PERFECT CREATURE
Written by
Glenn Standring
SHOOTING SCRIPT
14 May 2004
1A EXT: PROLOGUE ON BLACK - NIGHT
The screen is black, music evoking religion and danger begins.
LILLY
For three hundred years the great plagues have
swept the earth. Diseases created from the
experiments of the Alchemists.
We see death tolls appear through this graphically.
The plague - 5 million souls. Virulent Small Pox - 10 million.
Mutated Influenza 30 Million Souls...
Lilly
Thinking they had discovered Gods secret code for
life, the Alchemists experimented with genetic
science. They had no idea what they had
unleashed.
We begin to see a strange medallion sweeping through smoke, slowly
revealing itself.
LILLY (CONT'D)
(continuing)
...but there was also a miracle. One of these
plagues helped nature create a new kind of being.
At first they were called Nosferatu, or Vampire
and were feared. But they were not supernatural
monsters, just a better version of ourselves.
They were the Brothers, and their religion and
science helped sustain us against the plagues and
influenzas that have ravaged Europe and the rest
of the colonies. For 300 years our two races have
lived in harmony. Until now...
FADE UP:
2 INT: DOCTORS SURGERY - DAY 2
We are very close on a bespectacled eye. It stares at us and
then looks down.
GENETIC DOCTOR
(off)
See here. This is what you need to
look for.
Cut to the object in the Genetic Doctors hand; it is like an
x-ray, yet the image looks remarkably like a DNA profile.
GENETIC DOCTOR
(continuing; off)
A genetic mutation, we all carry
it. But we now know a virus
activates it.
3
We reveal the genetic Doctor, sitting at his desk, smoking a
cigarette. The surgery and the clothes suggest the year, yet
there are small things that are different, not what you'd
expect to be around at this time. Standing next to him in the
dusty haze of the room is a younger doctor; an apprentice who
looks attentive.
GENETIC DOCTOR
(continuing)
This Virus plays some unknown role
in the birth the Brothers. Of
course the mutation occurs very
rarely these days. And only in
males.
The apprentice nods and then looks up. There is someone else
in the room. A woman - who we now see is pregnant. There is
something about her that suggests more a prisoner or
psychiatric patient than a normal pregnant mother.
GENETIC DOCTOR
(continuing)
Strange isn't?
Apprentice DOCTOR
Strange?
GENETIC DOCTOR
That God would choose such humble
vehicle for a miracle. The mothers
invariably come from the slums, we
don't know why.
(to the woman)
This is your 7th isn't it?
4
We see the woman; she's like a hollow person, hardly aware of
where she is. The Doctor shuffles papers. Finds what he wants.
GENETIC DOCTOR
(continuing)
Yes, her first was successful, a
Brother was born. Thereafter
variously malformed offspring. We
can only hope this one will be
different.
(to woman)
You'll have to try harder this
time.
The woman now looks up. And tentatively speaks.
WOMAN IN THE SURGURY
Please...
GENETIC DOCTOR
What is it?
WOMAN IN THE SURGURY
Please... I want to keep my baby.
They always take my babies away.
GENETIC DOCTOR
Don't be stupid woman!
The woman drops her eyes. We see the Apprentice Doctor,
almost pitying the poor woman.
Apprentice DOCTOR
(to woman)
You won't have to worry. The
Brotherhood will take him...
We are closer on the woman now. Tears begin to glisten in her
eyes as we drift closer to her.
Apprentice DOCTOR
(continuing; off)
...raise him in the church, teach
him. He's special. You should be
proud. It's a blessing really,
he'll want for nothing. Not like
the rest of us?
We track in closer, closer, to the woman, then continue,
right into her eye, through the fluid, to see the room
reflected upside down at the back of the retina. This
dissolves to an upside view of...
5
3 INT: HOSPITAL, OPERATION ROOM - DAY 3
POV, baby's view, in an operating theatre.
Cut to
The woman we saw earlier with the Genetic Doctor; she has
just given birth. The baby is placed on linen blankets and
cleaned by a nurse.
A man now enters the operating theatre; we can tell the
Doctor is uneasy. The man is dressed in a perfectly cut suit.
He does not wear a surgical mask. His eyes are a piercingly
clear light gray. He enters with two other men who look
similar to him. By his side there is also a pristine boy;
perhaps 8 years old, the same piercing eyes. They both
approach the baby. The man stares serenely at the baby, all
bloody, lying on blankets.
AUGUSTUS
This is your brother Silus. You
will teach him.
The little boy then shares a glance with the woman who has
just given birth. She seems to recognize the boy.
SILUS AS A BOY
Is that my mother?
AUGUSTUS
No, not any more.
Augustus then leans forward and gently opens the baby's mouth.
We see the baby close. In the otherwise baby-like mouth we
see something strange. There are two tiny fangs protruding
from the otherwise smooth gums.
We see Augustus smile. In his mouth too, we see two perfectly
pointed teeth.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
Welcome to the world little
Brother.
Cut to
We end close on the baby; its piercing eyes.
DISSOLVE TO:
6
4 PRODUCTION TITLE: ON BLACK. 4
Perfect Creature
The title fades. Then another title appears.
Queen's Imperial Winter Residence,
The Pacific Colony
100 years later
DISSOLVE TO:
4A EXT: CITYSCAPE - NIGHT 4A
We see a city, seething with smoke from coal fires, steam
from engines, alien distorted Victorian spires are
silhouetted against the moody, moonlit sky which is literally
filled with dirigibles and strange flying machines that seem
Victorian, of the industrial revolution, but that are also
strangely futuristic. It is 1969, but not our 1969.
5 EXT: STREET - NIGHT 5
A street. The look - of the film and the night - is silver,
almost metallic moonlit skies. A hazy mist hangs in the air.
Wet, steel pools of water on the dark footpath where a man
stands. He stares up at a zeppelin passing overhead, its
shadow obscuring him briefly until it passes away. Then we
see him.
The man is handsome, in a perfectly cut long wool jacket;
dark gray. He wears perfectly shiny black shoes and we can
see the surrounding street reflected in them; Victorian,
Gothic buildings. This man is Silus. He surveys the street.
While the houses are beautiful, they're run down.
Silus - his eyes are the purest light gray you have ever
seen - takes a long long inhale through his nose, his eyes
closing briefly as if trying to sense/smell something. He
stops the breath and opens his eyes. They are clear, full of
purpose.
He bends down to the footpath, runs his hand along its
surface, almost caressing it. He closes his eyes. The camera
moves in, to end close on Silus' ear. As this happens the
soundtrack - all the noises in the night - become amplified.
We see Silus' face, see him concentrating intently. We hear
several individual noises. First a very quiet pitter patter.
Cut to
A cat, stealthily moving between some thorny rose bushes.
Cut to
7
Silus again; concentrating even more. Now the distant sound
of trickling water.
Cut to
A drain pipe, leaking.
Cut to
Silus once more. This time we can hear "plop, plop, plop."
Cut to
A pool of water. Then "plop" as a drop hits it. The drop is
not water. The drop is a red liquid, thick, now dispersing in
the water. And another drop, "plop." High speed CRANE UP from
this pool, up up the side of a building to end on a FACE in
the shadows. We can see reflective, gleaming eyes. And a
mouth, with blood dripping from it.
Cut to
Silus again. His eyes flicking open; we see the footpath
reflected in those perfect light gray eyes.
Music - brooding, ancient - begins to hum as Silus slowly
rises, as if his limbs have the power to make him float, so
perfect and powerful are they. A small smile has appeared on
his lips; it is the smile of a man who knows that something
very dark, something very dangerous, is close by.
Slowly his hand slips into his jacket. He holds it there,
watching, surveying the street immediately ahead of him for
the slightest movement. He sees it. On the wall of an old
Georgian Mansion across the road, a shape on the side of the
wall, almost imperceptible, hidden in the shadows and
brickwork. A CREATURE on the side of the wall.
Silus begins to move forward now, everything in perfect
shining silver slow motion. As he moves forward he pulls a
gun from his jacket - it is silver, organic and glass, art
nouveaux styling - and points it ahead of him as he glides
forward.
The creature on the wall senses the movement coming towards
it, moves a little and then, like a spider, scrambles along
the side of the wall, heading away from us.
Silus fires. A bullet of silver explodes from the gun, seems
almost to hang in the air for a moment, reflecting the moon
above, before hurtling at high speed towards its target.
The shell explodes the wall next to the creature, who stops
suddenly in the light so that we can see it.
8
A man. With reflective animal eyes and blood on his purple
lips. And teeth; the teeth of a vampire. This creature
immediately dives from the wall to the ground, just avoiding
another two bullets that crash into the wall.
LA as the man falls directly towards the camera.
Silus now rushes forward, holding his gun out in front of
him; he moves forward gracefully. He can see the man
skillfully climbing up an adjacent derelict building. Silus
tries to follow but his way is blocked by wire and fencing.
He raises his gun towards the man once more, but he is gone.
Close on Silus' enigmatic face. Those eyes. And in his mouth,
two perfectly pointed fangs.
Cut to
6 EXT: CAFE - NIGHT 6
We are outside a cafe; the cafe is a warm glow against the
cold night. We see past the fine falling rain - through the
large glass window that has swirling silver art nouveaux
designs lacing across it - to a table inside, by the window,
where two pristinely dressed men sit.
Cut to
7 INT: CAFE - NIGHT 7
We are inside. Closer on the two men. One is SILUS. The other
man is AUGUSTUS; the man we saw in the operation theatre
before. Augustus has hardly aged at all.
AUGUSTUS
The girl?
We see Silus. He remembers.
Cut to
8 INT: ROOM, FLASHBACK - NIGHT 8
Flashback from Silus' memory; a dead girl on a bed, blood
splattered across her pillow.
Cut to
9
9 INT: CAFE - NIGHT 9
Silus' face. Pull out to reveal we're back in the café.
SILUS
It is taken care of.
AUGUSTUS
This is good.
SILUS
Augustus. We failed this girl. We
asked her to help us catch him,
and then we failed her.
AUGUSTUS
Yes. But her death served a
greater good. Every trap needs
bait.
Augustus lifts a beautifully designed glass and silver pipe
from the onyx table at which they sit, then settles back into
a fine hardwood chair. The chair's swirling, delicate back
creeks as he takes a puff on the pipe.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
Are you sure you won't join me?
Silus shakes his head, no. The opium in the pipe crackles.
SILUS
Perhaps this is beyond us. Perhaps
we should inform the authorities.
The human beings.
Augustus places the pipe down, blows a smoke ring as a
Chinese woman, dressed in a sarong, brings over two finely
cut crystal glasses and sets them before the men, then
leaves. Silus now lifts the glass and we see what it
contains. Blood; dark and red and viscous. Silus takes a sip,
then looks over to the bar.
There is a young woman there, sitting at the bar, being
treated with great care by several of the elegantly dressed
patrons; the young woman laughs, enjoying the attention.
Tubes run from the young woman's arms. These tubes carry her
blood into a conch shaped glass bowl. We see the Chinese
waitress fill another glass from the bowl.
Silus watches, blood slightly present on his ashen lips. And
we see two perfectly pointed fangs hanging in his mouth.
AUGUSTUS
For now the Brothers feel we
should deal with this ourselves.
10
SILUS
If they find out we are covering
up these deaths...
AUGUSTUS
Which is why you must find him.
Silus.
Silus now turns to Augustus, still looking unconvinced.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
For centuries we Brothers have
served mankind and them us. The
great union. But remember your
history. 300 years ago when our
kind were first born into this
world they burnt our children as
monsters. They had no notion of
evolution. In another world we
might all have been slaughtered,
only to be remembered in myth,
monsters to frighten the young or
a puzzle for anthropologists. We
must refuse to let one aberrant
individual destroy the balance
between the two races. The old
prejudices are still there. Human
beings are paranoid creatures by
nature.
SILUS
Perhaps they have good reason.
AUGUSTUS
Silus. Simply concern yourself
with finding Edgar. Find your
Brother so that we can help him.
Before he kills again.
Cut to
10 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, STREET - DAY 10
Close up of a NEWSPAPER. On it we see a banner headline.
"Influenza Vaccine Shortages lead to Black Market Trade." We
pull out to reveal the paper is lying on a foot path. Wind
blows the newspaper out of shot and we tilt up to the street.
The street is wet, glistening. The rain, rain rain rain. The
Edwardian and Victorian buildings of the street might seem
beautiful, but they are not. They are largely derelict. We
see a woman standing in a doorway out of the rain.
11
She is wrapped in a black plastic jacket that she pulls about
her. A man approaches her.
JONES
Everyone's ready Lilly.
LILLY
About time.
They both move to one of the tall buildings; a four story,
ancient tenement that looks empty, almost derelict.
They quietly move up the steps of the place and then pause.
There is the bleep from a strange looking valve powered
Walkie Talkie; hereafter called an RT.
LILLY
(continuing)
On three gents. One, two...
11 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, TENEMENT, HALLWAY - DAY 11
CRASH CUT to the door of the building swinging open wildly,
a hand held camera on the shoulder of Lilly and Jones.
A large, grubby looking woman stands in a long, grim hallway,
mop in hand. At the far end of the hall another door
disconnects from its hinges and collapses inwards, two men
appearing out of the rain.
JONES
(to the woman)
Don't you move!
We see a gun in Jones' hand as he moves towards the woman,
who has her hands up and is getting down on her knees.
The camera then pans wildly, left and right. Then Lilly's
foot kicks in a door to our right, revealing a dank office
and a man, half naked, reaching for a gun. A woman is lying
on a cot and she's screaming. She is instantly recognizable
as a prostitute.
LILLY
(to the slum landlord)
Don't you dare.
From this POV we see Lilly's hand pointing a gun at the SLUM
LANDLORD, who is now slowly easing back into the scummy
office.
LILLY
(continuing)
Jones!
12
We now finally cut to see Lilly. She is around 25; an
intelligent, handsome 25. The man Jones appears at her
shoulder, leering. Jones is the type of guy you just know
will go to seed at 40. But that's still 10 years away. Jones
stares at the Slum Landlord who is trying to cover himself.
JONES
God help us. What an appalling
sight.
12 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, TENEMENT, HALLWAY - LATER 12
The hallway again. The other two men we saw entering at the
beginning are talking to the woman with the mop. One of the
men is taking notes.
We pan to the office, to see Lilly and Jones standing before
the Slum Landlord, who is now wrapped in a towel and sitting
in a chair.
SLUM LANDLORD
I don't know nothing about it. I
give 'em out. Make sure everyone
gets 'em.
JONES
That's a lie! We know you've been
trading influenza vaccine in the
workhouses!
Another man now approaches Lilly.
FRANK
Lil'. I think you should see this.
13 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, TENEMENT, HALLWAY - CONTINUING 13
Halfway down the hall there is a door, Frank opens it
displaying a set of stairs leading down.
FRANK
I'd use the mask if I were you.
Lilly pulls a dark surgical-type mask over her face, then
slowly moves down the steps into the oblivion below.
14 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, TENEMENT BASEMENT - CONTINUING 14
Cut between Lilly's POV and her face, her eyes glimmering in
the sub-light as she moves down the stairs very carefully.
13
And finally the horror is revealed. In this basement there
are 10 or 12 people, lying on the floor. Most of them are
silent, but a couple moan. One, a woman, pleads to Lilly.
WOMAN IN THE BASEMENT
Help me. Please help.
The woman extends her arm. It is covered in sweat; grimy. The
glands at the side of the woman's neck are distended and
swollen, her eyes bloodshot.
WOMAN IN THE BASEMENT
(continuing)
Please. I'm sick. Please.
The room is a version of hell. Lilly's eyes glisten.
Cut to
15 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, TENEMENT OFFICE - CONTINUING 15
Jones has the Slum Landlord by the throat.
JONES
You're a fucking liar!
SLUM LANDLORD
No, no, I swear it, I gave 'em
their boosters, both of 'em. I'm
a responsible landlord, I swear to
god. There must've been something
wrong with them vaccines.
Lilly stares at the Slum Landlord; shock in her face, and
anger.
JONES
This is a civil health violation!
You're going to the hell house for
this. You can forget lovely Doris
here where you're going.
We see the woman who was screaming before, the prostitute;
she makes an obscene gesture at Jones. As this is going on
Frank and the other man we've seen are tearing the place
apart, looking for something. They don't find it and Frank's
look tells Lilly so.
Lilly's face is a mask. She is watching the Slum Landlord
very carefully. He keeps looking down; strangely, nervously.
14
SLUM LANDLORD
I don't know what you're on about.
I've done nothing, I swear to god,
I've done nothing.
Lilly lets her eyes drift down, all the way down to the chair
legs, which rock unevenly on the floor. Lilly is staring at
the scratched, worn floor boards which MOVE.
Cut to
Frank, prizing back the floor boards. Jones restrains the
Slum Landlord. Lilly watches. Frank pulls the floor boards
away easily. We see that hidden in the floor cavity are
packets of something. Frank pulls them out.
Rips one of the plastic bags open. In it are packets with the
words "Jamestown Borough - Civilian Influenza Vaccination."
Frank holds it up for Lilly to see.
The Slum Landlord is now looking three ways at once.
Lilly slowly begins to approach the Slum Landlord.
LILLY
It is my pleasure to inform you
that you are under arrest for
trafficking influenza vaccine.
SLUM LANDLORD
I want my lawyer.
LILLY
This is a violation of the 12/10
health act, whereby you have
withheld borough sponsored
vaccines from your tenants.
SLUM LANDLORD
I want a lawyer!
LILLY
Anything you say will be held
against you as evidence and, by
endangering the public good, you
are not entitled to a lawyer.
The Slum Landlord just stares at her.
SLUM LANDLORD
Fuck you then.
Lilly smiles grimly.
15
LILLY
There's only one other thing.
Lilly gives the Slum Landlord one almighty slap across the
face that stuns him. Then Jones grabs the Slum Landlord and
drags him off, but we stay on Lilly. Her face. She stoops and
lifts something from the landlords desk. A public health
flier saying "Fight Influenza. Ask your landlord for your
free vaccine now." Then from the corner of the room, the
prostitute pipes up, impatiently waving a cigarette at Lilly.
PROSTITUTE
Oi! How about me? He promised me
some of that. I earned it.
Cut to
16 OMITTED 16
17 INT: POLICE CAR - TWILIGHT 17
Jones is in front, Frank is driving. The car has come to a
lurching halt. Some kind of cart is blocking the road.
FRANK
(hitting the horn)
Come one!
Jones is eating some kind of pie that is an affront to
culinary art.
JONES
Lil', you want some?
Ensconced in the back Lilly shakes her head, no.
LILLY
Smells terrible.
She is watching the patterns of street lights that play and
flow over the wet windows of the car. Jones shrugs.
JONES
I'm not letting that scum put me
off my food. That'd be like a
moral victory.
LILLY
I'll get out here.
FRANK
You sure?
16
We see Lilly get out. Frank and Jones share a look.
FRANK
(continuing)
What's up with her?
Jones watches Lilly move off; something like compassion
crosses his features.
FRANK
(continuing)
Jones? Is she alright?
JONES
Yeah. Lilly's kid. It died of the
influenza, didn't it.
FRANK
She's never said anything about a
kid.
JONES
No. She never says anything.
Jones stares after Lilly, then starts chomping into his food.
18 EXT: SUBWAY STATION - CONTINUING 18
The police car pulls out leaving Lilly outside the subway
station. Lilly looks exhausted, breathes in deeply. Above,
power lines blow in the wind and rain and make a clacking
sound. She moves off and we crane up to see the seething
smoky city beyond.
19 OMITTED 19
20 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 20
Lilly enters her apartment. It's nice; not opulent, but a
haven of sorts.
She stands for a moment in the empty hallway. We see a hall,
several doors run off it.
20A INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, CHILDS BEDROOM - CONTINUING 20A
Lilly approaches a room and we see inside it. It is empty
apart from a stripped bed and some boxes.
Lilly flips the lid on one of the boxes. She picks up a toy;
a pink fairy princess with wings, the paint on its face worn.
17
Lilly winds a key and the wings of the doll flutter,
accompanied by the whining sound of the internal mechanics.
We see Lilly's face as she stares at the doll. Emotion fights
to claw its way out from under her skin, but she doesn't let
it.
Then in the distance we hear a child's cries. It almost
sounds like memories wafting through the air, but the
stamping of feet from the apartment above makes it plain that
the noises come from there; the sound of children playing.
Cut to
21 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - NIGHT 21
Lilly enters her bedroom. The place is a mess. She sits on
the bed. She picks up a framed photo which sits on a
sideboard next to the bed. It shows Lilly, a man - Lilly's
age - and a child of 5 years who looks a lot like Lilly. She
stares at the child. We hear the sound of rain pounding
against the window of the bedroom.
22 EXT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - NIGHT 22
Pull out to reveal the exterior window. We can see through
the window into Lilly's apartment again, see Lilly lying
down, hugging the photo. The rain has become a light mist.
23 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, STREET - NIGHT 23
We are close on a poster. It shows a perfect face, serenely
beaming out; it could be Silus or Augustus, except this man
is dressed in religious regalia, like a priest. The poster
says "The Brotherhood loves you. You are divine." We begin to
crane off the poster which is revealed to be stuck on a lamp
post. The street is seething, the slums of Jamestown.
A young boy, perhaps seven; spiked up hair, face
covered in grime, grime from dragging himself up in this
hellish place. He carries a bag filled with the detritus he's
picked from the rubbish bins of the rich. He wears a
distinctive red t-shirt that is several sizes too big. He
moves along the street, avoiding a disinterested passersby.
As he passes an alley he hears something. An animal-like
growl. He stops.
Down the alley he can see two figures. One is a male. He is
clutching another clothed figure; female.
KID
Hey?! Hey!
18
At that instant the man turns to the boy. There, half seen in
the slick shadows, the most piercing eyes, a bloody mouth,
with fangs, hissing. The creature drops the woman and scales
the sheer wall of the alleyway; clutching various handholds,
up four flights, then gone.
The kid, frightened, now makes to run off but bangs into a
passerby. The man grabs the kid roughly.
MAN IN THE STREET
Where are you going in such a
hurry my little ruffian? Pilfering
by the look of you?
The kid struggles and the Man now sees the shape of the woman
in the alleyway, slumped to the ground.
MAN IN THE STREET
(continuing)
What's going on here? What'd you
do to her?
KID
Don't, I didn't do nothing. It was
a Brother. It was a Brother did it.
The man moves forward, dragging the kid. And he sees the
woman there, deathly white in the alley. Dead eyes staring.
MAN IN THE STREET
Oh dear god...
Cut to
24 INT: NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY 24
We track past a sign that says "Museum of Spiritual Selection
and Alchemistry." In the distance we can see a group of
people in the hazy light.
Cut to
Augustus - the man we saw with Silus earlier - sitting on a
chair surrounded by various objects. At his feet are a gaggle
of school children, aged around ten; affluent looking, human.
Augustus points to a strange, ancient looking glass apparatus.
AUGUSTUS
300 years ago, with these simple
instruments, the alchemist
Guiseppi De Angelo discovered what
we today call genetic science.
19
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
He deciphered that the Brothers
were a new race of beings, sent by
god, to serve and protect you.
We see the faces of the children, rapt.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
De Angelo formed the church of the
Brotherhood. He was a great great
man, but there were others, bad
men, who took what De Angelo had
discovered and experimented
without concern for the results.
The science of genetics and all
its power has been banned ever
since. Who can tell me what came
from these bad experiments?
One child puts his hand up. Behind the child, in the
distance, Augustus now sees Silus approaching; Silus
obviously wants to talk to Augustus. Augustus points to the
child while looking at Silus.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
Yes.
CHILD
All the bad things. Like bad germs
and flu.
Augustus nods, watching Silus' ominous expression.
AUGUSTUS
Yes. That's right.
Augustus looks at the child and tries to smile.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
All the bad things.
25 EXT: SLUM, STREET - DAY 25
The streets are wet. High above several large Zeppelins plod
across the sky. We crane down to street level to find a
police car pulling up through the steam. Lilly gets out,
Jones beside her, wolfing down another bun.
20
There are cops everywhere. An alleyway is cordoned off. The
dwellers of the slum have floated up and are baying like
wolves, hassling the cops; some yell obscenities, generally
along the lines of "where's the police when you need them?"
Jones stares at the people.
JONES
Someone should flatten this
cesspool and start again.
Lilly and Jones move towards the police cordon. Immediately
a reporter accosts them.
STREET REPORTER
Marm? The Tribune. Do you have any
comments on the death?
LILLY
No.
STREET REPORTER
They're saying it was a Brother,
is that true?
Lilly stares at the reporter, pauses for thought. She
whistles to one of the cops nearby, who then approaches.
LILLY
Arrest her.
Jones and Lilly push past as the reporter protests at being
manhandled.
LILLY
(continuing; to Jones)
Find any witnesses and shut them
up.
Jones nods and moves over to a policeman guarding the alley.
Lilly ducks under the crime scene tape, moving into the alley.
26 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, ALLEYWAY - DAY 26
The alleyway is full of forensics personnel. Lilly moves
deeper into the alleyway. We see her POV moving forward,
finally revealing the body of the young woman who is
surrounded by various forensics staff. Lilly talks to one.
LILLY
Can I step in?
FORENSIC GUY
With the traffic. What's it matter.
21
Lilly moves forward. She can now see the woman more clearly.
The woman is obviously dead; her pale white skin like wet
shining alabaster in the dark alley. Flashes from
photographic machines light the scene, almost blinding Lilly
and briefly revealing the true horror of the scene.
Lilly kneels and carefully begins to examine the body.
Another man now walks up and kneels next to Lilly; young,
good looking, obviously takes pride in himself.
DOMINIC
Lil'.
LILLY
Hello Dominic.
DOMINIC
Have you seen it?
Dominic bends down and moves the dead woman's head,
displaying the side of her neck. A bite has torn the skin on
the side of her neck. The wound extends down, the carotid
artery sliced in two.
DOMINIC
(continuing)
It's a bite. If you know what I
mean?
Lilly nods, then looks down at the woman's dead, cockeyed
stare. Lilly closes the woman's eyes.
LILLY
Any identification?
She is passed a bloody ID. Lilly stares at it.
LILLY
(continuing)
Tanya Garfield.
Jones now arrives.
JONES
(to forensics team)
Where do you get a cup of tea
around here?
No one answers. Jones shrugs.
JONES
(continuing)
There's a kid who saw it, down
there.
22
Lilly sees the red shirted street urchin in the distance
being talked to by two uniformed policemen.
JONES
(continuing)
Says it was a Brother. And they've
got another fellow, that's all who
saw it.
Lilly nods.
LILLY
Alright, we'll close this down
gents. None of you are to say a
word, not even to your old mother.
All the police officers stare at her; they know what she
means alright.
LILLY
(continuing)
Jones. Make sure.
Jones shrugs and nods. Lilly gets up and moves towards the
street kid who is being talked to by two burly, grumpy
policemen. The boy is shaking.
LILLY
(continuing)
He saw what happened?
POLICEMAN 1
Now he wont talk. Didn't see
anything.
Lilly looks at the boy. So young.
LILLY
What's your name?
The kid doesn't answer and gets a whack around the ears from
one of the policemen.
LILLY
(continuing; to the
policeman)
Stop that.
Lilly stares at the kid, as if the way he looks has keyed a
memory in her. She squats and looks him straight in the eye.
LILLY
(continuing)
What's your name then?
23
KID
(nervous)
Albert.
LILLY
You live around here?
The kid looks nervous. Lilly moves some of the bedraggled
hair out of the kid's eyes.
LILLY
(continuing)
I grew up 3 streets from here.
Matheson Lane. The Skrummers
Workhouse.
KID
(surprised)
You did?
LILLY
Or should I say, I crawled out of
here.
The kid smiles. Lilly focuses on him now.
LILLY
(continuing)
No one else will do anything about
this, you know? They just think
this is a slum. No one really
cares what happens to the people
here. Except for you. And me.
The kid stares at her; she's a magician and he's a believer.
LILLY
(continuing)
What did you see?
KID
A man.
LILLY
What kind of man?
KID
A Brother.
LILLY
You're sure it was a Brother?
KID
He had teeth and everything.
24
LILLY
Where did he go?
The kid turns and points to the shear wall of the alley.
KID
He went straight up there.
Lilly stares at the wall.
LILLY
Alright, you go with these men,
they'll look after you. I promise.
She rises.
LILLY
(continuing; to the
Policemen)
Get him to describe it all. And
keep him away from everyone.
The Policemen grunt and begin to lead the kid off.
LILLY
(continuing; to the
Policemen)
And get him some food.
Jones, now standing next to Lilly, moans.
JONES
Now they'll all want feeding.
Lilly looks at Jones's callous face; she's not amused.
Cut to
27 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, BUILDING ABOVE ALLEYWAY - CONTINUING 27
High angle POV of Lilly and Jones moving off. Someone is
watching them from the roof above. The POV belongs to Silus,
who stares down at them. In particular he watches Lilly. We
see Lilly pause and then look up as if feeling she's watched.
We see Lilly's POV of the building above. There is no one
there.
HA of Lilly looking up.
Cut to
25
28 INT: POLICE STATION, HOWARD ANDERSON'S OFFICE - LATER 28
A device flies toward the camera, sharp needles eject from it
slamming into skin.
Seated at the desk is a harassed, balding man (ANDERSON)of
about 55. He's just finished vaccinating himself, wincing at
the needle jabs on the soft skin of his arm. There are many
other needle marks on his skin.
LILLY
(off)
I've quarantined the neighborhood.
Lilly stands before the man's large desk, which is lit by
only a desk lamp.
LILLY
(continuing)
As far as anyone knows we have a
new influenza outbreak.
ANDERSON
What about the telephonic
companies?
LILLY
They're cooperating, closing all
phone lines in and out except
directly to us.
Anderson nods.
ANDERSON
Sit, sit.
She does.
ANDERSON
(continuing)
You've done well Lilly. The
reporter is more of a problem. We
have 2 days by law before we have
to release her. Then it's out.
Anderson lays down the medi kit and stares at it as he
motions for her to sit. She does.
ANDERSON
(continuing)
I hate these things. I'm like a
pin cushion.
LILLY
It's better than the alternative,
sir.
26
Anderson stares at her; a moment of tension.
ANDERSON
I need you to stay with this,
Lilly. You know Jamestown better
than anyone, how to handle the
people.
Lilly acknowledges the compliment.
ANDERSON
(continuing)
The Brothers have requested to be
involved with the investigation.
LILLY
That's nice for them.
ANDERSON
You have a problem with it?
LILLY
Not particularly.
ANDERSON
Good. I think they can help. And
I don't want someone working on
this whose got something against
the Church.
LILLY
How do you know I don't?
ANDERSON
Lilly, you're the least prejudiced
person I know. In fact, you're the
only one I know. That's important.
The church is powerful, but more
than that, people's faith in the
Brotherhood is about all they've
got these days. And the government
knows it. Even the Queen herself
is involved. This is political.
Cut to
29 INT: POLICE STATION, COMMUNAL OFFICE - DAY 29
Lilly enters, drinking a coffee. She begins to top it up from
the coffee stand when Jones comes up to her.
JONES
Lil'. He's here.
27
Lilly's expression becomes taut. She peers towards her
office. She can clearly see an exceptionally well dressed man
in her office with his back to us. It is Silus. A young
female cop - Steph - is in there and we can see her kissing
a ring on Silus' hand and Silus placing his hand on her head
as if blessing her.
Steph then exits the office and approaches Lilly and Jones;
her face is flushed with excitement.
STEPH
Do you know who he is? That's
Brother Silus. They say one day he
will lead the Brotherhood. He's a
great man.
JONES
I think I hear choir music.
Steph flashes Jones a resentful look.
STEPH
Do you respect anything?
JONES
Hey. My old mum goes to church
four times a week and gives blood.
She's happy as a lark. Just don't
expect me to kiss him, that's all
I'm telling you.
Cut to
30 INT: POLICE STATION, LILLY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 30
Close on the enigmatic ring on Silus' finger.
We see Lilly is seated on one side of her desk, Silus on the
other. Lilly is staring at the ring, then she studies a
Photostat in front of her. There is a picture of a man, a
rather perfect looking man.
LILLY
Senior Brother Edgar... How long
have you known about this?
Silus opposite Lilly, his perfect, serene appearance an
anathema in the grunge of the Jamestown police station. He
watches her very carefully, listens to the way her finger
taps the sheet in front of her, the sound of her chair
swiveling, all the sounds very acute to him; she has a
physical ease about her.
28
SILUS
A matter of weeks.
Lilly smiles.
SILUS
(continuing)
Is there something wrong?
Lilly stops smiling. For the first time she is still.
LILLY
Yes. Withholding evidence.
Covering up two murders. And no
one's worried. If me or one of the
people in Jamestown did that
they'd be in the hell house with
the key thrown away. It seems the
church is able to do whatever it
wants.
Silus nods.
SILUS
You're right to not like it. It is
political.
Lilly becomes more interested at this; at the bald honesty of
the statement.
SILUS
(continuing)
We thought we could find Brother
Edgar ourselves. We were wrong.
But now any debate is pointless.
Lilly stares at him. There is already something between them
even though they stand on opposite sides of a huge gulf. She
nods, accepting his point.
SILUS
(continuing)
The greatest danger is if this
were to become public knowledge.
LILLY
Wouldn't want anyone criticizing
the church I suppose.
SILUS
It's more than that Captain. This
is about prejudice, or rather the
nature of it. As a female surely
you would understand.
29
LILLY
Really.
SILUS
How many other Captains in this
borough are female?
LILLY
None?
SILUS
How are your actions judged, the
same or differently from the men.
Lilly stares at Silus; he is an incredible being.
LILLY
Differently.
SILUS
Exactly. If a white man kills,
then he is just a killer. If a
black man kills, then all black
men are suspect. That is the
nature of prejudice. Those who are
different are grouped together. If
only one Brother does a bad thing
then all Brothers are suspect,
because we are different. And then
what would this world be like, if
there was no hope?
Lilly nods, acknowledging the truth of it.
LILLY
Alright then. So what do you
suggest?
SILUS
First, there is something you
should hear.
Cut to
31 INT: POLICE STATION, BRIEFING ROOM - LATER 31
Scummy, large briefing room. There are seven cops in here,
perched on desks and chairs. Jones, Dominic, Frank plus four
others. Lilly is also there. So is Silus, sitting, perfectly
still, calm. Several of the cops look at him suspiciously.
30
LILLY
Ok, ok, quiet down.
Everyone nods and shuts up as Lilly stands in front of the
men.
LILLY
(continuing)
Gentlemen, there's no other way to
put it. We have only 2 days to
find the suspect.
There are guffaws from most of the policemen.
JONES
There's no chance. Not a hope in
hell.
FRANK
He's right. We don't even know
where to begin.
LILLY
Quiet!
Lilly is angry. There is silence in the room. Lilly seems
more angry than she should be.
LILLY
(continuing)
What you are about to hear will
not leave this room. Everyone
understand? Jones?
Jones shrugs.
LILLY
(continuing)
I would suggest anyone with a weak
stomach leave now.
No one moves. They all stare at Lilly.
LILLY
(continuing)
This is Brother Silus.
She motions to Silus, who rises, watching the glares from the
cops who eye him like a suspect.
SILUS
Thank you Captain. Could we have
the plate?
31
An old slide projector heats up as the main lights are turned
off. The projector sprays an image up on the wall. The face
of a killer, before he became one, the serene gaze of a
Brother.
SILUS
(continuing)
Senior Brother Edgar. Until 3
weeks ago, he was a trusted and
talented theologian and scientist.
DOMINIC
What'd he do?
SILUS
He was personally responsible for
developing the most recent
influenza antivirals. It is
because of him that most of you
are alive today. His behavior
appeared normal. Next.
3 photos come up. The victims.
SILUS
(continuing)
The victims. John Anderson. Julie
Danes. Tanya Garfield. All in
their early 20's, but beyond that
no obvious connection. Next.
A Map.
SILUS
(continuing)
There is no precedent for Brother
Edgar's behavior. No Brother has
ever taken a human life, not in
the 300 years since we began. Not
one. Our role has been to preserve
and maintain the human life. Not
take it.
JONES
Next he'll be wanting an fucking
medal.
Silus stares directly at Jones now. Their eyes lock. Silus
continues, perfectly calm.
SILUS
What I am saying to you is that
Brother Edgar's behavior is
aberrant. We
32
SILUS
(cont)
don't understand it. And therefore
it's difficult to predict. The
only thing we know is where he
will strike next.
DOMINIC
How do you know?
Silus moves to the desk next to him. He passes something to
another cop who now sits at the desk. We see Lilly now. The
look on her face tells us that she knows what is coming and
she's not looking forward to it.
We see what Silus gave the cop. An audio tape. The cop places
the tape in a tape deck. He then switches it on. He then
turns the volume knob on an amplifier which now directs
static hiss to two big speakers.
We see the faces of the cops, all listening in the dim light
coming from the slide projector.
Above the level of the hissing tape there is another noise.
It is a wet sound. Like a cat would make if it were lapping
up milk. An another sound. Like an animal, moaning with
pleasure.
We see the cops; some of them are beginning to twig. And
there is another noise. It is a man; moaning.
MAN ON THE TAPE
(off)
Please. Please don't hurt me.
We see Jones and Dominic. Their glares say it all. And then
another voice.
EDGAR
(off, like to a lover)
Quiet.
MAN ON THE TAPE
(off)
Please...
EDGAR
(off)
I said shut up!
Then we hear a punch and then noises which can only be
described as sounding like a dog killing something.
Jones springs out of his seat.
33
JONES
Fuck!
LILLY
Jones, sit down.
JONES
Why are we listening to this?!
LILLY
Quiet!
Jones stands there enraged. Dominic pulls him down back into
his chair. All the cops are appalled by what they have heard.
And then a voice.
EDGAR
(off)
Good. Now you're quiet.
We can hear Edgar moving around.
EDGAR
(continuing; off)
Did you hear that Silus? I hope so.
We see Silus, listening as intently as everyone else.
EDGAR
(continuing; off)
The next one will be tomorrow.
There is a square, Bridge Square
it's called. I will take the next
one from there. You should try
harder this time. Please try
harder...
More moving around, then the sound on the tape cuts out. We
are left with only tape hiss. Everyone stares at Silus.
FRANK
He sent this to you. Specifically.
SILUS
We share the same mother. There is
a bond.
The cops all stare at Silus' emotionless response.
LILLY
There will be two teams. Frank, I
want you and Abernathy up in the
buildings around Bridge Square.
Frank nods.
34
LILLY
(continuing)
I'll lead the other team with
Dominic, Jones and Queen's
Imperial Guard in support. No
guns, batons only.
JONES
What?
LILLY
You heard me. He's to be taken
alive.
32 EXT: JAMESTOWN, BRIDGE SQUARE - NIGHT 32
It has rained. The small square is dimly lit. At it's center
is a small park with distorted trees. And a rundown
playground. A rusty swing creaks. We see a figure there. It
is Lilly. She watches the rusty swing creak. Then she looks
up to the surrounding buildings.
We tilt up to one of the buildings which is perhaps eight
stories high; like the others around the square it is an
apartment building. There is movement at the very top.
Cut to
33 EXT: JAMESTOWN, BRIDGE SQUARE, ROOF - NIGHT 33
POV from the top of the building, observing Lilly below enter
a black, unmarked van. Then there is buzz from an RT. We
reveal POV belongs to Silus.
SILUS
Yes.
34 INT: POLICE VAN - NIGHT 34
Lilly is in a police van. Jones and Dominic are there with
her; both of them trying to come to grips with the strange
stun weapons they've been given. And there are three huge,
dark eyed soldiers there, dressed in the ominous black
uniform of the Queen's Imperial Guard, cocking their electric
batons; which fizz in the half light.
LILLY
Anything?
We cut between Lilly in the van and Silus on the roof.
35
SILUS
No.
Silus surveys the scene. He can see an Imperial Guard sniper
over the square on the roof of a building. Below, in the
street, we can see the silhouettes of several Brothers;
unmoving, watchful sentinels.
LILLY
It's getting late.
SILUS
He will come.
LILLY
Ok. We'll sit tight.
Lilly closes the com. Jones is staring at her.
JONES
This is a dud.
Lilly ignores Jones and talks into the RT again.
LILLY
Frank?
Cut to
35 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, BRIDGE SQUARE - NIGHT 35
Frank is inspecting a stairwell of the building. He has
Abernathy with him. He talks into his RT.
FRANK
Yeah Lil'.
LILLY
(off)
Anything?
FRANK
Not a thing.
LILLY
(off)
Check each floor again.
Frank motions to Abernathy, who is already sighing.
36
FRANK
You heard her. Once more for the
empire.
Low Angle from the floor of the two men beginning to climb
the stairs, their guns out.
The shot stays where it is. We can see the stairs and the
wall. We pause. The soundtrack is almost dead quiet, apart
from the buzzing flouro above us. And then the CAMERA begins
to advance, like a POV, heading for the wall ahead. It
reaches the corner and then advances along cables running up
to the roof. As it climbs we can see a ventilation shaft in
the corner with no grill. The camera approaches it and moves
into the shaft, continuous.
36 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, VENTILATION SHAFT - CONTINUOUS 36
The shot continues to track through the man-sized shaft. As
we move through the shaft - turning corners, going up
floors - we pass grills. Some of them show light coming from
the apartments within. We can hear an argument in one room.
A crying child in the next. A TV blaring in another (playing
porno). But mostly the rooms are dark. And as we move up and
along, there is a scuttling NOISE, growing louder, as if we
are approaching it.
Then the NOISE stops.
The camera halts, stares down the long ventilation shaft.
Silence. Dead silence. The camera starts to move again and
then turns a corner to run into the leering face of Edgar,
the vampire, his teeth bared, his eyes reflecting in the half
light. Then he smiles.
EDGAR
Shoo.
Cut to
A rat, staring back at Edgar. The rat turns and streaks off
back whence it came.
A slight smile appears on Edgar's face; a smile that can
chill the blood in your veins.
Then he begins to move forward. We hear his breathing; low,
but excited. He moves with the precision and strength of an
insect. His eyes glisten and reflect light like an animal's.
His skin is flesh white and milky in the metal shaft.
Cut to
37
His POV approaching a grill. A subdued light comes through
it. The POV approaches and sees into the apartment below.
37 INT: ROOM, SAME BUILDING - NIGHT 37
A woman, around 20, attractive, brushing her hair. She has
just had a shower. She sits.
Cut to
The shaft. We see Edgar's hand enter shot. His hand grips the
bottom of the grill and tries to open it. It doesn't budge.
Cut to
Inside the room, the woman turns and looks up at the grill.
She thinks she's heard something. She stares; waits. She gets
up and moves towards the grill high above on the wall. She
places a chair under it, then gets up on it, standing on tip
toes, trying to see if there's anything behind the grill. Her
hand reaches out and tries the grill, to see if it's secure.
Then she leans closer to it. Her face pressed right up
against it. Closer. Closer.
Cut to
Edgar's white face, lurching into shot. Staring, staring.
Cut to
His POV. He is now looking through a different grill. This
time there is a young man inside an apartment. Doing
exercises.
Edgar watches. And again that chilling smile.
We see the man again, who gets up and preens himself in front
of a mirror.
Close on Edgar's eyes, devouring the sight of this pumped up
flesh. The young man exits the room, going into a bathroom.
We see Edgar's hand trying to open the grill. It moves.
Cut to
38 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, HALL - NIGHT 38
Frank and Abernathy are on fifth floor, finishing a sweep of
it. As they move they hear a CRASH. They stop. Then another
crash, coming from the floor up. Then a SCREAM.
38
They look at each other, then begin to run to the stairwell,
as Frank talks into his RT.
FRANK
Lil'! Lil'!
Cut to
38A INT: POLICE VAN - CONTINUING 38A
LILLY
Frank.
FRANK
(off)
He's on the sixth floor! He's on
the sixth floor!
LILLY
Let's go.
Everyone fires into action and begins to exit the van.
39 EXT: JAMESTOWN, BRIDGE SQUARE, ROOF - NIGHT 39
Silus watches from his vantage point. He can see Lilly and
her team below rushing into the building adjacent to him. And
then he sees, through one of the windows on the sixth floor,
the flashes of gunfire.
Cut to
40 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, STAIR WELL - NIGHT 40
Handheld camera with Lilly and her crew rushing up the
stairwell; up up.
Cut to
41 OMITTED 41
42 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, BRIDGE SQUARE, HALL - NIGHT 42
Lilly and her crew entering the hall. They are confronted
with a view of the long hall. Halfway down there is a door
with blood smeared on it. We can see Abernathy, lying in a
pool of blood outside the door.
39
The cops stop. A door opens close to them. A large greasy man
pokes his head out the door and gets the cops guns on him
immediately. Lilly motions with her hand.
LILLY
(whispering)
Police. Get back inside. Get back.
The man returns and closes the door. The Imperial Guards now
swing into action. They move forward towards the room, to the
closed door. Lilly and her crew follow. The Imperial Guards
get ready outside the door batons ready. One of them motions
for Lilly and her crew to wait. Jones is nearest them. He
goes down on one knee. Dominic moves past them and positions
himself on the other side.
Lilly kneels where she is.
Beat.
Then the Imperial Guards kick open the door and enter.
Lilly waits, watching. There's no sound. Dominic begins to
move forward, then enter the door to the apartment, his baton
raised. Jones now moves forward, keeping his eyes on the
door. There is no sound coming from the room.
Cut to
Lilly, kneeling in the hall. Also staring at the door. Too
late to realize the door next to her is opening. Before she
can react, she's staring into the face of Edgar; the eyes,
the bloody mouth. Edgar is on her in an instant, moving with
ferocious speed, whipping her like a rag doll into the room.
Meanwhile Jones is edging towards the room Dominic entered.
Cut to
43 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, BRIDGE SQUARE, ROOM - NIGHT 43
Lilly, trapped, held by Edgar, who stares at her. Then, in
one swift movement, he lurches down, tearing her neck with
his teeth. She cries out.
44 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, BRIDGE SQUARE, HALL - NIGHT 44
In the hall, Jones is looking into the room Dominic went
into. The lights come on. The room is empty. Just the cops
and Frank's bloody corpse on the floor.
JONES
Lil'.
40
Jones turns to see Lilly, but she's not there. The hallway is
empty. He sees the door Lilly was pulled through. Then looks
down. Blood is seeping from under the door.
JONES
(continuing)
Fuck!
Cut to
45 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, BRIDGE SQUARE, ROOM - NIGHT 45
Lilly being embraced by Edgar, she can't do anything. Then a
loud crash on the door, as if someone is trying to break in.
Edgar stops feeding, stares at Lilly.
Beat.
EDGAR
You're so strong.
Then another crash on the door. Edgar drops Lilly. He propels
himself towards a ventilation grill on the wall.
Cut to
Jones and the cops kicking the door in. It swings open to
show Lilly on the floor. Jones stoops down.
JONES
Lilly!
Jones gets close to Lilly, starts squeezing the side of her
neck, trying to stop the arterial blood from squirting her
life away.
JONES
(continuing)
Oh shit shit.
Dominic enters and sees the scene. He yells into his RT.
DOMINIC
Lilly's hurt. She's hurt!
The other cops are now scanning the room. Meanwhile Dominic
has found the ventilation shaft, blood smeared around the
opening.
DOMINIC
(continuing)
He's in the ventilation shaft!
41
Jones then stares down at Lilly pressing one hand against the
wound. Close on Lilly, going into shock. She's shivering.
JONES
She's dying! She's fucking dying!
At that moment SILUS appears at the door.
Silus stares at Lilly, bleeding to death in Jones' arms.
Silus immediately bends to her. With his free hand Jones
pulls out a vicious knife which he points at Silus.
JONES
(continuing)
Get away from her!
But Silus ignores the knife and moves closer to Lilly.
JONES
(continuing)
Get away or I'll stick you!
SILUS
Do you want me to save her?
Jones wavers.
SILUS
(continuing)
She is dying.
Jones backs the knife away. Silus whips his hand to the blade
of the knife, slashing his wrist, blood immediately issuing
from the wound. He presses his bleeding wrist to Lilly's
mouth. At first resistant, Lilly begins to suck at the wrist.
Jones is appalled.
Silus then leans close to Lilly and whispers in her ear. All
the other noises in the soundtrack drop out.
SILUS
(continuing)
Lilly. Stop fighting now. Fall
back, fall back...
Slowly she does. Silus removes his wrist from Lilly's mouth.
She is silent, comatose.
A medical team now scramble through the door, pushing past
Silus and the bloody Jones and begin to work on Lilly. For a
moment Silus and Jones stare at each other. Then Silus turns
to the ventilation shaft in the corner. He closes his eyes.
Listens.
42
DOMINIC
He's getting away!!
SILUS
Quiet.
43
The cops are silent. Stare at Silus who opens his eyes.
SILUS
(continuing)
He's going up.
We move in on Silus' ear. Closer, closer. Into his ear.
DISSOLVE TO:
46 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, VENTILATION SHAFT - NIGHT 46
The long shaft and in the distance Edgar approaching, his
eyes reflective, moving with the speed of an insect through
the shaft, his bloody mouth.
Cut to
Silus, now also in the shaft, his gun out, moving forward. He
turns a corner. The shaft is empty. He waits, watching,
listening. He hears a scuffling.
Cut to
Edgar, the same, turning a corner to see Silus approaching
him. Silus raises his gun. A puff emits from the end of his
gun. The projectile hurtles towards Edgar, who just ducks out
of the way in time.
Edgar turns. There is a grill next to him. He smashes it with
his foot.
Cut to
Silus approaching the junction, turning the corner, just in
time to see Edgar's legs pass through the hole.
46A INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, HALL - CONTINUING 46A
We see Jones move into the hall, looking at the roof,
searching. Then he looks at Lilly's blood which covers his
hands. He pockets his stun weapon and pulls out his own
dangerous looking gun.
Cut to
47 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, DIFFERENT FLOOR - NIGHT 47
A door bursts open. Edgar - in slow motion - crashes through
the door and into the hall. The sound track is a huge driving
slab of choral orchestral music.
44
The camera tracks back as he starts to mount the wall, his
momentum carrying him diving towards the camera.
Cut to
Silus enters the empty hall. No Edgar. Then he sees in the
roof, a manhole cover, slightly ajar.
Cut to
48 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, CEILING CAVITY - NIGHT 48
Silus' POV as he climbs into the crawl space, its ceiling
following the pitch of the roof. It is dark and extends for
a long way. Silus squats in the sub light like a beautifully
dressed animal.
What he can't see are two blinking eyes above him in the
rafters of the dark roof. It is Edgar. Edgar drops, Silus
turns too late as the weight of Edgar drives into him,
sending both of them through the floor of the ceiling cavity
and down...
49 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, ANOTHER HALL - NIGHT 49
...to fall, a dead weight, crashing down onto the floor of
the hall in a hail of debris. Edgar is on top of Silus and
strangling him, and then he stops and turns.
He moves just in time to avoid a bullet from Jones' gun which
glances Edgar's cheek, sending off a wisp of burnt colored
smoke.
Cut to
Jones. Gun smoking, standing at the other end of the hall.
Edgar screams the scream of something from the animal
kingdom. Then turns and runs.
Cut to
Silus rising, pulling out his gun. Jones points his gun, but
Silus is obscuring his view.
Cut to
Edgar runs away down the hall.
Then on Silus. Very still, very silent. Close on his finger
pressing the trigger.
45
The camera zooms right into the interior of the gun to see
the projectile entering the gun's chamber and the hammer
igniting it.
The projectile explodes out the end of the gun.
High Angle of the projectile flying towards its target, the
ceiling lights above streaking past on its reflective
surface, cruel mechanical claws suddenly slide out from the
side of the capsule.
Then Edgar, camera tracking back at high speed.
Slow move in on Silus' cool gray eyes.
Then whack! The projectile stabs into Edgar's back, the claws
springing forward to hook onto Edgar's flesh, we see the
fluid within the transparent projectile flow into Edgar, see
Edgar's eyes widen, see his POV of the approaching window
then...
Crash. Edgar's head implants itself in the wall below the
window, the dust and debris from the wall board drifting over
Edgar's numb stare.
In the background Silus stands. Motionless.
We see Jones walking forward, gun still pointing, heading
towards Edgar. Silus turns and steps in front of him.
JONES
Get out of my way.
SILUS
No.
Jones stares at Silus and contemplates firing.
JONES
He killed Lilly.
Silus doesn't move. He stares calmly at Jones.
Jones points the gun in Silus' face.
Beat.
JONES
(continuing)
Bang.
46
Jones lowers his gun. We end close on Silus' serene face.
SLOW DISSOLVE
50 OMITTED 50
FADE OUT:
50A INT: SFX - CONTINUING 50A
Black. Voices in the dark, quiet at first, then growing more
frightening; then the hint of a face, in negative - Edgar -
then screams, like the screams of an animal on the hunt. And
another face, alternating with Edgar's. Silus.
CUT TO:
51 INT: HOSPITAL, LILLY'S WARD - DAY 51
High Angle of Lilly asleep, lying on a hospital bed. We drift
down. Again there is rain, pounding against the window. Her
body flinches; she is in a dream, a nightmare. As we drift
closer to her, her eyes open, staring straight up and then to
the left. Then grim recognition.
Cut to Low Angle on Silus standing above her, examining the
tube that runs a clear fluid into her in a slow drip.
LILLY
Antibiotics. They say it's like an
animal bite.
Silus nods. He slowly sits on the bed.
LILLY
(continuing)
I want to thank you.
SILUS
We all caught Edgar.
LILLY
I don't mean that. The blood, they
say it saved my life. Is it true
that people who go to church are
given your blood?
SILUS
Sometimes the rituals call for it.
Some say they have visions from
it. That it restores their health.
47
Silus regards her and she him. She reaches out and touches
his hand, almost retracts at the smooth texture of the skin.
LILLY
So smooth.
She turns over his hand to reveal the wrist; the scars are
almost gone from where Silus cut himself.
LILLY
(continuing)
Healed already.
SILUS
In some ways my body is like a
human embryo. The cells regenerate
quickly. It is why we live so
long. Will someone come for you?
Your family?
She releases his hand.
LILLY
I don't have one. Not any more.
SILUS
I see.
LILLY
Influenza. My husband was quick.
But my daughter, Mary, her little
body fought it for a long time. So
I just waited. Hoped. But then you
realize how cruel hope is. And you
just want it to end. Not to stop
her suffering, but to stop my own.
SILUS
I am sorry.
LILLY
Do we seem pathetic to you?
SILUS
No. Fragile. Worn down by nature.
But you fight back.
48
LILLY
Yes. We're good at that.
Lilly stares up into Silus' serene face. Silus smiles. Then
stands.
SILUS
I think yours will be a good life
to watch, Lilly. Goodbye.
Lilly tries to smile as Silus turns and walks off down the
ward.
Close on Lilly who looks grim. Then she turns to the window.
Rain again, blowing hard against the pane.
52 INT: HOSPITAL,LILLY'S WARD - CONTINUOUS 52
As Silus leaves the ward he passes Jones, who's been standing
there as if he's been watching them. A beat. Then Jones
shoves a newspaper into Silus' hands.
JONES
Nicely done. You're more human
than I thought.
Jones unceremoniously pushes past Silus and moves into
Lilly's room. Silus reads the newspaper. The story tells of
the recent deaths in Jamestown, explaining that it was an
insane man who thought he was a Brother. The man's picture is
shown; it is actually one of the victims.
Through the window in the doorway Silus watches Jones
approach Lilly. We are close on his enigmatic face.
DISSOLVE TO:
52A EXT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, FOYER - DAY- Establisher 52A
We tilt down a grand building.
49
53 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, FOYER - DAY 53
A huge foyer, shinning marble floors. All done in perfect
taste. We see Silus cross the foyer and enter an elevator.
The elevator doors close.
54 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, SECURITY CONTROL ROOM - DAY 54
Silus enters the room. There are several technicians at work
at a console; again the organic nouveaux stylings of the
Brothers. Augustus is also there. Next to him, someone who is
obviously human. His lack of perfection stands out; the
balding hair, dark rings under his eyes. Silus joins them.
AUGUSTUS
Silus. You know Professor Liepsky.
Silus shakes the Professor's hand. We see the hands touching,
then slide apart with a wisping sound that makes the
Professor wince a little.
SILUS
How is he?
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
See for yourself.
He taps one of the men at the console on the shoulder. The
man hits a button and we see that in front of the console
there is a huge glass window and beyond it a room which is
now lit.
Edgar is in there. And Edgar is not pleased. Even from here
his glowering stare penetrates everyone in the room. From
this distance we can't make out much, beyond the fact that
Edgar is seated in a chair, in an otherwise plain white room.
Around his chair is a strange "brace" of sorts, that seems to
be holding Edgar in place.
SILUS
Is the brace necessary?
AUGUSTUS
He decapitated a guard as they
brought him in. Even though he was
sedated. He said he will drink us
all dry.
SILUS
Insane then.
50
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
Not quite.
Silus now turns to the Professor.
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
(continuing)
He's become infected.
SILUS
With what?
The Professor looks to Augustus, as if worried he's said to
much.
AUGUSTUS
Go on, Brother Silus will soon be
part of the inner circle of the
Brotherhood. He should know this.
Cut to
55 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, LABS - CONTINUING 55
POV approaching a curved, glass and metal door. On the door
we see the words "Biological Containment Area."
DISSOLVE TO:
56 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, BIO CONTAINMENT WARD - 56
DAY- Establisher
POV continues. There are 3 beds in here. In them, strapped
down, 3 young woman. They are all insane, monstrous; the
whites of their eyes are blood red.
We see Silus observe them, but there is no horror in his
eyes, just compassion. He moves to one of the woman and
slowly grasps her hand. She lurches towards him.
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
If she wasn't restrained she would
try to kill you. Don't worry, it's
only transmissible through their
blood. We designed it that way.
Silus quietly turns to the Professor.
SILUS
Designed?
51
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
Genetically designed. Edgar was
experimenting with the virus that
created you. It was sanctioned by
the government.
SILUS
Since when do they sanction such
things?
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
Since not one Brother has been
born in 70 years. And never a
female of your kind from which we
could breed. And we need to breed
more Brothers. You give the world
hope. To the people you're like
gods walking the earth.
AUGUSTUS
This is what Edgar was doing
Silus. Trying to genetically
control the birth of Brothers.
Silus is now turns back to the poor creature on the bed.
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
And Edgar was successful. Each of
these women carried a Brother, for
a time. But, the virus... changed.
Most of them have died and these
will die soon.
Silus places his hand on the poor creature's head, blessing
her.
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
(continuing)
And Edgar may be the first Brother
to ever die.
52
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
(continuing)
Before that, his brain will wither
like these women. Containment will
be the issue.
Cut to
57 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL ANTEROOM - CONTINUING 57
A door slamming behind Silus, he is in a strangely, eerily
lit cubicle.
SILUS
(off)
The police officer. Lilly. Did he
infect her with this?
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
(off)
No. She was lucky. But it is in
Edgar's blood. It always will be.
...and another door in front of Silus clicks, then slides
open to reveal...
58 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL - CONTINUING 58
Edgar, sitting in the chair. He immediately turns to the
door, his eyes burrowing straight into Silus.
Silus moves forward. We track, Silus' POV, toward Edgar and
the reality of his predicament is revealed.
There are metal rods extending from the cage around him. Two
at the sides. Two from the front. They strategically pointed
at Edgar's chest and sides. If he was to try to get up, they
would pierce him.
SILUS
Hello my Brother.
We can now see Edgar for the first time in something
approaching a normal state. He looks similar to Silus,
perhaps not quite so perfect. He radiates confident primeval
power; less a man captured than an animal waiting. Edgar is
smiles. He shifts a little, we see the rods piercing his
flesh.
53
EDGAR
Do you like what they've done for
me Silus?
He moves again, as if enjoying it.
SILUS
You are sick. We will help you if
we can.
EDGAR
Help me? I am being what I was
meant to be. How can you help me
from that? Or do you want to tame
me? Brainwash me? Animal or
vegetable, are those the two
choices, Silus?
Edgar leans closer to Silus.
EDGAR
(continuing)
I want to share the feeling with
you. To feel their blood flow
until every last drop is yours,
until that weak, pointless little
pump finally stops.
They are staring at each other very intently now. Edgar
smiles gently.
EDGAR
(continuing)
The one I had, the police woman.
She was so strong. I found it hard
to leave her.
Edgar moves.
EDGAR
(continuing)
Is she dead?
SILUS
She survived.
EDGAR
Good. I will have her again.
For perhaps the first time, we see a real hint of anger on
Silus' face.
SILUS
You won't touch her.
54
Edgar looks at his brother for a moment. Edgar's features are
a paradox; almost sympathy for Silus followed by
understanding. Then he smiles.
EDGAR
You've chosen to watch over her.
You want her don't you? I can see
it in your eyes. You are like me.
Silus' control has returned now.
SILUS
I will pray for your cure, Brother.
Silus then turns and leaves.
EDGAR
I wont be able to forgive you for
this you know? Not ever. In fact,
when I get out of here...
He moves violently, blood seeping from his wounds now.
EDGAR
(continuing)
I will make you see. I will show
you the way. I will see you drink
your little police woman right
through.
By now frightening music has hummed into existence. Silus has
paused at the door to the cell. Without looking back he
passes through the door, leaving Edgar to his prison.
Edgar, slowly turns back to the window in front of him. He
sees himself reflected in it. The Camera moves into Edgar's
eyes. The lights go out. All we are left with are his strange
reflective eyes. Waiting. Waiting.
FADE OUT:
59 OMITTED 59
55
60 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL - NIGHT 60
A smooth, white walled cell. Flash edits of Edgar. Standing,
posing, balancing literally on his fingertips, doing
sensuous, slow gymnastic yoga. His hair has changed so we
know time has passed. Finally he stands there; poised tensile
steel. He slowly draws his finger nails against the shining
floor of the cell, it almost looks like he's sharpening them.
A tube comes from his arm for taking blood samples.
Then Edgar begins to run directly at the glass window of the
console room and then dives for it, smashing his head against
it; blood and saliva left smeared there. Behind the glass
window the console operators jump.
60A INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, SECURITY CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUI60A
CONSOLE OPERATOR 1
I don't like it when he does that.
CONSOLE OPERATOR 2
(scolding Edgar; into
microphone)
You stop that or we'll use the gas!
60B INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL - CONTINUING 60B
We see Edgar, slowly pulling himself up, blood and bruising
apparent on his face. He smiles.
We zoom in close to the glass, see Edgar's infected blood run
down it until it congeals a little, caught in a tiny, almost
imperceptible, hairline fracture.
61 EXT: JAMESTOWN CLUBLAND, STREET - NIGHT 61
Rain on the streets. A man, covered in tattoos - an affluent
hood, is in a doorway snorting snuff
Dominic, Jones and several other cops emerge from hiding
places, pointing their guns at the man who puts his hands up.
Hand held cameras follow several other cops and Lilly as they
move into the building, again catching various hoods unaware.
Lilly moves forward quickly, down a hallway and finds what
she is looking for. In a room she discovers a harem of
prostitutes, none of them older than ten years old. She
stares at their doll-like faces, then lowers her gun.
56
We see Lilly, the scars from Edgar's attack now healed but
still apparent on her neck. Her hair is shorter; she seems
more worn down.
Jones appears on her shoulder.
LILLY
Take them away from here.
Jones nods as Lilly walks off.
JONES
You don't feel like a drink?
But Lilly doesn't respond, she just walks off. Jones watches
her leave. Then he stares at the round faces of the children
in front of him, something approaching compassion there.
JONES
(continuing)
Now my girls, anyone hungry?
62 EXT: JAMESTOWN CLUBLAND, STREET - CONTINUING 62
Lilly exits the building into the rain, wrapping herself up
against it. Then she stops, feels she's being watched. She
looks up at the surrounding buildings. But there's nothing
there. She pulls out an amulet with the symbol of the
Brotherhood on it from under her jacket, and then after a
beat, kisses it, a little smile comes to warms her lips
against the cold. She leaves.
Cut to
63 EXT: JAMESTOWN CLUBLAND, BUILDING ROOFTOP - CONTINUING 63
POV looking down on Lilly as she walks away. It's Silus,
watching her quietly from the shadows, his eyes reflective
orbs in the night.
64 OMITTED 64
57
64A OMITTED 64A
64B INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL - CONTINUING 64B
Edgar's cell is very dimly lit. Edgar is in front of the
glass window to the console room. He is repeatedly banging is
head against it. And his fingernails slide across the shiny
surface; has he simply gone insane? A voice comes over the
Tannoy.
CONSOLE OPERATOR
(off)
If you don't stop that we'll use
the gas. You hear me?
Edgar just continues to bang his forehead against the glass,
it drums eerily.
Cut to
65 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT - DAY 65
We track through Lilly's apartment, silently. We enter the
lounge to see Lilly sitting on a couch watching a strange
looking valve powered globular Television-like device. We
track ominously up behind her. Then stop.
58
JONES
(off)
I knocked.
Lilly turns to Jones.
LILLY
You nearly gave me a heart attack.
Steph now emerges from the kitchen, dressed in a t-shirt and
shorts and carrying some food. Jones looks at her coldly.
JONES
What's this then?
Lilly and Steph smile at the inference Jones is beginning to
draw.
STEPH
My apartment was condemned, keep
your hair on, what's left of it.
Meanwhile Lilly shushes them and turns back to the murky gray
images emitting from the television.
TV PRESENTER
...the ascension through the ranks
of the Church has been fast for
Brother Silus. He will now be the
highest ranking cardinal outside
the ruling council of the
Brotherhood. This is largely seen
as a reward for his handling of
the last influenza pandemic.
Jones and Lilly watch as Silus is seen on the television in
an interview. Steph stares at the screen with awe, she
involuntarily kisses the symbol that hangs from a chain
around her neck; it resembles a Brother's ring.
STEPH
Isn't he amazing?
Jones sneers under his breath.
JONES
A saint.
LILLY
Quiet.
We move over their shoulders to track closer to the black and
white TV screen.
59
TV PRESENTER
You have been an opponent of those
who want an easing in the ban on
genetic research.
SILUS
Yes.
TV PRESENTER
They would say you're denying
legitimate research into a science
that would change the world.
SILUS
The church does not deny the
potential. Only the motivations of
those who want to exploit it. And
the fact that we understand so
little of its power.
TV PRESENTER
With the elimination of influenza,
are we approaching a new era where
disease might be a thing of the
past?
As she is saying this we are now close on the TV's speaker.
We then begin tracking out. We reveal the speaker is not part
of the TV, but the speaker in Edgar's cell. Edgar, smiling
coldly as he listens. As he listens he is gently gliding his
finger nails against a sharp edge of the chair; sharpening
them.
SILUS
Disease is part of nature, it will
always be a part of our lives.
Close on Edgar.
EDGAR
How true.
TV PRESENTER
(off)
Brother Silus' confirmation
ceremony will be held today in the
sacred Chapel of St. Augustine
where all the Brotherhood will
gather.
Edgar listens, smiles.
60
66 INT: CEREMONIAL CHAPEL - DAY 66
An ornate door; ancient, with strange, beautiful dark symbols
carved into the old wood, like something out of a castle in
Prague. The doors open and we see a large chapel. And within
the large dark interior, lit by great long candles, the
Brotherhood have gathered. They all stare at the camera,
which we reveal is Silus' POV.
We see SILUS. Unchanged, still the perfect creature he has
always been. But for now the suit has gone and instead he
stands draped in fine ropes, robes that carry his life on
them; achievements, his rank, which is now high.
In the distance, at an alter, stands AUGUSTUS. He is also in
his gowns. A gong sounds and the Brothers, in unison with the
music, begin to chant; it is eerie, it sounds like Tibetan
monks.
67 OMITTED 67
THRU THRU
69 69
70 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, SECURITY CONTROL ROOM - 70
CONTINUING
Professor Liepsky, looking more aged, worn, enters the
control room. Alarms are sounding. At the console is a human
male who looks terrified.
CONSOLE OPERATOR
I turned off the lights to try and
calm him...
Liepsky hits a button and it floods Edgar's cell with light.
Edgar is right there, staring at them, his hands plastered
over the glass window. He is covered in blood. In the
background a bloody corpse on the floor. Edgar bangs his head
against the glass, making Liepsky flinch. On Edgar's forehead
we see scars from this kind of repeated banging.
CONSOLE OPERATOR
(continuing)
We gassed him as usual. We waited
10 minutes. He must have held his
breath.
The look on Liepsky's face says it all. We see Edgar. We had
thought he was looking at the Professor. But he's not, his
gaze is focused past the Professor to the dimly seen back
wall of the control room.
On it is a schematic, showing this room, other rooms on the
level, the elevator shaft. Edgar is talking it all in.
61
70A INT: CEREMONIAL CHAPEL - DAY 70A
Silus, on one knee before Augustus. Augustus now places a
ceremonial sword at the back of Silus' neck, then draws it
gently across the skin. Below, a Brother holds out a bowl to
catch the drops of Silus' blood.
AUGUSTUS
The blood flows, through them, to
us and we preserve them, preserve
the blood we are bound to protect.
Silus raises his head. We see his face. He takes the bowl,
drinks and then stands, holding it up to the other Brothers.
SILUS
Let the blood be one and the two
races join, as the Perfect
Creature.
Cut to
62
71 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, CELL - DAY 71
Close on Edgar, smiling. Calm.
EDGAR
Today my brother enters the
history books, Professor.
PROFESSOR LIEPSKY
(over the tannoy)
Move back!
After a moment, Edgar slowly walks backward in perfectly
smooth movements.
EDGAR
Tonight all the Brothers will be
with him. A perfect day for me to
celebrate.
From the far wall Edgar begins to glide forward, first in
slow motion then ramping up to full speed, launching himself
at the glass window. He bounces off it, leaving blood and
saliva there.
The Professor and the console operator share an unsettled
glance.
Edgar slowly stands. He stares very intently at the glass
window in front of him. We zoom in on the glass. The small
hair line fracture we saw previously now begins to lengthen
before our eyes.
Edgar's face. A smile. Then he is forward at high velocity
before anything else can happen, smashing once more into the
glass window, this time shattering it into a thousand tiny
pieces.
71A INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, SECURITY CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUI71A
Horrified the console operator begins to make an escape. But
Edgar is on him before they're a few paces towards the door.
Edgar's long fingers sink into his neck like the flesh and
bone were clay. He screams.
The Professor makes it to the door, pulls himself through and
shuts it, but on Edgar's hand. Edgar doesn't flinch, but
kicks the door open.
72 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, HALL - DAY 72
The Professor is now scrambling, half falling in slow motion
as Edgar advances. As normal motion returns he kicks Liepsky
in the head; the sound of impact has a nasty fatality to it.
63
Cut to
Edgar. A door further down the hall is being unbolted. Edgar
immediately runs towards it, then launches himself at it, his
fingers extended like knives which enter the eyes of a guard
who's coming through the doorway. The guard falls back on
another two guards behind him.
A round from a shotgun goes off, taking a small chunk from
Edgar's side, but it's nothing more than a bee sting to him.
His speed and precision is that of a creature who knows he
only has one chance. He kicks the second guard under the
chin, instantly snapping his neck, while flicking the third
in the eyes with his sharpened fingernails. This guard falls,
his eyes leaking orbs.
Beat.
Edgar crouches like a dark god of destruction, a siren
sounding, the lights all going off, then flicking to red
emergency lights. Edgar's eyes reflect in the half-light.
Then he bares his teeth. At the end of the hallway he can
hear the elevator arriving on this floor. Edgar smiles.
Cut to
73 OMITTED 73
AND AND
74 74
75 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, FOYER - DAY 75
The gleaming surfaces of the ground floor of the Brotherhood
building. We hear the elevator begin to arrive. We pan off
this to a desk where a receptionist sits.
Cut to
The Receptionist; she's trying desperately to place a call.
We see the shadow from a figure cast over her and she turns
and looks up, fear making her shake now.
Cut to
Edgar, staring down at her.
EDGAR
You won't be taking any more calls
today.
Cut to
64
76 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, HALL - LATER 76
Slow steadicam along the underground halls. We see the bodies
of Edgar's victims being cleaned up by personnel. We stop. In
the distance we see the door to Edgar's cell open.
Cut to Silus, observing the scene. The lighting is
intermittent, flickering. Augustus is standing next to Silus,
the weird light of the hallway reflecting in his eyes.
AUGUSTUS
Now he carries this thing out into
the world. Can you imagine what
will happen if he infects others?
Or if the experiments were known.
We are left with Silus' beautiful, reflective eyes.
SILUS
The question becomes what will he
do next? He said he would kill us
all. But especially the police
officer. Lilly.
Cut to
77 INT: JAMESTOWN SUBWAY - SUNSET 77
Flashing lights of subway trains screaming through subway
tunnels, wheels screeching as metal grinds on metal.
78 INT: JAMESTOWN SUBWAY EXIT - CONTINUING 78
The streets are flooding like Bangkok in the monsoon; rain
pouring off awnings that hang out over the street. The
streets are full; prostitutes, drug peddlers, apothecary
shops, the industrial revolution low down and dirty. There is
a fight breaking out between two men who are dressed like
punk rockers.
Several people are alighting from a subway exit; the exit has
"Jamestown/Brougham" on a nouveaux styled sign that might
remind you of a Paris or Barcelona metro, only dirtier.
We see Lilly in the distance, in her dark jacket, emerge from
the subway. She begins the short walk to her apartment. The
streets are crowded and there are plenty of Maori people in
this area, so there's plenty of food stalls; the air is
filled with the sound of evening prayers. Lilly stops at one
of the food stalls and starts picking up vegetables. A Maori
man comes out and smiles and they start talking in the local
dialect. She buys a live eel.
Cut to
65
Across the street, in a doorway, we see a very weedy, sick
looking guy - this is Freddy. Standing next to him is a
Prostitute, swaying from the effects of laudanum.
PROSTITUTE
Come on governor, you going to pay
me or not?
FREDDY
Soon enough my cherub. I've not
finished with you yet.
He sucks on something that looks like a ventaline inhaler,
then pockets it, licks his lips and begins heading off down
the street, the drunk Prostitute dragged along.
Cut to
Again, Lilly from a distance, walking along the street which
is more deserted, now carrying a bag full of groceries. As
she walks we begin to hear voices; violent, arguing. Lilly
approaches an alleyway, the raised voices becoming louder.
She slowly places her bag on the ground and then pulls out a
revolver. She edges into the alleyway.
79 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, ALLEYWAY - CONTINUING 79
Lilly's POV down the alleyway. It seems empty. The POV moves
in a little and there in an offshoot of the alleyway we can
see Freddy. He is standing over a woman who cowers; she's
plainly a prostitute. Freddy points a gun at her head.
FREDDY
You've been ripping me off! I
should blow your dirty little
brains out!
STEPH
(off)
Police! Put the gun down now!
And now we see, it's not Lilly we've been watching, but
Steph. She points her gun at Freddy. Freddy turns to Steph.
He slowly raises his arms.
FREDDY
It's ok. I'm complying officer,
see.
STEPH
Put the gun on the ground and step
away!
66
FREDDY
I'm doing it.
Freddy puts the gun down. The Prostitute on the ground now
scrambles to her feet and heads towards Steph.
PROSTITUTE
He's crazy! Fucking crazy!
She gives Freddy the finger then heads off.
STEPH
(to the prostitute)
Wait!
(to Freddy)
Down! Right now, down on the
ground!
Freddy gets down.
FREDDY
I'm getting wet now.
Low Angle on Steph approaching. Behind her a FIGURE is
descending the wall behind him.
STEPH
Shut up!
Steph is over Freddy now. He's staring up at her. He can see
that a shape has appeared behind Steph. EDGAR, his eyes
gleaming. Steph pulls out some handcuffs.
STEPH
(continuing)
Put your hands behind your back.
FREDDY
Sure. Anything you say.
But before Steph can move forward, Edgar has her gun hand in
a vice-like grip. She cries out in pain as her wrist
disintegrates. As a reflex she stamps on Edgar's foot and
kicks him in the groin with her other.
He does not flinch. He smashes Steph into a down pipe on the
wall of the alley so that wet grit is ground into her face.
We then see Edgar's face at her shoulder.
EDGAR
Nice to meet you again.
Edgar pulls back the jacket at Steph's neck to find no scars.
He pulls Steph's face towards him brutally, staring at her
profile.
67
He then smashes her head against the pipe so that she falls
unconscious to the ground.
FREDDY
What's wrong?
EDGAR
You brought me the wrong one.
FREDDY
Does it matter, one's as good as
the next?
Edgar's stare makes Freddy shut up and avert his eyes. Edgar
then turns on the tube on his arm so that blood drips into
the unconscious Steph's mouth; making her gag.
FREDDY
(continuing)
You promised me some of that.
Freddy's licking his lips.
Edgar studies Freddy, then raises his arm. Freddy just
stares. We see the tube on Edgar's arm that connects to his
veins. And in a moment Freddy has latched onto it and is
sucking like some kind of human leech.
EDGAR
What do you see Freddy. Visions?
Can you see your future?
For a moment Edgar strokes Freddy's hair, then rips the tube
away.
FREDDY
Hey!
Freddy moves forward, but is pushed back by Edgar.
EDGAR
Don't be a greedy little pig
Freddy. You have to earn more.
Close on Edgar, his repellent features under the hood. He
looks up. Far above, through the falling rain, past the high-
rise slum around them; we see the moon hanging like a pearly
crescent in the sky. The moon is slowly obscured by clouds.
EDGAR
(continuing)
We have more to do.
Cut to
68
80 EXT: JAMESTOWN CLUBLAND, STREET - NIGHT 80
We see a figure exiting the subway. This time it is Lilly,
following the same path that Steph took.
69
Making her way through the crowded street. The rain has given
way to a fine mist.
Then, as Lilly moves forward she senses something; that
feeling again, that she is being watched. She stands for a
moment as people push past, looks up at the gothic Victorian
buildings that loom out of the drifting mist. But there is
nothing.
Lilly begins to make her way through the drifting mist,
casting glances at the odd passerby.
Then, ahead of her, there is one pedestrian in particular,
taller than the rest, wearing a great hooded jacket, who
stands out. He is immediately suspicious to Lilly. He is
slowly moving through the crowd towards her. From under the
hooded jacket we see the glint of the approaching figure's
eyes; an intense stare hidden in the shadows. The man now
puts his hand in his pocket as if he's reaching for something.
Lilly now slowly slips her hand into her jacket, her gun a
cold hard presence in her hand. She stares ahead at the
approaching figure, who has now stopped, after bumping into
a pedestrian. Lilly continues forward, closer, closer. From
under the hooded jacket the glistening eyes of the man ahead
catches hers for a moment. The man now begins to approach
her, his hand pulling something from his jacket, going for
something. A gun.
Lilly immediately pulls her gun. The mist beads on the
shining barrel of her gun. The man is raising his hand
towards her.
LILLY
Police. Put your hands where I can
see them!
The man now lurches forward, his hand rising towards Lilly,
her finger begins to caress the trigger of her gun, as the
man looms closer. And then he is gone.
Cut to
The man slamming against the wet wall of a building, grasping
at the hands that now threaten to throttle him.
And we see Silus, his hands on the man's throat, and for only
the second time, we see anger in Silus' eyes.
People in the street scatter as more Brothers emerge with
guns pointed. And Lilly, shaking, pointing her gun at the man
Silus is holding. On the ground, next to the man, she sees
what he had in his hand. A pamphlet. Asking people to come to
church service; a picture of a Brother priest serenely
beaming out from it.
70
Meanwhile the man that Silus has is gagging on the ground,
Silus' hand still on his throat. He's begging.
PARISHONER
Holy brother, please...
Lilly grabs Silus' shoulder.
LILLY
Let him go.
She shows Silus the pamphlet.
LILLY
(continuing)
He's harmless. Let him go.
The man now pulls back his hood. He is black, his large,
watery eyes stare up in awe at Silus. He grabs Silus' hand
which now relaxes and draws Silus' ring to his lips, kissing
it, in tears.
PARISHONER
Forgive me. I've offended you...
We see Silus' dark stare.
A beat.
Then Silus reaches out and places his hand on the man's head.
SILUS
No. You are divine. It is the
world that offends me.
Silus rises, the Parishioner just lays there in awe. Silus now
turns to Lilly who is on his shoulder. And now Lilly realizes
for the first time that it is Silus.
LILLY
Brother Silus. What's going on?
We then hear a police siren and a car pulls up through the
rain. The door opens and Jones emerges, taking in both Lilly
and Silus. A grim smile of realization comes to Jones' face.
He pulls something from his jacket.
Cut to
71
81 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, LOUNGE - NIGHT 81
Steph's ID is tossed down on a table.
JONES
(off)
A shopkeeper heard yelling. Went
to see, found this. One witness.
A prostitute.
Jones tosses down a photo. It is Freddy, looking suitably
scummy in a police identikit photo.
JONES
(continuing)
She identified this lovely
citizen. We thought maybe he had
a grudge or was crazy. I guess we
were wrong.
Silus stands by the window; lights make patterns on his face.
SILUS
It is Edgar.
LILLY
And now he's got Steph. Why does
he want her?
SILUS
She is not what he was after.
We see Lilly slowly getting it.
LILLY
Steph was staying with me. She was
wearing my coat. It was me he was
after. Wasn't it?
Silus now turns, slowly moves towards her, coming out of the
shadows. Lilly finds it hard to return his gaze,
involuntarily touches her neck where it is scarred from
Edgar's attack. Jones is watching all this very carefully.
SILUS
Yes. He will come for you Lilly.
JONES
Right, then we put you somewhere
safe and set up this place.
Shooters on the roofs. And when he
comes we blow his fucking brains
out.
SILUS
He will know. He will see and hear
it.
72
Lilly is staring at Steph's ID.
LILLY
It has to be me. That's what he
wants. It's the only chance
Steph's got.
JONES
What are you talking about, she's
probably dead already...
LILLY
Jones! And we can't make it too
hard. He has to be able to get in.
He can't suspect anything.
Jones is shaking his head. Silus just stares at Lilly.
LILLY
(continuing)
That's the way it will be. I'm the
bait.
Close on Silus.
82 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT - SUNSET 82
We are in a large, derelict warehouse; detritus and stacked
and smashed wooden crates. Music is playing somewhere in the
distance from a phonograph. We track through the space.
Daylight comes through cracks in the blacked out windows high
above, creating tiny shafts of laser light that flicker from
the dust.
We pass through the stacks of crates that are like a high
walled maze. Music emits from a stereo, loud. We continue to
move down a hall. Through the detritus, towards a door. A
hand opens the door.
83 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, CELL - CONTINUING 83
In the corner of the room, huddled, chained to the floor, is
Steph. She does not look good. In fact she looks very sick.
There are tubes coming off her arm.
Freddy stoops down and begins to check the tubes running from
her arm. There are small taps on the tubes. He turns them on.
Blood begins to flow from her into a cup that is already
stained red. As he turns it off Steph shivers, her eyes open.
The whites of her eyes are blood red; she is sick. She
speaks, weakly.
73
STEPH
Help me. Please, I'm sick. Help me.
She reaches for Freddy, but he pulls away. Freddy's not
looking too hot either.
FREDDY
Don't fucking touch me.
He picks up the half filled cup and leaves. Steph stares
after him. Tears welling in her eyes, beginning to shake now,
moving against the chains that bind her. But they stay fast.
84 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT - CONTINUING 84
Freddy moves into the large warehouse space, the music still
echoing. Freddy looks around, searching for Edgar.
FREDDY
Hey!
His voice echoes through the empty space.
FREDDY
(continuing)
Where've you gone now?
85 EXT: LILLY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 85
A POV, wavering slightly, the hint of a whispering breath. We
see Lilly's apartment. The shot zooms in at high velocity,
searching the windows, zooming in here to check the lock on
this window, then on that. Then the shot wildly pans and
twists to the street below. Again it zooms in, to the
entrance of the building, to a couple walking past in the
night, as if searching for any sign of something out of the
ordinary. We can hear the couples voices, talking about inane
things.
Cut to Edgar's face in the shadows. His eyes reflective, his
whole being readied and concentrating. He closes his eyes. We
move around to end close on his ear, the soundtrack becoming
stark as the sounds of the night become eerily separated and
distinct. One sound in particular, a kind of metal sound,
scratching slightly, growing louder.
Edgar's eyes open.
Cut to
A zoom speeding towards Lilly's bedroom window, then swooping
at the last minute to end on an apartment one floor down.
74
And there, gently moving in the night air, a partially open
window, the latch grinding in the breeze.
Cut to
86 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT - CONTINUING 86
A whiz pan POV, ending on the lounge of Lilly's apartment;
as if we just caught the last part of someone turning their
head, as if alerted. All the lights are out. We slowly begin
to move forward, dipping and gliding silently, into the
hallway. Slowly we approach a doorway and creep into...
87 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - CONTINUING 87
We can see Lilly lying on the bed, her skin alabaster in the
moonlight that comes through the window blinds. Closer closer
until we halt above her.
Cut closer to see Lilly asleep; her hand grips her service
revolver which protrudes from under her pillow.
We see Silus standing above her, his eyes glisten in the
sub light. As he watches, Lilly moves, as if she's having a
dream, her hand grips the gun beneath her pillow.
Silus slowly bends down, close to her. Watching. Then he
reaches out, as if to gently wake her, then stops as Lilly
stirs. She turns, curling up into the fetal position. Silus
is confronted with the old scars from Edgar's attack.
For a moment Silus stares at her. Stares. Then very quietly,
smoothly, he moves his head down, very close to her arm. He
sniffs it, as you would something very delicate, very
complex. Then he closes his eyes.
We see Lilly, her arm. Silus slowly enters frame, moves his
face close to Lilly, moves along her arm as if taking in her
scent. Slowly her arm raises, as his face moves up her body
to her neck, her hand now embracing Silus' head. Closer as
his face is near hers and still with eyes closed her face
turns towards him, his dark lips and hers are close.
Cut to
Silus, back where he was, smelling her arm. His eyes open and
he moves back a little, as if shocked by the daydream he has
just indulged in.
We see Lilly, as she was before, curled up in the fetal
position. Then a sound.
75
Silus immediately pivots, his gun immediately pointed at the
figure who stands silhouetted in the doorway. Jones.
JONES
What are you doing?
The camera immediately drops, through the floor of Lilly's
apartment to the apartment below to find...
88 INT: APARTMENT BELOW LILLY'S - CONTINUING 88
...Edgar, standing in the apartment below, immediately
freezing. We zoom into his ear as he listens.
Flash cuts of sound and image; a large man turning in his bed
and groaning, a tap drips in an apartment, a fluorescent
colored mosquito catcher vaporizing a mosquito with a zing,
then a woman's lips; whispering...
LILLY
What is it? Jones?
Cut to
89 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM - CONTINUING 89
Silus above Lilly, his hand up to silence her, Jones stock
still in the doorway. Waiting, waiting...
Bang, Silus rushes to the window of the apartment, ripping it
open, pointing his gun below. But there is no one there. Then
Silus spots it. On the floor below the window is open, a
curtain gently wafts out of the window in the breeze. Silus
turns to Jones and Lilly.
SILUS
Stay here.
Silus immediately drops out of the window.
Cut to
Lilly rushes to the window and looks out expecting to see
Silus dead on the pavement below, but the street is empty.
And then she sees it; the window below her apartment is open.
90 INT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, HALLWAY - CONTINUING 90
Lilly, gun extended, moving forward towards her apartment
door, Jones behind her, trying to grab her.
76
JONES
Get back here, Lilly!
But Lilly shoves him off, opens the door and moves into the
hall and waits.
77
She hears more smashing from the other side of the building.
She turns to Jones.
LILLY
Cover me.
And she's off, smashing the apartment door in front of her
with her foot and moving into the apartment, towards the
window beyond. Jones can only curse, lift his gun and move
after her.
91 INT: APARTMENT ADJACENT TO LILLY'S - CONTINUING 91
Lilly's POV crashing through the apartment and reaching the
window, pulling it open to see...
92 EXT: LILLY'S APARTMENT, REAR - CONTINUING 92
...Lilly's POV of the city below. We see her search with her
eyes, and then she sees it.
Cut to
Lilly's POV, closer, looking down on Edgar running over a
roof.
Cut to
Edgar running towards us as we track back, then he launches
himself...
Cut to
Low angle, Edgar jumping from above us, to land almost on the
camera, stopping himself by grabbing iron piping protruding
from the side of the building.
Edgar turns, smiles, thinking he's escaped; then shock comes
across his face.
Cut to
Edgar's POV as Silus flies through the air and crashes
straight into the camera. Silus' hands go straight for
Edgar's throat, stopping Edgar from falling. The two
Brothers eyes lock.
EDGAR
You saved me...
Then Edgar's smile. He pushes off the wall with his legs,
sending both of them tumbling over the railing.
78
We see them fall, Silus hitting a railing which sends him
spinning out of control, whilst Edgar manages to clasp onto
it.
Cut to
Silus' POV, tumbling wildly out of control, heading for the
ground, finally coming to a jarring stop, the view of the
alleyway upside down.
We now reveal Silus, only just conscious, caught in wire
netting, hanging upside down in the alleyway.
And there, landing, is Edgar, poised, watching. Edgar slowly
approaches so that he is near. He bends down to Silus.
EDGAR
(continuing)
When will you admit it. You're
just like me.
Edgar's nose is bleeding. He dabs some on his fingers, then
raises his hand to Silus.
EDGAR
(continuing)
Maybe you need some encouragement.
He brings the dripping blood closer to Silus, closer...
Then an explosion; the sound of bullets whistling through the
air. Then Edgar is gone.
Cut to
Lilly and Jones entering the alleyway to find Silus still
hanging from the railing.
LILLY
(to Jones)
Get him down.
Lilly then moves into the adjacent alleyway to search for
Edgar.
JONES
Lilly, wait! Damn you. Lilly!
She turns and gives him a final quick look.
LILLY
If he escapes then Steph is dead.
Just follow me when you can, hurry!
Cut to
79
Lilly moving through a slick wet alleyway; water plops and
dribbles from leaking pipes. She swings her gun towards
movement; water crashing out of a pipe. Lilly's shaking,
terrified, but she keeps on going. And then another sound and
she swings her gun to find Edgar, standing in the shadows,
waiting.
EDGAR
The little policewoman.
LILLY
Don't move!
Edgar purposely raises his hand so that she fires; the bullet
going through the flesh of Edgar's arm; his arm now smoking.
LILLY
(continuing)
I said don't move. Where is she,
where's the girl?
Edgar can only smile.
EDGAR
Oh, I've killed her already.
Essentially.
Then he moves, she fires, but he's too fast, spinning,
diving, in an instant he has the gun, twisting it and Lilly's
arm behind her back. She fires, once, twice, the bullets and
smoke rising up from Edgar's side. He twists harder, the gun
then falling to the ground. Edgar is now behind her. He moves
his face close to hers.
EDGAR
(continuing)
Has he tasted you yet, little
policewoman?
Lilly tries to twist out of his grasp.
EDGAR
(continuing)
He's just the same as me, you know
it, you can feel it too.
LILLY
He's nothing like you.
Edgar's face twists into a smile.
EDGAR
We will see. You will be my tool.
JUMP CUT:
80
A cat, hissing, screeching.
Cut to Silus and Jones entering the alleyway, the cat tearing
away from them in fright. Jones moves forward and we tilt
down to see Lilly's gun lying on the wet cobblestones, smoke
wisping from the barrel. Jones stoops down and picks up the
gun, then turns to Silus. After a beat, Jones throws the gun
at Silus' head. Silus dodges it easily and it clacks onto the
cobblestones.
JONES
You happy now?
Cut to
93 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, TOILET - DAY 93
Close on Freddy's face, looking at himself in a mirror. He's
pulling back his eyelid; his eyes are bloodshot and he's
sweating. Freddy then pushes the mirror shut and we see
Edgar, silhouetted in the bathroom doorway.
FREDDY
You scared the shit out of me.
Hey, the police woman. She's real
sick. To tell the truth I don't
feel so hot myself.
Edgar approaches, still silhouetted.
EDGAR
I want you to take her and put her
where they'll find her.
FREDDY
But I'm sick. She's given me
something...
Edgar moves incredibly fast, we can't quite see what he has
done but we suspect he has just buried his hand in Freddy's
chest. We see Freddy's face, stunned, deathly white.
EDGAR
What have I said to you?
Freddy falls, leaving Edgar's hand in mid air; we can't see
clearly, but it likes frighteningly like he has one of
Freddy's internal organs in his hand.
EDGAR
(continuing)
I hate arguments.
Cut to
81
94 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, ALLEYWAY - DAY 94
Close on a pendant; the symbol of the Brothers.
We pull out to reveal Steph, very sick now. Edgar is has her
wrapped in a sheet and is half carrying her along a decrepit
alley. Ahead of him is a street; we can see several passersby.
Edgar sits Steph up against the wall of the alley, propped
up. She really is sick. She coughs.
Edgar looks at her for a moment. Then after consideration,
takes her hands and crosses them, and places an envelope in
her limp hands. Happy with the composition he moves off.
Cut to
A close High Angle on Steph looking up, her bloodshot, dazed
eyes staring blankly. We drift up and away from her. Already
the rats are beginning to come out and sniff her.
95 INT: HOSPITAL, HALLWAY - DAY 95
There are several nurses running towards us, they turn and
move down a hallway. We reveal Jones and Dominic. They move
to the nurses station and Jones flashes his ID.
JONES
Stephanie Richards, you just
brought her in.
And then a scream. Blood curdling; the sound of someone
insane, screaming their lungs out, hurling abuse. We see the
faces of the cops and the terrified nurse in front of them
who points down the hall where the noise is coming from. The
Cops move off. The nurse then sees someone else arrive. She
raises the pendant that hangs around her neck and kisses it.
NURSE
Thank god you're here.
We see who has entered. It is Silus. Near him there are
several people sick. They look sick; like Steph and Freddy
looked.
Cut to
96 INT: HOSPITAL, ISOLATION WARD - CONTINUING 96
Jones and the Dominic move through an anteroom. Nursing staff
and doctors are madly running about. The screaming we heard
before punctuates the noisy clutter of medical procedures.
Jones approaches a door; it has the words "level 4 isolation
unit" on it. A large Guard blocks his way.
82
Jones shows his ID. A figure brushes past them and enters the
door; the figure is fully decked out in something like a
spacesuit.
Jones and Dominic are ushered sideways, to another room. This
room has a glass viewing window which looks into the adjacent
room. A middle aged Doctor stands there, his thumb nail in
his mouth, looking thoughtful. When he turns towards Jones,
we can see there is fear in his eyes. Jones shows his ID.
Screaming from within the adjacent room draws his attention
and that of Jones.
97 INT: HOSPITAL, STEPH'S ROOM - CONTINUING 97
In the adjacent room two nurses are trying to put in a line
to Steph's arms which are restrained by straps. Steph lies on
a bed. She looks truly sick; her hair matted, her skin
blotchy. Her eyes are also blood red, the tiny blood vessels
hemorrhaging. And she is screaming abuse at the nurses and
Doctors who work on her.
Close of Jones, staring at the scene.
Silus now enters the room. Almost immediately Steph stops
screaming. She is staring directly at Silus; even this
deranged, she is still in complete awe.
JONES
Will she recover?
The Doctor turns to Jones; the Doctor looks puzzled.
DOCTOR
No. Containment is the issue now.
She is... insane. And we've had
more cases, 10 in the last hour.
The Doctor leaves.
Jones turns to Silus.
JONES
What is this? What is it?
SILUS
It comes from Edgar. He has shared
his blood with them.
JONES
You're telling me that he's out
there spreading this around?
Jones gets close to Silus, intimidating.
83
JONES
(continuing)
He'll give it to Lilly!
Dominic gets in between.
DOMINIC
Jones! Back off.
Dominic pushes Jones back and then stares at Silus.
DOMINIC
(continuing)
This is spreading.
Silus doesn't speak, just stares at Steph.
DOMINIC
(continuing)
Brother Silus?
JONES
That's it, Lilly's dead.
SILUS
No. He will keep her alive.
DOMINIC
Why?
SILUS
So that I will come for him.
That's what he wants.
Dominic pulls an envelope from his jacket and passes it to
Silus, who opens it to discover a beautifully handwritten
letter.
DOMINIC
It says, "Everything flows from
me. My blood will change the
world." What does that mean?
Silus stares at the two men. Then turns to Steph, her eyes,
creepy, still locked on Silus.
98 OMITTED 98
THRU THRU
103 103
84
103A EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM BUILDING, ROOF - NIGHT 103A
Jamestown, from above. We drift down so that we see the
buildings, see fires breaking out, hear screams echoing
through the night. We continue down towards the rooftop of
one building in particular. We see one of the infected
citizens of Jamestown standing on the roof, screaming out
into the night like some crazed animal.
We continue past the creature, then travel through a
ventilation shaft on the roof. We hurtle down this, down,
down to the depths of the building and out the shaft into a
subterranean basement. We drift through a doorway in the wet
stone wall, down a tunnel, to finally enter a room.
And we see Lilly. She is covered in grime, her hands bound
above her head with chains to an ancient, ornate pipes that
twist through the place. She looks up at us.
Cut to
103B INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, CELL - CONTINUING 103B
Edgar, now standing above Lilly. He bends down, checking the
chains that bind her. His face moves close to her so that he
can smell her. Hear her heart pounding. See the scars from
his previous attack. Then a noise, echoing through the
tunnels. The sound of the mad infected denizens of the
containment zone, screaming out into the night. Edgar smiles.
EDGAR
It almost sounds like children
playing, don't you think?
LILLY
No.
EDGAR
I looked at your body. You have
borne a child.
Lilly's features tense.
EDGAR
(continuing)
Did you abandon it? Your kind are
good at that.
Even though her position is impossible, Lilly won't show
Edgar fear.
LILLY
Why don't you just kill me?
Edgar just smiles. Lilly spits in his face and screams at him.
85
LILLY
(continuing)
Kill me!
Edgar grabs her by the throat, for a moment anger boils out
of Edgar, but he restrains himself.
EDGAR
I can see why he likes you. But I
have a better use for you. To save
you, Silus will take my blood.
Join me.
LILLY
You're insane.
EDGAR
The world is insane. I am better
than you. But they force me to
serve you. Does that happen in a
sane world? Forced to watch you
waste the most precious thing you
have. Life.
Then Edgar's face changes; he stares at her with pity, for a
moment we see a hint of the noble creature he used to be.
EDGAR
(continuing)
Do you know what they do to us
when we are born? They take us
from our mothers. Force us into a
life of loneliness, and denial.
Can you imagine a life like that?
Lilly senses an opening.
LILLY
You don't have to do this. You can
change things.
Edgar places his head in his hands, he seems to be weeping.
EDGAR
You have reminded me of something.
When he looks back up at her, he is terrifying to behold.
EDGAR
(continuing)
I must search out my mother, if
she still lives. And kill her for
what she did.
86
Edgar smiles quietly, rises and exits.
We are left with Lilly bound to the rusty pipes. She strains,
tries to pull her hands from the chains, but they won't move.
Above her on the pipe there is a old rusty bracket. Lilly
blinks through the sweat running into her eyes. She moves the
chains that bind her hands closer to the bracket and begins
rubbing the chains against the bracket in the vain hope that
she may be able to cut her way through the chains. She
strains harder and harder, fighting back the tears, the fear,
she just grinds at the chain repetitively.
Cut to
104 INT: HOSPITAL, STEPH'S ROOM - DAY 104
Steph, in the hospital bed, her eyes staring up, hollow. A
bed sheet is drawn over her dead face.
Cut to
105 INT: HOSPITAL, VARIOUS - CONTINUING 105
We see Silus. Staring through a window into an office. In
there we can see Jones. Jones is talking in a very animated
manner to someone who is obviously a reporter. The reporter
stares, like Jones, through the window towards Silus. Jones
turns away, looking guilty.
Cut to
Bedlam in the hospital corridors. People screaming, being
restrained. What is clear is that the virus Steph had has now
broken out into a plague of biblical proportions. We see a
DOCTOR standing in the middle of the hospital corridor, blood
over his smock, in a state of pure shock.
And we see Silus there. A perfect creature observing the
chaos. As he stands there he can see a small child; a girl,
maybe around five. Silus stares at the child. The girl is
holding her mother's hand. Her mother lies on a cot, strapped
down; there are many other cots filling the crowded hallway.
Her mother is dead. The girl's dirty face is stained with
tears. For a moment Silus wavers.
Then he moves over to the girl. She stares up at him with her
tear stained grimy face. Silus goes to place his hand on her
forehead as blessing, but the child cringes, then jumps up
and escapes down the hallway. Silus can only stare at the
horror of it all.
Cut to
87
106 INT: ROOM - DAY 106
On a dirty, stained valve radio. We slowly track in on the
speaker, hearing an interview coming from it.
REPORTER
(off)
Some say this plague is the result
of genetic experimentation, by the
Brothers. Do you have a comment?
Cut to
106A DELETED 106A
107 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - NIGHT 107
We move past road blocks.
HEALTH OFFICIAL
(off)
We're asking everyone to stay in
their homes in the sections of
Jamestown now under quarantine.
Armed, gas masked guards stand with their guns at the ready.
Beyond the blockade is Jamestown. Fires burn, bodies lie on
the streets.
REPORTER
(off)
There are reports of residents
being shot trying to escape the
quarantine zone. Is that true?
They say the Queen has left the
city... Is this martial law?
A figure is stumbling towards us. One of the guards fires and
the figure drops.
Cut to
Two soldiers, wearing crude Victorian containment suits,
surveying a map.
88
SOLDIER
We've blocked off this section,
and here, containing the Jamestown
slums.
We see the soldier outlining the Quarantine zone, marked in
red.
108 OMITTED 108
AND AND
109 109
110 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, FOYER - DAY 110
There is an angry mob, banging on the locked doors of the
brotherhood building. Their placards tell the tale. "Brothers
have brought the plague." "No to Genetic experimentation."
EDGAR
(off)
Do you like the world I am making
for us, Silus? I haven't had your
little policewoman yet. But I will
soon. You'll just have to find me.
You know where I am. Everything
flows from me. Remember that...
Human police stand ready with guns. It's a disaster. Silus is
there. He watches the faces of the mob, baying for blood. He
sees them burning the emblems of the brotherhood.
DISSOLVE TO:
111 INT: BROTHERHOOD BUILDING, AUGUSTUS' OFFICE - CONTINUING 111
We are in a beautifully ornate office. It is like a private
chapel. We see Silus enter. He is grim. Augustus is kneeling
in prayer. He senses Silus.
AUGUSTUS
The infection is spreading. Each
day he shares his blood with more
of them. Even though they are
locked in their homes.
89
SILUS
He is somewhere in the quarantine
zone. I will find him.
Augustus turns to Silus. Augustus moves closer to him, stares
into Silus' strange, pale eyes.
AUGUSTUS
Clear. So very clear your eyes.
The way they were when you were
born. There will be no search.
Augustus moves off to his desk. Silus is shocked.
SILUS
No search?
AUGUSTUS
The Queen has instructed the
government to evacuate the city
around the quarantine zone. In
another day they will take action.
SILUS
What kind of action?
AUGUSTUS
Eradication. Of everything within
the area. They will burn it all.
Including Edgar.
SILUS
And the innocents there, who are
not infected?
AUGUSTUS
It is a necessary step. We cannot
let this escape.
SILUS
No!
Augustus looks up at Silus; this is perhaps the first time
Silus has refused anything that Augustus has decreed.
90
AUGUSTUS
Is it the policewoman? Is this
affecting your thinking? There is
no love for our kind Silus. Only
service.
SILUS
We have done this. Released this
thing into the world. We have
betrayed their trust in us, more
than once. I won't do it again.
AUGUSTUS
There is no debate. They will be
sacrificed, so the rest will be
pure.
Silus shakes his head.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
This policeman, Jones. He talked
to the press. Told them this came
from Edgar.
Silus watches Augustus very carefully.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
There are members of the inner
circle who question the way you
have handled this. Blame you for
this man's actions. I have made it
clear that you will fix this. That
you will silence him.
Augustus moves close to Silus now. Gently touches his face.
AUGUSTUS
(continuing)
These are hard things we do. But
you must think of the greater
good. And of your own future.
Cut to
A light bulb flickering.
112 INT: JONES APARTMENT, HALL - NIGHT 112
Jones exits an elevator. The light above him flickers and
dies. He stands in the dark.
91
JONES
Great.
Jones begins to stomp down the hall, towards the part of the
hall that is lit. Then pop, that light goes out as well.
Jones stops. He pulls out his big gun from his armpit
holster. He checks over his shoulder, and then with the gun
extended he moves slowly forward. He approaches an area that
opens up a little. He pauses, then under his breath.
JONES
(continuing)
Come on then...
He launches himself around the corner and fires his gun. He's
lucky that his misses his target.
A small, dirty, cowering boy with his fingers on the bank of
light switches. The wall next to the boy's head has exploded;
dust and wall board now drift down like snow.
Jones can only stare at the quivering child whose dirty face
blank with fright.
Then Jones turns. He can make out a figure in the dark hall.
A patient, quiet sentinel.
113 INT: JONES APARTMENT - NIGHT 113
Jones opens the door to his apartment and enters. Silus
follows. The place is a dump. Lounge and kitchen all one
area, bedroom off to one side, dishes in the sink, clothes
everywhere. Jones heads into the kitchen and turns on a
coffee machine, then grabs a dirty glass, pours a drink.
Silus watches him.
Jones comes into the lounge. He still has his gun in his
hand. He stares at Silus, whose perfect outline makes Jones'
life seem even more abysmal.
JONES
What do you want?
SILUS
I want to help you. They know you
talked to the press.
JONES
They can fuck off. For that
matter, so can you.
Jones takes a slurp on his drink.
92
JONES
(continuing)
You'd be the last person I'd trust.
SILUS
Why?
JONES
I saw you. Remember. Watching
Lilly, when she was asleep.
Silus doesn't answer now. Jones moves forward.
JONES
(continuing)
Maybe you're just like your
Brother. Maybe you're helping him.
Now there's a thought.
Jones prods Silus' shoulder with the gun.
JONES
(continuing)
Do you know where she is?
Jones prods again and finds Silus' elegant steel fingers
around his wrist. The two men face off.
JONES
(continuing)
You've changed. Not the outside.
But inside. I know you. You know
what, I can see myself?
Jones tries to wrench his wrist free, but Silus holds it
tight. Jones swings his free arm and smashes Silus on the
side of the face.
For a moment Silus doesn't move, then his hand is around
Jones' throat. Squeezing. Squeezing. His other hand wrenching
the gun from Jones' hand. There is silence in the room, apart
from Jones' choking gags. Then Silus pushes Jones back so
that he flies into a chair. Jones stares up at Silus now,
fear in his eyes. Silus watches him. Then a sound attracts
his attention.
Cut to
Water hisses from Jones' coffee machine in the kitchen.
JONES
(continuing; sneering)
Coffee's ready.
Cut to
93
Silus, turning, listening, focusing on the water dripping
from the coffee machine. Silus is concentrating. Realization
comes into his eyes.
We zoom close to Silus' ear. The soundtrack becomes enhanced.
Cut to
The tap in Jones' festering sink, dripping; plop plop plop.
We see the water in the bottom of the sink reflecting the
room. We see Silus approaching; reflected there. His hand
enters frame and touches the water. And we hear Edgar's
voice, the words we heard him say in Augustus' office.
EDGAR
(off)
You know where I am. Everything
flows from me...
We see Silus staring at the water. We see a giant drop of
water hanging from the tap, hanging, hanging, then falling...
Cut to
114 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT - NIGHT 114
We are under water, liquid drops down into the water; red
liquid, blood. We can see a figure distorted in the water;
the figure is bleeding himself into the water. It is Edgar.
Cut to
We see a subterranean water system. We see Edgar at the edge
of a pool, bleeding himself into the water supply. Edgar
looks up. His eyes reflect at us, blinking like an animal's.
Cut to
Lilly in her cell, still grinding away at the chains that
bind her hands. She stops, as if she's heard something,
expecting Edgar to walk through the doorway. He doesn't. She
begins desperately grinding away at the chains once more.
Cut to
115 INT: JONES APARTMENT - CONTINUING 115
Back on Silus who now turns to Jones.
SILUS
Do you have a map?
Cut to
94
Jones laying out a map of the city on his kitchen table;
empty booze bottles roll out of the way. Jones has a pen and
he's marking off an area.
JONES
There's the quarantine zone. It's
a pit. Slums.
SILUS
The water supply. Where is it?
Jones searches and then pin points an area in the center of
the quarantine zone.
JONES
There, all the old suburbs are
supplied by their own artesian
wells. Mineral springs. That's why
it hasn't broken out of Jamestown,
it's the water. Jamestown's water.
The two men stare at each other, both reaching the same
conclusion.
SILUS
He is there, with Lilly.
We see the Map.
116 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - NIGHT 116
Cut to a crane down to reveal Silus and Jones observing the
guards at the blockade.
JONES
You'll never get in, they've
circled the whole borough.
Silus turns to Jones.
SILUS
I will get in. You must go to the
press. Tell them about the water.
Tell them what the government will
do.
JONES
You're dead after this. You know
that? Whatever happens.
Silus smiles.
SILUS
Watch for me, Officer Jones.
95
Silus exits. Jones watches him leave, then Jones leaves too.
117 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - CONTINUOUS 117
We see Silus, close. It's as if he is meditating. We pull out
to reveal he is kneeling on the roof of a building; he looks
as if he's preparing himself for something.
He then rises, all fluid concentration, and runs towards us
and then the camera is on his shoulder as he jumps off the
roof.
Cut to
Silus' POV falling down down, falling towards a window then
smashing through it.
117A EXT: OMITTED - CONTINUING 117A
118 INT: APARTMENT BUILDING, QUARANTINE ZONE - CONTINUOUS 118
Silus exploding onto the floor of the apartment. For a moment
there is silence, just glass tinkling, Silus poised. Then
Silus turns and is gone.
Cut to
119 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - CONTINUOUS 119
The slums are wrapped in smoke and haze from fires that burn
there; an eerie dead zone, made all the stranger by the
gothic spires that climb out of the haze.
Then Silus hears something. It is the wailing of a new born
child. Silus moves towards the cries, then up ahead he sees
a figure, kneeling on the ground. As Silus moves through the
haze he sees what it is. It is a Brother Priest, kneeling
beside someone. The Brother is holding the hand of the person
on the ground who is in the last throws of death. When Silus
is next to him the Priest looks up at him. Tears wet his
cheeks. For a moment they just stare at each other.
PRIEST 2
Who has done this, Brother?
SILUS
We have. To our shame.
96
The Silus hears the babies cries again. Closer now. The
Priest stares at the dying creature on the ground in front of
him. Drops the limp hand he was holding. Then rises and turns
squarely to Silus.
PRIEST 2
I have something to show you.
The Priest moves off towards a building and Silus follows.
Cut to
119A INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE, HOVEL - CONTINUING 119A
We see Silus and the Priest enter. The Priest leads Silus
into the dark place. As he moves forward Silus can hear a
strange gurgling sound; not of the sick or dying, this is a
more innocent sound. The sounds of a newborn.
We See Silus approach a filthy, roughly made crib. In it is
a baby; it's eyes stare up at Silus with wisdom beyond their
years.
PRIEST 2
It is a miracle my Brother. She is
a female, the first of our kind.
Silus watches the baby carefully.
SILUS
She must be protected.
He then turns to the Priest.
SILUS
(continuing)
I would ask for your help Brother.
The Church can no longer be
trusted...
119B EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT - CONTINUING 119B
Edgar, atop the roof of the building that sits above the
water treatment plant. He is watching his handiwork; the
screams in the night, the burning fires, the haze rising up,
cloaking the city. Then down below, he sees a figure
approaching. He knows who it is. Silus is coming to him.
Cut to
97
120 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, CELL - CONTINUING 120
Lilly, in her cell. She is working the chains that bind her
hands against the pipe. She's rubbing them desperately,
harder, harder. Then she stops. She can hear someone
approaching.
Edgar appears in the doorway; still and poised. Then he
turns, listening. A creaking echoes through the tunnels as if
an iron door, somewhere above, has been opened.
EDGAR
He's coming little one. He's
coming for you.
Edgar takes one more blinking look at Lilly and then leaves,
slamming the large iron door behind him.
Lilly pulls at the chains, hoping against hope that they'll
break. They don't.
LILLY
No.
She now looks above. The pipe her chains are connected to
runs up towards the roof, then takes a bend to disappear into
the wall near the door. She bangs on the pipe. There is a
little movement where it goes into the wall. Just enough to
give her some hope.
Lilly struggles now to her feet. She slides the chains up. To
get the chains over the bend she'll have to jump. She does,
sliding the chain over the bend. Now she hangs from the pipe,
the chains cutting into her wrists viciously, making her
groan. She then gets her hands on the pipe and begins sliding
along the pipe until she is near the door. She then reaches
up with her feet and kicks at the wall, pushing, trying to
dislodge the pipe. It moves, water leaks from it. But it does
not give way.
A desperate beat. Then she reaches down to the door with her
foot. She tries to force down the door handle, her foot wet
and slippery. Finally she gets the handle down, opens the
door so that it clangs against the wall.
LILLY
(continuing)
Hello! I'm down here. Silus...
Her hands slip from the pipe and again the chains bite into
her wrist. She cries out in pain.
Cut to
98
121 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT - CONTINUING 121
Above we see Silus, stopping. Lilly's cries echo through the
place. It is a wet maze of grease and rust, ornate twisting
pipes built long ago and now decrepit. Silus waits, listens.
Then something.
Cut to
Feet, moving fast, splashing in a pool of black water.
Silus turns, just catching a movement, a flash of someone
moving off through the distorted piping. He moves to where he
saw the figure, to catch sight of a person moving to an open
iron doorway.
SILUS
Lilly?
But when the woman turns it is not Lilly. It is one of the
infected; the red eyes, mad and staring at him. And both he
and the creature hear it. Cries, of someone in pain. Lilly.
Cut to
121A INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, STAIRWELL - CONTINUING 121A
Lilly's cries echo up the stairwell, up towards the surface.
Cut to
121B INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, CELL - CONTINUING 121B
Lilly twisting on the chains that bind her to the pipe,
crying out in pain.
Cut to
121C INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT 121C
The creature moving through the doorway towards the sounds of
Lilly's cries. Silus now moves forward to get to the
creature, flying towards the doorway. We see him approaching
the doorway and then from nowhere Edgar slams into Silus,
sending them both careening over a railing.
121D INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, STAIRWELL - CONTINUING 121D
Low Angle looking directly up at the two Brothers fall,
bouncing and crashing off the rails on the way down.
99
121E INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, STEAMROOM - CONTINUING 121E
They both hit the wet stone floor. They are in the pipe room
where subterranean mineral springs rise up from deep in the
earth and where the boroughs water supply is sterilized.
Silus is stunned, rises, blood issuing from his mouth. Silus
pulls his gun from his coat, but Edgar's kick is too fast,
whipping the gun away so that the glass instrument smashes
against some dripping pipes. Edgar then squares off against
Silus.
EDGAR
It is a maze down here. But given
time, that thing will find her. Do
things to her. I'll show you where
she is, if you take some.
Edgar stalks forward. He holds up his arm to Silus.
Silus stares at the tube coming from Edgar's arm. Edgar moves
towards Silus, twisting on the tube so that his infected
blood drips onto the ground.
EDGAR
(continuing)
You're almost there anyway.
And then Silus' face, intense, a dark smile, his hand now
gripping Edgar's hand; surprise in Edgar's eyes.
He pulls Edgar toward him with all his might, his hand
clamping onto Edgar's throat - the power of the entwined
bodies immense - then Edgar whipping his body, breaking
Silus' grip, smashing Silus on the side of the head, but then
only to get a kick from Silus directly in the stomach that
sends him smashing into several protruding pipes, ripping
into his back. Edgar screams.
100
122 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, CELL - CONTINUING 122
Lilly. Half conscious now, hanging from the pipe above her,
twisting. The sound of Edgar's screams makes her groan,
awaken a little, dazed. Then there is a loud clang. She
cranes her head to see down the tunnel that leads to her
cell. She catches sight of a shadow, movement in the tunnel.
LILLY
Silus...
101
Then the figure moves into the tunnel, shuffling, the legs
not completely following the brains instructions, but doing
enough to propel the person forward, then a stumble. And in
a shaft of light Lilly can see a hand slapping at the wet
wall. But it is less a hand than a claw. And the face that
follows the hand; the red, reflective eyes of one of the half
mad, the infected. The thing catches sight of Lilly, then
propels itself towards her.
We see it's POV, approaching faster, faster.
And Lilly reaching out with her foot, to the door, struggling
to hook it with her foot, trying to close it, almost catching
the door handle, but her foot is so slippery and the thing is
almost on her. Then she stretches out with her foot, just
catching the door and slams it in the face of the thing that
is about to attack her.
The thing on the other side of the door is now screaming
wildly and the door handle is jerking down as the creature
tries to activate it and Lilly has her feet on it, trying
desperately to keep the door shut, but her feet keep
slipping. And then she realizes that the pipe from which she
hangs is beginning to wobble - water is now coursing from the
hole in the wall, beginning to flow faster and faster. Her
feet slip more and more on the door.
Lilly tries to keep the door closed, but her feet are too
slippery and the thing is pushing through the door. In the
dark space only its eyes and slavering mouth are clear, hands
grasping for Lilly legs, scratching at them, Lilly twisting,
the creature's nails searching for purchase on her legs.
Lilly hauls herself up, wrapping her legs around the pipe
she's attached to. The thing below her is groaning
incoherently, reaching up, its hands grabbing at her, Lilly
pulling herself just out of reach, then seeing the eyes below
her, wanting her. Lilly tries to pull herself higher. And
then she feels it. The pipe she's attached to is shifting,
where it joins the wall. Water is now flooding from it, the
pipe jerks down, some of the old wall giving way.
The creature's fingers are now able to grasp Lilly's t-shirt,
drag at it, pull at her, screaming, the pipe grinding, water
flowing and then the whole thing comes down, the pipe
bursting out of the wall.
Lilly and the pipe falls, right on top of the creature.
For a moment neither of them move, then the creature is
grabbing at Lilly's hair, pulling her head back. In a flash
Lilly pulls the pipe to which she is attached right into the
face of the creature. This gives her time to stagger upright.
She's still chained around the pipe; she can see the end of
the pipe near the door.
102
She begins to slide the chains back as the creature begins to
rise and advance towards her. Lilly desperately slides the
chain along the pipe. It catches on a protrusion, while the
creature advances. Lilly frees it just in time, falling
backwards as the creature jumps at her, Lilly lifting the
chain up to hold the creature back. The creature strains to
get at Lilly. Lilly now has the chain at the creature's neck.
She begins to tighten it around the creature's neck, her only
hope now. The creature changes now, from frightening to
pitiful as it realizes it can't breath, it's fingers
desperately moving over Lilly's face, almost pleading. Tears
form in Lilly's eyes as she tightens the stranglehold; there
is no anger there, just desperation, and behind that, pity.
The creature breathes it's last breath then collapses onto
Lilly.
123 OMITTED 123
AND AND
124 124
124A INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, HIDEOUT, STEAMROOM - CONTINUING 124A
Edgar and Silus stalk each other in the steam room. Edgar
launches himself towards Silus, but Silus is now too quick.
Silus slams Edgar sideways into a pipe, an imprint of Edgar's
face left on the pipe.
103
Stunned Edgar releases his grip, stumbles back, Silus rising
now, he has him. Again, Silus slams Edgar's head into another
pipe. And now Silus has Edgar's throat in his fist and the
look on Silus' face tells Edgar he will not escape.
We see Edgar, beginning to lose consciousness now, dying.
Steam now rises all around them from broken pipes. Then
behind Silus, Edgar can make something out. An old, corroded
tank, steaming, with the words sterilizer on it. There are a
series of long shafts connected to the sterilizer via a tube
and held in position by clamps; they look like they're for
sterilizing bottles.
With a last effort Edgar propels Silus backwards onto one of
the shafts, making Silus grimace and clutch his back where
he's been pierced, then slide to the ground. The piercing has
operated some lever so that steam now also drifts from the
wound on Silus' back.
Cut to
Silus looking up, clutching his back with the pain of it.
And now Edgar above him. He removes one of the sterilizer
shafts from the bracket that holds it. He clutches a lever on
the side which makes viciously hot steam pulse from the end
of the shaft. Edgar moves slowly towards Silus.
We see Silus, unable to rise, crawling back, until bang, he's
stopped by more pipes behind him. Nowhere to go.
And Edgar ready to pounce. He does, driving the shaft towards
Silus' head. Silus manages to raise one hand to Edgar's wrist
to stop the shaft from piercing his skull. Now the shaft is
right in Silus' face, the lightly steaming hole staring back
at Silus. Edgar's finger moves to the lever on the side of
the shaft, ready to get some steam going.
EDGAR
If I burn the skin from your face,
I wonder how that would be. If you
looked like a monster...
Cut to
Edgar's finger moving over the steaming lever. The steaming
end of the shaft right in Silus' face.
Then Edgar's face as he watches his brothers face for the
last time.
The blasting sound of steam and a steaming blast from the
shaft drifts into our frame.
Cut to Silus. His face is not scolded.
104
Cut back to Edgar, his expression getting tighter, his face
redder, the whites of his eyes becoming bloodshot. Then he
goes to speak, but now words come out, only a swirling puff
of steam.
And then he falls and we see behind him, standing there is
Lilly, one of the other sterilizing shafts in her hand; steam
still rising from the sharp end of it.
Cut to Edgar, prone, on the wet floor of the pipe room; steam
rises from both his mouth and the back of his head.
DISSOLVE TO:
125 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - NIGHT 125
POV steadicaming through the streets of the Quarantine zone.
The POV belongs to Lilly who moves down the street, half
carrying Silus who limps. Lilly takes in the devastation.
Then Silus pulls up.
LILLY
What is it?
SILUS
In there.
Silus is pointing to a fallen down building through the haze
and the rain.
LILLY
Is there something wrong?
SILUS
No.
He gently touches her mud smeared face.
SILUS
(continuing)
There is something very precious.
You must take it, keep it secret.
Don't let them touch it.
LILLY
I don't understand.
SILUS
You will.
105
And then they both hear it. A wail, distorted, echoing; it
sounds like a hurt animal. Lilly looks at Silus.
SILUS
(continuing)
Hurry.
Lilly turns towards the building. She slowly moves towards
it, into the doorway as Silus watches her go. Silus turns to
the sunrise, it reflects in his eyes.
Cut to
126 INT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE, BUILDING, NIGHT 126
Lilly moves through the derelict place, past fallen beams. It
seems empty. Then Lilly hears it again. A wail. This time she
knows what it is; we can tell from the way her eyes glisten.
She moves forward, closer to the sound. And finally she sees
the Brother Priest we saw before, who kneels in front of a
crate. He looks up at her as she approaches.
As Lilly moves forward she sees what lies with the crate.
Wrapped in dirty sacking, there is a baby.
In the corner Lilly can see a woman - the child's mother -
dead from the infection.
The baby cries and Lilly can see the tiny fangs of a Brother
in the baby's mouth.
PRIEST 2
The first female of her kind. The
first daughter given to us.
Lilly moves forward. Emotional music rises in the soundtrack;
evoking memory, the circle completing. Lilly reaches out,
letting the baby girl grip her hand. Lilly reaches into the
crate, drawing the baby into her arms, staring down into the
baby's face; a face somehow already wise, already serene.
Broken tears run down Lilly's cheek as she presses the baby
to herself, all the pain of the past flooding over her, the
baby's tiny hands reaching out, clasping onto her.
PRIEST 2
(continuing)
Come. Before they find her.
Cut to
106
127 EXT: JAMESTOWN SLUM, QUARANTINE ZONE - DAWN 127
Lilly exits the building. She looks around for Silus, but he
has gone. She pauses. Through the mist and drifting smoke
from the fires we can see that in the distance a tarnished
sun is lighting the horizon.
PRIEST 2
We must go.
After a final pause Lilly moves off with the Priest, carrying
the tiny bundle with her.
LILLY
(VO)
For me, everything has changed now.
Because of Silus I see the world
through new eyes.
FADE OUT:
128 EXT: LILLY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 128
Silus, on a fire escape, in the shadows. Gone are the clothes
of the Brotherhood, rather he is dressed as someone who does
not want to be seen.
Cut to his POV. We see Lilly's building. We see through the
window, into her apartment; a beacon of warmth in the night.
In Lilly's bed we can see the baby, its hands happily making
patterns before its eyes.
LILLY
(VO)
Now I see hope, and I see a child,
the first female of her kind.
Silus scans the apartment.
He can see the lounge. Jones is there with Lilly. Lilly is
dressed to go out; to leave. Jones and Lilly hug. Then Jones
picks up two suitcases and moves towards the door.
Silus watches as Lilly moves into the bedroom and reaches
down for the tiny baby, its tiny arms clasping onto her as
she lifts it.
LILLY
(VO)
Perhaps Edgar got what he wanted
after all, because it time this
child will truly change our world.
107
We see Silus, closer, watching.
Cut to
Lilly, pausing, moving to the window of her apartment,
staring out into the night, almost directly toward Silus. She
raises her hand, as if in a gesture of goodbye and then she
leaves.
Cut to
Silus, close, nodding.
THE END
|
