FREEZE FRAME on Hecate leaning over the corpse, cigarette in mouth then back to --
GFX: map of City.
The reticle zeroes out from Shadow’s End to the full map.
SUBTITLE: CITY OF BLOOD emerges slowly bleeding down screen.
The words shake as years fall off the map... 2332, 2333 etc all the way to 2351 (20 years). Small inserted images and vignettes follow, overlapping each other.
INT. VIGNETTE 1
Lincoln looking at camera in cop uniform, bottle of whiskey in his hand.
LINCOLN
You cost me everything but they say I gots to take care of you. (Swig)Why do you have to look like her? Your a fucking nightmare is what you are. I got to pay my hard earned money for someone to watch you while I fucking work. But no more straight and narrow.
Drinks from his bottle.
LINCOLN
I’m gonna take what they wouldn’t give.
INT. VIGNETTE 2
Hecate looking into camera with a blade in her hand, cigarette in mouth.
HECATE
When you get older this will be your worship.
Shows blade.
HECATE
This will be your voice to the
Goddess.
She motions to a Battle MASK on the wall.
HECATE
The War Mask of The Goddess, once worn by the woman who started our order 200 years ago, your great great great grandmother.
(Looks at camera)
That you shall never touch. I learned wisdom with your father. You shall know worship, sacrifice.
INT. VIGNETTE 3
A newscaster, WALTER BRIGGS, sits behind a news desk. An image of The Godiva Corp. behind him.
WALTER BRIGGS
It’s been 100 years since the end of the War of Thorns and The Devil’s Accords being ratified, It is also when The Godiva Corporation gave promises of lowering crime and a flourishing economy yet all we have seen is unending violence and corruption and a growing disparity between those that have and those that do not. Our City has become what we once all feared, what caused these wars to begin with, ruled by the wealthy elite with not even a whisk of deception in that reality. This is Walter Briggs keeping you in the truth.
INT. VIGNETTE 4
Lincoln, still in his cop uniform, far more disheveled with another bigger bottle of whiskey in hand, unshaven, half the bottle gone, looks into camera.
LINCOLN
Your fucking torture,(Swig) the Devil stomping boot heels in my head.
INT. VIGNETTE 5
Hecate CUTS her own arm, blood pouring into a bowl looking into camera, cigarette hanging from mouth.
HECATE
You still have drawn too few breaths to do this yourself so I shall do it for you, it is our prayers to the Three Fold Path.
She leans into camera and lowers the blood dripping dagger.
INT. VIGNETTE 6
News Caster again behind his desk. Images of dead bodies and yellow police tape.
WALTER BRIGGS
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
There’s a new drug on the street gaining popularity. It’s called Thrash, a combination of speed and PCP and is on a meteoric rise. With it comes an ever increasing tide of murder and crime. The police have gone on record as saying they are assigning heavy man power towards the stopping of distribution but in this city they are just as likely to be dealing it as stopping it. This is Walter Briggs and, as always, keeping you in the truth.
INT. VIGNETTE 7
Lincoln looks directly at camera (his daughter). He is half in and out of his police uniform. It is stained and in his hand is a bottle. Behind him on a table are numerous empty bottles. He SLAPS the camera.
LINCOLN
I’m barely getting any shifts at the precinct, they say it’s the drinking. That’s your god damn doing. You took her from me. (Swig, hard look) Luckily I got some people wanting me to do some jobs off the books.
He slaps the camera again.
LINCOLN
Her eyes. Her god damn eyes. (Swig) I’m gonna spill some blood, but you should thank me, it’s to keep food in your ungrateful belly.
INT. VIGNETTE 8
Hecate looks into camera, cigarette in her mouth. A woman, IDRIS, behind her, holds a solemn look; blades in her waistband.
HECATE
This is Idris, she is a believer. She will train you to use blade and body, to better serve and protect the Daughters of the world. Now remember to bleed yourself before and after training in thanks to the Goddess.
Raises a lashed WHIP.
HECATE
And now it is time to learn the penance that all men must serve for their forsaking of Eve in the Garden. We shall start your new day every day with this teaching, then Idris shall take you.
INT. VIGNETTE 9
Walter Briggs sits behind his desk, behind him, an image of corpses hanging off a street lamp.
WALTER BRIGGS
Three witnesses set to testify against corrupt police officers who were caught in the pay of the Loki Corporation, a subsidiary of the Godiva Corp, were found dead this morning, their throats slit and hanging from Street Lamps in the The Downs. Needless to say, the case against the said police officers was dropped. Corruption continues to be the trend in the City of Blood and more and more of our youth are being destroyed by this insidious drug. And there seems to be no help for anyone as our police are bought for a dollar and a dance. As always, Walter Briggs keeping you in the truth.
INT. VIGNETTE 10
Lincoln looks into camera. He is in his cop outfit and blood covers him. There are other VOICES off camera.
LINCOLN
I’ve done bad things, dark things, your momma would of hated it. (Hard look)If not for you, she’d be here, and I wouldn’t have to... not this.
Anger at camera.
LINCOLN
You!
Fist flies at camera.
LinCOLN
No longer a cop, such ideals I... your momma and I had. Clean up the city, protect the innocent. There is no innocence. I finally do what they want me to - spill blood, and they fire me, get rid of the patsy. So time, time for you to start contributing. Time for you to join in the corruption, to join me in being... a monster.
He reaches off camera grabbing a bottle of whiskey and a small vial of dark liquid. He pours a few drops of the liquid into the bottle.
LinCOLN
Drink this.
The camera shakes as if saying “no.”
LINCOLN
Drink it fucking now. Hell has come a calling.
He hands the drink towards camera.
LINCOLN
All of it.
He takes back the empty bottle.
LINCOLN
Good girl, good girl. That will make this easier, make you tired, make you dream this is a dream.
Lincoln motions off camera. A couple unsavory MEN, cops in uniform, enter. They hand Lincoln money and look at the camera with hungry smiles.
LINCOLN
Just don’t hurt her, or I hurt you.
He moves off camera and the two men move in, their hands reaching out.
INT. VIGNETTE 11
Hecate walks away, blood flecking her face and hands, the whip in her one hand. She looks back, cigarette hanging from her lips, a slight cough.
HECATE
You are learning.
(Cough)
I don’t want to do this, son, but it needs to be. This is the rules of the old country, this is the beginning here, men only know to destroy when they lead, to corrupt all they touch, their souls tainted at birth. So we have learned so shall we heal. Now spill your blood to she who hungers and then meet Idris and train.
INT. VIGNETTE 12
A female newscaster, SUSAN THEUS, now sits behind Walter Briggs’ desk.
Susan Theus
Hello to all the folks at home. My name is Susan Theus We would like to send our deep condolences to the Briggs as long time newscaster and part of the family here at KTTS TV Walter Briggs was found at his home dead this morning in a supposed overdose on the drug Thrash. It is with sorrow and deep regret we deliver this news to you as we know he was an icon of over 25 years delivering the hard hitting truth to those of us often times blind to such. It seems his own truth finally found him. We would also like to welcome our new corporate Partners the Loki Corporation who have promised to bring us coverage on all those things that matter to you and I. Coming up, celebrity scandals you just have to hear about and the top pop song on the radio today. Susan Theus bringing you the things you love.
FREEZE FRAME on newscaster.
GFX: The image shatters into glass fragments as the Final Year 3006 appears on the map. The reticle moves over the map of the city to the north area, The Downs, then zeroes in on --