act 5
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Buffy’s Office – Day
Rowena entered Buffy’s office and immediately pinched the bridge of her nose.
“So where are we?” Buffy asked.
“Nowhere,” Rowena sighed. “We’re spread thin.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Kennedy’s still out, like most of our senior slayers. They’re patrolling all the main streets, but they’re outnumbered. Vi and Xander just left to meet them.” She rubbed her eyes. “We’ve got a handful of junior slayers guarding the lobby. Willow’s working on translating the writing from the Atlanta cave wall. And…” Rowena caught herself. “And that’s it. That’s everybody.”
“So what now? Buffy asked.
“Honestly? I don’t know.”
Cut To:
Ext.
Cleveland Street – Same Time
Kadin was leading her crowd of rogue demon fighters down the street when a group of five demons rounded a corner.
“Shields up!” she yelled, making everyone move their trash can lids in front of them and slightly over their heads. “Spears ready!”
Several people switched positions to be up front, with their fishing spears slightly lowered. Kadin watched as the demons advanced.
“Oh God,” one man muttered from the front line, closing his eyes.
“Spears up!” Kadin shouted at the last minute.
The band of fighters did as Kadin ordered by shoving the spears up at the last second, much like a Roman legion. As the demons tried to tackle the group, they soon found themselves impaled on the spikes.
Seeing their success, the group seemed filled with new hope and finished off the demons with their axes and crowbars, while Kadin kept a watchful eye around them. Looking back to the group, she announced, “Fall in!” and the group went back into formation. “Forwarrrd March!”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
The sound of furious scribbling echoed through the empty conference room as Willow sat at the center of the long, narrow table, leaning over a yellow legal pad. Dozens of open texts and crumpled sheets of paper surrounded her as she wrote. After several seconds, Willow placed her pen down on the table and flexed her right hand several times.
“This has to be wrong,” she said to no one in particular. “It doesn’t make any sense. Are you sure there wasn’t anything else?”
There was no answer.
After several seconds, Willow looked up at the telephone in the middle of the table and said, “Dad? Are you still there?”
Cut To:
Int.
Ira and Sheila Rosenberg’s House – Same Time
“Sheila!” Ira called out in a loud, angry whisper as he held a cordless phone to his chest. “Stay away from the window.”
Across the room, Sheila stood against the wall, peering through a small gap in the window coverings.
“Ira, this is fascinating,” she said, ignoring his command. “They fly in packs, but share no animalistic group mentality.” She pulled back the curtains slightly and looked up at three demons flying overhead. “I can only imagine the extent of their sociological development. Do you think they live in some sort of chiefdom?”
“Sheila!” he said again, this time somewhat louder. “It’s not safe to be…”
He paused when a muffled version of Willow’s voice called, “Dad!”
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he replied, bringing the phone back to his ear. He gave his wife one more appraising look before turning his attention to a small end table near the sofa. He picked up a printed picture of Hebrew text and said, “I’ve got the page in front of me, and there’s nothing else. I think something may have gotten lost in the translation.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
“I wish I could help more,” Ira continued through the speaker on the phone.
Willow didn’t respond as she stared down at the translation in front of her. Seconds ticked by, Ira’s voice faintly yelling for his wife in the background. Suddenly Willow’s eye’s widened. She picked up the page and announced, “Wait! Four corners! That’s it!”
“What?” Ira asked. “Willow, I’m sorry…I missed that.”
“Dad, I have to go,” she said, reaching to hang up the phone.
“Wait!” her father said. Willow paused at the urgency of his voice. “Willow, I…” He paused uncomfortably.
“Dad, what is it? I really have to…”
Cut To:
Int.
Ira and Sheila’s House – Same Time
“…go.”
Ira rubbed his forehead nervously. He looked over to Sheila, who had abandoned the window temporarily. They locked eyes, and she gave him a reassuring nod. He began again. “Willow, your mother and I…we were watching the television coverage of…of whatever’s happening here.” He paused. “The girl who died, she was a friend of yours, wasn’t she?”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
Willow stared at the phone in disbelief and began to tear up. “Yeah, Dad. She was.”
Cut To:
Int.
Ira and Sheila’s House – Same Time
“I’m sorry,” he said, quickly. “I just meant that…” He paused. “We understand now and I’m so proud of you. We both are.”
Across the room, Sheila smiled.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
Willow blinked several times, trying to compose herself. She wiped her eyes and said, “Thanks, Dad. That means a lot. If I’m right about my theory here, then I’ll come out this summer to see you.” She looked back down at the translation in front of her. “But right now I really need to go.”
“Okay,” Ira replied. “I should probably go pull your mother away from the windows anyway.”
Willow snorted. “Tell her they don’t have a social order, okay?”
“I will,” he answered. “And Willow?”
“Yes, Dad?”
“We love you. Please stay safe.”
“I will. A-and I love you guys too.” Willow replied, before hanging up the phone. Quickly, she gathered up the translation and raced to the door.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Coven Room – Moments Later
“Who’s here?” Willow shouted, as she reached the door of the Coven Room with the translation in hand.
Jeff and Andrew immediately stood up. Behind them Skye, flanked by two slayers, gave a faint, unenthusiastic wave. Willow surveyed the assembled party and spoke. “I’ve got an idea.” She moved toward a supply cabinet and took a quick inventory. “I think it’ll work.”
“Willow,” Jeff said with a tone that was a mix of adoration and fear. “You’re not thinking about some sort of ‘make everyone a slayer’ spell, are you?” Skye perked up at the question and fixed her gaze on Willow.
“No,” Willow answered quickly, without looking at Jeff. She grabbed a handful of supplies from the shelf of the cabinet and closed the door, locking eyes with Jeff in the process. “It’ll be even worse for the demons.”
Willow dropped a bag of gray powder on the table in front of Andrew and continued, “Rowena figured out that in order to gain immortality, Wagner needed to pay a price.” She moved to a shelf of magic volumes and began searching for a book. “We’re going to collect.” She pulled out a small purple text and moved toward the exit. “This spell won’t last long.” As she reached the doorway, Willow turned to Andrew. “Andrew, get a hold of Kennedy. We’re going to need her for this. ASAP. We’ve got to get to the lake.”
“I guess that means I’m staying here,” Skye said, taking a seat. No one seemed to notice her comment.
Cut To:
Ext.
Cleveland Street – Day
Xander was loading supplies into a van from a storage facility when he stopped for a moment. Suddenly, a terrified look took shape on his features and he broke into a run, moving to the front of the building. He continued down the block until he saw an unmistakable figure with red hair lying on the sidewalk.
“Vi!” he screamed, as he ran toward her and fell to his knees.
He rolled the limp woman over and looked at her features. As his eyes trailed down he reached over to her stomach. Holding his hand up, he examined the blood on his fingertips. “Oh God, no, no.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Lobby – Same Time
A group of twenty junior slayers sat around the lobby without conversation. The air was tense. Sarah stood up from her place by the front door and walked to the window.
“Is there anyone out there?” asked a nervous looking girl in pigtails.
Sarah shook her head. “No, it’s clear.”
“We should do something,” said another girl to Connie’s right. “Like a game.”
“You want to play a game?” Lorinda said with a hostile tone. “Now?”
“Sorry,” the girl replied. “I just thought it would be better than sitting here.”
“It was a good idea,” Sarah said kindly. “But we should stay alert.” She stood up and checked the window again.
“It doesn’t matter,” Lorinda chimed in. “If those demons decide to come back, we’re all going to die, no matter how alert we are.”
Several of the girls began to whisper nervously. Sarah eyed Lorinda angrily, but didn’t reprimand her. “Don’t worry,” the eldest slayer said. “As long as we stay –”
Her words were cut off by a loud, supernatural crash, like the sound of a car hitting the brakes and a cow being slaughtered simultaneously. Several girls jumped to their feet. Sarah turned immediately and looked through the window. “We’ve got demons. You all know what to do.”
Several more crashes of varying decibels sounded through the lobby. The remaining girls rose to their feet and took up position between the front door and the hallways leading to the rest of the Council building.
Cut To:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Front Lawn – Same Time
With arms crossed, Wagner stood at the edge of the Council driveway and watched as a round-faced Ferrali demon raced toward the Council’s front door. He made it within three feet of the door when a transparent blue shield stopped his progress, sending him to the curb.
Wagner shook her head as three other demons tried and met the same resistance. “This is just stupid.” She approached the field and pulled back a three-horned creature that looked ready to charge. “All of you, stop,” the former guardian bellowed. “You’re all useless.”
With a malevolent grin, Wagner approached the entrance with her right hand raised. She stopped inches from the barrier, closed her eyes, and began to chant almost inaudibly.
A seven-foot-tall demon directly to her left looked on as Wagner pushed her hand into the shield. The barrier cracked loudly under the strain of her hand. She winced momentarily, but quickly regained her composure and continued chanting. After several more seconds, she opened her eyes, which were now jet black, and smiled. Removing her hand, Wagner looked up and watched as the barrier fell with a flash of blue light.
All at once, the demons flooded past her and charged the door.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – War Room – Same Time
“We’re under attack,” Buffy called from the window of the War Room, her Scythe in her hand. “I’m going.” With that, she made for the door, almost knocking over Jackson as he entered.
“Ms. Allister?” Jackson called once Buffy had gone. “The barrier’s down.”
“I know,” Rowena said as she looked down at her desk.
“Where’s our Coven?” he asked.
“Outside trying to save our asses,” she replied quickly. “For now, though, get a box. I need your help.”
Cut To:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Lobby – Moments Later
Wagner smiled as she entered the Council’s lobby. All around her, hopelessly overmatched junior slayers were falling to the demons that flooded into the building. With a wave of her hand, she sent a line of six junior slayers flying into the closest concrete wall. As the girls struggled to stand up, Wagner moved in for the kill.
“Hey!” Sarah called from behind Wagner, her voice laced with fear. “You want to fight someone, fight me.”
Wagner turned and smiled.
Sarah charged with a battle axe raised. She took a furious swipe, but Wagner was too quick. With what seemed like no effort, she grabbed the handle of the blade and wrenched it from the slayer’s hands. Dropping the weapon, Wagner grabbed a paralyzed Sarah and snapped her neck.
Buffy cut down a series of advancing demons quickly with her Scythe as Wagner looked on, nodding in approval at her skill. As two demons tried to race past Wagner to get to Buffy, she pushed them out of the way so she and Buffy stood face to face.
“So,” Wagner taunted. “The slayer turned watcher has arrived, I see…Nice weapon, by the way,” she added casually.
“I don’t know who or what you are, lady, but you’re going down,” Buffy told her. She thrust the Scythe into Wagner’s gut.
Wagner doubled over and stumbled backward, gripping the shaft of the weapon. “Ohhhh, the pain, the agony,” Wagner choked out, before righting herself again and grinning. She pulled the Scythe out of her stomach easily and tossed it to the ground. “Silly girl,” she said darkly. She ran up and grabbed Buffy by the throat, then tossed her aside.
Buffy slammed into the drywall so hard that her body left an impression as she slumped to the ground. Wagner waved her off as she looked up the stairway and gave an evil smirk.
“You’re not the watcher I want,” she muttered as she walked away.
Another demon began to advance on the unconscious Buffy with Sarah’s fallen axe. As he raised it over his head, a wooden tip suddenly protruded through his chest and he fell to the ground to reveal Skye standing behind him, holding the Scythe.
She leaned down over Buffy, smacking her hard several times in the face. “Hey, wake up!”
Buffy opened her eyes and blinked several times. “What?”
Skye slapped her once more with a delighted grin on her face. “You awake now?”
Buffy continued to blink her blurry eyes until Skye came into focus. “What happened?” she asked.
“Go figure,” Skye sighed. “My chance to earn more brownie points and nobody important sees it.” She reached her hand out to pull Buffy to her feet. “No need to thank me.”
“For what?” Buffy asked.
“Never mind,” Skye grumbled. She handed the Scythe back to Buffy and returned to the battle.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – War Room – Same Time
As the sound of the battle raged outside the command center, Rowena quickly began to pack away what books she could with Jackson’s help. Suddenly the door burst open, making both of them jerk their heads in the direction of the sound. Wagner strolled confidently inside, her eyes never leaving Rowena’s.
“Take these,” Rowena told Jackson, shoving the box toward him, though not before putting the Opus on top. “Run, out the back.”
“But –”
“Go,” she ordered in a soft but firm voice.
Jackson took off as fast as his feet would carry him, but instead of giving chase, Wagner stopped at the end of the rectangular table.
“Silly me,” Wagner told Rowena. “And here I thought you were inconsequential.”
In one effortless heave, Wagner picked up the desk in one hand and tossed it toward Rowena. The watcher jumped back as books flew in every direction and the wood came within inches of crushing her as she stumbled backward to avoid it.
Cut To:
Ext:
London, England – Same Time
Reginald Giles pushed down on the control yoke of his jet. The small Avro dove toward the ground, its modified machine guns hurling round after round into the demons swarming over Buckingham Palace.
“Take that, you blasted yobs,” he muttered as he pulled back on the yoke, a wide grin on his face. “Wouldn’t ol’ Rupes be proud of me now? He’s not the only Giles who can smegger demons.”
Cut To:
Ext.
Lakefront Near Council HQ – Same Time
Willow steadied her shoulders, “Michael, Rafael, Uriel and Gabriel,” she announced. Then she got a concerned look. “Or-or Gabrielle, whichever you’re answering to today…Please hear my plea for all of mankind.”
Within seconds, they all appeared before her.
“Gabbie will do,” the female angel remarked with a slight grin.
Willow grinned in return. “Good, now, moving on…” she said, before taking a deep breath, “I’m asking that the four of you each go to a corner of the earth, if only for a few minutes.”
Gabrielle smiled. “You figured it out,” she commended.
Willow smiled back. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind?”
Gabrielle leaned down and asked, “You know the risk, don’t you?”
“I do,” Willow said firmly, making the coven members and Kennedy look at each other for explanation.
“Very well then,” Gabrielle nodded, and the angels all disappeared.
Willow began to chant softly and her hair slowly turned gray from the roots to the tip, until every hair on her head was completely white. The earth began to rumble slightly as she spoke.
Cut to:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Front Lawn – Same Time
Slowly, the crack in the earth outside of the Council began to close. The demons in the area looked at each other and then at the closing chasm. One of them tried to jump into the hole but ended up closed inside it with a squelch, not making it all the way through.
Cut To:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Lakefront Near Council HQ – Same Time
A light shot from the top of Willow’s head and through the clouds.
Cut to:
Ext.
Planet Earth – Same Time
The angels at all four points – north, east, south and west – all held in position above the earth. They seemed to grow in size as the light from Willow then began to reflect from one to another and cover the entire Earth.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – War Room – Same Time
“If it wasn’t for you and your group of do-gooders,” Wagner continued as she stalked closer, casually kicking books out of the way, “this damn Council would be looking in the Atlantic Ocean for a place that doesn’t even exist!” She finished in a scream. Then she straightened her shoulders, regaining her composure. “But as it stands, now you’ve got a too-big-for-her-britches slayer and a too-bright-for-her-own-good watcher in my house. And I don’t like strangers on my property.”
Rowena appeared shaken for a moment, but took a quick breath and blew it out slowly. “Sucks to be you, I guess,” she answered.
Wagner laughed, then closed the distance between them in an instant. She took Rowena by the chin and pulled her within inches.
“Look close, Sweetie. Take a good look. Because I’m the last sight you’re ever gonna see.”
Black Out
End of Act Five