The Shroud of Rahmon

Part 1

(Date)

Written by: Jim Kouf

Teaser

INT. VIEWING ROOM - NIGHT

TWO MEN. BROOMFIELD and TURLOCK. Looking through a window into another room.

BROOMFIELD
I'm telling you, this creep knows
what happened. He's playing us.

TURLOCK
Might be, he's got mental problems…

Broomfield, pissed, snorts at that.

BROOMFIELD
I don't care about all that. We got one
body already. And if she dies -

TURLOCK
If she dies, he's all yours.

Broomfield (mildly pacified by that) and Turlock exit frame.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

FROM A HIGH ANGLE WE LOOK DOWN AT A MAN SITTING HUNCHED OVER A TABLE IN A SMALL ROOM. From his posture we can tell he's tired, worn out from some great physical endeavor. Broomfield and Turlock enter, approach the table. Broomfield moves menacingly around to one side. Turlock pulls up the chair opposite the man.

TURLOCK
We can help you. Tell us what you
know, and we'll send you back down
to holding. Stay quiet, and my partner
here will dent your skull.

Nothing from the man.

BROOMFIELD
Hey! You listening?

TURLOCK
My guess is you got yourself involved in
something a little bigger than you
expected. You got scared, panicked,
and in the end there was an officer on
the floor - not to mention the body
without a head.

Broomfield looks to Turlock - "can I hit him now?"-Turlock shakes his head ever so slightly, watching the man.

TURLOCK (cont'd)
Do yourself a favor and -

THE MAN'S VOICE
She shouldn't have been there. She
didn't know…

The man at the table raises his head slowly. It's WESLEY. And he looks like he's had a very difficult night of it. And something about him seems slightly off center…

WESLEY
I had to warn him… he didn't know what
he was getting into… none of them did.
If they'd known, they wouldn't have…
(suddenly worried)
You didn't bring it here, did you? No,
then it'd be too late for all of us… He
grabbed her hard… very hard… I'm quite
good with the ladies myself, you know.

TURLOCK
Just tell us what happened.

Beat. Wesley looks up. The despair on Wesley's face surprises even Turlock. PUSHING IN:

WESLEY
…It all went horribly wrong.

INT. DARK ROOM - NIGHT

A DARK ROOM. SLOW MOTION of a WOMAN'S BODY DROPPING to the FLOOR. We don't see her face. BUT WE SUDDENLY SWITCH SPEED AS WE RUSH FORWARD TO -

-- Angel. His face appears out of the shadows. He's FULL VAMP. And blood oozes down the side of his mouth. He has just feasted.

END OF TEASER

Act One

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM

WESLEY
None of us knew the effect it would
have until it was too late… I tried to
stop him but I got hit and I fell and when
I looked up… he had her, he was holding
her… and then she was on the floor…
(suddenly; a bit desperate)
If we had found out sooner… I
would've stopped him… I would have.

TURLOCK
Stopped who?

WESLEY
(as if he hasn't heard them)
He should never have been there…
(small smile or laugh)
…of all people he should never…
(beat)
…you don't tell him what to do, he's
the boss.

BROOMFIELD
The boss…

WESLEY
He helps people, you know, when he's
not in trouble himself… Cordy and I
tried to get him out of there… she was
with me… oh God, Cordelia

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY/RECEPTION - NIGHT

CLOSE ON WESLEY - as he enter frame, sees something shocking.

WESLEY
What happened to your head?

REVERSE - CORDELIA

is tidying up the office, getting ready to close for the evening. She sports an extremely cute new hair cut.

CORDELIA
Excuse me?

WESLEY
Your hair, it's new - it's great -
when did this happen?

CORDELIA
Ten days ago.

WESLEY
Of course. I didn't want to embarrass
you by -

CORDELIA
Noticing. Nice suit.

Wesley wears a sharp suit.

WESLEY
I was just on my way out to -

CORDELIA
-- yet another glamorous celebrity-filled
gala with Miss Virginia Bryce?

Cordelia covers a huge fake YAWN. Wesley glances upstairs, worried.

WESLEY
Have you seen Angel? I thought maybe
we should check on him… he doesn't
seem to be doing much with his time
lately…

CORDELIA
Au contraire, his day has been packed;
brood about Darla, brood about Darla,
lunch, followed by a little Darla
brooding…

WESLEY
Enough is enough. And I'm going to
march up there and tell him just that.

He doesn't move.

CORDELIA
Nice posturing.

WESLEY
Thank you.

CORDELIA
Anyway, he's not there. Gunn's cousin
got involved in something pretty big -
big meaning "illegal". So Angel and
Gunn went to see if they could help.

WESLEY
That's good, he's getting out. This
whole Darla situation…

CORDELIA
Is working like a charm.
(off his look)
Wolfram and Hart's plan, to scramble
Angel's brain with eggs a la Darla 'til he
can't even see straight, much less fight
the Big Bad.

WESLEY
I can't argue with that. It just
makes me wonder -

CORDELIA
-- what they're gonna do next. Which
is exactly how they want us. Dazed and
confused.

They look at each other. A beat. Wes stands -

WESLEY
We won't give them the satisfaction.
We'll get on with our lives as though
they didn't exist.

CORDELIA
Time to traipse off to your shallow,
soulsucking Hollywood party?

WESLEY
Premiere, actually. And I happen to
have an extra ticket -

Cordelia grabs her coat and hustles Wes toward the door.

CORDELIA
Who does shallow better than me?

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

It's dark. Angel, Gunn, and LESTER, Gunn's cousin, are meeting.

Lester is cautious, nervous, doesn't want to be seen talking to anybody.

LESTER
(re: Angel)
He's cool, right?

GUNN
He's cool.

LESTER
(to Angel)
Not that I'm prejudiced, I just hate
vampires.

ANGEL
You're enlightened, I can tell.

LESTER
See how they do? They mess with your
mind. The whole reason I call you, "G" -

GUNN
-- is cause you got a vampire problem.
And Angel has a little experience in
that area. Spill, we don't got all night.

Beat.

LESTER
… I sort of said I'd take this job, driving.

GUNN
Mmm, hmm, not the ice cream truck.

LESTER
For a big time crew, I never met 'em
but E.J. vouched for me with them and
now I'm thinkin'…

GUNN
You'd like to stay out of prison?

LESTER
There's that, and then I heard they were
bringin' in this psycho vampire from
'Vegas and like I said…
(glances at Angel)

ANGEL
What's the job?

LESTER
Taking off some museum, don't know
which one.

ANGEL
What are they after?

LESTER
Somethin' big, supernatural. It's goin'
down later this week but I'm s'posed to
meet the head honcho tonight. And if I
don't show… E.J. vouched, these guys
don't hunt me down and kill me, he will.

GUNN
Where's the meet?

Lester produces a piece of paper, holds it down coolly by his side. Angel reaches for the paper, but Gunn takes if first. Angel looks down at his empty hand.

ANGEL
Psycho vampire got name?

LESTER
Yeah, E.J. said it, something like…
Jee-don, Joe-don -

ANGEL
Jay-don.

LESTER
Yeah, that's it. He's comin' in for the
meetin' tonight. They're pickin' him up.

ANGEL
You know where.

LESTER
Downtown bus, midnight.
(beat)
What am I gonna do?

Angel starts to speak, but Gunn beats him to it.

GUNN
Take the meeting. I'll get you out
before the crime goes down.

LESTER
I owe you cuz', big time -

Les tries to hug Gunn. Turns to Angel, surprisingly friendly.

LESTER (cont'd)
Nice to meet ya'!

Lester goes. Gunn turns to Angel.

GUNN
You know this Jay-Don blood-sucker?

ANGEL
I know of him.

GUNN
And…?

ANGEL
He's a player - big on the night life,
and way too dangerous for you. I'll
take it from here.

GUNN
You'll what?

Gunn holds up the paper with the address.

GUNN (cont'd)
We're talkin' about my cousin's life.

Angel grabs the paper from him.

ANGEL
Which is why I don't want a guy like
you jumping into this thing guns
ablazin'.

GUNN
Since when do I take orders from you?

ANGEL
Since I'm payin' you.

GUNN
This ain't a payin' gig - I brought it
to you!

ANGEL
And I'm takin' it from here - if I
can shut it down, great. If not, I'll
protect him.

GUNN
What am I supposed to do, sit home
and knit?

ANGEL
I could use a sweater. Something dark.

Angel gets in his car, drives off. Off Gunn, not happy with this turn of events.

EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - NIGHT

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Dark, quiet. We HEAR MOVEMENT. Someone passes in front of us. Very close. We just get the shape… female… long blond hair. Oh shit, Darla's back.

Door opens fast.

The woman turns. Still don't see her face. Just her head turning suddenly… the shape of her body turning… and her blond hair swinging (MAYBE IN SLOW MOTION). This should be a bit on the sexy side. Then ON ANGEL:

ANGEL
Darla?

But as the woman completes her turn, we discover it is in fact KATE LOCKLEY. Standing in Angel's apartment, holding some papers she's been rummaging through.

KATE
You expecting her?
(no answer)
'Cause that'd really cut down on my
legwork.

ANGEL
What are you doing here?

Kate moves around Angel to look more thoroughly around the apartment. She shows no fear.

KATE
Well, there's this little thing about a
murder she was involved in. You
remember, few weeks ago. Guy got his
throat ripped out. Though I'm sure you're
gonna tell me she's innocent.

She looks at Angel, who deadpans her.

KATE (cont'd)
Maybe not. Don't supposed you'd
testify against her in a blindingly
sunny court of law?

ANGEL
Don't suppose you have a search
warrant?

Kate puts the papers aside, REVEALING a CROSS in one hand - the end sharpened into a STAKE. They eye one another.

KATE
(flatly)
I knew I forgot something…

ANGEL
Darla's not here - I don't know
where she is.

KATE
I will find her, Angel. You can be sure
of that. And when I do, she's toast.

ANGEL
She's human now, remember?

KATE
Toast with life in prison.

ANGEL
Listen, Kate. There are forces at work
here you know nothing about.

KATE
Gathering storm, is it…?

ANGEL
Which you don't want to get caught in.

KATE
You afraid I'll get hurt?

Angel moves a little closer.

ANGEL
No… I'm afraid you'll get killed.
I'm telling you this so you won't.

KATE
(beat)
Me dead. I'd be kind of like you, then,
wouldn't I? You think I'm gonna stand
by while you and you playmate finish
the game?

ANGEL
Let's try this one more time…

Suddenly Angel moves more quickly than she can react to. She tries to raise the cross, but he hast it out of her hand before she realizes it. He flings the cross - it IMBEDS ITSELF in the wall on the other side of the room. Thin wisps of smoke curl up from the wood.

ANGEL (cont'd)
You get between me and Darla, it'll
be the last thing you ever do.

Kate is suddenly a lot less sure of herself, feeling a very real threat from Angel, which she's never felt before. But Angel steps away from her. Kate hesitates, not wanting to show fear, but… she crosses to the door. Doesn't even look back.

Angel watches her go. FLASH CUT:

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY/RECEPTION - NIGHT

Cordelia and Wes enter. Cor has cocktail sauce splashed all over the front of her dress - large, vivid red BLOTCHES.

WESLEY
Really, the stain is, it's hardly
noticeable.

Angel rounds the corner from the reception desk.

ANGEL
Cordelia, what happened?

CORDELIA
It's not blood, it's cocktail sauce,
courtesy of Mr. Star Schmoozer here.

ANGEL
I mean to your head.
(she stops)
Your hair - it looks great. When did
this happen?

WESLEY
Ten days ago. Pay attention.

Cor shakes her head at both of them, moves out of sight, behind the Reception desk.

WESLEY (cont'd)
We had a mishap. With the little
shrimp. And the sauce. And her dress.

ANGEL
You were at a party?

CORDELIA (O.S.)
Oh, you know. "Party". "Soiree".
"Night of a Thousand Humiliations."

WESLEY
(confidential, to Angel)
I spilled it on her in front of Mr.
Fat Chow Chow.

Cordelia appears behind reception, new clothes in hand.

CORDELIA
CHOW YUN FAT!
(disappears again)

ANGEL
(excited)
You met Chow Yun Fat?

WESLEY
(beat)
How'd it go with Gunn's cousin?

ANGEL
Fine. A group of - Cordelia?

CORDELIA (O.S.)
Listening!

ANGEL
A group of thieves is planning to steal
something from a local museum.
Probably something with mystical power.
Which means, something we really don't
want them to have.

WESLEY
Indeed. Do you have any idea which
museum they'll be targeting?

ANGEL
No. Gunn's cousin didn't know. He's
just the driver.

WESLEY
(nods)
We should find out which museums in
the area have recent acquisitions.

ANGEL
Well, I did a little… I clicked the little…
(gamely)
I turned on the computer.

Cordelia's head pops over the reception desk (she's wearing a clean BLOUSE), her mouth open.

 CORDELIA
You did?

WESLEY
You did?

ANGEL
I know how to turn it on.

CORDELIA
No, no - that's good. That's really -
(stops)
I can't talk to you with no pants on.

ANGEL
You have no pants on?

CORDELIA
See, now that you know… it's weird,
huh?

She disappears. Angel looks at Wes.

WESLEY
This is wonderful. You're on a case.
You're back.

Angel gives him a look. Cordelia comes around the corner in a new outfit, barefoot and enthusiastic.

CORDELIA
It'll be just like old times, right, Angel?
Meeting evil face-to-face, kicking evil's
booty. Wes and I'll crank up the research
machine and you'll - what will you do
again?

ANGEL
They're brining a vampire in from Las
Vegas tonight, named Jay-Don. He's got
a rep. If he's involved, it's a big heist.

WESLEY
I've heard of him. Isn't he a, um…

CORDELIA
(trying to be helpful)
Deadly killer?

WESLEY
Well that, of course, I was going to
say a loud and flashy type of
character?

ANGEL
He ran with the whole Sinatra Rat
Pack, never got over it. I'm thinkin'
I'll meet his bus.

CORDELIA
And take his place! Great plan, boss.
What better way to get your mind
off… things we don't even need to -
(to Wes)
-- how loud and flashy?

WESLEY
I believe he's quite the extrovert.

They both look at Angel.

ANGEL
What?

WESLEY
I'm sure you can pull it off.
You're… colorful.

CORDELIA
Yes. Yes you are. You are a colorful,
outgoing… Casino greeter if I ever…
(gives up)

ANGEL
As long as I don't have to sing.

EXT. BUS - NIGHT

A BUS flashes past, rolling down the highway.

CLOSE ON BUS WHEELS moving fast. Something clinging to the underneath. This is JAY-DON. Colorful clothes, cool shades.

EXT. BUS STATION - NIGHT

It's late. A few buses lined up. Passengers departing. We PAN AROUND THE FRONT OR REAR of the bus and discover JAY-DON having just come out from under the driver's side of the bus.

He's a natty dresser, loud colorful shirt, cool shades.

ANGEL'S VOICE
This is such an honor -

Jay-don turns. A little taken by surprise. Angel, his long black coat buttoned up to his neck like a nerd, is right there, playing the big fan.

ANGEL
I'm a big fan, when the boss said Jay-Don
was coming in on this I was just… wow,
think I could see your glasses?

JAY-DON
Nobody touches the glasses or the
hair, Doll.

ANGEL
Ha ha ha, that's cool, you got it… I'm
supposed to ask you something, what
is it? Oh yeah, what's the password?

JAY-DON
There is no password.

Angel immediately STAKES JAY-DON with his ratchet-stake. Jay-don starts to dust from the impact-point outward. Angel grabs the sunglasses from Jay-don's head just before they would have turned to dust.

ANGEL
Just checking.

Angel slips the shades on and starts unbuttoning his coat. We see a flash of bright color beneath it.

ANGLE - THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE BUS

As the last passengers gets off, head into the night. The DRIVER locks up the luggage compartment and moves away. In the shadows a man watches. This is MENLO. His subtle demon traits have been covered up with clothing, some facial hair, and cosmetics. He looks a little like an accident victim with bad plastic surgery.

Menlo edges towards the bus, glancing underneath it.

MENLO
Jay-don?

Angel in bright shirt, Jay-Don's shades (which he will wear some of the time but not all of the time), is right behind him.

ANGEL
Made you look.

Startled, Menlo turns.

ANGEL (cont'd)
How you doin'? You look sharp-
(lowers voice)
--that plastic surgeon give you a big
rebate?

MENLO
Let's go. Car's over here.

ANGEL
Yeah the trip was faboo and thank you
for asking. I love flyin' coach and
what is that piece of junk?

Angel is referring to Menlo's car, a crappy station wagon possibly with different color doors.

MENLO
(fuck you)
You're funny, vampire.

ANGEL
We need to talk, bro'. Two things
bringin' in the chicks: the do'…
(touches his own hair)
…and the ride.

MENLO
Get in.

ANGEL
Hope I don't see anybody I know.

EXT. THE HIDEOUT - NIGHT

The station wagon blows in.

INT. HIDEOUT - NIGHT

A LARGE THUG-LIKE DEMON is looking out the window as the station wagon pulls up. His arms are heavily muscled. So is his neck. His name is VYASA.

VYASA
He's got him.

Now we see ANOTHER MAN, a human named BOB. Drinking from a bottle of cheap whiskey. Bob stops his nervous pacing and moves to the window, slipping the bottle onto the table.

BOB
Vampires wig me.

VYASA
(smiles)
You feel like a meal?

Door opens. Menlo enters with Angel. Angel sizes up Bob (in his security guard uniform) and Vyasa as he walks in.

ANGEL
Don't tell me. You're…
(reading his name tag)
Bob, the security guard and you're…
(checks out Vyasa)
…just a great big monster, aren't you.

MENLO
This is Jay-Don. He talks too much.

ANGEL
I'm a people person.
(to Vyasa)
Like the shirt, you get that at Ed's
Big and Spiny?

VYASA
He's funny.
(to Angel)
You're funny. When I crush your head
you'll be even funnier.

ANGEL
Funny ha ha or funny peculiar?

MENLO
Shut up all of you.

BOB
I wasn't talkin'

MENLO
Where's Lester?

ANGEL
Yeah, where's Lester, we can't get the
ball rollin' without Lester. Who's
Lester?

BOB
The driver.

MENLO
He shoulda been here by now. I don't
like it.

ANGEL
Me, either. Waiting bores me.
(eyeing Bob)
You got anybody to eat around here?

Just then a NOISE is heard outside. Menlo glances out the window, then moves toward the door.

MENLO
Finally.

ANGEL
What kind of name is "Lester"
anyway? Norwegian? Finnish?

Menlo opens the door, talking to someone we can't see.

MENLO
What took you so long?

He steps back, letting GUNN walk inside.

GUNN
What took me so long is I'm a
professional: I cased the neighborhood,
made sure no cops followed me…

Gunn looks at Angel who is not pleased to see him there.

GUNN (cont'd)
Looks like I'm the last one at the
party.

Off Angel -

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

INT. HIDEOUT - NIGHT

CLOSE ON A LAYOUT OF A BUILDING. Menlo is rolling out a BLUEPRINT of the museum on a table. We PULL BACK to find Menlo, Vyasa and Bob dealing with the blueprint, while Gunn and Angel stand apart from the group. Gunn is looking at something on the wall, Angel standing a bit in front of him - i.e. not looking at each other.

ANGEL
(low)
I told you I'd handle this.

GUNN
(low, as well)
I told you, I don't take orders.

Menlo looks over at Angel and Gunn, suspicious.

MENLO
Somethin' wrong?

Gunn turns, pushes past Angel.

GUNN
Depends - do we all gotta wear them
ugly-ass shirts? Is this, you know, like
a team thing? 'Cause I've got my pride.

Gunn and Angel join the rest of the gang over the table.

GUNN (cont'd)
So what we stealin', anyway? Ming
somethin's, Egyptian somethin's?

MENLO
The shroud of Rahmon. Worth over two
million on the black market. You want
to pay attention now?

GUNN
You got my undivided.

Menlo points at the blueprint.

MENLO
This door is our access. Bob will
turn the alarm off at 2:40. We go
down this hall to the elevator where
Bob will meet us at 2: 45. We go
down together.

Menlo runs his finger along the map, ending at a large room.

MENLO (cont'd)
This is the vault where they keep it. The
vault has a lock code, known only to the
curator, which means we'll have to blow
it. The door itself is not alarmed. But the
inside of the vault has its own system,
a thermal sensor.

BOB
Any change of temperature sets off
the alarm.

ANGEL
Guess that's where I come in.

GUNN
(getting it)
No body heat. Goes with the no soul
thing, huh?

MENLO
Jay-Don gets to the control box in the
back and disables it. Then we all
move in.

ANGEL
How big is the case?

Menlo pulls out an ANCIENT WOODCUT ILLUSTRATION OF A BOX.

MENLO
Big. Made of consecrated wood, sealed
at the edges with gold. The inside of the
case is lined with lead so it weighs a ton.
We'll need all of us to lift it.

VYASA
I can take my end…
(turns to Bob)
…I'm not too sure about him.

BOB
I can handle my side.

GUNN
Yeah, maybe with a forklift.

BOB
You want a piece of me?

ANGEL
This guy -
(points to Gunn)
-- is a trouble maker. I know a Vajnu
demon, professional driver, never
opens his mouth.

GUNN
And I know a vampire who better shut
his mouth right now.

Angel turns to the others, nice smile.

ANGEL
Guys, I apologize, this is something
I should just -

Angel, his gaze on Menlo and the others, blind-sides Gunn with a sucker punch. Gunn caroms off a wall and Angel has his arm around Gunn's neck in an instant.

ANGEL (cont'd)
-- take outside.

Angel has a stunned Gunn almost to the door when Menlo swings his TWO BIG NINE MILLIMETERS in his face. Vyasa moving up real fast on his other flank with a BIG STAKE.

MENLO
I have a problem with that.

Angel hesitates. Gunn wrenches himself free.

ANGEL
You expect me to spend the rest of
the week with this clown?

MENLO
No. I expect you to spend the rest of
the night with him. 'Cause we're not
waitin', we're doin' this thing now.

GUNN
Tonight?

MENLO
And nobody leaves my sight until it's
done. Anyone tries to - gets a bullet
from me or a stake from him.

VYASA
After I crush his head.

Off Angel and Gunn.

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY/RECEPTION - NIGHT

Cordy is tapping away at the computer, searching a news database. Wesley is standing over her shoulder.

CORDELIA
Museums, museums… we've got the
MOCA, the LACMA - ooo, the Gene
Autry…
(off his look)
Well, it could be a magical stuffed horse.

WESLEY
Let's assume not and try Natural
History.

She moves the mouse, clicks on it.

CORDELIA
Here we go…
(scans the page)
Site map, membership, museum shop…
Don't they have a section like, "Things
You Might Wanna Steal"?

WESLEY
Click on Recent Acquisitions.
(as she's looking)
Right there. There.

CORDELIA
I got it.
(clicks the mouse)
Sheesh. Backseat surfer.

As she's scanning the page, Wes looks at his watch.

WESLEY
Angel should have been back by now.

CORDELIA
Maybe the meeting ran late.
(reads)
Could it be a collection of
Chelicerate Arthropods?

Wesley looks at the screen.

WESLEY
Keep going… hold it…
(reading)
On the third of this month, the
Museum Research department received
the Shroud of Rahmon from a tomb
recently unearthed by the University of
New Mexico archaeologists…

CORDELIA
Okay, two words I don't like right off
the bat, "tomb" and "unearthed". People,
you gotta leave your tombs earthed.

WESLEY
Shroud of Rahmon… Ever heard of it?

CORDELIA
I'm not big on shrouds. They're an
after-you-die outfit.

WESLEY
Get everything you can from the
museum database. I'll hit the books.

EXT. STOCK SHOT MUSEUM - NIGHT

EXT. MUSEUM LOADING DOCK - NIGHT

HEADLIGHTS PULL DIRECTLY UP TO CAMERA, REVEALING A SECURITY GATE. The truck stops. Gunn leans out the window, cutting the lock. The gate opens. The truck pulls through.

The TRUCK backs to a door. Gunn and Menlo step down from the cab. The back door slides open. Vyasa and Angel jump down from the back. They move quickly. Giving the impression that they are now a precision instrument of crime.

Menlo, carrying a small bag, moves to the double doors. Checks his watch.

MENLO
Now.

Menlo reaches for the door. Angel steps in front of Gunn who's heading for the doors.

ANGEL
The driver should stay with the
truck. In case somebody shows up.

MENLO
We need him inside.

The others head in, Gunn and Angel following.

GUNN
Don't hit me again.

ANGEL
(low voice)
I was trying to protect you.

GUNN
I appreciate that.

Without looking at Angel, Gunn hits him in the side of the head.

GUNN (cont'd)
Don't do it again.

Before Angel can respond, Gunn moves ahead, entering. AS THE MEN enter, WE HOLD ON THE LOCK, REVEALING the lock has been duct-taped open.

INT. MUSEUM - FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT

Menlo, Angel, Vyasa and Gunn move quickly down the hallway toward the ELEVATOR. Just as they arrive at the elevator a light blinks on and the bell chimes. The doors slide open, revealing Bob. Everything is working perfectly. They enter the elevator.

INT. MUSEUM - ELEVATOR - NIGHT

Bob inserts a key, punches the BASEMENT LEVEL. Angel glances at the others.

Now, for the first time, he can see that the men are nervous. Vyasa is sweating. Menlo is clenching and unclenching one of his hands, staring at the doors. And Gunn is looking at Angel. But his expression is all business. Bob checks his watch.

BOB
We got one minute before Earl makes
his rounds.
(looks at Vyasa)
You don't have to hit him hard.

INT. MUSEUM - BASEMENT FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT

Elevator doors open. Bob leads the way down the hall to a locked door. He inserts a SECURITY CARD, punches in the code on the ALARM PAD on the wall. The alarm light turns from RED to GREEN. We HEAR FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING down the hallway.

Bob nods to Menlo. Menlo pulls his gun.

ANOTHER SECURITY GUARD appears around the corner behind them. The Security Guard is middle-aged with a paunch. This is EARL. Not too interested in his job. He stops when he sees the group ahead of him.

SECURITY GUARD
What's going on?

Menlo turns, one arm around Bob's neck.

BOB
They've got me, Earl!

The Security Guard suddenly realizes something is wrong. He goes for his gun as Vyasa looms up suddenly behind him. With one swing from his massive arm, Vyasa knocks the guard off his feet. The guard crashes against the wall. He slumps to the ground, out cold.

Vyasa is just about to slam a fist down onto the guard's head, when Angel grabs his arm.

ANGEL
You kill him, the cops will be all
over us. We have to do this clean.

Vyasa turns angrily to Angel, ready to take him on.

MENLO
Tape him and let's go.

Menlo pulls a roll of duct tape from his satchel. Tosses it to Bob. Bob moves between Angel and Vyasa.

BOB
Get outa the way.

INT. MUSEUM - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF VAULT - NIGHT

They round the corner and come face to face with the VAULT DOOR. A large bank-like metal door. They stand staring at it for a moment. Menlo sets his bag on the floor, never taking his eyes off the vault.

Angel watches Menlo.

Menlo puts a hand on the vault door… almost as if he can feel the power of what's behind it. Each man looks as if he can hardly wait to rip it right off its hinges.

VYASA
Come on, hurry up and blow it!

CLOSE ON A DRILL BIT

As it slowly digs into the vault door.

Menlo is pushing hard on the drill. Sweating. He glances to Angel next to him. Nods. And Angel sprays lubricant around the drill bit.

Angel glances at Gunn. Gunn is connecting wires to a small plunger. He looks back at Angel. Off their look.

INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT

SURVEILLANCE PHOTOGRAPHS are spread on a desk. In them, we recognize Menlo with Bob, in the middle of a discussion. The photographs were taken during the day in a parking lot.

SURVEILLANCE COP ONE
This one is a security guard at the
Southern California Museum of Natural
History. His name is Robert Skale.

Now we see who is looking at the photographs - TWO PLAIN CLOTHES SURVEILLANCE COPS. We don't yet see who they're presenting the photographs to.

SURVEILLANCE COP ONE (cont'd)
He's got a record, small timer. The other
one may or may not be one M. James Menlo
who likes to crack bank vaults. Our guess is
they're putting together a heist, probably at
the museum. Then we picked up this one
earlier tonight.

The surveillance cop hands ANOTHER PHOTO to the person they're presenting their report to.

SURVEILLANCE COP ONE (cont'd)
We couldn't make this guy until we ran
it past Carlson. He said you knew him.

We get a look at the next photograph. Outside the bus station at night. We recognize Menlo and… Angel.

SURVEILLANCE COP ONE (cont'd)
It's out of the scope of our
investigation, but Carlson said you
might be interested.

We PAN UP FROM THE PHOTO to REVEAL KATE.

KATE
I'm interested.

INT. MUSEUM - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF VAULT - NIGHT

Menlo lifts a small vile of nitro, packed in cotton, from a styrofoam case. A small hole has been drilled into the vault door. He starts to insert the nitro into the hole.

Gunn, Vyasa and Angel watch. Everybody getting tenser by the moment.

VYASA
You're taking too long!

GUNN
Spine-man, chill, this is nitro. Last
thing I want is my body parts
mixed up with yours.

Menlo carefully starts to insert the thin bottle into the drilled hole.

VYASA
We should be in the vault by now!

MENLO
SHUT UP!

The bottle slips from Menlo's hand -

GUNN
AHH!

THE BOTTLE

-- tumbles to the floor. And just before it hits --

A BOOT

-- slides beneath it, catching it an inch off the floor.

ANGEL

carefully lifts his boot and takes hold of the bottle as the others stare at him.

ANGEL
Allow me.

Angel carefully inserts the bottle into the hole. Exchanges a look with Menlo. Bob comes running down the hall.

BOB
Come on, what's taking you guys
so long?!

Everyone gives him a look as if they could kill him.

BOB (cont'd)
What?

CLOSE ON A SMALL ELECTRIC PLUNGER

As Menlo attaches the last wire. Everyone stands back. Menlo turns the plunger.

AN EXPLOSION blows the lock off the vault door.

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT

CLOSE ON A WOODCUT PRINTING OF THE SHROUD OF RAHMON.

WESLEY
… the shroud was woven by the head
priest, said to have been driven mad
by the demon himself.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL Wes and Cordelia.

WESLEY (cont'd)
Once Rahmon was defeated, the priest
dyed the shroud with the blood of seven
virgin women sacrificed on the first full
moon then laid it upon Rahmon's body…
in order to prevent his resurrection.

CORDELIA
Why is it always virgin women who
have to do the sacrificing?

WESLEY
For purity, I suppose.

CORDELIA
It has nothing to do with purity. It's
all about dominance, buddy, You can
bet if somebody ordered a male body
part for religious sacrifice, the world
would be atheist like that.

WESLEY
The shroud supposedly absorbed
Rahmon's power…

CORDELIA
So he who has the shroud has the
power. You said Rahmon was a drive-
you-mad kinda fella?

WESLEY
(re: book, it's bad)
Ohhh…

CORDELIA
I hate it when you do that.

WESLEY
Once, in 1803, the shroud was removed
from it's casing…

CORDELIA
And yuckiness ensued?

WESLEY
Well, yes. The entire population of El
Encanto went insane, mothers and
children hacking one another to
pieces, men roaming the streets like
rabid dogs -

CORDELIA
I get the picture. So in order to take
take his mind off the torment that is
Darla, we sent Angel after a box that
makes you crazy.
(beat)
This is Gunn's fault, really, it was
his cousin, wasn't my cousin - I'm
cousin-free.

WESLEY
At any rate, the coffin is sealed now.
As long as one doesn't open it, the
effects seem to be minimal.

CORDELIA
Minimal insane effects. Isn't that nice.
Angel's such a balanced creature,
maybe he'll only kill a few people!

WESLEY
I don't think -

CORDELIA
And hello, these guys want the
shroud, so they steal the box it's in,
they're gonna open it!

WESLEY
Worst case scenario, we warn him off
it before they steal the shroud.

CORDELIA
Just as soon as he comes back.

Beat.

CORDELIA (cont'd)
Unless of course they're stealing it
right now.

Another beat. They both bolt out of frame.

INT. MUSEUM - VAULT - NIGHT

Vault door opens. Angel steps in, door closing behind him. The room is lit by an eerie light. The vault has several drawers, big and small on all sides. And in the middle of the room is the very large, coffin sized, box.

Angel starts past the box toward the back of the room, but stops. Something pulling him. He looks toward the box. His EYES SUDDENLY START TO MORPH YELLOW… THEN REVERT TO NORMAL. Angel has felt something. But he's not sure what just happened to him… he continues toward the box…

INT. MUSEUM - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF VAULT - NIGHT

Vyasa, Menlo, Gunn and Bob wait on the outside. But, they too, are feeling a little of the effects.

Vyasa is breathing harder. Bob is fidgeting nervously. Menlo is staring at the vault door. And Gunn is watching the others, but he can't help but feel a heightening tension.

BOB
I can feel it. You feel it? This is
gonna be amazing…

INT. MUSEUM - VAULT - NIGHT

ANGEL'S MOVING P.O.V. AS HE APPROACHES THE BOX

And now we see the glass window on top. Pushing in slowly to the window. And now, behind the THICK DISTORTED GLASS, we can see the DEMON FACE OF RAHMON on the death shroud… almost as if it's staring back at us.

ANGEL

Stares into the glass and he suddenly, uncontrollably, MORPHS INTO VAMP FACE. THEN HE SUDDENLY DE-VAMPS.

He backs off, freaked - what the hell just happened to him? Off Angel, getting control of himself again.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

Continue on to Part Two

 


 

The Shroud of Rahmon

Part 2

October 9, 2000 (BLUE)

Written by: Jim Kouf

Act Three

INT. MUSEUM - VAULT - NIGHT

Angel pulls back from the box and forces himself to the back of the vault. Opens the alarm door. INSIDE is a bunch of colored wires. Angel stares at the wires for a moment, then carefully reaches in as if he's about to perform delicate surgery, grabs the whole bunch of them and rips them out of the wall.

INT. MUSEUM - HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF VAULT - NIGHT

Menlo is staring up at a RED ALARM LIGHT above the door. It suddenly fades.

MENLO
He did it.

Menlo reaches for the vault door -

INT. MUSEUM - VAULT - NIGHT

Gunn, Menlo, Vyasa and Bob enter the vault, where Angel stands at the back. They look at the large coffin-like box in the center of the room. Cast in an eerie light.

GUNN
I feel something weird in here.

VYASA
Human's always got to feel something
about everything. And they always tell
you about it.
(mockingly)
I am so happy, I am so sad, I am so
scared. Makes me sick.

ANGEL
I don't know. I like it when they're
scared. Makes 'em taste kinda…
salty.

Vyasa turns on Angel, gets right up in his face.

VYASA
Did I ask your opinion, you
overgrown leech?

ANGEL
(re: Vyasa's breath)
Altoids, aisle four.

Menlo gets quickly between Angel and Vyasa.

MENLO
We don't have time for this. Let's
just get it and get out.

BOB
We don't' have time for this. We are
a team! We are in this TOGETHER!

VYASA
(deadpan)
Shut up or I'll kill you.

BOB
Right. Okay. Copy that.

They cross to the case, each man feeling the power seeping from its contents. We see the thick glass window at the top - and beneath it, the unholy FACEPRINT of the demon Rahmon on the shroud. The men stare.

GUNN
When are they gonna start makin' some
pretty demons?

BOB
(looks, giggling)
Not as ugly as my mother!
(suddenly serious)
Who said that?

MENLO
Let's go. On the count of three -

All the men hunch over, grab a part of the case. Gunn is crouched next to Angel. ANGEL'S EYES START TO VAMP AGAIN AND THEN DE-VAMP. Gunn notices.

GUNN
You gonna turn or something?

ANGEL
No.

GUNN
You don't look like "no."

MENLO
One -

ANGEL
Shut up and lift, Lester.

MENLO
Two -

GUNN
Don't give me orders, Elvis.

MENLO
Three.

As the men begin to heave -

INT. MUSEUM - LOADING DOCK DOOR - NIGHT

Cordelia and Wesley enter, eyeing the tape on the door.

WESLEY
So it is tonight. They must be
somewhere…

As they get a few steps inside, they both feel lightheaded.

WESLEY (cont'd)
… inside.
(hand to head)
Sorry, I'm feeling a little…

CORDELIA
Me, too… I think it's the altitude.

WESLEY
Right…

They continue down the hallway.

WESLEY (cont'd)
The altitude here at sea level.

They both chuckle a little at that and abruptly stop.

WESLEY (cont'd)
Let's not lose focus…

CORDELIA
Maybe we should split up.

WESLEY
No, too dangerous to split up. We'd
better stick together.

CORDELIA
Right.

Cordelia and Wesley take separate hallways.

EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

Kate's car pulls up next to the truck. Kate steps out. Pulling her gun. She moves to the museum door. Pulls it open. Sees the duct-taped lock. Looks inside. Then pulls her phone.

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

The gang carries the heavy case down the hallway. The men are strained physically and mentally. Everyone looking as if the rivets are ready to pop. Gunn's end is sagging.

ANGEL
Try holding up your corner, Les.

GUNN
Who died and made you corner monitor?

VYASA
You two gonna get married or what?

GUNN
Same old story. Vampires always
pushing people around. Think the
world is theirs.

MENLO
What I have seen of the world, they
can have it.

BOB
I visited Topkapi once.

GUNN
Nothin' but take, take, take - they
take your blood, take your sister.

VYASA
Someone shut that human up!

GUNN
(still to Angel)
You wanna take somebody? Let's see
you take me.

Gunn suddenly lets go of the case. Now it's off balance…Angel, Menlo, Bob and Vyasa try to hold it.

BOB
IT'S SLIPPING!

And now Angel has to let go as Gunn comes at him. The case starts to fall…

MENLO
DON'T LET IT DROP!

Bob and Menlo can't keep the case from falling.

VYASA
HOLD IT!

Bob suddenly lets go and jumps out of the way as the box drops with a loud crash… the GLASS WINDOW CRACKING. WE HEAR A LOUD HISS suddenly escape from the box… almost like a faint scream.

BOB
Oops.

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

Kate moves down the hallway… The SOUND OF HER BREATHING becomes louder. Her FOOTSTEPS SEEM to ECHO. She stops, suddenly feeling a little dizzy… Something strange is going on.

INT. MUSEUM - BASEMENT HALLWAY - NIGHT

CLOSE ON GUNN, as he's SHOVED up against a wall by Angel.

ANGEL
You know, I'm getting pretty sick of this
vampires-killed-my-sister-so-now-I'm-
all-entitled song. Don't you know any
others? Like, say, "MacArthur Park"?

GUNN
(menacing)
Get your hand off my throat.

ANGEL
Ah ah ah - you gonna play nice?

GUNN
(beat)
I'm cool.

A small beat, then Angel lets go of Gunn, who (unseen to Angel) slips a hand inside his jacket or back pocket, finding a STAKE. WIDEN TO REVEAL Menlo, Bob, and Vyasa staring at the case on the floor. Bob is rocking on his heels, grinning with a manic glee.

BOB
Don't touch the glass or you'll
bleed! Glass makes you bleed, and
the vampire wolf will eat us all up!

MENLO
(verging on paranoid)
We can't leave it here. We have to
move it. Someone else will come.
We have to move it.

VYASA
(to Gunn and Angel)
I thought you were going to fight.
Why aren't you fighting?

As Angel looks over at Vyasa, Gunn lunges at Angel, stake upraised. Angel turns just in time to catch Gunn's wrist and twist the stake out of his hand. Gunn follows up with a left cross that sends Angel reeling.

VYASA (cont'd)
Yes… kill him!

Angel comes back at Gunn, leveling a kick at his midsection that drops him to the floor. Vyasa cheers.

VYASA (cont'd)
Kill the human! Kill it!

CHH-CHING! Menlo cocks his gun. ANGLE ON Menlo, holding his 9-millimeter pointed at them.

MENLO
Case.

Gunn gets up off the floor, keeping a wary distance from Angel. Menlo pockets the gun, as Bob starts pulling ropes out of Menlo's case.

BOB
All righty, pardners! It's ropin' time!
Tonight I'll be playing the part of the
poor defenseless calf. Who gets to be
the cowboy?

Menlo grabs the ropes away from Bob, starts tying him up.

BOB (cont'd)
Just make it tight, okay, cowboy?
Gotta be tight. Gotta look real. I
can't be the BAD GUY. I'm the
GOOD GUY.

ANGEL
I'm the good guy.
(then)
No, wait, I'm the bad guy.

Menlo finishes tying up Bob, staggers back to the case.

MENLO
COME ON, PICK IT UP!

Angel and Gunn move to the case, now on opposite sides.

BOB
Wait, you gotta hit me. Somebody's
gotta hit me
.

Vyasa stares at Bob for a moment, cocking his head to one side like a dog.

BOB (cont'd)
Come on, man, you gotta hit me.
Do it. Come on. Make it REAL!.

Vyasa suddenly grabs Bob's head and (tastefully) rips it off his body. Vyasa stares at the head in his hand for a moment, then -

VYASA
Looks real to me.

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

Kate continues down the hallway, gun in hand, stops suddenly as she HEARS RUNNING… Kate raises her weapon, not sure what to expect. And sees someone or something dart across the hallway in the shadows ahead of her.

Kate aims, but the shadowy figure disappears into a room.

Kate continues down the hallway… then hesitates… experiencing the strange feeling wash over her again.

Suddenly there is a strange sound behind her. She spins quickly… both arms swinging around with the gun held between them… hitting someone, knocking them down as her gun goes off, EXPLOSION ECHOING down the museum hallway like thunder.

Kate looks down at the person she just clobbered… It's Wesley. He looks up at her, a bit dazed.

KATE
Where's Angel?

WESLEY
Angel, right, that's why I'm here, to
warn Angel about…
(losing track)
… something… important. Your hair.

KATE
You're here to warn him about my hair?

WESLEY
It's blonde…

Kate stares at him in disbelief. She's beginning to feel like she's fallen down a rabbit hole.

WESLEY (cont'd)
The shroud! He's got to know about
the shroud. It will make everybody…
it makes everybody…

KATE
Where are the others?

WESLEY
Others? Haven't found anyone, except
you. But I wasn't looking for you, I
don't suppose that counts. We have to
hurry, before it's too late. I noticed
your hair right away.

We HEAR A SOUND across the hall. Kate turns, the sudden movement making her light-headed. She leans against the wall for support, then turns back to Wesley.

Wesley is gone. Kate takes off down another hallway, passing the door to:

INT. MUSEUM INDIAN ROOM - NIGHT

Cordelia is standing in front of a display case, looking at her reflection in the glass. She's smiling that beautiful Cordelia smile at herself. She is like someone who is gently and thoroughly stoned.

CORDELIA
My teeth are so big…
(slowly, sounding it out)
I… am… pleasant.

She leans in smiling wider still. She moves to another display: AN INDIAN PRINCESS mannequin.

CORDELIA (cont'd)
Ohhh, hello plastic person… you're
just a plastic lady… my mother has
your nose… you're all by your
lonesome in here… can't see, can't
feel… so I guess you won't be
needing this…

Cor slides a nice TURQUOISE necklace off the mannequin.

INT. MUSEUM - FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY

THE ELEVATOR DOORS SLIDE OPEN on Angel, Vyasa, Gunn and Menlo. Struggling to hold the box. They carry it into the hallway. Menlo suddenly starts to panic.

MENLO
Fingerprints… we left fingerprints.

Menlo suddenly lets go of the box.

ANGEL
What're you doing?!

MENLO
…they'll find us, they'll take it away…

Menlo goes back inside the elevator. He starts frantically wiping down the inside of the elevator.

MENLO (cont'd)
No fingerprints! NO FINGERPRINTS!

ANGEL
Forget him. Keep going.

Angel, Vyasa and Gunn struggle with the box down the hallway.

INT. MUSEUM - FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT

Angel, Vyasa and Gunn lurch around the corner with case.

GUNN
I gotta put it down. I gotta put it
down. My head -

VYASA
Stinking humans! Good for nothing-

ANGEL
Keep going.

GUNN
I can't - my head, it's full of flies…

Gunn suddenly drops his end, backing away, holding his head. Angel and Vyasa struggle to put the case down gently… it almost works… then THUMPS to the floor.

Gunn backs against the wall.

GUNN (cont'd)
Get away from it! Get away from it!

VYASA
I don't need any of you.

Vyasa grabs the box and tries to pick it up himself. Straining. Breathing hard. Angel approaches Gunn.

ANGEL
What's wrong now, son? You gettin'
tired? Little backache? Little
toothache?

At which point Angel's EYES go YELLOW again. He stops in his tracks, fights against it, his eyes return to normal. We see a moment of clarity cross his features, he touches his face -

ANGEL (cont'd)
What's --?

Suddenly Wesley runs toward him out of the shadows.

WESLEY
Angel… Thank God I found you…

Angel turns to Wesley. Angel's EYES HAVE TURNED YELLOW AGAIN (off-screen). He's on the verge of vamping.

WESLEY (cont'd)
…in time. Is it in time? Should I
run? I might slip and fall, the
hallways are rather slick, and…

ANGEL
(struggling)
Wesley -

WESLEY
Yes. I had a message for you. And
the message was… the shroud. The
shroud is very dangerous. It makes
people… bad. Although it's amazing
how good I feel.

ANGEL
Wesley, get… out.

WESLEY
Is that Gunn? What's he doing here?
Never thought of him as the museum
type.

KATE'S VOICE
Police! Nobody move!

Everyone turns, sees Kate step into the hallway… gun leveled at them.

ANGEL
Wow. Look at you. Rushin' in here
all by yourself. You're the best cop
EVER.

Vyasa suddenly stands.

VYASA
Too… many… humans!

As Vyasa starts to move toward her, Angel stops him.

ANGEL
Excuse me, this is my girl.

Kate swings the gun back to Angel, who is advancing slowly.

KATE
Stay back!

ANGEL
Okay. You got me. I'm goin' down. My
life of crime is over. But first, a little
impression:
(mock badass voice)
I'm a cop with a mission: to protect the
innocent and rain on everybody's
parade and obsess about my father's
death and ruin my career and bother
people who are trying to steal things
.

WESLEY
Angel -

Wes tries to come up around Angel, but Angel, never taking his eyes off Kate, hurls him into a wall, where we see him HIT HIS HEAD with a loud THUNK. As he sinks to the floor, we see Kate watching this with alarm. Then ON ANGEL -

ANGEL
Oh, Katie. What are you so afraid
of? Is it this?

He MORPHS.

ANGEL (cont'd)
Is it the part where I kill you?
'Cause I gotta tell ya - I love that
in a woman.

Angel suddenly LUNGES at her. Kate starts shooting, but Angel is on her too fast. Grabbing her hard, ripping the shirt away from her neck.

Wes, semi-conscious, looks up and sees -

ANGEL

-- sinks his teeth into Kate's neck. He holds her tight and drinks, sucking up her blood. She can't fight back. Her eyes staring up at him as his hands grip her hard.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

Act Four

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

The door burst open and HALF A DOZEN POLICE in full Swat Gear enter, automatic weapons at the ready. Moving swiftly down the dark hall, their headlamps illuminating the way.

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

The Police move swiftly down the hall. Stopping at an intersecting hall. The LEAD OFFICER points for two down one hall, the rest to follow. They split up.

INT. MUSEUM - FIRST FLOOR HALLWAY

The two cops who split from the main group approach another intersecting hall. Stop to check it out before entering.

THEIR P.O.V. OF A MAN AT THE END OF THE DARK HALL

Leaning over a body.

THE COPS

Charge forward.

COPS
DON'T MOVE, POLICE!

The man leaning over the body turns… and we realize it's Wesley. He looks like he's been through hell. He's still dazed and confused.

WESLEY
… I didn't…

The cops move up to him, guns ready to kill.

COPS
DON'T MOVE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!

And now we SEE THE BODY. It's almost pure white… drained of blood… Kate. Her gun beside her body.

FIRST COP
(recognizing Kate)
Oh my God.

WESLEY
Kate… come on… wake up.

FIRST COP
(into walkie)
We've got an officer down!

EXT. HIDEOUT - NIGHT

The truck roars up to the hideout, weaving recklessly. But it doesn't stop. It slams into an old BEATER CAR PARKED outside the building.

INT. HIDEOUT - NIGHT

Gunn, Menlo, Angel and Vyasa stagger in, pulling and pushing the case into the room. Angel laughs, almost giddy… from the taste and memory. They push the case into the middle of the room. Gunn collapses, wild-eyed, mumbling…

GUNN
(looks at Angel)
You drank her… animal…

Menlo drops to his knees, breathing hard… Vyasa stares down at the box. All of them are breathing hard, exhausted. Menlo rubbing the box with one hand.

VYASA
What now?

MENLO
Open it.

ANGEL
That's genius. Good thing we didn't
do that back in the ol' museum, miss
out on all the swell heavy lifting.

MENLO
(to Vyasa)
Open it. There's a catch-

Vyasa suddenly slams his fist into the glass. Shattering it. Hand bleeding orange… Grabbing the wooden lid and tearing it off. Vyasa hurls the lid across the room.

GUNN
That works too.

And now everyone's attention is on the SHROUD out in the open for the first time. Right in the middle of everyone. And we can see the SHAPE OF THE BODY… the DEMONIC FACE and features of Rahmon.

Nobody moves for a moment, staring at the shroud… as if they can't take their eyes off of it even if they wanted to.

Gunn becomes deadly still. Vyasa starts hyperventilating. Menlo's face twists in pain, tears streaming from his eyes.

MENLO
I got it… I got it…

Menlo reaches for the shroud.

VYASA
NO!

Menlo looks up at Vyasa.

VYASA (cont'd)
You don't know what this is. You
have no idea. It belongs to my
people.

Vyasa slams a fist into his own chest.

VYASA (cont'd)
MY PEOPLE!

GUNN
Your people?! I didn't see none of
your people when we were haulin'
this thing.

Angel steps forward.

ANGEL
Fellas, fellas. Cool your jets.
There's plenty here for all of…

Angel's EYES SUDDENLY VAMP.

ANGEL (cont'd)
… me.

It is now very apparent that they all want it for themselves. Each man suddenly looking at the others. But no one moves. Then suddenly they all reach for the shroud.

FOUR SEPARATE HANDS

Grabbing corners of the cloth.

ANGLES OF EACH MAN

looking at the others. Realizing they've all got a piece of it, but no one has control. Gunn looks at Menlo, then Angel (eyes no longer vamped). Menlo glares at Vyasa and Gunn. Vyasa stares at Menlo. Angel smiles, eyes wild, still on his blood high.

ANGEL
How's this work again? Person ends
up with the biggest piece gets their
wish?

MENLO
No!

VYASA
Don't hurt it!

ANGEL
How 'bout you, "Lester"? Suddenly
you want it too?

GUNN
(clenched)
Thing's power. I get it, I kill you.

ANGEL
Hey, too bad, kid. Tell your wish…
it won't come true.

Angel tightens his grip on his corner, twisting the ancient cloth around his fist, reeling it in… His expression grows serious. We see suddenly how much Angel wants the shroud.

With his free hand, Menlo pulls his gun. Vyasa kicks the box. It slams into Menlo. Gunn ducks the wild shot as Menlo hits the wall, the gun flies from his hand. Vyasa punches Angel hard, grabs the shroud and runs.

Angel does something unbelievably cool, perhaps he leaps across the length of the room catching Vyasa on the run. He grabs one end of the shroud, quickly twists it around Vyasa's neck and spins him like a top, smashing his face into the wall. Vyasa loses his grip on the shroud.

Gunn appears, grabs up the loose end of the shroud - tug o' war with Angel.

VYASA
It's mine…

Vyasa lunges for the shroud when… A gunshot thunders from Menlo's gun - Menlo fired from the floor.

Having fired, Menlo slumps, head to the floor again, firing the shot was his last hoorah of consciousness.

Vyasa wheels, already dead, a big bullet hole in his forehead, falls towards the shroud… they collapse in a heap - Angel on top of Vyasa on top of Gunn - Gunn and Angel still grasping the shroud.

GUNN
Got it. Got it. Got it.

Angel runs his hand over part of the shroud. He tries to look cool, but his hand trembles. He locks eyes with Gunn, Vyasa's dead between them.

ANGEL
Trust me.

Gunn hesitates. Can he trust Angel? Should he give up the shroud?

ANGEL (cont'd)
I know what to do with this.

Even pinned to the floor, Gunn can't let go of the shroud. Angel wrenches it from his grasp.

Angel heads toward the door with the shroud, grabbing Bob's whiskey bottle from the table as he goes.

EXT. HIDEOUT - NIGHT

Angel steps outside, clutching the shroud to his chest, bottle dangling from one hand. He suddenly staggers, hits the porch railing… like a man suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue. He staggers down the steps.

He throws the shroud to the ground. Almost overwhelmed by its power. He stares down at it… the face of RAHMON seeming to come alive off the cloth…

Angel smashes the bottle onto the shroud. The liquid soaking into the cloth. Tries to strike a match… but it doesn't light… Then he fights the urge to vamp, struggling hard against the power of the shroud. He pulls himself back, strikes the match.

THE MATCH

FLAMES IN CLOSE-UP AND SLOW MOTION

FROM THE SHROUD P.O.V. (AS IF RAHMON HIMSELF WERE LOOKING UP AT ANGEL) WE WATCH THE MATCH IN SLOW MOTION

Tumble right toward us… with Angel in the b.g.

The match strikes the shroud and it bursts into flames. And the IMAGE OF RAHMON suddenly seems to lift off the shroud as if the demon himself were rising from the dead.

Angel is blown backward by a sudden blast of energy like the concussion from an explosion.

And the Image of Rahmon suddenly dissipates into the smoke. AND CAMERA FOLLOWS THE LAST OF THE SMOKE as it rises into the night sky and is gone.

WESLEY'S VOICE
… there is no way I can really
explain…

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

Broomfield and Turlock are staring at Wesley… they've listened to everything. Wesley seems to have recovered from his most whacked out period. But he looks drained. And his suit is a bit of a mess.

WESLEY
…what happened in there…

Broomfield crosses slowly toward Wesley.

BROOMFIELD
You want us to believe that a magic
sheet -

WESLEY
-- a shroud, a shroud!

TURLOCK
-- right… it turns people into
super-strong lunatics… so one
ripped the head off a guard, and
another viciously attacked Detective
Lockley. That about it?

WESLEY
I know how it must sound, but -

TURLOCK
I really don't think you do.

Turlock grabs Wesley, hauls him to his feet. Spins him around, pulls the handcuffs from his belt, ready to snap them onto Wesley…

WESLEY
What are you doing?

TURLOCK
Arresting you. For the murder of the
guard and the attempted-

The door opens. Heads turn. Kate is in the doorway. Everyone surprised to see her.

KATE
Let him go.

She looks a little pale, but otherwise okay. She's wearing a coat.

Wesley looks at Kate, a mixture of surprise and relief. Kate looks at Wesley. Her look stops him cold.

INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT

PAN ACROSS A DESK, past the usual clutter of papers and file folders and THE PHOTOGRAPH OF KATE'S DAD… CONTINUING to Kate standing at the window, looking into the night. Her hand moves onto her neck.

HER FINGERS

Gently touch the two marks on her neck. FLASHBACK -

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK

Kate is backing away from Angel. Terrified. Firing her gun into him… but he keeps coming… his face in full vamp, looking as frightening as he's ever looked…

And his hands grab her hard… her gun drops to the floor in SLOW MOTION.

Angel sinks his fangs into her neck. She is jolted by the sudden pain, looking up at him scared. But suddenly he spins her around and now she can SEE BEHIND HER… WHERE SHE WAS STANDING…

KATE'S P.O.V. OF MENLO

Wild-eyed, aiming a gun right at Kate's back. Ready to kill her… but he slowly lowers his gun… apparently satisfied that Angel is taking care of her…

Angel pulls his teeth from her neck. The look on his face revealing the mixture of repulsion… and pleasure. He moves his mouth closer to her ear…

ANGEL
(whispers)
Stay down or they'll kill you.

Angel lets her drop from his hands. Kate is staring up at him… now realizing that only by biting her did he save her life. Her eyes slowly close as she slips into unconsciousness.

INT. POLICE STATION - NIGHT

Back to Kate, as she lowers her fingers from her neck wound - her feelings about Angel intensified more by the fact that he attacked her, he drank blood from her and he saved her life.

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - DAY

Cordelia is drinking coffee. Wesley looks better than the night before, except there is still a frazzled quality to him. Cordelia is wearing the necklace from the museum.

WESLEY
I don't think he's coming down.

CORDELIA
Mmm.

WESLEY
I don't think recent events did him
a lot of good.

CORDELIA
Again, a hearty Mmm.

WESLEY
We had every good intention, of course.

CORDELIA
Right. Sending him into the path of a
crazy-making, one-way ticket to
eviltown death-cloth. Good plan.

WESLEY
It's not the shroud's effects on him
that worry me as much as…

CORDELIA
As what? My stealing? I returned
everything. I swear.

WESLEY
Angel drank human blood. From a
living person. Something he has not
done in a very long time.

CORDELIA
So on top of everything else we may
have reawakened his bloodlust?

WESLEY
Yes.

(beat)

CORDELIA
Mmm… a full day's work, then.

WESLEY
I think so.

They get up and exit frame, done for the day. After a beat the lights go out.

EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - NIGHT (STOCK)

INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Curtains drawn. Dark. We DISCOVER ANGEL… in the darkness, alone. Remembering what happened. Still shook up. He closes his eyes, trying to forget.

INT. MUSEUM - NIGHT

Angel sinks his fangs into Kate's neck as…

CLOSE UP ON ANGEL'S HANDS

Pulling her body tight against his. Holding her, needing her.

BLACK OUT.

THE END