as Duke tosses his drink into
Angela's eyes and takes off, pushing his way through the
crowd, heading for the stairs at the back.
Angela quickly wipes the drink from her eyes with one arm as
she whips out her gun and heads through the crowd after him,
with Scott following close behind.
7 INT. CLUB - STAIRS 7
Duke is halfway up the stairs to the roof with Angela a few
feet behind him, Scott a little further back.
ANGELA
Freeze! NYPD!
Duke draws out his gun and FIRES it at Angela as she comes up
behind him.
The first two bullets miss but the third catches her in the
leg. She yells in pain and falls.
She's on the ground holding her leg when Scott reaches her,
checking to see if she is alright.
ANGELA (cont'd)
I'll be okay, just get after him!
Scott hesitates for a moment the runs up the stairs.
Scott hesitates only for a moment, not wanting to abandon his
partner, then reluctantly runs up the stairs.
8 EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT 8
Duke emerges onto the roof, gun in hand. He looks around
nervously for a moment, looking for a way out.
WHAP! Someone KICKS him from behind, knocking the gun from
his hand. A second KICK knocks him to his knees. He looks up,
his eyes go wide and his mouths hangs open.
Standing there is a tall woman, beautiful and deadly, dressed
completely in black wearing a long leather duster. This is
JESSIE WALLACE (26).
DUKE
(awe-struck)
Oh shit, it's you. The Raven.
JESSIE
(angrily)
Don't call me that!
DUKE
(terrified)
Listen, you don't have to do this.
We could make a deal.
JESSIE
Not interested in deals.
These words strike him as he visibly GULPS.
Scott emerges onto the roof, and immediately spies Jessie
standing over Duke. He can tell even from where he stands
that Duke is scared out of his wits.
SCOTT
(to himself)
What the hell?
He looks on as Jessie reaches for the katana sword strapped
to her back and slowly begins to unsheathe it.
Scott's eyes widen, realizing just what is about to happen
and pulls out his gun.
SCOTT (cont'd)
HEY!
Jessie looks over at Scott, and Duke takes advantage of the
distraction to deliver a kick to Jessie's stomach. She reels
from his blow, staggering toward the edge of the roof while
Duke leaps to his feet.
SCOTT (O.S) (cont'd)
Freeze!
Duke whirls around and sees that Scott has his gun pointed
right at him. Jessie takes advantage of Duke's lapse, grabs
him by the shoulders and THROWS him from the roof and onto
the street below.
SCOTT (O.S.) (cont'd)
Don't move!
Jessie turns to face Scott. It is a tense moment as Jessie
looks at Scott, and then at the gun he has pointed at her.
SCOTT (cont'd)
Alright lady, just put your hands
up.
She willingly does so. The wind blows her long dark hair from
her face, revealing her delicate features along with her cold
blue eyes.
Scott hesitates for a moment, almost transfixed by something
deeply mysterious within her eyes.
Jessie is completely calm and impassive as she slowly backs
away towards the edge of the roof.
SCOTT (cont'd)
Stop!
He points his gun right at her, showcasing that he's serious,
even though she looks very much unafraid.
SCOTT (cont'd)
I said hold it right there!
But she continues until she drops right off the roof and
vanishes from sight.
SCOTT (cont'd)
No!
He rushes to the edge and looks over, finding only the broken
body of Robert Duke.
Scott stares at the ground, and from his confused expression,
we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
9 INT. NYPD (MANHATTAN SOUTH) - NIGHT 9
Scott sits at his desk, and we see various items adorning his
desk in neat little sections.
Among the items are: picture of himself with his mother on
the day of his graduation from the Police Academy, an inbox
tray filled with paperwork, a few 'Sin City' graphic novels,
and a few autopsy photos.
He's deep in thought as he files his report. He looks up for
a moment just as an older, somewhat burly man walks past.
This is CAPTAIN JACK HOLLIDAY, Scott and Angela's boss and
the general man in charge of the precinct.
SCOTT
Hey, Captain.
(beat)
Is Angie okay?
JACK
Yeah, she'll be fine. Doctor's
patched her up and already sent her
home.
Scott nods, breathing a sigh of relief.
SCOTT
You know, it's just typical of her
to find any excuse to leave me with
the paperwork.
Both men grin.
JACK
Look, Scott, you should go home and
rest. The report can wait till
tomorrow.
SCOTT
Nah, I should be here. You know, in
case...
JACK
(firmly)
Go home. That's an order.
Scott nods and tosses his pen onto the desk, gets up from his
desk, grabbing his jacket in the process.
SCOTT
I'm gonna head down to the morgue
first. There's something about this
case that doesn't feel right.
JACK
(chuckles)
That's like saying a little battery
acid in your coffee doesn't taste
right.
(beat)
This is New York, remember? Strange
shit happens all the time.
SCOTT
(nods)
Yeah, I know. But still, can't
ignore what my gut's telling me.
(beat; smiles)
You taught me that.
JACK
(slyly)
Say hi to your girlfriend for me.
Scott shoots him a look and strolls out.
10 INT. JESSIE'S LOFT - NIGHT 10
We pan across a darkened loft apartment somewhere in Lower
Manhattan. One wall is covered with photographs but it's too
dark to see the images. The only sound that can be heard is a
large grandfather clock next to the wall of photos.
Everything is neat, tidy, and immaculately kept.
As we pan past the reading material on the nearby bookshelf,
atop of which we see a medium-sized ornately-designed wooden
box.
On the bookshelf itself we see it has a common theme -
"Dracula" by Bram Stoker, Anne Rice's "Vampire Chronicles", a
copy of "Polidori's Vampyre", both "The Satanic Bible" and
"Satanic Rituals" by Anton LeVay, and a rare 5th edition of
"The Malleus Maleficarum".
We pan across to see a DOG, a big black German Sherpard,
sleeping on the floor. Eventually we stop on a framed picture
sitting on a coffee table. The headlights from a passing car
illuminate the picture, showcasing a smiling woman with long
dark hair with a small, young raven-haired girl in her arms.
The rickety racket of the service elevator rising up the
metal shaft causes the dog to awaken, his tail wagging in
eager anticipation as the elevator comes to a complete stop.
The security gate lifts open, revealing Jessie. The german
shepherd jumps up and runs over to greet Jessie as she
enters. This is LENNON, Jessie's pet that she's had for a few
years.
JESSIE
Hey boy, how ya doing?
Lennon wags his tail wildly, as if he hadn't seen Jessie for
years. Jessie crouches to pet him, running her fingers
through his hair, and giving a kiss to the top of his head.
JESSIE (cont'd)
Gimme a sec to get settled, okay
Lennon?
She flicks on the light, illuminating the entire loft and
pulls her duster off. Lennon circles round her, tail still
wagging. She moves over to a cupboard and hangs her duster
inside. She takes the katana sword from her back and hangs it
next a lethal looking axe on the back of the cupboard door.
She walks over to the bookcase and brings down the box atop
of it, opening it up and revealing a stack of photos.
She moves over towards an old beat up black leather armchair,
with photos in hand. The flashing red light on the
answerphone catches her attention as she presses the play
button to check her messages.
She slumps into the armchair, kicking her boots off with
Lennon lying at her feet and begins flipping through her
stack of photos.
ANSWERPHONE
(filtered)
You have two new messages.
(beat)
First message received at 3:34 PM.
Jessie sighs as she massages the aches from her neck. The
machine beeps as it plays the recorded messages. The first is
from a well spoken man.
JESSIE'S AGENT
(from answerphone)
Hey Jessica, it's me. Listen, I
just heard back from the director
of that play you auditioned for
last week. He said he really liked
you but decided to go in a
different direction for the role.
Jessie shakes her head, almost as though she knows what is
coming next and mockingly mouths what he is about to say
verbatim.
JESSIE'S AGENT
(from answerphone)
Sorry kiddo.
(beat)
I gotta go, but I'll try to look
into setting something up for ya
next week, okay? I'll call ya.
The answerphone beeps and plays the second message. It's a
womans voice.
ANSWERPHONE
Second message received at 5:21 PM.
The answerphone beeps and plays the second message, this time
it's a woman's voice.
CHRISTIE
Hey Jess, it's me Christie. Look, I
need to see you right away, its
important. I know you're probably
busy, as usual, but come and see me
when you get the chance, 'kay?
ANSWERPHONE
End of messages.
11 EXT. CITY MORGUE - NIGHT 11
Establishing shot.
12 INT. CITY MORGUE - NIGHT 12
The city morgue is a crowded, brightly-lit, tiled place with
corpses parked left and right.
Aside from the corpses, no one else is around. As we pan
across we reach the young medical examiner sitting at her
desk lying face first. And although her long dark brown hair
is covering her features, this is JENNIFER ELLIS (25).
It is only the sound of a loud BANG from OFFSCREEN that
causes the girl to sit up suddenly to sit upright in seat,
looking around in confusion as to the source of that noise.
SCOTT (O.S.)
Bad night?
She looks over to sees Scott standing in the doorway. She
rolls her eyes, shakes her head and pushes her hair from out
of her face.
JENNIFER
(annoyed)
What do you want?
SCOTT
(shrugs)
Oh nothing much, maybe offer ya' a
subscription to 'Corpse
Illustrated'?
She wipes her eyes, not quite woken up yet.
JENNIFER
(yawns)
Can't you ever be serious?
SCOTT
Hey, I was serious once... about
us. You were the one that called it
off.
Jennifer rolls her eyes again, it's clear these two have
history and that this is an old argument that is never going
to get resolved.
JENNIFER
I had my reasons, as I've told you.
(beat)
Now, just tell me what you're doing
here so we can make this quick and
painless.
SCOTT
Unlike our break-up?
Jennifer glares at him as though to say 'knock it off'.
Scott holds up his hands in mock surrender as he becomes a
bit more serious.
SCOTT (cont'd)
Where's the body that came in
tonight?
JENNIFER
Which one?
She indicates five sheet-covered bodies.
SCOTT
(duh)
Robert Duke, of course.
(beat)
But what I really need is his
autopsy report.
JENNIFER
Just a sec.
She leans over to her computer on the desktop, and with a few
keystrokes and clicks on her mouse she brings up the file.
SCOTT
Jen... you ever think about us?
JENNIFER
(annoyed)
Not now, Scott.
SCOTT
Look, I just wondered...
JENNIFER
(uncertain)
This isn't right.
SCOTT
(curious)
What?
JENNIFER
(points to monitor)
These autopsy results.
Scott leans forward for a closer look at the monitor, but
he's completely lost in the medical jargon.
SCOTT
What am I looking at?
JENNIFER
Well, that's the thing, according
to this report his red blood cells
are biconvex, which is
theoretically impossible.
(beat)
They're hypochromic, there's
virtually no hemoglobin in them
whatsoever.
SCOTT
Okay, let's just pretend for a
second that not all of us graduated
from med school.
(beat)
Care to translate?
JENNIFER
In laymans terms? It's just plain
freaky.
SCOTT
Gotta be some sort of joke.
Someone's been messing with your
computer.
JENNIFER
(unsure)
Maybe.
(beat)
Besides, it's just a blood sample.
We'll know more when we start on
his internal organs.
Scott nods, then looks at his watch.
SCOTT
I'm gonna get going. If you find
out anything else, call me.
JENNIFER
Okay.
He leaves a completely bewildered Jennifer staring at the
monitor.
13 INT. JESSIE'S LOFT - NIGHT 13
Jessie is laying back in her armchair, her stack of photos
laying in her lap. Her eyes are closed in what appears to be
something half way between sleep and meditation.
Everything is still and quiet, apart from the clicking of the
grandfather clock. A car alarm goes off, shrill and clear,
yet Jessie is still sound asleep.
We push in on Jessie's face, her closed lids displaying some
classic REMs. Suddenly, the phone RINGS off screen, causing
Jessie's eyes to snap open.
Sitting up in her armchair, Jessie reaches over without
looking, and picks up the phone.
JESSIE
Hello?
We don't hear the voice on the other end, but from the way
her face becomes even more focused, its clear that its
someone important to Jessie.
JESSIE (cont'd)
You sure?
(beat)
Okay, hold on a sec.
Jessie turns on the lamp beside the phone, then opens a
drawer from the nearby table and pulls out a pen and a
notepad.
JESSIE (cont'd)
Go ahead.
After flipping over a few pages, she scribbles down some info
that is being conveyed to her from the unknown caller. Once
she is finished she tears off the paper, folds it neatly and
puts it in her pocket.
JESSIE (cont'd)
Thanks.
She hangs up the phone and flips back to the first page of
her notepad.
On that first page we see several names written on it. Close
up on the bottom name. Written in red, it says "Duke,
Robert". A black pen comes into frame and draws a line
through the name.
After a moment Jessie flips over to the next page, which is
blank, and writes one thing in the middle of the page -
"Cop?" She circles this and taps the pen on the page, lost in
thought.
She holds both pen and pad in one hand while she gathers up
the photos with the other, and places them all on the table
next to her. She then gets up from the armchair, careful not
to trip over Lennon. She kneels down next to her beloved pet.
JESSIE (cont'd)
Sorry Lennon, but I've got some
loose ends to tie up.
She scratches him behind his ear as we CUT TO:
14 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY - NIGHT 14
Scott stands in front of an apartment door, looking a bit
nervous.
He is about to knock it but his cellphone goes off, with the
TV theme to Dark Angel as his ringtone. He quickly answers
it.
SCOTT
(into phone)
Jacobs.
(listens; surprised)
You're kidding!
(beat)
You're telling me this chick gets
up on the roof, throws a fully
grown man off and doesn't leave a
single piece of evidence?
Suddenly the door opens. A tall, ruggedly handsome African
American male stands there, this is SEAN (35), Angela's
husband.
SCOTT (cont'd)
(into phone)
I gotta go.
He closes the cellphone, ending the call.
SCOTT (cont'd)
Hi, Sean.
ANGELA (O.S.)
(from inside the
apartment)
Who is it?
SEAN
Oh nobody important, just your
partner, honey.
Scott smirks as Sean smiles and stands aside to allow Scott
in.
15 INT. MOORE FAMILY APARTMENT - NEXT 15
Angela is lying on the couch, her leg bandaged, watching 'V
For Vendetta'. She pauses the films as Scott enters the room
and takes a seat opposite her. Sean heads into the kitchen.
SEAN
I'm gonna make some coffee, anyone
want a cup?
ANGELA
No thanks.
SCOTT
I'll take some.
(to Angela)
So... how ya been?
She smirks at the question.
ANGELA
I'm laid up in my house with a hole
in my leg.
(beat)
How do you think I'm doing?
SCOTT
(shrugs)
Well, all things considered, you
seem to be taking it rather well.
ANGELA
I still got shot.
SCOTT
It could've been worse.
(beat)
He could've been aiming for that
big ol' head of yours.
Angela stares at him, wanting to respond, but just cracks a
smile and starts laughing just as Sean re-enters the room,
handing Scott a cup of coffee.
SCOTT (cont'd)
Thanks.
He takes a sip from the mug.
SEAN
I'll go check on Bobby.
Angela nods. Sean exits.
There is a pause as Angela looks at Scott sipping his coffee.
ANGELA
So... what brings you to my neck of
the woods?
SCOTT
Isn't visiting my poor, injured
partner reason enough?
She gives Scott a look that says 'don't bullshit me'.
SCOTT (cont'd)
(drops head)
Is is that obvious?
He places the cup on the table in front of him.
ANGELA
Why are you going back to the
alley?
SCOTT
Cuz there's something there.
ANGELA
It can wait.
SCOTT
Angie, you didn't see what
happened. You didn't see her. It
was weird.
ANGELA
Weirder than her tossing Duke's
sorry ass off the side of a
building and then disappearing into
thin air?
SCOTT
(shakes his head)
I don't know. Its just a feeling.
There is a long moment where neither of them speak.
ANGELA
Mind if I give you some advice,
from one friend to another?
SCOTT
Sure.
ANGELA
Let it go. Duke's dead, case
closed.
SCOTT
(sighs)
I can't do that Angie, you know
that.
ANGELA
Why is this so important to you?
SCOTT
Well, don't you think its kinda odd
that we spend months building a
case against Duke, and on the night
we're about to arrest him someone
from outta nowhere just up and
bumps him off?
ANGELA
Not really.
(beat)
Scott, we both know that a guy like
Duke had enemies. Looks like they
finally caught up with him.
SCOTT
You're acting like she did us a
favour.
ANGELA
Well, maybe she did.
(beat)
Scott, you saw the photos, you know
what he did to those girls.
Even if we had caught him, he
wouldn't have been in jail for
long, not with his army of lawyers.
(beat)
The guy was a piece of shit crime
boss, he deserved what happened to
him.
SCOTT
Doesn't make it right.
Scott takes another sip of his coffee, and there is a moment
of silence that passes between them.
ANGELA
Scott, you think that maybe the
real reason you can't let this go
is because someone outside the
department beat us to the punch?
Scott looks as though he wants to deny it, but can't bring
himself to do so.
SCOTT
I don't know. Maybe.
He downs the rest of his coffee in one final gulp and puts it
back on the table.
SCOTT (cont'd)
(standing)
Thanks for the coffee.
He heads for the door.
ANGELA
Look Scott, if you're gonna pursue
this... just be careful.
SCOTT
Oh, I'm fairly certain I can keep
all my extremities reasonably
bullet free.
ANGELA
I'm serious.
(beat)
I've seen good cops throw their
careers away because of stupid shit
like this.
SCOTT
I appreciate the concern, but I can
take care of myself.
He leaves, and her husband re-enters the room.
ANGELA
That's what I'm afraid of.
Sean registers Angela's dark look, casting a glance back to
the departing Scott as we CUT TO:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.