Ripper #01: Acquaintances Ripper Episode 1.01 "Acquaintances" Writer: Jon | Editor: Matt DISCLAIMER: The author hasn't been to Bath, where the story is set, in nearly a year. Forgive me if I get the geography ever so slightly wrong :) TEASER Exterior. Public House, Bath, Night The sound of music and loud raucus behaviour can be heard coming from inside the pub. Sillouettes of various people move around passed the windows. The door suddenly bursts open and several drunken figures stagger out into the street. They laugh and joke loudly before eventually dispersing and disappearing. Several moments later a lone man walks uneasily out. He falls forward and grabs onto a lamp post to stay standing. He looks up. It's RUPERT GILES. He looks dazed and confused. GILES turns back to the door to the pub that is still open. GILES I'll see you tomorrow, Jeff... JEFF (V.O.) Same time? GILES What do you think? GILES continues to walk carefully down the street. A group of teenagers hang around by a wall. They notice GILES and laugh. He glares at them. There's no reaction. They just keep on laughing. He kicks a can in their direction before walking on. YOUNG YOB Old git! GILES doesn't give them another look. He continues walking, passed a kebab shop where several STUDENTS are coming out with piles of chips. He shakes his head. Exterior. Block of flats, Bath, Night It's a late 19th century building near the centre of the city. Fumbling for his keys, GILES opens the door into the block. He goes inside. Interior, Block of flats, Top of Stairway We hear footsteps coming up the narrow staircase. There are several doors to different flats along the corridor. GILES pulls himself up to the top and gets to a door. He puts his key into the lock. He has trouble turning it. With great effort he turns it around with a click. The door is pushed open and GILES disappears inside. Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room The room is sparsely decorated. A sofa and two chairs face a TV set. Several photographs and a clock are on a ledge above an old fashioned fireplace that has been converted to fit an electric fire. GILES grasps onto it to stay steady and knocks one of the photos down onto the floor. He kneels over to pick it up. The photo in his hand shows the interior of the Magic Box. Buffy, Willow, Dawn and Xander stand there. In the front are Anya and Tara. He focuses on Anya and Tara. A sad look covers GILES' face. He slumps down onto one of the arm chairs, the photo still in his hand. He reaches to the side and grabs a bottle of whisky. He gives it an sad smile before putting the photo down reluctantly. A small glass is filled with the gold-coloured liquid. GILES' hand reaches towards it. He brings it to his lips as he looks at the photo. His eyes are drawn to Tara and Anya again. He lifts the glass in an ironic, mock toast. GILES To the past... He takes a sip. He cringes and sets the glass down. He reaches to take his glasses off. There's a tear in his eye. Interior, City Library, Security Office A SECURITY GUARD is sitting behind a desk drinking tea from a mug. He glances absently towards a monitor and looks over various parts of the library through the CCTV system. The images change every few seconds. Something catches his eye. He puts the mug down and presses a few buttons on a keypad next to the monitor. The view changes to a view of outside the library. A figure is standing out there. The SECURITY GUARD looks closer. They’re trying to break in. He gets up and makes his way out of the office. Exterior, City Library, Bath, Night A middle-aged WOMAN is trying to force the door to the library open. She falls forward when it is pulled open by the SECURITY GUARD. WOMAN Oh! SECURITY GUARD The library's closed, love. (sarcastically) If you want to get some books out I suggest you leave it until tomorrow. WOMAN Right. Uh. Yes... But I really need to get in now. You see, it's quite urgent. SECURITY GUARD Yeah, well it's closed. See that sign by there? He motions to a sign near the door. The WOMAN nods. SECURITY GUARD (C'tnd) It says closed. WOMAN You don't seem to understand. SECURITY GUARD I don't understand? It's two thirty in the bleeding morning and you're trying to get into the library and you tell me I don't understand!!! WOMAN I want you to realise I'm not taking no for an answer. SECURITY GUARD I beg your pardon? Look, this is just silly. I think you ought to go home an... The WOMAN suddenly pushes the SECURITY GUARD through the open door. He falls to the ground. His face is horror stricken as he sees something he really didn't want to. Outside the library, we hear his screams. The door swings shut and there is silence. CREDITS ACT ONE Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Morning A ray of sunlight shines on GILES' face through the open curtains. He tries to stay asleep but can't. He slowly opens his eyes and then closes them almost straight away. GILES Agh! Bloody hell! He looks down. He's still on the armchair and in the clothes his was wearing the night before. He looks over towards the clock above the fireplace. He blinks a few times, trying to remember something. GILES Off course! Damn it! He gets to his feet but is still a little weak. He pulls on a coat and runs to the door. On the arm of his chair is the photo he was looking at the night before. Interior, Block of flats, Top of Stairway An OLD MAN is collecting his mail from a box at the top of the stairs. GILES comes out of his flat. OLD MAN Ah, Rupert... GILES doesn't hear him. He barges down the stairs. We hear a door slam shut behind him. OLD MAN (C'tnd) ...How are you this morning... He shakes his head and walks back into his own flat. Exterior, Street, Bath, Day A man in his late 20s walks along the cobbled streets past several high street stores with signs that seem to stand out against the old fashioned buildings that house them. He is talking into a mobile phone as he goes. He is SETH JONES. He is tall, attractive and quite well built. SETH Look, it's really no problem. FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) Yes, you keep saying but I really can't thank you enough. If it wasn't for you I doubt I ever would have found him. SETH Oh, I'm not so sure about that. This whole investigator thing of mine is really just a hobby. A professional would've done a better job. FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) And would have charged more. SETH Well, yeah... that as well. SETH comes around a corner. The library is close by. It is cordoned off by the police. Several local journalists hang around taking photos and making notes. SETH silently curses himself. SETH (C'tnd) Look I've got to go. Just remember to call me if things work out... and if they don't really. Not that I'm saying they won't but... well, just call me. I'd like to hear from you again. The woman on the other end of the phone laughs. FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) I'll do that. And thanks again. SETH No problem. SETH turns off his phone and picks up his pace to join the journalists who are walking away. Exterior, City Library, Bath, Day A THIN JOURNALIST notices SETH running as fast as he can and smiles mockingly. THIN JOURNALIST Looks like you missed it again, Seth. That copper just said she wasn't giving any more statements. SETH Oh, I'm sure I can convince her. Apart from the POLICE, SETH is the only one left at the library steps. He calls out to someone. SETH Sam! Hey Sam! An attractive POLICE DETECTIVE, SAM turns around. She is in her early 40s, blonde and almost too glamorous for her job. She shakes her head. SAM Look, Mr Jones... I've just said I'm not... SETH ...giving out any more statements. Yeah, I know but I thought maybe you'd spare just a little bit of juicy gossip for me. SAM Gossip? There's nothing worth telling. SETH Well, you could start with what's happened here. My boss just said there was an "incident" or something crappy like that. SAM smiles. SAM So you've come all the way across town and you don't even know what for? SETH Uh, yeah. SAM Somehow I don't believe that. SETH walks in passed the police line. SAM does nothing to stop him. SETH And why's that exactly? SAM For a start we've already had a reporter from the Echo here. SETH A good point... SAM And secondly I don't think there's been a murder this side of the border in the last year or so that you haven't turned up to within the space of a few hours, let alone without knowing anything. SETH Also a good point. SAM So at a guess I'd say you know what's going on. SETH Well, if I ever needed to see proof that you're a dectective I think I just got it. Now, what's going on in there? SETH makes his way passed SAM to the entrance of the library. She follows him and holds him back. SAM As you so nicely put it. I'm a detective. You're a journalist. Not a bad one really. I especially enjoyed your report on the flower show last August. SETH grimaces. She's touched a weak spot. SAM (C'tnd) But you're not exactly qualified or authorised to be beyond that line over there. SETH looks back at the police cordon. He shrugs. SETH Hey, if it wasn't for me and my being so persistent you wouldn't have tracked down that serial rapist last year... What was his name now? SAM Scott Hill... the bastard got out too. On a technicality. Bloody legal system. SETH But you got him. You scared him. And that was thanks to me and my tracking him down. SAM And nearly getting yourself killed in the process you idiot! SETH grins at her. SETH The way you say idiot... you sound so sexy... really, you do. SAM sighs and shakes her head with a smile. She motions for SETH to follow her to the entrance of the library. SAM Okay, just this once and it's off the record... SETH I hear those words every time yet I don't think I quite understand them yet. SAM Okay, okay. But just don't mention my name. SETH Do I ever? SAM I know, but I'm getting in enough crap down at the station as it is. A body bag lies outside the library steps. A PARAMEDIC is zipping it up. SAM Excuse me... can I get in here a second. PARAMEDIC Make it quick, I'm on a schedule here you know. There are a few out there that are actually still alive. SAM opens the zip on the body bag. The SECURITY GUARD is in there. His face is distorted into a hideous look of horror that will probably never leave it. SETH Wow. Happy bugger, isn't he? SAM You'd look like that if this happened to you. She pulls the bag open a little further. There is a hole in his chest. It is black and charred and the skin for several inches around it is blistered. SETH Christ... SAM Not a pretty sight is it? SETH What the hell could've done that? SAM I'm all out of theories. I've heard rumblings in the last half an hour that they may be bringing MI5 in. SETH What? Some terrorists with really hot hands did this? SAM I have no idea... it's just what I've heard. SETH kneels down to look a little closer. PARAMEDIC Don't touch it! SETH Does it look like I was going to? He looks at the hole in the body. He reaches forward to touch it out of instinct but feels the beady eyes of the Paramedic on the back of his neck and pulls back quickly. He looks over his shoulder to SAM. SETH So there's no idea who did this? SAM I can't even think of a way something like that could even be done. It burnt all the way through him. SETH Any witnesses? SAM They've estimated the time of death at around three this morning. Not many people around that time on a Monday night... only students and they'd hardly be hanging around by the library when there's cheap beer on offer on the other side of town. SETH (smiles) Well, who can blame them? What about the security system? It's got one right? SAM Some tapes were stolen. Whoever did this had some intention of taking something so it's not just a random killing. We've already got a few officers looking to see if any books were stolen. SETH looks into the distance, over SAM'S shoulder. SAM What is it? SETH See that? SAM turns around to see what he is looking at. SAM What? SETH That bank over the road... Reckon it's got CCTV? SAM All banks have. It's the sensible thing to do. SETH Ah-ha. So maybe it's on a random rotation... it could look over in this direction from time to time. SAM Not bad for an amateur! Maybe you should apply to join the force. SETH Maybe you should quit and come work for the Echo. You'd make a bloody good Lois Lane to my Clark Kent... even if you are a bit on the old side. SAM (smiling) Cheeky swine. SETH gets up from his kneeling position next to the body. PARAMEDIC Can I take him away now? SAM Go ahead. Several Paramedics close the body bag again and lift it onto a stretcher. They carry it off to a waiting ambulance. SETH Look, I really need to get going. I've got to help this new guy with an editorial. Can you do me a huge favour and send any... interesting images you can pull from that camera. SAM No problem. Just don't solve this for me. I'll just feel guilty getting paid for something you do. SETH I'd never complain about money for nothing. Look, I'll give you a call if I find anything. SAM That's good with me. SETH hops down the steps from the library and disappears into the distance. Interior, Cyber Cafe, Bath, Day A MAN in his late fifties sits at a computer terminal in a Cyber Cafe. He looks completely out of place as he taps a few keys and tries to look like he knows what he's doing. Several young whizkids smirk at him. The MAN looks at his watch and sighs. An out of breath and panting GILES comes running through the door towards him. GILES Jeremiah! Sorry I'm late. I... JEREMIAH Do you know what it's like being here, Rupert. I know the Council is trying to promote technology for the first time in many years but I don't think I'll ever yet used to it. It's just not our generation is it? GILES I agree completely. Blasted things. JEREMIAH All that time in the States I'd have thought you'd have to get used to it. From what I've heard they're practically plugging their brains into the godforsaken things. GILES Oh no. In my experience it's only the occasional demon that does that but it's not exactly a common occurrence. JEREMIAH smiles. He looks at the screen. JEREMIAH It's all another language to me. GILES Which is odd. By my last count you could speak seventeen languages. JEREMIAH I'd rather spend the rest of my life conversing in Sumerian than even try to understand one of these bloody things. GILES Then how about I treat you to a coffee. JEREMIAH They do coffee? GILES They do call it a cyber cafe for a reason. JEREMIAH Really? I thought it was because they force fed you all this useless information. (sighs) I'll never get it. They get up from the computer and sit down at a table near a window overlooking the main street. GILES I heard they were giving you all computer training these days. It makes me glad I got the relatively easy job of training the Slayer. JEREMIAH Perhaps. At least you don't need to hire some damn American corporation to finance it. Do you have any idea all the things we had to tell them so they didn't ask questions. A WAITRESS approaches the two men. WAITRESS Can I help you? GILES Uh, two coffees please. WAITRESS Latte? Cappachino? Mocha? GILES (to himself) My God, I spend six years over there and by the time I come back they've taken over. (to the waitress) Just plain ordinary coffee, thank you. JEREMIAH One without milk. WAITRESS Right... She makes a note and leaves them. JEREMIAH Now, onto the Slayer... it does appear that you are no longer training her. Your retroactive pay only lasts another year, Rupert. Have you considered coming back to work in the Council's offices? GILES You know me rather well Jeremiah. I'm not the type of person to spend all my day sitting behind a desk? JEREMIAH Then the archives perhaps? No doubt you've missed the sheer volume of texts we have there. GILES To tell you the truth, I'm not particularly keen on returning to London quite so soon. I rather enjoy the quiet life I've been having recently. JEREMIAH Yes... and the bags under your eyes are an obvious sign of your relaxing lifestyle. They stop talking as the WAITRESS returns. She places two steaming cups of coffee in front of them. GILES Thank you. She walks away. GILES takes a sip. GILES I'm not sure when, but at some point I think we forgot how to make coffee. JEREMIAH So you do miss the States? GILES I can't deny that life out there never failed to keep me on my toes. JEREMIAH But you still feel the Slayer is in no need of your tutelage? GILES shakes his head. GILES She's no longer the young girl I first met when I moved to California. She's a mature, resourceful young woman who proved she was quite capable of keeping things together despite all odds in the last year. I can only admire her for that. And no, it seems my presence is no longer required unless the situation absolutely calls for it. JEREMIAH Including your recent trip which you failed to inform us of? GILES It was personal business, Jeremiah. My store over there had been destroyed and I lost a good friend. I didn't have time to tell you. JEREMIAH Ah. The curse of our form of employment. GILES (sadly) Indeed. They both take a few sips of their coffee in silence. JEREMIAH So I can't convince you to come back quite yet? GILES shakes his head. GILES Sorry but no. I wish to enjoy my last few months of being paid for doing nothing. Of course, I'll be more than happy to consider it in time but I'd rather not think of such depressing things as work until I absolutely have to. JEREMIAH You've never changed have you, Rupert? Still have that rebellious streak they couldn't iron out of you. GILES (shrugs) It's who I am. GILES looks at his watch. GILES (C'tnd) I really have to go. I have a hundred things that need to get done this morning... JEREMIAH And I suggest one of them ought to be getting some sleep. It certainly looks like you need it. GILES Will do. I'll see you another time, old man. I've missed you. JEREMIAH You too Rupert. GILES takes a large gulp of coffee and leaves the rest on the table. He gets up and walks towards the door. The WOMAN from the library the previous night walks in. She glances at him. He looks at her. There's a connection of some kind but they both shake it off. The WOMAN takes a seat at a computer and pulls up a web explorer. She types in an address and comes up with a site that allows her to search for names and addresses in the local area. She begins typing... G... I... L... E... Exterior, Block of flats, Bath, Day GILES returns to his flat. He puts his key in the main door and turns it. It opens suddenly and the OLD MAN from the flat next door comes out with a small yapping dog on a leash. GILES Morning Gerald. OLD MAN You've got time to say that now then? GILES What? OLD MAN Forget it. The OLD MAN continues to walk. GILES makes his way inside. The OLD MAN stops. OLD MAN Oh! I knew there was something I had to tell you. A young blonde lady came earlier looking for you. GILES Blonde you say? How old? OLD MAN I don't know... about twenty... maybe a little older. There is a look of hope in GILES' face. GILES Was she American by any chance? OLD MAN I don't know! My hearing's not all that good you know. Go see for yourself. GILES See for my... OLD MAN She refused to leave. She's still sitting outside your door. Been there for half an hour now. Interior, Block of flats, Top of Stairway Giles reaches the top of the stairs at an excited pace. GILES Buffy? His face drops. It's not Buffy. A woman aged about 23 is sitting next to his door. She has short blonde hair and is pretty damn good looking. EMILY Are you Rupert Giles? He nods. She pulls herself to her feet and brushes her clothes down. EMILY (C'tnd) Really? GILES (exasperated) Yes. Can I help you? He unlocks his flat door. EMILY I think maybe you can. You used to know my mother. My name is Emily... Emily Page. GILES finds the name familiar. It suddenly clicks. GILES Page? You… you're Deirdre's daughter? EMILY nods. GILES (C'tnd) My God. I never knew... You look just like her. EMILY I found your name in an old diary of hers. GILES Deirdre and her diaries... I remember them. She used to write everything down. Come, come in. I'd love to talk more. EMILY Thank you. I hoped you’d say that. EMILY smiles sweetly at GILES' invitation. She walks in after him. Interior, Cyber Cafe, Bath, Day A piece of paper comes out a printer. It has Giles' name, address and telephone number on it. A female hand picks it up. The WOMAN grins as she folds it up and puts it in her pocket. She looks as JEREMIAH pays for the coffee and the computer time and walks out into the street. She follows him out. WAITRESS Hey! Hey! Miss! You have to pay! The WOMAN ignores her and walks straight out into the street. Exterior, Main Shopping Street, Bath, Day The WOMAN leaves the cyber cafe and goes around a corner into a quaint little alleyway in the same direction as JEREMIAH. She pulls the paper out of her pocket. WOMAN Excuse me! Sir... Exterior, Quaint Alleyway, Bath, Day JEREMIAH turns around. The WOMAN catches up with him. JEREMIAH Can I help you my dear? WOMAN This address... I was wondering if you could tell me where it is. I'm not from around here and I'm visiting an old friend of mine. JEREMIAH Of course. I'd be only too happy to oblige, although I'm not all that familiar with the city. She shows him the piece of paper. JEREMIAH (reading) Rupert Giles? WOMAN Yes. Do you know him? JEREMIAH Well, this is the strangest coicedence. I was talking to him not half an hour ago in that wretched cafe place. I was sure I saw you in there too. WOMAN He was in there? Really? JEREMIAH nods. WOMAN (C'tnd) Well I never. I haven't seen him in so long I must not have recognised him. So... the address...? JEREMIAH Of course, of course. You just go back to the high street... go up and take a left. You'll see several signs toward a theatre. Follow them until you reach it then go straight passed it. The place you're looking for is in a small street on the right. WOMAN Thank you so much. JEREMIAH And perhaps you can tell him that he ever so cleverly left me to pay the bill for the coffee. The WOMAN flashes him a charming smile. JEREMIAH (C'tnd) And I don't think I caught your name... WOMAN Julia... She pushes him into the wall. Her hand on his chest. He calls out in pain. She covers his mouth as smoke starts coming out of his chest until her hand goes all the way through him. JEREMIAH'S body slumps to the ground. The WOMAN (JULIA) walks off quickly up the alleyway and disappears around a corner out of sight. The WAITRESS comes running around the corner. WAITRESS Miss… you forgot to… Oh my God! A small crowd of people rush around the corner to see JEREMIAH with the hole in his chest still smoking. ACT TWO Interior, Newspaper Office, Seth's Desk, Day Seth types away at a computer as he edits a report. Another person in the office, PHIL, drops the CCTV photos showing the library are sitting on the top of the inbox on his desk. PHIL These just came in for you. SETH Thanks. PHIL walks off. SETH picks the photos up and analyses them. One shows a close up of Julia. SETH Hey! Phil! PHIL turns around and returns to SETH’S desk. PHIL What now? SETH Can you take over this report for me. You can have full credit. It's just I've got something to do. PHIL Haven't you always? SETH Not my fault I've got more important fish to fry. I'll send it over to your work station. PHIL I didn't even say yes. SETH But you were going to and it's the thought that counts. SETH presses a few buttons and sends the report to another computers. SETH (C'tnd) Cheers, mate. SETH picks up his phone and types in a few numbers. He waits a while. SETH (C'tnd) Oh, hi. It's me. Seth. Did you get a positive ID on the bird in those scans I sent you? You did! Great. Can you send it my way? Thanks. I owe you one. Yeah, I know I always do. Thanks. He puts the phone down. He looks at the computer screen impatiently. He taps a pencil on the side of his desk and gets an angry glare from someone sitting several desks away. His face lights up when he gets mail. He opens it up. The computer shows an image of Julia. The name next to it says "Julia Sheridan". As he reads down something else catches his attention. SETH This has to be wrong... The text on the screen says that she was killed in 1972. There are list of people who were brought in for questioning in the case and they include Deirdre Page, Ethan Rayne and Rupert Giles. SETH (to himself) Rupert Giles... I know that name... He focuses on the surname "Page" on the screen. That catches his attention too. He is deep in thought when the phone rings and brings him back to his attention. He picks it up. SETH Daily Echo, Seth Jones' desk. SAM (V.O.) Seth, it's Sam. I have some off the record info for you. Another body was found with the same markings. It takes SETH a while to get what she is saying. SETH Markings? SAM (V.O.) Great gaping hole in the chest. SETH You're joking? Where? SAM (V.O.) You know where the internet cafe in town is? SETH Yeah. SAM (V.O.) Around the corner from there. An old man. We haven't identified him yet. SETH Holy shit. I'll be right there! SAM (V.O.) Sorry, Clark... I think it's a little late for Superman to save the day. SETH Very funny. I'll see you in a few. He slams the phone down and grabs his jacket. He looks back at the CCTV images. He grabs one of them showing Julia clearly and runs out of the offices. Interior, Giles' Flat, Kitchen, Day GILES pours some tea into two cups. He calls into the living room. GILES How many sugars? EMILY (O.S.) Just the one. GILES Same as me. He puts the sugar in and stirs them both. He takes a tray into the living room. Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Day GILES brings the tray in and puts it down on a table in front of EMILY. He takes a seat himself. GILES I was so sorry to hear about your mother. I wish I'd been informed... I would have come to the funeral. EMILY It was a pretty small affair anyway. Only me, my gran and a few of mum's friends from work. GILES And it's the strangest thing. I never knew she had a daughter... I didn't think she ever got married. EMILY She didn't. She brought me up on her own. I never met my father. She never even talked about him. GILES Really. That's odd. EMILY I know. That's why I came here. I discovered recently in one of her diaries that my father was one of her old friends... one of yours too I suppose since you were in the same group. GILES is shocked but he nods. GILES Really? You see, I lost all contact with them. And since then they've all passed away... apart from Ethan who's somewhat... indisposed. EMILY But I have the name... or at least I think it's his name. I hoped you would at least tell me to put me at ease. GILES Of course. EMILY goes into her bag. She pulls out an old diary. GILES looks at it fondly. He reaches for his cup. EMILY You see, mum didn't actually give his real name. If she did I would have tracked him down rather than you... I wouldn't have been able to do that if my gran didn't tell me about you. According to the diary the name is Ripper... GILES' suddenly freezes. The cup falls to the floor and smashes. Exterior, Quaint Alleyway, Bath, Day SAM is standing over the body of JEREMIAH. Several other police officers are hanging around. SETH comes up to her. SETH We really should stop meeting like this. SAM Now who's the joker. SETH Not entirely sure... but I think the Riddler could be of more use to us right now. He looks at the body. The hole in the chest has now stopped smoking. Paramedics have taken his shirt off to assess the damage and its not a pretty sight. SAM Not pleasant is it? SETH I could've gone a lifetime without seeing a body like this... now two in one day. I don't think I get paid enough for this. SAM I didn't think you got paid at all. Can I just say this is one of the strangest hobbies anyone has ever had. SETH So were there witnesses this time? I mean, it happened in broad daylight. How could there not have been? SAM No one saw the murder itself but a waitress at the internet cafe saw a middle aged woman walking out after him. SETH walks out of the alley and towards the cafe. SAM (C'tnd) If you've got any ideas I'm coming in there with you. SETH Well, at least you get paid to do the boring bits. Interior, Cyber Cafe, Bath, Day The WAITRESS is giving information to a POLICE OFFICER when SETH and SAM arrive. WAITRESS ...and I thought there was something weird about her from the start... SAM The suspect? WAITRESS Uh-huh. SETH pushes forward and holds up the camera print out. SETH Did she look something like this. The POLICE OFFICER turns to SAM. TALL COPPER You invited him here again? People at the station are starting to think you fancy him. Didn't realise you were after a toyboy. SAM He's just interested in our field of work. It's not my fault he could charm the ears off Prince Charles. SETH shows the photo to the WAITRESS. She nods. WAITRESS That's her. SETH You're sure? WAITRESS Definitely. No doubt about it. SAM looks over SETH'S shoulder. SAM Are they those photos I forwarded to you? SETH Yup. Julia Sheridan. I think we have our suspect. SAM We? SETH Okay... you. The WAITRESS stands around not sure of what she's supposed to do next. SAM looks over the computers. SAM Which one of these did she use? WAITRESS Uh, that one I think. SAM Is there any way to know what she was using the computer for? SETH rushes to the work station that was pointed out. SETH Yup. Just give me a few seconds while I look up the history... The WAITRESS turns to SAM. WAITRESS Is he with you? SAM To be frank, I think he's up with the fairies but who am I to judge insanity. I'm not psychiatrist. SETH And I'm no copper but look what I'm doing! Got it! SAM joins SETH at the computer. SAM What is it? SETH Some local site. A bit like an online phone book. Gives out the names and addresses of people you look up. I've used it myself... I helped this girl find some old bloke she was looking for. SAM Any idea who the suspect searched for? SETH Let me see... He taps a few keys. They look at the screen. SAM R. Giles... Any idea who that could be? You seem to know so much about this woman. SETH'S face is horror stricken. SETH I know exactly who that is... Excuse me a minute. He pulls out his mobile phone. SAM Who are you calling? SETH The girl I helped this morning... to find the same guy. I thought I recognized that name! He begins to frantically press keys on his phone. Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Day GILES fumbles to clean up the mess on the floor. EMILY Can I help? GILES No... no. It's a good job I have a wood panelled floor. God only knows what state it would be in if I actually bothered to get a carpet. EMILY So... do you know this Ripper person? GILES I... I, uh, I suppose I do. EMILY (smiling) Really? GILES And are you sure he's your father? Absolutely sure? EMILY nods. There is a tinge of sadness to her voice. EMILY Well, mum seemed pretty sure in her diary... she said she spent the night with him... the best night of her life... before he went away for some reason. It took me so long to find someone who might have known who he was... especially after I found out about my mother's other interests at the time... you know the black magic and all. GILES You know about that? EMILY She detailed it all... right up to how she felt when any of her friends died. GILES Yes... Randall and Julia... it was all so long ago. I regret it so much now as, no doubt, your mother did if she tried to keep it away from you. If we'd only paid attention when Julia... passed away we could have stopped and saved so many lives. As ashamed as I am to say it, I'm rather glad I got up and left when I did. EMILY looks up at him, suddenly making eye contact. EMILY What? What did you say? GILES About what? EMILY You said you left... the group. GILES (a little nervously) Yes... She looks at him carefully. EMILY My God… You’re Ripper… aren't you? GILES begins fumbling. GILES Emily... I'm sorry... I wasn't sure I... EMILY You knew and you didn't tell me straight away! Were you even going to? Or were you going to say it was one of the others who were dead so you didn't have to bother at all. GILES I wanted to be sure first... This has come as quite a shock you know. EMILY But you could have at least said! GILES Emily... please... EMILY is about to react. Her phone begins ringing. She glares angrily at GILES. GILES (C'tnd) Aren't you going to answer that? EMILY takes the phone out of her bag and looks at it. The screen shows Seth's name. She cancels the call and puts it down. EMILY I think this is a little more important, don't you? You didn't even bother contacting my mother! Did you ever think what she must’ve felt about bringing me up alone? GILES I didn't know she was pregnant! When I saw her the last time... EMILY For your quick shag before you buggered off to God knows where... GILES (trying again) When I saw her the last time I told her to contact me. By the time I tried myself she had moved. I didn't know where... The only thing I heard after that was her death at the hands of Eyghon. EMILY Would you have even bother coming if she had told you? GILES Of course I would have. I... There's a loud knock on the door. GILES and EMILY look towards it. GILES (C'tnd) I really ought to answer that. EMILY No. I think we should talk about this! GILES We can talk... once I've got rid of whoever this is. GILES goes to the door. He opens it. JULIA is on the other side of the threshold. JULIA Hello Ripper. GILES Do I know you? JULIA I should think so. GILES looks at her closely. There is a spark of recognition. GILES Of course. From the café earlier but I don’t know wh… JULIA breezes in, quite calmly pushing GILES aside. GILES Excuse me... I really think you should leave. I don't know who you are and what you think you're doing in my flat but... JULIA You really have forgotten me haven't you Ripper? GILES Well, I certainly don't recognize you beyond this morning… JULIA Funny... I always thought you would remember all of the people you've killed in the past. GILES looks at her. Slowly there is a sign of recognition in his eyes, which slowly becomes horror. GILES Julia? JULIA Well, I was... at one point. I'm not altogether sure who or what I am now. But it's not like you ever cared to find out. You just watched me burn and left me for dead. GILES I... That's not how it happened. EMILY Who is this? GILES Emily... get back... EMILY Who is she? JULIA eyes EMILY up carefully. JULIA She looks awfully familiar, Ripper... A hell of a lot like that slut you conspired with to do away with me. GILES Don't talk about Deirdre like that... She was your friend... JULIA The two of you made sure that spell went wrong. You wanted me out of the way to jump into bed together... you and that whore... EMILY jumps to her feet getting defensive. EMILY You talk like that about my mother one more fucking time and I swear I'll kick the living shit into you... JULIA Your mother... I thought so... (looks at Giles) And no doubt this is daddy dearest. They really didn't waste time did they. GILES Julia... we had nothing to do with the spell... it backfired when the police arrived. JULIA Oh Ripper... I'm over that now. You dwell on the past a little too much. What I'm interested in is how long it took you and the bitch to do what you did... to produce this little piece of shit... EMILY jumps at JULIA. GILES tries to hold her back but can't. She slaps JULIA across the face. The older woman just shakes her head. JULIA A slap? Is that all you can do, girl? JULIA punches EMILY in the face with super human strength. EMILY flies across the room and hits the wall hard. GILES Emily! He rushes to his newfound daughter's side. GILES (C'tnd) Are you alright? EMILY Wh-what the hell is she? GILES Not entirely human it seems. JULIA And whose fault is that Ripper? JULIA'S face begins to become distorted as it morphs into something a lot more demonic. She looks like a walking corpse with flaking, mouldy grey skin and red glowing eyes. JULIA rushes GILES and hurls him to the opposite side of the room. He hits the sofa which gets knocked over by the sheer force of him colliding with it. JULIA Now which one do I kill first... the lying, cheating bastard... or the slut's daughter... The door bursts open. JULIA turns around quickly. EMILY looks up dazed. GILES adjusts his glasses which had fallen down his face. SETH is standing in the doorway looking completely out of his depth. JULIA Who the hell are you? GILES Exactly what I was going to ask... SETH stares at the mess. ACT THREE Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Day Everyone is the same position as before. JULIA looks at them all. JULIA I haven't got time for this! Her hands begin to glow with red energy. SETH just stares at her. She fires. GILES reacts. He grabs a framed photo on the floor next to him and hurls it between JULIA and SETH. The energy hits it and shoots off in several directions. JULIA gets hit in the chest and is sent flying into the floor. She looks up at them suddenly. JULIA Looks like it’s back to the original plan… You’re loss… She runs out, throwing SETH out of the way. He flies several metres through the air before crashing down on the small table between the armchairs. It smashes under his weight. GILES gets to his feet and runs to the door but it's too late. JULIA'S gone. GILES Blast! SETH What on God's green earth was that? GILES An old girlfriend. SETH You go for the moulding, walking corpse types, huh? GILES pulls himself to his feet. GILES No! And may I ask what you're doing here. SETH Saving Emily. GILES looks over at EMILY who is still a little dazed. GILES You know this man? EMILY I'm not sure... I don't recognise him... SETH I'm Seth. EMILY You're Seth? SETH Yup. EMILY Really? SETH Uh-huh. EMILY I pictured someone... older... GILES shakes his head in dismay. GILES Who the bloody hell is Seth? SETH Me. I am. Look. He pulls out a small business card and hands it to GILES. It has his phone number and address on it. GILES looks at it. GILES Wonderful. But who the hell are you exactly and what exactly did you think Emily needed rescuing from? SETH You mean apart from the bird with the dodgy cosmetic surgery? GILES (frustrated) Yes. Apart from her. SETH Well you for a start. GILES Me? SETH Yeah, you. Rupert Giles. The man suspected of being involved in the death of Julia Sheridan in 1972... a woman who seems to be alive and well and apparently on her way here to do God knows what to Emily. GILES Julia Sheridan? The Julia Sheridan who just threw you across the bloody room and ran away? SETH glances back at the door. SETH Well, the woman I was after was a lot... less disfigured. GILES Well, I can tell you now that she was indeed Julia. SETH Really? GILES Really. There's silence. SETH looks from GILES to EMILY. EMILY is just confused. GILES offers his hand to EMILY and helps her back onto his feet. EMILY Thanks... GILES pulls the sofa back upright. GILES Now... since it's my room that's been ransacked and broken into do you think it would be wrong of me to ask what the hell is going on? SETH I suppose it wouldn't be all that wrong. GILES So... who are you. Apart from being Seth, that is. SETH I'm a reporter... for the Echo... but I do a bit of investigation on the side… for the extra money and all. I put these ads in some papers to help find lost relatives and stuff like that. Didn’t think it’d get me anywhere but Emily here answered one... Something about you knowing her father I think… He looks at EMILY for encouragement. EMILY He is my father. SETH You what? GILES I'm her father... as I found out just before Julia decided to get in the way. EMILY Saving you a hell of a lot of explanation. GILES Actually, giving a hell of a lot more... (to Seth) Well, you've found out that Emily is safe. How about going on your way and leaving us to talk. SETH You're joking, right? I've been tracking down this Julia woman all day. She's killed two men already today. An explanation on how you know her would be nice... GILES sighs. GILES Come with me. I’d rather not be around here much longer. She might be back. He gets to the door. He turns. SETH and EMILY aren’t moving. GILES (C’tnd) For God’s sake! Come on! You can get your explanation in time. Pause. GILES glares at them. GILES This is serious! Come on. Interior, Block Of Flats, Resident’s Garage, Day GILES leads the other two into the garage he’s been supplied. It’s more or less empty since he hasn’t got a car yet. They come through a back door that leads to a stairway up to the main part of the flats. GILES takes a look up them then closes the door. SETH I like the look. Very… minimalist. GILES If you’re referring to my lack of vehicle I’m inclined to agree. My former employers have promised to supply me with one soon. EMILY Nice work if you can get it. He sighs. GILES I can't believe this. I wanted peace and quiet. That's why I came here. I could have a high paid job in London you know? But here I am talking about my past mistakes in a flat that's been torn apart by one of them. It's times like this I miss Sunnydale... EMILY turns to SETH. EMILY This may end up sounding a little weird... just bear with it. SETH Weird? I've seen two bodies with huge bloody holes burnt into them and a woman who looks like she should have been dead and buried thirty years ago. I think I can deal with weird. EMILY (with a wry smile) You're choice, Doggett... SETH Okay... so what exactly is up with that woman? GILES sits down on an a seat. GILES Julia and I were... involved back in the early seventies. As Emily now knows, I was involved in dark magic... the occult... I worshipped chaos. SETH Riiiight.... Black magic, chaos worshipper. GILES Are you going to let me continue? SETH shrugs. GILES frowns pointedly at him. GILES I met Julia outside of this circle but she was more than a little interested and so I introduced her to it. I saw nothing wrong with it at the time. The usual teenage rebellion thing which quite frankly is rather toned down these days. All these God awful so-called musicians talking about sacrifices... hell, I was doing it. But back to the point. I found Julia a little... intense. In terms of our relationship and the way she jumped head first into the occult. She was rather too unhinged for my liking and soon I began distancing myself from her. EMILY So you led her down the dark path then dumped her right in the middle. How caring of you... yet familiar... GILES gives her a frustrated look. GILES I was a different person back then. I was young.... younger than the two of you. I was soon becoming attracted to Deirdre... your mother... and Julia seemed to notice. She got jealous. At the time I hoped it would mean she would start to move away from our circle but she just got more and more into it. She even suggested invoking several dark spirits... pretty dangerous magic for even us... Ethan was all for it and where he ventured it seemed that the rest of us would follow. SETH And something went wrong... with this spell? There is a hint of cynicism and unbelieving in his voice. GILES That's exactly what happened. During the spell the police arrived. It seemed they were tipped off that a group of people were using drugs in the woods and they came to investigate. The spell was broken and Julia, who was performing the main incantation had all of the energy focused on her. The rest of us ran. It was stupid... foolish... but we didn't know what else to do. SETH She died? GILES The official line is that it was an overdose. Only myself and Ethan Rayne are alive to know better... well, that's what I thought until earlier. We were too afraid to go to her funeral and the police got suspicious. They only brought in Ethan, Deirdre and me... we were all let off. It was accidental death as far as they were concerned... I feel they just wanted to shake us up. SETH Now... I don't want to believe this but... EMILY What about you and my mother? GILES What? EMILY While we're on the topic... what happened between the two of you? GILES nods. He knows he has to do this. GILES As you know, it was only eighteen months later that the Eyghon incident happened... SETH Eyghon? GILES ignores SETH’S interruption but gives him a pointed look before going back to Emily. GILES After that and the death of my good friend Randall I decided to call it a day. It scared me. I was arrested a second time on attempted murder and I knew it was the last straw. I had to go back onto the straight and narrow. I confronted the others about this and Ethan took it harder than the rest of then. He refused to see me walk away... I just stormed out but Deirdre came to me when I was packing. We talked... about everything that had happened... about our feelings for each other... EMILY And one thing led to another? GILES Exactly. The next morning I left. I gave her a forwarding address if she ever needed me but she never did. I was actually rather disappointed... I would have been happy to settle down with her but now I know it was never to be. EMILY Well, I guess my mum was a little stubborn. Maybe she didn't want to get in the way of your duties... GILES looks at her. She smiles. GILES You forgive me then? EMILY Not entirely... but it's a start. GILES That's all I ask for. SETH starts pacing the garage, his eyes still fixed on GILES. SETH This is all fair and good... I'm taking this with a bloody huge pinch of salt but what exactly is this Julia woman now? You say she was hit by this spell thing you did... What happened to her. GILES Something far worse than death. SETH What the hell does that mean? GILES If she really did kill those people in the manner you say she did... I can only theorise that perhaps she is part demon... a side effect of being bombarded by dark energies. I've never heard of something like this happening before but then a spell like that hadn't been cast in centuries before we attempted it. SETH And she's after you for revenge on you for betraying her... EMILY But she wants me dead too... she said so. SETH clicks his fingers. He begins pacing the room in real detective mode. SETH Let me see... to her you would represent the emobodiment of Mr Giles' betrayal. Getting rid of him wouldn't be enough. She wants to get rid of every last vestage of what hurt her. EMILY You're good. SETH (shrugs) I'm doing an Open University course in crimial psychology. Bloody interesting. GILES I must say, despite the mess you've caused, you really do seem to have quite knack there... but I still want you to pay up for that table you broke. SETH I was thrown across the room by a demon woman! It's hardly my fault. (pause) I can't believe I just said I was thrown across a room by a demon and managed to sound serious... EMILY Yeah, everyone has trouble accepting it at first. GILES I didn't... He gives them both a slight smile. Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Early Evening Silence. Suddenly the door is thrown off its hinges and flies across the room. JULIA walks in, wearing her more human looking guise with her eyes glowing violently red. JULIA Ripper... Oh Ripper... Where are you? She looks around the room. JULIA You should know... I can find you wherever you are... She wanders through the small living room, brushing her hands along the photos on the mantelpiece. She runs her fingers along one of them JULIA I can smell you all over this… You can't hide from me Ripper. You can run as far as you want but I'll track you down... and murder that bitch... She looks at the armchair. She pulls a framed photo out from the side of it. It's the one showing the Scooby Gang. She smiles as she senses where he has gone. JULIA Ah. There you are... Interior, Block Of Flats, Resident’s Garage, Day SETH continues to pace the room. GILES Will you stop doing that? For God's sake it's offputting! SETH Sorry! What else am I supposed to do? GILES I don't know... but staying here is not a very good idea. Julia is incredibly powerful if what you've told me about her victims is true... we need to find a way to stop her. Have you got a car? SETH Yeah... GILES Then it'll come in handy... unless this is all too much for you to handle. SETH looks towards EMILY. She nods at him. SETH I'm in. GILES pulls on a coat and walks towards the door. The others follow. GILES I hope you realise that you're not getting out of replacing my table... Exterior, Block of Flats, Bath, Day A car is parked outside Giles' block of flats. SETH unlocks it then opens the door for EMILY. She smiles at him. EMILY Thanks. SETH No problem. SETH jumps into the driver's seat. GILES looks at the way he acts around EMILY but tries not to pay it any mind. He gets into the back. The car pulls off and drives down the road. Interior, Block Of Flats, Resident’s Garage, Day The door is knocked through. JULIA walks in and looks around. She frowns. JULIA You’re playing cat and mouse, Ripper. And you should know I don’t make a very good mouse. She kneels down and touches the floor to “read” it. She smiles. JULIA Clever boy. Interior, Seth's Car (Travelling), Day SETH concentrates on driving. EMILY sits next to him while GILES sits in the middle of the back seat so that he can see out front. EMILY So where do we actually go? SETH Maybe where she's killed before. GILES And where exactly is that? SETH The library... she got the security guard there... and an alleyway near the middle of town. Some old guy bought it. GILES The library seems to be the best idea. Did she take anything? SETH No idea. The police were checking the records this morning. I didn't get a chance to find out if they'd come out trumps. EMILY Couldn't she come back there? While we're there? GILES I doubt it. I believe she probably has what she needs... we just need to find out what it is to know what she has planned. Interior, City Library, Archive, Early Evening SETH is seated in front of a computer, tapping away to find out what's missing. SETH I doubt it'll be mentioned here... they only deal with stuff that's borrowed, in stock or overdue... but it's worth a shot. GILES Or you could try looking through the shelves. EMILY But there's hundreds of thousands of books here! We'll never find it. GILES Well, I doubt very much she wanted to read Spot Goes Camping so we count the children's section out. EMILY You don't have to be like that. GILES Sorry... it's just that I would rather find out quickly before Julia comes along and kills us. EMILY looks around the shelves. EMILY So we round it down to the relevent sections... okay... so what exactly counts as relevent? GILES I doubt very much that they would mention the occult books in the computer of theirs... but almost every large city library has a section dedicated to it. It's just a matter of finding it. EMILY And how do we do that? GILES Research. EMILY Research? GILES Yes. Research. Look things up. Find out if there is a space where there shouldn't be... and if there's an occult section there shouldn't be since none are to be taken out... and you've got it. EMILY But research... GILES shakes his head in dismay as he continues to look at an internal map of the library. GILES (to himself) Even Xander wasn't this bad. EMILY leans over SETH'S shoulder. EMILY Found anything? SETH Nope. Didn't think I would to be honest. Maybe their occult section is on some encrypted database... EMILY (a little disinterested) Maybe... SETH I can't believe I'm here. This morning I was at a murder scene for some random reason and now I'm sitting here looking for a stolen magic book. EMILY Life does tend to lead you in strange directions. SETH Yeah, but I only got involved in all of this to begin with because some gorgeous woman wanted help to find a crusty old guy. EMILY And how could you tell what I looked like over the phone? SETH Oh, I have an intuition... just not a demonic one if there's even such a thing as demonic intuition. EMILY smiles. She notices he's coming up with nothing. EMILY This is useless. We're getting nowhere. GILES doesn't turn away from the wall map which he traces with his finger. GILES Anya! This is not a good time for your… He suddenly realises what he's said and stops. EMILY What was that? GILES Nothing. EMILY Who's Anya? Someone you knew in America? GILES Don't worry about it. EMILY She's someone you cared about? GILES She was... an employee of mine... and yes, I cared about her... and now she's gone. But now isn't the time for bringing up the past. Footsteps can be heard in the almost empty room. JULIA (O.S.) Oh, I think now is the perfect time Ripper. ACT FOUR Interior, City Library, Archive, Early Evening JULIA stands at the entrance to the archive. Her eyes are aglow with red electricity. She smiles at them as she raises her hands. JULIA Well? Aren't you going to say hello? JULIA'S hands begin to have red lightening crackling all over them. GILES reacts. JULIA fires the lightening energy out of her hands. GILES jumps to the ground as it burns the map he was looking at to ashes. JULIA (C'tnd) Okay, we'll skip the pleasantries. That's fine with me. GILES tries to pull himself to his feet. JULIA rushes across the room with super human speed. She knocks GILES into the air. He hits the ceiling then crashes back down to the ground. SETH Mr Giles! JULIA He won't be bothering us for a while... GILES gets up groaning. GILES I wouldn't be too sure of that... JULIA That should have... GILES Knocked me out? Well, quite. It's surprised me rather. JULIA charges him. Before he can get back onto his feet she kicks him in the chin. He's knocked back onto the ground. EMILY and SETH are backing away slowly. JULIA turns to them. JULIA No, no, no kiddies. That's not how you play this game... SETH Game? This bitch is insane! JULIA That wasn't a vary nice thing to say, now was it? Her face changes into its demonic mode. Rotting corpse chic is all the rage in fights these days, y'see. JULIA makes her way towards SETH and EMILY, her hands glowing again. JULIA Now we teach you all a little lesson about playing with dangerous magic. It has consequences, you see... She charges at them both. Interior, City Library, Archive, Evening Several minutes later. SETH and EMILY are tied back to back at one side of the library. They struggle to break free but it isn't getting them very far. In the centre of the room, GILES has his hands tied behind his back as JULIA draws a circle around him. She occasionaly looks at the book she stole from the library. GILES I really don't know what you think you're doing, Julia... but it isn't right. You were hurt... I'm sorry for the part I played in it but... JULIA You think you can talk me out of this? You think you know my pain? You don't! You don't know anything! JULIA draws a circle around GILES with a stick of chalk. GILES Of course I don't! You were a victim of something horrific... but this is hardly the... JULIA glares at him. JULIA Oh, this is the way. Then you will know how I feel! She places several candles at points around the circle. GILES suddenly recognises the pattern. GILES Of course! SETH is facing away from the circle. EMILY can see everything that's going on. SETH What... what's happening? EMILY She's drawing out a circle... I think she's planning to do a spell. SETH Well, if I don't survive this at least I'll have all the proof I want to believe all of this! JULIA takes out a book. GILES looks over at her. GILES I know what you're doing... you're trying to recreate the spell... the spell that we did... JULIA It took you long enough to recognise it... I'm surprised, Ripper. You were the one who drew the circle last time. You're going to suffer like I did... filled with power but slowly rotting over the years until you've got enough energy in you to be able to finally move. JULIA throws an unused candle at GILES angrily. JULIA (C'tnd) I spent twenty years in the ground... completely aware of everything around me! Aware of the worms moving under my skin... crawling... wriggling... She punches the wall. The plaster is cracked. JULIA (C'tnd) I could feel the darkness inside me... filling me up... but it took so long... I wanted to kill you all... GILES Shame Eyghon did most of the work for you then... JULIA Don't joke!!!! I'm going to kill you!!! GILES I have no doubt about it. I didn't know what happened to you Julia... I had no idea how much you suffered... The young woman I remember was charming... kind... intelligent... I can't change what's happened to you but please... understand... I didn't know. JULIA Would it have even made a difference if you had? GILES Of course it would! We'd have tried to help you! To bring you back! JULIA shakes her head. The walks slowly, knowingly around the circle, not taking her eyes off GILES. JULIA No! You wouldn't have! You wanted me out of the way! So you could jump into the slut's bed! I knew that's what you wanted! I saw the two of you... it was the one thing that fuelled my hate while I laid in that casket... GILES It didn't happen like that! You weren't there! We just came together... JULIA raises her eyebrow. JULIA A quick shag and off you went? (to Emily) Did you hear that, girl? Your daddy leaving mummy up the duff then running off. She really was a... EMILY Say it and I swear I'll kill you. JULIA That's strange... I can't see you killing me from here. GILES looks to his side. There's a ceremonial knife there. He looks back at JULIA. She is distracted by EMILY. JULIA Let me tell you about your mother... Do you know how many men she worked her way through in the time I knew her... Well, let me see... there was Randall... Phillip... Ethan... EMILY That's trash and you know it! JULIA Your mother was trash! I was happy with Ripper! She took him away with her... her eyes... and her laugh... My God her laugh was grating... GILES edges closer towards the knife. His fingers are just centimetres from the handle. EMILY Don't say this! Don't say this about her! It's lies! SETH Yeah... I don't tend to hurt women but if you keep saying this to hurt Em... JULIA is facing SETH. His sentence fades away as he looks up at her. Her eyes glow. Her hand reaches out. SETH is rocked with the lightening energy. SETH Agh! Agghhh! JULIA stops. JULIA When I want your interaction I'll ask for it! SETH R-right... GILES manages to grab the knife. He begins to work on his bindings. JULIA continues to verbally attack EMILY. JULIA Do you realise your mother wanted to cast the spell? I did it to impress Ripper. Maybe I should have let her... then she would be here now... and you wouldn't. I would have my man... GILES (O.S.) I doubt that very much. JULIA spins around. GILES is free. He dives at her, slashing JULIA across the chest. She recoils. JULIA This isn't right! This isn't how it was supposed to work!! GILES stabs forward again. She grabs his arm, yanking him forward. The knife falls. JULIA hands grabs it. She cuts GILES' arm. He calls out in pain. JULIA (C'tnd) You don't do this! You can't attack me! It just doesn't work like that! SETH is struggling a lot more than he has been. EMILY What is it? SETH When she... shocked me... I think it loosened the rope a bit... hang on... JULIA is lifting GILES up by the throat. JULIA I'm going to cast this spell! You're going to suffer! Then when you understand what I'm going through we can be together again! We can... SETH runs into JULIA, knocking her down. The knife spins wildly across the floor and out of anyone's reach. GILES lands ungracefully, holding his throat as he tries to breathe properly again. JULIA'S eyes are practically on fire now. SETH struggles to get away but she grabs his leg. The dark energy flows from her hand and up his body. He SCREAMS! GILES looks at SETH. GILES is about to get to his feet. EMILY Mr Giles... He turns to look at EMILY. EMILY (C'tnd) You're hurt... GILES Get away from here! Now! SETH flies across the room. The blood-coloured energy is still flashing over his body. GILES (C'tnd) Get out! Take him with you! GILES runs at JULIA, knocking her off her feet. She lands hard with a THUD! His hands wrap around her throat. She grabs his and gives him the same treatment she gave SETH. He struggles to maintain his grip as his body SHAKES ALL OVER with the dark energy. With one great burst of strength, JULIA throws GILES off her. He lands in the middle of the magic circle. Before he can react she is on top of him, her nails digging into his chest. JULIA You bastard! You'll know pain! You will! You... She notices the blood on GILES' arm. She smiles at him. She touches his with her finger. GILES What are you... JULIA takes a dap of blood from her chest. GILES suddenly realises. GILES (C'tnd) No! He crawls from under JULIA and away from the circle. She grabs his leg. The mixture of blood drips from the tip of her finger into the circle. The room is filled with a MASSIVE BURST OF LIGHT! Everyone is knocked back. EMILY, still tending to SETH, sees a HUGE BLACK FLAME coming from the middle of the circle. JULIA stares at the flame in shock. JULIA It worked... it actually worked! Ripper! It worked! My God. She stares at the successfully cast spell. JULIA (C'tnd) It's beautiful... Her hand moves forward to feel it. JULIA (C'tnd) It's so cold... She is completely mesmirised by the flame. She turns to GILES who is getting to his feet. JULIA (C'tnd) It worked, Rupert. I did it... for you. I did it for you. You know that, right? JULIA'S face changes back to its human-looking form. It becomes younger until she looks as if she is around twenty. The age GILES knew her. GILES Julia... He walks towards her. She holds out her hand. GILES takes it. A tear forms in JULIA'S eye. JULIA I did it for you. You do know that? GILES nods. GILES I do. JULIA'S face suddenly changes again. It's even more decayed than before. Her eyes glow. Energy crackles from her fingertips. She tries to push GILES towards the flame. JULIA Gods of darkness! I offer you this sacrifice! Give me the strength! Give me the... EMILY rushes forward. She pulls GILES away from JULIA. JULIA can't maintain her balance anymore. She topples backwards, desperately trying to remain standing. EMILY kicks her into the flame. JULIA writhes in pain. The flame grows. GILES pulls EMILY back as it EXPLODES! Pieces of charred remains fly in all directions. Where the circle was is just a black scorch mark on the library floor. EMILY I told her I'd kill her. SETH stares at her. He can't believe what he just saw. EMILY looks at GILES. He smiles proudly at her. Interior, Giles' Flat, Main Room, Night GILES hands EMILY a cup of tea. He takes his own up and takes a sip. GILES No matter what I go through, coming home a hot cuppa almost makes it seem worth it. EMILY stares at him. EMILY Please tell me you're joking... GILES smiles. GILES Well, that and the knowledge I managed to survive another day. GILES picks up a business card from the desk. It has Seth's name on it. He puts it back down. EMILY I still can't believe it. However weird it all seemed... demonic witches... black magic... it almost seems to make sense... Does that make me a freak? GILES I'm afraid so. Welcome to the club. And it's not just that... vampires, werewolves, zombies and God only knows what else. EMILY Really? GILES (nods) And I've seen them all. The disadvantage of being a Watcher. EMILY I heard about that... Mum said in her diary you left to become one. GILES Please don't make me explain more of my complicated life... I'm too tired. EMILY Don't worry. I know what a Watcher is. I did some research, you know. Seth isn't the only one who can do that... I just needed him for the actual tracking you down part. Everything my mother mentioned was easy enough. GILES nods. GILES You're very resourceful. A lot... well, I don't like to blow my own trumpet... but a lot like me. EMILY smiles nervously. She still isn't used to the idea of him being her father much less him talking about what they have in common. EMILY I think Seth took it pretty hard. GILES It's understandable... So what's he going to do with all he found out? I had a word with him... told him that no one would believe anything about witches and demons... but he seemed somewhat determined. EMILY He'll come through. I wouldn't worry. GILES I just don't want my name mentioned all over the place. I came here for peace and quiet. EMILY I guess... Neither of them speak. Silence. Complete silence. It's uncomfortable too. They both look at each other nervously. EMILY puts her cup down. Her eyes meet GILES'. GILES Stay... Interior, Seth's Apartment, Night SETH sits in front of his computer. He clicks on a print icon. He looks towards the printer. He seems completely conflicted. The sheet of paper comes out. He looks at it. With it still in his hand, he gets to his feet, his eyes never leaving the words on it. SETH takes a deep breath and throws it into the bin next to the desk. He walks towards the bedroom. He stops. Turns around. His eyes remain focused on the piece of paper. He doesn't know what to do. END.