Code: Select all
EXT. COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK - NIGHT
PULL BACK from a neon red cross ablaze in the cold December
night to REVEAL an inner-city, store-front clinic. Trash and
leaves blow over wet, snowy pavement.
ANGLE ON a PALE FIGURE standing across the street. He looks
feverish and strung-out, in serious need of a fix. This is
JARED NOMAK, 20s. He starts towards the clinic.
INT. COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK - ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Potential DONORS sit in a waiting area, filling out forms,
leafing through informational material. A sign in the window
reads: "Se habla Espanol". Others read: "YOU ARE MAKING A
DIFFERENCE", "GIVE LIFE", and "BECOME A PLATELET DONOR". We
overhear a bored-looking EMPLOYEE behind the information desk
quizzing someone over the phone:
EMPLOYEE
Have you recently visited a tropical
country? Uh-huh? In the past twelve
months have you gotten a tattoo, non
sterile acupuncture, or undergone any
ear, skin or body piercing?
We MOVE PAST the employee to Nomak, waiting.
NURSE (O.S.)
Jared Nomak?
Nomak looks up. We get a better look at his face now - he
has a thin scar running from his lower lip down his chin. A
childhood accident, perhaps. A NURSE smiles and motions for
him to join her. She's carrying a clipboard.
NURSE (CONT'D)
Hi. We're ready for you now.
INT. COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Nomak follows the Nurse into a dimly-lit hallway. We track
their progress in a convex safety mirror suspended from the
hallway ceiling as they pass all manner of medical supplies --
centrifuges, an apheresis device, etc.
NURSE
(referring to her clipboard)
I see from your questionnaire that you
don't have any immediate next of kin?
NOMAK
Not that I'm in contact with.
NURSE
Nobody to call in case of an emergency?
NOMAK
No --
(apprehensive)
Does that mean I can't be a donor?
NURSE
It depends. We came up with some
unusual results on your blood test.
Nomak follows the Nurse to a steel door were TWO SECURITY
GUARDS await them. Both look bored, paying little attention
to the monitor which offers a view of the examining room
beyond. There is also a small window with safety glass.
GUARD #1 opens the door, following Nomak and the Nurse
inside. GUARD #2 remains behind, manning the hallway.
INT. COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK - EXAMINING ROOM - NIGHT
The Nurse ushers Nomak into the room, indicating he should
sit in a kind of reclining dental chair with arm and
headrests. Nomak notices a security camera mounted above.
NOMAK
(anxious)
How unusual?
Beat. The Nurse sets aside Nomak's file, looking
uncomfortable.
NURSE
Your blood has a very rare phenotype,
one that's quite valuable to people like
us.
NOMAK
Us? What are you talking about?
A kind-faced DOCTOR enters, nodding to Guard #1.
DOCTOR
It's a good news-bad news scenario,
Jared. Good news for us, bad for you.
The Doctor and Nurse smile, BARING FANGS. We realize now
that they are both vampires. The Guard, too. He grips Nomak
by the throat, forcing him back into the restraint chair. As
the vampire Guard does so, his hand brushes against Nomak's
jaw. The flesh on Nomak's chin briefly separates along the
scar - almost as if it were a seam.
The guard pauses - and Nomak LAUGHS. Definitely NOT the
reaction the vampires were expecting from a potential victim.
Nomak starts to shake and twitch, like he's going into some
kind of seizure. The whites of his eyes bleed red. He
throws his head back, opening his mouth as a PAIR OF RAZOR
SHARP CANINES extrude from his gums. These are longer, much
more lethal-looking than the fangs of the vampires and --
Nomak lashes out, knocking the Guard backwards. The Nurse
SCREAMS. Nomak clamps his mouth onto her throat, SLAMMING
her back against the wall.
The vampire Doctor rushes to the door, scrambling to unbolt
it. Nomak reaches for him, HOWLING with blood-drunk laughter
as he lifts the Doctor up. Nomak flings the Doctor about
like a toy, using his body to SMASH the lights, then the
security camera above.
INT. COMMUNITY BLOOD BANK - HALLWAY - NIGHT
We hear SCREAMS and HORRIBLE NOISES coming from the examining
room. Guard #2 draws a gun and looks to the security monitor
with alarm. The screen goes black. He looks to the small
window, trying to peer into the now-darkened room beyond --
SPLASH! A wave of blood smears across a window. A HAND
wipes a patch of blood away, revealing Nomak's baleful,
distorted eyes. Guard #2 starts to back away when --
BANG! Nomak slams against the other side of the steel door.
BANG!BANG!BANG! The door begins to bend, hand-shaped
impressions bulging outward as Nomak starts to peel the door
apart like it was an aluminum can.
Guard #2 has seen enough. He turns and runs even as the door
CAVES INWARD off its hinges. Forward momentum sends the door
sliding across the hallway floor where it trips up the Guard.
ON THE DOORWAY
as Nomak steps into the hallway. Because of the lights
above, there are alternating pools of light and shadow in the
hall. Nomak advances towards us, his face coming in and out
of darkness.
NOMAK
Vampires --
With each pool of light, his awful smile seems to distort
further and further, until his mouth seems to be widening all
the way back to his ears.
NOMAK (CONT'D)
I fucking hate vampires.
On the floor, the vampire Guard CRIES OUT in fear, helplessly
raising his hands to defend himself. Nomak HOWLS and leaps
towards him/us, blacking out the screen with his hurtling
form as we --
CUT TO:
EXT. INNER-CITY BACK-ALLEY - NIGHT
BOOM! A second-story door flies open and FIVE VAMPIRE thug
wannabes come spilling out. They race down a flight of
stairs, tripping and tumbling over themselves. In descending
order, they are: RUSH, a pimped-out Vanilla Ice clone wearing
Karl Kani gear, followed by JIGSAW, ST. CLOUD, T-BAG and
SEGURA.
BLADE
exits just behind them, eschewing the stairs completely and
vaulting over the railing. He unholsters his MACH pistol as
he drops, FIRING it as he lands in a cat-like stance on the
snowy ground below --
BA-BANG! A silver-tipped bullet punches through T-Bag's
chest. He turns to ash even as his fellow vamps dash through
the disintegrating cloud that used to be his body. The
embers melt the snow where they land.
A super-charged foot chase ensues, with hunter and prey
moving at speeds in excess of anything a human would ever be
capable of. We're talking thirty-five, even forty miles an
hour.
ON BLADE
Running like a bull, condensed vapor streaming from his mouth
and nostrils. Splashing through puddles of icy water
storming through barriers of plywood and razor wire, leaping
over mountains of garbage bags.
ON THE VAMPIRES
as they flatten a length of cyclone fencing like it was crepe
paper. They scramble up an obstacle of waste bins, leaping
into the air --
BACK TO BLADE
pulling out his twin-bladed boomerang as he runs. He flings
the weapon. It twirls around, catching --
ST. CLOUD IN MID-LEAP
and cutting the vampire completely in half. As the
disintegrating halves of St. Cloud fall to the side, Blade
storms over the waste bin.
EXT. INNER-CITY - SECOND ALLEY - NIGHT
The remaining vampires stumble into a narrower alley where a
GROUP OF BUMS are warming themselves over a series of oil
drum fires.
Jigsaw slips, TRIPPING over one of the burning oil drums,
catching himself ablaze. He doesn't give a shit. He keeps
on running, barreling his way into --
INT. NOODLE FACTORY - NIGHT
-- the back entrance of a cramped, sweat-shop. Some kind of
noodle factory filled with steam and equipment and YAMMERING
FOREIGNERS and --
-- here comes Blade, hot on the vampires' heels, shouldering
workers aside and --
EXT. NOODLE FACTORY - NIGHT
-- Rush and the remaining vamps spill out onto the street
where a number of motorcycles are waiting for them -- two BMW
R1200 motorbikes and a tricked-out Panhead Harley chopper
with ape-hanger handlebars.
Rush and Segura leap atop their BMWs. Jigsaw rolls into a
puddle of water, dousing himself, then jumps onto his
chopper. As the vamps peel out --
BLADE
Bursts from the factory. Segura revs his BMW, trying to run
him down. At the last second, Blade pivots aside like a
matador. Segura circles around for another try.
Blade leaps, somersaulting through the air, then lands on the
back of the bike behind Segura. SHINGGG! Blade pulls a
retractable garrotte wire from the sleeve of his jacket and
wraps it around Segura's throat.
With a violent twist, Blade decapitates Segura. As the
vampire's headless body turns to ash before him, Blade leans
forward and takes the controls of the speeding motorcycle.
WHOOSH! Blade speeds after the other vamps.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Rush and Jigsaw gun their bikes for all they're worth. Up
ahead, a line of construction barricades are blocking the
way. The vampires power on through the barricades, then
abruptly brake --
THE OVERPASS
before them is under construction. There's a twenty-foot gap
in the road where a portion is missing, pieces of re-bar
poking out from the ends of the prefabricated sections.
Rush and Jigsaw consider their options, but then they hear
the ROAR of Blade's engine as he comes SCREAMING over the
rise in the road!
Fuck it. Rush powers his chopper forward, making the jump,
burning rubber as he lands on the far side. Jigsaw torques
his handle and follows, rocketing towards the gap.
ON BLADE
as he snaps his hand up -- a trio of Japanese throwing stars
appearing between his fingers like a magician's cards. He
flings the stars at Jigsaw's bike --
The throwing stars hit Jigsaw's back tire and the bike goes
down, vomiting SPARKS as it slides forward. Jigsaw is flung
forward like a ragdoll, out over the gap in the overpass and
-- WHUNK! Jigsaw is impaled on the protruding re-bar! He
HOWLS, instantly disintegrating as Blade makes the jump!
UP AHEAD
Rush cuts onto an on-ramp, powering his way onto the freeway.
EXT. FREEWAY - NIGHT
Hyper-speed. Rush slouches low, trying to cut wind
resistance and will his bike faster. He hazards a look back.
BLADE
is gaining on him like demon of speed.
Rush pulls a TEC-9, FIRING back at Blade. It's no good.
Blade is nearly upon him, unsheathing his sword from his back
scabbard --
Blade JABS his sword forward into Rush's rear-wheel. The
bike locks up, flips over, BURSTS INTO FLAMES. The whole
screaming wreck slews forward, SHOWERING SPARKS --
RUSH
goes flying onto the road, rolling over and over, one of his
legs SNAPPING at a bone-breaking angle. As he lies there
MOANING, Blade circles around, sweeping past Rush's decimated
bike, retrieving his sward from the burning wreckage.
Blade kills the engine on his own bike and dismounts. Rush
is pathetically trying to drag his broken body to safety.
Blade approaches, placing his boot heel on the back of Rush's
neck, forcing his face against the asphalt. He unholsters
his MACH, pointing it at the vampire's bleeding head.
Blade's opening line:
BLADE
Tell me where he his now and I'll
consider you a loose end.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOO-COW CREAMERY - MILK FACTORY - NIGHT
CLOSE ON a peeling wall mural -- smiling 30s cartoon cow
winking at us, licking her chops. The logo reads: "TASTY".
Blade's matte-black Charger RUMBLES into view and parks in
front of the abandoned milk factory. Blade steps out,
heaving an equipment sack onto his shoulder.
INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
THREE LACONIC VAMPIRE TOUGHS are playing poker at a card
table, dealing out novelty nudie cards. We hear a NOISE.
One of the vampires approaches a reinforced door. He slides
open a viewing slot and peers through. Nobody outside. The
vampire turns back to his poker buddies, shrugging --
VAMPIRE
Nobody's th--
Before the vampire can even finish his sentence, Blade's
SWORD punches straight through the door into his chest. He
gasps and turns to ash as the sword disengages back out
through the door and --
CRASH! The door explodes open, sending clouds of burning
vampire embers every which way. In walks Blade, grinning
wickedly, MACH ready --
As the other two vampires rise - POW! A silver hollow-point
hits the first one in the neck. POW! Another hollow-point
takes out the second. The vampires drop, turning to ash.
Blade holsters his MACH, striding through vampire ash piles.
The place is eerily quiet here, in stark contrast to the
mayhem of the last few minutes. Just the steady, low-pitched
HUM of machinery.
Blade starts forward. Up ahead, a FAINT GLOW is emitting
from behind an area that's been sectioned off with canvas
tarps. Blade sweeps one of the tarps aside --
THREE LARGE TANKS
are hidden inside. The first two are empty. A MAN is
suspended within the third, bobbing weightlessly in a sea of
red plasma. His long, gray hair floats about his face,
shrouding his weathered features. We're not sure if he's
sleeping or dead.
BLADE
Old man, old man, what've they done to
you --
Whistler's ace drifts around into view. Blade shakes his
head in sadness. He looks about for a way to extract
Whistler, doesn't see any obvious means, then --
CRASH! Blade kicks through the glass. Blood and fluids
flood out around him as Whistler's limp body tumbles partly
down, but he's still suspended by the wires and medical
leads. Blade unsheathes his sword, severing the wires --
Whistler falls into his arms. Blade cradles him, then -- the
gunsmith's eyes abruptly snap open, flooding with rage.
Blade staggers back as the HOWLING horror that used to be his
mentor wraps his hands around Blade's throat, forcing him to
the ground. Whistler ROARS, revealing a set of jagged fangs.
WHISTLER
Why didn't you finish me off?!?! I told
you --
Whistler SLAMS the back of Blade's head against the concrete
floor again and again, punctuating his words with each SLAM --
WHISTLER (CONT'D)
-- TO -- FUCKING -- FINISH -- ME -- OFF!
Blade knees Whistler in the balls. Whistler lets go, cupping
his groin as Blade heaves him aside.
Blade strips off his gauntlets. Whistler springs at him
again. Blade sinks his fist deep in Whistler's stomach. As
Whistler doubles over, Blade twists Whistler's hands behind
his back, cuffing his wrists together with a pair of titanium
manacles.
Blade pulls a restraint hood from his equipment bag and
quickly slips it over Whistler's head, cinching it tight.
Another beat. Whistler doesn't stir. He's down for the
count. Blade pauses a moment, catching his breath as he
leans on Whistler's still form. He's exhausted.
BLADE
Come on, Whistler.
He rises, heaving Whistler's body over his shoulder.
BLADE (CONT'D)
Let's go home.
EXT. THE CITY - NIGHT
Blade's battered Charger knifes through the snow-dusted urban
blight like a shadow. Boarded up businesses, tent cities,
doorways bombed with graffiti throwups -- wherever this
godforsaken Gomorrah is, it's definitely a notch down on the
misery scale from the city Blade used to call home.
Up ahead, the sprawl levels out, giving way to an ice-bound
harbor wreathed in fog.
INT. BLADE'S CHARGER - NIGHT
Blade drives on, inured to the sqaulor. He made peace with
the darkness a long time ago.
EXT. SHIPYARD - NIGHT
The Charger weaves its way through a maze of scrap metal and
rusty shipping containers, homing in on a sprawling warehouse
that's been cordoned off by cyclone fencing and razor wire.
Utlra-violent floodlights illuminate the area, while security
cameras keep a watchful eye.
INT. WAREHOUSE - INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR - NIGHT
More UV lights flicker on. We're in a massive loading
elevator/platform which HUMS as it ascends, eventually
reaching its destination with a BOOMING CLANG. The doors at
the rear glide open. Blade guides the Charger out.
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT
Santa's workshop by way of Soldier of Fortune. Industrial
equipment is strewn everywhere. Mills, old furnaces, gutted
vehicles, an ad hoc surgical theater. We also notice the big
rig which Scud had been piloting. Because of various leaking
overhead pipes, the floor is slick with a sheen of water.
Blade kills his Charger, looking around as he climbs out.
BLADE
Scud!
Blade's voice ECHOES throughout the cavernous room.
SCUD (O.S.)
Lock up your daughters, people --
ANGLE ON SCUD
A handlebar moustached, weed-sucking stoner. Thrift-store
chic, wearing a Jimmy Walker "Dyn-O-Mite!" T-shirt.
SCUD (CONT'D)
The Dark Knight returns.
Scud is lowering himself down from the ceiling on a rope and
pulley system where he'd been suspended in a safety harness,
doing some kind of electrical wiring job. He reaches the
floor and unclips himself. We notice he's wearing a surfer's
charm around his neck that's been strung with vampire fangs.
Scud pulls a half-smoked roach from behind his ear, using a
lighter in the shape of a woman's torso to fire up. The
flame jets from a hole in one of her tits. He takes a
Spicoli-sized hit and offers the roach to Blade.
SCUD (CONT'D)
Little toke of the smokage, B?
Blade slaps it from his hand.
BLADE
Knock it off. We've got work to do.
Blade opens the trunk. Scud joins him.
WHISTLER
is inside. Blade unfastens the hood, slipping it off.
Immediately, Whistler sits up, LUNGING at Blade!
SCUD
Fuck me!
Blade gets Whistler in a headlock, choking him as he drags
him out of the trunk. It's like trying to wrestle a rabid
pit bull. He looks to Scud, annoyed.
BLADE
You going to stand there crapping your
pants or are you going to help me?!
Scud steps forward, tentative. Together, he and Blade drag
Whistler kicking and SCREAMING across the workshop, forcing
him into a small, cell-like room.
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - CELL - NIGHT
WHAP! Blade throws Whistler onto the concrete floor, pinning
him as Scud quickly slips a series of chains around him which
have been secured to the wall. The opposite wall is covered
by a series of steel shutters. As Whistler continues to
thrash, Blade affixes a muzzle to the older man's mouth.
SCUD
You got something in mind, Blade?
BLADE
Ultra-rapid detox. They use it on
heroin addicts, make 'em go cold-turkey
in one night.
Blade pulls out a pneumatic syringe, plunging an ampoule of
amber-colored fluid into the bottle mount.
BLADE (CONT'D)
Gonna try and OD Whistler on a
retroviral cure.
SCUD
I don't know about this, man --
Blade injects Whistler with the syringe. Whistler HOWLS in
pain, nearly throwing Blade and Scud off him.
BLADE
(to Scud)
Get back!!!
Scud scurries away. Whistler's struggles have taken an even
more violent turn. Blade beats him back down.
Finally, Blade steps on Whistler's neck, pinning his head as
he draws a shotgun from a holster beneath his armpit. He
shoves it in Whistler's SNARLING FACE.
BLADE (CONT'D)
If there's anything of you left in
there, Whistler, listen up now. Come
morning, those shutters are going up.
Either you'll be cured, or you'll fry.
Blade raises his foot from Whistler's neck, quickly backing
out the door. Whistler THROWS himself at Blade, nearly
tearing the chains from the wall as --
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT
BOOM! Blade slams the cell door closed. The door is heavy
steel. Nevertheless, Whistler kicks against it, threatening
to tear it off its hinges. Blade throws a heavy cross-bar
over the door. Then he steps back, joining Scud.
WHUMP!WHUMP!WHUMP! Whistler hammers the door again and again
and again. But the crossbar holds. Blade glances at Scud,
who's looking winded and shaken by the ordeal.
BLADE
It's going to be a long night.
Scud nods and exits. Blade drags a chair across the floor,
setting it in front of the door. He sits down, shotgun
resting across his knees, holding vigil. And off that grim,
stoic image we --
CUT TO:
EXT. CITY DUMP - DAY (20 YEARS AGO)
Daylight bleaches the image, almost whiting it out. A WINO
sifts through refuse, collecting bottles. Three MUTTS are
tethered to his side with rope. He reaches for a bottle,
cuts himself on a piece of glass. As he inspects his wound,
his dogs GROWL. The Wino looks up --
A BLACK KID (14) is standing atop a mountain of refuse --
wiry and intense, perched there like a predator. The Wino
glances at his wrist again, the blood, then back up at the
black kid. Unnerved, the Wino starts to back away, then
turns -- BUMPING right into the black kid, who has moved
beside him with uncanny speed. (NOTE: this all happens
within a single, continuous shot.)
The boy SLAMS the Wino against the trestle wall and SNARLS,
baring FANGS. And just as he's about to tear the man's
throat out --
A HAND reaches in from off-screen, pulling the boy back.
It's WHISTLER, twenty years younger and spryer, with a head
full of RAVEN BLACK hair.
Whistler throws the boy into the light, forcing him onto the
ground. He shoves a .45 against the boy's face and is just
about to pull the trigger when he stops, NOTICING overhead
sun reflected in the boy's eyes. Whistler looks up and SEES
the sun at high noon, then glances back at the boy in
understanding. He smiles.
WHISTLER
Daylight. Son of a bitch.
CUT TO:
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - DAWN
Blade wakes up, lifts his head. A shaft of sunlight shines
directly down onto him, reflecting back at us from his now
adult eyes. Blade hasn't moved. He sits in the chair in
front of the cell door which is now silent. He stands,
unlocking the cell door. He heaves the cross-bar away. The
door GROANS as he opens it.
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - CELL - DAWN
Blade enters. It's dark. We can just make out Whistler's
figure huddled in the corner like some kind of caged animal,
his lanky, gray hair obscuring his face.
Whistler doesn't stir. Blade crosses over to the steel
shutters. For the briefest moments, he hesitates. Then he
hits the switch, readying his shotgun. With a HUM, the
shutters rise, throwing a SHAFT OF BLINDING SUNLIGHT over
Whistler.
Nothing happens. Blade lowers his shotgun. Whistler slowly
raises his head, fixing Blade with a bloodshot eye.
BLADE
How do you feel?
WHISTLER
Like a fucking heifer took a dump in my
mouth.
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - BATHROOM AREA - LATER
Whistler stands bare-chested before a corroded mirror,
splashing water from a sink over his face, rinsing off
shaving cream residue. He inspects his features -- he's
cleaned himself up a bit, trimmed his beard, etc.
He pulls on a fresh shirt, then turns to face Blade, who
stands behind him.
WHISTLER
You came back for me.
BLADE
Did you think I wouldn't?
WHISTLER
Took you long enough.
Blade smiles. That was as close to a thank-you as this old
junkyard dog is ever going to give.
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - BACKSTORAGE AREA - DAY
Whistler has fired up a Lucky Strike. He's moving through
the storage area where much of his old equipment has been
shelved, pulling tarps off, checking things. Blade follows.
BLADE
Let's just hope you've kicked the Thirst
for good. I'll be watching you close.
You start to back-slide --
WHISTLER
You put a bullet in my brain. Wouldn't
expect anything else.
Whistler takes a long drag, expelling the smoke slowly,
studying the cigarette in his hand.
WHISTLER (CONT'D)
I'll say one thing for doing time as a
suckhead. Seems to have knocked that
cancer of mine back into remission.
Blade nods. Then Whistler stops, obviously frustrated.
WHISTLER (CONT'D)
Where the hell's my lathe?
Just then we hear the SOUND of an industrial lathe firing up.
Curious, Whistler exits into --
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - DAY
The workshop proper. Scud is working at Whistler's old
lathe, bopping his head along to MUSIC which is playing on a
nearby TV. The them song to SPEED RACER. Now he's wearing a
Ron Jeremy T-shirt that says "Daddy".
TV (O.S.)
Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer!
He's a demon on wheels. He's gaining on
you so you better look alive. He's busy
revving up the powerful Mach Five --
Whistler cocks an incredulous eyebrow at Blade, who has
fallen in beside him. Scud kills the lathe and approaches.
SCUD
Whistler. Cool beans. Nice to meet
you, man. Heard a lot. I'm Josh
Frohmeyer. You can call me Scud,
though. That's what most people do.
Scud offers his hand. Whistler doesn't take it. Scud shoots
an uneasy glance at Blade, raising an eyebrow in question.
Is Whistler okay, or not? Blade nods. Whistler moves over
to the Charger which has its hood up.
WHISTLER
Tell me something, Skid --
SCUD
Scud.
WHISTLER
Whatever --
(checking the motor)
What'd you do to the Charger?
SCUD
The pimp-mobile? Just made a few after
market modifications. Nitrous-oxide
injection system, forged aluminum
pistons and crankshaft, higher flowing
fuel pump.
WHISTLER
Gave it a more aggressive exhaust
profile ramping.
SCUD
Fuck yeah. Whole package'll crank this
betty up another three-hundred
horsepower.
WHISTLER
(cutting him off)
And you'll burn the damn thing out
before your next fucking oil change.
Whistler just looks to Blade and shakes his head.
WHISTLER (CONT'D)
Where'd you dig up this shit-bird
anyway?
SCUD
Look, what's your problem?
Whistler gets in Scud's face. Scud looks to Blade for help,
but he just watches, letting the two of them sort things out.
WHISTLER
My problem, shitbird, is that I tried to
blow my fucking head off and wound up
sucking blood clots for the last year
and a half! Now you're standing there
choking your chicken like we're all
walking around some fucking candy-ass
vampire sitcom!
Scud attempts to show some balls, but stammers all the same.
SCUD
Hey, you think I don't know what's at
stake here? We practically compromised
our whole operation to save your
puckered old ass! And for what?
WHISTLER
(grabs Scud's shirt)
Our operation?! Our operation?! I
built this operation, you fucking turd
stain.
Just then, however, an alarm starts BEEPING. Scud checks a
display as Blade readies his MACH.
SCUD
Motion sensors. Looks like Zone Three.
BLADE
Human?
Scud checks a series of thermal signature displays.
SCUD
Body temp's fifty so I'll guess suck
head.
Scud looks to a bank of security monitors -- the views break
into static as a FIGURE rushes past them. He tries a few
keyboard commands.
SCUD (CONT'D)
I don't understand, I'm not getting
anything on the surveillance cams.
Whistler makes a few adjustments on the nearest monitor.
WHISTLER
They're fried. Whoever's out there is
using magnesium flares. Seems like
they've got your security system stopped
out pretty well.
Whistler moves to a rack of weaponry. As he reaches for CAR
15, Scud moves to stop him.
SCUD
Whoa, whoa, easy cowboy - I'm not
trusting you with a weapon just yet.
Whistler SMACKS Scud in the face with the butt of the CAR-15
and pushes past him. We hear a CRASH.
ANGLE ON
TWO BLACK, LATEX-CLAD, NINJA LIKE INTRUDERS
Running on all fours, racing upside down across the ceiling
at break-neck speed. Then they drop, somersaulting down
fifty feet, landing in a cat-like stance.
BLADE
Hit the God-lights.
Scud, with his nose now bleeding, activates a series of
stadium-style lights secured to the ceiling. The entire
place goes white with UV light, the image nearly blowing out.
CLOSE ON FIGURES' FACES
They are wearing metal goggles with iris shut to mere pin
prick openings.
Whistler trains the CAR-15 on --
THE FIRST LATEX CLAD FIGURE
Who is now removing something from a satchel. Whistler
FIRES. The Intruder drops the object and cartwheels away.
In the blink of an eye, the Second Intruder has launched
himself at Whistler, hand-springing off the floor, then
kicking him in the mid-section. As Whistler falls back, the
Second Intruder presses forward.
ON BLADE
Unsheathing his sword, rushing at the First Intruder.
WHAP! The Intruder traps Blade's forearm, pivoting, planting
a boot in Blade's ribcage. Obviously, the Intruder is a
serious martial arts student.
WHAP!WHAP!WHAP! The two of them go at it, unleashing a
flurry of kicks, blocks, and punches. The Intruder gets
Blade in a back-choke. He twists out of it, throwing the
Intruder over his shoulder, who neatly cartwheels, springing
back off the wall at Blade again --
Blade ducks beneath one of the Intruder's kicks, then traps
the Intruder's foot, giving it a savage twist. CRACK! Blade
backhands the intruder with a blow so strong that it knocks
the Intruder to his knees. Then the Intruder reaches for a
short sword. In a heartbeat, the sword is out and against
Blade's throat. Just as Blade's sword is not against the
Intruder's. It's a stalemate.
SECOND INTRUDER
Stop!!!!!
Blade and the First Intruder freeze. The Second Intruder
steps away from Whistler, whom he clearly had the drop on,
and tosses the CAR-15 to the ground.
SECOND INTRUDER (CONT'D)
We didn't come here to fight. We came
to deliver a message.
Blade looks back to the First Intruder. Then slowly
withdraws his sword. The Intruder does the same. Blade
turns off the God-lights. The UVs fade and normal lighting
returns. Scud and Whistler pick themselves up off the floor.
BLADE
Take off your masks.
The Intruders remove their masks. The first is ASAD, a
cautious Sufi Muslim possessing a restrained nobility.
The second is a woman, NYSSA. 20-something, with emerald
eyes and strong, darkly exotic features. Both are Vampire.
ASAD
My name is Asad. This is Nyssa. We
represent the Shadow Cabinet. The
ruling body of Vampire nation. They're
offering you a truce. They want to meet
with you.
SCUD
(wiping blood from his nose)
Bullshit.
Blade holds up his hand, silencing Scud's outburst. He nods
for Nyssa and Asad to continue.
Nyssa slowly crouches and reaches for the object she dropped
- a CD. She tosses it to Blade. Still keeping an eye on
them, Blade slips the CD into a reader. We SEE a slide-show
of video capture shots taken from a surveillance camera.
Nomak tearing into the blood bank staff, etc.
NYSSA
For decades you've been the thing we've
feared the most. But there's something
else loose on the streets now --
CLOSE ON
The final still. A blurry, horrific shot of Nomak's half
turned face and back. We get a sense of distorted, inhuman
physiognomy.
NYSSA (CONT'D)
Something worse than you.
CUT TO:
EXT. BLADE AND SCUD'S WAREHOUSE - ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Blade, Whistler, and Scud stand near the ledge, while Asad
stands a few yards off, talking on a phone. Nyssa stands
even further away, watching them with distrust.
SCUD
This whole deal's giving me a serious
case of the butt-willies.
WHISTLER
Look, kid, they obviously found your
base of operations. If it was a trap,
why flip their dicks by announcing
themselves?
BLADE
I agree. We play along for now, we
might wind up learning something about
how their world ticks.
WHISTLER
(grinning at Scud)
Either that or feeding the worms.
Asad finishes his call and approaches them.
ASAD
They're ready to see you now.
As if on cue, we hear the THRUM of helicopters. Seconds
later, two Bell Jet Rangers appear above them, illuminating
them in their searchlight.
CUT TO:
EXT. SKY - NIGHT
We track the helicopters across the night sky. We SEE
Whistler and Asad in one, Blade, Scud and Nyssa in another.
INT. JET RANGER - NIGHT
Blade and Nyssa sit in the rear of the first helicopter.
Nyssa is studying Blade.
BLADE
What?
NYSSA
They tell bedtime stories about you.
Blade the big, bad boogie-man. Frankly,
I'm disappointed.
(Blade raises an eyebrow)
That you were willing to come along so
easily, I mean. Without any assurances.
Blade smiles and opens his coat, gesturing to a bandolier of
plastic explosives secured to his chest.
BLADE
Semtex explosive. Enough to level a
city block. How's that for assurance?
The helicopter abruptly banks right, dropping down low.
EXT. HELICOPTER - NIGHT
The Bell Jet Rangers touch down outside a terraced, Frank
Lloyd Wright structure overlooking the ocean. As Nyssa and
Asad lead Blade, Whistler and Scud towards the facility we
SEE a circular crimson logo encircling a double-helix.
Scud notices a series of RED LIGHT DOTS on his arms and
chest. He looks up to see DOZENS OF VAMPIRE MARKSMEN on the
roofs above, training their weapons on them.
INT. ELEVATOR CAB - NIGHT
The group rides down. The elevator stops. The doors open.
INT. DAMASKINO'S STRONGHOLD - 4-WAY INTERSECTION - NIGHT
Nyssa and Asad lead them into a hub out of which multiple
corridors project. They take the central corridor.
INT. STEEL CORRIDOR - NIGHT
The corridor ends at a pair of steel security doors. Nyssa
stands before a biometric scanner, allowing a beam of light
to play over her face. The scanner acknowledges her identity
and the doors HISS open, revealing a series of security doors
beyond these which successively open into --
A FINAL DOOR
Oak, set into a stainless steel wall. Incalculably ancient,
elaborately carved. Brought over from the "Old World."
NYSSA
The House of Erebus you encountered
before were nothing but feudal lords.
The true power of the Vampire Nation
lies here --
As they move towards the final door, Whistler shivers. Scud
watches as his breath escapes from his mouth in a frosty
plume. Asad takes notice.
ASAD
Few warmbloods have seen what's beyond
this door.
He pushes the doors open into --
INT. DAMASKINO'S LAIR - NIGHT
A crescent-shaped room filled with antiquities: quarry
columns from Middle Kingdom Egypt, stacks of arcane volumes,
Medieval frontispieces. A Borgia-esque Renaissance portrait
staring down at us with a severe gaze. Towering over all of
these is a massive Greek Cross carved from stone. MUSIC
echoes around them -- Boito's Faust. Standing in the midst
of this is OVERLORD ELI DAMASKINOS, wearing a robe of black
silk.
NYSSA
Father --
Damaskinos holds up his hand. He waits for the music to
crescendo, then turns, his face still hidden in shadow.
DAMASKINOS
I hope you don't mind the cold. When
one such as myself reaches an advanced
age, certain precautions are needed in
order to preserve the flesh.
ASAD
Blade, this is Overlord Eli Damaskinos.
DAMASKINOS
(in vampire dialect; subtitled)
Welcome, Daywalker. I thank you for
coming. I've been anxious to meet you
for quite some time.
Damaskinos draws closer now, stepping into the light. Bright
eyed with smile like moonlight gleaming off a knife blade.
His skin is impossibly pale, almost marble-like, with
traceries of blue blood pulsing underneath.
DAMASKINOS (CONT'D)
And the late Abraham Whistler. I trust
your time amongst our numbers was
agreeable?
Whistler glares at Damaskinos. The two men stare at each
other a moment, sizing one another up.
DAMASKINOS (CONT'D)
(smiling knowingly)
It has been said, you may have enemies
whom you hate, but not enemies whom you
despise. Be proud of your enemy: then
his success shall be yours, too. In
that regard, I should thank you.
BLADE
For what?
STEVENS (O.S.)
Eliminating Deacon Frost.
CARTER STEVENS, an officious-looking familiar who has been
quietly watching from the wings now steps forward.
STEVENS (CONT'D)
All that unseemly business with LaMagra.
You did us a favor.
(offering his hand to Blade)
Carter Stevens.
As Blade and Stevens shake, Blade notices a vampire glyph
poking out from beneath the familiar's shirt cuff.
BLADE
You're human.
STEVENS
(with a smile)
Barely. I'm a lawyer.
ASAD
Mr. Stevens works with the National
Institute of Health.
(off Blade's look)
Given that they monitor the nation's
blood supply, a strategic alliance
seemed prudent.
STEVENS
We also finance a number of humanitarian
organizations -- the National Institute
of Infectious Diseases for one, the
Human Genome Project...
BLADE
Why?
NYSSA
Survival.
Blade and the others turn to Nyssa, who uses a complex
mechanical key to activate a holo-projector mounted above the
table. As she focuses the image, a 3-D DIORAMA of vampire
viral nucleocapsids swirls into view. The nucelocapsids
begin attacking human red blood cells.
NYSSA (CONT'D)
As you may know, Vampirism is an
arbovirus, one that's spread through the
saliva of parasitic organisms --
(motioning to the hologram)
In this case, vampires are the vector.
The virus replicates within the human
bloodstream, evolving its host into an
entirely new life-form.
(beat)
Unfortunately, viruses evolve too --
As Nyssa talks, one of the viral nucleocapsids changes,
mutating from its original, elegant design into a harsher,
more menacing form.
The mutated nucleocapsid begins feeding on the original
vampire capsids, causing a chain-reaction of mutation. In
seconds, the holo-image is filled with throbbing, microscopic
horrors which then mutate into --
NYSSA (CONT'D)
We've dubbed this new virus the Reaper
Strain. And like any good pathogen, it
appears to have found a carrier -- a
"Patient Zero".
A rotating 3-D image of Jared Nomak's face. Eyes red, his
skin in full "blood mode" blush.
NYSSA (CONT'D)
His name is Jared Nomak.
DAMASKINOS
Thiavolos, as we used to say in Greece.
The Devil. Pure Thirst. Nothing more.
He was born a vampire, but he is an
anomaly.
(to Blade)
Like you. Unlike the rest of us,
however, he feeds on not just humans,
but vampires as well.
BLADE
Seems like he's doing me a favor, then.
NYSSA
You're missing the point. Their vampire
victims don't die. They turn. They
become carriers. If the Reapers
continue unchecked, there could be
thousands of them before the month is
over. Do the math.
Blade turns to Damaskinos.
BLADE
(vampire dialect; subtitled)
You want me to hunt them for you.
DAMASKINOS
(vampire dialect; subtitled)
Not alone.
ASAD
We've been training a small tactical
unit -- the Bloodpack. We want you to
lead them.
WHISTLER
Just how long has this little social
club of yours been together?
NYSSA
Two years.
BLADE
Then they weren't created to go after
your "patient zero".
NYSSA
No. They've been training to hunt you.
CUT TO:
INT. SCUD'S WORKSHOP - DAWN
Blade, Whistler and Scud enter through the loading elevator.
Blade turns to Whistler.
BLADE
What do you think?
WHISTLER
Sounds like a plan.
Blade II
