Act 2
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Resume
“Jo!” Katherine cried out.
She reached out in an effort to redirect the stake hurtling towards Jocasta, but the stake continued towards the redhead.
Jocasta ducked in time, though, and the stake embedded itself in the wall behind her.
“Oh my god, oh my god!” Katherine exclaimed, raising her hands to her mouth.
Outside the lab, the Sub-Committee members watched in shock, most of them having risen to their feet. Travers remained seated, smirking to himself.
Jocasta stood slowly. She looked at the stake jutting from the wall. Then she turned and looked at Katherine, a mixture of shock, fear, and disappointment on her face.
“Jo! Jo!” Giles called. “Are you all right?”
Jocasta pulled her eyes from Katherine to Giles, who was standing just outside the glass wall, looking very worried.
“I’m fine,” Jocasta said. Then she turned to the Committee members. “I’m sorry for the…ummm…glitch there. Clearly, this is an area that needs some additional work.”
With her last statement, Jocasta cut her eyes at Katherine, who dropped her head in shame.
“We do have one more demonstration,” Jocasta said with a forced smile, “one that I-I-I think you’ll find—”
“I think we’ve seen enough,” Travers said, rising to his feet.
Travers made a knowing glance in Giles’s direction, then turned without a word and exited the lab. The two Committee members who had been seated next to him immediately followed. The next two, who had been in the center of the row, looked nervously at Giles and then at the retreating Travers and then at each other, until they too went to follow Travers, leaving only Veronica to stand with the Council Chairman. Giles took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead, trying to get his emotions under control.
Jocasta left the glassed-in area and joined Giles on the outside. Katherine quietly followed, but kept her distance.
“Giles, I’m sorry, we’ll—” Jocasta said in agonized voice.
Giles held up his hand to stop Jocasta’s words. “We’ll talk about this later,” he said sternly. Then he put his glasses back on and left the room, with Veronica right on his heels.
As Jocasta watched Giles leave, tears filled her eyes. Then anger replaced sadness, and her faced hardened. She whipped around to face Katherine.
“What the hell just happened?” Jocasta demanded harshly. “Tell me!”
Katherine flinched at Jocasta’s words.
“I-I-I don’t know,” she stammered, “I-I-I’m sorry, I—”
“That’s it!” Jocasta said, interrupting. “You’re off magic duty until you can get a hold of yourself!”
Jocasta stomped away, leaving a devastated Katherine behind.
Cut to:
Int.
Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time
Rayne looked at his computer screen once more, then chuckled. He leaned back in this chair and steepled his fingers, resting his index fingers against his lips. Then he grinned with malicious glee.
Cut to:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Moments Later
Giles strode angrily away from the lab. Veronica had to work to keep up with the taller man’s pace.
“This isn’t good,” Veronica said ominously.
“Well, thank you, Veronica, for stating the obvious,” Giles replied in a very annoyed tone. Instantly regretful, he stopped in place. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.
Veronica merely smiled, indicating her acceptance of his apology. “Travers will use this against you,” she said.
“Yes, I’m sure he will,” Giles answered.
“I suppose we’d better rally a defense then, shouldn’t we?” Veronica said with her characteristic smirk.
Giles smiled gratefully at his friend. Then the two of them headed back down the hallway, beginning their plans for damage control.
Cut to:
Int.
Katherine’s Quarters – Later That Day
Katherine slammed her door and fell back against it crying. After a few moments, she wiped her eyes, hugged herself tightly, then moved into her kitchen area. She pulled a cup from the rack on the counter, turned on the cold water in the sink, and held the cup under the stream of water until it was full.
As she turned off the tap, Katherine felt her sobs return. She dropped the cup and leaned over the sink, crying hard. Suddenly, she grabbed the cup and threw it against the wall. All of the remaining cups quickly followed as Katherine smashed each one in turn, screaming in frustration.
When her anger was spent, Katherine slipped to the floor, leaning against the cabinet and holding her head in her hands. Finally, she simply lay down on the floor and curled into a ball, weeping herself to sleep.
Cut to:
Ext.
A Cemetery – Night
Katherine walked alertly among the headstones. Then she stopped and listened. She pulled out a wooden stake, her only weapon. The night breeze gently blew her long blonde hair. After several seconds, she seemed to decide that she hadn’t heard anything. She put away her stake and resumed her patrol, heading for the mausoleums.
As Katherine got close to one of the larger tombs, two vampires jumped in front of her, surprising her. She didn’t take the time to wonder why she hadn’t been able to sense them; she just went into slayer mode.
The two vampires, one male and one female, double-teamed Katherine, attacking her simultaneously from both sides. Moving with slayer speed, Katherine blocked the succession of punches, one after the other, until she was able to kick the female vampire into the side of the mausoleum. As the female vampire slammed into the stone wall, Katherine turned her attention to the male vampire. She flashed through a series of moves: punch, punch, duck, up again, ouch, comeback, kick, he’s down, stake, dust, yeah!
Katherine’s grin of elation was short-lived as the female vampire rammed into her back, sending them both rolling away in a tangle of limbs. When they stopped tumbling, the vampire was on top of Katherine. The vampire hissed, curling her lips up to reveal her fangs. Katherine kicked the vampire off, sending her crashing against a headstone. Before the vampire could recover, Katherine leapt to her feet and plunged her stake directly into the vampire’s heart, dusting the creature instantly.
Katherine straightened up, breathing heavily. She brushed the vampire dust off her coat and smiled. Her smile disappeared when she heard rustling behind her. She turned around slowly. A gang of about ten vampires stood in a semicircle before her. She heard others running from behind the tomb to surround her.
There were way too many for a slayer to take on alone. Escape was the only option. When the circle of vampires surged forward to rush her, she ran for the mausoleum and leapt onto its roof. Then she vaulted over the line of vampires and ran for her life.
The vampires were right behind her as she fled through the cemetery. She ran down through rows of gravestones, then cut quickly to her left. If she went between the two tombs ahead of her, she could scale the tall fence and be on the street. As she passed between the two tombs, the vampire closest to her dove forward and tripped her up, sending her crashing into the wrought-iron fence.
The collision with the fence dazed Katherine, and by the time she recovered and got to her feet, she was surrounded once again. Katherine leaned against the iron rods, her eyes darting from side to side as the gang of vampires crept in and then attacked. She tried to fight, but there were just too many of them. They quickly overwhelmed her and rode her to the ground. They bound her hands securely behind her back, then fell away, except for two, who pulled the slayer to her feet and held her upper arms tightly in their grip.
Katherine watched as the group of vampires backed away and then parted to allow a female figure to enter. The woman glided seductively towards Katherine, coming to a stop a few yards in front of her. Katherine stared, open-mouthed, at the older woman before her.
“Miss Dimmons?” Katherine asked, blinking her eyes in disbelief.
“How’s my little precious?” Katherine’s former watcher answered sweetly in a British accent.
“I thought you were…they told me you were…” Katherine said haltingly.
“Dead?” Miss Dimmons supplied.
Katherine nodded.
“Well, they were half right,” Miss Dimmons said, her face morphing into its demonic visage.
“Oh, god!” Katherine cried. “I’m so sorry! If I’d only gone with you that night, like I was supposed to, then—”
Miss Dimmons moved in and placed cool fingers on Katherine’s mouth. “Don’t be sorry, precious,” she said to her former ward. “I’m not. This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” Miss Dimmons reached up and stroked Katherine’s cheek. “That’s why I want to share it with you.”
Katherine’s eyes widened in absolute terror, and she began to struggle. It didn’t do any good; the two vampires held her firmly.
Miss Dimmons moved around the vampires holding Katherine and came up behind the blonde slayer. She brushed Katherine’s long hair aside. She smiled and ran her fingers along the line of Katherine’s neck. Katherine jerked her head away, causing the vampire’s eyes to narrow in annoyance.
Miss Dimmons grabbed Katherine roughly by the hair and used it to immobilize her, baring her neck once again. The former watcher’s smile returned.
“Don’t fight it, precious,” Miss Dimmons cooed in Katherine’s ear. “You’ll only make it hurt worse.”
“No…no…” Katherine whimpered as Miss Dimmons eased closer to her target. When Miss Dimmons sank her fangs into Katherine’s neck, the slayer screamed like a lost soul.
Cut to:
Int.
Katherine’s Quarters – Night
Katherine woke up screaming. She flailed her arms, as if trying to fight off the vampires that had been holding her. When she realized her arms were free, her hand went immediately to her neck, feeling for the fang marks.
Slowly, Katherine seemed to realize that it had been only a dream. On trembling legs, she rose from the kitchen floor and leaned against the counter, breathing heavily. Then her tears began to fall once again.
Cut to:
Int.
Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time
Rayne lay perfectly still, with his eyes closed, fully reclined in his chair in the mobile base. Then his eyes popped open, and he grinned. As he raised his chair to its upright position, he began to chuckle sadistically.
He turned to his computer screen, which showed Katherine standing at her kitchen counter, crying. Rayne reached out and touched the image.
“Oh, don’t worry, precious,” Rayne said, “it’ll be over soon.”
Rayne began laughing again.
Fade out
Fade in:
Int.
Watchers Council – Computer Center – Later That Night
James was still glued to his workstation. His face looked tired, but his eyes were determined. He entered a command, watched the results scroll by, then repeated the process.
Anyabot stalked over to James.
“James, you’ve been at that computer all day,” she chided. “You need to go home and sleep.”
James didn’t acknowledge the android’s comment.
“You know how cranky you get when you don’t get enough sleep,” Anya reminded her owner.
James continued to ignore her.
Anya rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I’m going to recharge, like a sensible person,” she said pointedly as she left the room.
James gave no indication that he was even aware of anything else in the room other than what was on his screen. He leaned forward and touched his screen momentarily.
“Now we’re gettin’ somewhere,” he said with a grin.
Fade out
Fade in:
Ext.
Alley Beside Abandoned Garage – Night
Livia, Katherine, and Mira crept silently along a narrow and filthy alley. The outside light on the building’s utility pole blinked on and off erratically. Mira reached up and placed her hand on Katherine’s shoulder. Katherine yelped and jumped several feet away, knocking over a metal trash can, sending a loud series of clangs ringing down the alley.
Livia stood with her hands on her hips. “Great, now we’ve practically announced that we’re coming. Did you guys flunk Stealthy 101 or something?”
“It wasn’t me!” Mira complained. “Katie’s the one who’s freakin’ out.”
“Because you touched me!” Katherine said in her defense.
“I was trying to quietly get your attention to ask you a question,” Mira said.
“What was so important that you had to ask her mid-sneak?” Livia asked.
“Well, I don’t remember now,” Mira admitted, “but I’m sure it was very important.”
“Okay, let’s just start over,” Livia told her slayers. “No talking—or touching—till we get there. Hopefully, we haven’t scared all the vampires away yet. If the tip about this garage is true, we’re going to have our hands full.”
Livia, Mira, and Katherine resumed their progress towards the abandoned garage, where their sources had said a nest of vampires had taken residence.
Cut to:
Ext.
Abandoned Garage – Moments Later
When the trio of slayers arrived at the garage, they climbed on top of the dumpster and looked through the garage’s broken-out window.
Inside were eight vampires and four victims. On the far side, two male victims were strung from the raised car rack and were being taunted and tortured by five of the vampires. In the middle of the garage, a female victim was on her back on the hood of a car, being fed upon by two of the vampires, one at her neck and the other from her arm. The fourth victim lay still upon a dirty mattress in a small room in the corner, only her legs visible from the window. The last vampire was leaving the small room, tucking his shirt into his jeans and buckling his belt. He stopped and leaned against the doorway, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.
Livia’s eyes narrowed in hatred. “We’re going in,” she told her slayers.
“Yeah, let’s kill these bastards!” Mira agreed.
“M-M-Maybe we should wait for backup,” Katherine said nervously.
“I’m ordering backup, but we’re not waiting,” Livia said. “Those victims could die in the next few minutes, so we’re going, got it?”
Katherine nodded in affirmation of her commander’s order.
Livia adjusted her headset and spoke into the microphone. “Base, this is Livia. We are at the location. Vampire nest is confirmed. We need backup and medical on site immediately.”
After ending her call to Base, Livia turned to her slayers. “Katie, you go in by the window and take the lone vampire, then hit the two at the car,” Livia said. “Mira and I will go in the door by the car rack and start in on the crowd there. Clear?”
Mira and Katherine nodded in response. Then Livia and Mira leapt from the dumpster and made their way around the building. Katherine turned her eyes back to the lone vampire, who was still smoking. She took long deep breaths and waited. After a few moments, she heard Livia’s voice in her receiver, “Now!”
Katherine climbed through the broken-out window.
Cut to:
Int.
Abandoned Garage – Same Time
Katherine jumped from the window and landed in a crouch, right in front of the smoking vampire. He growled and attacked. Katherine was ready for him, and within seconds, she had staked him and moved on to the two by the car.
These two had seemed to hesitate in confusion, not knowing which fight to join. When they saw Katherine moving towards them, they both turned to meet her. As Katherine engaged the two vampires, her face began to show panic. Still she did as she had been trained to do: kill vampires. In a series of blinding moves, she slipped behind them and dusted them both in a flash before they could even turn around.
Katherine looked for Livia and Mira. She found them struggling against their group of vampires, which had somehow grown from five to eight. Livia and Mira were backed against the far wall, trying to hold off the vampire mob, which was armed with items from the garage: a heavy chain, a tire iron, a rusty exhaust pipe, oversized tools, a piece of metal conduit. Both slayers were already bruised and bloodied.
“Where did they—?” Katherine said to herself, as if wondering where the other vampires had come from. Then she ran towards the crowd.
The vampires on the outer edge of the mob heard Katherine’s approach and turned to face her. Four of them left the group and moved cautiously in Katherine’s direction, growling and snarling. Katherine screeched to a halt, seemingly paralyzed by sheer terror.
In Katherine’s mind, she was no longer in the garage—she was in the cemetery of her nightmare, surrounded and outnumbered.
“Katie!” Livia called out. “Don’t just stand there! Do something!”
Livia finally dusted the vampire nearest her, then turned to take on the next one, when she heard Mira cry out in pain. When Livia looked in her direction, she saw Mira skewered on a long piece of conduit.
“Mira!” Livia cried.
The vampire jerked the metal conduit from Mira’s body, and she crumpled to the concrete floor. Taking advantage of her distraction, Livia’s opponent rushed her and rammed her into a shelf of tools and parts.
With her eyes frozen on the approaching vampires, Katherine slowly backed away, until she found herself pressed against the side of the car.
“No, no,” Katherine whimpered, shaking her head, as the four vampires crept closer and closer. “No!” she screamed before bolting towards the window.
Katherine vaulted to the edge of the window and pulled herself up and out before the pursuing vampires could grab her.
“Katie!” Livia yelled when she saw Katherine running from the battle.
With Katherine gone and Mira down, Livia tightened her face in an expression of insane resolve. She roared and threw herself into the fray.
Cut to:
Ext.
Alley and Street Outside Abandoned Garage – Same Time
Katherine ran blindly down the alley as fast as she could. When she came out of the alley onto the street, she ran directly into Commander Wilma Jenkins, nearly sending them both to the ground. The tall black woman stood firm, though, and held up the shaking slayer.
“Katie! What is it? What’s going on?” Wilma asked.
“I-I-I was…they were after me, and I—” Katherine babbled incoherently. “You’ve got to get in there…now!” she finally said.
“Janet, Lian! Move in now!” Wilma commanded to her team leaders.
Janet and Lian and their fellow slayers burst into the garage.
“Are you okay?” Wilma asked Katherine.
Katherine nodded, but Wilma motioned the paramedics over anyway. When the paramedics arrived, Wilma left Katherine and entered the garage.
Cut to:
Ext.
Alley and Street Outside Abandoned Garage – Moments Later
The battle was over, and the victorious slayers emerged from the garage. Some of the slayers were helping the four victims as they stumbled out of the building. Soon after, the paramedics came out with Mira on a gurney. A beaten and bloodied Livia stayed alongside the gurney the whole way to the ambulance, holding Mira’s hand. Wilma was right behind her.
“Oh my god,” Katherine exclaimed, moving towards the ambulance. “Is she okay?” she asked frantically as the paramedics lifted the gurney into the vehicle and shut the door.
Livia turned to Katherine, her eyes burning with fury. “No, she’s not okay, thanks to you,” Livia said, backing Katherine away with her glare. She didn’t stop until she had backed Katherine into the side of the transport skimmer that had brought Wilma and her slayers to the scene.
“I’m s-s-sorry,” Katherine stammered, tears coming down her face. “I-I-I don’t know w-w-what happened to me in there. I–”
“Turn around,” Livia commanded.
“What?” Katherine asked, confused.
“I said, Turn around! ” Livia repeated.
As the other slayers gathered nearby to watch, Katherine did as she was told and turned to face the side of the transport.
“Put your hands behind your back,” Livia ordered.
“Oh, god,” Katherine whispered, as if she had just realized what was about to happen.
Katherine hung her head and moved her hands behind her. Livia grabbed one of Katherine’s wrists and twisted her arm up painfully. Then she shoved Katherine against the vehicle. Katherine’s head snapped back as her face collided with the metal panel.
“Livia,” Wilma warned, stepping towards her fellow commander. Livia glared back at Wilma until the black woman dropped her gaze. Then Livia turned back to Katherine.
“Katherine Allison,” Livia said, as she used her free hand to pull a set of heavy-duty cuffs from her belt. “I am placing you under arrest for the court-martial offense of ‘Cowardice in Battle,’ as described in Article 99 of the Revised Code of Military Justice.”
Livia snapped the cuff on the wrist she held, roughly yanked Katherine’s other arm in place, then cuffed that wrist as well. When she was done, she pulled Katherine away from the side of the transport and turned her around.
Livia stared at Katherine with barely-contained rage. She was breathing hard and clenching her fist. Katherine looked at Livia once, then averted her eyes, unable to endure the deserved accusation she saw there. Wilma and the other slayers held their breath and waited.
“You have the right to remain silent, anything you say…” Livia continued her recitation as she led Katherine away.
Wilma and the other slayers exhaled in relief.
Cut to:
Ext.
Renegade Mobile Base – Same Time
Rayne leaned against the door of his skimmer and watched Katherine’s arrest through a set of digital binoculars. When he saw Livia lead Katherine away, he lowered the binoculars.
His face was hard, and his eyes were filled with hate. “Take what’s mine,” Rayne said, “I take what’s yours.”
Then he grinned. “And I’m not even done taking.”
Fade out
Fade in:
Int.
Watchers Council – Slayer Command – Later That Night
Giles rushed into the office of Slayer Command and scanned the room until he saw Velika. The tall blonde was in a large work area, speaking with her assistant. Giles hurried to her location.
“I came as soon as I heard,” Giles blurted breathlessly.
Velika dismissed her assistant with a nod and then faced Giles with her hands on her hips.
“Why, I’m fine, thank you for asking,” Velika said sarcastically. “And you?”
“I’m so sorry, that was rather rude, wasn’t it?” Giles said abashedly.
“It’s okay,” Velika said teasingly, removing her hands from her hips, “I’m just giving you a hard time—just like I used to.” Velika sobered then said, “I assume you’re here about Katherine.”
“Well, yes, and Mira as well,” Giles replied. “How is she? Mira, I mean.”
“Critical but stable,” Velika responded. “Barring any complications, she should recover fully.”
“And Katherine?” Giles asked.
“Unharmed, for the most part, and now in detention,” Velika said.
“The report said that she had…ummm…run away in the middle of the battle, leaving Livia and Mira in danger. Is this true?”
“It appears so,” Velika said, clenching her jaw, seemingly embarrassed and enraged that any of her slayers would have done such a thing. “I’ve spoken with Livia, who arrested her, and with Wilma, who witnessed Katherine’s flight.”
“Have you interviewed Katherine yet?” Giles inquired.
“Yes, I did a preliminary interview, but that’s all I’ve had time for so far.”
“I’d like to speak with Katherine,” Giles said. “That is…if you don’t mind,” he added quickly.
Velika narrowed her eyes. “This isn’t your jurisdiction,” she said firmly. “Katherine is a Slayer and therefore comes under the authority of Slayer Command. You have no place here…Mr. Chairman.”
“I’m well aware of the chain of command, Velika,” Giles said. “I’m not asking as Council Chairman. I’m asking as her friend and yours.”
Velika met Giles’s gaze then turned away to consider his request. After a moment, she turned back around and faced her former watcher.
“Very well,” Velika said. When she saw Giles respond with a smile, she quickly continued. “The interview will be recorded and, if necessary, used as evidence. I will be personally present to observe, and I reserve the right to terminate the interview at any time. Is that clear?”
“Yes, perfectly,” Giles answered. Then he took Velika’s hand and squeezed it. “Thank you,” he said sincerely.
“You’re welcome,” Velika said with a smile. “I figure I owe you one.”
“I’d like Jocasta Rosenberg there as well,” Giles said.
Velika’s smile fell away, and she put her hands on her hips once again. “Now wait a second…”
Giles didn’t shy away from the commander’s glare. “She and Katherine are very—or rather—were very close, and I believe that she would have invaluable insight where Katherine is concerned.”
“Fine,” Velika said, slightly annoyed. “Meet me in detention in an hour.”
“We’ll be there,” Giles said. Then he headed for the door.
Fade out
Fade in:
Int.
Jocasta’s Apartment – Moments Later
Jocasta was slumped before her computer terminal, her head propped up in her hand. She wasn’t looking at her screen, though. Instead, she was fingering the edges of the digi-frame containing the pictures of herself and Katherine.
Jocasta sat up suddenly when a call startled her. The digi-frame was knocked over as Jocasta answered the call.
“Hello?” Jocasta said.
“Jo, it’s Giles,” Giles said. “You need to come in right away. I’ll meet you at the lobby door.”
“What’s up?” Jocasta asked.
“I’ll explain when you get here,” Giles replied. “It’s important, Jo, so hurry.”
“I’ll be right there,” she answered, a worried look coming over her face.
She set the digi-frame upright then rushed from her apartment.
Cut to:
Int.
Watchers Council – Elevator – About An Hour Later
Giles and Jocasta entered the elevator car at the lobby level. Giles punched one of the buttons, and the elevator doors closed.
“Katherine just ran from the fight?” Jocasta said, wringing her hands. “I can’t believe it.”
“I know, but–” Giles said.
“What’s going to happen to her?” Jocasta interrupted with worry on her face.
“An investigation, a-a-a court martial, more than likely,” Giles answered.
“And if she’s convicted?” Jocasta asked softly.
“It’s a serious charge, one of the major articles in the Revised Code,” Giles explained. “If she’s convicted, she could be facing the death penalty.”
Jocasta looked at Giles with shock and fear in her expression.
Fade Out
End of Act Two