BRIMSTONE #105 "Slayer" Story by ETHAN REIFF & CYRUS VORIS Teleplay by ANGEL DEAN LOPEZ Transcript by DEREK SAUL TEASER FADE IN: INT. RAWSHANK'S DINER - NIGHT The waitress, TERESITA, brings over another full plate of food to STONE, who's sitting alone in a booth, his table already loaded with full plates. She sets the plate down carefully. TERESITA Careful, hombre. That's salsa abanero. Liquid fire. Stone shoves down a mouthful of the new stuff. STONE I've had hotter. TERESITA (seductively) I'll bet you have. She leaves, Stone watching her go with a smirk on his face. He turns his attention back to the baseball game on the TV over the bar. SKARAS, a tall black man with a shaved head and a leather jacket, is sitting at the bar, watching Stone. He gets up and approaches Stone's booth. SKARAS Excuse me. Can I ask you a question about your food? STONE Huh? SKARAS Your food. What you're eating. I mean, a man like yourself can sample any taste in the entire world, or choose not to eat at all. Instead, you spend your time in this... hellhole. Stone continues eating. STONE Do I know you? Skaras takes that as an invitation and sits himself down across the booth from Stone. SKARAS You know, I heard an incredible story the other day, from a man I met on the street. A man just like you and me. Imagine that -- you and me. STONE You know, I'd love to sit here and chat with you all day, but I'm really trying to watch the game. SKARAS (ignoring him) He told of a tear in the fabric of the underworld, a tear through which over a hundred damned souls made their way back to the world of the living. Now only one thing stands between each of them and whatever they desire. STONE What's that? SKARAS Another dead man, sent to roam the Earth. He was a policeman, they say. Highly decorated, with a beautiful wife he left as a widow. Now his task is to track down each of these escapees, one by one, and send them back. STONE Sounds like a real tough guy. SKARAS A worthy opponent, especially for one of the brothers -- a legendary soldier named Hasdrubal Skaras. A slayer of men who killed hundreds of enemies throughout his lifetime. STONE What's his name again? Hasdrubal what? SKARAS (impatient) Hasdrubal Skaras. STONE Hasdrubal Skaras. (beat) Never heard of him. Suddenly Skaras pulls up a weapon from under the table, a strange, ancient-looking blade. He caresses the metal. Stone casually drinks his coffee. If this is intimidation, it doesn't seem to be working. SKARAS Do you notice how the blades are exactly as far apart as your eyes? STONE (holding out his cup) Coffee? SKARAS I don't waste my time with food and drink. STONE (exhausted) Look, let me ask you something. If this Hasdrubal... whatever... suppose he did catch this poor idiot who's job it is to take him back? Why not just take the sap out right away? Why sit there and piss him off by breathing all over his dinner? SKARAS If I destroy the hunter, another will surely be sent to take his place. Stone nods: "I guess." SKARAS (CONT'D) On the other hand, if we were to join forces -- my brains and your looks -- we can take what we want when we want it. We can live life without worrying about the one thing all men fear: Death. I mean, after all, who can really understand us aside from one another? Who's been where we've been? Seen what we've seen? STONE We have so much in common. (beat) What if I say no? SKARAS Instead of a truce war? STONE Yeah. What about that? SKARAS (sighs) Well... war is a surprising animal. It preys on the fighters, but often, the innocent suffer as well. Skaras slowly scoops up some mash potato from Stone's plate with his middle finger. Stone glares menacingly at him. SKARAS (CONT'D) It bothers you... the idea of innocent suffering. He licks the mash potato off his finger. STONE Yeah, it bothers me. But you know what bothers me even more? That smirk on your face. Skaras is enjoying this, making no attempt to hide it. STONE (CONT'D) Some punk looked at me like that once when I was walking the beat. I smashed him against a brick wall. Skaras's eyes flash hellfire. SKARAS Vae victus. Stone looks away, playing it as if it doesn't bother him. Suddenly he LUNGES across the table at Skaras, but Skaras vanishes into thin air, Stone's hands grabbing at nothing. Stone gets up from the booth, pulling his gun out from his coat. He stalks the diner carefully, watching for any sign of Skaras. Panicked customers run aside. Suddenly Skaras ATTACKS out of thin air, slashing his blade across Stone's right eye. Stone stumbles, catches a glimpse of Skaras near the pool table. Skaras raises his blade again, but Stone opens fire, pumping Skaras's chest with lead. Skaras goes flying over the pool table. Skaras rises, unleashes a war cry. Stone fires again, hitting Skaras in the torso. Skaras falls back again behind the pool table. Slowly, Stone goes around the pool table, but Skaras has disappeared again. Weak, Stone fumbles toward the back door, slamming through it with his shoulder. EXT. ALLEY BEHIND RAWSHANK'S DINER - CONTINUOUS Stone stumbles out the door into the alley, crashing into a bunch of trash cans. He grips his punctured eye. His soul is slowly beginning to seep out of it, and suddenly he's assailed with visions of Hell -- fire, torment, suffering, damned souls, the Devil's laugh echoing in his ear... FADE OUT. END OF TEASER ACT ONE FADE IN: EXT. ALLEY BEHIND RAWSHANK'S DINER - NIGHT Stone feels his eye. It seems to have healed. Frantically he crawls toward a puddle near the sidewalk, inspects his eye through the reflection. DEVIL (O.S.) Now that was a close call. Stone glances over his reflection's shoulder, spots THE DEVIL up top on the first story railing. DEVIL (CONT'D) How does it feel to be in the eye of the storm? Nerve wracking? He slides down the fire escape, wearing black cat burglar kind of clothes, complete with black gloves. He takes a seat on the sidewalk beside Stone, who's still nursing his eye. DEVIL (CONT'D) Oh look on the bright side, Mr. Stone. At least that soul of yours is still in one piece. Though how long it will stay that way is anyone's guess. STONE Thanks for your concern. The Devil laughs. DEVIL Let me be... honest. If Hasdrubal Skaras -- right? STONE Yeah, Skaras. DEVIL -- is powerful enough to send you flying back into my loving embrace, then I have to admit... I picked the wrong man for this little gig. STONE Has anyone ever told you you're a pain in the ass? The Devil laughs again, harder. DEVIL Good. Nice show of bravado. But you know what they say: the one who makes the most noise is really afraid of his own shadow... hmm, Detective? (beat) You know, if that cut had been just one centimeter deeper into your eye, I don't think it would have healed as quickly. And then if Skaras had gotten the other eye too, well... time to put your head between your legs and kiss your soul goodbye. The Devil disappears into thin air, his laugh still echoing through the alley. CUT TO: INT. HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Stone is sitting at a table with a geeky museum CURATOR. He slides a hand drawn SKETCH of Skaras's blade across the table to the Curator, who studies it. STONE (re: his sketch) This is the best I could do. Does it look familiar? CURATOR This blade is definitely pre classical. Shiite or Philistine. But Hasdrubal... that's a Carthaginian name, dating from later. The period of the Punic Wars. STONE (lost) Uhh... for someone who barely survived high school history... CURATOR Around 200 B.C. You see, there were actually three separate wars fought between Rome and Carthage. STONE What can you tell me about these Carthaginians? CURATOR They were Rome's arch enemy. Blood thirsty mercenaries from all over North Africa and Europe. Their ranks even included Celtic guerillas who could blend seamlessly into the terrain. They were famous for taking no prisoners and delighted in the slaughter of innocent bystanders. They even had Libyan elephant archers who drove their enemy's horses insane with their pachyderm smell. STONE More than I wanna know. (beat) So you say they can blend into the landscape. CURATOR Well, not anymore. There are no more Carthaginians. The Romans wiped their civilization off the face of the Earth more than two thousand years ago. STONE That would explain why I've only met one. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL IRONDELL, STONE'S ROOM - DAY Stone is leaning on his counter, flipping through a history book, trying to brush up on his knowledge of ancient weapons. Suddenly he hears something -- a rustling, just outside his door. He draws his gun, quietly creeps closer toward the door. He swings the door open, pointing his gun right into the blind, unseeing eyes of -- FATHER HORN Is that you, Detective Stone? Stone is both shocked and confused. STONE Father Horn? What the hell are YOU doing here? Father Horn walks in, guiding himself with his walking cane. Stone shuts the door behind him. FATHER HORN Am I mistaken, or was that a gun you were pointing at my face? STONE How'd you find me? FATHER HORN A young detective named Kane from the 11th Precinct. Perhaps you remember him. He remembers you. Stone nods. FATHER HORN (CONT'D) You know, that elevator's broken. I had to take the stairs. It's quite a walk. Mind if I sit down? STONE Did you walk all the way from New York? FATHER HORN I considered it. But my archdiocese has a good deal with Greyhound. STONE Look, Father, I'm sorry I almost shot you, but I'd feel a lot better if you'd just get out of here. FATHER HORN First you try to kill me, now you're trying to protect me. STONE You just gotta leave. They start shuffling toward the door. FATHER HORN On one condition -- you'll come to my new parish sometime. (hands him his card) Just to talk. Shoot the breeze. You can't miss it. It's one of the only churches next to the airport. STONE Alright, I'll call you. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL IRONDELL, LOBBY - DAY Stone buys a paper at the newsstand, then walks over to the front desk clerk, a spunky short-haired girl called MAXINE. STONE Hey. MAXINE Hey. STONE Where's Claudio? MAXINE He went back to Samoa. STONE Yeah? When? MAXINE This morning. Yesterday was his last day. STONE Listen, last night I told Claudio not to let anyone up to my room, alright? Anyone. MAXINE Yeah, but not even a blind priest? STONE Let me put it to you this way -- not even God. Intrigued, Maxine leans across the counter. MAXINE (low) Alright, who're you ducking? IRS? INS? DEA? CIA? FBI? ATF? STONE You wanna know the truth? MAXINE Yeah. STONE Actually, he's an ancient Carthaginian warrior. Maxine smiles. TV (O.S.) We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this special news report. Stone turns toward the TV, which is showing a REPORTER at the scene of a murder. REPORTER (on TV) In a terrible twist of irony, the victim herself was a policeman's widow. The grisly message scrawled beside her body in her own blood, "vae victus", an ancient Latin phrase which translates as "woe to the vanquished". The brutal, apparently motiveless slaying-- Stone watches with concern. CUT TO: INT. A RESTAURANT - NIGHT Stone walks into the restaurant, heading toward the table where DETECTIVE ASH sits, alone. She drops her napkin, and Stone catches a glimpse of her killer legs. DET. ASH What are you staring at, Detective? Been that long? STONE Longer. DET. ASH I may have you beat in that department. STONE Mind if I join you? DET. ASH (indifferent) Please do. Stone takes the seat across the table. Notices there's no food on the table. STONE Don't you ever eat? DET. ASH Not when I'm alone. But let me guess -- you're not here to see me, right? You have some questions about a case. STONE (smiles) Could be. DET. ASH Cop's widow, huh? STONE Right. How'd you figure that? DET. ASH Oh, I see you, I start reaching for the weird file. STONE (chuckles) So... what can you tell me about it? DET. ASH Why am I talking to you again? STONE So you can eat again. DET. ASH (chuckles) Well, it was pretty grisly. She was killed with something called a quarrel, it's a crossbow arrow. STONE What can you tell me about HER? DET. ASH Twenty-seven. Former beauty queen. She married her high school sweetheart who had four years of service before he was gunned down. So what are we ordering? STONE (smiles) Chicken salad. No mayo. What else can you tell me about her? DET. ASH Her husband, he didn't die alone. STONE What do you mean? DET. ASH He was one of four officers killed in a bank robbery-turned-firefight in Mar Vista. Worst one day casualty count in the department's recent memory. STONE Rough. DET. ASH They formed a group, the widows of that day. Did it on their own. Wouldn't take any union funding or anything. They call themselves Blue Survivors. Stone smiles, then gets up from the table. STONE You know, you oughta try the fries. I hear they're really good here. Stone leaves, leaving Ash shaking her head again. CUT TO: EXT. A SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT Stone walks down the street, holding a sheet of paper with the names and addresses of the Blue Survivor women. He checks the sheet and approaches one of the houses. INT. SUSAN GELSON'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS The front door is already ajar. Suspicious, Stone nudges the door open and walks in, pulling out his gun. There doesn't seem to be much signs of struggle. STONE Hello? Stone moves further in. As he steps through the living room, we catch a glimpse of SKARAS in the background, standing by the curtains, barely noticeable. Stone doesn't see him. As Stone creeps into the dining room, he discovers the body of SUSAN GELSON on the floor, her throat slashed. SKARAS (O.S.) The innocent suffer as well. Stone whips around. Alert. Gun at the ready. He doesn't see anyone. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) I'm as close to you as death is to the battlefield. Stone starts going up the stairs. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) But I'm not here to kiss you, Stone... Stone stops, heads back down the stairs again. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) I'm here to ask you one last time... put your hand in mine. Stone creeps carefully toward the kitchen. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) We'll stride this Earth together... how would you say? Kicking ass and taking names. (beat) Mrs. Gelson could be the last Blue Survivor we claim as a victim. (beat) On the other hand, if the casualty list lengthens, well... there's one policeman's widow I'm sure you don't want me to find. But how could you warn your wife I was coming without leading me straight to her doorstep? A tactical dilemma worthy of a great general's attention. Personally, I don't care much for generals. I followed one across the Mediterranean, up the Alps, and all over the Italian Peninsula, only to be deserted by him... Stone goes around the kitchen counter, still doesn't see anything. Suddenly SKARAS jumps him from behind, grabs Stone's gun wrist. SKARAS (CONT'D) No more answering to Shaitan. No more being the Devil's lackey. Outside, we hear POLICE SIRENS. SKARAS (CONT'D) (into Stone's ear) One last chance. COP #1 suddenly steps into the kitchen, gun drawn. SKARAS (CONT'D) Oh, look... more lambs for the slaughter. From Cop #1's POV, Skaras is invisible. All he sees is Stone pointing a gun at him. COP #1 Freeze! Skaras's grip on Stone's gun hand is iron clad, forcing Stone to pull the trigger. Cop #1 goes down. Struggling, Stone manages to knock Skaras off of him, as COP #2 runs in. He fires twice into Stone's chest. Having no effect, Stone looks down at the bulletholes in his chest, then flees the scene. Cop #2 fires after him, but Stone leaps over the front porch and runs off. FADE OUT. END OF ACT ONE ACT TWO FADE IN: INT. LAPD, ASH'S DESK - DAY Ash, her partner Detective Clemens, and ADA Vicky Shelby are watching a videotape of last night's news report, which shows Stone fleeing the scene. REPORTER (O.S.) The suspect, over six feet tall, well built, with sandy hair, was identified-- Shelby pauses the tape on a freeze frame of Stone. SHELBY I don't understand. I mean, why can't you find this guy? (holding a newspaper) Here's a copy of last night's news and there's your suspect caught on home video. He just killed Randy Gelson's widow, and then injured a patrolman while making his escape. What's that? DET. ASH Well, his name's Stone. SHELBY You know him? DET. ASH Claimed he was a New York cop. SHELBY You didn't check him out? DET. ASH He seemed legit to me. What can I say? SHELBY Really. You didn't jump his bones, did you? DET. ASH Oh now, Counselor, don't take your sexual frustrations out on me. Let's try and keep this professional, shall we? SHELBY Okay. Let me rephrase the question. Do you have any personal conflict of interest that disqualifies you from this case? DET. ASH No. Not at all. SHELBY All right. Thank you. Shelby leaves. Ash stares at the freeze frame of Stone on the TV screen. DET. ASH I'm gonna nail him. CUT TO: INT. AZALIA'S FLOWERS - DAY Stone walks into the flower shop. The owner, GINA BRAYKER, is arranging a bouquet. STONE Gina Brayker? GINA That's me. What can I help you with? STONE I need to talk to you about Susan Gelson. GINA (suddenly concerned) What? DISSOLVE TO: Minutes later, Stone has just told Gina about Susan Gelson's murder. Gina is visibly distraught. GINA (CONT'D) I just can't believe it. She was like a favorite aunt, or uncle. You know, after it happened she spent all her time down at the police station, bringing homemade lunches, baking cakes, doing whatever she could for those boys down at Division... like SHE was taking care of THEM, making sure they made it through our husbands' deaths okay. It was her idea to start the group. She didn't believe in shrinks. STONE Neither do I. GINA So now you're telling me some psycho's running around town killing members of the group. Why? STONE It doesn't matter why. Do you have a relative you can go stay with? Someone that lives out of town? GINA Detective Stone, right? Stone nods. GINA (CONT'D) Yeah, see, my husband never made detective. Street smart. Partied a little too much. Cared a little too much. But he was a good man. (re: the shop) This whole thing was his idea. My husband is gone, Detective, but having this shop makes me feel like I've got a little bit of him around me. (strong) I'm not running from anyone. The phone RINGS. She picks up. GINA (CONT'D) Azalia's Flowers. How can I help you? (listens) Uh huh. INT. LAPD, CLEMENS' DESK - INTERCUT Detective Clemens is on the phone with Gina. DET. CLEMENS The suspect is ID'ing himself as Detective Stone. INT. AZALIA'S FLOWERS - INTERCUT DET. CLEMENS (V.O.) He is armed... GINA Right. DET. CLEMENS (V.O.) ...and extremely dangerous. She glances at Stone, who is shooting back a mean look. He suspects something. GINA (nervous laugh, trying to keep cool) Yes, okay, I understand. I understand. If anything comes up, I'll be sure to give you a call-- Stone suddenly GRABS HER from behind, covers her mouth. STONE (slowly) You have to trust me. An ARROW suddenly comes crashing through the window. Stone throws Gina to the floor as the arrow sails over their heads and impales itself into a heart-shaped cushion. STONE (CONT'D) You have to come with me if you want to live. EXT. AZALIA'S FLOWERS, STREET - MOMENTS LATER Stone and Gina run out of the shop and into Gina's delivery truck. Stone takes the wheel. They peel out. INT. DELIVERY TRUCK - INTERCUT Gina is in the passenger seat, panicking. GINA What is going on? Why is this happening? STONE It's personal. It's my fault. They must've followed me to your store. GINA (angry) Look, if they're following YOU, you need to drop me off at the nearest police station. I still have friends at my husband's precinct... STONE He can take out an army of cops. We gotta hide you. Some place he doesn't know. Some place safe. GINA How do you know he's not following us right now? STONE I don't. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - EVENING Someone's KNOCKING persistently at the door. Father Horn feels his way toward the door, turning on a lamp on the way. FATHER HORN Hold on, hold on. (to himself) The Son of God shall send his angels, Father Horn shall get the door. He opens the door. Stone and Gina walk in. STONE Father Horn. FATHER HORN Ezekiel? STONE I brought a friend. I need your help. CUT TO: INT. A BAR - NIGHT Skaras is sitting at the bar, nursing a beer, watching the news report on TV. The BARTENDER is leaning against the counter, watching it too. REPORTER (on TV) Los Angeles police are asking for help locating the suspect, wanted for questioning in a string of local slayings. The suspect, reported to be over six feet tall, well built, with sandy hair, was identified at the scene of the second killing. BARTENDER It's a freakin' war zone out there. Guy takes out two innocent people. SKARAS The innocent must pay the price. BARTENDER Tell me about it. I've been to 'Nam. Women. Children. Civilians. SKARAS Then you know. When you walk into a village whose men you've just defeated on the battlefield, and not a soul can stop you from slaughtering the old, selling the young for profit or taking the women for pleasure. (holds up his beer) It's the only thing that makes life worth living. (beat) Or death. Bartender shakes his head: "This guy's a freak." Skaras drinks his beer. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S - NIGHT Gina is kneeling before the votive candles, praying. Stone enters. STONE How are you doing? GINA Not very good. Stone takes a stick, lights it with one of the candles, then lights another candle with it. He makes the sign of the cross. GINA (CONT'D) Who was that for? STONE For me. GINA I thought these were for the dead. Stone gives her a deadpan look. STONE So who else is there? GINA What? STONE The Blue Survivors. GINA (remembering) Wait a minute -- Maddy. Oh my God. Madeleine Fuller. She's young. She's, like, nineteen or twenty. Her fiance was killed with Randall at Mar Vista, just a couple of days before the wedding. Oh wait, I have a picture. She reaches into her wallet, hands the picture over to Stone. GINA (CONT'D) Susan Gelson had a cookout last fourth of July and that's where I met her. STONE (looking at the picture) The police will have her in custody by now. We're safe here. GINA But you have to help her. STONE I said we're safe here. Stone starts to walk away. GINA (going after him) He is doing this because of you, and you said you could stop him. Stone stops walking. STONE (grim) I'm not sure I can. GINA (incredulous) What?! Stone heads for the door, where Father Horn has been standing the whole time, listening. He brushes past him and walks out. CUT TO: EXT. STREET - NIGHT Madeleine Fuller (MADDY) is leaving her place of work and starts walking down the street. She passes SKARAS, who is leaning against a door, waiting to make his move. A squad of POLICE CARS suddenly come racing around the corner. ASH and CLEMENS leap out of a car and head toward Maddy. DET. ASH Madeleine Fuller? MADDY Yeah. What is going on? DET. CLEMENS We need you to come with us. MADDY Why? DET. CLEMENS (grabbing her arm) Right away! DET. ASH It's for your own protection. They lead her into their squad car and race out of there. Skaras stands on the street. His eyes flash hellfire. FADE OUT. END OF ACT TWO ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. A HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Maddy is staring out the window at the bright city lights. Ash and Clemens enter. DET. ASH Madeleine, we need you to keep your curtains closed, okay? Ash shuts the curtains. MADDY Sorry, I forgot. DET. CLEMENS You know why you're here, don't you? MADDY (distressed) Yeah. One of the other officers turned on the television. I saw what happened to Mrs. Gelson. DET. ASH Don't be afraid. We're here to make sure nothing happens to you, okay? Are you hungry? We'll get you something. INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - SAME TIME Stone, dressed in a bellhop uniform, wheels a tray of food down the corridor, approaching Maddy's room. COOPER, a uniformed cop, stands guard outside the door. STONE 1737, huh? Coffee and donuts? COOPER Thanks. Stone BASHES him across the head with the tray lid. Cooper falls unconscious. STONE Sorry. INT. HOTEL ROOM Ash flicks on her police radio. DET. ASH Cooper, check in. INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR Stone hears Ash's voice through Cooper's radio. DET. ASH (V.O.) Cooper? Stone grabs Cooper's body, starts dragging it away. INT. HOTEL ROOM Ash and Clemens look suspiciously at each other. She turns to Maddy. DET. ASH Just sit tight a minute. I'm gonna check this out, okay? INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR Ash steps out of the room, notices Cooper is not at his post. She goes down the corridor to check things out, passing Stone, who is hiding in the maintenance room. He checks if the coast is clear. Approaches Maddy's room. Knocks on the door. INT. HOTEL ROOM Maddy looks nervous. Clemens draws his gun and pulls Maddy aside. DET. CLEMENS I'm gonna have you step over here please, just for a minute. MADDY (worried) What? DET. CLEMENS Just for a minute. He hides her from the doorway, then slowly... cautiously... turns the doorknob-- SLAM! Stone swings the door open with vicious force, knocking Clemens to the ground, unconscious. STONE Sorry. Stone enters the room and quietly shuts the door. He steps over Clemens' body and stalks the room, looking for Maddy. An obvious sign tips him off. STONE (CONT'D) I can see your shadow. (beat) Come on out here. She comes out of hiding, shaking and frightened. Stone approaches slowly. MADDY (sobbing) You're the guy... you came for me... STONE I'm here to protect you. Gina Brayker sent me. MADDY What are you talking about? The cops said you kidnapped her. Where is she? STONE Look, she told me about the...uh... (thinking) ...the fourth of July cookout, right? Where you and your fiancee went to the bathroom to fool around, and you got into a fight about where you were gonna have your honeymoon... MADDY (shocked) How do you know that? STONE (holds out his hand) Come on. You're just gonna have to trust me. I'm here to protect you. You have to trust me. Slowly she reaches for his hand... STONE (CONT'D) Come on... trust me... Finally she takes his hand, and they head for the door. INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR Ash is walking back to the room, when she spots Stone and Maddy slipping out. DET. ASH Hey! She runs after them. Stone leads Maddy down another corridor, heading toward an elevator, but Ash finds a shortcut and intercepts them. She levels her gun at Stone. Stone does the same to her. DET. ASH (CONT'D) Step away from her, Stone. STONE You're gonna shoot me, Ash? DET. ASH Where's Gina Brayker? STONE She's safe. DET. ASH Prove it. (re: Maddy) Let her go. STONE You got it wrong. I'm trying to protect her. DET. ASH You call this protecting her? It doesn't look so good from here. STONE I don't care how it looks. I'm not the guy you're going after, Ash. DET. ASH You know what the worst of it is, Stone, huh? I trusted you. Gave you information. So, all this is my fault. The elevator doors open. STONE Join the club. A MAN exits the elevator, coming between Stone and Ash. Stone jumps on the opening and pulls Maddy into the elevator. DET. ASH Get down! Get down! The elevator doors close shut. Ash heads for the stairwell, starts racing down the stairs. INT. ELEVATOR - SAME TIME Stone and Maddy are inside. Stone is shaking his head. STONE She just doesn't understand me. INT. HOTEL LOBBY Ash finishes running down the stairs. She sprints to the elevators. No one is there. Stone and Maddy are gone. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S, RECTORY - NIGHT Stone and Maddy enter. Maddy spots Gina inside and runs to her, relieved. MADDY Oh my God, Gina! They hug tightly. It's a tearful reunion. Stone watches, then heads out the door. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S, CHAPEL - LATER Stone is lighting several votive candles, and placing them along all the pews. Father Horn enters. FATHER HORN I can't see the candles, Ezekiel, but I can feel the flame. You're creating a fire hazard. STONE Just testing out a theory. (lights another candle) It's weird. Twice he could've done it. Just sent me back to Hell. But he didn't. Maybe he just thinks, eventually, I'll come around to his point of view. (beat) Actually, maybe he's just lonely. He'll find us though, and when he does... it's gonna be ugly. FATHER HORN You blame yourself for all this, Ezekiel? STONE Well, most people who've died the last few days were killed because I wasn't able to stop him. What if in the end I can't save these two either? They'd be just as dead as if I killed them myself. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S, RECTORY - NIGHT Maddy is on the phone. MADDY Hi, mom. It's me, Maddy. Look, I know you gotta be worried and I don't know what the police have told you but... mom, I just wanted you to know that everything's okay... INT. MADDY'S MOTHER'S HOUSE - INTERCUT MRS. FULLER, Maddy's mother, lies dead on the couch, blood dripping onto the floor. We hear Maddy's voice on the answering machine. MADDY (V.O., CONT'D) ...I'm in a safe place. I'm in a church, okay? I love you, mom. Bye. As the message ends, we see SKARAS'S HAND come into frame, dipping his fingers into Mrs. Fuller's blood and marking his face with it, some sort of tribal insignia. Bare chested, he swings his blade around in a fluid, ritualistic manner. In the same motion, he replays part of the message on the answering machine. MADDY (ON TAPE) ...I'm in a safe place. I'm in a church, okay? I love you, mom. On the tape, the ROAR OF AN AIRLANE can clearly be heard. Skaras is enthused by this clue. SKARAS Rest easy, mother. You'll see your little girl soon. FADE OUT. END OF ACT THREE ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. ST ROSE'S, RECTORY - NIGHT Father Horn dozes, while Gina and Maddy are sleeping on sofas. It's calm, save for the SOUND OF PLANES flying outside. Stone steps quietly into the room, toward Gina. Gina stirs awake. STONE Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you up. GINA It's okay. I wasn't asleep. Stone sits on a table nearby. GINA (CONT'D) (re: Maddy) She's scared. STONE She should be. GINA (studying Stone's face) My husband used to get that same look, right before a big bust; an important stakeout. He knew something bad was gonna happen. You're scared, just like him. STONE You miss him? GINA Every day. STONE Let me ask you something. If you were to wake up one morning and answer the knock on the door, and it was him... what would you do? GINA It would never happen. STONE What if it did? She takes a deep breath, overwhelmed. GINA I would love him the same as always. STONE No questions? GINA No questions. Stone gets up. STONE Better get some sleep. CUT TO: INT. ST ROSE'S, CHAPEL - LATER Stone is lighting more votive candles and placing them around the chapel, when a sudden SCREAM from the rectory gets his attention. INT. RECTORY Stone charges into the room, finds Gina and Father Horn on the floor, shaken and bloodied. GINA (hysterical) He just came... came out of nowhere... he took... STONE Where is he? GINA He took Maddy... he came out of nowhere... just took... Stone starts heading out. GINA (CONT'D) No... no... wait... don't go... don't leave us... FATHER HORN Ezekiel... STONE Close the door behind me. GINA (raving) DON'T GO! NO! DON'T LEAVE US! FATHER HORN Ezekiel... Ezekiel... Stone is out the door. Gina bolts it shut, shaking uncontrollably. INT. CHAPEL Stone creeps through the church, dark except for the glow of the candles. He sweeps the area with his gun, keeping an eye out for Skaras. He moves toward the altar, discovers Maddy lying behind it, unconscious. An ARROW suddenly comes sailing toward him. He ducks in time behind the altar, leaps back up and fires off a couple of rounds into the air. He turns to Maddy. STONE You okay? SKARAS (O.S.) A real soldier wouldn't care. Stone turns toward the voice, but sees nothing. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) That's why I will defeat you. Stone moves away from the altar, into the pews. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) You are weak. Scans the area. Catches only quick glimpses of his shadow. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) I strode this Earth before you, and I'll be here after you're gone. We see one of the stained glass windows, with a painting of Christ... whose eyes suddenly blink and follow Stone... SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) The things I could teach you... Stone catches another glimpse of his shadow, fires his gun at it. As we pass one of the pews, we see Skaras crouched behind it... SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) You have skills, Stone... Follow me. Learn from me. If you still want to serve the same master after that, I'll hold you to that. Skaras suddenly materializes out of the Christ painting, and whips his blade across the church, spearing Stone in the shoulder. Stone doubles over in pain, then pulls the blade out from his shoulder. SKARAS (O.S.) (CONT'D) You fight your general's war but you will never see the personal victory he has promised you. He is the Prince of Lies and he will trick you in the end, just like every other prince, and you will have nothing, and he will still hold your soul. (forceful) Break free as I have! JOIN ME! Then, Stone spots Skaras's shadow over his shoulder. Quickly, he spins around and hurls the blade STRAIGHT INTO SKARAS'S EYES. Skaras unleashes a cry of agony as his soul shoots out from his eyes and descends to Hell in a fiery display. Stone cringes as Skaras's tattoo is burned off his right shoulder. STONE Vae victus, you son of a bitch. He goes to Maddy behind the altar, who is just coming to. STONE (CONT'D) (soothing) Hey, it's okay... you're safe... it's okay... DISSOLVE TO: INT. LAPD, ASH'S DESK - THE NEXT DAY Stone is sitting on a chair. Ash walks into the room, sits on her desk. DET. ASH Well, according to everybody, you're a hero. STONE You mean those still standing. DET. ASH (bitter) Right. (beat) We have some questions left and there's the matter of a few leftover charges like smashing my partner in the face with a door. STONE Yeah, um... tell him I'm sorry about that. Tell him I owe him a Chinese dinner or something. DET. ASH Why don't you tell me what REALLY happened? STONE You mean in the church. DET. ASH Yeah, with that guy and all... STONE Well... I can tell you he won't be bothering you anymore. DET. ASH Alright. She gets up from her desk. DET. ASH (CONT'D) I made some calls. There is no Zeke Stone at NYPD. I don't know who you are, or what game you're playing, but I'm telling you that I will find out. STONE You know... I never lied to you. DET. ASH You're free to go. She hands him his badge back. He takes it, but she doesn't let go, hangs on to it for a moment. Then, finally... she lets go. STONE Thanks. Stone gets up, slips it into his pocket, smiling. DET. ASH (all business) You have my number... or the station's number, in case you need to get in touch with me or something. Stone nods, then walks out the door, leaving Ash alone again, wondering who he is. CUT TO: EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY Stone steps out of the police station into the bright sun, where he finds THE DEVIL dressed in a motorcycle cop's uniform, standing around with a bunch of other cops. DEVIL (in mid-story) ...so the perp says, "How are you gonna prove that, officer? You don't even have a witness." That's when I beat the... "confession" out of him. The cops laugh and start to disperse. DEVIL (CONT'D) I'm just kidding, guys. Save me a donut, will ya? Stone is laughing as well as he looks the Devil up and down. STONE Don't you know it's against the law to impersonate a police officer? DEVIL What do you think YOU'RE doing, Ezekiel? You're impersonating a human being. STONE So how long was he with you? DEVIL What? STONE Hasdrubal Skaras. Legendary slayer of men. Two thousand years? "The longer you're in Hell, the more it becomes a part of you." I was there, what, fifteen years? Stone is clearly rubbing it in. The Devil doesn't like it. DEVIL You be careful, Ezekiel. You know what they say: "Pride goeth before fall." STONE That's it? I mean, no pat on the back? DEVIL (considering it) Maybe... I can see your point. (then) Alright, just this once. The Devil positions himself proudly in front of Stone. DEVIL (CONT'D) Ezekiel Stone, you have the thanks of a grateful netherworld. Keep up the good work. He punches Stone hard in the shoulder... too hard... then hops on his motorcycle and burns out of there. Stone watches him go, rubbing his shoulder. STONE You're welcome. FADE OUT. THE END